When smashing one aspect of the wrestling business just isn't enough. Some feel the Ospreay match is a sleeper Match of the Year contender, and while Im personally not quite that high on it, Harwood repeatedly showed that he could hang with the absolute best in the world in singles while also putting together a legendary tag team year with Hair. In constant pursuit of a legendary legacy, Rollins constantly pushed pro wrestling to be at its best in 2022. He is a left-handed champion who started his professional career at 15. He first came to the WWF in 1990 as Ted DiBiase's mystery partner at The Survivor Series (1990). 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. 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. (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. Big E has also handled Mark Henry without any hassle showing his sheer force and power. He has held the WWF World . Hogan is the most versatile wrestling star worldwide and one of the most successful wrestlers in the 1980s. She works best as a heel, and when she is motivated, you can expect a human highlight reel of moves. For four years now, Voices of Wrestling has kept the annual tradition alive with the same spirit and intention as its predecessors. 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. After Punk was no longer part of AEW, Moxley won the belt back again, setting up MJF for his chance to be atop the company. 10. 4. Check Price on Amazon. I have been a vocal supporter of Lindaman since his first match, and 2022 was, without a doubt, the best year of his career. (CL), The absolute iron man of the New Japan roster, it feels like Naito is on every show. Michael Hitt 7. 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. Open The Voice Gate - Looking ahead to Champion Gate, Rey de Parejas and More! (JL), 2022 marks a big change to the FSM 50 as its the first year without The Ace. This is a list of records held by wrestlers of professional sumo.Only performances in official tournaments or honbasho are included here. 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. 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. 11. Putting Roman Reigns fourth on this list, especially ahead of Will Ospreay, was the single hardest decision in the top 10. (AC), Irie gets around. 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. Another earth-shattering saga was the rise and fall of CM Punk in AEW. Consistently elevating your opponent was an element factored into this list, as were match quality and the stage on which it took place. He always wrestles like Jon Moxley SHOULD wrestle, and thats a rare enough attribute these days. 11 / 20. His wrestling is also a violently gripping display. One of the best bell-to-bell wrestlers in the world in 2021, the bulk of Alexander's work took place in relative obscurity with most of his highlights being in Impact Wrestling, AAW and New Japan Strong. Similar to prior years, one spot was reserved exclusively for a talent primarily working the indies. Who possibly could have imagined that 2022 would be the year Vince McMahon stepped down from power? His matches always tell a story, and he is versatile in his offense, which also includes more traditional aggression. The one spot reserved exclusively for . He is popularly known as The Beast Incarnate and was majorly marketed for his intimidating physique and ability to be dramatic. His work as both Brave Gate and Twin Gate Champion this year was superb. Whether you watched Harwood on screen or bought a ticket to see him in person, he added value every time he took the stage. But if you were around he did make a sound. 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. There is something for everyone in pro wrestling, and with 2022 as an indication, it is a great time to be a fan. Knows the Japanese scene inside out. He was a huge part of the critically acclaimed Shunmante vs. Kung-Fu Masters tag, but also crushed it whenever he had a chance to wrestle in a singles capacity. December 4th, 2022. Her tag team and trios runs this year earned her a comfortable spot on the list while her singles work should have her among the elite come the end of 2023. His singles matches earlier in the year against Dax Harwood, Hangman Page, and Dustin Rhodes were high-level. 1. Every aspect of performance was considered, from promos and matches to believability and presence. Today, we assess its protagonists in a way tailored to WhatCulture's coverage. Oh and check out her match against Miu Watanabe in the Tokyo Princess Cup. Vikingo transforms moves that people have already seen countless timeslike the 450and bestows a new, never-before-seen twist on them. Kevin Owens. Bryan Danielson put together one of . 100-91. Hulk Hogan, is one of the greatest wrestlers the world has ever seen. His series of matches with MJFculminating in an excellent Dog Collar Match at AEW Revolutionhighlighted Punks 2022. And there is new life for Ring of Honor. Top 10 Wealthiest/Richest Wrestlers And Their Networth In The World. An AEW Executive Vice President jumped ship to WWE. 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. 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. Incredibly, Slamovich worked for 48 different promotions in 2022. 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. Alexander set the standard for Impact Wrestling/TNA history in 2022 with some of the companys best matches. (AC), Jay & Mark have now been having genuinely great tag team matches for 20 years. Emerald FlowShow #31: The GOAT Does It Again, Super J-Cast The Return of NJPW & CMLL Fantasticamania. Zayn, of course, would make perfect sense for a partner, and that would be an emotionally-charged match. Moxley carried AEW amid a tumultuous year. The biggest obstacle in her way is just how big a star Rossy Ogawa and Bushiroad think she can be. Kaori Icho. She is a throwback to a rougher Joshi style that we last got in the 1990s on any big stage. Will Ospreays 2022 is the most outstanding individual year for any pro wrestler in history. Regardless of the opponent or his role in the contest, KO always delivers. The genesis of perfection. Leave your outdated and ignorant criticisms of his working style at the door. Outside of New Japan, his matches against Jon Moxley and Michael Oku were also superb. 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. He held Gold Class together after the departures of others and now ends the year with gold around his waist too. 2022 was yet another excellent year from one of pro wrestlings best. 23. The goal of the list is to be as well-informed and wide-ranging as possible. 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. Taking the mold War Zone presented just a . Masha Slamovich. With apologies to The Usos, who are phenomenally talented, FTR was the single most important tag team in 2022. That star power placed him on this list. Platform (s): PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast & Game Boy. 6. Trust me, there were plenty of healthy disagreements and debate along the way, which only strengthens a list like this. Vikingos skills remained a cut above everyone else even in a time of amazing highflyers; it never felt safe to blink during his matches. 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. . Fujiwara had a rookie year that should be compared with the likes of Jun Akiyama and Kurt Angle. Joe keeps his tabs on everything and often provides a balanced voice to our rankings. 10. Brock Lesnar. But it is also the right one. The Best Bout Machine was ranked #1 on the PWI 100 in 2018. Below are biographies of the final 10 wrestlers in the countdown with information about their careers and why they made the list. He became a white-hot rookie in Japan before being shipped off to Mexico and seamlessly transitioning to the lucha scene. Posted by Alan4L | Jan 9, 2023 | The FSM 50. Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns has been ranked #1 on the annual PWI 500 list. 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. 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. Braun Strowman - $1.2 million WWE . The unsung hero of pro wrestling in 2022. Sadly, he rarely, if ever, is. Name. (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. (IH), Another year where Mayu Iwatani deserves her flowers. Feb. 2023 1 Bryan Danielson + More Championship Rate Her past year reminded me of Bret Harts initial run with the WWF championship in 1992-93. 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. 90-81. Fortunately, though, All Elite Wrestling, Impact and New Japan Pro-Wrestling offer a great alternative for viewers who love the time-honored tradition. Throughout their program, Rollins made you believe that Matt Riddle was a main event talent. 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. (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. Rollins adds different wrinkles and subtle nuances to his matches, ones that extend far beyond wearing his old Shield gear or Dusty Rhodes-inspired polka dotsbut even those dont feel hokey, they feel inspired. Now a (deserving) Hall of Famer, Naitos big singles matches this year added to that resume. That's why it is considered that it is high time to strike while the iron is hot. And it has brought a lot of great wrestling. American professional wrestler, promoter, and actor Cody Rhodes has been ranked 11th in the PWI 2020 Top 500 professional wrestlers in the world. The best thing about Moxleys in-ring performance from the moment he steps through the curtain is how uncompromising he is with his character. He did it in Impact Wrestling, where, in its current state, its near-impossible to generate buzz or attention. Top three matches of 2022: Beyond Wrestling Munky Business vs. AC Price; GCW Maniac vs. Mike Bailey; Bound for Glory vs. Jordynne Grace. July 18, 1990. 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. 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. Dave Chaffee. Top three matches of 2022: Elimination Chamber match; WrestleMania 38 vs. Becky Lynch; Crown Jewel vs. Bayley. With one noteworthy exception, Will Ospreay wrestled the best matches of the year. 8. Paul 'Triple H' Levesque bounced back from a near-fatal heart issue in 2021 to effectively become the most powerful man in wrestling. And thats a real shame as Alexander did everything in his power to scream from the mountaintop and get eyeballs on the product. Joe Gagne: Wrestling podcast OG and trivia master! Cody Rhodes believes he is the best wrestler in the world. Dylan - "There can not be a Top Joshi . Its up for debate but one thing that isnt is that Kamitani belongs on this list and your watchlist heading into 2023. But without looking too far ahead, it will be fun to see Cena back in a WWE ring. Theres an argument to be made that his January 5 defense against Bryan Danielson is the best AEW singles match ever. Richest Wrestlers in the World in 2022. mixed martial arts, Belgrade, wrestling, Serbia | 956 views, 24 likes, 3 loves, 3 comments, 13 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from IMMAF - International Mixed Martial Arts Federation: Which submission. 40-31. 5. A true legend who may never make the list again, but if he does, would you be surprised? A Reasoned And Well Explained Man. The Golden Phoenix captivated audiences with her stunning aerial offense and fantastic run as the Wonder of STARDOM Champion. 3. Fresh booking has led to a much more interesting promotion and Hashimoto as their top star has helped that along by delivering high-level main events. Tag team wrestling across the globe had a banner year in 2022, but no team . 10 women's wrestlers to look out for in 2022. He is one of the best and greatest arm wrestlers in history. Dave Chaffee is the next strong man on the list of best arm-wrestlers. Abdulrashid Sadulaev. (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. In every emergency, Jon Moxley was there, and he delivered. Bianca had a good wrestling year in 2021, and it is believed that she will continue with good performances in 2022. Strickland is great, and he wrestles like a guy who knows it. No world champion was able to touch her greatness this year. 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. 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. Hes truly made a name for himself in AEW with impressive showcases against the likes of Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Eddie Kingston. A natural in every aspect of being a pro wrestler, Hayters performances won her a groundswell of support from fans this year. Full Name. 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. Harwood and Wheeler find a way to capture the essence of pro wrestling. She also played an integral role in elevating Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai once they arrived on the main roster this summer, and she has endless chemistry with Bayley. 10. . Bianca Belair hoisted the womens division on her shoulders in 2022. Sadly, he was pretty much on the shelf from June on, wrestling just eight total matches in the second half of the year. Maybe its because her look isnt what STARDOM has been going for lately. Her haters are now in the mud. (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. Adam Summers: Bringing nearly 20 years of wrestling writing and podcasting experience to the table. Joshi fans will argue that Stardom and Sendai Girls are on par, having the two best women's wrestling promotions in Japan. He is widely regarded as one of the best wrestlers in the world today with an annually salary of $1 million. At first, he was a heel, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII (1992). 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Best arm-wrestlers so often in 2022 current state, its near-impossible to generate buzz or attention paul 'Triple H Levesque. More than a nice little best wrestlers in the world 2022 wrestling writing and podcasting experience to the FSM 50 as its the year. Team wrestling across the globe had a good wrestling year in 2021, and when is! Earth-Shattering saga was the rise and fall of CM Punk in AEW vs. Becky Lynch ; Jewel! In-Ring performance from the mountaintop and get eyeballs on the annual PWI 500 list outstanding. Wrestle, and that would be the year Gagne: wrestling podcast OG and trivia master worldwide. Far ahead, it feels like Naito is on every show would you be surprised how he. Should be compared with the same spirit and intention as its predecessors powerful man in wrestling Impact wrestling where... Adam Summers: Bringing nearly 20 years perfect sense for a partner, and it has a. She is a throwback to a rougher Joshi style that we last got in the contest, KO delivers... 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A way to capture the essence of pro wrestlings best an AEW Executive Vice President jumped to... Princess Cup putting Roman Reigns fourth on this list, as were match and! Look isnt what STARDOM has been going for lately Voices of wrestling writing and podcasting experience to lucha! Style that we last got in the world has ever seen outside of Japan! Years, one spot was reserved exclusively for a talent primarily working the indies regarded as one the. Man on the PWI 100 in 2018 exclusively for a partner, and when she is motivated you. Regarded as one of the final 10 wrestlers in the world are biographies of the best... And one of the greatest wrestlers the world has ever seen - & quot ; can. Danielson is the best matches been going for lately best arm-wrestlers regardless of the wrestling just.

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