The Best Wrestlers Of 2018: 5-1
This is entries 5-1 of our Best Wrestlers of 2018 series. Make sure to check out 6-10 and 11-18 and join the conversation afterwards!
5. Cody
Not that I’m one to speak for Cody Rhodes, but I’m almost positive that even he could not have expected how much of a success All In was. Setting records for attendance and merchandise sales while generating buzz rarely seen outside of a WWE event, being one of the masterminds behind the largest non-WWE show since WCW died in the US was only one of his accomplishments this year. Being the catalyst behind both the Golden Lovers reuniting and the Bullet Club breakup storyline when it was at its peak, Cody found himself in the IWGP Heavyweight Championship hunt more often than anyone else in 2018. But what really tops off his year in the ring was his historic win over Nick Aldis at All In, winning the title that his father held so many years ago and bringing more eyes to the NWA than anyone else has in decades. With All Elite Wrestling on the horizon, Cody’s looking to change the wrestling world for the better, and none of that would be possible without 2018 putting him in a position to do so.
4. Daniel Bryan
At this time last year, most of us assumed we’d never see Daniel Bryan wrestle again. However, the impossible happened when rumors of him coming out of retirement became reality. The leader of the Yes Movement was finally cleared to wrestle after years of therapy and second opinions, returning with Shane McMahon against Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. Then… Nothing. A nowhere feud with Big Cass, a throwaway return of Team Hell No so they could lose to the Bludgeon Brothers and a long-awaited clash against The Miz that was bogged down by bad finishes and unnecessary inclusion of their less-than-stellar wives made it feel like clearing Bryan was more about keeping him away from other companies than it was about using him in any meaningful way.
That changed when Bryan went for AJ Styles’ kryptonite and kicked him straight in the balls to suddenly win the WWE Championship, ending AJ’s 371 day reign. This was the moment the Yes Movement died and “The New” Daniel Bryan blessed our screens. As an aggressively environment friendly wrestler who makes us feel bad for buying his merchandise rather than thrift, he has somehow went from one of the most loved figures in wrestling history to a rare heel who actually gets boo’d by most crowds. Alongside his blow away heel work, Bryan also reminded us that he’s one of the best wrestlers of all time, managing to look terrifying against Brock Lesnar, an opponent that towers over him, and making the most out of his feud with Styles by putting on some of the WWE main roster’s best performances. I’m hoping Bryan holds the title until at least Wrestlemania, He’s a case of a wrestler firing on all cylinders right before our eyes.
3. Hiroshi Tanahashi
The joke I kept hearing throughout 2017 was that Tanahashi was being held together by heart and duct tape. For the uninitiated, the best way to describe Hiroshi Tanahashi is the John Cena of NJPW. When the company was in bad shape, Tanahashi carried the company through the mid 2000’s onward to become “The Ace” of the company. Over the course of his time on top, NJPW rose to prominance once again thanks to his unmatched ring work, off the charts charisma and a look that screams “rock star”. And let’s face it, you’d have to be all of those things to make air guitar look good. To continue the Cena parallels, Tanahashi has taken a backseat in recent years as Okada stepped up and took his place as the top star despite still being universally loved. No one would have blamed him if he took time off throughout 2017 and 2018 as he nursed a multitude of injuries, including a torn bicep. But despite this, he pressed on.
At first, 2018 seemed like it would continue to see Tana in a supporting role. He started the year against Jay White, failed at the finish line against Zack Sabre Jr. at the New Japan Cup and falling to Okada once again, losing his record of the most successive title defenses in the process. Then, the G1 happened. In a tournament that many figured would be a sure thing for Kota Ibushi, when the finals arrived, a spark of hope for The Ace set off an unstoppable flame, shocking viewers around the world and defeating Ibushi to win his third G1 11 years after his first victory in the annual tournament. Proving that he never lost his greatness in thrilling matches against a variety of rivals, The Ace closes 2018 on his way to a Tokyo Dome main event against Kenny Omega where he hopes to find himself on the top of the mountain for what could be the last time.
But what makes his journey especially intriguing is the dichotomy between him and Omega, representing different philosophies on how NJPW should move forward. On one side is the brash, arrogant foreigner who wants to “Change the World” by guiding the company towards a worldwide expansion on his shoulders with a Western influence. On the other is the traditionalist, the man who has carried the banner of NJPW through its darkest days for over a decade who knows that NJPW can reach greater heights worldwide by being true to itself instead of becoming something its not. It’s an incredibly compelling story that has dragged fans along for the ride, with people taking sides and arguing over who’s philosophy is right in real life. Win or lose, Tanahashi has managed to capture the hearts and minds of fans around the world years after we thought his time on top was up. That alone deserves all the praise we can muster, and even as a big Omega fan, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t pulling for Tanahashi come January 4.
2. Becky Lynch
The Man comes around…
In a year where the biggest female combat athlete came to WWE, it’s almost impossible to imagine that the Irish Lass Kicker, the same star who had been the designated pin eater in nothing tag matches, would become the most compelling character in the largest wrestling company in the world. Starting during a redemption storyline that carried her through the Summer, Becky racked up some much needed victories on her way to earning a title shot against Carmella at Summerslam. Unfortunately for her, her best friend, Charlotte Flair, was given a title shot after only one non-title win against the champion. She would make the most of that chance by hitting Becky from behind when Lynch would have otherwise won the match if it was a one-on-one match as originally scheduled. Seeing the chance she fought for crumble as her friend celebrated, she assaulted Charlotte in brutal fashion, all with the fan’s full support behind her after they had stuck by her through her uneventful months prior.
As with Daniel Bryan’s original WWE Championship run, the best storylines often come out of WWE when the company itself is fighting tooth and nail against what the fans want. Despite trying to portray Becky as a jealous heel, (the complete opposite of how the storyline played out), the fans only cheered louder, forcing the company to acknowledge Lynch’s popularity after weeks of trying to ignore or spin it. After coming out victorious against Charlotte and ultimately ending up as Smackdown Women’s Champion, “The Man” rose to even greater heights after targeting Ronda Rousey both on TV and through some compelling Twitter interactions, being the clear choice of the people even when up against one of the company’s most popular stars.
An unexpected punch to the face put the ice on the Ronda vs. Becky match at Survivor Series. What we got instead was one of the most iconic wrestling images to come out of the WWE in a long time as a defiant, (and apparently unconscious), Becky stood in the crowd to survey the chaos she brought to Raw. What was supposed to be a one-off feud on the way to Charlotte vs Ronda at Wrestlemania, there’s a very real possibility that Becky vs. Ronda could main event the biggest show of the year as a result of becoming the hottest feud in the company. This would be a first for women in the WWE, and even the speculation can be directly attributed to how Becky has taken the opportunity she found herself with in 2018 and did more with it than anyone could have ever imagined. The Man is here, and this run may ensure that her spot in wrestling history is firmly cemented.
1. Kenny Omega
G1 B Block Finalist. A half-dozen match of the year candidates to his name. IWGP US Champion. Closing out the year as the first gaijin (or foreigner), to head into the following Wrestle Kingdom as IWGP Heavyweight Champion. All of these accolades are more than enough to earn a spot on anyone’s best wrestler of the year list. But one victory in particular sets Kenny Omega apart from the rest of the pack when it comes to being the best wrestler in a very crowded field in 2018. That victory was against Kazuchika Okada on June 9 to win his first IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, ending the legendary 720 day reign at 12 defenses. Serving as the current cap on a year and a half long chase, the former junior heavyweight finally reached the top of the mountain against an unbeatable foe.
If that wasn’t enough of a reason to show how 2018 was the year of Omega, Kenny found himself at the center of some of the best and most talked about events and storylines of the year. Reuniting with Kota Ibushi, the distension and re-uniting of The Elite, All In, AEW, the feud with Chris Jericho, the Jericho Cruise, the split from the Bullet Club, (at least the start of it), and even E3 had Omega’s name all over them. Even then, all of this ignores a G1 run that’s in the discussion for the best of the year. When your competition consists of Ibushi, Naito, Tanahashi, Okada and Ishii among many other standouts, that’s noteworth in itself. Its especially noteworthy when you do it with a broken heel, which no one would be able to see if it wasn’t widely reported. Outside of the ring, Kenny was the subject of an upcoming HBO documentary that should be airing in a matter of months. To put it bluntly, Kenny Omega is easily the most covered wrestler that’s not in the WWE. Even then, he has more buzz around him now than anyone that’s not at the absolute top of the biggest wrestling company in the world.
Kenny’s ultimate goal in wrestling is to “Change the World” by helping expand NJPW for a worldwide audience. His clash of ideologies with Tanahashi that was mentioned before tops off what has been one of the greatest single years a wrestler has ever had in the near 30 years I’ve been watching from all angles. From match performance to big wins, storylines to accomplishments and character work, there was not a better professional wrestler all around than Kenny Omega. In a year that saw women’s wrestling rise to new heights in the US, stars of old return to prominence, new wrestling companies being born before our eyes and the conclusion of the one of the greatest title reigns of all time, it’s a reminder of how lucky we are to be able to experience history as it happens.
What are your thoughts on wrestling in 2018? What sections did you agree or disagree with? Any glaring omissions? Let us know in the comments, and here’s to another legendary year in the squared circle come 2019!
