As I was starting to assemble the list for my third annual WWE Power Rankings I couldn’t escape a couple of nagging feelings in the back of my mind. First, NXT has been better than WWE’s main roster for quite some time, so why was I not including it? Second, and more importantly, WWE in 2015 is in a pretty sad state as an entertainment commodity. This year I have become much, much more invested in Lucha Underground and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Why was I assembling a list of the performers on my fourth favorite wrestling show and excluding the people I actually like and want to write about?
So instead I scrapped the WWE Power Rankings and decided to put in the extra work (4 days) it would take to create The Irish Whip 250.
Now, let me be clear. This is not a ranking of the best wrestlers in the world. That was a rabbit hole I was not prepared to jump down. (maybe next year.) There will be glaring omissions such as performers from TNA or Chikara or any of your favorite indie darlings. The people from ROH who competed in NJPW made the cut but the ROH champion, Jay Lethal, did not. (next year). The Irish Whip 250 is a year-end ranking of the people I’ve seen on the wrestling shows I watch based on my subjective enjoyment of their contributions. The list is assembled from WWE Monday Night Raw, Network Specials, the occasional Smackdown, NXT, Lucha Underground*, NJPW on AXS TV and live events on NJPW World.
*One final note: I was a bit late to the game on LU so their blurbs were written by my brother, who, just for 2015, had a bit more knowledge of that product. You can find him on Twitter @ZombieShakes. He posts a lot of cartoon drawings of wrestlers (Scott Dawson’s banner!)
And now here is 2015’s Irish Whip 250:
250. Justin Gabriel: Frustrated with the WWE Creative team, Gabriel quit the night before the Royal Rumble. Moved on to TNA and has taped at least one appearance for Season 2 of Lucha Underground.
249. Hugo Knox: Soccer goalie turned wrestler. He has been training at the NXT facilities for a year and should be on TV soon.
248. ZZ: The runner-up of WWE’s revived Tough Enough reality show. His force of personality got him a job but it remains to be seen if he’s motivated enough to make it.
247. Steve Anthony: Well-traveled indie wrestler who stopped by NJPW’s Destruction in Okayama to drop the NWA Junior Heavyweight title to Tiger Mask.
246. Bruce Tharpe: Yes, the NWA still exists and it’s run by Tharpe. His over-the-top temper tantrum when Anthony lost to Tiger Mask was a lowlight of the Destruction show.
245. Alexander Wolfe: NXT prospect who teamed with Marcus Louis in an untelevised loss to the Hype Bros during the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
244. Brad Maddox: Fired from WWE for using the word ‘prick’ at a live event just when it looked like he might finally get a foothold on a roster spot.
243. Tucker Knight: Currently an NXT jobber but he’s a pretty big guy so there will most likely be better things in his future. Perhaps following the buzzards…
242. Bronson Matthews: A new name for 2015 Tough Enough winner Josh the Yeti. He landed the big prize so WWE has to give him every chance to prove himself.
241. Melina: Appeared at Ultima Lucha to assist Johnny Mundo to victory before being spanked by Alberto El Patron. Apparently, contract negotiations broke down and she will not be appearing in Season 2.
240. Christian: Forced to retire from WWE but has stayed in their good graces, making occasional appearances on Raw. Set to debut a new show with Edge on the WWE Network.
239. Edge: see above.
238. David Otunga: Hasn’t wrestled on WWE TV for well over a year but does have a spot on the Raw pre-show on WWE Network.
237. Hulk Hogan: A huge fall from grace for the once mighty Hulkster. His racist rants cost him his job with WWE and he is currently on their black list.
236. Elias Samson: “The Drifter” lost to Bull Dempsey at NXT Takeover Brooklyn. He’s been given some new guitar-playing vignettes but he’s no longer listed on the wwe.com NXT roster so this might be a total repackage.
235. Sylvester LeFort: This guy has been in NXT for years and has never had anything he’s done catch on. Oh, if only Rusev hadn’t turned on him for Lana. What might have been.
234. Devin Taylor: Was coming into her own as an internet-darling backstage interviewer for NXT but was sadly cut for not making progress as a wrestler.
233. The Boogeyman: Made a surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble as fodder for Bray Wyatt and was the victim of several pranks on Swerved.
232. Hornswoggle: Was used a lot on Swerved but was not seen on regular WWE much. Received a drug suspension for not turning in a sample in a timely manner. But he’s got little legs!
231. Rosa Mendes: Got dumped by Fandango when he ditched his Spanish flair gimmick. Not much TV time even before she got pregnant.
230. Liv Morgan: NXT’s newest female jobber. She’s already got a look and a gimmick (New Joisey) so she might have a chance to climb the ladder.
229. Matanza: Dario Cueto’s cage monster brother. Unsure if anyone is even cast to play him yet, though he had one confirmed kill in Season 1.
228. Stephen Amell: The star of Arrow feuded with Stardust leading to a match at Summerslam. One of the rare non-wrestlers who came across as fairly competent in the ring.
Surprisingly, a super hero fit right in to the wrestling world.
227. Greg Hamilton: NXT interviewer hilariously dubbed “Creepy Greg” by the IWC for his style of appearing out of nowhere while guys are working out or awkwardly standing behind someone while interviewing them. He’s gotten better and currently does most of NXT’s ring announcing.
226. Charles Robinson: WWE refs go mostly unnoticed but Robinson had a high profile spot when he came down to NXT in a failed attempt to help Eva Marie defeat Bayley for the Women’s championship.
225. Diamond Dallas Page: Had a spot in the Royal Rumble, presumably as a thank you for all the life-saving work he’s been doing with retired wrestlers through his DDP Yoga program.
224. Famous B: Lucha Underground jobber who had his arm broken by Pentagon Jr. His most notable spot was hitting a Pedigree during a Battle Royal for an Aztec Medallion.
223. Dragon Azteca: Presumably trained Prince Puma. Though he was killed by Black Lotus, the legend of Dragon Azteca will live on…or something, I guess.
222. Tom Phillips: A strong utility man for WWE’s broadcast team. He can do anything from call a match on Smackdown or Main Event to handle backstage interviews down at NXT.
221. Billie Kay: NXT female jobber brought in as part of an apparent Australian talent raid.
220. Peyton Royce: Same.
219. Bael: Member of The Crew most notable as the one who was killed by Dario Cueto’s cage monster.
218. Jojo: NXT ring announcer and backstage interviewer for WWE’s internet content. Handles cranky heels with utmost professionalism.
217. Marcus Louis: Had an interesting hairless monster character for a while but sadly that appears to have been dropped and Mr. Louis is rarely seen on NXT TV these days.
216. Lillian Garcia: Still messes up more than any ring announcer I’ve ever heard but she’s maintained her top position in WWE for well over a decade.
215. Chase Owens: The newest member of Bullet Club, designated to take the falls in Junior Heavyweight tag team matches.
214. Black Lotus: Featured in a number of Lucha Underground’s non-wrestling vignettes. Will most likely play into Season 2 as she killed Dragon Azteca and drove off with Dario Cueto.
213. Alex Riley: Left his cushy job on the NXT broadcast team to pursue vengeance against Kevin Owens. That…did not go well.
212. Stone Cold Steve Austin: His kayfabe-breaking “podcast” interviews are one of the best monthly features on WWE Network and are keeping Austin somewhat relevant to the current product.
211. Red Shoes Unno: New Japan’s most famous referee is the most authoritative of the crew but it doesn’t keep him from taking a lot of bumps from heelish wrestlers.
210. Super Fly: Lost a mask vs. mask match to Sexy Star and was a really poor sport about it afterwards.
209. AJ Lee: It had to be awkward working for a company that has become your husband’s mortal enemy and, understandably, Mrs. Punk retired shortly after Wrestlemania.
208. Angelo Dawkins: NXT jobber who has tried several different looks and gimmicks with little success.
207. Sawyer Fulton: Another NXT mainstay who is good enough to get on TV but not good enough to win or progress his presence on the show.
206. Jay White: One of NJPW’s Young Lions (trainees who wear plain black trunks and lose every match). He’s usually competitive but by design will never be booked to win in his current form.
205. David Finlay: The son of Fit Finlay is also paying his dues as a Young Lion in New Japan. I slotted him one spot higher because when he came out with White, he got his face on the Titantron.
204. Eden Stiles: A solid ring announcer for WWE though she still hasn’t developed a signature style or even much of a personality.
203. BUSHI: Recently returned to NJPW and joined the dastardly Los Ingobernables faction. His mist-spraying was instrumental in managing his team to a 5-1 record in World Tag League.
202. Yohei Komatsu: An NJPW Young Lion who shows arguably the most amount of frustration during his inevitable losses.
201. Sho Tanaka: If I had to guess which Young Lion is going to “graduate” first, Tanaka would be my pick.
200. Delavar Daivairi: Feuded with Texano in Lucha Underground before hiring Big Ryck and failing to obtain the Trios championship.
199. Juice Robinson: The former CJ Parker in NXT relocated to New Japan where he has since lost every match he’s been in. He often helps the crew at ringside so his position is clearly “Young Lion but not really but yeah”
198. Trece/Ricky Mandel: Current Trios champion in Lucha Underground. Least memorable of the jobbers before becoming a Disciple of Death.
197. Cody Hall: The son of Scott Hall followed in his father’s footsteps by joining Bullet Club and being part of the most influential, merch-moving heel stable in pro wrestling.
196. The Rock: Showed up at the Royal Rumble to help get Roman Reigns over. It backfired tremendously. Had a segment at Wrestlemania but that was mostly to segue into the Ronda Rousey spot. There are always rumors of his return floating around.
195. Jerry “The King” Lawler: “Demoted” to Smackdown, where fewer people have to listen to his lame jokes on commentary.
194. Jamie Noble: Was great as the goofier of Seth Rollins’s two bodyguards until Brock Lesnar came along and ruined everything.
193. Joey Mercury: And the other half of Seth’s team. Mercury did some fantastic character work as the silent yet paternal protector of the champion.
192. Maria Kanellis: An instrumental distraction for the ROH tag team champions. Captain New Japan and Karl Anderson are particularly susceptible to her snake-charming ways.
Maria provides distractions at ringside…for everyone.
191. Los Matadores: Diego and Fernando continued to exist only to bring out El Torito. Then they beat him up and have not been seen since.
190. Cameron: Jobber Diva who was shuffled out of the picture once Hashtag Divas Revolution was started.
189. Booker T: Like The King, his awful commentary was quietly transferred from Raw to Smackdown.
188. James Storm: A wily veteran of the “minor leagues” who showed up in NXT to grab a couple of squash wins and possibly a trainer job.
187. The Ascension: Konnor and Viktor are the new faces of NXT success stories getting buried on the main roster. Even when they return to Florida, it’s to put over a new up-and-coming team.
186. Zeb Colter: Returned to WWE after a year absence as Alberto Del Rio’s new manager. The resulting Mex-America angle was horrible, made no sense and was quickly shelved.
185. Solomon Crowe: An indie darling who arrived in NXT with a splash. Unfortunately he failed to catch on and was never really a good fit. He was recently released.
184. Captain New Japan: A wacky comedy character who usually takes the loss during NJPW’s mutli-man undercard tag matches. He is rarely included in important tournaments or events.
183. Mojo Rawley: Came back from an injury to form an oddball tag team with Zack Ryder in NXT. He has shown improvement since he eliminated most of his ass-based offense & the tag format better suits his boundless energy persona.
182. Marty “The Moth” Martinez: Goofball who claims to have Aztec blood kidnapped Sexy Star at the end of Lucha Underground’s first season. Bigger things are probably in store for Season 2.
181. William Regal: The commissioner of NXT might be the most competent, non-vindictive authority figure in the history of WWE. Miss him on commentary though.
180. El Torito: Was a highlight of the tag team Elimination Chamber match but hasn’t done much else besides getting dumped by Los Matadores and making a fast food commercial with JBL and Mark Henry.
179. Adam Rose: Garnered a lot of good will and support off a profile piece ESPN did on his real life. WWE chose to ignore it. He ditched his party lifestyle for a party pooper gimmick which is not going well. It’s entirely possible he didn’t win a match in 2015.
178. Matt Striker: Play-by-play man for Lucha Underground. He played well off of Vampiro on color commentary and added to the product.
177. Manabu Nakanishi: One of the old-timers who dwells at the bottom of the NJPW cards. He is often involved with the Young Lions and rarely comes out on the winning side.
176. Johnny Gargano: “Johnny Wrestling” made a surprise splash in NXT’s Dusty Rhodes tag team classic by advancing to the second round. Has since stuck around for a few tapings but is not officially on the roster.
175. Tomasso Ciampa: Teamed with Gargano in the above-mentioned tournament and recently had a great match with Samoa Joe on NXT TV.
174. Tama Tonga: His make-up, long beard and unique ring style make the son of Haku a stand-out character in Bullet Club. Sadly, he’s booked as a low level jobber member.
173. Zack Ryder: Doesn’t do much on the main roster anymore but he does show up in NXT to form an unlikely but effective duo with Mojo Rawley.
172. Carmella: “The Princess of Staten Island” has rode the coattails of Enzo Amore and Big Cass to a degree. When she’s on her own, she’s not nearly as successful or over.
171. Tommy Dreamer: Recently resurfaced as a recruited soldier for The Dudley Boys’ feud with the Wyatt Family. He’ll always get an ECW nostalgia pop.
170. Matt Taven: One half of the ROH tag team champions, The Kingdom, Taven and his partner Michael Bennett, often compete in NJPW as part of the cross-promotion between the two companies. Also briefly held the IWGP tag titles before losing them right back to Bullet Club.
169. Michael Bennett: The half of the Kingdom who is married to Maria Kanellis. He gets the pre-match kisses and more aggressive attempted protection from his wife.
168. Heath Slater: The One Man Rock Band continues to dwell near the bottom of the WWE roster. He attempted to accept John Cena’s US Title Open Challenge on several occasions but sadly, that was never paid off.
167. Tye Dillinger: NXT jobber who has finally found some personality as “The Perfect Ten.” It hasn’t led to much more success in the ring, however.
166. Pimpinella Escarlata: Lucha Underground’s resident Exotico. Participated in Trios matches and in Aztec Warfare but was one of the few left off the Ultima Lucha card.
165. Frankie Kazarian: Part of The Addiction, another team on loan to New Japan from ROH for tournaments and special occasions. He and his partner, Christopher Daniels, went a respectable 3-3 in World Tag League.
164. Christopher Daniels: The other half of The Addiction. He comes off as the leader, but that might just be because of the military uniform he wears to the ring.
163. Jey Uso: The WWE tag team scene took a hit when one of the twins missed a lot of action with a shoulder injury. Jey is back now and the Usos are right back in the title picture.
162. YOSHI-HASHI: A low level member of the NJPW faction known as CHAOS. He’s often included in high profile multi-man matches so that the important members of the team don’t have to take a fall.
161. Bull Dempsey: It’s never a good sign when Creative saddles you with a fat gimmick but the silly angle actually let Bull show some personality and get over.
160. Bo Dallas: Undeniably the least successful former NXT champion. Bo is currently languishing and losing on C level WWE programming.
159. El Siniestro de la Muerte/El Mariachi Loco: Current Trios champ with The Disciples of Death. Dario Cueto pulled Mariachi from his job as a waiter down the street, promising that Loco would play us a song after he won. Our loss, I guess.
158. Erick Rowan: After his run as a babyface was met with crickets, Rowan suffered an injury that caused him to miss most of the year. He recently returned to the Wyatt Family flock but is booked as the clear weak link.
157. Killshot: Joined LU during the Trios tournament. Lost a singles match to Fenix and a short feud with King Cuerno.
156. Jack Swagger: Spent more time on the rumored departures list than he did on WWE TV. Swagger recently resurfaced to feud with his former manager Zeb Colter, and the returning Alberto Del Rio.
155. Blue Pants: One of the most over performers in NXT and she’s not even officially on the roster. She’s the very definition of a lovable loser.
154. Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson: These former NXT jobbers put a lot of work in and spent some time under the radar before becoming a tag team force in the second half of 2015. Their old school, no-nonsense style recently culminated in championship gold.
NXT tag team champions, Dash & Dawson
153. Mr. Cisco: His best moment was correcting Melissa Santos when she introduced him as “Cisco.”
152. Alex Shelley: Part time player in NJPW, normally teaming with KUSHIDA as the Time Splitters. KUSHIDA is so popular, Shelley usually takes their losses and comes off as the “Marty Jannetty” of the team.
151. Natalya: Briefly inserted herself into the Divas Revolution then promptly disappeared again. Presumably home taking care of her injured husband, Tyson Kidd.
150. Barreta: One half of Roppongi Vice with Rocky Romero, he’s the more reserved and level-headed member of the team. The duo recently advanced to the finals of NJPW’s junior heavyweight tag tournament but fell just short of winning.
149. Melissa Santos: Lucha Underground’s ring announcer. Notably adjusts her tone and inflection when introducing faces or heels. Saved by Sexy Star when Pentagon tried to break her arm.
148. Mascarita Sagrada: The only “mini” on Lucha Underground’s roster. Defeated El Mariachi Loco in singles action. Participated in a number of multi-man matches after that.
147. Yujiro Takahashi: Bullet Club’s resident pimp, often accompanied to the ring by a provocatively dressed young lady. He did not fare well in G1 Climax 25.
146. Byron Saxton: Promoted to permanent color man on both NXT and Raw, he provides the blandest of bland counterpoints to the heel announcers. More like Boring Saxton, amIright?
145. Tamina Snuka: Arguably the weakest link in the Divas Revolution, she is much better suited to the enforcer role she is normally asked to play.
144. Rocky Romero: He might be a little crazy but he freely admits it by yelling “Psycho!” a lot. The more entertaining half of the Roppongi Vice tag team.
RPG Vice
143. Mascara Dorada: A masked high flyer on the NJPW undercard. He’s usually lumped in with the Young Lions and the older guys where his high spots look more impressive.
142. Fandango: Ditching his Spanish makeover and bringing back his original Cha Cha La La theme song got the former Johnny Curtis another brief flash of being over. There was no substance behind it though and he’s currently back to obscurity.
141. Eva Marie: Rumors she was being pushed to the NXT Women’s title over Bayley were met with such disdain that they incorporated her undeserved push into the storyline. Maybe we were all just being worked. She’s still a legit terrible performer, though.
140. Chris Jericho: Had impressive showings with Neville and Kevin Owens on WWE Network’s televised house shows. Also showed up as a mystery partner for Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns where he took the loss and teased a heel turn.
139. Goldust: A bad year for Goldie as he lost his father and missed a lot of time with an injury. He’s back now and ready to job to the stars.
138. Jason Jordan: It took a long time for Jordan to find his footing but teaming with Chad Gable has done wonders for him. All he has to do now is bask in Gable’s infectious energy and charisma and reap the rewards.
137. Jimmy Uso: Spent some time as a Smackdown announcer while waiting for his brother to heal up from his injury. He wasn’t exactly a natural and must be very happy to be back in the ring.
136. Dana Brooke: NXT is a near-miracle-working developmental system but it doesn’t happen overnight. Watching Dana evolve and get incrementally better over the course of the year has been a highlight.
135. Jack Evans: Showcased some impressive athleticism. Won an Aztec Medallion in less impressive fashion by beating Argenis.
134. Colin Cassady: He is a better wrestler than his little buddy but he still often comes off as the second banana to the wildly charismatic Enzo Amore.
133. R-Truth: The veteran is still plugging away on WWE’s midcard. His perennial contender status has been played for laughs this year as he doesn’t always realize he hasn’t been booked into a multi-man title match.
132. Matt Sydal: The former Evan Bourne burst onto the NJPW landscape, immediately challenging Kenny Omega for the Junior Heavyweight title and winning a Junior tag tournament with Ricochet.
131. Cortez Castro: Best worker out of the Crew in Lucha Underground. Frequently found around bigger names as a hired thug.
130. Enzo Amore: The most charismatic man in NXT is going to ride his hilarious mic skills to great success some day. Hopefully he does not get hamstrung by scripted promos when he graduates to the main roster.
129. Gedo: One of the bookers in NJPW and a frequent loser of matches when teaming with his CHAOS stablemates. His greatest role, however, is as the enthusiastic mouthpiece for the normally stoic IWGP champion, Kazuchika Okada.
128. Yuji Nagata: A steady presence on NJPW’s undercard, Nagata always pops the crowd with the wacky faces he makes while locking in his submission holds. He doesn’t get a lot of meaningful wins, though.
127. Blake & Murphy: Had a long reign as NXT tag team champions before being dethroned by the Vaudevillains in Brooklyn. These days they spend most of their time as valets to their valet, Alexa Bliss.
126. Mark Henry: The World’s Strongest Man is basically a jobber now and it’s sad to see. He had a couple of late solid runs, but he will surely be looked back on as a career disappointment.
125. Bengala: Joined later in Lucha Underground’s first season. Won an Aztec Medallion and participated in the Gift of the Gods match at Ultima Lucha.
124. Alicia Fox: Has had a steady if unspectacular run as an unlikely “third” Bella twin.
123. Rhyno: The presence of the ECW vet has helped transform NXT from a developmental program to forging an identity as a corporately-owned indie promotion. His matches have been solid too.
122. Barrio Negro/Argenis: Current faceless Trios champion in Lucha Underground. Argenis is the cousin of the original Sin Cara but Dario Cueto put it best when he stated, “Nobody really cares about you, though.”
121. Nia Jax: Still very green but she has the lineage to be given every chance to make it. Her large stature could spell trouble for everyone in NXT’s women’s division if and when she starts figuring out the business.
120. Aiden English: The Vaudevillains is a quirky and very funny NXT gimmick that basically has no chance of translating on the main roster. They disappeared for a long stretch, but it wasn’t a repackaging; instead they captured tag team gold in Brooklyn.
119. Tiger Mask: A mainstay in NJPW’s undercard and Junior Heavyweight scene, Tiger Mask is the current NWA Jr Heavyweight champion and is set to defend against frequent partner, Jushin Liger, at Wrestle Kingdom 10.
118. Sami Zayn: Began the year as NXT champion and was a sure thing to get a main roster spot after a great match with John Cena on Raw. Unfortunately, his promotion was cut short by injury and he has spent most of the year on the shelf.
117. Hideo Itami: And here’s the other NXT hot ticket who had his fast track to the top derailed by injury. He was given a coveted spot in the Wrestlemania Battle Royale and would surely have spent a lot of time in the NXT title picture.
116. Kazushi Sakuraba: He may look worn out, but this shoot real badass fighter can tap anyone out. His part time status in New Japan keeps him from having a lasting impact on the company’s big picture.
115. Alexa Bliss: Emerged as a tremendous heel manager with some of the best disdainful facial expressions in the business. Blake & Murphy would be nothing without her.
114. Simon Gotch: More talented than the limited Vaudevillains gimmick allows him to express. Gotch’s unique style and weird flexibility might help him stand out from the pack down the road.
113. Curtis Axel: Accidentally struck gold when his complaints about never being eliminated from the Royal Rumble took on a viral life of their own and were incorporated into his character. Axelmania was running wild until the fall of Hulkamania killed it.
112. Chad Gable: It might be impossible to be charismatic just by doing wrestling moves, but by God, Chad Gable is making it possible. This guy is a star in the making and a joy to watch in NXT.
111. Konnan: The man behind the champ for most of Lucha Underground’s first season. His best moments were vignettes with Dario Cueto.
110. Emma: NXT turned Emma’s failed run on the main roster into part of the story upon her return to Florida. Emerging as “Evil Emma” she has ditched the silly dancing, formed an alliance with Dana Brooke and is getting her career back on track.
So evil…..yet I don’t care…
109. Jushin Thunder Liger: This living legend pulled off a true rarity when he performed for NXT in Brooklyn while still being a part of NJPW. He may not fly like he used to, but he is crafty and rarely loses.
108. Brie Bella: Clearly took a back seat to her twin sister as Nikki was pushed as a dominant Divas champion. Her improvement seems to have peaked and she might be eternally awkward in the ring.
107. Rich Brennan: If he’s not already the best play-by-play man in wrestling, he is well on his way. Knowledgeable and genuinely interested in what he’s calling, Brennan is a perfect, understated presence on both NXT and Smackdown.
106. Sin Cara: At this point it’s safe to say that Sin Cara is not going to catch on as WWE’s next great Mexican star. Hitching himself to Kalisto’s ride has bought him a steady paycheck, though.
105. Kyle O’Reilly: One half of ReDragon with Bobby Fish, an ROH team that appears somewhat regularly in NJPW. They are booked strong even on foreign soil and currently hold the IWGP Junior Heavyweight tag titles.
104. Bobby Fish: Fish comes off as the leader of ReDragon, perhaps because he’s more vocal during their matches. He also gets one spot higher for being from the Albany, NY area, which is where I live.
103. Tyson Kidd: Was having a very successful run in the WWE tag team division with Cesaro until a freak, potentially life-threatening neck injury derailed his career. Here’s hoping he will be back in the ring and at top form again someday.
102. Texano: Brought into Lucha Underground to continue his AAA feud with Alberto El Patron. Nothing terribly memorable after that as he fought with Daivairi and Blue Demon Jr.
101. Darren Young: Reunited with Titus O’Neil to make another run as the Prime Time Players, this time earning some long-awaited championship gold. Having landed that notch on their resume, the duo was quietly disbanded once again at the end of 2015.
100. Renee Young: Remained a solid member of the broadcast team though she may have hit her ceiling. Her “Unfiltered” interview show on WWE Network is wonderful and should be expanded.
99. D’Von Dudley: The Dudley Boys returned to WWE and added even more depth to a pretty solid tag team division. Currently feuding with the Wyatt Family and recruiting even more ECW alums into the fold.
98. Bubba Ray Dudley: Gets the higher ranking because he handles most of the promo work and had one extra appearance when he showed up in the Royal Rumble.
97. JBL: Still yells way too much on commentary and needs to definitively stick to his heel alignment. If you were to list the problems Raw has (and there are many), JBL would probably be on it.
96. Blue Demon Jr.: He is Mexico! Demon’s story and contribution in Lucha Underground got a little weird when story adjustments had to be made due to Chavo Guerrero’s injury.
95. Braun Strowman: He’s not quite ready for prime time but he’s big and has a beard so he’s a perfect fit for the Wyatt Family. He’s been booked as an unstoppable monster but has already looked stoppable. Part of a larger ineptitude problem the whole family is facing.
94. Damien Sandow: His amazing run as The Miz’s stunt double culminated at Wrestlemania where he turned on Miz and finished runner-up in the Andre the Giant Battle Royale. He moved on to a horrible Macho Man impression before becoming buried and off television yet again. Remember, kids. Don’t get over on your own.
93. Satoshi Kojima: One of the few older wrestlers in New Japan who is somewhat relevant to the big picture. He had a mediocre performance in G1 Climax 25 and challenged for the IWGP tag titles at Destruction along with his partner, Tenzan.
92. Ivelisse: Won the Lucha Underground Trios title tournament with Son of Havoc and Angelico. Working through a broken leg was admirable but definitely limited what she could do during the season.
91. Paul Heyman: Heyman can still work wonders on a microphone but his Brock Lesnar shtick is getting a bit long in the tooth. He did his best to get Roman Reigns over as a threat but comparing him to the all-time greats was embarrassing even for the greatest hype man in the business.
90. Summer Rae: Her love story involving Rusev, Lana and Dolph Ziggler was a lowlight of WWE’s programming this year. Still, Summer almost pulled a miracle and made it work. She’s got more talent than she’s allowed to show.
89. The Young Bucks: Some consider the Matt and Nick Jackson to be the best tag team in the business and it’s hard to argue. Their profane antics might rub some the wrong way but their innovative tandem offense is undeniably cool.
88. The Mack: Don’t let looks deceive you; The Mack is amazing.
87. Naomi: A heel turn was long overdue but it still didn’t lead to a championship for the former Funkadactyl. Now she’s being overshadowed by her own stablemate, Sasha Banks, and it appears she may never taste gold.
86. Hiroyoshi Tenzan: The other slightly relevant old guy in NJPW. He and his partner, Kojima, can occasionally make some noise in tournaments but are never a true threat to win.
85. Baron Corbin: Taking longer to develop than expected, his minute-long squash victories really weren’t helping his progress in the ring or his connection with the crowd. He has shown improvement lately and could someday be the force NXT and WWE clearly want him to be.
84. Ryusuke Taguchi: His wacky character and ass-based moveset are unlike anything else in New Japan. His spot as a comedy wrestler might be something he has to overcome if he wants to be a threat at the main event level.
“The Funky Weapon” Ryusuke Taguchi (the funky weapon is his butt)
83. Michael Cole: Still the voice of WWE. Though he is not on every show like he once was, he is still frustratingly bad as the anchor for Raw and Live Specials.
82. “King of Darkness” EVIL: With his giant scythe and laser finger gloves, EVIL is the most over-the-top gimmick in NJPW. Even so, Los Ingobernables are being pushed as a dangerous new faction and EVIL is leading the charge.
81. Aerostar: Had some good moments but never quite rose out of the Lucha Underground midcard. Returned to outer space at the end of Ultima Lucha.
80. Titus O’Neil: The big man finally acheieved tag team gold with Darren Young, though their reign was brief. He’s great on the mic and booked as a powerhouse, but he’s still a bit clunky and awkward.
79. Vampiro: His enthusiasm on the mic outweighed his lack of polish. Somehow made Matt Striker palatable. Finished Lucha Underground’s first season in a brutal match with Pentagon Jr where it was revealed he was the Dark Master. Interested to see what Season 2 holds for Vamp.
78. Hernandez: Did an impressive job of turning shoot heat into worked heat. The Believer’s Backlash match was the perfect end to his arc in Lucha Underground.
77. Luke Harper: He’s one of the best workers in WWE, but his look limits his ceiling. His return to the Wyatt Family was a slight step back but it just suits him better to stand behind Bray.
76. Michael Elgin: A true powerhouse from ROH who came to NJPW to participate in G1 Climax 25. His amazing feats of strength won the crowds over during the tournament and he returned for World Tag League with a hero’s welcome.
75. Asuka: The Japanese star is being used very well in NXT so far. Her offense looks convincing and brutal. Her limited English has been turned into an advantage as she can say a lot with just a look. Silent but deadly.
Asuka…is going to kill you.
74. Angelico: Won the Lucha Underground Trios championship tournament with the Unlikely Trio. Had one of LU’s most memorable moments when he leapt off the roof of Dario Cueto’s office.
73. KUSHIDA: One of the brightest young stars in New Japan, KUSHIDA is always in the Junior Heavyweight title pictures either flying solo or with his Time Splitter partner, Alex Shelley. He would get over on pure ability but his Back to the Future get-up helps him stand out even more.
72. Stardust: Nobody gets into character more than Cody Rhodes and Stardust’s descent into supervillain madness has been masterful. He is, ahem, criminally underutilized.
Stahhhhhhr-dusssst
71. Kalisto: WWE may have finally found someone to fill the void left behind by Rey Mysterio. This luchador is money when he gets going and his advancement in the WWE World title tournament proves that the front office knows it.
70. Becky Lynch: With Charlotte’s genes and Sasha Banks’ talent, Becky was in danger of being the overlooked third call-up during the Divas Revolution. That has happened to a degree but her natural charm and enthusiasm should keep her hovering near the big picture for a while.
69. King Barrett: It’s becoming more apparent that Barrett will never be the top shelf heel he could have been if the Nexus hadn’t been buried. Whether it’s the IC title or the King of the Ring, his only purpose for winning prestigious things seems to be getting booked like a loser afterward.
68. Chavo Guerrero Jr.: Chavo wrestled Blue Demon Jr. in Lucha Underground’s first televised match. He did some nice heel work after that but his arc was ultimately hindered when he suffered an injury during a title match with Prince Puma.
67. Tomoaki Honma: The lovable loser of NJPW. Despite his poor record, Honma always puts up a great fight and somehow keeps himself in the NEVER openweight title conversation.
66. Toru Yano: The co-founder of the CHAOS stable might be the best comedy wrestler working today. He’s a refreshing change of pace, especially when he drags the deadly serious guys down to his level.
65. Big Ryck: Dario Cueto’s top enforcer before The Crew turned on him and burned out his eye. Ryck was always a presence but his stock dropped as the Lucha Underground season went on.
64. Stephanie McMahon: The Authority is getting played out and even they can’t decide if they’re heels or faces most of the time. They exist to give recaps and set up obstacles even if it’s for their own allies. It’s a mess.
63. Bad Luck Fale: The Underboss of the Bullet Club and the runaway largest guy on the NJPW roster. His push as a singles wrestler is stop and start as he did well in G1 Climax, even defeating eventual winner Hiroshi Tanahashi (with some help) but then he falls back into a small rivalry with Yano where he can’t even get the upper hand.
62. Son of Havoc: Started out as a heelish loser but once the crowd got behind him, he and the Unlikely Trio won gold in Lucha Underground’s Trios Tournament.
61. Lana: Once rumored to be the new female face of WWE, Lana’s stock plummeted in the second half of the year after a poorly executed angle that removed her from the side of real-life beau, Rusev. A lack of chemistry with Dolph Ziggler, a broken hand and an angle-ruining engagement all served to torpedo the Ravishing Russian’s rise to the top.
60. The Big Show: Stayed relevant early in 2015 by being a cog in The Authority. That kind of just faded away. His constantly shifting face/heel alignments are almost a gag at this point but he’s always around in some capacity.
59. Doc Gallows: The most foul-mouthed member of the Bullet Club doesn’t do very well when he strikes out on his own but when he teams with Karl Anderson, they are a legit force. The duo have reigned as IWGP tag champs for most of the last 2 years.
58. Triple H: His weird feud with Sting devolved into a fun, if unearned nostalgia payoff. His on-screen managing style is frustratingly schizo but his real life management gives us the wonderful gem that is NXT.
57. Kota Ibushi: The flexible high-flyer is always a match of the year waiting to happen when he is in singles action. Being signed to two companies probably hurts him and NJPW may never give him the ball to run with. Sadly missing time with an injury at the moment.
56. Tyler Breeze: His NXT arc of never winning the big matches didn’t have a payoff before he was called up to the main roster. He’s been booked as important and competent so far in WWE.
55. Neville: Got his long-awaited call-up to the main roster and didn’t disappoint, wowing the crowds with his high flying acrobatics. He’s a solid midcarder now, proving there is hope that not everyone from NXT is doomed to failure.
54. Katsuyori Shibata: Legit badass who throws the stiffest-looking forearm shots in the business. There’s no reason this guy shouldn’t be a perennial contender except for, ya know, good ol’ wrestling politics.
53. Sting: The face of WCW finally made his in-ring debut for WWE and went 0-2. Even 15 years after the purchase, WCW will not be allowed to look like a threat.
52. Kenny Omega: The current IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion is one of the only Bullet Club members to consistently be booked as a winner. He’s deceptively strong and an entertaining psychopath of a character. (He may also run Bullet Club HR as he once mentioned how many resumes he has to sort through.)
Omega is an Alpha
51. Daniel Bryan: Finally returned from injury to participate in the Royal Rumble where he promptly hijacked the narrative for the second straight year. He was set to return the IC title to prominence post-Wrestlemania but has been dealing with concussion issues that have kept him on the shelf surrounded by mystery and doubt about his return.
50. The Miz: His value to WWE continues to swing more toward being an ambassador for the company as he steadily gets himself booked into TV and movie roles. Doubtful he will ever make it back to the main event scene.
49. Kimihiko Ozaki: For my money, the best ring announcer in the business even though I don’t speak Japanese. The excited inflection and exaggeration he puts into every wrestler’s announcement makes even the lowliest Young Lion sound important. I’d be lying if I said one of the reasons I fell in love with New Japan wasn’t “NAKAMURA SHINSKAAAAAYYYY!” This guy basically lives in my head.
48. Tomohiro Ishii: Speaking of reasons to love NJPW, the Stone Pitbull is a straight-up, hard-hitting, take-no-prisoners, mean little troll of a man, who welcomes and laughs at your little baby punches to his perpetually scowling face.
“The Stone Pitbull” Tomohiro Ishii
47. Hirooki Goto: One of the NJPW talents who is bordering just on the edge of being a big time player. He defeated Okada during G1 Climax but couldn’t maintain his hold on the IC belt against Shinsuke Nakamura.
46. Kane: It’s incredible that Kane is still being booked into world title feuds basically two decades into his career. His split personality between Corporate and Demon Kane was the most entertaining he’s been in a while.
45. Catrina: Currently controls all the top prizes in the Temple. She may be Lucha Underground’s most dominant force.
44: Ryback: “The Big Guy” finally won his first championship in WWE, capturing the IC title in an Elimination Chamber match. Has secured himself a spot on the upper midcard and the damage done by his ill-fated heel turn is long-forgotten.
43. Cage: Came on the scene strong as Lucha Underground’s “WWE-type guy”, ripping the original title belt in half but ultimately failing to beat Prince Puma. Fell down the card after that but finished the season strong with a win over The Mack at Ultima Lucha.
42. Apollo Crews: This guy might be the most “total package” to come along in a long time. He’s an athletic high-flyer in the body of a muscleman. He’s already in the NXT title picture and he has a very good chance to be the next big thing.
41. Togi Makabe: An upper midcarder in NJPW, the “Unchained Gorilla” is always a threat to hold one of the lower heavyweight championships or hand someone a defeat in a tournament.
40. Cesaro: Pound for pound the strongest man in wrestling and one of the most dynamic performers in the world. The continual stops and starts to his push are one of the most frustrating things about WWE right now. If Vince thinks Cesaro is boring, then he truly is as out of touch as the IWC believes he is.
39. Corey Graves: Graves’ transformation from annoying, mediocre wrestler to best heel commentator in the business has been one of NXT’s greatest success stories. He’s funny, he makes sense and he’s paying attention. In WWE, that makes you stand out.
38. King Cuerno: One of Lucha Underground’s top heels. He stayed near the top of the card but never brought home any gold.
37. Rusev: Like so many before him, his monster push ended at the hands of John Cena. He’s great in the ring and underrated on the mic so hopefully he will fight through the horrible angles and injuries he’s had to deal with so he can keep the spot he deserves.
36. Paige: Though the gold was in Camp Bella, Paige was the real centerpiece of the Divas division this year. Though they can’t decide if she’s a face or a heel, which is a real problem, she has had rivalries and interactions with every other woman on the roster.
35. Randy Orton: As predicted in my rankings last year, Orton has struggled to stay relevant as he gets older and the new stars start to occupy the top spots. He was a token challenger who had little chance of winning against newly minted champion, Seth Rollins. Orton has found real life happiness and the rumor that he wants a part-timer’s schedule most likely means his run at the top is over.
34. Samoa Joe: His reputation preceded him so much by the time he got to NXT that they didn’t even bother to change his name. He was a bit out of shape at first but has since worked his way back into form and is one of the dominant forces on the roster.
33. Dolph Ziggler: Looked like he was finally in position to be a top guy at the beginning of the year but immediately sunk back down into midcard hell. His terrible angle with Lana and Rusev did no one any favors.
32. Karl Anderson: A strong showing in G1 Climax 25 and a shot at Nakamura’s IC title indicate there’s a future for the Machine Gun as a singles star. With the rumored departure of AJ Styles, Anderson could become the new leader of Bullet Club.
31. Alberto Del Rio: Whether it’s in Lucha Underground as Alberto El Patron or in a surprise return to WWE as Alberto Del Rio, the Mexican star commands attention wherever he goes. Still, there’s something intangible missing and he never comes off as important as he thinks he is.
30. Sexy Star: Lucha Underground’s top female star proved that in the Temple, women can keep up with the men, scoring big wins over Chavo Guerrero and Pentagon Jr.
I’ll give you a topic. Sexy Star is both sexy and a star; discuss.
29. Charlotte: It was obvious from the start of the Divas Revolution that the daughter of Nature Boy Ric Flair would be the one WWE wanted to hitch its wagon to. Kind of bland as a babyface, even when champion, she’s finally starting to lean into her roots and take on her dad’s heelish tendencies.
28. Drago: The epitome of what makes Lucha Underground both refreshing and awesome. A dragon reincarnated as a luchador who may or may not have transformed back into a dragon when leaving the arena on two occasions.
27. Nikki Bella: The WWE Divas champion for most of the year and booked as the most important member of Team Bella. She put in the work and deserved to be champion so it’s easy to ignore her lack of defenses and the rumored politics behind her record-setting reign.
26. The Undertaker: The Dead Man showed up more than usual this year with four pay-per-view matches. His wars with Brock Lesnar were better than the one that ended the streak but those good efforts were counterbalanced by the shameful neutering of Bray Wyatt.
25. Sasha Banks: She had three legitimate match of the year candidates in NXT before moving up to the main roster to do…next to nothing. She’s in that exclusive club of people the crowd wants to see but WWE refuses to show because it’s not the plan they came up with. Sasha, meet Zack, Daniel, Dolph, Dean, Antonio, Damien and Phil.
24. Sheamus: I can’t offhand think of a world champion who was less over when he won the strap. (David Arquette?). WWE’s answer to the revolt against Roman Reigns being shoved down our throats was to book an even worse champion. Sadly, it kinda worked. I now want Reigns to be champion just to get this inevitability over with.
23. Pentagon Jr.: Brings more to the table than just a unique look. Started slow as Chavo’s lackey but gradually became one of Lucha Underground’s most compelling stories as he kept breaking arms for his Dark Master.
22. Tetsuya Naito: A heel turn did wonders for the former Stardust Genius. His actions as a member of Los Ingobernables transformed him into one of the best bad guys in the business. He beats up cameramen and officials. He at times is completely disinterested in what’s going on around him. He takes…forever…to…start…a…match. And it’s all hilarious.
Tetsuya Naito: the dirtiest player in the game.
21. Bray Wyatt: The reforming of the Wyatt Family was a very good thing but Wyatt continues to lose every prominent feud he is in. He can cut a promo with the best of them but his message is wearing thin since he never, ever backs up what he’s saying.
20. Johnny Mundo: Lucha Underground’s recognizable “WWE Guy,” Mundo looked better than ever while wrestling in the Temple.
19. Bayley: The member of the “Four Horsewomen” who was left behind in NXT. It may have been for the best, though. While her friends struggle to find their footing on the main roster, Bayley gets to stay in Florida to be the best, most well-defined pure babyface hero in wrestling.
18. Fenix: First ever and current Lucha Underground “Gift of the Gods” champion. His “Grave Consequences” match will be found on a lot of match of the year lists.
17. Dean Ambrose: The Lunatic Fringe is still plugging away near the top of the card but never quite breaking through. WWE cashes in on his popularity whenever they need a credible contender but they always pull the rug out in the end.
16. AJ Styles: It’s a pretty big deal to be a non-Japanese world champion in Japan but the leader of Bullet Club feels less like a top guy and more like a transition because they can’t run Okada vs. Tanahashi every single time.
15. Kevin Owens: Just because all the newly signed wrestlers have to go through NXT first, doesn’t mean there can’t be a surprise debut on the main roster. Owens starting his feud with John Cena was an unforgettable moment. Even though the rivalry ended predictably, Owens refused to slide into irrelevancy, staying on the upper midcard and winning the IC title.
14-12. The New Day: The trio of Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods are operating at such a higher level than anyone else in WWE, I actually found myself contemplating if they should be #1. I get giggle fits as soon as they skip onto the screen. Ultimately, I couldn’t separate them in any meaningful way. Since they Freebird the tag titles, I’m letting them Freebird three consecutive spots on this list.
New Day rocks
11. Dario Cueto: It’s Cueto’s world, others just wrestle in it. The on-screen promoter of Lucha Underground is frequently the top reason to tune in.
Behold! An authority figure who makes sense.
10. Finn Balor: He has owned NXT from the moment he set foot in it. Balor has all the tools to be one of WWE’s brightest stars for the next decade plus.
9. Shinsuke Nakamura: One of the reasons to love NJPW. Nakamura oozes charisma and marches to the beat of his own drummer. Though he’s proven that “the man makes the title” by elevating the IC strap to the top of the card, he’s the kind of performer who doesn’t need a championship to be interesting. If he signs with WWE next year, I will lose my shit. (in a good way).
8. Prince Puma: Lucha Underground’s first champion and the focus of most of its top storylines. Also appeared in NJPW as Ricochet, winning the Super Juniors tag tournament with Matt Sydal.
7. Brock Lesnar: The Beast Incarnate continues to be the WWE’s most special attraction and it’s not just because of his limited appearances. He’s a once in a generation talent. Watching him show up on Network televised house shows to destroy people he normally wouldn’t face is fun and I hope it continues next year.
6. Roman Reigns: WWE’s main focus in 2015 was trying to repair the damage done by Reigns’main event push that was perceived by the majority of fans to be undeserved. He’s gotten much better as a wrestler but his character is inconsistent and his mic skills are atrocious.
5. Mil Muertes: An unstoppable force of nature who currently holds Lucha Underground’s top prize. Was only slowed down briefly when his manager set him up to die so that he could be more powerful upon his resurrection.
4. John Cena: Took a step back from the main event scene to the delight of everyone. Even more delightful was his US Open challenge which freshened up the midcard scene and turned a John Cena Raw segment into something that actually made the show better.
3. “Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada: It’s a tale as old as time- When will the young man rise up and knock the established older guy out of the top spot? The rivalry between Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi has been NJPW’s biggest story for quite a while and is fairly even at the moment. On Okada’s end, he has been the world champ for most of the year.
Kazuchika Okada
2. Hiroshi Tanahashi: As for the Ace of the Universe, he is not going down without a fight. He stood tall at Wrestle Kingdom 9 before losing the belt to AJ Styles. In August, he won G1 Climax 25 to ensure that his bitter feud with Okada will have at least one more chapter.
1.Seth Rollins: Here’s a fun fact: If Seth Rollins hadn’t blown out his knee, he would have been involved in every single WWE World Title match in 2015. He might not have been booked as a strong champion but that does not mean he wasn’t the company’s top guy. He’s a next level performer in the ring (something he hopefully won’t have to scale too far back on when he returns.) and he knows how to push the crowd’s buttons on the mic.
Rollins was rollin’ in 2015. Was…
The Irish Whip 