GWE 2026 Reaction Thread

[Control21]

Tamura +8 vs 2016 is a good result for him, all things considered. Hopefully he can crack the top 50 in 2036.

[WingedEagle]

Do we know the average age of voters?

[Boss Rock]

Angle and Tamura being separated by just one spot probably rankles a few folks. Personally did not vote for either. Kurt could be very good but he could also be incredibly over-indulgent. For every good match with Nagata or Austin, there was a ridiculous finisher fest with Jeff Hardy. Good offense and intensity but rather poor instincts.

As for Tamura, the RINGS style just isn't my cup of tea. That being said, the match with Yamamoto is incredible.

[Boss Rock]

1 minute ago, WingedEagle said:

Do we know the average age of voters?

I don't recall if age was a field on the ballot, but decade one started watching wrestling was. @Grimmas can confirm but I believe the majority was fans who started watching in the 2000's (myself included).

[Grimmas]

3 minutes ago, WingedEagle said:

Do we know the average age of voters?

No, but the honourable mention reveal shows when people started watching by decade

[HeadCheese]

Kurt Angle is such a fun television wrestler. The Viscera, Roderick Strong, and Amazing Red matches in particular.

Kiyoshi Tamura is a wrestler I am hoping to watch more of RINGS is not my thing yet (yet proabably) but, I really like him vs. Vader in UWFI.

[Robert S]

7 minutes ago, WingedEagle said:

Do we know the average age of voters?

I would guess mid to late 30s. Using the data from the honorable mentions and assuming that the average voter started watching wrestling at the age of 12 and doing some further simplications, I get to an average of about 36 years.

[club]

Tamura is the third of my top 10 to fall. Interesting to see his placement remain so steady despite the changing voter base.

[Tetsujin]

Angle is fucking awesome at what he does and he actually brings authenticity to the style. He wrestles like a high school gym bully who wants everyone to know he's the fucking best at everything. To me he never felt like a self indulgent guy the same way Omega, Ibushi, Ospreay, Richards, Elgin, Oku or many others do sometimes (or most of the times). It's true (no pun intended) that his style didn't translate that well into some settings (I'm not in love with any of his New Japan matches) but he got really good really early and had the ability to bring something great out of almost anyone for quite some time. Glad he got a better result than last time.

[El-P]

Tamura and Angle, two awesome pro-wresters in two very different ways. Not a bad way to go. I guess the thing is done, or almost done, when I log back.

[Grimmas]

When people started watching, doesn't give age, but is close: 
 

[ohheylook]

Grimmas will you post who is still in the top 50 after the next reveal or two?

[Grimmas]

2 minutes ago, ohheylook said:

Grimmas will you post who is still in the top 50 after the next reveal or two?

Just for you!

[ohheylook]

i got it, but thanks!

[Boss Rock]

I had Shibata at 44. The counter-arguments against Shibata seem to be inconsistency and having too short of a peak. I can understand this to an extent as his 2017 injury very nearly ended his career when it seemed like he might someday reach the summit in NJPW. But his peak from 2013 to 2017 is still one of the best I’ve witnessed. The fateful Okada match in particular remains one of the 10 best matches I’ve ever seen and is one of the single greatest performances of any wrestler I’ve come across. Not to mention before that, he thrived as the young punk /wannabe tough guy looking to make a name for himself. And I honestly think his 2010’s output was very consistent, but I am also not bothered by the strike exchange/no sell fighting spirit style that his critics tend to hate. His AEW run hasn’t seen him in a super prominent role, but I think he’s done well with what he’s been given.

[Microstatistics]

#55

Kurt Angle

My experience with Angle was interesting because I've historically been only moderately high on him. But he just kept going up and up the more I watched of him and finished at #32 by the end. Easily one of the best wrestlers of the 2000s, particularly in the 2001-2006 period.

#54

Kiyoshi Tamura

I was really hoping for a Top 50 finish but at least he gained spots I guess. My #5 and the greatest specialist in wrestling history.

#53

Katsuyori Shibata

Sort of see the appeal but he was never one I was particularly fond of.

 

[Grimmas]

The top 50: 

 

AJ Styles

Aja Kong

Akira Hokuto

Akira Taue

Andre the Giant

Antonio Inoki

Atsushi Onita

Blue Panther

Bret Hart

Bryan Danielson

Bull Nakano

Chigusa Nagayo

CM Punk

Eddie Guerrero

El Hijo del Santo

Genichiro Tenryu

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Jerry Lawler

John Cena

Jon Moxley

Jumbo Tsuruta

Jun Akiyama

Jushin Liger

Kazuchika Okada

Kenny Omega

Kenta Kobashi

LA Park

Manami Toyota

Meiko Satomura

Mick Foley

Mitsuharu Misawa

Negro Casas

Nick Bockwinkel

Randy Savage

Rey Mysterio Jr.

Ric Flair

Ricky Steamboat

Roddy Piper

Samoa Joe

Shawn Michaels

Shinya Hashimoto

Stan Hansen

Steve Austin

Sting

Tatsumi Fujinami

Terry Funk

Toshiaki Kawada

Vader

Volk Han

Yoshiaki Fujiwara

 

[Boss Rock]

I had El Satanico at 23. Lucha is not my favorite style, but I love Satanico. The way he brawls and beats people up, it feels like he genuinely hates them. It's so visceral. The 1990 Dandy hair match is not only my favorite lucha match, but one of my favorite matches ever. A shame he fell a bit this time, but just outside the top 50 (especially considering how lucha as a whole has faired) ain't bad at all.

[Control21]

Volk Han making the Top 50 is pretty awesome 

[Matt D]

It’s a very cool, fairly diverse top 50. I think the other 49 should turn heel on Sting but it’s a very cool list.

[Tetsujin]

As a huge fan, Mox making the top half makes me so happy.

Overall, I believe it's a pretty solid base for a top 50. Sata not in it makes me sad, Tamura got so close too, but hey, Dump didn't make it so... you win some you lose some. Sting and Omega being in the top 50 is kinda expected, but ridiculous to me. Didn't expect Onita making it this far either.

As for predictions now that we have a more general idea of how the list is shapening (that is, no idea at all lol)... I will say Jumbo, Fujinami and Bockwinkel (sadly) drop the most from the previous top 20, Tanahashi will be top 25 as the highest ranked modern NJPW guy, only two Pillars on the top 10, there'll be one woman on the top 10 (Aja or Hokuto, choose your fighter), and from México only Casas and Santito will be top 25 (and I have my doubts about Casas).

PS: Awesome pick for Shibata, holy. 

[Tetsujin]

12 minutes ago, Control21 said:

Volk Han making the Top 50 is pretty awesome 

It really is -but, with Tamura coming now, I believe we'll see Volk by tomorrow.

[Control21]

2 minutes ago, Tetsujin said:

It really is -but, with Tamura coming now, I believe we'll see Volk by tomorrow.

Top 50 is Top 50 😁 

[El Boricua]

21 minutes ago, Matt D said:

It’s a very cool, fairly diverse top 50. I think the other 49 should turn heel on Sting but it’s a very cool list.

The greatest wrestling practionter of doing this and doing that cannot be contained.

[Tetsujin]

ALSO, I don't think anyone mentioned him on the thread yet, but Piper sneakily making it this far is so cool, specially considering the other territory guys falling.