Read on to know about the full list of the female professional wrestlers who have topped the PWI Top Women’s 100 List over the years
Ever since 2008, Pro-Wrestling Illustrated has published a list of the best women in professional wrestling each year in a special edition magazine. It was known as the Female 50 till it was renamed Women’s 100 in 2018. Akin to the list of male professional wrestlers, PWI writers for the women’s list also follow a particular evaluation period which starts somewhere in June to make their picks. They do not consider anything a wrestler accomplishes outside that period.
Full List Of All The Number One Female Wrestlers On The PWI Top Women’s 100 List
PWI writers pick the wrestlers on these rankings on the basis of their win-loss record, the championships they have won, quality of competition, major feuds they have been involved in, individual promotions, and overall wrestling ability. Moreover, despite men and women having separate lists, females would occasionally be listed in the men’s list called PWI 500. In 1993, Miss Texas was the first female to be ranked in the PWI 500 at #249.
Following are all the women who have topped the PWI Women’s 100 List over the years.
2008: Awesome Kong
2009: Mickie James
2010: Michelle McCool
2011: Madison Eagles
2012: Gail Kim
2013: Cheerleader Melissa
2014: Paige
2015: Nikki Bella
2016: Charlotte Flair
2017: Asuka
2018: Ronda Rousey
2019: Becky Lynch
2020: Bayley
More About Pro Wrestling Illustrated And Its Rankings
Pro Wrestling Illustrated or PWI is America’s favorite internationally sold pro-wrestling bi-monthly magazine. It is also the longest wrestling magazine in English to still be in production.
It released its first issue in 1979 and soon became known for not breaking kayfabe in its articles. This was because it traditionally treated all angles or storylines amidst pro wrestling as real. However, recently the magazine has taken an editorial approach, and has started to differentiate between on-screen feuds and behind the scenes controversies.
PWI not just covers prominent promotions of pro wrestling, but also various promotions which exist independently in America. Some of its other special issues include: Women of Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Illustrated Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts since 1996, and its weekly newsletter called PWI Weekly from 1989 to 2000, which was eventually acquired by Golden Boy Enterprises.
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