10 Best Wrestlers Of 2022 (So Far)

10. Miyu Yamashita

Miyu Yamashita
TJPW

Though no long Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling's top champion, having dropped the Princess of Princess strap to Shoko Nakajima in March, Miyu Yamashita is nonetheless in the ascendency, having perhaps benefitted by the freedom afforded by not carrying the strap.

For fans of serious, hard-nosed pro wrestlers with killer auras, to dive into Miyu's body of work is to discover your new favourite fighter. Yamashita is one of few modern wrestlers who feels worthy of Katsuyori Shibata comparisons. A cold-hearted head-kicker who feels ruthless, legitimate, and domineering, she fills every building she walks into despite standing at just 5'5", is seamless whether attacking or selling, and, at just 27 years old, has time to get even better.

On home soil, Yamashita has high-level singles bouts with Mizuki and the aforementioned Nakajima to hang her hat on, though her Stateside work is just as impressive. Reprising her Maki Itoh rivalry and facing US-based terror Masha Slamvoich for Prestige, then warring with freelancer Miyuki Takase for Deadlock Pro, Yamashita now has an AEW Women's World Title fight with Thunder Rosa on her immediate horizon, having felled Rosa in Japan.

It isn't unreasonable to expect one of the greatest women's matches in AEW history from this pairing.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

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.