The first annual EuroGraps.com Awards looks to recognise the very best in European Wrestling. We put our survey out to a carefully selected panel of journalists and fans from all across Europe to select their top three in a number of categories. 2018’s panel was @MikeKilby, @NordieByNature, @Spoilex16, @GaryOnGraps, @ArnoldFurious, @SarahFlann, @JPJipeee, @marv2punkt0, @ManuRomeroGraps, @TheKingofBoom, @RealPhillipDohm and @theianhamilton. Points were awarded with a first choice receiving 5 points, a second choice receiving 3 points and a third choice receiving 1 point. Not every person surveyed voted on every category.

Wrestler of the Year:

1. WALTER – 53pts.

2. Jordan Devlin – 15pts.

3. Zack Sabre Jr. – 7pts.

4. Absolute Andy – 6pts.

=5. Mark Davis, Timothy Thatcher & Pete Dunne – 3pts.

=8. David Starr, Matt Riddle, Charlie Morgan, Chris Brookes, Ilja Dragunov & Toni Storm – 1pt.

I think you’d have put your house on him winning. WALTER’s 2018 saw him become not only the biggest star in Europe but the biggest independent star in the world. Racking up titles in PROGRESS, OTT, Defiant, wXw and more meant that on occasions he didn’t look far off the famous picture of Ultimo Dragon. As the match of the year lists suggest, any number of his bouts this year were legitimate contenders for top honours this year – and that’s without his exploits outside of Europe. After a brief flirt with Rev Pro and New Japan in the middle of the year, 2018 ended with him signing for the burgeoning NXT UK brand which may see his scope limited in 2019 but there’s still a lot of hope for the big Austrian to buck the trend. All in all, an all-time great year.

The best of the rest – Jordan Devlin made a mammoth step forward in 2018 by shirking the idea that he was a big fish in a small pond. Matches vs. Ospreay in PROGRESS, Dunne in NXT UK and of course WALTER in OTT caught the world’s imagination – with the Bray man being one of the few WWE UK contracted wrestlers to not regress in 2018 and seemingly improving with “weekly” exposure on a high level. Had WALTER not had the tour de force he had this year – this would have been Devlin’s award no doubt.

✏️ @MikeKilby

📸 @GDPhotographyDE