10 WWE and AEW Stars Who Took the Biggest Leap in 2022

There is no shortage of great wrestlers right now. As such, it's harder than ever to separate yourself from the pack. Nonetheless, the right storyline or a stretch of stellar matches can put anyone on the map.

2022 was a significant year for newcomers like Wheeler Yuta, Carmelo Hayes, Daniel Garcia and Solo Sikoa. However, it also allowed some established stars to take the next steps in their career and position themselves as names to keep an eye on next year.

AEW's women's division has progressed nicely under a new champion. Meanwhile, a familiar pairing cemented itself as one of the best tag teams in the world, and a new homegrown act thrived.

Elsewhere, an underdog became an unexpected addition to the hottest stable in WWE and added a new hook to the Island of Relevancy. Who could've guessed that it would turn into such a rousing success?

These are 10 WWE and AEW stars who took the biggest leap forward this year.

Jamie Hayter has been a great addition to AEW's women's division since she officially joined the company last August. Demand for the English wrestler steadily rose, but the groundswell of support for her grew to a fever pitch over the summer.

Hayter received the loudest reaction during the fatal four-way for the vacant AEW Women's World Championship. Although Toni Storm came out on top, Tony Khan would have to capitalize on the organic rise in popularity soon.

At Full Gear, she defeated Storm to become the new champion. She and Hikaru Shida then delivered one of its best matches of the year in the main event of the Dec. 21 episode of Dynamite.

Liv Morgan entered 2022 with a growing fanbase as she unsuccessfully challenged Becky Lynch for the Raw women's title at WWE Day 1. The 28-year-old wasn't able to beat Big Time Becks, but her momentum picked up again in the build to Money in the Bank.

At the event, Morgan secured the titular briefcase and effectively cashed it in to win the SmackDown Women's Championship. Her 98-day reign was short-lived, but her first title win and subsequent defense against Shayna Baszler showed that she had vastly improved.

Her performance ahead of Extreme Rules and through the remainder of the year proved that her feud with Ronda Rousey had a lasting effect. Morgan's new high-risk in-ring work also turned out to be crowd-pleasing.

Rhea Ripley never quite recovered after the abrupt end of her monster run in 2020. Yes, she had a brief Raw women's title reign last year, but she still didn't reach the same heights on the main roster as her stint with NXT.

Surprisingly, joining The Judgment Day and allowing her to beat up male superstars was the shot in the arm she needed. Body-slamming Luke Gallows and beating Akira Tozawa in a one-on-one match made her stand out again.

Ripley also had an incredible showing in the gauntlet match from the Feb. 14 episode of Raw, lasting 44 minutes before Bianca Belair eliminated her. The two were set to face off at Money in the Bank, but The Eradicator sustained an injury. Nevertheless, her brewing feud with Becky Lynch and the possibility of a rematch against The EST of WWE makes her someone to watch in 2023.

Ricochet is unquestionably one of the best high-flyers in the world. However, he struggled to connect with fans on the main roster.

In that regard, 2022 was a prosperous year for the former NXT North American champion. His feud with Sami Zayn led to a solid intercontinental title reign and an even better rivalry with Gunther.

The Ring General defeated Ricochet to kick off his 202-day run with the title, but the loss helped to turn the death-defying superstar into a fan favorite again. His SmackDown World Cup Tournament win granted him another shot at the Austrian star on Dec. 16.

The two tore the house down at Allstate Arena, and Ricochet garnered a favorable response in defeat.

Ricky Starks has always showed promise, but he hadn't quite lived up to the hype yet. The Absolute star and Powerhouse Hobbs were a great tag team, but AEW Fight for the Fallen was a turning point for him as a singles competitor.

Starks dropped the FTW title to HOOK after he pulled double duty. Afterward, Hobbs betrayed him, and he officially turned face. The former stablemates had a decent feud, which led to a big win at Grand Slam.

Still, his victory in the world title eliminator tournament and the 2022 Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royal changed everything. His promos against MJF finally showcased him as the star we hoped he could be.

Hopefully, his upcoming matchup with Chris Jericho is a sign that AEW still plans to push him in 2023.

The Acclaimed emerged as one of the most successful homegrown acts in AEW history. Their popular catchphrase, outrageous freestyles and strong in-ring work have made them a pleasant surprise this year.

It's safe to say no one realized how much the fans loved them until they upstaged Swerve in Our Glory at All Out. The electric Now Arena crowd's unanimous support of Max Caster and Anthony Bowens made their tag title match the highlight of the night on a crowded card.

The Acclaimed went on to secure a signature win over Keith Lee and Swerve at Grand Slam and successfully defended their new mantle at Full Gear. The duo capped off the year with a fantastic title defense against FTR in the main event of the Dec. 7 episode of Dynamite.

Gunther started the year with a controversial name change, but it wasn't enough to hinder the 17-year veteran. The Ring General continued to thrive thanks to an impressive body transformation and his consistent in-ring acumen

The Austrian wrestler is currently enjoying an outstanding reign as intercontinental champion. In fact, he has helped to make WWE's workhorse title a premier prize on SmackDown in Roman Reigns' absence.

The 35-year-old has had excellent defenses against Ricochet, Shinsuke Nakamura and Rey Mysterio. Still, his feud with Sheamus produced a candidate for the match of the year at Clash of the Castle.

Swerve Strickland has been AEW's best signee of 2022. No one expected his call and response to catch on so fast or to see him transition into one of the most intriguing antagonists on the roster.

Nevertheless, Strickland has exceeded expectations at every turn. His matches and backstage segments have been incredibly entertaining, and he managed to change the culture in AEW in the process.

The Realest has been the most impactful Black wrestler to join the company since its inception. That may seem like hyperbole, but he has introduced so many rap stars from his circle to the mix, such as Rick Ross, Kevin Gates and Fabulous. We would be hard-pressed to find anyone who has done more to expand the AEW audience with hip-hop fans and create positive representation this year.

FTR has been a revelation for AEW as a babyface team. The duo created several moments in 2022 as they added to their resume of high-quality matches with the best the industry has to offer.

Their trilogy of matches with The Briscoes for the ROH world tag titles was amazing. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that it could be one of the great tag team feuds of all time. That would be enough to call this a banner year for Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, but they didn't stop there.

Harwood also had a phenomenal run as a singles competitor, churning out many memorable television matches. As a team, they thrived against The Young Bucks, Aussie Open, Swerve in Our Glory and The Acclaimed.

Sami Zayn was a beloved underdog on NXT, but his move to the main roster left much to be desired.

To that end, 2022 has been a terrific year for The Great Liberator. He revisited his legendary matchup with Nakamura, and he and Ricochet worked wonders together. Later, his brief feud with Johnny Knoxville resulted in a fun Anything Goes match at WrestleMania 38.

It has been a treat to see him return to form in the squared circle. Nevertheless, joining The Bloodline made him a breakout star. His chemistry with his newfound family is off the charts, and one could argue that he revitalized an act that was growing stale.

Their segments are must-watch television. The tension among the group is the hottest storyline in pro wrestling, and it wouldn't work without Zayn.