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With a number of main names getting inducted into the Wrestling Observer E-newsletter Corridor of Fame from the Japan area in recent times, the poll is broad open for brand new candidates to achieve main traction and make a run at getting inducted.
Within the final a number of years, performers like Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, and Kota Ibushi, to not point out the addition of the Holy Demon Military to the poll, have taken up a majority of votes within the area. With all of these acts now inducted, the house is open for the remaining names on the poll, in addition to some newcomers, to interrupt out and probably get inducted this 12 months.
We requested our employees at Voices of Wrestling to make the case for various names from the Japan area on the poll, and why they imagine they need to be getting the nod from voters this 12 months. -Jesse Collings (Gents’s Wrestling Podcast)
Put merely, Shingo Takagi is both the best or second biggest (to Masaaki Mochizuki) in-ring wrestler within the historical past of the Dragon System. There was no adjustment interval in his profession as a rookie and I’d argue his prime began in 2008 and continues to at the present time. Persevering with this line of logic, Shingo was constantly one of the best in-ring wrestler in Dragon Gate from 2008 till 2018 (when he left the corporate.) When he wasn’t having robust singles matches in the course of the DG period or an enormous focus on the prime of the cardboard, he was plying his commerce as a wonderful tag group or trios wrestler.
Though Shingo won’t ever be credited as one of many prime historic tag group wrestlers within the Dragon System, his group with Akira Tozawa put up numerous Twin Gate classics and he discovered a powerful position in groups with others like Dragon Child, YAMATO or Cyber Kong. His profession in New Japan solely solidifies this resume alongside together with his appearances in 2005-06 Ring of Honor, 2009-13 for Dragon Gate USA and numerous occasions in Europe. It’s my perception that we’ll go a very long time earlier than discovering somebody with this whole of an in-ring case as a corridor of famer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAaWEzI3nOM
Shingo Takagi’s drawing energy is one thing I feel will get underestimated. His first monster push got here after a traumatic neck harm for CIMA and he was thrust into a task that the group was not at the moment prepared to simply accept. Enterprise went down throughout this primary title reign (Summer time and Fall of 2008) and he wasn’t relied upon to be a prime of the cardboard draw till 2011-12 in response. This was in distinction to his capability to attract on the North American and European indie fairly constantly from 2006 to in the present day. Of notice, Shingo was reliably one of the best (if not solely) draw for Dragon Gate USA, ticket gross sales usually mirrored if he was on the cardboard.
I don’t suppose Shingo festivals nice for the time being as an affect candidate. Certain he confirmed that you may be an influence junior and reach a lucharesu context, however he has by no means participated in Dragongate coaching of rookies or scouting foreigners. As time goes by, nevertheless, I think an increasing number of wrestlers will credit score Shingo as an inspiration. What number of we will’t say but.
-Mike Spears (Open the Voice Gate)
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Mike did an incredible job making the case for Shingo Takagi already, particularly specializing in his Dragongate profession, however I wish to add a bit about his New Japan run as I really feel he’s actually cemented his legacy there. To be clear, Shingo already had an incredible profession lengthy earlier than he stepped foot into NJPW, however the truth that he got here as much as the most important skilled wrestling firm in Japan and thrived just about instantly says rather a lot concerning the degree of expertise we’re coping with right here. He was positioned into what might have been a troublesome place for lots of people- basically being an harm alternative for the vastly fashionable Hiromu Takahashi’s spot in NJPW’s prime unit- and ran with it proper from day one, being accepted by the LIJ followers instantly.
Clearly, the best case for Shingo is his in-ring work, and he has solely continued so as to add to that resume since getting into NJPW. In simply 5 years with the promotion, he has racked up an astonishing 17 matches rated at 9 factors or larger on Cagematch.web, and 51 matches rated at an 8 or larger. That is much more spectacular when you think about that almost three full years of his run in New Japan got here throughout a interval the place followers weren’t allowed to make audible noise (with the apparent exception of clapping- oh boy was there ever clapping), which had a vastly detrimental impact on NJPW’s important reception.
So as to add to his sneaky drawing case, Shingo’s preliminary run with BUSHI as a junior tag group had a surprisingly robust impact on native drawing, and he and Will Ospreay headlined a BOSJ closing present that drew a powerful 7,650 at Sumo Corridor in 2019. His total prime run because the heavyweight champion befell throughout a interval of COVID attendance restrictions, which makes it troublesome to gauge, however on the very least NJPW noticed Shingo as somebody they may hand the ball to throughout a really troublesome interval (each because of the pandemic and varied accidents/absences), which has to depend for one thing as nicely. General, whenever you add his legacy-cementing run with New Japan to his already robust credentials from Dragongate, Shingo Takagi has put collectively a far stronger Corridor of Fame resume than he’s usually given credit score for. He’s the best Sure vote for me within the Japan area this 12 months.
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