2023 was one of the better years for professional wrestling. Whether it was WWE or AEW to some of the indies running shows of the year type of events. I wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the best male wrestling stars that superseded this past year. For this, I took the 3 best: one from WWE, one from AEW, and one from the Indies, with the fourth being the rising star of the past year.
WWE: Rhea Ripley
The woman who goes by Mami started 2023 with winning the Women’s Royal Rumble and hasn’t looked back since. Ripley from winning the match in January 2023 to winning the Women’s Championship at WrestleMania has looked unbeatable. She is the best presented woman on the roster. From her having some of the best women matches in the company, she has also been the focal point of the Judgement Day which is saying a lot as the group has Finn Balor a world-renowned star, to two future stars in Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio.
She overshadows them all but not in a negative way as she continues to look impressive in every defense of her championship. She has wins over, Nat, Zelina Vega, Zoey Starks, and everyone else on the women’s RAW roster. Right now, the likelihood of her next two opponents is unsure, she is going to be the focal point at Elimination Chamber in Perth but against who? Nia Jax? A returning Liv Morgan? It does seem that the end game for her will be Becky Lynch at WrestleMania which will be the biggest task and threat to her iconic championship reign.
AEW: Toni Storm
From being one of the focal points in Japan, Europe and even in WWE, Storm had the IT factor in every promotion she has been a part of. Storm the current AEW Women’s champion who reinvented herself with her current gimmick in Timeless Toni Storm has been a hit and the fresh take she needed. She was the clear star from the Outcasts and now she is front and center in the women’s division while being the top champion.
In her third reign as champion this is by far the most entertaining reign she has had since possibly her NXT UK women’s reign and her Progress Wrestling women’s championship reign. Now paired with Mariah May and Luther, Storm has a great opportunity to continue her entertaining reign as champion while she elevates May to the US audience before getting into what could possibly be one of her more memorable feuds in AEW.
Indies: Vert Vixen
For someone who may not follow the indies, Vixen has done a lot for women’s wrestling out here in the west coast and then some. The current Defy women’s champion has been on a tear in multiple promotions in 2023 and matching up with some of the best women in the indies. Whether it’s her defending her Defy championship overseas in Japan for TJPW, to wrestling in the Women’s Grand Prix for The Wrestling Revolver to appearances in Ring of Honor. The list of competitors she has faced range from Taya Valkyrie, Billie Starkz, Allie Katch, Allysin Kay, Nyla Rose, Julia Hart and the list continues. If anything, 2023 is only another level up for the player one that is Vert Vixen
RISING STAR: Sandra Moone
Another west coast star who made 2023 the most successful year. Moone has been a staple for women’s wrestling in the west coast as she has been one of the staples for Prestige Wrestling and West Coast Wrestling while also touring Japan for Marvelous pro wrestling. She had fantastic matches with the likes of Vert Vixen, Nyla Rose, Kylie Rae, Masha Slamovich, Maki Itoh, Rina Yamashita to name a few. Moone will look to climb the mountain and capture more championships in 2024 to add to her collection. If there is anyone outside of the marquee promotions who hypes up the crowd as babyface it is Sandra Moone as she brings the most energy and excitement to every match she is in, whether it’s singles, tags, and or mutli-person she brings what Bayley use to bring back in her NXT days.
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