Cody Rhodes stands at number 1 of the PWI 500

It is that time of the year again. The PWI 500 has dropped and the list comes with a raging discourse online. But isn’t that always the case? This time, Cody Rhodes is the man at the top of the list. There are several standouts across the board as this list recognizes several in the industry.

After “Finishing His Story” at WrestleMania 40, Rhodes can add another accolade to his list for 2024. For the first time, he’s listed as the top name in professional wrestling. This comes as he rides a 157-day run as the WWE Undisputed Champion. Along the way, he’s established himself as the new “face” of the company, becoming one of the strongest merch sellers, driving attendance each week. However, there are some who are dissatisfied with his run as champion so far, and that is a discussion point worth having.

The rest of the top ten features the best male performers this year. Swerve Strickland, Will Ospreay, Seth Rollins, Naito, Damian Priest, MJF, Jon Moxley, Gunther, and Caristico line out the top ten. The debate will swirl around where these men should fall on the list, those that shouldn’t be listed, and who should replace them. But each of them had their highlights that put them firmly in the top ten.

From 11-20, the following wrestlers are positioned: Samoa Joe, Sami Zayn, Drew McIntyre, Bryan Danielson, Moose, SANADA, Jey Uso, El Hijo del Vikingo, Mustafa Ali, and Eddie Kingston. The person coming in the last position is Memes.

There are several women on the list as well. Jessica Troy, Allie Katch, Jody Threat, Rhino, DELTA, Billie Starkz, Megan Bayne, and Maki Itoh are a few of the names on the list.

The evaluation period for each year runs from August to July of that year. They are graded on win-loss record, championships won, quality of competition, major feuds, prominence in the promotion, and overall wrestling ability.