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40 Articles

FROM THE DESK OF…

AS REGULAR READERS of this column already know, 2023 was not a great year for yours truly. And though there are many things about it that I’d like to forget—most obviously, the struggles my dear wife, Megan, faced in her final months battling cancer—that’s simply not how grief (or reality) works. The human mind, for better or worse, is pretty good at remembering the joys and traumas of the past. If you’ve never seen the 2004 film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I highly recommend it. Having fallen wildly in and out of love, Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet’s characters each undergo an experimental procedure to wipe the memories of one another from their respective minds. Even if you’ve never seen the movie, you can probably guess what goes wrong: In…

FROM THE DESK OF…

STAY CONNECTED!

Website: www.pwi-online.com The PWI Podcast: pwi.podbean.com; iTunes Store Back Issues: Every PWI cover since 1979 can be viewed at our website. Back issue availability is noted UP NEXT … Pro Wrestling Illustrated—May 2024 (Spotlight on Japan): Digital edition on sale February 15; print edition on sale March 5 REACHING US … General e-mail: pwi@kappapublishing.com Letters to the editor: prowrestlingillustrated@yahoo.com Editorial mail: P.O. Box 96, Fort Washington, PA 19034 Arena Reports e-mail: pwiresults@yahoo.com Podcast e-mail: pwipodcast@outlook.com Independent news e-mail: pwiresults@yahoo.com Subscription Inquiries: Kappa Publishing Group LLC, PO Box 37059, Boone, IA 50037-0059 Subscription phone: 386-246-0114 Subscription e-mail: custsrvc@kappapublishing.com REACHING EACH OTHER … Facebook: ProWrestlingIllustrated Twitter: OfficialPWI Instagram: OfficialPWI…

STAY CONNECTED!

WITH ALL THE scandals, shoot-fights, and smack-talk these days, it can sometimes prove difficult—and maybe even a little embarrassing—to a remain an unabashed and enthusiastic fan of pro wrestling. But there’s one fellow who has found a way to rise above all these distractions, celebrating the sport each and every day for many, many years. That fan’s name is Vladimir Abouzeide, and he is the subject of a new documentary by WWE, entitled Superfan: The Story of Vladimir. To many wrestling fans, Abouzeide is the subject of both curiosity and lore. For decades, he has been a mainstay at WWE events, cheering on the good guys and heckling the ne’er-do-wells from his coveted spot at ringside. Superfan turns back the proverbial clock to his humble beginnings as a Haitian immigrant and…

TALKIN’ TRASH

10. CM PUNK APOLOGIZES TO FANS FOR LEAVING WWE. Meanwhile, MMA fans are still waiting for Punk to apologize for joining UFC. 9. EARLY NUMBERS LOOK STRONG FOR AEW ALL IN 2024. Sales were bolstered by promising British attendees a complimentary toad in the hole with every ticket. 8. AFTER WRAPPING HIS ROLE IN THE IRON CLAW, MJF MEETS UP WITH JOHN CENA AT THE FILM’S PREMIERE. The AEW champ admitted his foray into acting was largely inspired by Cena’s standout performance in Amy Schumer’s Trainwreck. 7. JACK PERRY FILES A TRADEMARK REQUEST FOR HIS “JUNGLE BOY” NAME. If his efforts prove unsuccessful, he may still have a shot at landing “Jungle Adolescent” or “Jungle Tween.” 6. BARON CORBIN WINS A GOLD MEDAL AT A JIU-JITSU TOURNAMENT. Happy Corbin celebrated with champagne, while Sad Corbin lamented that the medal…

STUDY IN MOTION

THEEL PASO-JUAREZ AREA has long been known to travelers and merchants as a vital passageway through which culture, commerce, and creativity flow with few encumbrances. For Persephone, formerly known as The Black Widow, this region is not only her home, but her proving ground—a launchpad for her professional wrestling aspirations. Now seven years pro, Persephone became hooked on wrestling as a kid, thrilling to the exploits of heavyweights including John Cena and Triple H, as well as hard-hitting women such as Mickie James and AJ Lee. She began training as a teenager and wrestled while attending her college courses. “Some of my early and favorite memories are when I lived in El Paso, and I would walk over the bridge to Juarez to train every day after school,” she recalled. “I was…

STUDY IN MOTION

NOSTALGIA REWIND

THE WORD “ICONIC” is admittedly one of the more overused terms in the lexicon of popular culture, but sometimes there’s no better word to describe a particular work of art. John Carpenter’s 1988 film, They Live, which starred WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, sure fits that bill nicely. And in 2023, film enthusiasts celebrated the 35th anniversary of the cult classic’s release. A healthy blend of science fiction, action-adventure, and horror cinema, They Live wasn’t Roddy Piper’s first foray into Hollywood, but it remains his best-remembered screen role. Sure, the leading role of Nada wasn’t really written for Piper, as the film is based on a 1963 short story entitled “Eight O’Clock In The Morning.” But the memorable dialogue, including the frequently quoted line about being “all out of…

NOSTALGIA REWIND

CM PUNK AND Randy Orton are poised to be disrupters in WWE in 2024. But is that simply a swerve by a company that obviously has long-laid plans for WrestleMania 40? Why should we believe that two men in their mid-40s—who have been plagued by recent injuries—will truly affect the direction of WWE? Aren’t we going to see Universal champion Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes in a WrestleMania rematch? And why would WWE invest in Punk at the expense of Seth Rollins? All these questions suggest the potential volatility of the sport in the coming year. Let’s take a look at how the comebacks of these veterans are going, and then examine the discouraging prospects of two other superstars. First, CM Punk’s “Welcome Back” tour continues. His red-carpet rollout hasn’t been quite as…

LOVE THEM OR HATE THEM? “When I hate you, it’s because I love you” was a line from a Joni Mitchell song, and wrestling fans prove this all the time. Ten to fifteen years ago, Randy Orton was criticized for being bland and somewhat uninspired in the ring (e.g., his four-minute trademark side headlock). Only four months ago, Punk was labeled selfish and toxic. Now, look at their reception in WWE. We criticize because we care. Please pass that message to Tony Khan. A RISKY BUSINESS “The Queen” bows out for several months, and “The Cleaner” is wondering if he’ll ever wrestle again. We no longer have the epidemic of wrestlers succumbing to enlarged hearts at age 45, but today’s high-impact ring style is causing athletes to show severe wear-and-tear by their late-30s.…

2023 IN REVIEW: STAFF MEMORIES

STAFF MEMORIES THE LAST TWELVE months have been a wild ride for professional wrestling, necessitating the biggest “Year In Review” section we’ve put together in ages. In the spirit of shaking things up, we thought we’d kick this one off with our writers’ most lasting impressions of 2023. Enjoy! The crazy thing is this: Two years ago, I wrote in this very space that my favorite moment of the year was the return of CM Punk. Now, here we are, and it’s happening again, only in a different company—the company no one expected him to be in ever again. Punk parted ways with WWE a decade ago, and, in the ultimate “hell freezes over” moment, there he was at the end of Survivor Series, soaking in the adulation of the Chicago faithful…

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

ALTHOUGH CONVENTIONAL WISDOM suggests that WWE’s stars of tomorrow can be found on today’s indie shows, that’s only partly true. The fact is that WWE has had plenty of success molding superstars out of people from other walks of life. Case in point: Sol Ruca. 29% While the University of Oregon alum had no previous grappling experience before she stepped through the ropes at NXT in 2022, what she did have was athleticism by the bucketful. Before long, the former acrobat was wowing audiences on NXT 2.0, picking up wins aplenty. With an easy-to-like personality and jaw-dropping ring moves, Ruca resonated with the audience on Tuesday nights in a manner that many wrestlers with years of experience don’t manage to do. In fact, Ruca made such an impression in her first year, that…

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

MOST IMPROVED WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

MOST WRESTLERS DON’T win this award after 21 years in the business. Then, surely, most wrestlers are not LA Knight. Yeah! While it’s fair to question just how much Knight may have improved in the ring over the past year—after all, he has already been a TNA World champion and worn numerous title belts elsewhere—in terms of overall position, there can be no denying the gains this veteran has made. 31% Casting off the shackles of his Max Dupri gimmick and the notion that he was little more than a manager, Knight became one of the hottest superstars in WWE, skyrocketing up the rungs of the promotion in an organic manner not seen in years. With crowd support behind him, Knight reached main-event level and superstar status; and never did the moment ever…

MOST IMPROVED WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

COMEBACK OF THE YEAR

IN ONE OF the most closely contested awards in years, it’s the former Naomi who walks away with the winner’s plaque for Comeback of the Year. And what a “glow”-rious comeback it was! When Trinity Fatu sided with her real-life friend, Sasha Banks, and walked out of WWE due to the pair’s dissatisfaction with creative, it would have been easy to scoff. The cries of “She’ll come crawling back” and “She won't achieve anything anywhere else” could be heard loudly on social media. How foolish those commenters must feel now. 20% While it’s true that Naomi was a product of WWE and had no experience in wrestling before that, Trinity was keen to prove that was not all she could be. After a year away from the ring to contemplate her next move,…

COMEBACK OF THE YEAR

INSPIRATIONAL WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

ON JANUARY 17, 2023, the wrestling world was left reeling with the news that Jay Briscoe had tragically died after an automobile accident. In the aftermath, many shared touching stories of how much Jay meant to them. With all respect to the many who grieved Briscoe, there was one person in the wrestling business whom he meant even more to—his brother, Mark. For Mark Briscoe to lose his longtime partner—a man with whom he shared 13 Ring of Honor World tag team championships—was truly sad, but to lose a real-life brother was worse. From arenas around the country to the family farm in Delaware, for the first time in his life, the younger Briscoe brother would be going it alone. 37% Rather than shrink from that new challenge, Mark rolled up his sleeves,…

INSPIRATIONAL WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

MOST POPULAR WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

TO UNDERSTAND WHY certain people are so popular, sometimes all you have to do is watch how they interact with other people. When Cody Rhodes walks to the ring, his eyes aren’t just on the ring or his opponent; rather, they scan the crowd looking for those in attendance wearing his merchandise, holding signs with his logo on them, or calling his name. When he spots those people, Rhodes makes a connection. Whether it’s with the shake of a hand, an encouraging word, or the handing over of a signature weight belt, he leaves his fans with a memory. And that’s all before we even talk about his matches. 27% Dusty Rhodes’ connection with the people made him one of the most popular wrestlers of all-time and a triple winner of this…

MOST POPULAR WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

MOST HATED WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

MOVE OVER MJF … there’s a new most hated man in wrestling. After two years as the top vote-getter, the normally detestable MJF turned over a new leaf in 2023 and at least acted like a somewhat decent human being. While that might be good for humankind in general, it was a bitter disappointment for those who lament that there are no “true” heels in wrestling anymore. Thank goodness, then, for the rise of Dominik Mysterio. As a card-carrying member of The Judgment Day—a group who are no strangers to drawing the ire of people—“Dirty Dom” stands apart as the one fans have deemed as truly hateable. What’s more, the entitled second-generation star seems to relish in the deafening boos he receives wherever he goes. 52% Not content to follow in the footsteps of his…

MOST HATED WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

FEUD OF THE YEAR

IT’S A TALE as old as time. Boy meets faction, boy joins faction, boy loses faction. Well, actually, in this case, it could be said that the boy came to his senses and broke away from the faction. Either way, the resulting fallout led our readers to name Sami Zayn vs. The Bloodline as wrestling’s feud of the year. From the moment he joined the Samoan dynasty that is The Bloodline, Zayn seemed a tad out of place. As time wore on, it became clear that he was out of place. After months of humiliation and being used by his so-called friends, the Quebecer finally had enough, standing up to the dictatorial Roman Reigns and his relatives in an epic moment at the Royal Rumble. 31% A story told over the course of…

FEUD OF THE YEAR

INDIE WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

WHILE THE INDEPENDENT wrestling scene is full of talented performers making names for themselves, it’s fitting that the one who calls himself “The Indy God” takes this award for a second year in a row. Like the out-of-control boulder in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Cardona ran away with the votes. And it’s easy to see why. As of the time of this writing, he’d held 13 different championships during the calendar year, wrestled on four different continents, and appeared on dozens of cards throughout the United States. Indeed, it could be argued that no former WWE star has embraced the life of an independent wrestler so much as the former Zack Ryder has—and to such great, varied success. 50% Despite an often abrasive and demeaning persona, Cardona has done much to raise…

INDIE WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

MATCH OF THE YEAR

AFTER WINNING THE Women’s Royal Rumble match, Rhea Ripley set her sights on challenging then-Smackdown Women’s champion Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania. The backstory between the two was that Ripley had continually been unable to defeat Flair in their previous encounters—including at WrestleMania 36, in another excellent match that, sadly, had to take place in an empty Performance Center. Ripley would not allow history to repeat itself. The hard-fought, back-and-forth tussle played out in dramatic fashion, this time in front of an engrossed audience in Los Angeles. The contest could have gone to either woman. But, in the end, it was Ripley who was able to put her foe away, using an avalanche Riptide to secure the three-count. 13% In his Wrestling Observer review of the match, Dave Meltzer awarded it four-and-three-quarter stars, while…

MATCH OF THE YEAR

TAG TEAM OF THE YEAR

IN THE EVER-CHANGING landscape of professional wrestling, it’s increasingly difficult for most performers to remain at the peak of the sport for even a single year. Then again, most wrestlers aren’t FTR. For the second straight year, Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood walk away with the lion’s share of votes in this category. Although 2022 was likely a better span for the group, at least in terms of in-ring accomplishments, it’s hard to argue another team in 2023 has done what the North Carolinians have. 37% Having entered the calendar year with IWGP and AEW World tag team championship reigns to their name, FTR downed tandems like Aussie Open, The Young Bucks, and Bullet Club Gold, all the while continuing to set the standard for what it means to be “Top Guys” in…

TAG TEAM OF THE YEAR

FACTION OF THE YEAR

A QUICK LOOK around the wrestling landscape suggests that we may currently be enjoying a new golden age for factions. Indeed, there are groups in just about every promotion that are racing to the top. Yet, when it comes to our readers’ votes, it’s The Judgment Day who have galloped out in front. If a successful faction is measured by its weight in gold, then the purple and-black posse set the standard in WWE this year, holding the Women’s World, NXT North American, and Undisputed tag team titles for significant periods of time. Add in a Men’s Money in the Bank briefcase and you begin to see just how dominant The Judgment Day came to be. 48% Not content to remain a quartet, Rhea Ripley, Damian Priest, Finn Balor, and Dominik Mysterio bolstered…

FACTION OF THE YEAR

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

WHETHER IT WAS in the Women’s division, her own faction, or WWE as a whole, Rhea Ripley asserted her dominance throughout 2023 in a manner that made her the runaway winner in reader votes for this category. In a year that saw her take the #1 spot in our expanded “Women’s 250” ranking, “The Nightmare” haunted the dreams of opponents and firmly established herself as one of the biggest stars in the business, regardless of gender. 50% At the Royal Rumble, the Australian powerhouse outlasted 29 other women on her way to winning the Women’s Rumble match and secured a title at WrestleMania, where “The Eradicator” put an end to the championship reign of Charlotte Flair (a bout that was voted 2023 Match of the Year by PWI readers). The victory signaled a…

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

DESPITE HIM BEING a “Visionary,” it’s hard to imagine that Seth Rollins could have foreseen the twists and turns that have occurred over the last 12 months. After spending the last several years further down the WWE pecking order than he may have liked, the “Revolutionary” Rollins rebounded in 2023, becoming, arguably, the promotion’s premier player. After toppling Logan Paul at WrestleMania, Rollins began a trajectory back toward the top of the WWE ladder, spurred on by the announcement that the company would be introducing a new World heavyweight championship that would be exclusive to the Raw brand. 27% Once again turning Raw into “Monday Night Rollins,” the Iowa native defeated AJ Styles at Night of Champions to become the inaugural holder of the brand’s new belt. And he would go on to defend…

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

STANLEY WESTON AWARD: STING

IN AN INDUSTRY where all-time greats are just as likely to burn up—either unable to compete or dragged, kicking and screaming, into retirement—Sting is choosing to go out on his terms. “We used to wonder … what makes these guys wanna come back, year after year, decade after decade? What more do they have to prove? And, I gotta tell ya, here I am all these years later,” said Sting on the October 18, 2023, edition of AEW Dynamite. “And I understand why they hung on! It’s the smell of the arenas. It’s the camaraderie on the road with the guys, traveling all over the globe. It is the roar of you, the fans.” With both longevity and grace, Sting, age 64, had not only hung on … but hung with the…

STANLEY WESTON AWARD: STING

STANLEY WESTON AWARD: NANCY BENOIT

"SHE PERSONIFIED THE ideal of what a woman could accomplish by simply tapping into the strength each of us carries within.” Thus says Sandra Toffoloni, the sister of Nancy Toffoloni—a magnetic and talented woman known to many as Nancy Benoit. First emerging 40 years ago as the “Fallen Angel” in Florida Championship Wrestling, Nancy graced television screens for the years that followed as one of the most capable and charismatic managers around. “She endeared herself to the fans by making it seem like everything she did was deliberate and genuine, all while still maintaining a deceiving mystifying aura to her persona,” adds Toffoloni, who, while a decade younger than Nancy, was able to witness many of her sister’s shining moments first-hand. “She entranced people in the sense that they had never seen…

STANLEY WESTON AWARD: NANCY BENOIT

UNOFFICIAL OFFICIAL AWARDS

MVP OF THE BLOODLINE SAGA: Jey Uso Tony Laplume, Tampa, FL MORE LIKE SQUASH THE STORY: Cody Loses at ’Mania Alex YellowEyes, Mattoon, IL JUST KIDDING: Vince McMahon’s Retirement Lia Fields, Westfield, NJ THE MINISTRY REVISITED: House of Black Ronnie Worley, Mt. Olive, VA FACTION I WISH WOULD REFORM AND FEUD WITH THE JUDGMENT DAY: The Brood C. Laity, Bad Axe, MI THE BEST KNIFE-EDGE CHOPS: Gunter/Dax Harwood Marcus Williams, Baskerville, VA BEST PLE: Survivor Series Jacob Cole Porter, Gordonsville, VA DONDE ESTAS?: Thunder Rosa Victoria Ramirez, St. Paul, MN GIVE HIM THE WESTON AWARD, ALREADY: Eddie Ellner Brent Ruttan, Toronto, ON RULEBENDERS OF THE YEAR: House of Torture Roger Renman, Vantaa, Finland MVP OF THE BLOODLINE IMPLOSION: Sami Zayn Tony Laplume, Tampa, FL GREATEST ENTRANCE: Julia Hart Thomas Filice, Bremerton, WA SECOND WIND AWARD: Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin Chad J. Ellis, Taunton, MA THE YEET AWARD: Jey Uso Emma Walton, Canton, MO GENDER EQUALITY AWARD: Masha…

UNOFFICIAL OFFICIAL AWARDS

ENDEAVOR ACQUIRES WWE; VINCE MCMAHON ADJUSTS TO NEW ROLE

ON SEPTEMBER 12, Endeavor Group Holdings—hoping to further capitalize on the live-event market in a historic $9.3-billion deal—took control of WWE and created TKO, a new subsidiary to include WWE and another high-profile property, the Ultimate Fighting Championship. For the first time in 40 years, Vince McMahon—as TKO’s executive chairman—would answer to a direct supervisor, Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel. Could the Tyrannosaurus rex of sports entertainment coexist with a corporate boss? To be sure, Ari Emanuel would be no pushover: He’d made as much of an impact in the corporate world as older brothers Ezekiel and Rahm had made in healthcare policy and politics, respectively. McMahon would also answer to TKO President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro. The TKO Board of Directors was to be composed of five WWE executives, including…

ENDEAVOR ACQUIRES WWE; VINCE MCMAHON ADJUSTS TO NEW ROLE

AEW’S BEST YEAR … OR WORST YEAR?

ALL ELITE WRESTLING enjoyed a fantastic 2023—or seriously lost momentum—depending upon whom you ask. With social-media opinion more tribalistic than ever, it was no surprise that fans were polarized regarding AEW. How could anyone question AEW’s phenomenal success, coming off the crowning achievement that was All In at London’s Wembley Stadium? All In surpassed all expectations by selling 81,035 tickets, exceeding WWE’s ticket sales at the same venue in 1992. All In was the most successful wrestling card in the history of Europe, with a live gate of $10-million. And that doesn’t even account for the pay-per-view revenue. And it wasn’t as if August 27 were AEW’s last great triumph. Adam Copeland’s debut appearance in October and the company’s signing of Will Ospreay in November demonstrated AEW’s success in acquiring both established and…

AEW’S BEST YEAR … OR WORST YEAR?

FREE AGENTS FLOURISH AMID WWE-AEW RIVALRY

THE BIDDING WAR between WWE and AEW intensified in 2023, as the industry’s talent—as well as its fans—fresh off the benefits of genuine competition between two major companies. Even if CM Punk hadn’t returned as 2023 drew to a close, WWE had gained the slight edge in worthy pickups over AEW. Chelsea Green—after notable runs in IMPACT Wrestling, the NWA, and top independents—was the surprise #20 entrant in the Women’s Royal Rumble. Green became a tag team specialist, holding the Women’s tag team title with Sonya Deville and then Piper Niven. Nia Jax returned at the Rumble at number 30 after a two-year absence, and it took the efforts of 11 women to eliminate her from the bout. She returned full-time to Raw in September. Yet the arrivals of Green and Jax were…

FREE AGENTS FLOURISH AMID WWE-AEW RIVALRY

WRESTLEMANIA BRINGS BIG BUCKS, BIG MATCHES, SOME DISAPPOINTMENT

WWE BROKE RECORDS—and broke the hearts of legions of Cody Rhodes fans—when WrestleMania “went Hollywood” for its 39th edition. For the fourth straight year, WrestleMania took place over two nights. The event emanated April 2-3, 2023, with 161,892 total fans packing SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California. According to WWE, the affair set several new records, including a live gate of $21.6-million and $20-million in sponsorship revenue. It was also the most watched WrestleMania ever, surpassing all previous payper-view and Peacock streaming numbers, as well as a massive economic boon for its host city. WWE reported that WrestleMania generated $205-million for the greater Los Angeles region (another record). While the company’s accountants were thrilled come the end of WrestleMania, WWE fans were decidedly less so—especially those rooting for Cody Rhodes. After being…

WRESTLEMANIA BRINGS BIG BUCKS, BIG MATCHES, SOME DISAPPOINTMENT

CM PUNK ALIENATES AEW; RETURNS TO WWE

HELL HAS THAWED and frozen over many times in the career of CM Punk. He spent the first half of 2023 making headlines by doing absolutely nothing. Would Punk return to AEW after his bitter media scrum appearance and the resulting backstage brawl with The Elite? Or would AEW President Tony Khan buy out his multimillion-dollar contract? AEW booked London’s Wembley Stadium for its All In pay-per-view in August, prompting rumors of Punk’s return. Plenty of star-power would be needed to fill 80,000-plus seats. Would he perhaps face Jon Moxley, who had become World champion after Punk’s forced departure? And how could Punk co-exist with The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega? Khan devised an extraordinary solution to appease Punk. His new Saturday-night TNT program, Collision, would be built around the star—as a…

CM PUNK ALIENATES AEW; RETURNS TO WWE

WRESTLING MOURNS BRAY WYATT, JAY BRISCOE, AND OTHER ICONS

TWO MAJOR STARS in the prime of their lives died this year, stunning the wrestling community. The first was Jay Briscoe, age 38, who was killed January 17 in a head-on collision in his hometown of Laurel, Delaware. His two daughters, Gracie and Jayleigh Pugh, survived despite serious injuries. Jay & Mark Briscoe were amid an unprecedented 13th ROH World tag team title reign, and, coming off a brutal double-dog-collar match against FTR, were experiencing a career resurgence. The loss was mourned by active and former wrestlers across many promotions, as even WWE CCO Paul Levesque posted his condolences upon Briscoe’s passing. In addition to their ROH success, Jay and Mark had won belts around the world, including the IWGP, GHC junior heavyweight, and IMPACT tag team championships. Jay also reigned as…

WRESTLING MOURNS BRAY WYATT, JAY BRISCOE, AND OTHER ICONS

WWE USHERS IN A NEW BOOM PERIOD

WWE’S BUSINESS REACHED new heights in 2023, with live attendance and television viewership soaring, and several hot new acts emerging—including one unlikely “megastar.” Evidence that WWE was enjoying a full-blown boom period was evident in the company’s metrics throughout the year, including live gates. Revenue from live events increased by 41% in the first quarter of 2023 (as compared to the same period in 2022) and by 51% in the second quarter. WWE’s popularity was also evident in the size of its television audience. Thirty years after debuting on the USA Network, Monday Night Raw drew an impressive average of 1.7 million viewers each week. That number held relatively steady from 2022, even as most other television properties saw viewership wane. And the numbers were even more impressive for Friday Night Smackdown, which…

WWE USHERS IN A NEW BOOM PERIOD

MERCEDES MONE KICKS OFF GROUNDBREAKING YEAR FOR WOMEN’S WRESTLING

WITH REPORTS OF six-figure paydays and buzz of potential dream matches aplenty, the former Sasha Banks got 2023 off to a hot start by signing with New Japan—even if it ended up being something of a false start. Eight months after walking out of WWE, Mercedes Mone shocked fans inside the Tokyo Dome when she appeared at Wrestle Kingdom 17 to announce she had joined NJPW. Mone would work on a perdate deal with New Japan and its sister promotion, Stardom, in what was rumored to be one of the most lucrative contracts ever offered by Bushiroad. In front of a record streaming audience on NJPW World, Mone physically overtook IWGP Women’s champion KAIRI (Sane)—setting up a title match for Mone’s official NJPW debut at Battle in the Valley in San Jose,…

MERCEDES MONE KICKS OFF GROUNDBREAKING YEAR FOR WOMEN’S WRESTLING

TNA WRESTLING RETURNS (AND OTHER MAJOR MANEUVERS)

TO TAKE A step into its future, IMPACT Wrestling reached back into its past. At the conclusion of Bound for Glory on October 21, 2023, a pre-taped video segment revealed that the 21-year-old company would be returning to its original name, Total Nonstop Action, in 2024. “We’re back,” declared a message displayed on-screen, as fans inside the Chicago venue excitedly chanted, “TNA! TNA!” The return to the TNA brand, which had been largely retired since 2017, capped off a series of big moves by the company. Some of those changes were necessitated by Josh Alexander having his record-long IMPACT World title reign ended by a triceps injury in March. Steve Maclin won the vacant title, and then lost it to Alex Shelley at Against All Odds in June. As a beloved TNA…

TNA WRESTLING RETURNS (AND OTHER MAJOR MANEUVERS)

NJPW, CMLL, OTHER PROMOTIONS GROW INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

YOU DIDN’T HAVE to purchase a plane ticket to watch more international wrestling in 2023, as growing collaborations among promotions increased fans’ access to some of the most exciting ring action on the planet. Key to the increased exposure that New Japan experienced in the U.S. was its NJPW STRONG brand, which held regular payper-view events stateside in 2023, including its February Battle in the Valley event in San Jose, California, featuring Kazuchika Okada defending his IWGP World title against old foe Hiroshi Tanahashi. New Japan would get even more American eyeballs on its product through collaborations with AEW, including at the second Forbidden Door PPV in June, where Okada lost to Bryan Danielson in a dream match, and new IWGP champ SANADA retained his title over “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry. NJPW also…

NJPW, CMLL, OTHER PROMOTIONS GROW INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT MAIN ROSTER WWE UNDISPUTED CHAMPIONSHIP N/C | Roman Reigns (Held since Aug. 2020) WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP 05.27.23 | Seth Rollins def. AJ Styles [Tournament final to crown inaugural champion] WWE WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP* 05.27.23 | Asuka def. Bianca Belair 08.05.23 | Bianca Belair def. Asuka [Triple-threat also included Charlotte Flair] 08.05.23 | Iyo Sky def. Bianca Belair [Money in the Bank cash-in] *Formerly known as Raw Women’s championship WWE WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP* 04.01.23 | Rhea Ripley def. Charlotte Flair *Formerly known as Smackdown Women’s championship WWE UNDISPUTED TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP 04.01.23 | Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn def. The Usos 09.02.23 | Judgment Day def. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn 10.07.23 | Cody Rhodes & Jey Uso def. Judgment Day 10.16.23 | Judgment Day def. Cody Rhodes & Jey Uso WWE WOMEN’S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP 02.27.23 | Becky Lynch & Lita def. Damage CTRL 04.10.23 | Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez…

ROLL CALL OF CHAMPIONS

IWTV (PENNSYLVANIA) Alec Price – Won from Matt Tremont, 08.13.23 PAWDWC (WASHINGTON, D.C.) Suge D – Won from Trish Adora, 10.15.23 365 PRO WRESTLING (ONTARIO) Krofton – Won from Joey Allen, 04.29.23 Rose – Won from Liiza Hall, 04.22.23 666 (TOKYO, JAPAN) Koju Takeda – Won from Konaka, 08.02.23 AAW PRO (BERWYN, IL) Davey Vega – Won from Jake Something, 08.31.23 Sierra – Won from Masha Slamovich, 10.28.23 ABSOLUTE INTENSE WRESTLING (CLEVELAND, OH) Isaiah Broner – Won from Matt Cardona, 07.15.23 ACTION WRESTLING (TYRONE, GA) Alex Kane – Won from Adam Priest, 12.08.23 AFRICA WRESTLING ALLIANCE (CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA) Congo King – Won from Johnny Palazzio, 03.28.19 ALIANZA UNIVERSAL DE LUCHA LIBRE (ESTADO DE MEXICO) Forastero – Won from Pistolero Negro, 02.17.23 Baronessa – Won four-way bout (v), 02.17.23 BATTLE CLUB PRO (NEW YORK, NY) Cosmic – Def. Trish Adora (v), 01.21.23 BIG JAPAN (YOKOHAMA, JAPAN) Yuya Aoki – Won fromYuji Okabayashi, 05.04.23 BLACK…

JASON SILVER OSAMU KIDO PEGGY LEE LEATHER JEFF GAYLORD TORO BILL SR. BRAY WYATT KILLER KHAN JOYCE GRABLE EMILE DUPREE BLACK WARRIORBRIAN DIXON MIKE PHILLIPS DON LUCE ADRIAN STREET ABSOLUTE ANDY DAN EXCELLENT KRISTEN “MIAMI” MITCHELL BUSHWHACKER BUTCH KENNY JAY CHARLIE NORRIS DARREN DROZDOV BEVERLY SHADE SPO (SEAN PATRICK O’BRIEN) KURTIS CHAPMAN (MAD KURT) DON WEST ADNAN AL-KAISSY ED GAREA RUSS FRANCIS BILLY TWO RIVERS…

DISCLAIMER: As in previous years, most of the captions in our “Year In Photos” section are written in good fun. If something seems like it’s meant to be taken as a joke, it probably is!…

OFFICIAL WRESTLING RATINGS

HEAVYWEIGHT 1 SETH ROLLINS Davenport, IA (1) WWE World champion 2 HIJO DEL VIKINGO Puebla, Mexico (10) AAA Mega champion 3 BLAKE CHRISTIAN Orlando, FL (-) GCW champion 4 ALEC PRICE Boston, MA (9) IWTV champion 5 ALEX KANE Atlanta, GA (8) MLW champion 6 EDDIE KINGSTON Yonkers, NY (-) ROH champion 7 EC3 Boca Raton, FL (-) NWA champion 8 MJF Long Island, NY (3) AEW champion 9 ALEX SHELLEY Detroit, MI (4) TNA champion 10 SANADA Niigata, Japan (5) IWGP champion WOMEN 1 RHEA RIPLEY Adelaide, Australia (1) WWE Women’s World champion 2 IYO SKY Kanagawa, Japan (5) WWE Women’s champion 3 GIULIA London, U.K. (4) NJPW STRONG Women’s champion 4 ATHENA Garland, TX (6) ROH Women’s champion 5 JULIA HART Bloomington, MN (-) AEW TBS champion 6 MIYU YAMASHITA Fukuoka, Japan (7) TJPW champion 7 TONI STORM Gold Coast, Australia (-) AEW Women’s World champion 8 STEPHANIE VAQUER San Antonio, Chile (-) CMLL Women’s World champion 9 MAX THE IMPALER The Wasteland (-) NWA Women’s TV champion 10 LYRA VALKYRIA Dublin, Ireland (9) NXT Women’s champion Ratings are based on won-lost records for the past month, quality of opposition,…

OFFICIAL WRESTLING RATINGS

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