WWE.com has released their list of 10 Superstars who defined 2017 so naturally we’re pulling up right behind them with a list of our own. It’s sort of a recap of the past 365 days of pro wrestling, and kind of a review of WWE’s list, disguised as a list of its own.
So with the credits rolling on Christmas and the final Best and Worst of 2017 in the books, let’s go over 10 important thoughts about WWE’s official top 10 Superstars of 2017.
The Usos And The New Day Should Each Get Their Own Spot On This List
While in some ways it makes sense to pair these two squads. The length of their feud, combined with the quality of their matches is a bag of seeds for a future WWE Network special. And sure, maybe The Usos and The New Day is the tag team, millennial equivalent of The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. For list-making purposes, we get it. But these guys were so good they each deserve a spot on the Top 10. If you’re making us choose, give us The Usos, who had the best rebrand of the year.
Braun Strowman’s Stunts Deserve Their Own Spot On This List
On one hand, it’s understandable to smoosh everything Braun did this year into one entry on the list like bullets getting smooshed in a chamber. (I don’t know how guns work.) But WWE is all about jumping off the page, grabbing the brass ring, and ruthless aggression, so we’ve got a scorching-hot take that falls in line: both Strowman’s in-ring work and his actions out of the ring deserve a spot on this list.
Garbage trucks, ambulances, cages, rings, things that hold rings together, none of them survived Braun. Neither did most of his opponents or social media snark. The monster destroyed them all.
The Only Woman Represented On This List Is Alexa Bliss
This has nothing to do with Alexa Bliss, who belongs on everyone’s Mount Rushmore of must-see TV. This has everything to do with the rise of Asuka; with Naomi retaining the title in her hometown at the biggest show of the year; with Charlotte Flair being the best wrestler in WWE, period. This also has something to do with, um, a general awareness of your roster and the world today. Read the room, WWE.com.
Actually, Enzo Amore Does Belong On This List
The first (tenth) spot on WWE.com’s list goes to Enzo Amore, and at first glance it feels lazy. But when you look back on 2017, the man who signs his name like a with a dick actually had a great year. We loved him, we hated him, we thought he got what he deserved, we read stories about people not liking him so much we started to maybe like him again, maybe. Rinse, repeat.
The only issue with Enzo deserving a spot on this list is it means we are one step closer to this custom belt becoming reality.
Here Are All The People Who Should Be On This List Before Brock Lesnar
The reigning, defending, undisputed Universal champ did no “defining” in 2017. It was more of the same from Lesnar, whose most interesting moment of the year was probably Paul Heyman crapping on a wedding proposal, and that’s just by proxy.
That said, hereare all the people who should be on WWE.com’s list before Brock Lesnar: Asuka, Shane McMahon (so much stuff revolved around Shane), Undertaker, Mojo Rawley (kidding, but I don’t really want to be), Baron Corbin (definitely kidding), and Sami Zayn (100 percent not kidding).
Seriously, Though — Where Is Sami Zayn?
Colleague and comedian Brian James O’Connell wrote one of my favorite pieces of the year on Sami’s roller coaster 2017. Read it. Speaking of Sami —
Kevin Owens Will Be On This List Every Year Until He Retires
Vince just taught this new crew how to get somebody over,now Shane needs to put icing on cake then KO will be money forever. HH
— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) September 13, 2017
100 percent agree with the Hulkster — Kevin Owens is welcome on my television set in whatever capacity he wants, for however long he wants. KO had, hands down, the most interesting year in sports entertainment. Did you realize the Festival of Friendship AND the New Face of America both happened this year? BACK TO BACK?!
It feels like Owens has an infinite bank of skills to draw from, and we’re so lucky to have him.
Jinder Mahal Is Slightly Underrated
The most surprising champion of the decade probably deserves a higher spot on this list, because of how I started this sentence. When a booking decision turns the wrestling world upside down, regardless of how we all feel about it, and then the company sticks to it, regardless of how we all feel about it, that’s a big story.
When I texted every ex-WWE fan I know who complains about how they are never surprised anymore and told them about Jinder, they tuned back in. When Jinder defended the title that nobody in a million years would have guessed was his, we all tuned in. It’s likely that Mahal’s time on top is in the past and isn’t coming back, but in many ways 2017 will be defined as the year that Jinder Mahal did that thing.
John Cena Is Not On This List
Yeah, Johnny C. wasn’t as active as the others who made the final cut, but it still counts for something that he didn’t make this list (Cena was, however, recognized for having WWE’s official match of the year). Those same people I called about Jinder Mahal? They would probably guess Cena would make this list, even if he only wrestled twice. This matters.
Chris Jericho Makes The List, Does Not Make This List
Sometimes life isn’t fair.
