It is the fifth and final day of the 2020 QWI 100, and there isn’t enough thanks to go around for all of these talented wrestlers and the ones beyond the 100. Let’s close up 2020 with the final 20 honorees and look forward to the bright, rainbow-laden future that 2021 will hopefully bring. There are always more statements to make.
Be sure to check out the entire 2020 QWI 100 as well.
Day one: introduction and honorees 1-20
Day two: honorees 21-40
Day three: honorees 41-60
Day four: honorees 61-80
81. Russell Rogue
The Minnesota-based “Biconic” grappler seemed peaked for a breakout 2020. After multiple years wrestling for numerous Minnesota promotions, Rogue exploded after appearing on Butch vs. Gore and sparking a Britney Spears-based rivalry with Jared Evans whose payoff is still anticipated. Rogue also challenged for Kickstart My Heart’s King of the North title, but his in-ring work was overshadowed by his vocal support of the #SpeakingOut movement and the racial equity movement.
82. Saint Synclair
“The Millionaire Misfit” can get it done both in the ring and as a manager, but Synclair does it all with his own unique sense of style even among the uniqueness of the LGBTQ pro wrestling movement. A fixture in Hoodslam and GLAM, Synclair utilized his managerial services to help Vipress defeat Jamie Senegal in February only to help Senegal defeat Allie Kat at EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch. You never know what comes next when Synclair is involved.
83. Shay Purser
The world’s premiere practitioner of Shay Fu rivals anyone claiming to be the heart of Welsh pro wrestling. Most of Purser’s 2020 action came with his Cardiff-based home promotion ATTACK! Pro Wrestling, but his profile is rising. Purser was set to return to the U.S. for EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch before the pandemic hit, but he assuredly will make good on that when travel restrictions ease.
84. Shayna Baszler
After years dominating WWE’s NXT brand as its most dominant NXT Women’s champion since Asuka, Baszler made the jump to Raw after finishing second in the Women’s Royal Rumble. “The Queen of Spades” challenged Becky Lynch for the Raw Women’s title at WrestleMania 36 and won the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles with unexpected partner Nia Jax.
85. Silvio Milano
The self-proclaimed “Shade King” of Australia wears his stripes loud and proud every time he enters the ring. Milano’s unabashed presentation makes him a favorite in Pro Wrestling Australia, but he also gets it done in the ring. Milano currently holds the Wrestling GO! Doubles Medal with Lex Lennock.
86. Simon Sermon
Sermon spent the last 20 years building a legacy in Georgia and Florida’s wrestling scene. Doing most of his work with promotions sprinkled around the greater Atlanta metro area, Sermon’s budding rivalry with Eddie Honcho in WrestleMerica capped off a year step into the ring with local figures like Anthony Henry and Matt Sells.
87. Skye James
If Titanic Wrestling is going to house an LGBTQ villain like Bobbi Diamond, you need an equally formidable LGBTQ hero. Skye James is that hero. James and Diamond carried their rivalry from 2019 into 2020 before the pandemic shut down Northern Ireland’s wrestling scene. But “The Rainbow Rebel” is staying ready, making sure 2021 is her year.
88. Skye Smitson
She may call herself “The Villainess,” but Smitson’s voice trends more heroic within British wrestling circles. The Pro Wrestling EVE regular challenged for the company’s International title as well as the AAA Reina de Reinas and World War Wrestling Women’s titles. But a showdown with former tag team partner Rebel Kinney may be brewing in the new year after the events of Wrestle Queendom 3.
89. Solo Darling
“The Archduke” has nearly done it all in her decade in the ring. But that didn’t mean that 2020 didn’t provide some amazing moments. Darling starred in high profile promotions like Beyond Wrestling and SHIMMER while appearing at Butch vs. Gore just a few months before coming out as pansexual. She challenged for the Synergy Pro Wrestling Cruiserweight Crown in December and was used as a weapon by Parrow against her tag team partner Willow Nightingale during the Clusterfuck match at Joey Janela’s Spring Break 4.
90. Sonny Kiss
“The Concrete Rose” budded beautifully for All Elite Wrestling in 2020. Kiss formed an engrossing tag team with Joey Janela early in the year before earning a shot at Cody Rhodes’ TNT championship at Fight For The Fallen. Kiss followed that up with stellar performances against Chris Jericho and Jake Hager. She also provided much needed representation for genderfluid people on one of pro wrestling’s largest stages.
91. Sonya Deville
This year saw Daddy Deville unearth new sides of herself within the WWE ring. Deville was a key cog in the enchanting if not over-complicated and sometimes confusing love triangle with her legit best friend Mandy Rose, Otis and Dolph Ziggler. An intense rivalry bore out of the issue, leading to a weapon-laden loser leave Smackdown match between Deville and Rose at Summerslam.
92. Steph De Lander
“The Python Powerhouse” is already one of Australia’s hottest pro wrestling stars despite the brevity of her career. De Lander appeared for copious promotions throughout the country during 2020 despite a long pandemic layoff. And those matches delivered serious hardware. De Lander captured the Newy Pro Women’s championship, challenged for titles in PWA Black Label and BCW and won Newcastle Pro Wrestling’s Invictus Trios Tournament.
93. Still Life with Apricots & Pears
Pro wrestling’s living work of art gave us plenty of opportunities to contemplate and marvel at their in-ring artistry at events like Butch vs. Gore and EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch. They also graced the rings of notable promotions like Beyond Wrestling and Battle Club Pro. But they also showcased how flexible the medium can be as one of the more endearing elements of Camp Leapfrog. 2021 should bring new heights and, hopefully, the debut of the first non-binary tag team Them with Sophie King (who certainly would’ve made this list if they had wrestled this year, please get well soon! We miss you!)
94. Tegan Nox
2020 felt primed for the Welsh NXT staple to break out. She followed up her Women’s Royal Rumble appearance and heated rivalry with Dakota Kai by challenging Io Shirai for the NXT Women’s title. Nox also teamed with Shotzi Blackheart to challenge for the WWE Women’s Tag Team championships. A knee injury ended her year and issue with Candice LaRae prematurely, but she still made headlines by coming out as bi+ in a heartfelt Instagram post.
95. Theo Ivory
The king of cuppas Theo Ivory built a profile for himself through his matches with the Combat Zone Wrestling Dojo, using that platform to bring his athletic ability and Tea Time championship to other promotions in the northeast. He also started his “Tea Time” YouTube series and branched out into commentary. The world loves a diversified diva.
96. Tommy Purr
“The Sin City Kitty” has made audiences purr throughout Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and other locales throughout the southwest. Purr delivered several highlights this year with Las Vegas-based Big Valley Pro Wrestling, including a thoroughly entertaining Pajama Pillow Playhouse match against Ricky Tenacious.
97. Tyler Klein
The Runway’s designer extraordinaire enjoyed a prosperous 2020 alongside tag team partner Calvin Couture. The two furthered their name on LGBTQ-promoted platforms like MV Young’s Polyam Cult Party and EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch. But the two partners also collided when “The Trophy Boy” stood across from Couture in a Fashionista Glamcore match for Real Shoot Wrestling.
98. Veny
Japan’s leading out trans joshi queen may have stepped into the ring under a different name in 2020, but her dominance felt all too familiar. The former ASUKA made stops in nearly every joshi promotion Japan has to offer, particularly Gatoh Move, SEAdLINNNG and World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana where she held the world title for a spell. Veny maintained her presence in DDT as well with multiple defenses of her Independent Junior Heavyweight title.
99. Visage
Visage rounds out the U.K.’s top trio of drag wrestlers alongside Priscilla and Mitchell Starr. Competing in TNT Extreme and House of Pain Wrestling, “The Queen of Queens” kept sending his opponents and herself into the stratosphere. But Visage’s most important 2020 accomplishment may prove to be joining Pride Pro Wrestling as one of its original roster members.
100. The Whisper
The blue smoke is really my aesthetic. pic.twitter.com/1RBWLDfrIH
— whisper (@The__Whisper) November 28, 2020
His name signals someone who treads far lighter than the wrestler fans throughout the northeast have grown to love (and love to hate) in recent years. “The Innovator of Silence” branched out beyond Chikara in a big way following the company’s demise after the #SpeakingOut movement. Wispy found a new home with New Jersey’s Synergy Pro Wrestling, standing tall against Logan Black, Matt Vertigo and KTB. Those wins earned him a shot at the Synergy Cruiserweight Crown.
Congratulations are due not only to the QWI 100 honorees, but all LGBTQ people carving their path and creating a better platform for generations of LGBTQ people who feel the draw of the ring. Thank yo so much and we’ll see you in 2021.