Puro Gang, Why Kazushi Sakuraba Doesn't get the same due as Suzuki Minoru

[The Intergalactic Koala]

I'm watching the N-1 tournament (Pro Wrestling Noah) and it dawn on me that Kazushi Sakuraba is often overlooked when it comes down to Japanese wrestling from a western perspective, compared to Minoru Suzuki.

Dude was legit "The Gracie Killer" as he went through the entire clan and was a big name in PRIDE FC.

Suzuki was one of the PANCRASE founding legends and have the same swag as Sakuraba but somehow easily transitioned with the crowds, especially in AEW.

Is it the personality, the gimmick, or NJPW history? Because imo Sakuraba is technically superior in many aspects of submissions

What are yall thoughts

 

[Jmare007]

I
Is it the personality, the gimmick, or NJPW history? Because imo Sakuraba is technically superior in many aspects of submissions

You answered your own question.

Sakuraba's biggest pro wrestling match was against Nakamura at WK, which was a dope fukking match. But he's one of many "MMA fighter that cashed in on puro". Didn't help that besides the Nakamura match (and the UWFi rules match with MiSu), his comeback to wrestling was underwhelming as fukk and stuck in boring tag matches.

MiSu has legit an entire career in pro wrestling were he actively played a big part in big promotions and angles (and matches). Plus he has a whole gimmick/persona that backs him up. Sakuraba has none of that.

Another good example is Nobuhiko Takada. He was not the level of figter of either of them and he probably still is a bigger pro wrestling star (though MiSu's legend status might end up surpassing Takada's). I don't think it's any mystery why that is

 

[The Intergalactic Koala]

You answered your own question.

Sakuraba's biggest pro wrestling match was against Nakamura at WK, which was a dope fukking match. But he's one of many "MMA fighter that cashed in on puro". Didn't help that besides the Nakamura match (and the UWFi rules match with MiSu), his comeback to wrestling was underwhelming as fukk and stuck in boring tag matches.

MiSu has legit an entire career in pro wrestling were he actively played a big part in big promotions and angles (and matches). Plus he has a whole gimmick/persona that backs him up. Sakuraba has none of that.

Another good example is Nobuhiko Takada. He was not the level of figter of either of them and he probably still is a bigger pro wrestling star (though MiSu's legend status might end up surpassing Takada's). I don't think it's any mystery why that is

That's the thing that weirds me out because during his PRIDE days, dude was a whole vibe. Walking out with masks and doing dance shuffles to the ring, along with trolling the Gracies . Its so odd to me that once he hit the wrestling scene, it was just plain meh yet his matches were dope. I enjoyed his battle with Shibata .

But like you said, Suzuki got a head up in the business.