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There are many ways to earn a spot on the WWE roster: Charisma, mic skills, and a compelling character can all take a wrestler to the top. But when it comes to the art of professional wrestling, nothing matters more than the ability to deliver in the ring.
Hulk Hogan, John Cena, and The Undertaker became household names with a minimum of wrestling ability.
Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Seth Rollins, Bryan Danielson, and Rey Mysterio, on the other hand, overcame other shortcomings to reach main event status, primarily because of their in-ring work.
This week, I’m looking at the best ring technicians in WWE’s men’s divisionn and the performers whose in-ring limitations are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Rising Star of the Week: Carmelo Hayes
In his years in NXT, Carmelo Hayes rose to the top based on his ability to put on captivating matches. His remarkable athleticism, fluid transitions, creative offense, and convincing selling allowed him to deliver exciting, fast-paced matches with a variety of opponents. He shined as the NXT Champion and seemed destined for greatness on the main roster.
Those who followed his NXT career were disappointed by his main-roster run. Although he’s had some truly spectacular encounters with the likes of Ilja Dragunov, Andrade, and Leon Slater, Hayes has yet to break through as a top star, mostly because of a lack of compelling storylines and strength on the mic. In short, Hayes hasn’t found the hook to emotionally connect with fans.
Until now.
As the newest member of the 946, Hayes finally finds himself as an important player in a top program. Positioned alongside WWE’s hottest new faction in its battle against the Bloodline, Hayes has the spotlight like never before. His affiliation with the group gives him an identity and a purpose beyond simply being a great wrestler, and allows him to share mic time in a way that can help mask any weaknesses in his promo game.
One thing’s for sure: He will elevate the quality of any match he’s involved in.
For the first time, Hayes has a legitimate shot at becoming a major player on Raw.
Melo, don’t miss.
Runner-up: Chad Gable
Chad Gable’s face turn and subsequent Intercontinental Championship run have been a mixed bag. Despite his impressive physique and comedic timing, there’s something about Gable that makes it hard to take him seriously as a singles star. His new fist-pumping, ’80s-throwback, hard-rock entrance track is as likely to induce eye rolls as fist pumps.
It’s hard to find fault in his ring work, however. Gable is one of WWE’s top technical wrestlers. He can sell like nobody’s business. His amateur wrestling background underpins his believable offense, which features exceptional suplexes, expertly executed takedowns, quick reversals, and seamless transitions. His signature Chaos Theory version of a German suplex is a thing of beauty, as is his Kurt Angle-inspired ankle-lock finisher which, while simple enough, lends itself to a variety of inventive and exciting match-ending sequences.
Although his SummerSlam match against Penta lacked chemistry and got his reign off on the wrong foot, Gable has since given viewers some of WWE’s most exciting matches. Although his recent championship bouts with Dragon Lee and Rey Fenix were hindered by face-versus-face matchups and predictable outcomes, the performers still managed to elevate both contests into must-see encounters.
Gable has earned his high-profile spot as Intercontinental Champion – a feat many fans doubted— – purely on the basis of his remarkable in-ring work. A pending program with the villainous Ethan Page – the first proper feud of Gable’s reign – looks even more promising.
Second Runner-up: Gunther
An unusual combination of brutal physicality and technical efficiency, Gunther is responsible for more great matches than anyone else in WWE in recent years, with the possible exception of Roman Reigns.
Both Gunther and Reigns are true masters of storytelling and ring psychology. They understand how to pace a match, methodically build tension, and then suddenly accelerate into an explosive sequence. Rather than relying on a constant barrage of flashy moves, Gunther excels at making relatively simple offense look violent and believable. His size and demeanor give him an intimidating presence, and he is remarkably technically proficient for a man of his size.
Many fans have been nervous about Gunther crossing paths with Danhausen, whose true curse is his history of diminishing opponents by making them play the fool. However, their encounters so far have gone precisely as they should, with Gunther easily getting the best of Danhausen in the ring. If Gunther can buck the trend and extricate himself from this rivalry without looking the worse for it, it might just be his most impressive achievement to date.
Honorable mentions: J.D. McDonagh, Rey Fenix, Dragon Lee
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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Fading Star of the Week: Jey Uso
The so-called Yeet Man has seen his ring work decline over recent years. Jey Uso’s offense is so limited that his matches, especially longer ones, become repetitive and uninteresting. His execution lacks explosiveness and impact. In particular, his spear may be the least convincing in all of wrestling. Jey struggles to carry his end of a singles match and seems better suited to tag team competition, although his brother’s work is hardly any better.
Although I’m pleased to see him return to his best role – that of Roman Reigns’s bloodthirsty foot soldier – his singles shortcomings remain difficult to ignore.
First Runner-up: Randy Orton
Randy Orton’s ring work has never been his best attribute, but in recent years it has fallen below the standard expected of a top WWE star. His over-reliance on slow, methodical offense can border on boring, wearing down viewers almost as much as his opponents. His matches feature long stretches lacking in excitement. Although his draping DDT and RKO still look devastating, he over-relies on these as his only high-impact moves.
Despite the Viper’s experience and pedigree, Orton tends to underwhelm in high-profile matches, like his WrestleMania and Saturday Night’s Main Event bouts with Cody Rhodes, which tested the patience of fans.
His style depends on psychology and anticipation. When the pacing is right, every movement contributes to the story. When it isn’t, the match can feel like a series of familiar motions leading toward an inevitable RKO. Orton leans too far into that deliberate style and gives us too few moments of explosive violence.
Despite the Viper’s experience and pedigree, Orton tends to underwhelm in high-profile matches, like his WrestleMania and Saturday Night’s Main Event bouts with Cody Rhodes, which tested the patience of fans.
He still looks every bit the superstar, but the illusion is only skin-deep. It’s unclear if he’s capable of delivering matches which live up to that image.
Second Runner-up: CM Punk
CM Punk remains one of WWE’s best performers when it comes to building a rivalry. His promos are sharp, his character work is compelling, and he understands how to make a match feel personal before the bell even rings.
The problem is what happens once the match begins. Punk’s conditioning is a recurring concern, with his cardio sometimes appearing to fail him early into the action. When he struggles to maintain the pace, the physical limitations become difficult to ignore, particularly in main event matches, which demand sustained intensity.
Punk’s greatest strength has always been his ability to tell a story. But storytelling inside the ring requires more than facial expressions, dramatic pauses, and well-timed comebacks. It also requires the stamina to execute the story convincingly from beginning to end.
Punk can still deliver memorable moments, but if he wants to remain at the top of WWE’s in-ring hierarchy, he needs to sustain the physical demands of the biggest matches.
Dishonorable mention: Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes has the look, the charisma, and the ability to connect with an audience, but his limited in-ring work and athleticism tends to limit the impact of his big matches.
In WWE, popularity can get a wrestler to the main event. But the best ring workers prove their worth when the bell rings – and make the audience believe that every move, every reversal, and every near-fall matters.
