50. Yuji Okabayashi (24 ballots, 1224 points)
Last Year’s Rank: 236
High Vote: Austin Shermer (6)
Average Rank: 27.75
34.78% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs. Hideyoshi Kamitani (BJW, 1/2)
– w/ Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura (BJW, 2/13)
– w/ Ryuji Ito vs. Kazumi Kikuta & Takuya Nomura (BJW, 3/4)
– vs. So Daimonji (BJW, 3/11)
– w/ Yasufumi Nakanoue vs. Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura (BJW, 3/17)
– w/ Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Takuya Nomura & Yuya Aoki (BJW, 4/1)
– w/ Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura (BJW, 4/16)
– vs. Yuya Aoki (BJW, 5/4)
– vs. Fuminori Abe (BJW, 5/28)
– w/ Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Shuji Ishikawa & Suwama (AJPW, 6/17)

“Yuji Okabayashi brings so much energy and passion. He attitude feels earnest and is a joy to watch wrestle, he is also great at being the obstacle/force in matches. Hope he’s enjoying whatever he is doing now.” ~ Henry/HeadCheese

49. Katsuyori Shibata (36 ballots, 1229 points) – LOWEST RANKED 36 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 50
High Vote: Adam (4)
Average Rank: 46.25
52.17% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs. Wheeler Yuta (ROH, 3/31)
– w/ Alex Coughlin vs. Anthony Henry & JD Drake (ROH, 4/7)
– vs. Alex Coughlin (ROH, 5/24)
– vs. Lee Moriarty (ROH, 5/31)
– w/ Orange Cassidy vs. Daniel Garcia & Zack Sabre Jr. (AEW, 6/21)
– vs. Daniel Garcia vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (AEW/NJPW, 6/25)
– vs. Daniel Garcia (ROH, 7/21)
– w/ El Phantasmo vs. David Finlay & Gabe Kidd (RevPro, 8/26)
– w/ Eddie Kingston vs. Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta (AEW, 9/3)
– vs. Eddie Kingston (AEW, 10/1)

“It is unfair to say we collectively forget how good Shibata is…but it is a LITTLE true, right? They don’t trot him out willy-nilly so every time he shows up, he shows out. The Garcia and Wheeler Yuta matches are all great, showing the young kids they have some rungs of the ladders to clime. The All Out tag with Eddie is drastically underrated because it happened on a great show, but real strong stuff. No one can quite bring the aura like Shibata.” ~Sam DiMascio

48. Templario (28 ballots, 1244 points) – LOWEST RANKED 28 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 181
High Vote: Sam DiMascio (11)
Average Rank: 36.93
40.58% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs. Soberano Jr. (CMLL, 1/6)
– w/ DOUKI & Hechicero vs. El Desperado, Mistico & Soberano Jr. (NJPW/CMLL, 2/26)
– vs. Volador Jr. (NJPW/CMLL, 2/27)
– vs. Panterita del Ring Jr. (CMLL, 4/21)
– w/ Barbaro Cavernario & Virus vs. Mascara Dorada, Metalik & Titan (CMLL, 7/14)
– vs. Mascara Dorada (CMLL, 9/5)
– w/ Guerrero Maya Jr. & Titan vs. Atlantis Jr., Mascara Dorada & Mistico (CMLL, 9/8)
– vs. Dragon Rojo Jr. (CMLL, 9/16)
– vs. Mistico (CMLL, 10/13)
– vs. Volador Jr. (CMLL, 11/19)

“Out of the CMLL I watched I think last year I think Templario with connected with the most. He is a cool looking knight with great presence, has a great sword and is friend Kemalito. He’s so cool!” ~ Henry/HeadCheese

“Even the go-go-go wrestlers in CMLL hit different. The Soberarno Jr. match from early in the year is one of my favorite bomb fests of the year. Besides that though, he is a wrestler you can play up or down a trios match. In a bigger match, he can be a fall guy, in a lower-stakes match he can be the fulcrum on which the thing bends. I love that sort of flex and has the offense to make that work in either direction.” ~ Sam DiMascio

47. Willow Nightingale (30 ballots, 1254 points) – LOWEST RANKED 30 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 147
High Vote: Parm Mann (12)
Average Rank: 44.2
43.48% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– w/ Ruby Soho vs. Anna Jay AS & Tay Melo (AEW, 1/11)
– vs. Athena (ROH, 2/25)
– vs. Mercedes Mone (NJPW, 5/21)
– vs. Momo Kohgo (NJPW, 5/21)
– vs. Emi Sakura (AEW, 5/31)
– w/ Momo Kohgo vs. Giulia & Thekla (NJPW, 7/4)
– vs. Giulia (NJPW, 7/5)
– vs. Athena (AEW, 7/12)
– vs. Athena (ROH, 7/21)
– w/ Kris Statlander vs. Diamante & Mercedes Martinez (AEW, 12/16)

“Willow was easily the best wrestler in the AEW women’s division for 2023. After starting to break out last year, she really took off with the street fight against TayJay and her series with Athena. She’s got loads of babyface charisma and some great offense. It feels like the sky is the limit with Willow if she gets the right push.” ~ chris

46. Sting (28 ballots, 1272 points)
Last Year’s Rank: 20
High Vote: luke, SolPosting (7)
Average Rank: 31
40.58% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– w/ Darby Allin & The Great Muta vs. AKIRA, Hakushi & Naomichi Marufuji (NOAH, 1/22)
– w/ Darby Allin & Orange Cassidy vs. Kip Sabian, The Blade & The Butcher (AEW, 3/22)
– w/ Darby Allin, Keith lee & Orange Cassidy vs. Bishop Kaun, Brian Cage, Swerve Strickland & Toa Liona (AEW, 6/14)
– w/ Daby Allin & Tetsuya Naito vs. Chris Jericho, Minoru Suzuki & Sammy Guevara (AEW/NJPW, 6/25)
– w/ Darby Allin vs. Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara (AEW, 6/28)
– w/ CM Punk, Darby Allin & Hook vs. Brian Cage, Jay White, Luchasaurus & Swerve Strickland (AEW, 8/23
– w/ Darby Allin vs. Christian Cage & Swerve Strickland (AEW, 8/27)
– w/ Darby Allin vs. Christian Cage & Luchasaurus (AEW, 9/20)
– w/ Adam Copeland & Darby Allin vs. Dutch, Lance Archer & Vincent (AEW, 11/10)
– w/ Adam Copeland & Darby Allin vs. Christian Cage, Luchasaurus & Nick Wayne (AEW, 11/18)

“The Stinger’s last full year as a wrestler wasn’t quite as explosive as the two years before, but he was as good a babyface as ever and always willing to do some crazy shit when the time called. The coffin match stands out as one of Sting’s best in AEW.” ~ chris

45. Adam Priest (23 ballots, 1278 points) – HIGHEST RANKED 23 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 98
High Vote: Timothy Robert Buechner, Sam DiMascio (3)
Average Rank: 29.61
33.33% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs, Anthony Henry (ACTION, 1/20)
– vs. Noah Hossman (TWE, 2/11)
– vs. Fuminori Abe (wXw, 3/9)
– vs. Daniel Makabe (ACTION, 4/28)
– vs. Darian Bengston (NAP, 6/11)
– vs. John Wayne Murdoch (ICW NHB, 6/30)
– vs. Ryan Clancy (TWE, 7/13)
– vs. Timothy Thatcher (SCI, 7/15)
– vs. Billie Starkz (ACTION, 8/11)
– vs. Lucky 13 (H2O, 11/6)

“The best indie wrestler in the country. The label used to carry more weight when you had wrestlers like Bryan Danielson, Roderick Strong, and Chris Hero roaming the land. In the year of our lord, 2024, the competition isn’t quite as stiff even if there are a handful of wrestlers I think could have found success in previous eras. Adam Priest is maybe the only wrestler I feel confident would have not only been able to hang, he would have been near the top of the heap.” ~ Sam DiMascio

44. Daniel Garcia (40 ballots, 1314 points) – LOWEST RANKED 40 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 18
High Vote: Henry/HeadCheese (7)
Average Rank: 44.45
57.97% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (ROH, 3/31)
– vs. Orange Cassidy (AEW, 5/10)
– vs. Roderick Strong (AEW, 5/24)
– w/ Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Katsuyori Shibata & Orange Cassidy (AEW, 6/21)
– vs. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (AEW/NJPW, 6/25)
– vs. Katsuyori Shibata (ROH, 7/21)
– vs. Claudio Castagnoli (AEW, 11/25)
– vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW, 12/8)
– vs. Eddie Kingston (AEW, 12/16)
– w/ Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli & Mark Briscoe vs. Brody King, Jay Lethal, Jay White & Rush (AEW, 12/30)

43. Dax Harwood (34 ballots, 1343 points) – LOWEST RANKED 34 BALLOT WRESTLER
Last Year’s Rank: 10
High Vote: Camrod (4)
Average Rank: 44.21
49.28% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– w/ Cash Wheeler vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI (NJPW, 1/4)
– w/ Cash Wheeler vs. Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett (AEW, 5/28)
– w/ Cash Wheeler & CM Punk vs. Jay White, Juice Robinson & Samoa Joe (AEW, 6/17)
– w/ Cash Wheeler, CM Punk & Ricky Starks vs. Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, Jay White & Juice Robinson (AEW, 6/24)
– w/ Cash Wheeler vs. Jay White & Juice Robinson (AEW, 7/8)
– w/ Cash Wheeler vs. Jay White & Juice Robinson (AEW, 7/15)
– vs. Ricky Starks (AEW, 10/28)
– w/ Cash Wheeler vs. El Hijo del Vikingo & Komander (AEW, 11/10)
– w/ Cash Wheeler & Mark Briscoe vs. Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley (ROH, 12/15)

“To the tune of Jojo’s Jacket by Stephen Malkmus:
I’ve got a bald head
My name is Dax Hardwood
And I am doing a Bret Hart Spot” ~ stephen malkmus

42. Cash Wheeler (36 ballots, 1371 points)
Last Year’s Rank: 6
High Vote: Camrod (7)
Average Rank: 45.06
52.17% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– w/ Dax Harwood vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI (NJPW, 1/4)
– w/ Dax Harwood vs. Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett (AEW, 5/28)
– w/ CM Punk & Dax Harwood vs. Jay White, Juice Robinson & Samoa Joe (AEW, 6/17)
– w/ CM Punk, Dax Harwood & Ricky Starks vs. Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, Jay White & Juice Robinson (AEW, 6/24)
– w/ Dax Harwood vs. Jay White & Juice Robinson (AEW, 7/8)
– w/ Dax Harwood vs. Jay White & Juice Robinson (AEW, 7/15)
– w/ Dax Harwood, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson vs. Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, Jay White & Juice Robinson (AEW, 9/3)
– w/ Dax Harwood vs. El Hijo del Vikingo & Komander (AEW, 11/10)
– w/ Dax Harwood & Mark Briscoe vs. Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley (ROH, 12/15)

“While FTR didn’t have the massive year that they had in 2023 with their classic trilogy against the Briscoes, they still showed out throughout much of 2024 against the likes of Bullet Club Gold, Blackpool Combat Club, Vikingo/Komander and more. Even their most self-indulgent matches like the 2/3 falls match with White and Robinson showcased how impeccable their timing is as a tag team. Cash Wheeler has some of the best tag team offense around. Cash Wheeler innocente.” ~ chris

41. Mascara Dorada 2.0/Panterita del Ring Jr. (32 ballots, 1374 points)
Last Year’s Rank: NR
High Vote: Parm Mann (8)
Average Rank: 39.47
46.38% of Ballots Made

Recommended Matches
– vs. Templario (CMLL, 4/21)
– vs Soberano Jr. (CMLL, 5/23)
– vs. El Desperado (CMLL, 6/30)
– vs. Rocky Romero (CMLL, 7/28)
– vs. Soberano Jr. (CMLL, 8/1)
– w/ Atlantis Jr. & Mistico vs. Guerrero Maya Jr., Templario & Titan (CMLL, 9/8)
– w/ Atlantis Jr. & Mistico vs. Kevin Knight, Rocky Romero & TJP (CMLL, 9/16)
– vs. Titan (CMLL, 9/29)
– w/ Mistico vs. Soberano Jr. & Volador Jr. (CMLL, 11/3)
– vs. Rocky Romero (CMLL, 12/15)

“This is the most excited I’ve been about a young wrestler in maybe a decade. Dorada wrestles way beyound his years. Not only is his flying at another level, but his psychology is great, and everything he does makes sense. He does the little things so well for someone only a few years into their career.” ~ Steven Graham