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| Who knew Orton would be a major WWE player? Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Randy Orton - I would be lying if I said I was a stone cold Randy Orton fan right now. However, I have to give him his props. He's worked really hard in the ring, and his character right now is my favorite on the show. I always have the creeping fear that he'll return to the malaise-inducing snorefest persona that plagued him, but for now, I'm digging him.
Paul Heyman - We'll always have the volcano meltdown promo, Paul.
Leo Kruger - I was sour on Kruger until I saw he got a real character, which basically was Kraven from the Spider-man comics. I'm warm on him now.
Insane Clown Posse - Look, I'm not gonna go out and get their back catalog right away. I still don't think they make great music, but as wrestling entrepreneurs, I respect them. They're fans. Who cares if they also happen to drink Faygo and have dreadlocks?
MASADA - I still have a little trepidation seeing him jam skewers into people's heads, but the man is entertaining when he's not inducing cringes.
Colt Cabana - Gotta give it to Cabana, he's managed to keep the Art of Wrestling sharp after all these years.
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| At least he has a running art project about him... Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Christina von Eerie - She's the most hardcore woman in wrestling, which is a good thing. Again, the skewers give me pause, but anyone who can wrestle in a Mohawk the way she can is impressive.
Maria Kanellis - I really dig that she stuck with wrestling after leaving WWE, specifically because she's actually good at being a manager. An indispensable part of the Mike Bennett act.
Jaka - The savage character is a bit passé for wrestling in 2013, but Jaka embraces it. He's a damn good wrestler in-ring too.
The Usos - Speaking of the "savage" archetype, the Usos not only getting to be something other than Samoan stereotypes, but actually getting over through being great wrestlers is one of the most heartwarming developments of 2013.
The Batiri - My main beef with them in 2013 is that they didn't troll NEARLY as hard as they did in years past.
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| We all scream for ice cream! Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein |
Ray Rosas - If Pretty Peter Avalon likes you, then you're okay by me.
The Miz - He's taken a lot of lumps in the last year, and yeah, his babyface run has been nothing short of a failure. Part of that shortcoming has to go on him for not really being able to hit the beats he needed to, but could bad direction also be to blame? I mean, you can't just tell Mike Mizanin just to go out and stop going "YOU PEOPLE" as the only change in his character and expect the fans to latch onto him. Plus, he's still always improving in the ring, which goes a long way with me.
Mike Bennett - I was wrong about Bennett. He's actually quite good.
Derrick Bateman/ECIII/Michael Hutter - I'll admit to Derrick Bateman not tickling my fancy as much as I would have liked, but his turn as Ethan Carter III in TNA is the only thing that is making me want to tune into that company.
Mark Andrews and Pete Dunne - I only saw them once so far this year, but that one time was enough for me to want to see way more of them.
Caleb Konley - Shock, Gabe Sapolsky didn't get a guy that he had to build himself at first.
Scott Dawson - He's a far more likable version of Larry the Cable Guy. Believe it or not, I'm complimenting him.
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| Best export from Winnipeg since, well, you know Photo Credit: Gregory Davis/DDS |
Courtney Rush - She just has a magnetism about her. She's so emotive and expressive, and she throws a mean suplex too.
assailANT - In character, I still don't completely trust him not to be a mole for Titor/the Gekido. Out of character, he's grown so much that I find it hard not to get into anything he does.
Jimmy Jacobs - He's become a "venerable veteran" on the indie scene, which is cool. The indies need venerable veterans.
Vince McMahon - I vacillate on McMahon. He's so magnetic and charismatic, even as he wanes in years. But the guy is at the root of nearly every major problem in professional wrestling. I'll just put it like this; Vince McMahon, the performer, is wonderful and I want him on my screen. Vince McMahon, the person, needs to be fired into the Sun.
Mad Man Pondo
Arik Cannon
Naruki Doi
Colin Delaney
Adam Page
Mark Sterling
Tony Chimel
Isys Ephex
Ricky Starks
Jollyville Fuck-Its
R-Truth
Christian Able
Blind Rage
Matt Taven
Tensai
Barbi Hayden
Super Smash Bros.
Wade Barrett
Paige
Vickie Guerrero
Juan Francisco de Coronado
Soldier Ant
ODB
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| A grand character but man... Photo Credit: WWE.com |
John Hennigan
Ayako Hamada
Byron Saxton
Mark Briscoe
Dalton Castle
Eric Corvis
Su Yung
The Shard
STIGMA
Latvian Proud Oak/Lithuanian Snow Troll
Ivelisse Velez
Christy Hemme
Chris Sabin
Leonard F. Chikarason
Logan Shulo
BJ Whitmer
Ryan Taylor
Reed Bentley
Jimmy Susumu
The Funkadactyls
Bill Carr
Gail Kim
Masato Yoshino
Cody Rhodes
Kahagas
Chris Trew
EFYBO
Crazy Mary Dobson
Serena Deeb
Nigel McGuinness
Robbie E
Lei'D Tapa
Masaaki Mochizuki
Delirious
Jolly Roger
Emma
Jon Davis
Biff Busick
Samoa Joe
Orange Cassidy
Miss Natural
Angelus Layne
Khris Wolfe
Zack Ryder
Mickie Knuckles
Briley Pierce
Josh Prohibition
Marti Belle
TJP/Manik
Jessica James
Magnus
Cheerleader Melissa
Darin Corbin
Mike Posey
Heidi Lovelace
Brad Maddox
Kofi Kingston
JT Dunn
Kory Chavis
Alberto del Rio
Ayumi Kurihara
Milk Chocolate
Eddie Kingston
Shane Hollister
Hiroyo Matsumoto
David Starr
Sasha Banks
Corey Hollis
Josh Alexander
Tamina Snuka
Da Hoodz
Alex Shelley
Lilian Garcia
Mercedes Martinez
Dolph Ziggler
John McChesney
QT Marshall
Lince Dorado
Taeler Hendrix
Mark Angelosetti
Luke Gallows
John Silver
Aeroform
Johnny Gargano
David Otunga
Tripp Cassidy
Kassius Ohno/Chris Hero
Mike Quackenbush
Gregory Iron
Sugar Dunkerton
Jewells Malone
Maxwell Chicago
ZSIII
Jerry Lynn
Ricochet
Neveah
Tomoka Nakagawa
Anthony Stone
Bobby Roode
Cherry Bomb
Chris Dickinson
Sheamus
Low Ki
Sassy Stephanie
Irish Airborne
Thunderkitty
3MB
Rosa Mendes
Xavier Woods
Matt Cross
Shane Strickland
Santana Garrett
Justin Gabriel
Fandango
Pinkie Sanchez
Tracy Smothers
Tommaso Ciampa
Hallowicked
Devastation Corporation
Brian Kendrick
Jeremy Wyatt
Rory Mondo
Brutal Bob
Sam Shaw
John Cena
Scot Summers
James Storm
Jeff Hardy
Da Soul Touchaz
Colony: Xtreme Force
Lexxus
Samuray del Sol/Kalisto
Darius Carter
Drake Younger
Corey Graves
Jason Axe
Zema Ion
Necro Butcher
Rey Mysterio
Vader
Nattie Neidhart
Roderick Strong
Bobby Cruise
Polar Baron's Union
Saraya Knight
MVP
Bayley
Melanie Cruise
Justin Roberts
Johnny Miyagi
Tadarius Thomas
Myke Quest
Prince Nana
Undertaker
Timothy Thatcher
Tyson Kidd
Addy Starr
Hulk Hogan
Darkness Crabtree
Scott Parker
Kane
Adrian Neville
Bolt Brady
Curt Hawkins
The Lost Boys
Matt Tremont
Bully Ray
Trent?
Mia Yim
Aiden English
Steve "The Turtle" Weiner
Carlito Colon
Gran Akuma
Saturyne
Famous B
Jushin Liger