Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) has released its annual top 150 women in professional wrestling for 2022. This is the second year in a row that the women’s list has been expanded to 150. It was a list of 100 prior and originally a list of only 50 when it started in 2008.
For the first time ever, a Joshi performer from a Joshi promotion, STARDOM, has topped the list. Syuri comes in at number one this year as she is the current reigning World of Stardom Champion which she has held for now 300 days and counting.
The runner-up this year was last year’s number one and that is the current Raw Women’s Champion from WWE, Bianca Belair.
The full top 10 are as follows, numbers in parentheses are last year’s ranking.
- Syuri (7) – STARDOM
- Bianca Belair (1) – WWE
- Thunder Rosa (5) – AEW
- Becky Lynch (34) – WWE
- Jade Cargill (50) – AEW
- Jordynne Grace (22) – IMPACT
- Saya Kamitani (39) – STARDOM
- Charlotte Flair (15) – WWE
- Starlight Kid (76) – STARDOM
- Taya Valkyrie (126) – IMPACT
The ranking criteria consist of:
- In-ring Achievement
- Influence
- Technical Ability
- Activity (min. 10 matches or 6 months)
- Breadth/Quality of Competiton
The evaluation period is from October 1, 2021, to September 15, 2022
Rounding out the Top 50 are –
11. Tasha Steelz
12. Miyu Yamashita
13. Britt Baker
14. Masha Slamovich
15. Mickie James
16. AZM
17. Liv Morgan
18. Ronda Rousey
19. Deonna Purrazzo
20. Utami Hayashishita
21. Mandy Rose
22. Meiko Satomura
23. Kamille
24. Alex Windsor
25. Toni Storm
26. Sasha Banks
27. Mayu Iwatani
29. Shoko Nakajima
30. Tam Nakano
31. Gisele Shaw
32. Princess Sugehit
33. Hyan
34. Arisa Nakajima
35. Emersyn Jayne
36. Roxanne Perez
37. Maki Itoh
38. Dark Silueta
39. Momo Watanabe
41. Suzu Suzuki
42. Rhea Ripley
43. Yuka Sakazaki
44. Tsukasa Fujimoto
45. Jetta
46. LuFisto
47. Naomi
48. Gigi Dolin
49. Jacy Jayne
50. Viva Van
