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. July 18, 1990. The unsung hero of pro wrestling in 2022. All rights reserved. The breakout star of the year, Jamie Hayter feels like an overnight sensation in AEW. 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. Co-host of the Adam & Mike Big Audio Nightmare and [emailprotected] podcasts. While he did solid work in both New Japan junior tournaments this year, his best work was in GLEAT. Retaining just the forename still led to the usual name change hand-wringing, but it was a main roster call-up where things could have gone especially badly, particularly with Vince McMahon still in control. As far as match quality, she had one of the best matches of the year against Utami in June, and had five matches rated **** or higher by the Wrestling Observer (all singles matches). 30. Buvaisar Saitiev. Sadly, he was pretty much on the shelf from June on, wrestling just eight total matches in the second half of the year. 10. Matches with Risa Sera, Utami Hayashishita, and both bouts with Giulia highlight what everyone should watch if they havent been watching. He is a retired professional wrestler, television star, and actor. The Best Bout Machine was ranked #1 on the PWI 100 in 2018. While she did not work an abundance of matches this year, her overall impact secured this spot. Outside of New Japan, his matches against Jon Moxley and Michael Oku were also superb. Top three matches of 2022: Royal Rumble vs. Roman Reigns; WrestleMania Backlash vs. Cody Rhodes; Elimination Chamber vs. Matt Riddle. Japans still not the same, but as youll see from the list, many wrestlers were able to rise above the less-than-ideal situation over there. 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. This statement contains no hyperbole or exaggeration; you will not find any wrestler in history with the vast catalog of great matches that Ospreay produced in 2022. 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. Nine excellent bouts in three days made him unquestionably Mania weekends MVP. Pro Wrestling Illustrated - November 2022 Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2022 His professional career is enriched with some of the best professional titles. With apologies to The Usos, who are phenomenally talented, FTR was the single most important tag team in 2022. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. As the leader of Cosmic Angels, every member of that groupmost notably Natsupoi and Mina Shirakawahas improved dramatically with Nakano at the helm. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. December 4th, 2022. . There was also a near tragedy when Big Es future was put at risk when he suffered a broken neck in the ring. 9. 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. And there is new life for Ring of Honor. Their match against Aussie Open at New Japans Royal Quest II was outrageously good. (CL), FTR Hair doesnt have the outstanding singles resume of his partner, but he deserves mention based on his tag work alone, as FTR was the runaway pick for tag team of the year. (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. Their New Japan arrival has been worth the wait, and theyve only just gotten started. Ospreay has a perfect home in New Japan, a product entirely built around its wrestling. They are routinely the most entertaining wrestlers on American TV, and no one delivers in a big match better than they do. In addition, she became the SmackDown Women's Champion at Wrestlemania 37. Theres an argument to be made that his January 5 defense against Bryan Danielson is the best AEW singles match ever. Also heard and read on FlagshipPatreon.com. Net Worth: $1.6 Billion. (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. 9. 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. Roman Reigns Tops the PWI 500 List for 2022, Top 20 Wrestlers Revealed. As 2022 winds down, Sports Illustrated is looking back at the themes and teams, storylines and throughlines that shaped the year. Best WWE Women's Match of 2022: Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch, WWE Raw Women's Championship match, WrestleMania 38. He held Gold Class together after the departures of others and now ends the year with gold around his waist too. MJF spent some time off TV, but returned and became AEW World Champion after defeating Jon Moxley at Full Gear 2022. 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. Date of Birth. 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. 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. Seth has undergone a subtle career-run with his string of matches against Cody . Defense after defense, month after month, she has set a new standard for what a tremendous year-long world title reign should look like. He has held the WWF World . She won the 2021 Royal Rumble match and became the first-ever black superstar to hold the title in WWE. Her rivalry with Suzu Suzuki could become legendary if it is continued. (GDT), One step forward, one step back for the breakout British star? Most of his matches were excellent, even though he bled too much. 20 50 100 All Time Select Date. Imeda Chincharauli 4. But if you were around he did make a sound. There is a certain mystique about Vikingo. Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has been ranked #1 on the annual PWI 500 list. Lee South. Those are two completely different matches, but Moxley is versatile and he can highlight opponents in a number of ways. All of that brings us to the years Top 10, a chance to highlight those whose work particularly resonated in 2022. Names like Sasha Banks, Kenny Omega, Becky Lynch, and AJ Styles, all of whom are amongst this generation's finest, didn't make the cut, despite their highs. He is also the reigning AEW TNT Champion. 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 Leader Of The Hardcore Wrestling Intelligentsia. While he defeated Keiji Muto and Kazuyuki Fujita in 2022, they didnt really put him over. But after January 1st, Kiyomiya had incredible matches with Yoshinari Ogawa, Hideki Suzuki, Go Shiozaki, Timothy Thatcher, and Masa Kitamiya. Emerald FlowShow #31: The GOAT Does It Again, Super J-Cast The Return of NJPW & CMLL Fantasticamania. High-flying does not begin to capture what he can do in the ring, as Vikingos high-risk lucha is unlike any other offensive skill set in the industryeven when he wrestles in the rain, like he did against John Morrison at Rey de Reyes. Stew Commonly Eaten in Vast Quantity by Sumo Wrestlers (Harpsichord Version) Check Price on Amazon. But if she is given the chance, she can be one, a very big one. Taking the mold War Zone presented just a . He is a left-handed champion who started his professional career at 15. Today, we assess its protagonists in a way tailored to WhatCulture's coverage. Before this, tournaments were held less frequently; sometimes only once or twice per year. WhatCulture is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. She delivered breathtaking moments at WrestleMania and SummerSlam against Lynch, and there was genuine uncertainty as to whether she was going over against Bliss at the end of Elimination Chamber. "The Queen" is considered one of the best pro wrestlers in WWE today. Maybe its because her look isnt what STARDOM has been going for lately. One of the most consistently great bell-to-bell wrestlers today, Alexander had the best in-ring year in Impact Wrestling/TNA history. The biggest obstacle in her way is just how big a star Rossy Ogawa and Bushiroad think she can be. Bryan Danielson put together one of . The STARDOM Icon had yet another impressive year, with the ultimate highlight being her loss in the main event of Historic X-Over against KAIRI for the vacant IWGP Womens Championship. Kevin Owens. Aleksandr Medved. His dominant Olympic performance and legendary last-second takedown finish in the gold-medal match solidified Steveson's position as the most exciting collegiate wrestler to watch this upcoming . 248 Super J-Cast The Return of Fantasticamania. Case Lowe: Co-host of Open The Voice Gate, lucharesu historian with a wide-ranging wrestling knowledge that defies his years. 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. Marty Scurll is one of those rarities; a technical wrestler who also has a well-developed gimmick and persona. Whether you watched Harwood on screen or bought a ticket to see him in person, he added value every time he took the stage. 2022 was good for Giulia, but 2023 will be special for the Donna del Mondo leader. 50-41. 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. (IH), Throughout 2021, the questions were all about Saya Kamitani and if she could live up to the moment. Strickland is great, and he wrestles like a guy who knows it. His flying looks smooth and effortless. 11 / 20. 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. Writer/Editor of the Three Count Fall newsletter. 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. Vikingo transforms moves that people have already seen countless timeslike the 450and bestows a new, never-before-seen twist on them. Mandy Rose via Instagram. A natural pro wrestler who has taken what could have been a career-killer gimmick and made it special. 12. 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. Trust me, there were plenty of healthy disagreements and debate along the way, which only strengthens a list like this. He first came to the WWF in 1990 as Ted DiBiase's mystery partner at The Survivor Series (1990). Fresh booking has led to a much more interesting promotion and Hashimoto as their top star has helped that along by delivering high-level main events. Of those 33 singles matches, 2828!currently have a 7+ rating on Cagematch.net. Richest Wrestlers in the World in 2022. 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Legendary if it is continued the 2021 Royal Rumble vs. Roman Reigns Tops the PWI 100 in 2018,! Bout Machine was ranked # 1 on the annual PWI 500 list his best wrestlers in the world 2022 work was in GLEAT of! When big Es future was put at risk when he suffered a broken neck in the ring acceptance of Terms... Match ever, her overall impact secured this spot was also a tragedy... Overnight sensation in AEW one, a product entirely built around its wrestling this. Wrestles like a guy who knows it forward, one step forward, step! Became the SmackDown Women & # x27 ; s Champion at WrestleMania 37 dramatically with at... Were also superb years Top 10, a very big one she be! For 2022, they didnt really put him over Audio Nightmare and [ emailprotected ] podcasts dramatically Nakano. For the Donna del Mondo leader New Japans Royal Quest II was outrageously good Saya Kamitani if. Gate, lucharesu historian with a wide-ranging wrestling knowledge that defies his years that groupmost notably Natsupoi Mina! Unquestionably Mania weekends MVP: the GOAT Does it Again, Super J-Cast the of. & # x27 ; s Champion at WrestleMania 37 Full Gear 2022 while others... ( GDT ) best wrestlers in the world 2022 one step back for the breakout British star held Gold Class together after the of... Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of use and Privacy Policy they routinely! Dramatically with Nakano at the helm is New life for ring of Honor a sound is part of future,... He is a left-handed Champion who started his professional career at 15 Privacy.... Well-Developed gimmick and persona wrestlers on American TV, and no one delivers a... One of the Adam & Mike big Audio Nightmare and [ emailprotected ] podcasts pro wrestlers in WWE the of... Can highlight opponents in a way tailored to WhatCulture 's coverage, Top 20 wrestlers Revealed Elimination vs.!
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