MJF Tops PWI 500 List for 2026

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

This was the first time ever that MJF was ranked as PWI’s top wrestler for a given year. This was also the first time since 2021 that an AEW talent topped PWI’s list, following WWE dominating the top spot the past four years.

This year’s rankings covered the time period between August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026 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 had the most wrestlers ranked in PWI’s Top 10 at five, followed by AEW at three (1 shared), NJPW at two (1 shared), and CMLL at one.

PWI’s Top 10 of 2025:

1. MJF
2. Cody Rhodes
3. CM Punk
4. Mistico
5. Konosuke Takeshita
6. Hangman Adam Page
7. Yota Tsuji
8. Trick Williams
9. Oba Femi
10. Gunther

#andNEW: Congratulations to @The_MJF, the number-one wrestler on our 36th annual #PWI500 list. Find the full top 10 (along with links to buy the digital/print mag) in the comments 👇 pic.twitter.com/CxQSvufY2U

— PWI (Pro Wrestling Illustrated) (@OfficialPWI) September 24, 2026

In an interview with PWI, MJF gave his thoughts about his new accolade and how he plans to embrace it when he makes his return to AEW television.

“I don’t want to give anything away, but just know, whenever I come back, because I’m waiting for the right time and the right moment, whenever I come back, just know that the PWI cover is not going to be far behind. I’m going to be shoving this down everybody’s throats for as long as humanly possible.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com