In the world of professional wrestling, the accolades and recognition are not only reserved for the men who step into the squared circle.
In the world of professional wrestling, the accolades and recognition are not only reserved for the men who step into the squared circle. It’s that time of year again when Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) compiles its annual list of the best women’s wrestlers competing today. What started as a list of 50 women has now grown to a historic 250, showcasing the incredible talent and achievements of female athletes in the wrestling industry.
This year’s coveted number-one spot went to none other than WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley, marking a remarkable rise from her 42nd rank last year. Ripley’s journey to the top has been nothing short of meteoric, and her dominance in the ring has rightfully earned her the top spot in the PWI 250.
Ripley shares the top ten with another WWE standout Bianca Belair who secured the third position. AEW also made a strong showing with Jamie Hayter and Willow Nightingale taking the fourth and eighth spots respectively. The reigning Ring of Honor Women’s Champion Athena claimed the sixth spot showcasing her prowess in the world of wrestling.
The second spot on the list belongs to STARDOM’s Giulia a name synonymous with excellence in the ring. Tam Nakano who took Giulia’s World of STARDOM Championship and continues to wear it proudly secured the fifth spot. Impact Wrestling’s Deonna Purrazzo and Jordynne Grace earned the seventh and tenth positions respectively while NWA’s Kamille rounded out the group at number nine.
What makes this year’s PWI 250 even more interesting is the presence of champions in the top ten. Ripley, Giulia, Athena, and Nakano are all current titleholders adding an extra layer of prestige to their rankings. The list also featured champions like AEW TBS Champion Kris Statlander, Impact Knockouts World Champion Trinity, WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY, AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida, and IWGP Women’s Champion Mayu Iwatani, who secured spots at 18, 23, 24, 28, and 30, respectively.
Notably absent from the top spots this year were the wrestlers formerly known as the Four Horsewomen of WWE. For the first time since 2013, none of them made the top ten with Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Bayley landing at 21, 29, and 41, respectively. Even Mercedes Mone formerly known as Sasha Banks was not ranked as she did not meet PWI’s qualifications for activity during the grading period.
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