Takashi Iizuka

"[10.0] Takashi Iizuka is my favorite wrestler that isn't from the United States. He had some good technical matches in his day. In my opinion, he is one of the greatest wrestlers to have ever step foot in an NJPW ring. His work in 2008-2019 as his madman gimmick proved that this guy can also play a character very well, and not just be a technical wrestler."

[10.0] "My top 2 wrestler, absolute greatness. You all know about his time as one of the greatest technical wrestlers in his early days, and when he was basically a bald crazy crackhead in his heel run in his later years that heel turn basically saved this man's career or else he would've been another body on the roster. The people hating on the bald iizuka don't know what they missing out on! Not every wrestler needs to have 1000000 star Meltzer approved matches to be good! This guy's outstanding, check em' out if you can find his work. Check his early stuff out as well!"

[7.0] "He's a bit silly at times sure but I like him in Suzuki Gun. I think he makes a likable heel character and for his age his wrestling doesn't seem too bad. Due to his age it makes sense that he's not as good as he once was."

[6.0] "Iizuka was a really good technical wrestler with great fire before his bad injury. He reinvented himself well to make it back and the brawler was decent at times but he was severely limited by then."

[8.0] "Most remember him during his "Crazy Bouzu" era of Suzuki-Gun and are not familar with his earlier time within NJPW. Iizuka is one of the most technical wrestlers most never gave any recognition too, imo he is up there with the likes of Fuchi and even Hiroshi Hase. Iizuka was was super fiery as well especially early on with his bouts against Muto or when he aided NJPW during their invasion against AJPW in the 00's. I do think that many should go back and watch footage of early Iizuka."

[10.0] "A man that gets often bashed due to the gimmick that followed him the until the end of his career, but before that, he always stood out as a massively clinical technician in the ring, legit trained in sambo. No matter what the opinions are, Iizuka always had something special in him, whether it was his fight, presence, abilities, and the man simply went on for 32 years (31 if you discount 2001) like that. He deserves more love after all."

[6.0] "Was relatively solid in the ring during his prime years as a performer, in particular his tag stuff was good (through being paired with someone like Nagata, you can't really go wrong) and he was a great hand during the more quiet years of NJPW. I do have a fondness for his crazy persona that came afterwards, if only because it was complete bollocks and he went ALL the way with it, even if the quality of wrestling was terrible, he had a unique part to play and did it quite well. The guy was very entertaining and could pop the crowd hard, so credit to him for that. Objectively..... yeah, he's not good."

[4.0] "Early in his career he was your standard acceptable tag team wrestler, especially when he tagged along with Nogami, but when removed from that setting he was barely adequate as a single wrestler, something he sometimes managed to cover by going the ECW way. I think most people are ready to give him a free pass because of his tag team with Yuji Nagata but I suspect people would give me a free pass as well if I tagged along with ~1998 Yuji Nagata: it's called the Harlem Heat Effect. And let's mercifully skip over his "Crazy Bouzou" character. Pretty forgettable wrestler, didn't add or subtract anything from the show."

[8.0] "Iizuka gets the most unfair rap of any wrestler in New Japan history mainly cuz the people who shit on him have never seen him wrestle before 2017. Iizuka through the 90s up to 2008 was one of the best technical wrestlers in the world and he was in the best tag match in New Japan history where he was arguably the MVP of the match. Yeah ok sure he wasnt amazing in ring after the crazy bousou gimmick but he was also 42 and took the gimmick so he didnt get released. And you cant say he didnt give his all to the gimmick. An underrated wrestler in his prime who gets unfairly rated because of the later part of his career."

[7.0] "Takashi IIzuka was a great wrestler back in the days, and now his gimmick is fun, and he is not taking the place of other talent."

[2.0] "Quite possibly my least favourite active wrestler in New Japan. The gimmick is beyond silly and his matches are massively below par."

[4.0] "In his prime, Iizuka was an average worker; he wasn't bad, but nothing he did gave you the impression that he'd ever be anything more than midcard talent, a guy put in top matches solely so that he could drop the fall. His current gimmick is clearly designed to cover for the fact that can't work anymore; you can tell that because when he tries to work, it's painfully obvious that he has nothing left."

[7.0] "When he wasnt broken down and playing a bad gimmick he could actually work. Shame nobody will ever know that unless they go back and look at some of his old stuff"

[7.0] "He's all gimmick at this point, but it's a fun gimmick that is different than most of what New Japan offers, so it stands out. It's the kind of thing that isn't for everyone, but I firmly believe that wrestling doesn't always need to be serious or just about workrate."

[1.0] "Why does he still stay there. Absolutely trash. I haven't seen his work in 90s yet. Iron finger- my god, give me a nightmare rather than this shit. It is amazing that yoshitasu and bone soldier were released while this guy is still retained. Just a total waste of time. Nothing more."

[3.0] "As a part of Suzuki Gun in NOAH, he is a complete waste of time. His matches are bad, it's not clear if he's supposed to be a serious competitor or a comedy guy, and he makes his opponent look bad."

[8.0] "Iizuka is absolutely hilarious. One reviewer called him 'a vengeful pirate ghost' - I'd like to add the word 'animated' to that. If you take him seriously then yeah you won't get much out of him, but just enjoy his matches for what they are - complete chaos. He and Yano are great comic relief in a promotion that has enough seriousness to go around. Also, the guy was an awesome tag wrestler in the 90s and has nothing to prove in terms of talent. He lights the audience up night after night. Even the best workrate guys can't claim that."