Browsing: PWI

For the second straight year, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes has been ranked number one on the prestigious Pro Wrestling Illustrated 500 list. The official announcement from the magazine confirms that the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion has once again been selected as the top male professional wrestler in the world.

The achievement places Rhodes in truly elite company, as he becomes only the fourth wrestler in the history of the PWI 500 to top the list in back-to-back years, joining a group that includes Bret “The Hitman” Hart, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and John Cena. The evaluation period for this year’s list ran from August 1, 2024, through July 31, 2025. During that time, Rhodes had one of the most dominant years of any superstar, holding the Undisputed WWE Championship for the entire period.

His reign included numerous championship defenses, a main event victory at WrestleMania 41, and wins over top competitors such as Kevin Owens, GUNTHER, and Solo Sikoa. The PWI 500 criteria for ranking includes a wrestler’s win-loss record, influence on the sport, and success against the highest level of competition, all areas where Rhodes excelled during the evaluation period.

The rest of the top ten was a mix of stars from WWE, AEW, and CMLL. The top ten for the 2025 PWI 500 is below:

• 1. Cody Rhodes
  2. Jon Moxley
  3. GUNTHER
  4. “Hangman” Adam Page
  5. Hirooki Goto
  6. Jey Uso
  7. Swerve Strickland
  8. Seth Rollins
  9. Místico
  10. Will Ospreay

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Cody Rhodes had a phenomenal year as the Undisputed WWE Champion thanks to his epic feuds and solid matches with numerous top names in WWE. Thatâ€s why it comes as no surprise he has topped the PWI 500 list for the second year in a row.

Pro Wrestling Illustrated took to Twitter and released its 2025 PWI 500 list, and Cody Rhodes is No. 1 again. This makes Cody only the fourth wrestler ever to be ranked No. 1 two years in a row, proving heâ€s one of the biggest names in wrestling today. At No. 2 is Jon Moxley, known for his intense style and big wins. GUNTHER takes No. 3 after a year of solid matches and long title reigns.

In fourth place, Hangman Adam Page continues to shine as one of AEWâ€s best names . Hirooki Goto lands at No. 5, showing the strength of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Jey Uso is No. 6 after breaking out as a top singles star in WWE over the past year.

Swerve Strickland is No. 7, building momentum as one of AEWâ€s most dependable stars. Seth Rollins follows at No. 8 after another year of really good bouts. Mistico ranks No. 9, showing his big impact in Mexico and beyond. Closing out the Top 10 is Will Ospreay, who obviously showed the world why heâ€s one of the absolute best.

With another year at No. 1, the American Nightmare now joins the short list of wrestlers who have topped the PWI rankings two years in a row. Fans are already wondering who could take his spot in 2026, as anything could happen in a year.

Who do you think will take the No. 1 spot next year? Will Cody Rhodes continue his dominance for a historic third year, or will a new challenger rise to the top? Sound off in the comments.

September 23, 2025 9:26 am

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