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Pro Wrestling Illustrated
File:AJ Styles 500.jpg
AJ Styles on the August 2010 cover
PublisherStu Saks
FrequencyMonthly
PublisherKappa Publishing Group
First issueSeptember 1979
Country United States
LanguageEnglish
Websitewww.pwi-online.com
ISSN1043-7576

Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.[1]

History

The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979. The magazine soon became known for not breaking kayfabe in its articles as it traditionally treated all "angles", or storylines, as real. However, in more recent years, the magazine has taken an editorial approach between kayfabe and "Shoot" writing, differentiating between on-screen feuds and controversies behind the scenes. PWI is not limited to covering only prominent professional wrestling promotions, as it also covers multiple independent promotions in the United States. PWI also publishes other special issues, which include: Pro Wrestling Illustrated Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts since 1996, Women of Wrestling, and a weekly newsletter entitled PWI Weekly from 1989 to 2000.

PWI has given out annual awards and recognitions since its inception. These awards had previously been given out by another Victory Sports Magazine property-The Wrestler. PWI has also given out monthly rankings for the big promotions, some select independents, and an overall rankings in singles and tag teams. Additionally, readers are given the ability vote for the winners of the year-end awards with ballots being included in special year-end issues. A special PWI Awards magazine is issued annually, which reveals winners and the number of votes counted. The following is a list of categories in which PWI has issued awards.

PWI 500

PWI has published its list of the top 500 professional wrestlers each year since 1991 in an annual special edition magazine called the PWI 500. As of 2010, only Jushin Liger and Keiji Mutoh have appeared in every edition of the PWI 500.[2] Here are the top ten ranked wrestlers for each year:

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1991 Hulk Hogan Lex Luger Ric Flair Randy Savage Sting Scott Steiner Ricky Steamboat Steve Williams Arn Anderson Rick Steiner
1992 Sting Randy Savage Ric Flair Rick Rude Bret Hart Ricky Steamboat Jerry Lawler Scott Steiner The Ultimate Warrior Steve Austin
1993 Bret Hart Big Van Vader Shawn Michaels Sting Yokozuna Ric Flair Lex Luger Rick Rude Mr. Perfect Scott Steiner
1994 Bret Hart Hulk Hogan Ric Flair Big Van Vader Shawn Michaels Steve Austin Razor Ramon Sting Ricky Steamboat Owen Hart
1995 Diesel Shawn Michaels Sting Bret Hart Sabu Hulk Hogan Big Van Vader Randy Savage Razor Ramon Mitsuharu Misawa
1996 Shawn Michaels The Giant Sting Kenta Kobashi Ahmed Johnson Kevin Nash Rey Misterio, Jr. Hulk Hogan Sabu Ric Flair
1997 Dean Malenko Mitshuaru Misawa Steve Austin Diamond Dallas Page Lex Luger Undertaker Shinya Hashimoto The Giant Jushin Liger Chris Benoit
1998 Steve Austin Bill Goldberg Mitsuharu Misawa Diamond Dallas Page Undertaker Kenta Kobashi Booker T Ken Shamrock Jushin Liger Chris Jericho
1999 Steve Austin Rob Van Dam Mitsuharu Misawa Rey Misterio, Jr. The Rock Diamond Dallas Page Keiji Mutoh Undertaker Goldberg Taz
2000 Triple H The Rock Chris Benoit Kenta Kobashi Jeff Jarrett Justin Credible Mike Awesome Jushin Liger Chris Jericho Kensuke Sasaki
2001 Kurt Angle Steve Austin Chris Benoit Keiji Muto Booker T Triple H Scott Steiner Mitsuharu Misawa Chris Jericho Rhyno
2002 Rob Van Dam Undertaker Keiji Muto Chris Jericho Eddie Guerrero Kurt Angle Edge Yuji Nagata The Rock Triple H
2003 Brock Lesnar Triple H Kurt Angle Keiji Muto Chris Jericho Big Show Booker T Kenta Kobashi Eddie Guerrero Rob Van Dam
2004 Chris Benoit Eddie Guerrero Triple H Kenta Kobashi Randy Orton Toshiaki Kawada John Cena A.J. Styles Shawn Michaels Chris Jericho
2005 Dave Batista John Cena Satoshi Kojima Triple H JBL Kurt Angle A.J. Styles Edge Shelton Benjamin Hiroyoshi Tenzan
2006 John Cena Kurt Angle Edge Samoa Joe Místico Rey Mysterio Brock Lesnar Kenta Kobashi Shawn Michaels Jeff Jarrett
2007 John Cena Edge Místico Kurt Angle Undertaker Shawn Michaels Christian Cage Perro Aguayo, Jr. Bobby Lashley Takeshi Morishima
2008 Randy Orton Kurt Angle Triple H Samoa Joe Edge Undertaker Shawn Michaels Nigel McGuinness John Cena Shinsuke Nakamura
2009 Triple H Chris Jericho John Cena Edge Randy Orton Nigel McGuiness Hiroshi Tanahashi CM Punk Sting Último Guerrero
2010[3] A.J. Styles John Cena CM Punk Randy Orton Chris Jericho Batista Shinsuke Nakamura The Undertaker Kurt Angle Sheamus

Top 50 Females

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2008 Awesome Kong Beth Phoenix Gail Kim Mickie James MsChif Sara Del Rey Roxxi Laveaux Melina Michelle McCool Candice Michelle
2009[4] Mickie James Angelina Love Melina MsChif Tara miaria Beth Phoenix Michelle McCool Maryse Taylor Wilde
2010 Michelle McCool Angelina Love Madison Rayne MsChif Tara Melina Taylor Wilde Maryse Sarita Eve Torres

References

External links

Template:PWI awards

  1. ^ http://www.wrestleview.com/news2009/1250287837.php?%7C Ownership change back to Kappa Publishing. Retrieved 2009-08-14.
  2. ^ "Wrestlers with Most PWI 500 entries". Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 2010-03-29.
  3. ^ http://www.klqwrestling.com/2010/07/2010-pwi-500.html
  4. ^ Martin, Adam (2009-09-11). "PWI Top 50 Female Wrestlers list". WrestleView. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
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