This year has been a banner one for pro wrestling, with WWE experiencing unprecedented success and All Elite Wrestling signing a significant new TV rights deal. Between the ropes, both companies have delivered their fair share of bangers in 2024.

Along the way, there were several competitors who shined but were overshadowed, undervalued, underappreciated and, most importantly, underrated.

From former champions to breakthrough performers, the list is plentiful.

Find out who they are and acknowledge them with this look back at their year.

Honorable Mentions

Those not making the top 10 but earning recognition:

Dragon Lee

Dragon Lee has Rey Mysterio potential in WWE. Not because he is a masked luchador, but because of his style and ability to adapt it to that of his opponents.

While diehard fans recognize his ability between (and over) the ropes, Lee is most underrated by WWE Creative, which appears content to let him wander aimlessly as part of LWO, a group that is on TV fairly regularly but whose prominence in top-tier storylines is not consistent.

Solo Sikoa

It seems ludicrous that a guy who spent his entire year competing in main events and at the forefront of one of the top storylines in WWE would be considered underrated, but Sikoa shook off doubt and criticism from fans and analysts to become a deserving addition to the main event scene later in the year.

Working with top talent and great workers helped him raise his in-ring game to the point that by the time the fall rolled around, he did not look out of place headlining with them. That will only continue the more he mixes it up with future Hall of Famers and should result in him being perfectly rated this time next year.

JD McDonagh

Always in Finn Bálor's shadow, McDonagh has been one of the workhorses of WWE in 2024.

Working 66 matches across all brands and live events, the Irishman became one of the names trusted to hold down the in-ring portion of WWE TV while progressing main event storylines involving The Judgment Day.

A talented worker, he is often the butt of jokes, but the 34-year-old has repeatedly proved his value as an in-ring competitor.

Add to that McDonagh's willingness to bump for Rhea Ripley and further enhance her aura, and you have a selfless performer whose work speaks for itself.

10. Harley Cameron

Increased exposure on AEW television has earned Harley Cameron recognition in the final quarter of 2024, but the talented Australian has spent the entire year quietly creating a persona that could build an important connection with the audience.

Her personality in sometimes seconds-long promo spots has shined and allowed her to highlight who she is. Her sense of humor jumps off the screen and is reflective of a performer who does not take anything she was involved in too seriously.

Her presence on television increased as it became clear the 30-year-old had a magnetism that could not be manufactured, and the result has been an unexpectedly fun run across Dynamite, Rampage and Collision.

Cameron is not a classically trained wrestler, so she's unlikely to have the five-star classics AEW is known for, but she brings an undeniable entertainment factor that sets her apart from the rest of the roster.

9. The Beast Mortos

Appreciation for The Beast Mortos has surged in the second half of 2024 as AEW utilized him more frequently across its three television shows: Dynamite, Collision and Rampage.

The masked luchador has been great all year, showing out in Mexico, the seldom-watched Ring of Honor and higher-profile matches in AEW. A worker with size, speed and tenacity, he is a perfect fit for a roster that emphasizes wrestlers of different styles and backgrounds.

While fans have finally taken notice of the 37-year-old and his presence on TV has expanded, there is an argument to be made that he is most underrated among the booking/creative team in AEW, where he is rarely afforded a meaningful victory.

8. Andrade

There is perhaps no wrestler in the last two years who has had as many certified bangers but been so underrated and undervalued as Andrade.

A superb professional wrestler whose series of matches with Carmelo Hayes helped set the bar for in-ring performance post-WrestleMania 40, he has excelled in nearly every outing.

Some will point to a perceived lack of personality, but he has not been put in a position to express himself outside of his in-ring performance, hurting his ability to build a connection with the audience.

A mouthpiece may be needed but Andrade's work speaks for itself. He is someone who has earned another look from WWE and its creative team.

7. Brody King

Brody King is a big, nasty, hard-hitting menace who has repeatedly made the most of every opportunity he has received, even if he has yet to see his efforts pay off in the form of a sustained push.

As he did in 2023, the 37-year-old bruiser of The House of Black has made the Continental Classic his own personal showcase, highlighting his ability to work against wrestlers of all sizes and backgrounds.

Before that, he shined in a series of battles with Darby Allin, a wrestler with whom he has undeniable in-ring chemistry.

While King has spent most of 2024 dominating the competition alongside Buddy Matthews and Malakai Black as one of the best trios in AEW, he has proved he has what it takes to be a star in individual competition and a future champion if given the opportunity.

6. Michin

Michin saw her star rise in 2024 thanks to increased TV time and a spot in the finals of the Women's United States Championship Tournament at Saturday Night's Main Event.

Always a talented worker waiting for a chance at increased time and exposure, the 35-year-old got that this year, but she faces a landscape brimming with talented individuals and stars.

Her in-ring intensity helps her stand out, and she seems poised for a significant babyface run opposite new U.S. champ Chelsea Green that could set her up for a great 2025.

5. The Street Profits

In what universe does a team as popular and talented as The Street Profits fall into mediocrity and obscurity in wrestling's premier wrestling promotion as Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins did in 2024?

One of the industry's elite teams, with a resume and track record that speaks for itself, they inexplicably saw their stars diminished over the last 12 months. They appeared regularly on TV but rarely as the focal point of the creative team's efforts.

Sure, they have been there and done that as a team, and there is probably more to be accomplished as singles competitors, but they are an extraordinary pair who have earned better treatment and more prominence on WWE TV than they have received over the last 12 months.

Not only underrated by their own company's creative team, they were also clearly undervalued and underappreciated in 2024.

4. Ludwig Kaiser

Ludwig Kaiser saw plenty of ring time in 2024 but still emerged from the year seemingly underrated by fans and analysts alike.

A technically sound second-generation wrestler, the 34-year-old has seized every opportunity this year and delivered.

Stepping ever-so-slightly out of the shadow of Gunther and establishing his own presence on WWE TV, the German exhibited a ruthlessness that did not spare even his Imperium teammate, Giovanni Vinci.

Matches with Sheamus, Sami Zayn and Bron Breakker proved he can handle singles competition, and his character work and interactions with The Ring General were that of a star poised to continue his breakout in 2025, hopefully with more attention and acknowledgement.

3. Athena

In an era when women's wrestlers are spoken of on the same level as their male counterparts, there may be no one who has been more frequently forgotten than Ring of Honor women's champion Athena.

The cornerstone of the ROH brand under Tony Khan, the 36-year-old has been one of the bright spots of the roster while champion for two full years. Her work with Willow Nightingale, Red Velvet, Queen Aminata and Hikaru Shida has backed up her claims of excellence.

However, it is her two-year epic storyline with Billie Starkz that has cemented her status as one of the best in the business, culminating in two PPV main events and a title that means as much to fans as any AEW belt.

Underrated and underappreciated thanks to a lack of exposure, 2025 should be the year when Athena sees significant time on AEW TV.

2. Buddy Matthews

Long the forgotten member of The House of Black, Buddy Matthews spent 2024 enhancing his reputation as one of the most underrated wrestlers in the world in matches against Adam Cole, Adam Copeland, Claudio Castagnoli, Andrade El Idolo, Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin.

Despite the big names among that crop of talent, it was the Full Gear: Zero Hour pre-show and win over The Beast Mortos, Komander and Dante Martin that may have been his shining moment of 2024 as fans voiced their appreciation for the 36-year-old with chants of his name throughout the arena.

A fantastic professional wrestler for both WWE and AEW, Matthews continues to steal the show whenever he gets the chance, a trend that is unlikely to end anytime soon.

1. Sheamus

Sheamus' placement on this list is not only reflective of his 2024 but also his placement among WWE greats.

The Celtic Warrior was one of the best wrestlers in WWE this year, a guy who could be counted on to deliver quality, lengthy television matches every week.

His showdowns with Ludwig Kaiser, Bron Breakker, Gunther, Pete Dunne, Chad Gable and Ivar brought workrate to Raw and provided the show with its fair share of show-stealing matchups.

That the Irishman is having the best matches of his career at the age of 46 is a testament to his ability to evolve as a worker. That they are the most physical of his career is even more impressive.

One of the best wrestlers of his generation and someone wholly underrated in comparison to those he has shared the ring with, Sheamus should be discussed alongside the likes of John Cena, AJ Styles, CM Punk, Randy Orton, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Gunther when talking about the best workers of the last 20 years.