It’s my favorite time of year again…Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine put out the digital version of their annual PWI 500 issue today, ranking the top 500 wrestlers in the world (not just men, women made it too). The print version is 3-4 weeks from newsstands, but if you want to know the top 10 and some tidbits about the rest (and don’t mind SPOILERS), clock below (or get the digital issue on Zinio for under $5):
The top 10 overall:
1-Seth Rollins (WWE). 3rd time being #1. Only John Cena has done that
2-Roman Reigns (WWE). Last year’s #1
3-Jon Moxley (AEW)
4-Gunther (WWE)
5-El Hijo Del Vikingo (AEW/AAA [Mexico])
6-MJF (AEW)
7-Kazuchika Okada (New Japan)
8-Orange Cassidy (AEW)
9-Josh Alexander (Impact)
10-Cody Rhodes (WWE)
Other notables from AEW, Impact & Japan (this will be updated as I delve further into the rankings):
11-SANADA (New Japan)
15-Masha Slamovich (Impact). Highest ranked woman ever
17-Will Ospreay (New Japan)
23-Jake Lee (All-Japan/NOAH)
27-Hiromu Takahashi (New Japan)
29-Kaito Kiyomiya (NOAH)
32-Jay White (New Japan/AEW)
33-Shun Skywalker (Dragon Gate)
35-Kenoh (NOAH)
36-Zack Sabre Jr. (New Japan)
39-Mike Bailey (Impact)
40-KENTA (New Japan)
42-Hiroshi Tanahashi (New Japan)
43-Ricky Starks (AEW)
44-Yuji Nagata (New Japan/All-Japan)
48-Alex Shelley (Impact)
49-Darby Allin (AEW)
51-Sammy Guevara (AEW)
55-Kazusada Higuchi (DDT). Top ranked 500 debut this year
60-Satoshi Kojima (New Japan)
62-Tomohiro Ishii (New Japan)
63-Wheeler Yuta (AEW)
64-Shigehiro Irie (Japan)
65-Fenix (Rey Fenix) (AEW/Mexico)
68-Kento Miyahara (All-Japan)
69-Daniel Garcia (AEW)
72-Pentagon Jr. (Penta El Zero M (AEW/Mexico)
73-Jack Perry (AEW)
76-Naruki Doi (Japan)
77-Eddie Kingston (AEW/New Japan)
80-Madoka Kikuta (Dragon Gate)
86-Master Wato(New Japan)
87-HAYATA (NOAH)
89-Chris Brookes (DDT)
90-Pac (Japan)
