10. Outside of AEWs walls, running the BOLA bracket in impressive fashion before winning the PWG title from Bandido, and then delivering great defenses against the likes of Konosuke Takeshita, shows this is just the start for Daniel Garcia, and Ive no doubt well see him jump up many places on this list in 2023. No world champion was able to touch her greatness this year. What Suzu Suzuki did in 2022 was shut up a lot of doubters of hers when she decided to leave Ice Ribbon to go with Risa Sera and be a member of Prominence. Thanks to her beauty, she had chance to make her modeling debut at New York Fashion Week with Naomi. Had one of the best PPV openers ever with Eddie Kingston at Revolution, crafted the unforgettable Anarchy In The Arena, and had an ROH title reign that delivered some really fun bouts with Tomohiro Ishii, Bandido, and Claudio Castagnoli. The Most Compelling Voice In Wrestling Media. Live on FITE, Bandido challenges Vikingo for the Mega Championship. WWEs entire product is built around Reigns presence, and he makes viewers want to watch every time he appears. Some feel the Ospreay match is a sleeper Match of the Year contender, and while Im personally not quite that high on it, Harwood repeatedly showed that he could hang with the absolute best in the world in singles while also putting together a legendary tag team year with Hair. Tootie Lynn. (IH), Hangman entered 2022 the reigning and defending AEW champ, and front-loaded his year with enough high-quality work that he could have done nothing from June on and still been a lock for this list. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. Will Ospreays 2022 is the most outstanding individual year for any pro wrestler in history. All rights reserved. She is undoubtedly the best powerhouse in all of womens wrestling. With 47 matches under his belt for AEW in 2022, Mox was one of the promotions hardest workers. He accumulated his net worth thanks to his professional wrestling, podcasts, rock concerts. But it is also the right one. Joe keeps his tabs on everything and often provides a balanced voice to our rankings. The man weighs around 300 pounds and he is here to stay. Rollins adds different wrinkles and subtle nuances to his matches, ones that extend far beyond wearing his old Shield gear or Dusty Rhodes-inspired polka dotsbut even those dont feel hokey, they feel inspired. Owens has worked the majority of his house show matches over the last month, and a tag team title bout against The Usos at WrestleMania 39 would make a lot of sense. Cody Rhodes believes he is the best wrestler in the world. Their June 26th steel cage match, much like Nakanos hair vs hair match with Giulia in 2021, put Nakanos skills on full display. . Big E is one of the strongest wrestlers of this ongoing era. 9. There is also a must-see match at AAAs Noche de Campeones, which also takes place later tonight. Chances are if you watched Will Ospreay at any point in the year 2022, you saw a great match. Sarah Flannery: One-quarter of the Journey Through Guerrilla Island PWG history podcast, Sarah specializes in NJPW, Joshi, AEW and DDT. Whether it was AAA, Big Lucha, or lesser US indie promotions, the 24-year-old routinely pumped out gif-worthy spots en route to great matches. Mandy Rose. It was a legit MOTYC and a great example of how to put over a young up and coming talent. Roman Reigns has faced and defeated the greatest since winning the title by defeating Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman. The problem? He is a retired professional wrestler, television star, and actor. (GDT). Lynn's wrestling training began in 2017 and made her debut . From a battle in the rain against Johnny Mundo, to a five-way in Tijuana, to a state-of-the-art TripleMania match with Fenix, to a battle (nearly) to the death against his closest ally Laredo Kid, Vikingo came through big whenever he had the chance. Open The Voice Gate - Looking ahead to Champion Gate, Rey de Parejas and More! Josh Alexander should be a lot higher on this list. Outside of MJF, though, there was a lot to love about Punks year. An AEW Executive Vice President jumped ship to WWE. Oh and check out her match against Miu Watanabe in the Tokyo Princess Cup. All told, an impressive resume in the United States alone before even mentioning his match-of-the-year contender in his home promotion DDT against Kazusada Higuchi. Now more than ever, there is endless reason for optimism. Joshi fans will argue that Stardom and Sendai Girls are on par, having the two best women's wrestling promotions in Japan. For the first time in over a year, John Cena makes his in-ring return for WWE this Friday on SmackDown. Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Jon Moxley, Bianca Belair, MJF who wins Wrestler of the Year? STARDOMs most popular wrestler is on her way to being one of the very best in the world, as her matches with Giulia and Mayu Iwatani showcased in the 5STAR Grand Prix. Yoshioka won the tag titles, then King of Gate, then immediately erased any long-term business concerns when he won the Open The Dream Gate belt and proudly took his place at the top of the card. Her tag team and trios runs this year earned her a comfortable spot on the list while her singles work should have her among the elite come the end of 2023. A year spent in many places not normally on the wider radar, but a year that rarely disappointed when you sought him out. Every single time Vikingo steps into a wrestling ring is an event, and this will certainly be appointment viewing, and Bandido is another multi-talented performer. I know its tempting to skip straight to the list, but there are some sneaky match recommendations and other pearls of wisdom youll miss out on, so do so at your peril! Like us on Facebook to see similar stories Please give an overall site rating . Brief runs with the OTT tag titles and the first NJPW STRONG tag champions were the precursor to them hitting New Japan proper in November, followed by being agonizingly close to winning the World Tag League in December. With an expanded panel of knowledgeable voters this year, we hope to have covered every corner of the wrestling world well. He brings significant in-ring value, and he is an athletic marvel that has no limitations in between the ropes. Jamie Hayter vs Toni Storm. Maybe its because her look isnt what STARDOM has been going for lately. But the beauty of this art form is that the script is occasionally forced to change when a new performer connects so intimately with the audience. Last weeks Jamie Hayter-Hikaru Shida bout was hard-hitting, violent, and an incredible display of the craft. The WWE is currently the largest wrestling organization, the market share of competing models is so small that one can speak of an economic monopoly. With one noteworthy exception, Will Ospreay wrestled the best matches of the year. Solely because of the nature of the business, which is constantly moving on to the next match and next show, Moxley does not receive nearly enough credit for the way he helped set up MJF to succeed as champ. When smashing one aspect of the wrestling business just isn't enough. Okada winning the G1 set up a rematch with White at the Tokyo Dome that will perhaps see Okada start 2023 the way he started 2022, as champion, which would symbolically end New Japans 50th anniversary year the same way it began, with Okada on top. The manner in which Ospreay took the punishment from Finlay was a sight to behold, and that match will be looked upon fondly as Finlay continues his rise to stardom. On a roster where the margin for error is so slim, Diamante represents the perfection that Dragongate preaches to their talent. 20 50 100 All Time Select Date. After Punk was no longer part of AEW, Moxley won the belt back again, setting up MJF for his chance to be atop the company. (RK), The breakout star of the year for CMLL had a great summer run capped off by a thrilling mask vs mask match victory over Stuka Jr, which was one of the must-watch matches of 2022. Dylan - "There can not be a Top Joshi . He is popularly known as The Beast Incarnate and was majorly marketed for his intimidating physique and ability to be dramatic. (CL), Another wrestler that continues the theme of confidence separating the wheat from the chaff in modern wrestling. Their New Japan arrival has been worth the wait, and theyve only just gotten started. Hes still waiting to go fishing with Egotistico Fantastico. Tonights Dynamite features the sixth matchup between The Elite and Death Triangle, which will be a Falls Count Anywhere bout. All Rights Reserved. Joe Gagne: Wrestling podcast OG and trivia master! The Iwate-born prodigy had barely wrestled ten matches when last years list came out. Strickland is great, and he wrestles like a guy who knows it. She works best as a heel, and when she is motivated, you can expect a human highlight reel of moves. The goal of the list is to be as well-informed and wide-ranging as possible. 100-91. Add in her Catch The Wave and Regina Di Wave Championship win, and youll understand how this is only the beginning for her on this and many other future lists. Her skills, performance, and her attitude are pure beauty. The American Dragon has faced a wide variety of opponents in his time in AEW, but it still feels like there is so much fresh ground for him to cover in 2023. Vince McMaho. Hes still at the stage in his career where he gives 110% even on small shows and can have a great match against any type of style, including juniors, shooters, and technical types. She stands out amongst various wrestlers while performing. Elsewhere we were treated to a full 12 months of normal feeling wrestling, and it was certainly very welcome for fans. Hence becoming one of the richest wrestlers in 2022. 22 of them have an 8+ rating and 10 have a 9+ rating. 2022 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.. Beginning in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic severely affected the professional wrestling industry worldwide, with many promotions presenting shows behind closed doors.Some events were canceled while others were rescheduled to occur in 2021 and then some in 2022. Paul 'Triple H' Levesque bounced back from a near-fatal heart issue in 2021 to effectively become the most powerful man in wrestling. Travis Bagent. Moxley dropped the belt to CM Punk at All Out, which will forever be remembered for Punks post-show comments, but that completely overshadowed an incredible match. He is one of the best and greatest arm wrestlers in history. Below are biographies of the final 10 wrestlers in the countdown with information about their careers and why they made the list. The Briscoes; Dynamite vs. Dax Harwood; NJPW Royal Quest II vs. Aussie Open. Fenix had perhaps the best Lucha match of the year against El Hijo del Vikingo at TripleMania: Mexico City, a tremendous singles match against Andrade El Idolo, and several great multi-man matches in AAA and on the Ric Flair retirement show for the revived Jim Crockett Promotions. (GDT), One step forward, one step back for the breakout British star? He first came to the WWF in 1990 as Ted DiBiase's mystery partner at The Survivor Series (1990). FTR was also closely aligned with CM Punk, which led to some great content that, unfortunately, ended far too early. . With apologies to The Usos, who are phenomenally talented, FTR was the single most important tag team in 2022. (AC), The Seth Rollins series was arguably the best overall work of Codys career, but dont forget the January ladder match against Sammy Guevara. By Tornad0 Ranking 20. (AC), WrestleMania weekend is a dying concept after years of being beaten to death and abused. He ended the year by winning the Jr. Battle of Glory tournament as the Jr. champion and looks to continue his dominance of the division in 2023. Yet Belair made it feel special whenever she took the microphone or stepped into the ring. Kevin Owens is the best in-ring performer on the current WWE roster. Last weeks Dynamite featured a scintillating Jamie Hayter-Hikaru Shida main event, the caliber of match that instantly raised the stature of the AEW womens championship. Consistency was given as much weight as ceilings and floors. Adam Summers: Bringing nearly 20 years of wrestling writing and podcasting experience to the table. That star power placed him on this list. This was similar for Belair, who dealt with a roster that for parts of the year was missing Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, Bayley, Becky Lynch, Naomi, and Alexa Bliss. (AC), Aoyagi has been trending in an upward trajectory since 2020, but this year he hit new heights by winning the Champion Carnival in a fantastic final against Jake Lee. Stick around, however, for a list of honourable mentions that should plug any major gaps and cover notable omissions. His best work was alongside Diamante on July 31st against Jacky Funky Kamei and Jason Lee, but he also racked up a number of great singles matches against the likes of Kzy and Dragon Lee. All in all, Takeshitas former nickname, The Future, is ringing true, and with his move to America, youd expect to see his name littered amongst the best in the world for many years to come. Josh Alexander. Date of Birth. (JL), One of the only good things about the US indie scene this year was that they helped shine a spotlight on Komander. Kevin Palko 6. Her feud throughout the year with Giulia was one of the very best in wrestling, with their match on the final night of the 5STAR Grand Prix being the perfect way to top it off. His Strong Championship challenge against Yuji Okabayashi in BJW was one of the most intense matches of 2022. Its up for debate but one thing that isnt is that Kamitani belongs on this list and your watchlist heading into 2023. Ospreay looked like a star, which he undoubtedly is, and he also made Finlay look like a beast (which he is). We predict the 10 best wrestlers in the world, 5 years in the future.For more awesome content, check out: http://whatculture.com/w. American professional wrestler currently signed to Impact Wrestling, Rich Swann finished at the 10th rank in the PWI 2021 rankings. Form is critical on this list. We hope to not only provide a credible ranking but also to expose readers to some new wrestling. Joe Lanza: The King Of Banter. Please log in again. Like her nickname, "The Boss," she is the boss during her match in the ring. Fujiwara had a rookie year that should be compared with the likes of Jun Akiyama and Kurt Angle. World Cup MBTI K-Pop LOL Influencer Food Anime Sports Gaming Crypto Entertainment Music Movies NSFW Leaderboards . MJF spent some time off TV, but returned and became AEW World Champion after defeating Jon Moxley at Full Gear 2022. NXT has shed its ridiculous 2.0 moniker and returned to creating its own version of entertaining content, which is a lot easier with rising stars like Carmelo Hayes and Bron Breakker. Today, we assess its protagonists in a way tailored to WhatCulture's coverage. Even if you took away every match Ishii wrestled in Japan in 2022, hed still easily be a Top 50 worldwide wrestler based on his AEW, Impact, and U.S.-based New Japan work alone. One of Impacts finest, and someone who has given indy promotions across the country their best bouts of the year. Chances are if you watched Will Ospreay at any point in the year 2022, you saw a great match. That fits perfectly with his character, which marinated to perfection in 2022, culminating in his full heel turn on partner Keith Lee. The smoothest high-flier in history, Fenixs effortless gliding and maneuvering through the air makes the otherwise impossible look routine. She capped off the year winning the World of Stardom Championship, as she goes into 2022 as the top wrestler in the promotion. 1. Here are 25 international wrestling stars to watch this weekend. Since his release from WWE developmental in 2011, he has been a consistent name in the UK wrestling scene. Dax Harwood plays a vital role in FTR, but his singles work is also solid. Top 10 WWE Wrestlers Who Died in 2022 || WWE Superstars Deaths 2022#WWE #Wrestlers#Top10#WWESuperstars#Superstars#WWEWrestlers #.Matilda The Hun Died: Janua. 2022 was an outstanding year for Impact Wrestling, as the company delivered some of the highest quality wrestling during their monthly PPVs and Live Specials.Bolstered by a great world champion in the form of Josh Alexander, new signings, and an all-around strong roster, Impact was one of the best promotions of the year. Ospreay will continue to be tested on the mic in the coming year, but there is absolutely no doubt about his performance in the ring. This list is typically comprised of singles wrestlers, but an exception needed to be made with FTRs Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood. 2023 is shaping up to be his biggest year since 2019. Alexander set the standard for Impact Wrestling/TNA history in 2022 with some of the companys best matches. Seth has undergone a subtle career-run with his string of matches against Cody . 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