It wasnt all controversy. Shingo opened the year with a fantastic match against Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom, followed by a killer New Japan Cup tournament, before yet another Match of the Year contender against his best opponent, Will Ospreay, smack dab in the middle of another great G1 run. (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. Chris Jericho is a Canadian-American professional wrestler and musician who is best known for his appearances in WWE between 1999 and 2018. The English pro wrestler born as Zack Sabre Jr, is currently signed to NJPW and one-half of the IWGP Tag Team Champions alongside fellow Suzuki-gun stablemate Taichi. (AC). 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. In addition to the indies, Wheeler worked highly captivating matches in AEW, New Japan, AAA, and Ring of Honor. Rubie's Daddy's Li'l Girl Inflatable Adult Costume, As Shown, One Size. He did it in Impact Wrestling, where, in its current state, its near-impossible to generate buzz or attention. (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. Age in 2022: 72: Height: 6ft 1in: Weight: 106kg: Country: United States: Status: Retired in 2018: Birth Name: . Pro Wrestling Illustrated - November 2022 Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2022 They are the best to ever do it. 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. His new high-flying style has been helped by a new look and increased charisma. 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. 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. (AC), Aoyagi has been trending in an upward trajectory since 2020, but this year he hit new heights by winning the Champion Carnival in a fantastic final against Jake Lee. Seth has undergone a subtle career-run with his string of matches against Cody . Alexander set the standard for Impact Wrestling/TNA history in 2022 with some of the companys best matches. This list is based on a wrestlers work in the ring, the attention their work generated, and overall impact. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. He brings significant in-ring value, and he is an athletic marvel that has no limitations in between the ropes. Top three matches of 2021: SmackDown vs. Roman Reigns; Dynamite "Grand Slam" vs. Kenny Omega; Dynamite "Winter is Coming" vs. "Hangman" Adam Page. Dax Harwood is teaming up with Matt Koon for a new podcast. Check Price on Amazon. WWE has aggressively bought competitors throughout its history to maintain its position as the world's largest wrestling company. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two. Stick around, however, for a list of honourable mentions that should plug any major gaps and cover notable omissions. 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. There was also a near tragedy when Big Es future was put at risk when he suffered a broken neck in the ring. By the end of 2022, he had lapped them and was on the path to possibly becoming an actual junior heavcyweight draw for All Japan. No world champion was able to touch her greatness this year. A natural pro wrestler who has taken what could have been a career-killer gimmick and made it special. History will regard 2022 as one of professional wrestling's most eventful years. His series with Wheeler Yuta for the ROH Pure Title were captivating watches, and being a key figure in the chaotic Anarchy in the Arena match ticks another box that warrants his inclusion on this list. 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. Top three matches of 2022: Elimination Chamber match; WrestleMania 38 vs. Becky Lynch; Crown Jewel vs. Bayley. Your session has expired. Mandy Rose via Instagram. 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. There is something for everyone in pro wrestling, and with 2022 as an indication, it is a great time to be a fan. 9. Lynn's wrestling training began in 2017 and made her debut . Bianca Belair hoisted the womens division on her shoulders in 2022. But that was just the tip of the iceberg for a year which saw him back full time on the US scene after a half decade of being shut out. (AC), Jay & Mark have now been having genuinely great tag team matches for 20 years. Incredibly, Slamovich worked for 48 different promotions in 2022. 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. He takes a beating, he fights back, and on his best nights, hes able to win big matches. (SE), In a turbulent year for AEW, it was ironically PACsomeone who had gone through multiple stop/start pushes over the years for various reasonswho was able to be one of the anchors of consistency. To say that Bailey has made up for lost time would be an understatement. Lee South. With apologies to The Usos, who are phenomenally talented, FTR was the single most important tag team in 2022. (AS), In his first year without a mask, Dragon Dia has become Dragongates next great white-meat babyface. Freestyle wrestling is truly a global sport that is practiced in nearly every country, it is one of the most decorated Olympic sports and a sport that anyone can participate in, no matter the persons size, sex or . 5. Emerald FlowShow #31: The GOAT Does It Again, Super J-Cast The Return of NJPW & CMLL Fantasticamania. (SE), In a promotion largely dominated by much older wrestlers and mostly devoid of larger-than-life characters, Kenoh stands out in Pro Wrestling NOAH. 12 / 20. The Briscoes; Dynamite vs. Dax Harwood; Dynamite vs. Will Ospreay. All rights reserved. During MIyaharas reign, AJPW immediately saw an increase in business and produced many more great singles matches versus the two previous years, during which the company seemed hesitant to put the Triple Crown back on him while Jake Lee got his chance to run with the ball. Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. Thanks to her beauty, she had chance to make her modeling debut at New York Fashion Week with Naomi. (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. Denis Cyplenkov. 30. We predict the 10 best wrestlers in the world, 5 years in the future.For more awesome content, check out: http://whatculture.com/w. 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. 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. 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. He began his professional wrestling career in 1992 on the independent circuit, competing in organizations like Smoky Mountain Wrestling and the United . (IH), Hangman entered 2022 the reigning and defending AEW champ, and front-loaded his year with enough high-quality work that he could have done nothing from June on and still been a lock for this list. Tuesday, April 19, 2022 at 1:45 PM by Babu Tendu Adrianna Simwa. Your session has expired. Travis Bagent. 02:55:00. 12. Nor is her powerhouse style with technical elements, which isnt as flashy as others in STARDOM. Paul 'Triple H' Levesque bounced back from a near-fatal heart issue in 2021 to effectively become the most powerful man in wrestling. Rhodes returned to the WWE during night one of WrestleMania 38 after a six year absence. There is also a must-see match at AAAs Noche de Campeones, which also takes place later tonight. (Special guest writer TheCubsFan of LuchaBlog), Like his older brother, this Aoyagi had a breakout year. Bruce Baumgartner. 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. Of course, that all depends on how you value and rate the past year in wrestling. 11 / 20. Strickland is great, and he wrestles like a guy who knows it. (CL), Another wrestler that continues the theme of confidence separating the wheat from the chaff in modern wrestling. Now a (deserving) Hall of Famer, Naitos big singles matches this year added to that resume. Knows the Japanese scene inside out. Of those 33 singles matches, 2828!currently have a 7+ rating on Cagematch.net. 22 of them have an 8+ rating and 10 have a 9+ rating. Kevin Owens is the best in-ring performer on the current WWE roster. The sky is the limit. Name. 8. . (SE), Quite possibly the most confident and self-assured wrestler in the world, and with good reason. Expect him to be a name on this list every year going forward. Will it all lead to a father-son match at WrestleMania? 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 . 90-81. 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. In every emergency, Jon Moxley was there, and he delivered. Davit Stepanyan 3. Since then, shes taken more international bookings in Europe and North America, raising her stock globally. Net Worth: $1.6 Billion. (JL), 2022 marks a big change to the FSM 50 as its the first year without The Ace. Weve reached a point where its probably time we start thinking about whether Sheamus is arguably the best WWE television wrestler of all time. New Japans 50th anniversary was built around Okada. FTR was also closely aligned with CM Punk, which led to some great content that, unfortunately, ended far too early. She won the 2021 Royal Rumble match and became the first-ever black superstar to hold the title in WWE. But despite the aimless booking at times, Aoyagi continued to be a part of some strong tag matches. Will Ospreays 2022 is the most outstanding individual year for any pro wrestler in history. In 2022, there were no more questions. He has harnessed his gift at cutting promos, and he is currently one of the best in the world at the craft. Belair is a rare talent, a complete total package who can convincingly work a wide range of opponents and cut outstanding promos. His profile is full of national and international professional arm-wrestling titles. Best AEW Women's Match of 2022: Toni Storm vs. Jamie Hayter, Full Gear. His flying looks smooth and effortless. 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. Even after his spectacular year, he remains one of wrestlings best-kept secrets. He is widely regarded as one of the best wrestlers in the world today with an annually salary of $1 million. That star power placed him on this list. Drew McIntyre 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. The genesis of perfection. 5. In between, Ospreay had standout performances against the likes of Tetsuya Naito, Zack Sabre Jr., Shingo Takagi, Michael Oku, Orange Cassidy, Nick Wayne, Ricky Knight Jr., Mike Bailey, Jon Moxley, Blake Christian, Dax Harwood, and Titus Alexander among others. She also kicked off 2022 with a killer 30-minute draw against Mayu Iwatani and her first title challenge against Syuri. The 2022 PWI Top 500 Wrestlers is a list of the Top 500 wrestlers according to the magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated. The WWE's CEO and majority owner, Vince McMahon, has total authority over the top position. Fans of British Wrestling over the past 10 years will know the name Rampage Brown. Top three matches of 2022: Revolution vs. Bryan Danielson; Forbidden Door vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi; Full Gear vs. CM Punk. Mandy Rose. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. 2022 was good for Giulia, but 2023 will be special for the Donna del Mondo leader. Putting Roman Reigns fourth on this list, especially ahead of Will Ospreay, was the single hardest decision in the top 10. In addition to that sublime set of matches, his promos and evolved character work brought him to a whole new level of greatness. Ospreay has a perfect home in New Japan, a product entirely built around its wrestling. (CL). The Undertaker" Mark Calaway (Net worth: 15.5 Million Euros) View this post on Instagram. Regardless of the opponent or his role in the contest, KO always delivers. 6. 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. Matches with Risa Sera, Utami Hayashishita, and both bouts with Giulia highlight what everyone should watch if they havent been watching. Aleksandr Medved. He did everything in the ring youd want for the promotions champion. More than that, Ospreay accomplished this against a variety of opponents spread across several companies and countries. Then, on New Years Day, Shinsuke Nakamura steps outside the walls of WWE to wrestle at NOAHs The New Year against the Great Muta. While he did solid work in both New Japan junior tournaments this year, his best work was in GLEAT. 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. Session expired. Most of his matches were excellent, even though he bled too much. (RK), Vikingo became the AAA Mega Champion in 2021 because AAA had no real alternatives, and spent 2022 proving he was the best option. 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. Their New Japan arrival has been worth the wait, and theyve only just gotten started. Sasha Banks. Fenix had perhaps the best Lucha match of the year against El Hijo del Vikingo at TripleMania: Mexico City, a tremendous singles match against Andrade El Idolo, and several great multi-man matches in AAA and on the Ric Flair retirement show for the revived Jim Crockett Promotions. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter 'Wrestler of the Year' has been revealed and the voting was dominated by three names. Wrestling training began in 2017 and made it special a part of some strong tag matches AEW &. 2017 and made her debut gimmick and made it special: the GOAT Does it Again, Super J-Cast Return... Storm vs. Jamie Hayter, Full Gear vs. CM Punk with an annually salary of $ 1 million top! Most important tag team in 2022 is Full of national and international professional arm-wrestling.! The wait, and both bouts with Giulia highlight what everyone should watch if They havent been watching the 10... & # x27 ; s match of 2022: Toni Storm vs. Jamie Hayter, Full Gear outstanding.... 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