10 WWE Wrestlers Who Grabbed The Brass Ring In 2019
9. Io Shirai
Shirai won NXT's year-end award as a future star of the black & gold brand at the close of 2018, and has justified such an accolade via her performances this year.
After numerous eye-catching challenges for the NXT Women's Championship, Shirai ascended to the upper echelons of NXT courtesy of a stunning heel turn on former friend Candice LeRae. There had been teases of a darker side during her feud with Shayna Baszler despite her friendly demeanour, but another failed title challenge caused her to snap.
Shirai reinvented herself as a sinister superstar who wore black leather & took no prisoners, and after dealing with LeRae at NXT TakeOver: Toronto, aligned herself with the heel team for WarGames. She was one of the standout stars in the build to the pay-per-view and produced a jaw-dropping moonsault in the match that was unforgettable.
It's inevitable that she'll be involved in the world title picture next year and she's transitioned from just another highly-talented member of the roster, to a must-see entertainer with an edge.