10 Best Non-WWE Wrestlers Of 2018 (So Far)

1. Kenny Omega

Cody Wrestle Kingdom 12
NJPW

Dominion 6.9 ensured that any wrestler with ambitions of wresting this position from Kenny Omega by year's end is in for a Herculean challenge.

Okada vs. Omega IV was more than just a great wrestling match. It was the culmination of several long-term storylines, from Kenny's nine-year journey to the top of Mount Puroresu and his relationship with Kota Ibushi, to the Bullet Club civil war and his epic series of matches with 'The Rainmaker.' Rarely has a single wrestling bout carried such weight. Omega, Ibushi, Okada, Cody, The Young Bucks, and every other Bullet Club member: each was affected by its outcome, and the ramifications will be felt for years.

2017 proved Kenny Omega was a wrestling genius, and he has only strengthened this position in 2018. The ongoing Golden Lovers saga is the most progressive thing in the sport. His matches are rife with innovation, mind-blowing call-backs, and expert storytelling. Few wrestlers possess such athleticism, and few moves hit harder than his increasingly brutal V-Trigger.

Kenny is the total package, the most must-see performer in the world (sorry, Miz), and a true global superstar WWE would love to have on their books, but probably never will.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.