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What do you love most about pro wrestling in general and WWE Superstars in particular?
The wrestlers scratch and claw to make it to a premium live event match card, or even on television, for that matter. When we look back at the end of the calendar year, we notice that some superstars thrive exceptionally well.
It can be in the form of more wins than losses, championships, accomplishments, character work, and storylines. It's also about the impression these superstars make on the WWE Universe. Mandy Rose, for instance, despite being released a few weeks back, made such an impact that an outpouring of support came for her online.
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Here on this list, we will look at five WWE Superstars who made the biggest impact in 2022.
#5. Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair rule the Women's Roster
Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair traded wins for the entire year between 2021-22. For their own reasons, they are the top female wrestlers on the roster today.
This year saw Lynch walk into WrestleMania 38 as RAW Women's Champion to take on Belair. The EST regained the title at the Show of Shows after dropping it to the Man in 26 seconds at SummerSlam in 2021. She retained the championship at Hell in a Cell in an acclaimed triple-threat bout against Lynch and Asuka.
Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair's rivalry has been a major focus of the red brand, which ended at SummerSlam this year, where we saw Belair defeat Lynch again. During the match, Big Time Becks suffered a shoulder injury and was sidelined.
The Man returned to the ring at Survivor Series and competed in the first-ever WarGames match on the main roster alongside Belair and Co.
In many ways, Becky Lynch is the undisputed top woman on the roster, irrespective of whether she is a champion or not.
Meanwhile, Bianca Belair spent the entirety of 2022 since Mania as the RAW Women's Champion. Her reign as champion included some exciting stipulation bouts against Bayley and Damage CTRL, containing the first-ever Women's main roster Ladder match and the Last Woman Standing match in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The EST is set to face Alexa Bliss for the RAW Women's Championship next week on the red brand's first show in 2023.
#4. Cody Rhodes is the game-changer WWE deserves
The American Nightmare has all the makings of being one of the best superstars of all time. All he needs is a little bit of time in good health.
Appearing on the December 26 episode of RAW via video, Cody teased chasing world championship gold the following year.
"Even though I wasn't present for a good chunk of the year, what I was able to do, I think really did register with a lot of the WWE Universe," Rhodes said. "And I want to pick up right back where I left off. Right back in that little kid's shoes because he had the biggest dreams. Because in this time that we're in, I have an opportunity at making that happen."
The American Nightmare returned to the Stamford-based company at WrestleMania 38 Night One after leaving the promotion in 2016. Cody defeated Seth Rollins in an instant classic.
Despite being sidelined for the entire year barring a trilogy of barn-burners against the Visionary, and a one-off appearance on the last episode of RAW in 2022, Cody Rhodes made such a huge impact that 2023 might see the grandson of the plumber's coronation as the WWE Champion and top babyface of the company.
#3. Sami Zayn is the MVP of WWE's best storyline of 2022
The former El Generico. WWE's very own Sami Zayn.
What a champ, irrespective of his resume lacking a world title. He somehow got into a storyline with the undisputed top dog of the company, Roman Reigns, and ran with it as much as he could. For this very same reason, he will evoke one of the loudest pops when Bloodline and Zayn inevitably split.
2022 came to a close at Survivor Series: WarGames with the image of Sami Zayn, who won the trust of the Tribal Chief alongside Bloodline's Usos and Solo Sikoa.
This Friday, on the last episode of SmackDown in 2022, Honorary Uso will be teaming up with The Tribal Chief to take on his longtime friend Kevin Owens and the returning John Cena.
With a major possibility for Zayn reuniting with Owens and challenging the Usos at WrestleMania 39, the former has made a place for himself despite all the hardships in the vast ocean of ridiculous talent.
#2. The Ring General walked the grounds of SmackDown in 2022, holding on to the Intercontinental Championship
It's hard to say how he would have fared in Vince McMahon's regime, but Papa H has really put in the extra effort to make sure the wrestlers he believes in have a place in his company.
Gunther closes 2022 still your Intercontinental Champion. This past Monday, on a holiday special live event at the Madison Square Graden, The Ring General defeated Kofi Kingston, Santos Escobar, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Madcap Moss in a Fatal-5 Way match to keep his reign intact.
After making his main roster debut on the April 8 episode of SmackDown, Gunther successfully captured the IC title from Ricochet on the June 10 edition of the blue brand.
The leader of Imperium went on to defend his championship against WWE veterans Sheamus, Rey Mysterio, and more. The Ring General has made an impression on fans so much that he is already in talks for a bout against Brock Lesnar at the Show of Shows next year.
Whether that happens or not, the fact that the company is discussing a bout of that high-profile nature involving Gunther shows the faith they have in him.
Honorable Mention: Brock Lesnar is still a box office draw for WWE
Brock Lesnar returned to WWE in 2012 after a two-year stint with the company between 2002-04.
He ended the Undertaker's undefeated streak and squashed John Cena like he was just a fly annoyingly orbiting around. The Beast brought "legitimacy" back to the company and had some remarkable matches and moments that sold out arenas all over the United States.
At SummerSlam in 2021, Lesnar returned after a year-plus hiatus and straight away got into a program with Roman Reigns.
The Beast won the WWE Championship twice this year. We witnessed Brock Lesnar's first elimination chamber match appearance in WWE, which saw him steamroll through every participant, including former world champions and main event superstars of the company.
Lesnar also main-evented Night Two of WrestleMania and SummerSlam this year.
The Last Man Standing match at SummerSlam was arguably the most exciting wrestling bout that represented everything WWE is about, containing brawls, larger than life moments in a warzone with two bulls in Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.
Post-Summerslam, Lesnar is presumably out of the main event picture, having reignited a rivalry with Bobby Lashley. He was last seen at the WWE Crown Jewel event, where he merely defeated the All Mighty, a rare sight in the case of the Beast.
It is rumored that Lesnar is due to have another bout against the former WWE Champion in 2023.
Brock Lesnar is still the Stamford-based company's star attraction with many mainstream fans, and that will not change the following year.
#1. The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. Was this ever in doubt?
Roman Reigns is a huge star who has an appeal even amongst hardcore fans.
After struggling to connect with the crowd and receiving raucous reactions for most of his career, Reigns finally found his footing as the top heel champion and leader of the most dominant faction in all sports entertainment today.
This year was no different from the last as the Head of the Table simply added names to his long list of wrestlers that have fallen against him. This includes Brock Lesnar, Riddle, Drew McIntyre, Logan Paul, Kevin Owens, and the Brawling Brutes.
As aforementioned, the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion will tag alongside Sami Zayn to take on the team of Kevin Owens and John Cena on the December 30 episode of SmackDown.
People care what the Tribal Chief character says and does. Every match he contested is hard-hitting and memorable, thus making Roman Reigns the biggest superstar in all of pro wrestling today and the WWE Superstar who has made the biggest impact in 2022.
Sound off on more names you feel made an impact in 2022 in the comments section below.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
