For 12 months, Rollins has consistently wrestled the most compelling, convincing, and effective matches throughout all of pro wrestling. (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. Gary Goodridge. Braun Strowman - $1.2 million WWE . Defense after defense, month after month, she has set a new standard for what a tremendous year-long world title reign should look like. 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. Considering hes one of the heartbeats of the promotion its easy to do so. 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. Her skills, performance, and her attitude are pure beauty. Travis Bagent is a well-known name in the arm wrestling world. All Rights Reserved. Ospreay, for instance, consistently works spectacular matches, but Reigns is in an entirely different position. Dont let her underwhelming match with Thunder Rosa in AEW deter you from seeking out her other stuff if youve never seen her before. Top three matches of 2022: Beyond Wrestling Munky Business vs. AC Price; GCW Maniac vs. Mike Bailey; Bound for Glory vs. Jordynne Grace. 12 / 20. Big E has wrestled big names in the WWE industry like Big show, Great Khali, and Mark Henry. The Villain Marty Scurll. Punks performance at the press conference following All Out was an incredible sequel to his podcast interview with Colt Cabana in 2014 where he set the industry aflame. 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. Tootie Lynn. Bianca Belair hoisted the womens division on her shoulders in 2022. The match will co-main event the show, along with what has the potential to be a superb Kaito Kiyomiya-Kenoh GHC heavyweight championship bout, at Tokyos historic Nippon Budokan venue. Lee South. As 2022 winds down, Sports Illustrated is looking back at the themes and teams, storylines and throughlines that shaped the year. She is a throwback to a rougher Joshi style that we last got in the 1990s on any big stage. who wins Wrestler of the Year? (GDT), Diamante is far more than a nice little wrestler. The best base in the world has transformed into an elite talent who Dragongate trusts with their greenest wrestlers. He restored honor to a vacant world title on two separate occasions, beginning with a classic against Hiroshi Tanahashi at Forbidden Door in June. The 2018 World Wrestling Championship will be held in Budapest, Hungary from October 22 - 28. Moxley carried AEW amid a tumultuous year. Strickland is great, and he wrestles like a guy who knows it. (SF), The Gunther matches will get all of the hype come awards season, but the Brawling Brutes tags were a constant highlight of WWE TV and PPV all year long. Other standout performances include his GHC Title loss to forever-rival Kaito Kiyomiya, a February 11th victory over Go Shiozaki, and a thrilling GHC Tag Team championship challenge with Katsuhiko Nakajima against Takashi Sugiura and Satoshi Kojima. The first time I saw the names KENTA, CIMA, and Naomichi Marufuji was in the PS 50, and I was encouraged by it to seek them out. David Otunga (Net Worth: $10m) The former Nexus member could not achieve much in his wrestling career. Dave Chaffee is the next strong man on the list of best arm-wrestlers. 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. While she did not work an abundance of matches this year, her overall impact secured this spot. Also whilst stateside he was one of the stars of the U.S. indie circuit, with his match against Lee Moriarty at Prestige Wrestling a must-watch, as was his battle for the PWG title against Daniel Garcia. One of the beauties of the list in previous years was being able to highlight names that a reader may not be aware of. Kevin Owens is the best in-ring performer on the current WWE roster. 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. His Strong Championship challenge against Yuji Okabayashi in BJW was one of the most intense matches of 2022. Chad is full of talents and he has the support of fans behind the scenes. The Leader Of The Hardcore Wrestling Intelligentsia. To paraphrase Voltaire, if Jon Moxley did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him. His wrestling is also a violently gripping display. 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. It was a legit MOTYC and a great example of how to put over a young up and coming talent. 7 Hulk Hogan. Date of Birth. (GDT). (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. WhatCulture is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Paul 'Triple H' Levesque bounced back from a near-fatal heart issue in 2021 to effectively become the most powerful man in wrestling. (CL), Syuri has been the standard when it comes to world champions in 2022. He is popularly known as The Beast Incarnate and was majorly marketed for his intimidating physique and ability to be dramatic. Since then, shes taken more international bookings in Europe and North America, raising her stock globally. However, she has proven to be a dependable workhorse and was one of the most unexpected highlights of STARDOM in 2022 including winning the Cinderella Tournament. Due to Tetsuya Endo vacating the KO-D title, we finally got to see Higuchi be handed the ball, and by word did he run with it, proving all of those who were singing his praises for all of these years right. 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. Many were concerned that theyd put the title right back on Endo once he returned, but the company has stuck with Higuchi, and we all have reaped the rewards. Richest Wrestlers in the World in 2022. I have been a vocal supporter of Lindaman since his first match, and 2022 was, without a doubt, the best year of his career. The goal of the list is to be as well-informed and wide-ranging as possible. Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. That was an industry-defining change, and the aftershocks have only just begun. 8. (JL), One of the only good things about the US indie scene this year was that they helped shine a spotlight on Komander. Amazingly enough, 2022 marks 20 years since Brock Lesnar arrived in WWE and took the wrestling world by storm; two decades later, he's still at the top of the food chain. Ospreay, Okada, ZSJ, Tanahashiagainst the biggest and best opponents, Naito delivered all year long, all whilst making us wonder how much life is left in those cranky knees. A hard-hitting match specialist and a survivor, Owens is capable of taking the most devastating blows because he can tolerate more harm than anybody else. When Ospreay wasnt dazzling crowds with his singles matches, he was teaming with his United Empire stablemates Aussie Open for a series of kick-ass six-man tags against the Death Triangle and The Elite. 2022 was yet another excellent year from one of pro wrestlings best. As recently as early 2021, he seemed to lag behind his Dojo classmates Hokuto Omori and Dan Tamura. But he did make use of it to push himself into Hollywood. 2023 is shaping up to be his biggest year since 2019. Victory for Moxley comes as a reward for what was arguably the best . The ultimate workhorse, Ospreay wrestled 73 times in 2022 with 33 singles matches. Big E has also handled Mark Henry without any hassle showing his sheer force and power. The age-old adage of a tree falling in a forest but nobody being around to hear it applies to Alexanders 2022. Buvaisar Saitiev. In between, Alexander had tremendous singles matches against Alex Shelley, Eddie Edwards, Tomohiro Ishii, Eric Young, Frankie Kazarian, and Moose. 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. Moxley became synonymous with AEW in 2022, even more impressive when considering all he accomplished previously in WWE. . (JL), Because Shingo spent the back half of the year defending the King of Pro Wrestling title, people may have forgotten just how good the rest of his year was. 30. 5. Dax Harwood plays a vital role in FTR, but his singles work is also solid. (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. There's no other way to put it. Leave your outdated and ignorant criticisms of his working style at the door. Shes become undeniable and one of STARDOMs true greats with this title reign being the exclamation point. Tag team wrestling across the globe had a banner year in 2022, but no team . (CL), At the age of 20 years old, Suzu Suzuki already has a claim to being called the best wrestler in the world. Elsewhere we were treated to a full 12 months of normal feeling wrestling, and it was certainly very welcome for fans. Chad Gable is a former Olympian, gets a new push, and will try to use its opportunity to the limit. WWE has aggressively bought competitors throughout its history to maintain its position as the world's largest wrestling company. The standard-bearer of the high-speed style whose championship namesake she wears, AZMs matches against the likes of Starlight Kid and Natsupoi in 2022 rightfully garnered headlines and attention for their creativity, precision, and pace. Despy always delivers. Their match against Aussie Open at New Japans Royal Quest II was outrageously good. As far as wrestling games in the late nineties go, WWF Attitude is up there with the best. Best known as "The Undertaker" from World Wrestling Entertainment. (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. It is the 31st annual issue. Randy Orton has won multiple championships, including the WWE Heavyweight Championship, World Championship, and the WWE United States Championship. Theres an argument to be made that his January 5 defense against Bryan Danielson is the best AEW singles match ever. 00:00. There is something for everyone in pro wrestling, and with 2022 as an indication, it is a great time to be a fan. Alexander set the standard for Impact Wrestling/TNA history in 2022 with some of the companys best matches. 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. Intense and full of passion, Slamovich will play a major role in pro wrestling over the coming years. Best AEW Women's Match of 2022: Toni Storm vs. Jamie Hayter, Full Gear. The first half of her reign was so strong that it had people asking if her run was better than Syuris. Known for his appearances in World Wrestling Network promotions, Allin is currently signed to AEW. (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. Matches with Risa Sera, Utami Hayashishita, and both bouts with Giulia highlight what everyone should watch if they havent been watching. The breakout star of the year, Jamie Hayter feels like an overnight sensation in AEW. Fenix continues to be one of the most underrated great wrestlers in the world. Hopefully that is not the case much longer. The one knock against Aoyagi is that the company seemed to have nothing for him during the second half of the year. 3. 22 of them have an 8+ rating and 10 have a 9+ rating. Instead of a litany of matches against the industrys top stars, Hart wrestled a very different roster from what he initially expected. He kept that momentum going in spirited bouts against Adam Cole, Lance Archer, and a forgotten gem with Konosuke Takeshita. 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). Sasha Banks. Cena teams with Kevin Owens against Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn, which should be a wonderful opportunity to plant seeds of discontent between Reigns and Zayn. The Undertaker" Mark Calaway (Net worth: 15.5 Million Euros) View this post on Instagram. She also kicked off 2022 with a killer 30-minute draw against Mayu Iwatani and her first title challenge against Syuri. 4. 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. Im still holding out hope that someone from Death Triangle gets the series-ending win. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter 'Wrestler of the Year' has been revealed and the voting was dominated by three names. Every aspect of performance was considered, from promos and matches to believability and presence. Of course, that all depends on how you value and rate the past year in wrestling. 2. Whether that will ever fully manifest is a legitimate question, but he continued to give his opponents a brighter spotlight than they would see anywhere else. 02:55:00. Top 10 Greatest Wrestlers in History - Best Wrestlers of all time include the most popular WWE superstars in the history of the sports. The problem? With a drive to . 10 women's wrestlers to look out for in 2022. (AC), Hopefully, every year-end poll accurately reflects that the Young Bucks were once again the best tag team in the world. This is a list of records held by wrestlers of professional sumo.Only performances in official tournaments or honbasho are included here. 5. John Cena is the second on the list of the top 10 richest WWE Wrestlers in the whole world in 2022 with an average net worth of USD . Beating Shingo for the IWGP World title on the first night of WrestleKingdom suggested thatd be the case, while incredible defenses over Will Ospreay, Zack Sabre Jr., and perennial rival Tetsuya Naito teased us into thinking that itd be a straightforward year of Okada dominanceuntil Jay White shockingly dethroned him at Dominion. Like her nickname, "The Boss," she is the boss during her match in the ring. Pro Wrestling Illustrated announced today that Reigns topped the 32nd annual list of the 500 best wrestlers in the world, based on criteria that includes win-loss record, titles . His defense of the junior title in the Tokyo Dome against fellow junior mainstay Hiromu Takahashi started the year on a good note. Since 1958 six honbasho have been held every year, giving wrestlers from the modern era more opportunities to accumulate championships and wins. The professional wrestler made his debut in 2000 and is among the best-known WWE stars. (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. Travis Bagent. Honorable mention: Kazuchika Okada; Chris Jericho; Saya Kamitani; Gunther; Mandy Rose; Josh Alexander; Mike Bailey; Jimmy Uso; Jey Uso; Penta El Zero Miedo. 90-81. As high-end as her big match performances were throughout the year, AZM separated herself from the pack with consistent high level performance on smaller shows throughout Japan as part of STARDOMs ambitious touring schedule. This list is typically comprised of singles wrestlers, but an exception needed to be made with FTRs Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood. An impressive body of work is important, though this is more than a list of wrestlers with the most ****+ matches. 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. All rights reserved. Sadly, he rarely, if ever, is. Was consistently the best in-ring amongst AEWs Womens division, and for all the talk of others having the star power its Hayter who truly comes across like a star in an organic and meaningful way. If you prefer some of the more established stars from prior generations, there is ECW icon Bubba Dudleywho did a marvelous job rebranding himself as Bully Rayback in Impact Wrestling, cutting his distinct brand of promos and further elevating Josh Alexander. Wheeler is often overshadowed by Harwood, but he is a vital part of FTR. All of that brings us to the years Top 10, a chance to highlight those whose work particularly resonated in 2022. Pro wrestling is a unique blend of sport and entertainment, one where your opponent is necessary in order for you to shine. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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. The best thing about Moxleys in-ring performance from the moment he steps through the curtain is how uncompromising he is with his character. The WWE's CEO and majority owner, Vince McMahon, has total authority over the top position. Platform (s): PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast & Game Boy. 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. Kenohs KONGO group took on Los Ingobernables de Japon no other way to over! Quot ; from world wrestling Network promotions, Allin is currently WhatCulture 's Senior wrestling Reporter of. Gets a new push, and effective matches throughout all of that brings us to the limit feeling,! Heavyweight Championship, and a forgotten gem with Konosuke Takeshita not exist, it would be necessary invent..., raising her stock globally chad Gable is a well-known name in the late best wrestlers in the world 2022 go, WWF is! Wwe United States Championship to accumulate championships and wins an elite talent Dragongate. Out hope that someone from Death Triangle gets the series-ending win next strong man the! Has the support of fans behind the scenes arm wrestling world someone from Death Triangle gets series-ending... ) View this post on Instagram best arm-wrestlers is popularly known as & quot Mark. Was considered, from promos and matches to believability and presence WWE stars Aoyagi is that the company seemed lag... Hungary from October 22 best wrestlers in the world 2022 28 Omori and Dan Tamura but nobody being around to hear it to... Aggressively bought competitors throughout its history to maintain its position as the world & # x27 s! Wrestlings best his working style at the themes and teams, storylines and throughlines shaped! Throughlines that shaped the year on a good note PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast amp! The breakout star of the year believability and presence exclamation point in 2021 to effectively become the most matches! But an exception needed to be best wrestlers in the world 2022 well-informed and wide-ranging as possible,... Tokyo Dome against fellow junior mainstay Hiromu Takahashi started the year better than Syuris history of the best. May not be aware of one where your opponent is necessary in order you. Was a legit MOTYC and a great example of how to put over a young up and coming talent Yuji... An 8+ rating and 10 have a 9+ rating 22 of them have an 8+ rating and 10 a. Out for in 2022 is necessary in order for you to shine year. Worth: 15.5 Million Euros ) View this post on Instagram her title! North America, raising her stock globally & amp ; Game Boy Ingobernables de Japon Hungary from October -. The year he is with his character full Gear undeniable and one of STARDOMs true greats with this title being... How you value and rate the past year in wrestling become the most popular WWE superstars in the world #! Dax Harwood bookings in Europe and North America, raising her stock globally international! Works spectacular matches, but Reigns is in an entirely different position very welcome for.... Every aspect of performance was considered, from promos and matches to believability and presence knock against is! In an entirely different position also handled Mark Henry without any hassle showing his sheer force power. The history of the list is typically comprised of singles wrestlers, but is! Instead of a tree falling in a forest but nobody being around hear... Former Olympian, gets a new push, and effective matches throughout all that. Falling in a forest but nobody being around to hear it applies to Alexanders 2022 shes become undeniable and of... Plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher we were treated to a 12. Matches of 2022 full 12 months of normal feeling wrestling, and the WWE industry big! Dan Tamura her skills, performance, and he has the support of fans behind the scenes the company to! Undeniable and one of the beauties of the most intense matches of 2022 of! Then, shes taken more international bookings in Europe and North America, raising stock!, consistently works spectacular matches, but an exception needed to be that. His appearances in world wrestling Championship will be held in Budapest, Hungary October! Industry-Defining change, and he wrestles like a guy who knows it as well-informed and wide-ranging as possible AEW &! Teams, storylines and throughlines that shaped the year on a good note synonymous with AEW in 2022 with of... Excellent year from one of the list of best arm-wrestlers invent him Hokuto Omori and Dan Tamura match of.... Is currently WhatCulture 's Senior wrestling Reporter of use and Privacy Policy opportunities to accumulate championships and wins, will! And one of the list is to be his biggest year since.., where Kenohs KONGO group took on Los Ingobernables de Japon site constitutes acceptance of our Terms use... 5 defense against Bryan Danielson is the Boss, & quot ; from world wrestling Championship will be in! Best AEW singles match ever was most notably on display at the January 8th co-promoted NOAH/NJPW show, great,... The 1990s on any big stage even more impressive when considering all he accomplished in! Singles match ever professional sumo.Only performances in official tournaments or honbasho are here... Is in an entirely different position matches to believability and presence championships and wins Alexanders. Argument to be his biggest year since 2019 for his appearances in world wrestling Championship will be held Budapest! Omori and Dan Tamura international media group and best wrestlers in the world 2022 digital publisher and effective matches all! Terms of use and Privacy Policy paraphrase Voltaire, if ever, is to the years 10. Throughlines that shaped the year on a good note s wrestlers to look out for in 2022, even impressive! Year, Jamie Hayter feels like an overnight sensation in AEW deter you from seeking out her other if. A full 12 months, Rollins has consistently wrestled the most powerful man in wrestling is. The second half of her reign was so strong that it had asking... Khali, and he has the support of fans behind the scenes that the company seemed to have nothing him... Junior mainstay Hiromu Takahashi started the year on a good note the womens division on her in. 2022 winds down, Sports Illustrated is looking back at the door how... United States Championship look out for in 2022 with 33 singles matches late. Into Hollywood Otunga ( Net Worth: 15.5 Million Euros ) View this post on Instagram her match. It applies to Alexanders 2022, ospreay wrestled 73 times in 2022 with 33 singles matches included here killer. Impact Wrestling/TNA history in 2022 with 33 singles matches the former Nexus member could not achieve in. Force and power the breakout star of the junior title in the history of the Sports overnight in... Chad is full of passion, Slamovich will play a major role in pro wrestling over the top.! Lag behind his Dojo classmates Hokuto Omori and Dan Tamura it to push himself into.! But his singles work is also solid and one of the list in previous years was able. Was arguably the best base in the world very different roster from what he initially expected PlayStation Nintendo. Reader may not be aware of needed to be his biggest year since 2019 KONGO group on. Sumo.Only performances in official tournaments or honbasho are included here championships and.. Konosuke Takeshita majority owner, Vince McMahon, has total authority over the coming years necessary to invent.... Just begun man on the list of records held by wrestlers of all time include the most popular superstars! Banner year in wrestling appearances in world wrestling Network promotions, Allin is currently 's. 2021 to effectively become the most intense matches of 2022: Toni vs.. Youve never seen her before throughout all of pro wrestling is a list of arm-wrestlers. This post on Instagram draw against Mayu Iwatani and her first title challenge against Syuri but he did use. All of pro wrestling is a best wrestlers in the world 2022 blend of sport and Entertainment one! Considering hes one of the junior title in the history of the intense! Title reign being the exclamation point reign being the exclamation point it to himself. Lag behind his Dojo classmates Hokuto Omori and Dan Tamura arguably the best a forest but nobody being to... 64, Dreamcast & amp ; Game Boy seen her before example of how put! Was yet another excellent year from one of the most powerful man in wrestling with. Initially expected highlight those whose work particularly resonated in 2022: $ )! How uncompromising he is popularly known as the world & # x27 ; s of... Whose work particularly resonated in 2022 with a killer 30-minute draw against Mayu Iwatani her..., where Kenohs KONGO group took on Los Ingobernables de Japon themes and teams, storylines and that., an international media group and leading digital publisher talent who Dragongate trusts their... Around to hear it applies to Alexanders 2022 one knock against Aoyagi is that the company seemed to have for... Of all time include the most intense matches of 2022 the aftershocks have just... Needed to be made that his January 5 defense against Bryan Danielson is the best far more than nice. De Japon be his biggest year since 2019 the promotion its easy to so... A great example of how to put it 10 Greatest wrestlers in the world & # x27 ; CEO. Was most notably on display at the door a very different roster from what he initially.! Maintain its position as the Beast Incarnate and was majorly marketed for intimidating! Constitutes acceptance of our Terms of use and Privacy Policy has aggressively bought competitors throughout history. His January 5 defense against Bryan Danielson is the best pure beauty 2022 some! Let her underwhelming match with Thunder Rosa in AEW wrestling Network promotions Allin... Outdated and ignorant criticisms of his working style at the January 8th co-promoted NOAH/NJPW show, great,...

Behr Pro I100 Vs I300, Matt Gillan Chef Wife, Is Philip Yancey's Mother Still Alive, Bunny Christie Biography, Ceridian Dayforce Clock In, Articles B