Top 5 WWE Superstars of 2018

WWE has had its fair share of ups and downs over the past year. While WWE fans have witnessed several landmark events such as Raw 25 and Smackdown 1000, they have also endured awkward moments such as Titus O'Neil's hilarious trip at the Greatest Royal Rumble Event. At the Crown Jewel PPV, Shane McMahon controversially won the WWE World Cup leading to a lot of flak. But who is the best in the world after all?

While the year draws to a close, we rank the top 5 male/female superstars of 2018 who enthralled the audiences with their character, feuds and have had unparallel success over the year.

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#5 Ronda Rousey

The transition from UFC to WWE is never easy. But the manner in which 'Rowdy' Ronda Rousey has gone about makes her year even sweeter. Ever since making her debut appearance after the Women's Royal Rumble Match at the Royal Rumble PPV, Ronda was earmarked as a World Champion.

Her first match was a classic mixed tag-time match alongside Kurt Angle against the wife and husband duo of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. The incredible strength and agility were on full display during her first fight in the WWE, which made her genuine contender for the Raw Women's Championship. During 2018, Ronda Rousey has never lost a single match. This is further proof of what the WWE thinks of the "Baddest Woman on the Planet". She won her first Raw Women's Championship at SummerSlam after she beat Alexa Bliss in an entertaining match. With wins over the likes of Nia Jax and Charlotte Flair (albeit by DQ), Rousey has been able to stay unbeaten and expect WWE to make her go on an Asuka-esque unbeaten streak.

She has also main-evented WWE's first ever all women PPV, Evolution when she beat Nikki Bella, thus further solidifying her position as one of the biggest stars of WWE. The CNET has also stated that "For the first time, [WWE's] biggest mainstream star is a woman.". Ronda Rousey will be hopeful of continuing on the same note and have an even more successful 2019

#4 AJ Styles

AJ Styles has truly had a "phenomenal" 2018

AJ Styles held the WWE Championship for a grand total of 371 days after being ousted by the "new" Daniel Bryan. Nevertheless, AJ Styles was truly phenomenal in 2018 with successful title defences against the likes of Samoa Joe, Shinsuke Nakamura, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and even John Cena. His highly anticipated feud with Shinsuke Nakamura did blow hot and cold at times, but their matches were truly a work of art.

AJ is a modern version of Shawn Michaels with an impressive skill-set inside the ring and impeccable on-the-mic talent which makes him arguably the best wrestler in the world right now. Smackdown might be the B-show but AJ Styles still is able to garner the same amount of adulation that he should be getting. With an opportunity to reclaim the WWE Championship at TLC, let's hope the Phenomenal One is able to take the gold into 2019.

#3 Becky Lynch

'The Man' arrived with a bang in 2018

Becky Lynch was Smackdown's first female pick in the 2016 Draft and was also the inaugural Smackdown Women's Champion. Ever since losing her title to Alexa Bliss, Becky has been in a limbo. She has had meaningless feuds and programs over the past two years. Poor booking by the WWE creative had hampered Lynch's career despite her brilliance within the ring. Come 2018 SummerSlam, all of this changed once and for all. After losing her first chance to reclaim the Smackdown Women's Championship after a very long time to Charlotte Flair, she snapped! And she snapped for good! The WWE Universe were witnessing the birth of a modern day icon in the RelentLass.

Ever since her supposed heel turn, fans have taken to her in huge numbers. Her attitude has swayed a charm over the WWE audience and was breathe of fresh air for them. She eventually won her second Women's Championship by beating Charlotte at the Hell in the Cell PPV. Both of the women also competed in the first ever Women's Last Man Standing Match (which Lynch won) and are also slated to be part of the first-ever Women's TLC match as well adding to Lynch's already glittering resume. But the highlight of Lynch's 2018 was her invasion of Raw where she took out Ronda Rousey and successful overlooked a beat down of the Raw women's roster. While TLC could mean the end to her title reign, the vision of a bloodied Becky Lynch at the end of that episode of Raw truly will remain engraved in the minds of WWE.

#2 Braun Strowman

Braun Strowman has had his best year since joining WWE

Braun Strowman has had the most successful year in the WWE in term of championships and laurels. At Wrestlemania, he paired up with a WWE fan Nicholas and won the Raw Tag Team Championships from Sheamus and Cesaro which earned him first piece of gold in the WWE. At the Greatest Royal Rumble, Strowman stood tall after eliminating Elias at the end to win the match and being crowned the first-ever winner.

Ever since Braun was drafted to Raw in 2016, he has always been built up by the WWE and is now reaping rich dividends. He is one of the best big guys in WWE history and is currently in the main event picture involving the Universal Championship. With considerable success already to his name, Strowman made a mockery out of Team Smackdown at the Survivor Series after he came out of the match as a surviving member of Team Raw.

All of these add up to the fact the Braun Strowman has grown into his role of a main eventer over the past year. It wouldn't be long before we get to see the Universal Championship around the waist of the "Monster Among Men". Hopefully, we'll be able to witness that in 2019.

#1 Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins is touted to be the new face of WWE

Seth Rollins has had a stellar 2018. He won the Raw Tag Team Championship and the Intercontinental Championship over the year and has had brilliant matches over the past year as well. His match against the Miz night just be the match of the year if you exclude NXT and his grit was all over the place during his epic show in a gauntlet match against the likes of Roman Reigns.

Rollins was also able to get the win against Shinsuke Nakamura at Survivor Series thus propelling Raw towards a clean sweep against Smackdown. With Roman Reigns out indefinitely, Rollins seems to be the go-to-guy for WWE to be their face. While Rollins has given enough hope for the aforementioned thought, it has to been seen whether WWE would continue Rollins' stellar 2018 run come next year.