Pro Wrestling Illustrated expanded its annual list of the top female wrestlers to 250 this year, and the amount of out LGBTQ talent that made the cut saw a similar increase.
The 2023 PWI Women’s 250 counted 33 out LGBTQ pro wrestlers among its honorees, the most ever since the list began as the PWI Women’s 50 in 2008, and nearly double last year’s count of 19.
Former two-time AEW Women’s World champion Toni Storm ranked highest among out LGBTQ wrestlers on the list for the second straight year, landing at number 12. She earned that spot by notching her second AEW Women’s World title reign during PWI’s evaluation period and becoming one of the top heels in the company’s women’s division as part of The Outcasts with Saraya and Ruby Soho.
A total of 13 out LGBTQ pro wrestlers made the top 100, including trailblazing trans wrestlers Veny (50), Gisele Shaw (63) and Edith Surreal (100), non-binary brawler Max The Impaler (74), and notable title holders Indi Hartwell (46), Saraya (52), Trish Adora (57) and Shayna Baszler (58).
Top independent names such as Allie Katch (64), Steph De Lander (69) and B3CCA (80) also ranked among the top 100.
The list overall saw a rise in international representation, which is also reflected among its LGBTQ entrants. Veny remained the only Japanese out LGBTQ honoree, but she was joined by Australians Hartwell, De Lander and Charli Evans (141), Filipino wrestlers Shaw and Alexis Lee (148), Brits Saraya, Piper Niven (142), Chantal Jordan (178) and Harley Hudson (238), Canada’s Ava Lawless (174) and Vanessa Kraven (217) and Italy’s Laura Di Matteo (156).
PWI’s decision to expand the list allowed for more upcoming and established talent on the independents as well, including Sandra Moone (164), Dark Sheik (200), Jordan Blade (210), Ziggy Haim (234) and Amira (235).
Outsports congratulates those ranked and all of the amazing out LGBTQ talent who weren’t ranked this year. Check out the full list of ranked wrestlers below.
Toni Storm (12)
Indi Hartwell (46)
Veny (50)
Saraya (52)
Trish Adora (57)
Shayna Baszler (58)
Mercedes Martinez (61)
Gisele Shaw (63)
Allie Katch (64)
Steph De Lander (69)
Max The Impaler (74)
B3CCA (80)
Edith Surreal (100)
Nyla Rose (113)
Diamante (135)
Charli Evans (141)
Piper Niven (142)
Alexis Lee (148)
Kiera Hogan (154)
Laura Di Matteo (156)
Sandra Moone (164)
Ava Lawless (174)
Chantal Jordan (178) ?
Dark Sheik (200)
Kayla Sparks (202)
Jordan Blade (210)
Mylo (213)
Vanessa Kraven (217)
Heidi Howitzer (231)
Ziggy Haim (234)
Amira (235)
Harley Hudson (238)
Gabby Ortiz (245)
