10 Most Improved Wrestlers Of 2017
Great leaps forward.
The professional wrestling talent pool is in a constant state of flux.
With previous generations of performers stuck in inevitable decline, the onus is on promotions like WWE and NJPW to develop those who'll eventually take their seats at the top table, ensuring a seamless transition of power. Vince McMahon's promotion have continually struggled with this over the years, but primarily through their own doing. The talent is there: they just need to make better use of it.
2017 has seen countless performers take their game to the next level, placing them in a much stronger position than they were at the start of the year. For some, their improvement has been a simple case of tightening loose nuts and bolts, while others have undergone more dramatic transformations. Whatever the case, their growth is undeniable.
Note that we're looking at ability (inside the ring and out) here, not push. The Usos and Sami Zayn have been stronger this year than last, but they were always great, and their new spotlight has more to do with good booking than noticeable individual progression.
With that in mind, let's take a look at 2017's biggest improvers...
10. Alexa Bliss
There has never been anything wrong with Alexa Bliss' performances outside the ring. The current Raw Women's Champion has been one of WWE's most well defined personalities from the moment she first hit the main roster, with her microphone and character work several levels above even her most experienced peers. Her in-ring has always been lacking by comparison, however, and up until this year, the self-proclaimed 'Goddess Of WWE' visibly struggled to keep up with the likes of Becky Lynch on SmackDown.
While Bliss still has a long way to go, this side of her game has caught up considerably in 2017. She has become smoother and safer in her execution, a better bumper, and an altogether more convincing grappler. Alexa's ability to project her engaging arch-villainess persona into her matches has improved, too, making her a great foil for any babyface opponent.
Alexa must eliminate her inconsistencies before she can be placed among the division's elite (her Survivor Series bout with Charlotte Flair was particularly disappointing), but her improvements are palpable, and the majority of her year's worst moments have come through poor creative choices rather than her own flaws.