Today marked the release of the 2026 PWI 500. This ranking showcases the 500 best wrestlers in the world.
For this year, three French wrestlers and two Belgian wrestlers feature on this prestigious PWI 500 2026 list.
– Elio LeFleur in 202nd place. He was ranked 216th last year; the French wrestler climbed a few spots thanks to his signing with NXT and his WWE Speed Championship win despite an injury.
– Kuro in 218th place. An increase from the previous year when he was 398th. A final year as APC champion for 476 days and a tour on the independent circuit gave him the chance to rise on the rankings.
– Dorian Van Dux in 253rd place. He dropped a few spots due to losing the WXW championship and his NXT debut later in the year. The Belgian wrestler was in 180th place in 2025.
– Ricky Sosa in 312nd place. The Belgian wrestler makes his entry into the rankings this year; his meteoric rise to TNA played a role.
– Mecca in 476th place. Mecca makes their debut in the PWI 500 after a year of standing out on the French circuit. APC Championship and KHAO Championship earned them this spot.
For reference, the evaluation period for the PWI 500 runs from August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026, and several criteria are taken into account, such as wins/losses, titles and tournaments won, the wrestler’s prominence and that of their promotion, as well as in-ring abilities and the matches presented over the year.
