Top 50 Wrestlers 2015

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THE BEST MEN, WOMEN + teams

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2015

// Our top 50 wrestlers of 2015 //

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NOVember

STEELCHAIR MAGAZINE TOP 50 WRESTLERS 2015

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WELCOME

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WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR

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hat a year we’ve had! Thank you all for joining us during 2015, and now in this special sub-issue, as we are now ready to reveal our Top 50 Wrestlers of the Year.

The SteelChair Magazine team thought long and hard about this list and have chosen the best men, women and teams of the past year. We are sure it will cause some debate so please get involved on social media and include the hashtag

EDITORIAL David Garlick Editor / Design david@steelchairmag.com Compiled by

Alan Boon Words by: Shane Bayliss, Alan Boon, Howard Crossland, John Duffy, Dominic Griffin, Richard Hart, Lee Hazell, Anton Jackson and Pierro LoStappo.

ADVERTISING To discuss advertising please contact advertising@vulturehound.com

#STEELCHAIR50 David Garlick @davidgarlick

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33 50 STEELCHAIR

MAGAZINE TOPSAMI 50ZAYN WRESTLERS 2015

Words: SB, Shane Bayliss, AB – Alan Boon, HC – Howard Crossland, JD – John Duffy, DG – Dominic Griffin, RH – Richard Hart, LH – Lee Hazell, AJ – Anton Jackson, PL – Pierro LoStappo

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RYBACK yback has begun hitting something of a stride, finding a way to incorporate his goofy hoss personality and love of The Secret into his otherwise stale Goldberg tribute act. His matches are better and his promos are showing promise, but we’ll see how he fares now having dropped the IC Title to Kevin Owens. (DG)

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emale wrestlers get a bad rap for being nothing more than mere titillation for a male fan base. Hearing the name Sexy Star you would be forgiven for jumping to that conclusion.

But she isn’t Sexy Star for the men, but a star “for every girl out there who needs a hero”. Her matches show that she can easily run with the big boys. (LH)

ROCKSTAR SPUD o sum up Spud in one word, it would be passion. 2015 saw him take the Ultimate Underdog from being Dixie’s chief of staff to full roster mainstay.

He’s held the X-Division title twice, headlined Wembley and fought Angle for the TNA title. Pretty long way for a scrawny fella from the West Midlands to go. But when you believe as hard as Spud, you get the crowd believing as well. (LH)

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BRIAN CAGE he Fucking Machine” had a solid year, venturing into the world of lucha where he’s really found his wings as a heel. A jacked, douchebag white dude arriving at Triplemania wearing a Trump 4 Prez shirt is some next level villainy, and while Mr. GMSI continues to up his inring game, seeing him develop a real character is exciting. (DG)

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46 TETSUYA NAITO ith his Los Ingobernables affiliation, Naito had the best slow heel turn. Nobody is painting a more fascinating portrait of loathsome apathy as the former Stardust Genius, presenting himself as the perfect foil for anyone he steps into the ring with. Naito’s always been an amazing performer in the ring, so now that he’s found a character that works for him. (DG)

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Photos: Brian Cage by Sayuncle | Ryback by Miguel Discart | Tetsuya Naitō by ゾーヒョー

SEXY STAR

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STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2015

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ENZO + CASS

MICHAEL ELGIN

015; the year that Enzo and Cass blew up. It’s only a matter of time before they are called up to the main roster. New Day V Enzo and Cass anyone?

ig Mike’s had a quietly powerful, outwardly middling year stateside, but his excursion into NJPW this summer for the G1 changed everything.

Never has a man looked more at home within himself and with his audience. Elgin’s true calling is puroresu and if he returns to Japan, things can only go up from here. (DG)

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SAWFT! (PL)

HIGHLIGHT: NXT Takeover Brooklyn

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43 Photos: Enzo, Nikki by Miguel Discart | Michael Elgin by tabercil | Drew Galloway by Kimberley Bayliss

NIKKI BELLA

DREW GALLOWAY

ne of the most underrated performers in WWE, Nikki Bella – the longest reigning Divas’ Champ of all time, is one of the top heels in the company.

Ironically, the best example of this came at Night of Champions, her last night with the belt. Her work in antagonising Charlotte was infuriating for all the right reasons. (LH)

sing momentum gained from his return to ICW in 2014, he made his ‘hesitant’ TNA début at the start of the year, allowing him to mix regular TV appearances with working for independent UK promotions such as ICW, Southside and PCW. With Galloway’s current push, could he be the man to topple EC3? (SB)

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WOMEN AND DIVAS ARE INCLUDED IN THE TOP 50. WILL VAUDEVILLAINS BE OUT HIGHEST ENTRY?

41 KATSUYORI SHIBATA n the year since Shibata’s aura transforming performance against rival Tanahashi, “The Wrestler” has slowly become one of the most compelling workers in all of pro wrestling. His simple, but effective offense and new passion for selling have given him a renewed verve that made him one of the G1’s best combatants. (DG)

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he goat faced indie darling made an aborted comeback in 2015 winning the intercontinental title at Wrestlemania. However his long running injury problems have kept him off TV since. (RH)

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HIGHLIGHT: Winning IC title at WrestleMania 31

VAUDEVILLAINS y favourite entrance in all of NXT, goes hand in hand with two of its best characters.

No one in wrestling (aside from maybe Bray Wyatt) has a look that goes so well with the persona.

Their victory over Blake + Murphy at NXT Takeover:Brooklyn to finally pick up the NXT Tag Team Championships was one of the reasons the night felt so special.

(LH)

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38 SON OF HAVOC The hipster bearded indie darling and breakout star of Lucha Underground won over critics and fans alike with his exciting in ring ability and comedic prowess in front of both the passionate temple crowds or 16 people in Switzerland. This guy can flip, whip and high fly with the best of them while showing off a “big guy physique”. (JD)

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Photos: Katsuyori Shibata ゾーヒョー | Vaudevillains - Discart | Bryan from WWE Video

DANIEL BRYAN

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STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2015

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36 SAMOA JOE o yourself a favour, put away your preconceived notions of how you think business is done and understand we are re-writing the book.”

These were the words Samoa Joe tweeted out when news of “The Joe Deal” hit wrestling news outlets worldwide. Joe is a big enough name and a good enough a wrestler to negotiate a contract with WWE to let him appear on their programming and not be exclusive. They made that concession for him. That alone nails Joe to this list. (LH)

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ADAM COLE he former ROH Champ spent the start of 2015 on the shelf. His return as a semi-fan favourite was a pleasant surprise, particularly to see him reunited with his Future Shock cohort O’Reilly. As fun as that was, it would be short lived. He’s back to his best, as a heel, and ready to chase the gold again. He’s dearly missed out in PWG, but perhaps we’ll see him take an Elgin styled NJPW trip in the coming year? (DG)

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35 Photos: Samoa Joe Tabercil | Rusev by Anton Jackson | Grado by Kimberley Bayliss

GRADO

RUSEV reat wrestlers can be measured in their ability to give great matches regardless of terrible booking. In that respect Rusev is a future hall of famer.

But all these stumbling blocks will only serve to make his inevitable return to the main event all the more satisfying. (LH)

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FULL INTERVIEW WITH GRADO, EC3 AND ROCKSTAR SPUD IN ISSUE 2 >

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HIGHLIGHT: WWE United States Champion

he Chubby Wee Chancer Fae the Tap End of Stevenson continues to grow the Grado brand, with 2015 seeing him go international with a successful run in TNA that saw him challenge for the X-Divison title. The remainder of 2015 sees him challenge the ICW World Heavyweight Title in November, a match which some may seem him as potentially winning. Bring on Air-Grado. (SB)

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WE SPOKE TO EC3 BEFORE HE BECAME THE MAN BACK IN ISSUE 2, THE SETH ROLLINS COVER

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SAMI ZAYN o great are Zayn’s performances that he made it in the Top 50 even though he’s been out since May. His moment of glory earlier in the year was short lived managing only a 2 month term as NXT Champion, being destroyed by Kevin Owens on consecutive Takeovers. But the memory of those matches, and with Neville will live large in the memories of NXT’s biggest fans.

(LH)

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30 PENTAGON JR

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HIGHLIGHT: Vs Vampiro at Ultima Lucha

reDRAGON ne of the finest teams in the world right now, also happen to be comprised of two of the best singles grapplers around.

Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish have great chemistry together, cut hilarious promos, and work fantastic matches. Between their home base of ROH and a run in NJPW they’re two of the best going, but, both men are just as ready to kill it solo. (DG)

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ETHAN CARTER III t the time of writing, EC3 is still undefeated and still TNA World Heavyweight Champion. Even if he isn’t, he’s got a long way to fall if he’s to be deemed undeserving of a spot on this list. The most dominant heel in the company has been on a rising ticket since his entrance as Dixie’s favourite nephew. (LH)

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Editor note - EC3 isn’t world champion anymore!

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HIROSHI TANAHASHI

ANGELICO

o put it mildly, rumours of his demise were greatly exaggerated. Folks started talking like maybe Tana had lost it, but between his stellar performance against Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 9 and his jaw dropping G1 run, the air-guitaring icon reminded everyone the world over who really runs this shit. (DG)

he South African wonderkid was again another reason why Lucha Underground excelled, his death defying leaps and energetic style made the product a must watch experience for any wrestling fan. His AAA appearances already had Mexican fans in awe but his involvement in LU’s best storyline and Trios Title matches brought him, literally flying to western attention (JD)

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Photos: Zayn by FD562 | Hiroshi Tanahashi by mark surume

he breakout star of a Lucha Underground that also included half a dozen others on this list, Pentagón Jr stormed his way into the hearts of believers everywhere by breaking arms and cutting intense promos about his mysterious master. (AB)

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We have had tremendous support from wrestlers and fans alike. Our brand has sponsored many wrestling events in a year’s time and have a strong relationship with independent promotion Northeast Wrestling. You can join us and NEW’s own Vince Berry on our podcast “The WAR Report,” with the initials standing for wrestling and relationships.

The sky’s the limit as we have many great features coming up, such as women signing up for free, changing our pricing structure, and search by location. One of the most unique features we have is the ability to create your own promo video, giving your possible matches a chance to view your personality. Your first month is free when you sign up for TagMeADate.com

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2015

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27 PAIGE as Paige been put in the shade by her fellow Diva Revolutionaries?

This year has certainly seen much more of the press go to her former NXT roster mates. But now that she that she has a far bigger pool of superior competition, Paige just might live up to the hype she entered her first Monday Night Raw with. Her heel turn after Night of Champions, will no doubt see Paige facing Charlotte and Becky for the Divas title and rising up the ranks of lists like these with the kinds of performances we all know she’s capable of. (LH)

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KOTA IBUSHI bushi made it four days into 2015 before racking up a five star rating from Papa Melty with his barnburner losing effort against Shinsuke Nakamura. Everything about that match promised a star making year for the DDT mainstay, but he’s yet to fully blow, despite a pair of insane matches with AJ Styles and some other great G1 bouts. His current chase for the NEVER Openweight Championship is a little blah after the heights of year so far, but we suspect something big is in store for him by the next Dome show. (DG)

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JOHNNY MUNDO

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Photos: Paige by Miguel Discart | Kota Ibushi by Temaki

n the great tradition of upper mid-card talents truly finding themselves after exiting the WWE, John Morrison’s second act as a cagey hotshot in Lucha Underground has been incredible. Great matches with Prince Puma, a killer feud with Alberto El Patron and a pitch perfect heel turn homage to Shawn Michaels and the barbershop window? Not a bad year for a guy some people counted out. (DG)

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2015

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JAY LETHAL ethal’s return to his home in ROH continued the narrative that maybe he’d never be the guy long time fans hoped he’d one day blossom into. This last year’s run as ROH TV Champ into his current World Title reign have been nothing short of exemplary. Lethal’s found himself as an elite level main eventer marred by insecurity and hubris, doing the work of his career and then some.

(DG)

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Photos: Ospreay by Rob Brazier | Adrian Neville by Miguel Discart | Wyatt by Anton Jackson | Young Bucks by Michael Watson | Lethal by Lee South

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NEVILLE

he fact that his performances drip with character in every syllable, movement and expression make him one of the most visceral storytellers and electrifying performers in WWE, as the consistent quality of his matches show. (LH)

fter a great NXT title run, Neville had some fun matches with the developmental brand.

Since his RAW debut, he’s fared surprisingly well, being booked like a real competitor in some great matches (a stellar US title bout with Cena). We’ll see how much longer a guy his size can fit into Vince’s world, but he’s too fine a talent to leave languishing in a Stardust feud. (DG)

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t’s been a breakout year for Ospreay.

Winner of the inaugural PROGRESS Super Strong Style 16 tournament and ending Jimmy Havoc’s 609day reign of terror as champion after hitting the 630 Senton. Add that to a show-stealing match against Mark Andrews at PWG’s Battle of Los Angeles, and at just 22, the future looks limitless for Essex’s Aerial Assassin. (HC)

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BRAY WYATT

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WILL OSPREAY

YOUNG BUCKS he Young Bucks have been are the most exciting tag team in the world for ten years. For the Jackson brothers, high-spots are their business, both in the ring and on lists like this. Their specialty, beating their opponents with two or three finishers in a row, remains the last word in wrestling overkill. (LH)

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JIMMY HAVOC SPOKE TO SHANE BAYLISS AT DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL WHICH CAN BE READ ISSUE 4

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19 BECKY LYNCH ynch won a triple threat match to become the number one contender for the NXT Women’s title against Banks.

Fast forward to July 13 where she debuted on Raw starting the Divas Revolution. She set NXT on fire and we expect it won’t be long until RAW sees her (given the chance) incredible talent. With her journey just starting I expect big things from her in the future. (PL)

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17 RODERICK STRONG ro-Wrestling Guerilla champion and a serious contender for Ring Of Honor gold, Roderick Strong brought his “shitty little boots” over to the UK for PROGRESS this year, too, making quite the impact in the Super Strong Style 16, and also took on Shinsuke Nakamura for Revolution Pro-Wrestling. He also went to a broadway draw with Jay Lethal for the ROH title, in a stunning encounter. (AB)

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HIGHLIGHT: PROGRESS Wrestling Champion

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Photos: Havoc by Kimerley Bayliss | Lynch by Discart | roderick strong - Anton Jackson

immy Havoc’s theme music ‘I Hope You Suffer’ accurately describes his mantra that has catapulted him from his deathmatch roots into the best heel in the UK. There were rumours abound on Twitter several weeks ago that he was joining NXT; he isn’t (he was a fan on the front row at Takeover: Brooklyn), but it’s a testament to his success that it was considered feasible. Portraying the same character across promotions, it is in PROGRESS where Havoc has been his most sadistic. His defining story arc reached a fitting conclusion at Chapter 21, leaving to a standing ovation and a chorus of his name once more.

Whatever his next step, you can be sure when that music hits, business is about to pick up. (HC)

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2015

15 BAYLEY

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ZACK SABRE JR Photos: Zack Sabre Jr by Stuart Sunley | Bayley by Discart | Katsuyori Shibata by ゾーヒョー

ollowing on from her epic title win and defence against the equally outstanding, Sasha Banks; Bayley’s ascension is a fitting one, as well as being long overdue. Despite being an immensely talented wrestler and having both a unique character and presentation in comparison to her fellow female competitors; she had previously played more of a supporting role to her more serious contemporaries.

But in 2015, Bayley battled and overcame the heel detractors who belittled her, gained the respect of her allies who didn’t treat her seriously enough; and has deservedly rocketed herself position as the centrepiece of NXT’s revamped female division.

With her immense talent and huge likability, her main roster-potential and marketability is almost limitless. Hugs all around! No? Eh… Ok then. (GW)

ne of the best technical wrestlers in the world, the Isle of Sheppey’s Zack Sabre Jr. is always a man in demand. He spends most of his time with Japan’s Pro Wrestling Noah, but recently found fame stateside by winning PWG’s ‘Battle of Los Angeles’ tournament. Also a regular standout performer in PROGRESS and Grmany’s wXw, he collects plaudits wherever he goes. And air miles. (HC)

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14 KAZUCHIKA OKADA lad in a Ric Flair robe, the current IGWP Champion, and new face of NJPW, has had an exceptional 2015 so far, with two contenders for MOTY – first against Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 9, and then versus AJ Styles at Dominion, where he captured the IWGP title. Expect The Rainmaker to gain legendary status by the end of 2015, if he hasn’t done so already. (JD)

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HIGHLIGHT: NXT Takeover Brooklyn, NXT Women’s Champion

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RICOCHET/PRINCE PUMA

CHARLOTTE

There’re better wrestlers, better talkers, and better all-rounders today, but no-one - and I mean fucking NOONE - makes it look as easy as Ricochet. In Dragon Gate, NJPW, or under a goofy mask as Prince Puma in Lucha Underground, he’s the most seamless, fluid highflyer in the world. It’s unreal how impressive he’s become. (DG)

osing the NXT title early in 2015 ironically proved to be Charlotte’s breakout moment. Working hard to exceed the expectations of her bloodline, her solid ringwork lead to her eventual debut on RAW this summer. Charlotte captured the Divas title in September, hopefully pointing the struggling division to a bright future. (CM)

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10 BROCK LESNAR

From a joke babyface trio to the hottest heel three-man tag-team in the business, The New Day have proven that just being yourself can do something no amount of tightly scripted promos can ever manage. And they’ve managed to do it with a trombone and lots and lots of clapping. (AB)

he Beast, Brrrrrrock Lesnar is still the most dominant athlete in sports entertainment.

His feud with The Undertaker has become an instant classic thanks to smart storytelling and his killer athleticism. But when you’re talking Lesnar, you have to mention the legendary Paul Heyman, the best talker in the business. (LH)

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Photos: Charlotte/Brock-Miguel Discart | new day - Megan Elice |Meadows

NEW DAY

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2015

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SHINSUKE NAKAMURA

AJ STYLES

he King of Strong Style is over in NJPW but, for real proof of his appeal, take a look at any excursion he takes overseas. You’ll see a performer pop crowds who’ve only seen highlight videos on YouTube, and pirated bouts on DailyMotion, and wind them round his little finger.

Swagsuke, indeed. (DG)

loppy-fringed AJ Styles has evolved in NJPW, and surpassed his own star status in the most demanding company on Earth. His matches against Okada (Dominion) and Ibushi & Tanahashi (G1 Climax) are all legit MOTY contenders. This standard of match on a regular basis shows how rejuvenated Styles is in 2015. (JD)

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Photos: Shinsuke Nakamura - Temaki | Dean Ambrose - Discart | AJ Styles - Mike Kalasnik

DEAN AMBROSE he Lunatic Fringe is undoubtedly the breakout star of disbanded faction The Shield, as well as one of the WWE’s most popular babyfaces. Despite a series of losses at the start of the year, Dean Ambrose has used his charismatic presence, natural comedic talent, and exciting brawling style to keep the fans cheering for him throughout a string of solid performances. With his dedicated fanbase, rebellious persona and passionate determination, Ambrose is surely destined for championship glory in the future. (CM)

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JOHN CENA rowds are still split right down the middle when it comes to John Cena but there can’t be many serious students of the sport that can deny that the 2015 Cena is worthy of anything other than acclaim. A man in his position could – and would in times past – take it easy, hitting the big spots to pop the crowd and coasting on his merchandise-selling reputation but Cena has decided instead to match any workrate on any show he appears on, using his US title open challenge to earn the match of the night on any show he appears on. (AB)

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HIGHLIGHTS: US Title Open Challenge

CESARO I

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Photos: Discart.|

t’s been another hotand-cold year for the undeniably talented Cesaro. He achieved moderate tag team success with Tyson Kidd around Wrestlemania time, but was often lost in the mid-card fog. A long-term injury to Kidd in June allowed Cesaro to fly solo once again, excelling in highprofile matches with John Cena and Kevin Owens. Seemingly gaining momentum towards the main event, a lack of a meaningful feud since Summerslam has frustrated his many supporters. The Swiss has proved he can be the man to grab that ‘brass ring’, if only they didn’t keep moving it. (HC)

PHOTO: ICW

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2015

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FINN BALOR iven that Bullet Club was probably the most popular non-WWE act in the entire World, at the time of Finn Balor’s Full Sail debut; it was difficult to see how the NXT portrayal of Fergal Devitt could match his New Japan presentation.

NXT’s main strength is its simplicity, and by keeping Balor as a cool, straight-talking, hard-striking, technical grappler; (who every couple of months comes crawling to the ring as a crazy looking demon—keeping fans of his NJPW body-paint happy) the potential is there for Balor to rise to the top of the main roster.

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Balor’s matches with Neville, Tyler Breeze and especially Kevin Owens, have all been of a predictably high quality. But what is even more impressive is how quickly he’s adapted to the “WWE style”, by sufficiently slowing down his work, while retaining his trademark explosiveness—something his fellow import, Hideo Itami has struggled with. With a likely title feud with Samoa Joe in the offing, as well as hints towards his Bullet Club heel persona creeping in; Finn Balor’s NXT and future-WWE prospects seem almost too sweet. (GW)

HIGHLIGHTS: Becoming NXT Champion at Beast in the East

PHOTO: MIGUEL DISCART

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2015

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SETH ROLLINS ret Hart recently said of Seth Rollins “He’s going to carry the company. His timing is impeccable and he does a lot of challenging, creative, complex stuff.” We’ll gloss over the fact that he also said he can’t call Seth a great wrestler because he broke John Cena’s nose and mistakes like that are amateur. I get the feeling many of our readers will disagree with Mr. Hart on that point.

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But on that first point, he’s spot on.

Seth has combined his unparalleled athleticism with his uncanny instinct for in-ring psychology to produce action that is technically impressive as well as narratively fluent. The reason his matches thrill with such consistency is because he can tell a story with his wrestling ability. This is a hard skill to master and Seth Rollins has achieved that mastery at 29. (LH)

HIGHLIGHTS: Cashing in the Money in the Bank at WrestleMania 31, Triple threat with John Cena and Brock Lesnar (Royal Rumble), holding the World and US Title.

PHOTO: CHRIS MARCIANO

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KEVIN OWENS here are people on this list who have had great years but few of them can match the stunning impact Kevin Owens has made on WWE in such a short time. From winning the NXT title just two months after his debut to beating Cena on his first night on the main roster, Owens 2015 has been phenomenal. He captured the Intercontinental title at Night Of Champions and has so far proven those who doubted he had the physique to make it on top in WWE very wrong.

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Owens is the epitome of the “smash mouth” style – heavy hitting, quick out of the blocks, and always ready with a quick quip to further rile his opponents. Owens walks a line between out and out heel and fanfriendly anti-hero, but toes that line with a nous that few in that position ever develop. The doubters might continue to pour scorn on his chances of making it to the very top but with several top-line feuds already lined up beyond his current outing with Ryback, Owens looks to have 2016 “KO”d, too. (AB)

HIGHLIGHTS: NXT Champion, beating John Cena and Intercontinental Champion

PHOTO: CHRIS MARCIANO

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2015

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SASHA BANKS he scariest thing about The Boss isn’t her ground game. Yeah, she’s a killer technician who probably makes Zack Sabre Jr lie awake at night staring at his fingers, but it isn’t that. It’s not that she’s so fucking good on the mic, either. She’s got a commanding presence more than deserving of her stage moniker and she makes anyone standing next to her on the stick sound like a first year drama student. It’s not that she’s as beloved by so called internet fans as she is reviled by the precocious children who cheer for rivals like Bayley. The scariest thing about Sasha is that she’s only 23.

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With multiple 4+ star matches under her belt this year and a profile that just keeps rising, we haven’t even begun to see the full depths of her potential. We get to watch someone who might end up being the greatest female wrestler of all time grow and develop and continue to improve.

It’s terrifying for the status quo, but I can’t think of a better time to be a fan. (DG)

HIGHLIGHTS: NXT Women’s Champion, Iron Man V Bayley, NXT Takeover:New York V Bayley

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