2022 has been a wild year in wrestling, not just because staples of the industry like Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis have become a thing of the past.
This year has also seen an influx of young talent reach the forefront of wrestling and poise themselves as the top names of the future.
While some of these stars were wrestling before this year, 2022 has been a pivotal year for everyone involved, and here are our top five breakout wrestlers of this year.
5: Wheeler Yuta
The induction of Wheeler Yuta into the Blackpool Combat Club was a fantastic creative decision earlier this year, and a lesson on how to make a new name with established stars.
This time last year, sure, some wrestling fans would be aware of Yuta, but it his inclusion with the BCC that has turned him into one of the most exciting prospects in all of wrestling.
Now in his second reign as Ring of Honor Pure Champion, Yuta has also represented AEW in NJPW’s 29th Best of the Super Juniors tournament, and the future looks extremely bright for the young star.
4: Bron Breakker
Our reigning NXT Champion, it’s incredible to think that Bron Breakker has only been with WWE for slightly over a year.
In such a small amount of time, Breakker has become one of the biggest stars the gold brand has ever produced, thanks in part to his family connections as a Steiner.
But Bron isn’t just a tribute act to his father and brother, and has shown endless ability and charisma, so it’s hardly surprising that we see reports of WWE wanting to fast-track him to the main roster.
3: Hook
What started off as a meme among fans, Hook has become one of the most popular names in AEW, all without having to do much.
The 23-year-old FTW Champion, Hook’s presence screams ‘star’ and his ability in the ring (complete with suplexes inspired by his father Taz) have only added to his starpower.
In short, Hook has all the tools to be a top name in wrestling, and when you consider his young age, the second-generation wrestler has oodles of time to make that goal happen.
2: Roxanne Perez
Roxanne Perez started this year as the first-ever ROH Women’s World Champion, and short of a monumental upset, will end it as the WWE NXT Women’s Champion.
Throw in a reign as NXT Women’s Tag Champion, Perez is proving herself each week, not just as a star of today, but as a top babyface for years down the line.
The 21-year-old former Rok-C is a babyface that fans naturally want to cheer (something that is a slight rarity in these modern times) and expect many more accolades, titles and moments in her future.
1: Logan Paul
Logan Paul was once society’s public enemy number one, but it’s safe to say that he has found something of a home in WWE.
After a mixed response to his WWE debut last year, Paul stepped into the ring as a wrestler for the first time at WrestleMania 38, and exceeded expectations.
Paul’s impressive WrestleMania outing has been followed up with more impressive performances at Summerslam and Crown Jewel, and the Maverick has won over even his harshest of critics.
Rumors of Paul’s imminent return aren’t being met with disgust or outrage, but rather excitement and intrigue, as the YouTuber has proven he belongs in professional wrestling.
