The Beast was truly unleashed this yearIt was a memorable year for the biggest wrestling promotion in the world. It was quite a long year. NXT grew by leaps and bounds - Brooklyn happened and then London happened. So did the support for the ‘Chosen One’ to be the next ‘face who runs the place’ but never forget the importance of the current face who runs the place.It was certainly a formative year for many superstars and divas and surely 2016 looks quite promising given how 2015 has turned out to be. The Road to Wrestlemania will officially kick off with the Royal Rumble taking place in January.Here are the top 5 newsmakers from 2015 -
#5 AJ Lee
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AJ Lee retired in April this year after returning on the March 2nd episode of Raw. She wasn’t in the WWE for quite long and many had predicted her retiring eventually, but when it did happen, it created quite a stir.
But before that, she criticized Stephanie McMahon openly on Twitter for the state of female performers in the WWE. She talked about the wage inequality between female and male performers, despite there being record-selling merchandise and highest rated segments several times for the female performers involved.
That led a memorable buildup to the Wrestlemania match between the Bellas and the Freaks and Geeks.
#4 Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar is an anomaly. Every match, every segment he’s in becomes something special. His future with the WWE was up in the air as his contract was up after Wrestlemania.
There were rumors that he may move back to the UFC, he’d even begun a small training camp for it, as per Heyman. There was also talk when he left in the middle of RAW where he was set to make an appearance, following an argument with Vince McMahon over his contract.
That led many to believe for sure that Lesnar wasn’t walking out of Wrestlemania triumphant. But just days before Wrestlemania, Lesnar confirmed in a rare interview that he’s signed a new three-year deal with the WWE and has decided to close the door on his MMA career.
That was great news for every wrestling fan, as his presence on WWE TV is huge.
#3 John Cena
The US Title Open Challenge is possibly the best thing to happen in pro wrestling this year. This brought so much fanfare and thrill to the championship and credibility to the face who runs the place. If you do a countdown of all great matches this year, half of that list will be full of matches that took place within this Open Challenge invitational.
This has been so overwhelmingly successful that it’s made Cena’s fans and detractors agree for once that Cena deserves to keep that title. So, come Monday, Cena may retain this title.
Also, he was in Trainwreck, directed by Judd Apatow.
#2 Bayley/ Sasha Banks
NXT has been the epitome of what a revolution actually looks like in wrestling. Bayley and Sasha Banks delivered one of the best matches of the year at Takeover: Brooklyn and earned what they always deserved- a main event match at the next Takeover.
They have 4 years of story behind them and their time at developmental has really flourished their characters. So, even after Banks not being booked really well on the main roster, we know what she’s capable of. And that’s why, maybe, she is still one of the most protected performers up there.
Bayley, on the other hand, has simply proved there is no babyface quite like her. She pretty much should be booked in the main event for all her matches since the story she’s involved in is usually the best story in NXT.
Also, Eva Marie vs Bayley should main-event a Takeover.
#1 Roman Reigns
Give or take, this was the year that Roman reigns finally came of age as a wrestling star. He began the year on a sour note with the fans’ divided opinion on him. Many were belligerant and many felt otherwise.
It was mostly, again, the scene where the hardcore fans were against him and the casual fanbase was where he was popular. So, it was no surprise when he was called the ‘poor man’s John Cena’.
But he took the Royal Rumble controversy in his stride and began, visibly, working hard. Most of his matches this year were brilliant. And even if he had a lot of detractors on his way to the main event of Wrestlemania, that did not stop him from playing an important role in that match.
And in complete contrast to how he began his year, it matters how he finally ended it. That match at TLC followed by that beatdown of Triple H changed everything. The hardcore fans embraced him and since then he’s only recieved unanimous support from the WWE Universe.
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