30. El Desperado (36 ballots, 1742 points) – HIGHEST RANKED 36 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 16
High Vote: Bucky (5)
Average Rank: 33.39
52.17% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– w/ Mistico & Soberano Jr. vs. DOUKI, Hechicero & Templario (NJPW/CMLL, 2/26)
– w/ Minoru Suzuki & Ren Narita vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW, 5/3)
– vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru (NJPW, 5/12)
– vs. YOH (NJPW, 5/17)
– vs. Titan (NJPW, 5/26)
– vs. Mascara Dorada (CMLL, 6/30)
– w/ Hechicero vs. DOUKI & Templario (CMLL, 7/2)
– w/ Jun Kasai vs. Homicide & Jon Moxley (NJPW, 7/4)
– vs. Jon Moxley (NJPW, 7/5)
– w/ Jun Kasai vs. Masashi Takeda & Rina Yamashita (FREEDOMS, 8/11)

“For some reason thought I was low on Despy. Then I rubbed my brain cells together and decided I was an idiot. Not sure what happened this year but the man got to have some sort of Beloved Figure tour this year. Put in big time tag matches in New Japan and FREEDOMs where he got to fully unleash his bloodletting. Then off to GCW for a few matches that were all fun. We spent so many years saying that he wasn’t living up to his potential, I’m beyond glad we can put that to bed.” ~ Sam DiMascio

“When I got back into wrestling in 2010, Desperado had just debuted and was working openers, usually submitting to a Boston crab. He just happened to have his western excursion right around the same time I began to “understand” lucha, and Namajague was a wonderful character in an environment where he flourished. The decade that followed showed us this same energy in fits and starts, but unfortunately the New Japan juniors division isn’t exactly my type of graps. So imagine my delight when suddenly a couple years ago, this guy starts cutting himself and rolling around in glass with Jun Kasai. He’s one of a number of personal faves of mine who, during or after COVID (“after” lol), seemingly lost their fucking mind and leaned hard into the niche that I find so particularly wonderful. If all my favorite wrestlers just worked one 200 light tube deathmatch, it would mean the world to me. Despy was a god of death this year. He wrestled Jon Moxley and Homicide in Korakuen Hall. He wrestled Joey Janela in Atlantic City. He killed it in the BOSJ (loved the Titán match) then a week later he entered Zandig’s Tournament of Survival. Yes, I still call it Zandig’s Tournament of Survival. Cool matches everywhere from Tony’s ROH (vs. Willie Mack) to DDT (vs. Daisuke Sasaki) all the way to CMLL and some niconico show where he did tricky limbwork with Hikaru Sato. I could not give you a wrestler with a more diverse and exciting resume in 2023. Sorry this was so long, I just couldn’t stop. Desperado is the man. ~ Bucky

29. Sareee (29 ballots, 1743 points) – HIGHEST RANKED 29 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: NR
High Vote: Olly Armstrong (1)
Average Rank: 30.72
42.03% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs. Chihiro Hashimoto (Sareee Produce, 5/16)
– w/ Aja Kong vs. Mika Iwata & Mio Momono (Hana Kimura Memorial, 5/23)
– w/ KAIRI vs. Arisa Nakajima & Takumi Iroha (Sareee Produce, 8/4)
– vs. Arisa Nakajima (SEAdLINNNG, 8/25)
– vs. Riko Kaiju (SEAdLINNNG, 9/15)
– w/ Saori Anou vs. Chihiro Hashimoto & Yuu (Sendai Girls, 9/18)
– w/ Saori Anou vs. DASH Chisako & Mika Iwata (Sendai Girls, 10/21)
– vs. Mika Iwata (Sendai Girls, 11/5)
– w/ Arsia Nakajima vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto & Riko Kaiju (SEAdLINNNG, 11/17)
– vs. Ayame Sasamura (SEAdLINNNG, 12/28)

“Sareee’s return to Joshi after doing nothing in NXT for years was one of the year’s highlights. She worked around the indies, ran her own shows, and was always the highlight! With a more full year next year, she should be higher.” ~ Steven Graham

28. Konosuke Takeshita (41 ballots, 1774 points) – ONLY 41 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 22
High Vote: pto (4)
Average Rank: 36.15
59.42% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs. Mike Bailey (PWG, 1/8)
– vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW, 1/11)
– vs. Sanshiro Takagi (DDT, 3/21)
– vs. Yuki Ueno (DDT, 3/30)
– vs. Bandido (AEW, 6/14)
– w/ Claudio Castagnoli, Jon Moxley, PAC & Wheeler Yuta vs. Adam Page, Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson (AEW, 7/19)
– vs. Yuki Ueno (DDT, 7/23)
– vs. Kenny Omega (AEW, 9/3)
– w/ Sammy Guevara & Will Ospreay vs. Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi (AEW, 10/1)
– vs. Chris Jericho (DDT, 11/12)

“It would be very fun to go with the historical dunk of saying everyone lobing hyperbolic praise on Konosuke Takeshita now are doing so because they were unaware of his past decade of fantastic work, but 2023 was a year where Soup stepped it up and actually earned it. With more high-profile matches, splitting time between AEW & DDT more effectively, and showing more edge than he ever before being tied to the truly hateable Don Callis & his family.” ~ Timothy Robert Buechner

27. Katsuhiko Nakajima (31 ballots, 1798 points) – HIGHEST RANKED 31 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 137
High Vote: Andy (1)
Average Rank: 27.23
44.93% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs. Shingo Takagi (NJPW, 1/21)
– w/ Kenoh & Manabu Soya vs. Kento Miyahara, Suwama & Yuma Aoyagi (NOAH, 2/21)
– w/ Go Shiozaki vs. Kenoh & Manabu Soya (NOAH, 5/14)
– vs. Kenoh (NOAH, 5/31)
– vs. Kento Miyahara (NOAH, 7/15)
– vs. Manabu Soya (NOAH, 8/6)
– vs. Go Shiozaki (NOAH, 8/27)
– vs. Yuma Aoyagi (AJPW, 11/5)
– w/ Hokuto Omori vs. Kento Miyahara & Yuma Aoyagi (12/6)
– vs. Kento Miyahara (AJPW, 12/31)

““You understand the Nakajima schtick by now, he kicks people. This year was his best year of kicking this decade so far and discounting the two stinkers with Miyahara, he managed to have a fun year ranging from matches with Shingo Takagi to Yuma Aoyagi.” ~Tanner

26. Kazusada Higuchi (30 ballots, 1880 points) – HIGHEST RANKED 30 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 54
High Vote: Charles Fluit, Raiden (7)
Average Rank: 26.9
43.48% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs. Yuji Hino (DDT, 1/29)
– vs. Ryota Nakatsu (BASARA, 1/31)
– w/ Ryoya Nakatsu vs. MAO & Shunma Katsumata (DDT, 3/21)
– vs. Yusuke Okada (DDT, 5/6)
– vs. Hideki Okatani (DDT, 5/7)
– vs. Chris Brookes (DDT, 5/21)
– w/ Miyu Yamashita & Naomichi Marufuji vs. Hideki Okatani, Saki Akai & Yukio Sakaguchi (DDT, 11/12)
– vs. Yuki Ueno (DDT, 11/26)
– vs. HARAHSIMA (DDT, 12/9)
– vs. Tetsuya Endo (DDT, 12/24)

“In 2022 Kazusada Higuchi made it to the top of DDT being literal flag waiver for the promotion. In 2023 he was a side character doing a great helping other wrestlers stories and doing a great job it. The Chris Brookes becoming King, Saki Akai’s road to retirement through Eruption, Yuji Hino’s comeback year, and ShunMAO’s avant-garde tag team champion reign all went through Higuchi. His skills, presence, very strong head, and talent all the things he was part of seem bigger. Two spots of the spots that will probably stick with me Higuchi’s head being so strong made a whole through a table wearing it like a necklace and him doing the claw down a slide at one of DDT’s rojo shows.” ~ Henry/HeadCheese

25. Mike Bailey (38 ballots, 1885 points) – ONLY 38 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 42
High Vote: Niko (2)
Average Rank: 37.79
55.07% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs. Konosuke Takeshita (PWG, 1/8)
– vs. Bryan Keith (PWG, 1/8)
– vs. Kenny King (Impact, 1/14)
– w/ Jonathan Gresham vs. Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin (Impact, 1/21)
– vs. Miedo Extremo (VxS, 2/17)
– vs. Masha Slamovich (GCW, 3/10)
– vs. Kota Ibushi (GCW, 3/30)
– vs. El Hijo del Vikingo (GCW, 3/31)
– vs. Hiromu Takahashi (NJPW, 5/12)
– vs. Titan (NJPW, 5/17)
– vs. Lio Rush (NJPW, 5/23)
– vs. Master Wato (NJPW, 5/26)
– vs. Will Ospreay (Impact, 10/21)
– vs. Judas Icarus (DEFY, 10/27)
– vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (NJPW, 11/10)

“In 2022 Mike Bailey to United States wrestling scene. I think he had a really good year but, like some of his matches, went into a repetitive and kind of stiff formula.
In 2023 felt like he was more he felt loose and having more variety. One of the mainthings that helped Mike Bailey so highly for me his run at BOLA Night 2. My favorite show I have ever seen live. Mike Bailey wrestles four distinct and really good matches. Doing a handwork match, facing an bully, a match helping build up how tough his opponent is. and wrestling a friend/rival in a big time feeling final.
He was a great jerk vs. Masha Slamovich. Being part random pre-show Fire Pro randomizer scramble that Angels vs. Delirious vs. KUSHIDA vs. Mike Bailey vs. Mike Jackson vs. Yuya Uemura. Speedball also had two of the most fun unique bloodsport style matches against Kota Ibushi and Kenny King (Impact Wrestling tv).” ~ Henry/HeadCheese|

“He was on fire at the start of 2023 and had a GREAT run in Best of the Super Juniors. Might be starting to overexpose himself and his style with so many bookings but I guess he’s really making up for lost time after missing so much of the superindie era with his visa issues.” ~ chris

24. Ricky Starks (51 ballots, 1899 points) – ONLY 51 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 17
High Vote: luke (3)
Average Rank: 38.57
73.91% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs. Chris Jericho (AEW, 1/4)
– vs. Daniel Garcia (AEW, 2/15)
– vs. Chris Jericho (AEW, 3/5)
– vs. Juice Robinson (AEW, 5/3)
– vs. Jay White (AEW, 5/17)
– vs. Jay White (AEW, 6/7)
– w/ Cash Wheeler, CM Punk & Dax Harwood vs. Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, Jay White & Juice Robinson (AEW, 6/24)
– vs. CM Punk (AEW, 7/15)
– w/ Christian Cage vs. CM Punk & Darby Allin (AEW, 7/22)
– vs. CM Punk (AEW, 8/5)
– vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW, 9/3)
– w/ Big Bill vs. Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli (AEW, 9/16)
– vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW, 9/23)
– w/ Big Bill vs. Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta (AEW, 10/21)
– w/ Big Bill vs. Brody King & Malakai Black vs. Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood vs. Dralistico & Rush (AEW, 11/18)

“You know that scene from the Simpsons where Lionel Hutz is told to imagine a world without lawyers and he dreams of a peaceful utopia of all races and religions holding hands before he shudders? That’s Tony Khan imagining a world where he put the belt on Ricky Starks instead of MJF.” ~ chris

23. Christian Cage (48 ballots, 2080 points) – LOWEST RANKED 48 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 78
High Vote: pto (1)
Average Rank: 33
69.57% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs. Jack Perry (AEW, 3/5)
– vs. Wardlow (AEW, 5/28)
– w/ Ricky Starks vs. CM Punk & Darby Allin (AEW, 7/22)
– vs. Darby Allin (AEW, 8/19)
– w/ Swerve Strickland vs. Darby Allin & Sting (AEW, 8/27)
– w/ Luchasaurus vs. Darby Allin & Sting (AEW, 9/20)
– vs. Darby Allin vs. Luchasaurus (AEW, 9/23)
– vs. Darby Allin (AEW, 10/1)
– vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW, 10/14)
– vs. Trent Beretta (AEW, 10/17)
– w/ Luchasaurus & Nick Wayne vs. Adam Copeland, Darby Allin & Sting (AEW, 11/18)
– vs. Adam Copeland (AEW, 12/6)
– vs. Adam Copeland (AEW, 12/30)

“If we were considering promo work, Christian might have been my number one. He was consistently the most entertaining wrestler in AEW on the mic, but his in-ring work was the best he’s done since he returned from retirement. The feud with Darby was a thing of beauty.” ~ chris

“Christian Cage is undeniable. One of the greatest to ever do it. He doesn’t have the top runs of the folks that come to mind but he’s had so many cult favorite runs. Being able to see him work the Darby program, a real spotlight feud that could main event a PPV, in an INCREDIBLE match, damn. What a pro wrestler” ~Sam DiMascio

22. Rush (44 ballots, 2108 points) – LOWEST RANKED 44 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 28
High Vote: pto (3)
Average Rank: 37.75
63.77% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW, 2/8)
– w/ Preston Vance vs. Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley (AEW, 2/15)
– w/ Dralistico vs. Rhett Titus & Tracy Williams (ROH, 2/25)
– w/ Dralistico vs. Dante Martin & Darius Martin vs. Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis vs. Matt Taven & Mike Bennett vs. Penta El 0M & Rey Fenix (ROH, 3/31)
– w/ LA Park vs. Blue Demon Jr. & DMT Azul (AAA, 4/16)
– vs. Jack Perry (AEW, 5/17)
– w/ LA Park vs. Psycho Clown & Sam Adonis (AAA, 7/15)
– vs. LA Park vs. Psycho Clown vs. Sam Adonis (AAA, 8/12)
– w/ Dralistico vs. Anthony Henry & JD Drake (AEW, 11/10)
– w/ Dralistico vs. Big Bill & Ricky Starks vs. Brody King & Malakai Black vs. Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood (AEW, 11/18)
– vs. Jay White (AEW, 11/22)
– vs. Mark Briscoe (AEW, 11/29)
– vs. Jon Moxley (AEW, 12/6)
– vs. Swerve Strickland (AEW, 12/20)
– w/ Brody King, Jay Lethal & Jay White vs. Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia & Mark Briscoe (AEW, 12/30)

“Carried Dralistico and Preston Vance in tag matches. Had a fun run in the TripleMania tournament even if it ended in a copout 4-way match. Crushed it in the Continental Classic. I will never forget the night Rush and Bryan Danielson turned the El Paso County Coliseum into Arena Naucalpan.” ~ chris

21. Soberano Jr. (37 ballots, 2211 points) – ONLY 37 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 185
High Vote: Sam DiMascio (1)
Average Rank: 24.97
53.62% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– w/ Templario vs. Averno & Mistico (CMLL, 2/17)
– w/ El Desperado & Mistico vs. DOUKI, Hechicero & Templario (NJPW/CMLL, 2/24)
– vs. Titan (NJPW/CMLL, 2/27)
– w/ Atlantis Jr. & Mistico vs. BUSHI, Tetsuya Naito & Titan (CMLL, 6/30)
– vs. Mascara Dorada (CMLL, 8/1)
– w/ Atlantis Jr. & Mistico vs. Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr. & Ultimo Guerrero (CMLL, 8/4)
– vs. Stuka Jr. (CMLL, 8/18)
– w/ Hiromu Takahashi & Titan vs. Atlantis Jr., Mistico & Volador Jr. (CMLL, 8/25)
– w/ Titan vs. Lince Dorado & Samuray Del Sol (CMLL, 9/16)
– w/ Volador Jr. vs. Mascara Dorada & Mistico (CMLL, 11/3)
– vs. Volador Jr. (CMLL, 11/10)
– w/ Atlantis Jr. vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI (NJPW, 11/29)
– w/ Andrade El Idolo & Angel de Oro vs. Atlantis Jr., Mistico & Star Jr. (CMLL, 12/15)
– vs. Atlantis Jr. (CMLL, 12/22)
– w/ Averno & Templario vs. Atlantis Jr., Mascara Dorada & Volador Jr. (CMLL, 12/25)

“#1 Wrestler in the world in 2023. In my favorite style, he is operating at the highest wrestler despite not being truly gifted at the matwork that often draws me into lucha.

That doesn’t really matter because Soberano Jr. takes his skillset and makes it malleable. CMLL is a promotion predicated on dozens and dozens of combinations of trios matches. When you have enough good workers in a match, you often get something good. You would think other promotions would pick up on how easy that is but alas, promoters are dumb. Whether Soberarno Jr. is in there with flashy youngsters, emotionally charged technicos, or more rugged rudos, Soberano constantly keeps things interesting.” ~ Sam DiMascio