Who was pro wrestling's top star in 2018?

As 2018 draws to a close, wrestling fans can look back upon it as one of the most dynamic, exciting, surprising, and challenging years for sports entertainment.

The year saw many happy returns, such as Dean Ambrose and Hurricane Helms. However, it also saw many painful absences, like Matt Hardy and Roman Reigns. The WWE feared no controversy and held their Greatest Royal Rumble and Crown Jewel PPVs, deciding that that was what was best for business.

Speaking of business, Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks turned the industry on its ear with the success of their All In independent show. Now it looks like those same men are going to try and create their own promotion, All Elite wrestling, and have the billionaire backing to make it a reality.

Ring of Honor saw the departure of many of their beloved stars, but also signed red hot new talent like Jeff Cobb and Bandido. New Japan created massive inroads to the minds of pro wrestling fans all over the world with the success of Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchiko Okada, both times.

Now that the dust is settling on 2018, we can look back and try to objectively judge which pro wrestler had the best year. We'll evaluate the athletes based on four criteria;

Win/Loss record: While wrestling is scripted entertainment, wins and losses still matter. For example, no one would take Thanos seriously in the Marvel movies if he just lost to Howard the Duck instead of beating up Hulk. Yes, tag team matches count toward the Win/Loss ratio.

Championships: Holding gold around one's waist is a great measuring stick of their career status. Marketable stars, whether face or heel, tend to end up wearing title belts.

Industry impact: How has the pro wrestler affected the sports entertainment business, if at all? Are they an innovator between the ropes or did they create new opportunities for talent?

Popularity: Does the wrestler get a substantial reaction, whether boos as a heel or cheers as a face? Do fans and critics respect the wrestler?

Without further ado, let's begin the list with a man everyone can't seem to stop talking about.

Kenny Omega - New Japan Pro Wrestling

Kenny Omega, aka The Cleaner, has been buzzworthy all year long.

He's the man they call the Best Bout Machine, and whether he's wrestling top tier talent like his main rival Kazuchiko Okada or a blow up doll, no one can seem to tear their eyes away from him. But how does he fare on our grading scale?

Win/Loss Record: With 36 wins and 21 losses, Kenny Omega has an above average record, but not as impressive as one might expect. Grade: B

Championships: Kenny Omega held the IWGP United States title, and then defeated Okada for the IWGP World heavyweight championship, a belt he still owns as of this writing. Grade: A+

Industry Impact: While Kenny Omega doesn't get involved in the production aspects of wrestling as much as his elite cohorts Cody and the Young Bucks, he is the most influential and copied wrestler of 2018. Grade: A

Popularity: Kenny Omega is tremendously popular in NJPW, but is also well known to fans of other promotions, especially Ring of Honor and CMLL who have working relationships with NJPW. And social media can't stop yapping about him! Grade: A+

Overall Grade: A While Omega's win loss record might seem a bit disappointing, one must remember Bullet Club/the Elite are technically heels, and heels tend to lose more often. In spite of this minor hindrance, Omega scores off the charts in every other category.

AJ Styles - WWE (Smackdown Live)

Pro wrestling is a fairytale kingdom where wishes do come true, and fans had an entire year to enjoy AJ Styles working in a WWE ring.

From his outstanding performances each and every night, to his top notch work ethic and ability to resonate with the fans, AJ Styles is the rare athlete who is popular with all aspects of the WWE Universe, young and old, male and female. He is the wrestling fan's wrestler in a nutshell. But how did he fare on our grading scale?

Win/Loss Record: With 35 wins and only 13 losses, AJ had a great year. You might say his grade is Phenomenal. Grade: A

Championships: AJ Styles held the Smackdown Live world championship for most of 2018, turning back challenges from such illustrious personae as Shinsuke Nakamura and Samoa Joe. Grade: A+

Industry Impact: AJ doesn't have a great deal of 'stroke' backstage at WWE, nor does he get involved much in booking. However, he has successfully brought top notch technical wrestling back into the WWE spotlight. Grade: B

Popularity: AJ is loved by fans and critics alike, and his merch sells very well. He may not be as well known as the Rock outside of wrestling, but within pro wrestling fandom he's practically a deity. Grade: A+

Overall Grade: A AJ has truly had a phenomenal year, and looks to be at the top of his game heading into 2019.

Cody Rhodes - NJPW, ROH, NWA

The second generation star, son of the Legendary American Dream Dusty Rhodes, has truly done his father proud.

Not only has he been highly successful as a businessman, he's also worn a lot of championship gold. When he won the NWA World championship from Nick Aldis at All In, he became the only man to follow his father by reigning as champion in that promotion. How did Cody fare on our grading scale?

Win/Loss Record: With an impressive 43 wins and only 16 losses, Cody has an amazing record. Grade: A

Championships: Cody held the ROH World six man titles, the ROH world heavyweight title, and the NWA world heavyweight title in 2018. Impressive indeed. Grade: A+

Industry Impact: Cody and his friends the Young Bucks ran the biggest, most successful independent wrestling show in history with All In, and now look to be making promotion as their main vocation. Everyone has taken notice from top to bottom in sports entertainment. Grade: A+

Popularity: Cody is very popular with the wrestling fandom, but lacks the fanatical devotion of Kenny Omega or the name recognition of men like Brock Lesnar. Grade: B

Overall Grade: A Cody had a banner year in 2018, and it's hard to imagine how it could have been much better for him.

Brian Cage - Impact wrestling, various Independents

If ever there were a pro wrestler who LOOKED like the textbook definition of pro wrestler, it's Brian Cage.

With one of the most impressive physiques, hands down, in the wrestling industry, Cage could just coast by on his appearance. However, this big man also utilizes powerbombs, frankensteiners, and technical holds in his domination of the competition. In short, he's not just another pretty face and chiseled body, but a wrestler who takes time to hone his craft. How did he fare in our grading scale?

Win/Loss Record: Cage racked up an impressive 46 wins but also picked up 24 losses. This is above average, but not a spectacular ratio. Grade: B

Championships: Cage held the Impact X Division title, the HOH (house of hardcore) championship, and the Wrestling Warrior championship in 2018. He also challenged unsuccessfully for the Lucha Underground title and the NWA world title. Grade:A

Industry Impact: Cage isn't a booker, or an innovator, but he is redefining what it means to be a 'big man' wrestler in 2018. Grade: C

Popularity: Cage is a draw everywhere he goes, but his big push into the spotlight is still in its infancy: Grade: B

Overall Grade: B Brian Cage had a great year, but he's still on his way to the top. Next year his grade might be much higher.

Pentagon Jr. - Lucha Underground, Impact, CMLL, others

Pentagon Jr, a fierce masked warrior and wrestling purist.

Pentagon Jr. is very much a traditional Lucha Libre star in the mold of El Santo and Mil Mascaras, only turned dark and villainous. For example, his real name is not known for certain, but he does have two brothers also involved in the wrestling industry.

Pentagon is known for being one of the best pure wrestlers on the planet, able to go move for move against elite performers like Kenny Omega without missing a beat. His star is still on the rise, but he has enjoyed quite a high profile in 2018. Let's see how his grades compare.

Win/Loss Record: With 48 wins and an astoundingly low 13 losses, Pentagon has a stellar record for 2018. Grade: A+

Championships: Pentagon held the Lucha Underground title, the Impact wrestling world title, the PCW World title, and co held the MLW Tag team titles with brother Fenix. Grade: A

Industry Impact: Pentagon is not involved much with booking, but he is one of the more copied wrestlers currently active, and promotions the world over love to book him. Grade: C

Popularity: Pentagon Jr. is a draw in every promotion he works for, and his iconic look is frequently searched on the internet. However, he has next to no social media game. Grade: B

Overall Grade: B Pentagon held a lot of championships, and won a lot of matches, but he isn't as much of an influencer as some of his peers.

Seth Rollins - WWE (RAW)

The Crossfit Jesus, the Architect, Tyler Black, or just plain Seth Rollins. It doesn't matter what you call him, the man will consistently put on stellar performances and always brings a lot of intensity to the ring.

Now standing all alone due to the Shield crumbling around him, Seth has made major inroads to recovering his career from the slump he suffered at the end of last year. But how did he fare on our grading scale?

Win/Loss Record: Sitting at 40 wins with 19 losses, Seth is above average. Grade: B

Championships: Seth won the Intercontinental title at Wrestlemania 34, and had an impressive run. He also held the Raw world tag team titles with Dean Ambrose. Not bad, but no big belts to his credit hurts his score: Grade: B

Industry Impact: Seth Rollins's cardio enthused style has become a gold standard for people who want to blend the independent and WWE wrestling paradigms. However, he's not as influential as others like AJ Styles. Grade: B

Popularity: Seth is over with the WWE Universe, but not as much as the promotion might like. Grade: B

Overall Grade: B Seth Rollins had an above average year, but it still feels like he's not living up to his full potential.

Jay Lethal - Ring of Honor, others

From making his national television debut at the tender age of 19, to owning pinfall victories over legends like Ric Flair and Kurt Angle, Jay Lethal has already had an impressive career.

Combining athleticism with technical skill and an uncanny ability to tell a story with his matches, Jay Lethal is one of the most electrifying men to watch in the squared circle. But how did he fare on our grading scale?

Win Loss Record: Lethal racked up 33 wins with only 10 losses, an outstanding record. Grade: A+

Championships: Jay Lethal started the year as ROH world champion, lost the belt, but won it again and still holds it as of the end of 2018. Grade: A+

Industry Impact: Jay Lethal doesn't get involved with booking much, and while he has influence throughout wrestling he's not a mover and shaker any longer. Grade: C

Popularity: Jay Lethal will always be popular with pure wrestling fans, but his character has grown somewhat stale as a babyface. Grade: B

Overall Grade: B+ Lethal had a great year, but not as great as some others on the list.

Braun Strowman - WWE (RAW)

The Monster Among Men had some impressive, buzzworthy moments in 2018. From winning the WWE Raw tag team titles with a young child as his tag team partner (go Nicholas!) to main eventing pay per views in losing efforts to Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, Braun has truly come into his own.

How did he fare in our grading scale for 2018?

Win Loss Record: Braun Racked up 35 wins and 15 losses, an excellent record. Grade: A

Championships: Braun won the world tag team titles essentially by himself, but didn't win any other championships. Grade: C

Industry Impact: Braun has a prominent role with the WWE, but is not an innovator or especially creative in the business. Grade: D

Popularity: Braun is over with the WWE Universe, and has the respect of his peers, but isn't a mega star like AJ Styles. Grade: B

Overall Grade: C+ Braun might be featured prominently on WWE programming, but he has failed to make significant gains like a title reign.

Chris Jericho - NJPW, others

Chris Jericho is the comeback king of pro wrestling. Every time it seems like his career must surely be over, or at least winding down, he re-appears with subtle tweaks to his character and appearance.

This has allowed him to stay fresh and relevant in an ever changing, ever fickle industry. Jericho is still going strong, but how was his 2018?

Win Loss Record: Jericho only worked four dates in 2018, including a stint at the Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia. He has two victories and one defeat, making his grade difficult to calculate: Grade: N/A

Championships: Jericho is the current IWGP Intercontinental champion, a prestigious belt indeed. Grade: A

Industry Impact: Jericho draws a lot of attention everywhere he goes, and his innovative Rock n Wrestling rager at sea cruise has the industry buzzing in all the right ways. Grade: A+

Popularity: Jericho is a wrestling legend and is well known for his music industry contributions as well. Grade: A+

Overall Grade: B- Jericho created a lot of buzz, but his small amount of dates worked hurt his overall grade.

Tommaso Ciampa - WWE NXT

Once considered 'too small' for the WWE, and 'not flippy enough' for a cruiserweight, Tommaso Ciampa has silenced all of the critics and is possibly the best pure attraction on NXT television, and perhaps all of WWE.

It's difficult in the modern era for heels to get heat, but Ciampa manages to get wall to wall boos while still garnering the respect of the wrestling audiences. We haven't seen this kind of heelish aplomb since Nature Boy Ric Flair in the NWA days. How did he fare in 2018?

Win Loss Record: Ciampa racked up 38 wins and only ten losses. Grade: A+

Championships: Ciampa has held the NXT championship for most of the year, and defended it successfully 22 times, an astounding feat. Grade: A+

Industry Impact: Right now, Tommaso Ciampa is the man to emulate with regards as how to behave like a proper wrestling heel. He rules NXT with an iron fist. Grade: A

Popularity: With a strong social media game that echoes the old days of kayfabe while still breaking the fourth wall, the respect of his peers and the wrestling fandom, and with the boss of NXT Triple H firmly in his corner, Tommaso Ciampa is quite in demand. Grade: A+

Overall Grade: A+ Ciampa is enjoying the best year of his career so far, and looks to have a ton of momentum heading into 2019.

And pro wrestling's top star of 2018 is...TOMMASO CIAMPA!

Tommaso Ciampa is your wrestler of the year.

Tommaso Ciampa narrowly beat out Kenny Omega as the top pro wrestling star of the year.

While other wrestlers held more titles, or had more high profile matches, no one has been as consistently good as Tommaso Ciampa, the Sicilian Psychopath.

What really sets Ciampa apart from his wrestling peers in the industry are his stellar record of title defenses and his consistent work both in the ring and on the microphone.

Ciampa may not be as athletic as Kenny Omega, as Big as Braun Strowman, or as well known across the world as Cody Rhodes, but his dedication to pure wrestling and working the crowd both in the arena and on social media have made him 2018's top pro wrestling superstar of the year.

Congratulations to Mr. Ciampa. Questions or comments? Please leave them below the article, and as always thanks for reading!

Edited by Pratyay Ghosh