Daily DeMarco: 2018 Chairshot Woman Of The Year

Greg DeMarco presents the Chairshot Woman Of The Year for 2018! Who excelled throughout the past 12 months?

2018 was a hell of a year in professional wrestling, but may best be remembered as setting the stage for a 2019 that could legitimately change the business. Who knows what we’ll be saying in 365 days, but first we need to take our annual look back as we do so well here at The Chairshot.

In the last edition of The Greg DeMarco Show (rebranding as Worked Over Wrestling in 2019), Patrick O’Dowd, Miranda Morales and myself came together to review the past 12 months and pick the Man, Woman, and Team Of The Year for 2018. Over the next few days, I give you the winners!

2018 Chairshot Woman Of The Year: Becky Lynch

After a great 2017, Alexa Bliss was unable to repeat as Chairshot Woman Of The Year. This doesn’t mean her year wasn’t great, as he had several high profile moments, including a thrilling Money In The Bank cash in in the middle of Nia Jax’ title defense at the pay-per-view of the same name, and is debuting a new in-ring segment at the net Raw. And while Alexa continued to establish herself among the best in the world, she didn’t emerge as…The Man.

2018 became the year of…The Man.

Becky Lynch’s rise to Woman Of The Year wasn’t traditional in the least. She didn’t spend the better of 12 months on top, nor did she even excel for the majority of the year. In fact, She was largely inconsequential until August.

You can’t argue against Becky’s talents inside the ring, and her work never faltered. But she also wasn’t given many opportunities throughout the year. She was lucky to get an entrance at WrestleMania, where she was but a participant in the Women’s Battle Royal (won by Naomi). Becky Lynch was used sparingly, but was always over whenever she got a chance.

In August she joined Charlotte Flair in a Triple Threat Match against Carmella, for the former’s Smackdown Women’s Championship at SummerSlam. Charlotte would win, but Becky’s issues with Charlotte stealing her one-on-one opportunity after returning from injury spurred an attitude change that turned around the fortunes of the Irish Lass Kicker.

Becky Lynch would go on to win the Women’s Championship at Hell In A Cell, but refused Charlotte’s handshake after. The fans welcomed Becky’s new attitude, as her story of being passed over by someone she felt was less deserving is a very relatable story. Becky would retain her championship against Charlotte in a Last Woman Standing Match at Evolution, But her banner year wouldn’t end there.

Becky, as Smackdown Women’s Champion, would be slotted against Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey at the annual brand battle, Survivor Series. Becky would put the division on her shoulders, invading Raw in what many consider to be the year’s top moment. An errant punch from Nia Jax would forever change history, breaking her nose and causing a concussion. This took Becky Lynch out of the match with Rousey, but Lynch’s reaction created The Man and threw her character into the stratosphere.

The totality of her 12 months doesn’t add-up to a Woman Of The Year. But the run she’s been on for the last quarter transcends a typical year, is bigger than anything Alexa Bliss did all of last year, and may not be matched by anyone not named Becky Lynch in 2019. That type of rise cannot be ignored.

Consideration was also given to:

• Carmella
• Alexa Bliss
• Charlotte Flair
• Ronda Rousey
• Allie
• Shayna Baszler

Also check out:

• The 2018 Chairshot Team Of The Year
• The 2018 Chairshot Man Of The Year
• The 2017 Chairshot Team Of The Year
• The 2017 Chairshot Woman Of The Year
• The 2017 Chairshot Man Of The Year