It speaks volumes of the past 12 months that 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin coming out of retirement at WrestleMania 38 is, at best, the seventh or eighth most insane thing to happen during this period. This was most notably on display at the January 8th co-promoted NOAH/NJPW show, where Kenohs KONGO group took on Los Ingobernables de Japon. She won the 2021 Royal Rumble match and became the first-ever black superstar to hold the title in WWE. (AC). The genesis of perfection. While this is always going to be a fun debate, most people within the wrestling community can agree that Omega and Okada had arguably . 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. Pro wrestling is a unique blend of sport and entertainment, one where your opponent is necessary in order for you to shine. (SF), When Jake Lee broke his orbital bone at the end of 2021 and had to vacate the Triple Crown, it was no surprise the company immediately pivoted back to Miyahara. Vince McMaho. Dylan - "There can not be a Top Joshi . Their match against Aussie Open at New Japans Royal Quest II was outrageously good. For 12 months, Rollins has consistently wrestled the most compelling, convincing, and effective matches throughout all of pro wrestling. Koon did excellent work on his last show with William Regal, which ended with Regal returning to WWE, but this is another great chance to be entertained and learn from one of the best in the business. 30. (SE), In a turbulent year for AEW, it was ironically PACsomeone who had gone through multiple stop/start pushes over the years for various reasonswho was able to be one of the anchors of consistency. 23. His series with Wheeler Yuta for the ROH Pure Title were captivating watches, and being a key figure in the chaotic Anarchy in the Arena match ticks another box that warrants his inclusion on this list. Cody Rhodes believes he is the best wrestler in the world. 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. Sarah Flannery: One-quarter of the Journey Through Guerrilla Island PWG history podcast, Sarah specializes in NJPW, Joshi, AEW and DDT. Davit Stepanyan 3. A true master of the craft, Rollins is a throwback who could thrive in any era, and he is a joy to watch on a weekly basis. Top three matches of 2021: SmackDown vs. Roman Reigns; Dynamite "Grand Slam" vs. Kenny Omega; Dynamite "Winter is Coming" vs. "Hangman" Adam Page. Putting Roman Reigns fourth on this list, especially ahead of Will Ospreay, was the single hardest decision in the top 10. (SE), Followed up his MOTYC with Hangman Page by engaging in a nasty feud with Jon Moxley before the pair came together under the stewardship of William Regal. 6 Rising - Stardom. Since 1958 six honbasho have been held every year, giving wrestlers from the modern era more opportunities to accumulate championships and wins. 1. Check Price on Amazon. An element of Rollins transcendent 2022 was his ability to shine while putting others over. Of those 33 singles matches, 2828!currently have a 7+ rating on Cagematch.net. (GDT), Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Mickie James Last Rodeo Is the Real Hard to Kill Main Event, Dragon Gate Glorious Gate (March 2) Review, wide-ranging wrestling knowledge that defies his years, Journey Through Guerrilla Island PWG history podcast, most passionate up-and-coming wrestling writers around, FSM 50 2019: The 50 Best Wrestlers in the World, FSM 50 2021: The 50 Best Wrestlers in the World, FSM 50 2020: The 50 Best Wrestlers in the World. (RK), Vikingo became the AAA Mega Champion in 2021 because AAA had no real alternatives, and spent 2022 proving he was the best option. On top of returning to his top singles form, Miyahara was also a part of several high-level tags throughout the year, ending with winning the Real World Tag League with Takuya Nomura. Paul 'Triple H' Levesque bounced back from a near-fatal heart issue in 2021 to effectively become the most powerful man in wrestling. Regardless of the opponent or his role in the contest, KO always delivers. 2023 is shaping up to be his biggest year since 2019. His matches always tell a story, and he is versatile in his offense, which also includes more traditional aggression. He's among the highest-paid WWE wrestlers in 2022, commanding an annual salary of $4.5 million. (RK), Ishii has reached a point where he has been so good for so long that we probably take him for granted, because there is no way there are 19 wrestlers on this planet better than he is. This list is based on a wrestlers work in the ring, the attention their work generated, and overall impact. Kevin Palko 6. Belair is a rare talent, a complete total package who can convincingly work a wide range of opponents and cut outstanding promos. She capped off the year winning the World of Stardom Championship, as she goes into 2022 as the top wrestler in the promotion. In September, he became the promotions first champion by defeating Flamita in one of the best world title matches of the year. Firstly, he worked hard all year to entertain the fans, even when he was out of contract, because the company needed him. Taking the mold War Zone presented just a . There are still so many directions to go with one of wrestlings true greats, so heres to hoping 2023 is yet another year of greatness, much like 2022. The problem? 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. Ospreay kicked off his year on January 5 with an incredible Tokyo Dome main event against Kazuchika Okada and rounded out his record-breaking 2022 on the last RevPro show of the year against Tomohiro Ishii. My personal favorite match from 2022 was his Burning Spirit encounter in New Japan against David Finlay. He did it in Impact Wrestling, where, in its current state, its near-impossible to generate buzz or attention. Amanda Rose Saccomanno. Top 10 Greatest Wrestlers in History - Best Wrestlers of all time include the most popular WWE superstars in the history of the sports. Shes become undeniable and one of STARDOMs true greats with this title reign being the exclamation point. Writer/Editor of the Three Count Fall newsletter. Buvaisar Saitiev. 248 Super J-Cast The Return of Fantasticamania. . 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. The one spot reserved exclusively for . She is a throwback to a rougher Joshi style that we last got in the 1990s on any big stage. 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. Perhaps most sensational was the manner in which Rollins made people believe that, no matter when or where they wrestle, he has Roman Reigns number. He made a loud and resounding sound in 2022. With a drive to . There was also a near tragedy when Big Es future was put at risk when he suffered a broken neck in the ring. Jericho has won 30 championships in the WWE, ECW, and WCW. Before engaging in a backstage fight with The Elite in AEW, Punk was having perhaps his best in-ring year ever. Top 10 WWE Wrestlers Who Died in 2022 || WWE Superstars Deaths 2022#WWE #Wrestlers#Top10#WWESuperstars#Superstars#WWEWrestlers #.Matilda The Hun Died: Janua. (AC), It could have gone so differently. (SE), In a promotion largely dominated by much older wrestlers and mostly devoid of larger-than-life characters, Kenoh stands out in Pro Wrestling NOAH. Knows the Japanese scene inside out. The United States of America, Iran, Turkey, Hungary, and Sweden have also have made it to the top ten bagging 237, 172, 172, 123 and 116 medals respectively. While he did not work enough matches to be considered the best in the world, he brings value in promos, storylines, drawing power, and reaction, all of which propelled him into the top four for the year. (GDT), In addition to being one-half of the best tag team in the world and being one-fourth of the three best tag matches of the year, FTR Bald padded his resume with rock-solid singles matches against the likes of CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, Cash Wheeler, and Will Ospreay. Discovering new wrestling was always one of the most enjoyable parts of my fandom when I was younger, and too often nowadays, people are closed off to that like its some kind of bad thing. With one noteworthy exception, Will Ospreay wrestled the best matches of the year. Tag team wrestling across the globe had a banner year in 2022, but no team . 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! By the end of 2022, he had lapped them and was on the path to possibly becoming an actual junior heavcyweight draw for All Japan. . Pro Wrestling Illustrated - November 2022 Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2022 (JL), For many years, Higuchi flew under the radar in DDT, all whilst consistently delivering good performances, be it as part of Eruption or as a solo. Ivan Yarygin. 1. All Rights Reserved. Defense after defense, month after month, she has set a new standard for what a tremendous year-long world title reign should look like. His time in AEW has elevated his profile and toolbox massively, proving he can deliver in long main event epics back home as a main eventer in DDT or in 10-minute edge-of-the-seat U.S. TV sprints. Top 10 Wealthiest/Richest Wrestlers And Their Networth In The World. mixed martial arts, Belgrade, wrestling, Serbia | 956 views, 24 likes, 3 loves, 3 comments, 13 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from IMMAF - International Mixed Martial Arts Federation: Which submission. Her ability to think on her feet and adapt, saving sequences and matches from otherwise falling apart, is also very impressive, even moreso given that she is a seven-year veteran at just 20 years old. Less is more in his role as the face of WWE, where he served as the industrys most prominent superstar in 2022and delivered when he was called upon in big-time matches. Big E has also handled Mark Henry without any hassle showing his sheer force and power. The professional wrestler made his debut in 2000 and is among the best-known WWE stars. (AC), Hopefully, every year-end poll accurately reflects that the Young Bucks were once again the best tag team in the world. While she is far from the most athletic wrestler in STARDOM, her ability to both draw fans into what she is doing and draw something more emotional out of her opponents is unique in the current scene. Hence becoming one of the richest wrestlers in 2022. Brock Lesnar. His new high-flying style has been helped by a new look and increased charisma. (SF), A 10-year veteran and multiple-time world champion, or maybe a young up-and-comer depending on who you talk to, Konosuke had a proper breakout year. Her year in 2022 was one of the best in the industry. Form is critical on this list. Chad Gable is a former Olympian, gets a new push, and will try to use its opportunity to the limit. Like her nickname, "The Boss," she is the boss during her match in the ring. Now more than ever, there is endless reason for optimism. Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) is the richest WWE wrestler in 2022, with an approximate net worth of $381 million. 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. And it has brought a lot of great wrestling. 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. And one of STARDOMs true greats with this title reign being the exclamation point the or. Wrestled the best matches of the year winning the world of Stardom,... Near-Impossible to generate buzz or attention matches throughout all of pro wrestling, sarah specializes NJPW! 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