2022 is coming to a close. But, what an incredible year it’s been inside the world of professional wrestling. We’ve seen the highest highs and the lowest lows this year. From forbidden doors being opened to long-standing chapters being closed, 2022 was truly a magical year. But, what was the best of the best in 2022? The BodySlam staff has come along to give you our best awards for fifteen different categories. Without further ado, here is the Bodyslam 2022 Year End Awards.
Manager Of The Year:
Behind every great man, is a great manager in pro-wrestling. Managers can be the aid for many things, including being a mouthpiece, a person to get deals done or sometimes even a distraction tactic. But in 2022, who was the best at doing what their client asked? Here are BodySlam’s picks for Manager Of The Year.
- Cassidy: William Regal
- Jameus: Frank The Clown
- Mark: William Regal
- Nick: Stokely Hathaway
- Gerard: Paul Heyman
- Corey B: Paul Heyman
- Corey M: William Regal
- Rami: Paul Heyman
- Brady: Paul Heyman
Overall Winner: Paul Heyman
Most Improved Wrestler Of The Year:
We can all stand to learn new things and every year it should be a goal to improve ourselves. As for wrestlers, improving in the ring in a huge part of the sport. There’s always time to learn and get better. That begs the question, who improved the most? Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Most Improved Wrestler Of The Year.
- Cassidy: Austin & Colten Gunn
- Jameus: Kazusada Higuchi
- Mark: Austin & Colten Gunn
- Nick: The Acclaimed
- Gerard: Jade Cargill
- Corey B: HOOK
- Corey M: Mandy Rose
- Rami: The Acclaimed
- Brady: The Acclaimed
Overall Winner: The Acclaimed
Babyface Of The Year:
Sometimes, it pays to be the nice guy. With a good attitude, comes lots of fanfare and cheers for all. It’s good to be on top, but it’s better to do it with a roaring crowd of support by your side. No dirty tactics needed, just fighting for what’s right. This year, we’ve seen a lot of fan favorites do big things, but who was the biggest face throughout the 365 days? Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Babyface Of The Year.
- Cassidy: The Acclaimed
- Jameus: Bianca Belair
- Mark: Cody Rhodes
- Nick: Sami Zayn
- Gerard: Adam Page
- Corey B: Bianca Belair
- Corey M: Bianca Belair
- Rami: Sheamus
- Brady: The Acclaimed
Overall Winner: Bianca Belair
Heel Of The Year:
Though it’s good to be nice, it’s better to be the bad guy. In the words of Scott Hall, ‘Bad Times Don’t Last, But Bad Guys Do.’ So, who cemented their legacy as the biggest heel of the year? Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Heel Of The Year.
- Cassidy: MJF
- Jameus: Spike Trivet
- Mark: MJF
- Nick: MJF
- Gerard: MJF
- Corey B: MJF
- Corey M: Jay White
- Rami: MJF
- Brady: MJF
Overall Winner: MJF
Independent Promotion Of The Year:
Pro-wrestling comes in many forms. But, some may say that the best is the gritty, underground style of independent pro-wrestling. The place where you may see the next big thing before they make it to the big stage, where women and men are cutting their teeth and showing all their passion for the business. But, which independent promotion did the best this year? Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Independent Promotion Of The Year.
- Cassidy: GCW
- Jameus: OTT
- Mark: OTT
- Nick: GCW
- Gerard: GCW
- Corey B: Wrestling REVOLVER
- Corey M: Prestige Wrestling
- Rami: GCW
- Brady: GCW
Overall Winner: GCW (Game Changer Wrestling)
Television Company Of The Year:
Flip through the channels at 8/7c sometime during the week and you’re bound to find some wrestling. Whether is RAW, SmackDown and NXT from WWE, Dynamite and Rampage from AEW, New Japan Pro Wrestling or the self titled IMPACT Wrestling, the TV product is always readily available. But, what company put on the best weekly television show in 2022? Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Television Company Of The Year.
- Cassidy: AEW
- Jameus: AEW
- Mark: AEW
- Nick: AEW
- Gerard: IMPACT Wrestling
- Corey B: AEW
- Corey M: NJPW
- Rami: AEW
- Brady: AEW
Overall Winner: AEW (All Elite Wrestling)
Tag Team Of The Year:
Tag team wrestling is one of the most popular forms of the sport going today. And this year, we’ve seen some of the best tag wrestling in years and years. From The Usos dominating WWE, to FTR capturing many-a gold and even Damage CTRL making a name for themselves, there was plenty of good to come out of this years tag team scene. But, who was the best? Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Tag Team Of The Year.
- Cassidy: FTR
- Jameus: FTR
- Mark: FTR
- Nick: FTR
- Gerard: Motor City Machine Guns
- Corey B: FTR
- Corey M: Aussie Open
- Rami: The Usos
- Brady: FTR
Overall Winner: FTR
Feud Of The Year:
When two sides despise each other so much that they can’t help but to attack on sight, that makes for fantastic wrestling television. From blood feuds to blood baths, the wars in the ring and on the microphone were something special in 2022. But, what rivalry had the crowd on the edge of their seat the most? Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Feud Of The Year.
- Cassidy: American Airlines vs. Wrestling
- Jameus: MJF vs. CM Punk
- Mark: MJF vs. CM Punk
- Nick: MJF vs. CM Punk
- Gerard: MJF vs. CM Punk
- Corey B: FTR vs. The Briscoes
- Corey M: FTR vs. The Briscoes
- Rami: MJF vs. CM Punk
- Brady: FTR vs. The Briscoes
Overall Winner: MJF vs. CM Punk
Moment Of The Year:
Under the brightest lights, when you least expect it, moments are made. From shocking turns to incredible feats of athleticism, wrestling had its fair share of epic moments this year that had the people in the crowd and at home both standing on their feet. Now, it’s time to find out who made the most of their moment. Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Moment Of The Year.
- Cassidy: Brawl Out
- Mark: FTR vs. Briscoes I Opening Minutes (Supercard Of Honor)
- Nick: Brawl Out
- Gerard: CM Punk The Wins AEW Title (Double Or Nothing)
- Corey B: Bray Wyatt Returns (Extreme Rules)
- Corey M: Vince McMahon’s Retirement
- Rami: William Regal Turns Heel (Full Gear)
- Brady: Bray Wyatt Returns (Extreme Rules)
Overall Winner: Bray Wyatt Returns (Extreme Rules)
Return Of The Year:
2022 had plenty of returns. So much so that you could fill an entire roster which just returning stars. From Triple H bringing back released talent to injury ridden stars being cleared and even talent jumping ship, we’ve seen a plethora of huge returning moments this year but who did it best? Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Return Of The Year.
- Cassidy: William Regal
- Jameus: Cody Rhodes (WrestleMania 38)
- Mark: Cody Rhodes (WrestleMania 38)
- Nick: Cody Rhodes (WrestleMania 38)
- Gerard: Cody Rhodes (WrestleMania 38)
- Corey B: Bray Wyatt (Extreme Rules)
- Corey M: Cody Rhodes (WrestleMania 38)
- Rami: MJF (AEW All Out)
- Brady: Cody Rhodes (WrestleMania 38)
Overall Winner: Cody Rhodes (WrestleMania 38)
Wrestling Event Of The Year:
With so many pay-per-views and shows from every company each year, it’s hard to filter through them all. From standout matches to huge moments and surprises, 2022 events were bringing the heat all year long. But, there must be one event that sticks out the most. Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Wrestling Event Of The Year.
- Cassidy: Wrestlecade
- Jameus: AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door
- Mark: WrestleMania 38
- Nick: WrestleMania 38
- Gerard: WrestleMania 38
- Corey B: AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door
- Corey M: AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door
- Rami: AEW Full Gear
- Brady: AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door
Overall Winner: AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door
Match Of The Year:
When it’s all said and done, the basis of pro-wrestling resides inside the squared circle. From epic tag team encounters to breathtaking singles matches, the stars were being given out like hotcakes all over the place this year. But what competitors stood toe to toe in the ring and made you get goosebumps on your skin from the time the bell rang to the time the referee counted the three? Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Match Of The Year.
- Cassidy: FTR vs. Briscoes (Supercard Of Honor)
- Jameus: FTR vs. Briscoes (Supercard Of Honor)
- Mark: FTR vs. Aussie Open (Royal Quest)
- Nick: FTR vs. The Briscoes (Supercard Of Honor)
- Gerard: Jordynne Grace vs. Masha Slamovich (Bound For Glory)
- Corey B: FTR vs. Briscoes (ROH Final Battle)
- Corey M: Sheamus vs. Gunther (Clash At The Castle
- Rami: FTR vs. The Briscoes (ROH Final Battle)
- Brady: Gringo Loco, Toxin & Latigo vs. Arez, ASF & Komander (GCW Amerikaz Most Wanted)
Overall Winner: FTR vs. The Briscoes (Supercard Of Honor)
Rookie Of The Year:
They may just be getting into the swing of things, but their rise is starting off hot. In 2022, we saw a lot of stars start to rise and pick up steam across the board in every company. In sports, your rookie season is a huge deal and wrestling is much of the same. But, which hot young talent has shown the most promise? Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Rookie Of The Year.
- Cassidy: Logan Paul
- Jameus: Kidd Bandit
- Mark: HOOK
- Nick: Logan Paul
- Gerard: Nick Wayne
- Corey B: Logan Paul
- Corey M: Roxanne Perez
- Rami: HOOK
- Brady: Solo Sikoa
Overall Winner: Logan Paul
Women’s Wrestler Of The Year:
All the ladies get up and give yourselves a standing ovation. This year, women ran the scene. From dominant defenses like Ronda Rousey, long-standing reigns in Bianca Belair, epic performances from the likes of Jamie Hayter, Jordynne Grace, Jade Cargill, Miyu Yamashita and KAIRI all the way to taking over a division with Damage CTRL, women showed out! Yet, there’s always that one person who stands out amongst the stars. Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Women’s Wrestler Of The Year.
- Cassidy: Jamie Hayter
- Jameus: Giulia
- Mark: Bianca Belair
- Nick: Bianca Belair
- Gerard: Jordynne Grace
- Corey B: Bianca Belair
- Corey M: Giulia
- Rami: Bianca Belair
- Brady: Bianca Belair
Overall Winner: Bianca Belair
Men’s Wrestler Of The Year:
On the opposite side of things, men brought their best around the world, fighting to become the top star. With unbeatable records from the likes of Roman Reigns, to standout matches from Seth Rollins, consistently incredible performances in Mike Bailey to capturing moments in both the tag team and singles scene like Dax Harwood, everyone brought their all to 2022. But, which man stood the tallest in the pack? Here are Bodyslam’s picks for Men’s Wrestler Of The Year.
- Cassidy: Jon Moxley
- Jameus: Jon Moxley
- Mark: Dax Harwood
- Nick: Jon Moxley
- Gerard: Josh Alexander
- Corey B: Jon Moxley
- Corey M: Jon Moxley
- Rami: Roman Reigns
- Brady: ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey
Overall Winner: Jon Moxley
As we wrap up 2022 and head into a new year, we want to say thank you to all the women and men who put their bodies on the line to entertain us each week. And thank you to the readers for supporting everyone here at Bodyslam! We look ahead and hope for a fantastic 2023!
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