10 Wrestlers Having An Incredible 2022

The moment AEW was first announced on Being The Elite, some in-the-know fans were quick to paint Kevin Owens as the unluckiest guy in wrestling. The supremely talented but often misused star had just signed a multi-year contract extension. As Jon Moxley savoured the sweet air of freedom, Owens was emblematic of those left behind.

No great surprise then, that as KO’s contract finally wound down he and former stablemates The Young Bucks began to tease a future outside of WWE's sports entertainment bubble. After all, Owen’s obvious misery had begun to bleed through into his TV performances in a way that seemed crystal clear to those of us watching at home.

The dramatic twist came when, instead of waving WWE goodbye and unleashing Kevin Steen on AEW’s main event scene, Owen’s decided to re-sign with the McMahon helmed promotion. Disappointed fans reasoned that “The Prizefighter” was taking financial security over artistic freedom. At least he has a gift for elevating terrible material. At the time, nobody knew the surprise that might have sweetened the deal.

Kevin got to main event this year’s WrestleMania against Stone Cold Steve Austin, helping the bionic retiree to a creditable performance. Sure, it didn’t lead to anything big afterwards, but who wouldn’t be tempted to trade that all time career milestone for a few more years of midcard comedy bits?

Then the unthinkable happened. With Vince McMahon suddenly out of the picture and “Papa H” taking the reins, there are strong signs that Owens may get to be the best version of himself within the confines of WWE after all.