5 Amazing things that happened in the wrestling world in 2018 

While it has not been without its controversies, 2018 has, on the whole, been an absolutely incredible year for professional wrestling.

Not only have we seen the WWE breaking boundaries and establishing new stars, but companies all around the world have been showcasing exactly what makes them so great.

Never before have wrestling fans had such a diverse range of promotions and talents to watch, all of which is incredibly accessible thanks to the rise of streaming services and the internet.

2018 has been a landmark year for the sport, so with that in mind, let's take a look at five of the most memorable things have taken place these past 12 months.

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#5 Daniel Bryan defies the odds

Daniel Bryan's in-ring return brought a tear to the eye

Wrestling is all too real sometimes, but thankfully, for every heartbreaking announcement, there is also a ray of light from time to time to put a great big smile on everybody's face.

That is exactly what happened when the WWE announced via their social media feeds and WWE.Com that Daniel Bryan had finally been cleared to return to the ring earlier this year.

After being told he would never wrestle again, Daniel Bryan fought his diagnosis and finally got the seal of approval to return to the ring from the WWE just before WrestleMania 34.

In what was one of the most emotional moments of the year, Bryan thanked the fans and his wife, Brie Bella, for sticking by him over the last two years and then went on to win his first match back at WrestleMania against the team of Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens.

Bryan's highlights didn't just end there though, with the leader of the Yes! Movement turning heel in November and winning the WWE title, topping off what has been an incredible year for the bearded GOAT.

#4 Five stars for NXT

Almas and Gargano brought a 7-year drought to an end

Back in January, NXT broke a seven-year curse held by the WWE when a match between Johnny Gargano and Andrade 'Cien' Almas was rewarded five-stars by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Not content with just doing this once though, NXT would go on to put on a further three more five star matches over the coming months, going as far as to earn two in one night at NXT Takeover: New Orleans.

NXT has been on a different level for the majority of 2018, and while it may only be one man's opinion, it's great to see the company rewarded for their efforts by one of the most esteemed journalists in the industry.

#3 A 7 Star Classic - The greatest match of all time?

Okada and Omega redefined wrestling at Dominion

Dave Meltzer grabbed the headlines last year when he awarded the Wrestle Kingdom match between Kenny Omega and Kazichuka Okada 6 stars out of a possible 5. Enraged fans argued that he was making a mockery of his own system, and that while the match was arguably one of the best of all time, it should still have only been awarded 5 stars.

Well, Meltzer took that one step further this year, giving the two out of three falls match between Okada and Omega at Dominion a whopping 7 stars.

Now, whether or not you agree with Meltzer's rating, we can all agree that we were all lucky to be alive to witness such an incredible encounter.

Okada and Omega are the two best wrestlers on the planet right now, arguably the two greatest of all time, and their match at Dominion certainly has to be involved in the discussion of the greatest matches ever.

The two men told an incredible story in the ring, producing an expertly paced 1 hour and 4-minute wrestling clinic, which ended in Kenny Omega finally toppling Okada.

It was the perfect end to one of the greatest feuds of our generation, and one of the biggest highlights of 2018.

#2 A year of history for the women's division

The women did WWE proud at Evolution

WWE's Women's Revolution is one of the best things to happen to the company in decades. After years of spending their time rolling around in mud baths and tearing each other down to their bra and panties, the women of the WWE have finally managed to get themselves on a level playing field with the men.

While the revolution has been in swing for some time, 2018 really felt like a giant step forward. Not only did we get the debut of Ronda Rousey, who has added some serious mainstream appeal to the division, but we also saw the first ever women's Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber matches, and more amazingly, the first ever all-women's WWE PPV event, Evolution.

Outside of this, the second half of the year has also seen the rise of Becky Lynch, who has quickly established herself as the most over star on the entire WWE roster as of late.

The future is looking very bright for women in the WWE, and it looks as though we may get to experience the first ever all-female main-event at WrestleMania 35 as well.

#1 All In

All In was a resounding success

Doubt The Elite at your peril. Back in September, Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks, alongside a whole heap of talent from New Japan, Ring of Honor, and elsewhere, changed the landscape of professional wrestling when they produced the critically acclaimed All In, live from Chicago.

The show, which had initially raised questions from many in the industry, sold out a 10,000 seater stadium in less than 30 minutes and was streamed so much that servers went down during the broadcast.

The card itself was excellent, with a Cody Rhodes's NWA title victory, and Kenny Omega's match with Pentagon Jr being particular highlights.

Above all else, All In was proof that there is a life outside of the WWE, and that there is plenty of room on the market for some serious competition.

With the rumoured launch of All Elite Wrestling in 2019, the future of professional wrestling is looking very bright indeed.