His professional career is enriched with some of the best professional titles. I know its tempting to skip straight to the list, but there are some sneaky match recommendations and other pearls of wisdom youll miss out on, so do so at your peril! Date of Birth. Pro Wrestling Illustrated - November 2022 Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2022 Dont let her underwhelming match with Thunder Rosa in AEW deter you from seeking out her other stuff if youve never seen her before. The 2022 PWI Top 500 Wrestlers is a list of the Top 500 wrestlers according to the magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated. All in all, Takeshitas former nickname, The Future, is ringing true, and with his move to America, youd expect to see his name littered amongst the best in the world for many years to come. (Special guest writer TheCubsFan of LuchaBlog), Like his older brother, this Aoyagi had a breakout year. Theres an argument to be made that his January 5 defense against Bryan Danielson is the best AEW singles match ever. Feb. 2023 1 Bryan Danielson + More Championship Rate Richest WWE Wrestlers in The World 2022. Net Worth: $18 Million. At first, he was a heel, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII (1992). Every time Vikingo wrestles is a roller coaster of emotions. 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. 2. 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. It was a legit MOTYC and a great example of how to put over a young up and coming talent. For better and worse, this past year was unforgettable. David Daniel Otunga. Rich keeps an eye on the full world of wrestling with an emphasis on America and Japan. Austin has won two World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championships, six World . Top three matches of 2022: Forbidden Door vs. Orange Cassidy; G1 Climax vs. Kazuchika Okada; NJPW Burning Spirit vs. David Finlay. The age-old adage of a tree falling in a forest but nobody being around to hear it applies to Alexanders 2022. She also kicked off 2022 with a killer 30-minute draw against Mayu Iwatani and her first title challenge against Syuri. by Andy H Murray. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Case Lowe: Co-host of Open The Voice Gate, lucharesu historian with a wide-ranging wrestling knowledge that defies his years. Scott represents VOW, Fightful and Fightgamemedia where he hosts the Five Star Joshi Show. The Golden Phoenix captivated audiences with her stunning aerial offense and fantastic run as the Wonder of STARDOM Champion. Dylan - "There can not be a Top Joshi . Top three matches of 2022: MLW Azteca vs. Aramis; Rey de Reyes vs. John [Superstar] Morrison; TripleMana vs. Rey Fenix. Known for his appearances in World Wrestling Network promotions, Allin is currently signed to AEW. We hope to not only provide a credible ranking but also to expose readers to some new wrestling. (CL), Syuri has been the standard when it comes to world champions in 2022. 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. 8. Their match against Aussie Open at New Japans Royal Quest II was outrageously good. 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. PWI 500 2022 Top 128 Wrestlers Who is the best wrestler or 2022 ? Josh Alexander. Defense after defense, month after month, she has set a new standard for what a tremendous year-long world title reign should look like. Fortunately, though, All Elite Wrestling, Impact and New Japan Pro-Wrestling offer a great alternative for viewers who love the time-honored tradition. Posted by Alan4L | Jan 9, 2023 | The FSM 50. Buvaisar Saitiev. The one spot reserved exclusively for an indie talent belongs to someone who earned a place outright. He did everything within his bodily power to ensure that Cody Rhodes return at WrestleMania was viewed as a legitimately jaw-dropping, iconic moment, which it wasthen followed that up with an even better match with Rhodes at WrestleMania Backlash. 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. In September, he became the promotions first champion by defeating Flamita in one of the best world title matches of the year. Rhodes returned to the WWE during night one of WrestleMania 38 after a six year absence. Maybe its because her look isnt what STARDOM has been going for lately. The professional arm-wrestler has very strong muscles and a powerful arm that is enough to make the opponent down in competitions. Before that, Swerve In Our Glory thrived with their Shaq & Kobe dynamic and were the glue of AEWs tag division. Belair is a rare talent, a complete total package who can convincingly work a wide range of opponents and cut outstanding promos. Even after his spectacular year, he remains one of wrestlings best-kept secrets. 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. David Otunga (Net Worth: $10m) The former Nexus member could not achieve much in his wrestling career. 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. 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. (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. 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. 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. Hunter Noffz 8. Their June 26th steel cage match, much like Nakanos hair vs hair match with Giulia in 2021, put Nakanos skills on full display. Best British Wrestlers in the world. 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. 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. 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. Weve reached a point where its probably time we start thinking about whether Sheamus is arguably the best WWE television wrestler of all time. It is the 31st annual issue. Top three matches of 2022: Elimination Chamber match; WrestleMania 38 vs. Becky Lynch; Crown Jewel vs. Bayley. She stands out amongst various wrestlers while performing. The best thing about Moxleys in-ring performance from the moment he steps through the curtain is how uncompromising he is with his character. The American wrestler, Sasha Banks, is one of the most decorated top female wrestlers. 10. Hes still waiting to go fishing with Egotistico Fantastico. 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. (CL), At the age of 20 years old, Suzu Suzuki already has a claim to being called the best wrestler in the world. It wasnt all controversy. (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. Slamovichs matches are a violent sprint. 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. The Leader Of The Hardcore Wrestling Intelligentsia. Ospreay stood alone and was the clear and obvious choice for the best wrestler of 2022. Rampage Brown. Kevin Owens. Also, Dwayne Johnson is an actor who is ranked by Forbes in the list of the highest-paid actors in 2022. 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. 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. Whether that will ever fully manifest is a legitimate question, but he continued to give his opponents a brighter spotlight than they would see anywhere else. Since his release from WWE developmental in 2011, he has been a consistent name in the UK wrestling scene. But it is also the right one. In 2022, there were no more questions. (GDT). Ospreay has a perfect home in New Japan, a product entirely built around its wrestling. 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. Top three matches of 2022: ROH Supercard of Honor vs. Kevin Palko 6. In constant pursuit of a legendary legacy, Rollins constantly pushed pro wrestling to be at its best in 2022. Scott Edwards: One of the most passionate up-and-coming wrestling writers around. The manner in which Ospreay took the punishment from Finlay was a sight to behold, and that match will be looked upon fondly as Finlay continues his rise to stardom. Tonights Dynamite features the sixth matchup between The Elite and Death Triangle, which will be a Falls Count Anywhere bout. A hard-hitting match specialist and a survivor, Owens is capable of taking the most devastating blows because he can tolerate more harm than anybody else. 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 . While he did solid work in both New Japan junior tournaments this year, his best work was in GLEAT. (CL), Another wrestler that continues the theme of confidence separating the wheat from the chaff in modern wrestling. 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. Consistency was given as much weight as ceilings and floors. Chris Jericho is a Canadian-American professional wrestler and musician who is best known for his appearances in WWE between 1999 and 2018. He has held the WWF World . Firstly, he worked hard all year to entertain the fans, even when he was out of contract, because the company needed him. Then, on New Years Day, Shinsuke Nakamura steps outside the walls of WWE to wrestle at NOAHs The New Year against the Great Muta. Tag team wrestling across the globe had a banner year in 2022, but no team . Hes truly made a name for himself in AEW with impressive showcases against the likes of Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Eddie Kingston. 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