2022 Pro Wrestling Year End Awards

2022 Pro Wrestling Year End Awards
April 13, 2023
By Ryan Porzl

It's that time of the year for me to do my year end awards for pro wrestling. As is usually the case, these are my opinions and mine alone. Keep in mind, like last year, my Japanese awards are based off what I saw.

American Wrestling

Wrestler of the Year: Josh Alexander (Impact)- This would be one of several no-brainers for this year. I was thinking about Jon Moxley as well but I felt Alexander had more and was consistently putting on amazing work all year while Mox didn't get into his groove until the spring after Punk's injury. What can I say? Alexander was the workhorse of 2022 as he churned out one classic after another from JONAH to Moose to Tomohiro Ishii to Eric Young to Alex Shelley to Eddie Edwards to Frankie Kazarian to Mike Bailey. He was a great babyface all year long, he took the ball and ran with it as Impact's top star, and he has improved his personality while able to cut a passionate promo. Even when he wasn't the champion earlier in the year, he still felt like the face of the promotion. From a storyline standpoint, Alexander won the Impact World Championship for the second time and became the longest reigning Impact World Champion in history.

Woman Wrestler of the Year: Jordynne Grace (Impact)- Another obvious choice. Jordynne has been a very good to great competitor but has been at her absolute best in 2022. She began the year as the inaugural Digital Media Champion and had a fun feud with Matt Cardona before returning to the knockouts division where she became the face of the division for the second half of the year. She took part in several history making matches including the first knockouts Ultimate X match and the first Queen of the Mountain match. She had several great to classic title matches against Tasha Steelz, Mia Yim, and especially against Masha Slamovich. Her match with Max the Impaler was also good as it showed Jordynne is also capable of playing an underdog if need be. From a storyline standpoint, she entered the year as Digital Media Champion and later won the Knockouts World Championship as well as the first Queen of the Mountain.

Tag Team of the Year: FTR (AEW)- Another obvious no-brainer. FTR were the team to beat in 2022. Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood were always a phenomenal tag team but really shined last year having classic matches regardless of where they went and regardless of their opponent's style or experience having good to great matches with the Young Bucks, Roppongi Vice, Top Flight, the Acclaimed, and of course, their trilogy with the Briscoes with the latter considered the best tag matches of the year. The team operates like a well-oiled machine and are very smooth in the ring while having great double team moves. From a storyline standpoint, the team was the most decorated team of the year winning and holding the ROH, AAA, and IWGP Tag Team Championships simultaneously.

Best Fan Favorite: Bryan Danielson (AEW)- I had a hard time picking a top fan favorite so I decided to go with a reliable pick. Sure, Danielson has had his period where he can play a great heel but how can you not love the American Dragon? Especially, towards the end of the year when he feuded with MJF who took out his old mentor William Regal. Danielson is easy to get behind. He's a lovable babyface, he's a great wrestler, and he has a great never say die attitude.

Best Villain: Richard Holliday (MLW)- Like Best Fan Favorite, I had a hard time to pick someone who I thought was the best of the year but I decided to go with Richard Holliday. Holliday has been an up and comer for awhile but I thought he took that next step in 2022. In some cases, he can remind you of MJF at times which is a compliment as he can play that arrogant, obnoxious heel you want to see get beat up very well. I think he upped his act this year by being paired with Alicia Atout in the Clout Couple and I thought he added a new layer to his character, showing a more crazy side and one who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty or bloody. While Holliday sadly missed the second half of 2022 due to lymphoma, he has since completed treatment and hopefully, he can pick up where he last left off.

Best Match of the Year: Josh Alexander vs. Tomohiro Ishii (Impact, Under Siege 5/7)- Josh Alexander had one classic after another in 2022 but this may have been his best which says a lot. This match had everything you would want in a hot crowd, great action, hard hitting, and great wrestling. At 23 minutes, the match also had the right time as it had time but didn't go too long to drag which can happen with companies as many feel long means classic. It was also nice to see the fans into Ishii as I wasn't sure if many of the Impact fans would've known or cared but they did. This title reign would also be one of the first of what was to come regarding Alexander and classic title matches.

Best Brawler: Jon Moxley (AEW)

Best Flyer: Mike Bailey (Impact)

Best Talker: Jon Moxley (AEW)- There were some good talkers in 2022 but Mox gets the award as far as I'm concerned. The words he chooses, his body language, and swagger really get you into what he's saying. Perhaps, his best promo this year (which says a lot) was the one he cut when he returned from rehab. Moxley can cut a passionate promo, a promo where he basically wants to tear apart someone, and a promo where can be entertaining and funny. Mox is a great wrestler but his mic skills are just as good and him on the stick is as entertaining as him competing in the squared circle.

Most Improved: Steve Maclin (Impact) and Jamie Hayter (AEW) (tie)- Both of these names impressed me this year so I gave it to both. For Maclin, I liked him and Wesley Blake in the Forgotten Sons but like Blake, I felt Maclin didn't get the chances he needed and at times, had a snake bitten run. Now in Impact, Maclin has really come into his own. He's been putting on good matches and promos. He's proven he can hang with the main eventers like Sami Callihan and Moose. He's intense. He's showing he's got everything going for him to be a future Impact World Champion.

Jamie is someone that always had potential and reminds me of Kevin Nash. She got her break in AEW as a muscle or bodyguard like Nash did with the WWF. However, as time went by, she started to get more time in the ring and the mic and proved she can hang with AEW's best all the while catching on with the fans. Before you knew it, she became champion. She can also cut a promo, has charisma, and a personality. She's now the AEW Women's Champion and has earned that. While I would like to see more of her in individual feuds for the championship, she had a great 2022 and look forward to see what she can do in 2023.

Comeback of the Year: Saraya (AEW)- Another easy pick. While Saraya only wrestled one match in 2022 and it's still too early to tell if her comeback will bear fruit, you still have to give her this award after coming off a five year layoff due to neck problems. Even though Saraya is still young at 30, neck problems are nothing to fool around with so to come back from them is a big deal. Hopefully, her comeback will be successful but to come back after a serious injury and such a long layoff, you got to give it to her.

Debut/Return of the Year: Cody Rhodes (WWE)- After being a huge part of AEW and getting it off the ground during their first three years, Rhodes made his WWE return at Wrestlemania 38. The return has been considered huge as it marked Rhodes' return after years away, he came off like a big star, and it was the first time the WWE lured a big name from AEW back to WWE after WWE lost talent to AEW over the years. While Rhodes' 2022 was cut off early due to injury, he did have several praised matches with Seth Rollins before it and despite the absence, he still can have a big 2023 if booked right.

Feud of the Year: Alex Hammerstone vs. Richard Holliday (MLW)- While there were many good feuds in 2022, I couldn't find many that I thought were "Feud of the Year" material but this was one. Since MLW's return in 2017, many talented wrestlers got their breaks there. Two of them have been Alex Hammerstone and Richard Holliday. The two got their break in MLW as part of the Dynasty stable where they were friends for years but in 2022, the two broke up when Holliday and Alicia Atout turned on Hammerstone to begin a feud between them with the two having two big title matches that year. I pick this feud for a few reasons. One is these two had history for years before feuding. Second is the matches, segments, and brawls were very good. Third is it got Holliday to that next level after he was stuck in MJF and Hammerstone's shadow and came off like a top star for the promotion. Speaking of Holliday, I thought he showed another layer to him as more than some rich kid but one who can be sinister and possibly crazy at times.

Most Underrated: Thom Latimer (NWA)- I've been a Latimer for many years, going back to his days in TNA as Bram. He always had the tools to be a top star but personal issues or his behavior would haunt him. Now, in 2022, he seems to be in a better position and put his issues behind him. Along with that plus his talent, look, mic skills, and potential, I feel Latimer is someone the NWA should get more behind. The NWA doesn't have a lot going for it as far as wrestlers with main event potential but Latimer is one of those guys where, if booked properly, could be a top star and world champion for them. In 2022, I felt Latimer wasn't used to his best and at times, felt wasted. 2023 seems to be a better year as he's since gone on to win the NWA World Television Championship so hopefully the NWA will see more in Latimer this year but I still feel they could've done more last year.

Best Announcer: Tom Hannifan (Impact)- I did consider giving Excalibur the award again as he's still great but I went with Hannifan. I thought Hannifan was a good announcer for WWE years ago and he's been a great pick up for Impact. Hannifan is a good play-by-play announcer, he knows the moves, and as some pointed out, he does his homework even before he came to Impact as he never came off lost when he first began. I think he has good chemistry with partner Matt Rehwoldt and they're a great announce team.

Best Non-Wrestler: Alicia Atout (MLW)- I didn't think 2022 was a great year for non wrestlers. I did consider Scott D'Amore and James Mitchell is always a great pick but I went with Alicia. I chose Alicia for several reasons. One is Alicia has spent most of her career as a hostess/interviewer and always did good in the role but she's been good since turning heel and associating with Holliday despite not having much experience. Another factor is I thought she added something to Holliday as the two had chemistry and I think it was something that helped Holliday get over that hump. It's always a plus when a manager/valet can add to an act. 

Best Gimmick: Bandido (AEW/ROH)- Luchadors are some of the best wrestlers in the world as well as the most colorful with their superhero like gimmicks and Bandido is one of them. He's a bandit luchador. It's a cool look and gimmick with a unique mask.

Best Promotion: Impact Wrestling- After AEW won the award for two years, Impact returns to the winner's circle. Overall, 2022 was a very good year for the promotion as they returned to the road full time since the pandemic. Some of the best matches this year were in Impact, specifically matches involving the likes of Josh Alexander, Jordynne Grace, and Mike Bailey. The promotion also did a good job in establishing new top stars such as Moose, Alexander, Bailey, and Tasha Steelz while also introducing new talent like Masha Slamovich, Steve Maclin, Killer Kelly, Bhupinder Gujjar, and Gisele Shaw. Certain wrestlers got a fresh coat of paint with Eddie Edwards turning heel while Havok was given the gimmick of "Jessicka" which breathed some new life into them. For the first time in the promotion's history, they seemed to finally figure out how to properly book a secondary championship in the Digital Media Championship. The promotion debuted the Dot Combat Match which have been entertaining while they continue to give women opportunities as Deonna Purrazzo and Mickie James main evented the Hard to Kill PPV while the promotion also did the first Knockouts Ultimate X Match and the first Queen of the Mountain. Best of all, Impact doesn't feel bloated as they don't have too many wrestlers on a roster and they don't run too many shows a week thus they don't have the risk of oversaturation. Of course, Impact wasn't perfect this year as I wish certain wrestlers like Willie Mack and Madman Fulton stayed, the promotion needs to work on their tag divisions most notably the knockouts one, and the promotion also had issues with retaining talent at times. Still, every promotion will have negative moments but for the most part, Impact was the promotion in America in 2022.

Worst Wrestler of the Year: Tyrus (NWA)- This was one of those no-brainer picks though I did consider Real1 as well. Understand, Tyrus was never a good talent but he's brutal and at times, embarrassing trying to wrestle. He can't work a lick and couldn't have a good match to save his life, he has no cardio and seems to gas just walking to the ring, he's not athletic, and he can't bump. He's a dreadful wrestler and too make matters worse, he's around 50. He's so bad that I don't want to say he's passed his prime cause that would imply he had a prime to begin with.

Worst Woman Wrestler of the Year: Ronda Rousey (WWE)- Ronda was never an amazing talent but it is amazing to see how much she regressed since 2019. When Ronda first competed in 2018-2019, she was fine for her experience level and seemed to possibly take to wrestling. However, the time away hasn't done her favors and since returning, she's clearly been exposed as a terrible wrestler who was working with better talent to carry her in the past. I can't remember if Ronda had a single good match this year and at worst, her matches against Liv Morgan and Shotzi were absolutely dreadful. To make matters worse, Ronda struggles in every category as she was never much of a personality and her attempt to show any is bad as she has the personality of a tree stump. She can't talk on the mic or do a promo to save her life. She's not charismatic and she doesn't make you stand up and take notice. At one point, Ronda may have brought star power but the days of her being a dominant MMA megastar is long gone and she has no aura anymore nor drawing power. Honestly, Ronda brings nothing to the table in 2022 as she seems like a washed up has-been who is getting worse.

Worst Tag Team of the Year: The Usos (WWE)- This is one of those choices where I don't know what more to say. The Usos were the same lousy act they've been for years but we're shoved down our throats holding a monopoly on the tag titles in WWE and holding the Smackdown Tag Belts all year long. They're still as awful as ever as they comes off like stereotypically limited indie wrestlers as they can do nothing but boring heel beatdowns or tons of superkicks and dives. Meanwhile they're not the least bit interesting, they're bland, and can't cut a good promo. Like cousin Roman Reigns, the only thing the Usos have going for them is they won the family lottery and come from the royal family of wrestling.

Worst Match of the Year: Sami Zayn vs. Johnny Knoxville (WWE, Wrestlemania 38 Night Two, April 3)- This match had so many issues and was awful. The first issue was Knoxville isn't a wrestler and from Jackass which meant, this had to be a comedy match. The second issue is while comedy matches can be funny, the problem is that you need to be funny since there isn't a whole lot of wrestling. That leads us to this match. I just wasn't into it. Like most comedy matches, especially involving a celebrity, there really wasn't any wrestling so it relied heavily on the comedy but the problem was, the comedy wasn't funny. I can enjoy a funny comedy match but this just wasn't funny. I'm not into Jackass so the humor wasn't for me and I found it to be stupid. At times, it felt like the match was inspired by Home Alone with Zayn falling for gags and tricks.

Worst Feud of the Year: Edge vs. Judgment Day (WWE)- This feud has a Dr. Frankenstein vs. Frankenstein's Monster vibe as in theory, it's a interesting idea for a feud as Edge creates this stable which eventually throws him out and now, he's going to war with his creation. Unfortunately, that's where the good ends. The problem with the feud is neither Edge or Judgment Day are interesting and the feud has featured boring matches and segments. On top of that, Edge hasn't looked good since returning to the ring in 2020 and is well past his prime. Finn Balor isn't much better as he too looks like his best days are behind him. The only interesting things about JD is Rhea and Priest but they can't get much out of this stable and if anything, is holding them back, especially Priest while Rhea looks like she's outgrown the group. It doesn't help this feud has gone on for months and months to the point where it's dragging. Perhaps another factor that doesn't help is Edge's limited schedule which has seen the feud have some stop and go moments.

Most Overrated: Tyrus (NWA)- Tyrus, man formerly known as the Funkasaurus is a world champion. Need I say more? Oh ok. As I mentioned above, Tyrus is way too limited as he's an awful wrestler, he can't bump, he's up there in age, and he's in such terrible shape that he has no cardio. Other than the fact he appears on national television, there's no reason for this guy to be holding a world title, even if it's the NWA World Title in 2022.

Worst Announcer: Pat McAfee (WWE)- McAfee is another who's appeal I don't get. People praise him and act like he's amazing at what he does and while he is energetic, I find the guy annoying. His antics like dancing on the announce table during Nakamura's entrance is stupid and stuff like that are things he does that feel like he's trying to make himself a star at the expense of the wrestlers which an announcer should never do. Aside from his energy, he offers nothing else. He's not funny, he's not witty, and he's not that knowledgeable about wrestling moves so he's not a great analysis. He also just comes off so unlikeable. I'm reminded of Don West who wasn't a wrestling encyclopedia like his partner Mike Tenay but made up for it with enthusiasm but West had a likability or warmth about him while McAfee comes off like some obnoxious, douchebag jock with a face a mother would punch.

Worst Non Wrestler: Paul Heyman (WWE)- I know I sound like a broken record but what can I say? Another year had gone and once again, Heyman felt lazy, unmotivated, repetitive, and didn't offer much. Again, I don't see him having any chemistry with Reigns or the rest of the Bloodline and he doesn't elevate them or anybody. I honestly don't know what people still see in Heyman other than his kool-aid still works.

Worst Gimmick: Wendy Choo (NXT)- I always found Bayley to be obnoxious and it feels like NXT wanted to challenge themselves to come up with someone even more obnoxious and if so, mission accomplished. Wendy's gimmick is stupid and literally childish. I don't get this character who acts like a child and wrestles in pajamas. I don't get why I'm supposed to find her endearing or her childish antics funny. She supposed to be this lovable and goofy babyface but she's way too annoying and I can't stand watching her.

Worst Promotion: NWA- You probably thought I pick WWE, didn't you? Well, I'm not a fan of current WWE but honestly, I thought NWA was a worse promotion this year. When you look at NWA, it feels like it's got a lot going against it. The throwback style feels stale, they don't have many amazing matches or shows, and a lot of the wrestlers they have feel like they're there because either they're not that good or washed up or no other major promotion wants them. Even worse, whenever they've found a prospect or someone with a lot of potential, they get snatched away by another promotion. The NWA is in an awkward position as they're too big to be an indie promotion but are the smallest of the national promotions. The promotion also feels like they lost whatever momentum they had before the pandemic and have never gotten it back. The fact they also put their world title on a limited and lackluster wrestler like Tyrus for publicity also just comes off desperate for attention. The company also feels overloaded with titles despite not having the roster of a WWE or AEW. I like championships but not when there's too many. Overall, the NWA feels like it's got nothing going for it and everything going against it.

Japanese Wrestling

Wrestler of the Year: Kaito Kiyomiya (NOAH)- Kiyomiya has been one of NOAH's chosen ones for a long time and was already a former GHC Heavyweight Champion. However, it had been years since he held the belt and in 2022, he rose to the occasion and returned to championship status while showing he has what it takes to be the ace. Kiyomiya had one to great match after another this year, mostly with Kenoh but also helped Keiji Mutoh to one of his best matches in years and also had some good to great encounters with the likes of Timothy Thatcher and Kazuyuki Fujita. From a storyline standpoint, he won the GHC Heavyweight Championship for the second time and the N-1 tournament.

Junior Heavyweight Wrestler of the Year: Atsuki Aoyagi (All Japan)- In recent years, one of Japan's up and comers has been All Japan's Yuma Aoyagi. However, in recent years, his younger brother Atsuki would not only follow him into the business but would also show much promise. 2022 saw Atsuki take the next step and by years end was not only developing into a strong wrestler but he pretty became All Japan's junior ace and has stepped up to the plate with strong performances, especially by the end of the year. From a storyline standpoint, Atsuki won the World Junior Heavyweight Championship and the 2022 Jr. Battle of Glory.

Best Gaijin (Foreigner): Will Ospreay (New Japan)- Again, New Japan wins this award which isn't surprising. Ospreay continued to show in 2022 why he's one of the best wrestlers in the world as he's the whole package. He can wrestle, he's got speed, he's strong, and he can bump. As many have pointed out, Ospreay has been able to maintain his agility despite bulking up. He's had many strong encounters this year against the likes of Tetsuya Naito, David Finlay, and Shota Umino. He also had some great matches in AEW as well. From a storyline standpoint, he held the IWGP United States Championship.

Tag Team of the Year: Shotaro Ashino and Ryuki Honda (All Japan)- I couldn't think of many great teams this year but I think Ashino and Honda still deserve this prize. As a team, I thought Ashino and Honda worked well together. The team saw Ashino continue to increase his stock in All Japan while elevating the up and coming Honda. It gave them direction and they were a top team for All Japan for a lot of 2022. They also had some good to great matches in 2022 including against Shuji Ishikawa and Kohei Sato to Koji Doi and Kuma Arashi. From a storyline standpoint, they won the All Japan World Tag Team Championships

Match of the Year: Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Keiji Mutoh (NOAH, Destination 2022, July 16th)- This match was the first of Mutoh's farewell tour and it kicked the tour off in a big way. The match had good action with nice wrestling, psychology, and good selling of limb work. Mutoh worked hard and put on a great performance while Kiyomiya proved he can hang in the main event and be a good dance partner. Kiyomiya winning was great as he had yet to score a win on Mutoh and this would be his last chance to get a one-on-one win and he did it. Meanwhile, kudos to Mutoh for doing the right thing.

Most Improved: Ryuki Honda (All Japan)- 2022 saw All Japan up and comer Ryuki Honda take the next step and he delivered. After working as a rookie or young boy for a few years, Honda took the next step in 2022 and has become a rising talent for All Japan. He was giving big opportunities in 2022 including facing Kento Miyahara for the vacant Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship to feuding with Shotaro Ashino to forming a very good team with Ashino and winning his first title in the World Tag Team Championship. Best of all, every time he was giving an opportunity, he delivered, showed he can hang with the top stars, and has shown to have the tools to be a future star for All Japan.

Comeback of the Year: Satoshi Kojima (New Japan)- Another obvious pick. Kojima has been one of wrestling's greatest names but 2022 showed that the 52 year old still had gas in his tank. After mostly being used on the undercard of New Japan shows for the last several years, Kojima was given a chance to show what he had left in the tank when he began making appearances for Pro Wrestling NOAH. While there, he had he share of good matches and got to show he can hold his own against younger talent. He also got to join the elite club of having held the top three men's championships in Puroresu. From a storyline standpoint, he won the GHC Heavyweight Championship and the GHC Tag Team Championship.

Most Underrated: Takanori Ito (GLEAT)- Ito has probably been one of Japanese wrestling's best kept secrets in my opinion. He was a very good talent in WRESTLE-1 years ago and he continues to look good in GLEAT. Coming from a karate background, I feel he incorporates that well into his style including his great kicks but he's a good wrestler and has good moves like german suplexes. Sadly, because GLEAT isn't a big promotion, he largely flies under the radar and many fans probably don't know him. Even worse, I feel like he's someone GLEAT could get behind more and while he's had his share of title shots, I still like to see a bit more. Hopefully, he'll capture some GLEAT gold in 2023.

Best Promotion: All Japan Pro Wrestling- Once again, All Japan takes the prize. Out of the major companies I watch, All Japan was the one I enjoyed the most. I thought they're booking was for the most part good and the shows and matches were great. The promotion also made a huge return to the Nippon Budokan after eighteen years which was a nice treat. The promotion also utilized it's talent very well as top stars like Kento Miyahara and Suwama continue to bring the goods. The promotion also did a great job of elevating newer talent as Yuma Aoyagi found success as Miyahara's partner and won his first Champion Carnival. His brother Atsuki became the official ace of the junior division including winning the World Junior Heavyweight Championship and the Junior Battle of Glory. Shotaro Ashino and Ryuki Honda both were elevated by forming a very good team and enjoying a run as World Tag Team Champions while Honda graduated out of young boy status. Rising HAYATO, Dan Tamura, The Saito Brothers, and Hokuto Omori have been good hands this year with Tamura winning his first gold in the All Asia Tag Team Championship while Omori also won that belt as well. Meanwhile, two new rookies emerged in Ryo Inoue and Yuma Anzai who show to have tremendous potential. 2022 wasn't a perfect year for the promotion as it still saw talent leave at the end of the year and suffered a blow when Jake Lee was among them who departed. Every year, All Japan continues to show it's the little engine that could and even if it's been 25 years since their golden age ended, it's still a fun product worth checking out.

Worst Wrestler of the Year: Tama Tonga (New Japan)- This is the first of two awards for Tonga. I've never been impressed with Tonga in all the years I've been watching him in New Japan and it's be made worse in 2022 as he got a big singles push which has resulted in lackluster performances, his weaknesses exposed, and being forced into long matches he's ill-equipped for. In my opinion, I don't think Tonga has been able to step up to the plate to justify his push and I'm not sure if anyone can carry him to a good match and I doubt he'll improve after more than a decade in the business and being over 40.

Worst Match of the Year: Masanobu Fuchi, Atsushi Onita, and Shiro Koshinaka vs. Great Kojika, Yoshiaki Yatsu, and Masao Inoue (All Japan, All Japan Pro Wrestling 50th Anniversary, September 18th)- I get what All Japan was doing here and it was a nice gesture as you had aging legends participate in a legends tag match to celebrate the promotion's 50th anniversary and return to the Nippon Budokan. Unfortunately, all these guys were WAY WAY past their prime. It says a lot when the 52 year old Masao Inoue is the youngest guy in the match and the only guy in his 50s. Almost everyone in this match were in their 60s while Kojika is around 80 and it showed. They tried and I give them that but it's just clear there isn't anything left in the tank and they couldn't do much. There wasn't exciting action and these guys could barely do any moves or take any bumps or could barely move. It was almost painful to watch. I get these guys weren't attempting to put out a classic cause they knew they were past their prime and had too much mileage to pull it off but it still doesn't make it better.

Most Overrated: Tama Tonga (New Japan)- New Japan's booking is something I've questioned for years and the attempted singles push of Tama Tonga is up there. Other than the fact he's been there for so long, I just don't get the attempt to push Tonga. He's never been a good wrestler, especially as a single but for some reason he got some big opportunities in 2022 such as doing well in the 2022 G1 Climax to challenging Jay White for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship to winning the NEVER Openweight Championship. I get New Japan has had it's setbacks since the beginning of the pandemic but pushing the limited and bland Tama Tonga is not the way to go. New Japan has it's share of gaijin and should focus on pushing the talented ones.

Worst Promotion: Pro Wrestling NOAH- I like NOAH and I thought they started well in 2022 but eventually, the promotion started to struggle. The promotion relied too much on older talent at times and made questionable decisions regarding their championships. The junior division has fallen off a cliff as it's becoming boring and repetitive. The promotion doesn't feel like must watch this year and at times, I forgot who even held certain belts. It's nice to see NOAH make growth in recent years and they have a great roster but sometimes, I feel they've made questionable booking including relying too much on nostalgia.