Top 100 Wrestlers Of 2019: 40-21

In honor of the PWI 500, we’ve decided to present our own ranking of the greatest wrestlers over the past year.

(Full disclosure: Juan Bautista suggested compiling a list of 500 wrestlers by himself, but we can’t afford to have any more writers die.)

Our ranking differs from the PWI 500 because we use math. Well, at least we try to. Sam Gladen pitched the idea that we all submit our own list of the top 100 wrestlers of 2018, and each ranking represents points. For example, #1 = 100 points, #2 = 99 points, etc.

At the end, we’d calculate who had the most points and assign ranking from there.

Here are 100-81.

Here are 80-61.

Here are 60-41.

Without further ado, here are 40-21.

40. Hiroshi Tanahashi (329)

We all thought the Ace of New Japan was possibly going to slow down in 2019. Yet, he couldn’t be further from it! Hiroshi Tanahashi is still able to deliver the goods in every match he wrestles and continues to prove why he is the crispest and slickest wrestler of our generation. – Steven Jackson

39. Matt Riddle (333)

Bro…is Riddle vs. Goldberg the feud of the year? The MMA export made an immediate impact in NXT this year, although he did suffer several key losses, especially in championship matches. While it remains to be seen how a free spirit like Riddle will fare in McMahonland, his popularity is undeniable and his future looks promising no matter where he ends up. – John Corrigan

38. Jay White (336)

2019 started strong for White capturing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the Tokyo Dome. While he lost just a couple months later to Okada at Madison Square Garden, he did win the Intercontinental Championship and remains a threat. – Juan Bautista

37. Finn Balor (340)

2019 was shaping up to be a mediocre year for Balor before his return to NXT revitalized him. Balor has since turned heel and gone back to his “Prince Devitt” roots. – Chad Gelfand

36. Bobby Fish (342)

Every year I find myself asking, “how would Bobby Fish rank out if he was away from the Undisputed Era,” and every year I reach the same conclusion. Probably about the same. Fish is not a main player. He never has been, and that’s okay. Rather, he’s an incredible support piece that really helps give the Undisputed Era its edge. He is a good talker and an excellent tag team specialist. Think of it like the Bryan Brothers in tennis. Bob and Mike won so many major doubles championships, it definitely makes you wonder how they’d fare in singles. But then you realize it probably doesn’t matter because they’re great the way they are. That sums up Bobby Fish perfectly for me. – Jack Goodwillie

35. Velveteen Dream (347)

At this point, the only thing the Velveteen Dream is missing is a top program to accompany the charisma and talent he possesses. I am very thankful he has not seen a main-roster call-up just yet either. But another part of you has to wonder when his time in NXT is coming? The brand rebuilt itself quickly after last year’s roster raid, but the Velveteen Dream remained a constant in the upper-mid card. So, when is he going to become the gold and black’s golden goose? He was phenomenal as advertised in everything he did this year, from the Super Bowl Halftime match (which I praised) to dropping the North American Championship to Roderick Strong. – Jack Goodwillie

34. Charlotte (349)

Charlotte continued her dominance of the women’s division, adding two more SmackDown Women’s Titles and being in the first women’s main event in WrestleMania history. – Chad Gelfand

33. Kyle O’Reilly (351)

As individuals, it’s easy to lose sight of just how valuable guys like Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish are to the Undisputed Era and NXT in general. But O’Reilly, despite being predominantly a tag team wrestler since coming to NXT, has had his opportunities to shine and could very well be one half of the top duo in the world right now. It’s funny to think he’s 32 already, as he and Adam Cole seemed forever destined to be the young guns of Ring of Honor during the early half of this decade. But he really shines on his own in NXT. His MMA style is fresh and different from that of Matt Riddle’s, an actual former MMA fighter, and is super crisp and deliberate in the ring. – Jack Goodwillie

32. Jacob Fatu (355)

If you missed out on Fatu’s 2019, you might want to go back and watch the tape. The Samoan Werewolf broke out as the sport’s most impactful and impressive big man, laying his claim to being this generation’s Vader or Bam Bam Bigelow. As he enters 2020 with a 5+ month title reign, Fatu will need to keep evolving and find his next gear, but if performance to date is any indicator, that shouldn’t be a problem. – David Gibb

31. Brock Lesnar (370)

The Beast has only had eight matches this year, but every single one was memorable. As the greatest wrestler of the decade, his dominance continued this year by winning both the Universal and WWE Championship, the latter of which with one F-5. He even avenged his loss to Cain Velasquez! As we approach a new decade, you have to wonder what else the Conqueror has left to accomplish in WWE. – John Corrigan

30. Keith Lee (377)

I will be the first to admit that I have a slight bias when it comes to Texas-based wrestlers, but I don’t think anyone can argue that Keith Lee has had one of the most impressive breakout years in recent memory. After months of seemingly not doing much of anything, he and Domnick Dijakovic beat the ever-loving hell out of each other and now both have prominent spots in the upper card. – Sam Gladen

29. Adam Page (380)

Page started his AEW career off hot by winning the Casino Battle Royale to face Jericho at All Out for the world title. Page showed a strong side, but fell short to Le Champion in the end. Feeling lost in the shuffle, Page removed himself from The Elite and has been focusing on doing more cowboy shit. Here’s to things looking up for the Hangman in 2020. – Matthew Smith

28. MJF (385)

Controversial take: MJF is actually a babyface because nobody can shut up about how good he is and how much you should appreciate him. Kidding aside, MJF continued his meteoric rise throughout 2019, continuing to serve as one of MLW’s top attractions and asserting himself as a national star on AEW. 2020 will be a make-or-break year for Friedman, who has a lot of money and effort behind him at this point. – David Gibb

27. Roman Reigns (394)

Roman Reigns gets a bump for everything he overcame this year en route to becoming a featured player at WrestleMania 35. Okay, now taking his comeback story out of it, this was probably not the best year for Reigns from a match-quality standpoint. But what choice did he have? Look at him now! He’s currently locked in a feud with one of the most over pushed superstars of the current era, and someone who is maybe just a shade above Ahmed Johnson in terms of talent. Heading to the shelf also caused him to lose his spot to Seth Rollins, for better or worse. But you know what Roman Reigns did accomplish this year? He shook the John Cena syndrome. Returning in the fashion he did helped, and perhaps his de-push helped somewhat, too. But his skills have not deteriorated and Reigns is still a valuable resource for WWE. Rehabbing him back into a bonafide superstar should be towards the top of the writing team’s agenda in 2020. – Jack Goodwillie

26. Kota Ibushi (401)

Is there anyone who doesn’t like Kota Ibushi?! Kota has redefined wrestling time and time again and 2019 was no different. An amazing feud with Tetsuya Naito as well as conquering the G1 Climax have made Kota the most beloved man in NJPW. – Steven Jackson

25. Ricochet (403)

Ricochet, in his WWE rookie year, has had made a good impression winning the U.S Championship, facing AJ Styles at SummerSlam and cementing himself as one of the most exciting wrestlers in the company. – Chad Gelfand

24. Pete Dunne (404)

Pete Dunne falls into the same category of a wide array of stars who established themselves in 2018 and maintained their greatness in 2019, but did not reach new heights. I am also banging the table for him to be a heel because that’s how I’ve always seen him and turning him face to feud with the Undisputed Era was maybe a little quick. That said, another huge year for Pete. The WALTER match at Takeover: New York is what really put that event over the top for me. Now, he needs to find ways to stand out. That’s why a move to the main roster in early 2020 may not be so bad. The booking and directive on Raw and SmackDown has been so bad, the moment new call-ups reach those shows they will have at least a CHANCE to stand out for a while before getting lost in the “shuffle,” as they say. – Jack Goodwillie

23. The Fiend (445)

Bray Wyatt was one of the tougher wrestlers to rank this year. He couldn’t have had more than 15 televised matches, yet his current character is one of the most over entities WWE has at the moment. Moreover, the matches he HAS participated in have disappointed. The Seth Rollins and Miz matches were critically panned, and rightfully so. At a certain point, Wyatt has to garner some criticism for his shortcomings in the ring. But man, I keep coming back to The Fiend character, and I have to say, the vignettes have been one of the few bright spots for WWE this year. – Jack Goodwillie

22. Daniel Bryan (467)

I could be wrong, but I believe I pegged Daniel Bryan to be wrestler of the year in 2019 at the end of last year. And with good reason – his year got off to such a phenomenal start and his heel persona had a lot to do with it. It was unique, and it did not detract from his expertise in the ring. I also liked the Kofi Kingston match at WrestleMania. The feud? It was solid. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it was feud of the year, but I digress. The Erick Rowan turn and his frenemy alliance(/face turn?) with Roman Reigns lost me, but it was good to see him end the year on a high note, as a babyface, and ironically the opposite way he ended 2018. Who woulda thunk it? – Jack Goodwillie

21. PAC (503)

Is it hyperbole to claim 2019 as PAC’s greatest year in pro wrestling? From bell to bell, nobody can touch him. His athleticism, stamina and execution are unparalleled. He’s tore up Japan, as well as the U.K., and he’s the best wrestler in AEW. He’s also one of the only genuine heels in the company, living up to his Bastard moniker. It’s only a matter of time before PAC wins the AEW World Championship. – John Corrigan