10 WWE Wrestlers Who Grabbed The Brass Ring In 2018
3. Buddy Murphy
Although his name almost certainly sat near the top of WWE's list of potential releases at the start of the year, Buddy Murphy's transformational 2018 makes him one of the most improved wrestlers on the planet.
The Cruiserweight Champion's upturn is largely self-made. Though he toiled in the wake of his split with Wesley Blake, and was lost in the purgatory of NXT's Largo loop for what felt like an eternity, he hit 205 Live like a mortar. Post weight cut, he was quickly established as the brand's resident grumpy powerhouse. WWE handed him the ideal niche, and Buddy made the most of it, fast establishing himself as the brand's most must-see wrestler before completely the year's most unlikely success story with a huge, cathartic title win at Super Show-Down.
Taking his show's top prize on home soil was a career highlight, and Murphy followed it with an excellent defence against Mustafa Ali (his greatest rival) at Survivor Series. It would've been easy for him to rot when removed from NXT television two years ago. Instead, Murphy has rebuilt himself in silence, and finally bringing his progression to the international stage in 2018 justifies his top three spot here.