Best Free Agent Gaijin

[Jason]

Who do you all think is the best available gaijin talent that could become the new foreign ace for some lucky Japanese promotion? I'm not talking about washed up has-beens (Sting, Hogan) or guys who would never wrestle full-time in Japan even if available (Raven, Jerry Lynn).

I'd go with Doug Williams. I haven't seen any of his NOAH matches yet, but that guy can flat out bust it. He's probably big enough to be a heavyweight in Japan.

[Monsieur Puroresu]

AJ Styles or Low-Ki.

[kkeller]

You know I've thought about this question for two days and I can't think of a single wrestler. Styles, Low-Ki, and Williams are great wrestlers but I just don't see them getting a major push in Japan. Even more so if you look at what guys like Vador and Hansen were able to accomplish in the 90's I mean they really set some high standards of success. I had high hopes when New Japan signed Josh Barnett and put him in a big match right away but nothing came of it and he had a lot going in his favor going in. I guess we will have to be satisfied with Bob Sapp for the immediate future.

[Monsieur Puroresu]

So, we are Steve Corino. He held belts in a lot of promotions (32 exactly) and he can be one of the best gaijin in Japan today because he want to beat all the japanese stars and to wrestle in many federations.

[Jason]

Even more so if you look at what guys like Vador and Hansen were able to accomplish in the 90's I mean they really set some high standards of success.

I certainly agree with you there, KKeller. There's nobody out there right now that will achieve half of what those 2 did in Japan. The landscape has changed so much though, that I think it's practically impossible. Pretty much any true heavyweight with a shred of talent (and even some without any) is scooped up by Vince right away, whereas, 15-20 years ago, there were so many wrestlers and so many promotions in the U.S. that it was easy for someone like Hansen to slip through the cracks and end up in Japan.

Nowadays, there's only 1 place to work so there's only a select few guys who ever learn how to do things the right way.

[Monsieur Puroresu]

So... Steve Corino ?

[Jason]

I'm not a big fan of Corino. He's pretty good on the mic (which doesn't do him a whole lot of good in Japan), but physically he's limited and until he can get his body to at least look better than mine, I can't take him too seriously.

[exploder]

I think doug williams is a really good wrestler. He knows a ton of moves and his finisher the chaos theory is cool. He doesn't have much personality, but I could see him do well in Japan.

[Sofa Kingdom]

Originally posted by Jason
I'm not a big fan of Corino. He's pretty good on the mic (which doesn't do him a whole lot of good in Japan), but physically he's limited and until he can get his body to at least look better than mine, I can't take him too seriously.

I heard in a Corino interview that he does do mic work in Zero-One and he tries to do it in Japanese, he calls the fans crap farmers

[Jeremy Goss]

Definitely Corino. He can work the mic and can pop a gusher like no other.

[MARTYEWR]

A lot of love my friends LOVE Corino, but I've never understood the fuss with the guy. He can bleed like crazy, but as far as scientific matches go, I don't think he's as great as a lot of people say he is.

From the guys mentioned, I'd have to go with Doug Williams. Styles and Low-Ki could do well there, too. Jerry Lynn possibly, since his style can blend in well. Raven, no. He's too beat up by injuries, and he'd get exposed pretty quickly in Japan for what he can't do these days.