Who was WWE's breakout star of 2018?
Many superstars had a good year, but only an elite few could qualify as the breakout wrestler.
As 2018 draws to a close, it's time to look back on the past year and reflect upon the myriad changes in the WWE landscape. With unexpected returns, tragic absences, and an influx of new blood, the World Wrestling Entertainment corporation has had a tumultuous year, to say the least.
With all of the buzz surrounding the world's largest Sports Entertainment company, it's important to take note of those superstars who truly came into their own in the past year. Some of them are new hires who have set the promotion on fire. Some are veterans who have finally come into their own.
Now as we look forward to 2019 and the many changes it will bring, here are ten superstar WWE wrestlers who might be the breakout star of 2018.
#1 Drew McIntyre "The Chosen One"
There was a time, not long ago, that Drew McIntyre was considered one of the biggest disappointments in pro wrestling.
Drew McIntyre bumped into WWE CEO Vince McMahon during a golfing tournament in Scotland. Impressed by the massive stature and obvious charisma of Drew, McMahon eagerly signed him to a contract.
What happened next may have inadvertently hindered Drew in his initial run. Vince McMahon, for the first time ever, stood in the ring with a new hire and proudly declared that one day McIntyre would be world heavyweight champion. This was unprecedented and was clearly meant to give Drew the rub and a big boost.
He embarked on a feud with veterans like Matt Hardy, but despite a strong push, he ended up kind of floundering. While Drew had all the physical tools to be a major star, he was still working on his character and poise. He was packaged into the comedy trio 3MB and was essentially a clone of Heath Slater.
His release came soon after, but after a rigorous training regime that sculpted his body, and a lot of time spent on the Indie circuit, he was hired by Impact wrestling. Under the tutorship of Kurt Angle, he developed further--enough that WWE took notice and re-signed him.
After a run as NXT champion, he was injured, then made his re-debut on RAW. A triumphant comeback if ever there was one.