WWE had a memorable year in 2021, one that saw a lot of change. Who in the WWE was thought to be the greatest this past year? While there were several releases in 2021 for WWE, the enthusiasm was fueled by the return of fans and some amazing performances by superstars. The finest WWE wrestlers of 2021 were chosen after considering all factors, including in-ring work, promos, memorable feuds, championships, and overall consistency.
The reason why wrestlers like Edge and Becky Lynch were not taken into consideration was because they were on screen for shorter periods of time. Similarly, wrestlers like Kevin Owens, King Woods, Cesaro, and Rhea Ripley deserve honourable mentions and almost made the list. The top 10 WWE wrestlers of 2021 are listed below.
Andrew Kelly’s update was made on May 20, 2022: The year 2021 for WWE was unusual, going from a ThunderDome debut with no spectators to a rain-delayed WrestleMania to a full-time return on the road. While the year had its ups and downs, certain superstars were able to persist and provide regularly stunningly huge performances with great character and favourable matchups. Some stars may find it difficult to overcome WWE’s booking practises, although a few did so in 2021. It’s fascinating to watch how those stars’ trajectories have evolved and if WWE has remained steadfast in its strong programming and pushes when comparing where they were before and where they are today.
10. Damian Priest
Damian Priest’s name may surprise you, but he really had a fantastic year. Priest shined in the limelight with Bad Bunny after making an appearance in the Royal Rumble match. He then worked his way up the card to win the United States Title and establish himself as a great champion. Even while it’s difficult to comprehend, you also have to give credit to WWE’s casting.
Believe it or not, Priest hasn’t been pinned on the main roster despite having the most victories in singles broadcast fights in 2021 with 24 (including eight successful championship defences). Most importantly, Priest consistently puts up a strong performance.
In 2022, where will Damian Priest be?
Priest had a dark period at the beginning of the year, turning heel after losing his United States Championship to Finn Balor. The Judgment Day group, which is expected to rule Raw’s top midcard in both the men’s and women’s divisions, was formed when Priest joined forces with Edge at that point. Priest is now very different from the Priest that fans first met in 2021, but it’s still wonderful that he’s getting some screen time.
9. Rollins, Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins had a good year once again this year. No championships were won by him, but he always put on engaging promos, great character work, and solid bouts. There were several very strong matchups in the Rollins and Cesaro rivalry, including a great encounter at WrestleMania 37. Then Rollins and Edge engaged in a trio of excellent fights, culminating a match at Hell In A Cell that is a strong candidate for match of the year.
Rollins is ending the year on a positive note after defeating Kevin Owens and Finn Balor, winning the #1 Contendership Fatal Four Way Ladder match, and being the lone survivor at Survivor Series.
In 2022, where will Seth Rollins be?
Early in 2022, when they engaged in a bout to decide who would interview Steve Austin at WrestleMania 38, Rollins’ amusing relationship with Owens started to break down. When Rollins faced Cody Rhodes, who was making a comeback, he went irrational out of want for a bout at WrestleMania. Rollins has so far lost every match he’s had with Rhodes, which has allowed Rollins to surpass Rhodes as a household figure in the WWE. But Rollins has the star power to overcome any setback.
8. Randy Orton – RKO
Although Randy Orton spent the most of his career as a heel, including the previous three years, he was one of WWE’s top babyfaces in 2021. The audience goes crazy as he enters the ring, and the fans absolutely adore him. His music is usually accompanied by a loud pop.
The Viper and Riddle are a distinctive tandem and unquestionably the most beloved WWE tag team of 2021, making their pairing one of the finest choices WWE made this year. Randy excelled as a singles champion as a member of tag teams.
In 2022, where will Randy Orton be?
Fans still like the RK-Bro combination, but they just fell to The Usos in a unification match for the Raw Tag Team Championships. It’s encouraging for the tag team division right now that Orton continues to give the impression that he enjoys every second of being on the team with Riddle and that a split is still far off.
7. Charlotte Flair
On Smackdown, Charlotte Flair is making a commercial. Despite the criticism and new female competitors, Charlotte Flair had another strong year in which she dominated the women’s division for the most of the year. Excellent heel work and in-ring performance were both shown by Charlotte. Her finest performances were in Survivor Series 2021 and Money in the Bank 2021 matches versus Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley, respectively. The Queen kept adding titles to her portfolio as well.
In 2022, where will Charlotte Flair be?
The SmackDown Women’s Title was formerly held by Charlotte Flair, who defeated Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 38 before handing the trophy to her at Backlash. Although the dispute has drawn a lot of criticism, the in-ring effort has been excellent. After being written off television, Flair is now taking a sabbatical from WWE since she is about to tie the knot.
6. Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre was undoubtedly one of the top WWE wrestlers of 2021, even though he lost the WWE Title, was unable to regain it, and generally had less notoriety. The Worst to Best Designs for Every WWE Championship
In fact, only Riddle and Shayna Baszler have competed on more televised bouts than McIntyre, who fought in practically every programme. But quality, not quantity, is what distinguishes Drew because every time he enters the ring, a spectacle is assured. McIntyre had a great year, without a question.
In 2022, where is Drew McIntyre?
McIntyre engaged in a conflict with Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss over the first quarter of 2022 that lasted much too long and harmed McIntyre’s momentum. However, things seem to be improving as he has started participating in major event matches, with a match against Roman Reigns perhaps on the horizon at WWE’s UK Clash At The Castle event.
5. Riddle
Riddle has done a fantastic job in every area of sports entertainment; his persona is ridiculously funny, he can write catchy promos, and his prowess in the ring is unmatched. Riddle didn’t really stand out in PPVs, but his biggest matchups on Monday Night Raw were against AJ Styles, Xavier Woods, and Drew McIntyre.
To put it simply, The Original Bro never disappoints. Of course, it is unnecessary to point up the wonderful experiences he has had with Randy Orton.
In 2022, where will Riddle be?
Continued from the success they had in 2021, Riddle’s contagious character work and fantastic tag team with Randy Orton has been going strong far into 2022. Even though the collapse will eventually occur, Riddle seems to stand to gain significantly from it. According to speculations, he was initially expected to win the 2022 Royal Rumble, but it never happened.
4. Big E
Big E won the WWE Championship and held the title in the last three months of the year, 2021, cementing his status as a singles star. He also held the Intercontinental Title in the first quarter of the year.
Big E is not dissapointing as he is enjoying his well-deserving World Title reign and has successfully defended the title against two past champions, Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre, as well as engaged in a head-to-head match with Roman Reigns. For his outstanding performance this year, Big E deserves a standing ovation.
In 2022, where will Big E be?
When it comes to Big E, 2022 has witnessed a horrible turn of events. Despite beginning the year as the WWE Champion, he lost the title to Brock Lesnar at the Day One PPV during a fatal five-way match, which left E looking weak. He briefly rejoined The New Day in the tag team action before being sidelined due to a chronic neck issue.
3. Bobby Lashley
Without a question, Bobby Lashley’s career year was this one. The WWE Championship, the most prestigious championship in the world, was won by him. He dominated as the Champion and presided over Monday Night Raw for a while. Bobby has now solidified his status as a major superstar.
One of the finest RAW bouts of the year was the Triple Threat match between Big E and Roman Reigns and the Hell In A Cell battle against Drew McIntyre, both of which were delivered by The Almighty.
In 2022, where is Bobby Lashley?
In what was a dream match for many, Lashley defeated Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble to earn his second WWE Championship. Due to an injury, he was forced to relinquish the championship. He later made a face turn by defeating Omos at WrestleMania 38. Although the conflict with Omos hasn’t been particularly noteworthy, Lashley’s supporters are rooting for him to succeed as a nice man.
2. Bianca Belair
Possibly the best WWE female wrestler of 2021 was Bianca Belair. She created history in WrestleMania 37’s main event by defeating Sasha Banks and winning the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Her reign was successful, but it didn’t end the way it ought to have.
The EST is really amazing in the ring; she is strong, athletic, and quick; she is the whole package and is able to do feats that most women are unable to. Additionally charming, Bianca quickly won over the hearts of her followers.
In 2022, where is Bianca Belair?
There were ups and downs in 2021, but so far in 2022, Belair has only experienced ups. With her victory against Becky Lynch in the finest match from WrestleMania 38, getting retribution, and capturing the Raw Women’s Championship, Belair’s popularity has skyrocketed. Belair consistently creates memorable events, and 2022 seems to be a year with greater consistency.
1. Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns was undoubtedly the finest WWE wrestler in 2021. Reigns may have even been the world’s finest wrestler this year. The Tribal Chief destroyed everyone in his way, including Kevin Owens, Edge, the Demon Finn Balor, Daniel Bryan, Brock Lesnar, John Cena, and John Cena. There doesn’t seem to be anybody who can end Reigns’ run of going two years without getting pinned.
Furthermore, Reigns has done a fantastic job portraying his characters. He may be the greatest villain out there, but he still has a sizable fan following.
In 2022, where is Roman Reigns?
Even though he may have lost some of his momentum, Reigns has maintained his solid performance until 2022. This year, he has battled opponents including Seth Rollins, Goldberg, and Brock Lesnar. His big moment at WrestleMania 38 saw him capture the WWE and Universal Titles. At least so far this year, Reigns’ fights and feuds haven’t been very noteworthy, but his schedule seems to be winding down shortly as well.