My Current Favorite Wrestlers

[VashTheStampede]

As the Resident List Guy, one of the things I've done over the last few years is sporadically make a list of my top 10 favorite wrestlers who are active at the random ass times that I decide to make one of these lists.

I realized I didn't make one for the entirety of 2023, so its definitely time for a new one.

This is the 5th iteration of the list, as I started doing this in July of 2021.

So, at the risk of having this shit on (its all AEW contracted wrestlers on the newest list), here is the current list:

February 21, 2024

1. "Hangman" Adam Page
2. Swerve Strickland
3. "Timeless" Toni Storm
4. Eddie Kingston
5. Samoa Joe
6. "Switchblade" Jay White
7. Dalton Castle
8. Daniel Garcia
9. Konosuke Takeshita
10. Orange Cassidy

Some notes:

Hangman and Eddie Kingston are the only 2 wrestlers to appear in every incarnation of the list.

Kenny Omega misses the list for the first time, because he's currently inactive.

Toni Storm is the highest a woman has been ranked on the lists. Pun intended, this is an absolutely timeless run that she's been on. Probably my 3rd favorite run by a woman all time behind Becky Lynch's The Man and crazy AJ Lee.

Had a hard time deciding between Hangman and Swerve this time around for the #1 spot, but gave the edge to Hangman as he's doing something brand new with the character and its absolutely hitting for me. But seriously, this current Hangman/Swerve storyline is getting up there amongst my favorite feuds of all time. I'm talking HBK/HHH, Misawa/Kawada, SteenOwens/GenericoZayn levels. I fuckin love when its just ON SIGHT between two dudes, and they become linked for the rest of their days. I hope this continues.

Hangman is making a serious argument for joining Kenny Omega, CM Punk, and HBK as my all time favorite wrestlers. The Vash Mount Rushmore.

Wrestlers who have been on multiple lists but missed the cut this time:

Miro
Malakai Black
Ricky Starks
Danhausen
Johnathan Gresham
CM Punk
Adam Cole

 

[Spiner202]

Toni Storm is the highest a woman has been ranked on the lists. Pun intended, this is an absolutely timeless run that she's been on. Probably my 3rd favorite run by a woman all time behind Becky Lynch's The Man and crazy AJ Lee.

I don't even watch AEW and even I will watch any promo of hers that gets posted on /r/squaredcircle. She's great.

 

[VashTheStampede]

I don't even watch AEW and even I will watch any promo of hers that gets posted on /r/squaredcircle. She's great.

The way the production team has gone over the top with doing split-screen between black&white and color has really added to the presentation.

The fact that she got an additional tattoo to further the Purazzo story is just God Tier stuff in my book.

 

[Jon]

Are any of those guys in WWE?

 

[VashTheStampede]

Not this time around. The only WWE I usually interact with these days is clips on social media.

 

[Joseph Snapple]

Sitting down, taking a deep breath, and realizing that I don't think I could actually honestly fill out a top 10 at this very moment due to a combo of unfortunately inactive (Kenny) and booking having killed my interest (hello, New Japan - sorry Shingo, I love you but I'm not watching and I take list integrity seriously).

 

[VashTheStampede]

Sitting down, taking a deep breath, and realizing that I don't think I could actually honestly fill out a top 10 at this very moment due to a combo of unfortunately inactive (Kenny) and booking having killed my interest (hello, New Japan - sorry Shingo, I love you but I'm not watching and I take list integrity seriously).

Haha, the first thing I said to @Christina when I set out to make the new list was how hard it felt this time. Really everything under 5 I don't have a super strong feeling about at this moment.

 

[Webster]

Probably my 3rd favorite run by a woman all time behind Becky Lynch's The Man and crazy AJ Lee.

Those three gimmicks are probably the best in women's wrestlers ever.

 

[Webster]

Feb. 22, 2024 (in no particular order)
1 - Eddie Kingston
2 - EC3
3 - PCO
4 - Judais
5 - Christian Cage
6 - Adam Copeland
7 - Kamille
8 - Kris Statlander
9 - Toni Storm
10 - Deanna Purazzo

 

[VashTheStampede]

Oh man, I haven't seen PCO in a while. That dude rules.

 

[Webster]

Oh man, I haven't seen PCO in a while. That dude rules.

I like him and he has a damn good current gimmick over in TNA.

 

[Webster]

Feb. 22, 2024 (in no particular order)
1 - Eddie Kingston
2 - EC3
3 - PCO
4 - Judais
5 - Christian Cage
6 - Adam Copeland
7 - Kamille
8 - Kris Statlander
9 - Toni Storm
10 - Deanna Purazzo

6 wrestlers from AEW (as much as I love to slag AEW the company, most of their wrestlers are pretty good)
1 wrestler from TNA/Impact
2 wrestlers from the NWA (same rationale as the AEW)
1 currently wrestling in Mexico

 

[Webster]

Oh man, I haven't seen PCO in a while. That dude rules.

Imagine him and either Judais or Malakai Black as tag team partners, Vash...that would have definite monster heel possibilities, wouldn't it?

 

[rktaker]

don't know if I'm gonna have enough for 10 and it's also mostly AEW/indie wrestlers in no particular order

1. Aj Styles
2. Eddie Kingston
3. Masha Slamovich
4. Alec Price
5. Marcus Mathers
6. Shane Strickland
7. Jay White
8. Rickey Shane Page
9.Kris Statlander
10. Megan Bayne

people who just missed the cut, Will Ospreay, Malakai Black, Sami Zayne, Adam Cole (bay bay)

 

[MC74]

Toni Storm, you say?

To that, I respond with chin up, tits out, and watch for the shoe!

 

[MC74]

Chiming in with my top 10 while I'm at it.

1. Hangman Page
2. AJ Styles
3. "Switchblade" Jay White
4. WALTER
5. "Timeless" Toni Storm
6. Swerve Strickland
7. Eddie Kingston
8. Adam Cole
9. Samoa Joe
10. Sami Zayn

Missing the cut:
LA Knight
Ricky Starks
Adam Copeland
Christian Cage
Malakai Black
Will Ospreay
Orange Cassidy

 

[VashTheStampede]

I made an updated list just before Dynasty:

April 21, 2024
1. Will Ospreay
2. Swerve Strickland
3. Samoa Joe
4. "Timeless" Toni Storm
5. Kazuchika Okada
6. "Switchblade" Jay White
7. Mariah May
8. Katsuyori Shibata
9. Eddie Kingston
10. Dalton Castle

And as an extra special bonus, my son's first ever list of his favorite wrestlers. (He is in 1st grade)

1. Orange Cassidy
2. HOOK
3. Will Ospreay
4. Katsuyori Shibata
5. Eddie Kingston
6. Swerve Strickland
7. Powerhouse Hobbs
8. PAC
9. Chris Jericho
10. Penta El Zero M

(He really liked the Judas theme for Jericho...)

 

[MC74]

If it weren't for injures, you can bet your ass Kenny Omega would be in my top 3. Say what you want about the guy, but there's no denying he's among the best of the best right now. Been a huge fan of him since his New Japan days.

 

[VashTheStampede]

If it weren't for injures, you can bet your ass Kenny Omega would be in my top 3. Say what you want about the guy, but there's no denying he's among the best of the best right now. Been a huge fan of him since his New Japan days.

Kenny is on my personal Mount Rushmore. When he's healthy he's always a lock for top 3.

 

[MC74]

Kenny is on my personal Mount Rushmore. When he's healthy he's always a lock for top 3.

He deserves to be, dude has earned his keep. It's a shame though he gets a lot of shit from a certain camp.

 

[Dead2009]

Currently?

WWE:
Damian Priest, Finn Balor, Ilja Dragunov

AEW:
Bryan Danielson, Malakai Black

Anywhere else:
Yoshihiko

 

[VashTheStampede]

I just introduced my daughter to the insane match between Invisible Man and Invisible Stan... might have to show her some Yoshihiko next.

 

[Dead2009]

I just introduced my daughter to the insane match between Invisible Man and Invisible Stan... might have to show her some Yoshihiko next.

 

[Dead2009]

Oh I forgot the Butcher and the Blade, I got really hyped when they were being used as hitmen and thought hmm they might go somewhere after. But nah, stuck to being in random groups that made no fucking sense.

 

[VashTheStampede]

Ugh I frigging love Butch and wish he'd get more reps

 

[Dead2009]

Ugh I frigging love Butch and wish he'd get more reps

He's apparently injured a lot now which sucks. They should have been given a tag title push over teams like Jurassic Express and Swerve in Our Glory.

 

[VashTheStampede]

He's apparently injured a lot now which sucks. They should have been given a tag title push over teams like Jurassic Express and Swerve in Our Glory.

One of my big issues with the AEW tag division is that they rarely have secondary stories, so teams like Butcher/Blade, Best Friends and Santana/Ortiz (before the fallout) get left by the wayside.

I don't  generally agree with the Too Many Belts take, but the Trios titles were a mistake IMO and really cut short one of the deepest tag divisions we've ever seen.

 

[Dead2009]

One of my big issues with the AEW tag division is that they rarely have secondary stories, so teams like Butcher/Blade, Best Friends and Santana/Ortiz (before the fallout) get left by the wayside.

I don't  generally agree with the Too Many Belts take, but the Trios titles were a mistake IMO and really cut short one of the deepest tag divisions we've ever seen.

Having 2 sets of trios titles were a mistake. Honestly there was no need for an AEW set when the ROH set was well established.

 

[rktaker]

might as well do a new list for the new year filled with indie people barely anyone has heard of and maybe some of the bigger names that people had heard of. the list this time around is a little rough since I have mainly watched GCW this year and rarely anything else

1. Masha Slamovich
2. Alec Price
3. AJ Styles
4. Shane Strickland
5. Megan Bayne
6. Dominic Garrini and Kevin Ku (yeah it's a tie they're mainly known as a tag team sooo)
7. Ace Austin
8. Rickey Shane Page
9. LA Knight
10. Atticus Cogar

just missing the cut that made it last time
Marcus Mathers
Jay White
Kris Statlander

 

[VashTheStampede]

Oh man I LOVE Violence Is Forever. I marked out hard when Ku showed up for AEW once.

I need to do a new list this week...

 

[rktaker]

yeah VIF are a good tag team I've been watching them since they were in MLW a few years ago and was really happy when they started making regular appearances in GCW

 

[VashTheStampede]

I used to watch a bit of Black Label Pro and they were always a highlight there.