#TheChris100 2021: 40-21

The penultimate grouping for The Chris 100 is here. We're so close to finding out the best wrestler of 2021, I can smell it. Hope it doesn't smell like wrestling fans, am I freaking right? 

40. Nick Jackson (13 ballots, 564 points)

Last Year’s Ranking: 51
High Vote: fin (5)
 
Recommended Matches

• w/ Matt Jackson vs. Ortiz & Santana (AEW, 2/17)
• w/ Brandon Cutler & Matt Jackson vs. Laredo Kid, Penta El 0M & Rey Fenix (AEW, 3/24)
• w/ Matt Jackson vs. Eddie Kingston & Jon Moxley (AEW, 5/30)
• w/ Matt Jackson vs. Eddie Kingston & Penta El 0M (AEW, 7/7)
• w/ Matt Jackson vs. Penta El 0M & Rey Fenix (AEW, 9/5)
• w/ Adam Cole & Matt Jackson vs. Christian Cage, Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus (AEW, 9/22)
• vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW, 9/29)
• w/ Adam Cole, Kenny Omega & Matt Jackson vs. Bryan Danielson, Christian Cage, Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus (AEW, 10/6)
• w/ Adam Cole & Matt Jackson vs. Christian Cage, Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus (AEW, 11/13)
• w/ Matt Jackson vs. Chuck Taylor & Rocky Romero (AEW, 12/8)

39. Dustin Rhodes (13 ballots, 568 points)

Last Year’s Ranking: 91
High Vote: Jonas (11)
 
Recommended Matches

• w/ Billy Gunn & Lee Johnson vs. Aaron Solo, Nick Comoroto & QT Marshall (AEW, 4/22)
• vs. Aaron Solo (AEW, 5/12)
• vs. Nick Comoroto (AEW, 6/4)
• vs. Aaron Solo (AEW, 7/14)
• vs. Malakai Black (AEW, 9/8)
• vs. QT Marshall (AEW, 9/15)
• vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW, 10/23)

"Nobody does more with less like Dustin Rhodes, now in his 34th year of wrestling. He spent a good chunk of the year feuding with The Factory, and you'd have to watch Dark and Dark: Elevation to catch some of those matches. But when he got his chance to shine against the likes of a Malakai Black, worked a classic gimmick match against a Nick Comoroto, or really got to lace up the boots in a showcase against Danielson, it just shows you how good this guy still really is 30+ years later. One of the best ever." ~ Chris Gibbons

38. Masa Kitamiya (15 ballots, 600 points) – HIGHEST RANKED 15 BALLOT WRESTLER

Last Year’s Ranking: 335
High Vote: Logan Kenny (4)
 
Recommended Matches

• w/ Katsuhiko Nakajima & Kenoh vs. Kazunari Murakami, Kazushi Sakuraba & Takashi Sugiura (NOAH, 1/4)
• w/ Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kenoh & Manabu Soya vs. Kazushi Sakuraba, Kazuyuki Fujita, Kendo Kashin & Takashi Sugiura (NOAH, 2/24)
• w/ Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Kazushi Sakuraba & Takashi Sugiura (NOAH, 3/7)
• w/ Katsuhiko Nakajima vs. Keiji Mutoh & Naomichi Marufuji (NOAH, 4/18)
• vs. Keiji Mutoh (NOAH, 4/29)
• vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima (NOAH, 6/26)
• w/ Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima & Manabu Soya (NOAH, 7/22)
• vs. Kenoh (NOAH, 7/28)
• vs. Kazuyuki Fujita (NOAH, 9/12)
• vs. Masakatsu Funaki (NOAH, 9/20)

"Kitamiya kind of faded down the stretch of the second half of the year when he got lost in the booking shuffle a bit, but for the first half of the year through the Mutoh feud and the Cage War with Nakajima, Kitamiya had a case for the best worker in NOAH. Watching him bust himself and his opponents open with his headbutts was some of the gnarliest stuff out there. I really hope he can get back on track more to where he was at the first half of 2021 going into next year, because he really felt like a huge star." ~ Chris Gibbons

37. Masashi Takeda (14 ballots, 605 points) – HIGHEST RANKED 14 BALLOT WRESTLER

Last Year’s Ranking: 3
High Vote: typls (16)
 
Recommended Matches

• w/ Jun Kasai & Rina Yamashita vs. Dragon Libre, GENTARO & Takashi Sasaki (FREEDOMS, 1/3)
• vs. Minoru Fujita (BJW, 4/2)
• vs. Suzu Suzuki (Ice Ribbon, 4/24)
• vs. Rina Yamashita (FREEDOMS, 7/5)
• vs. Violento Jack (FREEDOMS, 8/30)
• w/ Takayuki Ueki & Toshiyuki Sakuda vs. Mammoth Sasaki, Takahiro Katori & Tatsuhito Takaiwa (FREEDOMS, 9/28)
• vs. Dragon Libre (FREEDOMS, 10/3)
• w/ Orca Uto & Violento Jack vs. Dragon Libre, Mammoth Sasaki & Takashi Sasaki (FREEDOMS, 10/28)
• vs. Atticus Cogar (GCW, 11/13)
• vs. Alex Colon (GCW, 11/13)

"Takeda had an off year in 2021, which by his standards means he only finished as a top 50 wrestler on this list instead of top 25 or top 10. He's still probably the best deathmatch worker in the world; FREEDOMS and BJW just didn't have a lot of stuff to write home about in 2021. There's still an incredible aura to everything he does. That Dragon Libre is one of the best extended squashes you'll see. He just absolutely tortures that poor guy and savors every minute of it. An incredible sadistic motherfucker." ~ Chris Gibbons

36. NOSAWA Rongai (10 ballots, 630 points) – HIGHEST RANKED 10 BALLOT WRESTLER

Last Year’s Ranking: NR
High Vote: Smoldoink (7)
 
Recommended Matches

• w/ Kazuyuki Fujita & Kendo Kashin vs. Hao, Kenoh & Nio (NOAH, 3/14)
• w/ Ikuto Hidaka vs. Seiki Yoshioka & YO-HEY (NOAH, 3/21)
• w/ Ikuto Hidaka vs. HAYATA & Yoshinari Ogawa (NOAH, 4/29)
• vs. Kaito Kiyomiya (NOAH, 5/22)
• w/ Eita & Ikuto Hidaka vs. HAYATA, Seiki Yoshioka & Yuya Susumu (NOAH, 6/13)
• w/ Great Muta vs. Atsushi Kotoge & Kaito Kiyomiya (NOAH, 8/1)
• vs. Kaito Kiyomiya (NOAH, 9/3)
• vs. HAYATA (NOAH, 10/24)
• w/ Eita vs. Jason Lee & Kota Minoura (Dragon Gate, 11/5)
• vs. Yasutaka Yano & Yoshinari Ogawa (NOAH, 11/23)

"NOSAWA Rongai isn't going to be the first person a lot of people think of when they think of NOAH's best workers. He didn't book himself in a ton of showcase singles matches, and most of the ones he was in tended to be on house shows. But if you're a real NOAH freak, you know that NOSAWA is absolutely showing up on those house show cards and bringing some big brain ideas to the ring. One of the absolute best minds for wrestling both in and out of the ring." ~ Chris Gibbons

"you know him as NOSAWA Rongai, but in 2021 you came to know him as the right guy in pro wrestling NOAH" ~ Kaust

35. Kenoh (17 ballots, 634 points) – LOWEST RANKED 17 BALLOT WRESTLER

Last Year’s Ranking: 75
High Vote: Sol, Kaust (9)
 
Recommended Matches

• vs. Kazunari Murakami (NOAH, 1/23)
• vs. Masakatsu Funaki (NOAH, 2/12)
• vs. Kendo Kashin (NOAH, 3/7)
• vs. Kazuyuki Fujita (NOAH, 3/21)
• vs. Great Muta (NOAH, 6/27)
• vs. Daisuke Nakamura (NOAH, 7/22)
• w/ Hao, Katsuhiko Nakajima & Manabu Soya vs. Daisuke Nakamura, Kazushi Sakuraba, Kazuyuki Fujita & Kendo Kashin (NOAH, 8/15)
• vs. Masaaki Mochizuki (NOAH, 9/26)
• vs. Kaito Kiyomiya (NOAH, 10/3)
• vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima (NOAH, 10/3)

"Kenoh for years has been my least favorite worker in NOAH. He had his moments, but he always did too much bullshit reminiscent of other puro companies I stopped watching in favor of NOAH. But something happened in 2021, especially during that stretch in the beginning of the year where he was defending the GHC National belt against all the old guys. Kenoh really clicked in 2021. Is he still a goof sometimes? Yeah, but it feels like that's all secondary now, and he's just a straight up good wrestler more often than not. Probably my vote for most improved in 2021." ~ Chris Gibbons

34. Hook (17 ballots, 640 points)

Last Year’s Ranking: NR
High Vote: maize (3)
 
Recommend Matches

• vs. Fuego Del Sol (AEW, 12/8)
• vs. Bear Bronson (AEW, 12/22)

"There is no better needle drop in wrestling than the intro to Hook's theme. Truly one of a kind, not just right here and now, but historically speaking, I've never seen this specific type of presence and aura played this way. I imagine we will lose some of this once he begins working longer, more competitive matches, but right now he's must-watch TV on the level of Sting and Darby." ~ Bucky

"Hook" ~ Matt B. 

"Okay, I think Hook was insanely impressive in his first two matches ever (like, maybe two of the best debut squash type matches ever) but voting him this high is insane, you people. But I get it. That twink's got me acting different too." ~ Chris Gibbons

33. Hangman Adam Page (18 ballots, 669 points) – LOWEST RANKED 18 BALLOT WRESTLER

Last Year’s Ranking: 20
High Vote: Tyson Boyd (5)
 
Recommended Matches

• w/ Matt Hardy vs. Angelico & Jack Evans (AEW, 2/17)
• vs. Isiah Kassidy (AEW, 2/18)
• vs. Matt Hardy (AEW, 3/7)
• vs. Ricky Starks (AEW, 4/21)
• vs. Brian Cage (AEW, 4/22)
• vs. Brian Cage (AEW, 5/30)
• w/ Ten vs. Brian Cage & Powerhouse Hobbs (AEW, 6/5)
• Casino Ladder Match (AEW, 10/6)
• vs. Kenny Omega (AEW, 11/13)
• vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW, 12/15)

32. Mickie Knuckles (11 ballots, 676 points) – HIGHEST RANKED 11 BALLOT WRESTLER

Last Year’s Ranking: NR
High Vote:  Matt B. (1)
 
Recommended Matches

• vs. Sara Dox (Total Psychopathic Wrestling, 3/6)
• vs. AKIRA (AWR, 3/28)
• vs. Jimmy Lyon (H2O, 4/17)
• vs. Randi West (RPW, 6/26)
• vs. Casanova Valentine (AWR, 7/10)
• vs. Josh Crane (AWR, 7/11)
• vs. Sadika (ICW NHB, 10/1)
• vs. Nina Monet (AWR, 10/21)
• vs. Randi West vs. Sadika (AWR, 10/21)
• vs. Sage Sinn (Loko, 11/20)

"The Man From Nantucket. One of the last of the old freaks to still be around and kicking at a high level. She's approaching 20 years in the business and is somehow better now than she ever was. You don't get longevity like this out of deathmatch wrestlers very often. She has a legacy of infamous matches and moments, a reputation a mile long, and somehow in 2022 she is still managing to find herself in fresh matchups with interesting opponents both from her generation as well as the newer younger maniacs in the midwest deathmatch scene. Her pre-match fireball whiskey shot ritual gets me psyched every time." ~ Bucky

"The most fun wrestler to watch today. Gives just as much when she’s literally wrestling in someone’s backyard. Nobody is cooler. I love you Mickie Knuckles." ~ Matt B.

31. Jon Moxley (16 ballots, 683 points) – ONLY 16 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Ranking: 22
High Vote: TH (2)
 
Recommended Matches

• vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. (GCW, 2/20)
• vs. KENTA (NJPW, 2/26)
• vs. Josh Barnett (GCW, 4/8)
• vs. Yuji Nagata (AEW, 5/12)
• w/ Eddie Kingston vs. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson (AEW, 5/30)
• vs. Lance Archer (AEW, 7/21)
• w/ Darby Allin & Eddie Kingston vs. Cezar Bononi, JD Drake & Ryan Nemeth (AEW, 8/25)
• vs. Satoshi Kojima (AEW, 9/5)
• vs. Nick Gage (GCW, 10/9)

 

30. Yuki Kamifuku (12 ballots, 695 points)

Last Year’s Ranking: 110
High Vote: Kaust (3)
 
Recommended Matches

• w/ Mahiro Kiryu vs. Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino (TJPW, 1/4)
• vs. Mirai Maiumi (TJPW, 2/11)
• vs. Haruna Neko vs. Mizuki (TJPW, 3/6)
• vs. Haruna Neko (TJPW, 4/22)
• vs. Hikari Noa (TJPW, 5/4)
• vs. Raku (TJPW, 5/22)
• w/ Maki Itoh & Marika Kobashi vs. Hikari Noa, Mizuki & Yuki Arai (CyberFight, 6/6)
• vs. Miyu Yamashita (TJPW, 7/24)
• w/ Hyper Misao & Nodoka Tenma vs. Aja Kong, Haruna Neko & Raku (TJPW, 8/14)
• w/ ASUKA vs. Marika Kobashi & Nao Kakuta (TJPW, 10/9)

"One of TJPW's aces. Kamiyu's really broken out as a top level worker for the company, especially with a stellar run of singles matches from the first half of the year. She's doing some top notch heel work and absolutely torturing some poor women in the process." ~ Chris Gibbons

29. Christian Cage (20 ballots, 712 points) – LOWEST RANKED 20 BALLOT WRESTLER

Last Year’s Ranking: NR
High Vote: Doxxystocksy (13)
 
Recommended Matches

• Royal Rumble (WWE, 1/31)
• vs. Frankie Kazarian (AEW, 3/25)
• vs. Powerhouse Hobbs (AEW, 4/21)
• vs. Matt Sydal (AEW, 5/13)
• vs. Matt Hardy (AEW, 7/14)
• vs. Kenny Omega (AEW, 8/13)
• vs. Kenny Omega (AEW, 9/5)
• w/ Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus vs. Adam Cole, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson (AEW, 9/22)
• vs. Josh Alexander (Impact, 10/23)
• w/ Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus vs. Adam Cole, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson (AEW, 11/13)

"Remember when fucking Christian came back to wrestling? That was wild. Christian is back! And he's out working everyone! The first couple months of Christian's return run building up to the Omega feud was a ton of fun as you see what he can still do, and those Omega matches were two of Omega's better singles matches of the year. Add a pretty sick performance in the 6-man brawl against the Elite and you've got a really memorable return year for Captain Charisma." ~ Chris Gibbons

28. Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. (19 ballots, 723 points) – LOWEST RANKED 19 BALLOT WRESTLER

Last Year’s Ranking: 178
High Vote: Logan Kenny (2)
 
Recommended Matches

• vs. Thunder Rosa (AEW, 2/3)
• vs. Nyla Rose (AEW, 2/18)
• w/ Maki Itoh vs. Riho & Thunder Rosa (AEW, 3/7)
• vs. Thunder Rosa (AEW, 3/11)
• vs. Hikaru Shida (AEW, 5/30)
• vs. Red Velvet (AEW, 8/13)
• vs. Kris Statlander (AEW, 9/5)
• vs. Abadon (AEW, 10/27)
• vs. Tay Conti (AEW, 11/13)
• vs. Riho (AEW, 11/24)

27. Sadika (13 ballots, 725 points)

Last Year’s Ranking: NR
High Vote: Jon (1)
 
Recommended Matches

• vs. Black Widow (Loko, 1/23)
• vs. Dan Maff (HMW, 6/12)
• vs. John Wayne Murdoch (ICW NHB, 6/26)
• vs. Nick Gage (GCW, 7/9)
• vs. John Wayne Murdoch (ICW NHB, 8/13)
• vs. Mickie Knuckles (ICW NHB, 10/1)
• vs. Eric Ryan (ICW NHB, 10/2)
• vs. Shane Mercer (VOW, 10/16)
• vs. Mickie Knuckles vs. Randi West (AWR, 10/21)
• w/ Alex Colon vs. AJ Gray & Matthew Justice (GCW, 12/4)

"In 2021, Sadika realized there aren't a ton of spots for female psycho deathmatch wrestlers as there are for men, so she basically only worked in America as a special attraction wrestler and it worked so well. Sadika is maybe the most sadistic wrestler on the planet. It really does feel real with her. Nobody is as capable of creating a violent spectacle as her. Whenever she does some worked shoot shit, a ton of nerds on Twitter always squirm about it, which is really funny. Everyone always wants a Bruiser Brody type until one actually comes along." ~ Chris Gibbons

"The absolute queen of the ring. Baddest bitch on the continent. Big tits and a fat ass. I would give her everything in the divorce without even fighting, and I would like it. " ~ Bucky

26. EVIL (13 ballots, 754 points)

Last Year’s Ranking: 33
High Vote: Dakota, Trevor (1)
 
Recommended Matches

• vs. SANADA (NJPW, 1/5)
• vs. Kazuchika Okada (NJPW, 2/27)
• vs. Jeff Cobb (NJPW, 3/11)
• w/ Dick Togo & Yujiro Takahashi vs. Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI (NJPW, 6/22)
• w/ Dick Togo vs. Tomohiro Ishii & YOH (NJPW, 7/10)
• vs. YOSHI-HASHI (NJPW, 9/19)
• vs. Kazuchika Okada (NJPW, 9/24)
• vs. Tama Tonga (NJPW, 10/4)
• vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (NJPW, 10/8)
• vs. Hirooki Goto (NJPW, 10/12)

"Its fitting that one of the most hated wrestlers in the world is named EVIL. His cold and ruthless efficiency is a statistical anomaly. Most heels foul at a rate of 6 to 8 fouls per game, but he routinely drops 20 fouls a night, despite being out there for 10, 12 minutes sometimes. His alliance with Dick Togo is one of the most formidable in wrestling history. They spent the year hitting people in the nuts, strangling them with wire, injuring innocent bystanders, cutting the lights out and making people scramble in the dark. Historical foulers like Umenosuke Ueda would admire his work. A very strong year for the King of Darkness." ~ LEBRONGOAT

"EVIL's heel turn and the House of Torture is one of the most divisive things in pro wrestling recently, but most importantly it's the rawest stable in pro wrestling right now. EVIL and the H.O.T. put their opponents through comically evil situations. This is a blurb about EVIL, but matches with H.O.T. members truly are such a collaborative effort that you can't mention the rest of the stable. You will never laugh harder than watching EVIL and Dick Togo orchestrate the perfect situation for someone to get low blowed by the Dick Fouler Yujiro Takahashi, or for Virtua Fouler to introduce wrenchplay. EVIL and Dick Togo's dynamic is one of a kind, they are some of the most creative cheaters in the history of heels, that even some people who hate the House admit EVIL's ref bumps/spots are always new and original. If you weren't a fan of the usual Bullet Club cheating which always slowed down the match, I recommend giving an EVIL match a try, because EVIL enforces the opposite, he uses cheating to make matches intense. Especially with Dick Togo around, the way EVIL's matches are can definitely feel reminiscent of the intensity of the old Michinoku Pro Kaientai tags, and the actual H.O.T. tags even share spots with them, such as the train of running attacks in the corner which will happen sometimes in singles matches as well. One of my favorite things is how EVIL's long on and off rivalry with YOSHI-HASHI was put in spotlight with the House of Torture vs CHAOS rivalry, that started last year and is going into the next. EVIL has a long history of totally punking and disrespecting YOSHI-HASHI, before the House formed in 2020, EVIL had a match against him where YOSHI-HASHI comes out with a shoot knee injury, and spends the entire match hitting his knee with chairs and locking him in the Sharpshooter, and he's only now getting able to get back at EVIL. Unfortunately he's still getting pwned, but who knows what this year will bring? Personally, H.O.T. & EVIL should hold the NEVER titles forever.

It has to be said, I have to commend EVIL for making tag wrestling important in New Japan again, which it hasn't for a very long time. Tags used to not matter, the NEVER 6 man title did not matter, and World Tag League used to be a place where guys sometimes just slummed it. Now, House of Torture vs CHAOS is one of the main feuds in New Japan, and these matches always get the loudest reactions from the crowd, which is again impressive because they are not supposed to talk. Only other person this happens with in New Japan is Naito. EVIL has truly created a stable and is in a run that will go down in history as one of the most hated EVER, some of the most heat a wrestler has had in quite some time, and that's impressive for a heel in 2021. No matter how you feel about him, you have to admit, no one is putting up numbers like EVIL; he has 11.8 Fouls per Minute in his matches!" ~ Dakota

25. Miyu Yamashita (13 ballots, 755 points)
Last Year’s Ranking: 61
High Vote: Sol (5)
 
Recommended Matches

• vs. Maki Itoh (TJPW, 1/4)
• vs. Hikari Noa (TJPW, 4/17)
• vs. Rika Tatsumi (TJPW, 5/4)
• vs. Yuka Sakazaki (TJPW, 6/6)
• vs. Sakisama (TJPW, 6/26)
• vs. Yuki Kamifuku (TJPW, 7/24)
• vs. Mizuki (TJPW, 7/31)
• vs. Yuki Aino (TJPW, 9/11)
• vs. Maki Itoh (TJPW, 10/9)
• w/ Maki Itoh vs. Mizuki & Yuka Sakazaki (TJPW, 11/25)

"The ace of TJPW. She's held the Princess of Princess title for almost a full year in her third run with the title, and doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. TJPW is loaded with unique talent, but Miyu still really stands above the rest as a star. Maybe she's starting to be overexposed, but when you bring it as consistently as Miyu has for the last several years, it's hard to get mad at the run. Look at me talking like this. She's so good I'm talking like an Okada fan or some shit." ~ Chris Gibbons

24. Romano Garcia/Mr. Condor (12 ballots, 756 points)

Last Year’s Ranking: 25
High Vote: Raul Rodriguez (10)
 
Recommended Matches

• vs. Dr. Cerebro (Arena 23 de Junio, 3/27)
• w/ Rocky Santana vs. Black Terry & Eragon (IWRG, 6/20)
• w/ Gallego & Rocky Santana vs. Black Terry, Dr. Cerebro & Eragon (AAA/IWRG, 6/27)
• w/ Angel Mortal & Gallego vs. Ancla, Barrio Latino & Drako (CAR The Crash, 9/5)
• w/ El Hijo del Bandido & King Shadow vs. Barrio Latino< Drako & Hantar (CAR the Crash, 10/23)
• vs. Black Terry (Zona 23, 12/5)

"If you know me, you know that my favorite genre of match is probably 'old Mexican men murdering each other with weapons' and Mr. Condor is the king of that genre. He doesn't work a ton of matches, nor does he have to, because the memories of his blood-soaked, wrinkled face in the handful of matches he does work linger in your head for months. He is a master, whether he is giving or receiving the torture. He is truly diabolico." ~ Chris Gibbons

 

23. Arez (12 ballots, 778 points)

Last Year’s Ranking: 36
High Vote: Chris Gibbons, Andy (3)
 
Recommended Matches

• vs. Daniel Garcia (Lucha Memes, 1/22)
• vs. Aramis vs. Latigo (AAA, 2/4)
• vs. Laredo Kid (AAA, 3/20)
• vs. El Hijo del Vikingo (RIOT, 3/21)
• w/ Black Taurus & Gringo Loco vs. Aramis, Dragon Bane & Laredo Kid (GCW, 4/9)
• vs. Aramis vs. Dinastia vs. Latigo vs. Toxin (AAA, 5/1)
• vs. Avisman (Lucha Memes, 8/22)
• w/ Gringo Loco vs. ASF & Laredo Kid vs. Dragon Bane & El Hijo de Canis Lupus vs. Juventud Guerrera & Kamikaze (BLP/GCW, 9/3)
• vs. Latigo (RIOT, 9/18)
• w/ Lady Maravilla vs. Chik Tormenta & Villano III Jr. (AAA, 10/11)

"The craziest high flyer around. If Arez is in a match and it's anything less than four stars, something has gone terribly wrong. A master of controlled chaos, of death-defying leaps and crimson masks. It is criminal that this guy isn't working for a bigger American company than MLW." ~ Chris Gibbons

22. Kazushi Sakuraba (13 ballots, 792 points)

Last Year’s Ranking: 16
High Vote: LEBRONGOAT (4)
 
Recommended Matches

• w/ Kazunari Murakami & Takashi Sugiura vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kenoh & Masa Kitamiya (NOAH, 1/4)
• w/ Takashi Sugiura vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima & Masa Kitamiya (NOAH, 3/7)
• w/ Takashi Sugiura vs. Kazuyuki Fujita & Kendo Kashin (NOAH, 4/18)
• vs. Takashi Sugiura (NOAH, 5/31)
• w/ Kazunari Murakami, Kendo Kashin & Takashi Sugiura vs. Akitoshi Saito, Masao Inoue, Mohammed Yone & Shuhei Taniguchi (NOAH, 6/26)
• w/ Takashi Sugiura vs. Naomichi Marufuji & Yuko Miyamoto (NOAH, 7/22)
• w/ Daisuke Nakamura, Kazuyuki Fujita & Kendo Kashin vs. Hao, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kenoh & Manabu Soya (NOAH, 8/15)
• vs. Masato Tanaka (NOAH, 9/20)
• vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima (NOAH, 9/26)
• vs. Hajime Ohara (NOAH, 12/5)

"It doesn't matter if it's a singles match, or if he's working 2 minutes in a 15 minute tag. If Kazushi Sakuraba is in the ring, he is going to work some absolute magic on the mat. And despite being 52 year olds, he never looks like he's even starting to lose it. A true king." ~ Chris Gibbons

"Sakuraba is a master of pro wrestling, not just the holds and all that but the stupid parts of wrestling too. Years ago, NJPW brought him in to be in serious tag team with Shibata, but nowadays he takes it relatively easy and his matches are full of schtick to supplement his great submission wrestling. He has a real and natural charm as a funny old man, and as great as he was when he was sold as a mostly serious shooter, this is much more fitting for him. His match with Nakajima during the N1 was one of the best matches of the year, and he was the best part of Sugiuragun, including the tag with Sugiura himself." ~ LEBRONGOAT

21. Ricky Marvin (12 ballots, 846 points) – HIGHEST RANKED 12 BALLOT WRESTLER

Last Year’s Ranking: 40
High Vote: ceftaxias (2)
 
Recommended Matches

• vs. Tony Deppen (Lucha Memes, 1/22)
• vs. Juana la Loca (Lucha Memes, 3/14)
• vs. Villano III Jr. (Lucha Memes, 4/18)
• vs. Black Terry (Lucha Memes, 4/25)
• vs. Jordan Oliver (GCW, 5/15)
• vs. Negro Navarro (Lucha Memes, 7/4)
• vs. Tonalli (Lucha Memes, 8/22)
• vs. Virus (Cueva del Dragon, 12/17)
• vs. Volador Jr. (Lucha Memes, 12/18)
• w/ Tony Rivera vs. Perro de Guerra Jr. & Steel Heart (Coliseo Coacalco, 12/19)

"Speaking of middle-aged legends who aren't losing a step, the Ricky Marvin maestro era continues going strong in Mexico. The list of workers on this earth who get more out of their opponents than Ricky Marvin is paper thin (everyone I'd personally rank on it will indeed be revealed tomorrow). It doesn't matter if he's wrestling a fellow legend like Virus or Negro Navarro, a no-name like Juana la Loca, or mixing it up in America with Deppen or Oliver, Ricky Marvin is a master of the ring, and 2021 was yet another notch into an incredible career." ~ Chris Gibbons