Arguably the best part of professional wrestling is getting to witness the birth of a star. From John Cena's famous "Ruthless Aggression" interruption of Kurt Angle to Batista turning on Evolution, there's nothing like seeing a wrestler break through in real time and set up himself or herself for an epic future.

2024 had plenty of great showings for young talent on the rise. So as we celebrate those who impressed the most to reach new heights and solidify themselves as roster staples, only one wrestler can stand taller than the rest, and the winner of Uncrowned's Breakthrough Wrestler of 2024 won that vote in a landslide.

Mariah May

2024 was all about "The Glamour."

AEW Women's World Champion Mariah May's saga with friends and idols Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa was the highlight storyline of not only her career, but the year as a whole — a slow burn that saw May distance herself from the crowd with arguably one of the most abrupt heel turns in recent memory. The extra layer to the turn, however, was that May was already a heel. So she only unleashed a deeper, more sinister version of herself, making the whole scene and character development even more compelling.

Her betrayal of the beloved Storm was fast, extremely violent, dramatic and inevitable. May showed her true colors by giving Storm a brutal crimson mask while bashing the then-world champion over the head with her newly won Owen Hart Cup tournament title. It's a scene that won't soon be forgotten and continues to play a crucial part in the current trajectories of both characters. That's the beauty of May's 2024. Along with enhancing her own growth, she boosted every other person she worked with.

The 26-year-old former Stardom champ appeared destined to be a champion and star in AEW when she arrived in late 2023. Heading into 2025, May is all that and then some, with a perfectly selfish, superior, loner attitude, spitting serious venom at anyone who stands in her way — even if they aren't wrestlers.

Youth is on May's side, considering how strong of an overall performer she already is. The Storm rivalry is far from over and only going to get better and more complex in 2025. There's a handful of other amazing pairings out there for her as well. The future couldn't be brighter for AEW's woman from Hell. Long May she reign.

Best of the rest

2. Bron Breakker

"The Badass" is a pretty goofy nickname without context. However, Bron Breakker embodies his moniker better than almost anyone in wrestling right now. Thanks to his incredible Steiner family genes, the dude has always been a complete freak of nature. 2024 only further showcased how badass Breakker truly is.

Some of the athletic feats the 27-year-old Breakker pulls off week in and week out don't make sense. It's not a stretch to call him the best athlete in wrestling and his mic work has come a long way since NXT. The fearless bruiser character is perfect for him and he's been a welcome successor to the record-setting Gunther as the Intercontinental Champion.

Breakker's matches are all must-see. He'll be a major world title player for years to come at this rate, because, like May, he's not even 30 years old yet.

T-3. Tiffany Stratton and Jacob Fatu

"Tiffy Time" is all the time.

2024's youth movement continued with Tiffany Stratton, who's even younger than May and Breakker at just 25. Similar to both, Stratton had star potential right out the gate and has been phenomenal, teasing fans throughout the year with a cash-in of her pink customized Money in the Bank briefcase.

The character work of Statton has always been locked in and her time as NXT Women's Champion proved that. Stratton isn't short of any athleticism either, performing one of the best finishes in wrestling today with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever. I guess being a professional gymnast paid off, huh?

As you can see, we had a tough time deciding between all these talented wrestlers in our Uncrowned voting, resulting in a tie between Stratton and The Bloodline's Jacob Fatu. I know for a lot of fans, this guy is one of the best things in wrestling period.

Fatu is undeniably perfect in the role he plays as Bloodline's big, psychotically loyal brute. He loves Solo Sikoa, OK?! And we love him for that.

But Fatu's physicality, more than anything else, is where he shines with the Bloodline as we head into 2025. He rarely says a word, but when he does it's that much more impactful. Fatu is a force, and a run of singles feuds feels inevitable for him in the near future. Our own Pen Shamrock has some ideas.

Fatu is the definition of making the most out of your faction opportunity.

5. Oba Femi

No disrespect to Apollo Crews, but Oba Femi feels like what WWE always hoped Crews could or would be.

2025 seems like a lock for Femi's arrival on the WWE main roster. He's been a staple of NXT, winning the NXT North American title and setting the record for the longest time holding that belt. He had a fun rivalry with Tony D'Angelo throughout the year, and although he came up short at Halloween Havoc in his attempt to regain that title, they stole the show. Femi was booked strong and has remained dominant. He has the look, he's hard-hitting and is coming into his own as a vastly more well-rounded wrestler.

Big things await the 26-year-old.

Here is how the Uncrowned wrestling team voted for Breakthrough Wrestler of 2024.

Honorable mentions:

• Konosuke Takeshita

• Trick Williams

• Jaida Parker

• Stephanie Vaquer

• Nia Jax

• The Beast Mortos

• Je'Von Evans