50 Best Wrestlers Of The 2020s (So Far)
EVERYTHING changed for pro wrestling in the 2020s. Who were the still points in its turning world?
For a decade that started with so much promise thanks to the launch of All Elite Wrestling energising the North American scene and various promotions across the world working towards new peaks, wrestling appeared in desperate need of change in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Global shutdown brought about massive rethinks for just about everybody. The Speaking Out movement did much to adjust attitudes towards the supposed charms of the independents and the resignation of Vince McMahon in disgrace (twice) in 2022 and 2024 saw seismic shifts in WWE, but the nascent AEW spent the second quarter of the 2020s attempting to recapture the magic of the first while New Japan Pro Wrestling tried and failed over and over agin to summon the energy that had made it it the defining promotion of the 2010s.
Amidst much chaos then, leave it to the wrestlers themselves to often wrestle promoters out of problems or spent forces out of their self-imposed creative cul-de-sacs. The work's been so good that it's forced a referendum on what even constitutes good in the modern era. Regardless of your take on that, the 50 acts listed were practitioners of something you will have most likely loved.
(As usual, in line with WhatCulture.com's primary coverage, the list is centred around those wrestling for WWE and AEW. That's not to undermine NJPW, TNA, Stardom, TJPW, ROH, GCW or any promotion or performer outside of the mainstream North American bubble, but please consider this before resorting to fume).
50. Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins may never be the guy in WWE despite their latest attempts, but for much of the 2020s so far, he’s been the glue holding the main event scene together.
While he's never fully shaken the perception of being just short of the company’s absolute apex, he's repeatedly shown why he’s been trusted as a foundational piece of the product through multiple creative regimes. After spending much of 2021 and 2022 reinventing himself with a flamboyant 'Visionary' persona, Rollins turned style into substance with a string of excellent matches against the likes of Cody Rhodes, Edge, and Matt Riddle. His trilogy with Rhodes in particular re-established him as one of the best bell-to-bell workers on the roster.
2023 saw Rollins become the inaugural World Heavyweight Champion on Raw, carrying a “workhorse” title with pride in a clear effort to keep parity with Roman Reigns’ dominant Universal Championship reign. While many questioned the value of reintroducing secondary top title, Rollins’ output helped legitimise the belt - particularly through standout defences against Finn Bálor, Drew McIntyre, and Shinsuke Nakamura.
Even in a WWE environment filled with mega-pushes and long-term projects, Rollins has consistently been the one who adapts to whatever version of the company exists around him. He’s worked heel and babyface, comedy and serious, midcard to main event, and though his big-match/promo delivery isn’t as bulletproof as others, Rollins still has it in him to remind audiences exactly why he once felt like a generational talent.