5 Best WWE Wrestlers Of 2020 So Far

When the dust settled following a very good Royal Rumble pay-per-view, nothing seemed at all amiss. The road to WrestleMania began smoothly enough, and we all seemed to be cruising along nicely, when all of a sudden, road hazards and gridlock aplenty sprung up to hinder the ride. Raymond James Stadium in Tampa was no longer in the cards, and we were forced to settle for the unthinkable: WrestleMania with no fans, held inside of a glorified training facility/TV studio.

Despite this king-sized spanner gumming up the works, WWE has pressed on with Raw, SmackDown, and NXT, while trying to find creative ways around the box that they'd been forced into. Frustrating circumstances be damned, however, as WWE has made the most of the situation, from producing "cinematic" matches that step off the beaten path of empty arena outings, to just simply continuing to produce their content, without thousands in attendance.

So who has stood out the most in these challenging times for the promotion? Paring the list of the best down to five was also a challenge, but here are my picks.

When the dust settled following a very good Royal Rumble pay-per-view, nothing seemed at all amiss. The road to WrestleMania began smoothly enough, and we all seemed to be cruising along nicely, when all of a sudden, road hazards and gridlock aplenty sprung up to hinder the ride. Raymond James Stadium in Tampa was no longer in the cards, and we were forced to settle for the unthinkable: WrestleMania with no fans, held inside of a glorified training facility/TV studio.

Despite this king-sized spanner gumming up the works, WWE has pressed on with Raw, SmackDown, and NXT, while trying to find creative ways around the box that they'd been forced into. Frustrating circumstances be damned, however, as WWE has made the most of the situation, from producing "cinematic" matches that step off the beaten path of empty arena outings, to just simply continuing to produce their content, without thousands in attendance.

So who has stood out the most in these challenging times for the promotion? Paring the list of the best down to five was also a challenge, but here are my picks.

5. Randy Orton

When Orton's on, he's on, and in 2020, we've seen an inspired "Viper" hold up his end of some compelling moments. Maybe it's the feud with Edge that's brought the best out of Orton once more, or perhaps a precise planetary alignment, but whichever, it's welcome.

Orton's at his best when he's diabolical, sadistic, and unapologetic, and that's what we've seen over the preceding months. Taking Edge out, RKOing Beth Phoenix, attacking Christian, and augmenting it all with some of his best promo work in years. Good work, Randal Randal Keith.

4. AJ Styles

Still "Phenomenal" at 43, as he wrestles in what he believes is his final contract in the sport. Styles' highest-profile match of 2020 was his Boneyard Match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 36, where he (and good editing) gave Mark Calaway a worthy farewell.

A move back to SmackDown has given the blue brand an uptick in great wrestling, which was most evident in the IC title tournament final against Daniel Bryan. Other TV matches, against the likes of Drew Gulak and Shinsuke Nakamura, show that AJ has hardly lost a step.

3. Bayley & Sasha Banks

This one's more for Bayley, who at long last has discovered her voice on the main roster. Once a can't-miss in NXT as the doe-eyed fangirl with a heart of gold, that character inexplicably fell short of expectations a few years back, and Bayley went mostly adrift.

A heel turn, new 'do, and a rekindled partnership with Banks (who herself works better as a heel anyway) has brought out each woman's greater antagonistic qualities and demonstrates the effectiveness that a well-executed repackage can have on the talent.

2. Charlotte Flair

Flair's been kept busy in the pandemic era, even if a number of fans feel she's overexposed beyond all sanity. Nonetheless, Charlotte has always been reliable inside the ring, and her body of work so far in 2020 has more than reflected that fact.

The NXT Women's title win over Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 36, while confounding to some, was certainly one of the best matches of the weekend. Other quality TV bouts across different brands with Asuka, Bayley, Io Shirai, and others speak to Flair's high-tier consistency.

1. Drew McIntyre

It's unfortunate for McIntyre that his Claymore'ing of Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 36 had to occur without a stadium filled with exultant onlookers, but that's just the breaks. No matter, McIntyre has been an ideal babyface World champion in these weird times.

Booked strongly, but not so strongly that he loses his edge or feels smothering, McIntyre looked like a star in the men's Royal Rumble match, and in quality match victories over Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley. Despite the lowered ceiling, McIntyre's simply been great.