THE 2019 PWI POLL
IN THE WEEKS leading up to WrestleMania 35, a random sampling of 250 PWI subscribers (including print and digital subscribers) received an e-mail inviting them to have their voices heard in the 2019 PWI Poll.
Each year, the editors of Pro Wrestling Illustrated identify 50 questions examining all facets of the wrestling business. We then turn these questions over to a panel of readers and compile their responses into this special section.
The annual PWI Poll offers a unique insight into the state of the wrestling industry from the true experts on the subject—the fans.
This year’s panel reflects a diverse cross-section of fans, ranging in age from 15 to 63 and selected from across the United States, Canada, and Europe. These PWI readers answered questions about their viewing habits, their favorite finishing moves, their outlook on the future, and a variety of other questions concerning the world of wrestling. Their responses varied by age, geography, and other factors, but the results display some clear trends and a strong representation of the fans’ opinions.
In addition to our standard questions, we added some more timely questions, such as “Would it benefit WWE over the long term to sever its business relationship with the Saudi Arabian government?” and “Will AEW eventually be more akin to WCW or TNA at their financial height?” The responses we received were enlightening and provide a barometer of the fans’ feelings for developments that are shaping the future of the industry.
Of course, the PWI Poll isn’t intended to be a scientific analysis. If we had contacted a different group of subscribers, we may have seen some different results. However, our poll presents a thought-provoking snapshot of the wrestling industry from the fans’ perspective. We invite our readers to weigh in and offer their thoughts as well. As always, we welcome feedback at pwi@kappapublishing.com.
1. WHO IS, POUND FOR POUND, THE BEST MALE WRESTLER IN THE WORLD?
DANIEL BRYAN 28%
Daniel Bryan reclaimed his throne as the all-time leader in this category, earning the honor for the eighth time in his career. When the PWI Poll was created, the pound-for-pound caveat was added to level the playing field between smaller-sized technicians and the 300-plus-pound giants that dominated the main-event scene in the 1980s and 1990s. Now that there are far fewer super-heavyweights than there used to be, the top vote-getters are all main-eventers in their own right. Former IWGP champion and AEW franchise player Kenny Omega garnered a quarter of the vote, beating out AJ Styles, who won this distinction in 2018, 2017, and 2016. Seth Rollins—widely considered to be the workhorse of the Raw brand for the past year—surprisingly garnered just 12 percent of the vote, slipping from 18 percent last year. Finn Balor’s Intercontinental title win at Elimination Chamber helped him tie Kazuchika Okada at 5 percent apiece.
DANIEL BRYAN 28%
KENNY OMEGA 25%
AJ STYLES 23%
SETH ROLLINS 12%
KAZUCHIKA OKADA 5%
FINN BALOR 5%
OTHERS 2%
2. WHO IS, POUND FOR POUND, THE BEST FEMALE WRESTLER IN THE WORLD?
CHARLOTTE FLAIR 23%
Ronda Rousey took the top spot in the 2018 PWI “Women’s 100.” Becky Lynch was voted Woman of the Year in the 2018 PWI Achievement Awards. But when it comes to the 2019 PWI Poll, both “Rowdy” Ronda and “The Man” must bow to “The Queen.” Charlotte, a seven-time WWE women’s champion, barely beat out her WrestleMania rivals. While Rousey may have the edge in sparring and submission wrestling, 23 percent of our panelists indicated that Flair was a more well-rounded wrestler overall. Charlotte, Rousey, and Lynch combined for 61 percent of the total vote, which speaks volumes for the current level of competition for the Raw Women’s championship. Asuka—who has wins over both Lynch and Charlotte to her credit—received only 12 percent of the vote, which seems to reflect that the Smackdown women’s division isn’t as deep as the Raw division. Others receiving votes included Shayna Baszler, Rhea Ripley, Toni Storm, and Natalya.
CHARLOTTE FLAIR 23%
RONDA ROUSEY 20%
BECKY LYNCH 18%
ASUKA 12%
IO SHIRAI 6%
SASHA BANKS 6%
MERCEDES MARTINEZ 4%
OTHERS 11%
3. IF YOU COULD WATCH THE MATCHES OF ONLY ONE ACTIVE WRESTLER, WHOM WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
DANIEL BRYAN 26%
Daniel Bryan has earned his reputation as one of the finest technicians in the game and he continues to put on exceptional performances night after night. Few wrestlers can match Bryan’s grappling know-how or repertoire of submission moves, but Bryan also has a true talent for connecting with the audience, be it as the beloved leader of the “Yes Movement” or a ranting eco-obsessive lunatic. Also, several respondents said they appreciate Bryan even more after his return from retirement. Seth Rollins is a big-match performer and arguably the best overall wrestler on the Raw brand. Chris Jericho is semi-active, but whenever he appears, he brings a big-time, rock star feel that most other wrestlers lack. AJ Styles, who topped this category last year, slipped to fourth place, while Ricochet (who had debuted on Raw during the polling period) surprisingly garnered more votes than “The Best Bout Machine” Kenny Omega.
DANIEL BRYAN 26%
SETH ROLLINS 20%
CHRIS JERICHO 16%
AJ STYLES 16%
RICOCHET 10%
KENNY OMEGA 9%
OTHERS 3%
