WWE: Ranking The Top 10 Breakout Stars Of 2018

3. Mustafa Ali, 205 Live

Though Mustafa Ali showed his talent in 2017 and has always looked like a future star, including in his rivalry with Drew Gulak, 2018 was truly his year. Ali has done everything possible to promote both his character and 205 Live, and he’s become WWE’s most easy-to-root-for pure babyface.

In the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament, Ali wrestled standout matches with Buddy Murphy, Drew Gulak, and Cedric Alexander from the quarterfinals to the finals, showing WWE fans that he is among the best 10 wrestlers in this company. Each of his match had a unique flavor, and while he does tend to overuse 10-counts, that’s a minor quibble in the face of his creative matches that feature agonizing babyface story-telling.

Ali gets you to pin your hopes and dreams on him, and he’s one of the most legitimately inspiring wrestlers as a former Chicago police officer who is living out his dreams in pro wrestling. And as a Persian who looks like Ali, who is of Pakistani descent, it means a lot to see Ali as a babyface who has the full support of the WWE Universe.

Even Mojo Rawley can’t touch Ali’s social media promos, which focus on topics like “fear” and “dead ends”. Ali’s messages of unity, perseverance, and love are a binding force, and we need more of this meaningful positivity in a sport where vapid entertainment often replaces purposeful content. In every possible way, Ali is a man who is here to revolutionize pro wrestling.

(Oh, and his No DQ match with Murphy and Falls Count Anywhere match with Hideo Itami might be 205’s best matches this year.)