Welcome to the VP2010s where voters submitted ballots of the best in-ring wrestlers of the 2010s. To learn more about the scoring and how the list came together go to the intro-post. If you would like to review the honorable mentions click the category. Without further ado, the list continues. Also want to thank Chris G for the recommended matches on this post

50. Shuji Ishikawa (9 ballots, 522 points, Average Rank 37.44)

High Voter: Simon (23)
Previously Ranked: 69 (2014), 43 (2016), 52 (2017), 55 (2018), 92 (2019)

Recommended Matches
vs. Abdullah Kobayashi (BJW, 9/19/10)
vs. Masashi Takeda (BJW, 6/30/13)
vs. Daisuke Sekimoto (BJW, 3/31/15)
vs. Yuji Okabayashi (BJW, 5/5/16)
vs. Kazusada Higuchi (DDT, 9/25/16)
vs. Mike Bailey (DDT, 1/5/18)
vs. Konosuke Takeshita (DDT, 3/25/18)
vs. Zeus (AJPW, 8/26/18)
w/ Suwama vs. Daisuke Sekimoto & Yuji Okabayashi (BJW, 1/13/19)
w/ Suwama vs. Daisuke Sekimoto & Yuji Okabayashi (AJPW, 3/19/19)

The Big Dog took some time to find himself, but once he did he was on fire. Some all time nasty displays in Big Japan against Daisuke Sekimoto or with Kohei Sato against Strong BJ and the incredible run on top of DDT killing all their young guys to set up the Ace taking the promotion back. You can argue he was not necessarily super versatile, really playing a single role as the big monster, but no one was a better monster all decade than Huge Shooj. – Cole

The wrestler with maybe the most interesting case of the decade. Part of a couple of the most badass teams of the decade? Check. One of the stiffest deathmatch wrestlers of the decade even though that wasn’t where he spent the most amount of his time? Check. Multiple stints as the man to be conquered in multiple promotions? Check, check, check. And you don’t get a ton of just BIG BOY tag teams anymore and to be in multiple AND for them to be good? Good lord. To also be the Top Guy in DDT, BJPW, and AJPW is just incredible work. The Big Dog for life – Sam

49. Kazushi Sakuraba (9 ballots, 526 points, Average Rank 42.89)

High Voter: flae (7)
Previously Ranked: 87 (2012), 44 (2013)

Recommended Matches:
w/ Katsuyori Shibata vs. Togi Makabe & Wataru Inoue (NJPW, 10/8/12)
w/ Katsuyori Shibata vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW, 12/2/12)
vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (NJPW, 1/4/13)
w/ Katsuyori Shibata vs. Hirooki Goto & Yuji Nagata (NJPW, 4/7/13)
vs. Yuji Nagata (NJPW, 7/20/13)
w/ Toru Yano vs. Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka (NJPW, 6/21/14)
vs. Minoru Suzuki (NJPW, 1/4/15)
vs. Katsuyori Shibata (NJPW, 7/5/15)
w/ Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuyori Shibata (NJPW, 11/7/15)
w/ Takashi Sugiura vs. Hideki Suzuki & Kazuyuki Fujita (NOAH, 12/27/19)

One of the biggest examples of quality over quantity of the decade, many wrestlers will go their whole careers and not produce something have as good as his Dome match with Nakamura – EAMONN

48. Io Shirai (11 ballots, 546 points, Average Rank 37.82)

High Voter: pto (8)
Previously Ranked: 48 (2016), 76 (2017), 72 (2018), 28 (2019)

Recommended Matches
vs. Arisa Nakajima (Stardom, 12/29/13)
vs. Meiko Satomura (Stardom, 7/10/14)
w/ Mayu Iwatani vs. DASH Chisako vs. Sendai Sachiko (Stardom, 9/23/15)
vs. Meiko Satomura (Stardom, 12/23/15)
vs. Kairi Hojo (Stardom, 1/17/16)
vs. Mayu Iwatani (Stardom, 12/22/16)
w/ Mayu Iwatani vs. Kairi Hojo & Meiko Satomura (Stardom, 3/21/16)
vs. Viper (Stardom, 1/15/17)
vs. Kairi Hojo (Stardom, 3/20/17)
vs. Meiko Satomura (Sendai Girls, 4/19/18)

Shirai had an incredible decade in stardom being a 2x world of stardom champion and the winner of the 2014 5STAR Grand Prix. Shirai’s high flying offence helped her deliver classic matches most notebal against Kairi Hojo and Mayu Iwatani. Fantastic in a tag setting especially with Mayu as thunder rock. Io;s flashy offence and the consistency of her matches gives her a strong argument for high flyer of the decade. – the_padraig

Io Shirai was the reason to watch Stardom. Sure, there were other main eventers who were a lot of fun, and various freaks and perverts will try to convince you that the promotion’s cast of characters were all worth watching for their own merits, but there was only one real star. Io made her big matches into events, hurtling herself over the top rope and off of balconies, ragdolling for bigger opponents, bumping like a pinball, and generally reminding the world that 1997 Shawn Michaels is one of the best to ever do it, but what if he was 5’1” and a woman. She ended the decade on another high note, when some dickhead NXT fan yelled out ‘go back to China’ and she replied by saying “I’m Japanese, bitch” and immediately dropping into a split. – pto

47. Jon Moxley (10 ballots, 547 points, Average Rank 46.30)

High Voter: Squill (24)
Previously Ranked: 88 (2010), 35, 2011, 37 (2012), 11 (2013), 14 (2014), 54 (2016), 56 (2017), 6 (2019)

Recommended Matches
vs. Sami Callihan (CZW, 4/10/10)
vs. Drake Younger vs. Nick Gage (CZW, 8/7/10)
vs. Bryan Danielson (DGUSA, 9/26/10)
vs. William Regal (FCW, 6/7/12)
w/ Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins vs. Daniel Bryan, Kane & Ryback (WWE, 12/16/12)
w/ Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan & Luke Harper (WWE, 2/23/14)
vs. AJ Styles (WWE, 12/4/16)
vs. Juice Robinson (NJPW, 6/5/19)
vs. Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW, 7/19/19)
vs. Kenny Omega (AEW, 11/9/19)

In 2010, Moxley was for weirdos. He didn’t do the top end workrate stuff that you would expect from Dragon Gate, yet he was essentially the American face of Dragon Gate USA. Usually then having 8 years of your decade being eaten up by the WWE would be killer for someone like him, but nope! The Shield were given rope that no act has really, which leads not so surprisingly to a ton of great stuff. In the middle of the decade, my brain has decided he was in a Dolph Zigger + type role. He gets to be in the occasional main event, but not completely A Dude. Still a role you can do plenty of good, which he did. Doesn’t hurt when you get to wrap things up with an acclaimed NJPW and AEW to put a bow on it. Great tag wrestler, a really good mid-card wrestler, and ends on showing he’s a great big-time main eventer. – Sam

Jon Moxley spent the 2010s doing everything. He was the face of the American indie deathmatch scene, worked all over the Gabe-verse, goes to WWE and has one of the only memorable FCW runs, was the best wrestler in The Shield, and the guy who broke free from “WWE prison” and immediately reminded everyone what made him special in the first place. Whether bleeding buckets in CZW, dragging something worthwhile out of WWE creative, or bringing a much needed spark to NJPW and AEW, Mox made sure you felt something in every match. Writing this blurb makes me think I had him too low. – Dan Rice

46. Dick Togo (8 ballots, 555 points, Average Rank 31.88)

High Voter: SolPosting (7)
Previously Ranked: 6 (2010), 13 (2011)

Recommended Matches
vs. Billy Ken Kid (Osaka Pro, 2/11/10)
vs. Hikaru Sato (DDT, 11/28/10)
vs. Antonio Honda (DDT, 1/30/11)
vs. HARASHIMA (DDT, 2/27/11)
vs. Finlay (EWP, 10/17/11)
vs. El Generico (DDT, 12/10/11)
w/ Mike Bailey vs. Daisuke Sasaki & Tetsuya Endo (DDT, 8/28/16)
vs. Luke Phoenix (4FW, 10/22/16)
vs. Ethan Page (EVOLVE, 12/11/16)
vs. Daisuke Sasaki (DDT, 4/14/17)

Most wrestlers(outside of Lucha) slow down in their 40s. Dick Togo was having some of the best matches of his career, in some of the weirdest places of his career. He spent the 2010s quietly working his way through the indie underworld, popping up in DDT, FREEDOMS in Japan, Chikara and Evolve in the US, and small promotions across the globe. He’s wrestled in places I didn’t even realized had wrestling. Togo is a master in wrestling economy, every move matters there’s no wasted motion. If you only know him as a Bullet Club lackey or the Michinoku Pro wrestler, fix that immediately. – Dan Rice

45. Dr. Wagner Jr. (10 ballots, 555 points, Average Rank 45.50)

High Voter: the_padraig (15)
Previously RaNKED: 54 (2013)

Recommended Matches
vs. LA Par-K (AAA, 11/15/12)
vs. LA Par-K (Todo X Todo, 5/11/13)
w/ La Sombra vs. LA Park & Volador Jr. (Elite, 2/8/15)
w/ La Sombra & Rush vs. Atlantis, LA Par-K & Volador Jr. (CMLL, 8/28/15)
w/ Dragon Azteca Jr. & Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Cage, Chavo Guerrero Jr. & Johnny Mundo (AAA, 6/5/16)
vs. Psycho Clown (AAA, 8/26/17)
w/ Hijo del Fantasma & Psycho Clown vs. Electroshock, LA Park & Puma King (AAA, 7/21/18)
vs. Blue Demon Jr. (AAA, 2/10/19)
vs. Blue Demon Jr. vs. La Parka (AAA, 3/3/19)
vs. Blue Demon Jr. (AAA, 8/3/19)

When doing this research no other wrestlers theme got me into a more excited mindset than Dr. Wagner Jr entering to the song Bad Medicine.  He rules, he rules so much. – Henry/HeadCheese

Not a wrestler I love week-to-week, but in the top 3 of wrestlers where if you told me they were being put in a big match, I’m at full attention. – Sam

Wagner had a good run in AAA early in the decade, but his resume really starts when he leaves. He becomes a king of Lucha indies. Wagner is a megastar in Mexico and wrestled like one every time he was out in position to shine. I expected him to slow down multiple times in the decade and he never did. Wagner had nothing left to prove, but he kept proving it anyway. Also he should’ve lost the mark way earlier. Just an insanely handsome man. – Dan Rice

44. HARASHIMA (10 ballots, 564 points, Average Rank 31.50)

High Voter: Simon (3)
Previously Ranked: 73 (2014), 84 (2019)

Recommended Matches
vs. Dick Togo (DDT, 2/27/11)
vs. Kenny Omega (DDT, 2/17/13)
vs. Kota Ibushi (DDT, 4/29/15)
vs. KUDO (DDT, 5/31/15)
vs. Yukio Sakaguchi (DDT, 10/25/15)
vs. Isami Kodaka (DDT, 3/21/16)
vs. Shigehiro Irie (DDT, 12/25/16)
vs. Tetsuya Endo (DDT, 6/25/17)
w/ Yasu Urano vs. Daisuke Sasaki & Soma Takao (DDT, 7/15/19)
vs. Konosuke Takeshita (DDT, 11/3/19)

Perhaps even more than Hiroshi Tanahashi, HARASHIMA is my Ace. A man who did not have nearly the level of institutional support, talented opposition or general funds to do the things that NJPW got to do with their man but still managed to be just as great. You want the big matches, he has that in spades against everyone who came through DDT all decade. Dick Togo, Omega, Ibushi, the all time match with KUDO. You want him setting up the next generation, he did that too. He essentially made Irie, Takeshita and Endo out of nothing but guts and willpower and they aren’t the only ones. You want cross promotional battles? Of course you do you fucking pig, well guess what he did that against Tanahashi and made a match he was destined to lose look as good as possible. No one at the top of their promotion had to make as much magic out of limited materials as HARASHIMA, as the promotion held steady and talent walked off for greener pastures and that is the mark of a true ACE. – Cole

43. Rey Hechicero (9 ballots, 589 points, Average Rank 32.44)

High Voter: jon (2)
Previously Ranked: 12 (2013), 1 (2014), 41 (2016)

Recommended Matches
vs. Charles Lucero (NICE, 8/4/13)
w/ Cachorro & Virus vs. Barbaro Cavernario, Dragon Lee & Negro Casas (CMLL, 5/23/14)
vs. Black Terry (Chilanga Mask, 10/26/14)
w/ Barbaro Cavernario vs. Delta & Guerrero Maya Jr. (CMLL, 12/16/14)
vs. Negro Navarro (Cara Luchas, 12/25/14)
w/ Magnifico & Ultimo Guerrero vs. Negro Navarro, Trauma I & Trauma II (Cara Luchas, 1/31/15)
vs. Rush (Cara Luchas, 5/30/15)
vs. Negro Casas (Monterrey, 4/24/16)
vs. Virus (Lucha Memes, 5/4/16)
vs. Valiente (CMLL, 10/6/17)

One of the greatest workrate wrestlers of all time. Hechicero beautifully combines the more technical/llaves style with the flashier workrate stuff and has impeccable timing and rhythm in his matches. Never featured in CMLL (until now), although not buried, Hechicero really shines on indy shows where he can work longer one-on-one matches and show every little transition trick he knows. An amazingly thoughtful wrestler, every little thing in his matches makes sense. – Jon

By the 2010s Rey Hechicero had been around quite a while. I personally had never heard of him until he showed up in CMLL. He was a part of the 2014 En Busca de un Idolo. Which you may have heard me mention once or twice as THE TOURNAMENT OF THE DECADE. He then spent the rest of the 2010s being one of the most complete luchadors in CMLL or anywhere on earth. His matwork is world-class and his strikes are vicious. He can work any style though he really signs when he gets to show out against maestros. Your favorite luchador’s favorite luchador(I assume.) – Dan Rice

The Rey Hechicero matches against Charles Lucero changed my brain chemistry. – Sam

42. Biff Busick (14 ballots, 639 points, Average Rank 51.79)

High Voter: Sam (18)
Previously Ranked: 13 (2014), 31 (2017)

Recommended Matches
vs. Eddie Edwards (Beyond, 7/21/13)
vs. Timothy Thatcher (EVOLVE, 8/9/14)
w/ Drew Gulak vs. Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly (PWG, 8/30/14)
vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (EVOLVE, 9/14/14)
vs. Drew Gulak (CZW, 9/27/14)
vs. Axel Tischer (wXw, 10/4/14)
vs. Donovan Dijak (Beyond, 6/28/15)
w/ Andrew Everett & Trevor Lee vs. Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson & Super Dragon (PWG, 8/29/15)
w/ Danny Burch vs. Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong (WWE, 6/16/18)
vs. Timothy Thatcher (wXw, 10/6/19)

*BRO HYMN INTENSIFIES* – EAMONN

One of the unsung heroes of his generation. Biff Busick tickles every part of my brain as a wrestler. Snug grappling and stiff strikes along with a boatload of guts and heart as a performer. He wasn’t around long enough on the independents before getting scooped up to really get the ball in the way a lot of his peers did but he got more out of his chances than anyone else. CZW title run, being the Hero of Beyond Wrestling, even the small spots on big PWG or Evolve shows, he always was great and never compromised on his values for an audience. Once he got scooped up he got to show far less but in the moments where NXT gave him a shot or no one was looking on 205 Live, Biff proved he still had it all in spades. A detail oriented grappling pervert. – Cole

Without Biff, Beyond Wrestling doesn’t become what it becomes. Shockingly not a knock. The Secret Show match against Thatcher still manages to feel like one of those “Oh shit” moments in indie wrestling. Something broke through at that moment. It sets the tone for the next several years of indie wrestling. The fact I love him so much despite a fairly ho-hum entire half-decade should speak volumes. – Sam

Biff Busick in the 2010s isn’t really a wrestler. He’s a rabid dog, a fighter. One of the defining figures of the 2010’s indie wrestling boom, Biff made every chop, strike, and suplex look like it killed. His work in CZW, Beyond, and EVOLVE helped shape the decade’s hard-nosed, physical grapplefuck style. The Thatcher series, the Catch Point run, the brief but brilliant NXT run, Biff made the most of every opportunity. When he stepped into the ring, it mattered. – Dan Rice

41. KUSHIDA (13 ballots, 666 points, Average Rank 38.23)

High Voter: Henry/HeadCheese (11)
Previously Ranked: 43 (2014), 27 (2016), 23 (2017), 61 (2018)

Recommended Matches
vs. Ricochet (NJPW, 6/8/14)
vs. Roderick Strong (ROH, 5/12/15)
vs. Kyle O’Reilly (NJPW, 6/7/15)
w/ Alex Shelley vs. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson (NJPW, 6/21/14)
vs. Kenny Omega (NJPW, 7/5/15)
vs. Hiromu Takahashi (NJPW, 1/4/17)
vs. BUSHI (NPJW, 5/22/17)
vs. Ryusuke Taguchi (NJPW, 5/29/17)
vs. Hiromu Takahashi (NJPW, 6/11/17)

There was a time I truly thought KUSHIDA was going to leave an almost-but-not-quite Liger like legacy in the NJPW juniors division. That was never fair nor realistic but I would say he carved out a pocket of time in this division that you can’t discuss the highs of without him taking up a larger part of that convo. As far as “junior grappling” goes, few over the course of the decade understood how to make that functionally work better than him. A love someone who can excel in singles and translate well to tags and with Time Splitters KUSHIDA certainly did that. – Sam