ESPN Shares Its 2023 Pro Wrestling Awards

2023 is almost at a close, and it was another highly eventful year in professional wrestling. ESPN has posted its annual awards, with a panel of contributors voting for their picks across nine different categories encompassing both WWE and AEW.

For best women's wrestler of 2023, ESPN's panel selected Rhea Ripley, while the best men's wrestler was Cody Rhodes. Roman Reigns, MJF, Will Ospreay, Giulia, and IYO SKY were all runners-up in the voting for their respective categories. The best tag team of the year was AEW's FTR, with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn as runners-up.

Though it was technically a return, the Disney-owned sports enterprise has CM Punk's appearance at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames as its debut of the year. Additionally, ESPN's breakthrough performer of 2023 is LA Knight, who garnered a lot of momentum over the last 12 months.

Best promo performer of the year was awarded to AEW World Champion MJF, with ESPN writer Marc Raimondi commending the champion on his ability to enhance storylines with his words. As for match of the year, the honors also went to AEW, with Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay's two 2023 singles bouts tying for first place. The two first locked up in January at NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom 17, and again later in the year at the second AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door.

The final two awards listed were for the best event of the year and the best storyline of the year. WWE captured both of those categories, with WWE WrestleMania 39 taking event honors while the saga of The Bloodline was named the best storyline of 2023.

Stay tuned to Wrestling Inc. for its 2023 awards, as voted on by the site's writers and editors.