Ranking the 10 Most Important Wrestlers for 2022

2022 has been a wild year in professional wrestling. Vince McMahon stepped down as CEO of WWE, AEW held its first major crossover show with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, people were fired, hired and jumped ship, and several celebrities dipped their toes into the pro wrestling business.

And all of that just scratches the surface. The events taking place backstage have been just as newsworthy as what has been happening in the ring, if not eclipsing it.

But through all of the drama and turmoil, several stars have managed to make 2022 the best year of their career. AEW and WWE have some of the most talented individuals in this industry working to put on great matches for us on a weekly basis.

With the new year just days away, let's take a look back at the most important stars in WWE and AEW from 2022.

Honorable Mentions: The Elite

For the sake of simplicity, we are going to consider Hangman Adam Page as part of The Elite because at the end of the day, he is going to be linked to Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks for as long as they are all in AEW.

These four men are just as responsible for the creation of AEW as Cody Rhodes, but they have also been integral to the biggest stories in AEW over the past year.

Omega and the Bucks are helping to establish the trios division while Page is feuding with Jon Moxley, but their paths will cross again at some point.

Page began the year as the world champion, Omega and the Bucks were the inaugural trios champions, and all four men have produced several memorable matches and promos. Even the most casual of fans know how important The Elite has been to AEW, especially this year.

10. Jade Cargill

When it comes to pure star power and potential, nobody in AEW can match up to Jade Cargill.

The TBS champion remains undefeated and doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon. Her celebrity status has grown so much that she is even attracting people from outside the industry like Bow Wow.

She is barely two years into this business and has already established a large following while continuing to grow as a performer. If she keeps going at this rate, there is going to be no stopping Cargill from dominating the women's division in 2023.

9. Cody Rhodes

When fans found out Rhodes was leaving AEW, a company he helped found, to return to WWE, it immediately became the biggest story in pro wrestling.

The American Nightmare was one of the key figures in making AEW a reality. Without him teaming up with The Elite to put on All In back in 2018, there would be no All Elite Wrestling.

Not only did he immediately become one of the biggest stars in WWE when he returned at WrestleMania 38, but he proceeded to put on a trio of classic matches against Seth Rollins that stole the show every single time.

A torn pec may have sidelined him for most of the second half of 2022, but the impact he made was so big that he will likely pick right back up where he left off when he returns and begin chasing the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

8. Sasha Banks

For the past several months, one of the most talked about stories in pro wrestling has been the WWE exit of Mercedes Varnado, better known to the world as Sasha Banks.

As one of the Four Horsewomen, The Boss has often been credited for helping to usher in a new era for women's wrestling in WWE alongside a group of talented women who were all just as dedicated to portraying the craft in the best possible way.

Her silence regarding her departure from WWE has only helped fuel speculation about her exact motivations and what her next move might be. We know she will be showing up in Japan soon, but what comes after that?

Whether she returns to WWE to work with the new regime, signs with another promotion or chooses to leave wrestling to focus on other projects, Banks will have a legion of fans ready to support her.

7. Sami Zayn

The Bloodline has been running roughshod over WWE for the entirety of 2022, but the group would have lost a lot of momentum by now if it wasn't for Sami Zayn.

Having him play the outsider who was desperate to be accepted into the Anoa'i wrestling dynasty has been one of the most enjoyable storylines in all of pro wrestling because he has made it both emotional and hilarious.

When he is making everybody in the ring break character to laugh, we all laugh with them. When he is trying to sell a serious moment like the day Roman Reigns gave him the Honorary Uce shirt, we were on the edge of our seats.

Zayn is one of the most valuable people in WWE because he can do anything. He can be a beloved babyface or a despised heel. He can put on five-star matches or he can do comedy spots with Johnny Knoxville. Nobody has proved their value more in 2022 than this man.

6. CM Punk

As soon as CM Punk arrived on the scene in AEW, he was the biggest star in the company. He had mainstream notoriety, but it was the fact that he was returning after a seven-year absence that had people talking.

His first few matches were designed to prepare him for what lay ahead, and most of those bouts were a lot of fun, but it was his hunt for the word title that most people will remember.

Punk's first reign was cut short due to an injury, and his second reign was even shorter due to what happened after the All Out pay-per-view. If you don't know about Brawl Out by now, a quick Google search will get you up to speed quickly.

Regardless of how you feel about The Straight-Edge Superstar, the fact remains that he brought viewers to the product and told some great stories. If he returns and is able to do business with The Elite, we could be in for one of the best rivalries in the company's short history.

5. MJF

The year MJF has had in AEW has been somewhat strange and filled with ups and downs, but nobody can deny that he is also one of the reasons why people tune in every week.

Ending the year as the AEW world champion has put him at the top of the mountain, but it has also painted a huge target on his back.

Turning the rumors of his possible exit into part of his storyline has helped make him one of the most discussed talents in the industry, but his real value comes from his ability to tell stories.

Whether he is being his usual jerk self on the mic or working in the ring, MJF always weaves a clear and cohesive tale. Being so good at all of this at the age of 26 is going to allow him to have a long and fruitful career no matter where he works.

4. Seth Rollins

Throughout the entirety of 2022, Seth Rollins stood out as one of the stars WWE could rely on the most.

His ridiculous outfits have been fun to see every week, but his promos and matches are what have made him into one of the most adored Superstars in WWE.

Not only have he and Bobby Lashley helped make the United States Championship feel like a real prize again, but The Visionary managed to put over Rhodes three times and still came away from that feud with momentum.

If Rollins isn't back in the world title picture in 2023, then somebody will have made a huge oversight.

3. Bianca Belair

When it comes to the WWE women's division, Bianca Belair is at the top of the mountain and everyone else is just trying to catch up.

The WWE roster has many talented women, but The EST has been running the division for most of the year. Ever since she defeated Lynch for the Raw Women's Championship at WrestleMania 38, she has been unstoppable.

Watching her career in its entirety through NXT and the main roster has been a lot of fun because we have been able to watch her improve as a performer in real time.

As long as she keeps doing exactly what she has been doing in 2022, the next year will be bring just as much success her way.

2. Jon Moxley

He may not be one of the people who founded AEW, but Jon Moxley has been the heart and soul of the company for a long time.

Whether he is carrying the world title or not, Mox always feels like one of the most important characters on the show because he has such a strong bond with the audience.

His matches tend to be a little bloodier than some people like, but his passion and drive make it hard not to like him. Thankfully, he has plenty of bouts that don't lean into the hardcore style, too.

He helped carry the company through a rough period following All Out when a handful of the biggest stars were unavailable, and The Blackpool Combat Club was one of the most beloved factions of the year. Everything Moxley touches turns to gold these days, so AEW is wise to keep him in the spotlight.

1. Roman Reigns

Not only did Reigns and The Bloodline rule 2022 with a gloved fist, but The Tribal Chief did all of that while having less than a dozen matches on TV and PPV.

WWE has put all of its effort behind making Reigns the face of the company, which is somewhat surprising because he is currently a heel. That is a spot usually reserved for a babyface, but the undisputed universal champion is popular enough to justify that decision.

He is the longest-reigning champion in modern history, but that is going to have to come to an end eventually. Whoever beats him for the title is going to get a monster push as a result, so WWE needs to choose who that is very carefully.

His match with Logan Paul exceeded expectations, and every other bout he has had this year has been a show-stealer. Unless he takes an extended hiatus, there is no reason to think he will slow down in 2023.

The people on this list helped carry AEW and WWE through 2022, but it takes more than a handful of people to make a show watchable. Who were some of your favorites from the past year?