1. Kofi Kingston
Who else could be ranked first? It would have been a mistake for me to place anyone above Kofi Kingston on this list of WWE’s best wrestlers of the year. He had the best three-month run of the year heading into WrestleMania 35, the best match of the year at the PPV itself, and a great run with the WWE Championship.
His title win will go down in history as one of the most important and emotional victories ever. It went beyond wrestling. We’ve needed better representation in wrestling and more Black wrestlers holding titles in WWE, so seeing a Black man holding the WWE Title at WrestleMania was a wonderful, moving sight for so many fans.
As disappointing as it was to see Kingston lose the WWE Title in seconds to Brock Lesnar on the first episode of SmackDown on FOX, he didn’t miss a beat afterwards. Kingston put on some more brilliant performances in the tag team division with Big E, including a show-stealing opener against The Revival in a Ladder match at TLC.
There’s this myth that Kingston was an underwhelming champion, and it’s perpetuated by the lowest common denominator of fans. Kingston had exceptional programs with Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe, and Randy Orton and was one of the best WWE Champions of the decade. After watching AJ Styles bore us to death as a babyface champion, Kingston’s babyface run was a much-needed upgrade in 2019.
Kingston was in a class of his own this year. Go back and watch his two Gauntlet Match performances and the Elimination Chamber match to see why. In an era where being a genuine babyface is the hardest thing in wrestling, Kingston makes it look easy. He cuts amazing promos, sells like crazy, and is a master of in-ring psychology. And as a person, he’s one of the most wonderful in the business and a shining example for so many fans.