By Steph Franchomme, John Dinsdale, Humza Hussain, James Truepenny, Tom Mimnagh, Danny Cause, Anthony Davies, Sêan Reid, Chris White & David Bedwell.

After this strange year 2020, we have lived another pretty hurtful year. Never the cards have been shuffled this way in the wrestling business. WWE have released more wrestlers than they have done in years. AEW have been signing more talents than they could ever put on TV at the same time. The “Forbidden Door” has changed our perception of the business. If some companies have been used to being partners, we suddenly saw wrestlers being in sometimes 3 or 4 different TV shows a week. A company like GCW has become THE place to come wrestle. The landscape has definitely changed, for the good but also for the bad.

Some names in our Tops will probably surprise you, we hope you will explore the work of these talented wrestlers. And the other names are the ones you can’t ignore, these men and women who are monopolizing our screens or collecting the belts like a kid with treats on Halloween. But these are the wrestlers who we think deserved your attention in 2021 and we can only begin to imagine, many of whom will be still shaping the scene come 2022.

New this year, the Spotlight. Every writer chose a wrestler who was not on the “top of the Top,” his or her underdog, someone they thought deserved some words instead of just a pic. So, we are pleased to say that this list represents SteelChair fully. We let you find out the countdown from 100 to 26, the top 25 will be revealed tomorrow.

Editor’s note: This list is based on the wrestler’s accomplishments between September 2020 and September 2021. Men and women are treated equally as wrestlers (Click on a pic to enlarge it).

100 – 26

100 – Riddle (WWE) – (2017 – 5)
99 – Malakai Black (WWE/AEW) – (2020 – 65, 2019 – 41, 2018- 7, 2017 – 26, 2016 – 19)
98 – Tony Deppen (ROH/GCW)
97 – Kay Lee Ray (WWE/NXT) – (2017 – 53)
96 – Matt Cardona (IMPACT/GCW)

95 – EFFY (GCW)
94 – Damian Priest (WWE)
93 – EC3 (ROH/IMPACT/Indies)
92 – Eric Young (IMPACT)
91 – Alex Colon (GCW)

90 – Cesaro (WWE)
89 – Minoru Suzuki (NJPW) – (2020 – 33, 2019 – 72, 2018 – 31, 2017 – 73)
88 – CM Punk (AEW)
87 – Sheamus (WWE)
86 – Bayley (WWE) – (2020 – 14, 2017 – 86, 2016 – 25, 2015 – 16)

85 – Jacob Fatu (MLW) – (2020 – 90)
84 – TJP (IMPACT/NJPW/MLW)
83 – Karrion Kross (WWE)
82 – Cody (AEW) – (2020 – 1, 2019 – 10, 2018 – 8, 2017 – 11)
81 – Lulu Pencil (ChocoPro) – (2020 – 28)

80 – The Carver of Cutters Alley (Indies) – Spotlight by John Dinsdale: “The Carver is one of the most promising new monsters to burst onto the scene. Boasting a unique take on the wrestling serial killer, The Carver has risen from the snuff basements of Timebomb to win the 2021 IWA Midsouth Prince of the Deathmatches. A monster in the ring, The Carver has been plying his trade across the US. He’s claimed victims in Timebomb, Flophouse, IWA Midsouth, and many more with 2022 looking to bring him even further into the wrestling zeitgeist. Carver has proven himself to be one to watch and I’d do so or he’ll come for you.”

79 – AKIRA (ICW NHB)
78 – Eric Ryan (GCW/ICW)
77 – John Wayne Murdoch (GCW/ICW)
76 – Masha Slamovich (Indies) – Spotlight by James Truepenny: “After a run at Marvellous, just prior to lockdown in the winter of 2020, she returned to the States. A badass shooter/brawler, she applied it to the straight-ahead Russian Dynamite character. Making appearances all across IWTV and FITE, including her own show; Borscht at the Beach. Then on to AEW, NWA Empowerrr and finally Impact Wrestling where she found a full-time home. She ended 2021 by wrestling Sendai Girl Charli Evans in a match to celebrate their mentors Chigusau Nagayo and Meiko Satomura. Knows her roots, but her future looks so bright, she should wear shades.”

75 – Minoru Fujita (Indies)
74 – Baliyan Akki (ChocoPro/DDT)
73 – Konosuke Takeshita (DDT)
72 – Hammerstone (MLW) – (2020 – 91)
71 – Syuri (Stardom)

70 – Atsushi Onita (FMW-E)
69 – Rickey Shane Page (H2O) – (2020 – 22)
68 – Io Shirai (WWE) – (2020 – 31, 2019 – 48, 2018 – 82)
67 – Raquel Gonzalez (WWE)
66 – Jey Uso (WWE)

65 – Ilja Dragunov (WWE)
64 – Tay Conti (AEW)
63 – Jungle Boy (AEW) – (2020 – 70, 2019 – 77) – Spotlight by Anthony Davies: “At All Out 2020, teamed with partner Luchasarus but lost to The Young Bucks. Unsuccessful at Revolution in the Tag Team Casino battle royal. With fan support growing, became the first AEW wrestler to win 50 matches. At Double or Nothing, won the casino battle royal to a big ovation to earn a shot at the AEW Champion Kenny Omega. Unfortunately lost to Omega, but along with Christian Cage and Luchasarus, entered a long feud with The Elite and their newest member Adam Cole. In a valiant effort, lost to Adam Cole on an episode of Dynamite.”

62 – Orange Cassidy (AEW) – (2020 – 12, 2019 – 21)
61 – Kyle O’Reilly (WWE)

60 – Sammy Guevara (AEW) – (2020 – 98) 
59 – PAC (AEW) – (2020 – 81, 2019 – 18, 2017 – 19, 2015 – 18) 
58 – Jeff Cobb (NJPW/MLW) – (2017 – 54, 2019 – 79, 2020 – 97)
57 – Rey Fénix (AEW/AAA) – (2020 – 18, 2019 -52, 2018- 71, 2017 – 69) – Spotlight by Sêan Reid: “Undoubtedly one of, if not the best Luchador wrestler in the world, Rey Fénix continues to amaze us with his high-flying acrobatics. Whether it’s in singles action or tagging with his brother Penta El Zero Miedo, Rey Fénix’s matches are always a highlight reel. In the ring, he has evolved the Luchador style of names such as Rey Mysterio, and taken it to another level. While his versatility has allowed him to easily mesh with different styles such as Kenny Omega’s strong style or FTR’s technical old-school ability. Overall, Rey Fénix’s fun, frenzied and fast-paced style is completed by brilliant in-ring storytelling, making him one of professional wrestling’s best performers today.”

56 – Kazuchika Okada (NJPW) – (2020 – 9, 2019 – 3, 2018 – 3, 2017 – 2, 2016 – 20, 2015 – 14)

55 – Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW) – (2020 – 56, 2019 – 9, 2018 – 21, 2017 – 41, 2016 – 48)
54 – Jade Cargill (AEW)
53 – Danhausen (ROH/Indies)
52 – Randy Orton (WWE) – (2020 – 17)
51 – Ricky Starks (AEW)

50 – Rhea Ripley (WWE) – (2020 – 38) – Spotlight by Danny Cause: “The sheer brutality of Rhea Ripley is clear for all to see. To this day she is the only person to have held both the NXT and NXT UK Women’s Championships. At the tail end of 2020, Ripley was still a part of the NXT roster, where she took part in the second-ever Women’s War Games match. She then made the final two of the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble, before moving to RAW full time. At WrestleMania, she dethroned Asuka to become the RAW Women’s Champion. When someone like Rhea Ripley just misses out on our Top 100, it shows you just how fierce the competition is.”

49 – Asuka (WWE) – (2020 – 5, 2018 – 9, 2017 – 10, 2016 – 31)
48 – Meiko Satomura (WWE) – (2020 – 76, 2019 – 35, 2018 – 63)
47 – El Desperado (NJPW) – (2020 – 77) 
46 – Hiromu Takahashi (NJPW) – (2020 – 47, 2018 – 38, 2017 – 18) 

45 – Nick Gage (GCW) – (2020 – 93, 2019 – 56)
44 – Jay White (NJPW) – (2020 – 15, 2019 – 53, 2018 – 83, 2017 – 96)
43 – Keiji Mutoh (NOAH)
42 – Rush (ROH)
41 – Jun Akiyama (DDT)

40 – Josh Alexander (IMPACT) – Spotlight by Steph Franchomme: “Josh Alexander epitomises what TNA/Impact Wrestling is, a talent maker and revealer. Before Ethan Page left, Alexander was a 2-time World Tag Team Champion and one of the longest-reigning Champions. As a singles competitor, he targeted the X-Division Championship, a title he would win at Rebellion. He successfully defended it against Ace Austin, El Phantasmo, and then TJP in a monumental Iron Man Match. After retaining at Slammiversary in an Ultimate-X match, he retained against Black Taurus and Jake Something. His win against Chris Sabin, the X-Division record man, led him to invoke Option C and relinquish the belt for a World Championship Match. The Walking Weapon has been on an unstoppable road to the top of Impact Wrestling. When will it end?”

39 – Chris Brookes (DDT) – (2020 – 23, 2019 – 22, 2018 – 43, 2017 – 55)
38 – Rich Swann (IMPACT)
37 – Nick Aldis (NWA) – (2020 – 51, 2019 – 60)

36 – Will Ospreay (NJPW) – Spotlight by Chris White: “One wrestler who has thrived after the Covid pandemic stopped a lot of foreign talent participating overseas is Will Ospreay. His heel turn at the G1 Climax where he launched an attack on Kazuchika Okada made him hated in New Japan. Separating from Chaos and forming a new stable, United Empire, Ospreay defeated IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kota Ibushi to become the first British holder of the title. Despite injuring his neck after wrestling Shingo Takagi in a classic at Wrestling Dontaku and vacating the title, Ospreay returned to announce he was the true champion, solidifying his status within the company.”

35 – Hangman Page (AEW) – (2020 – 25, 2019 – 32, 2018 – 72) – Spotlight by Tom Mimnagh: “It’s hard not to have some sense of affection for Hangman Adam Page. Over the course of the past couple of years, he has become a sentimental favourite of the AEW audience. His tag team with Kenny Omega set the world alight, as did his singles match at Full Gear 2020 against his former partner. His storylines with The Elite and Dark Order have made for gripping television. Although his in-ring work speaks for itself, perhaps his greatest achievement is the intense connection he has forged with the AEW fanbase, as perhaps the biggest pure babyface in wrestling today.”

34 – Seth Rollins (WWE) – (2020 – 21, 2019 – 13, 2018 – 6, 2017 – 66, 2016 – 23, 2015 – 3)
33 – AJ Styles (WWE) – (2020 – 8, 2019 – 27, 2018 – 10, 2017 – 4, 2016 – 1, 2015 – 8)
32 – Jordynne Grace (IMPACT) – (2020 – 50, 2019 – 83)
31 – Hiroshi Tanahashi (NJPW) – (2020 – 48, 2019 – 37, 2018 – 55, 2017 – 33, 2015 – 29)

30 – Jonathan Gresham (ROH)
29 – Miyu Yamashita (TJPW)
28 – WALTER (WWE) – (2020 – 82, 2019 – 26, 2018 – 17, 2017 – 72) – Spotlight by Humza Hussain: “Although Walter may not have had the consistent, week in, week out great matches when compared to others, the ‘Ring General’ was truly an anomaly. His size, look, and wrestling style are not the norm, particularly in WWE, and in fact, Walter’s more sporadic title matches allowed him to have a Brock Lesnar Esq. aura every time he did compete. But when Walter stepped foot in the ring, most notably against Ciampa and two matches with Ilja Dragunov, he not only delivered but produced some match of the year candidates, or in the case of his bouts with Dragunov, all-time classics.”

27 – Serena Deeb (AEW/NWA)
26 – Finn Balor (WWE)

All pics courtesy of WWE, Impact Wrestling, AEW, NJPW, NWA, ROH, Gatoh Move, TJPW, FMW-E, NOAH, DDT, Stardom, 3 Count Photo, Ami Moregore, and MLW – Feature image courtesy of David Garlick