Mentcvlvs

Yeah, we're obviously very far apart in our appraisals of his work. I don't think he's nearly as one-dimensional as you do and I actually think he has a decent list of shorter sprints mixed in among his roster of Capital-E Epic main events (and I'm not as frustrated with the Japanese-style epic main event as I imagine a fair amount of the participants in this poll are or will be, North American epic main events are another story). His match with Yuma Aoyagi today, for just one example, was just over 20 minutes and I thought it moved really well from the start. I think he has a very solid portfolio of tag matches spread throughout his career. I think he's been the best worker in NOAH for two distinct stretches (2nd half 2016 and from August 2020 to Match 2022). If you want to count Kensuke Office/Diamond Ring as an actual promotion (I wouldn't blame you if you didn't), he was the best wrestler there for basically the whole time it existed. He had what I thought was the best G1 run from an outsider during the golden era of that tournament in 2016. He's 35 and I think he has a chance over the next two years to have a career-defining run. Whether he does or not will probably determine whether or not I have him placed highly, but I think he has a marginal case already.

I'm going to be taking a real strong look at Nakajima for 2026. Not only do I think that his late 2020-2021 run greatly increased his standing, but this Miyahara feud and the AJPW run that he's in the middle of right now seems destined to the be the best run of his career. I think the match against Miyahara in July is the best match of both men's career. The recklessness of his in-ring style and his reported surliness behind the scenes have combined to give him the identity he's always lacked. He actually has an aura now, you could really feel it in the press conferences leading into the July match and his debut AJPW angle. Over the years I've always had to check my criticisms of him against his youth (he feels like he should be well into his 40s by now), but I think he's come a long way. Definite contender for my list in the future and he has an outside shot at being in the top half depending on how the next couple of years shake out.

Tony Khan really wants to keep booking CM Punk no matter what it takes.