All Things Combat - Top 10 Breakout Stars Of 2019
2019 is almost over with and man, what a year for these superstars! To be honest, it was difficult creating this list because this year we've seen so many wrestlers break out to stardom and things are going to get more interesting for them going forward in 2020. After a long while of thinking, I've come up with the Top 10 Breakout Stars of this year as they made a big impact on the wrestling world. Let's take a look at the list!
10) Sami Callihan
This man has been quite possibly the top heel in Impact Wrestling. I wouldn't neccesarily call him a "breakout star" but this year alone has solidified his as one of the best in the business today. From his faction oVe to his rivalry with Tessa Blanchard, Sami has been doing great this year and now that he's the Impact World Champion, I'm sure he could carry the company for a while there.
9) Shanna
AEW's Shanna has been featured lately on the program and she's been killing it! She's also had a couple of great matches on the indy scene this year and hopefully she'll become AEW Women's Champion some time next year in 2020. She's got such a far way to go and I'm rooting for her every step of the way.
8) Isaiah Scott
The former Shane Strickland has been killing it in NXT ever since the NXT Breakout Tournament a couple of months ago. He's had a few matches ever since but every time he goes out there, he delivers and gasps the fans with his amazing agility and maneuvers. This man's got a big career ahead of him and he's starting out pretty well in NXT.
7) Humberto Carrillo
Humberto Carrillo has been extremely impressive since his RAW debut over a month ago! He's always been a good wrestler since his days on 205 Live and took his talents to newer heights since joining the RAW roster. His matches with the likes of Seth Rollins and AJ Styles, along with some tag matches recently, has shown us that this kid is indeed the future. I'm a big fan of his, and I can't wait to see how far he can go over the next couple of years.
6) Angel Garza
This man's got so much charisma it's insane! He's also a good wrestler and has had some great matches over the past few months. His match with Lio Rush for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship recently helped established him as a star on the rise and he's definitely got a long way to go. If pushed prominently, this man could be Cruiserweight Champion or hell even the NXT North American Champion in the near future!
5) PCO
This veteran right here is the definition of anything's possible in professional wrestling. This man's 51 years old, a former WWE Tag Team Champion, and he's having one of the years in his pro wrestling career! This man has been dominating ROH all year with great accomplishments. Here's some to list off: ROH Tag Wars Tournament Winner, ROH World Six Man Tag Team Champion, #1 Contender for the ROH World Championship. He's also had success in the NWA as he captured the NWA World Tag Team Championship and was the winner of the 2019 Crockett Cup! This man has accomplished so much this year and who knows how far he could go for the next few years to come?
4) Jay White
Jay White started off the year by shockingly defeating Kazuchika Okada at WrestleKingdom 13. He would then again shock the fans by becoming the IWGP Champion by defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi! Even though his reign was short, White this year proved that he has what it takes to be one of the best heels in the business today and could possibly become world champion once again in the near future. This year was the start, but next year could definitely be the Year of the Switchblade!
3) Tessa Blanchard
Talk about undeniable! Tessa has had a kick ass year in pro wrestling as this year has definitely been her breakout year. In Impact, she went from competing in the women's division to competing in the main event scene and changing the game along the way. Her rivalry with Sami Callihan showed that inter-gender wrestling can be done right with the right opponents, and Tessa stepped up to the plate big time. Can't wait to see what her future holds!
2) Rey Fenix
This year has been the year of Fènix! Whether it's in AAA, AEW, or any other promotion Fènix has been gasping the fans his amazing high flying maneuvers along with his epic big spots. With AEW, he's been making an even bigger name for himself and gaining more exposure to the American audience each and every week whether he's in tag matches with Pentagon Jr. or in singles competition. Fènix could definitely hold gold in that company very soon and it's only a matter of time for him to start competing in the main event matches.
1) Lance Archer
The current IWGP United States Champion! Lance has been having a great year in New Japan and has more ways to go. Yet again I wouldn't consider him a "breakout" star, but this year has definitely been his big break. Lance is really taking off a singles star and maybe he could have a lengthy run with the US Championship going forward. Lance has had the best year of his career in 2019 and he could move on to bigger things.
