With 2016 coming to a close and a new year upon us in WWE, we look back at the greatest rookie years ever.
The year 2016 has been quite the crazy ride in WWE. From the debuts of stars like AJ Styles, Gallows and Anderson, and Finn Balor. To the return of the Brand Extension with a McMahon running both shows.
Every year when WWE begins to enter the next year like the rest of us fans look back and ponder who had the most impact that year. Sometimes its established guys like John Cena, The Rock or Stone Cold Steve Austin. Sometimes we are shocked and it is a rookie to WWE who comes out having the strongest year.
Rookies have sometimes come out of nowhere and have stolen the year accomplishing things that veterans couldn’t during the year. These could be winning championships or major events like the King of the Ring or the Royal Rumble.
This week on Smackdown Live, Mauro Ranallo mentioned that he believed that current WWE Champion AJ Styles had the greatest rookie year in WWE history. While one can’t argue that Styles first year was fantastic was it truly the best ever?
We look back at what we believe are the greatest rookie years that have ever happened in the WWE. For this list, we will look at both single stars and Tag Team/Factions that had the greatest first years in WWE.
WWE.com
4. AJ Styles
AJ Styles might not of had the greatest rookie year, despite what Mauro Ranallo claims. However, The Phenomenal One does crack the list for hist first year in WWE proved that his success around the world was not just a fluke.
Styles gained fame around the world competing in TNA, ROH, and NJPW. He would win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and the TNA Championship during his time on the indies. Styles had become the most polarizing wrestler never to compete in WWE.
However after weeks and speculation, Styles debut in WWE as a surprise entrant in the 2016 Royal Rumble at Number 3. Styles didn’t win the match but did last close to 30 mins showing quickly he could hang with WWE’s best.
Styles would then enter a feud with Chris Jericho with the feud culminating with Jericho beating Styles at WrestleMania 32. Styles would rebound quickly, on the following night on RAW Styles won a Fatal Four Way Match to crown him as the Number One Contender for the WWE Championship.
Styles would come up short on two occasions to Roman Reigns but showed that he could have five-star matches with anyone. Styles would then enter the Feud of the Year with John Cena that would consist of the whole Summer.
Styles would defeat Cena at both Money in the Bank and at Summerslam in what might possibly be the match of the year in WWE. During this time Styles was drafted by Smackdown Live with their second draft pick.
Styles brought his momentum of the Summer to defeat Dean Ambrose for the WWE Championship at Backlash, just eight months after his debut. Styles would help lead Team Smackdown Live to victory over Team RAW at Survivor Series, and then defeat Ambrose in an epic TLC match in December.
Styles first year has been one to remember and he will hope to carry this momentum into 2017 with an epic rematch with John Cena at the 2017 Royal Rumble now being his first challenge to concur.
Credit: WWE.com
The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins)
While these men are three separate individuals their rookie years in WWE all linear with one another, which is why they are joined together on this list. Known as The Hounds of Justice these three became the watchful eye in WWE.
The trio quickly made an impact when they helped CM Punk retain his WWE Championship at the 2013 Survivor Series. They would then win their first match as a team defeating Team Hell No (Kane & Daniel Bryan) and Ryback in a 6 Man TLC match.
The trio would remain undefeated as a faction for nearly 10 months beating a who’s who along the way including Randy Orton, The Undertaker, John Cena, The Big Show and Sheamus just to name a few.
Along with their success as a trio, the group would also accomplish singles and tag team glory during the year. In May, Dean Ambrose would win The United States Championship while Rollins and Reigns won the Tag Gold.
Ambrose would hold The United States title for the longest amount of time since the championship has been in WWE being champ for nearly a full year, while Rollins and Reigns would the Tag Gold for around five months defeating some of the top teams at the time.
The trio would dominate the WWE during their first year in the company. Their dominance of a team would lead to the future success of all three men. Rollins, Reigns, and Ambrose have all since won the WWE Championship and their dominance together as The Shield started their WWE career on the right foot.
Credit: WWE.com
2. Brock Lesnar
From the moment he arrived in WWE, Brock Lesnar has been a one man wrecking crew and his rookie year was no different. Debuting the night after WrestleMania X8 Lesnar went on an undefeated streak for seven months.
During this time Lesnar defeated major names even, beating Hulk Hogan to the point where he would have to leave WWE for multiple months due to the damage Lesnar caused him. Going into the Summer Lesnar tore through the King of the Ring Tournament winning the 2002 tournament.
The tournament win would allow Lesnar to challenge the WWE Championship in August for Summerslam. Lesnar would challenge The Rock for the title and what was considered a shock, Lesnar won the match to claim the championship from The Peoples Champ.
Lesnar becoming champion gave him the honor of becoming the youngest WWE Champion of all time at 24 years old. Lesnar would then bring the WWE Championship to Smackdown making it exclusive to the Blue Brand.
Going into the Fall, Lesnar would battle The Undertaker in a brutal Hell in a Cell match that was voted the match of year in 2002. Lesnar would finally lose his first match and the WWE Championship at the same time when he lost the belt to The Big Show in a controversial manner.
Brock would get his revenge though as he would beat The Big Show at the 2003 Royal Rumble costing The Giant a spot in the Rumble match later that night. Lesnar. later night, would win the 2003 Rumble match.
Brock would end his fantastic rookie year by defeating Kurt Angle in the main event of WrestleMania XIX to claim his second WWE Championship. Lesnar first year laid the foundation to what has become what of the most dominating careers in WWE.
His rookie year could be the greatest of all time, however, that title belongs to a man who will be a future WWE Hall of Famer.
WWE.com
1. Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle by far had the greatest rookie year in the history of the WWE. After winning Olympic Gold in 1996, Angle decided to conquer the professional wrestling world in 1999. Angle would make his anticipate debut at the Survivor Series 1999.
He defeated Shawn Stasiak in the match and then would then go undefeated for the next three two months. Angle would lose his first match in a controversial fashion when he lost to the debuting Tazz at the 2000 Royal Rumble.
Angle would rebound quickly as he would win the European Championship from Val Venis on an episode of Smackdown in February. A few weeks later Angle would win the Intercontinental Championship from Chris Jericho at No Way Out.
Angle would become the second man in history to hold both the European and Intercontinental Championships at the same time. Angle would hold the titles until WrestleMania 2000, where he would lose both titles to Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit.
Kurt Angle though would bounce back as he would win the King of Ring Tournament. The tournament was the largest King of the Ring of all time as it featured 32 superstars on the roster. Angle prevailed through five matches defeating Rikishi in the finals.
Angle would then a love triangle-esque feud involving Stephanie McMahon and her husband Triple H. Their feud would go on throughout the summer and the fall with the two claiming victories over one another.
Kurt Angles biggest accomplishment would come just 11 months after he made his debut when he defeated The Rock at No Mercy 2000 to win the WWE Championship. Angle would hold the championship until February where he would lose it back to the People’s Champion.
With three championships and a King of the Ring tournament victory The Olympic Gold Medalist certainly had the greatest rookie year of all time.
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