The Best Wrestlers Of 2018: 10-6
These are entries 6-10 of our Best Wrestlers of 2018 series. Make sure to check out 11-18, and join the conversation afterwards!
10. AJ Styles
Only in WWE could a wrestler hold their main title for nearly the entire year and still feel underwhelming. On paper, AJ Styles should be one of the top wrestlers of the year, becoming one of the longest reigning WWE champions in history while feuding with some of the best wrestlers in the world. Considering his feuds were against longtime rivals like Shinsuke Nakamura, Samoa Joe and Daniel Bryan, and what we should have had was one of the best championship runs in years. Instead, these feuds were bogged down by months of repetitive rematches, stipulations that made no sense, matches revolving around dick kicks, screwy finishes and family stalking. Still, AJ remains a top tier wrestler who carried Smackdown as well as he could throughout the year, which is an accomplishment that bad booking can’t take away from him.
9. Kazuchika Okada
The Rainmaker had so much to gain at the start of the year, and so much to lose in the back half. Okada managed to continue his legendary IWGP Heavyweight Championship run through June, fighting off a very game Tetsuya Naito, Sanada, Zack Sabre Jr. and his longtime rival, Hiroshi Tanahashi. The latter defense was the twelfth defense that broke The Ace’s own defense record of eleven, cementing Okada as possibly the greatest NJPW champion of all time. The rest of his year was the story of his own overconfidence getting the best of him, losing the title to Kenny Omega after challenging him to a 2-out-of-3 falls that favored the challenger, and being double-crossed by his stable-mate who promised to stab him in the back as he was accepted into Chaos. The Rainmaker then became affectionately known by some as the “Baloonmaker”, shedding his robe, blonde hair and motivation in favor of balloons and a string of losses. Now on his way to rehabilitate his win-loss ratio with his longtime manager, Gedo, in the corner of the “Switchblade” that stabbed him in the back, expect a return to form in 2019.
8. Jay White
It’s clear that NJPW has a ton of faith in Jay White considering how big of a year he had right out of the gate. Re-debuting after excursion at Wrestle Kingdom 12 as “Switchblade”, the New Zealander wrestled one of the company’s biggest stars in Hiroshi Tanahashi on January 4th. From there, he would join Bullet Club, double cross Kenny Omega in favor of joining Chaos, become the second ever US Champion after defeating Omega soon after, and finally becoming the new “leader” of the Bullet Club after The Elite left the group. Oh, and he has Okada’s longtime manager / real life booker, Gedo, at his side. Finding ways to get the best of Tanahashi and Okada at almost every turn, White is one of the few heels that manages to get near universal hate when he walks through the curtain. After a shaky start, he’s grown quickly into the Switchblade character, stepping into the new year as one of the biggest foreign stars in the company. Not bad for a 12 month period.
7. Ronda Rousey
I mentioned Utami Hayashishita having an incredible rookie year, but Ronda Rousey managed to take the WWE by storm over the span of nine months. The UFC hall of famer managed to have one of the best matches at Wrestlemania in a bout that few expected anything from against Stephanie McMahon of all people. It was only up from there, having great match after great match against Raw’s top women’s stars until she managed to win the Raw Women’s Title after only a handful of matches under her belt. From there, she would become a fighting champion, taking on all comers until she eventually crossed paths with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, setting off what many feel is the hottest feud in the WWE right now. With rumors of Becky versus Ronda headlining Wrestlemania in 2019, The Baddest Woman on the Planet has been undeniable throughout her entire run so far. The only thing that hurts her is that she’s able to rehearse her matches far more than the rest of the roster, which I see as an unfair advantage. Then again, getting a good match out of Nia Jax not once, but twice is an accomplishment in itself.
6. Tommaso Ciampa
Ciampa is like multiplying with a negative. He was so hated throughout the year and reveled in it so well that his heat wrapped around to make him one of the most popular wrestlers in NXT. After making his presence known by screwing his former tag team partner, Johnny Gargano, out of title shots and even his career at one point, the Blackheart of NXT seemingly got his just desserts when he lost an unsanctioned match against his former DIY teammate in one of the best matches of the year at Takeover New Orleans. As the champ will often remind you on Twitter however, that didn’t count. What did count was every match afterwards, winning the NXT Championship and holding it with an iron grip, having incredible matches with a wide variety of opponents along the way. From Aleister Black to The Velveteen Dream and Otis Dozovic, Ciampa has proven that he’s one of the best WWE has to offer. Still, let’s hope he finally gets what’s coming to him in 2019 after Johnny finds his redemption.
We’re at the home stretch! Click here for our five best wrestlers of 2018!
