At the end of the day, wrestling is all about storytelling and there were some solid storylines in 2023, but, which one was the best?
2023 Best Wrestling Storyline Of The Year: The Downfall Of The Bloodline
As 2022 came to a close, The Bloodline stable entered 2023 as a pretty strong and cohesive unit. The Tribal Chief was WWE Universal Champion, with his cousins The Usos, Undisputed WWE Tag Champions, with Solo Sikoa acting as the group’s “enforcer.
Still, things began to fall apart after the Royal Rumble. While Sami Zayn was crowned an “Honorary Uce” by the family faction, his conscience got the better of him during Roman Reigns’ rivalry with his former bestie, Kevin Owens.
Zayn snapped, would reform a union with KO, and his departure from the group marked the “beginning of the end” for the Bloodline as fans knew it. This angle not only captivated the WWE Universe in 2023 but has been one of the best stories told within the company in recent years.
Sami and KO would move on to snag the titles from The Usos at WrestleMania 39, which caused further deterioration within the dysfunctional family unit. The wind down to the Bloodline split not only saw the group go from five to three (excluding The Wise Man), but it also saw the end of an era for The Uso brothers, as they broke up, and the rise of Main Event Jey Uso.
2023 Best Wrestling Storyline Of The Year: Honorable Mention, MJF & Adam Cole’s Bromance
There’s something about “best friend” storylines, and they tend to captivate wrestling fans. The coming together of AEW’s MJF and Adam Cole has been unique in the sense that a heel Friedman noted early on that Cole was his first friend, “ever”.
From video-game fun to bar hijinks and in-ring promos, viewers have loved watching the two bond and become besties. Moreover, in many ways, Cole helped MJF on his journey from being one of the most despised heels in the company to a top babyface.
Probably the best part of this story is the fact that neither man has yet to turn on the other, despite speculation. Even after their history-breaking main event at Wembley Stadium’s All-In.
2023 Best Wrestling Storyline Of The Year: Not Quite Done Yet …
It’s still going, but AEW’s “Who’s The Devil” storyline has been an interesting watch as 2023 rolls to an end. As fans continue to speculate, it’ll be interesting to see what happens – and the man behind the mask – come 2024.
Meanwhile, despite losing to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39, Cody Rhodes’s story in 2023 and trying to claw his way back to the title race picture has kept fans intrigued. With CM Punk’s shocking arrival back to the WWE becoming a major plot twist in this angle, and it’ll be fascinating to see both men and their stories collide in 2024, during the Road to WrestleMania season.
