Pro Wrestling Illustrated released their annual list of Top 500 wrestlers in the world yesterday, and Kazuchika Okada topped this year’s list, making him the first Japanese wrestler to ever win the top spot.
PWI noted Okada’s reign as IWGP Champion during the entire evaluation period (July 2016 through July 2017) helped solidify his place on the top; Okada (speaking through a translator) commented on the honor, saying:
“Well, I think I did what those other guys (Keiji Muto, Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Hiroshi Tanahashi) did not. What this award signifies is that wrestling fans and media worldwide are thinking about what promotion and what wrestler deserves their attention, and the answer is Okada. It’s an indication that finally the world at large is realizing just how great Japanese wrestlers and Japanese wrestling is, and that’s special.”
Okada tops the list after ranking second in 2016 behind Roman Reigns, who came in this year ranked fourth. The full list is available in print and digital formats on the PWI website; check out this year’s top ten and Okada’s magazine cover below:
- Kazuchika Okada
- A.J. Styles
- Kevin Owens
- Roman Reigns
- Kenny Omega
- Shinsuke Nakamura
- Dean Ambrose
- Samoa Joe
- Bobby Roode
- The Miz
The @OfficialPWI 500 is ready for order right now in print & digital at https://t.co/Ip3ocrA39F. Congratulations, Kazuchika Okada! pic.twitter.com/LZiKfvIOSg
— PWI (@OfficialPWI) August 30, 2017
