The Complete A-Z Of Wrestling In 2017
11. P - Phenomenal
Bookending the year with the WWE Championship, AJ Styles has lived up to every comparison to greats such as Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart from greats such as Paul Heyman and Stone Cold Steve Austin, and should proudly wear each of those as a symbol of his well-deserved success working for Vince McMahon so far. Though 2016 was perhaps marginally better overall for the former TNA and NJPW star, a late surge this year reminded audiences exactly why he was just so vital to the organisation.
Over a period of two months, Styles willingly and professionally put over Baron Corbin to give 'The Lone Wolf' the best possible start as United States Champion, flew in from Chile to a Raw pay-per-view at 48 hours notice to give Finn Bálor a match that for a split-second reminded everybody why he seemed such a sound investment as Universal Champion a year earlier, defeated Jinder Mahal in the outgoing Champion's best match with the title, then afforded Brock Lesnar perhaps the low key best match of his entire post-2012 run.
To top it off, he even fooled millions into thinking Shane McMahon was a half-decent wrestler.
Phenomenal.