To put Ospreays year into proper context, our #2 finisher, Kazuchika Okada, had two matches finish with a 9+ rating on Cagematch.net. He should win the Triple Crown in 2023. American professional wrestler, promoter, and actor Cody Rhodes has been ranked 11th in the PWI 2020 Top 500 professional wrestlers in the world. A Reasoned And Well Explained Man. 9. Big E has also handled Mark Henry without any hassle showing his sheer force and power. 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. For me, that was a gateway into Japanese wrestling 20 years ago. 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. He accumulated his net worth thanks to his professional wrestling, podcasts, rock concerts. The one knock against Aoyagi is that the company seemed to have nothing for him during the second half of the year. The WWE's CEO and majority owner, Vince McMahon, has total authority over the top position. 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. Stick around, however, for a list of honourable mentions that should plug any major gaps and cover notable omissions. Alexanders November match with Mike Bailey went nearly 60 minutes and was one of the best television matches 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. This list is based on a wrestlers work in the ring, the attention their work generated, and overall impact. 22 of them have an 8+ rating and 10 have a 9+ rating. 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 is a list of records held by wrestlers of professional sumo.Only performances in official tournaments or honbasho are included here. Rhodes returned to the WWE during night one of WrestleMania 38 after a six year absence. 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. A rebrand in March almost had the former WALTER share some history that, to be kind, would have been super problematic. Ospreay will continue to be tested on the mic in the coming year, but there is absolutely no doubt about his performance in the ring. Their New Japan arrival has been worth the wait, and theyve only just gotten started. Before that, Swerve In Our Glory thrived with their Shaq & Kobe dynamic and were the glue of AEWs tag division. He has held the WWF World . The company which was founded 3 years ago has seen a lot of growth this year, especially after the purchase of beloved indie wrestling promotion Ring of Honor, and of course all the drama that came after the company's All Out pay . (IH), Another year where Mayu Iwatani deserves her flowers. January 5 vs. Will Ospreay and August 18 vs. Will Ospreay. Hogan is the most versatile wrestling star worldwide and one of the most successful wrestlers in the 1980s. 248 Super J-Cast The Return of Fantasticamania. One of the beauties of the list in previous years was being able to highlight names that a reader may not be aware of. 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. We predict the 10 best wrestlers in the world, 5 years in the future.For more awesome content, check out: http://whatculture.com/w. (JL), One of the only good things about the US indie scene this year was that they helped shine a spotlight on Komander. 5. 18. Davit Stepanyan 3. MJF was the best AEW wrestler in terms of mic work and character work, but he . When Rhodes was severely limited in their Hell in a Cell bout inside the cage, Rollins made viewers forget about limitations and instead focus on all Rhodes was capable of in spite of the gruesome injury. (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. Best British Wrestlers in the world. Outside of MJF, though, there was a lot to love about Punks year. 22 of them have an 8+ rating and 10 have a 9+ rating. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. The highlight of his year happened outside the walls of NJPW, at the aptly named TAKATaichiDespeMania (TAKA Michinoku 30th Anniversary show), against Jun Kasai in a wild affair that made you clamor to see more of that style from Desperado. No world champion was able to touch her greatness this year. 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. Hes truly made a name for himself in AEW with impressive showcases against the likes of Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Eddie Kingston. Scott Edwards: One of the most passionate up-and-coming wrestling writers around. 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. The Most Compelling Voice In Wrestling Media. Paul 'Triple H' Levesque bounced back from a near-fatal heart issue in 2021 to effectively become the most powerful man in wrestling. 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. Vikingo transforms moves that people have already seen countless timeslike the 450and bestows a new, never-before-seen twist on them. Let's take a look at the 10 best tag teams . Platform (s): PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast & Game Boy. His flying looks smooth and effortless. 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. AEW Full Gear. Most of his matches were excellent, even though he bled too much. A natural pro wrestler who has taken what could have been a career-killer gimmick and made it special. A true legend who may never make the list again, but if he does, would you be surprised? Jamie Hayter vs Toni Storm. Dax Harwood plays a vital role in FTR, but his singles work is also solid. Joe Lanza: The King Of Banter. It was a legit MOTYC and a great example of how to put over a young up and coming talent. New Japans 50th anniversary was built around Okada. Roman Reigns has faced and defeated the greatest since winning the title by defeating Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman. Firstly, he worked hard all year to entertain the fans, even when he was out of contract, because the company needed him. Moxley carried AEW amid a tumultuous year. 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. He brings significant in-ring value, and he is an athletic marvel that has no limitations in between the ropes. Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Jon Moxley, Bianca Belair, MJF. Pro Wrestling Illustrated - November 2022 Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2022 Regardless of the opponent or his role in the contest, KO always delivers. 5. Of those 33 singles matches, 2828!currently have a 7+ rating on Cagematch.net. Glenn Thomas Jacobs, best known by his ring name Kane, is a politician, actor, and professional wrestler from the United States.He has served as the Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee, as a Republican since 2018, presently under contract with WWE. Kevin Owens is the best in-ring performer on the current WWE roster. 1. He first came to the WWF in 1990 as Ted DiBiase's mystery partner at The Survivor Series (1990). He is a left-handed champion who started his professional career at 15. Top three matches of 2022: Elimination Chamber match; WrestleMania 38 vs. Becky Lynch; Crown Jewel vs. Bayley. 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. The genesis of perfection. For whatever reason, MIRAI has gotten a baffling amount of derision since her jump from TJPW to STARDOM. Dia is everything a babyface should be. The Golden Phoenix captivated audiences with her stunning aerial offense and fantastic run as the Wonder of STARDOM Champion. Austin has won two World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championships, six World . The unsung hero of pro wrestling in 2022. 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. Vince McMaho. His defense of the junior title in the Tokyo Dome against fellow junior mainstay Hiromu Takahashi started the year on a good note. Net Worth: $1.6 Billion. The problem? The biggest obstacle in her way is just how big a star Rossy Ogawa and Bushiroad think she can be. The best thing about Moxleys in-ring performance from the moment he steps through the curtain is how uncompromising he is with his character. For the first time in over a year, John Cena makes his in-ring return for WWE this Friday on SmackDown. December 4th, 2022. That star power placed him on this list. Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. (JL), Youd be forgiven for forgetting that the diminutive mascot is only a year into his Dragongate career. Of course, that all depends on how you value and rate the past year in wrestling. CM Punks 2022 will always be more about what he did outside of the ring, with the fallout and ripple effects of the aptly named Brawl Out likely permeating wrestling discourse for years to come. 3. 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. On one of the few shows All Japan has had this year with cheering crowds, his fan reactions rivaled that of All Japan ace Kento Miyahara. The American wrestler, Sasha Banks, is one of the most decorated top female wrestlers. Weve reached a point where its probably time we start thinking about whether Sheamus is arguably the best WWE television wrestler of all time. 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 . 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). (AC), It could have gone so differently. In September, he became the promotions first champion by defeating Flamita in one of the best world title matches of the year. (Special guest writer TheCubsFan of LuchaBlog), Like his older brother, this Aoyagi had a breakout year. 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. 02:55:00. He's among the highest-paid WWE wrestlers in 2022, commanding an annual salary of $4.5 million. Had one of the best PPV openers ever with Eddie Kingston at Revolution, crafted the unforgettable Anarchy In The Arena, and had an ROH title reign that delivered some really fun bouts with Tomohiro Ishii, Bandido, and Claudio Castagnoli. 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. Slamovichs work even caught the attention of industry standard-setter PWG, who will have her part of their famed Battle of Los Angeles tournament in January. He got to shine on both the singles front as the first-ever All-Atlantic Champion, in addition to trios contests as part of Death Triangle. John Smith. He takes a beating, he fights back, and on his best nights, hes able to win big matches. Joshi fans will argue that Stardom and Sendai Girls are on par, having the two best women's wrestling promotions in Japan. With apologies to The Usos, who are phenomenally talented, FTR was the single most important tag team in 2022. Their June 26th steel cage match, much like Nakanos hair vs hair match with Giulia in 2021, put Nakanos skills on full display. With one noteworthy exception, Will Ospreay wrestled the best matches of the year. Top three matches of 2022: Beyond Wrestling Munky Business vs. AC Price; GCW Maniac vs. Mike Bailey; Bound for Glory vs. Jordynne Grace. 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. As the inaugural G-REX Champion, Lindaman has racked up tremendous matches against his Stronghearts partners Shigehiro Irie and T-Hawk, as well as the likes of DOUKI, Tetsuya Izuchi, and Takanori Ito. Together, they make magic. Who else in history has had such a prolifically great year? Co-host of the Adam & Mike Big Audio Nightmare and [emailprotected] podcasts. Since then, shes taken more international bookings in Europe and North America, raising her stock globally. His Strong Championship challenge against Yuji Okabayashi in BJW was one of the most intense matches of 2022. 10. Newark, NJ. Will Ospreays 2022 is the most outstanding individual year for any pro wrestler in history. Who Is The Best Wrestler In The World In 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. Once Kenny Omega returned to the picture, The Elite reestablished themselves as, for lack of a better term, an elite trio. As 2022 winds down, Sports Illustrated is looking back at the themes and teams, storylines and throughlines that shaped the year. Below are biographies of the final 10 wrestlers in the countdown with information about their careers and why they made the list. Top three matches of 2022: MLW Azteca vs. Aramis; Rey de Reyes vs. John [Superstar] Morrison; TripleMana vs. Rey Fenix. The goal of the list is to be as well-informed and wide-ranging as possible. Those are two completely different matches, but Moxley is versatile and he can highlight opponents in a number of ways. Alexander set the standard for Impact Wrestling/TNA history in 2022 with some of the companys best matches. Knows the Japanese scene inside out. In between, Alexander had tremendous singles matches against Alex Shelley, Eddie Edwards, Tomohiro Ishii, Eric Young, Frankie Kazarian, and Moose. 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. Live on FITE, Bandido challenges Vikingo for the Mega Championship. Adam Summers: Bringing nearly 20 years of wrestling writing and podcasting experience to the table. PWI 500 2022 Top 128 Wrestlers Who is the best wrestler or 2022 ? Rhodes was revealed to be the mystery opponent for Seth Rollins and defeated Rollins with Cross Rhodes in front of more than 70,000 fans inside AT&T Stadium. The sky is the limit. Best AEW Women's Match of 2022: Toni Storm vs. Jamie Hayter, Full Gear. Amanda Rose Saccomanno. (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. He ended the year by winning the Jr. Battle of Glory tournament as the Jr. champion and looks to continue his dominance of the division in 2023. His singles matches earlier in the year against Dax Harwood, Hangman Page, and Dustin Rhodes were high-level. (JL). 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. Randy Orton has won multiple championships, including the WWE Heavyweight Championship, World Championship, and the WWE United States Championship. Fenix continues to be one of the most underrated great wrestlers in the world. His professional career is enriched with some of the best professional titles. 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