Best All Japan talent that never won the Triple Crown?

[El Fiasco]

Okay, I know that looking at list of past Triple Crown champs is like looking at a 'best of all time' list, but what All Japan workers do you feel were the best, even if they never held the coveted Triple Crown? Heavyweights only, please.

- Giant Baba (obviously)
- Jun Akiyama (another obvious one)
- Terry and/or Dory Funk Jr. (either of the Funks would have been great if the title existed back then)
- Bruiser Bordy (same as the Funks, would have been great but the TC wasn't around then)
- Yoshiaki Yatsu (I always thought he was much more than just 'Tsuruta's tag team partner')
- Satoshi Kojima (a future champ probably)
- Takao Omori (if the NOAH split never happened, I think Omori could have had a great Triple Crown run)
- Johnny Ace (underrated Gaijin)
- Mitsuya Nagai (had Mutoh not buried him, Kawada would have made sure this guy got his deserved Triple Crown run in the future...too bad he's a Makai Mask now)
- Masanobu Fuchi (he's big for a junior, and is downright great regardless of his size)
- Yoshinari Ogawa (just kidding...)

Now some of these I honestly don't think would have made great Triple Crown champs, they're just great wrestlers that never got their chance (yet) to hold the Triple Crown. Some lesser guys I would mention are Kabuki, Kodo Fuyuki, Yoshihiro Takayama and Taiyo Kea.

I'm sure I missed tons of people...you could fill a phone book with lists of great All Japan wrestlers.

[Peru-Yakuza]

-Gary Albright.
-Ted DiBiase (too bad the neck injury got in the way)
-Riki Choshu (he jumped too early).

[El Fiasco]

I forgot all about Albright, he really is great. Dibiase too.

I was considering mentioning Choshu but I just felt he wasn't around nearly long enough...he did make a strong showing though.

I also forgot about Kim Duk, add him to the list.

[Peru-Yakuza]

Put down Harley Race and Billy Robinson, too.

[edgehead1984]

Kojima, in my mind is the greatest talent in All Japan right now that's never won the TC

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

Shouldn't we be talking about the "best talent" after the title unification in '89? Otherwise, Thesz and Flair must be included in the list, and I don't think it's fair.

[edgehead1984]

I agree, because we can also add Rikidozan and all of the early greats, or even Inoki.

[El Fiasco]

Originally posted by Hisaharu Tanabe
Shouldn't we be talking about the "best talent" after the title unification in '89? Otherwise, Thesz and Flair must be included in the list, and I don't think it's fair.

True, true...

[Peru-Yakuza]

Originally posted by Hisaharu Tanabe
Shouldn't we be talking about the "best talent" after the title unification in '89? Otherwise, Thesz and Flair must be included in the list, and I don't think it's fair.

Good point. However, if I assume correctly, we're talking about talent since All-Japan's foundation in 1972. Thesz, Rikidozan, and Inoki thus wouldn't be included, but the Funks, Flair and others already mentioned would certainly do.

[Jason]

Arashi


No, seriously if I had to pick 1 guy since the titles were unified I'd have to go with Kojima, who I think is just a little bit better than Akiyama. Obviously lots of the greats have appeared for All Japan since 1989 (Baba, Andre, Hogan, Dynamite, etc.) but if we are limiting this to full-time members of the roster since '89 Kojima's the guy.

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

Originally posted by Peru-Yakuza
Good point. However, if I assume correctly, we're talking about talent since All-Japan's foundation in 1972. Thesz, Rikidozan, and Inoki thus wouldn't be included, but the Funks, Flair and others already mentioned would certainly do.

I included Thesz because he wrestled at least one exhibition match for All Japan.

[Steve Yohe]

The Destroyer.----Yohe

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

Welcome, Steve. Nice to have a great wrestling historian like you on the board.

[DANGEROUS DAN]

Since it is since AJPW's foundation I have to throw worthless 2 cents worth since up until the misguided direction of Mutoh, this was my favorite promotion Baba (duh), Choshu (if he would put his ego aside), Destroyer, and the Funks.
I am unsure about Kojima simply because he is a boy of Mutoh and I am unsure if he will be given the fair chance to survive, seeing as to he is in Mutohs shadow,
I am uncertain in the same instance that Taiyo Kea could pull it off since it is obvious Muto wants to keep him at bay.