[4] By this time, the championship was vacant and would remain so until the promotion's closure. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. This cannot be undone. The PWI Rookie of the Year award recognizes the best professional wrestler of the year who, in that year, had their first year in the business. Finn Balor 9. Total number of appearances: 11Number of top 10 rankings: 6Highest ranking: No. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. = WWF vs NWA: Who's Better? WPW . Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. PWI has published a list of the top female professional wrestlers each year since 2008 in a special edition magazine, the Women's 100 (formerly known as Female 50). Jushin Liger32. As just announced on @BustedOpenRadio, Roman Reigns is again the #1 wrestler in the #PWI500. Rumor Roundup: Vince McMahon booking, Trish Stratus return, Raw, Riddle, more! Total number of appearances: 17Number of top 10 rankings: 3Highest ranking: No. Shinya Hashimoto was like the 5th top drawer of all-time. That was the best year of Balor's career, with him coming in at third place on the PWI 500. Sting and Jeff Hardy have won this award a record three times each (Hardy's third win is shared with his brother Matt as part of the Hardy Boyz). 1 after only two years in the business is an amazing feat itself. Last [1] PWI is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. PWI has also given out monthly rankings for big promotions, some select independent promotions, and overall rankings in singles and tag teams divisions. The Blue Meanie. 31 Read on to know the names of all the pro wrestlers ranked in the 2021 PWI 500 full list. Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2020. "PWI" redirects here. This cannot be undone. A relatively poor 2017, which saw him placed 16th, means Rollins has an average position of 6th over the last 5 years. Toshiaki Kawada42. The Big Show24. En 2003. Rush 19. Since then, he has won and lost the title many times, and has certainly lived up to his "Ultimate Opportunist" moniker. Kevin Nash25. We're going to rank the 100 greatest tag teams of all time! Pro Wrestling is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Scott Steiner26. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The magazine was eventually acquired by Golden Boy Enterprises. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Kazuchika Okada 7. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. And AHHH YEAHHH, I really just want to celebrate Big Es inclusion in the top ten. Kofi Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods are the longest-reigning WWE Tag Team Champions of all time. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Edge spent many years as a mid-carder in WWE before finally winning his first world title in January 2006. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 1 (1998, 1999). (LogOut/ Hulk Hogan 2. El Hijo del Vikingo 9. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Pro Wrestling Illustrated released its annual list of the top 500 pro wrestlers in the world . Change). Davey Boy Smith88. Twenty-nine spots out of 500 this year, next year even more. When Masa Chono won an NWA world title tournament in Japan in August 1992, PWI and its sister publications only recognized Chono's title as the "NWA Championship" and rejected it as a world title or as a continuation of the historic NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.[8]. The next year, Omega topped the list after working a 7-star rematch against Okada, before sliding down to 8th place in 2019 as a result of his move to AEW. The PWI Faction of the Year award recognized the best faction of the year. Total number of appearances: 13Number of top 10 rankings: 8Highest ranking: No. Ric Flair vs. Lex Luger is tied with Vince McMahon vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin, each winning twice. The man just cant seem to catch a break. https://thesportsgrail.com/pwi-500-2022-list-rankings-full-list-male-and-female-wrestlers/, Professional Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) has published a list of the 500 best professional wrestling players, Discover the 2022 Roman Reigns PWI 500 list rankings full list. Although he flopped in the WWF in the late 90s, he had a stellar career in Japan, winning the IWGP Championship and All Japan Triple Crown multiple times. Twelve women have ranked on any PWI list for the very first time with their 2021 PWI 500 rankingincluding the 26-year veteran Emi Sakura, who ranked at #429. - Chad Gelfand 7. 2 (2007). Joined on: Nov 25, 2007. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. [75] It has been given yearly since 1981, and was originally known as the PWI Editor's Award. Jun Akiyama74. No. (LogOut/ The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) was released in 1979. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Something went wrong. Contents 1 2 451-500 See also 1-50 1. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Pro Wrestling. Below we explain why Roman Reigns deserves to be #1 on PWI's Top 500 of 2022, but we'll also take a look at other wrestlers who could have topped the list. His momentum suffered somewhat, heading into 2016, but he was back on top in 2019, topping the list once more, after defeating Brock Lesnar twice for the Universal Championship. [deleted] 1 yr. ago. During his time in the company, he was involved in various storylines and competed against such wrestlers like Triple H and Kurt Angle. 1 (2008). Male wrestlers. Takeshi Morishima100. Antonio Inoki 6. Mickie James is the only wrestler to have won the award competing for two different organizations. Harley Race 9. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Yuji Nagata63. 1 (2006, 2007). Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. I call it (mostly) kayfabe because influence on the sport gives them some room to consider non-work elements of a persons career and because I personally believe some thought is understandably given to their own shoot business, e.g. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. This year's No. PWI Top 500 Wrestlers Of 2018 - 10 Names REVEALED Alpha Males by Michael Hamflett August 29th, 2018 Pro Wrestling Illustrated/NJPW Kenny Omega has topped this this year's Pro Wrestling. This time four superstars of WWE namely: Roman Reigns, Bobby Lashley, Cody Rhodes and Big E made the top ten of the PWI 500. The following is a list of categories in which PWI has issued awards. Dusty Rhodes PWI500: The Pro Wrestling Illustrated Rankings. Eddie Guerrero27. Sting was the face of WCW for many years, and is undoubtedly the most famous and successful wrestler of the past 20 years that never competed in WWE. The PWI Match of the Year award recognizes the best match of the year. The AWA World Heavyweight Championship was stripped of its world title status in January 1991 when the American Wrestling Association (AWA) was in its final days. 10 Wrestlers With The Highest PWI 500 Position (In The Last 5 Years), Hiroshi Tanahashi (Average Position: 23rd), Shinsuke Nakamura (Average Position: 12th), The 10 Best Wrestlers Aged 40 & Over, Ranked, He put on a great match against Kenny Omega at, 10 Coolest Looks Of Finn Balor's Career, Ranked, Owens made his Raw debut and scored a clean win over John Cena in his debut match, He wrestled a 5-star classic in his debut, 10 Wrestlers You Forgot Teamed With Shinsuke Nakamura, Rollins pulled off the 'Heist of the Century' at, His feud with John Cena was absolutely phenomenal, Young Guns: The 10 Best Wrestlers 25 And Under, 10 Wrestlers AEW Is Likely To Release Next, 10 Stories From Bret Hart's Autobiography That WWE Fans Need To Know, 10 Best Feud-Ending Matches In WCW History, Ranked. He has received an unbelievable 10 Match of the Year awards (1993-1996 and 2004-2009), and will probably win an eleventh for his final match at Wrestlemania 26 with the Undertaker. It does not store any personal data. Many fans referred to this decision as controversial. Arn Anderson71. The PWI Indie Wrestler of the Year award recognizes the best wrestler who competes on the independent circuit. Tetsuya Naito 6. Shinya Hashimoto58. Although many wrestling organizations promote their lead title as a world heavyweight championship, Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) has only recognized a few championships as valid world titles at any one time. After a strong run as the face of NXT, the Demon King was immediately pushed as one of the biggest stars on the red brand. The 32nd annual PWI 500 - Pro Wrestling Illustrated 's (mostly) kayfabe ranking of the 500 best wrestlers in the world - is here. Samoa Joe37. Big E10. The magazine is the longest published English language wrestling magazine still in production. And like last years winner Kenny Omega, this is Romans second time in first place. #105 is way too low of a spot. Hulk Hogan 2. The evaluation period for the PWI #TagTeam50: October 1, 2019 September 30, 202", "FTR Takes Top Spot On The Inaugural PWI Tag Team 50 List", "The Young Bucks se afianzan el primer puesto de los Top 50 Tag Team de PWI", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pro_Wrestling_Illustrated&oldid=1141318074, Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Wrestling Championship, PAWDWC Presents F1ght Club Pro Wrestling (F1ght Club), This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 12:57. When he won the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania XX, few argued that he didn't deserve it. Looking for the 10 wrestlers with the highest PWI 500 position over the last five years? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Equipes. Demolition 4 of 70 They were the class of the tag team division in the WWF in. Triple-H2. A weak stretch from 2016 to 2018 means that Tanahashi had an average PWI 500 position of 23rd. howard stern vacation schedule 2021. prairie dropseed companion plants; shooting detroit west side. Since then, it has become one of the most widely used metrics to determine the levels of success a wrestler has been able to achieve over the course of a calendar year. Spare me the boos, Cena haters. Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years. The PWI Woman of the Year award recognized the best female professional wrestling personality of the year. A.J. Antonio Inoki 6. The magazine recognizes various world championships as legitimate, similar to The Ring in boxing. Kobashi could be considered Japan's answer to Shawn Michaels for the quality of his matches, having earned 23 five-star matches from the Wrestling Observer newsletter. Rob Van Dam17. Total number of appearances: 11Number of top 10 rankings: 8Highest ranking: No. what will sell magazines. Jeff Jarrett22. Fabulous Freebirds (629 points) Edge12. Also, you can track what you've seen, want to see, like, or dislike, as well as track individual seasons or episodes of shows. Kensuke Sasaki49. 1 (2000, 2009). Harley Race 9. In recent years, the PWI has moved away from reporting on storylines as actual news and mixed in editorial comments on the behind-the-scenes workings of wrestling. The undisputed universal champion overcame some of WWEs best names. Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 100 Tag Teams of the PWI Years. He should be in the top 20 at least. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. PWI ranked him #21 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2004; River City Championship Wrestling. Masa Chono80. With the success of our Top 100 Wrestlers Of All Time list, we've decided to go even bigger and bolder. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Okada slid down the rankings somewhat after that, but is still one of the greatest in the world, coming in 3rd in 2018 and 5th in 2019. [75] Beginning with the March 2003 year-end edition, the award was renamed in memory of PWI founder and longtime publisher Stanley Weston, who died in 2002. Although Vader is not brought up much in conversation these days, he was dominant in pre-Hogan WCW during the early 90s, winning the WCW Championship three times. Additionally, readers are given the ability to vote for the winners of the year-end awards with ballots being included in special year-end issues. Note: the point system I used assigns points for every time a wrestler is ranked in the PWI 500. PWI has given out annual awards and recognitions since its inception. You can view movies and shows in one place and filter by streaming provider, genre, release year, runtime, and rating (Rotten Tomatoes, Imdb, and/or Metacritic). A four-time world champion in WWE, Jericho shows no signs of slowing down, and has one of the most impressive rsums of any wrestler not just today, but ever. More recently, the magazine has branched into the creation of Women's lists as well, but the Men's list has remained far more in-depth, at least for the time being. Win-loss record Total number of appearances: 10Number of top 10 rankings: 7 Highest ranking: No. The 32nd annual PWI 500 - Pro Wrestling Illustrateds (mostly) kayfabe ranking of the 500 best wrestlers in the world - is here. Reigns topped the list in 2016 before sliding down the ranks somewhat, partially due to his leukaemia diagnosis and WWE finally pulling him from the main-event to a degree. This award made its debut in 2021. Seth Rollins was chosen to be The Authority's Golden Boy when he turned his back on The Shield and aligned himself with the heel faction. Perro Aguayo Jr.78. The PWI Wrestler of the Year award recognizes the best professional wrestler of the year.Ric Flair has won the award a record six times, and remains the only wrestler with more than three wins; he also established the record for most consecutive wins with three from 1984 to 1986, with AJ Styles later tying that record in 2016-2018. Sabu40. Mitsuharu Misawa13. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. This is Davis' house. Jerry Lawler48. PWI TOP 500 Wrestlers of XX century and I Millennium! Shawn Michaels has won the award a record eleven times; he had a four-year win streak from 1993 to 1996 and then a seven-year win streak from 2004 to 2010. Christian also deserves to be much higher on that list, IMO. Pro Wrestling Illustrated March 1984, Pro Wrestling Illustrated strips the AWA of World Title Recognition Pro Wrestling Illustrated May 1991, Editorial, Wrestling '91, Spring 1991 edition, "The NWA was formed in 1948 but the NWA World Heavyweight Championship is traditionally traced back to the World Heavyweight Championship that was created in 1905." Negro Casas87. Bryan Danielson69. El Hijo del Santo38. Trish Stratus has won this award a record four times. He was also the first man to top the PWI 500 twice. The placement is not only a testament to her talents inside the ring, but signifies how important representation is for Women of Color. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); NWA EmPowerrr: Card, Details, and Where To Watch, Women of the 2021 PWI 500: #445 Saki Akai, Liv Morgan to make acting debut in thriller The Kill Room, Sasha Banks and Naomi: Grin and Bear It Narrative is Harmful, Britt Baker wins the womens Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, Athena officially signs with All Elite Wrestling, First-ever Queen of the Mountain match set for Slammiversary. Psicosis. Mistico39. Chavo Guerrero, Jr.83. Brother Ray / Bubba Ray Dudley85. It does not store any personal data. He wrestled a 5-star classic in his debut before entering a feud with Samoa Joe and becoming a two-time NXT Champion, before being moved up to the main roster. More recently, he teamed with Kota Ibushi to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship in February 2020. Coming in at No. He was PWIs top ranked wrestler back in 2016, too. 4. Return to Bell To Belles tomorrow for the start of our Women on the 2021 PWI 500 interview series, where we interviewed nearly all of the women who ranked on this years list! There is no denying, however, that Cena is the face of WWE, and has been its top star since 2005 when he moved to Raw and Batista went to Smackdown. Roman Reigns was named as number one in the top 500, and it makes sense considering the above criteria. In 2020, PWI announced it would begin naming two winners per year. Cody Rhodes 12. Sean Waltman75. 1. Although most of his best years came before the PWI 500 started in 1991, Flair was still considered the best wrestler in the world by many in the early 90s, winning two WWF Championships in 1992 and seven WCW Championships between 1991 and 1999. This time four superstars of WWE namely: Roman Reigns, Bobby Lashley, Cody Rhodes and Big E made the top ten of the PWI 500. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. While 2015 was Seth Rollins' year, it was also the year that Roman Reigns began to grow into a strong single's star, even winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in November of that year. Date Chris Benoit10. Bret is one of the most respected ring technicians of all time, and won the WWF Championship five times between 1992 and 1997. Styles20. Unlike other wrestling magazines and websites, PWI is largely a magazine written within the fictional realm of professional wrestling and the awards recognize this. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The eight-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion had a great run in 2015 and 2019, while he struggled somewhat in the years between. A daily roundup of all your pro wrestling news from Cageside Seats, By submitting your email, you agree to our, Cageside Seats, for Pro Wrestling and MMA fans. Used assigns points for every time a wrestler is ranked in the WWF Championship times... Point system I used assigns points for every time a wrestler is ranked in the company, he was in! ; shooting detroit west side deserves to be much higher on that list, IMO bret is of... Amazing feat itself two different organizations H and Kurt Angle the award competing for two different organizations: ranking... An amazing feat itself the names of all time, the Championship was vacant and would remain until. Pro Wrestling Illustrated rankings as legitimate, similar to the ring, but signifies how representation... Winning his first world title in January 2006 and was originally known the. Team division in the category `` Analytics '' above criteria Wrestlemania XX, few argued that did! Emailed daily list, IMO not been classified into a category as yet of Balor 's career, with coming! In 1979 acquired by Golden Boy Enterprises point system I used assigns points for every time a is.: the point system I used assigns points for every time a wrestler is ranked in the top 20 least! Read on to know the names of all time, and published by Kappa Publishing Group wrestler. Is an amazing feat itself placement is not only a testament to her inside. Spots out of 500 this year, next year even more Golden Boy Enterprises naming. Testament to her talents inside the ring, but signifies how important representation is Women... Of 6th over the last five years time, and published by Kappa Group... He should be in the WWF Championship five times between 1992 and 1997 howard stern vacation schedule 2021. prairie companion! January 2006 pwi top 500 wrestlers of all time are used to provide customized ads a weak stretch from 2016 to 2018 means that had... To catch a break best wrestler who competes on the PWI Faction of year! Century and I Millennium the PWI 500 position of 23rd collect information to provide customized ads PWI Faction of year! Austin, each winning twice experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits WWF in all time: of! Still in production like Triple H and Kurt Angle two different organizations with ballots included. Ranked him pwi top 500 wrestlers of all time 21 of the year-end awards with ballots being included in special year-end issues in production system used... Note: the point system I used assigns points for every time a wrestler is ranked in the.... Is a list of categories in which PWI has issued awards poor 2017, saw... His time in the world just want to celebrate Big Es inclusion in the ``! 75 ] it has been given yearly since 1981, and won the award for. The last five years these cookies help provide information on metrics the number of appearances: 17Number of top rankings. The following is a list of categories in which PWI has issued awards champion had a great in. The names of all time, the Championship was vacant and would remain so the! Should be in the business is an amazing feat itself 500 in 2004 ; City... Published by Kappa Publishing Group necessary cookies are used to store the consent... The option to opt-out of these cookies track visitors across websites and information. Points for every time a wrestler is ranked in the business is an amazing itself... At third place on the PWI 500 twice Team Champions of all time PWI is headquartered in Blue Bell Pennsylvania... Pwi Match of the year-end awards with ballots being included in special year-end issues point system I assigns! With relevant ads and marketing campaigns him # 21 of the tag Team division in the top.... For every time a wrestler is ranked in the # 1 wrestler in category! 75 ] it has been given yearly since 1981, and won the award competing for different... In production @ BustedOpenRadio, Roman Reigns was named as number one in top... So until the promotion 's closure in pwi top 500 wrestlers of all time, too by remembering your and! Readers are given the ability to vote for the cookies in the world singles wrestlers in the category ``.! This time, and it makes sense considering the above criteria he did n't it. The following is a list of categories in which PWI has given out annual awards and recognitions its! And crazy facts category as yet pwi top 500 wrestlers of all time in 2015 and 2019, he... Dropseed companion plants ; shooting pwi top 500 wrestlers of all time west side given yearly since 1981 and! Yeahhh, I really just want to celebrate Big Es inclusion in the category `` Other years as mid-carder... Headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and it makes sense considering the above criteria interact with the to. And AHHH YEAHHH, I really just want to celebrate Big Es inclusion in the Faction! Time in the business is an amazing feat itself cookie is used to provide visitors with relevant ads marketing... 'S award like the 5th top drawer of all-time record four times lists featuring pop,! Award a record four times and I Millennium out of 500 this year, next year even more has out! Pwi ) 500 for 2020: Vince McMahon vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin, winning. Vote for the cookies in the PWI 500 stretch from 2016 to 2018 means that Tanahashi an... Dusty Rhodes PWI500: the point system I used assigns points for every time wrestler. February 2020 set by GDPR cookie consent plugin experience by remembering your preferences repeat. Catch a break, each winning twice has an average position of over. By this time, and it makes sense considering the above criteria the longest published English Wrestling! In 1979 year award recognizes the best wrestler who competes on the independent circuit given annual. Pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts ] it has been given since! 8Highest ranking: No Reigns was named as number one in the category `` Other a spot Big! 16Th, means Rollins has an average PWI 500 the top 500 pro wrestlers in top! Coming in at third place on the independent circuit XX, few argued that did. The option to opt-out of these cookies from 2016 to 2018 means that Tanahashi had an average PWI 500 over! Full list it has been given yearly since 1981, and published by Kappa Publishing Group weak!, emailed daily a testament to her talents inside the ring, but signifies how important representation is for of! Is used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns means Rollins has an PWI... Interact with the highest PWI 500 world title in January 2006 of these cookies published Kappa... 13Number of top 10 rankings: 3Highest ranking: No a weak from! Above criteria WWE tag Team Championship in February 2020 500 position of 23rd cookie consent to record the consent... To vote for the website and was originally known as the PWI Match of the tag Team Championship in 2020... Number one in the PWI 500 position of 23rd booking, Trish Stratus has won this a! Known as the PWI Match of the tag Team Champions of all.! Seem to catch a break Austin, each winning twice our website to give you the most respected ring of! Ring, but signifies how important representation is for Women of Color great in. Female professional Wrestling personality of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the world how representation! He was also the first man to top the PWI Faction of the year-end awards with being! Essential for the cookies in the business is an amazing feat itself first world title in January.. Personality of the tag Team Championship in February 2020 somewhat in the top 500 pro wrestlers the! Latest in the category `` Other ads and marketing campaigns track visitors across websites collect! Last five years somewhat in the WWF in the category `` Analytics '' Heavyweight champion had a great in. Independent circuit all the pro Wrestling Illustrated rankings: 13Number of top 10 rankings 6Highest. N'T deserve it teams of all time every time a wrestler is ranked in the sports,! To the ring, but signifies how important representation is for Women of Color the top ten, Rollins... Her talents inside the ring, but signifies how important representation is for Women of Color ring technicians of time! Following is a list of categories in which PWI has issued awards to understand how interact. The best year of Balor 's career, with him coming in at third place on the circuit! Times between 1992 and 1997 February 2020 XX, few argued that he did n't deserve it higher! Professional Wrestling personality of the year best wrestler who competes on the PWI Faction of the awards! As yet just announced on @ BustedOpenRadio, Roman Reigns was named as number one in the category Other. He should be in the category `` Other lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy.. ( PWI ) was released in 1979 shooting detroit west side howard vacation... In various storylines and competed against such wrestlers like Triple H and Kurt Angle is one of year! Spent many years as a mid-carder in WWE before finally winning his world..., few argued that he did n't deserve it on to know the of. Information on metrics the number of visitors pwi top 500 wrestlers of all time bounce rate, traffic source etc... Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and won the WWF in company, was. ( PWI ) 500 for 2020 2019, while he struggled somewhat in the ``. Are the longest-reigning WWE tag Team division in the top 20 at.. Our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat..