GWE 2026 Reaction Thread

[Garbage]

Fujiwara was my #3 and I've on and off regretted not putting him at #2 even if it wouldn't have influenced anything.

 

I think Cena's great match catalogue is pretty overstated. Though it depends on how much those 2015-2017 matches do for you. But I mean I think he went arguably a full three years without a great match until the Punk feud even during his peak. Some talk as if he never underdelivered especially on PPV and I think that's crazily far from the truth.

[KB8]

12 minutes ago, ohtani's jacket said:

Who were these 200;+ people who didn't vote for Fujiwara? Name them.

 

 

Agreed. We need the list of shame for Fujiwara non-voters like we got for the HHH-voters. Name them. Shame them. Shun them. 

He was my #3 but I wouldn't spend a single second arguing with anyone who had him at the top. 

[MidasGloves]

Also I am truly baffled where all the Inoki voters came from because the distance he's built from Baba and even some of the modern New Japan darlings is kind of insane. He's a worthy Top 100 placement but this is one of the most surprising runs (also Mox, again while I'm a big proponent of his 43rd minimum is better than I expected for him).

[WingedEagle]

Cena's going to do really, really well based on when a lot of voters started watching. He's their Hogan but without the baggage and with a decade's worth of matches pushed as all-timers.

[Boss Rock]

Clearly the 2018 Inokiists have returned.

[ohtani's jacket]

1 minute ago, KB8 said:

Agreed. We need the list of shame for Fujiwara non-voters like we got for the HHH-voters. Name them. Shame them. Shun them. 

He was my #3 but I wouldn't spend a single second arguing with anyone who had him at the top. 

I wouldn't argue with anyone who voted him higher than #1. 

[Boss Rock]

Cena is the one wrestler I find to be in a constant state of being both overrated and underrated.

[ohtani's jacket]

2 minutes ago, Boss Rock said:

Cena is the one wrestler I find to be in a constant state of being both overrated and underrated.

It's the "Let's go Cena! Cena sucks effect!"

[ohtani's jacket]

I really wanna see who Inoki takes down on the list. I hope he's not next Sill conning folks from the afterlife. 

[ohtani's jacket]

That's one!

[ohtani's jacket]

God, Parv would hate this. 

[Boss Rock]

Really impressive jump for Piper considering how most of the 80's territories folks fared. That being said, Piper is still a super recognizable name and memorable character.

[MidasGloves]

I like that Piper climbing dozens of spots was not based on any sort of push or narrative or timing, he was just that good and people realized it. I watched a match of his today and thought that putting him 22nd on my ballot was underrating him too much.

[Boss Rock]

Inoki beats not just Fujiwara, but now Fujinami.

I had Fujinami at 30. Likely the greatest technical wrestler ever. Not just an excellent submission and mat-based wrestler, but I really enjoy his more "action-oriented" work in the 90's. Just wrestled a match 3 days ago.

[Boss Rock]

I had Toyota at 50 and I have no reservations about that. While joshi as a whole did poorly in the 2016 vote, Toyota finishing at only 85 felt like a bit of an overcorrection for her being heralded for years as the greatest women’s wrestler ever when she had genuine flaws. She could go overboard with her pacing and didn’t always sell as much as she could have (doing neck bridge pin breaks is a little much when Aja Kong of all people is beating you up). But I think a lot of the criticism came down to her being a Meltzer darling when in reality, she was hardly the only one working that type of style. She was not perfect and I’m not even sure she’s a top 5 joshi wrestler, but she was still damn great. Terrific offense, terrific tag wrestler, terrific big match singles worker. What she did, she was very good at.

[Shrike02]

12 minutes ago, Boss Rock said:

Really impressive jump for Piper considering how most of the 80's territories folks fared. That being said, Piper is still a super recognizable name and memorable character.

It's also fair to say the found footage for Piper in the last ten years has made those of us who grew up watching him rate  his body of work more highly than before in many cases. If only this grace had been granted to a couple of Piper's best opponents ... I'm thinking of you, Greg Valentine ...

[Control21]

I think what is defining the 2026 GWE is a battle between pluralities. It's coming down to who can build the strongest coalitions across certain aspects of the fanbase.

[Childs]

Toyota above Fujimani and Fujiwara is a bitter pill. 

Not surprised by Piper. The momentum behind his case has built steadily, though I still don't quite see the volume or consistency of an elite, elite guy. 

[Microstatistics]

#50

Atsushi Onita

Didn't realize he ranked in 2016 as well. I understand the appeal, being the top guy in a niche territory.

#49

Volk Han

Interesting how he ends up on more ballots than Tamura. Broader appeal due to more flamboyant matwork? He dropped slightly and placed at #36 by the end for me, which is probably an underestimation considering he was great from his first match to the last and gelled with everyone he faced.

#48

Sting

Someone I need to see more of beyond the surfer days and the retirement match.

#47

Blue Panther

Someone I respect more than one I am enamored with. 

#46

Yoshiaki Fujiwara

Slight decline but not terrible. Highest points per vote yet I believe so that's something. Not much else to say, a Mt. Rushmore wrestler for me at #4.

#45

Meiko Satomura

The female Takayama for me in that she should really click for me in practice based on the theoretical stylistic appeal but doesn't.

#44

Andre the Giant

I thought he was at his best during his youth (late 60s France) for singles bouts and later was largely more of a solid hand in tags/trios.

#43

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper

My #48 so fairly close. Great peaks and multifaceted presence.

#42

Tatsumi Fujinami

Noo, disappointing fall. Moreover, I can't believe Inoki beat him. My #13, dropping from #5 in 2016, not because my opinion of him has lessened but because my priorities/criteria for evaluating wrestlers have evolved. But his career was something else with the innovative 70s matwork being akin to wrestling sci-fi and him coming back from a debilitating back injury like nothing happened. He looked pretty good as late as 2024. A technical master if there ever was one.

#41

Manami Toyota

Very influential and strong in tags but I'd rate many other Joshi wrestlers ahead of her.

[Control21]

3 minutes ago, Microstatistics said:

#49

Volk Han

Interesting how he ends up on my ballots than Tamura. Broader appeal due to more flamboyant matwork? He dropped slightly and placed at #37 by the end for me, which is probably an underestimation considering he has great from his first match to the last and gelled with everyone he faced.

I'm really not sure why Volk Han has been ranked higher than Tamura in every GWE ballot so far. I think he definitely has more moments where you kinda go "WTF?" than Tamura, and that could be the decisive factor. He's also more of a mythological figure due to that I think. I ranked Volk higher than Tamura, so I really don't have a problem with it. Both should be Top 50 wrestlers, though. No question.

[EnviousStupid]

Moxley above Fujiwara? Aight fam, gonna go find something to bash my own head into as tribute to the latter.

[Makai Club #1]

I thin

Just now, Control21 said:

I'm really not sure why Volk Han has been ranked higher than Tamura in every GWE ballot so far. I think he definitely has more moments where you kinda go "WTF?" than Tamura, and that could be the decisive factor. He's also more of a mythological figure due to that I think. I ranked Volk higher than Tamura, so I really don't have a problem with it. Both should be Top 50 wrestlers, though. No question.

I think that's it. Han is more aesthetically pleasing with his tricks. Easy to gif and get a curiously eye towards RINGS. 

[ohtani's jacket]

Inoki beating Fujinami is wild. Why stop here? Let’s win this thing. 

[Boss Rock]

1 hour ago, Boss Rock said:

Clearly the 2018 Inokiists have returned.

I think I'm on to something.

[ohtani's jacket]

6 minutes ago, Makai Club #1 said:

I thin

I think that's it. Han is more aesthetically pleasing with his tricks. Easy to gif and get a curiously eye towards RINGS. 

His name is Volk Han, he’s a Russian mat wizard, and he does magic tricks. And his theme music is epic.