Predicting The 10 Best Wrestlers In The World Five Years From Now

4. Kyle O'Reilly

WALTER Tyler Bate
WWE.com

Kyle O'Reilly turned 32 years old this year, landing him in his pro wrestler prime five years from now.

O'Reilly is arguably an elite-level talent now, though as a tag team performer, predominantly, he doesn't receive the opportunities to show it on a brand that does not over-expose his talent. But what talent he possesses: O'Reilly is a superb professional wrestler boasting explosive, exquisite technique and a tremendous ability to build a match. There's a real and unique legitimacy to his MMA-influenced act, too, marking him as one of the most distinctive performers in a landscape that has never been more diverse. Nobody out there moves quite like O'Reilly, who like a true ring general conveys how imposing he is without doing anything.

O'Reilly is also a hugely charismatic and funny presence, which you'd expect should enable him to eventually venture on a main event singles run, perhaps as a babyface, the sharpening experience of which would see him flourish.

O'Reilly's mainstream singles potential is untapped, but it's there, and the schedule he works now leaves him very well-positioned to reach it.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!