Pro Wrestling Illustrated


Pro Wrestling Illustrated is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. PWI is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The magazine is the longest published English language wrestling magazine still in production. PWI publishes bimonthly, as well as special issues such as their annual "Almanac and Book of Facts" and "PWI 500" edition. The magazine recognizes various world championships as legitimate, similar to The Ring in boxing.
PWI is often referred to as an "Apter Mag", named after its long-time photographer Bill Apter, a term used for wrestling magazines that keep kayfabe. 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.
Since 1991, PWI has been publishing its annual "PWI 500", listing the top 500 male wrestlers in the world. In 2008, they added an annual "Top 50 Female Wrestlers" list, which was later expanded and renamed to the "Top 100 Female Wrestlers" list in 2018 and then again in 2021 as the "Top 150 Female Wrestlers." In 2020, they added an annual "Top 50 Tag Teams" listing the top tag teams in the world.

History

The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979. The magazine soon became known for not breaking kayfabe in its articles as it traditionally treated all "angles", or storylines, as real. However, in more recent years the magazine has taken an editorial approach between kayfabe and "shoot" writing, differentiating between on-screen feuds and controversies behind the scenes. PWI is not limited to covering only prominent professional wrestling promotions, as it also covers multiple independent promotions in the United States. PWI also published other special issues, which included: PWI Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts since 1996, Women of Wrestling, and a weekly newsletter entitled PWI Weekly from 1989 to 2000.

Yearly awards

PWI has given out annual awards and recognitions since its inception. These awards had previously been given out by another Victory Sports Magazine property, Sports Review Wrestling. PWI has also given out monthly rankings for big promotions, some select independent promotions, and overall rankings in singles and tag teams divisions. 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. A special PWI Awards Magazine is issued annually, which reveals winners and the number of votes counted. The following is a list of categories in which PWI has issued awards.
  • Wrestler of the Year
  • Tag Team of the Year
  • Match of the Year
  • Feud of the Year
  • Most Popular Wrestler of the Year
  • Most Hated Wrestler of the Year
  • Most Improved Wrestler of the Year
  • Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year
  • Rookie of the Year
  • Stanley Weston Award
  • Comeback of the Year
  • Woman of the Year
  • Manager of the Year
  • Midget Wrestler of the Year
  • Announcer of the Year

    World championship status

Historical recognition

Although many wrestling organizations promote their lead title as a world heavyweight championship, Pro Wrestling Illustrated has only recognized a few championships as valid world titles at any one time. PWI has also generally recognized the main tag team title from any promotion with a recognized world heavyweight championship as being a world tag team championship and certain other select titles from those promotions as world championships.
In 1983, PWI withdrew world title recognition from the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, citing how champion Bob Backlund was not facing contenders from outside the World Wrestling Federation territory and was only facing rulebreakers. This coincided with the WWF's withdrawal from the National Wrestling Alliance in summer 1983. PWI reinstated the WWF's world title recognition retroactively in 1985 on account of the WWF's massive mainstream media profile.
The AWA World Heavyweight Championship was stripped of its world title status in January 1991 when the American Wrestling Association was in its final days. By this time, the championship was vacant and would remain so until the promotion's closure.
Until March 1991, PWI and its sister publications steadfastly referred to World Championship Wrestling as "the NWA" despite WCW having increasingly phased out the latter name in the preceding months. In spring 1991, the family of magazines adopted a new policy of referring to the current promotion and its champions as WCW and the promotion's pre-1991 past as the NWA. The magazine also announced it would refer to the overall history of the promotion's world title as the "NWA/WCW World Championship". PWI generally traced the lineage of the NWA/WCW World Championship back to George Hackenschmidt's title victory in 1905, rather than the creation of the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship in 1948. Subsequently, after Ric Flair left WCW and was stripped of the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in July 1991, PWI and its sister publications nonetheless continued to recognize the WCW title as held by Lex Luger, Sting, Vader, and Ron Simmons as the rightful continuation of the historic NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship. 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.
PWI initially did not recognize the ECW World Heavyweight Championship as a world title but granted the championship and the promotion world title status in 1999.

Current recognition

Since 2023, Pro Wrestling Illustrated recognizes the WWE Championship, World Heavyweight Championship, AEW World Championship, Impact World Championship, ROH World Championship, MLW World Heavyweight Championship, and NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship from the United States, the AAA Mega Championship and CMLL World Heavyweight Championship from Mexico, as well as the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, World of Stardom Championship, and GHC Heavyweight Championship from Japan as world heavyweight championships. PWI later additionally recognized the independent wrestling titles the Independent Wrestling World Championship and the Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Wrestling Championship as world championships.

List of all recognized world heavyweight championships

According to the annual PWI almanac, PWI still recognizes select world title reigns from May 4, 1905 – January 28, 1946, before the formation of the National Wrestling Alliance in July 1948, mostly conforming to the lineage traditionally traced backwards 1948-1905 by the NWA for their World Heavyweight Championship.

Rankings

''PWI 500''

PWI has published the list of the top 500 professional wrestlers each year since 1991 in an annual special edition magazine, the PWI 500. PWI writers choose the position of the wrestler following a designated evaluation period starting from mid-June; anything a wrestler accomplished before or after that period is not considered. They follow a criterion that includes win–loss record, championships won, quality of competition, major feuds, prominence within a wrestler's promotion, and overall wrestling ability., L. A. Park has been ranked in the most editions of the PWI 500, with 30 appearances. John Cena and Seth Rollins have the most appearances at number one, with three. John Cena has the most appearances in the top 10, with 13. In 1993, Miss Texas became the first woman to be ranked in the list, at number 249. Since 2008, men and women have had separate lists.
Year12345678910
1991Hulk HoganLex LugerRic FlairRandy SavageStingScott SteinerRicky SteamboatSteve WilliamsArn AndersonRick Steiner
1992StingRandy SavageRic FlairRick RudeBret HartRicky SteamboatJerry LawlerScott SteinerThe Ultimate WarriorStunning Steve Austin
1993Bret HartBig Van VaderShawn MichaelsStingYokozunaRic FlairLex LugerRick RudeMr. PerfectScott Steiner
1994Bret HartHulk HoganRic FlairBig Van VaderShawn MichaelsStunning Steve AustinRazor RamonStingRicky SteamboatOwen Hart
1995DieselShawn MichaelsStingBret HartSabuHulk HoganBig Van VaderRandy SavageRazor RamonMitsuharu Misawa
1996Shawn MichaelsThe GiantStingKenta KobashiAhmed JohnsonKevin NashRey Misterio, Jr.Hulk HoganSabuRic Flair
1997Dean MalenkoMitsuharu MisawaStone Cold Steve AustinDiamond Dallas PageLex LugerThe UndertakerShinya HashimotoThe GiantJushin Thunder LigerChris Benoit
1998Stone Cold Steve AustinGoldbergMitsuharu MisawaDiamond Dallas PageThe UndertakerKenta KobashiBooker TKen ShamrockJushin Thunder LigerChris Jericho
1999Stone Cold Steve AustinRob Van DamMitsuharu MisawaRey Misterio, Jr.The RockDiamond Dallas PageKeiji MutohThe UndertakerGoldbergTaz
2000Triple HThe RockChris BenoitKenta KobashiJeff JarrettJustin CredibleMike AwesomeJushin Thunder LigerChris JerichoKensuke Sasaki
2001Kurt AngleStone Cold Steve AustinChris BenoitKeiji MutohBooker TTriple HScott SteinerMitsuharu MisawaChris JerichoRhyno
2002Rob Van DamThe UndertakerKeiji MutohChris JerichoEddie GuerreroKurt AngleEdgeYuji NagataThe RockTriple H
2003Brock LesnarTriple HKurt AngleKeiji MutohChris JerichoBig ShowBooker TKenta KobashiEddie GuerreroRob Van Dam
2004Chris BenoitEddie GuerreroTriple HKenta KobashiRandy OrtonToshiaki KawadaJohn CenaA.J. StylesShawn MichaelsChris Jericho
2005BatistaJohn CenaSatoshi KojimaTriple HJohn Bradshaw LayfieldKurt AngleA.J. StylesEdgeShelton BenjaminHiroyoshi Tenzan
2006John CenaKurt AngleEdgeSamoa JoeMísticoRey MysterioBrock LesnarKenta KobashiShawn MichaelsJeff Jarrett
2007John CenaEdgeMísticoKurt AngleThe UndertakerShawn MichaelsChristian CagePerro Aguayo, Jr.Bobby LashleyTakeshi Morishima
2008Randy OrtonKurt AngleTriple HSamoa JoeEdgeThe UndertakerShawn MichaelsNigel McGuinnessJohn CenaShinsuke Nakamura
2009Triple HChris JerichoJohn CenaEdgeRandy OrtonNigel McGuinnessHiroshi TanahashiCM PunkStingÚltimo Guerrero
2010A.J. StylesJohn CenaCM PunkRandy OrtonChris JerichoBatistaShinsuke NakamuraThe UndertakerKurt AngleSheamus
2011The MizRandy OrtonJohn CenaKaneTakashi SugiuraAlberto Del RioMr. AndersonRey MysterioEddie EdwardsCM Punk
2012CM PunkBobby RoodeJohn CenaDaniel BryanSheamusJun AkiyamaDavey RichardsKurt AngleMark HenryAlberto Del Rio
2013John CenaCM PunkHiroshi TanahashiBully RayKazuchika OkadaSheamusJeff HardyAlberto Del RioDolph ZigglerKevin Steen
2014Daniel BryanRandy OrtonJohn CenaA.J. StylesKazuchika OkadaBray WyattRoman ReignsMagnusAdam ColeBully Ray
2015Seth RollinsJohn CenaA.J. StylesRoman ReignsShinsuke NakamuraRandy OrtonJay BriscoeRusevAlberto El PatrónKevin Owens
2016Roman ReignsKazuchika OkadaFinn BálorA.J. StylesJay LethalKevin OwensShinsuke NakamuraSeth RollinsDean AmbroseJohn Cena
2017Kazuchika OkadaA.J. StylesKevin OwensRoman ReignsKenny OmegaShinsuke NakamuraSamoa JoeDean AmbroseBobby RoodeThe Miz
2018Kenny OmegaA.J. StylesKazuchika OkadaBrock LesnarSeth RollinsBraun StrowmanRoman ReignsCody RhodesTetsuya NaitoThe Miz
2019Seth RollinsDaniel BryanA.J. StylesKofi KingstonKazuchika OkadaJohnny GarganoRoman ReignsKenny OmegaHiroshi TanahashiWill Ospreay
2020Jon MoxleyAdam ColeChris JerichoDrew McIntyreTetsuya NaitoKazuchika OkadaCody RhodesSeth RollinsKofi KingstonAJ Styles
2021Kenny OmegaRoman ReignsBobby LashleyDrew McIntyreKota IbushiJon MoxleyWill OspreayFinn BálorShingo TakagiRich Swann
2022Roman ReignsKazuchika OkadaCM PunkAdam PageBobby LashleyCody RhodesBryan DanielsonEl Hijo del VikingoBig EJonathan Gresham
2023Seth RollinsRoman ReignsJon MoxleyGuntherEl Hijo del VikingoMJFKazuchika OkadaOrange CassidyJosh AlexanderCody Rhodes
2024Cody RhodesSwerve StricklandWill OspreaySeth RollinsTetsuya NaitoDamian PriestMJFJon MoxleyGuntherMístico
2025Cody RhodesJon MoxleyGuntherAdam PageHirooki GotoJey UsoSwerve StricklandSeth RollinsMísticoWill Ospreay