10 Pro Wrestlers who may become the Next Big Thing
Men like Omega, Reigns, and Styles are at the top. But who is coming up in the new generation to become the dominant sensation?
As it has every year since 1991, PWI released its list of the top 500 wrestlers in the world today.
Men like Kenny Omega, Roman Reigns, Okada, and Cody have all claimed top ten rankings. These are the elite stars of the sport, the men who not only sell a lot of tickets and merchandise but potentially influence the sport in its ever continuing evolution.
But what about the next generation? Back in the 2000s, many speculated that Brock Lesnar would be the next big thing, but then he abruptly left the wrestling world for many years, clearing a path for John Cena to become the top name in sports entertainment.
While the present may belong to Okada, Reigns, and Omega, the future will belong to a new generation. We present ten wrestlers who might become sports entertainment's Next Big Thing.
#1 Kyle O'Reilly
Kyle O'Reilly fought against childhood disease and became a multi-sport athlete. As a sign of how fantastic of a wrestler O'Reilly is, the WWE decided to push him 'as is', with no extra gimmick or embellishment. This is an honor rarely given to wrestlers who come in from the independent circuit.
Why he might be the next big thing: Kyle is well versed in martial arts, and with MMA beginning to push its stamp into sports entertainment he will mesh well with the stars of tomorrow.
Kyle can strike, mat wrestle, and utilize submissions at a world-class level, and is one of those athletes who can have a great match with any wrestler but truly excels against another light heavyweight.
Why he might not be the next big thing: Traditionally, WWE hasn't pushed smaller athletes at as high a rate as the larger ones.
While this is changing, slowly, with the addition of men like AJ Styles, Kyle might have arrived a few years to early to truly become the next big thing.