ESPN's Mid Year Pro Wrestling Power Rankings

[Cattle Mutilation]

Pro Wrestling Power Rankings: Which stars have shined brightest thus far in 2024?

Heading into the second-half of 2024, which wrestlers, tag teams and factions have had the best start of the year?

www.espn.com

Might as well just be called a power ranking for AEW and WWE as only one three of the 40 picks come from non-WWE/AEW promotions.

Women - WWE 4; AEW 3; NXT 1; TNA 1; Stardom 1

1. Bayley, 43
2. Toni Storm, 42
3. Jordynne Grace, 27
4. Mercedes Mone, 22
5. Bianca Belair, 19
6. Liv Morgan, 19
7. Willow Nightengale, 10
8. Mayu Iwatani, 7
9. Roxanne Perez, 6
10. Rhea Ripley, 5

Men - AEW 5; WWE 4; AEW/New Japan 1 (Okada)

1. Cody Rhodes, 61
2. Will Ospreay, 48
3. Swerve Strickland, 18
4. Gunther, 15
5. Drew McIntyre, 14;
6. Jon Moxley, 11
7. Bryan Danielson, 10
8. Damian Priest, 6
9. Kazuchika Okada, 5
10. MJF, 4

Tag team - WWE 5; AEW 4; NXT 1
This list just shows how sad of a state of affairs tag team wrestling is in right now

1. The Young Bucks, 65
2. FTR, 39
3. Finn Balor and JD McDonagh, 25
4. Nathan Frazer and Axiom, 9
5. A-Town Down Under, 8
6. Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill, 8
7. DIY, 8
8. The Street Profits, 7
9. House of Black, 6
10. The Acclaimed, 6

Factions - AEW 5; WWE 4; NJPW 1

1. The Bloodline, 59
2. The Judgment Day, 48
3. The Elite, 38
4. Blackpool Combat Club, 24
5. Don Callis Family, 8
6. Wyatt Sicks, 6
7. Bang Bang Gang, 5
8. Damage CTRL, 5
9. House of Black, 5
10. Los Ingobernables de Japon, 3

 

[Ripp]

Pro Wrestling Power Rankings: Which stars have shined brightest thus far in 2024?

Heading into the second-half of 2024, which wrestlers, tag teams and factions have had the best start of the year?

www.espn.com

Might as well just be called a power ranking for AEW and WWE as only one three of the 40 picks come from non-WWE/AEW promotions.

Women - WWE 4; AEW 3; NXT 1; TNA 1; Stardom 1

1. Bayley, 43
2. Toni Storm, 42
3. Jordynne Grace, 27
4. Mercedes Mone, 22
5. Bianca Belair, 19
6. Liv Morgan, 19
7. Willow Nightengale, 10
8. Mayu Iwatani, 7
9. Roxanne Perez, 6
10. Rhea Ripley, 5

Men - AEW 5; WWE 4; AEW/New Japan 1 (Okada)

1. Cody Rhodes, 61
2. Will Ospreay, 48
3. Swerve Strickland, 18
4. Gunther, 15
5. Drew McIntyre, 14;
6. Jon Moxley, 11
7. Bryan Danielson, 10
8. Damian Priest, 6
9. Kazuchika Okada, 5
10. MJF, 4

Tag team - WWE 5; AEW 4; NXT 1
This list just shows how sad of a state of affairs tag team wrestling is in right now

1. The Young Bucks, 65
2. FTR, 39
3. Finn Balor and JD McDonagh, 25
4. Nathan Frazer and Axiom, 9
5. A-Town Down Under, 8
6. Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill, 8
7. DIY, 8
8. The Street Profits, 7
9. House of Black, 6
10. The Acclaimed, 6

Factions - AEW 5; WWE 4; NJPW 1

1. The Bloodline, 59
2. The Judgment Day, 48
3. The Elite, 38
4. Blackpool Combat Club, 24
5. Don Callis Family, 8
6. Wyatt Sicks, 6
7. Bang Bang Gang, 5
8. Damage CTRL, 5
9. House of Black, 5
10. Los Ingobernables de Japon, 3

How is bayley rated 1? Her reign hasn't been interesting and she's hasn't had many matches.

 

[MenacingMonk]

Ospreay should be number 1. His first half of 2024 has been incredible. His best year (so far) since I took notice of him back in 2017/18. I’d be shocked if he isn’t number one in the PWI500. Countless great matches; putting in the work since his AEW debut. Even the last month and change in NJ was good; the War Games match was brutal.

Cody has had a great year, but Os is on another level. He has shown he can cut promos too, and this is the first time he’s had to do it consistently.

 

[YakSpiller]

Toni Storm is light years above Bayley and I’m a Bayley guy.

It’s hard to admit that as a Bay Area nikka but Toni is killing it right now.

 

[Easy-E]

I blame myself for reading this list

Cody is probably rated

Willow should prolly be number #1.

Liv Roxanne I'll never understand ppl's love for that tumbling ass style of pro wrestling

MJF had one match at Forbidden Door and one good promo

Okada time in AEW been hella mid ... maybe I'm missing something

Damian

How is bayley rated 1? Her reign hasn't been interesting and she's hasn't had many matches.

Mercedes has had like 2 matches in 2024

Jaida Parker >>>

 

[LordDeathwatch]

For the first 4 months of the year, Cody was apart of the hottest storyline across professional wrestling in the biggest company, of course he's going to be #1 at a mid year check in. No way in hell he still has that spot by the end of it though based on his current trajectory in creative and the competition.

Bayley was good TV from the Rumble win to Mania and since then, it's been a massive letdown. She's in a holding pattern and literally everyone else in the division, on both brands (except Indi and Candice), is more entertaining or has some actual motivation. Like Cody, she's better in pursuit than Champion and she might not even be Top 5 by the end of the year.

Tag division is absolutely buns outside FTR. I'd like to see more from the Profits if they're going to keep them a unit, same for the Gunns because they've essentially vanished as a tag team and are more background/goons, & for the love of God push the Creed Brothers.

Factions is correct at least.

 

[thaKEAF]

Mjf had what two matches this year?

That tag team list is sickening lol especially considering it covers all companies.

 

[OneDeep]

No Roman

Yeah ESPN missed with most this list

 

[R=G]

Off..Bayley aint #1. Cody has done everything right...Opespray is overly praised for his great spot matches. Drew should be higher..Danielson should be higher.

 

[Saysumthinfunnymike]

I thought this was just one person's opinion but it was actually a vote by a group of ESPN writers. The list doesn't look too crazy