Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) has released its 36th annual PWI 500 rankings for the evaluation period of August 2025 to July 2026. Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) secured the number one spot, a significant rise from his 30th place ranking the previous year. The top ten list includes Cody Rhodes (WWE) at second, CM Punk (WWE) at third, Místico (CMLL) at fourth, and Konosuke Takeshita (AEW/NJPW) at fifth.
Místico holds the distinction of being the highest-ranked Mexican wrestler in the list, leading a delegation of 38 Mexican competitors. Other notable names in the top ten include Hangman Adam Page, Yota Tsuji, Trick Williams, Oba Femi, and Gunther.
Following the announcement, MJF addressed his current absence from AEW television, stating he is waiting for the “right moment” to return. He indicated his intention to pursue the AEW World Championship upon his comeback. Additionally, MJF has expanded his professional profile with a role in the upcoming dark comedy thriller ‘Stranglehold’, appearing alongside David Arquette and Kayla Becker.
Entities
All Elite Wrestling · Clark Duke · Cody Rhodes · David Arquette · Kayla Becker · MJF · Maxwell Jacob Friedman · Mistico · Pro Wrestling Illustrated · Stranglehold