Minoru Suzuki

[7.0] "He's got a little more of the "it" factor than a lot of his Japanese contemporaries. He can also be rather entertaining between the ropes. But he, like many Japanese wrestlers, is overrated."

[10.0] "probably one of my favourite wrestler of all time, he is this rough and brutal power, that really raw wrestling type, one of the most heavy energy and aura in wrestling to me, he's such a character, such a presence. i'm really grateful that at some point Minoru was more or less my introduction to japanese wrestling, i literally couldn't have a better introduction, i love him so much and i'm really astonished that even with his age he still wants to get booked and wants to perform. he is one of those wrestlers that truly live through wrestling, long live the King"

[10.0] "One of the most legitimately intimidating figures professional wrestling has ever produced. His background in Pancrase is not window dressing; it fundamentally defines his presence, pacing, and credibility in the ring. Suzuki doesn't simulate danger; he embodies it. His hybrid of vicious striking and unforgiving technical wrestling creates an atmosphere where every exchange feels earned and every mistake feels costly. Suzuki's catalogue may not be overflowing with traditional "great matches, " but that critique misses the point. His bouts are compelling because of who he is and how he wrestles. Intensity is the throughline. Whether he's stretching an opponent with cruel submissions, unloading stiff forearms, or daring someone to hit him harder, Suzuki operates with a confrontational realism that very few wrestlers can convincingly replicate. His no-selling isn't indulgent; it's psychological warfare. He invites punishment only to return it with interest, often leaving opponents visibly rattled. Aura is Suzuki's greatest weapon. Size disparities are irrelevant when he's involved; larger opponents never feel safe, let alone dominant. His trademark grin while absorbing punishment is unsettling, reinforcing the sense that you're not wearing him down, you're merely provoking him. In NJPW, his repeated assaults on Young Lions became a darkly humorous running gag, but even that carried purpose: Suzuki as gatekeeper, enforcing the idea that survival itself is an achievement. Despite his fearsome reputation, Suzuki is deeply respected by his peers and capable of levity when the moment allows it. That contrast only sharpens his menace. Even at his current age, his agility remains impressive, and his strikes are still among the crispest and most convincing in the industry. Suzuki represents something increasingly rare: a wrestler who reinforces the idea of pro wrestling as a combat sport rather than a novelty act. No elaborate gimmick is required. His authenticity, legitimacy, and intensity do all the work. Facing Minoru Suzuki feels less like a match and more like a trial; and that's exactly why it matters."

[7.0] "He looks like he wants to murder the air itself and yeah he sells that tough guy act really well. But once the bell rings you realize he is kinda small and a bit overrated, people treat him like the second coming of pain itself. His ring work is solid but not special. Still, he has that grumpy menace thing down so well you almost believe the hype."

[10.0] "I don't care. He's amazing and I love every time he shows up. Found the perfect character to portray as his career as moved along."

[5.0] "I'm super low on him and I don't know what really makes special other than his sweet unseriousness character and his face expressions obviously, I love him for that and I'll always love him for that, but u people need to calm down cuz like how is he rated that high lmao, I don't get it and I don't think I'll ever get it or understand all of that seriously, but he probably stand out to Njpw/noah for his strong style, I get it but he's not the kind of wrestler that I like."

[10.0] "There are perhaps only a handful of wrestlers who have had the career and the impact that Minoru Suzuki has had, which is saying something. Hell, even with combat sports in general, Suzuki would still probably be in the history books with his role in creating Pancrase, which was far closer to the MMA of today than the UFC at the time, which was more of a...spectacle in the early days to say the least. As a worker, although Suzuki is known for his heel work in the ring, he started off as a good-looking young babyface in PWFG, and would continue to work great shoot-style matches with his impeccable grappling and an aura that was apparent even back then. Of course, when someone thinks of Suzuki now, they think of the vicious and dickish Murder Grandpa that runs roughshod over the indies and in practically every Japanese company, and that's undeniably his calling card. Suzuki is a great, snug worker, but what separates him from the pack is his ability to play the character of the invading asshole in companies like NOAH during Kobashi's reign, or the old man who's coming to kill the young lions, and with his longevity, he's effectively given himself such an aura about him that he can coast on his character work alone in his mid 50s and still deliver good to great matches so he can lock in and do Suzuki things more often. One of the most magnetic and surprisingly versatile performers in the history of the sport."

[10.0] "One of the best characters in the history of pro wrestling and still at his age, he can have compelling matches and programmes with bright stars."

[9.0] "True legend, i was very impressed by the presence of Suzuki. And grateful to discovering also the other tapes and matches he has done before with all the pancrace thing too. A true player"

[9.0] "Minoru Suzuki is a true legend of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. His legitimacy as a shooter combined with his terrifying presence makes him one of the most believable and intimidating performers in the business. Suzuki brings a unique blend of brutality and charisma that captivates audiences worldwide. Whether he's torturing opponents with stiff strikes or simply walking to the ring with that icy glare, he commands respect. His longevity and ability to work high-level matches well into his 50s only add to his legacy."

[10.0] "Minoru Suzuki, founder of pancrase, freelancer of heart, evilest technician, bane of universal DDT, legend of Britain, Americas friendly visitor and Japans gift to combat sports. Tell me why people keep seeking (dreaming) For tomorrow's dream, which is almost impossible to reach Lonely night, only stars are looking at me I kissed you, to be sure (of myself / us) When can I make my dream, which I have been chasing, come true? But nobody knows it I can not deny my will (aspiration / dream) Oh in the storm Arashi ni mukatte Into the storm like a bird about to flutter its wings In the light... Become the wind How many miles do I have to walk to reach the goal? I have devoted everything to fighting But always, I want to feel alive Don't want to make tomorrow clouded with tears I don't want an answer Because I have the dream in my heart Oh in the storm Into the storm like a bird about to flutter its wings In the light... Fly high (in the sky) I have to be a lonely warrior tonight. I have to be a lonely warrior tonight. Sums up the king of pro wrestling."

[10.0] "In contention with Nick Bockwinkel for the best wrestler to be in their 50s, a man who has mastered "Strong Style" and doesn't let his age slow him down, having amazing matches with almost everyone you put him in the ring with. The "Murder Grandpa" being one of my favorite gimmicks in recent memory, always fun to watch young wrestlers give it their all to chop him as hard as they can and he always comes back 100x harder and seeing who can handle it or not. He's had many great matches with guys like AJ Styles, Bryan Danielson, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, Kota Ibushi, Kenta Kobashi, and many more I could name, having incredible chemistry with these men. He's a great wrestler who showcases his striking abilities the most, but has shown that he can be a great submission based wrestler, a great technical wrestler for sure. His chops are some of the best and most brutal, they'd make Gunther and Wahoo McDaniel blush, it's always painful but hard to look away whenever he does them. Overall, Suzuki is a legend and everyone should bow down to him!"

[10.0] "The purity of wrestling is explained as follows: To make it look as cartoonish or as real as possible. This man is the example of both in combination. He is a menacing man to look at, to see, to watch wrestle, to maybe even talk to. The more you see him, the more you truly know of what he really is at heart: a master character. He is as real as it gets in pro wrestling. Editing this to add in that, although he's had some amazing matches, he had what is possibly the worst match in the history of professional wrestling with Butterbean. It's still a 10 for me despite that."

"In my idea this match was one of the best matches that i have ever seen in my entire life because of 36 years of his entire pro wrestling career made it the best!"

[9.0] "È un concetto che non so spiegare bene, ma Minoru Suzuki ha street credibility. Qualunque cosa fa sembra assolutamente reale e dolorosa, ed il lavoro di interazione che fa tra il suo personaggio ed i suoi avversari è incredibile. Una leggenda."

[9.0] "Legendary wrestler, Suzuki is the definition of strong style. Very hard-hitter and with amazing martial arts techniques, such as grappling and submissions. One of the scariest and baddest man in wrestling, that still performs so well with an advanced age."

[10.0] "Quite simply one of the greatest to ever do it. His impact on the industry is extraordinary in a way he'll never get credit for."

[10.0] "36 Years of entertaining fans and being one of the best wrestlers in the world. Legit badass as seen in his time in MMA and is able to adopt to a changing pro wrestling world and still entertain the fans. His strikes are great and he just has a [presence in the ring that is perfect."

[9.0] "He's in his late 50s and he's doing it better than a lot of people currently, his AEW matches are never crazy good however he gets the job done, puts people over while still looking crazy tough in the process. Overall great wrestler that any company would consider using. Also I loved his recent match with Knosuke Takeshita. Also I didn't realize until recently how insanely over Suzuki is."

[10.0] "pure evil, pure class. made an excellent transition from murderous catch wrestler to kobashi-esque old man wrestler who just does chops and facial expressions and still delivers great wrestling. what a man"

[10.0] "Minoru Suzuki is one of those wrestlers that you watch and feel ok this guy is good but why is he so loved by everyone? The more you watch the more you fall in love with this man's work. One of my personal favourites heels from Japan that you absolutely have to cheer for. he's the man."

[10.0] "Suzuki is incredible. The first time I saw him, I was scared as fuck because from the moment he walked out, I knew shit was about to go down. He's one of those guys who can scare you, making you hope your fan favorites will hopefully survive him. His aura is impeccable, matched by very few wrestlers today, or even back in the day. His presence is complemented by his stiff, technical, and really great in-ring ability, making him one of the greatest wrestlers of all time."

[7.0] "I've only seen a few of his matches, and most of them are more recent stuff, so I may change this rating as I become more familiar with him. As it is, I like his intensity and the aura of danger he brings to his matches, but overall he's not really my preferred style of wrestler..."

[10.0] "You don't fuck with Minoru Suzuki. He's genuinely just so striking and intimidating. There is no one like him, and he can really make any match he's in that would usually be completely bog standard bout into something you have to see, even if it's just to see him strike some fear into his opponents with his grin, his tongue, and his strikes. He's called Murder Grandpa for a reason. He seriously can do anything. He's fantastic for comedy due to his personality and striking presence and moveset, but also just as great for serious action for the same exact reasons. And even at his age, he's still fucking great."

[10.0] "One of the most intense pro-wrestlers that I had a pleasure of watching. Suzuki's hybrid of striking and technical wrestling makes him one of the most dangerous opponents that the guys wouldn't even dare to wrestle with. From the guy who came from Pancrase, one of the pioneer MMA promotions, he brought his legitimate toughness in the world of pro-wrestling and became one of the most badass guys in the ring. Although he doesn't have much catalogue of great matches, still his matches are enough to become watchable because of his intensity. Safe to say he is the best MMA to pro-wrestling transition athlete to date. His reputation makes you think that even guys that are bigger than him had no match against him. The way that he grins every time he took an offense makes him very terrifying. He is the type of guy who no-sells for a reason, daring you to hit hard as you possibly could only to get hit with a stiff strike at the end knocking your wind out. One of his amusing running gags especially his time in NJPW is coming every Young Lion and beating the crap out of them. Just simply his aura is intimidating, even you felt danger if you are in a same place with Suzuki. No gimmick needed, just being real and unfiltered is all it needs. Most of his opponents felt like facing Suzuki as some sort of badge of honor. Despite the intimidation, Suzuki is well-respected by his peers, and he can also be a goofball as proven by some matches where Suzuki is just having fun. In-ring, he is very agile despite his age nowadays and his strikes are very crisp and satisfying to watch. Glad that we have someone like Suzuki who at least brought some reputation to pro-wrestling and somewhat still treated as a sport where the industry has been treated as a novelty act nowadays."

[8.0] "Fantastic wrestler. Not quite at the ace level, but he's a very, very good wrestler to have in a promotion. Has a great look, obviously slowing down a lot now given his age and time in MMA & wrestling throughout the years."

[10.0] "The best giant japanese ! He frightens me, he attracts sympathy. He can do anything and fight anyone. The dream wrestler."

[10.0] "Legendary wrestler. His mystique has only grown the older he's got - his ability to convey full stories through his face is incredible. Scariest, baddest, cruelest man in wrestling."

[10.0] "Minoru Suzuki is great. He does so much with a limited moveset. One of the scariest Motherfuckers in the world, someone who could fuck up you big time. The fans love him, I love him. I'm always happy to see him even at the ripe old age of 55. Terrifying and one of my favourites"

[10.0] "This man has to be one of my all-time favorite Japanese wrestlers. Suzuki works his gimmick so well, and his in-ring work is impeccable, especially his match with Hiroshi Tanahashi in 2012. I'm also gonna miss his Suzuki-Gun stable, as it was my favorite group when it was around. I really wish NJPW would allow him to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship before he retires, because he's earned it."

[6.0] "May be what I'd say have contradictions but I do believe he's underrated and in the same time I'd give him is a 6 but only for his recent work"

"Undisputed legend. Deadly striker, veteran ring psychologist and an underrated comedian. His reactions when opponents underestimate him are incredible."

[10.0] "Minoru Suzuki is a legend and even at his age with limited mobility he still can pull off a classic match and get crowds going. Not everyone ages gracefully like that and can maintain an aura about them even when they're mostly jobbing."

[6.0] "If you love a very limited offensive style, if you love strictly chops and headlocks, if you love no sells, then you'll love this guy. If you actually enjoy a decent moveset, a guy that can take bumps and sell appropriately, and can actually move in the ring, you'll loate Suzuki. To me, he is one of the most overrated workers I've ever seen, and I truly don't understand the appeal. I appreciate strong style wrestling, but when you're exclusively limited to that style, you're incomplete in the ring and your matches become stale overtime."

[9.0] "Murder Grandpa, the baddest wrestler alive, a complete psychopath and maniac, a madman who loves to torture his opponents and bully the young boys for fun, a master of grappling and terrifying hard hitting strikes. He achieved big accolades and a legendary status, but never got to be on that first line in NJPW, and he won't be at this stage of his career, which is a shame."

[10.0] "The King! At 54, hes still one of the best in New Japan and is must watch every time. His wrestling skill is top notch and scary as ever."

"The King, one of the best old wrestler that Japan still have (and that's saying a lot). Badass, entertaining, matchs never disappoint : Minoru Suzuki is personally my favorite wrestler."

[9.0] "Understandably a legend and all-time great, but he doesn't quite reach the level of GOAT status, as I don't think he has many matches that I would consider all-time classics. He also sort of settled into a late-career persona that doesn't really allow for much variation or creativity in his matches anymore. He's menacing, but what else?"

[10.0] "Minoru Suzuki, both an important figure in MMA and pro wreslting, is a pretty great heel wrestler. Great work in every promotion he's been in, and always consistent, even with his age. A legend of Japanese shoot-style, an excellent career that spans over 30 years. Best work is in NOAH and NJPW, but he has had great work in AJPW as well."

[9.0] "Suzuki still has an aura of menace and badassery, even at his age. I suspect he deserves a little higher, but I've only really been exposed to his work recently. He's still awesome, despite the limitations of a guy his age wrestling will naturally have."

[9.0] "An absolute badass. He plays his gimmick perfectly often leading to vicious matches in the blowoff to his feuds. Technically excellent which is to be expected after an MMA career and still physically strong despite his age. Quite mind boggling to think this guy was in Maeda's UWF well over 30 years ago and is still performing at a high level."

[10.0] "The perfect wrestler and the perfect villain, and he has really stepped up the last few years, becoming a standout name that everybody knows and that everybody loves."

[6.0] "I've always been excited to watch Minoru Suzuki and his matches, but I've never really enjoyed how he sometimes no sells some of the moves given to him. I know that this is sort of part of his tough guy attitude, but it really just ends up looking effortless and sloppy most of the time."

[9.0] "One of the best heel wrestlers of all time. Unbelievable intensity, carries himself so well and portrays grumpy sadistic murder grandpa better than anyone ever, yet he seems to be a genuinely cool guy, or at least I assume he is considering he has had his silly matches too which is another positive in my eyes. Total legend, one of my all time favourites."

[10.0] "A founder of Pancrase, pioneer of MMA, and dangerously talented grappler in his day, Minoru Suzuki has always been both an elite athlete and entertainer. His sadistic aura is practically unmatched historically: whenever his music hits, it's like the arena gets ten degrees colder. I have never seen someone hit his prime in his 40s and, if anything, just get better in his 50s. He is one of the most charismatic wrestlers I've seen, one of the nastiest brawlers I've seen, and one of the best promos I've heard. He has adapted to every environment that he has encountered without changing his character or style. An all-time great for sure."

[10.0] "Minoru Suzuki is one of the gems of NJPW and wrestling overall. Don't let his smile fool you, he's one hell of a brawler/striker."

[8.0] "Minoru Suzuki is really good and has some really fun matches I just don't think he's my optimal kind of wrestler, but I still acknowledge that he is very good, and that there's a reason why he is rated so highly."

[10.0] "An absolute legend in every way. His authentic style is so amazing and fun to watch. Minoru Suzuki is an accomplished wrestler and mixed martial artist. He is one of the greatest heels of Japan."

[10.0] "No one scares me like Minoru Suzuki does. From the moment the bell rings you know you are about to watch your favourite wrestler be torn apart by the grumpiest and scariest murder grandpa alive."

"One of the best wrestlers to ever exist. Great in ring work and great story telling. Overall a greatest of all time contender."