9 NJPW Wrestlers Who Should Leave The Company In 2023

New Japan Pro-Wrestling is one of the biggest promotions in the world, boasting an incredibly talented roster that are capable of putting together amazing matches. However, while NJPW is massive in Japan and with many diehard wrestling fans around the world, for talent to get the mainstream exposure they often have to leave the company.

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The likes of Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura have proven that, and although not everybody who leaves NJPW ends up having success, many do. Right now NJPW's roster is loaded, and many of those under contract whether working specifically in Japan or for NJPW Strong could benefit from moving on by the end of the year to work elsewhere.

9 Will Ospreay

Will Ospreay is one of the best wrestlers in the world, and he is someone that both AEW and WWE would be desperate to sign if the opportunity was provided. He is a fantastic in-ring worker and someone who brings a great swagger with his overall character.

He has been one of NJPW's top stars, and while he has done a great job for the promotion this could be the year that he decides to move on from the promotion to test himself in a different place.

8 Aussie Open

Aussie Open work alongside Will Ospreay, and that has led to them getting a real buzz about themselves with their in-ring qualities. They're one of the most exciting tag teams in the industry right now, and it is clear that AEW is interested in them due to how often they've appeared on the roster.

That is something that could open the door for them to make the move to join the roster at some point. AEW takes tag team wrestling incredibly seriously, and that is an opportunity that they might want to explore in the future.

7 Minoru Suzuki

Minoru Suzuki is a legend of the sport at this point, and his career will go down in history. However, it would be great to see him get a full-time run in AEW or WWE at some point, allowing his hard-hitting style to truly be appreciated on a wider scale as he deserves.

Suzuki has dominated the landscape in NJPW, becoming a feared competitor, but whenever he works in America he is guaranteed great reactions. It proves there is an audience wanting to see him, and it's something Suzuki should tap into before it's too late.

6 Clark Connors

Clark Connors is an upcoming star who has showcased great talent whenever he has performed with NJPW pushing him steadily. He caught the attention of fans when he got to work for AEW at the Forbidden Door event, and he should look to capitalize on that.

He is a bright talent and the in-ring skills are something that he has nailed down already. Now he needs to work on the character aspect of the business, and joining the likes of NXT would provide an opportunity for that progression.

5 David Finlay

Much like Connors, David Finlay has quickly built up a great reputation for himself in New Japan Pro-Wrestling with his hard-hitting style being something that works well on those shows. While there is a buzz about him it might be the right time for him to make a move.

Finlay is a name that wrestling fans are interested in at the moment and the same is likely to be said about different top promotions around the world. While he's got all of that interest, Finlay should strike and get himself a major contract.

4 Jeff Cobb

Jeff Cobb is a hard-hitting talent that puts on great matches every time he gets the chance to perform, and that would make him an ideal signing for WWE, Impact Wrestling, or AEW. It would give him greater exposure and at this stage in his career, that is what Cobb needs now.

He could easily kick on and become a main event player somewhere due to how he seriously Cobb can be taken by fans. He ticks every box, and moving on to start pushing himself is something that he should explore.

3 Hikuleo

There have been plenty of reports and rumors regarding Hikuleo and his future in professional wrestling, with both WWE and AEW apparently interested in signing him. He has made appearances in the past for AEW and impressed, which is a good sign that he would be used well.

Because Hikuleo is 32 years old, now would be the perfect time for him to make a move so that he could truly commit a good chunk of time to his potential career elsewhere.

2 Zack Sabre Jr.

Zack Sabre Jr. is a technical mastermind in the wrestling world, and he is someone that fans have wanted to see in America full-time for a while now. He has spent a long portion of his career in Japan at this point, and simply having a brand new challenge could be wise.

There would likely be no shortage of opportunities for Sabre Jr. as he is a great wrestler and a fantastic talker, ticking all the boxes that most promotions would be looking for.

1 Kazuchika Okada

Kazuchika Okada is one of the best wrestlers in the world, and that's something that many diehard wrestling fans are aware of, but the casual audiences haven't really been exposed to him. The Rainmaker is someone that both AEW and WWE would be desperate to sign if they got the chance, and this year could end up being that one.

Okada has achieved everything that there is to do in NJPW, therefore moving on to keep exploring the wrestling business and hitting new goals would make sense for him at some stage this year.