Wheeler is often overshadowed by Harwood, but he is a vital part of FTR. Gerard Di Trolio: Co-host of The Emerald Flowshow specializing in NOAH and All Japan. Braun Strowman - $1.2 million 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. 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. For me, that was a gateway into Japanese wrestling 20 years ago. Who Is The Best Wrestler In The World In 2022? Vikingo transforms moves that people have already seen countless timeslike the 450and bestows a new, never-before-seen twist on them. 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. The American wrestler, Sasha Banks, is one of the most decorated top female wrestlers. Co-host of the Adam & Mike Big Audio Nightmare and [emailprotected] podcasts. Your session has expired. Harwood and Wheeler capture the joy of pro wrestling, somehow bringing that figurative quality to life. Seth Rollins. The St Louis native made a fantastic impression when she debuted for NWA's first-ever all-women's PPV Empowerrr in 2021 but the Little Blue Dragon was already making a name for herself on the scene way before that. Joe keeps his tabs on everything and often provides a balanced voice to our rankings. 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. 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. 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. 5. To say that Bailey has made up for lost time would be an understatement. Please log in again. Pro wrestling is a unique blend of sport and entertainment, one where your opponent is necessary in order for you to shine. Moxley dropped the belt to CM Punk at All Out, which will forever be remembered for Punks post-show comments, but that completely overshadowed an incredible match. Considering hes one of the heartbeats of the promotion its easy to do so. An impressive body of work is important, though this is more than a list of wrestlers with the most ****+ matches. Her year in 2022 was one of the best in the industry. In September, he became the promotions first champion by defeating Flamita in one of the best world title matches of the year. He became a white-hot rookie in Japan before being shipped off to Mexico and seamlessly transitioning to the lucha scene. Net Worth: $1.6 Billion. Fortunately, though, All Elite Wrestling, Impact and New Japan Pro-Wrestling offer a great alternative for viewers who love the time-honored tradition. 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. 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. Amanda Rose Saccomanno. 2022 also saw Knight debut for PROGRESS and win the Natural PROGRESSion Series tournament in November. The WWE's CEO and majority owner, Vince McMahon, has total authority over the top position. Dave Chaffee is the next strong man on the list of best arm-wrestlers. Case Lowe: Co-host of Open The Voice Gate, lucharesu historian with a wide-ranging wrestling knowledge that defies his years. Top 10 Wealthiest/Richest Wrestlers And Their Networth In The World. WhatCulture is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. (SE), Lindaman has successfully become a big fish in a small pond. (JL). Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. (CL), The absolute iron man of the New Japan roster, it feels like Naito is on every show. Tuesday, April 19, 2022 at 1:45 PM by Babu Tendu Adrianna Simwa. who wins Wrestler of the Year? Josh Alexander. Sasha Banks. Marty Scurll is one of those rarities; a technical wrestler who also has a well-developed gimmick and persona. Chad Gable is a former Olympian, gets a new push, and will try to use its opportunity to the limit. 30. My personal favorite match from 2022 was his Burning Spirit encounter in New Japan against David Finlay. Once Kenny Omega returned to the picture, The Elite reestablished themselves as, for lack of a better term, an elite trio. 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. Being honest, he has every right to be in there, and weve done him dirty, no question. . But without looking too far ahead, it will be fun to see Cena back in a WWE ring. Nine excellent bouts in three days made him unquestionably Mania weekends MVP. 8. While this is always going to be a fun debate, most people within the wrestling community can agree that Omega and Okada had arguably . 10. There is something for everyone in pro wrestling, and with 2022 as an indication, it is a great time to be a fan. His series of matches with MJFculminating in an excellent Dog Collar Match at AEW Revolutionhighlighted Punks 2022. Buvaisar Saitiev. Top three matches of 2022: Elimination Chamber match; WrestleMania 38 vs. Becky Lynch; Crown Jewel vs. Bayley. Roman Gromov 2. (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. Open the Voice Gate: Looking Ahead to Champion Gate, Rey De Parejas & More! Im still holding out hope that someone from Death Triangle gets the series-ending win. Ospreay, for instance, consistently works spectacular matches, but Reigns is in an entirely different position. Katsuyori Shibata fought several times. Consistency was given as much weight as ceilings and floors. Kevin Owens. At first, he was a heel, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII (1992). His work as both Brave Gate and Twin Gate Champion this year was superb. 4. With 47 matches under his belt for AEW in 2022, Mox was one of the promotions hardest workers. (SF), Break glass in case of emergency. Tony Khan needed to break the glass so often in 2022 that it probably should have just been left open. Weve reached a point where its probably time we start thinking about whether Sheamus is arguably the best WWE television wrestler of all time. Slamovichs matches are a violent sprint. Fenix continues to be one of the most underrated great wrestlers in the world. Roman Reigns Tops the PWI 500 List for 2022, Top 20 Wrestlers Revealed. Joe Gagne: Wrestling podcast OG and trivia master! (AS), Good ol reliable Despy, the heart of the New Japan junior heavyweight division. Fortunately, it appears he will make a full recovery. 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. 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. In every emergency, Jon Moxley was there, and he delivered. Feb. 2023 1 Bryan Danielson + More Championship Rate Top three matches of 2022: Battle of the Belts III vs. Thunder Rosa; Full Gear vs. Toni Storm; Dynamite vs. Hikaru Shida. This list is based on a wrestlers work in the ring, the attention their work generated, and overall impact. The goal of the list is to be as well-informed and wide-ranging as possible. Scott Edwards: One of the most passionate up-and-coming wrestling writers around. Gary Goodridge. The age-old adage of a tree falling in a forest but nobody being around to hear it applies to Alexanders 2022. 6 Rising - Stardom. Since his release from WWE developmental in 2011, he has been a consistent name in the UK wrestling scene. Every single time Vikingo steps into a wrestling ring is an event, and this will certainly be appointment viewing, and Bandido is another multi-talented performer. He did everything in the ring youd want for the promotions champion. Before engaging in a backstage fight with The Elite in AEW, Punk was having perhaps his best in-ring year ever. Yet Belair made it feel special whenever she took the microphone or stepped into the ring. His Strong Championship challenge against Yuji Okabayashi in BJW was one of the most intense matches of 2022. Ivan Yarygin. Whether you watched Harwood on screen or bought a ticket to see him in person, he added value every time he took the stage. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). A post shared by Undertaker (@undertaker) Writer/Editor of the Three Count Fall newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter 'Wrestler of the Year' has been revealed and the voting was dominated by three names. On a roster where the margin for error is so slim, Diamante represents the perfection that Dragongate preaches to their talent. Hogan is the most versatile wrestling star worldwide and one of the most successful wrestlers in the 1980s. (CL), What a damn fine professional wrestler Daniel Garcia is, and hanging just fine going toe to toe with Bryan Danielson should be the only proof any of us need. (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. Expect him to be a name on this list every year going forward. Many fans predict that 2022 will become a breakout year for one of the best WWE wrestlers. 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 . Chances are if you watched Will Ospreay at any point in the year 2022, you saw a great match. 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. (SE), Quite possibly the most confident and self-assured wrestler in the world, and with good reason. Kaori Icho. 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. 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. (CL), At the age of 20 years old, Suzu Suzuki already has a claim to being called the best wrestler in the world. 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. Jamie Hayter vs Toni Storm. 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. He takes a beating, he fights back, and on his best nights, hes able to win big matches. Most of those bouts were hard-fought tussles in the 15-minute range or higher with the AEW world title on the line, so its not like he had a bunch of padded filler on the resume. Yamashita has also been a part of some great tag matches with partner Maki Itoh as 121000000. Thanks to her beauty, she had chance to make her modeling debut at New York Fashion Week with Naomi. For the first time in over a year, John Cena makes his in-ring return for WWE this Friday on SmackDown. Big E has wrestled big names in the WWE industry like Big show, Great Khali, and Mark Henry. His matches always tell a story, and he is versatile in his offense, which also includes more traditional aggression. The ultimate workhorse, Ospreay wrestled 73 times in 2022 with 33 singles matches. The one spot reserved exclusively for . (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. 9. 9. (CL), Syuri has been the standard when it comes to world champions in 2022. We hope to not only provide a credible ranking but also to expose readers to some new wrestling. Sadly, he was pretty much on the shelf from June on, wrestling just eight total matches in the second half of the year. 2022 was yet another excellent year from one of pro wrestlings best. 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. 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. They include some of the world's best men's and women's wrestlers, organized alphabetically by country with notable accomplishments . 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. (SE), Dragongates new top man has hit a home run every time hes stepped up to the plate this year. The Undertaker" Mark Calaway (Net worth: 15.5 Million Euros) View this post on Instagram. Vince McMahon resigned. 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. (SF), If there is anyone on this list who should be climbing up in 2023, it will be Starlight Kid. Though this appeared destined to go seven as soon as the dates and stipulations of all the matches were announced, it has been fun watching it all unfold. Fans of British Wrestling over the past 10 years will know the name Rampage Brown. There are still so many directions to go with one of wrestlings true greats, so heres to hoping 2023 is yet another year of greatness, much like 2022. In-Ring year ever, Punk was having perhaps his best in-ring year.! In AEW, Punk was having perhaps his best nights, hes able to win big matches but is. 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But later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII ( 1992 ) about whether Sheamus is arguably the WWE. Win big matches the UK wrestling scene iron man of the new Japan Pro-Wrestling offer a alternative! Plc, an Elite trio up-and-coming wrestling writers around the world thinking about Sheamus... Strong Championship challenge against Yuji Okabayashi in BJW was one of the year is necessary in order for to... American wrestler, Sasha Banks, is one of the promotions first by... To not only provide a credible ranking but also to expose readers to some new wrestling Co-host! Story, and overall Impact possibly the most confident and self-assured wrestler in the world in 2022 with 33 matches. As, for lack of a tree falling in a backstage fight with the reestablished! Favorite match from 2022 was his Burning Spirit encounter in new Japan junior heavyweight division ranking but to. ; Mark Calaway ( Net worth: 15.5 Million Euros ) View this post on Instagram Gable is a Olympian! 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