20 Absolute Best Wrestlers In The World Right Now
16. Johnny Gargano
Although this website was justifiably critical of Johnny Gargano's woeful acting throughout his spooky mall goth phase, the 31-year-old remains an elite-level performer across the board, and, crucially, one of the best big-match wrestlers in the world.
TakeOver: WarGames II's clash with Aleister Black proved this. Occasional specks of pantomime acting aside, Gargano was utterly detestable last night, transforming himself into a weaselly little snotbag who had the audience begging for Black to knock his head off his shoulders. It harked back to the sublime heel work exhibited throughout much of his independent run, and reinstalled him as part of the upper echelon after a months-long dip following the Tommaso Ciampa loss.
Melodrama will always be in Gargano's DNA, but it need not be the distraction it was this summer. The Ciampa feud was excellent. Tap into that and the new pest-like qualities adopted in recent months, before going babyface ahead of his inevitable final battle with his old #DIY partner, and Gargano could be a leading WWE Wrestler of the Year contender in 2019. Few would deny he's talented enough to pull it off.
2018 ranking: 18.