Who from the 2017-2021 Young Lion class will have the best career?

40 comments

1. Yuya for me, that man is almost as handsome as SANADA and he imo will become the biggest babyface we have seen in years

2. I’m going with Yuya, he just has the ace look.

3. I don’t wanna jinx anyone, so I’ll just say I hope all have great careers

4. Uemura is great in ring and has the look, but I’m not convinced he has the natural charisma or mic skills based on his YL days to be at the level of an ace. Tsuji I think has always had a lot more about him in terms of character building (as well as the look and in ring), and I could see him leading a faction one day and holding the top titles.

5. Who’s the bald guy in the middle? It’s probably someone obvious but I cant place him

6. Yuya Uemura feels like the best young lion prospect since Jay White for me.

7. Short haired Clark Connors could actually work now that he’s in BC

8. Yuya will be Ace, Yota will be Dark Ace.

9. In NJPW- I think Yuya. Dark horse- Tsuji

   In NJPW from LA- Clark, Dark Horse- Gabe Kidd

   Best overall- Karl if WWE don’t fuck it up, Kevin Knight if he ever leaves NJPW

10. Yuya seems the best all rounder to me but Yota has something special about him.

11. Crazy seeing some of the responses considering Narita and Umino were the top of this group at the time.

    Also I guess you can add Kidd as well

12. Ren. Ren is special. Watch the promo from after they lost the six man belts, Ren said one thing and I had chills. Suzuki taking someone under his wing means something. Watch out for Ren.

13. For the Noge dojo, a lot of those Young Lions stayed in Japan a lot longer because of pandemic travel restrictions, so they already looked ready to go when they left on excursion. So I can’t help but be biased when I say that guys like Tsuji and Uemura already look way more promising than others that are still trying to find their way.

    LA Dojo, this take might not age well, but I really feel NJPW is going to heavily regret not keeping Karl Fredericks/Eddy Thorpe. I think he’s going to do well in WWE, solid performer, great athlete, good look and has a unique character going for him.

14. Can someone name everyone in that photo please?

15. Shooter looking into the distance

16. I’m curious to see how Fredericks does in WWE.

    Prolly not good, but let’s see

17. I want to say Uemura… He gives me Tana vibes, but I’m rooting for Michael Richards.

18. I almost didn’t recognize Fredericks when he got called up for NXT

19. Umino, though I’m a little biased. Next I’d say Connors/Uemura/Narita is pretty neck and neck.

20. New Japan is saving the New Ace for last, which is Yuya

21. Not Karl

22. I think it’s very hard to say as career lengths in wrestling are so variable.

    Tanahashi is 46, Naito and Shingo are both 40, SANADA and OKADA are both 35.

    Most this crop of young lions will largely be the replacements for the 40+ guys, but even they have a decent bit left in the tank.

    Okada is still likely to be the core of the main even scene for 5+ years, so I don’t think any of them are going to have Okada or Tanahashi level careers.

    Yuya and Yota will be champions for sure, and I could see them being main rivals to one another.

    Shota and Ren could well enter the main event scene, but I’m not sure they will have big reigns.

    The westerners are a crap shoot as it really depends on what happens elsewhere in the wrestling world. They are more likely to change promotions, and other westerners are likely to also want to try their hand in NJPW.

    Overall I think it’s Yuya or Yota, but a lot hinges on what the older guys do from here on out.

23. I dont see Master Wato in this photo

24. Is that SANADA in the white shirt??? If so him.

25. Whatever happened to that bald dude? I remember he never wanted to talk or didn’t have much to say in the backstage comments, and then he just disappeared.

26. Karl Fredericks. 💯

    /s

27. I’ve mostly been watching cauglin from his insta. I love watching him deadlift guys. Nobody’s talking about him, so is he just not that good?

28. Karl Freder- oh

    Yuya, he’s the hottest

29. Well it won’t be Fredericks lol

    In all seriousness Uemera. He’s a next generation Ricky Steamboat

30. Is Tsuji on his toes a little bit to seem taller?

    Also, I know I’m not saying anything new, but holy *shit* Clark Connors has the biggest thighs.

31. Tsuji, Uemura and Narita for me.

    I saw Tsuji for well over a year doing his thing on excursion and he has it. Looks, charisma, in ring charisma, super athletic a great and varied moveset. He did heel and face easily.

    Narita is proving to be someone who believes he is strong style and it’s a slow burn but I believe it

32. If anyone has seen Yuta he is and has been the tot package for a minute. But I still think Shota will be the biggest star and first of his class to win the IWGP title

33. Ok, now I’m convinced that Yota Tsuji was wearing lifts when he returned at Dontaku. He was never that tall.

    Check him out in this picture, he’s standing on his tip-toes and is still the same height as Yuya Uemura!

34. Never bet against the shooter

35. Idk. Karl Fredricks is already in WWE so maybe him. But Yuya is also looking very promising

36. Shooter and Tsuji are gonna main event WK in like 6 years

37. based on what i’ve seen. Shota will be the dark ace (if he turns heel), tsuji and ren narita, kind of like the three musketeers. As for yuya i need to see more of him to judge

38. Shooter and Conners. Conners might not happen in NJ. But he will make good.

39. I think Yuya will at the very least be IWGP Champion

40. They clearly see a lot in Yota, so he’ll be fine. Narita and Umino have potential to go a lot farther than some people are giving them credit for. Just because they’re not getting the rocket push Tsuji’s getting right now means little in the long term. I still think both are finding their identity but are solid enough workers.

    Yuya, no way to make any predictions until he debuts.

    Clark will be fine, wherever he lands. He’s extremely talented and will be successful in any promotion he’s in. I also wish the best for Karl in WWE; I hope he gets the opportunities he wasn’t given in NJPW.

    Coughlin and Kidd just need an actual chance in the company proper right now. They need to be on some tours. The World Tag League and G1 should be that opportunity for this year.

    Michael Richards is floating in Fale Dojo limbo right now so who the heck knows where that will go.