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While Vince McMahon and co would like you to believe that the WWE is the be-all and end-all of professional wrestling - or "sports entertainment" as they would put it - there a wrestling promotion out in Japan that is quickly becoming a viable alternative for more hardcore fans of the industry.
New Japan Pro Wrestling has been building up steam as the second-biggest promotion in the world and led by the likes of Kazuchika Okada, Kenny Omega and Tetsuya Naito, it may very well be considered far superior to the WWE.
One of the reasons for this also is that the company has taken in talent that still has something to offer and given them a place to showcase their talents. So, without any further ado, here is our list of 5 wrestlers you didn't know were still active in NJPW:
#5) Lance Hoyt
Lance Hoyt - who once upon a time wrestled in the WWE under the name of Vance Archer - has become quite a big deal in New Japan Pro Wrestling. He is a part of the Minoru Suzuki-led stable, Suzuki Gun, and has made a name for himself as a tag team expert.
Teaming up with Davey Boy Smith Jr to form the Killer Elite Squad, he is a three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. And, speaking of Davey Boy Smith Jr...
#4) Davey Boy Smith Jr
The son of the legendary British Bulldog, Davey Boy Smith Jr has become a force to be reckoned with on the indie scene. Joining up with Suzuki Gun and teaming with Lance Hoyt under the Killer Elite Squad moniker, Smith is a far cry from the man who was once a part of the WWE.
He is no longer the David Hart Smith who was fumbling around as a part of the Hart Dynasty, and instead, he has become a three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion in NJPW.
#3) Juice Robinson
It seems like the WWE really dropped the ball when it comes to Juice Robinson. He was a part of NXT under the name CJ Parker but never really got his break prompting him to ask for his release. He has now shown what he can really do in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Robinson has quickly become a fan-favourite and could very well be the next big thing out in the far East. I, for one, can't wait to see what he gets up to next.
#2) TAKA Michinoku
Who here remembers TAKA Michinoku? The man who made his WWE debut over twenty years ago in 1997 is still going strong in his home country at the ripe old age of 44. Michinoku enjoyed a semi-fruitful spell in the Attitude Era as the Lightheavyweight Champion and a part of Kaientai but was never given a chance to shine.
He soon returned to Japan and is still a valued member of the Suzuki Gun faction as one of its longest-serving members.
#1) Billy Gunn
Billy Gunn needs no introduction. The man is a legend of the WWE and his success with D-Generation X is the stuff of legend. Being one-half of the legendary New Age Outlaws didn't stop him from being fired after a Wellness Policy Violation when he was an instructor at the WWE's Performance Centre in 2015 though.
Since then, he has made his way to New Japan Pro Wrestling where he has been wrestling as a part of the Hunter Club along with Yoshitatsu.
