GWE 2026 Reaction Thread

[concrete1992]

I think the one that is currently rankling me is Kevin Steen making it this high. I don't think he's a top 100 US indie wrestler since 2000. Especially compared to someone like Claudio or even Roddy. People who were more consistent, had arguably higher peaks, and even one of them had a celebrated WWE run.

I guess it sort of goes to the aura convo maybe? The aura being swears a lot and is nice to people in Twitter DMs. 

[Matt D]

1 minute ago, SirSam said:

It would be him or Okada and Tanahashi has had a complete career while Okada is still wrestling, that in itself probably makes him more likely to be up there. Tanahashi also seems to be the more universally beloved of the two as well, both have their detractors but Okada's seem to be stronger.

I had Tanahashi at 2.

Given the way things are going, I wouldn’t be surprised if Omega, Okada, and Tanahashi all make the top 10. I don’t necessarily think they will but I wouldn’t be surprised.

[Tetsujin]

8 minutes ago, concrete1992 said:

I think the one that is currently rankling me is Kevin Steen making it this high. I don't think he's a top 100 US indie wrestler since 2000. Especially compared to someone like Claudio or even Roddy. People who were more consistent, had arguably higher peaks, and even one of them had a celebrated WWE run.

I guess it sort of goes to the aura convo maybe? The aura being swears a lot and is nice to people in Twitter DMs. 

Same. His WWE run has been very hit or miss, mostly because of booking, but even before WWE he wasn't one of the very best indie guys. Definitely charismatic and a main event guy, but Claudio is obviously better, Roddy is obviously better, and I buy Hero more too. I assume it's because he's all but officially retired.

[NotJayTabb]

I think being a main event wrestler subconsciously can give a wrestler an advantage over his peers. Owens has had PPV title matches and a (night one) Wrestlemania main event which can make him feel a bit "bigger".

[Makai Club #1]

90. El Dandy
Incredible luchador. A complete eye opener when you actually watch him in his element and you can see what he can do. He’s got a talent for great drama, great offence and just making matches work, particularly apuestas. His performance in the three way with Santito and Casas is splendid. Voted for him at #55.

89. Roderick Strong
Not my favourite, but he is always gonna be one of the most solid additions to a card that he’s on. I can name only a few classics he’s had, but if you want someone to have a really good match on the undercard, he’s your guy. Plus he and Kyle O’Reilly carried NXT for years as a team. Didn’t vote for him. And he’s a little too high, but I can’t hate it too much.

88. Bruno Sammartino
I’m not really on the bandwagon of Bruno is great. He was decent enough and full of charisma and star power. He’s incredibly watchable when he’s got heated feuds and either a big bumper against him or a monster like Hansen. But I do think it’s impressive for someone of his era making it to the top 100 in a clear modern heavy list. 
 

[MasterJonBurr]

Roddy Strong the first entry on the top 100 that is just absurd to me. He’s like a Tom Zenk-level guy to me of his era. 
 

And I’d like to nominate Matt D’s “Who’s On First?” Routine with Dusty and Dustin as the second most adorable post on this whole thread, right behind Mantaur’s vintage meltdown. 

[Microstatistics]

#90

El Dandy

His decline here mirrors my own list, from Top 10 in 2016 to #75. Still a great, versatile wrestler. The Santo 1996 feud and the famous Azteca bout are career highlights but stuff vs. Pirata Morgan, Javier Illanes, and Negro Navarro are worth checking out as well.

#89

Roderick Strong

Briefly considered him. Reliable, utility player for 20 years or so, can't argue with the placement.

#88

"The Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino

Had him around this spot too until he finished at #100 for me prior to submission. His run really does age well.

[cad]

I'm not sure if anyone taught me more about Mexican wrestling than Dandy. He shaped my ideas about title matches, heated 3v3s and eventually even those purely technical 3v3s, although that last one did take a while. The man was fantastic not just at working different types of match but at putting his own stamp on them. Discussion of him died down so much since his top fifty finish last time, when a lot of people had just started watching old CMLL and his 1990 run in particular, that he didn't seem to have a shot at even making the top one hundred. That awesome Monterrey brawl with Santo was probably one of the best vintage lucha matches to surface in the past ten years. It didn't seem to affect his standing any.

3 hours ago, Makai Club #1 said:

He’s got a talent for great drama, great offence and just making matches work, particularly apuestas.

It's funny. Dandy didn't really play much of a role in forming my image of an apuestas match, and if you gave me the choice between two never before seen Dandy matches, one with his hair on the line and the other with a belt on the line, I'd take the title match every day of the week. I say that, but the man certainly doesn't lack for apuestas classics, and maybe those are what got him here this time.

[MoS]

I also don't get the high ranking for Roddy. He is a perfectly good wrestler, he has a snap and aggression in his moves that I like, he has had a long career, but he has never stood out to me as anything more than very good. There are so many great, brilliant wrestlers. I don't think he is in the top 100 of the GWE; perhaps #250 would have been more suited for him in my opinion.