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Jonathan Barrows · (01-01-2023)

~The spotlight comes on, focusing on the center of the ring. We can’t see anything at ringside, but just from the stark quiet of the arena, you can tell that the seats are empty. There’s no audience in attendance on this evening, at this particular event. Slowly, a man comes up onto the apron and steps carefully through the ropes. He walks right to the spotlight, his gray tuxedo shining in the bright light. Many probably won’t recognize him, but for some, he’s unforgettable. He turns towards the camera, smiling, before bringing his mic up.~

Jonathan Barrows: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Jonathan Barrows, and I am currently a general manager for the X-Treme Wrestling Federation, or the XWF for short. I’ve been around this wrestling business for a long time. You could say that it runs in my family’s blood. I’ve seen some incredible highs and some extremely tragic lows, and through it all, the business has kept moving forwards.

~Barrows twirls the mic in his hands, a smile on his face. Who knows exactly what he’s remembering in this moment, and whether everyone out there would be smiling the same way if they knew what it was.~

Jonathan Barrows: 2022 was a banner year for so many wrestling federations. We saw some open their doors for the first time, bringing quality entertainment to the masses. We saw some incredible feds put on their last shows, at least for now, ending their time in the sun. We’ve seen World Champions come and go, staking their claim to be written about in the history books. Many of them will be talked about here shortly.

~The camera begins to slowly spin around the ring, as Barrows turns, continuing to face it. We can see the big screen displayed behind him now at the entryway, lit up with the image of the Jonathan Barrows Year End Honors banner. He looks back at it for a second, appreciating his name being there, before returning to face the viewers.~

Jonathan Barrows: The names we have compiled tonight feature over 80 of the top wrestlers and personalities from numerous feds in our business. We tried our best to make this as global a listing as we could. Wrestlers from the XWF are featured, but so are competitors from Action Wrestling, Level Up Wrestling, Online Championship Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Excellence, Sin City Wrestling, Supreme Championship Wrestling, Thunder Pro Wrestling, the Unified Global Wrestling Coalition, the World’s Greatest Wrestling Federation, Zion Pro Wrestling, and so many more.

~For a second, Barrows seems to hesitate, shaking his head, but he pulls it quickly back together.~

Jonathan Barrows: There are going to be some federations NOT mentioned here. Their title reigns may have been part of some wrestler’s year, but our researchers may have missed them. In fact, this is almost guaranteed to be true. All we can say on that point is that, hey, sorry, we’ll try to do better on that next time, with better researchers, hopefully.

~Barrows shrugs to the camera, the smile back on his face.~

Jonathan Barrows: Similarly, it’s almost guaranteed that there are going to be wrestlers missing from this list that are seen by some as sure-fire nominees to have had the best year possible in 2022. I can tell you right now that there are some tremendous wrestlers from the XWF who I have watched earn gold this year who did not, for one reason or another, make any of the 20 lists entered. This doesn’t take anything away from the historic years these wrestlers had. The stats are still there for anyone to see how amazing it’s been. So if you look for yourself and don’t find your name? Take no insult from that. Just go and beat the hell out of someone and feel better.

~If there’s anyone that would advise violence after something like this, it’d be Barrows. Of course, he’d probably also insist that it be at a venue somewhere so it could be televised for a profit.~

Jonathan Barrows: Similarly, there will be wrestlers ranked lower than they expect, or maybe higher than they expect. Again, it all came down to the people who filled out ballots and sent them in. Some will say, this thing is just a popularity contest. Well, damn straight it is. But at the same time, it’s also a celebration of the year we just had, a remembrance of some amazing action and intensity inside the squared circle. It’s 2022 in a focused nutshell, and you should enjoy every minute of it.

~With that, Barrows turns and looks towards the screen again, as the graphics begin to change.~

Jonathan Barrows: It’s time to get started. We’ve got eight tiers of competition, spacing out the groups for all to see. And the best place to start is at the beginning, so let’s get this going, shall we?

~Barrows steps away, as the camera zooms in on the screen. We’re ready to begin.~

These are the individuals who had a major effect on our wrestling business in 2022, but for one reason or another were not mentioned in the main list. No one can deny their impact, and so we’re honoring them here.

Tim Applesauce - The Sauce Boss was the brains behind This Is Awesome’s World Series of Wrestling. It brought together 65 wrestlers from all over the wrestling universe, covering three months of the year over 10 specific events to test the best of the best. It was an epic series that really came down to the wire for the final Saucy 16. We look forward to seeing the WSOW return in 2023, with new judges, new coaches, and another great series.

Tara Fenix - One of the biggest events to look forward to now is the Tara Fenix Charity Event. While it’s no longer on a cruise, this year’s event had some of the best of the best from all over the wrestling world battling it out to a sold out audience. When one event (albeit over 4 nights) has a Rumble, a Hell In A Cell contest, defenses of the PW-Excellence Impulse Title and the Splat Interstellar Gemini & Multiuniveral Titles, and a main event of Team Chris Page vs. Team Corey Black, you can’t deny the impact of the TFCE. We’ve been lucky to have someone willing to put these events together.

Denzel Porter - He may not be getting the votes since he’s, well, not a wrestler, but Denzel Porter has improved our sport in so many ways with his tireless reporting. There have been so many Breaking News reports this year, with Porter bringing us the biggest stories out of numerous federations. He also brought us the Denzel Porter Invitational, a fabulous event that we hope continues for many, many years, bringing together the top wrestlers in the world.

Peter Vaughn - Vaughn had a banner year in 2022, winning the PW Valor World Title, the TPW International Title, and the XWF’s Universal and Supercontinental Titles. He also was a major competitor in the World Series of Wrestling, reaching the Saucy 16. However, circumstances conspired to keep Mr. Vaughn off of the main tiers, so he’s being honored here instead.

// OOC: Some people did put Mr. Vaughn on their lists, thanks to him having a pretty decent year (especially at the beginning… damn, I’ve nosedived since then lol). I did really appreciate those votes, and at the same time, I don’t want to be a complete asshole by putting my own character in my own year-end listl. So I’m just being a partial asshole by mentioning it as an honorable mention. Thanks again for your support!

A wrestler making the Superstar tier is simple: their talent was enough to impress someone to include them on a ballot of the Top 10 wrestlers in the world. That is a major honor for anyone listed below, and they should take it as such.

Spencer Adams - Adams has proven himself to be a tag-team specialist over the years. He would win his fifth Action Wrestling Tag-Team Titles with CJ Phoenix as King Shit, defeating Insurgentia at Clash of Champions in August. They would defend the belts until December, when injuries to Phoenix forced the belts to be vacated. Of course, as an AW Triple Crown Champion, Adams can get victories in almost any division. Will he make his way back to the World Title, or will he find another partner to return for his sixth reign?

Cass Baumer - The Headliner lived up to her name in 2022, appearing with several federations as a wrestler while also being one of the top journalists in the wrestling world. Her writing would start a feud with Alexandra Calaway, bringing Baumer into OCW to face her at Big Game Hunting. She would then appear periodically in OCW, but didn’t see the success she wanted The gold instead came in NFW, where Baumer won the NFW Perseverance Championship from Hayley Halsey at Reckoning Day IV in July. She would hold it for 56 days before falling to Dolores.

Sonya Benson - Sonya has made a lot of progress towards her father’s ultimatum this year. The hater of wrestling everywhere has nonetheless gotten several wins under her belt, especially lately in WGWF, where she became the first WGWF Television Champion of the new era by winning a Fatal Fourway match. Will Benson be a proud Television Champion? Or will she continue her hostility towards the sport that took her brother’s life and destroy the gold?

Vincent Black - A force in CU:LT Wrestling, Black has had a strong year there since making his return at Jonestown Reunion with a dominating win over Caleb Hart. Black would add a championship to his resume at Gringos Gone Wild in October, taking down Noah Ortega for the CU:LT Classic Championship. He would defend the belt over the next few months, before finally falling to JJ Slayer at Super Saiyan I. Black also made an ‘impact’ of another kind when he left CU:LT Champion Justin York badly bloodied after an ambush at Death Match.

Johnathan Cable - “You wanted The Beast? Now you GOT him!” It’s one of the more terrifying catchphrases out there, as you never wanted Johnathan Cable gunning for you. A former WGWF World Champion, Cable made his return to the company upon its reopening, getting right back to fighting the best in the world whenever he can. He’s also shown that he’s still got it by competing in the World Series of Wrestling, making it to the final Saucy 16 in a field of 65 wrestlers. Could Cable add another WGWF World Title run to his resume? I wouldn’t bet against it.

Ashlynn Cassidy - The Killer Counter Queen has one of the best nicknames in the business. Cassidy has mainly been competing this year in Zion Wrestling, never backing down from her opponents. The former Zion Wrestling Champion would take home gold this year as well, teaming with Eden Sterling in The Crown to win the vacated Zion Wrestling Tag-Team Titles on Mayhem, defeating The House of Wolves on the Monday Night Mayhem Season Premiere. The two would hold the belts for a month before they were forced to vacate the titles when they were involuntarily transferred to the Fusion brand.

Cholo - Giovanni Santana continued his successful ways in 2022, continuing after the Quag Cup the year before. Cholo would make waves in the Tara Fenix Charity Event Rumble, eliminating ONNA, Marvelous Mike Mason, and Guy Manson to reach the final three. Cholo would also get one of his bigger wins of the year at the Cannabis Cup, taking down Thunder Knuckles in the first round of the tournament before falling in a close contest to the eventual winner, Mark Flynn. Since then, Cholo has been competing at a high level in WGWF, looking to really kick things into overdrive in 2023.

CYPH3R - Tyler Norrie didn’t finish the year quite the way he probably would have wanted to, as he’s currently serving a three-year jail sentence. But for a time, CYPH3R was one of the hottest hackers/wrestlers in the world. He would be almost unbeatable for a time in OCW, winning the Transatlantic Title from Dangerous Dan at Reformation in June. He would defend the belt over the summer and into the fall, but it all fell apart on a September Massacre, when his actions against Thaddeus Duke & Sahara came back to haunt him. It remains to be seen if CYPH3R can ever find himself back in the wrestling world in the future.

Rhett Dawson - “The Maestro” has proven to be a great composer of his own destiny in IIW, both in the singles and tag-team ranks. Rhett joined up with Sawyer Wade as Against The Grain, and the duo had some major success just recently, winning the IIW Tag-Team Titles. ATG looks like a force to be reckoned with in the near future, as does Dawson, as he has been extremely successful early on in his wrestling career.

Casanova English - These days, English is known better as the creator of Combat Unlimited: Lethal Trials, aka CU:LT Wrestling. But don’t rule out English’s talent in the ring due to his ownership duties. English has competed in Project Honor, holding the Warrior Rising Championship, and recently made a run in the World Series of Wrestling as one of the 65 competitors. Although English didn’t make it to the end of the tournament, he still put on a strong showing early on, letting the world know that he could compete with the best of the best.

Adi Gold - Addison Goldblum has made a big splash as a television star and creator for Splat TV, but she hasn’t left her dream of wrestling behind her. Gold competed in multiple federations this year, including CU:LT, OCW, and the XWF, looking for success in any matches that came her way. She competed in the Ouija Board Tournament in CU:LT and took down Joshua Schuler in the XWF, while continuing to be a star on Splat TV whenever possible.

Betsy Granger - “The Impossible Traveler” covered a lot of ground in 2022. Among other places, Granger wrestled in the XWF, TPW, and Splat Wrestling. Possibly Granger’s biggest success of the year came in the Splat! Gemini One Round Robin Tournament. Granger and her partner, Anastasia Starling, formed the team Betsy & The Bird and went all the way through, collecting numerous victories and winning in the finals to become the Splat Interstellar Gemini Tag-Team Champions at Red Blood Cell. They would continue the tradition of defending the belts in numerous federations as the year went by.

Micheal Graves - It’s been an absolutely crazy year for Gravy, which has included body swaps and near-death experiences. It’s also been a year for Graves to put on all-star contests with some of the greats in the XWF. Some of his matches against Charlie Nickles, Raion Kido, and Mark Flynn will be recognized on many match of the year lists. Graves also secured himself gold during the year, winning the XWF Television Title from Dick Powers. His reign, unfortunately, would be short-lived due to outside interference, even as Graves wasn’t involved in the pinfall that cost him the gold. Who knows what the future holds for Gravy. All we know for sure is that it’s going to be entertaining.

Bam Miller - It’s always Miller Time when bricks are available. Bam Miller has been competing in several federations this year, including IIW and the XWF, fighting under the banner of CCPE. He’s had some major success in IIW, including winning the IIW Tag-Team Titles with Fred Debonair in October, vacating them soon thereafter. He also had one of the biggest wins of his career at XWF Bad Medicine, where he and Chris Page brought glory to the CCPE name by beating Jason Cashe & Theo Pryce. If there’s a fight somewhere in the world, you know Bam’s interested in being there.

Michelle Riggs - Miss Michelle has been a steady competitor this year in Fight NYC and Level Up, among other federations. She held the OPW XtraDiction Championship in June 2022. Miss Michelle was scheduled to compete at the Tara Fenix Charity Event alongside Paul Montuori, but instead she stepped to the side and watched as Paul teamed with Dane Preston to get the victory. Currently, Riggs is on the sidelines, expecting her child with Montuori soon enough. After the birth, however, you know it won’t be too long until the King and Queen are once again active together in the business.

Crash Rodriguez - Louis Pohl has to be proud with how his representative has done over the past year. Crash earned his first OCW singles gold in July, taking down Tamika Strader at Truth or Consequences to become the OCW Craze Champion. While continuing his reign, Crash would later get arguably his biggest win of the year in October, when he won a Champion vs. Champion match over the Transatlantic Champion, Sahara, on Massacre. Crash would also win an Outsiders’ Iron Man match over Mike Zybala on Halloween, continuing to notch up some impressive victories.

Max Stone - The master of the Renegade Spike has gone on quite a tear in the IIW. He notched up an impressive winning streak in March, taking down opponent after opponent as he made his presence felt in the federation. Stone would later become IIW Hardcore Champion, an impressive feat, and has recently feuded with another star of the company, Joe Montuori. Can Stone make the jump to the top titles in 2023?

Supreme Machine - The monster roamed the wrestling world for much of 2022, dishing out destruction wherever he went. SuMa would start out the year as the Thunder Pro Wrestling American Champion, crushing every contender for the next four months. He would include among his victims Khloe Cox in a Cartoon Funhouse match and Oliver Main in a Graveyard match. Suffice to say, both wrestlers took a beating. After TPW closed, SuMa would compete for a while longer, but has since disappeared, which is almost more ominous than knowing where he is. Who knows if he will ever return…

Sloane Taylor - The Sky Queen soared over the competition in 2022, alongside her partner, Sebastian Everett Bryce (SEB). Taylor, the former UGWC stand-out, competed in multiple federations during the year, striking gold in Pro Wrestling Valor when she took down Jason Cashe at the Zenith PPV in May and held the Disavowed Title for the next three months. She also made a big splash when she came to Level Up with SEB, winning a Skeleton Key Qualifier to earn a shot in the finals against the Final Boss. You can bet that whatever happens in the new year, Sloane & SEB will once again be an unbeatable team.

Angelica Vaughn - A UGWC Grand Slam Champion, Angelica Vaughn has always brought everything she’s got to the squared circle. One of Angelica’s biggest wins of the year happened near the end, at XWF’s Nightmare On Savage Lane. Vaughn teamed with John Madison Jr and won a Graveyard Brawl over the Midnight Dolls to become the XWF Tag-Team Champions, titles that they still hold as of this writing. Who knows how many titles the VAUGHEMOUS One will hold before she’s done?

Regan Voorhees - “Oink, Oink, Bitches”. Voorhees has been a force in Action Wrestling since she debuted there in December 2020. She would have battles over the year with wrestlers like Alice Gemini, Alister McKissick, and Cassidy Adler, and very nearly won the AW World Title at Relentless in her match against Dandy DiVito and Downfall. Voorhees would also make a lot of noise at the World Series of Wrestling, making it to the Saucy 16 out of 65 competitors.

Shawn Warstein - The wrestler formerly known as “Fuzz” continues to be a dangerous force in the business. He made a lot of waves in the first half of the year in Fight NYC, winning some significant matches for the promotion. When Fight closed, Warstein would head on to other organizations, competing regularly in Prime. Warstein also did extremely well in the World Series of Wrestling, making it to the Saucy 16 in the field of 65.

A lot of the wrestlers on this tier would normally not be pleased with not being near the top of any list. But all of these wrestlers have proven this year that they definitely deserve to be included in the best of the best. With almost 40 title reigns between them, they certainly took the wrestling world by storm, earning the recognition they gained here.

Allen Chaney - If anyone can make a wrestler laugh and cry out in excruciating pain at the same time, it’s The Comedian. Chaney has had a pretty stellar 2022, which includes winning the PW Excellence Championship on August 1st at Victory XI, winning a Four-Way match over Klayton Kross, Issak Otto, and Kanna Verger. Chaney has been champion the rest of the year as of this writing, staying on top. He has also been a top competitor in the World Series of Wrestling, making it to the Saucy 16 out of a field of 65 entrants.

Dandy DiVito - DiVito ruled over Action Wrestling for the first half of the year. DiVito would enter the year as the AW World Heavyweight Champion, although he would lose it at the beginning of January to Downfall. Undeterred, DiVito returned at the end of the month to regain the World Title, his fourth official reign. DiVito would then run through the roster for the next six months, setting a strong mark as a top champion in Action Wrestling’s long, proud history.

Downfall - The Purveyor of Anarchy made it to the top of Action Wrestling this year, if only for a short time. Downfall entered the year as the AW Tag-Team Champion alongside Dionysus in the Vanguard. He would quickly become a double champion, winning the AW World Heavyweight Title from Dandy DiVito. Other big victories for Downfall include winning a “Career vs. Career” match over Johnny Bacchus and making it to the finals of Turmoil, even adding another victory over an AW World Champion during the tournament.

JD Driftwood - In his own words, JD’s a take no shit, son of a bitch who made it to the top of CU:LT Wrestling this year. Driftwood’s first gold came at the Jonestown Reunion at the end of May, where he beat Max Daemon for the CU:LT Snuff Title. Driftwood would defend the belt over the next four months, never being defeated for it as he would build to the main event. At Gringos Gone Wild in October, Driftwood took down Donnie Hopkins to win the CU:LT New World Championship. At the time of this writing, Driftwood was set to take the championship into the new year.

Selena Frost - “The Snow Queen” has been known as the Face of Supreme Championship Wrestling, and she proved it once again earlier this year by entering 2022 as the four-time SCW World Champion. She would hold that title for an astonishing SEVEN months before finally being taken down at Rise To Greatness XIX. Since then, she has stayed active, competing in the World Series of Wrestling, where she made it to the Saucy 16 out of a field of 65 competitors. That is an incredible accomplishment to end a sensational year.

Alice Gemini - “The Brutal Bitch” struck gold all over in 2022. In Action Wrestling, Gemini took down Serenity Holmes at Evolution V in June to win the AW Women’s Title. She would hold it for the next two months. Gemini would also make some moves in CU:LT, winning the first Fight Championship by taking down Vhodka Black at Summer of Slam. She would defend the belt for over three months before finally falling to Serenity Holmes. We can only expect Gemini to continue to take opponents out with the KG (Killer Gemini) next year.

Buster Gloves - The Bull of the North roared early and often this year, especially in Level Up Wrestling. Gloves’ biggest win happened at Doom ‘22, when Gloves took down the long-running champion, Ahmya, to become the Level Up Wisdom Champion. He would hold the belt for three months, a hard-fighting champ. Gloves would later leave Level Up with a new goal, one most would see as practically impossible: he was given a list of CCPE members and ordered to defeat all of them by James Raven. Can Gloves succeed in his goal in 2023?

Goth - The Gothic One took home several championships over the past year. He started 2022 holding the Sin City Wrestling Mixed Tag Titles with Mercedes Vargas. Goth would also add on the SCW Internet Title in July, beating Jack Washington on the Sun Princess Cruise Liner. He would hold the belt for nearly two months. Goth would also stretch into other federations during the year, including a stint in the XWF, competing for several titles during his time there near the end of the year.

Griffin Hawkins - Hawkins had an absolutely huge year in Uprising, showcasing himself as the face of the organization for most of the year. It would all start in January, when Hawkins won the Uprising World Championship from Ignis at Canadian Chaos. Hawkins would hold the big belt until the summer, when he finally fell to Summer Page. But Hawkins would win the rematch at Solstice II in August, becoming a two-time champion, and his reign would once again last for several months until Molly Hatchet was able to take him down. Will Hawkins become a three-time champion in 2023?

Serenity Holmes - When Holmes came to Action Wrestling in 2022, she made a major impact by her third match. She took down Jessie Lee in February at the CruiserClash Jackpot, winning the AW Women’s Title. She would hold the championship for nearly four months before finally falling to Alice Gemini. “The 22nd Century Girl” wasn’t done, either, as she would claim the AW Cruiserweight Title in November by tapping out Teo Blaze, retaining it to the end of the year (as of this writing). Holmes also struck gold in other feds, including winning the CU:LT Fight Championship in December, getting some revenge on Gemini in the process.

JC - JC Kills! The Bogeyman has done a lot of destruction in several federations this year. He became the PW Valor World Heavyweight Champion by defeating Peter Vaughn at Heartache Hangover in February, a notable accomplishment. JC also tore up the UGWC during 2022, competing in the WrestleStock Open and defeating Rogan MacLean, Larry Tact, and Travis Pierce to win the tournament. Wherever JC has ventured this year, he has left bodies lying behind him. Expect that to continue in 2023.

Ned Kaye - The Notorious One came close to a Grand Slam in one year in the XWF. In March, Kaye became the XWF Xtreme Champion, defeating Marf Swaysons. After a month's reign, Kaye’s run in the company became quieter, as he was mainly supporting his allies in the Trilogy. But that would all change in the final months, as Kaye would take down Charlie Nickles to become the last XWF Supercontinental Champion, and then would defeat Isaiah King to unify the belt with the XWF Television Title, ending the year on a huge note. That just leaves the Universal Title in his sights in 2023.

The Malvados - These are the only tag-team added to this list, simply because even the voters can’t tell the difference between Hector and Victor Malvado. This team did most of its damage this year in Thunder Pro Wrestling. The Malvados got their biggest win of 2022 at Thunder In Paradise, taking down the team of Matthew Knox & Amber Bane-Ryan to become TPW Duos Champions. With the federation reopening its doors in 2023, you can expect the Malvados to be coming back with the belts they’ve held the majority of the last year, set to take on all challengers.

Hunter Moso - The Great One has been a success this year on both sides of the wrestling business. Moso has been wrestling in Victory Pro this year, winning the Victory Pro World Championship and holding onto it for the second half of the year. He’s also continued to work as the owner of Motor City Wrestling in Detroit, creating an excellent company that has been excelling in the ratings. It’s not easy to balance both worlds, but Moso has proven he can handle the load, smashing his competition.

Myojin - Myojin would have one of her best years ever in the business in 2022. She would get one of her biggest victories by winning the King’s Road tournament, which would eventually earn Myojin the King’s Road Newcomer of the Year Award AND the King’s Road Wrestler of the Year Award, two prestigious honors. She would also join a rare group of wrestlers to be a double World Champion, holding the belts in King’s Row and Infinite Pro. She also added the X Championship with a victory in Death Grasp.

Jenny Myst - There aren’t many people in the wrestling business like Jenny Myst. She has had an excellent run in the XWF this year, starting first on Saturday Night Savage, where she became the Television Champion in May over Charlie Nickles. When she lost the belt in an upset to Garry Ray-Ray Nelson, Myst came right back on the next Savage to reclaim her title, becoming a two-time champion. Myst would later move over to the Xtreme division, beating Atara Raven to become the next Xtreme Champion. Once again, after a surprising loss thanks to the 24/7 Rule, Myst came right back and regained the title from Marf Swaysons, continuing to defend it through the rest of the year as of this writing.

Jill Park - “Ill Jill” had a dominant year in Action Wrestling, making her first marks into the history of the federation. It all began in July, when Park forced Sam Kidsgrove to tap out, winning both the AW United States Title and Glory. A month later, Park added another title, taking down Gemini in the main event of Clash of Champions to become the AW Women’s Champion. Park would hold both belts the rest of the year (as of this writing), setting herself up to move to the top of AW in 2023.

Ricky Rodriguez - A younger wrestler, Rodriguez had a great 2022. He was the OPW Legacy Champion, a title he likely still holds. Back in April, Rodriguez took home the Zion Wrestling Gateway Championship, winning the vacated title and holding it for two months. He won the BRKTHRU Fighting Spirit Championship, setting the longest reign of the title so far at 58 days. Rodriguez also had a strong showing in the Cannabis Cup Tournament, beating Wraith and Ashlynn Cassidy before finally falling to Dane Preston. All-in-all, it’s been a banner year for Ricky, and he’s only getting started.

Tony Savage - One of the all-time greats, Savage has continued to add some great victories over the past year. In Action Wrestling, Savage won the AW Television Title in April over Odin Balfore, holding the belt over the next two months. Savage would also start the year as the UGWC Chaos Champion, defending it over the first four months of the year. Savage’s greatest success this year may very well be winning the Outlast Tournament in May to become the UGWC World Heavyweight Champion. Anthony has also ended the year on a hot note, becoming the first-ever Entity World Champion.

Tamika Strader - Some wrestlers’ names just have to be said the right way, and TA-MEEK-AH STRAY-DERR is one of those. Tamika did a lot of damage in OCW this year, most notably at The Luck Of The Violent in March when she defeated Roach to become the OCW Craze Champion. This started a tremendous four-month reign which featured some great matches, including Tamika winning a 50 Shades of Tarzan match over Mark Storm at Technical Difficulties and surviving a Hazardous Ladder match against Sadie Ko at Big Game Hunting.

Veronica Strader - “The Real Vee” did her family proud last year, or at least some of them. Strader started the year as the OCW Transatlantic Champion, having won it at Death March the month before. She would hold it for five more months, an amazing run, before finally losing the belt at Big Game Hunting. Things would take a turn for the worse after that, as Veronica would go through a war with her sister, Victoria, which included Veronica getting thrown from the roof of the TD Center in Boston, a terrifying moment. Veronica would return, though, and is currently signed with CU:LT wrestling.

These wrestlers were strong enough to show up on multiple lists, boosting themselves above the crowd to be recognized for their many accomplishments throughout our little universe. Several World Champions found themselves placed here, having dominated their federations in their time.

Gerard Angelo - “The Living Legend” had a hell of a good year in Action Wrestling. He would first win the AW United States Title in March, taking down CJ Phoenix to go on a three-month reign with the gold. But Angelo’s greatest moment would come at AW Meltdown, where he defeated the 4-time champion, Dandy DeVito, to end his record run and become the new AW World Heavyweight Champion. Five months later, Angelo is still defending the belt, setting his own long run as the top dog of AW.

Amber Bane-Ryan - The Distorted Angel flew to several championships throughout 2022, once again showing her expertise inside a wrestling ring. Amber would start out the year as the Sin City Wrestling Bombshell Champion, a belt she would end up holding for almost a full year (from 2021-2022). She would also team with Matthew Knox as Never/More, winning the Thunder Pro Wrestling S.E.X. Cup tournament (and the first-ever TPW Duos Titles) in March by beating S.C.R.S. and the Influence at Miami Vice. Don’t expect things to slow down in the new year, as Ryan will already be going for the SCW Bombshell Championship once again at Inception VI.

Corey Black - “If I live, I will kill you. If I die, you are forgiven. Such is the rule of honor." The King of All Wrestlers kept working to prove his ‘royalty’ to any wrestler he met in the ring this year. Black spent a lot of time in Action Wrestling, adding to his championship total by winning his second AW Hardcore Title with a victory in Hardcore Games: Hell In A Cell on Halloween. Black also led a team of star AW wrestlers into the main event of the Tara Fenix Charity Event, competing against Team Chris Page and stealing the entire weekend with the epic match.

Thaddeus Duke - There aren’t many in the wrestling business who don’t know about the starpower of Thad Duke. He and his wife, Sahara, have made a lot of waves in the wrestling business over the past year. They pulled off one of the biggest coups of the year in OCW, when Duke was revealed as the owner of the golden phone, as well as the majority owner of the company, taking it from Marcus Welsh. The Dukes would continue in OCW throughout the rest of the year, with Thad even competing at the Rumble In The Bronx as the #1 entrant.

Harmon Egan - “Harmony” erupted onto the OCW scene on Tuesday Night Equality, but soon took his talents to Massacre, working his way through the ranks all the way to the OCW Craze Title. He would become the new champion by defeating Crash Rodriguez at OCW Face Off in October, and has continued to defend the gold since then. As of this writing, Egan is still undefeated at 11-0, showing that he could easily be making his way towards the top championship in 2023.

Lexi Gold - Gold was given a grand honor for 2022, being named the Alpha Wrestling Female Wrestler of the Year. She earned this achievement after a three-month reign as the AW World Women’s Champion, winning it at Gods Among Us IV. Gold added a huge accomplishment at the Tara Fenix Charity Event, defeating Larry Tact to walk out victorious. Gold has also competed in the XWF and the WGWF, among other organizations, taking on the best of the best wherever she goes.

Matthew Knox - Although by all reports “The Raven” is retired now, he still had an incredible 2022 to close it all out. This included teaming with Amber Ryan as Never/More to gain the TPW Duos Titles in February, winning the Pro Wrestling Valor World Title from JC Kills at Emergence in April, getting the Uprising Total Anarchy Championship soon after, and holding the Sin City Wrestling Heavyweight Title in May after defeating Mac Bane. That’s likely just the tip of the iceberg on the belts Knox held, and doesn’t even take into account the path of gold being formed by his wrestling children around the world. If he truly is retired for good, he went out on top.

Dickie Watson - For the first half of the year, Watson was an absolute force in Fight NYC. He would defend the Fight Empire Championship all the way up to the closing of the federation, remaining the champ forevermore (or until Fight NYC comes back, whichever comes first). Watson has since competed in EWC on Friday Night Rampage, continuing his tremendous career in the wrestling business.

Sarah Wolf - Wolf, known better by many wrestlers as Dollface, has shown herself as one of the most despicable wrestlers in the sport. That takes nothing away from her wrestling ability, which she once again proved by defeating Buster Gloves for the Level Up Wisdom Title at Combat Evolved 2022 in August. She would hold onto that title for the rest of the year, and had a real opportunity at becoming the Triforce Champion when she takes on Vhodka Black and Stephen Stratford at Triforce Heroes. Will she be one with the Triforce in 2023?

Candice Wolf-Page - Candice is most well-known currently as the owner of the Velvet Rabbit, one of the top establishments in the wrestling world. She’s also been traveling a lot with her husband, Chris Page, while helping him with the Cannabis Cup. She has still continued to work in the wrestling business, competing in the World Series of Wrestling and making it to the Saucy 16 out of a field of 64 competitors, a very impressive run.

We’re getting deeper into the votes now, as the competition becomes more fierce. Some of these wrestlers have traveled all over the wrestling universe, plying their craft against the most intense competition. Others have stayed in one federation, making a big enough wave to earn the votes to make it to this tier.

Mac Bane - As a member of CCPE, Bane has excelled across the wrestling world, especially in Sin City Wrestling. Bane started 2022 as the SCW Heavyweight Champion, reigning at the top until May. Bane didn’t sit back after losing the belt, though, getting revenge on Matthew Knox at Summer XXXtreme 10 in July to regain the World Heavyweight Title for another strong reign. Bane and Mikah also won the SCW Blast From The Past Tournament in March over Max Burke & Myra Rivers, a notable accomplishment in itself. With Amber Bane-Ryan’s support, who knows what Bane is capable of in 2023.

The Big Bifford - A Hall of Famer in several wrestling federations, The Big Bifford made his gigantic return to OCW after the Purge, The heavyweight proved to be unstoppable at first, winning his second OCW Championship from Outcast at OCW Technical Difficulties in April. Although Bifford would be surprisingly upset by Killer Kali for the belt later on in the year, he continued to make waves in the company, and would add a Rumble In The Bronx victory in November, setting himself in place to potentially regain the title in the near future.

Bobby Bourbon - “FUCK 'EM UP, BOBBY, FUCK 'EM UP!” Bourbon has been touring as of late with Thunder Knuckles, as Them No Good Bastards have continued to win tag championships around the world, including in IIW by winning a tag-team tournament. Bourbon has continued to be a force along with B.O.B., continuing one of the longest-running stables in wrestling. Bourbon has also had his own strong singles run in the XWF, dominating for a time as the XWF Television Champion, the top belt on XWF Saturday Night Savage.

Jason Cashe - One of the most laid-back wrestlers in the world today, Cashe has thrived as a member of the Trilogy alongside Raion Kido, Ned Kaye, and their leader, Theo Pryce. Before that, though, Cashe had a nice run as the PW Valor Disavowed Champion, winning the title from Ulf Hednir and holding it for nearly three months. Now that Cashe has Pryce in his corner and the friendship of two of the most respected wrestlers in the business, you have to think the sky’s the limit for 2023.

Lissie Hope - Is there any doubt that Lissie Hope would have a sensational wrestling year? Hope competed in multiple federations during the year including CU:LT Wrestling, even as she kept to her ‘home’ federation of Action Wrestling. She would once again achieve gold there, winning the AW CBW Championship in November by winning a 10-superstar battle royal. Hope would later take a break to be in the Big Brother House, but she would make a surprise appearance in the AW CruiserHavoc Rumble, throwing out five competitors and winning the AW Women’s Championship.

Xavier Lux - The son of wrestling Hall of Famer, Scorpion, “Venom” Xavier Lux has made his own path in the world of wrestling. Lux was a top contender in TPW until its closure, getting a big victory over El Diablo Blanco at Thunder In Paradise and whom he won feud of the month with. As a member of CCPE, Lux would also join Team Page at the Tara Fenix Charity Event, eliminating Corey Black to help his team emerge victorious. Since then, Lux has excelled in the World Series of Wrestling, reaching the final Saucy 16 in a field of 65 wrestlers. Finishing so high in the series showed once again that Lux is one of the top talents in the world.

Paul Montuori - The face of Gerber has certainly come a long way. Montuori has continued to compete at a high level in the wrestling world, alongside the mother of his children, Miss Michelle Riggs. The man self-designated as “the best hair in the biz” has performed in Level Up, Pro Wrestling Excellence, Fight! NYC, and other federations, always making an impact wherever he goes. He also teamed with Dane Preston to get a big win over The Glorious New Breed at the Tara Fenix Charity Event.

Sahara - Lauren Duke, better known in wrestling circles as Sahara, had an incredible year in the business. When she & her husband, Thaddeus Duke, made a power move and took over ownership of OCW, it shook the organization to its core. Sahara made the most of her journey in the fed, winning the OCW Transatlantic Title from CYPH3R on a September Massacre, then added the OCW Paradigm Title by beating the Nickleman at Rumble In The Bronx in November. As of this writing, she still had both belts in her possession, looking to carry them into the new year.

Stephen Stratford - This Aussie made quite an impression when he returned to the sport at Level Up Wrestling in June 2022. The man with a chip on his shoulder (a dominant finishing maneuver) worked his way quickly up the ranks in the fed, eventually taking down Eli Goode at Combat Evolved 2022 to become the Level Up Courage Champion, a belt he would hold the rest of the year. When Level Up makes its return, one only knows how much further Stratford can go. Could the Final Boss be in his future?

These wrestlers appeared on about a fourth of the ballots submitted. When you think about the diversity of the different feds entering into this list, that’s a sure sign of respect and honor for these competitors to make it this far up the rankings.

Fred Debonair - “The Original” made his return to the wrestling business after a long hiatus as the CEO of Debonair Enterprises, coming to IIW to feud with his son, Tyler Debonair. He’s been extremely successful in IIW, having a run as the IIW UK Champion in September and teaming with Bam Miller to hold the IIW Tag-Team Titles in October for a brief time before vacating them. Debonair, as a member of the CCPE, has also started a run in WGWF, joining the heel faction in the fight at the top of the company. Could Debonair win a World Title early in 2023? It’s certainly a possibility.

Charlie Nickles - The Nickleman has been on an incredible roll in the second half of 2022. He took down Peter Vaughn to become the XWF Supercontinental Champion, a nice trophy to add to his collection. He also dominated in OCW, where he held the OCW Tag-Team Titles with Thunder Knuckles by beating the Sons of Krayzie, and the OCW Savage Title after defeating Dylan Thomas. Both of these wins happened at OCW Face Off, a monumental night for the B.O.B. member.

Outcast - Pushing 50 years old, Outcast had been in the wrestling business for a long time. He still had one great year left to him, however, as he would begin 2022 as the OCW World Heavyweight Champion. Outcast would reign until April, taking the lead spot in the company on his shoulders, and then stuck around the main event until October, when he defeated Killa Kali on Massacre to become a three-time World Champion. That would all end at Face Off, when Outcast fell to PIC with his career on the line. Outcast would then be inducted into the OCW Hall of Fame, only to be viciously attacked afterwards, with his body later being found in an RV. Rest in peace, Outcast.

Dane Preston - “High Octane” was a force earlier this year in Fight NYC, where he was an Islands Champion and a survivor of the NYC Tower collapse. When Fight closed its doors, Preston took his competitive spirit to Level Up Wrestling, where he continued his grudge with Sebastian Everett-Bryce. He also aligned with Paul Montuori to win an all-star tag-team contest over the Glorious New Breed at the Tara Fenix Charity Event. Preston nearly pulled off one of the biggest runs of his career at the Cannabis Cup Tournament, taking down Dickie Watson, Holden Ross, and Ricky Rodriguez, before finally falling to Corey Smith in the Semi-Finals. Preston would end the year with more gold, winning the NFW Perseverance Championship at Wrestle War XIX. You can expect Preston to once again be a threat in any event he enters in 2023.

Atara Raven/Atara Themis - The only person on this list to receive multiple entries under different names, Atara married James Raven this year, bringing together a union of great wrestlers and creating a beautiful child in Ismini Eirene Raven. She’s also continued to wrestle, pulling off some tremendous matches and still securing gold against some of the best in the world. At Back To Relentless, she became a two-time XWF Xtreme Champion, winning the Biff Tower Rooftop Brawl over Big Preesh, Goth, and Ring Master. She’s also a threat to win a World Title at any time, competing for several over the past year.

Duncan Shepard - Commander Shepard was the most dominant wrestler in Level Up Wrestling in 2022. His undefeated streak throughout the year continued at The Last of Us Gauntlet, eliminating four wrestlers including SEB at the end to win the event. Shepard would then win the Final Boss Championship from Joey Crash at Doom in May, an epic reign that would continue the rest of the year and beyond. Will anyone be able to score the first loss on Shepard in Level Up in 2023? Or will he continue to be undefeated for another year?

Larry Tact - The leader of the Game Changers, Tact has been a dangerous presence in the wrestling business this year. Tact would hold the Level Up Power Championship that he won at the end of 2021 for over nine months, knocking aside numerous challengers to his hard-won gold. He could also be credited with helping several other members of his stable make their way to championships, as the group has stayed strong despite multiple attempts to break them up. Tact didn’t just excel in one organization, though, getting victories around the wrestling world, including beating Tony Savage at the Denzel Porter Invitational. When Level Up returns in 2023, you can expect that Tact will be leading his forces once again in pursuing the top titles in the company.

Thunder Knuckles - As a member of B.O.B., Thunder Knuckles has wreaked havoc throughout several federations this year along with Bobby Bourbon and Charlie Nickles. Them No Good Bastards have stayed one of the premier tag-teams in the business, scoring a big victory over S.E.X. at the Denzel Porter Invitational. Among TK’s tag reigns this year, he & Bourbon held the IIW Tag-Team Titles after winning the tournament, and he & Nickles have dominated the OCW Tag Division in the latter half of the year. But don’t just label TK a tag specialist, as he held the XWF Xtreme Title for nearly four months after beating Ned Kaye, proving that he can easily stand on his own if needed.

Everyone on this tier finished in the upper singles range of votes. That makes these five superstars some of the most respected around. When you heard you were on the card next to their name, you probably felt a rush of adrenaline… and maybe some fear as well. At the very least, your blood pressure surely went up.

ALIAS - There aren’t many wrestlers that can pull off needing their name in all caps, but ALIAS is legendary at this point in the XWF. Despite a shortened run in the federation during the year, ALIAS still made his presence known quickly when he returned early on to get revenge on Peter Vaughn and become a two-time XWF Universal Champion. Several competitors tried to dethrone ALIAS after that, but it took Raion Kido winning a Fatal Fourway at the Cannabis Cup to finally end ALIAS’ second reign, sending ALIAS away once again. Who knows when this dominant competitor will return again?

Sebastian Everett Bryce (SEB) - Many have predicted SEB to be the future of this business, and he’s done everything in his power to prove them right. A UGWC Grand Slam champion, he added the Chaos Championship to his resume back on April 25, 2022. SEB was also a major part of Team Page at the Tara Fenix Charity Event, eliminating Jill Parks and CJ Phoenix to become the sole survivor. As a top member of the CCPE, he has continued to make waves both in and out of the ring, notably with his romantic ties with his Sky Queen, Sloane Taylor. The two have made a formidable tag-team, working as a unit against any opponents that stand in their way.

Joe Montuori - J-Mont is a true veteran of the sport, competing for decades in his fighting career. He would secure gold in PW Excellence in August 2022, winning the Impulse Championship by emerging victorious from the Iron Man match over Angel, Betsy Granger, Brandon Hendrix, Jurgen Kaiser, Jensen Lane, and Emily Williams. J-Mont also held the IIW International Championship, winning the title in September. He has since made a stunning surprise appearance in WGWF, building himself up as a force in the company, while also reaching the Saucy 16 in the World Series of Wrestling, surviving in a field of 65 wrestlers.

PIC - Steve Wilson, the Pimp In Charge, a long-time veteran of the sport, made his surprising return in OCW wearing a mask and calling himself Amick Dogeron. He revealed his true wrestling self at Truth or Consequences in July, when he won the OCW Savage Title from Jace Parker Davidson. The success continued at Face Off in October, as PIC would win the OCW Title from Outcast, becoming the top champion (and being forced to vacate the Savage Title). PIC has really shown his greatness since making his return, making a strong statement to being the face of OCW moving forward.

James Raven - There is only one man universally known as the G.O.A.T. in the wrestling business. Raven has continued to wrestle as a legend of the sport throughout 2023, while also securing one of the biggest victories of his life with the marriage to Atara Themis and the birth of his child, Ismini Eirene Raven, in August. Raven has also moved into a leadership role in the WGWF, working as the General Manager to keep the business moving forward. But don’t count this veteran out, as he still competes for the gold around the world.

The highest vote-getters of the list. The superstars of the superstars. These are the four wrestlers who appeared in enough ballots to be ‘double-digit’ entries. It takes a hell of a lot to earn this kind of respect from your peers, especially when some of them are your greatest adversaries. Getting their votes just shows how admired this grouping truly is.

Vhodka Black - One of the most respected wrestlers in the world today, The Belle of the Brawl has made waves wherever she’s gone, from Fight To PW Excellence to Level Up Wrestling. Her most notable victories might be in Level Up, where she tossed down some of the toughest wrestlers in the federation into a barrel of cheese at Combat Evolved 2022 to win the Extra Lives Battle Royale. She then capitalized on the shot she earned, ending Larry Tact’s nearly nine-month reign as the Level Up Power Champion and putting herself into a position for the Triforce Championship. Black would also have a lengthy reign as the PW Excellence Champion, dethroning Damian Ayla in February 2022 and running with the title for nearly 6 months. She’s been unstoppable in the World Series of Wrestling, reaching the Saucy 16 out of a field of 65 wrestlers.

Mark Flynn - For years, Flynn has been known primarily as a tag-team wrestler, working with the North Korean War Criminal to dominate the XWF Tag-Team scene. The duo held the belts in 2022 for much of the year, But Flynn would begin to separate from NKWC as the year went on, winning the epic Cannabis Cup Tournament before turning on his long-time partner. Flynn would then claim the title shot that NKWC had earned at War Games, using it to take down Raion Kido at Back To Relentless and claim the XWF Universal Championship, a belt he’s continued to defend throughout the rest of the year. Flynn was also part of Team Chris Page, which won the main event of the Tara Fenix Charity Event over Team Corey Black.

Raion Kido - Kido exploded into the XWF this year and immediately took the federation by storm, taking down several veterans of the organization. He won the coveted 24/7 Briefcase at Leap of Faith, securing himself a championship shot whenever he wanted it. He would make the most of it, winning a Fatal Fourway at the Cannabis Cup over ALIAS, Charlie Nickles, and Dolly Waters to become the XWF Universal Champion. The Lion currently has a briefcase that may take him right back up to the top of the XWF in 2023. Kido has also had a great run in the World Series of Wrestling, making it to the Saucy 16 out of a field of 65. The future is bright for the Lion of the wrestling world.

Chris Page - The leader of Chronic Chris Page Enterprises has continued to shine in various all-star matches across the wrestling world. For many, however, they will remember Page this year for his running of the Cannabis Cup and the reopening of WGWF, as well as leading CCPE members to numerous victories in so many federations. That said, it would be a mistake to ignore all of Page’s accolades inside the ring, including his Hell In A Cell victory over Todrick Tabor-Ramsey at the Tara Fenix Charity Event. Clearly, Chris Page is one of the most respected wrestlers/agents in the wrestling world today.

Thanks To:
Gator
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Everyone Who Submitted

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