Cody Rhodes graces this years PWI 500 November 2024 edition as the complete 500 showcases the wrestler who appears on multiple promotions throughout his stories career. Winning back to back Royal Rumbles (2024 and 2023), World title reigns, AEW and WWE appearances and now — Cody Rhodes graces the cover of PWI November 2024 while ranking in at #1. Newer wrestlers like Dominic Mysterio rank in at #69 and Logan Paul at #37 respectively and veterran alumni/current superstars & athletes like Randy Orton own their spot at #55 after sitting out of the PWI 500 criteria the previous year.

Ultimate Wrestling Entertainment has had power rankings. Weekly rankings of the weeks superstars. These rankings determined contenders, championship opportunities and contributed to bouts booked on weekly shows. Furthermore, UWE has it’s own hall of fame; a special occasional induction ceremony and honoruing of writers characters inducted into the hall of fame. Only the best have been inducted and only the best have etched a name for themselves. Or have they?

Arguably not all of the best or greats have ranked in weekly rankings or have joined the “pantheon of greatness” as Sash (the creator and handler of superstar Styx and the Death Trance Slayers) would put it.

What if UWELegacy aka Ultimate Wrestling Entertainment had a Top 20, Top 50 or a Top 100 of the greatest competitors to have ever stepped into the Ultimate Wrestling Entertainment E-Fed cirtcuit? Many and plenty have shone bright like diamonds in the rough. Just as many have gained recognition or arguaby faltered to make a splash much due to the staff and likely Nate (editor note; yours truly!) failing to sanction power rankings or that years hall of fame.

WWE Alumnus and athlete/legend Trish Stratus spoke this past year 2024 and reasoned “Why not induct Lilian Garcia in the hall of fame?” Her notion begs the question of rankings and hall of fame inductees stretching beyond the in-ring competitor/wrestler aspect of PWI’s 500. The notoriety and prestige of said rankings carries great weight in the world of wrestling and many superstars have their careers recognized by PWI whose judges have hall marked careers of those who may have made their splash in indy circuits. Mostly , wrestlers who dominate the rankings hail from Japan, NJPW, Shimmer, ROH, WWE, AEW, TNA and thus statistically the indy’s might not be seen as the place to garner a PWI top ranking, right? You would thinkl so, but false, the PWI rankings specifically the TOP 500 and the FEMALE TOP 250 recognize the careers of all wrestlers. My Canadian mind thinks of Nicole Matthews who ranked #32. Nicole Matthews competed in Canada’s west coast and has forged the name for herself and in my opinion PWI 500 and PWI 250 gives her additional recognition and accolades. The applause she and many who worked hard, and continue to work hard, deserve so much!

We can be inspired by the hard work and talent of sports entertainment and furthermore find inspiration in the hard work of athletes.

So, what if Ultimate Wrestling Entertainment had a list that nods to the PWI 500 and pays homage to the plethora and pool of talent/writers and contributers? I leave you with that final thought! Take care.

UWE Owner and Head-Adminsitrator Nate aka Chaos