El Phantasmo

[4.0] "ELP is on very rare occasion capable of producing a match beyond his usual middle-of-the-road output but unfortunately the majority of his work can be described as mediocre at best. His absence from this year's G1 CLIMAX was a positive one and I think it's the right time for both parties to move on. For ELP, I think he'd be better suited to life in AEW, much like Thekla, whilst New Japan can continue to focus on their home-grown talent. If he finds himself a spot alongside the likes of the Bang Bang Gang on Follidion I think he'll have done quite well for himself."

[5.0] "An incredibly mediocre wrestler, I don't hate him or love him. I feel like it's hard to have any strong feelings for him as a wrestler. He does nothing too crazy, his look is lame, some of his moves are cool but there's no build to them feeling cohesive."

[4.0] "El Phantasmo is good and should be much higher than my rating if I judge his overall career however I always rate wrestlers based on their current performances and he has been average for around almost a year now"

[8.0] "El Phantasmo never really hit with me as a heelish Junior Heavyweight but his run as a midcard babyface in the TV Championship scene has consistently been one of my favorite parts of NJPW over the last couple years. He's a likeable, colorful, kid-friendly babyface. A real rarity in NJPW, oddly enough. Though it seems he's reached his ceiling as a performer he is still very good for what he is and how he's being presented."

[8.0] "Whether he's being an asshole heel or an underdog face, ELP has delivered on every role that has been assigned to him. His TV title reign has been good for him, and fits his style perfectly. His matches against Desperado, Rocky, Shingo, Tsuji, Takeshita, ZSJ and Cobb are some of my favorites of his, and he continues to deliver."

[9.0] "The headbanger! I've become a big fan of ELP lately. I find his career path really interesting from kicking it on the Canadian indies, to RevPro staple, to detestable Bullet Club member to now beloved cult fav. Really great look with his light up jacket and a pretty dependable guy to have a cool match. As seen with all his matches against Konosuke Takeshita, he has this ability to have great chemistry against any random wrestler."

[8.0] "ELP is a guy who could be a 9 if given the opportunity. He can easily be face/heel in any match depending what's required. That's a talent that is very hard to pull off because the audience is usually dead set in their choice. Give this guy a longer reign with a title. He deserves more than a hotshot like the NJPW TV belt."

[9.0] "I love ELP. I'm clearly a mark for him as a person and have loved watching him grow. As many already stated, he was a little rough around the edges when I first caught sight of him a few years back. Now I'm hooked. He's got a great arsenal of moves, though only seems to win with the usuals. He does great comedic work, and while I felt there was an over reliance on it in his Bullet Club days I feel he's curbing it appropriately now. Being paired with Jado may have helped him work through matches. What he really needs is a solid role in a stable, someone he can riff off of and work with in multi-man matches with regularity instead of the current "slap some guys together and see what happens" formula. I'd love to see ELP carry more prominent singles titles, for longer reigns with more defenses. He's great with fans, has a personality/look/vibe people won't forget (even if they don't necessarily dig it), and is a blast to watch in-ring."

[9.0] "ELP is one of the best in NJPW. He is charismatic and has great technical ability. He has missed a step recently but that is to be expected with everything he has gone through. I do prefer him as the arrogant heel though."

[9.0] "One of my favorite parts of New Japan's juniors division. Amazing athlete, great character, always fun to watch."

[8.0] "El Phantasmo is a great talent with incredible athleticism, technical skill, and charisma. Whether working as a face or heel, he knows how to engage a crowd and deliver a standout performance. A true asset to any roster,"

[7.0] "I love El Phantasmo and I think he deserves more than what's given to him. He's solid at everything and he's a real fun character but I just feel like so much more can be done for him. Very solid guy."

[8.0] "El Phantasmo is a very good wrestler to watch. While he is a great in ring competitor with good technical abilities and insane athleticism. He also has insane charisma, good mic skills and he has the ability to work a crowd plus he is good as a heel or face. Phantasmo would be a good add for any roster but NJPW might be the best place for him."

[7.0] "El Phantasmo is a guy with an excellent ring skill, very athletic and skilled. He is very charismatic and can do a great job both as face and heel. Extremely solid guy that in my opinion every company should try to sign."

[9.0] "really fun to watch live. put his whole heart into a small indie show i saw him at, made it feel like i was watching new japan right in front of me. did a great job of working the crowd, and is just insanely athletic. overall fantastic experience to see."

[8.0] "I just love that guy, he's so talented and charismatic. I've rarely been disappointed by ELP since i know him, he works so well as an obnoxious heel but also as a babyface in redemption, he can work both roles amazingly well. He's incredibly smooth inside the ring, everything things he does seem effortless because of how beautiful and smooth his moves are but ELP isn't only a great high flyer but also a great striker, he has some nasty elbow strikes and chops in his repertoire. He also has a great psychology inside the ring and can tell some great stories when the opportunity arises, the story around the loading boot or his redemption show it really well. I hope he's going to be a main eventer one day because he deserves it"

[8.0] "He has a bunch of potential and I hope the best for him. It looks like he might be splitting from BC soon so hopefully he can really start to get some shine as an upper mid card guy"

[8.0] "Supremely athletic and a tonne of charisma. Hasn't quite had the booking to really boost him up the rankings and show what he can do on the main stage, but what he does he does very well."

[10.0] "El Phantasmo combines comedy and a serious heel and blends them perfectly. He is one of the best members of the bullet club. I would love him and Chris Bey to run the bullet club now that Jay White is gone."

[4.0] "Really do not enjoy seeing him and find that he drags down any match he's in significantly. He has a cool look and and is mechanically sound at wrestling."

[6.0] "An excellent heel. His in-ring work isn't all that great but certain situations call for a bastardly heel and this guy can be that. He's been put in a good spot and he pulls it off well enough."

[5.0] "Annoying character work and adequate in the ring. Is very lucky they book him so well. Maybe the cringiest wrestler i can think of. He's acceptable in ring."

[9.0] "He is so good right now, and hes still got so much potential, I can actually see him having a Kenny Omega like rise and main eventing the Tokyo Dome someday."

[10.0] "Elp can do it all he? ll make you laugh one minute then he? ll pull out some ridiculous high flying moves the next."

[7.0] "El Phantasmo is another one of my favourite heel wrestlers in NJPW. He's a hilarious high flyer with impressive in-ring skills. He's had some great matches in this year's G1, but also in the year's Super Juniors."

[5.0] "He is okay, but he is kind of a generic junior heavyweight wrestler. Like, he does moves that you would expect from a junior heavyweight, but he does not do it with enough conviction to make you believe he is one of the best."

[7.0] "ELP is very underrated, especially by some western fans who seem to totally ignore his high-flying skills and instead hyper-focus upon how annoying he is as a heel (as if that character work isn't intentional). His high-flying may not be the most eye-catching but it's definitely one of the most creative takes on high-flying I've seen, since he's found a perfect blend of aerial offence and old-school heel spots. His heel work often comes off as rather goofy and maybe outdated because of how much he plays up his character, but the fact he commits to being a goofball AND manages to back it up by so effortlessly executing all his aerial attacks makes it all quite entertaining. The way he takes such self-indulgent joy in so easily hitting his high spots before then resorting back to cheap tricks like eye rakes and other such moves is really interesting, since you never know what way his matches will go, and whether his response to the babyface will be aggressive but clean or just plain dirty. Despite being such a slimy heel, he can still get serious and appropriately wrestle the "big match" style when he wants, justifying his presence in NJPW's junior scene alongside the other, bigger stars there. In a division where most heels are 'bad guys' in the sense of being overly aggressive but not necessarily acting outright illegally, ELP is a nice change of pace for being far more animated and a straight-up cheater with all his cheap but smart tactics. In a promotion with 10 or even 5 wrestlers like ELP, this style would be aggravating and done-to-death, but since he's properly booked with this unique style, he's a welcome addition who plays his unique role perfectly."

[6.0] "Felt like the most prolific wrestler in the world in Jan and Feb, I watched loads of his matches across New Japan and NJ Strong. His 'free-heeling' antics aren't for everyone but I usually find him entertaining. He and Ishimori work well (they won the IWGP Jr Tag belts twice in a year) and had reliably good matches with Suzuki-gun and RPG3K. His best match for me was the triple threat vs BUSHI and El Desperado. He's definitely solidified himself this year as a Jr Division cornerstone."

[5.0] "Hes cringy, overdramatic, and does stupid faces all time. We already have Omega we don't need a walmart version of him. Pretty decent in the ring though."

[8.0] "El Phantasmo is really underrated wrestler. I love his work in NJPW as part of the Bullet Club. Good skills and interesting way to give match quality whenever he is in the ring. I usually tries to follow his matches because he is great. Also in 2021 he is finally getting some titles."

[8.0] "El Phantasmo is just good at best. He plays the roll as a heel very well, coming off as an asshole all the time. He can put on nice matches but I don't think he's at the level of IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion yet, for his age he is pretty good though."

[3.0] "El Phantasmo has a unique achievement, namely the worst heel performance ever. And I'm not exaggerating, his cheap tricks always prevent you from getting into the match, his character is annoying and I turned off the broadcast several times, unable to withstand the pressure of this first-rate clowning. Previously, he was a relatively good wrestler, who, although he did not give the industry anything new, but at least could please with a pleasant program. But right now, he's just terrible, and sticking to an epic structure with a million moves doesn't do him any credit."

[5.0] "A talented wrestler but I really do not like his current gimmick. Way too much haha comedy and insider crap that stopped being funny and interesting years ago. Maybe I am projecting a bit because of how tired I am of most Bullet Club shenanigans, but El Phantasmo especially veers too hard into the obnoxious territory that stirs more go away feelings in me than wanting to see him get his butt kicked by the babyfaces. I think the stuff he does has a place but it always feels like way too much. Otherwise, a very talented wrestler I wish would tone down the haha."

[9.0] "A superb talent. Known as a pure babyface in Revpro and his home promotions, he has made a name for himself in New Japan with his heel work. Tremendous agility and high flying for a sizeable junior, he made his mark with a couple of great showings vs long term rival, Will Ospreay. Has formed a strong combination with Taiji Ishimori, but it's his ablity in singles which sets him apart. There is a feeling of the best is yet to come from ELP, but he has already certainly made a strong impact. A future IWGP Junior HW Champion, but he could even go beyond that."

[8.0] "As much as I hate him in tag action, he's a great heel and really solid on singles action. I like his moveset and he's a really agile and athletic guy."

[9.0] "He is great at being a dick during matches and is hilarious. Despite his style he can still have excellent matches when against the right opponents."

[10.0] "ELP is and extremely entertaining shithead heel and a great addition to the Junior Heavyweight division. I'd go as far as to day he's my favorite wrestler in New Japan. Definitely a future Junior Heavyweight champion which I can't wait for."

[5.0] "ELP is okay. I am not one of his fans and one thing that really bother me when I see him in New Japan is all his "funny s*it". Maybe some people really love all of his goofy stuff but I feel that ELP is dragging down Taiji Ishimori by now. Anyway, he is a good wrestler to have in the junior division."

[7.0] "El Phantasmo is a good wrestler, he buys the role of heel well, although he is a little generic, he is good at promos, but I think he lacks something more, something that makes him different from the other Juniors."

[7.0] "He's very funny and entertaining in the ring, but sometimes he just comes off as a low rent Kenny Omega."

[8.0] "A great high flyer with tremendous physical talent, skills and huge upside. A good natural heel. I would like to see him working more in Japan, much of what I've seen of him stateside have been lightning paced spotfests."

[7.0] "Rating purely based on my impressions of him in BoSJ so far. I think Phantasmo has tremendous potential and charisma but he needs a good opponent to really carry him to great matches. His good booking is doing a good job of making up for his weaknesses though."

[10.0] "Probably the most underrated pro wrestler in british indie wrestling scene right now. He is charismatic and the crowd love him. He have multiple fantastic match in Revpro Wrestling. I'm glad he is now get a lot of accolades especially after his great performance in British J cup. (Which he is won Btw)."

[7.0] "El Phantasmo is the current champion of ECCW, he has shown an abundance of charisma, high flying, bumping and selling grace, and a great connection with the crowd. EL P`s unique look allows him to be eye catching and someone you look at and think "This kid is going to go far" . But alas border issues seem to make it so he will forever be in ECCW, but still a interesting nice career."