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What a year 2018 has been, and to think, it's only halfway over! There has been an abundance of top-notch feuds and plenty of quality in-ring action to keep us all entertained.
As we look back at the first half of 2018, it's pretty easy to see who the MVP's have been thus far and some of those Superstars have probably come as a surprise to most of us.
In this column, we take a look back at the best of the best from the first half of 2018. Come along with us as we countdown the top WWE Superstars from the first half of 2018
#7 Elias
Let's kick things off with a person who is probably the most surprising name on the list, yet currently one of my favorite Superstars on the roster.
Elias is having what appears to be a breakout year for himself as a WWE Superstar. As we head into the second half of the year, Elias is poised to continue climbing towards those ever elusive brass rings at the top of WWE's RAW roster.
Prior to 2018, there was not much known about Elias. Coming onto the main roster, he knew that he would not really be considered to be someone who would be in the title scene.
With that said, Elias used that as motivation to push him even harder, so that he could prove to the entire world just how good the man they call Elias truly is.
Elias is currently main eventing RAW on a regular basis. His merchandise is flying off the shelves and all over the world, fans are "Walking With Elias."
At this point, he is only held back by his own limitations, in his own mind. Elias has the opportunity to achieve a lot, if he continues to perform at this level.
#6 Shinsuke Nakamura
When the news broke that WWE had signed one of Japan's top stars, it sent a fire throughout the WWE Universe.
Shinsuke Nakamura was one of those top international stars that many of us, including this writer, thought was untouchable in regards to signing with the WWE.
However, the stars must have aligned perfectly on one Kyoto evening when The King of Strongstyle made the decision to move around the globe and become a WWE Superstar.
2018 has certainly been a monumental year for Shinsuke. After spending most of his career as an adored babyface, Nakamura has finally shown the world his chameleon-like skills as he turned heel with one low-blow directed at AJ Styles.
Since then, Shinsuke has embraced his new role and continues to keep the wrestling world on the edge of our seats with his flawless in-ring performances.
It'll be interesting to see what the rest of 2018 has in store for Shinsuke Nakamura, but as for now, he has yet to let the WWE Universe down at all.
#5 Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins came into 2018 as a wildcard, so to speak. There was no clear direction for Rollins, but his drive and determination pushed him over the top and into a top spot as a contender for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, a title he would eventually capture.
2018 has been, in my opinion, one of Seth's best years overall. Rollins was able to capitalize on the elevation The Miz had given to the Intercontinental Title.
The way these guys have been able to bring back the prestige to the Intercontinental Championship is something we haven't seen since the late 1980's when the strap was highly regarded as one of the top titles in the world.
The ceiling is incredibly high for Seth Rollins. If he continues on this current course he's on, he will surpass anything he ever imagined he would do.
The Kingslayer is on a roll, with no signs of slowing down at all. This could be the catalyst for a historic era in Rollins' career.
#4 Ronda Rousey
There is absolutely no question at all that Ronda Rousey is the biggest free agent female talent to ever sign a WWE contract. After making a huge name for herself as one of UFC's best, Ronda decided to take her skills to the WWE to begin a brand new life as a WWE Superstar.
If there was any questioning her ability to transition from MMA-to-professional wrestling, those doubts were quickly erased once she began to showcase what she had already learned in a short time.
Ronda Rousey is an athlete, probably the best all-around pure athlete on the roster. She has been able to utilize her athletic abilities to soak up everything like a sponge. That is exactly what she has done throughout the first half of 2018 and it looks like she will continue this trend indefinitely.
Rousey is indeed something rare and something special. Never before have we seen a women's Superstar who has the ability to put butts in seats the way Ronda Rousey does.
Her name is the female equivalent of someone like Brock Lesnar when it comes to overall star power and the ability to draw big-time numbers.
#3 The Miz
The Miz is truly a once in a lifetime, magical story of someone who had a dream and did everything necessary to achieve that dream.
When he was a cast member on MTV's The Real World, he came across as a pompous, arrogant kid who wanted to be a "pro 'rassler". No one believed in Mike Mizanin...no one except Mike himself.
The Miz is a prime example of what can happen when you believe in yourself, even when the whole world calls you insane.
The Miz not only kicked and clawed his way into a WWE contract, but he also worked his way into title contention and eventually became a Championship Superstar.
Ever since his debut in 2003, The Miz has defied the odds and has remained high atop the main roster as one of the true greats of this era and now at 37 years young, The Miz is still in championship form, with a ton of fuel left in his tank.
#2 AJ Styles
AJ Styles was that one big fish in the sea that many of us, including this writer, never imagined we would see him signing a WWE contract.
Afterall, for nearly two decades prior to coming to the company, AJ had amassed a hall of fame worthy career while working for all of the big promotions such as New Japan Pro Wrestling, TNA Impact Wrestling and Ring of Honor, just to name a few.
AJ could have gone the rest of his career without ever signing a WWE contract, and he would have still been thought of as one of the all-time greats, especially of this era.
But, for AJ, it wasn't about accolades or Championship reigns. It was about finishing a job and he knew that in order for the chapters to line-up perfectly in his life's book, he would need to sign with the WWE.
On January 24, 2016, just 4 days after signing his contract, The Phenomenal One made his debut as the third entrant at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
While there was some mild speculation in the air, no one truly expected to see Styles emerging on the entrance stage for The Royal Rumble.
Since arriving, Styles has been pure money. AJ Styles quickly came in and made it known that he was there to not only succeed for himself, but he also wanted to help others better themselves as well.
Most WWE Superstars view AJ as a leader in the locker room and he has proven to be worthy of that title.
#1 Braun Strowman
It was nearly three years ago that a big, awkward and unknown beast made his debut as the newest weapon in the arsenal for The Wyatt Family.
At first, I'm pretty sure no one expected him to thrive on his own, at least not right away. However, with the dismantling of The Wyatt Family, Braun Strowman found himself in a fight-or-flight type of situation.
The man with minimal training and experience whatsoever was now faced with life as a singles competitors.
Braun Strowman took off like a rocket. Very rarely has someone come along who had absolutely no wrestling experience and shot straight to the top of the main roster.
Strowman has boggled the minds of everyone within the WWE Universe with the way he has evolved into a complete performer.
He has become a true student of his craft an has shown the entire world that even someone with minimal experience can rise to the top of the ranks in the world of professional wrestling.
Do you agree with this list? Sound off in the comments section below!
