This was originally meant to be a “chosen by facebook” list, but I couldn’t get enough lists for it. This is one of my own with some help from the lists I did get. They are numbered in order, but by no means is this list concrete, if anything you should notice the names on the list instead of the numbers they were placed. This list will highlight the work of TNA wrestlers who have made a name for themselves this year.
#10 Kenny King
King has moved up the pecking order this year, and it’s all down to his allegiance with Lashley and MVP. He has been the third wheel in the cog, but at least he is getting airtime. Since he jumped from ROH to TNA, he started off well by winning the X-Division Championship in 2013, but then he disappeared off the map. The “King of the Night” has years ahead of him to get over. He has all the athleticism in the world, he just needs to improve his mic skills a little more.
#9 Taryn Terrell
#8 The Great Sanada
He is the breakout Japanese star (to wrestle in the US) of the year. His matches with Austin Aries over the X-Division title were excellent. He was also in the main event of Bound for Glory in Japan against The Great Muta. He is being groomed as the next Japanese star to make it in the United States, and at the moment he is a lackey to James Storm in his Revolution. At least he’s in a position to learn and grow.
#7 Samuel Shaw
He hasn’t done a lot this year in terms of winning matches, but his character has continued to develop. After getting forced into a mental asylum, Gunner felt sorry for him and tried to help him recover. The only problem was, Samuel Shaw never lost his “creepy bastard” qualities, and started to imitate Gunner. The new girl of the Knockouts Division, Brittany, showed her “creepy bastard” qualities by lusting over Samuel Shaw and effectively stalking him. Now the two are a couple, it’s like a match made in heaven (or hell), and I am looking forward to what happens. He appears to be tongue wrestling with Brittany more than wrestling for real, but if I was Samuel, I wouldn’t mind that arrangement one bit. Not only that, but his theme song has really grown on me, and I can only see Shaw developing into a main event star in the next few years. There is a lot of praise for the young man. He has used his airtime effectively, and he is well dialed into the character.
#6 Havok
I hate to use the word “Impact”, but in this instance, Havok has made the biggest impact in the Knockouts Division for a long time. She is big, strong, and can actually work a match. She is a monster with no remorse, no mercy, all she wants to do is destroy, and I’m all for it. I have not seen a big girl as good as her since Awesome Kong’s days in TNA. I don’t want to see her talk, I like the mystery behind her. She can continue to dominate the smaller Knockouts, because we all know when someone like Gail Kim beats her, it will be a big deal. Havok brings this to the table every night.
#5 Bram
As an Englishmen myself, I am bloody amazed by the man from Chesterfield, England. His eyes are piercing, and his hardcore skills are great. It’s been a longtime since we have seen a young guy like Bram enjoying hardcore. He is well suited for it, and to be honest, he is showing Magnus up a bit. He is much more natural on the mic, and he has produced quality hardcore matches this year. He has yet to be pinned in a singles match since joining TNA.
#4 Ethan Carter III
EC3 is growing more and more every month. This is a guy who WWE used as a jobber (Derrick Bateman) for years, and TNA picked him up, gave him a character, and he hasn’t looked back. The crowd will chant “You can’t wrestle!”, and he will reply “I disagree, yes I can, I’m very good”. I like it when he does that. He isn’t afraid to talk down to the crowd, he isn’t afraid to use their chants against them. He is still undefeated in singles matches. He was destined for a feud with Kurt Angle, but it was cut short due to Angle’s injuries. Now he is playing the part of the bully to Rockstar Spud, and the crowd despise him for it.
#3 Rockstar Spud
Rockstar Spud has been one of the most charismatic characters in TNA since he aligned himself with Dixie Carter and EC3. Even as a heel, he was praised for his colourful character and crazy suits. He is small, but he is feisty. He is the underdog who everyone wants to see fight. He is a really good wrestler, but TNA decided to keep him away from the ring. They wanted to get him over as a character before they thrust him into wrestling matches. It was a great idea, because the fans are all for him. Spud is getting some of the best babyface reactions every week on Impact, and this is testament to his natural charisma and connection with the audience. He really stands out, and I want him to continue doing that. He may never be taken seriously enough to become a World Heavyweight Champion, but that doesn’t stop him becoming one of the best wrestlers TNA has to offer. He grabs my attention more than anyone when he picks up a microphone, and that’s all anyone can ask for.
#1~ The Wolves, Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards
The Wolves are the greatest tag team this year. Arguably in the world. They were already stars outside of TNA, but they brought everything they had learned over the years, and adapted to TNA wrestling immediately.
They wanted to prove their worth, and TNA have let them do that by giving them a series win over Team 3D and The Hardys. Sadly the team could be splitting up soon, but nevertheless, the tag team of The Wolves has been one of the primary reasons to tune in this year. It takes me back to the days of America’s Most Wanted, LAX, Beer Money, and so many other TNA tag teams that made names for themselves in the tag team division.
A question you might be asking is … who has done better this year between Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards? Well, if I had a gun to my head and I was forced into choosing between the two, I would pick Eddie Edwards. Why? Because Eddie Edwards holds singles victories over Davey Richards and James Storm, whereas Davey has not been so successful in his singles matches. As a team, no one can argue the fact that their chemistry is amazing. I really hope TNA don’t split them up, and this James Storm angle is nothing more than a tease. Davey needs to snap out of it and stay with Eddie for a little while longer. We should find out what James Storm has over Davey really soon.
And that’s all from me! And that’s all from you! Thanks for reading. I hope you have an evening full of joy and wonder. And until next time, I have been a British wrestling fan, and it’s time for me to make a nice hot, steaming cuppa’ tea. Peace out.
