best wrestlers in the world 2022

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 . 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. He has harnessed his gift at cutting promos, and he is currently one of the best in the world at the craft. Jericho has won 30 championships in the WWE, ECW, and WCW. Platform (s): PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast & Game Boy. Regardless of the opponent or his role in the contest, KO always delivers. Form is critical on this list. Similar to prior years, one spot was reserved exclusively for a talent primarily working the indies. He became world champion on two separate occasions, yet never once defended the title. In September, he became the promotions first champion by defeating Flamita in one of the best world title matches of the year. The WWE is currently the largest wrestling organization, the market share of competing models is so small that one can speak of an economic monopoly. Aleksandr Medved. Sarah Flannery: One-quarter of the Journey Through Guerrilla Island PWG history podcast, Sarah specializes in NJPW, Joshi, AEW and DDT. Internationally Acclaimed Broadcast Journalist As Heard On BBC Radio. Top three matches of 2022: ROH Supercard of Honor vs. Now more than ever, there is endless reason for optimism. Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Jon Moxley, Bianca Belair, MJF who wins Wrestler of the Year? Will it all lead to a father-son match at WrestleMania? Top three matches of 2022: Beyond Wrestling Munky Business vs. AC Price; GCW Maniac vs. Mike Bailey; Bound for Glory vs. Jordynne Grace. He is widely regarded as one of the best wrestlers in the world today with an annually salary of $1 million. New Japans 50th anniversary was built around Okada. (GDT), In addition to being one-half of the best tag team in the world and being one-fourth of the three best tag matches of the year, FTR Bald padded his resume with rock-solid singles matches against the likes of CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, Cash Wheeler, and Will Ospreay. 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. That is precisely what happened with Hayter, who transformed from Britt Bakers silent muscle to an entirely different place on the card, culminating in her win against Toni Storm last month that kickstarted her first-ever run with the title. He held Gold Class together after the departures of others and now ends the year with gold around his waist too. Once Kenny Omega returned to the picture, The Elite reestablished themselves as, for lack of a better term, an elite trio. 248 Super J-Cast The Return of Fantasticamania. Big E has also handled Mark Henry without any hassle showing his sheer force and power. 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. 10. Zayn, of course, would make perfect sense for a partner, and that would be an emotionally-charged match. 2022 was yet another excellent year from one of pro wrestlings best. Other standout performances include his GHC Title loss to forever-rival Kaito Kiyomiya, a February 11th victory over Go Shiozaki, and a thrilling GHC Tag Team championship challenge with Katsuhiko Nakajima against Takashi Sugiura and Satoshi Kojima. While this is always going to be a fun debate, most people within the wrestling community can agree that Omega and Okada had arguably . January 5 vs. Will Ospreay and August 18 vs. Will Ospreay. 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. Despy always delivers. 22 of them have an 8+ rating and 10 have a 9+ rating. Feb. 2023 1 Bryan Danielson + More Championship Rate Hopefully that is not the case much longer. He is a retired professional wrestler, television star, and actor. The man weighs around 300 pounds and he is here to stay. 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. This dude ruled the world of WWE, having had a successful career in different sports such as martial arts, football, and professional wrestling. 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. 1. Bianca had a good wrestling year in 2021, and it is believed that she will continue with good performances in 2022. 90-81. All of that brings us to the years Top 10, a chance to highlight those whose work particularly resonated in 2022. Whether it was AAA, Big Lucha, or lesser US indie promotions, the 24-year-old routinely pumped out gif-worthy spots en route to great matches. History will regard 2022 as one of professional wrestling's most eventful years. His piece in the trilogy against Mark and Jay Briscoe this year made ROH feel relevant again, and not merely an extension of AEW. Even if you took away every match Ishii wrestled in Japan in 2022, hed still easily be a Top 50 worldwide wrestler based on his AEW, Impact, and U.S.-based New Japan work alone. Discovering new wrestling was always one of the most enjoyable parts of my fandom when I was younger, and too often nowadays, people are closed off to that like its some kind of bad thing. Top three matches of 2022: Elimination Chamber match; WrestleMania 38 vs. Becky Lynch; Crown Jewel vs. Bayley. "The Queen" is considered one of the best pro wrestlers in WWE today. Dia is everything a babyface should be. Chances are if you watched Will Ospreay at any point in the year 2022, you saw a great match. Stick around, however, for a list of honourable mentions that should plug any major gaps and cover notable omissions. The WWE's CEO and majority owner, Vince McMahon, has total authority over the top position. Belair is a rare talent, a complete total package who can convincingly work a wide range of opponents and cut outstanding promos. Kevin Owens is the best in-ring performer on the current WWE roster. In 2022, there were no more questions. At first, he was a heel, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII (1992). (GDT). Gary Goodridge. Top three matches of 2022: Battle of the Belts III vs. Thunder Rosa; Full Gear vs. Toni Storm; Dynamite vs. Hikaru Shida. (CL), FTR Hair doesnt have the outstanding singles resume of his partner, but he deserves mention based on his tag work alone, as FTR was the runaway pick for tag team of the year. 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. Pro Wrestling Illustrated announced today that Reigns topped the 32nd annual list of the 500 best wrestlers in the world, based on criteria that includes win-loss record, titles . Net Worth: $1.6 Billion. Taking the mold War Zone presented just a . Since then, shes taken more international bookings in Europe and North America, raising her stock globally. That was an industry-defining change, and the aftershocks have only just begun. Thanks to her beauty, she had chance to make her modeling debut at New York Fashion Week with Naomi. . 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. Top three matches of 2021: SmackDown vs. Roman Reigns; Dynamite "Grand Slam" vs. Kenny Omega; Dynamite "Winter is Coming" vs. "Hangman" Adam Page. He has held the WWF World . 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. In between, Alexander had tremendous singles matches against Alex Shelley, Eddie Edwards, Tomohiro Ishii, Eric Young, Frankie Kazarian, and Moose. 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. It wasnt all controversy. Top three matches of 2022: MLW Azteca vs. Aramis; Rey de Reyes vs. John [Superstar] Morrison; TripleMana vs. Rey Fenix. 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. Since his release from WWE developmental in 2011, he has been a consistent name in the UK wrestling scene. While she is far from the most athletic wrestler in STARDOM, her ability to both draw fans into what she is doing and draw something more emotional out of her opponents is unique in the current scene. She works best as a heel, and when she is motivated, you can expect a human highlight reel of moves. Your session has expired. (AS), Good ol reliable Despy, the heart of the New Japan junior heavyweight division. On a roster where the margin for error is so slim, Diamante represents the perfection that Dragongate preaches to their talent. WWEs entire product is built around Reigns presence, and he makes viewers want to watch every time he appears. Their New Japan arrival has been worth the wait, and theyve only just gotten started. Roman Reigns Tops the PWI 500 List for 2022, Top 20 Wrestlers Revealed. Hes truly made a name for himself in AEW with impressive showcases against the likes of Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Eddie Kingston. (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. (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. Jamie Hayter vs Toni Storm. American professional wrestler currently signed to Impact Wrestling, Rich Swann finished at the 10th rank in the PWI 2021 rankings. 2022 also saw Knight debut for PROGRESS and win the Natural PROGRESSion Series tournament in November. Top 25 Best Bollywood Films of 2022 a list of 25 titles 25 Best Dancers of Indian Cinema a list of 25 people . Drew McIntyre Even after his spectacular year, he remains one of wrestlings best-kept secrets. Her year in 2022 was one of the best in the industry. Most of his matches were excellent, even though he bled too much. But if she is given the chance, she can be one, a very big one. This is a list of records held by wrestlers of professional sumo.Only performances in official tournaments or honbasho are included here. 8. Fujiwara had a rookie year that should be compared with the likes of Jun Akiyama and Kurt Angle. A natural in every aspect of being a pro wrestler, Hayters performances won her a groundswell of support from fans this year. A promo by Moxley is an intense, imaginative scene. 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. The United States of America, Iran, Turkey, Hungary, and Sweden have also have made it to the top ten bagging 237, 172, 172, 123 and 116 medals respectively. 20 50 100 All Time Select Date. Emerald FlowShow #31: The GOAT Does It Again, Super J-Cast The Return of NJPW & CMLL Fantasticamania. Yet Belair made it feel special whenever she took the microphone or stepped into the ring. For whatever reason, MIRAI has gotten a baffling amount of derision since her jump from TJPW to STARDOM. 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. Vikingos skills remained a cut above everyone else even in a time of amazing highflyers; it never felt safe to blink during his matches. For me, that was a gateway into Japanese wrestling 20 years ago. Travis Bagent is a well-known name in the arm wrestling world. 56 Ricochet Last weeks Jamie Hayter-Hikaru Shida bout was hard-hitting, violent, and an incredible display of the craft. As 2022 winds down, Sports Illustrated is looking back at the themes and teams, storylines and throughlines that shaped the year. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories Please give an overall site rating . That's why it is considered that it is high time to strike while the iron is hot. Oh and check out her match against Miu Watanabe in the Tokyo Princess Cup. Before this, tournaments were held less frequently; sometimes only once or twice per year. . Dax Harwood plays a vital role in FTR, but his singles work is also solid. 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 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. It just feels right to have John Cena back in WWE. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. With apologies to The Usos, who are phenomenally talented, FTR was the single most important tag team in 2022. Who else in history has had such a prolifically great year? Their match against Aussie Open at New Japans Royal Quest II was outrageously good. 80-71. Top three matches of 2022: Royal Rumble vs. Seth Rollins; SummerSlam vs. Brock Lesnar; Crown Jewel vs. Logan Paul. Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) is the richest WWE wrestler in 2022, with an approximate net worth of $381 million. Dont let her underwhelming match with Thunder Rosa in AEW deter you from seeking out her other stuff if youve never seen her before. (GDT), The ace of TJPW had another strong year despite losing the Princess of Princess Championship back in March. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Also heard and read on FlagshipPatreon.com. This list is based on a wrestlers work in the ring, the attention their work generated, and overall impact. Before engaging in a backstage fight with The Elite in AEW, Punk was having perhaps his best in-ring year ever. The Villain Marty Scurll. They are routinely the most entertaining wrestlers on American TV, and no one delivers in a big match better than they do. He should win the Triple Crown in 2023. The professional wrestler made his debut in 2000 and is among the best-known WWE stars. FTR was also closely aligned with CM Punk, which led to some great content that, unfortunately, ended far too early. 12. He did it in Impact Wrestling, where, in its current state, its near-impossible to generate buzz or attention. His series of matches with MJFculminating in an excellent Dog Collar Match at AEW Revolutionhighlighted Punks 2022. 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. Cody Rhodes believes he is the best wrestler in the world. . Throughout their program, Rollins made you believe that Matt Riddle was a main event talent. In Conclusion. By Tornad0 Ranking 20. 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. Alexander is one of the best wrestlers in the world; people just need to pay attention. (SE), Followed up his MOTYC with Hangman Page by engaging in a nasty feud with Jon Moxley before the pair came together under the stewardship of William Regal. 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. (CL). 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. There is something for everyone in pro wrestling, and with 2022 as an indication, it is a great time to be a fan. Top 10 Wealthiest/Richest Wrestlers And Their Networth In The World. But if you were around he did make a sound. 12 / 20. 02:55:00. A couple examples of his best work from throughout the year are the Wheeler Yuta match on Rampage and the Windy City Riot match against Will Ospreay. Rampage Brown. who wins Wrestler of the Year? A post shared by Undertaker (@undertaker) Consistently elevating your opponent was an element factored into this list, as were match quality and the stage on which it took place. 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. Rhodes returned to the WWE during night one of WrestleMania 38 after a six year absence. Instead of a litany of matches against the industrys top stars, Hart wrestled a very different roster from what he initially expected. An impressive body of work is important, though this is more than a list of wrestlers with the most ****+ matches. 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. 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. WhatCulture is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Joe Gagne: Wrestling podcast OG and trivia master! (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. Theres an argument to be made that his January 5 defense against Bryan Danielson is the best AEW singles match ever. The 2022 PWI Top 500 Wrestlers is a list of the Top 500 wrestlers according to the magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated. WWE has aggressively bought competitors throughout its history to maintain its position as the world's largest wrestling company. While she did not work an abundance of matches this year, her overall impact secured this spot. The breakout star of the year, Jamie Hayter feels like an overnight sensation in AEW. Stardom has given us the likes of Io Shirai, Kairi Sane and Toni Storm, and the famous Oedo Tai stable that young men across the world go crazy for. Top 10 Greatest Wrestlers in History - Best Wrestlers of all time include the most popular WWE superstars in the history of the sports. Best WWE Women's Match of 2022: Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch, WWE Raw Women's Championship match, WrestleMania 38. There is a certain mystique about Vikingo. Known for his appearances in World Wrestling Network promotions, Allin is currently signed to AEW. 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. Best British Wrestlers in the world. Sasha Banks. Big E has wrestled big names in the WWE industry like Big show, Great Khali, and Mark Henry. Im still holding out hope that someone from Death Triangle gets the series-ending win. 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. 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. 2022 was good for Giulia, but 2023 will be special for the Donna del Mondo leader. Davit Stepanyan 3. Pro Wrestling Illustrated - November 2022 Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2022 The Most Compelling Voice In Wrestling Media. 100-91. The Villain makes for compelling entertainment just . His profile is full of national and international professional arm-wrestling titles. PWI 500 2022 Top 128 Wrestlers Who is the best wrestler or 2022 ? Those two matches? Best known as "The Undertaker" from World Wrestling Entertainment. (JL). His flying looks smooth and effortless. (AC), Irie gets around. 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. A true legend who may never make the list again, but if he does, would you be surprised? 2023 is shaping up to be his biggest year since 2019. He signed and joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1983. Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. Jon Moxley was the best AEW wrestler of 2022 for several reasons. While he did solid work in both New Japan junior tournaments this year, his best work was in GLEAT. Ospreay stood alone and was the clear and obvious choice for the best wrestler of 2022. Mandy Rose via Instagram. She won the 2021 Royal Rumble match and became the first-ever black superstar to hold the title in WWE. Expect him to be a name on this list every year going forward. (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. Chances are if you watched Will Ospreay at any point in the year 2022, you saw a great match. (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. (GDT), One step forward, one step back for the breakout British star? Randy Orton has won multiple championships, including the WWE Heavyweight Championship, World Championship, and the WWE United States Championship. Check Price on Amazon. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. Paul 'Triple H' Levesque bounced back from a near-fatal heart issue in 2021 to effectively become the most powerful man in wrestling. Best known as "The Undertaker" from World Wrestling Entertainment. As recently as early 2021, he seemed to lag behind his Dojo classmates Hokuto Omori and Dan Tamura. Victory for Moxley comes as a reward for what was arguably the best . 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. His wrestling is also a violently gripping display. 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. Outside of MJF, though, there was a lot to love about Punks year. The Last Wrestlers: A Far Flung Journey In Search of a Manly Art. Ospreay kicked off his year on January 5 with an incredible Tokyo Dome main event against Kazuchika Okada and rounded out his record-breaking 2022 on the last RevPro show of the year against Tomohiro Ishii. Amazingly enough, 2022 marks 20 years since Brock Lesnar arrived in WWE and took the wrestling world by storm; two decades later, he's still at the top of the food chain. (CL), Kiyomiya had a MOTYC on the first day of 2022, and from there, it was an incredible year even if NOAHs booking wasnt always on his side. 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. Co-host of the Adam & Mike Big Audio Nightmare and [emailprotected] podcasts. The goal of the list is to be as well-informed and wide-ranging as possible. But it took a lot of toil, tears, and blood for her to reach this point, where she is seizing peoples attention on a weekly basis as AEW womens champion. But it is also the right one. Of course, that all depends on how you value and rate the past year in wrestling. Putting Roman Reigns fourth on this list, especially ahead of Will Ospreay, was the single hardest decision in the top 10. Shingo and Taichi worked hard together to have the best and most creative matches in King of Pro Wrestling history, including producing a late Match of the Year contender in December on a JTO show. Alexander set the standard for Impact Wrestling/TNA history in 2022 with some of the companys best matches. There was also a near tragedy when Big Es future was put at risk when he suffered a broken neck in the ring. Session expired. Match Of The Year: Men's WarGames Match, Survivor Series. He restored honor to a vacant world title on two separate occasions, beginning with a classic against Hiroshi Tanahashi at Forbidden Door in June. Since 1958 six honbasho have been held every year, giving wrestlers from the modern era more opportunities to accumulate championships and wins. Katsuyori Shibata fought several times. 10. 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. Amanda Rose Saccomanno. David Daniel Otunga. He is also the reigning AEW TNT Champion. Marty Scurll is one of those rarities; a technical wrestler who also has a well-developed gimmick and persona.

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