Here we list the current top singles champions of 2018 in a televised promotion. Whether it be WWE, Ring of Honor, Impact Wrestling, Lucha Underground, or New Japan Pro Wrestling. Ready? Let’s dive in!
My criteria.
To be considered for this list, there is some factors. Ring work, charisma, reaction from the crowd (whether it is boos or cheers), ability to sell tickets and/or PPVs, getting main stream acknowledgment, and currently (as of writing) holding a title on a televised promotion. As well as their journey towards a title. They can only have held the title for a week, if their professional journey was just as great as their in-ring journey, they will be included. So let’s dive in to this year’s Top Televised singles Champions!
#8 Jay Lethal
The man who once became noticed by fans as a Macho Man impersonator, has grown. Lethal continues to win belts at any promotion he is in. Currently he is on his second reign as Ring Of Honor’s World Champion. He was also Ring Of Honor’s longest reigning Television Champion, holding it for 567 days. Jay’s in ring work continues to evolve, he has great charisma, and gets the crowd to pop every time he is the ring. Jay Lethal has a total of 12 championships between TNA Wrestling, now Impact Wrestling, and Ring Of Honor. With no signs of slowing down in the near future.
#7 Tommaso Ciampa
The current NXT Champion has done a few things that NXT performers never did. Keep kayfabe alive and have probably one of the greatest feuds in modern WWE/NXT history. Johnny Gargano and Ciampa formed D.I.Y, a much beloved NXT tag team. After losing a chance of winning the NXT Tag team Championship belts. Ciampa turned on Gargano. In, which lled to probably the greatest long-term feud in NXT history. Ciampa embraced his heel persona, kept it believable, and was one half of a match, that Wrestler Observer’s Dave Meltzer gave a five-star rating. A rating that he has rarely given WWE as a whole. Even when he is not feuding with his best opponent, Gargano. Tommaso gives a match everything he has.
#6 Pentagon Jr.
CERO MIEDO!!! The arm breaking, zero fear, sacrificing to the Gods, and the one who “retired” Prince Puma aka Ricochet, lands here. The Dark one has recently gained international notice from Lucha Underground, where he is the current Champion, to Impact Wrestling, and now from his great match with Kenny Omega at All In. When Lucha Underground first started, he was a complete Heel. Then something happened, the crowd organically started to cheer for his sacrifices to the Gods (breaking arms).
Pentagon is pretty much your classic hard-hitting, technical wrestler. However, the way he executes *pun intended* his craft in the ring, is superb. From the hard-hitting chops, to hitting a package pile driver on the ring apron, there is no move he will not try for a win. That is one of the reasons the crowd loves him. He has zero fear, he wants to fight, he wants to break arms, he wants titles, and fans cheer him on for it.
#5 Brian Cage
The one time talent in WWE’s development territory, Florida Championship Wrestling, has reached new height. WWE released him and Cage took to the indie scene to hone not only his crafted, but his physique as well. Now dubbed The Machine, Cage started to get a mainstream following starting in Lucha Underground. Now currently Impact Wrestling’s X-Division Champion, his following is growing. Seriously, if you haven’t seen this man wrestle, you should. He is another freak of nature, like Brock Lesnar. For a man to be as huge as Cage and pull off moves that a Luchadors do and are half his size, is simply amazing. Cage seems to still be working on his mic skills, but other than that, he is the total package. The crowd loves him, he usually pulls off spots that make fans gasp, and he is only getting better. Like a Machine.
#4 Ricochet/Prince Puma
The Prince, The King, the future. WWE’s newest North American Champion is Ricochet, in which made me wonder why it took so long. This man is not like any other performers you have seen before. Yes, you may have seen the moves before. But to quote King Ricochet, “None have made it look better”, and that is a hard argument to go against. Need proof? Then check out New Japan Pro Wrestling 2016 “Best Of The Super Juniors” tournament. In which, had the attention of the entire wrestling world. The match between Ricochet and Will Ospreay. No matter what promotion Ricochet is in, he will have gold around his waist, and fairly soon. Ricochet is a performer that you just can not pass over. The crowd knows it, HHH knows it, and if you haven’t heard of him before, you will know it soon.
#3 Seth Rollins
The Architect, a key figure in The Shield, The once Authority puppet, and now the man who “BURNS IT DOWN!!”. The Architect has earned his name. He went from the inaugural NXT Champion, to a member of the Shield that was somewhat lost, to someone who cashed in his Money In The Bank contract at a perfect time, to a beloved antihero. When he was a heel, he made the crowd hate him for his cowardice, or was it careful planning? When he came back from his injury, his in ring performance organically turn him in to a face. The crowd that once deplore him, now cheer for him. Shortly after his milestone performance in a WWE Raw Gauntlet match, in which he lasted for ONE HOUR AND FIVE MINUTES. He became the newest “People’s Champion”. Currently the WWE’s Intercontinental Champion, he is seemingly now tasked with being the leader of the Shield, making sure Roman Reigns is in the spotlight, helping Dean Ambrose regain his top spot for a title after a big injury. If anyone could pull this off, with the crowd behind him, it is Seth Freakin Rollins.
#2 AJ Styles
The journey man who always seem to be at the top in any promotion he is in. The Phenomenal, AJ Styles. Fun fact: AJ never grew up watching or was interested in pro wrestling as a child. It was only when he was in college and a roommate played VHS tapes of pro wrestling. Now the fans are extremely happy that AJ Styles was shown those VHS tapes. From his days in the now defunct TNA Wrestling (presently Impact Wrestling), to New Japan Pro Wrestling, to presently in the WWE. AJ is always on top of his game.
No matter the task asked of him, he will provide. Like being the face of an upstart promotion TNA, to becoming the leader to the world’s most popular pro wrestling faction the Bullet Club, to grabing a WWE strap in a short time. Currently the Smackdown Live’s longest reigning Champion, Styles proves that he still has what is takes to be the face of a brand. Even at an age where most performers decline. This may be his last great run in pro wrestling, but as Styles has proven over and over again. With some of the best matches in the recent WWE history. Never count him out, because he is Phenomenal.
#1 Kenny Omega
If you have watched pro wrestling from multiple promotions. This is not a surprise. Kenny Omega may just be the best pro wrestler in the world today. Yes, his most famous, just as praised as best pro wrestle, and frequent opponent in the world Kazuchika Okada has the same claim. Yet we are talking about the most current title holder. Kenny Omega has pretty much perfected all aspects of my criteria for this list.
Omega is a great in-ring worker, charismatic, draws huge reaction from crowds. With the added bonus of Smarks giving him critical praise. Yes, some of his greatest matches have been against his long time in-ring rival Okada.
In which, has broken Wrestler Observer’s Dave Meltzer’s rating system every time they wrestle. But also has had memorable matches against the likes of Prince Devitt, now known as Finn Balor. Hiroshi Tanahashi, and his best friend and tag team partner Kota Ibushi. No matter what booking situation promotions give Omega. The Cleaner Kenny Omega will perform a great match, draw a crowd, get crowd reaction, display his in-ring ability, and has garner a huge section of mainstream awareness.
Omega has become the leader of the most popular pro wrestling faction, The Bullet Club. Only four great wrestlers became the leader. Finn Balor invented the Club. AJ Styles became the next leader, Omega took the Bullet Club over, and then Cody Rhodes. That is a short list of being the leader and face of the most popular pro wrestling stables in the world and he is one of them.
Honorable Mentions.
Brock Lesnar
Go ahead, start yelling at me… are you done yet? Ok, I don’t blame you one bit for that. However, hear me out on why I chose Lesnar. The Mayor of Suplex City is a draw. The crowd will cheer or jeer him, yet he is always a pop. Brock is capable of putting on good/great matches. It was just the way WWE booked his latest reign, a 400 day+ reign, but defended the title at paltry 13 times. With all that said, Brock is still a draw for the mainstream audience and WWE.
Kazuchika Okada
Did you think I would make a list without including one of the best pro wrestlers in modern history? Okada is THE longest reigning NJPW IWGP champion of all time. The Rain Maker was champion for 702 days and defended the title a record 12 times. You may ask why that is such a big deal, but in NJPW title reigns do not last long, nor defending it. Before Okada, the title reigns lasted from as little as 19 to 498 days and title defenses from none (vacated) to 11 times. This is a prestigious belt that has been around since 1987. However, Okada made the belt his own. Okada’s title reign is not the only thing that is record-breaking. Kazuchika along with Kenny Omega broke famously notorious Dave Meltzer’s rating system, every time they wrestled against each other. If Okada did not lose the IWGP championship to Omega, he would be number one on the list.
Chris Jericho
“What?” You may be asking, Chris Jericho is still around? Yes, also as NJWP’s Intercontinental champion. Jerocho is a God in reinventing himself. Whether if he is The Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla, Lionheart, Y2J, or The list maker. Chris will walk in to a promotion and possibly steal the night, and he will do it just by talking. With that being said, Jericho at age 47 has lost some of his step in the ring. Yet continues to show wrestlers half his age on how it is done. Jericho might be one the few men I can recall that wrestled for Vince’s WWE and its biggest competitor presently, NJPW at the same time. Stage presence, ability to put on a great match, consistently reinventing himself, and seemingly immortal. Chris Jericho has it all.
The Miz
Ok, ok, this mention may be just as polarizing as Brock Lesnar, but hear me out. Is the Miz the best technical wrestler? No, but wrestles just good enough to have a good and sometimes great match. Is he consistently in a story line? Yes, that says a lot to a wrestler that the heads of WWE have steady faith in you for so long. Since 2006 the accolades The Miz has racked up is absurd. The list includes WWE Champion, Money In the Bank match, two-time United States champion, six-time Tag Team champion (both brands), an EIGHT time Intercontinental champion, in which makes the 25th WWE’s Triple Crown champion, and the 14th Grand Slam Champion, again absurd. Whether you hate him, just put up with him, or like him, there is no denying The Miz is AWWWWEESOOOMME.
Is this list accurate?
There was so many more. However, if kept going, this list would be insane. So what do you think, is this list accurate? Maybe [tps_start_button label=”Start slideshow” style=”” class=””]close or far from the truth? This is an observation of what I have seen through out the recent years and leading in to this year so far. Agree or disagree sound off in our comment section here, our Facebook page The Scrum Sport, and/or on our Twitter page @TheScrumSports.
