Following on the heels of their annual Top 500 wrestler rankings, Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine announced their now-Women’s 250 Rankings yesterday, expanding what had been a ranking of their top 150 female wrestlers in the world to 250. They cover the entire world and there is a lot of representation from Japan, AEW and Impact among others.
As the issue is only available in digital format right now via Zinio (the print version will be available in about 3 weeks), if you are waiting for print this below will contain SPOILERS! if you don’t want to wait and are curious, or already got the digital edition as I did, click below (the Top 10 were announced yesterday by PWI writer Candace Cordelia on a streaming show appearance with Impact wrestler Mickie James) and also on social media:
First, the overall Top 10…#1 is the cover woman for this issue. And it’s…
Rhea Ripley (WWE).
1-Rhea Ripley
2-Giulia (Stardom)
3-Bianca Belair (WWE)
4-Jamie Hayter (AEW)
5-Tam Nakano (Stardom)
6-Athena (AEW/Ring Of Honor)
7-Deonna Purrazzo (Impact)
8-Willow Nightingale (AEW/ROH/New Japan)
9-Kamille (NWA)
10-Jordynne Grace (Impact)
Last year’s #1? Syuri fell to 37.
The rating period covered September 2022-September 2023. Already fans online are complaining about so-and-so not being #1 or ranked higher, in particular with Guilia. My thinking is simple-the vast majority of US fans probably have never heard of Stardon or Giulia (same for Nakano), although she recently has started to appear more in New Japan as the STRONG Women’s Champion, and that includes appearances on the US. I personally feel the only reason Hayter perhaps wasn’t #1 is she is out long-term due to injury and that cost her some major opportunities, including AEW’s debut in her native England. Belair missed #1 in all likelihood due to taking time off to film a reality series, and perhaps just because of Ripley. If Athena had been on AEW TV more I could see her being higher as she really elevated the ROH Women’s Championship and division and continues to do so. Purrazzo, once cast off by WWE, revived her career in Impact and then some and continues to do so opposite the still-elevating Knockouts division, one of the best women’s rosters out there. Nightingale has been perhaps the breakout star of the last year, while she got help from Mercedes Mone getting injured in their first match in New Japan she continues to impress in AEW and ROH as well as NJPW including becoming the first STRONG Women’s Champion. Kamille had been NWA Women’s Champion for over 2 years before losing the title recently, and seemed to have that aura of invincibility, and with more exposure and opportunities seems set to climb even higher. Grace may have been higher had she not left Impact for a time this year due to her contract being up and questions about if she may go elsewhere.
Other notable Japan/AEW/Impact ranked women:
11-Asuka (WWE)
12-Toni Storm (AEW)
13-Masha Slamovich (Inpact)
16-Kairi (Stardom, now maybe going back to WWE)
17-Miyu Yamashita (Tokyo Joshi Pro)
18-Kris Statlander (AEW)
19-Mizuki (Tokyo Joshi Pro)
20-Saya Kamitani (Stardom)
23-Trinity (Impact)
24-Iyo Sky (WWE)
26-Taya Valkyrie (AEW)
27-Mickie James (Impact)
28-Hikaru Shida (AEW)
30-Mayu Iwatani (Stardom)
31-Suzu Suzuki (Stardom)
35-Yuu (Independent/Freelancer)
36-Britt Baker (AEW)
37-Syuri (Stardom) (#1 in 2022)
40-Utami Hayashishita (Stardom)
43-Mirai (Stardom)
44-Yuka Sakazaki (Tokyo Joshi Pro/AEW)
47-AZM (Stardom)
49-Jody Threat (Impact)
50-Veny (Independent/Freelancer)
51-Mina Shirakawa (Stardom)
52-Saraya (AEW)
53-Rika Tatsumi (Tokyo Joshi Pro)
60-Maki Itoh (Tokyo Joshi Pro)
63-Gisele Shaw (Impact)
71-Maika (Stardom)
72-Ruby Soho (AEW)
73-Saki Kashima (Stardom)
74-Max The Impaler (NWA/Tokyo Joshi Pro)
76-Starlight Kid (Stardom)
78-Miu Watanabe (Tokyo Joshi Pro)
81-Saori Anou (Independent/Freelancer)
84-Rina Yamashita (Independent/Freelancer)
85-KiLynn King (Impact)
87-Emi Sakura (AEW/Gatoh Move)
89-Skye Blue (AEW)
90-Killer Kelly (Impact)
98-Shoko Nakajima (Tokyo Joshi Pro)
99-Taylor Wilde (Impact)
105-Julia Hart (AEW)
109-Ami Sohrei (Stardom)
111-Anna Jay (AEW)
113-Nyla Rose (AEW)
117-Hikari Noa (Tokyo Joshi Pro)
118-Saki (Independent/Freelancer)
122-Risa Sera (Stardom)
124-Takumi Iroha (Indepdndent/Freelancer)
126-Riho (AEW)
127-Natsuko Tora (Stardom)
132-Mio Momomo (Independent/Fteelancer)
143-Momo Watanabe (Stardom)
135-Diamante (AEW)
137-Madison Rayne (AEW)
143-Natsupoi (Stardom)
146-Chihiro Hashimoto (Sendai Girls)
154-Kiera Hogan (AEW)
155-Thekla (Stardom)
157-Yuki Kamifuku (Tokyo Joshi Pro)
160-Haruka Unesaki (Independent/Freelancer)
170-Marina Shafir (AEW)
172-Ibuko Hoshi (Ice Ribbon)
177-Chikayo Nagashima (Independent/Freelancer)
179-Itsuki Aoki (Independent/Freelancer)
183-Savannah Evans (Impact)
188-Miyuke Takase (Independent/Freelancer)
195-Miku Aono (Independent/Freelancer)
198-Hiroyo Matsumoto (Independent/Freelancer)
204-Totoro Satsuki (Ice Robbon)
205-Janai Kai (AEW/Tokyo Joshi Pro/GLEAT)
209-Hyper Misao (Tokyo Joshi Pro)
211-YuuRI (Ganbare Pro)
213-Mei Suruga (Gatoh Move)
214-Ram Kaichow (666)
218-Sayaka Unagi (Stardom)
222-Maya Yukihi (Independent/Freelancer)
225-Suzume (Tokyo Joshi Pro)
336-Mai Sakurai (Stardom)
230-Kaori Yoneyama/Fukigen (Stardom)
233-Koguma (Stardom)
239-Waka Tsukiyama (Stardom)
250-Yappy (Ice Ribbon)
Potential notables not ranked: Mercedes Mone (injured, only had a handful of matches), MICHIKO (Michiko Miyagi), Yuna Manase (injured), Saki Akai, Yuki Arai, Ryo Mizunami.
