New Japan’s influence has never been more clear

Everybody who comes to Cageside Seats has an opinion about what’s going on in pro wrestling – The Smark’s Shoot Standings (S3) are where YOU let us know YOURS.

Cast a vote in the comments. Give us the four performers you think entertained or impressed the most in the last week, and feel free to talk about why. And/or vote for your top performer in our poll.

We also have the outcome of last week’s voting, the results of which make up our annual competition for Performer of the Year.

Remember, the Standings are for the previous week’s nationally televised and internet streaming pro wrestling shows – the Jan. 11 episode of Monday Night Raw, Tuesday’s Impact & AEW Dark, MLW Fusion, NXT & Dynamite from Weds., Jan. 13, NJPW Strong, SmackDown & 205 Live on Friday, NXT UK, ROH TV, Impact’s Hard To Kill PPV, and any other televised or internet streaming wrestling released from Jan. 10 – 16, 2021.

Make YOUR mark, smarks!

Looks like a god to me…

• In addition to the new IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental titleholder, the roguish gentleman he beat on night two in Tokyo Dome also landed in the Top Ten.
• Right behind the champ-champ was the man who beat him back at Wrestle Kingdom 9 and rejuvenated his WWE career in a gauntlet match last Friday, then some guy he used to tag with.
• NXT’s last woman standing, and the Dark Order member who had the moxie to stand up to Marko Stunt were after that Golden Lover.
• Then there was another former New Japan star, this one the reigning NXT champ.
• Rounding out this edition of the Standings we had the WWE and AEW champion’s last challengers, and a guy who was booked for a Universal title shot for exactly one week.

The S3: 2020 – 21, Week 40

1. Kota Ibushi
2. Shinsuke Nakamura
3. Kenny Omega
4. Raquel González
5. Brodie Lee Jr.
6. Finn Bálor
7. Jay White
8. (tie) Adam Pearce
8. (tie) Keith Lee
10. Rey Fenix

Points in our weekly Standings determine our annual list – full details on rules and scoring HERE.

Where a stacked week deprived the Big Dog of a chance to make up any ground on the Blueprint, but did allow the Limitless One to claim sole possession of the last spot in the Top Ten…

The S3 Performer of the Year – through the Week ending Jan. 9

1. Sasha Banks – 186
2. Roman Reigns – 145
3. Asuka – 89
4. Bayley – 82.5
5. Drew McIntyre – 79
6. Jon Moxley – 74
7. Io Shirai – 71
8. Sonya Deville – 63
9. Kenny Omega – 58.5
10. Keith Lee – 46.5

Slightly less eventful week, but still a lot to consider. Get to it… we’ll see you back here next Sunday.

---

**For Original Source – Click Here**