Comparison: Genichiro Tenryu vs Negro Casas

Cap's Categories:

Top Matches – I’d go Tenryu. Casas definitely has the single best match, but I think if I did a top 25 Tenryu & Casas matches list, Tenryu would have more matches than Casas by a healthy margin.

Versatility – Casas. Both guys excelled in every setting against every opponent, but Casas could simply do more in the ring than practically anyone I’ve ever seen work.

Consistency – I’m going with Casas here. Obviously Tenryu was extraordinarily consistent for decades. But a lot of the pre-Choshu stuff isn’t very compelling. Casas is helped by footage. But he had the rep as a world class wrestler before stuff became available.

Charisma/"It" Factor" – I’m going with Tenryu but this is another tough one. Tenryu’s charisma is more understated while Casas is more over the top. But Tenryu had that ability to make matches feel important and not just “great matches.”

Promos – Doesn’t count.

Elevating Others – Tenryu because he could craft compelling matches against people like Yoji Anjoh where the result of the match was known by 100% of the audience before hand.

Offense – I love Tenryu’s offense. The enzugiri, the lariats, the chops, kicks to the face, the rolling kick, the charging sumo strikes etc.

Selling – Tenryu. Sensing a pattern?

Rewatch Valley – Tenryu.

Bonus Elliott's Question (Brody vs Nigel or best work associated with a crappy wrestler) Tenryu

Tenryu – 7
Casas – 2
Draw – 0

Casas is objectively great and has been forever. Unquestionably. But he’s never connected for me the way his peers like Santo or Satanico or all timers from other places like Lawler, Fujiwara or (obviously) Tenryu. If we did a GWE again, I’d put Casas in the top 20 for sure. He’s amazing. But Tenryu is a top 3 sort of guy. In fact when we did GWE I did rank Tenryu 3rd. Casas was 15th. That would probably be similar if we did it again.