The Top Fourteen Wrestlers of 2014
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty
It's December 30, 2014 and in just two days we'll be entering a year that folks back in the 1950's could only hypothesize over; it seems like all of the old science fiction films of yesteryear focused on round numbered years like 2000 and 2015. I feel as though the word "polarizing" has been tossed around quite a bit this year in regard to professional wrestling, whether the conversation is about John Cena or the brand new Lucha Underground—but can any other word truly capture the essence of what went down in Twenty-Fourteen? Friends, my name is Mark Haggerty and I am proud to present my Top Fourteen Wrestlers of 2014.
Honorable Mention
I want to give a very special honorable mention to a handful of guys and girls. Now, this isn't some throwaway category of names, these are six professional wrestlers who would have made up the Top 20, but in the interest of novelty and time, I restricted the article to 14. There is no order, but these are the top wrestlers that I didn't have a chance to go into detail on, but would like to issue a personal thank you for your efforts and congratulations on a great year. I have faith each you will make the Top 15 of 2015.
- Charlotte
- Sami Zayn
- Prince Devitt
- Kevin Steen
- Tetsuya Naito
- Kyle O'Reilly
14. Eric Young
I'm happy to lead off my list with "Showtime" Eric Young, who had what I would call one of the best years anyone would have ever hoped for. Not only did the former lackey of Team Canada win the TNA World Heavyweight title from a dominant corporate champion, but he did so well into his Impact tenure when many of us in the journalistic community thought Young could be nearing the end of his career. Only in his mid-thirties now, Eric Young has rejuvenated his reputation and is poised to become one of the strongest members of the TNA locker room when the company reboots in 2015. While Young may have suffered from the various comparisons drawn between he and the similarly-sized bearded World Champion from WWE–Daniel Bryan, nothing can be taken away from Young's accomplishment and his sixteen year journey to the top of the card.
13. Roman Reigns
Although the corporate powers that be have seemingly designated Roman Reigns the heir apparent to John Cena as the future face of the WWE, I'm personally not sold and I imagine the same can be said for a vast majority of lifelong wrestling fanatics. However, I can't pretend to predict what will happen and I'm intrigued by what any member of the Anoa'i Family could be capable of as the 21st Century has now kicked into full swing. Reigns had a hell of a year, not just based on his time as the defacto General leading The Shield to a number of impressive victories, but in how far he has grown from this point just 365 days ago. I think a lot of people would have initially considered Roman the break out star of the group, but 6 months removed from Seth Rollins' heel turn, we're still not sure what to expect out of Roman Reigns. While his work rate and promos might leave a lot to be desired by hardened wrestling critics, the Super Human with the Superman Punch has come an incredibly long way and appears to be getting stronger by the week. Who knows what next year has in store, and if the rumors are true, could we see Reigns topple The Beast at the Granddaddy of Them All?
12. Dolph Ziggler
He's an incredibly well-conditioned athlete who certainly could have taught Willy Loman a few things on how to sell, but what makes 2014 different from years prior? Dolph Ziggler is a former World Champion who's been on the industry radar since he broke away from The Spirit Squad and started introducing himself to people such as Jillian Hall backstage at Smackdown. But this year helped to further elevate the "Show Off" from High Spot Hot Shot to Main Event Player. The WWE strategically positioned Ziggler throughout 2014, allowing him to redefine the role of an Intercontinental Champion after several years of letting less capable talent taint the title's original luster. In November, many skeptics and fence-hoppers were swayed to the side of reason when Dolph Ziggler outlasted both his own Team Cena and the opposing Team Authority in the yearly five-on-five Survivor Series competition. Twenty-fifteen will be a critical period in Dolph Ziggler's career one way or another and it's up to him whether 2014 was his 1995 as Shawn Michaels, or his 1987 as Ricky Steamboat; both are respectable paths to take, but only one leads to the top.
11. Jay Lethal
The casual television wrestling fan might be curious as to where Black Machismo has been hiding since his unceremonious exit from TNA Impact Wrestling. But the truth is that Jay Lethal hasn't been hiding anywhere at all and has in fact been lighting up the independent scene around the country, specifically in some of the more popular promotions and more exclusively as the current, reigning and defending Ring of Honor World Television Champion since April 4th of this year. Since arriving in Ring of Honor on a full-time basis, Lethal has linked with longtime manager and full-time trainer Truth Martini, who has helped to develop Jay Lethal from a cable-comedy act into an honest professional that can be proud to call himself, "The Greatest First Generation Wrestler." Jay spent the better part of this year having match-of-the-year contending bouts with all-star talents ranging from Matt Taven to Kushida, from ACH to Matt Sydal. Lethal appears to be developing a deeper understanding as to the fundamentals of ring psychology which is already benefiting his stellar in-ring presence. Could 2015 be the year that Truth Martini leads Jay Lethal to the Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Championship?
10. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Perhaps the most seasoned athlete on our countdown is the current IWGP World Heavyweight Title Holder, the recording setting 7-time Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi. Tanahashi is a Japanese sensation similar to such American stars as John Cena and Triple H; he's spent a very long time atop the proverbial mountain and public opinion tends to wane as to how long it will be until NJPW decides to put him out to pasture. Unlike Cena however, Hiroshi Tanahashi has only held the prestigious New Japan heavyweight belt seven times, which as previously mentioned is a record unto itself. While the Japanese fans might not be so poised to "Riot if Tanahashi Wins," there are certainly those of us in the puroresu fan community that would have liked to see someone other than Tanahashi defeat the devilish AJ Styles. Nonetheless, his accomplishments cannot be stricken, and his presence during what was already an incredible year for New Japan make him a fitting choice to cap off the Top Ten Stars of 2014, on this Top Fourteen Countdown. Twenty-fifteen will be another defining year for the 38-year old veteran, starting with a title defense at Wrestle Kingdom 9 on January 3rd against the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, and another name further down our list—Kazuchika Okada.
9. Adam Cole
Another non-WWE talent that the casual fan has probably seen in their Facebook feed but is otherwise unfamiliar with is Adam Cole, the former ROH World Champion and self-expressed leader of "The Kingdom," in Matt Hardy's absence. Cole is a cocky kid billed from Panama City who in September of 2013 won a hotly-contested tournament to bestow the then-vacant championship upon the most deserving ROH competitor. Cole's movie star good looks and unparalleled charisma helped him garner the praise of each town he worked, but once he became the champion it was only a matter of moments before he allowed his true colors to bleed through his previously camouflaged exterior. Since first becoming champion, Cole has had a personal vendetta with 2-time ROH Champion Jay Briscoe, and their saga continued in 2014 in a series of highly-praised contests, first on April 4th at Supercard of Honor VIII. In a much sought after one-on-one situation, the villainous Adam Cole managed to defeat Jay Briscoe in a match to determine the Undisputed ROH Champion. On May 17th Cole had another successful title defense against the Legendary Lushin Thunder Liger at War of the Worlds, a cross-promotional event with NJPW. His match with Liger, while no "Match of the Year," was impressive and displayed Cole's versatility in how he managed to work with the veteran whose mystique in Japan extended far beyond the world of professional wrestling. Cole turned several heads time and time again throughout the Spring of 2014, but finally lost his championship to the questionably contentious Michael Elgin. Although failing to win his title back during 2014, Cole has maintained a strong presence on ROH TV via his involvement with The Kingdom. In fact it was through the Kingdom and their longstanding rivalry with the Briscoe's that ROH was able to work Cole back into an onscreen program with his longtime adversary Jay Briscoe. The two continued their feud, this time with Briscoe holding the title he had won from Elgin, at Final Battle 2014 in a Fight Without Honor. In the end, Jay Briscoe would retain his title, but Cole put up an offense that won't soon be forgotten nor replicated, including a superkick to Jay Briscoe who was already choking on a handful of thumbtacks. Following his losing effort at Final Battle, Cole announced that he would be undergoing surgery and would be out for the first few months of 2015. Hopefully Cole can return by The Thirteenth Anniversary Show in Las Vegas, because I will be there and I'd be extremely glad to see a healthy Adam Cole—BAY-BAY!
8. Dean Ambrose
One of the only non-world title holders on the countdown is one of the only CZW-turned-WWE Superstars—uh… Ever? Coincidence? My only point there is that while I personally don't find the brutality commonly association with Combat Zone Wrestling to be in ANY way attractive, there are bound to be a bevy of diamonds in the rough regardless of where you might go looking. Dean Ambrose in the WWE was something that no one could have planned for; The Lunatic Fringe achieved zero singles wins on pay-per-view this year, yet managed to attain the admiration of the audience by using a combination attack that resembled something to the effect of Roddy Piper mixed with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Both on the mic—and of course between the ropes. He began the year by carrying the United States Title to the ring alongside his brothers Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. During their classic battles with the Wyatt's and Evolution, Dean stood out as the unstable Loose Cannon who harkened back to Brian Pillman and provided support to the imposing Reigns once the bell sounded. It appeared, should The Shield ever disband and cease to be, Rollins would become the charismatic Intercontinental Championship babyface, Reigns would become the super-over World Champion, and Dean would be left in the dust wrestling as a "Crazy Heel" against Los Matadores on Superstars. But following the chair shot that changed everything, things took a turn for the unpredictable and Dean has since appeared to be the break out star of the group and is in some ways the second-most popular babyface in the entire company. His long-lasting rivalry with Seth Rollins that has since been shelved sure to ignite once more one day has been wonderfully portrayed and reminds me of simpler times where the good guy would chase the powerful heel, only to come up short each and every time. That's the basis for compelling professional wrestling TV and when the roles are reversed for too long, it can become cumbersome and confusing. Dean might have yet to wear a World Heavyweight Title belt, but he has provided countless main event moments on pay-per-view throughout 2014—far more than the current WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar. Twenty-fourteen was an incredible year for Ambrose no matter what you might think of his repetitive in-ring style and the Heath Ledger impression he does during interviews; he went from third wheel alongside Reigns and Rollins to Main Event Superstar. Could 2015 be the year we see Ambrose and Rollins take their feud to the next level as they vie for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship?
7. John Cena
I think it's almost becoming cool to like John Cena again—like some sort of hipster rebirth, the same you see with 80's memorabilia and facial hair. The criticisms to his character seem to be more so directed toward his longevity than his ability nowadays and I think that's pretty cool. I have a very dear friend down in Florida who has always been among the most fevered Cena-Haters. But when we encountered one another on Christmas Eve this year, he told me that he actually LIKED Cena. This was a great year for the 15-time champion, but has he really ever had a bad year since 2002? That's not a tongue-in-cheek Cena slam, it's just a fact. Since his �ruthlessly aggressive' answer to Kurt Angle's open challenge on Smackdown, Cena has been destined for stardom and has since climbed to heights previously undiscovered by great men such as Hulk Hogan and Bruno Sammartino. So in the interest of fairness to John Cena, it would be unethical to leave him off a list of the Top Stars of the Year. He couldn't be first, he couldn't be last—seven is good for a man who did what he does as well as ever, all while helping to elevate everybody with whom he works. When Vince McMahon says Cena is the only one able to grab the "brass ring," he's referring to more than just a willingness to achieve inside the squared circle, as that is only part of the WWE Superstar Package. "Why hasn't Dolph Ziggler become the face of the company," asked everybody always? It's because whenever John Cena tweets, it's about a pay-per-view or Breast Cancer or Make-a-Wish; whenever Dolph Ziggler tweets it's in some way negative or offensive and has to be taken down hours later. Like them or hate them, those are the politics of the WWE, and when Vince McMahon goes looking for the next star to fill those pump-up-sneakers of Cena's, he's searching for someone willing to give 100% of themselves just as Cena did, just as the Rock did, just like Austin and Hogan. All four men are at least once divorced by the way, and all but Cena have children. So—who's willing to give THAT of themselves, seven days a week, for as far into the future as anyone can imagine? If it's you, you should apply. Aside from who Cena is, and what he does for the WWE, his personal year was just as stellar as ever including a Wrestlemania victory, a WWE World Heavyweight Championship title reign, and a compelling and selfless program with "The Beast Incarnate" Brock Lesnar. Was it Cena's best year ever? No. But it was better than everybody else I'm going to place him ahead, and I'm proud to include the Doctor of Thuganomics on my Top Fourteen of 2014.
6. Daniel Bryan
I feel like I might get some negative backlash for listing Daniel Bryan so high on my Top Fourteen of 2014, but just as I did with John Cena and any other number of questionable entries, I have my reasons to include a man that spent a large part of this year on the injured list. Bryan has followed in CM Punk's footsteps and proven that ROH talents can be integrated amongst the WWE Universe without losing their independent appeal and still make sense within a broader context. It's taken Bryan a few years to find his true voice and connect with the people, but now that he has it's taken on a life that nobody could have predicted. He's 5'8, he's got a lumberjack beard, he's got free fair-use music and a simple catchphrase yet he is still perhaps the most organically over Superstar the WWE has ever seen. Daniel Bryan's year was inspirational on several levels; of course his double victories at Wrestlemania 30 in New Orleans made for a plethora of still images and sound bites that will be used until the end of time, and even his role alongside his wife in her battle with the Billion Dollar Princess served to keep him in the limelight all while nursing what could have been a career ending injury. Perhaps most inspirational of all was Daniel's special relationship with a terminally-ill 8-year-old boy named Connor, nicknamed "The Crusher." Connor was himself a miraculous little boy who entered anyone's heart that even saw him on YouTube, but no one seemed to connect with Connor the Crusher like Daniel Bryan. On the very last episode of Monday Night Raw of 2014, on the third-to-last segment of an already explosive evening of television, Daniel Bryan faked out a saddened crowd chanting, "No! No! No!" at the very idea of Bryan retiring. Instead, Daniel Bryan revealed that he would in fact be returning to action and that his doctors cleared him for competition. Will he be entering the 2015 Royal Rumble? Yes! Yes! Yes! Could Wrestlemania 31 feature a showdown between David and Goliath as Daniel Bryan goes head to head with Brock Lesnar? Anything can happen, but let's get to Philadelphia and the Royal Rumble before we start speculating on �Mania.
5. Ricochet
First and foremost, this entry contains a spoiler that you're probably already hip to if you're a fan of my writing, as I've already written about it here at Cheap-Heat. If not, there's bound to be an enormity of head-scratching going on as to who the heck Ricochet even is, and why he's been chosen as the #5 Wrestler of 2014. Well for those of us here in Southern California, we know Ricochet as the high flying, risk-taking, adrenaline junkie that has helped to put Pro Wrestling Guerrilla on the map. His year here has been without question another phenomenal showcase of experienced innovation, especially during this year's Battle of Los Angles—already being called the Best BOLA Ever. He's been a mainstay around the world in small indie promotions as well as more mainstream companies such as Dragon-Gate, Evolve, and Chikara. But 2014 was probably the biggest year in young Trevor "Ricochet" Mann's professional life and with good reason. Ricochet traveled to Japan compete in the NJPW classic, "The Best of the Super Juniors"—an annual tradition dating back to 1988 featuring the greatest light heavyweight wrestling talents from across the globe. After being faced with certain failure in 2013, Ricochet fought his way to second place on his block and finished first in the overall competition—becoming the youngest wrestler in history to win the tournament. In September it was reported that Trevor Mann had signed with a mysterious new televised promotion produced by reality-whiz Mark Burnett set to debut on Robert Rodriguez's El Rey Network. Introduced under a mask and managed by former NWO member Konnan, Mann was now known as Prince Puma, and burst onto the "Lucha Underground" program like a wildfire engulfing the imaginations of each and every audience member. Lucha Underground proved to be a hit among both casual fans and professional critics alike, so much so that I write a weekly review every Thursday entitled, "Viva La Lucha Libre!" And here's where the spoiler comes in: The Championship Match has already been announced so everybody in TV Land knows that much by now. But following the bells and whistles of number-one-contender matches, Ricochet AKA Prince Puma will be crowned the First Ever Lucha Underground World Heavyweight Champion. The match will air in 2015, however it was taped in 2014, so I'm inclined to include it in what was already an incredible year for a talented young man who's still considered "just an Indie Guy."
4. Seth Rollins
When I look at Seth Rollins, there is no doubt in my mind that I am looking at the future of the WWE and professional wrestling as an industry. He is perhaps the most well rounded wrestler/superstar you could hope to find as each of his skills are so keenly developed at such a young age. There is of course room to grow as I hear the constant bickering that his promos go on a little too long, but that's the position he's playing with the ball he's been thrown. Colby Lopez AKA Seth Rollins formerly Tyler Black is only 28 years old, meaning he's still incredibly coachable and is still waiting to enter the prime of his career. So when he slips up on a sentence, I'm inclined to forgive, because nobody's been able to incite the sort of earned-animosity from the audience that Seth Rollins does in a very long time. Twenty-fourteen was probably the best year in the career of Colby Lopez, but that's just something I'm assuming because I don't personally know the guy. But considering how far he's come in such a short amount of time, I think it's safe to say that professionally speaking, he won't be forgetting 2014 for a very long time. Of course, the year began strongly for Seth Rollins, as strong as The Shield itself of which Rollins played it's "Architect." Not really sure what that means—perhaps it's an allusion to him being the "brains" of the operation, which admittedly, doesn't sound as cool as "architect." The Shield as a whole was on fire for the first half of the year earning hard fought victories against top level teams in high rated matches. Before the unthinkable event that nobody saw coming, the WWE Universe speculated that Ambrose might be the one to turn, but who would have ever guessed it'd be Seth Rollins? Since aligning himself with Triple H and the Authority, Rollins has won the coveted Money in the Bank Briefcase which more often than not leads its holder to World Heavyweight glory. He has also main evented several pay-per-views, even against his former Shield brother Dean Ambrose in a Hell in a Cell match. Rollins has been established as the Number One Heel in the WWE, perhaps second only to a scarcely seen WWE World Heavyweight Champion. After using Edge's life-threatening ailment to put The Authority back in power, one can only assume that 2015 will be an even more fruitful year for Seth Rollins.
3. Kazuchika Okada
If you don't follow NJPW, then I am here to tell you that the time to start is now. Wrestle Kingdom 9 is this Sunday and it's going to be the first ever New Japan event broadcast through all major America pay-per-view providers. And it's going to be in English featuring Jim Ross and Matt Striker providing commentary, so if you're at all interested this is the show to check out. The man whom I feel is the third best wrestler in the world right now will be challenging for the title that he held during the first half of this year, what is perhaps the most prestigious championship in all of professional wrestling—the IWGP World Heavyweight Title Belt. Kazuchika Okada is among the youngest names on our list; at only 27 years old, the 10-year veteran had an amazing year beginning with his 7th successful title defense at Wrestle Kingdom 8 at the Tokyo Dome. Okada held the title until May 3rd when he was finally vanquished by The Bullet Club's newest member, AJ Styles. Okada's impressive thirteen month title reign had come to a screeching halt, but rather than wallow in defeat, Okada continued fighting and innovating his arsenal. In mid-summer, Okada was just one of dozens of world-class workers entered into the 2014 G1 Climax—a 2-to-3 week round robin tournament dating back to 1974. The entire tournament was praised by critics and fans for the number of "Match of the Year" qualifying contests featured. In the end, only one man could walk away the winner, and it had to be the fallen champion, "The Rainmaker" himself—Kazuchika Okada. Since losing his title and proving himself at G1, Okada's demeanor has transitioned from pompous arrogance to that of a man fixated on restoring his honor. Only time will tell what 2015 holds for Kazuchika Okada, but if he can conquer Hiroshi Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 9, the year could turn out even better than 2014.
2. AJ Styles
When I started to put this list together and compile the Final Fourteen that would be the Top 14 of 2014, I had about 20-30 names that I had to narrow down even further. Once I got to the very best of the best, I was inclined to place AJ Styles at the top, and in some respects, he really was the Best Wrestler of 2014. He left a company that he had helped build and was with since 2002 for unknown territory, despite the risk involved in starting over in his late 30's. AJ of course knew that any indie promotion would have him and he could count on continuous work whenever he wanted it, but he probably never expected to hit it "Stan Hansen-Big" after starting in New Japan. The "Lariat" Stan Hansen was of course an American from Texas who was regarded as a wrestling demi-god by the people of Japan and is still revered today as a highly respected member of the Japanese community. Non-Japanese talents have been applying their craft in Japan in great numbers ever since the 1970's when diplomatic promotors like Mr. Baba and Antonio Inoki made it easy for outsiders AKA "Gaijin" to find work in the Land of the Rising Sun. So it was a no brainer when Styles decided to make a go in New Japan, and debuted alongside an already established faction of shameless self-promoting fellow Gaijin known as The Bullet Club, now led by "The Machine Gun" Karl Anderson. AJ was immediately well received by the Japanese fans and they took to him how he was intended, as the highly skilled American whom they admired but wanted to see lose due to his shameful lack of honor. AJ Styles was the first man able to dethrone the thirteen month champion Kazuchika Okada and reigned over New Japan with his own sort of sordid disdain for his competition and more often-than-not the fans. AJ had an impressive showing during the G1 Climax where he failed to surpass the more veteran contenders, but still managed to hold his IWGP Championship Title for the better part of the autumn. AJ was finally defeated after only a few successful title defenses by now-7-time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi. Although AJ's title reign was short lived, it speaks volumes as to his current value within the industry. AJ Styles was the Number Two Wrestler of the Year, not only because he was a Gaijin that captured the most elegant and perhaps most prestigious championship in all of professional wrestling, but due to his complex and extensive work rate in various smaller promotions throughout the country and abroad, in addition to his constant ability to evolve and do what's right for him and his family. Okay, well maybe that last part doesn't necessarily add to the resume of a great wrestler, but it helps to create a good man and that's pretty good too. I see more positive things on the horizon for AJ Styles as a new year is upon us, perhaps in a more prominent singles role away from The Villainous Bullet Club.
1. Brock Lesnar
Talk about controversial, am I really ranking a guy who only wrestled four matches all year NUMBER ONE? One of which he lost by disqualification? You're damn right I am. First of all, let's talk about what's obvious and right in front of us. Brock Lesnar defeated The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 30 in New Orleans. That is a sentence that nobody ever thought they'd read, no matter whose name you start it with or what city you end it with. It doesn't matter if the decision was wrong or right, Brock Lesnar did something that Triple H, Shawn Michaels, CM Punk, Ric Flair, Kevin Nash, and a dozen more had attempted and failed to do since 1991. Fast forward a few months to where Brock Lesnar is challenging John Cena for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Summerslam in front of a sold-out Staples Center where yours truly was standing just 40 feet from the ring. The build up to the main event was unlike anything we'd seen outside of a Wrestlemania match in some time, and the battle lines were drawn not only between Brock and Cena but between fans of Sports Entertainment and fans of Professional Wrestling. It was anybody's game as far as we could tell. It could go either way—right? Then the bell sounded and Brock Lesnar proceeded to decimate one of the most decorated WWE Superstars in the History of the company. He capitalized on Cena using an onslaught of heinous German Suplexes, a move commonly associated with the infamous Chris Benoit, and known to cause irreparable damage to the neck and vertebrae. After a series of F5's and as little offense as one might expect out of Barry Horowitz against Sir Isaac Yankem, we had a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion whose win over Cena was at the very bottom of his already stacked list of accomplishments. His DQ loss to Cena and irrelevant victory over the Big Show notwithstanding, Brock Lesnar has done more for the WWE this year than any wrestler aside from John Cena in recent memory. And before you begin naming popular main eventers, I'm not talking about dudes that draw money, I'm referring to the sort of talent that has the ability to help adjust the aim of the entire promotion as a whole. John Cena was instrumental in helping to draw kids and parents to a product that was formerly too crude for anyone under seventeen. Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin were strong leaders amid an entire locker room of "attitudes" waiting to be unleashed. Brock Lesnar has had a lasting effect in a variety of small ways that will, and in some cases already have begun to, change the course of WWE programming for the next few years. His limited appearances alone have had a positive influence on several facets of the product, not the least of which being his own character's increased mystique and marketability. Back before the age of monthly pay-per-views and weekly title defenses, the WWWF Championship was a strap of leather only contested for on rare occasions, when the atmosphere was considered just right for such an honor. Then WCW came along and starting having World Title matches every Monday night on cable television and the entire genre changed—world titles as a whole lost their value. Lesnar's light workload means the title belt itself is rarely ever seen, making the few times it is on television a very special occasion. The lack of WWE Title matches on Raw means that the Intercontinental and United States Champions have a chance to shine, and since the focus has shifted off of the WWE title, Superstars such as Ziggler and Rusev have both had plenty of opportunities to main event Raw and Smackdown. If anyone else on the roster was in possession of the championship right now, the focus of all 7 hours of new WWE programming each week would be on that belt and who wants it. Instead the WWE has been afforded some breathing room to help build new stars and meaningful long term programs. If John Cena was the champion, he'd defend against Rollins and Ambrose and Wyatt and Rusev and nobody would have their own time to develop outside of the main event and alongside established talents that don't need the rub. Brock Lesnar's absence has left room for Wyatt to grow stranger, it's allowed Ziggler to take the spotlight in a more meaningful way, and it's been without question beneficial to each member of The Shield. So in addition to the incredibly impressive victories he's had between January and right now, and his status as the current, reigning, defending and insanely dominant WWE World Champion, Brock Lesnar is helping to raise the bar as to how good one has to be to wear the WWE Title. Pound for pound, skill for skill, booked as he was, and providing what he does for the industry and WWE, I am confident that Brock Lesnar was the Number One Wrestler of 2014.
So my list is of course going to be controversial as any countdown is going to be. I remember I read "The Top Ten Christmas Movies of All Time" this year and it didn't mention "Christmas Vacation" anywhere, so I threw a bit of a tantrum. You probably agree with some of what I had to say and in the cases where you may have not, I'm glad we can have differing opinions because that's what makes wrestling so exciting. It's a guttural experience every time that can illicit any number of emotions from any sort of different people. I stand by my list, and invite you to join me next week for my "Top Fifteen to Watch in 2015." Until then, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty, wishing and yours a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year
