2023 has been quite a remarkable year for WWE, with an ongoing sale of the company and some big overseas PPVs having delivered in a big way. There have been quite a few standout names this year, all of whom are fighting to be considered the best fighters of the year.
Some of these are here because of the great booking, brilliant in-ring work, and simply because of their strong connection to the audience. The fact that there are so many names that could be in the top 10 just goes to show how strong the year has been for WWE’s main roster led by Triple H this year.
10 dominik mysterio
Dominik Mysterio gets some flak for his in-ring work, and to be fair, he’s a far cry from many of the polished and seasoned names on the roster. However, he has more than made up for it with his character work this year.
He’s a heat magnet, receiving the biggest boos of perhaps anyone on the entire roster. His feud with his father, Rey Mysterio, was brilliant, and his match at WrestleMania was great. Things have been a bit slow after that, but he’s still one of the best chicken heels on the list.
9 Mystery King
Although it was believed that Rey Mysterio could hang up his boots this year, he has received a new wave of life that has made him look 10 years younger. Mysterio’s feud with his son Dominik had fans siding with him in a big way, and his lineup of the new LWO has been fun.
His part in the Bad Bunny fight was a good one, and he’s looked great inside the ropes in 2023. He’s helped elevate the likes of The Judgment Day and Santos Escobar as well.
8 becky lynch
Becky Lynch’s involvement in the women’s division this year has been very important, as she helped keep the division afloat in non-title fights, something that has been a rarity in recent years.
The fights with Bayley and Trish Stratus have been instrumental in keeping the women’s division card relevant, and she (especially in the Stratus fight) has found her edge once again as a babyface.
7 Brock Lesnar
Despite being considered a part-time worker, Brock Lesnar has certainly changed compared to his usual schedule in 2023. This year, Lesnar has competed on every pay-per-view thus far, and has put in some great performances as well.
His match against Bobby Lashley was short but fun, it helped Omos look great at WrestleMania, and he’s thrown his all into a match with Cody Rhodes when he might otherwise have put less effort into some of his storylines and matches in the past. Despite increasing age, Lesnar looks in top condition.
6 Rhea Ripley
Rhea Ripley has been the star of The Judgment Day faction since it began, and her dominance in 2023 has been quite a sight to behold. She began by winning the Royal Rumble from the number one position before defeating Charlotte Flair in a contender’s match of the year match at WrestleMania 39.
Her reign as SmackDown Women’s Champion has been incredibly dominant thus far, with decisive wins over Natalya and Zelina Vega, while also bringing about a huge change from a character perspective.
5 Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes has become one of the most hyped up babyfaces in WWE for quite some time. His return and victory at the Royal Rumble event was huge, and fans rallied behind him in a huge WrestleMania main event against Roman Reigns.
Even an occasional feud with Lesnar hasn’t seen his popularity wane, with him still receiving great reactions from fans and putting in great performances both on the mic and in the ring.
4 Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins has been firing on all cylinders in 2023, being one of the best from charisma and connection to the audience perspective, while continuing to prove himself to be one of the best in-ring performers on the planet.
He was phenomenal inside the Elimination Chamber, his match against Logan Paul at WrestleMania was brilliant in sports-entertainment, and he also became the first winner of the new World Heavyweight Championship. This year seems to be getting better and better for Rollins.
3 the lineage
It’s only fair to include all the members of The Bloodline in one entry, as without the others they wouldn’t have had such a great half-year. The Usos and Roman Reigns headlined single nights of WrestleMania, also breaking records with title reigns.
Their storyline has continued to be a highlight on WWE programming, and it still feels like a cut above any other storyline in professional wrestling today. All of the members have had a chance to shine in 2023. Even though Reigns works a part-time schedule, he oozes class and main event stardom when he’s on screen.
2 GUNTER
After a great 2022, GUNTHER’s first half of 2023 has continued in much the same way. He feels like an unbeatable champion who is playing the role of him perfectly.
His record-breaking Intercontinental Championship has seen another fight of the year candidate, this time as WrestleMania 39 against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre, and he’s gone on from there with strong momentum and star power, not to mention his record. the longest time ever spent in a 30-person Royal Rumble performance as well.
1 sami zayn
There hasn’t been anyone better in WWE than Sami Zayn so far in 2023. He entered the year as the roster’s top star, and by taking on Roman Reigns he kicked off the year with an all-time great moment.
He has main evented Elimination Chamber, WrestleMania, and Night of Champions in major title matches, and even became one of the few to get a win over Roman Reigns (albeit in a tag team match). He’s just been untouchable this year.