Every wrestler has to have their big break somewhere, for some that's on the indies, for others it is in WWE. However, certain talents become big stars in Japan first. Some wrestlers then stay there, and make occasional appearances elsewhere, such as Kota Ibushi.
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However, other wrestlers make a name for themselves in Japan and then head to other major promotions in America with that star power. While some wrestling fans might not be aware that these wrestlers became stars in another country, that is certainly what happened for a good chunk of some great talent in the business right now.
10 Kenny Omega
Kenny Omega is one of the biggest names in wrestling today, and that is all down to the work he put together in Japan. The Cleaner had countless world-class matches for New Japan Pro Wrestling, rising to the top of the industry where he has been deemed the best in-ring talent in the business.
Nowadays, he makes his name in AEW, and Omega is someone that the company has backed as one of the top stars overall. The fact that he has been able to take that role showcases how big of a name he became within working for New Japan, which was purely down to his wrestling.
9 Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows
Both Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows worked in America before heading to Japan. In fact, Luke was even a WWE Superstar, competing in the gimmick of Festus before heading to the Land of the Rising Sun. However, it wasn't until they both joined New Japan Pro Wrestling and became a tag team that they truly became major stars.
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The duo teamed up and became a crucial part of the Bullet Club faction, which saw their star power rise massively. They became one of the biggest tag teams in the business, which is why WWE hired them as a package, and the pair continues to thrive in Impact Wrestling. The Good Brothers are in their second reign as Impact World Tag Team Champions.
8 Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura was treated like a genuine rockstar when working for New Japan Pro Wrestling. The King of Strong Style was one of the biggest names in the company, and his matches were always a big deal. He rose to the top of the card, proving himself to be one of the best wrestlers around.
This is why WWE was desperate to sign him originally, and why he was made a major name within NXT from the start. That popularity continued for him on his early main roster run as well, but he wasn't able to sustain that momentum at the main event level. However, he is still considered a big name, which is something that stems from his time in Japan.
7 PAC
PAC certainly took his career to new levels when working for WWE, but the Englishman got on the radar of the wrestling world via his work in Japan. Long before he was NXT Champion or appearing on AEW Dynamite, PAC was putting on classics for Dragon Gate, showing what a top talent he was.
That is why his in-ring style is so stiff and always looks brilliant. PAC adopted a lot of Japanese styles and that has been clear to see. Nowadays, he is an established name around the world, and someone who fans are more than aware of.
6 Ricochet
Ricochet might be lost in the shuffle a little at the moment, but there is no denying that he is a star. That is something that he made happen when being part of the Japanese wrestling scene. He competed for both Dragon Gate and New Japan Pro Wrestling, where his unique style got the world talking.
His matches with Will Ospreay, in particular, were groundbreaking at the time due to what they were doing inside the squared circle. It got the entire wrestling world talking and brought tons of attention to him, which is something that made him a big name.
5 Apollo Crews
Apollo Crews is another wrestler who owes Dragon Gate a lot of gratitude, as this is where he made a name for himself. The work he put together for the promotion gained the attention of WWE and led him to be involved with NXT. He was already a star by the time he arrived, and that was important for him.
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Crews' style worked well in Japan, as the hard-hitting aggression and speed was something that helped him stand out. His work helped him get signed. While his WWE run has been hit-and-miss so far, there is no denying the fact that he has the tools to be a consistently used star.
4 The Young Bucks
The Young Bucks owe their success to both Ring Of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling, as they were working with both at the same time. It's something that worked well for them, but it was their time in Japan that put them over the edge. They worked in the Bullet Club here, and this is what changed their careers.
From merchandise sales to the rise of their YouTube channel, working in Japan helped to make them the hottest tag team on the planet. Of course, their matches were always at the highest level as well, with their in-ring ability being able to thrive at this point.
3 Trent Beretta
Trent Beretta has become an important star within AEW since joining the company. Alongside the rest of Best Friends, he has been able to be featured heavily, but that is because of what he did in Japan. His tag team and singles work with New Japan made him a star, taking his career to a different level from what he'd done in WWE.
His personality was able to shine when working in Japan, and that is what changed his fortunes. Trent became a star within the wrestling industry from this stage onwards, and that is something that won't change now as he continues to evolve and develop.
2 Kushida
Kushida being signed by WWE was something that a lot of fans were excited about due to how talented he is. In New Japan, he was always a featured talent with his in-ring work being a big reason for that. However, he also brought a lot of charisma to the ring as well, which was unique in the company.
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Bringing him to NXT made sense, as his style should have done well there. However, with the changes to NXT 2.0, it will be interesting to see how things work for him, as his main strength is the in-ring product that he can provide.
1 Finn Balor
Finn Balor became one of the biggest names in wrestling due to his work within New Japan Pro Wrestling. His in-ring work was fantastic, but it was the fact he was the original leader of the Bullet Club that made him a major star within the business. This group changed the industry, and Balor was at the focal point of that.
His Demon character was also on full display at this point of his career. That helped make him seem like an interesting star, and that is why WWE was quick to snap him up when possible, and he has continued being a major star in wrestling since that point.
