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It's been a blockbuster year for the WWE in 2018. While the year has not been without its controversies, it's been a strong year for the company in many ways, and one of them is their continued development of new talent.
The company has spent a lot of 2018 building new stars, and a quick look at the current main event scene on both Raw and SmackDown highlights that.12 months is a long time in wrestling, and 2018 has been a massive year for several superstars.
Let's take a look at eight superstars who have improved the most throughout 2018.
#8 Dolph Ziggler
This time last year, Dolph Ziggler was in desperate need of a change. The former World Heavyweight Champion had just dropped the US title belt on SmackDown (for no apparent reason, as it turned out) and had been stuck in mid-card obscurity for what felt like a lifetime.
Ziggler would return to the WWE at the Royal Rumble, and while his year got off to a slow start, things picked up rapidly once he joined forces with Drew McIntyre and made the switch to Monday nights.
Ziggler has been in and around the main event on Raw ever since, and while has not been competing for the top belt on the brand, he has put on some exceptional matches with Seth Rollins and has felt more relevant than he has done for several years.
#7 Randy Orton
2018 has been a notable change of pace for Randy Orton. Having spent years stagnating in the main-event scene, Orton has taken a much-needed step back this year, and spent some time wrestling in the mid-card.
While Orton hasn't exactly put other superstars over, which is what a star of his calibre should be doing at this stage in their career, he has excelled since turning heel this Summer and has put on memorable programs with the likes of Rey Mysterio and Jeff Hardy.
Orton is red hot as a heel at the moment, and the WWE need to utilise this to their advantage. Booking Orton as a heel against a young up and coming babyface could really establish someone as a star and also help continue to get the best out of Orton himself.
#6 Elias
Elias has been one of the few NXT success stories in recent years, and his stock has continued to grow throughout 2018.
After some excellent heel-work for the majority of 2018, which included a near nuclear reaction during a segment with Kevin Owens, Elias turned face in November and has continued to shine as one of Raw's hottest talents.
The former drifter looks set to have an excellent 2019, and while he has not tasted any gold yet in the WWE, it is surely just a matter of time before the company decides to pull the trigger on him.
#5 Shayna Baszler
What an exceptional year Shayna Baszler has had. While she was in the process of making her name at the end of 2017, she has really established herself as one of the top heel performers on NXT in 2018.
Baszler has had excellent matches with the likes of Ember Moon and Kairi Sane this year, and her two NXT title wins have cemented her as one of the top superstars on the whole NXT roster.
Critics may argue that Baszler is only in the position she is because of the nature of her relationship with Ronda Rousey, but Baszler has more than proved that she is able to succeed on her own merits.
A main roster call-up is inevitable in 2019, and the NXT Women's Champion will no doubt have established herself as a top star by this time next year.
#4 Tommaso Ciampa
Tommaso Ciampa's return from injury at the start of 2018 was one of the best moments on any PPV this year.
After putting on a 5-star classic with Andrade 'Cien' Almas, Johnny Gargano made his way up to the entrance ramp with his wife, Candice LaRae, only to be attacked from behind by his former DIY partner, Tommaso Ciampa.
Since then, Ciampa has gone on to establish himself as one of the best heels in all of professional wrestling and has put on several match of the year candidates with Gargano.
Ciampa's crowd work has been nothing short of exceptional, and his refusal to break kayfabe on social media has made his Twitter profile one of the most entertaining in all of wrestling.
Ciampa's reign as NXT Champion has been one of the best with the belt in recent memory, and he will no doubt continue to shine when he makes his way to the main roster.
#3 Buddy Murphy
This time 12 months ago, Buddy Murphy was nothing more than cannon fodder in the NXT tag-team division.
Most fans would have pegged the Australian for release at some point in 2018 but the current Cruiserweight Champion has instead established himself as one of the most consistent performers on not only the 205 Live brand but also in the whole of the WWE.
Murphy has put on several match of the year contenders against the likes of Mustafa Ali and Cedric Alexander and secured his crowning moment at Super ShowDown when he won the Cruiserweight title from Alexander in front of a red-hot Australian audience.
#2 Becky Lynch
While there is certainly an argument to be made that Becky Lynch has been one of the most under-utilised stars in the WWE over the last few years, there is no denying that the current SmackDown Women's Champion has come on leaps and bounds as a performer since her heel turn earlier this Summer.
Lynch has gone from playing a glorified sidekick to Charlotte Flair to being the singular most over superstar on the entire roster, which isn't a bad turn-around.
The sky is the limit for Lynch at the moment, and there is a very real possibility that she will become one of the first women to headline WrestleMania next April.
#1 Ronda Rousey
12 months ago, the idea of Ronda Rousey putting on match of the year candidates on WWE television sounded absolutely insane.
Rousey had never stepped foot inside a WWE ring before, and while her credentials in UFC are unquestionable, most fans, understandably, had doubts about her ability as a wrestler.
These were instantly put to bed when she made her debut at WrestleMania 34, putting on a surprise match of the night contender alongside Kurt Angle against the team of Stephanie McMahon and Triple H.
Rousey has since gone on to establish herself as one of the best female performers in the WWE, and recently put on a legitimate match of the year contender with Charlotte Flair at Survivor Series.
Rousey, alongside Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, is heavily rumoured to be headlining next year's WrestleMania in New Jersey, and given the impact she has made in 2018, that is exactly what she deserves.
