Regardless of skill, a wrestler can't enter the WOTY conversation if they aren't regularly producing WOTY-level work. Jon Moxley was the best AEW wrestler of 2022 for several reasons. He has held the WWF World . Tootie Lynn. The one spot reserved exclusively for an indie talent belongs to someone who earned a place outright. Ospreay looked like a star, which he undoubtedly is, and he also made Finlay look like a beast (which he is). Chances are if you watched Will Ospreay at any point in the year 2022, you saw a great match. The Leader Of The Hardcore Wrestling Intelligentsia. That is precisely what happened with Hayter, who transformed from Britt Bakers silent muscle to an entirely different place on the card, culminating in her win against Toni Storm last month that kickstarted her first-ever run with the title. For the first time in over a year, John Cena makes his in-ring return for WWE this Friday on SmackDown. 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. The Villain makes for compelling entertainment just . Randy Orton has won multiple championships, including the WWE Heavyweight Championship, World Championship, and the WWE United States Championship. (AC), WrestleMania weekend is a dying concept after years of being beaten to death and abused. Co-host of the Adam & Mike Big Audio Nightmare and [emailprotected] podcasts. Michael Hitt 7. With one noteworthy exception, Will Ospreay wrestled the best matches of the year. He always wrestles like Jon Moxley SHOULD wrestle, and thats a rare enough attribute these days. In fact, you can even make an argument that he was the best technical wrestler in the world in 2022. 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. Stardom has given us the likes of Io Shirai, Kairi Sane and Toni Storm, and the famous Oedo Tai stable that young men across the world go crazy for. That fits perfectly with his character, which marinated to perfection in 2022, culminating in his full heel turn on partner Keith Lee. He is also the reigning AEW TNT Champion. (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. 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. But if you were around he did make a sound. (JL). This list is typically comprised of singles wrestlers, but an exception needed to be made with FTRs Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood. 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. His work as both Brave Gate and Twin Gate Champion this year was superb. Yamashita has also been a part of some great tag matches with partner Maki Itoh as 121000000. Apr 2, 2022; Arlington, TX, USA; Becky Lynch (black attire) and Bianca Belair (red/black attire) wrestle during the Raw Women's Championship match during WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium. Firstly, he worked hard all year to entertain the fans, even when he was out of contract, because the company needed him. For four years now, Voices of Wrestling has kept the annual tradition alive with the same spirit and intention as its predecessors. By Tornad0 Ranking 20. He is a left-handed champion who started his professional career at 15. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. (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. (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. Alexander is one of the best wrestlers in the world; people just need to pay attention. Before this, tournaments were held less frequently; sometimes only once or twice per year. 80-71. 1. Top three matches of 2022: Beyond Wrestling Munky Business vs. AC Price; GCW Maniac vs. Mike Bailey; Bound for Glory vs. Jordynne Grace. AEW Full Gear. Top three matches of 2022: Battle of the Belts III vs. Thunder Rosa; Full Gear vs. Toni Storm; Dynamite vs. Hikaru Shida. David Daniel Otunga. Will Ospreays 2022 is the most outstanding individual year for any pro wrestler in history. Its up for debate but one thing that isnt is that Kamitani belongs on this list and your watchlist heading into 2023. Fenix continues to be one of the most underrated great wrestlers in the world. Big E is one of the strongest wrestlers of this ongoing era. While overshadowed by what followed in the immediate aftermath, Punks AEW Championship victory over Jon Moxley at ALL OUT shouldnt be forgotten as one of the great matches of 2022. Yes, he finished #21 in this poll, a tremendous feat and accomplishment on its own, but Fenix should be top of mind when discussing the absolute best wrestlers in the world. Instead of a litany of matches against the industrys top stars, Hart wrestled a very different roster from what he initially expected. (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. Check Price on Amazon. He did everything in the ring youd want for the promotions champion. He first came to the WWF in 1990 as Ted DiBiase's mystery partner at The Survivor Series (1990). 9. We mentioned this match in passing in awarding the Women's Wrestler of the Year honors to Jamie Hayter, but let's dive into it a tad more. He is one of the best and greatest arm wrestlers in history. Then, on New Years Day, Shinsuke Nakamura steps outside the walls of WWE to wrestle at NOAHs The New Year against the Great Muta. The genesis of perfection. But that was just the tip of the iceberg for a year which saw him back full time on the US scene after a half decade of being shut out. Trust me, there were plenty of healthy disagreements and debate along the way, which only strengthens a list like this. Will it all lead to a father-son match at WrestleMania? Their New Japan arrival has been worth the wait, and theyve only just gotten started. Im still holding out hope that someone from Death Triangle gets the series-ending win. 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. Nobody has ever given as much consistent effort in their matches as Ospreay did in 2022. Roman Reigns Tops the PWI 500 List for 2022, Top 20 Wrestlers Revealed. He became a white-hot rookie in Japan before being shipped off to Mexico and seamlessly transitioning to the lucha scene. We hope you enjoy this breakdown of all 50 wrestlers (and some honorable mentions) with some short blurbs about each of their years. (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. One of the best bell-to-bell wrestlers in the world in 2021, the bulk of Alexander's work took place in relative obscurity with most of his highlights being in Impact Wrestling, AAW and New Japan Strong. Joe Lanza: The King Of Banter. He did everything within his bodily power to ensure that Cody Rhodes return at WrestleMania was viewed as a legitimately jaw-dropping, iconic moment, which it wasthen followed that up with an even better match with Rhodes at WrestleMania Backlash. The best thing about Moxleys in-ring performance from the moment he steps through the curtain is how uncompromising he is with his character. Roman Reigns has faced and defeated the greatest since winning the title by defeating Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman. He defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38, John Cena at SummerSlam, and most recently, Drew McIntyre in front of 62,000 spectators in Cardiff, Wales. There is an incredible amount to like about this week in wrestling. Dave Chaffee. (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. (IH). In 2022, there were no more questions. (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. Match Of The Year: Men's WarGames Match, Survivor Series. On the first Korakuen Hall shows of the year, Dragongate established that this year was going to be all about Yuki Yoshioka and his foe-turned-friend Dragon Dia. Feb. 2023 1 Bryan Danielson + More Championship Rate Of those 33 singles matches, 2828!currently have a 7+ rating on Cagematch.net. Kevin Palko 6. 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. The Most Compelling Voice In Wrestling Media. MJF was the best AEW wrestler in terms of mic work and character work, but he . With a touch of recency bias admitted to, that makes Zayn the top wrestler for WWE in 2022. Shingo and Taichi worked hard together to have the best and most creative matches in King of Pro Wrestling history, including producing a late Match of the Year contender in December on a JTO show. And there is new life for Ring of Honor. It wasnt all controversy. 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. He began his professional wrestling career in 1992 on the independent circuit, competing in organizations like Smoky Mountain Wrestling and the United . While she did not work an abundance of matches this year, her overall impact secured this spot. Top 10 WWE Wrestlers Who Died in 2022 || WWE Superstars Deaths 2022#WWE #Wrestlers#Top10#WWESuperstars#Superstars#WWEWrestlers #.Matilda The Hun Died: Janua. John "JayHey" Heynoski 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. Kenny Omega is returning to New Japan Pro-Wrestling for its signature Wrestle Kingdom event next week at the Tokyo Dome, and WWE is even allowing Shinsuke Nakamura the opportunity to wrestle the Great Muta at NOAHs The New Year event on Jan. 1. Live on FITE, Bandido challenges Vikingo for the Mega Championship. Not only did he have great matches against Rising HAYATO, Minoru Tanaka, and Hikaru Sato, but thanks to his presence, junior heavyweight tags in All Japans midcard are becoming must-watch. Top three matches of 2022: ROH Supercard of Honor vs. FTR was also closely aligned with CM Punk, which led to some great content that, unfortunately, ended far too early. (CL), Syuri has been the standard when it comes to world champions in 2022. Freestyle wrestling is truly a global sport that is practiced in nearly every country, it is one of the most decorated Olympic sports and a sport that anyone can participate in, no matter the persons size, sex or . He is a retired professional wrestler, television star, and actor. (CL), Another wrestler that continues the theme of confidence separating the wheat from the chaff in modern wrestling. Hes still waiting to go fishing with Egotistico Fantastico. WhatCulture is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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. Lost the Rev Pro tag titles in January, then started an on again, off again feud with Will Ospreay that culminated in Knight finally unseating Ospreay for the Rev Pro title in Augustonly to lose the title (via proxy, with his brother Zak replacing him due to a broken wrist) in December to Great O-Khan. History will regard 2022 as one of professional wrestling's most eventful years. (JL), 2022 marks a big change to the FSM 50 as its the first year without The Ace. Rich Kraetsch: Co-host of the long-running Flagship Podcast on Voices of Wrestling, editor of VoicesofWrestling.com and one-half of FlagshipPatreon.com. Many fans predict that 2022 will become a breakout year for one of the best WWE wrestlers. Hogan is the most versatile wrestling star worldwide and one of the most successful wrestlers in the 1980s. He is one of the most brilliant performers in the world, and he is shining a bright light on the art of lucha libre. 90-81. He was a huge part of the critically acclaimed Shunmante vs. Kung-Fu Masters tag, but also crushed it whenever he had a chance to wrestle in a singles capacity. Since 1958 six honbasho have been held every year, giving wrestlers from the modern era more opportunities to accumulate championships and wins. They have had many storied feuds in those two decades, and this year with FTR, they added yet another legacy rivalry to what should ultimately be a career worthy of Hall Of Fame consideration. (JL), Is it out of the question to say that 52-year-old Chris Jericho just had the best in-ring year of his career? After a memorable year in and out of the ring, who stands among the best? Dia is everything a babyface should be. Case Lowe: Co-host of Open The Voice Gate, lucharesu historian with a wide-ranging wrestling knowledge that defies his years. (AC), Hopefully, every year-end poll accurately reflects that the Young Bucks were once again the best tag team in the world. As 2022 winds down, Sports Illustrated is looking back at the themes and teams, storylines and throughlines that shaped the year. At first, he was a heel, but later turned face, . Former professional wrestler Vince has made a name for himself in a variety of different fields. The Rey Mysterio-Dom Mysterio holiday videos are phenomenal. Kevin Owens is the best in-ring performer on the current WWE roster. Thus, the list of most beautiful female wrestlers in the world has listed her name. Moxley carried AEW amid a tumultuous year. He has recorded 41 wins and just three losses and became AEW World Champion twice. New Japans 50th anniversary was built around Okada. Scott - "We've reached a point where it's time to seriously consider the 20-year-old violent phenom the best wrestler in the world. 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. Her hard-hitting style was on full display in 2022 when she stepped into STARDOM, making many take notice of how talented she was. In September, he became the promotions first champion by defeating Flamita in one of the best world title matches of the year. 10 women's wrestlers to look out for in 2022. Top 10 Greatest Wrestlers in History - Best Wrestlers of all time include the most popular WWE superstars in the history of the sports. Like her nickname, "The Boss," she is the boss during her match in the ring. Dax Harwood plays a vital role in FTR, but his singles work is also solid. (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. 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. 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. He accumulated his net worth thanks to his professional wrestling, podcasts, rock concerts. WWEs entire product is built around Reigns presence, and he makes viewers want to watch every time he appears. 100-91. 10. (CL), Kiyomiya had a MOTYC on the first day of 2022, and from there, it was an incredible year even if NOAHs booking wasnt always on his side. Hulk Hogan, is one of the greatest wrestlers the world has ever seen. 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. Off to Mexico and seamlessly transitioning to the lucha scene fenix continues to be one of strongest. A part of Future plc, an international media group best wrestlers in the world 2022 leading publisher! ; the Boss during her match in the ring many take notice of how talented was... 1958 six honbasho have been held every year, giving wrestlers from moment!, editor of VoicesofWrestling.com and one-half of FlagshipPatreon.com year without the Ace 2022 is the most WWE... 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