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What a ride 2018 has been for sports entertainment fans. Even if you consider no other promotion but WWE, the year has been filled with ups and downs. It's time to look back at the year that was, and chronicle the good and the bad. Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought of my list.
Wrestling is a personal affair, and what one may like may not necessarily be what another does. Therefore, when you look back and analyze the year that was, I don't expect everyone to think alike. It was certainly a mixed year for the world's biggest sports entertainment company yet.
While viewership reached historic lows, stock prices remained solid and many international deals were struck. The company goes into 2019 on solid footing, with many developments in mind.
Let's analyze what worked and what did not, from the year that was.
#1 Best: Becky Lynch's popularity
Becky Lynch used to be the babyface who lost all the time, despite the WWE Universe rooting wholeheartedly for her. And then, she had a change of heart upon which she went into heel mode. The crowd reacted positively to this change in character and latched on to the 'Irish Lass Kicker'. Very quickly, she became the hottest WWE commodity.
Right now, she exists on the fringes between babyface and heel. So much so that industry veterans like Eric Bischoff have actually compared her to Stone Cold Steve Austin. Becky Lynch has made Twitter her domain that she rules with panache.
It is estimated that Becky Lynch will take on Ronda Rousey in the main event of WrestleMania 35. How far up the ranks has the woman risen!
Remember that she's the only one of the Four Horsewomen who did not win a Championship on NXT.
#1 Worst: Roman Reigns relinquishes the WWE Universal Championship
With Brock Lesnar as Champion, The Universal Championship became a title that was only defended on special occasions. Roman Reigns won the Universal Championship from him, and even defended it on RAW against Finn Balor the night after. It seemed like Reigns would make WWE exciting again. And then, tragedy struck!
Roman Reigns had to relinquish the Championship owing to his real life medical struggles. He announced to the world that he had been suffering from leukemia, and could no longer be the fighting Champion that people thought he'd be. The whole WWE Universe was shocked and aghast at this unfortunate turn of events.
Let's hope that Reigns comes back to reclaim his place atop the WWE food chain once again. It would be very tragic if he cannot do this.
Send him your best wishes for the year 2019, folks!
#2 Best: Daniel Bryan proves his doctors wrong
Daniel Bryan was told that he would never wrestle again, owing to the injuries he's sustained during his career and his history of concussions. Bryan went on to prove his doctors wrong and was subsequently cleared to compete again. He closes out the year as the reigning and defending WWE Champion.
Despite what you may think of how he's been booked since his comeback, his comeback in itself was a miracle story. We all remember the night he announced to the world that he would no longer be competing again, as per his doctor's orders. We all remember his amazing run as the General Manager of SmackDown Live.
WWE is all about moments and I still remember the audience reception from when he made his comeback to the ring. Bryan loves to wrestle and this was a great moment.
#2 Worst: Lashley's sisters
During his TNA run, Lashley was the man! He was booked as a powerhouse as he should be, for a man of his ability and his sheer intensity. His WWE run has not panned out in the way that it should have, although things are on the upswing now.
When Bobby Lashley first came to WWE for his latest run, we assumed that it was only a matter of time before he squared off against Brock Lesnar for a match. Consider this, if you will. Not only are both men absolute freaks of nature from a physical standpoint, but they are also trained MMA fighters.
And yet, he was booked in a segment where men dressed in drag as his sisters, shortly upon his big return. These days, while there has been a marginal improvement, Lashley still shows his rear end on worldwide television.
#3 Best: NXT continues to shine
While the main roster had many hits and misses over the past year, NXT is a brand that shone like a beacon of hope, all through 2018. The TakeOver events were great of course, but the weekly television show wasn't too shabby either.
NXT proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that professional wrestling can still be fun to watch. Tommaso Ciampa, in particular, has grown to become a superstar that defines what NXT is about. The NXT Champion has grown from a Tag Team superstar to the disgusting black heart of the black and yellow brand.
With the wealth of talent constantly coming in, NXT will only grow bigger with the passage of time. And TakeOvers will continue to outshine the main card, every single time.
Kudos to Triple H and his team for such a wonderful show!
#3 Worst: The Nakamura case
Before you argue this point, remember that Shinsuke Nakamura won the Royal Rumble this year. And if you consider that, you know just how bungled his year has been, despite the big moments. Sure, he did face off against AJ Styles at WrestleMania. Unfortunately, the dream match did not deliver to the expectations of the WWE Universe.
Nakamura went heel and had a heated rivalry with Styles. He would lose to the WWE Champion, time after time. The matches were solid, but nowhere near the contests that fans once expected.
And then, Shinsuke Nakamura became the United States Champion. Under his reign, the title was sidelined and forgotten, and he was kept off the card for weeks on end, without a program in sight.
Thankfully, Rusev put an end to the misery by becoming Champion on the last SmackDown Live episode of the year 2018.
#4 Best/worst: The new McMahon regime
Let's admit this to ourselves, WWE Universe. Towards the end of the year, the WWE product was not very good at all. And this had nothing to do with Baron Corbin, who played his part to the best of his ability. It had to do with the writing and scripting teams of WWE.
The McMahons assumed control on the night after WWE TLC. They said that they will start listening to the fans again, and actually give them what they've always wanted. I must admit that the product has felt fresher since then, despite the fact that McMahon was always in charge of things.
Let's hope that they keep their promise and actually dish up a good 2019. They certainly have one of the best rosters in WWE history.
I wish all of our readers a very Happy New Year!
