[9.0] "A very talented wrestler and storyteller no doubt, but there's something for me that is lacking with Naito when I compare him to the likes of Okada, Tanahashi, Jay White. Maybe it's his mediocre physical appearance? I can't quite put my finger on it as the majority of fans seem to love him, but I've just never quite got the hype. I still get excited for his matches and I do get that big fight feel, but I'm just not as invested in him as I'd like to be despite his long list of great matches."
[6.0] "If we're talking about Naito's full career, the man is a living, walking, breathing icon. Wonderful wrestler on his day and has had a very fun career thus far. But now? 2024? Naito feels like an old tool that needs replacing sooner rather than later. He can't move like he used to, he can't carry matches like he used to neither. Gave SANADA his best match to date at least, not like that's hard. But his latest IWGP championship run felt more like a stalling pass rather than something NJPW can build off."
[9.0] "One of my favorite New Japan stars that I just love to see succeed. The fact that he went from getting the Roman Reigns treatment by getting booed for being an over the top baby face, to becoming one of the greatest anti-heroes in pro wrestling, not to mention putting on some classics with the likes of SANADA, Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, and so many others."
[10.0] "Tetsuya Naito is one of the most intriguing characters in all of New Japan. The skill, the charm, the charisma is simply undeniable and unmatched. People were rejecting him as the next heroic babyface being too cheesy and too played out. Glad that Naito took it up a notch and became one of the best anti-heroes of wrestling. His matches are very entertaining, and I liked that some of his signature moves named after Spanish female names like Valentia, Esperanza and Gloria. The Destino is one of the most beautiful and smoothest moves that I've ever witnessed, and I never get tired watching it. Most of his moves, his persona and his gesture incorporate a Mexican stereotype without being racial about it. The Los Ingobernables de Japon may considered be as one of the best factions that the NJPW ever produced, and I love that all of the members have distinct individuality, and the same time shows a brotherhood amongst the group. The way that he dresses in an LIJ shirt in undercard tag matches and dresses in a suit in big time matches denotes the level of importance Naito is in every match. A good company man that once criticized Shinsuke Nakamura and Kazuchika Okada for leaving their homegrown company to the big leagues, proved that Naito is a reliable and a dependable guy. I also love that his smug nature highlights himself as more important than the championships he wears, it's like Naito doesn't even care that he's the champion but needed to do so just for the sake of accomplishments. A guy who pokes fun of the opponents and telling his opponents to "Tranquilo" is savagely amazing. One of the best showmen of all-time."
[10.0] "One of the greatest wrestlers of his era with a fascinating underdog character and a lot of charisma. Knows how to put a match together, can work with anyone and is able to move on from the standard New Japan big match formula like he has shown when he fought Jericho in a no DQ or when he fought Taichi in their series of matches in 2019. Has great psychology and is one of the best at pacing his matches. Plays so well with the crowd and is one of the most captivating performer on the mic. The story of his career took a major turn when he became Ingobernable, he has a really unique path. His rivalries with Okada and Tanahashi specifically are some of the best stories ever told in the ring. He has a great career, almost winning every title possible, at this point he has been the biggest star in New Japan for more or less 8 years, has been constantly over and loved by the fans even when the booker made some questionable decisions. Find a wrestler in the current wrestling landscape who manages to stay as over for 8 years, you just can't because this type of connection to the crowd is very unique and that's why he is a special wrestler. Throughout his career he has shown a great ability to adapt his style to the role he was playing. A very explosive style as the Stardust Genius, a slower pace and some cheating/shenanigans during his first year as an Ingobernable. And now at his age and with all the years of work and brutal matches he went through he's not in his prime physically even if he can still go if he really wants to like he has shown with the Okada and Ospreay matches he has done in less than 24 hours during the G1 33. But he fights smarter, finds safer ways for him to work the neck (notably more emphasis on his elbow strikes to the neck) but still remains as over, still gets the same strong reactions from the crowd. Is still one of the best at creating rivalries and giving character interactions that makes the crowd interested. This is how you can see how big of a star he is and how great of a wrestler he is. In an era with more flashy wrestlers who barely know what selling is or how to pace a match properly, his work can be underappreciated and downplayed but the reactions and the love he gets from the fans don't lie. He is a legend and a true genius in the ring."
[10.0] "He is a great wrestler but also a very cool looking guy who just oozes charisma to me. His moves look solid and his finisher looks devastating. I think I prefer him as a heel."
[10.0] "Naito will go down in history as one of the best to ever step into a ring, he oozes charisma and backs it up in the ring. Often he has been overshadowed by Okada, Tanahashi and Omega but when push comes to shove he'll be remembered as the guy who never gave up and won the fans over by believing in himself, the peoples champion."
[10.0] "Naito is the one of the greatest wrestlers of this generation. When he was stardust boy, his in-ring performances were great but little boring. After gimmik changed and became the leader of LIJ, his in-ring skills upgraded and became best in the world. His LIJ gimmik is coolest gimmick ever. His promo is really fun and he can sell every style of matches. Finally he accomplished his dream which failed at WK 2020, and I hope him to keep his eyes and knees in good condition."
[10.0] "Ich sehe bei Naito aktuell total das er Heel ist. Hat man auch gut bei der Pressekonferenz vom G1 Climax 25 gesehen. Naito war frech, respektlos und hat sich total wie ein Badass benommen. Auch bei seinem Match gegen Fale sah man es. Aggressiv und brutal schlug er auf Fale ein, schubste den Ringrichter weg und war auch genervt als die Kamera ihm nach dem Sieg immer einfing. Stardust ist verschwunden El Ingobernable (Der Widerspenstige) ist geboren. Im Ring ist Naito echt ein super Mann und vielleicht tut ihm der Heelturn auch gut. Edit 25. 12. 2016 Für mich der Japanische Wrestler 2016. Durch Los Ingobernables de Japon und seiner neuen Einstellung ein großartiger Heel geworden. 2017 soll es so weitergehen. Edit 09.02.2024 Tetsuya hat echt nach einigen Jahren wieder eine ganz großen Titel gewonnen."
[9.0] "A very good to great wrestler (if slightly below some of his contemporaries with maybe not being quite as consistent), but an amazing character guy and super charismatic. You pair that with one of the best career narratives around, and there's little wonder why he's still possibly the most over wrestler in japan, and one of my personal favorites ever."
[10.0] "A story tale ending of 18 years destino paid off at Jan 4th 2024. Ungovernable to the core, rebuild his vision of what no limit is and suppress his class to build Los Ingobernables where Andrade, Rush, La Mascara and La Bestia created controversy on its wake. Numerous factions. Los Ingobernable De Japón. His true family and since then replayed his dream of headlining the Tokyo Dome that he dreamt as a child to roll calling his family that took 8 years of frustration, neglect and despair to overcome injuries, betrayals and typecasting as the guy who cant win the big one in the end. It had been broken and with LIJs new found stardust Ingoverable energy. World title 4 reigns at 41 years old and a define legacy good & bad with the once smashed up and rejuvenated intercontinental title. Naito climbed the mountain to become the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Battles with the likes of Kenny Omega, Michael Elgin, Kazuchika Okada, Kota Ibushi, Shingo Takagi, Will Ospreay, Hiroshi Tanahashi, KENTA, Hirooki Goto, Kuji Mutoh. Very good in-ring wrestler and can win the big one. Destino."
[8.0] "I'm not gonna lie, although I appreciate Naito's FANTASTIC character and personality, he's never struck me as THE guy in New Japan. When other faces are Tanahashi, Ospreay and Okada, he strikes me as one of the weaker ones. But still, a low tier NJPW main eventer is still an NJPW main eventer, and you do NOT get to that level without being at least "very good"."
[7.0] "I like Naito he is pretty cool, kinda fun, a really groovy kinda guy. His move-set has always been solid despite his finisher being a complete hit or miss kinda ordeal. Kinda never understood his immense popularity in NJPW despite kinda understanding his leading of their most popular faction."
[10.0] "Tetsuya Naito's story starts off similarly like The Rock's, debuted with a gimmick that tried to copy people before him, then turned heel after people rejected him at first and became a legend that people couldn't hate anymore LOL! Tetsuya Naito is one of New Japan Pro Wrestling's finest talents of all time, an amazing wrestler with incredible athleticism, flawless technician who can have classic bangers left and right with anyone, having amazing matches with the likes of Kenny Omega, Michael Elgin, Kazuchika Okada, Kota Ibushi, Shingo Takagi, Will Ospreay, Hiroshi Tanahashi (who he copied when he did the "Stardust Genius" gimmick), Shinsuke Nakamura, and so many more I could name. God level charisma, he could stand there and scratch himself and he would receive a Steve Austin level pop from it. Ever since he developed the tranquillo/Ungovernable gimmick, he has showcased he has amazing character work, full of charisma, psychology and storytelling abilities, this man is a god in New Japan for a reason, amazing heel with all the tools that he used to become a big star."
[6.0] "Perhaps because of his eye disease, he makes many mistakes in his techniques and is very dangerous. Although he is not very old, he lacks physical strength and is slower than his peers. I'm so disappointed in his current situation because I used to liked him very much"
[8.0] "Can be tremendous when he chooses and with the right opponent, but his career has been inconsistent even during his prime years, which are behind him. His tranquilo gimmick will either hit for you or it won't - for me it wore out its welcome years ago, and I fast forward through his excruciating entraces now. But he stays over with the Japanese crowd and has a lot of good will with fans."
[10.0] "Naito is such an amazing worker, he is just flawless on the ring, great in everything. I love his personality, he represents greatly New Japan pride. His rebel and anti-hero gimmick is spectacular, I can understand why this guy is so popular, he is a legend."
[8.0] "Naito was never a favorite of mine, even though I recognize why he was so over with the crowd, and his in ring potential when paired with a motivating opponent like Okada or Omega. For a couple of years he was the entire package of charisma and physical talent, but even then his matches could be hit or miss, and now his body is pretty beaten down."
[10.0] "Naito has always been a natural in the ring. Very smooth between the ropes, great technician, very athletic, great seller. But, after he ditched the Stardust Genius gimmick and became Ungovernable, he became much more charismatic, his psychology got better and his mic skills improved. This turned him from a good wrestler to a great and legendary one, one that left an indelible mark on his generation and beyond."
[10.0] "One of the most charismatic wrestlers in Japanese history. His story is amazing, hes an amazing worker even with bum knees and I will absolutely say he deserves another IWGP world title run before he retires."
[9.0] "A fantastic smooth worker, great technical skills and psychology. Feeds really well for his opponents and great seller most of the time. A great example of how character work can elevate the in-ring product. Naito was always good in the ring but the heel turn took his matches to a whole new level. Insanely charismatic. Really hampered by his knees now but for a three or four year period there was arguably one of the most complete wrestlers in the world."
[10.0] "Naito is a 10. He is amazing at everything a wrestler is supposed to be amazing at and he makes other guys cooler by proximity and he sells merch and is cool enough people love his promos and anything he says. He is pretty much the best."
[10.0] "Tied with Ibushi for my favorite Japanese wrestlers of all time. He has an amazing moveset and created probably the top NJPW faction of all time in LIJ. Can work tags, 6- mans, and singles matches with ease and has championships for all three in his resume. His match with Omega in the 2016 G1 is probably my favorite match of all time. 10/10"
[10.0] "A 10/10 wrestler and a 10/10 gimmick, somehow one of the most underrated wrestlers of all time. I do wish we would see more Naito-like wrestlers in the US."
[8.0] "A great wrestler, but can be undriven and you can always tell when. His gimmick works amazingly as a heel, but he doesn't work as well as a face, even if he is super over, my 3rd favourite member of LIJ. He does hit very high peaks, never quite ever having a MOTY, although some were close, especially his series against Ibushi. Unfortuately it took him a bit to get were he is now, and may be cycled down soon, and will feel like a bit of missed opertunity."
[9.0] "Despite all the success Tetsuya Naito has had in his career, it still feels a bit of a "what if" when it comes to him. One of the most impressive wrestlers, and one of the most charismatic personalities NJPW has had. Even as Stardust Genius his matches were still good. Nowadays he's physically battered, and can't go at the pace he once did."
[7.0] "Against the right opponent is where Tetsuya shines the most. I think his move set is decent, but is rather in danger of getting old fast. Watching him I feel it's more obvious that he's picking and choosing the matches where he'll bring more or less power and intensity which is respectable but less entertaining."
[3.0] "Naito's acting is one of his main defaults. Also his knees' injuries avoided him from making great performance those last years. He is not absolutly awfull but it's a average perfomer that didn't change his gimmick which as overstate its welcome."
[10.0] "He was very unlucky with the timing of his big win over Okada at WK in 2020 but nonetheless, Naito is just awesome and an instant favourite of most people who start watching New Japan."
[10.0] "One of the most charismatic Wrestlers of his time. Insanely over with the crowd, he had perhaps the best character development in history: From a rejected hero to an undeniable & ruthless anti-hero. Incredibly graceful in the ring but his strongest suit is his tranquilo character work; Probably the coolest character work I have seen."
[9.0] "Naito is excellent. To his credit he could of easily been swallowed up the failure of the first attempt to make him a main event. Instead he used that to be the start of what would make him a legend."
[10.0] "Naito's the man. He's a supreme talent in the ring. He's as charismatic as any wrestler I've ever seen. He's the leader of one of my all-time favorite factions to ever exist. And he's had classic matches with some of the greatest wrestlers of all time, from Okada and Tanahashi to Jericho and Omega. Dude's a legend."
[9.0] "Stepping away from the IWGP Heavyweight Championship picture could've been rough for Naito, but he found a way to produce, mainly against his great in-ring rivals - Ibushi (WK and Castle Attack) and ZSJ (Summer Struggle and the G1). Like Ibushi he had a rough injury, but hasn't let up in the ring. He remains one of New Japan's most popular figures, and should be featured more even if it's not in the main event scene."
[7.0] "I like Naito but of those on top in the modern era of New Japan he has always been my least favourite. His peaks are unbelievably good but he can be very inconsistent which maybe a result of battling long term niggling injuries."
[10.0] "He is one of the most charismatic wrestlers of this generation, and may be at the top of that list. He just oozes cool. On top of that, he's also a great worker and has had multiple 5 star matches (for lack of a better term) with other greats in his class many times over. The story of his ascent to the IWGP Title and finally beating Okada at the Tokyo Dome is one of the best long term angles I've seen."
[10.0] "Tetsuya Naito is my favorite wrestler in the world. A real main event wrestler star, with a truly inexhaustible charisma, with the highest level of psychology in the ring, a colorful arsenal of techniques and an magnificent gimmick. I would call him a real anime character considering all the ups and downs of his career. He is not a perfect wrestler, he does not have the body of a Greek god, with some opponents he has mediocre or bad chemistry, numerous injuries slowed him down a lot, but even in unsuccessful matches I see fire in his eyes and a huge passion for pro-wrestling. Nato has always been and remains itself, and for this I have boundless respect for it."
[9.0] "A very charasmatic and great performer. Connects with the crowd greatly. I enjoy most of his matches, but I think some of his matches are long and slow, which is why this is not a 10. I love Naito though."
[7.0] "Very overrated in my opinion. Sure he's got a lot of charisma but, excluding the bouts with Kenny, he's a very mediocre in-ring worker and I don't remember the last time he had a great match with anyone."
[10.0] "Maybe the best worker in the world today and surely the best seller alongside Shiozaki. The only guy in NJPW's main event today who deserves to be there ( with Ibushi ) because he is the best worker of the company. Charismatic as f*ck. I mark so hard on him."
[8.0] "in terms of charisma, Naito might be top in the world right now. regardless of his booking or his in ring performances. the crowd stays firmly behind him and LIJ. He is also an uber talented in ring performer, but I personally find him to be inconsistent in that regard. His series with Okada was very good when it was expected to be great, and his series with Evil did not meet expectations either. With Naito you can find some absolute classics with every star on the new Japan roster, but you can also find some that are not anything special. As his bouts with EVIL showed, Naito lacks the ability to regularly drag performers up to his compete level in big matches. Which is something that Okada has always excelled at, and as his main point of reference, its hard not to dock Naito points for that. on his best day, Naito is in the conversation for the best all around wrestling talent in the world. but on other days he comes off as simply ordinary"
[10.0] "Generational Talent with incredible ability to tell a story. His promos are always incredible, his matches are consistently great to downright MOTY candidates. He doesn't cater to AEW fanboys craving a spot fest. His matches stake brilliant cohesive ring work with tension and stakes. Giving him a rating below 8 is selling Naito incredibly short. This is all without considering the output he has supplied NJPW with hundreds of matches a year."
[10.0] "Guys in NJPW are great athletes but usually they lack charisma and personality. This guy has both. Incredible wrestling skills and electrifying personality. He created one of the best faction - Los Ingobernables de Japon. The best entertainer on Japanese wrestling scene."
[10.0] "One of the best the wrestling industry has to offer today . Truly a main event wrestler and very entertaining and impressive wrestler to watch. The charisma he brings to the ring is high octane. Really happy to see him as IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental champion and hoping he has a long reign as double champion. A very decorated , gifted and a very loved wrestler among wrestling fans around the world."
[9.0] "Naito already has paved a rather impressive resume for himself. Starting off as a ambitious project to create the successor to Tanahashi (a feat that, at the time, seemed impossible) Naito was burdened with boots far too big for him to handle. Don't get me wrong, the Stardust Genius Naito was a impressive wrestler and was uniquely paced away from Tanahashi's moveset, being incredibly dynamic and could put on a strong show, but his promos and persona felt.... forced, and he clearly wasn't on the level that he was booked at, both quality and in terms of crowd support. Thankfully a excursion and a organic heel turn (if the fans don't care about him, why should he? ) not only got him over as a fresh act, but eventually went full circle and got him back as a babyface. I will say that Naito's strengths come more from his psychology and pacing: much like Tanahashi, he's more of a storyteller than anything else, and understands that simple acts can do more than flips can. That being said, when he can turn on the gas, he does so hard, and he can really pull off a solid match when he's with the right opponent. Naito does suffer from not having a definitive run with the IWGP Championship, with both of his reigns being cut short, and for lacking that ability to get a lesser talent over as well as Okada or Tanahashi can. Naito is great with someone near or at his in ring talent, but as his feud with EVIL has shown, he can't exactly get someone below him to that level."
[10.0] "Once upon a time, New Japan wanted to create a new babyface. It's a good thing you changed your mind. Tetsuya Naito became an original character with excellent charisma, for which he was loved by the audience. I like the tactic, when Naito trolls the opponent and brings him to emotions. This is interesting to watch."
[8.0] "Slow, calculating, charismatic. Love and adore almost everything Naito does, he's hampered by "not winning the big one" angles, and also that he's stuck a rung below Okada and Tanahashi."
[10.0] "Easily one of the greatest wrestlers of all-time. The guy is incredibly charismatic, incredibly over and a fantastic in-ring talent to boot. I don't think Naito is the perfect wrestler but he's very close. He struggled a bit before he went to Mexico but even before Los Ingobernables, he was still an above-average in-ring talent. His feud with Ibushi is going to go down in history as one of the best feuds ever, The G1 final against Kenny is an iconic match. His G1 match against Shingo last year was also an all-time classic. The guy is just money. You don't main event the Tokyo Dome twice without being anything less than an amazing wrestler."
[9.0] "Ich fand ihn immer sehr schön anzuschauen. Er workt immer gut und hat auch ein gewaltiges Charisma. Bei Wrestlekingdom hat er mich jetzt endgültig überzeugt und ich hoffe er wird dem Main Event gerecht, wobei ich da wenig Zweifel hege."
[8.0] "Im Jahr 2017 hätte ich ihm noch die volle Punktzahl gegeben, das Jahr war fantastisch. Mit seiner Niederlage gegen Okada bei WK ging es mit ihm bergab. Die Fehde gegen Jericho hat im deutlich geschadet. Charisma hat der Kerl ohne ende."
[9.0] "Tetsuya Naito ist eines der besten Gesamtpakete aktuell im Wrestling. Seine Karriere fing jedoch sehr holprig an, doch ist ein Paradebeispiel dafür wie man einen absolut verbookten Wrestler wieder retten kann und zu einem der beliebtesten und interessantesten Wrestler der Company machen kann. Aber auch Naito war damals noch nicht so interessant, ihm fehlte der It Factor, ähnlich auch wie z. B. Nakamura in seiner frühen Karriere. Doch dann änderte er sich komplett, nachdem er bei CMLL teil der Los Ingobernables wurde, gründete bei NJPW die LIJ und ist einer der besten Character Worker im Wrestling weltweit. Sein Gimmick ist einfach extrem geil und er ist unfassbar charismatisch und das zieht er auch dauerhaft durch, angefangen bei seinem absolut genialem Entrance bis hin zu seinem trolling während der Matches. Im Ring ist er jedoch sehr Tagesabhängig. Klar kann er mit seinem Gimmick immer wieder geile Stories erzählen, aber technisch ist das hin und wieder recht holprig, an anderen Tagen aber auch wieder absolut genial und auf Top Niveau. Im Ring vielleicht etwas hinter Okada, Tanahashi, Ibushi aber insgesamt kenne ich kaum ein besseres Gesamtpaket und einen besseren Charakter im Wrestling aktuell."
[10.0] "Unfassbar beliebt bei der japanischen Crowd und auch außerhalb Japans super over. Manchmal ein bisschen faul wenn es ums Wrestling geht, aber wenn er mal so richtig loslegt kann auch Naito mit jedem Wrestler ein gutes Match zeigen. Außerdem ist er mit großer Wahrscheinlichkeit der charismatischste Wrestler denn es gerade so gibt. Gehört zu meinen absoluten Lieblingen und ich hoffe der IWGP Titel lässt nicht mehr lange auf sich warten, auch wenn ich das jetzt schon seit Jahren mir erhoffe."
[10.0] "Er kann gut wrestlen, einige seiner Kämpfe waren sogar sehr gut. Dazu hat er ein gewisses Charisma, auch wenn ich das bei Japanern im Vergleich zu US-Wrestlern meistens und auch diesmal verhältnismäßig gering ausgeprägt empfinde. Und bei den Fans kommt er auch merkbar gut an. Er hat eigendlich so ziemlich alles, um bei New Japan bald zu den ganz großen zu gehören. Aber mich poersönlich stört am meisten, dass sich in meinen Kopf der Tanahashi-Vergleich zu sehr aufdrängt. Naito wirkt auf mich wie Tana 2. 0 und das besonders fiese daran ist, dass Tanahashi so verdammt awesome ist und man keinen Wrestler finden kann, neben den man in New Japan im Vergleich schlechter wegkommt. Edit: Ein paar Jahre später hat sich vieles geändert. Von 7 auf 10/10"
[10.0] "NAITO! NAITO! NAITO! El Ingobernable is one of the most charismatic wrestlers in the world, in the history of japanese professional wrestling. His gimmick is incredible and this has only helped lead him to being Japan's favorite wrestler, his momentum has slowed in recent years due to bad booking decisions on Gedo's part but when you add his charisma to his incredible in ring ability and promo skills then you are going to have an all-timer main eventer. NAITO! NAITO! NAITO!"
[10.0] "Do I really have to say something? Tetsuya Naito should be 4x IWGP Heavyweight Champion by now, he's one of the best in the world now, It bothers me the fact that Gedo is not making him the Top Star of NJPW."
[8.0] "Has a great character. Good as the leader of LIJ. He can put on a good match. But it took a while for him to find a good character. Overall, an 8."
[7.0] "I remember when Naito was the most interesting person on the New Japan roster. 3 years later and he's still doing the same shit. Basically, he's shown zero character growth in his "Tranquilo" phase since losing the IC title the first time. Naito isn't making things happen, things happen TO him, and he knows this which is why he relies so much on his stale gimmick to try and keep himself relevant. As for his wrestling, he's a movez guy who also has some pretty good technical skills, but he's piss poor at actually selling besides bumping like a rag-doll. I still give him credit for being able to have great matches with guys at or above his level, but any other match is an obvious phone in (then again he rarely has good matches with Suzuki or Goto). I still don't know why he still has many fans, he never went through arcs like Okada, Tanahashi or even Kenny Omega that made you care about them in new ways, he's still the same dude he was 4 years ago. It also puts me off how irritating his fanbase is in the western side of the world, but that's a different discussion."
[10.0] "The real star of New Japan. I feel like Naito has been in Okada/Tanahashi shadow for too long, I'd love to see him with that IWGP Heavyweight championship around his waist again, because he deserves it. He is a phenomenal athlete and such a savage personality, he does what he wants and he acts the part like a pro. My pick to win the next G1 Climax"
[10.0] "By far the best character development in wrestling ever. Is the leader of my favorite stable in NJPW, LIJ. Is an awesome wrestler. His stroy is simply the best long term storyline wrestling has ever seen and it all just flows so natural. His personality and charisma is on display both when he wrestles and is cutting promos. Hopefully he one day reaches the top and wins the IWGP HW championship back."
[9.0] "Naito is who should've been pushed as the future star of NJPW, by defeating Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 12. With massive fan backing and an abundance of charisma. Regardless his character work has always been his biggest strength. Which is not to say he suffers when it comes to in-ring ability because he excels in that department as well."
[10.0] "My favorite NJPW wrestler. After his second period in CMLL Naito improved not only in the ring (although he was already very good), but also as a character in general and that is very important, ; he took advantage of the opportunity to build something special that has made him a star. He also has more charisma than half of the New Japan roster."
[9.0] "He's so damn amazing, he was always a talent in the ring, but his Stardust Genius gimmick was very shitty, the heel turn changed everything tho and he's now a real rockstar, the top guy of the crowd, the people's champion, and his in ring work stepped up as well, making him one of the best in the world when it comes to having a mix of in ring and character ability. His character is really one of the coolest things in wrestling of this decade, Tetsuya Naito is a goddamn great arrogant prick, and we love it for that."
[9.0] "Tetsuya Naito is a great worker and a tremendous character, but there are a lot of times when he tries to get over his character at the expense of the match, and it ends up hurting the match a lot."
[9.0] "I like Naito. Not my favourite wrestler in New Japan though. He has a good character that is both entertaining and something people can relate to. He has resume that speaks for himself. His No Limit tag matches are all very good. He has great matches with Nakamura, Okada and Tanahashi. Really like his recent ones with Omega and Sanada too. I'd say one thing, he is very good, great even, but he is much less consistent than the likes of Ishii, Okada, Goto and Hiromu Takahashi in New Japan as well as others outside of the company and for that I don't think I can rate him higher than an 9."
[10.0] "Tetsuya Naito ist der Wahnsinn. Kaum jemand hat so viel Charisma wie er. Seine Gesichtsausdrücke und sellings sind einfach nur gut und sein Move Set ist abwechslungsreich. Die großen Matches mit ihm wissen immer zu überzeugen."
[10.0] "The most popular wrestler in Japan. I would rank Tetsuya Naito just a little bit below the elite level talents like Tanahashi and Okada when it comes to in-ring work. However Naito's real strength is his almost effortless charisma and cool character that makes it hard for you not to cheer for the guy."
[10.0] "Probably my favorite wrestler going. He was never really "bad" during his stardust genius run but it's obvious the fans weren't super into him. His current run now is incredible and I'm so emotionally invested in him and LIJ. I can't say that about many wrestlers. He's so good"
[10.0] "Tetsuya Naito ist in meinen Augen im Moment der drittbeste Wrestler von New Japan und einer der besten Welt. In jedem Bereich 10 von 10. Im Ring ein unfassbar guter Techniker, der aber auch Bumps nimmt, High Flying zeigt, Powermoves und ähnlich wie Okada und Omega eine In-Ring Psychologie hat, die einfach nur der Hammer ist. Die Mimik und Gestik ist auch stark bei ihm auch wenn ich das zum Beispiel bei Omega noch besser finde. Er hat schon reihenweise Weltklassematches geliefert. Sein In-Ring Können geht Hand in Hand mit seiner unfassbaren Heelpräsenz bzw. seine Fähigkeit, Charakterdynamik zu zeigen. Sein Charisma lässt eine ganze Halle buhen oder auch jubeln, da er auch als Face funktionieren kann zum Beispiel gegen Leute wie Suzuki. Aber seine arroganten Heeltaktiken sind das, worin er richtig aufgeht. Ich verstehe kein Japanisch, aber auch seine Promos scheinen diesen gleichen Swagger und die gleiche Außenwirkung zu haben. Insgesamt einfach eine glatte 10."
[10.0] "Tetsuya Naito ist der beste Heel der Welt in allen Belangen (Omega ist kein reiner Heel in meinen Augen). Ein guter Wrestler war er schon immer und so konnte er bereits 2014 nach dem gewonnen Climax gegen Okada im Tokyo Dome antreten. Wie zuvor im Climax Finale gegen Tanahashi wurde er aber auch hier wieder ausgebuht, obwohl als Face dargestellt. Nicht umsonst gab es damals ein Fan Voting welches Match im Main Event stehen sollte und Naito verlor gegen Nakamura vs Tana obwohl es 'nur' um den IC ging! Dave Meltzer schrieb nichts umsonst einst: 'Naito was known as "something of a genius in the ring for his ability to lay out matches", but noted that "something didn't click", calling his reception "a combination of some fans booing, and some apathy! ' Sein Push wurde gestoppt bis er im Sommer 2015 mit neuem Look und neuem Gimmick als El Ingobernable zurückkehrte und wie ausgewechselt schien. Die Fans jubelten ihm zu, er hatte endlich dieses gewisse Etwas gepaart mit seinem bereits vorhandenen Können im Ring was ihn zu einem perfekten Gesamtkunstwerk werden ließ! Er gewann den IWGP Heavyweight und IWGP IC Title, was ihn somit zum einzigen Grand Slam Champ von NJ werden ließ (Tag Team + Jr. Tag Team, NEVER Openweight, IC, Heavyweight) Gekrönt wurde die ganze Entwicklung vor etwas mehr als einer Woche mit dem erneuten G1 Climax Sieg inklusive eines 5* Matches gegen Tanahashi und eines MOTY Matches gg Omega im Finale. Naito ist der hotteste Wrestler zurzeit auf dem Planeten! TRANQUILO! ASSEN NA YO! EDIT: Mensch Headlock hör doch mal mit deinen subjektiven Dragon Gate Bewertungen auf. Eigentlich ist jede schlechte Bewertung für einen NJPW Wrestler der größte Lohn, denn es muss dich ja ziemlich stören, dass jemand wie Naito soviel mehr Aufmerksamkeit bekommt als ganz DG. Objektiv kann man Naito nicht weniger als 9 Punkte geben, alles andere ist nicht gerechtfertigt für seine In Ring Leistung und sein Gimmick Work."
[5.0] "Irgendwie gefällt mir Naito nicht. Sein Gimmick ist zwar ganz nett und lässt sich auch gut in kleine lustige GIFs packen, lässt mich allerdings persönlich eher kallt, als Wrestler selbst gefällt er mir zwar besser aber solle finde ich ihn jetzt auch nicht, finde er ist sogar der schlechteste Wrestler in LIJ, mir gefallen BUSHI, EVI, SANADA und Hiromu alle samt besser. Er ist wohl einfach nicht mein Fall."
[10.0] "Bei Naito bleibt einem nichts Anderes übrig, als in den Untiefen der Superlative zu kramen und ihn zu huldigen. Ein ganz Großer seiner Zunft und vermutlich der aktuell beste Worker weltweit."
[10.0] "Probably my favorite character in all of wrestling at the moment, and a great wrestler as well. "You can be cool, but you'll never be as cool as Naito""
[9.0] "T. Naito gehört ganz klar zum engsten Kreis der Besten der Besten. Dazu ist er für mich einer der besten und glaubwürdigsten Heels. Seine In-Ring Fähigkeiten sprechen für sich und komplettieren so einen ultimativen Anführer des möglich besten Stable."
[10.0] "Tetsuya Naito ist etwas, was man als mehr als das "complete package" bezeichnen muss. Wie er seinen Charakter entwickelt und porträtiert, wie er wrestlet, wie er spricht, alles ist großartig. Er bildet zusammen mit Okada, Omega und Tanahashi den aktuellen NJPW Main Event und das völlig zurecht. Einer der besten der Welt"
[10.0] "What can I say more about naito ? From a silly, bland babyface who got rejected from the fans 4 years ago to the most entertaining and charismatic guy in wrestling world right now. He is finally accepted by the fans and gets the Tokyo dome main event spot he missed at wk8. A hug draw in new japan and his in ring work is also amazing as well. Definitely one of my favorites and joys to watch."
[10.0] "Im Ring ohnehin einer der besten, aber das herausragende an Naito ist sein Charakter. Einfach großartig wie er sein Gimmick verkörpert und darstellt. Derzeit der wohl beste Heel auf diesem Planeten. Zudem ist er der beste Beweis dafür, wie man nach gescheiterten Push durch Neuerfindung seines Charakters over kommen kann. Vor allem die letzten zwei Jahre und die von ihm dargebotenen Matches stellen das eindrucksvoll unter Beweis. Meiner Meinung nach auf einem Level mit Omega und Okada derzeit."
[10.0] "Tetsuya Naito is the man who can not be governed. After taking an excursion to CMLL, Naito came back better than ever. Turning Heel, Forming one of the top factions in Pro Wrestling History, It seems like Mr. Destino and his cohorts aren't going anywhere for a long time."
[10.0] "Post CMLL Naito is the complete package. Mic skills, wrestling skills, psychology, storytelling, ability to move merch, with a cool look and leader of one of the best factions in wrestling right now. The irony that turning heel is what helped Naito to become one of the biggest babyfaces in NJPW."
[10.0] "The coolest man in NJPW also happens to be right up there with Okada as the best. While not every one of Naitos matches can be called a 'certified classic' like Omegas, his personality, pacing, character (to which I'd say his is far and away the best in the entire company) and ability all make him one of the best ever. He has it in him to put on a better match then either man (Omega & Okada) with either man, all he needs is incentive, and what better incentive is there then to win the IWGP Heavyweight Title on the main event of Wrestle Kingdom? As the most recent winner of the G1 Climax I highly look forward to his match with Okada and what the next year holds for him."
[10.0] "Over the last year or so this guy has totally won me over, and I certainly consider him one of the current best in the world. He doesnt have great matches as frequently as Okada, Ishii, or Omega, but his LIJ character is fantastic and he absolutely delivers in all his big matches. It's funny that his character is centred opposite Okada, as Naito is the counterc to the NJPW 'system' Okada represents, yet Naito and Okada share similar traits that make me love both of them. They both have some sort of facade as a defence mechanism, hiding their true feelings. Once pushed to the limit they will reveal those feelings however, and show that despite their shenanigans they really do care about NJPW and wrestling. That's Naito's deal. He was once the vanilla babyface who never won over the fans, then he kayfabe revolted against the company (probably working off of genuine annoyance there), making everyone hate him more, but then his entertaining act grew on everyone and he became a mega anti-hero. For years Naito has acted as a heel, but he's so entertaining and so athletically gifted that the fans can't help but cheer for him (especially when he sells his opponents' offence like death). I think it's clear after the psychology in his G1 final match against Omega that Naito is rightfully heading the way of a pure babyface anti-hero very soon. His badass persona with the hidden layer of someone who is desperate to impress people and prove his worth makes for a fantastic wrestler."
[10.0] "Oh Naito. My favourite guy in NJPW as a whole. He was the guy along with LIJ that got me hooked into NJPW in the first place. When I first saw him & saw his suit, his mask, his attitude & his wrestling skills, I thought man this guy is the very definition of a badass motherfucker & he really showed how fucking cool he was. When I saw him beat Okada for the Title at Invasion Attack I was so happy & thought he would have a dominant & extremely interesting reign, which never turned out to be the case. Anyway, the guy is a fantastic wrestler, always puts on a ****1/2 + performance, he had I think the best or 2nd best IC Title reign ever just because of how he made it even more prestigious by absolutely destroying it lol. He is my pick to win G1 this year & by the time he faces Okada in the main event of WK12, he will once again be IWGP Heavyweight Champion & become the best damn guy in the world. Tranquilo. Assen ayo... EVIL, BUSHI, SANADA, HIROMU Y NAITO. NOSTROS, LOS INGOOOBBEERRRNABBLLESSS de JAPON!"
[9.0] "I once saw someone on this site describe Naito as "The Dolph Ziggler of New Japan", which was pretty spot on at the time. A brilliant wrestler no doubt, but missing some bite. This was rectified when he slowly turned heel in 2015, aligning with the Los Ingobernables in Mexico. Since then he's given the middle finger to the fans who screwed him out of his main event spot for WK8, and gone on to form one of the hottest stables in wrestling today, and by the look of things may well be on his way towards redemption in the form of a main event match at next years Tokyo Dome show."
[10.0] "Als Führer meines absoluten Lieblings-Stables kann ich nicht anders, als volle Punktzahl zu geben. Mal ehrlich, gibt es aktuell irgendeinen Charakter, der die Klasse von Tetsuya Naito übertreffen könnte? Nein, das denke ich nicht. Diese Respektlosigkeit, dieser Hass gegenüber den Fans, dem Gürtel, den Schiedsrichtern ist einfach nur genial. Auch im Ring weiß Naito durchaus zu überzeugen und immer wieder mit grandiosen Performances abzuliefern. 10 fuck'n Punkte!"
[10.0] "Hands down the best character in wrestling today. From the peppy babyface known as The Stardust Genius, to the no fucks given badass he is today, Naito has always been fantastic, but his work with LIJ will go down as the stuff of legend."
[10.0] "Naito has been able to reinvent himself after turning heel, then forming LIJ. He is able to play his character perfectly with his signature 'tranquilo' taunts. He also adjusts his in ring ability in order to conform with his character that requires a perfect set up of psychology, despite he was previously known as a high-flyer. He has proven himself to be a great asset for NJPW that will carry the company for years ahead."
[10.0] "This guy was always insanely talented, but he never had a good outlet to display it. From 2011-2015, he was just "Tanahashi-Lite" which didn't work because he just wasn't as talented or as good of a face as Tana. But right before the 2015 G1, he went to Mexico and totally reinvented his character, and is now the best heel in the world and one of the best of all time, and his matches have a fresh feel to them as a result. Capable of putting on all-time great classics, incredible character work, awesome look, he's the total package."
[10.0] "The best and the most charismatic character in the world today, as Naito suits and play his character so well that amazes me everytime that I see it. From a guy that was a rejected babyface to be the MVP of New Japan today, and that is why I admire and respect Naito, he had the capacity to reinvent him self, not only as a character, but as worker too. TRANQUILO!"
[10.0] "Yes. Mr TETSUYA NAITO. The best heel in the world right now when he returned NJPW in G1 Climax 25 was different. He changed whole personality and he became to an INGOBERNABLE. I love this gimmick, throwing belts, hitting referees and mocking enemies and the most important he made LOS INGOBERNABLES DE JAPON. The stable that revolutionized NJPW. And now as IWGP Intercontinental Champion is doing it fabulous also he is over with the crowd and he had great matches during this time as INGOBERNABLE. TRANQUILO! ASSEN-NAYO!"
[10.0] "Mein Gott! Es gibt wenige Wrestler die ich erlebte, die sich so verbessert haben! Naito war immer ein Sehr Guter Wrestler, aber seit seinem sprung zum Heel ist Naito einfach nur noch Exzellent! Tetsuya Naito ist der Top Heel von New Japan und einer der besten Heels der Welt! Dazu ist er ein, als Heel, noch besserer In Ring Worker und zeigte dies in 5 Star Matches gegen Omega oder Tanahashi."
[9.0] "Naito has always been a great wrestler who was busting out some great matches here and there. But ever since he came back from Mexico and turned heel and became Ingobernable Naito, he's been another level. Over with the crowd and putting on classics. Only his selling is off sometimes."
[10.0] "Tetsuya Naito ist ein guter Wrestler, derzeitiger und sehr starker IWGP IC-Champion, Los Ingobernables de Japon leader und lieferte in den letzten Events nahezu immer hammer Matches ab. Sein Heelwork ist absolut Klasse und ist zurzeit der provokativste Wrestler in NJPW oder gar der ganzen Welt. Von Moveset, Technik, Charisma, Ausstrahlung, Entrance bis hin zum starken stable ist er einfach die 10 Punkte wert."
[10.0] "Der Leader des zur Zeit wohl besten Stables der Welt. Spielt einfach einen hervorragenden Heel, hat eine großartig unsympathische Ausstrahlung und ist im Ring über jeden Zweifel erhaben. Aufgrund der Sprachbarriere kann ich seine Promos nicht beurteilen und somit spielen sie bei der Bewertung keine Rolle."
[10.0] "Sehr gut im Ring, gehört zu den charismatischsten Leuten in Japan und kann mit den unterschiedlichsten Workern starke Matches abliefern. Auf jeden Fall eine der wichtigsten Personen derzeit im Roster von New Japan. UPDATE (2017/01): Die Aufwertung für Naito ist überfällig."
[9.0] "Naito was already a great wrestler before 2015, but when he returned to New Japan as the "El Ingobernable", his work went to another level. He became a total package and one of Japan's most interesting performers - his in ring work is great, love all the mind games he showcases, his psychology is good & he is a candidate for the most charismatic Japanese wrestler in the world right now. You can definitely call me a fan of Naito."
[9.0] "Naito ist echt stark er ist ein super Intercontinentalchampion( geschrieben im Oktober 2016) Er hat immer super Matches und überzeugt auch durch Gimmick und Charisma. Er ist einer der Top Stars in Japan und ein sehr wichtiger Teil des Njpw Rosters. Außerdem ist er immer für ein Mainevent würdiges match gut."
[9.0] "From zero to (anti)hero! The transformation of Naito during the last two years is just outstanding. He always had the talent, the ring ability and everything a wrestler could want, but he lacked the look and something personal. The New Japan crowd saw that and didn't cared about him. Then something happend. He went to Mexico, he learned something different, something he didn't have yet, and came back at full force. Suddenly, he didn't care about the fans, but they did. He founded the LIJ, got over and became THE best heel in wrestling right now. Everything he does - from taking his time for his entrance just to upset people to bullying the referee or the commentators - has a meaning, has a weight and count because he wants to. His match with Kenny Omega this year was phenomenal to say the least, seeing him going for the german suplex knowing that Omega would have landed on his feet and thus damaging his knee further was one of the best thing I saw in wrestling. He's a star and ten years from now he will be remembered as a great heel."
[10.0] "He is one of the few wrestler who still make me marks and i only discovered him few weeks ago, his gimmick is awesome he play really well with the crowd in the same match he can be booed or cheered + his stable is really cool"
[10.0] "Naito is at his best as a heel, he can get heat or get an entire crowd behind him while also having a great match. As a babyface he was a bit generic, but a Naito who does not care is a Naito the crowd loves."
[10.0] "From mid-2011 until his injury in the 2012 G1, Naito was arguably the best wrestler in the world. He's been my personal favorite wrestler ever since. After the fans rejected New Japan's attempt to continue pushing him, as if nothing had ever happened, Naito snapped, turned on the fans and formed Los Ingobernables de Japon, which finally got him over again. This year, he appears rejuvenated in the ring and is putting on his best matches since his injury. I hope to see him top his March 4th, 2012 match with Okada someday."
[10.0] "Despite possessing cool moves and decent matches with Hiroshi Tanahashi, an untimely injury derailed Tetsuya Naito's progress in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, as he never quite rallied the fans afterwards. That must have been a shame for the most prominent member of the NJPW fan club - Naito was New Japan and the company recognised that. That all changed with the G1 CLIMAX 25, as Naito abandoned his quasi-Tanahashi shtick and embraced his Los Ingonerables roots. Naito took to his new gimmick like a fish to water - and so did the fans, a large majority of them cheering him as he aimed to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Since then Naito has only become stronger, beginning a riveting feud with NJPW management that has captivated crowds worldwide. With solid wrestling skills and a molten character, Tetsuya Naito has finally reached the summit, and he will not be disembarking any time in the near future."
[10.0] "I FUCKING LOVE THIS GUY! His Promos are great, he's the best Heel in New Japan, and in the Ring he's Awesome, totally deserved IWGP Heavyweight Championship, my favourite Pro-Wrestler in the World right now"
[7.0] "Habe meine Hoffnungen zu Grabe getragen, dass Naito jemals über seinen B# Status hinauswachsen wird. Sein Heel-Gimmick überzeugt mich nicht und trotz entsprechendem Spotlight wächst er nicht in die Lücke hinein, die Styles und Nakamura hinterlassen haben. Einm guter ist er ja trotzdem, aber irgendwie wäre da mehr drin gewesen."
[10.0] "Auch er hat sich seinen G1-Climax-Push vor zwei Jahren seit seinem Heel Turn redlich verdient. Extrem leicht zu hassen, aber geiles Moveset, gute Ausstrahlung und schon immer ein Rohdiamant, der letztendlich in seine vollendete Form übergeht."
[9.0] "Blüht in seiner Heelrolle förmlich auf. Hat momentan Feuer wie seit drei Jahren nicht, unterhält als Heel dreimal so gut wie als langweiliger Uppercard Face Ende 2014, Anfang 2015. Zudem im Ring richtig stark. Seine letzten Showstealer sind zwar nun schon ein bisschen her, aber das ist seiner Rolle als Ingobernable zuzuschreiben, und ich bin mir sicher, wenn er denn mal wieder einen großen Titleshot erhält, wird er auch wieder eine Sahne-Leistung zeigen. Zusammen mit Okada die strahlende Zukunft New Japans."
[10.0] "Mein aktueller Lieblingswrestler in Japan. Im Ring war er schon immer großartig und seit seinem Heel Turn und dem Beitritt zu Los Ingobernables strömt er nur so über vor Charisma, dazu hat er auch noch einen richtig coolen Charakter entwickelt und seinen Wrestling Stil perfekt an diesen angepasst."
[10.0] "he has everything a wrestler in NJPW needs Naito has been a good in ring worker since his debut but then the crowd started to boo him so he became one of the best HEELS in the world he carries himself with such a IDC Attitude it gives off this great aura i think it might be the IDC attitude in the history of the pro wrestling the reason i am giving him a ten is because he was good before 2015 but he lacked Facial expressions and lacked story telling in his matches and then came the 25 anniversary of the G1 Climax and he really showed he had pretty good story telling and amazing facial expressions for his IDC attitude so he fixed everything that he lacked so he really can't get any better i just hope he gets treated right in NJPW Because right now he is really showing so much resembelance to Dolph Ziggler He is one of the best sellers in NJPW he has been treated as a high mid carder that they don't go all the way with They both are definitely in the top 5 workers in NJPW for Naito and WWE for Dolph they both are terrific Heels and when they are Heels they are head and shoulders better than anybody in their promotion in Zigglers case when he was really good and was in his prime as a heel he got the world heavyweight title which was basically the equivalent to the intercontinental title in japan but then he suffered a injury and he had to drop the title then he never got another world title run that he deserved Naito is in the prime of his carrer so they need to #PushNaito NOW!"
[10.0] "Für mich aktuell vom Heelwork her so ziemlich das beste auf dem gesamten Globus. Daneben auch noch ein überragender Worker. Hat seine Rolle endlich gefunden und kann somit auch endlich an die Spitze gepusht werden."
[9.0] "The recent heel turn for Tetsuya Naito was the best thing that happened to him. With Minoru Suzuki in NOAH, only AJ Styles remains in NJPW as a main event heel. If they build Naito correctly, he could be IWGP Heavyweight champion in 2016. Also, that suit he wears to the ring is sweet as hell!"
[9.0] "Naito war lange zeit einer der underratesten Wrestler der Welt, ich war schon lange ein Fan von ihm und ich bin so froh das er jetzt Heel geturnt ist und ich bin so froh das er gepusht wird. Er ist so ein guter worker, jedes Match macht spaß und ich würde ihn locker auf eine Stufe mit Okada setzen. Und er ist aktuell der beste Heel, es ist einfach so geil und untrhaltsam, er spielt es einfach verdammt gut und bringt das super im Match ein, bitte New Japan pusht diesen Mann noch weiter, so den IC-Titelgewinn hätte er echt verdient."
[9.0] "Naito has revealed his true talent hiding within with his recent turn throughout the G1 Climax - he has almost overnight become the most hated heel in the Land of the Rising Sun. Even those that appreciate his ring work and mannerisms are almost compelled to boo him, and this is an achievement in an era of a surplus of "cool heels"."
[7.0] "He's the Dolph Ziggler of New Japan. A popular upper mid carder who flirts with main event status but often falls short of winning the big one. He's athletic, charismatic, flashy, good looking and an excellent worker with some great matches against top stars under his belt. He's very wooden with his facial expressions, that is perhaps his greatest weakness, although he has improved on that front. He hasn't always been consistent but usually shows good intensity and passion in both promos and in ring work. Recently he has been in a Roman Reigns type situation with the fans feeling that he has been shoved down their throats. He was even heavily booed at one event but that appears to be an isolated incident. Once heralded as the heir apparent but injuries, inconsistency and bad acting have hampered his career."
[7.0] "Naito fand ich schon für einen Rookie überdurchschnittlich gut, sehe bei ihm seither im Ring aber keine große Entwicklung. Naito ist immer noch Naito. Ich kann ihn mir gut ansehen, er produziert ordentliche bis gute Matches, ist für mich aber nicht herausragend. Seine Hochphase hatte er in meinen Augen bei No Limit. Was ich schade finde ist, dass er so stark zu den Heavyweights gepusht wird. Ich hätte ihn lieber bei den Juniors gesehen, er hätte die Division vielleicht zurück zu altem Glanz führen können."
[10.0] "Since I started watching New Japan Pro Wrestling on a once in a while basis, I've really become a big fan of Tetsuya Naito! I've really gotten to easily see and know his moveset so quickly and his work in the ring is so tremendous! Plus he can also wrestle with somebody who is already phenomenal like AJ Styles and make him look like a million bucks! Also he has like a reverse Red Arrow looking finishing move which I really like too! To me, Tetsuya Naito has the whole package and has everything it takes to be the IWGP heavyweight champion and I hope he does hold that belt eventually!"
[10.0] "Let's get the bad out of the way first: Naito is not the greatest seller to step into the ring and his look, despite him being a face in theory, gets him more heat than respect. Right, now we've parked that, let's talk about one of the best wrestlers in the world right now. Let's talk about someone who tries every single match to work for the good of the match. He is so selfless: he can take any bump, he can pop up anywhere to take a hit, he contorts his body in recoil in ways that others would not dream of. His moveset is the perfect NJPW main event moveset: it's smooth and it tells the story of his life - some shout outs to Mexico, to his days as a junior, combined with some heavyweight flourishes and submissions. I can see why he's not huge: he lacks that visual charisma of Tanahashi. But he deserves to inherit his throne as King Babyface because he's capable of similar feats in-ring. His 2014 series with Ishii, his WK8 title match with Okada, the G1 Finals night matches, the NEVER defence v Tanaka - these do not happen by accident! Sublime."
[8.0] "Kind of like the Jeff Hardy of New Japan except he has more of a technical move set and instead of having potentially bad matches, he's very injury prone. He has a bright future in New Japan but it looks like the crowd isn't really into him."
[8.0] "Seit seiner Rückkehr aus der Verletzungspause sehr oft zu Unrecht getadelter Wrestler von seitens mancher Fans. Angebliche Schwächen werden ihn angedichtet, solide oder nicht herausragende Matches werden als Indiz dafür genommen das er nicht bereit ist für den großen Spot und nun wird er auch noch unterschwellig dafür verantwortlich gemacht das die Fans bei einem Event nicht so reagiert haben wie es man bei einen Face erwartet. Ist für mich völlig unverständlich, sonder auch völlig überraschend. Was bitte ist an Naito anders als vorher? Ein neuer Move, mehr nicht. Er erinnert mich immer an den jungen Keiji Muto und da bin ich auch nicht der Einzige und spricht für seine Qualität. Die jetzt aufkommende Nörgelei kann ich mir nur erklären das man zu sehr verwöhnt ist von Tanahashi, Oakda, Suzuki und Nakamura Matches und Persönlichkeiten das man Naito als langweilig oder unzureichend empfindet. Allerdings hoffe ich dass man das selbe Vertrauen seitens NJPW ihn entgegenbringt wie einst bei Okada."
"Ich kann ihn leider noch nicht bewerten, dafür konnte ich nicht genug von ihm sehen. Ich bete einfach, dass er wieder zu 100% kommt. Alles was ich von ihm gesehen hatte war gut bis sehr gut!"
[9.0] "Es ist immer noch so unglaublich, dass er sich so schwer verletzt hat. Ab dem G1 Climax 2011 hat er einen riesigen Entwicklungsschritt durchgemacht und hat bereits einige richtig starke Matches abgeliefert, z. B. mit Nakamura, Tanahashi oder im letzten Jahr mit Okada. Ich hoffe inständig, dass er wieder auf 100% kommt, denn dann wird Naito in den nächsten Jahren eine große Rolle im Main Event von New Japan spielen, davon bin ich überzeugt. Steht bzw. stand bis zu seiner Verletzung direkt hinter Tanahashi und Nakamura, noch vor Leuten wie Makabe oder Goto."
[9.0] "Als ich den Kerl vor ein paar Jahren das erste Mal sah (damals noch bei einem Gastauftritt bei TNA) fand ich ihn absolut nichtssagend, doch nach dem was er seit dem Split von No Limit gerissen hat muss man einfach sagen, dass das "Stardust Genius" zurecht als Zukunft von New Japan angesehen wird. Stark im Ring war er ja schon länger, aber mittlerweile hat er auch merklich an Ausstrahlung hinzugewonnen und mehrfach gezeigt, dass er große Matches worken kann."
[9.0] "Handwerklich ist er schon jetzt absolut großartig im Ring. Ich persönlich würde es noch gerne sehen, dass er sein Selling, was den mimischen Aspekt angeht, verbessert. Er verkauft Schmerzen nur sehr unregelmäßig und oft beschränkt sich sein mimisches Selling darauf, irgendwie halbwegs platt zur Hallendecke zu schauen. Wenn er diese Schwäche noch ablegt, ist er perfekt für mich. Naito scheint im Moment der Shooting Star bei NJPW zu sein. Als er im Finale des G1 stand, dachte ich sogar eher, dass er gewinnen würde. Einfach weil er so over ist. Ich weiß nicht, ob ich mich da zu sehr von der Atmosphäre des Turniers beeinflussen lasse. Aber ich glaube Naito könnte mehr sein, als ein regelmäßiger Main Eventer. Bei Naito habe ich echt das Gefühl, dass er auf dem Weg ist, ein richtig fetter Draw zu werden. Er ist schon jetzt unglaublich beliebt beim Publikum. Wenn man seine Legendenbildung richtig angeht, könnte er eine tragende Säule nicht nur für NJPW sondern insgesamt für das japanische Wrestling werden. Ich kann es (noch? ) nicht näher begründen, aber bei Naito habe ich wirklich das Gefühl, dass er zum Star werden kann. Klar - es ist weitgehend nur ein Bauchgefühl - aber es ist absolut da."
[9.0] "Naito ist "DER" aufgehende Stern am Himmel von New Japan Pro Wrestling. Sowol in Tag als auch im Single Wrestling reist er die Zuschauer in seinem Bann. Sehr schade das er den G1 Climax nicht Gewonnen hat, aber bei seinem Talent muss er nicht mehr lange auf den Sieg warten.... Mit Sicherheit ein kommender IWGP Heavyweight Champion!"
[8.0] "DER zukünftige Top Star für New Japan. Bringt jetzt schon alles mit was man braucht: Charisma, Talent, Ausstrahlung und das zeigt er schon so sehr das er selbst Tanahashi alt aussehen lässt."
[8.0] "Wohl zurecht ein kommender Main Eventer. Er hat die In-Ring Skills, und das Publikum liebt ihn. Die Entwicklung muss man aber erstmal abwarten. Im Moment (stand Juli 2011) macht er das aber hervorragend."
[8.0] "Großartiges Talent. Bei der Veranlagung, die Naito zeigt, wird sich New Japan in den nächsten Jahren keine Sorgen um die Qualität des Wrestlings machen müssen."
[8.0] "Am liebsten würde ich ihm direkt die volle Punktzahl geben, so sehr begeistert er mich in seinen Matches. Naito ist ein Riesentalent. Wenn er nicht plötzlich Koch werden will, ist er in ein paar Jahren ein Superstar der Junior Heavyweight Szene. Könnte auch sein, dass er zum Heavyweight wird, doch vorerst ist er in seiner Rolle als Young Lion Punk großartig."
