best wrestlers in the world 2022best wrestlers in the world 2022

Harwood and Wheeler capture the joy of pro wrestling, somehow bringing that figurative quality to life. Hes truly made a name for himself in AEW with impressive showcases against the likes of Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Eddie Kingston. 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. Shes become undeniable and one of STARDOMs true greats with this title reign being the exclamation point. Sitting next to his billionaire boss, CM Punk burned the entire world down. Whether you watched Harwood on screen or bought a ticket to see him in person, he added value every time he took the stage. He wrestled Claudio Castagnoli for the ROH title, his clash against Wheeler in the Owen Hart Foundation tournament last spring was the match of the night that evennig on Dynamite, and there was also a superb encounter with Will Ospreay. At first, he was a heel, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII (1992). Last weeks Jamie Hayter-Hikaru Shida bout was hard-hitting, violent, and an incredible display of the craft. While this is always going to be a fun debate, most people within the wrestling community can agree that Omega and Okada had arguably . November 19, 2022. 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. Despy always delivers. Bryan Danielson put together one of . A post shared by Undertaker (@undertaker) 4. Higuchi also delivered in tag performances too, alongside new tag partner Naomi Yoshimura (who he also had an outstanding match against in the King of DDT finals, which not only crowned Higuchi king, but also KO-D Champion). (IH), The lucha standout wrestled in a number of high-profile places this year, but my favorite work from Bandido took place in his own promotion, Big Lucha. Her hard-hitting style was on full display in 2022 when she stepped into STARDOM, making many take notice of how talented she was. Every time Vikingo wrestles is a roller coaster of emotions. Best AEW Women's Match of 2022: Toni Storm vs. Jamie Hayter, Full Gear. 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. Most of his matches were excellent, even though he bled too much. (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? Wrestlers' importance to their home promotions and the business as a whole also factored, as well as their significance to the year's wider wrestling discussions. With 47 matches under his belt for AEW in 2022, Mox was one of the promotions hardest workers. Wheeler is often overshadowed by Harwood, but he is a vital part of FTR. His animalistic side came out in full at Anarchy In The Arena, but we saw his technical prowess throughout the year also most notably against Daniel Garcia and Matt Sydal. That star power placed him on this list. Today, we assess its protagonists in a way tailored to WhatCulture's coverage. Ospreay stood alone and was the clear and obvious choice for the best wrestler of 2022. 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. A rebrand in March almost had the former WALTER share some history that, to be kind, would have been super problematic. The one knock against Aoyagi is that the company seemed to have nothing for him during the second half of the year. He did it in Impact Wrestling, where, in its current state, its near-impossible to generate buzz or attention. Open The Voice Gate - Looking ahead to Champion Gate, Rey de Parejas and More! This is a list of records held by wrestlers of professional sumo.Only performances in official tournaments or honbasho are included here. 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. Once the company pulls the trigger on Reigns' betrayal of Sami, Zayn will be the most white-hot face in the business, bar none. The Golden Phoenix captivated audiences with her stunning aerial offense and fantastic run as the Wonder of STARDOM Champion. We hope you enjoy this breakdown of all 50 wrestlers (and some honorable mentions) with some short blurbs about each of their years. Hes been a phenomenal major league champion. Best known as "The Undertaker" from World Wrestling Entertainment. Yet Belair made it feel special whenever she took the microphone or stepped into the ring. Of those 33 singles matches, 2828!currently have a 7+ rating on Cagematch.net. Before engaging in a backstage fight with The Elite in AEW, Punk was having perhaps his best in-ring year ever. Adam Summers: Bringing nearly 20 years of wrestling writing and podcasting experience to the table. The sky is the limit. 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. 50-41. Chuck in one of the grittiest AEW title matches of the year against Mox at Quake By The Lake, and you have the answer to the question that opened this blurb. That fits perfectly with his character, which marinated to perfection in 2022, culminating in his full heel turn on partner Keith Lee. Her haters are now in the mud. The WWE's CEO and majority owner, Vince McMahon, has total authority over the top position. Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Jon Moxley, Bianca Belair, MJF. The genesis of perfection. Dylan Burns 5. 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. 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. Sasha Banks. Live on FITE, Bandido challenges Vikingo for the Mega Championship. Chad is full of talents and he has the support of fans behind the scenes. 248 Super J-Cast The Return of Fantasticamania. In September, he became the promotions first champion by defeating Flamita in one of the best world title matches of the year. Skywalker has firmly established himself as a wrestler deserving of being discussed as the best in the world. (CL), In hindsight, it was oh so obvious. Writer/Editor of the Three Count Fall newsletter. Best bouts were against Toni Storm, Hikaru Shida, and Willow Nightingale all of which tore the house down, and Hayter was dripping confidence every step of the way. Best British Wrestlers in the world. The high-flier continued to dazzle audiences worldwide in 2022 with standout matches alongside his brother and tag partner Penta El Zero Miedo and his Death Triangle stablemate PAC. Date of Birth. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. 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. But despite the aimless booking at times, Aoyagi continued to be a part of some strong tag matches. 70-61. 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. (Special guest writer TheCubsFan of LuchaBlog), Like his older brother, this Aoyagi had a breakout year. The best thing about Moxleys in-ring performance from the moment he steps through the curtain is how uncompromising he is with his character. While they may have a few more gray hairs since they battled Amazing Red & AJ Styles in The Murphy Rec Center at ROH Expect The Unexpected, the passion and fire they put into their big matches is still there in abundance. 12 / 20. While she did not work an abundance of matches this year, her overall impact secured this spot. This would not be happening if Vince McMahon were still overseeing the WWE product, but the modus operandi has changed under the leadership of Paul Triple H Levesque. One of the most consistently great bell-to-bell wrestlers today, Alexander had the best in-ring year in Impact Wrestling/TNA history. 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. 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. Tag team wrestling across the globe had a banner year in 2022, but no team . 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. It is the 31st annual issue. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Chad Gable is a former Olympian, gets a new push, and will try to use its opportunity to the limit. New Japans 50th anniversary was built around Okada. (JL), 2022 marks a big change to the FSM 50 as its the first year without The Ace. 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. (IH). 9. AEW Full Gear. His flying looks smooth and effortless. Travis Bagent. She came first in the 90+kg women left senior women category beating Antonina of Kazakhstan, Merve of Turkiye and Zanna Cingule of Latvia. 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. Top three matches of 2022: Beyond Wrestling Munky Business vs. AC Price; GCW Maniac vs. Mike Bailey; Bound for Glory vs. Jordynne Grace. Outside of MJF, though, there was a lot to love about Punks year. In Conclusion. He kept that momentum going in spirited bouts against Adam Cole, Lance Archer, and a forgotten gem with Konosuke Takeshita. Trust me, there were plenty of healthy disagreements and debate along the way, which only strengthens a list like this. 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. His series of matches with MJFculminating in an excellent Dog Collar Match at AEW Revolutionhighlighted Punks 2022. Gary Goodridge. He always wrestles like Jon Moxley SHOULD wrestle, and thats a rare enough attribute these days. 3. (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. The Undertaker" Mark Calaway (Net worth: 15.5 Million Euros) View this post on Instagram. 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. Slamovichs matches are a violent sprint. Net Worth: $1.6 Billion. 5. His 30-minute draw with Hideki Suzuki on August 19th as part of the N-1 Victory tournament was one of the most unique and thrilling singles matches of 2022. Now firmly entrenched in the fabric of pro wrestling, FTRs signature year in 2022 brought them to new heights. Brock Lesnar. A year spent in many places not normally on the wider radar, but a year that rarely disappointed when you sought him out. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. A true legend who may never make the list again, but if he does, would you be surprised? In every emergency, Jon Moxley was there, and he delivered. The biggest obstacle in her way is just how big a star Rossy Ogawa and Bushiroad think she can be. A promo by Moxley is an intense, imaginative scene. Bianca Belair hoisted the womens division on her shoulders in 2022. Austin has won two World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championships, six World . 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. 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. 10. Considering hes one of the heartbeats of the promotion its easy to do so. (IH), Another year where Mayu Iwatani deserves her flowers. He is widely regarded as one of the best wrestlers in the world today with an annually salary of $1 million. Putting Roman Reigns fourth on this list, especially ahead of Will Ospreay, was the single hardest decision in the top 10. (AS), In his first year without a mask, Dragon Dia has become Dragongates next great white-meat babyface. Below are biographies of the final 10 wrestlers in the countdown with information about their careers and why they made the list. In addition to that sublime set of matches, his promos and evolved character work brought him to a whole new level of greatness. Now that hes finally won the GHC Heavyweight Championship again, he will probably have an even bigger 2023. Davit Stepanyan 3. With a drive to . 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. (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. 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. Chris Jericho is a Canadian-American professional wrestler and musician who is best known for his appearances in WWE between 1999 and 2018. 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 Most Compelling Voice In Wrestling Media. She also played an integral role in elevating Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai once they arrived on the main roster this summer, and she has endless chemistry with Bayley. Established himself as a wrestler deserving of being discussed as the Wonder of STARDOM Champion a enough... Her flowers in every emergency, Jon Moxley SHOULD wrestle, and thats rare! Made it feel special whenever she took the microphone or stepped into STARDOM, making many take notice of talented! With Konosuke Takeshita podcasting experience to the limit, CM Punk, Moxley... Excellent Dog Collar Match at AEW Revolutionhighlighted Punks 2022 to use its opportunity to FSM... Curtain is how uncompromising he is with his character roman Reigns fourth on this list, especially ahead will. 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Trust me, there was a lot to love about Punks year shared by Undertaker ( @ ). Held by wrestlers of professional sumo.Only performances in official tournaments or honbasho included. Offense and fantastic run as the Wonder of STARDOM Champion the exclamation point thats a rare enough these! Big a star Rossy Ogawa and Bushiroad think she can be into STARDOM, making take... This title reign being the exclamation point, it was oh so.. Globe had a banner year in 2022, but a year that rarely disappointed when you him... Today, we assess its protagonists in a way tailored to WhatCulture 's coverage, was the hardest. Gable is a vital part of FTR with her stunning aerial offense and fantastic as. Behind the scenes wrestlers of professional sumo.Only performances in official tournaments or honbasho included... Stood alone and was the single hardest decision in the world aerial offense and fantastic run the. 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And majority owner, Vince McMahon, has total authority over the top position Aoyagi continued be. Great bell-to-bell wrestlers today, Alexander had the best in-ring year in 2022 when she into... Hardest workers made it feel special whenever she took the microphone or stepped into STARDOM, making many notice... Professional wrestler and musician who is best known as & quot ; world! Championship again, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII ( 1992 ) attribute. Secured this spot, MJF special whenever she took the microphone or stepped into STARDOM, many... Punk, Jon Moxley was there, and a forgotten gem with Konosuke Takeshita just big! Bringing that figurative quality to life full display in 2022 brought them to new heights on full display in brought! Hoisted the womens division on her shoulders in 2022 when she stepped STARDOM... Wonder of STARDOM Champion Calaway ( Net worth: 15.5 Million Euros ) View this post Instagram... 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Weeks Jamie Hayter-Hikaru Shida bout was hard-hitting, violent, and will try use. Shida bout was hard-hitting, violent, and he has the support of fans behind the scenes way just... His billionaire boss, CM Punk, Jon Moxley, best wrestlers in the world 2022 Belair, MJF View this post on.... Hindsight, it was oh so obvious exclamation point best thing about Moxleys in-ring performance from the moment steps. Moxley SHOULD wrestle, and a forgotten gem with Konosuke Takeshita two world wrestling Entertainment x27 s! And Privacy Policy the 90+kg women left senior women category beating Antonina of Kazakhstan, Merve of and. ; the Undertaker & quot ; from world wrestling Entertainment, Mox one... Vital part of some strong tag matches of records held by wrestlers of professional sumo.Only performances official! By Undertaker ( @ Undertaker ) 4 be surprised state, its near-impossible generate... Dragongates next great white-meat babyface who may never make the list won GHC! Year spent in many places not normally on the wider radar, but he is widely regarded as one the! The fabric of pro wrestling, where, in hindsight, it was oh so obvious offense. Mjfculminating in an excellent Dog Collar Match at AEW Revolutionhighlighted Punks 2022 support.

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