Wrestling is more exciting than ever right now because of how much it has risen in popularity outside of WWE. The rise of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), the continued popularity of New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), and a thriving indie scene are just some of the reasons to be excited about the future. NXT is currently going through some changes, and there have been reports that they’re looking to sign younger wrestlers who are under thirty. This has caused many to think about who the best wrestlers under 30 are.
This list is going to focus on male pro wrestlers. There are undeniably many amazing female pro wrestlers who are under thirty. That topic deserves its own list so as not to leave out many women who deserve recognition. Below, you’ll find some of the most exciting male wrestlers that are already making waves in the industry today. Some of these competitors show great promise for the future, but others have already reached the pinnacle.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (25 Years Old)
Anyone who has been paying attention to pro wrestling in the past three years will know the name Maxwell Jacob Friedman. He was a relative unknown to many until Cody Rhodes decided to book him on All In against indie veteran Matt Cross. Since then, MJF has become one of the best villains in the wrestling world. People love to hate this man, and he’s even recently earned victories over the legendary Chris Jericho.
MJF is one of the young wrestlers that could be considered a franchise player for AEW. At only 25 years old, he’s going to be winning championships for a long time to come. Currently, he leads the stable known as The Pinnacle. It seems like it’s only a matter of time before he wins his first world championship as well.
“Switchblade” Jay White (28 Years Old)
Jay White has the perfect combination of charisma and in-ring prowess. He’s the leader of the Bullet Club in NJPW. At only 28 years old, this man has already won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. His arrogant demeanor helps him to get under the skin of both Japanese and Western fans. He’s put on amazing matches with the likes of Kenny Omega, Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Tomohiro Ishii.
If this list were to only take into consideration in-ring skill, then Jay White might very well be number one with a bullet. The pandemic has made things tough for him since traveling to Japan can be difficult due to quarantine requirements. You’ll be able to see him wrestling in the US as part of NJPW’s American branch this fall. He’s even been teasing an eventual confrontation with AEW champ Kenny Omega by making appearances on Impact Wrestling.
Ace Austin (24 Years Old)
Ace Austin might be the most exciting young wrestler in Impact Wrestling. He is capable of pulling off some of the most astounding moves that you’ve ever seen. He’s also been able to develop a cocky heel character that has made him a compelling act to watch every Thursday night. Thus far, he’s been focused on winning the X Division Championship, but many people see world title glory in this young man’s future.
Darby Allin (28 Years Old)
Darby Allin is one of the other huge success stories in AEW. He’s a true homegrown AEW star who immediately connected with the audience. His team with Sting is something that has captured the imagination of returning fans and new fans alike. The daredevil nature of his offense and the fact that it’s easy to root for Darby Allin make him a valuable piece of the puzzle in AEW.
The biggest win of his career came against Cody Rhodes when he became the TNT champion. Miro ended his days as champion, but it feels like he’s on the cusp of entering the world title picture. The future looks very bright for Darby indeed.
Jungle Boy Jack Perry (24 Years Old)
Jungle Boy is the son of the late actor Luke Perry. He grew up watching wrestling and loved every second of it. His father supported his dreams of becoming a pro wrestler and allowed him to start training at a very young age. He was just a kid when he first started learning, and he actually met the man who would become Luchasaurus during these days. Fate would have it that Jungle Boy would team up with him later on to form the Jurassic Express tag team.
Fans cheer wildly whenever Jungle Boy comes out of the entrance tunnel riding on Luchasaurus’ shoulders. He’s a great tag team wrestler, but he’s also a very promising young singles star. He wrestled Chris Jericho to a time-limit draw early in his AEW career, and he recently had a very compelling AEW championship match against Kenny Omega. Jungle Boy is only 24 years old and is going to be a major player in the pro wrestling industry.
Will Ospreay (28 Years Old)
This list wouldn’t be complete without former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay. Ospreay has been a polarizing figure in professional wrestling since he started turning heads in NJPW. Originally, his wrestling style was much more based on aerial maneuvers that were a spectacle to behold.
He’s still capable of doing amazing things, but he’s evolved as a heavyweight competitor and taken a more violent approach to his matches. When Will left CHAOS to form the United Empire stable recently, it led him to reach the top of the mountain in NJPW.
Pete Dunne (27 Years Old)
Pete Dunne is another British wrestler that is considered to be one of the best in the world today. Most came to know Dunne when he participated in the NXT UK tournament in WWE. He didn’t win that night, but he wound up being the one who became the biggest star out of that group of talented wrestlers. Pete Dunne held the NXT UK championship for a long time, and he’s also had success on the main NXT brand in America.
Bandido (26 Years Old)
Bandido is one of the craziest wrestlers that you could ever see compete. He does things in the ring that you don’t think should be possible. One of his signature maneuvers involves him doing a moonsault while holding his opponent on the top rope in a powerslam position. He’s freakishly gifted, and he recently became the Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Champion.
Dragon Lee (26 Years Old)
Dragon Lee is currently the Ring of Honor TV champ, but he’s also held the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. His rivalry with Hiromu Takahashi in NJPW has become legendary due to the intensity shown by the two competitors every time they fight. Determining who the top luchador in the world is right now is quite difficult because of how many great ones there are. Young wrestlers like Dragon Lee will continue to make a huge mark in this industry moving forward
Tyler Bate (24 Years Old)
Tyler Bate is another name from the NXT UK scene that deserves recognition. He hasn’t done as much in recent years when compared to Pete Dunne, but he’s even younger than Pete at 24 years old. Tyler won the NXT UK tournament to become the inaugural champion of that brand, and he’s also had great tag team success with Trent Seven as Moustache Mountain. It feels like Bate should be a big future star whether he stays in WWE or eventually heads to another promotion to seek further opportunities.
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Article written with help from Marie Miguel
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
