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Average rating based on the displayed comments: 7.15
ImperialUno wrote on 28.02.2024:
[8.0] "SANADA isn't perfect, he can be sloppy from time to time and maybe needs an even better crowd connection but despite that he's a great wrestler who has a nice resume of great matches against guys like Okada, Tanahashi, Ibushi etc and it's not only thanks to his opponents because he can really go. I admit he's among my favorites since a while now and is far too underrated among fans, he's actually a great wrestler and is really fluid inside the ring as well as really technically gifted, and can deliver when it's needed like in his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship run which was underrated due to a disappointing booking and a lack of title defenses (and a really boring match against EVIL at Power Struggle) but look at his matches against Okada, Takahashi, Tsuji and even against Naito, he really showed how good he's and doesn't seem out of place as a World Champion, just i hope they will give him a better booked reign and with the departures of White, Ospreay and Okada, they need to create new main event stars and SANADA isn't a bad choice at all."
Lauchlan wrote on 26.02.2024:
[8.0] "SANADA is unfairly criticized, although he is not as good as the likes of Naito, Okada and so on that is not what the point is. He has bags of charisma and his singles matches are not always amazing but then that is not a normal thing, he delivers when he needs to and I am glad he got a world title run, he hasn't had the benefit of a great booking team the past year but hopefully in the future he can continue to improve and be more consistent with his singles. Overall though he is a top star and doesn't deserve the hate that he gets."
skillgull wrote on 16.01.2024:
[8.0] "Sanada's puzzling to me. On one hand I can get super invested in his matches but on the other hand he can drag a bit. He has improved in the past year but even still he drags. He is charismatic and decent in ring. He is good, but not great. He had a great title run though."
GriffinX wrote on 14.01.2024:
[8.0] "So thankfully I have to reelevate SANADA after the recreation he went through last year and his run as IWGP champion. For the longest time he was the guy the seemed to have potential but just lacked that spark to get to the next level. He was always very good in the ring no denying that but there is thin lin between wrestling a match and doing moves in a match. Yet when you look back at this run to the through the cup and the title win we finally saw that. Just hope the booking in NJPW gives him more chances ot show just how good he is because it was the booking of him as champion that felt to derail him more than anything"
danzitorock wrote on 19.12.2023:
[7.0] "Solid wrestler with a great technicality, but not made for the main event. The guy is definitely above average but doesn't have that extra that it takes to be a main event champion. In my opinion his ring skills and character work are pretty decent, it's just the bar that's too high."
cosmik debris wrote on 10.12.2023:
[5.0] "As technically sound as SANADA is, I find him rather bland and boring, even his most appreciated matches aren't particularly great, and there are many people that do whatever he does but more convincingly and with more charisma. I honestly dont see him as a world champion ."
WOOPS wrote on 01.10.2023:
[10.0] "Love this guy so much because he is just so good. His stoic character was pretty rad as is but now he added a bit of champion cockiness which made even cooler in my eyes. Of course SANADA always was a great in ring worker and couple everything with a great look and a great faction in J5G and we have one of more complete wrestlers in all of NJPW. Hope they make him a prominent main event player for years to come."
LeonHeisenberg02 wrote on 26.09.2023:
[5.0] "Ich bin persönlich (noch) absolut kein Fan von SANADA. Ich finde ihn im Ring zwar ganz okay, aber als Character einfach nur unheimlich langweilig und null besonders. Er bewegt in mir einfach nichts, weshalb ich scharf darauf sein sollte, eines seiner Matches zu gucken. Es wird aber wohl schon seine Gründe haben, weshalb NJPW ihn hat Okada pinnen lassen, wodurch er zum World-Champion geworden ist. Mal schauen, wie er sich weiterhin entwickelt. Vielleicht werde ich ja doch noch irgendwann zum SANADA-Fan."
Animago wrote on 21.08.2023:
[8.0] "Very clean technically, a has a tendency to make his matches drag more than they should. He is generally not the most exciting in-ring, though most of the time he will manage to bring a few truly great sequences of wrtestling which makes his matches still engaging (his finishing stretches in big matches are usually really worth the watch). Character-wise he is likeable enough though he dosn't stand out much. Since leaving LIJ and becoming IWGP World heaviweight champion he has shown interesting an interesting evolution, he is more lethal and has a carefree confidence that is refreshing to see."
SoundwaveAU wrote on 19.07.2023:
[5.0] "One of the most boring wrestlers of all time. He's not particularly good at any aspect of wrestling. He doesn't stink up the joint or anything, but great matches are almost non-existent and even good matches are quite rare. Just the most bland and mediocre wrestler I could think of. The very definition of 5/10 in every possible category."
NEVERoverweightChampion wrote on 29.06.2023:
[9.0] "Last time I gave him an 8, here's what I said in 2019: "SANADA clearly has some potential and he keeps improving but he still lacks something to take the next step. His selling can be awkwardly non-existent sometimes, I don't know if it's due to his "Cold Skull" gimmick wich prevents him to show more emotions. He needs a little more personality, a little more consistency and I think he can be one of the top stars because besides that he has a cool look, some great athletic and technical abilities and has the potential of telling good stories. He is also pretty popular. I don't think we've seen "prime SANADA" yet, hope he can become the star almost everyone sees in him." Fast forward to 2023, and it seems like he finally had a clue and changed things. It's not perfect yet, there is still a few things that I don't like that much about him but he's a great wrestler and makes a great IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. He is refreshing and right now his gimmick is a mix between modern and old school wrestling, leaning a little more on his Keiji Muto influence. He has a much more professional look and Gedo doesn't book him in overly long matches, which plays on his qualities. Even though he opened himself more since leaving LIJ, he still has this kind of stoic feel, I guess that's part of his appeal. But for some it might be the thing that makes him feel weird and harder to connect emotionally."
packjutney wrote on 15.06.2023:
[9.0] "I can understand the criticism that people have for him, specifically during his LIJ run, with the main argument being that he didn't really care, and that his matches weren't for everyone. I totally can see that. That being said, since the move to J5G, he has been a DOG. I haven't watched NJPW consistenly for a long period of time, but since I've started (WK17 and most shows since), he has been a consistent highlight. Now that the company is behind him and presenting him like the star that he is, I think a lot of people are going to change their minds."
gargoylesmain wrote on 15.06.2023:
[6.0] "The embodiment of doing just enough. He's not notably bad, but he doesn't excel at any single aspect of wrestling either. His character work, his promo, his in ring is all middle of the road. Unless he's paired with a worker that can press him, or rally the crowd on his behalf, his matches are often forgettable, monotonous, and lack emotional investment. Sanada is now the champion, and has an overall better presentation since leaving LIJ. The crowd is behind his reinvention, but feels like they will turn quickly if presented a more charismatic rival, such a Tsuji."
Luna100 wrote on 03.05.2023:
[4.0] "SANADA is a ok wrestler, a mid carder, he should not go above this, he has moments of greatness, for example his match against Okada in the 2019 G1 was a great match, but his matches in the 2020 G1 were bad, with the only good one being against Yano, ZSJ and Hashi, his match against Naito was the worst of the tournament being 0. 75*, with only point of interest being ruined by a botch, Sanada vs Kenta was almost as bad, although I had less hope for this do to Sanada's horrid match against Naito and KENTA being a terrible wrestler since joining NJPW, the rest of his tournament being just as boring ending on a 3* final he did not deserve, I just did not watch his match against EVIL in Wrestle Kingdom and I am not excited for his match against Kota. I hope he does not become a true main eventer, it would be just as bad if not worse then EVIL becoming one. EDIT: He became the World Champion, and he has not improved enough to be in this position, although his image is much better, nothing else has really changed, and he is still the same horribly dull wrestler."
coppercowries wrote on 18.04.2023:
[6.0] "I certainly prefer this new Sanada presentation than his LIJ iteration. However, the new look and the new belt doesn't change my overall impression of him. His matches linger around the "satisfactory" range, but often dip into tedium. I find him fundamentally sound but dull, often slowly paced. I cannot remember a single Sanada match that I wanted to re-watch, or even remember, at a later time."
SIRasdf23 wrote on 17.04.2023:
[9.0] "Sanada has always been a good talent, but there seemed to be this limit to what he could achieve in NJPW. He was really close to becoming a Goto-level "Almost Guy" but then something changed. He left LIJ, changed his whole appearance, his whole outlook, he's got a new group backing him up more than LIJ really ever did. And guess what, he finally broke through that limit, and has become the top guy in Japan. Only time will tell if he can become one of the all-time great champions but with this new fire burning inside him, I think he can just do that."
SoaKas wrote on 11.04.2023:
[8.0] "I like Sanada, he has put on so many great matches but everytime he gets a big push, he just doesn't utilize his chance. Look at his G1 29 match against Okada and you see how special he can be. EDIT: He's now the world champ and his presentation is VERY different...I like this new Sanada, let's see how far he can go."
Okaro143 wrote on 22.03.2023:
[8.0] "SANADA is the silent wrestler. He doesn't do a lot of talking, doesn't react much; He seems like a gifted performer with very fluid movement but His work has never been truly amazing imo, good but unspectacular and his matches leaves you wanting more. Also his character needs a little work and he needs to change up his finisher; The Dragon Sleeper Skull End isn't a great finisher."
HammertonWay wrote on 22.03.2023:
[9.0] "While I'm not to big on the other members of Just 5 Guys, I do think very highly of SANADA and the effort he puts in. It was absolutely the right call for him to defect from LBJ is New Japan are really planning to push him. It really felt for the longest time at that promotion that they didn't want to put the world title on wrestlers that originated from the other big Japanese promotions like All Japan or NOAH. Though this remains to be see at the time of this review, SANADA has put the time in making incredible matches and finally seeing him win the big one would make this all the better for it."
Brutish Dandy wrote on 19.03.2023:
[6.0] "Fundamentally sound with a good eye for costumes and beloved by his fans, but sadly lacking that all important third gear that separates a good hand from a top tier talent. There's just something distant to his performances. It always feels like he's holding back."
Strong Zero Machine wrote on 31.01.2023:
[8.0] "Since 2016 and much more since 2020 I think Sanada can be a modern version of Masahiro Chono (good technicker, great look and a lot of charisma) I think he can won 2, 3 or 4 New Japan Cup and G1 and maybe 1 or 2 IWGP World Heavyweight Championship as a transition champion"
benh2 wrote on 17.01.2023:
[7.0] "There was a time when SANADA looked like being the next breakout star. He's got good size and a weird silent charisma that got him over with fans. His work is incredibly smooth but lacking a bit of psychology which results in many of his matches that you'd expect to be great just don't turn out that way, although he's obviously coasting through his career which doesn't help either."
texasyosh wrote on 16.01.2023:
[7.0] "SANADA is a guy who should be so much more than he is, but unfortunately, I doubt he'll ever reach the upper echelon. To me, it just seems like he's been coasting on his entire act for the last decade, maybe. At times we get his match against Okada in the G1 2019, but at other times we get a very, very average wrestler. He has the tools, but he doesn't know what to do with them. See U Next Time."
MainEventMaster wrote on 02.01.2023:
[10.0] "I hope he can hold the US Heavyweight belt, I feel like he got screwed out of the whole situatuion with that title, he is a VERY GOOD wrestler who can believably hold any kind of gold."
Tyler72 wrote on 17.07.2022:
[7.0] "I feel like Sanada brings so much energy with him to the ring and the way he executes his moves on his opponents. So many little instances where he went the extra mile to make a move look all the more real than it actually was."
UltraNano54 wrote on 15.06.2022:
[7.0] "He is a little lackluster in the ring but his style and look more than makes up for it. If he ever becomes better it the ring, he would be an 8 or 9 for sure."
GreatAether531 wrote on 08.04.2022:
[6.0] "People often compare Orton to Okada, but I would compare him more to Sanada. Both are great athletes who carry themselves well, look great, are very smooth in the ring, and rarely produce a bad match. However, they both share the problem of rarely producing 'great' matches unless they're wrestling people who can thrust intensity onto them (like Suzuki in the case of Sanada or Foley in the case of Orton). Though, I feel like this issue is worse in the case of Sanada, personally. The idea of him being a very naturally talented person who coasts by and comes up short in higher-stakes scenarios because he doesn't bring out the fire necessary to succeed could be used to produce a pretty compelling character arc, but we've had since 2016 for something to change. I really hope he ends up developing more because I feel like Sanada could be something special, but after 6 years, I don't have high hopes."
Steven95 wrote on 28.02.2022:
[10.0] "Fande ihn eigentlich immer super. Man hat ihn nie den großen Push gegeben. Aber nun hat er endlich mal einen singles Titel bekommen. Hoffentlich macht new japan was draus."
DangoDaisuki wrote on 10.02.2022:
[8.0] "Natürlich ist Sanada nicht so gut wie ein Okada, aber er ist nah dran. Das einzige was ihm fehlt ist dieses gewisse Etwas, aber ich kann trotzdem seine Matches immer genießen. Ich bin etwas überrascht, dass Sanada nicht so beliebt zu sein scheint bei den meisten wie ich dachte."
Wright15 wrote on 09.01.2022:
[8.0] "If you take a lifeless robot and program it be one of the most athletic, smoothest, and best grappling wrestlers in the world, you get Sanada. He is very popular in Japan, and his in-ring work is excellent, but his lack of emotion has held him back from being anything more than a borderline great wrestler."
benny5bellys wrote on 08.01.2022:
[5.0] "The world needs to stop pretending Sanada is any good, he is remarkably bland and only capable of one facial expression. All the athleticism in the world means nothing if you can't draw the audience into your match"
GOK4E wrote on 04.01.2022:
[5.0] "SANADA is a real athlete and can be good... but it's often not the case because his moveset is weird and he doesn't use his abilities for doing a good match but for doing... whatever. Sometimes, whatever does a good match. Sometimes."
dillonmatthews wrote on 30.12.2021:
[5.0] "A utility year for SANADA - being Ibushi's first challenger post-Tokyo Dome; some decent tournament performances (vs Ishii and Ospreay in the NJC); most importantly, giving Naito a tag partner as he stepped away from the world title scene. SANADA's still young but with Ospreay and Shingo surpassing him, you have to wonder if he's missed the boat as a world champion."
rhys4peace wrote on 03.10.2021:
"SANADA is a hugely mixed bag, which is a shame because I think he has the potential to hang with the greats of this generation. Alas, it seems he will never fully realise it; between his piss weak finishers and boring character work, he just doesn't have what it takes to completely escape the mid-card."
FAZEDandCONFUSED wrote on 11.08.2021:
[7.0] "He has his moments but they are too few and far between. Every year there is a mini SANADA push and it never really leaves you wanting to see it go all the way."
not kiwi011 wrote on 04.08.2021:
[8.0] "Sanada is one of the coolest workers ever. His gimmick of not caring is amazing and he is severely underrated in Ring. A top performer that can work with everyone."
ElPolloLoco wrote on 02.08.2021:
[5.0] "Sanada is the classic worker that bookers and promoters just have to try and push into the main event scene multiple times with each and every push dying a quiet death. As an in-ring worker he's not particularly good: he has his big moves designed to wow the crowd and little in between. The longer a match goes, the sloppier and more careless he becomes. And since joining NJPW he put on what look like 30lbs of muscles. something that really impacted his mobility. Outside of the ring he's very much like Kota Ibushi: a complete non-entity. His attempts to build this "silent badass" persona have not been too successful: he's basically the same old Sanada, only he talks even less. Kinda like EVIL he's a midcarder who reveals all his limits when he receives a push, limits the Meltzer and NJPW fandom hype machine try to cover by giving his matches and storylines exaggerated and sometimes comical praise. Unless he undergoes some radical transformation (and charisma cannot be taught), he's perfectly adequate living in Naito's and Hiromu's shadow."
pk Rush wrote on 23.07.2021:
[7.0] "He's very capable of achieving greatness with the right opponent in the ring, but he has too many lulls at times to build a consistent reputation as someone worth pushing further."
ProWrestlingGuy316 wrote on 25.06.2021:
[4.0] "Einer der frustrierendsten Wrestler, die es gibt. Hat eigentlich alle Anlagen (Wrestling, Ausstrahlung bzw. Star Appeal), um ein glaubhafter Main Eventer zu sein. Er schafft es aber nicht, diese gewinnbringend und am wichtigsten konstant zu nutzen. Vor allem agiert er ungemein stoisch. Dabei spult er dann seine üblichen Aktionen ab, was aber extrem ausrechenbar ist. Wenn Sanada hin und wieder von seinem Standardprogramm abweicht und auch Emotionen zeigt, kann er fantastisch sein. So verschwendet er leider sein eigenes Potential."
Ma Stump Puller wrote on 01.06.2021:
[6.0] "I just can't STAND Sanada's gimmick. He's supposed to be this ice cold, stoic guy in the ring but this doesn't translate to anything beyond him having zero emotion and having a excuse to slack off, he's utterly dull and doesn't work at all with the more colorful members of LIJ, dude just stands there and somehow gets title shots and tag belt runs just by being around. This might have something to do with his.... rather large female audience (something which has also played into the likes of Shibata's big push as well, so it's not as wacky as you might think) and the fact that he's actually fairly over in the right conditions. That being said, his style of wrestling just puts most people off as he spams Skull End or botching, which are both often for him. I'll give him his due, he's had great matches when contending with top tier talent, but he's either too lazy or too incompetent in most of everything else he does. This is a guy who's been working for 14 years, drew with Go Shiozaki back in AJPW and was primed for the main event there, is in currently the most over stable in NJPW, and has shared the ring with multiple contenders for MVP's of their respective era. With all of that, you'd think he would be better than what he is now, which is mediocre. Might get better as he gets older but I'm not too sure about that."
AmarantCoral wrote on 26.05.2021:
[7.0] "Great wrestler but a gimmick in which somebody remains stoic in the face of the kind of emotion required for an all-time great pro wrestling match is simply beyond counterproductive. He is technically sound and has everything to build off of but I fear until he drops his Cold Skull persona, we will never see his enormous potential realised."
JohnMen wrote on 25.05.2021:
[3.0] "SANADA is a very bad wrestler. He can't do a good Dragon Sleeper, his moonsault sucks too, and he use all of this as finisher. The king of botch of NJPW, after every match we can see GIF of all his disasterclass. The only thing he has is a good look"
mangowuvvr69 wrote on 04.05.2021:
[7.0] "He is a great athlete, but his matches are often boring for me. Lack of explosiveness, lack of fire in the ring. I know he is the cold skull and so on, but even the cold skull should blow up sometimes. Look at Orange Cassidy. He is all lazy and slow, but then he gets angry and explodes. I wish Sanada could do the same. And I wish he had a great non-submission finisher, because Skull End often just slows down the tempo too much..."
Kung wrote on 13.04.2021:
[6.0] "Don't get me wrong, Sanada is a very talented wrestler, but there's little about his character that interests me. He has this aloof personality, which can be pretty entertaining at times, but sometimes he feels more dull than anything else. Even so, he's an integral part of the awesome LIJ stable, and that should count for something, so he's a welcome member to the New Japan roster, and certainly better than Evil."
marexcel wrote on 19.03.2021:
[3.0] "Habe gerade 25 Minuten SANADA gegen Ishii hinter mir und da wurde mir dann doch sehr vor Augen gehalten, warum der gute Mann bei mir überhaupt nicht klickt. In den ersten beiden Dritteln des Matches spamt er Dropkicks in allen Lebenslagen und mischt hier und da mal einen Move, der dann irgendwie was hermacht. Das empfinde ich seit je her als eintönig und langweilig. Auch wenn hier nicht viel schiefgeht, habe ich oft das Gefühl, dass da nicht alle Moves so sitzen. Ishii strahlte puren Kampfgeist aus, während SANADA einfach durch den Ring spaziert und das einfach viel zu oft. In seinen Matches ist es oft eine sehr reduzierte Mimik und er zeigt quasi kaum Charakter, außer ein wenig diese "Next Ace"-Attitude, die schon seit 1-2 Jahren ein falsches Versprechen ist. Er steht nun schon länger auf dem Sprung zum Top-Star und wurde oft in große Matches gebooked, aber rückblickend waren es dann immer die Gegner, die SANADA einen Rahmen steckten, welcher dieser halbwegs nutzen konnte. Mir gibt er leider wirklich nichts mit seinen Matches. Ganz dröge."
pierreMinne wrote on 14.02.2021:
[2.0] "I don't understand how to put a 9 or a 10 at this guy. He botches a lot, he is not fluide at all and he shows it to us every time he steps foot in a wrestling ring. Yes, I am the only one on cagematch who put a low rating at him like this, but I just think he deserves that rating. His Dragon Sleeper is awful. He can't do properly a TKO. He is sometimes laughable with some botches, and his big matches, for example against Omega at the G1 28, are really not good to me. If I have to recommend one match it's his G1 Climax 30 final against Kota Ibushi. But except this match, just don't watch this guy."
cal9099 wrote on 11.02.2021:
[7.0] "It pains me to only give SANADA a 7 but I feel it's his rightful rating. Immensely talented athletically and with a great look, his score for me can only reach a 7 or perhaps an 8 due to his infuriating lack of emoting during matches and poor mic skills. The all too infrequent glimpses of characteristic NJPW fire make me have hope he'll figure it out and become a true main eventer but as he is currently it's just not enough to reach the top tier of wrestlers. I suppose you could argue he's playing to his 'cold skull' gimmick but it just doesn't work, I can't get excited about a guy who just doesn't seem to be interested more often than not."
ZSJGunW wrote on 03.02.2021:
[7.0] "He's a really athletic guy, and he also has a solid technique. But he has to improve his moveset and learn to construct better his matches. Once he does, he'll be a hell of a performer."
sanjuro wrote on 28.01.2021:
[5.0] "You can't deny he's over with the Japanese crowds but for someone who has already been a journeyman through so many promotions, who got set up in NJPW's hottest stable and has been given an ongoing push served to him on a silver platter for 3-4 years now, SANADA just doesn't have it. He's crisp enough in the ring but he puts nothing into his work to make you feel what he's doing, and he doesn't even pull off his too-cool stoic persona. On occasion he gets dragged to a **** match by a better worker with a sense of storytelling but when he's the one leading the dance his matches are sluggish and meaningless. Even his feud with EVIL, which should have been hot and vicious given both guys' characters and history as partners, has fallen completely flat. I had hopes for him around his first big push but he's become possibly the dullest singles wrestler in the company today."
ZaiahxSteel wrote on 07.01.2021:
[10.0] "He is the best. Connects wonderfully with the crowd, has great matches, is extremely charismatic, and just an overall good dude. The man is the total package and i'm tired of people pretending that he's not."
medouse wrote on 11.12.2020:
[9.0] "One of the greatest physique, incredible skills and totally badass gimmick - Cold Skull. I got hyped up about this guy since the first time I saw him. Great agility - he does all kinds of flips, dives and moonsaults. Creative technique - he always ties guy's arms and legs together and trap them in this lock they cannot escape. Super strong - SANADA looks like a Terminator. Tall, muscled, walking slow, straight and with his head up high. This guy is a strong asset for Los Ingobernables de Japon and one of the best wrestlers in NJPW right now."
michmoose21 wrote on 29.11.2020:
[8.0] "Very great in ring worker in my opinion. He is very athletic for his size and definitely reminds me of Great Muta. I think he deserved the G1 finals. The only thing bad about him is he never shows emotion which can't get me very invested in his matches. He also lacks charisma. He is still a great worker nontheless."
ohnoes wrote on 21.10.2020:
[7.0] "SANADA was someone most were looking forward to seeing improve over the years. Well, those years have passed, and he's still missing something crucial to his character and ringwork, and without it, he is a few steps below the top wrestlers in NJPW. I don't have the miracle answer to what he's missing or how to fix it, but I have some ideas. For one, he's largely the same wrestler he was when he debuted as the Cold Skull. Sure, he's showing slightly more emotion, but none of that character development seems to mean anything. Secondly, he hasn't really expanded his moveset, and thus his ringwork has become stale and predictable. Perhaps the one exception is his matches with Zack Sabre Jr, but why would he reserve creative counters or holds for one wrestler? He's athletically gifted for sure, but for as long as he plays it safe, he'll never amount to more than what he is now."
zephyr wrote on 01.10.2020:
[7.0] "A very gifted athlete and good technical wrestler. Solid charisma but overall pretty underwhelming moveset. Also just really repetitive with his constant letting go of a nearly unbeatable submission to go for a moonsault that always misses."
taabr2 wrote on 17.09.2020:
[8.0] "When SANADA joined AJPW it was during the brief "Pro Wrestling Love" era of the promotion which had Keiji Mutoh as president. SANADA being a student of Mutoh, he was part of the massive exodus of the AJPW roster when Mutoh was removed as president. SANADA then ended up in the Mutoh founded promotion WRESTLE-1. WRESTLE-1 has a close relationship with American promotion TNA and SANADA is the one wrestler who took most advantage of the relationship as SANADA was a regular fixture of TNA's X-Division. SANADA was hoping to make it big in America but it sadly was not to be, in 2016 SANADA made his debut in NJPW, the original promotion of his mentor. SANADA joined as a member of the popular LIJ stable. The highlight of his NJPW career thus far would have to be his feud with the Ace of NJPW, Kazuchika Okada."
AndoCommando wrote on 06.08.2020:
[5.0] "Solid technician with good athleticism but has to be the most boring New Japan star by far. He aspires to be a worker with the style of an Okada but lacks the presence, diverse offense, psychology and general emotion in his matches to warrant the ambitious attempts. Okada at his most complacent (2019) still wrestles circles around this guy. I could have reasoned some of his more boring actions to the mystique of his Cold Skull persona, but after his series of matches with Okada and performance in the G1 Climax, it's clear that he is just not at that level. Don't get your hopes up about SANADA finally having a breakout year anytime soon. Maybe his high popularity with women will keep him in the upper midcard scene"
WoopbidieScoop wrote on 30.07.2020:
[10.0] "Best wrestler in New Japan right now. He is really underrated and underappreciated by authority that wont give him push he really deserves. SANADA is wrestling genius no doubt. Only a small group of wrestlers can compete on the same level as this beast fo a man."
Damian wrote on 13.05.2020:
[4.0] "Holy shit I used to have the dude as an 8. I mean he was fine as a midcard act, and I actually liked him in TNA and Wrestle-1 and thought he had great potential, but Sanada actually deteriorated in the past few years. His look is worse, his character got stale, his in-ring work became more uninteresting and uninspired etc."
JuliTheCage87 wrote on 14.01.2020:
[5.0] "SANADA ist ein Guter. Solides Selling, gutes Charisma, richtig guter Wrestler, dafür mit sehr repetitivem, unspektakulären Moveset, welches seinem eigentlichen Talent und seiner Fitness widerspricht. Sein Skull End beispielsweise sieht so verdammt schwach im Gegensatz zu z. B. Gulaks Gu-Lock aus. Irgendwo in den Top 100 der besten Wrestler anzusiedeln. UPDATE: SANADA ist ein schwieriger Fall. Ich verstehe nicht so ganz, warum er so immens populär in Japan ist. Es ist halt nach wie vor keine Entwicklung in Sachen Wrestling oder Charisma zu sehen. Sein Moveset stinkt richtig ab im Vergleich zu mindestens 15 anderen NJPW-Stars. Finde ihn um einiges langweiliger und unansprechender als z. B. einen Jay White."
VillainClub wrote on 23.12.2019:
[8.0] "SANADA hat das Potenzial einer der ganz großen von New Japan zu werden. Es fehlt nur noch der Durchbruch aus dem Midcard bereich."
20SaiDa19 wrote on 03.11.2019:
[5.0] "SANADA has a great look and is a great athlete, but I have never connected with him the way other NJPW fans have. I personally find his moveset to be rather boring as most of his matches consist of him having his opponent in a weak looking dragon sleeper for minutes upon minutes and outside of a couple of springboard moves, nothing else really stands out. He also doesn't have a great deal of charisma, but considering his "Cold Skull" gimmick, I don't think that is such a huge problem."
-dustykeyboard wrote on 03.08.2019:
[4.0] "12 years of consistently being considered the "next big thing" but 12 years of failing to become more than a basic, sometimes sloppy wrestler who coasts on being able to do a few well-timed highspots. Unfortunately has inherited motivation issues from Mutoh. He's fine enough in the many tag-teams he's been in but has been eclipsed by just about every one of his partners despite being positioned as "The One". Alright in being a technician but that rarely gets to come out in-favor of GIF-friendly high spots peppered throughout very dull matches. Nil for character and an inability to emote either as a fiesty rookie or a stoic badass. A shell of a wrestler."
Kingtaeyeon wrote on 19.07.2019:
[8.0] "Has the potential to be atop the company without a doubt. Can hang with the best of them. Would really love to see him take on Shingo or Naito in the G1 final this year and take it all."
PuroresuLover wrote on 12.05.2019:
[10.0] "One of the bests in NJPW right now, SANADA has everything to be one of the top stars, he just need a big win. I hope he becomes a Heavyweight Champion someday, he trully deserves to be one of the Main Eventers of NJPW."
ToruHirose wrote on 05.05.2019:
[6.0] "Sanada has a good look and he's solid in the ring, but that's about it. He's athletic but lacks any explosiveness, making his offense look weak. He's often kind of sloppy too. His opponent's head will unintentionally slip out of the Skull End, or there's sometimes a big gap between Sanada's armpit and his opponent's forehead. Sanada's moonsault also misses sometimes and hits the opponent's legs. The Cold Skull gimmick does him no favors either. He looks cool when he's coming out for his entrance with the mask and all, but during the actual bout, he lacks emotion. I'm guessing the stoicism is part of his shtick, but Sanada never really seems to fire up into that final gear. He just kind of stays the same until he wins or loses a match. No rage, no agony, nothing. He may need to tone down the Cold Skull gimmick in the future and show a bit more emotion if he wants to evolve."
JustAWrestlingFan wrote on 25.04.2019:
[9.0] "Sanada is great. I personally love that that he has no emotion whatsoever. Its really different from any other character and when the rest of LIJ is posing in the ring and he just stands there xD. It really makes him stand out from all others. A great in ring talent."
jamzell00 wrote on 10.08.2018:
[6.0] "I don't see it. I like him but people the last few years have been talking about what he could be instead of what he is. Crazy good athlete, great look and is decent in the ring. Nothing special as of right now but he'll get there. After going through his AJPW work I can see why many prefer that version of him"
Sebastian V wrote on 14.04.2018:
[8.0] "Ich bin gespannt, wann Sanada seinen endgültigen Durchbruch schafft. Wenn einer das Zeug dazu hat- dann er. Im Ring ist er jetzt schon in meinen Augen eine glatte 10, die nur noch nicht Top Matches am laufenden Band hatte, weil er nicht in die richtigen Spots gesteckt wurde. Er ist einer der saubersten, flüssigsten und beweglichsten Worker der Welt, hat tolles Selling und gute Psychologie. Außerdem ist er ungemein konstant, erscheint immer motiviert und leistungsbereit. Das einzige was bei ihm etwas hapert ist das Charisma. Man kann nicht sagen, dass er ohne Ausstrahlung ist. Er kann schon vor Allem als Face Reaktionen ziehen. Leider ist die Mimik wirklich noch zu wenig ausgeprägt und ihm fehlt noch ein richtiger, aussagekräftiger Charakter. In dem Bereich gebe ich deshalb 6 Punkte. Insgesamt 8 Punkte für Sanada, der jedes Potenzial hat irgendwann 10 zu bekommen."
Headlock wrote on 14.03.2018:
[8.0] "Ich finde SANADA irgegendwie ja schon underrated, Hat zwar das Charisma eibes Baumes aber irgendwie machte das ja sein charm aus. Im Ring geht das locker klar, er ist sehr flüssig in seinen Bewegungen und hat durchaus das Talent in die oberen Card regionen von NJPW zu stehen, er muss halt nur an seiner Mimmick und Gestick arbeiten, vielleicht kann er ja Minoru Suzuki um Hilfe bitten."
Dragon Fighter wrote on 05.12.2017:
[8.0] "The next big thing, the future of New Japan. He is a gift athlete. He has really improved in last 2 years. Put on consistently very good matches. But I expect him to do more. This G1 he didn't do much special although his work was very solid to very good. Hopefully, he can deliver more in the ring."
TooSweetPhil wrote on 16.08.2017:
[8.0] "SANADA hat irgendwie diesen "Next Big Thing" Status. Sein Aussehen, seine Ausstrahlung, als auch sein Ring Work erinnert einen fast schon an einen beflügelten, potenziellen Main Eventer. Im G1-27 durchaus solide mit starken Matches gegen Okada & EVIL, dazu letztes Jahr 2 richtig starke gegen Tanahashi. Er verbindet mit dem Young Cocky Guy eine Komponente, die den LIJ (meinem Lieblings-Stable) ohne ihm fehlen würde und fügt sich trotzdem perfekt in die Reihen. Würde hier gerne 7. 5 geben, runde aber auf, um ihn mit EVIL gleichzustellen."
Demusa wrote on 13.08.2017:
[7.0] "Hat genau ie EVIL noch Luft nach oben. Sanada wird in den nächsten Jahren noch ganz oben mitspielen, da bin ich mir absolut sicher. Guter Look, gute Austrahlung/Charisma und sein Wrestling wird immer besser. Bin super gespannt was als nächstes für ihn ansteht."
Viper99 wrote on 11.08.2017:
[8.0] "Er war meiner Ansicht nach nie ein exzellenter Wrestler, aber er ist ein absolut Charismatischer Wrestler welcher einen guten Look hat und durch einen soliden Push auch durchaus in der Main Event Region von New Japan aufmischen könnte. Ich sehe SANADA wirklich sehr gerne und momentan ist er im wohl hottesten Stable in Japan."
MaskedGaijin wrote on 11.08.2017:
[7.0] "Fand ihn zuerst nichts besonderes aber beim G1 Climax 2017 hat er mich positiv überrascht (genau wie EVIL). Könnte in Zukunft ein ganz grosser werden."
LosIngobernablesdeUK wrote on 08.08.2017:
[10.0] "SANADA is gonna breakout one day & become one of the most over & popular guys that NJPW will ever have. Has future IWGP Heavyweight Champion written all over him & will be one of Okada's major rivals in the next coming years. I definitely see him leaving/getting kicked out of LIJ first & having an amazing feud with Naito & becoming a huge babyface in the process."
PistolPeteMatty wrote on 16.07.2017:
[8.0] "SANADA feels like he's one big match away from being a big name in NJPW. He's got a great look, is great in the ring, and is just insanely agile. I hope to see him as IC or NEVER Openweight champion by this time next year."
HUNTERBC88 wrote on 16.07.2017:
[10.0] "I have been knowing who SANADA has been since 2014. He made his debut on Impact Wrestling, but it was called TNA at the time. He did a good job at doing matches. It went terribly when he joined forces with James Storm in the Revolution. When I saw him again in New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2016, I did not recognize him. He was a changed man and he has became one of the best wrestlers in Japan."
Nigthor wrote on 20.05.2017:
[9.0] "I don't know how to start with sanada, at first i though he was good in his tna run but now in LIJ he his just perfect his performance last year was very good and i love the cold skull gimmick, and i think he his underratted and overshadowed but i'm sure he will be IWGP heavyweigth champion, he has everything, and rigth now i can't wait for his next one on one marches the teaming with evil and bushi is good but i prefer him as. a. solo wrestler"
TheRainmaker28 wrote on 21.02.2017:
[8.0] "SANADA is great, he got everything to be a Main Eventer in the future. He is a badass heel and a pretty underrated worker, and I can't wait to see him getting some spotlight."
WrestleArts wrote on 10.01.2017:
[9.0] "New Japan's nächster großer Main Eventer. Gut im Ring, cooler Look, sehr charismatisch, großartiger Heel."
Wrestling Forever wrote on 05.01.2017:
[8.0] "Bei SANADA dachte ich nach seinen TNA Flop das er nun in der Versenkung verschwindet. Was machte er? Er ging letzter Jahr zu NJPW und wurde der Cold Skull und schloss sich Los Ingobernables de Japon an und schon wurde er wieder viel besser. Ich fand das Great Sanada Gimmick nicht gut und irgendwie wusste TNA nicht was man mit ihn anstellen soll. Bei NJPW ein toller Heel Wrestler."
Luv all wrestling wrote on 12.06.2016:
[8.0] "SANADA has all the bits and pieces to ne a main event headliner, it's just if njpw want him to be or not. Also he is a great heel but generic babyface"
Iam betterthan wrote on 27.07.2015:
[8.0] "Sanada Starts his career in 2007 in All Japan and worked for them until 2013 in between he was very successful there.... Has been there Junior Standout at most time and after leaving All Japan he joined in Wrestle 1 and became there Ace for their promotion (Although for a little bit time) but when he became X-Division Champion and joined TNA he become my favourite individuals for watching TNA but after he loss championship and became The Great Sanada and became the member of Team Revolution he lost the touch because he was act like a Backstabber for the team and thus realeased from his contract. Means he have the potential but All Japan & Wrestle 1 Found his potential make it work but TNA cant use him better Not TNA's Fault also because even he have a good ring skills but he lack from mic skill and that is understandable But Now he is in GFW hope he will get more opportunities. I will give him 8."
GoToSleep wrote on 12.01.2015:
[7.0] "Für einen japanischen Pro-Wrestler sehe ich ihn im Ring als nicht so stark an. Dafür hat er allerdings ziemlich viel Charisma, wie ich finde, das im Moment leider falsch eingesetzt wird."
zackwoowoowooryder wrote on 02.11.2014:
[5.0] "Er mag zwar im Ring recht ordentlich sein, aber dennoch gehört mehr zu einem guten Wrestler außer seine Fähigkeiten. Sein aktuelles Heel-Gimmick welches er aktuell bei TNA spielt kommt bei gar nicht an. Aber gut für ihn, dass er mit James Storm jetzt einen hat, der für ihn sprechen kann."
Evan Callaway wrote on 28.06.2014:
[8.0] "I like Sanada, he may be not a Jushin Thunder Liger or a Tiger Mask, but he still is a good super junior."
TAWPTierJustin wrote on 25.04.2014:
[8.0] "I think it's cool that TNA was able to make Sanada into a babyface character that people in America are able to like by adding subtitles to his promos so they can not only understand what he's saying but also have a chance to believe that everything he said about wanting to be the best not only for him but for The Great Muta who believes in him the most was true through his performances in the ring. Ever since he won the X-Division title in Japan and debuted in TNA, I think Sanada has pretty well for himself in that regard. He is a really good wrestler and performer and he's had some good watchable matches since he arrived in TNA and so far he has shown that he is a good X-Division champion."
Phenomenal91 wrote on 08.04.2014:
[8.0] "Without a doubt, one of the brightest stars in TNA right now. There's nothing like a talented highflying Japanese wrestler to help further the credibility of the X Division Championship. Here's to hoping his career in America continues to reach new heights."
Jack London wrote on 17.10.2012:
[8.0] "Sehr cooler Worker mit klasse Ausstrahlung und einer erstaunlichen Routine im Ring. Gefällt mir von mal zu mal besser und es sollte nur noch eine Frage der Zeit sein, bis Sanada endgültig in den Main Event von All Japan vorstößt. Hat das Potenzial, in ein paar Jahren gemeinsam mit Suwama und Manabu Soya die Liga zu tragen."
Kenshin Uesugi wrote on 25.02.2012:
[8.0] "Wie ein Wirbelsturm im Ring, das Aussehen eines Heayweights und doch mit ein einer schier unendlichen Beweglichkeit gesegnet. Dadurch schafft er es sehr glaubwürdig immer den Wechsel zwischen Highflying und Technik in seinen Matches. Seine etwas ruhige Art und nervöse Lippen zusammen pressen bilden seinen Charakter und stehen in einem guten Gegensatz zu seinem Tag Team Partner. Hat jetzt schon im jungen Alter an großen Gewinne von Titeln und Turnieren gekratzt und wird in den kommen Jahren sicher eine der festen Größen bei AJPW."
Blue Meanie wrote on 13.02.2012:
[8.0] "Hat in der Matchserie mit Manabu Soya gegen Strong BJ durchweg Glanzleistungen hingelegt. Starker Highflyer und Techniker, sowie - trotz seines noch jungen Alters - im Ring ein richtiger Versteher. Hat noch einiges an Potential und wird wenn er so weiter macht einer der zukünftigen Stars von AJPW."
Hans Gruber wrote on 24.11.2011:
[8.0] "Noch ein bisschen besser als sein Partner Manabu Soya. Eines Tages mit Sicherheit TC Champion."
Fountain of Misinformation wrote on 02.09.2011:
[8.0] "Sehr talentierter Wrestler, dem es an nichts mangelt, definitiv einer der zukünftigen ganz großen All Japan-Stars."
STRIGGA wrote on 28.05.2010:
[6.0] "Hat die Entwicklung vom Rookie zum ambitionierten Jungstar erfolgreich hinter sich gebracht und muss nun an seinem Charakter pfeilen. Im Ring hat er es ohne jeden Zweifel drauf."
AndyTNA wrote on 17.11.2008:
[6.0] "Im Ring gefällt er mir gut er hat auch Austrahlung aber man wird abwarten müssen da er noch recht grün hinter den Ohren ist."