This year was an interesting one for WWE. In many ways, it was a year of rebuilding, as for the first time since his debut, John Cena was largely absent. His schedule has been shrinking in recent years, but he was more of an afterthought than ever in 2018.
In his absence, though, so many have stepped up to potentially become the new face of WWE. The world of professional wrestling is different now than when Cena rose to stardom–just as his arrival was different than when “Stone Cold” Steve Austin was announced as the top star–and what fans expect from the king–or queen–of the hill has changed. It’s not just character that matters nor is it simply technical wrestling ability.
Instead, it’s a hybrid of the two being found under the exact right circumstances that finds viewers flocking to certain superstars. Becky Lynch’s character is on fire, even with a broken face, but if she couldn’t deliver “The Man” in the ring, would anyone care? AJ Styles may consider himself “the face that runs the place” on SmackDown Live, but if he wasn’t able to deliver intense and compelling promos, in addition to his stellar in-ring work, that show could wind up faceless.
So who had the best 2018? Luckily for you, GameSpot’s intrepid wrestling nerds–Mat Elfring, Chris E. Hayner, and Kevin Wong–have watched far more WWE than you’ll ever need to and have figured out exactly who won the year. Take a look at our 10 best WWE wrestlers of 2018 and sound off in the comments with who you think should take top honors this year.
