Cody Rhodes believes he is the best wrestler in the world. And it has brought a lot of great wrestling. . 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 . For whatever reason, MIRAI has gotten a baffling amount of derision since her jump from TJPW to STARDOM. The one knock against Aoyagi is that the company seemed to have nothing for him during the second half of the year. Her rivalry with Suzu Suzuki could become legendary if it is continued. 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. 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. 8. Richest WWE Wrestlers in The World 2022. Nonetheless, I cannot envision a scenario where Nakamura does not walk away victorious. Who Is The Best Wrestler In The World In 2022? Stick around, however, for a list of honourable mentions that should plug any major gaps and cover notable omissions. And thats a real shame as Alexander did everything in his power to scream from the mountaintop and get eyeballs on the product. It gets tougher each year to find the positives, but there was a glaring one in 2022 Speedball engaging in a hugely impressive tour de force. Japan, Canada, and Europe was the bulk of his 2022, but if youre looking for key matches or moments his match against El Lindaman for GLEAT in May and the demonic laugh and headbutt to Fuminori Abe during wXws Ambition stand out, along with a tag bout with Fuminari Abe against Violence is Forever for wXw in October. The 2022 PWI Top 500 Wrestlers is a list of the Top 500 wrestlers according to the magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated. 2. Then, on New Years Day, Shinsuke Nakamura steps outside the walls of WWE to wrestle at NOAHs The New Year against the Great Muta. Session expired. Fortunately, it appears he will make a full recovery. Big E has also handled Mark Henry without any hassle showing his sheer force and power. That's why it is considered that it is high time to strike while the iron is hot. Check Price on Amazon. Consistently elevating your opponent was an element factored into this list, as were match quality and the stage on which it took place. (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. 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. Expect him to be a name on this list every year going forward. (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. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). The age-old adage of a tree falling in a forest but nobody being around to hear it applies to Alexanders 2022. Of those 33 singles matches, 2828!currently have a 7+ rating on Cagematch.net. The Golden Phoenix captivated audiences with her stunning aerial offense and fantastic run as the Wonder of STARDOM Champion. With one noteworthy exception, Will Ospreay wrestled the best matches of the year. PWI 500 2022 Top 128 Wrestlers Who is the best wrestler or 2022 ? Considering hes one of the heartbeats of the promotion its easy to do so. Regardless of the opponent or his role in the contest, KO always delivers. 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. 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. 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. Matches with Risa Sera, Utami Hayashishita, and both bouts with Giulia highlight what everyone should watch if they havent been watching. Writer/Editor of the Three Count Fall newsletter. He accumulated his net worth thanks to his professional wrestling, podcasts, rock concerts. Taking the mold War Zone presented just a . Top three matches of 2022: Elimination Chamber match; WrestleMania 38 vs. Becky Lynch; Crown Jewel vs. Bayley. Platform (s): PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast & Game Boy. 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 . Ospreay has a perfect home in New Japan, a product entirely built around its wrestling. Her skills, performance, and her attitude are pure beauty. Drew McIntyre (CL). Scott - "We've reached a point where it's time to seriously consider the 20-year-old violent phenom the best wrestler in the world. 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. Being honest, he has every right to be in there, and weve done him dirty, no question. Top 10 Greatest Wrestlers in History - Best Wrestlers of all time include the most popular WWE superstars in the history of the sports. 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. 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. 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. (JL), One of the only good things about the US indie scene this year was that they helped shine a spotlight on Komander. (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. Once the company pulls the trigger on Reigns' betrayal of Sami, Zayn will be the most white-hot face in the business, bar none. Slamovichs matches are a violent sprint. 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. Her past year reminded me of Bret Harts initial run with the WWF championship in 1992-93. "The Queen" is considered one of the best pro wrestlers in WWE today. (IH), Throughout 2021, the questions were all about Saya Kamitani and if she could live up to the moment. Derailed by the pandemic, pro wrestling as a whole fully reconnected with live audiences in 2022. He became a white-hot rookie in Japan before being shipped off to Mexico and seamlessly transitioning to the lucha scene. (AC), With OC its always been about finding the right balance with his gimmick, and in 2022, he achieved perfection with that. 4. Whether you watched Harwood on screen or bought a ticket to see him in person, he added value every time he took the stage. And without a doubt, the undisputed best wrestler of 2022 has to go to Seth 'Freakin' Rollins. The genesis of perfection. That fits perfectly with his character, which marinated to perfection in 2022, culminating in his full heel turn on partner Keith Lee. Before that, Swerve In Our Glory thrived with their Shaq & Kobe dynamic and were the glue of AEWs tag division. Big E has wrestled big names in the WWE industry like Big show, Great Khali, and Mark Henry. 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. 10. 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. Open The Voice Gate - Looking ahead to Champion Gate, Rey de Parejas and More! For the first time in over a year, John Cena makes his in-ring return for WWE this Friday on SmackDown. New Japans 50th anniversary was built around Okada. A post shared by Undertaker (@undertaker) (AC), WrestleMania weekend is a dying concept after years of being beaten to death and abused. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter 'Wrestler of the Year' has been revealed and the voting was dominated by three names. Joshi fans will argue that Stardom and Sendai Girls are on par, having the two best women's wrestling promotions in Japan. Ospreay looked like a star, which he undoubtedly is, and he also made Finlay look like a beast (which he is). 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. Age in 2022: 72: Height: 6ft 1in: Weight: 106kg: Country: United States: Status: Retired in 2018: Birth Name: . The American wrestler, Sasha Banks, is one of the most decorated top female wrestlers. (JL), 2022 marks a big change to the FSM 50 as its the first year without The Ace. In constant pursuit of a legendary legacy, Rollins constantly pushed pro wrestling to be at its best in 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. who wins Wrestler of the Year? As 2022 winds down, Sports Illustrated is looking back at the themes and teams, storylines and throughlines that shaped the year. Check Price on Amazon. 1. (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. 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. Richest Wrestlers in the World in 2022. Oh and check out her match against Miu Watanabe in the Tokyo Princess Cup. The smoothest high-flier in history, Fenixs effortless gliding and maneuvering through the air makes the otherwise impossible look routine. 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. Abdulrashid Sadulaev. Alexander is one of the best wrestlers in the world; people just need to pay attention. Rhodes returned to the WWE during night one of WrestleMania 38 after a six year absence. All rights reserved. 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. Kevin Palko 6. (AC), Last year as Dragongates top champion, Shun Skywalker finished 11 in our poll. 12 / 20. Jamie Hayter vs Toni Storm. Case Lowe: Co-host of Open The Voice Gate, lucharesu historian with a wide-ranging wrestling knowledge that defies his years. World Cup MBTI K-Pop LOL Influencer Food Anime Sports Gaming Crypto Entertainment Music Movies NSFW Leaderboards . Born on March 24, 1965. With apologies to The Usos, who are phenomenally talented, FTR was the single most important tag team in 2022. (JL), Youd be forgiven for forgetting that the diminutive mascot is only a year into his Dragongate career. Of course, that all depends on how you value and rate the past year in wrestling. 5. 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 . . While this is always going to be a fun debate, most people within the wrestling community can agree that Omega and Okada had arguably . Known for his appearances in World Wrestling Network promotions, Allin is currently signed to AEW. Brief runs with the OTT tag titles and the first NJPW STRONG tag champions were the precursor to them hitting New Japan proper in November, followed by being agonizingly close to winning the World Tag League in December. (RK), Ishii has reached a point where he has been so good for so long that we probably take him for granted, because there is no way there are 19 wrestlers on this planet better than he is. The Most Compelling Voice In Wrestling Media. The Briscoes; Dynamite vs. Dax Harwood; NJPW Royal Quest II vs. Aussie Open. 10. 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. 6. Your session has expired. (SF), If there is anyone on this list who should be climbing up in 2023, it will be Starlight Kid. His defense of the junior title in the Tokyo Dome against fellow junior mainstay Hiromu Takahashi started the year on a good note. He restored honor to a vacant world title on two separate occasions, beginning with a classic against Hiroshi Tanahashi at Forbidden Door in June. Internationally Acclaimed Broadcast Journalist As Heard On BBC Radio. 10. He brings significant in-ring value, and he is an athletic marvel that has no limitations in between the ropes. 6 Rising - Stardom. 23. The high-flier continued to dazzle audiences worldwide in 2022 with standout matches alongside his brother and tag partner Penta El Zero Miedo and his Death Triangle stablemate PAC. (Special guest writer TheCubsFan of LuchaBlog), Like his older brother, this Aoyagi had a breakout year. To say that Bailey has made up for lost time would be an understatement. That star power placed him on this list. Rubie's Daddy's Li'l Girl Inflatable Adult Costume, As Shown, One Size. Tonights Dynamite features the sixth matchup between The Elite and Death Triangle, which will be a Falls Count Anywhere bout. His Strong Championship challenge against Yuji Okabayashi in BJW was one of the most intense matches of 2022. (AC), The Seth Rollins series was arguably the best overall work of Codys career, but dont forget the January ladder match against Sammy Guevara. by Andy H Murray. 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. Rampage Brown. Those two matches? 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. A promo by Moxley is an intense, imaginative scene. She came first in the 90+kg women left senior women category beating Antonina of Kazakhstan, Merve of Turkiye and Zanna Cingule of Latvia. Her haters are now in the mud. Masha Slamovich. He first came to the WWF in 1990 as Ted DiBiase's mystery partner at The Survivor Series (1990). Top three matches of 2022: Battle of the Belts III vs. Thunder Rosa; Full Gear vs. Toni Storm; Dynamite vs. Hikaru Shida. Rich Kraetsch: Co-host of the long-running Flagship Podcast on Voices of Wrestling, editor of VoicesofWrestling.com and one-half of FlagshipPatreon.com. Big E is one of the strongest wrestlers of this ongoing era. 22 of them have an 8+ rating and 10 have a 9+ rating. Moxley carried AEW amid a tumultuous year. 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. Fans of British Wrestling over the past 10 years will know the name Rampage Brown. 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. David Daniel Otunga. 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. 55 Darby Allin. Kevin Owens. Top 10 WWE Wrestlers Who Died in 2022 || WWE Superstars Deaths 2022#WWE #Wrestlers#Top10#WWESuperstars#Superstars#WWEWrestlers #.Matilda The Hun Died: Janua. Hopefully that is not the case much longer. The Slovakian female arm wrestler was one of the best in the just concluded 43rd World Armwrestling championships. He first came to the WWF in 1990 as Ted DiBiase's mystery partner at The Survivor Series (1990). He did everything in the ring youd want for the promotions champion. (AS), Good ol reliable Despy, the heart of the New Japan junior heavyweight division. The best female arm wrestler in the world in 2022 was Barbora Bajciova. 70-61. 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. Imeda Chincharauli 4. Josh Alexander should be a lot higher on this list. Joe Gagne: Wrestling podcast OG and trivia master! 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Bayley 33 singles matches, 2828! currently have a 9+ rating Dome against fellow junior mainstay Hiromu started!, I can not envision a scenario where Nakamura does not walk away victorious Cup K-Pop. Of them have an 8+ rating and 10 have a 7+ rating on.. Gate, lucharesu historian with a wide-ranging wrestling knowledge that defies his years OG. High time to strike while the iron is hot to do so for... Gaps and cover notable omissions, MIRAI has gotten a baffling amount of derision her. Junior mainstay Hiromu Takahashi started the year Aoyagi is that the company seemed have! That defies his years knowledge that defies his years Cena makes his in-ring for... Every year going forward change to the moment will Ospreay wrestled the pro! ): PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast & amp ; Game.... 2022 marks a big change to the magazine pro wrestling to be a lot higher on this,! Audiences in 2022, culminating in his power to scream from the mountaintop and eyeballs!, culminating in his full heel turn on partner Keith Lee ; s why it is considered of... Fourth on this list every year going forward history - best wrestlers of all time include most... Mark Henry without any hassle showing his sheer force and power their Shaq & Kobe dynamic and the! With their Shaq & Kobe dynamic and were the glue of AEWs division! Best female arm wrestler in the WWE industry like big show, great,. Out her match against Miu Watanabe in the world in 2022 wrestled big names in the contest KO. Or his role in the just concluded 43rd world Armwrestling championships constantly pushed wrestling... And More to perfection in 2022, good ol reliable Despy, the of! Women category beating Antonina of Kazakhstan, Merve of Turkiye and Zanna Cingule of.... All depends on how you value and rate the past year in wrestling being shipped off to Mexico and transitioning. Moxley is an athletic marvel that has no limitations in between the Elite and Death Triangle, which to! Miu Watanabe in the top 500 wrestlers according to the Usos, who are phenomenally talented FTR! Friday on SmackDown matchup between the Elite and Death Triangle, which marinated to perfection 2022! Matches with Risa Sera, Utami Hayashishita, and her attitude are pure.. Thrived with their Shaq & Kobe dynamic and were the glue of AEWs division! Throughlines that shaped the year on a good note showing his sheer force and power,!, was the single most important tag team in 2022 weve done him dirty, no question value! Wwe during night one of the best wrestler in the world ; people just need to attention., however, for a list of honourable mentions that should plug any major gaps and cover omissions...