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The much-awaited results for the Sportskeeda Wrestling Awards 2022 are finally here!
To say 2022 was an enthralling year for wrestling fans would be an understatement. Major developments in the industry like Triple H coming to power in WWE and the backstage Brawl Out incident in AEW: All Out kept fans buzzing. However, the things that go down inside the squared circle will be remembered the most.
From Roman Reigns' continued dominance to MJF finally fulfilling his destiny and Rhea Ripley's stunning reinvention, the year was one for the ages. To commemorate their achievements, the second annual Sportskeeda Wrestling Awards was conducted, where fans had the chance to pick their favorite wrestlers, matches, moments, and much more from 2022.
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When the dust settled, as many as a staggering 100,000 votes were cast by the readers. Here in this article, we'll go through the winners in all the categories and discuss their accomplishments in the year that went by.
10) Sportskeeda Wrestling Award for the Heel of the Year - MJF
As was the case for the previous year, MJF won the Heel of the Year award for 2021 as well.
After lurking around the world title picture since the start of his AEW career, The Salt of the Earth finally tasted championship success when he captured the coveted AEW World Championship at Full Gear 2022, becoming the Heel of the Year for 2022. With his reign going strong into 2023, it's safe to say it could prove to be another banner year for MJF.
9) Sportskeeda Wrestling Award for the Babyface of the Year - Cody Rhodes
The American Nightmare began his 2022 by departing AEW, a promotion he helped build. Cody took a bet on himself and returned to WWE after six long years away. The risk paid off rich dividends as he was given a hero's welcome at WrestleMania 38, where he defeated Seth Rollins.
Cody's performance against Rollins at Hell In a Cell 2022 cemented his place as the perfect babyface to root for. Despite tearing his pectoral muscle, he not only competed but even defeated Rollins inside the steel structure.
8) Sportskeeda Wrestling Award for the Rookie of the Year 2022 - Solo Sikoa
Sikoa's debut at Clash at the Castle 2022, where he helped his cousin Roman Reigns retain his Undisputed Title against Drew McIntyre, took the wrestling world by storm. Fans just couldn't stop talking about the newest member of The Bloodline, and the Enforcer of the faction didn't disappoint.
The 27-year-old remained undefeated for the entirety of 2022, instilling fear in his opponents just by looking at them from across the ring.
7) Sportskeeda Wrestling Award for the Tag Team of the Year - The Usos
Jimmy and Jey Uso came into their own over the last two years after they became members of The Bloodline. The duo maintained their strong grip-hold over the tag team division, capturing the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships.
Though they lost their gold at WrestleMania 39, it would be hard for any team to surpass what The Usos accomplished during their monumental reign.
6) Sportskeeda Wrestling Award for the Moment of the Year - Cody Rhodes's shocking WrestleMania 38 return
Even though it was widely expected that The American Nightmare would be Seth Rollins's opponent at WrestleMania 38, the crowd still erupted upon seeing him.
Cody Rhodes left WWE in 2016 as a mid-card talent but returned as a legitimate main-eventer. He defeated Seth Rollins in an instant-classic bout to mark the start of a fairytale beginning of his second tenure with the global juggernaut.
5) Sportskeeda Wrestling Award for the Match of the Year - Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes
Some pairs have such chemistry that they are incapable of having underwhelming, let alone bad, matches. Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes make one such pair. The two brought the house down on three occasions in 2022, but it was their match at Hell in a Cell that is counted as one of the most memorable in WWE history.
The American Nightmare competed in the match with a torn pectoral muscle, the sight of which led to collective gasps in the arena. The bout definitely stole the show, and it won't be easy for any Hell in a Cell match to easily top this one anytime soon.
4) Sportskeeda Wrestling Award for the International Superstar of the Year - Kairi Sane
Although she competed in only a handful of matches in 2022, the quality of Kairi Sane's performances were top-notch, to say the least. She won the tournament to be crowned the inaugural IWGP Women's Champion in Stardom.
Though she's no longer the title holder, having lost the gold to Mercedes Mone recently, Sane is still counted among one of the best wrestlers in the world today.
3) Promo of the Year - Paul Heyman
The Wiseman has been one of WWE's most compelling speakers for years. His work in 2022 was also nothing less than spectacular. Paul Heyman could have easily been lost amid stars like Roman Reigns, Sami Zayn, and Jey Uso, who were at the top of their game during the Bloodline saga.
However, considering the master of the game he is, Heyman still found a way to stand out, for which he has been deservingly picked as the Promo of the Year.
2) Sportskeeda Wrestling Award for the Female Wrestler of the Year - Rhea Ripley
Although Bianca Belair has remained the RAW Women's Champion since WrestleMania 38, according to fans, she was overshadowed by Rhea Ripley on the Monday night show. Judgment Day's Eradicator found a new lease of life when she aligned with the heel faction, allowing her to display her mean and edgier side.
Now that she's the SmackDown Women's Champion, fans can expect her to dominate the WWE landscape in 2023 too.
1) Sportskeeda Wrestling Award for the Male Wrestler of the Year - Roman Reigns
To the surprise of none, Roman Reigns picked up his second consecutive Sportskeeda Wrestling Award for Male Wrestler of the Year. The Tribal Chief was at the top of the game in 2022. He defeated Brock Lesnar in a title vs. title match at WrestleMania 38 to become the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
No matter who stood up against him, Reigns managed to take them down. He's inching in on touching the 1000-day mark as the champion, and there seems to be no end in sight for The Head of the Table's run at the top of the card.
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