Grimmas

Henry/HeadCheese it's me: The most I have seen I've related to a wrestler is proabably seeing ACH. Really fun high flyer, quirky and cool in a charming surfer Sting kind of way. Match Recs vs. Mr. Touchdown Mark Angelosetti (CHIKARA, 8/18/12) vs. Kyle O'Reilly (PWG, 8/31/13) vs. Lee Moriarty (GCW For The Culture, 10/9/20) vs. Mike Bailey (West Coast Pro Wrestling, 8/21/22)

Orphan: Envisioned as the future of Osaka Pro, Daisuke Harada ultimately became the ace of Noah's junior division. Despite a roster lacking in quality at times Harada was able to carry subpar opponents to greatness, and it is no coincidence that his retirement following a serious neck injury in 2022 marked a slump for the division. Match recs Daisuke Harada vs. Minoru Tanaka (Noah, 22.12.2017) https://youtu.be/pblh99VAx9M?si=TpeDHSgv5RTUaMhG Daisuke Harada vs Dick Togo (Noah, 30.01.2020) https://youtu.be/i6KEe2WhpcU?si=RcLnG0L1L65qblqa Daisuke Harada vs Hajime Ohara (Noah, 21.01.2017) https://youtu.be/c3KvDH_UQTk?si=tiMuKjUApa5tYA-q Daisuke Harada vs Atsushi Kotoge (Noah, 24.01.2015) https://youtu.be/DlVkzk823HE?si=2r3PkDtjphCSUy1K

Henry/HeadCheese it's me: Really engaging and likable technical wrestler. Father of Alex Wright. Consistently very good from what I've seen. Match recs Brian Maxine vs. Steve Wright (World of Sport, 12/2/72) https://youtu.be/3VOn44x3Oso?si=fzKMzVe1UftsRTu_ Steve Wright vs. Tiger Mask (NJPW, 4/1/82) Giant Haystacks vs. Steve Wright (10/24/85) https://youtu.be/Unzlh09nKr0?si=AJxhSjLRUxvtamhS Fit Finlay and Hiro Yamamoto (Hiroyoshi Tenzan) vs. Steve Wright and Alex Wright (CWA, 1993) https://youtu.be/8ALv1CHWAIY?si=NwQVWk-Ems4ryi1i

Henry/HeadCheese it's me: MAO when he clicks (mostly when he is F-ed up wrestling). he is one of the most interesting and creative wrestlers out there. Super fun, despite of only being in wrestling for 11 years is one my favorite wrestlers of the 2015 to 2025 decade and has been in so many of my favorite matches of the year. Match Recs T2Hide (Kazuki Hirata, Sanshiro Takagi & Toru Owashi) vs. New Wrestling Aidoru (Makoto Oishi, MAO & Shunma Katsumata) (DDT, 1/28/18) MAO vs. Sanshiro Takagi - Weapons Rumble (DDT, 8/21/18) Jun Kasai vs. MAO (DDT, 11/25/18) https://youtu.be/GHPiPFNBpQ0?si=SAepJ9E8PIbz2bDY MAO vs. Masato Tanaka (DDT, 2/23/20) Shunma Katsumata vs. MAO - Kid's Room Sauna Count Edition (DDT, 2/28/21) 37KAMIINA/ShunMAO (Shunma Katsumata and MAO) vs. Chris Brookes and Yoshihiko (DDT, 3/30/23) Hikaru Machida vs. MAO (DDT, 2/25/24) Takagi Sanshirobo vs. Tyrannosaurus Inoue (Baka Gaijin + Friends, 4/24/24) https://www.youtube.com/live/HY1J6ydtiJk?si=7FnKWAx8UKhreRuE&t=180 MAO and Yoshihiko vs. HARASHIMA and Pokotan (DDT, 3/12/25) Mecha MAO vs. Minoru Suzuki vs. Takagi Sanshirobo (Baka Gaijin + Friends, 12/2/25) http://youtu.be/1dhjQ4TzqNM?si=MuYNzYc4nx26mrob&t=2968

Kadooboo: Probably my favorite "comedy" guy who can actually wrestler. he puts on one of the best babyface performances Ive ever seen in this match Dick Togo, MEN's Teioh, Shiryu & TAKA Michinoku vs. Gran Hamada, Gran Naniwa, Masato Yakushiji & The Great Sasuke - Battlarts, 1/21/97 Also recommending Gorgon Cross (Jerry Lynn) vs. Gran Naniwa - M-Pro, 8/25/95

SayamaFan7 (#ZEALforGWE2036): Yuiga is an interesting case; a joshi wrestler trained by Masanobu Kurisu, who is mostly acclaimed for testing herself in matches against male competitors. A scrappy brawler who loves to throw stiff forearms & headbutts, commonly followed by a German or Fisherman's Suplex. Also a very competent grappler when the situation calls for it. She has a background in Judo and incorporates it very well in a pro-style environment. Deserves credit for running her own promotion since 2006, where she's both booked and wrestled some great matches. Recommended matches: Yuiga vs Tatsuhito Takaiwa (Batos Café 07/03/2016) https://youtu.be/KAmHNDJweDc?si=bLHIvrX2tNBtjlc_ Yuiga vs Nobuhiro Tsurumaki (Kazushi Gumi Toshin 11/23/2018) https://youtu.be/jjF8sIt3vzw?si=W3IM6zDJnMd4Bs_y Yuiga vs Rikiya Fudo (Kazushi Gumi Toshin 06/22/2019) https://youtu.be/DJA5w1R0qmU?si=cWSSzSV_v7v2KtDr Yuiga vs Shigehiro Irie (Batos Café 06/26/2022) https://youtu.be/ISIU1rc_CM4?si=3GB9c1usOLlAAvQo

Rana: Mimi Hagiwara is a terribly underrated worker and one of the highlights of joshi before the Crush Gals boom. She has a relatively short career but shines brightly during it, serving as potentially the first wrestler in the idol archetype that would help define joshi wrestling over the following decades. Mimi is stellar in the face-in-peril role, being one of the best sellers of her era, you can't help but root for her against the likes of Devil Masami or Yumi Ikeshita. She deserves a deeper look. vs Rimi Yokota (AJW - 8/1980) w/ Jackie Sato and Rimi Yokota vs Yumi Ikeshita, Mami Kumano, and Leilani Kai (AJW - 1/4/1981) vs Yumi Ikeshita (AJW - 2/25/1981) vs Nancy Kumi (AJW - 8/1981) w/ Yukari Ohmori vs Sherri Martel and Judy Martin (AJW - 1/26/1982) vs Devil Masami (AJW - 3/7/1982) w/ Yukari Ohmori vs Devil Masami and Tarantula (AJW - 8/10/1982) w/ Jaguar Yokota vs Devil Masami and Tarantula (AJW - 1/4/1983)

anto, de internet: Hyper Misao is an all spirit kind of wrestler, watching her usually feels like seeing someone that is focused mostly on pushing boundaries in aspects that may be overlooked by most other workers. Her matches with and against Shoko Nakajima are some of the better examples of the TJPW style and I'll probably keep watching whatever they do together forever. If wrestling is about smiling, Misao is the greatest of all time. vs. Jun Kasai (5/3/2018) vs. Miyu Yamashita (8/15/2020) vs. Shunma Katsumata (12/18/2021) vs. Shoko Nakajima (1/4/2024) vs. Shoko Nakajima (1/4/2023)

eugeneorlando: This is obviously very much not the sort of nomination where I'd be expecting a huge influx of high level votes, but if I get my shit together and make a list, he's my current favourite for position 100. Obviously in here for his capacity to bring comedy, he's been responsible for bringing an insanely varied amount of hilarious bullshit to matches for what's now the better part of 15 years - the tape, the DVDs, the powders, the corner pads, the scissors, on and on and on. Impressively, he's been pretty damn over the whole time doing it as well - and has even been able to tell some fun stories like trying to take a G1 seriously or being an absolute thorn in the side of Tanahashi and Suzuki. His ability to sell his bullshit through his movements and facial expressions are absolute top-tier, and for me, there's just this inherent joy to the goofiness he brings that's a great summary of why I love this silly little art-form so much. Vs Tanahashi (8/13/2011) Vs Tanahashi (7/5/2015) Vs Omega (7/25/2017) Vs Cabana (10/15/2017) Vs Ishii (7/15/2018)

Scarlet: My pick for the most underrated wrestler in america, Lockhart has a wrestling style that speaks of an experience decades past his years. His matches are beautifully paced and every one of them truly feels like its own story. He focuses on grappling and mat wrestling, and while he's not afraid to get flashy like his peers (see his match with Lee Moriarty), and can dance around opponents like ZSJ, he's far more grounded with what he does. And if need be, he's perfectly capable of slugging it out or hitting power moves. Plus, he's committed to bumping huge and always puts that extra spin on any big move he hits or takes. He runs his own independent promotion called Ase, an all-black wrestling promotion that consistently puts on great cards top to bottom littered with strong talent. I truly feel he's one of the best in the world and for my personal tastes I'm willing to rank him top 100. Darius Lockhart vs. Darius Carter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAbj3ebHJaY Darius Lockhart vs. Calvin Tankman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjktPYU2pGg Darius Lockhart vs. Lucky Ali: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQeW56DHguE Darius Lockhart vs. Lee Moriarty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy54HXXVfDU Darius Lockhart vs. Slim J: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KevcKyxiXjc

Brady_Wildcard: One of CMLLs best new wrestlers of the late 90s, he was put in a position to succeed and did for a bit! He created great matches and great moments throughout even with his style changing as his body started to go south on him. Becoming a great comedic rudo who was perfect to be a base and get the crowd going! Match Recs: Mr. Niebla vs Shocker 7/30/99 Mr. Niebla vs Abismo Negro AAA 2/15/08 Mr. Niebla, Felino, Negro Casas vs Mistico, Volador Jr, La Sombra 5/26/09 Mr. Niebla vs Caifan Lucha Memes 11/20/17

Bruno: If Heenan is the best bumping manager and Cornette is the best punching manager then Hart is the best at projecting what a feeble, wretched, pond-dwelling, opportunistic little runt he is with the jabby kicks and mosquito-sting cane shots. Hart v Lawler (6/29/81) Hart/Kaufman v Lawler (83) Hart v Kaufman (83)

Ohtani's Jacket said: He was a fantastic worker (one of the best to debut in the 80s) and an even better babyface. His selling was excellent and he excelled at playing the fired up babyface. Whether it was because of his perceived disability (deaf and non-verbal) I'm not sure, but he wouldn't take shit from anyone, which often led to some tremendously heated bouts. Alan Kilby vs King Ben (10/7/81) Alan Kilby vs Fit Finlay (3/23/83) Alan Kilby vs Terry Rudge (6/18/81)

k-punk: One of the best wrestlers in NJPW over the last decade. Has a crowd connection that few others in the promotion can match, and is better at structuring matches than most. His offence is very derivative of Kawada's but there are worse wrestlers to imitate. Recommended Matches Tomohiro Ishii vs. Taichi (NJPW, 11/8/2019) Kazuchika Okada vs. Taichi (NJPW, 21/7/2023) Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Taichi (NJPW, 15/3/2025) Ryohei Oiwa vs. Taichi (NJPW, 3/8/2025)

k-punk: The longtime ace of 2AW/K-Dojo has been an excellent wrestler for 20+ years. Can wrestle multiple styles well, and his versatility has helped him stand out in promotions with vastly different house styles; from Fu-Ten to Miyahara's AJPW to BJW. Is capable of having great technical bouts and great matches based on striking exchanges. Would be an even stronger candidate if more of his matches made tape. Recommended Matches Kengo Mashimo & Madoka vs. HARASHIMA & Kota Ibushi (GPWA, 6/5/2007) Kengo Mashimo & Madoka vs. Mens Teioh & Shinobu (BJW, 23/5/2008) Kengo Mashimo vs. Makoto Hashi (Fu-Ten, 14/11/2010) Kento Miyahara vs. Kengo Mashimo (AJPW, 24/9/2018)

k-punk: A versatile wrestler who was arguably the standout performer in Big Japan for several years, and also excelled in early DDT. Equally adept in deathmatch and traditional settings. Recommended Matches Takashi Sasaki & Tanomusaku Toba vs. Super Rider & Tomohiro Ishii (DDT, 19/4/2000) Daisuke Sekimoto & Yoshihito Sasaki vs. Takashi Sasaki & Yuko Miyamoto (BJW, 2/1/2008) Takashi Sasaki vs. Yuko Miyamoto [Light Tubes Tower Death Match] (BJW, 4/12/2009) Daisuke Sekimoto & Yoshihito Sasaki vs. Takashi Sasaki & Yuko Miyamoto (BJW, 28/5/2010) Yoshihito Sasaki vs. Takashi Sasaki (BJW, 27/6/2010)

Updated and nominees closed! Voting form will be posted April 5th and voting is due May 5th. Thanks for everyone's contributions!

rhutton: This is my #100, and I think it's a great cheeky #100. Lulu Pencil was a freelance writer with no real athletic ability who wrestled exclusively in a converted dentist's office, mostly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the ChocoPro web show. But she also showcased how much of the art of wrestling is nonphysical: getting a gimmick over, variating on a theme, crafting a match, etc. Lulu was so good at these elements that she became the focus of the entire promotion for a time, making herself the ultimate underdog wrestler. Matches: vs. Chris Brookes - Choco Pro, July 22, 2021 w/Emi Sakura vs. Chris Brookes & Yuna Mizumori - Choco Pro, November 11, 2020 vs. Antonio Honda - Choco Pro, August 1, 2021

rhutton: Rika was more of a transitional main eventer for TJPW, but is still in her prime and carries herself like a big deal. I love her combination of the classic Fujinami dragon system moves, DDT-style comedy, and willingness to just murderize the opponent and/or herself. I just think she's neat! Matches: vs. Miyu Yamashita - TJPW, May 4, 2021 w/Miu Watanabe vs. Hyper Misao & Shoko Nakajima - TJPW, July 21, 2025 vs. Ryo Mizunami - TJPW August 10, 2024 w/Miu Watanabe vs. Billie Starkz & Janai Kai - GCW, April 6 2024

rhutton: Yuka is another pivotal wrestler to TJPW's early years and growth, being a multi-time Princess of Princess champion and a reliable big show headliner. Her immediately charming and comedic persona paired with a willingness to be intense and fearless in the ring helped to define the promotion. You don't see her as much since she's moved to the US *cough cough* but every time she shows up I'm still happy to see her. Matches: vs. Mizuki - TJPW, Nov 7, 2020 vs. Miyu Yamashita - TJPW, January 4, 2023 vs. Shoko Nakajima - TJPW, Oct 9, 2022 vs. Emi Sakura - AEW, Feb. 22, 2021

EnviosStupid: An unconventional pick, but someone who I feel deserves a lot more credit than she gets in the ways she defines her character, plays off other wrestlers, and has the ability to elevate any multi-person match she's part of purely because of those aforementioned traits. Someone who has already exceeded expectations given their background, and who has found popularity in every promotion she's worked for. It's fair to say she's limited in terms of what she can do in-ring, but her strengths are clearly found across a multitude of match-types and opponents, to a degree that arguably none of her contemporaries have matched. Give the cutest in the world her flowers. She continues to charm in an era of wrestling that could do with more joy. Recommended Matches: w/ Riho & Shoko Nakajima vs. Miyu Yamashita, Mizuki & Yuka Sakazaki (TJPW, 1st December 2018) vs. Aja Kong (TJPW, 3rd May 2019) vs. Hikari Noa (TJPW, 4th January 2020) w/ Mizuki vs. Shoko Nakajima & Yuka Sakazaki (TJPW, 21st September 2020) vs. Miyu Yamashita (TJPW, 4th January 2021) w/ Chris Brookes & Super Delfin vs. Keigo Nakamura, MAO & Mirai Maiumi (DDT, 14th February 2021) vs. Rika Tatsumi (TJPW, 17th April 2021) w/ Miyu Yamashita vs. Mei Saint-Michel & Sakisama (TJPW, 17th June 2021) vs. Mizuki (TJPW, 14th August 2021) w/ Chris Brookes & Minoru Suzuki vs. Kazusada Higuchi, Saki Akai & Yukio Sakaguchi (DDT, 26th December 2021) w/ Miyu Yamashita & Yuki Kamifuku vs. Mizuki, Shoko Nakajima & Yuka Sakazaki (TJPW, 8th January 2022) w/ Miyu Yamashita vs. Hikaru Shida & Moka Miyamoto (TJPW, 3rd May 2022) vs. Alex Windsor (TJPW, 9th July 2022) vs. Hikari Noa vs. Mizuki vs. Rika Tatsumi vs. Suzume vs. Yuki Kamifuku (TJPW, 4th January 2023) w/ Miyu Yamashita vs. Mizuki & Yuka Sakazaki (TJPW, 31st March 2023) vs. Rina Yamashita (GCW, 17th June 2023) w/ Aramis & Evil Uno vs. Latigo, Masha Slamovich & Peter Avalon (PWG, 13th August 2023) vs. Jun Kasai (GCW, 9th April 2025) vs. Kikyo Furusawa (STARDOM, 6th March 2026)

Matt D : One of the best, most workmanlike bad guys in the French Catch footage. We have around 25 matches with him spanning the 50s to the 70s, both singles and his odd couple pairing with Cheri Bibi. He's not an over the top character like Duranton or Bollet/Delaporte and he's not as stylized as guys like Peruano, but he's just incredibly solid in his role. He could stooge, lean on someone, feed, be serious or comedic, give and take. Just a great jerk. Matches: Cheri Bibi/Pierre Bernaert vs. Ami Sola/Jo Labat 9/6/59 (SC review: https://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2020/09/tuesday-is-french-catch-day-bibi.html) Pierre Bernaert vs. Laurent Dauthuille 6/26/57 (SC review: https://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2020/04/tuesday-is-french-catch-day-andre-rapp.html) Billy Catanzaro/Pierre Bernaert vs. Mr. Montreal/Vasilios Mantopolous 6/5/72 https://segundacaida.blogspot.com/2022/05/tuesday-is-french-catch-day-catanzaro.html

Jetlag: Cool worker whose elusive career I am just starting to discover. He has a unique vibe, like he is more inspired by 90s NJPW than the typical Kings Road stuff, building his matches around a handful of signatures and making basic things like a stomp look meaningful, and oozing aura. I care more about his jumping enzuigiris than I can say for another post-2000s worker. He also has an array of cool unique submissions. He was on top of JWA Tokai for a really long time and from what I can tell he's done an honorable job carrying the main events against a variety of opponents ranging from the respectable to the completely sleazy. It's regrettable he rarely dipped outside that scene though when he did it was usually good. The 60 minute match he had with Hakaru is really special. As far as I can tell he also had unique talent in his early days before he developed the Oga Nozaki persona, focussing on a more basic but highly efficient and memorable approach to pro wrestling, getting more mileage out of something like a side headlock than most wrestlers. Recommended Matches: vs Hakaru, Jishindan 3/8/2015 w Hiroshi Toyoda vs Cosmo Soldier & Hakaru, KAGEKI 7/20/2014 w Hiroshi Toyoda vs Cosmo Soldier & Chojin Yusha G Valion, JWA Tokai 6/18/2017

Jetlag: Previously I would've thought Ran Yu Yu never quite fulfilled her potential. But now? Fuck that, Ran Yu Yu fucking rules. Considering what she had to work with, she has so many hits under her belt it's honestly kind of staggering. Watching her is pretty much a guarantee to come across some hidden gems, whether in GAEA, JWP or anywhere else. While her career seemingly dipped a bit after her prime from around 1999-2005, she's still good-really good-great up to her final matches around 2012. Awesome wrestler with really stylish, graceful offense, has a knack for making basic things like an elbow feel epic, in a lot of great matches that she played no small role in. Absolutely one of my favourite women wrestlers ever and someone who deserves a deep dive. And now with GAEAism making so much of her stuff available and other previously more obscure things like JWP footage seeping out it's a good time as any. Recommended matches: vs Command Bolshoi, JWP 3/3/2006 vs Meiko Satomura, GAEA 9/15/2003 vs. Misae Genki, JWP 12/9/2001

rhutton: Hana is often remembered (and sometimes exploited) for her tragic death, but I think it's worth celebrating what a natural and charismatic wrestler she was. Her Oedo Tai tag team with Kagetsu was one of the highlights of 2010s STARDOM. Her hard-hitting feud with Giulia pre-COVID also helped establish the style that would lead STARDOM to big success in the following decade, and I have no doubt she would have been a huge star in modern wrestling. Matches: vs. Giulia - STARDOM, 12/24/2019 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS4iJiDkTjs w/Kagetsu vs. HZK & Momo Watanabe, 01/05/2018 vs. ASUKA - 09/02/2018 vs. Kagetsu - 09/10/2017