PWI Women's Top 250: Did They Get The Top 10 Right?

Zack Heydorn | 10 Hours Ago

WWE.com

PWI (Pro Wrestling Illustrated) has released their annual Women's Top 250 list for 2024 and at a quick glance, it was a tremendously strong year for women's wrestling.

This year's list crosses promotions like WWE, AEW, Stardom, and others. It encapsulates and awards for in-ring achievement, influence on the sport, technical ability, quality of competition, and activity from October 1, 2023 until September 30, 2024.

The Top 10 wrestlers in this year's PWI #Womens250:

1. Toni Storm
2. @JordynneGrace
3. @RheaRipley_WWE
4. @_Maika0324
5. @Steph_Vaquer
6. @Sareee_official
7. @itsBayleyWWE
8. @willowwrestles
9. @MariahMayx
10. @AthenaPalmer_FG

Full list: https://t.co/h015LLVaZs pic.twitter.com/92FHyz4Vpj

— PWI (Pro Wrestling Illustrated) (@OfficialPWI) October 15, 2024

Let the fun begin

With any list that gets published about pro wrestling comes scrutiny, debate, social media yelling, and more. So, let the fun begin. Last year's top 10 looked like this:

10. Jordynne Grace

9. Kamille

8. Willow Nightingale

7. Deonna Purrazzo

6. Athena

5. Tam Nakano

4. Jaime Hayter

3. Bianca Belair

2. Guilia

1. Rhea Ripley

The 2024 top 10 looks quite a bit different from last year with six new names coming off the top rope to slam others off. Did PWI get it right? I'll start and end the debate on this year's top 10.

1. Toni Storm

Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

The number one slot is the only place "Timeless" Toni Storm could have landed this year. Storm transformed her entire act into a new character that AEW marketed and presented like a star. She was efficient in the ring, compelling and over with fans, and held the world championship during the grading window. An absolute no-brainer of a call.

2. Jordynne Grace

Jordynne Grace at NXT Battleground / WWE

Well, it's hard to argue this one, but I'm going to. Yes, Jordynne Grace crossed over to WWE and had a stellar appearance in the Women's Royal Rumble Match. Yes, she followed that up with successful, needle-moving appearances in NXT. Yes, she held down TNA as the star of the Knockouts Division. All facts. This is Rhea Ripley's spot, though. Ripley wrestled Becky Lynch at WrestleMania, but more importantly solidified herself as a top babyface across all of WWE. A huge accomplishment.

3. Rhea Ripley

wwe.com

I would have had Jordynne Grace in this slot. As I said, Grace had a tremendously impactful year, but Ripley did it on a bigger stage. Ripley had good matches and carried Monday Night Raw as a part of The Judgment Day faction. Now, she's a face of WWE and a talent that will be built around for years to come.

MORE: Rhea Ripley WWE Contract Status Update [Report]

4. Maika

A stellar in-ring worker and a key star in the Stardom promotion. Four is a little high to me, so I'd drop her down a slot. That said, you can't argue with her in-ring abilities and that buoys her claim to this position inside of the top 10.

5. Stephanie Vaquer

WWE.com

Stephanie Vaquer at number five works, but she really belongs in that four spot. Vaquer headlined shows all around the world and then was gobbled up by WWE the minute she was contractually able to sign. Vaquer is a wizard in the ring and will make an immediate impact in NXT.

6. Sareee

Sareee at six? Not in my mind. Top 10, absolutely, but the 10 slot is more fitting. Sareee is a fantastic in-ring artist and has carried the Marigold promotion on her back. That said, that promotion just doesn't have the reach it needs to make a giant impact at this point. She's on the list because of the in-ring acumen, but needs to land somewhere that can get more eyes on her more often.

7. Bayley

Bayley / wwe.com

This one made my brow furrow. Bayley? Really? Top 10? Look, she was the world champion and in a singles match at WrestleMania, but she's also been cold for much of that run. Mariah May, move on up. May deserves this elevated position not only because she's more over, but she had a bigger impact on her company overall than Bayley did.

8. Willow Nightingale

Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

Eighth last year, eighth this year, and that's a fair spot for her. Nightingale rarely missed in the ring this year and has a genuine connection with whatever audience she's working in front of. For that reason alone, she's tremendously valuable.

9. Mariah May

Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

As mentioned earlier, Mariah May deserves to be bumped up a couple slots. Out of all the incoming talent to AEW, May is the only one to truly develop and grow as a star inside the company. Her entire story took place within the AEW narrative. She won the Owen Hart Cup Tournament, the world championship, and had a memorable heel turn all within a little over a month. In the ring, she's better than serviceable and her match with Toni Storm at All Out is one of the best women's title matches in AEW history. Should I go on?

10. Athena

Ricky Havlik - Ring of Honor

So, if Sareee is occupying this 10 slot and Bayley is dropping off the list entirely, Athena gets to move up a tad to number nine. She's doing some of the best work in career, over as a character, and a signature star within her promotion. The thing is, the promotion is ROH and nobody is watching it. This time next year, I'd look for her to be on this list again, but as a component of the AEW main roster. That's where she belongs.

Who's missing?

There are plenty of names outside of the top 10 on the overall PWI list, but one should have snaked Bayley's spot. It's Roxanne Perez.

MORE: Confidence is Key to the Success of Roxanne Perez in NXT (Exclusive)

You thought I was going to say Mercedes Mone didn't you? Look, Roxanne Perez has been the NXT Women's Champion for much of the judged timeframe and has had top tier matches with all challengers. Jordynne Grace, Thea Hail, Lyra Valkyria, and Guilia were a diverse array of opponents that she wrestled strong matches against. Plus, she's a key figure of a promotion that earned big money for its TV rights.

MORE: Cody Rhodes Tops The PWI 500 For The First Time, Top 10 Revealed