Ranking What Was Really The Best Wrestling Debut Every Year 1990-2021

4. 2018 - Rey Mysterio

NB - wanton authorial bias based on a theoretical alternate timeline informs this next entry.

In an "oh sh*t yeah I remember that" moment, Rey Mysterio made his NJPW debut in 2018.

And it ruled! Not as much as it should have, like, but still!

It didn't last long. WWE at the time was balls-deep in its "No, mine!" spiteful signing spree upon which they embarked in sh*t-scared fright.

It was also, in an indictment of Rey's meh WWE return, fantastically inspired. He was presented not as a guy that goes 50/50 on television, but as the actual ageless living legend that he is. He formed the ultimate babyface squadron ever assembled this side of a Dusty Rhodes-led '80s WarGames unit alongside Jushin Liger and Hiroshi Tanahashi.

What a stable man, Christ. Three of the best pure babyface workers ever, the crowd-pleasing trio of exciting genius craftsmen actually lost their super-fun Dominion match to the Bullet Club Elite. So realistically, it wasn't that great.

But look at them! Tana, Rey, and Liger, standing next to each other!