Yota Tsuji

[10.0] "[previous rating: 9] [date of previous rating: 2023] He has grown in me even more since the last time I ranked him. Congrats"

[8.0] "Yota Tsuji is definitely the new ace of New Japan and he's seemingly doing a great job of carrying the company during some comparatively lean years. When he was a Young Lion I must admit I didn't think that highly of him, but since returning he's steadily improved his in ring work and his charisma has taken off like a rocket. The Gene Blast gimmick is a little strange sounding but otherwise he is really connecting with the crowd. You can't deny that he has a mesmerizing quality to him with that weird smile, and he looks the part of a stocky Japanese powerhouse. His moveset is very unique and when he can showcase it against a skilled opponent it makes for really entertaining viewing. Overall Tsuji is still on the rise but he has checked off a lot of boxes necessary to be a main event star in NJPW. His combination of look, in ring ability, power and charisma all combine into a very solid package. I give him an 8 because I still think he has room to improve, such as being able to elevate and carry other performers to great matches the way that Tanahashi and Okada could, but he's nonetheless doing a great job being the new face of the company and he's someone who's matches I usually look forward to."

[7.0] "Tsuji has a great look and is the best wrestler out of his "generation" (Narita is trapped in HOT, Umino has failed and Yuya can do much better), but I still think that something is missing. Maybe now that he's double champ and has his own faction we can see something different, but until now he's a fine wrestler to me."

[9.0] "Will update this whenever he returns. Will be a good hand when he returns, thinking his ceiling will be at Iishi level, guy who will win some mid card belts, maybe win a few big matches here and there, but will probably never win the world championship. EDIT: I was completely wrong, he's world champion now, he's goated"

[9.0] "Its been 2 days and Yota Tsuji has Almost single handedly made NJPW one of the most interesting promotion going right now, and not to mention he has almost fixed every problem NJPW has had since 2021"

[5.0] "I really don't get Yota Tsuji. Sure he has the charismatic smile but most of his matches are boring. Narita is sadly in HoT jail and Umino is still finding himself, so people have no choice but to overly praise Tsuji. Nothing he does in the ring really excites me and it barely looks like he tries to move with impact. Hopefully NJPW finds their next top guy soon."

[8.0] "Tsuji in my opinion is the best out of all the young guys in NJPW right now mostly thanks to his hot return from excursion. Immediately joining LIJ and challenging for the world was a big statement and he has been on the up ever since. Having already won New Japan cup and finaling the g1 while having great matches in both the sky is the limit for Tsuji. He exudes charisma and has shown great explosiveness in ring which I feel can sometimes be a detriment as it seems in long matches he can gas out a bit but if he can get over that hump then I think he's truly ready for the main event spot. With all that said I think Tsuji has all the makings to be maybe not the "Ace" but potentially the dark ace akin to Naito. If Tsuji stays on the path he's on I could easily see him becoming world champ within the next 2 years."

[9.0] "The future of New Japan looks bright with Tsuji in it. He has great charisma, moves like both a cruiser and a heavy and looks great. In less then two years he's made me a big fan of his."

[9.0] "Japanese Jesus. Tsuji oozes charisma, I genuinely don't think anyone in the world has the same star power he does. He has the look completely down, and he's only getting better in the ring as time goes on. He can wrestle most of the common styles, and he can work with almost any dynamic in a match. I think the only thing that hurts him really is the lack of big time matches outside of like two, but with how him vs Yuya went I don't think that'll stand for long. In my eyes, he's more ready to be the ace of NJPW when Tanahashi goes than Yuya is. I don't think I've ever seen a wrestler who is as charismatic as him, and I think with this G1 run he'll show he can deliver big time matches. My only big complaint about him is I think the moves he has made his big moves are lackluster outside of Gene Blaster. Marlowe Crash is alright I guess, and the Curb Stomp is cool but the combo he uses to set it up throws me off. But, obviously, movesets change in time and since he's only 31 I can see him making adjustments to it down the line. But, in summary Tsuji is incredibly charismatic and a great wrestler, who has elite potential to be the next ace of NJPW."

[7.0] "Charismatic af. Wasn't a big fan at first, but when I saw it I got it. This guy will be one of the biggest NJPW stars in the future, but right now I think he needs to work on his moveset. I like the aspect that he's kind of a monster wildcard (he's represented as a kaiju of some sort in his entrance video), in a sense that he can do just about anything, but some of his moves just don't work for me. The combo into a stomp is kinda cool, the spear is....fine, his dives are AMAZING. With a lot of the old guard starting to leave or retire, NJPW will be in good (big) hands with him (and all his current rivals) as the next ace."

[7.0] "He's charismatic but I think he's highly overrated at this point. I liked his stuff as a young lion and I think he's a solid wrestler but something since his return hasn't clicked yet that would match him with how people talk about him"

[10.0] "The most advanced out of the group of potential future ace. He is a great wrestler and he proves it every time he steps in the ring even know he needs to work on his cardio"

"Yota Tsuji of New Japan Pro Wrestling is a remarkable athlete whose charisma and talent shine both in and out of the ring. His powerful moves, relentless determination, and connection with fans demonstrate his dedication to the sport. With his unique style and growing presence, Tsuji is undoubtedly a rising star poised to leave a lasting legacy in professional wrestling."

[7.0] "The most complete superstar of this new generation of NJPW, starting from his awesome looking finisher, the Gene Blast, Yota looks ready, he's been already into some really good and big matches, and is already an established main eventer, and the next big thing at the company. He still has some below average performances, doesn't fit well with everybody, and in my opinion still lacks a lot of excellence when it comes to building a match, but he's very good, and will fix those issues with time."

[9.0] "The man has all the tools, the confidence and the look. He just needs longer matches against big names to really give him that big main event experience. He's going to be the Ace of New Japan soon enough and we'll all rejoice."

[9.0] "Always felt bad for Tsuji when he was a young lion, because every time he lost a match, he looked like he was almost bursting into tears backstage for his losses, and that gave the impression he would someday quit, considering the fact the pandemic prevented him, Gabe Kidd and Uemura to go to excursion for a while. Thankfully, he never gave up, and traveled to the UK to become a mat technician, and then his country of interest in Mexico, to finally become up to par with Naito. When those video vignettes of that dinosaur and the army soldiers happened, I had a feeling it was Tsuji, and when it was clear on Dontaku, I freaking marked out. Since then, those Mexican-styled gears, that rocking looking jacket and that beautiful cynical smile of his made me even more of a fan! His moveset is a thing of a beauty, and it is so simple yet amazing. A success for sure, and I hope for the best for Gene Blaster."

[10.0] "Huge Tsuj. The gene blaster himself. This man will lead NJPW into a new era. He is Reiwa. He will blast the genes. Addition (20/07/24): This review is short, but I actively want to give a reason as to why I think Yota Tsuji is the future of NJPW. That reason is actually quite simple. He just has it. His moves are all violent, his selling is spectacular when it needs to be (Watch the end of the Naito match and how he has nothing on his forearms. That is what I consider great selling.) he also has this charisma that just draws you to him. There are things he needs to improve on, such as his stamina and cardio in longer matches, but he has proven that he absolutely has what it takes to be the man that leads New Japan into the future."

[7.0] "I have to say, I was really high on Yota Tsuji's look and charisma, seemingly paired with great athleticism and movesets, the brightest of the musketeers. Now I have gotten used to Yota Tsuji formula, and he has gotten sloppier. The flashy moves paired with LIJ is bond to be successful but i honestly desire that he would push his potential even further."

[9.0] "Tsuji has almost got it all; a great unique look, an interesting hard-hitting move set, and a physical charisma not found in many wrestlers. With the right presentation he can truly be an anime style villain heel at the top of any card."

[9.0] "Tsuji has the look, the move arsenal, the *it* factor and now the positioning. Hes basically the all around package in my opinion, I feel like hes the best bits of guys like Masahiro Chono and late career Liger all rolled up into a charisma machine of speed and powerful moves. Now is the time to push this guy hard and give him a lengthy title reign, NJPW needs him as the smiling figurehead of the new era. The only reason he doesnt get a 10 is due to the lack of matches on the highest level of quality, hes not on the level of a Kawada or Kobashi yet, but I believe he could get there."

[9.0] "Tsuji wrestles like a Power Plant trainee, and I mean that as a compliment. Every single move he does has serious impact and looks cool, and he has the psychology to back it all up. I'd put money on Tsuji being the next Ace of New Japan. The only reason he doesn't have a 10 from me is that he's only a few years in at this point, so he doesn't have a large enough match catalog for me to give him the full 10/10."

[10.0] "This is the guy right here. Gedo is well-known for his slow build-ups and slow burn stories, but I hope that as soon as Naito's current championship run ends, Tsuji steps up to take the reigns. If we end up seeing a second Rainmaker shock, I hope and pray it's a Gene Blast shock."

[10.0] "Im intrigued by Umino, Narita, and Uemura. Yota Tsuji is miles ahead of them at this point, and definitely should be THE top star of his generation. The guy just oozes charisma, and has a cool move set. How long before they pull the trigger and give him the world title?"

[8.0] "Yota tsuji is the future of NJPW. He is going to take this company to next and new era. He is the guy. Make him champion TANAHASHI!"

[8.0] "He wasn't as interesting as Shota Umino or Ren Narita when he was a Young Lion though he was a good young guy full of potential and now look at him, he's an amazing worker full of charisma and talent, he looks like a superstar with his creepy ass smile reminding me a bit of Shinsuke Nakamura and his really relaxed entrance. His moveset is really good, he can do everything perfectly well from Striking to High Flying which makes exciting to watch wrestle."

[9.0] "Tsuji is one of my favorites to watch right now. In my opinion, Tsuji is levels ahead of Narita and Umino and I think New Japan agrees with it too. He's a star for sure, but I think he needs to develop a sense of urgency in some of his matches, like the G1 matches or the Ospreay bout."

[8.0] "He's got a top guy smile. He's really come into his own following the (somewhat inconsistent) stints in RevPro and CMLL, and out of all the guys (aside Uemura) we've finally gotten to see how great he is after the lengthy excursions. Out of the newest crop of graduated Young Lions, Tsuji by far has had the highest floor, and maybe even the most upside. When Umino was being shown as the future top guy, Tsuji completely smashed any of the momentum he's had. Maybe he's still a little green, but he's completely captivating in the ring, and carries himself really well in and out of the ring. You can't help but watch him. This rating'll change as time goes on, but for now, he's good."

[10.0] "Yota Tsuji is, quite simply, him. He's so good so soon into his career - his style is so damn fun to watch, his gimmick is phenomenal and he plays it to perfection, he's incredibly charasmatic, carries himself like a star, has had a ton of great matches already (including a phenomenal one against Ospreay)...and, well, that smile kinda wraps it all up in a bow, doesn't it? I see no reason to go lower than a 10, as I don't see him being anything less than that in the future. Once in a generation talent."

[9.0] "This guy just has an aura about him. I've been loving what I have seen so far since his return and if he continues to improve at the rate he has been New Japan has something incredibly special. I'll give him an 8 for now just so that there's room to grow. Edit (09/24/23): Upping my rating to a 9 in the wake of his G1 performance (of which I thought he was a standout) and the Ospreay match today in Kobe. This guy gets it and is going to be a singles champ very very soon."

[9.0] "This guy is a star. He already has that cool aura about him, became instantly over with the crowd even when New Japan took a big risk by putting him in a Dominion main event for his first match back from excursion. Has a lot of charisma, is a good promo and is able to work different type of matches. Can work as the dominant big dude as well as the underdog, so clearly it's just a matter of time until he's a regular main eventer and becomes world champion."

[8.0] "The likely future ace of NJPW. Incredible charisma (that devilish smile), athleticism, and one of the most creative movesets in NJPW. It's crazy that he already seems to be pretty fully developed despite just getting back from excursion. I look forward to seeing his future matches with the next generation."

[10.0] "Tsuji is a star. A solid excursion had him returning to NJPW with some of the best presentation New Japan has done in years. The look, the moveset, and the demeanor are all perfect thus far. I firmly expect his rating to skyrocket over the next year. His return at Wrestling Dontaku was incredible and his match with SANADA was great. In just two appearances hes established a major story with Just5Guys and LIJ."

[10.0] "this is that guy right here i fucking love this guy. dude has anime villain written all over him. put him in the ring with an ishii or shingo and this dude is made. love what im seeing."

[8.0] "The future of New Japan is looking bright because my god, one match in and Yota already looks and wrestles like a STAR! I am REALLY looking forward to his upcoming G1 run and I hope he does great in whichever block he ends up in. And can we mention how crazy his moveset is for how big he is? Let's also not forget his downright evil smile, I love it."

"Talk About A return, Destroying the champion in his return, and then main eventing in his first match after returning, He wrestles with an unmatched energy , agile but has a big guy presence, the sky is the limit for The Gene Blast"

[8.0] "This is coming after his match is SANADA, so the sample size is relatively small. That being said, my goodness this dude just has star written all over him. He's just a perfect heel to me. Great look, can go in the ring, and that creepy smile/those facial expressions make him seem lowkey terrifying to be in the ring with. I'll have to come back and edit maybe after the G1 with more of a sample size, but from what I saw today, this dude is a DOG."

[8.0] "His entrance, the movement of his eyes, his size, his smile, the strange noises he makes when he is about to attack. This guy is so creepy. I love it. He does some very nimble moves for someone his size but he only does a couple, his powerhouse moves feel powerful. A great addition to the roster."

[7.0] "It's amazing how he managed to convince me he's an absolute star just by spearing SANADA out of the arena at Wrestling Dontaku last month. Now, he convinced me even more with his fabulous performance at today's NJPW Dominion, where he was tremendous and was carrying himself like the very next Kazuchika Okada. I can see a great future for Big Tsuji, and I'm all for it. 7.5/10"

[6.0] "Yota Tsuji reminds me a little bit of Andre the Giant, but many people probably won't agree with me on that. He's a big dude with a lot of potential for the upper midcard. I like his work in RevPro and CMLL (a lot of people don't realize he has wrestled in Mexico), and I'm excited to see what happens when he comes back."

[4.0] "i rated him just this cuz i only saw him at young lion, i will rate him more when he back to NJPW and have a good gimmick"

[8.0] "I was sitting in Ota City General Gymnasium when a pre-show video featuring Liger, Yano (? ), and Yota Tsuji came on the screen. One of those pre-show "follow the rules" packages they like to run at sporting events. It was then I realized how good Yota Tsuji looks on a big screen. Tall, tan, built, dare I say it he's got the big mouth of a Toshiro Mifune. And he can *go*. This dude is gonna be 30 before we know it and I'd really like to see NJPW start making their money with him soon, because that money is there to be made."

[7.0] ""Yes sir, Yota Tsuji, but he needs a certain song... " Tsuji impressed as a young lion in New Japan, and now he's in the UK for RevPro for his excursion, hopefully his exposure to the western style will help up his game even further for his eventual return."

[7.0] "Tsuji shows a lot of potential for someone who has been wrestling as short a time as he has. Plus, he has a great look. Could be one of the breakout stars of Puro in a few years if he develops correctly. Definitely looking forward to when he goes on excursion."

[4.0] "Manages to look a lot bigger than 6 foot which is good because he doesn't have much going for him other than looking like the big men of days past."

[6.0] "Tsuji has an incredible look! Showing a lot of potential for the future and I'm excited to see what he gets up to next."