ryandilbert

The Wrestle Inn Wrestler of the Year 2023

We bore witness to greatness in 2023. All over the place.

In AEW, where the workhorse Jon Moxley continued to be a cornerstone for the company. In STARDOM, where the fight for ace status got fierce. In whatever ring Will Ospreay stepped inside.

Sareee’s return to Japan saw her produce some of the best matches of the year as she traveled from Sendai Girls to SEAdLINNNG and just about every corner of her home country. Swerve Strickland had a breakout year where he forced his way into the spotlight with a tremendous rivalry opposite Hangman Page.

But who was the best of the best? Who killed it in the ring and forced us to pay attention all year?

The Wrestle Inn crew went to work to figure that out. We voted on our top five wrestlers of the year in both the men’s and women’s categories. Each first-place vote was worth five points; each second-place vote was worth four; and so on, all the way down to a fifth-place vote being worth one point.

There were tight battles for several spots but both the men’s and women’s winner emphatically cleared the competition. In fact, the Wrestle Inn 2023 Wrestler of the Year (I’m trying to be coy, but you know who it is) had a whopping 22-point lead over the number two vote-getter.

The race for the women’s WOTY was more competitive. We did crown a clear winner, but just two points separated the fifth and second spots. Both American and Japanese companies were well represented in that logjam in the top five.

Read on for a full breakdown of it all. The members of the panel are listed below. Note that not everyone voted in both the men’s and women’s polls.

Wrestlers with fewer than 5 points:
Mizuki, Masha Slamovich, Tam Nakano, Billie Starkz, Trinity, Willow, Julia Hart, Miku Aono, Kamille, Saori Anou, Skye Blue, Natsupoi

Kenny Omega, Kazuchika Okada, Eddie Kingston, Bryan Danielson, LA Knight, Orange Cassidy, Kento Miyahara, MJF, Hiromu Takahashi, Christian Cage, Hangman Page, Samoa Joe, CM Punk, Shane Haste, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Blake Christian

Your Love is a Murder; Mizuki vs. Maki Itoh

Fusa on Tam Nakano: Tam 2 belts. It was short lived, but it showed the dominance of Tam Nakano in 2023. Although she had to vacate the world title due to injury, you can bet that 2024 will be the road to Tam getting the belt back that she never lost.

Alex on Julia Hart: I just love seeing the moment when wrestling clicks for someone. Julia’s character work has been truly exceptional this year.

Scott on Bryan Danielson: The best wrestler in the world. If he was healthy the entire year, he’d have rivaled Will Ospreay in terms of overall top matches.

Adam on Eddie Kingston: Probably the best year of his career. He finally captured the ROH World Title after battling reigning champion Claudio Castagnoli on and off throughout the year and then has had a hell of a showing in the Continental Classic. He even competed in the G1 this year and won a title in NJPW.

Jamie on Katsuhiko Nakajima: Katsuhiko Nakajima has had a year of change, switching his home of Pro Wrestling NOAH for the surrounds of AJPW. Through all that, Nakajima has delivered a number of great matches. His ‘One Night Dream’ against Kento Miyahara lived up to the billing and his Triple Crown victory over Yuma Aoyagi provided a physical tussle. 2023 may prove to be a pivotal year in Nakajima’s career and should be remembered too for its absolute quality.

Outside the top 5/received at least 5 points:
Sami Zayn*, Rhea Ripley*, Athena*, Miyu Yamashita, Becky Lynch
*received at least one first-place vote

Steve on Sami Zayn: This vote is largely for the first three months of the year. The biggest face turn I can remember as he finally snapped and fought back against Roman.

Thumbly on Athena: Nobody—NOBODY—carried women’s wrestling consistently on their back this year like the Fallen Goddess. Reigning as Ring of Honor champion basically throughout, she has made the names of people like Billie Starkz (who now may be set to overthrow her), further established people like Willow Nightengale, and torn the house down on equal footing with talents like Yuka Sakazaki. If you didn’t know, your ass truly better call somebody—namely Honor Club—and get yourself an education.

Adam on Rhea Ripley: Positioned herself as the on-screen power of the Judgment Day on Raw. Even though she hasn’t had too many credible challengers to her WWE Women’s World Title, she still has a very commanding on-screen presence.

Women’s Wrestler of the Year: Top 5

4. (tie) Suzu Suzuki (10 total points; 0 first-place votes)

Trent: She won the biggest tournament in joshi, as well as the Triangle Derby to start the year. She’s main eventing one of the biggest STARDOM shows of the year (and maybe winning it? Had to write this before Dec 29). People wondered what it would be like if she signed with STARDOM, and she up and delivered—be it in the ring or as a character.

4. (tie) Toni Storm (10 total points; 0 first-place votes)

Thumbly: Nobody pivoted with better footwork across all of wrestling this year than Toni Storm. From a popular but overlooked babyface, to one of the Outsider-esque Outcasts, and then finally ramping up her character work to absolutely (and gloriously) insane levels, turning feeling left aside into a washed Old Hollywood star gimmick in “Timeless” Toni Storm. Her willingness to go full bore into the goofiness of this role made it shine and feel somehow more real instead of less. We’re all just lucky to be along for the ride with no shoes thrown.

Alex: Went from an extra in AEW’s biggest story fumble of 2023 (Outcasts) to the most over act on the roster. Incredible stuff; timeless even.

Steve: Three months ago Toni would not have made the top five. Her transition into Timeless Toni has been star making and her latest title run sees her in the top three.

3. Maika (11 total points; 1 first-place vote)

Trent: Perhaps no wrestler has consistently delivered month in and month out like Maika, doing everything that was asked of her to a top level and redefining herself from a dependable midcard act to a bona fide main eventer who can get a crowd behind her.

Alex: It was so wonderful to finally see Maika get the Red Belt.

Suzu Suzuki vs. Maika: Requiem for a Dream (Queendom)

2. Sareee (12 total points; 2 first-place votes)

Trent: It was a year where no one person stood up and demanded to be WOTY, yet Sareee came back to joshi a few months into the year and proceeded to not only put on some of the best matches of the year but inject some energy and excitement into the independent scene.

Fusa: A definite darkhorse for women’s wrestler of the year for sure. Sareee has been putting on the best wrestling of her career after leaving WWE and even captured the SEAdLINNING Beyond the Sea Championship in a match of the year contender! Sareee has had a star making year and Sukeban is very lucky to have signed her.

Burn like the Sun; Sareee’s Triumphant Return to Japan

1. Giulia (25 total points; 3 first-place votes)

Alex: Outstanding year. Will miss her when she departs for WWE.

Fusa: Giulia started the year with gold, and she will end the year with potentially 2 pieces of gold. While Giulia did lose the World of Stardom title just a few months into her reign to Tam, she immediately bounced back with winning the Artist of Stardom titles followed by the NJPW Women’s title. Giulia had a massive rebound from her world title loss and a very deserving women’s wrestler of the year 2023!

Men’s Wrestler of the Year: Top 5

4. (tie) Swerve Strickland (8 total points; 0 first-place votes)

Jamie: Swerve Strickland has stood out like a beacon of light during a turbulent, up-and-down 12 months for AEW. He has cemented himself as a top star, raising his stock immeasurably. His tussle with “Hangman” Adam Page the first time around was mesmerising, but their Texas Deathmatch was a visceral, violent battle that will love long in the memory. Swerve is the whole package, from charisma and presentation to a world-class in-ring output. He’s been a headline act of 2023.

Thumbly: Slowly but surely, he built up more and more momentum over the course of the year. His program with Adam Page brought things to a boil, and he absolutely put in a star’s performance in their Texas Deathmatch. I see Swerve as someone who could easily top this list in 2024, but even more so he could be the next guy to break beyond wrestling and become a cultural figure like we haven’t seen in years.

4. (tie) Jon Moxley (8 total points; 0 first-place votes)

Alex: Mr. Reliable, once again.

Scott: AEW’s ace. Consistent all year and has made many of his matches matter. The workhorse of my top five.

Fusa: If there is one thing that Jon Moxley is other than a lover of bleeding it’s consistent. He was voted by many as wrestler of the year last year and while he hasn’t had as successful of a year in terms of gold, he’s been just as successful with putting out banger matches on the regular like it was no one’s business.

12 Years in the Making: The Story of Jon Moxley vs. Jake Crist

3. Cody Rhodes (9 total points; 0 first-place votes)

Adam: Pretty much the top face on the WWE Raw brand and battled lead heel faction Judgment Day all year long culminating in him finally getting to compete in a War Games match at Survivor Series. Let’s not forget either that he came the closest any one ever has at dethroning Roman Reigns at WrestleMania.

Thumbly: Cody has managed to escalate himself back to feeling like a deserved main eventer over and over—after the end of his AEW tenure, after his torn pec and time off, and now again after his (stupid, and-then-also poorly executed) loss at WrestleMania. There was a risk he’d be seen as played out, upper midcard, or whatnot but he has stayed compelling on the mic and in the ring through his own command of the moment.

2. Zack Sabre Jr. (10 total points; 0 first-place votes)

Jamie: The best word to describe Zack Sabre Jr.‘s year is ‘consistent’. He has never failed when given an opportunity in his home of NJPW, whether it be his short, snappy time-limited TV title defences or long, drawn-out epics with fellow-Brit Will Ospreay. Another word for the submission master is versatile, and he showed that in 2023. ZSJ is a master of his craft.

Fusa: When I think about workhorse wrestlers this year two men come to mind, Orange Cassidy and Zack Sabre Jr. The only difference is that Zack didn’t lose his title and Zack defended his all over the world. The NJPW World TV title has been ZSJ’s baby this year and he has elevated that title as its first champion.

Zack Sabre Jr.: Championship Tekkers

1. Will Ospreay (32 total points; 6 first-place votes)

Alex: Could it really be anyone else? His year was otherworldly.

Steve: The wrestler with the highest number of standout matches during 2023. Whether in NJPW, RevPro, AEW or Impact, you know Ospreay will deliver.

Jamie: There’s a reason Will Ospreay won this award last year, and there’s a reason he’s my number one pick this time around. The Brit has had a stellar year, one that hasn’t be rivalled in the world of pro wrestling during 2023. Every big singles match has delivered: from the young guns of Shota Umino and Yota Tsuji to superstar Kenny Omega (twice) and Ospreay’s seeming dance-partner Zack Sabre Jr. The ‘Aerial Assassin’ has proved one again why many consider him the best wrestler the world has to offer.

Adam: No other wrestler fought high caliber opponents in NJPW, AEW, Impact and other places around the world this year.

Ciaran: Several wrestlers could be wrestler of the year, performing sensationally in their home promotion. But only one man has performed at the wrestler of the year level across the entire globe, across multiple promotions. Ospreay dubbed himself “The Last World Beater” this year, and he’s not wrong.

Fusa: No one this year has been anywhere near Ospreay’s level. It’s not even a competition. No one in the world was putting on the matches Ospreay was putting on at the consistency he was putting them on at. NJPW, AEW, RevPro, Impact, NOAH, no matter where he went, he left an AT MINIMUM 4.5 star match behind him.

Scott: One of the best in-ring years a wrestler has ever had. The matches with Kenny Omega, Shota Umino, Yota Tsuji, Zack Sabre Jr., Tetsuya Naito, Speedball, and more were just spectacular. Hard to pick anyone over him.