Best Of 2019: Rookie/Newcomer Of The Year
IMG Credit: WWE
This is one that causes some confusion every year so let’s clarify things a bit. The idea here isn’t someone who is brand new to wrestling (though it could be), but rather someone who is starting on a new show/in a new promotion. Therefore someone being called up to NXT or showing up in a different place counts. AEW is a weird situation here as everyone is officially on a new promotion this year but I’ll include them as well because you kind of have to.
Darby Allin
We might as well get one of them out of the way first. AEW is a weird situation as they had a lot of stars at the start but needed to create some new ones. That was the case here and they have nailed it early on. I really like Allin as he actually feels different and his rather unimpressive physique is covered by his bizarre charisma and unique enough moveset. That and the Coffin Drop, which looks like it should kill him.
The best part about Allin is the gave him the draw against Cody. It wasn’t some fluke rollup, but rather a near win which oddly meant more than a surprise victory. The match was good as well, and then they’ve followed up on it, which makes things that much better. Allin is someone that AEW has allowed to be something and that is a good sign for both their futures.
Ilja Dragunov
Dragunov is what you mean when you talk about the “it factor”. You can’t help but watch him and that is because of those eyes. He looks completely insane and wrestles like he is on fire every time, making his matches hard to ignore. There is something to be said about someone whose main point of offense is ramming his head into you for a knockout and it even has an awesome name with Torpedo Moscow.
Dragunov is the kind of guy who is just getting started and he is the kind of person who could do a lot of things in NXT UK. At some point they are going to need someone to dethrone Walter and this very well could be the guy. We’re a long way away from that and the fact that it is someone who has not been around very long at all makes the future all the brighter.
Rhea Ripley
This is a case where I’m so blown away by two different aspects. First of all, the change in look from what she was in the Mae Young Classic (the All American Girl, though the Australian version) to….whatever you call her now. Second is how she took to NXT like a fish to water. Yeah she won the NXT UK Women’s Title and that was a nice moment, but that title is a far cry from the NXT Women’s Title.
Then Ripley showed up in NXT, beat Shayna Baszler at Takeover and then won the NXT Women’s Title in an outstanding match with a great moment. Ripley is someone who could be a major star for a long time because….well what’s wrong with her? She has the look, the talent, the size and the talking. That’s a near complete package and she has the title to go with it. That’s not bad for someone as 23 year old, or anyone for that matter.
Jurassic Express
Sometimes you need something completely goofy and that’s what you had here. At the end of the day, Luchasaurus (the star of the team) says he is a 65 million year old dinosaur who happens to have a degree in Medieval Studies. In the words of Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets Worlds, that’s just plain brilliant. Jungle Boy is as great of a counterpart as you can get and Marko Stunt is an awesome mascot.
What helps make the Express work is AEW has embraced them. They’re just some people who are there and doing their thing, which happens to be a little bizarre. It’s a situation where they are having fun and that makes things all the better. I like watching them and Luchasaurus is the kind of guy who could get a rocket push in the blink of an eye. Throw in Jungle Boy with his rather nice mini story with Jericho and there is some awesome talent there, and they’re starting to execute.
But then, there’s the complete package and someone who looks like they could be on the top of WWE in a heartbeat.
Ricochet
How in the world has this guy been on Raw for less than a year? I know Ricochet has been wrestling for a long time now but this was his first chance on the major stage. He won the United States Title from AJ Styles and has been near the main event for a long time now. Ricochet impresses me more and more every time he’s out there and he shows off something new every few matches. Not many wrestlers can do that and almost no one can do it at his level.
I could see how some people might think it’s a little unfair for someone with his resume and history, but look at how far he is going on every different stage. That’s the sign of talent and Ricochet has done it as well as anyone else in all of wrestling this year. Ricochet could be in the main event at any given show and feel like he belongs there, which is something that is only there for the special ones.
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