Cody Rhodes Tops PWI 500 List for 2025 for Second Year in a Row

Pro Wrestling Illustrated announced that Cody Rhodes took their top spot for this year’s PWI 500 List.

This was the second year in a row that Rhodes was ranked as PWI’s top wrestler and the second time in his wrestling career. This was also the fourth year in a row that a WWE wrestler topped PWI’s list, following Rhodes in 2024, Seth Rollins in 2023, and Roman Reigns in 2022.

This year’s rankings covered the time period between August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025 and wrestlers were ranked based on the criteria of win-loss record, technical ability, influence on the sport, success against the highest grade of competition, success against the most diverse competition, and activity.

WWE and AEW had the most wrestlers ranked in PWI’s Top 10 at four each, followed by New Japan Pro Wrestling and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre at one each.

#andNEW: @CodyRhodes becomes only the fourth wrestler ever to top the #PWI500 list in back-to-back years!

Check out our December issue—available now for print preorder and INSTANT digital delivery—to find out who else ranked where (and why).

Links to order in comments 👇 pic.twitter.com/Kz2n6lboG9

— PWI (Pro Wrestling Illustrated) (@OfficialPWI) September 23, 2025

PWI’s Top 10 of 2025:

1. Cody Rhodes
2. Jon Moxley
3. Gunther
4. Hangman Adam Page
5. Hirooki Goto
6. Jey Uso
7. Swerve Strickland
8. Seth Rollins
9. Mistico
10. Will Ospreay