Wrestlers I'm enjoying at the moment

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Because wrestling fans can be accused of only looking at the negatives I just wanted to start a thread where we can say what we are liking about wrestling at the moment. I know I might be down on some aspects, but there is IMO an awful, awful lot to love out there.

Son of Havoc (Lucha Underground)
He encapsulates best what I think LU is so good at. And that is giving all their roster space and character development opportunities. At the start of LU he was a jobber. He lost all his matches. But he has a great executioner-type look. He has shown high-flying move-set that I definitely didn't see coming and he's got over with me. He's not a main-eventer, but I'm enjoying his work.

Rusev (WWE)
I didn't like Rusev when he first came into WWE, I thought he was just another big guy. I still don't think he's the greatest wrestler, but his character development has been spot on. WWE has kept a streak on him and we can criticize them getting it wrong, but it would have been so easy to have Swagger beat him at Summerslam. They've kept building him and that is paying off. And I hope they continue to do so as he can be a great heel big man. Of course Lana is also brilliant. Between the two they seem to know their characters so well.

Big Cass and Enzo (NXT)
They might not be the greatest wrestlers, but as an act can be as over as the New Age Outlaws. And you can't teach that.

Kota Ibushi (NJPW)
The Wrestle Kingdom 9 IC title fight was probably one of the top half dozen matches I've ever seen. Ibushi is just one hell of a talent.

Kevin Owens (NXT)
Flawless character development to date. NXT has a lot of high points and outstanding wrestlers. I know some think the show is a spot-fest. And I've argued that wrestling has moved on from the 80s, that rest holds don't work and viewers want excitement. But watching Owens is IMO like watching one of the great old timers (there's a lot of Arn Anderson in there I think) but in a modern setting with some modern moves.

Seth Rollins (WWE)
Great in the ring. Great on the mic. Has his character down perfectly. Maybe the best thing I can say about him is how many talents the writing on Raw is dragging down, and yet how he has thrived in this last year. Wit the cell match and the three-way putting him as a legit main eventer.

Prince Puma (Lucha Underground)
Some one recently made a very interesting observation. They said that they tended not to like masked wrestlers because the mask takes away the facial expressions. I guess I've a couple on this list so that can't be such an issue for me, but I think Puma's work is just the best in wrestling right now. What I like most about him is that he's the wrestler I'm watching across all promotions that seems the most fluid and able to break out any move at any time.

Brock Lesnar (WWE)
How can I not mention Brock? He might only wrestle a handful of times a year. But he does it with such intensity and leaves it all in the ring when he does that I'm more than happy with that.

Pentagon Jr (Lucha Underground)
Maybe I should not add this one as his character development is not complete. But I just love him. I love that look. I love the brutality. He's a heel. But he's too cool to be a heel.

Sasha Banks (NXT)
For a long time when I've been watching women's wrestling, I know I am watching women wrestle. There are ones main eventing based on looks rather than ability. There are slow spots. Blown finishes. All that sounds misogynistic, its not meant to be, its just that the product isn't as good as the men. But Bayley, Banks, Lynch and Charlotte can all go. And there are times when I watch them and I'm just watching wrestling and I like that.

Crimey wrote:I'll go with: (not including Lesnar because he's not on TV, but he would be miles ahead of anybody else.)

Cesaro
Big E
Roman Reigns
Luke Harper
Xavier Woods

Hold the phone....you actually enjoy wrestling?

If I had to pick 5 right now I'd say

Shinsuke Nakamura
Catsaro
New Day
Roddy Strong
John Cena

I genuinely never thought I'd type the bottom 2 but in 4 shows I've seen featuring Strong in the past fortnight he's been in the best or 2nd best match on all of them, while Cena has been killing it with the US title challenges

EC3 would be a strong contender for this list but you know he's feuding with Mr Anderson...

To be fair, Cena is arguably the consistently top performer on Raw currently. Just a shame he heals so quick so none of those injuries from Sunday had him even slow down a touch.

Time to have another go at this for me.

1) AJ Styles. I think AJ is currently a step above any wrestler in the world at telling a story. His match at G1 yesterday with Shibata was only about 15 minutes, but I thought it was one of the most perfect matches I've seen, every move seemed right for what was happening. And he does this time and time again.

2) King Ricochet. Prince Puma is good, very good. So it is really telling that King Ricochet is much better. I don't think you can any longer think of Ricochet as a flippy floppy spot monkey, his charisma and ability to string moves together have taken him to a new level.

3) Cesaro. Undoubtedly the best worker in WWE he seems to have it all in the ring and can make anyone look a million dollars.

4) Pentagon Jr. He's in feuds with women and retired wrestlers that I don't care about. He's cutting promos in languages I don't understand. He's involved in squash matches. And still I mark out for him every time he hits the ring. I don't think anyone in the world of wrestling (maybe other than Brock) is bringing more presence to the ring these days.

5. Nakamura. He wins, he loses. It just does not matter with this guy.

6. Rusev. The big man is back and I can't believe how much it says about him as a character that he's been in this car-crash Lana/Ziggler/Summer Rae angle and he's still looking good.

7. Kushida. I'm loving his work this year.

8. ReDRagon. O'Reilly and Fish just work so well together. And it is starting to look like NJPW have big plans for not just the tag team, but ultimately O'Reilly on his own.