2017 has been a growing year in Scottish professional wrestling. While it wasn’t as rapid as 2016 it has reached a more mature level with wrestlers now working to make themselves even better than ever before. The opportunities are coming as we move into 2018. So let’s take a look at 10 wrestlers that I feel have been the best in 2017. I’ll add some accomplishments that has earned them a place on my Top 10 list.

10. Lionheart
– Started The Year As NGW Tag Team Champion (with Kid Fite & Joe Hendry)

Lionheart hasn’t won any titles this year but has went from strength to strength following a strong 2016 which saw a lengthy ICW Zero G title reign. When it came to 2017 Lionheart had a deeply personal feud with Joe Hendry in ICW that saw a double turn with the fans cheering for the veteran. Lionheart embraced himself as being considered either a hero or a fanny and didn’t care either way. His natural promo style that cuts the bullsh*t and just says it like it is has been a breath of fresh air when it comes to selling matches and stories. While also having a strong year in the ring, his company Pro Wrestling Elite has had a great year with multiple sell out shows.

9. Shawn Johnson
– WrestleZone Regal Rumble Winner
– Won The Undisputed WrestleZone Championship

Up in the North East Shawn Johnson started off the year in style with winning the Regal Rumble and booking his place into the main event of WrestleZone’s biggest event of the year Aberdeen Anarchy. He went on to beat Scotty Swift (with some help from Crusher Craib) and win the Undisputed WrestleZone Championship in front of over 1000 people. He went through multiple title defenses and multi-man matches along the way before losing to Damien at Halloween Hijinks. A year that proved that Shawn Johnson was worthy of being in the main event scene in WrestleZone after years of being a tag team wrestler in The Granite City.

8. Kay Lee Ray
– Appeared In The WWE Mae Young Classic (Round of 32)
– Started The Year As ICW Women’s Champion
– Won The ICW Women’s Championship

A mainstay in British wrestling, Kay Lee Ray started the year as ICW Women’s Champion before being announced as one of the 32 competitors in the WWE Mae Young Classic that was broadcasted on the WWE Network. Fighting men and women in ICW regularly, along with trips to Japan and America, Kay Lee Ray is possibly one of the busiest wrestlers in the country right now.

7. Joe Coffey
– Started The Year As SWA Scottish Heavyweight Champion
– Won The ICW Square Go!
– Won The ICW World Heavyweight Championship
– Won The Discovery Wrestling Y Division Championship

Started the year appearing on World of Sport Wrestling which fizzled out, going on to win the ICW Square Go then the ICW World Heavyweight Championship against Trent Seven, going on to defend against the likes of NXT star Kassius Ohno, Impact Wrestling’s Moose, Keith Lee and Colt Cabana. Over at Discovery Wrestling he ended the 666 day reign of Lewis Girvan in a great two out of three falls match and went straight into a defense the month after against Matt Riddle. Coffey has had lots of high profile matches across the country this year.

6. Aspen Faith
– Won The WrestleZone Tri-Counties Championship
– Won The Hotter Than Hell Edinburgh Invitational

2017 has been Aspen Faith’s breakout year, making his way to the final of the WrestleZone Tri-Counties Title Tournament and winning the title in an epic four way ladder match at Aberdeen Anarchy. His journey in Discovery Wrestling saw him face to face with The Elite, even though he wasn’t in a match against them he still ended up on the receiving end of a Meltzer Driver from The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega. Along with the evolution of The Kings of Catch, Faith won the Hotter Than Hell Edinburgh Invitational defeating Doug Williams, Chris Ridgeway and Rampage Brown to earn a Y Division Championship match in the future. The team of him and Girvan have made an impact in ICW this year by joining The Filthy Generation and being regulars in the Glasgow promotion.

5. Sammii Jayne
– Won The Pro Wrestling:EVE Championship
– Won The RCW Women’s Championship
– Won The Discovery Wrestling Woman’s Championship

Another that’s had a breakout year, winning the Pro Wrestling:EVE Championship earlier in the year. A title that’s been held by the likes of Nikki Cross and Jazzy Gabert. She defeated Viper in a tables match at Aberdeen Anarchy, then went on to win the Revolution Championship Wrestling Women’s Championship in Spain from Santana Garrett and the Discovery Wrestling Woman’s Championship in a four way bout that included Martina, Ayesha Raymond and Lucy Cole. Jayne reached the final of the Pro Wrestling:EVE SHE-1 and a WWE tryout late in the year was testament to how hard she has worked in 2017.

4. Viper
– Started The Year As Fierce Females Champion
– Won The Artist Of Stardom Championship (with HZK & Io Shirai)
– Appeared In The WWE Mae Young Classic (Quarterfinals)

Viper started out the year competing in the World Of Sport Wrestling special, coming out on top against Alexis Rose.  As Fierce Females Champion she successfully defended the title when the promotion returned in 2017. With several successful trips to Japan she walked away with the Artist Of Stardom Championship as part of Queen’s Quest. She reached the final of wXw Femme Fatales before being defeated by the same person that eliminated her from the WWE Mae Young Classic, Toni Storm. Viper returned to ICW and took part in the first women’s cage match in ICW history against Kay Lee Ray and Kasey. Has become one of the most popular wrestlers in the country with lots of press attention following her World Of Sport appearance and subsequent WWE appearance in the Mae Young Classic.

3. Stevie Boy Xavier
– Won The RNW Tag Team Championships (with BT Gunn)
– Won The BCW Openweight Championship
– Won The PBW Heavyweight Championship
– Won The SWE Speed King Championship
– Won The ICW King of Insanity

Stevie Boy went from tag team player to superstar over the course of 2017, winning the BCW Openweight Championship by defeating Kenny Williams in April before entering a bloody feud with Mikey Whiplash in ICW expanding The Filthy Generation to include Aspen Faith and Lewis Girvan, The Kings of Catch. Over at Rock N Wrestle, he teamed with BT Gunn as Just Uz to become the first RNW Tag Team Champions with a win against rivals The Purge. His year continued to get better with an SWE Speed King Championship victory and defeating BT Gunn at PBW win their heavyweight championship. At ICW Fear & Loathing X, Stevie defeated Mikey Whiplash, Chris Renfrew and Jimmy Havoc to be crowned ICW’s King of Insanity. An incredible year for Stevie Xavier.

2. Wolfgang
– Appeared In The WWE United Kingdown Championship Tournament (Semifinals)
– Started The Year As ICW World Heavyweight Champion

‘The Regulator’ joined WWE for the United Kingdom Tournament, reaching the semifinals before losing to the eventual winner Tyler Bate. From there Wolfgang has made regular appearances in NXT along with being a focal point, along with Pete Dunne, on WWE’s tours of the UK this year. Started the year as ICW World Heavyweight Champion before losing to Trent Seven in Newcastle, a debut in PROGRESS followed against WALTER and a great win-loss record through the year has seen a successful year all round. His appearances in WWE is what rocketed him up the list here as he is in regular title contention against Pete Dunne plus has continued to work around the country against top level opponents in top matches.

1. BT Gunn
– Started The Year As PBW Heavyweight Champion
– Started The Year As BCW Heavyweight Champion
– Started The Year As BCW Tag Team Champion (with Stevie Xavier)
– Started The Year As PWE Tag Team Champion (with Chris Renfrew)
– Won The TNT Extreme Division Championship
– Won The SWE Heavyweight Championship
– Won The WCPW Hardcore Championship
– Won The RNW Tag Team Championships (with Stevie Xavier)
– Won The RCW Heavyweight Championship
– Won The ICW Zero G Championship
– Won The ICW World Heavyweight Championship

By just looking at the list of accomplishments above it’s obvious why BT Gunn is number one. Several title wins, a WWE tryout and becoming ICW Grand Slam Champion following his victory over Joe Coffey at ICW Fear & Loathing X. In his tag team accomplishments, with Chris Renfrew he made it to the Uncivil War final at Discovery Wrestling and with Stevie Xavier he won the RNW Tag Team Championships. A win over Kenny Williams saw him complete the ICW Triple Crown which lead to his challenge to Coffey at The SSE Hydro. Winning titles around the country and being the only non-WWE contracted performer to have a WWE United Kingdom Championship match when he was part of a fatal four way with champion Pete Dunne, Wolfgang and Trent Seven at ICW Shug’s Hoose Party 4 and facing Cody Rhodes for the Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Championship to end the year on a high. Winning eight titles throughout the year has him down as one of the most successful wrestlers in the country today.

So there’s our Top 10, notable mentions for Damien, Aaron Echo, Grado, DCT, James Scott and Lewis Girvan. A wild year in professional wrestling and as this top 10 was so hard to whittle down it just goes to show the talent that Scottish wrestling has right now and it will only get better. Who are your top 10 wrestlers in Scotland for 2017?