Vince McMahon resigned. (SE), Quite possibly the most confident and self-assured wrestler in the world, and with good reason. All rights reserved. Moxley became synonymous with AEW in 2022, even more impressive when considering all he accomplished previously in WWE. Marty Scurll is one of those rarities; a technical wrestler who also has a well-developed gimmick and persona. But if you were not aware of the backstage altercations, they didnt matter when Moxley was in the ring. Tag team wrestling across the globe had a banner year in 2022, but no team . What Suzu Suzuki did in 2022 was shut up a lot of doubters of hers when she decided to leave Ice Ribbon to go with Risa Sera and be a member of Prominence. Incredibly, Slamovich worked for 48 different promotions in 2022. Hogan is the most versatile wrestling star worldwide and one of the most successful wrestlers in the 1980s. Session expired. The American Dragon has faced a wide variety of opponents in his time in AEW, but it still feels like there is so much fresh ground for him to cover in 2023. 6. Last weeks Jamie Hayter-Hikaru Shida bout was hard-hitting, violent, and an incredible display of the craft. Scott Edwards: One of the most passionate up-and-coming wrestling writers around. Jon Moxley was the best AEW wrestler of 2022 for several reasons. 10 women's wrestlers to look out for in 2022. She works best as a heel, and when she is motivated, you can expect a human highlight reel of moves. AEW Full Gear. Mandy Rose via Instagram. It was a legit MOTYC and a great example of how to put over a young up and coming talent. Im still holding out hope that someone from Death Triangle gets the series-ending win. More than that, Ospreay accomplished this against a variety of opponents spread across several companies and countries. (SE), Dragongates new top man has hit a home run every time hes stepped up to the plate this year. Leave your outdated and ignorant criticisms of his working style at the door. Platform (s): PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast & Game Boy. 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. 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. Bruce Baumgartner. Hes truly made a name for himself in AEW with impressive showcases against the likes of Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Eddie Kingston. A post shared by Undertaker (@undertaker) Shes become undeniable and one of STARDOMs true greats with this title reign being the exclamation point. (AC), With OC its always been about finding the right balance with his gimmick, and in 2022, he achieved perfection with that. WWE Almost Brought This 'Failed Experiment' Back, Ex-WWE Star "Couldn't Give Two Sh*ts" About Returning, Dax Harwood Reveals AEW "Super Group" That Was Discussed, AEW Revolution 2023: 10 Nightmares That Could Come True, The Miz Shares INCREDIBLE WrestleMania Pitch That WWE Turned Down, Current AEW Star: CM Punk Is Not A Locker Room Cancer, Report: Vince McMahon Behind Top WWE WrestleMania 39 Match, Major Update On WWE's Next Saudi Arabia PLE, NXT Star "Scared Of Getting Lost" On WWE's Main Roster, Triple H "Very Happy" With Failed Vince McMahon Prodigy's WWE Progress. Kevin Owens is the best in-ring performer on the current WWE roster. 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. His defense of the junior title in the Tokyo Dome against fellow junior mainstay Hiromu Takahashi started the year on a good note. Newark, NJ. He has recorded 41 wins and just three losses and became AEW World Champion twice. In addition to the indies, Wheeler worked highly captivating matches in AEW, New Japan, AAA, and Ring of Honor. (GDT), One step forward, one step back for the breakout British star? For 12 months, Rollins has consistently wrestled the most compelling, convincing, and effective matches throughout all of pro wrestling. While he did not work enough matches to be considered the best in the world, he brings value in promos, storylines, drawing power, and reaction, all of which propelled him into the top four for the year. Elsewhere we were treated to a full 12 months of normal feeling wrestling, and it was certainly very welcome for fans. The 5STAR Grand Prix winner had a special run in the tournament, including some of the most physical Joshi matches of the year against the likes of Hazuki and Suzu Suzuki. 12. Jericho has won 30 championships in the WWE, ECW, and WCW. Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Jon Moxley, Bianca Belair, MJF. Top three matches of 2022: Royal Rumble vs. Roman Reigns; WrestleMania Backlash vs. Cody Rhodes; Elimination Chamber vs. Matt Riddle. On the first Korakuen Hall shows of the year, Dragongate established that this year was going to be all about Yuki Yoshioka and his foe-turned-friend Dragon Dia. 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. Who possibly could have imagined that 2022 would be the year Vince McMahon stepped down from power? His flying looks smooth and effortless. 50-41. Will Ospreays 2022 is the most outstanding individual year for any pro wrestler in history. 80-71. The PS 50 produced every year by Power Slam Magazine was the trendsetter for what became Fighting Spirit Magazines FSM 50. Theres an argument to be made that his January 5 defense against Bryan Danielson is the best AEW singles match ever. Please log in again. It is the 31st annual issue. (GDT), The excitement heading into 2023 will be all about how Giulia can top her second half of 2022. 1. . Joe keeps his tabs on everything and often provides a balanced voice to our rankings. 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. 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. But if she is given the chance, she can be one, a very big one. Before that, Swerve In Our Glory thrived with their Shaq & Kobe dynamic and were the glue of AEWs tag division. 10. In Conclusion. To paraphrase Voltaire, if Jon Moxley did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him. The problem? He became a white-hot rookie in Japan before being shipped off to Mexico and seamlessly transitioning to the lucha scene. (AS), Starting the year by dropping the PWA tag titles to the VeloCities, Dunkzilla Mark Davis and Kyle Fletcher went nomadic, wrestling all over the globe. (JL), Youd be forgiven for forgetting that the diminutive mascot is only a year into his Dragongate career. While overshadowed by what followed in the immediate aftermath, Punks AEW Championship victory over Jon Moxley at ALL OUT shouldnt be forgotten as one of the great matches of 2022. Of those 33 singles matches, 2828!currently have a 7+ rating on Cagematch.net. 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. Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. Vikingo transforms moves that people have already seen countless timeslike the 450and bestows a new, never-before-seen twist on them. She stands out amongst various wrestlers while performing. Her ability to think on her feet and adapt, saving sequences and matches from otherwise falling apart, is also very impressive, even moreso given that she is a seven-year veteran at just 20 years old. Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has been ranked #1 on the annual PWI 500 list. 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. Top three matches of 2021: SmackDown vs. Roman Reigns; Dynamite "Grand Slam" vs. Kenny Omega; Dynamite "Winter is Coming" vs. "Hangman" Adam Page. Yet Belair made it feel special whenever she took the microphone or stepped into the ring. Joshi fans will argue that Stardom and Sendai Girls are on par, having the two best women's wrestling promotions in Japan. 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. Internationally Acclaimed Broadcast Journalist As Heard On BBC Radio. 10. Chris Jericho is a Canadian-American professional wrestler and musician who is best known for his appearances in WWE between 1999 and 2018. 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). Hes been a phenomenal major league champion. Posted by Alan4L | Jan 9, 2023 | The FSM 50. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. We hope you enjoy this breakdown of all 50 wrestlers (and some honorable mentions) with some short blurbs about each of their years. His new high-flying style has been helped by a new look and increased charisma. All Rights Reserved. 2. The unsung hero of pro wrestling in 2022. 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. And it has brought a lot of great wrestling. Dave Chaffee. He held Gold Class together after the departures of others and now ends the year with gold around his waist too. 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. (CL), At the age of 20 years old, Suzu Suzuki already has a claim to being called the best wrestler in the world. She also kicked off 2022 with a killer 30-minute draw against Mayu Iwatani and her first title challenge against Syuri. 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. Derailed by the pandemic, pro wrestling as a whole fully reconnected with live audiences in 2022. Whether its a Brave Gate challenge against Dragon Dia, a Korakuen singles bout with Diamante or even mixing it up with Microman, Takuma tackles every new challenge with enthusiasm and confidence. (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. 22 of them have an 8+ rating and 10 have a 9+ rating. History will regard 2022 as one of professional wrestling's most eventful years. Her year in 2022 was one of the best in the industry. Let's take a look at the 10 best tag teams . There is a certain mystique about Vikingo. A natural in every aspect of being a pro wrestler, Hayters performances won her a groundswell of support from fans this year. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY . Harwood and Wheeler find a way to capture the essence of pro wrestling. 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 . Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Ospreay has a perfect home in New Japan, a product entirely built around its wrestling. With a drive to . 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. He brings significant in-ring value, and he is an athletic marvel that has no limitations in between the ropes. For four years now, Voices of Wrestling has kept the annual tradition alive with the same spirit and intention as its predecessors. One of the beauties of the list in previous years was being able to highlight names that a reader may not be aware of. Who Is The Best Wrestler In The World In 2022? Its up for debate but one thing that isnt is that Kamitani belongs on this list and your watchlist heading into 2023. (AC), WrestleMania weekend is a dying concept after years of being beaten to death and abused. The Last Wrestlers: A Far Flung Journey In Search of a Manly Art. As 2022 winds down, Sports Illustrated is looking back at the themes and teams, storylines and throughlines that shaped the year. 02:55:00. 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. Nor is her powerhouse style with technical elements, which isnt as flashy as others in STARDOM. (IH), Another year where Mayu Iwatani deserves her flowers. Brock Lesnar. Roman Reigns has faced and defeated the greatest since winning the title by defeating Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman. We mentioned this match in passing in awarding the Women's Wrestler of the Year honors to Jamie Hayter, but let's dive into it a tad more. . His series of matches with MJFculminating in an excellent Dog Collar Match at AEW Revolutionhighlighted Punks 2022. Richest Wrestlers in the World in 2022. 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. Alexander set the standard for Impact Wrestling/TNA history in 2022 with some of the companys best matches. 23. While he did solid work in both New Japan junior tournaments this year, his best work was in GLEAT. 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. That fits perfectly with his character, which marinated to perfection in 2022, culminating in his full heel turn on partner Keith Lee. (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. Wheeler is often overshadowed by Harwood, but he is a vital part of FTR. (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. The Briscoes; Dynamite vs. Dax Harwood; Dynamite vs. Will Ospreay. 90-81. In 2022, there were no more questions. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories Please give an overall site rating . In constant pursuit of a legendary legacy, Rollins constantly pushed pro wrestling to be at its best in 2022. The Most Compelling Voice In Wrestling Media. 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. WhatCulture is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. He has harnessed his gift at cutting promos, and he is currently one of the best in the world at the craft. The Iwate-born prodigy had barely wrestled ten matches when last years list came out. Roman Reigns Tops the PWI 500 List for 2022, Top 20 Wrestlers Revealed. He always wrestles like Jon Moxley SHOULD wrestle, and thats a rare enough attribute these days. Since 1958 six honbasho have been held every year, giving wrestlers from the modern era more opportunities to accumulate championships and wins. Nobody has ever given as much consistent effort in their matches as Ospreay did in 2022. Joe Lanza: The King Of Banter. Seth Rollins. 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 . For better and worse, this past year was unforgettable. Add in her Catch The Wave and Regina Di Wave Championship win, and youll understand how this is only the beginning for her on this and many other future lists. 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. The best thing about Moxleys in-ring performance from the moment he steps through the curtain is how uncompromising he is with his character. Putting Roman Reigns fourth on this list, especially ahead of Will Ospreay, was the single hardest decision in the top 10. She capped off the year winning the World of Stardom Championship, as she goes into 2022 as the top wrestler in the promotion. Thanks to her beauty, she had chance to make her modeling debut at New York Fashion Week with Naomi. Thus, the list of most beautiful female wrestlers in the world has listed her name. Even after his spectacular year, he remains one of wrestlings best-kept secrets. Live on FITE, Bandido challenges Vikingo for the Mega Championship. Travis Bagent is a well-known name in the arm wrestling world. Open the Voice Gate: Looking Ahead to Champion Gate, Rey De Parejas & More! Masha Slamovich. 11 / 20. (RK), One of the best in-ring storytellers of this generation had another great year, this time largely centered around her feud with and eventual team with Natsupoi. 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.
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