Seth Rollins is top ranked in PWI 500 for the third time

Seth Rollins joins John Cena as the only individual to earn the top spot in the PWI 500 for three separate years

The PWI 500. The annual kayfabe listing causes widespread outrage and celebration each year. Well, it’s back for 2023 and this year will be more of the same as two WWE names sit in the top two slots. Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns are numbers one and two for the 2023 listing. In fact, the former members of the Shield are sitting in all three of the top positions. Agree or disagree with the list, it represents another year of strong performances across the industry.

With Rollins and Reigns in the top two positions, the rest of the group is filled out with Jon Moxley, GUNTHER, Hijo Del Vikingo, MJF, Kazuchika Okada, Orange Cassidy, Josh Alexander, and Cody Rhodes.

Has Seth Rollins put together a great year? Of course. Has he had a year that would make him the top performer across the entire industry? There will be some that say “yes”, and others that will respond with a resounding “no.” Either way, Rollins becomes the second man to headline the list in three separate years, joining John Cena. Rollins was ranked number one in 2015 and in 2019.

Even across two promotions, The Shield continues to remind everyone that they are some of the most important men in professional wrestling. Moxley’s tenure in AEW has firmly cemented his position as the MVP of that company.

GUNTHER has put together a stellar campaign. Not only elevating the Intercontinental Championship, but if Chad Gable gets a victory over him in their third match it will be the career-defining moment fans have wanted to witness for years.

Orange Cassidy is one that can’t go without recognition. He held the AEW International Championship for 326 days, putting on excellent defenses on a weekly basis. During that run, he picked up victories against Swerve Strickland, Wheeler Yuta, Bandido, Jay Lethal, Daniel Garcia, and scores more. There was once a question about how far Cassidy could rise the ranks, but AEW has built him into a credible champion – one that could even have a surprise run as the AEW World Champion.

These ten men and the rest recognized in the PWI 500 are yet another example of the wrestling industry experiencing a boom period. There’s a lot to enjoy and look forward to each week across all promotions.