Every year, Pro Wresting Illustrated ranks the 100 top women in the business, mostly in kayfabe terms. Whereas the men’s list, the PWI 500, has been around since 1991, they’ve only been doing the Women’s 100 since 2008, but it’s still considered a thing that matters in the business. When the last year’s list came out, Becky Lynch was annoyed to be #11, while her primary rival at the time, Ronda Rousey, was #1. But of course at that time, she’d only been “The Man” for a couple of months. Now, on the other hand, Becky’s position at the top of the list seems inevitable.
https://twitter.com/BeckyLynchWWE/status/1190276517781295104
Here’s the top ten, courtesy of PWI:
1. Becky Lynch
2. Charlotte Flair
3. Ronda Rousey
4. Shayna Baszler
5. Tessa Blanchard
6. Bayley
7. Natalya
8. Io Shirai
9. Mercedes Martinez
10. Nicole Savoy
It’s a little weird that Ronda Rousey is as high as number three for a year in which she hasn’t wrestled since April. Natalya being in the top ten is also pretty surprising, but maybe they’re including Total Divas in their calculations now? That might explain it.
As far as non-WWE women, Tessa Blanchard has certainly earned her spot in the top five (I’d probably have put her at #3, personally, but that’s just my opinion). Mercedes Martinez is likewise worthy of the Top Ten for her indie work, and Nicole Savoy is a welcome surprise as well.
