Ranking WWE and AEW's Best Storylines of 2023

The year 2023 featured some of the best storylines in WWE and AEW's recent history, thanks to focused narratives and star-turning performances by those involved.

The very best of which turned competitors on the brink into legitimate stars who can help carry the companies for the foreseeable future.

Jey Uso and Sami Zayn benefited from their Bloodline connections in becoming two of the most beloved babyfaces in the industry, while Orange Cassidy proved his toughness and in-ring skill en route to a historic title reign.

Which stories join those on this list of the best of the year?

Find out with this recap.

Nos. 6-10

10. Bryan Danielson's Championship Gauntlet

Bryan Danielson challenged MJF for the AEW World Championship at Revolution in March, but to get to that acclaimed Iron Man Match, he had to remain undefeated for over a month.

That meant plenty of in-ring action from the American Dragon, which is always a good thing, as The Salt of the Earth did as he has done countless times before by running his prospective challenger through the ringer.

It was a simple story that culminated with one of the best matches of the year, and that is enough to earn it the No. 10 spot on this list.

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9. LA Knight's Meteoric Rise

LA Knight's rise to the top of WWE was the most organic of any story in 2023, as fans latched on to his natural charisma and star persona and made their appreciation of him known via some of the loudest reactions of any event.

Unwilling to ignore the audience's desire to see more out of him, Triple H and the WWE creative team pushed him...all the way to the main event of the Crown Jewel premium live event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and an Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match with Roman Reigns.

He did not win, but his use since suggests those in power recognize him as a top-tier competitor on the SmackDown brand.

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8. Gunther's Historic Intercontinental Championship Reign

The Ring General surpassed Hall of Famer The Honky Tonk Man as the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWE history this year and did it by delivering the best match on many a card.

His successful title defense against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania was one of the best matches of the year and subsequent contests against Chad Gable, Bronson Reed, Tommaso Ciampa, and The Miz only helped to elevate the significance of the title and re-establish it was one of the most coveted in the industry.

He remains champion as 2023 comes to a close, with no obvious end in sight to Gunther's undeniable dominance.

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7. Cody Rhodes' Reclamation

The American Nightmare did not finish his story as he and so many others expected at WrestleMania 39, falling short of defeating Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, thanks in large part to Solo Sikoa.

He did not waste time blaming his loss on anyone but himself and spent the rest of the year overcoming the likes of Brock Lesnar and The Judgment Day as he scratched and clawed his way back to the title picture.

As the year comes to an end, he finds his story and the returning CM Punk's intersecting. Will it end with Rhodes once again standing across the ring from The Tribal Chief on the WrestleMania stage?

All signs point to yes. How he gets there, though, is the question and could ensure Rhodes makes an appearance on this list a year from now.

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6. Did We Just Become Best Friends?

MJF was the most despised man in AEW. Adam Cole was a prospective challenger for the world title. When they became "blind" tag team partners as part of a tournament, no one could have expected the hijinx that would ensue.

Cole had MJF playing video games while The Devil took his newfound amigo to the bar. They spent time away from the ring together and developed a friendship that MJF would call his first one ever.

Having someone in his life who cared about him made MJF a better person, turning him from the dark side to the light while calling into question what Cole's true motivations were. Every week, fans waited for one man to turn on the other and show their true colors, but it never came.

Even after a historic main event in front of a record crowd in Wembley Stadium in London, where MJF successfully retained his title against Cole, there was no betrayal. Cole remained loyal, MJF was fully established as a legitimate babyface, and AEW had one of the hottest stories in the company in years.

Injuries and a slight loss of focus hurt the overall quality of the story, relegating it to the bottom half of this list, but one can only hope that the eventual return of Cole gives this the ending it deserves.

In terms of long-reaching effect, it gave us a most unexpectedly delightful MJF babyface run, so there's that. Throw in the general hilarity of Roderick Strong and you have even more reason to love it.

5. Drew McIntyre's Obsession

Drew McIntyre saw his dreams of winning the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship from Roman Reigns at Clash at the Castle on September 3, 2022 dashed by interference from The Usos and Solo Sikoa, all of whom had a hand in his downfall that night in Cardiff, Wales.

It was a crushing defeat in front of family and friends that McIntyre never got over and this fall, allowed to fester and present itself in the form of a heel turn.

While still in its infancy, it has reintroduced the dangerous side of the Scottish Warrior, one driven by obsession.

It manifested itself with the arrival of Jey Uso to the red brand, one of the handful of men he blamed for his loss that night, and intensified to the point that he aligned himself with The Judgment Day for War Games at the Survivor Series premium live event.

McIntyre continues to create misery, pain, and suffering for those in his path to the World Heavyweight Championship and as 2023 draws to a close, it will be interesting to see how the character continues to grow and evolve and what it means for top babyfaces into the new year.

One thing is for sure: McIntyre has been brilliant as he blames everyone for his shortcomings and takes out his frustrations on fans' favorite competitors.

4. Orange Cassidy is Just So, So Tired

Orange Cassidy entered 2023 as the AEW All-Atlantic Champion and after a quick rename to the International Championship, embarked on a title reign that saw him defend on a seemingly weekly basis, defeating the best and brightest the company had to offer.

Along the way, his body gradually broke down, with injuries mounting and threatening his reign. Tougher than expected, and more resourceful, Freshly Squeezed managed to find ways to eek out victories.

"I'm just so, so tired," he would tell Renee Paquette during backstage promos before and after gutting out his latest victory.

The story would culminate at All Out in September, with a championship loss to Jon Moxley in a bloody main event.

The resident slacker highlighted his toughness and resiliency throughout the storyline and along the way, proved he was more than just a character, delivering repeatedly in matches that commanded his very best.

The run as champion proved there was more to Cassidy than half-hearted thumbs up and aviator shades.

3. From Honorary Uce to Hometown Hero

Sami Zayn entered 2023 as an Honorary Uce in The Bloodline, finding family and companionship he never knew. Well, except for that of Kevin Owens. It was only fitting, then, that The Prizefighter repeatedly warned Zayn that he was being manipulated and used by Roman Reigns and his family for their own benefit.

At the Royal Rumble, after months of lies, empty promises and verbal abuse, Zayn finally broke free of The Tribal Chief's grasp and blasted him with a steel chair to the shock and awe of everyone.

From there, he would embark on a run to Elimination Chamber, where he would challenge Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in his hometown of Montreal, in front of fans, friends, and family.

The moment he stepped through the curtain and made his way to the squared circle for a championship clash with the biggest star in the company remains an unforgettable moment. The emotionally fueled match-up that proceeded it was one of the best of the year.

Zayn failed to win the title that night, thanks to a miscommunication spot with his friend Jey Uso that would play into their plans WrestleMania plans, but it was the perfect culmination of his story.

Here was a guy who was on an island, with no friends or confidants. He was fresh off a comedic exhibition at WrestleMania 38 against Johnny Knoxville, and spent way too much time spewing conspiracies, before allowing his frail ego to be manipulated by Reigns.

The Tribal Chief continued his goal of insulating himself with as many protectors as possible and the ego boost it gave Zayn to feel included allowed him to fall for it. At least until he saw The Head of Table for what he was and struck out against him.

He may not have won the top title in the company, but he made up for it at WrestleMania, teaming with Owens to defeat The Usos and capture the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships in another Match of the Year candidate, giving his story its well-deserved happy ending.

2. From Minion to Challenger

Raise your hand if you had the best storyline in AEW in 2023 featuring Ring of Honor Women's Champion Athena, 19-year-old phenom Billie Starkz, and backstage interviewer Lexy Nair.

Liars.

It was, though, thanks to a focused narrative that saw the champion adopt Starkz as her minion. She took her under her wing, verbally berated her when she messed up and put her through "minion training," all with the intent of providing herself backup during her reign as Ring of Honor Women's Champion.

What appeared to be a one-off during the Forbidden Door kickoff show, in which Athena narrowly defeated the teenager, evolved and expanded into a months-long storyline that elevated Starkz star, highlighted the performer the champion had become, and gave Nair a role on the show beyond that of the backstage interviewer.

It also allowed competitors such as the Renegade Twins, Mercedes Martinez, and Diamante to enjoy increased roles as the antagonists. Along the way, Starkz grew as a competitor and performer, her confidence, aggression, intensity, and drive becoming more apparent with every passing week.

It culminated in a Minion Graduation segment that finally saw Starkz stand up for and confirm herself as the rightful challenger to her mentor's title. At Ring of Honor's Final Battle pay-per-view, Starkz gave Athena her toughest challenge to date but fell just short of wrestling the title away from her.

What she got, though, may have been even more important. After a grueling match, Starkz earned the respect of Athena, who embraced her in the closing moments of the broadcast.

The story was so good, so expertly executed by those involved, that Tony Khan booked that title match in the main event of the PPV. It made a star out of Starks, further established Athena as one of the best performers of 2023, and proved that the AEW booker can execute quality stories in the women's division.

Hopefully, we get more of it moving forward.

1. Jey Uso: A Man on His Own

The best storyline in either major company in 2023 was that of Jey Uso.

The Right Hand Man to Roman Reigns in The Bloodline grew tired of being verbally abused, lied to, manipulated, and gaslit in the wake of WrestleMania 39. When The Tribal Chief blamed him and his brother, Jimmy, for failing the family at The Showcase of the Immortals, Uso had all he could take.

Put in the unenviable position of deciding whether a defiant Jimmy would stay or leave The Bloodline, Jey finally struck out against Reigns, blasting him with a superkick and reigniting a rivalry that captivated audiences at the start of the family saga way back in 2020.

Uso became the first man to pin Reigns since December of 2019, doing so in the tag team main event of Money in the Bank, where he and Jimmy defeated Reigns and Solo Sikoa. Then, at SummerSlam, he came within seconds of dethroning The Tribal Chief before Jimmy shockingly betrayed him.

A man without a family, Uso appeared to quit WWE before being traded to Raw at the behest of Cody Rhodes, with an opportunity to be his own man. All that he has done since is become tag champs with The American Nightmare while developing into one of the most popular babyfaces on the entire roster.

The layered Bloodline story, followed by the insistence on being his own man and the eventual sibling rivalry with Jimmy that will culminate at WrestleMania, not to mention all of the side stories with Drew McIntyre, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and Randy Orton that have presented themselves as a result, made the Uso saga the best of the year and set him up to be a legitimate main eventer for the foreseeable future.