PWI Top 500 - 2012

Charisteas

The results should be out soon as last year they were out in July, so who's making your top 5 (or top 10 if you prefer) of the last 12 months?

I'm going for -

1. CM Punk - Just had an incredible last 12 months starting from the Summer of Punk. The feud with Triple H and Nash and the whole text messaging thing was in danger of being detrimental to him, but thinking about the quality matches he had with Jericho and Bryan was enough to put that out of memory. Still wish he did have a match with Nash though.

2. Austin Aries - Come on leaps and bounds since he re-signed last year, and has had a even mix of great matches in the X-division and Heavyweight division. Promo's were better as a heel, but I always prefer to see wrestlers as a babyface when they win the heavyweight title for the first time, so his face turn came at the right time.

3. John Cena - Despite not always wanting to see him main event every PPV, no doubting his highly entertaining matches, especially against Lesnar and The Rock which I have re-watched several times each. Thought he should have beaten Rock and lost to Lesnar, not other way around, but he's still a top guy.

4. Bobby Roode - Finally realised as one of the top guys in the industry today. Although he didn't really have a stand-out feud and it seemed like every month he was going through a different guy which was an interesting concept and remained fresh throughout each short feud. He actually looks like a star this year with the promo skills to match, and although it seemed like Beer Money would both go on to be equal main eventers as solo wrestlers, Roode has excelled much quicker than Storm.

5. Dolph Ziggler - Here's one guy who is surely going to win the big one before the end of the year, and a perfect example of charisma, in-ring talent, and have a manager with chemistry. The tag-team with Swagger was in danger of slowing his breaks, but the 2 or 3 month run he had when he wrestled twice on PPV's showed what a valuable asset he has become.

6. Kurt Angle
7. Daniel Bryan
8. Big Show
9. AJ Styles
10. Sheamus

JP Liz V1

I agree Punk should be No. 1

Bully Ray should also be in the top 10

GTR63

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I agree Punk should be No. 1

Bully Ray should also be in the top 10

Joseph Park should be in the top 3.
What the criteria again?

the groutch

No Elgin or Richards?

Charisteas

the groutch wrote: »

No Elgin or Richards?

Unfortunately I don't watch ROH or Japanese promotions. That is just my personal top 10, it's not a prediction or anything. I've heard rave reviews about Elgin and Richards though. And since 1995 there has been at least one Japanese in the top 10, so likely will be this year too.

Miz was number 1 last year, wonder how far down the list he has fallen :eek:

Angron

Frankly I didn't think Miz should have been #1 last year, but it will be interesting to see just how far down he's gone.

I'd love to see Bryan get at least a top 5 spot, and Sheamus a top 10.

chopperbyrne

Miz absolutely deserved top spot last year. He was brilliant.

paddyismaddy

GTR63 wrote: »

Joseph Park should be in the top 3.
What the criteria again?

is it based on title reigns, their length?

if so punk and roode would be 1 and 2

starviewadams

I'd have Bully Ray and before Ziggler and Angle.

Garseys

The No.1 spot is being revealed on The Score's Aftermath podcast on Monday.

My bet is Punk too for No.1 spot, he's had a phenomenal year.

gnfnrhead

Tanahashi or maybe Okada will be up there, possibly both. Outside chance for Naito. Roode, Aries, Punk, Cena and Sheamus will be in there too. Elgin definitely, Steen wont be too far off either.

In reality, it means absolutely nothing. I wonder if any of the wrestlers actually care?

the groutch

I'd be very surprised if Aries doesnt get #1

CMpunked

I'd have Aries as no.1, personally. Punk has slipped well out of the summer of punk height.

D2D

Punk got it

PWI
6 hours ago via Twitter
Well, @CMPunk, here's your vindication. You are officially the #1 wrestler in the 2012 #PWI500. #BestInTheWorld #PWI #km

glenjamin

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Miz absolutely deserved top spot last year. He was brilliant.

Don't be trolling now



Only messing.

Charisteas

Dare_2_defy wrote: »

Punk got it

And deservedly so.

rovert

Let's analyse this:

1.CM Punk
2.Bobby Roode
3.John Cena
4.Daniel Bryan
5.Sheamus
6.Jun Akiyama
7.Davey Richards
8.Kurt Angle
9.Mark Henry
10.Alberto del Rio
11.Hiroyoshi Tenzan
12.James Storm
13.Austin Aries
14.Randy Orton
15.Christian
16.Dolph Ziggler
17.The Big Show
18.Eddie Edwards
19.L.A. Park
20.Kevin Steen
21.Jeff Hardy
22.Kane
23.Cody Rhodes
24.Takashi Sugiura
25.D-Von
26.Dr. Wagner Jr.
27.Mr. Anderson
28.AJ Styles
29.Chris Jericho
30.Bully Ray
31.Kofi Kingston
32.Roderick Strong
33.Jack Swagger
34.El Terrible
35.Sting
36.R-Truth
37.Rob Van Dam
38.Go Shiozaki
39.Jay Lethal
40.Kazchika Okada
41.Crimson
42.Shelton Benjamin
43.Magnus
44.Colt Cabana
45.Tensai
46.Seth Rollins
47.Shinsuke Nakamura
48.Chris Daniels
49.The Miz
50.Matt Morgan
51.Samoa Joe
52.Sami Callihan
53.Charlie Haas
54.Michael Elgin
55.Gunner
56.Wade Barrett
57.Jeff Jarrett
58.Kazarian
59.Johnny Gargano
60.Santino Marella
61.Takeshi Morishima
62.Adam Pearce
63.Jay Briscoe
64.Karl Anderson
65.Mark Briscoe
66.Robbie E
67.El Mesias
68.Prince Devitt
69.Averno
70.Zack Ryder
71.Tommaso Ciampa
72.Primo
73.Satoshi Kojima
74.Brodus Clay
75.Adam Cole
76.Epico
77.Leo Kruger
78.Mike Bennett
79.Yamato
80.Negro Casas
81.La Mascara
82.El Generico
83.David Otunga
84.Kenny King
85.Eric Young
86.Hernandez
87.Zema Ion
88.Pac
89.Damien Sandow
90.Jey Uso
91.Jimmy Uso
92.Hunico
93.Harry Smith
94.Tetsuya Naito
95.Carlito
96.Evan Bourne
97.Rhett Titus
98.Richie Steamboat
99.Justin Gabriel
100.Sin Cara
101.Kyle O'Reilly
102.Great Khali
103.Blue Panther
104.The Almighty Sheik
105.Kid Kash
106.Luke Harper
107.Tyson Kidd
108.Heath Slater
109.Alex Shelley
110.Antonio Cesaro
111.Ryback
112.Suwama
113.Finlay
114.Abyss
115.Masato Yoshino
116.Jerry Lynn
117.Togi Makabe
118.Xavier Woods
119.Ultimo Dragon
120.La Sombra
121.Shingo
122.Masaaki Mochizuki
123.Akira Tozawa
124.Kassius Ohno
125.Yoshi Tatsu
126.Chuck Taylor
127.Hirooki Goto
128.Rhino
129.Low-Ki
130.D'Angelo Dinero
131.Naomichi Marufuji
132.Genki Horiguchi
133.Volador Jr.
134.Mike Dalton
135.Mason Ryan
136.Jay Spadley
137.Mahabali Veera
138.Jimmy Susumu
139.Darrick Bateman
140.TJ Perkins
141.Bo Dallas
142.Yuji Nagata
143.RJ Brewer
144.Rush
145.Douglas Williams
146.Drake Younger
147.A.R. Fox
148.BXB Hulk
149.Jushin Liger
150.Ezekiel Jackson
151.Cima
152.Ryusuke Taguchi
153.El Zorro
154.Uhaa Nation
155.Rey Escorpion
156.Darren Young
157.Blue Demon Jr.
158.Shannon Moore
159.Caprice Coleman
160.Curt Hawkins
161.Mike Mondo
162.El Hijo Del Santo
163.Cedric Alexander
164.Minoru Suzuki
165.Jinder Mahal
166.Ultimo Guerrero
167.Bray Wyatt
168.Titus O'Neil
169.Ryo Santo
170.Alex Riley
171.Mohammad Yone
172.Matt Jackson
173.Kenta
174.Joe E. Legend
175.Camacho
176.Hector Garza
177.Chavo Guerrero
178.Nick Jackson
179.Shawn Spears
180.Mark Haskins
181.Yoshinobu Kanemaru
182.Silver Kain
183.Kota Ibushi
184.Kenny Omega
185.Ted DiBiase Jr.
186.El Hijo Perro Aguayo
187.Chance Prophet
188.Matt Cross
189.Joe Doering
190.Drew McIntyre
191.Jake Carter
192.Robert Anthony
193.Connor O'Brian
194.Tyson Dux
195.Jack Evans
196.Michael McGillicutty
197.Gamma
198.Rob Terry
199.Corey Graves
200.Eddie Kingston
201.Naruki Doi
202.Masato Tananka
203.Tyler Reks
204.??? (Seriously, there's nobody here...)
205.Chris Masters
206.Briley Pierce
207.JTG
208.N8 Mattson
209.Derek Wylde
210.Johnny Curtis
211.Brian Kendrick
212.Cibernetico
213.Brad Maddox
214.Delirious
215.Shawn Daivari
216.Dragon Rojo Jr.
217.Mike Quackenbush
218.Scott Steiner
219.Apollyon
220.Trent Barreta
221.Josh Alexander
222.Darin Corbin
223.Papdon
224.Chris Angel
225.Akitoshi Saito
226.Richochet
227.Shaun Tempers
228.Psicosis II
229.El Texano Jr.
230.Dragon Kid
231.Chessman
232.Hartley Jackson
233.Jado
234.Devon Moore
235.Petey Williams
236.Rocky Romero
237.Paul London
238.Mascara Dorada
239.Hallowicked
240.Steve Corino
241.Virus
242.Sonjay Dutt
243.Bestia 666
244.Bray Wyatt
245.Extreme Tiger
246.Ricky Cruz
247.Takao Omori
248.Kaz Hayashi
249.Gedo
250.BJ Whitmer
251.Manabu Soya
252.Bryon Saxton
253.Dean Ambrose
254.Masada
255.Famous B
256.Kahagas
257.Arik Cannon
258.Ryan Eagles
259.Jake Manning
260.Alex Silva
261.Daisuke Sekimoto
262.MVP
263.Kai
264.Big E Langston
265.Joey Ryan
266.Lance Archer
267.LA Parka Jr.
268.Krimson
269.Masahiro Chono
270.Homicide
271.Akebono
272.Jimmy Rave
273.Gilbert
274.Rey Bucaniero
275.Rich Swann
276.Shane Haste
277.Jigsaw
278.Dr. Nicholas Dinsmore
279.John Silver
280.Harlem Bravado
281.Silas Young
282.Facade
283.Silver King
284.Lance Bravado
285.Matt Riviera
286.John McChesney
287.Gran Akuma
288.Gurv Sihra
289.Ruckus
290.Ray Gonzalez
291.Anthony Nese
292.Harv Sihra
293.Robby Heart
294.Kuimuna
295.Ace Hawkins
296.Rick Victor
297.Icarus
298.Tommy Dreamer
299.Pepper Parks
300.Scotty Vortekz
301.Luke Gallows
302.Ares
303.Damien Wayne
304.Sabu
305.Craig Classic
306.Jesse Neal
307.Vance Nevada
308.Kenneth Cameron
309.Tiberious King
310.Aden Chambers
311.Brandon Espinosa
312.Joh Davis
313.Marco Corleone
314.Necro Butcher
315.BLK Jeez
316.Danny Havoc
317.Kory Chavis
318.Oliver John
319.Jason Jordan
320.Caleb Konley
321.Mikael Judas
322.Roscoe Jackson
323.Alexander Rusev
324.Pinkie Sanchez
325.Ray Alexander
326.CJ Parker
327.Joey Rico Dynamite
328.Peter Avalon
329.Jake O'Reilly
330.Grizzly Redwood
331.Scott Reed
332.Willie Mack
333.Mike Posey
334.Shaun Ricker
335.Mike Sydal
336.Lince Dorado
337.Devon Storm
338.Asylum
339.Josh Daniels
340.Tim Storm
341.Stryknyn
342.Derek Sanders
343.Se7en
344.Kenso
345.Drew Gulak
346.Electroshock
347.Greg Excellent
348.Chris Wylde
349.Dru Onyx
350.Kyle Sebastian
351.Leakee
352.Luke Hawx
353.Amazing Red
354.Matt Burns
355.Craven Knyte
356.Percy Watson
357.Andrew Alexander
358.Ricky Reyes
359.Brandon Gatson
360.Andy Ridge
361.Jake Christ
362.Alex Koslov
363.Tiger Mask IV
364.Josef Von Schmidt
365.Steve Boz
366.Scotty O'Shea
367.DJ Hyde
368.RJ City
369.Bobby Fish
370.Robbie Mcallister
371.Jimmy Jacobs
372.Mustafa Aziz Daniels
373.Dave Crist
374.Notorious T.I.D.
375.Mike Hughes
376.John E. Stone
377.Chip Day
378.Chris Silvio
379.Ashley Sixx
380.Kekoa The Flyin' Hawaiian
381.Super Dragon
382.Slyk Wagner Brown
383.Tank
384.Vaquero Fantasma
385.Dasher Hatfield
386.Dash Maverick
387.Aaron Draven
388.Micah Taylor
389.Cobian
390.Jimmy Cicero
391.Bobby Moore
392.James Bronson
393.Timothy Thatcher
394.Ahtu
395.Azrieal
396.Aiden Veil
397.Seth Delay
398.Bloody Harker Dirge
399.Oliver Cain
400.Breaker Morant
401.Garett Bischoff
402.Dandido Jr.
403.Sexxxy Eddie
404.Biggie Biggs
405.John Kermon
406.Sinn Bodhi
407.Crazzy Steve
408.Patrick Bentley
409.Matt Saigon
410.Scorpio Sky
411.Bill Collier
412.Tyler Hilton
413.Anthony Darko
414.Damian Dragon
415.Mike Rollins
416.Gregory Iron
417.Kyle Matthews
418.Bobby Shields
419.John Skyler
420.Primo Scordino
421.Gee Gee
422.Jayson Wayne
423.Napalm Bomb
424.Steven Walters
425.Hellcat
426.Stupefied
427.Ethan HD
428.Dave Osborne
429.Kevin Douglas
430.Sara Del Rey
431.Corey Hollis
432.Rob Sweet
433.Christian York
434.Greg Anthony
435.Sam Shields
436.Player Uno
437.Chris Rockwell
438.Dany Only
439.Paredyse
440.Nitro
441.Samuray Del Sol
442.Jessie Godderz
443.Gideon Malice
444.Vordell Walker
445.AJ Kirsch
446.Nick Fury
447.Black Ice
448.Joe Gacy
449.Luke Robinson
450.Brandon Thurston
451.Rudy Switchblade
452.American Kickboxer II
453.Billy Gibbs
454.Jamin Olivencia
455.Tommy Mack
456.The Bodysnatcher
457.Garrett Dylan
458.Jason Cypress
459.Ophidian
460.Steve Stasiak
461.Cueball Carmichael
462.Franky the Mobster
463.Nui Tofiga
464.Rob Fury
465.Cheech Hernandez
466.Gabe Saint
467.Johnny Spade
468.Larry Dallas
469.Danny Daniels
470.Marc Mandrake
471.Mohamad Ali Vaez
472.Dave Dutra
473.Chris Cooper
474.Kid America
475.Tommy Reznik
476.Butch Long
477.Joey Knight
478.Al Farat
479.Tyler Priegel
480.Mr. Ooh La La
481.Elia Markopoulos
482.Barry Hardy
483.Brandon Bishop
484.Lumberjack Leroux
485.The Big O
486.Shooter Storm
487.Jimi The Hippie
488.Corey Blaze
489.Chrisifix
490.LJ Cruz
491.Anton Levigh
492.Perry Von Viscious
493.The Maestro
494.Vince Beach
495.Silent Warrior
496.Johnny Adams
497.Lance Anoa'i
498.Nick Vickers
499.Shane Hollister
500.Brian Hardy

GTR63

30th!!! Ah fúck off, Mr.Anderson one place above Styles and I see even Garrett Bischoff made the list

Machismo Fan

Am I missing something or is Tanahashi not on that list at all?

gnfnrhead

I dont see him anywhere, but I got bored halfway through.

No 204?

Also, 167 and 244 :pac:

Hashtag_HEEL

Miz from No.1 To 49.! Delighted Cabana got 44.

Angron

Well I guess Miz did miss a lot of the year.

I'm delighted Bryan and Sheamus both got top 5 spots

rovert

Machismo Fan wrote: »

Am I missing something or is Tanahashi not on that list at all?

A friend of mine asked. As we thought Tenzan was a Tanahashi typo:

Tanahashi was IWGP champ early in the grading period but, according to our records, he barely competed in any matches.

Which is ridiculously laughable.

rovert

More:

Not listing Tanahashi was a major blunder for which we apologize. He would have been top 15 for sure. I'll take the hit for this. Stu Saks.

More errors: Tajiri was supposed to have been 244. We had a repeat of Bray Wyatt in that spot. Cody Deaner's 204 was omitted from the page.

Turtyturd

Charisteas wrote: »

And deservedly so.

Maybe based on the length of his title reign but other than that I think it's a case of 'if you say something enough people will start to believe it'. Personally I don't even think he is the best wrestler in WWE, never mind the world.

If the list was compiled based on the 3/4 weeks between his 'shoot' promo and his return with the title he would walk away with it but for me it has all been downhill since then, sure he had some great matches with Bryan but then again he was working with probably the best wrestler in WWE but there is also the stupid stuff especially like the whole Nash/HHH thing.

If his year had followed on from how it started it could have been a phenomenal year, he was never going to be the agent of change that he claimed he would be but he could have provided some different content for WWE over the last year, instead he happily became everything he complained about . I read a piece of an interview with him a few weeks ago where he said he was 'less pissed off than he was last year'....no sh*t Sherlock, because you have the money and fame you craved but no doubt somebody is now pissed off at you, the way you were pissed off at Cena and HHH....personally I would love for that person to be given to be given free reign to put a few home truths to Punk but I doubt he would be the kind to embrace being on the recieving end of such a promo.


Wow....that actually turned into a rant.:D

Machismo Fan

Joseph Park not being on the list is a tragic miscarriage of justice.

GTR63

Machismo Fan wrote: »

Joseph Park esquire not being on the list is a tragic miscarriage of justice.

Just gave him his proper title. His promo's are better than everyone else on the list except maybe Bully Ray.

Charisteas

Keiji Mutoh isn't on the list which means that Jushin Liger is the only wrestler to appear every year since they started in 1991.

4 out of the top 6 in that aforementioned first list from 1991 have wrestled for TNA in the last 12 months.

A Primal Nut

Bear in mind that (from Wikipedia PWI page)

"The magazine soon became known for not breaking kayfabe in its articles as it traditionally treated all "angles", or storylines, as real".

So it makes sense the guy who holds the most important title for such a long period would win it. Technical Wrestling ability or the guy's character has nothing to do with it. It's a good guide to how well someone has been pushed and how long that push has been sustained, so basically a good guide to the popularity of each wrestler. There is no doubt that Punk is the most popular wrestler at the moment!

Stereomaniac

Man, I read PWI recently, for the first time in years and I didn't remember it being so weird! I am pretty sure my age was in single digits when I last got it, so I'm glad that that's what it was. The magazine is kayfabe, ha ha. On another note.....Jimmy Cicero is still around?!

rovert

WELL LADS

In the case of Wyatt, his second listing in the "500" was intended for Yoshihiro Tajiri, so that's an easy fix. In the case of Silver Kain, we did not have a wrestler selected for the second spot, so to scratch number 283 off the list means we'd have only 499 wrestlers in the ranking.

That opens a spot for the deserving Tanahashi. Since it was our intention all along to rank him in the number-11 position, that is precisely what we are going to do. Frankly, it was never our intention to rank Hiroyoshi Tenzan in that number-11 spot, but that's where he ended up in the published editions. He was supposed to be number 81.

:rolleyes:

http://prowrestlingillustrated.blogspot.ie/2012/08/pwi-500-errors-resolution.html

Machismo Fan

Did they not proof read their own list?

gnfnrhead

This is just a disaster.