GWE 2026 Reaction Thread

[MidasGloves]

Destroyer is my first Top 25 loss and in fact my first Top 20 as well and man it hurts for him to miss even 125th. His style of heeling is just so timeless in its pettiness.

[ZubazKid]

55 minutes ago, Boss Rock said:

81 still on mine, only 2 in my top 50 have fallen (1 was my number 20).

85 left highest loss was Kansai at 59. I feel like I’ll get hit hard tomorrow 

[Mantaur Rodeo Clown]

6 hours ago, Stephen- said:

I mean, this is obviously not true when Goldberg and Alexander Nabiev are getting #1 votes. People are voting for legitimately mediocre to horrible wrestlers. Pages with influence will, naturally, influence. People also will only watch what they're willing to watch. I saw plenty of threads pushing for wrestlers or styles, and those wrestlers got nowhere. Elliott pushed hard for Jerry Blackwell, and nothing. 

I can already tell you have the reading comprehension of a 14 year old child, because you do the annoying thing where you respond to a legitimate concern with a completely different tangent that has nothing to do with the price of cheese.

My argument is that discourse has been reduced to such base elements that there is no room for reasonable discourse. It is precisely the reason why a push for Jerry Blackwell would mean fuck all. Because someone can just get 100k more likes saying "lmao Jerry PEDOwell? Over THE Goldberg?? This dude doesnt like Goldberg spearing Nunzio??? [clown emoji x3]" Dunk culture ENCOURAGES mediocre wrestlers getting nominated, because intelligent rebuttals are silenced.

Which brings us to a ridiculous claim like "Lulu Pencil is better than Gentleman Chris Adams"

Quote

Why can't Lulu Pencil be a better wrestler than Chris Adams?

I have eyes, for one.

Quote

For all of the very good Chris Adams, there is also very bad Chris Adams. What if people connect with Lulu Pencil more than Chris Adams?

I don't consider them to be "people" at all. Yes I am very glad that the 25 or so incels that go to ChocoPro shows connected with her. But that doesn't make her anywhere close to one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. 

Just any random match you google of hers is actually an embarrassment, and the equivalent to watching your nephew play with action figures. As in, they actively make the art of professional wrestling worse by existing. Rehearsed, high school theater-kid level antics. If people connect with this, then they aren't really fans of the sport of professional wrestling. They probably also "connect" with funny videos they see on TikTok or video essays about speedrunning Sonic games. 

Quote

A lot of wrestling and being a great worker is not just the moves but how the moves resonate with your audience. Lulu Pencil was great at doing that, Adams wasn't. Pencil was a great face that you could sympathize with, you could get behind, you could feel her struggle and her efforts and her improving and trying her hardest. Chris Adams never had any of this, sorry. And Lulu Pencil never had the lows of Adams.

I get it man. You have some weird hang up about this meme middle aged Japanese woman. But seriously trying to imply that Chris Adams never connected with a crowd (a crowd of thousands of actual wrestling fans by the way) is veering into straight delusion. Adams showed incredible emotion through his matches, as both a heel and a face. Adams did it for longer, in front of bigger and more varied crowds, and did it better. Lulu Pencil is physically incapable of doing anything he did. Lulu Pencil's entire career is a low. 

[ohheylook]

Log the fuck off

[highflyflow]

11 minutes ago, Mantaur Rodeo Clown said:

I can already tell you have the reading comprehension of a 14 year old child, because you do the annoying thing where you respond to a legitimate concern with a completely different tangent that has nothing to do with the price of cheese.

My argument is that discourse has been reduced to such base elements that there is no room for reasonable discourse. It is precisely the reason why a push for Jerry Blackwell would mean fuck all. Because someone can just get 100k more likes saying "lmao Jerry PEDOwell? Over THE Goldberg?? This dude doesnt like Goldberg spearing Nunzio??? [clown emoji x3]" Dunk culture ENCOURAGES mediocre wrestlers getting nominated, because intelligent rebuttals are silenced.

Which brings us to a ridiculous claim like "Lulu Pencil is better than Gentleman Chris Adams"

I have eyes, for one.

I don't consider them to be "people" at all. Yes I am very glad that the 25 or so incels that go to ChocoPro shows connected with her. But that doesn't make her anywhere close to one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. 

Just any random match you google of hers is actually an embarrassment, and the equivalent to watching your nephew play with action figures. As in, they actively make the art of professional wrestling worse by existing. Rehearsed, high school theater-kid level antics. If people connect with this, then they aren't really fans of the sport of professional wrestling. They probably also "connect" with funny videos they see on TikTok or video essays about speedrunning Sonic games. 

I get it man. You have some weird hang up about this meme middle aged Japanese woman. But seriously trying to imply that Chris Adams never connected with a crowd (a crowd of thousands of actual wrestling fans by the way) is veering into straight delusion. Adams showed incredible emotion through his matches, as both a heel and a face. Adams did it for longer, in front of bigger and more varied crowds, and did it better. Lulu Pencil is physically incapable of doing anything he did. Lulu Pencil's entire career is a low. 

Have you tried not having a mental breakdown over a wrestling poll

[Matt D]

I still don’t miss Parv.

[ohheylook]

Need to see the Lulu biglav score

[highflyflow]

lmao

[highflyflow]

@Mantaur Rodeo Clown thoughts on Ted DiBiase?

[Reel]

I’ll say it, that #1 vote is bad, like it just is and the fact that we don’t just say that and move on and instead act like it’s as valid as voting for Tenryu has, in my mind hurt this discussion, but we CAN and SHOULD just say that the vote is bad and move on and leave it there.

[Control21]

8 minutes ago, Reel said:

I’ll say it, that #1 vote is bad, like it just is and the fact that we don’t just say that and move on and instead act like it’s as valid as voting for Tenryu has, in my mind hurt this discussion, but we CAN and SHOULD just say that the vote is bad and move on and leave it there.

Yeah, I checked those clips out, and I really don't get it. 

[KB8]

I think Tenryu v Lulu Pencil could've been a mighty swell time.

[donsem43]

Before this thread, I had only spent about 30 seconds thinking about Lulu Pencil and I watch a lot of joshi wrestling. After I read this thread for last time I'll doubt I'll think about Lulu Pencil for more than 30 seconds.

Anyway, I have 69 left. 42 in my top 50.

[Ricky Jackson]

Hey it was only a #2 vote for Lulu, they're not crazy or something 

[ZubazKid]

14 minutes ago, Ricky Jackson said:

Hey it was only a #2 vote for Lulu, they're not crazy or something 

Thanks @Ricky Jackson I thought the same but hadn’t gotten around to doing the research. So this is a bit about a #2 pencil. IDK how well this translates outside the U.S. but here we have lists of school supplies and #2 pencils have been on the list since the pioneer days to now when they are still required despite nearly everything being done on computer. So I’m giving credit that it’s a bit…and also acknowledging that torpedoing your ballot for that bit probably eliminates that voter from bitching about anything else in the voting. And Lulu Pencil will be added to the  very bottom of my watchlist.

So anyway, hope everyone avoids an aneurysm over the results & can resist the urge to be an asshole to people they disagree with and just enjoy this snapshot into wrestling fandom we get.

[Stephen-]

I do not think Lulu Pencil is a top 100 wrestler of all time. I also do not think Chris Adams is a top 100 wrestler of all time. Lulu Pencil dropped a long time ago, anyway. She was the lowest ranked wrestler with a top 3 vote. It was hardly consequential. I will say she was not one of the ten worst wrestlers with a top 3 vote, but oh well. The irony of arguing against groupthink then pivoting to arguing that having an original opinion would have never been allowed in [insert time period] is not lost on me, though. It is what it is. 

[HeadCheese]

I didn't rank Lulu Pencil, I hope this her ranking inspires pepole to check out more her work and ChocoPro/Gatoh Move. It's a really fun promotion and their ace Mei Suruga is one of the best wrestlers in the world.

Lulu Pencil vs. Chris Brookes is proabably my pick for second or best ironman match ever, it still holds up. I watched it last year pretty well.

One of friends Karen made a really cool Lulu Pencil video essay too.

I also added the Antonio Honda match because it's really fun.

[Stiva]

I didn’t make a list this time around due to really just not having the time to go and delve into my blind spots like I did in the build to 2016 but with any kind of expanded voter base, you’re going to get a really wild cross section of voters and some interesting placements. With things opening up to social media, the list feels like more of a general summation of the different cross-sections of wrestling fandom at the time, rather than a definitive, objective list which is always going to be interesting to look back on down the line.

What I will say is, ignoring some of the people that have wild picks at #1, the dude who had HHH at #2 seems the most egregious pick so far. Was that list two names long? 

[HowtobeaMark]

I am down to 67

Only lost one of my Top 25 though (23 - Greg Valentine) so I shouldnt complain too much (although I want to). 7 lost of my Top 50

[BackToBionic]

I have 65 remaining. My highest ranked to go was my #24 and conversely, my lowest ranked wrestler still in play is my #96.

[MoS]

Someone should book Goldberg v. Lulu Pencil. 

[Tetsujin]

I lost 16, with my highest one being Breaks (#26), so not bad at all.

[MoS]

My top 25 is very boring so no one has dropped yet. I think I have lost at least half of my 51-100 so far. 

[NotJayTabb]

Jim Breaks (#15) is my highest ranked wrestler to fall so far. Based on the WoS culling so far, it didn't fully surprise me, but it's definitely disappointing.

Also surprising, but in a positive way, is Necro Butcher still to drop and finishing higher than both Young Bucks. 

[Jetlag]

Some thoughts on wrestlers that received votes but weren't nominated: 

Spoiler

Absolute Andy

Hey, it's a local guy for me! He was a fun wrestler, though he suffered a bit from the "imitating WWE guys in order to get a pop" syndrome that local wrestlers sometimes have.
 
 
AC Mack

No idea.

Act Yasukawa

She wasn't very good in her initial run. She kinda got effective as Maris powerhouse tag team partner in AWG, though she's still flawed and limited. She does have a bit of a cult following among certain fans for better or worse reasons.

Aero Star

An extremely spectacular worker. Can't tell you much more than that, but with how people generally seem to like spectacular workers it feels like he should get more attention because he may have been ahead of the game.

Afa

I get confused with all these Samoans. They are all usually likeable, at least in the territory days, so Afa is probably a better worker than either Uso.

Ahura

A wXw guy who received a bit of a push and hype recently. Personally I don't get it, as he comes across like a comedy wrestler to me.

AJ Lee

Seemed decent in her time considering the state womens wrestling in the biggest US promotion was still in at the time, I am not sure a Top 100 placement is justified though.

AKINO

Really good in ARSION, still showed glimpses of greatness here and there afterwards but mostly got lost in the shuffle which makes me a bit sad.

Alex Windsor

Who?

Andy Roberts

Who?

Angelico

When he was around in IWRG and other Mexican indies ca. 2010 people generally thought he sucked. It's kind of impressive how he made his way around and was able to impress people here and there, and he clearly learned something from the times he rolled with the likes of Negro Navarro. Still doubtful he would make a Top 100 of workers that wrestled in Mexico

Anthony Henry

Who?

AR Fox

He was kinda cool for a bit, not the type of worker I am super interested in but a respectable wrestler.

Arez

Who?

Argentina Apollo 

I think there are maybe 4 or 5 Argentina Apollo matches on tape, and his 70s stuff is pretty forgettable due to constraints. A pity because he looks pretty damn incredible in his black and white appearances.

Atsuko Emoto
A wrestler from the forgotten joshi era. From what I've seen of her in IBUKI and such she's hit and miss, though she does have her moments.

Atsushi Aoki
Feels a bit sad he has been nearly forgotten. Really good for a while.

Avisman
He's a really good wrestler and he has been really good for a long time. Not the most spectacular among his peers but his consistency is respectable.

Ayumi Kurihara
Another stereotypical type wrestler that joshi fans really like. You know, skinny, pretty, not much personality beyond hitting dropkicks, though she did have better fundamentals than most of her peers at the time. Some potential was there, but I'm not sure much ever came from it. I know she worked promotions like JD and WAVE that nobody watched or took seriously, I imagine there might be some hidden good stuff there.

Bad News Allen
Has looked terrible at times and pretty decent at others. I'd be really curious to see a list of his 5-10 best matches.

Bandido
I've seen very little of him but from what I've seen, for a modern worker who gets by on looking cool and doing cool moves, he should definitely be above the likes of the Young Bucks.

Barry Horowitz
Warrants consideration just based on his match with Blue Blazer and the self-shoulder pat.

Bartosz Plata
No idea who this was so I looked him up, thinking he might be some guy from the black and white era with no footage. Turns out, he's a modern day Polish indy worker who made his debut in 2024. I know a few modern day Polish indy workers, but I do not know this guy. You know you are obscure when you ring less of a bell with me than the likes of YAKUB or Gabriel Queen.

Beth Phoenix
That match with Melina is fun. The WWE divas division is not the type of scene that produces superworkers but more often than not I find that people like Beth Phoenix did the best they could with what they were given to do.

Big Bill
Who? 

Big Daddy
If you can argue Goldberg is #1, then you can probably argue the same thing for Big Daddy.

Big E
Fun wrestler. Can't say much more than that because he came up at a time when my interest in WWE waned to nothing.

Bill Longson
'Bill Longson' is such a generic name that it could be everyone and no one, like someone you remember seeing in a dream. Is he a territory guy? A guy from the pre-footage era who somehow got a vote from a historian or 80 year old man from Texas that happened to find his way to the project? Indy wrestler doing an ironic cowboy gimmick? Everything is possible with this Bill Longson.

Billie Starkz

Who?

Billy Catanzaro

A great, great wrestler and the man who blew all of our minds with a single appearance, then blew our minds some more with a few more, quite different appearances. I should have nominated him.

Billy Goelz
I think he should have also been nominated. Possibly the greatest US worker from the black and white era.

Billy Gunn
Same as the WWE divas. Gunn was not really in a place to deliver classic wrestling but like many Attitude Era midcard guys I thought he did well with what he was given. And he does have a nice clothesline bump. It's more than can be said for many wrestlers.

Billy Kidman
I'm sure a comp of the best 20 syndicated TV Billy Kidman matches would be a lot of fun.

Billy Watson
I don't remember if I've watched him. I probably should, because there's actually a bit of footage and 'Whipper' Billy Watson is such a cool name for a wrestler.

Black Shadow
I think there may have been 20 Black Shadows. If it's the guy who worked France, he was pretty fun.

Blackjack Mulligan
Pretty cool big cowboy brawler from what I've seen. I always remember DEANs line about scientific wrestling matches: "You just sat there waiting for Wahoo McDaniel and Blackjack Mulligan to kick the shit out of each other". I would really like to see a Blackjack Mulligan/Wahoo McDaniel match.

Blue Demon Jr.
Widely considered such an enormous disappointment that people doubted if he was even related to the original Blue Demon. Then he had a brief run of greatness when he discovered the claw hammer. More wrestlers should learn from him and just hit people with a clawhammer sometime. 

Bob Roop 
Seen very little of him.

Bobby Lashley
I have a soft spot for him and I think in an ideal world he would've been the Kobashi to Cenas Misawa. 

Bobby Roode
I remember absolutely nothing about him besides the jokes about his name.

Bobo Brazil
From what I've seen he was pretty fun. Wish we had the Rikidozan match in full.

Boris Malenko
I think the word about Boris Malenko was that he was this badass grappler. And I think the one Boris Malenko match we have on tape is him against old Paul Boesch being a complete stooging goofball, so that's pretty fun.

Brain Damage
US indy deathmatch guy who was unique because he brought stiff punches and headbutts to matches. I have.. so little interest in that stuff now but if you're really into deathmatch wrestling I could see Brain Damage being totally your guy.

Braun Strowman
I have seen extraordinarily little WWE but from the little I've seen he was fun. Not the mention that he was just this brick of a man with the head of a baby.

Bray Wyatt 
Wyatt family had it's moments. Can't say much more than that.

Brian Lawler
Talented guy with some good moments. Not much more than that to his career I think, I guess due to his substance problems.

Brie Bella
I don't think I've ever seen a Bella match, or anyone speaking positively about them for that matter. So I'd really like to know what this voter was thinking.

Bronko Nagurski
Bronko Nagurski running through people in black and white matches with shoulderblocks is something of a revelation. I don't think we have a single complete match of his, though.

Bronson Reed
Who? Oh, he's the big guy who really likes cartwheels. I can do without him, I think.