20 Absolute Best Wrestlers In The World Right Now

2. Bryan Danielson

Realistically the only candidate who could have knocked our chosen number one off the top spot, Bryan Danielson continues to prove his worth in AEW, where his 'American Dragon' persona is in the midst of a renaissance.

Floors and ceilings define the all-time greatest. Danielson stands out from his fellow contenders because for 20 years, he has rarely been anything worse than "very good." He is the modern master of taking even the smallest windows of opportunity and making them feel important. Throw three minutes and an overmatched opponent in front of him and Danielson will find a way to make it mean something, establishing threads before tying them together, as he would on grander stages. And thus far, his 2022 has lived up to this.

January saw Bryan conclude his first big program of the year, tasting defeat the fantastic Hangman Page rematch, which, for our money, is the best thing the sport has served so far in '22. Now, he is getting into something less bombastic but just as meaningful. His quest to unite with Jon Moxley and lift the Daniel Garcias and Lee Moriartys of the world up, sculpting the next generation of wrestlers in their own violent image, is not only a great story, but one that will yield long-term benefits from sitting under a GOAT candidate's learning tree.

Bryan is invaluable. He is wrestling's ultimate utility player in that he can give you the big, headlining matches, help bring the younger wrestlers along, and anything else in between. There is no surer thing in AEW than something he is involved with being great.