Ranking Who Was Really The Man In Wrestling Every Year 1990-2020

3. 2018 - Becky Lynch

Austin Jericho
WWE.com

Fate conspired to bloody Becky Lynch's face in November 2018 to illustrate her total defiance of a machine she would both defeat and transcend.

Well, it was the errant punch of a total oaf, but it was poetic as all hell, regardless: Becky Lynch, a female performer WWE had barely pushed, connected with crowds who saw through a terrible story and into the cocksure face of its real hero. She connected big, too. She wasn't just the hero of that story, or the top star in her division. As she marketed herself so astutely, she transcended gender roles to emerge, drenched in confidence, as the Man.

The talk was massive, exhilaratingly so, but it was substantiated with a classic performance at Evolution, a string of ferocious promos, and a cancelled Survivor Series exhibition mourned so deeply that it became (ostensibly) the WrestleMania main event.

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!