10 Most Improved Wrestlers Of 2018

Becky Lynch has gone to the next level, but was hers 2018's biggest leap forward?

Becky Lynch Tommaso Ciampa Baron Corbin
WWE

Honourable mentions are always many on lists like this, so vast is the modern pro-wrestling talent pool.

Carmella's union with R-Truth has transformed her from a tedious, outdated heel to a genuinely fun midcard act, with her in-ring game significantly sharper than at the start of the calendar as well. An incredible indie run has destroyed all memories of Jordan Devlin's dodgy UK Championship Tournament in 2017, justifying his 'Irish Ace' nickname. Juice Robinson continues to grow as a big-match performer in NJPW. Randy Orton went from half-arsed babyface to SmackDown sociopath, Drew McIntyre is performing up to his impending monster push, Elias' crowd control mastery is still growing, and the list goes on.

Found within are the men and women whose 2018 performances almost make their 2017 efforts look embarrassing. Granted, most have benefitted from stronger booking, but that doesn't detract from their progression. Skill, graft, and smarts have helped them take their respective games to the next level. They've spent the past 12 months snapping at the heels of those above them, and in some cases, taken their spots, setting them up for even more great leaps forward as we head into 2019...

10. Tessa Blanchard

NXT TakeOver Chicago 2 Tommaso Ciampa
ImpactWrestling.com

Long considered one of the most impressive women's wrestlers not under WWE contract, Tessa Blanchard's Impact Wrestling excellence continues proving Vince McMahon and Triple H wrong for passing on her.

Blanchard has found her niche. A scowling, domineering heel, she has evolved into one of game's most effective villainesses. Tessa is brash, cocky, and headstrong, and her personality compliments and imperious ring style increasingly based around power and control. Matches with the likes of Taya Valkyrie and Su Yung have yielded excellence, and were once Blanchard's image was of a troublesome backstage presence coasting on lineage, 2018 has seen her evolved into a potential headliner who's fast catching up on even WWE's top performers.

The scariest part? Blanchard is 23 years old. Four-and-a-half years is the extent of her experience, yet she commands the ring like a veteran. Imagine how good she'll be when she is a veteran herself.

A fresh Impact deal signed in July keeps her tethered to the promotion until 2020. It's a shame she isn't already plying her trade in a bigger spotlight, but their relationship has been mutually beneficial, and Blanchard's vanguard role will continue in 2019.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. 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.