IT’S BEEN another action-packed year for WWE. But which superstars have been the big winners and losers of 2018?

Sun Sport looks back at all the action and drama for its ends of year awards:

19 Becky Lynch has been the standout star of 2018 Credit: WWE

Superstar of the Year Award – Becky Lynch

Becky turned heel on best pal Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam and caught fire as “The Man”.

Becky got over on her own merit – razor sharp attitude, in-ring talent, and first class character work. And she’s had the biggest organic reaction from fans since Daniel Bryan’s “Yes Movement” in 2014.

Becky’s push has exploded the women’s title picture – and all without WWE’s fabricated “women’s evolution” narrative.

“The Man” has been the hottest thing in WWE all year and should have earned herself a spot in the main event of next year’s WrestleMania.

19 The Irish Lasskicker has shown everyone she really is 'The Man' Credit: WWE

19 UK Champion Pete Dunne is the longest-reigning title holder in WWE Credit: WWE

Champion of the Year Award – UK Champion Pete Dunne

It’s been a patchy year for WWE’s crowded roster of titles. AJ Styles had a dud year as WWE Champion. Brock Lesnar only bothered to show up now and again as Universal Champion. Seth Rollins had a decent reign as IC champ but was caught up in Shield business for most of the time.

The most consistent champion on the roster is undoubtedly Pete Dunne.

Not only the longest reigning champ in WWE, he’s also put on blinding performances across both the regular and UK NXT brands and was the main player in the epic WarGames battle last month.

19 Daniel Bryan had a hugely-underwhelming comeback Credit: WWE

19 His comeback was not as bad as Shawn Michaels' at Crown Jewel Credit: WWE

Most Disappointing Comeback Award – Daniel Bryan

When Bryan announced he was cleared to compete – and would return to action at WrestleMania 34 – it was a huge moment. But WWE’s backwards booking spoiled it.

(Bryan was taken out of the first half of the match by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn before making his heroic comeback – it killed the heat for the match.)

And while his feud with Miz was decent enough in angles and promos, it never clicked in the ring.

Bryan’s big return only fast-tracked him to mid-card mediocrity.

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Best Second Chance At A Comeback Award – Daniel Bryan

Bryan’s unexpected heel turn on AJ Styles to become WWE Champion has been a revelation. He also put on a match of the year contender with Brock Lesnar.

Reinventing himself as a self-righteous social conscience, the New Daniel Bryan’s psychology and promo work has been masterful.

(Just check out the promo he cut before TLC, criticising WWE for shilling Christmas jumpers and promising to replace the WWE title’s leather strap with a sustainable material.)

The face that Bryan – the most universally loved babyface since Austin and Rock – now has the fans booing him is a testament to just how good he is.

19 Roman Reigns' cancer shock was the most heartbreaking story of the year Credit: WWE

WWE legend Roman Reigns admits eleven year battle with cancer has come back and close friend Seth Rollins can’t hide his feelings

Heartbreaking Moment Award – Roman Reigns

Reigns had a tough few months as WWE’s top babyface, booked in counter-productive feuds and finishes with Brock Lesnar that only fuelled the dislike of Roman.

But fans realised just how much Reigns meant to both them and WWE when he announced in October that he is battling leukaemia.

Fans – who were used to booing Reigns mercilessly regardless of how good he is – were stunned into near silence.

It was an emotional scene and reminder of how powerful the connection between superstar and fan can be. Even when then fans don’t realise it.

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Wasted Talent of the Year Award – NXT call-ups

Yes, it’s been another disappointing year for superstars promoted from NXT to the main roster. The likes of Tye Dillinger, The Revival, Bobby Roode (all promoted in 2017 and still struggling) SAnitY, and No Way Jose have been used terribly or disappeared completely.

Andrade “Cien” Almas had a promising first few weeks, but was predictably relegated to putting over more established stars.

It doesn’t bode well for NXT stars such as Johnny Garganao, Tommasa Ciampa, or the Undisputed Era for when they eventually get called up.

19 Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair produced a stunning encounter Credit: WWE

19 The duo stole the show at the historic Evolution pay-per-view Credit: WWE

Main Roster Match of the Year Award – Becky Lynch v Charlotte Flair (Evolution)

The all women’s pay-per-view Evolution was one of the big surprises of 2018.

Though it was promoted by WWE like an afterthought, it delivered in the ring – a stark contrast to the all-male horror show Crown Jewel just one week later.

Becky and Charlotte stole the show in a brutal, bone-crunching Last Woman Standing match, with both women going to extreme lengths.

WWE has been pushing for first ever Hell in a Cell, Money in the Bank and other gimmick matches in the women’s division, but the female superstars had never quite delivered the same physicality as male superstars in these types of stipulations – until now.

Becky got the decisive win after power-bombing Charlotte through a table – a major vote of confidence in “The Man” from WWE.

19 Tomasso Ciampa and Velveteen Dream produced a classic in NXT Credit: WWE

19 The pair's match at NXT Takeover was the best on the brand in 2018 Credit: WWE

NXT Match of the Year Award – Tomasso Ciampa v Velveteen Dream (TakeOver: WarGames)

It’s hard to pick just one match with the likes of Pete Dunne, Johnny Gargano, Ricochet, and Adam Cole knocking out such brilliantly consistent performances. But for pure in-ring storytelling, it has to to be Ciampa’s gripping title defence against Velveteen Dream.

There were big near-falls and star-making moments from Dream, who continued to channel the magnetism and move set of Hulk Hogan. Look out for Velveteen Dream in 2019. With his physique and character work, he’s the one NXT superstar that Vince McMahon is sure to push on the main roster.

19 Seth Rollins showed his steel in an epic Iron Man encounter on Raw Credit: WWE

Iron Man Award – Seth Rollins

Rollins was a shoe in for this award after his incredible hour-plus performance on Raw last February.

“The Architect” fought off Roman Reigns, John Cena, Finn Balor, The Miz, and Braun Strowman, and Elias in a record-setting gauntlet match.

But Rollins’ electric performances have continued week-in, week-out, making him the premier wrestler on Raw on any given week.

It’s no surprise that he’s rumoured to face Brock Lesnar for the Universal Champion at next year’s WrestleMania.

19 Kairi Sane v Shayna Baszler have enjoyed the best rivalry over the past 12 months Credit: WWE

19 The pair have enjoyed countless battles for the NXT Women's Title Credit: WWE

Rivalry of the Year Award – Kairi Sane v Shayna Baszler

No rivalry on the main roster could top the perfect dynamic between Kairi Sane and Baszler – wrestling storytelling at its absolute purest.

Kairi – the plucky underdog babyface – and Shayna – a bullish, ruthless heel – have scrapped over the NXT Women’s Championship for months.

Every major match – at NXT TakeOvers and Evolution – has been a psychology-based masterclass and the best work in the NXT women’s division since the days of Sasha Banks v Bayley.

19 Ronda Rousey has been a revelation in her debut year in the wrestling world Credit: WWE

Debut of the Year Award – Ronda Rousey

“The Baddest Woman on the Planet” debuted at this year’s WrestleMania with a ton of publicity.

But it wasn’t just empty hype – Rousey stole the show with her realistic-looking offence and selling.

Since then she’s become the Raw Women’s Champion and put on first-rate performances against Nia Jax, Nikki Bella, and Charlotte Flair.

Ronda’s a natural at wrestling – it’s been the best rookie year since her Mania tag partner Kurt Angle debuted back in 1999/2000.

19 Charlotte Flair is so much better after her heel turn Credit: WWE

Heel Turn of the Year Award – Charlotte Flair

Babyface Charlotte was booed in matches against Becky Lynch and was on the verge of getting the Roman Reigns treatment from fans.

But her heel turn at Survivor Series – beating the hell out of Ronda Rousey in a kendo stick and steel chair-wielding assault – has reinvigorated her.

Fans were gripped by the beat-down. It was so good that they booed Ronda literally out of the arena. Charlotte’s turn has also been a major factor in taking the women’s division to the next level.

19 Shinsuke Nakamura has underwhelmed over the past 12 months

Must Try Harder Award – Shinsuke Nakamura

WWE’s treatment of Nakamura has been woeful. After winning the men’s Royal Rumble, Nakamura was lumbered with a low-blowing heel gimmick and then a worthless US title reign.

But it’s not entirely WWE’s fault. The King of Strong Style has also been coasting on mediocre performances the entire year.

The Nakamura currently wrestling in WWE is not the same man who put on a match of the year against Sami Zayn in 2016 – and certainly not the same Nakamura from NJPW.

Just look at his match with Seth Rollins at Survivor Series. What should have been a five-star classic just went through the motions – which pretty much sums up Nak’s 2018.

19 WWE missed a huge opportunity by letting Brock Lesnar squash Braun Strowman Credit: WWE

Missed Opportunity Award – Braun Strowman

At the start of 2018, Braun was over – and fans were crying out for him to turn babyface and become the top guy.

Vince McMahon finally had the hugely popular (and actually huge) monster he’d been trying to create since the end of the Hulkamania era. But Braun found himself tagging with a child at WrestleMania and then booked in a number of head-scratching booking decisions.

(He failed to cash in Money in the Bank when the match went to no contest, turned heel for no reason, and lost in minutes to Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel.)

Now it’s hard to imagine Braun ever having the top star status he would had achieved if WWE got behind him like a juggernaut when he was red hot.

19 The Crown Jewel PPV was a huge flop Credit: WWE

19 The Triple H and Shawn Michaels vs Kane and Undertaker main event was a disaster Credit: WWE

Disaster of the Year Award – Crown Jewel

After the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, there was huge pressure from both fans and US officials for WWE to scrap its controversial show in Saudi Arabia.

But WWE was never going to buckle – there’s just too much money at stake in its multi-year deal with the Saudis.

The show was also a disaster in the ring, filled with rubbish matches, a phony World Cup tournament, and a bizarre twist when Shane McMahon stepped in at the last minute to be crowned “best in the world”.

It’s almost as if WWE was trying to make it terrible on purpose.

The biggest disaster of all though was Shawn Michaels cynical comeback, tagging with Triple H to take on Undertaker and Kane.

Trips tore a pec just minutes into match, forcing HBK to wrestle the creaking Brother of Destruction almost singlehandedly. So bad it was hard to watch.