10 Exact Moments 2022 Changed Wrestling Forever

Where to even begin with a wrestling year as game-changing as 2022, eh?

Vince McMahon Raw
WWE

2022 took one look at the absolute chaos that gripped the planet and the wrestling business over the previous two unpredictable years and declared, "cute, now hold my beer..."

In any other calendar year, the majority of the frankly insane headlines that make up this list would likely sit as the most shocking and impactful event of the last 12-months. But in the case of 2022, they merely act as one of the many landscape-shifting occurrences that have helped establish the last year as one of, if not the most important in pro-wrasslin' history.

That's because not only has this past year in the world of all things wrestling seen a number of staggering power shifts, seemingly impossible comebacks, and team switches, it's also completely changed the way certain aspects of the business are viewed forever.

Simply put, 2022 is likely a year that won't be topped again any time soon in terms of industry-defining developments and all-out madness.

Take your pick from part-time performers raising the bar to unprecedented heights, unimaginable comebacks gracing the Grandest of Stages, unthinkable departures, and everything in-between. 2022 has permanently reshaped this barmy business and here are the moments responsible for said game being changed.

10. Logan Paul Shows What Celebrities Can Really Do In-Between The Ropes

Vince McMahon Raw
WWE.com

It was pretty clear early on that Logan Paul wasn't your average YouTuber stepping in-between the ropes.

His first showing at WrestleMania 38 alongside The Miz as the duo went at it with the Mysterios showcased the slightly less infuriating Paul brother's natural athleticism and an ability to manipulate the crowd that performer's in the business for a decade would struggle to replicate.

A follow-up against The Miz at SummerSlam gifted said veteran with arguably his finest bell-to-bell match in years. But it was a seemingly laughable Saudi main event against The Tribal Chief that proved to be the real game-changer for both Paul and the business as a whole.

Putting in the sort of shift that made an absolute mockery of the fact Logan had only been messing around in this industry for a cup of coffee, his high-flying, drama-stuffed epic against Roman Reigns over the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Crown Jewel set the new bar for those wanting to stop by and give this wrestling stuff a go for a spell.

Bad Bunny and Pat McAfee already both proved that magic could be made if you were willing to put a shift in.

Logan showed that genuine superstars could.

Contributor
Contributor

Lifts rubber and metal. Watches people flip in spandex and pretends to be other individuals from time to time...