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(Observe: I made a Sporcle quiz off of this knowledge if you wish to attempt to guess who the highest 50 wrestlers are. You’ll find it at https://www.sporcle.com/video games/hurfdurf/top-50-in-ring-wrestlers-per-cagematchs-match-ratings)
Final yr, I tried to search out who had the most effective in-ring yr (the standards of the Wrestling Observer Publication’s Most Excellent Award) based on the match rankings from Cagematch.web’s database. Surprisingly, Mike Bailey completed on prime of the heap, besting Will Ospreay by a slight margin. Early in July, I pulled Cagematch’s knowledge from the primary six months of the yr to look at the standings by way of the primary half of 2023.
I assigned level values to ranges of match rankings in an try to reward top-level matches. In my expertise, a weighted common of 9.25+ is roughly within the vary of a Dave Meltzer score over 5 stars. 8.75 to 9.24 is roughly equal to 4 3/4 or 5 stars, and so forth to the vary of 6.75-7.24, roughly three and a half stars. I attempted to area out the factors assigned to score ranges to finest reward the higher-rated matches whereas nonetheless offering recognition for matches on the decrease finish of rankings. Matches rated underneath 6.75 will not be thought-about.
Matches involving greater than three individuals on a crew, matches with greater than 4 sides competing, and battle royal-type matches will not be included in these rankings. Matches should have not less than ten distinct rankings; that is to forestall individuals who vote each match from a promotion a ten from having an outsized influence.
Cagematch (or CM) is a bit higher this yr in contrast with final with regards to acknowledging lucha libre and Dragongate, however neither CMLL or DG are getting as many votes as they’d in an arbitrarily outlined “simply” world. Talking of arbitrary: I don’t take pleasure in WWE as a lot as some individuals, which defines my notion of the info establishing the next assertion. It appears to me that voters who take pleasure in WWE vote their matches very excessive on Cagematch. I’ve not bought round to watching something from The Nice American Bash but, however I’m doubtful that Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov simply had the 57th biggest match of the 2020s. Our personal Swimsuit Williams gave the match 3 1/2 stars, removed from the 9.19 it presently has on CM. That places it above final yr’s Gunther vs. Sheamus match, amongst others.
After six months, we’ve 681 completely different wrestlers who recorded not less than one level in 932 matches, overlaying everybody from 1 Referred to as Manders to Zoey Stark, Massive Invoice and Massive BOSS Shimizu, AKARI and AKIRA, Asuka and ASUKA, Yoshihiko and Andreza Large Panda, and everybody in between.
The variety of matches by tier is roughly equal to the identical at this level final yr. I don’t assume a lot might be drawn from this data.
The remainder of the info is viewable right here.
Probably the most represented firms aren’t surprises.
New Japan is on prime of the sphere with 134 certified matches, adopted by WWE (122) and AEW (102). Stardom, Tokyo Joshi Professional, Influence, GCW, Ring of Honor, NOAH, and All Japan spherical out the highest ten. When you add AEW and ROH collectively, the prolonged Khanverse can be on prime of the listing.
This provides me a possibility to speak about my pet peeves once more: Dragongate solely has another match than PWG, an organization whose 2023 schedule consists totally of the 2 nights of Battle of Los Angeles. CMLL and AAA added collectively has fewer matches on the listing than GLEAT, and practically half of DEADLOCK.
When you’re in search of an opportunity to observe uncared for wrestling, right here’s an inventory of the highest ten rated matches with underneath 100 rankings:
Please notice that the NXT tag now has 102 rankings and has dropped to a 8.31 score.
And if you wish to dig even deeper, listed below are the highest ten rated matches with 25 or fewer rankings:
The CMLL match is now as much as 26 rankings and a 8.04 score.
Who’s main the person standings?
It’s… Mike Bailey. The total prime 50 follows.
Bailey has the schedule of a workaholic. The wrestler with the second most qualifying matches is Zack Sabre Jr. with 24; Bailey has 43. Mike Bailey Promotions would have the ninth most matches if he have been placed on the corporate listing, edging out NOAH and simply falling behind Ring of Honor. He has not less than one match for ten completely different promotions, plus what Cagematch considers a contract present in the USA.
The highest ten incorporates many common contenders for Most Excellent honors: Okada, Hiromu, Moxley, Ospreay, and Kenny Omega. El Desperado finishes increased than most individuals would in all probability have guessed, however the identical was true final yr. Hijo del Vikingo is getting extra publicity with AEW and RoH, which is nice as a result of he’s improved over the past yr. Kenoh is probably the most attention-grabbing title on this group to me: NOAH is just not having an excellent excessive profile yr, however he’s accomplished effectively sufficient to get observed some. Popping up on All Japan, New Japan, and Dragongate reveals have additionally helped him out some.
Just a few excessive finishers from final yr’s year-end rankings aren’t within the prime fifty. Prime ten finishers Syuri, Starlight Child, Kazusada Higuchi, and Dax Harwood are all down the rankings for varied causes. In the meantime, Hiromu Takahashi (58th final yr), Kenoh (54th), and Hijo del Vikingo (162nd) are all doing a lot better this yr.
Lastly, this yr I’m capable of introduce the Yoshihiko Index. DDT’s legendary inflatable doll is credited with one seven-point match, placing it (him?) in a tie for 377th place. The next wrestlers are, scientifically talking, having worse years within the ring than Yoshihiko:
Ricky Starks, Clark Connors, Andrade El Idolo, BUSHI, Christian Cage, Dragon Child, El Barbaro Cavernario, Moose, Nick Gage, Powerhouse Hobbs, Sting, Tiffany Stratton, Xavier Woods, Yuya Uemura, Alba Fyre, Alex Reynolds, Angelo Dawkins, Anthony Bowens, Blue Demon Jr., Dolph Ziggler, Hikuleo, Jeff Jarrett, John Silver, KiLynn King, LA Park, Lance Archer, Lyla Valkyrie, Minorita, Montez Ford, Ruby Soho, Tay Melo, Atlantis Jr., Nice-O-Khan, Kip Sabian, Roxanne Perez, Tony Nese, Trish Adora, Anthony Greene, Massive Invoice, Bishop Kaun, Bronson Reed, Ninja Mack, Toa Liona, Aaron Solo, Apollo Crews, Andre Chase, Becky Lynch, Bobby Lashley, Cameron Grimes, Drew Gulak, Dustin Rhodes, Ethan Web page, EVIL, Gabriel Kidd, Gigi Dolin, Hook, Josh Briggs, Kerry Morton, LA Knight, Matt Hardy, Preston Vance, Psycho Clown, Attractive Star (however not THAT Attractive Star), The Butcher and the Blade, Wardlow, Toru Yano, Zelina Vega and Zoey Stark.
You possibly can comply with Fred on Bluesky at @flagrantstats.bsky.social. He hosts an All Elite Wrestling (AEW) podcast with Tyler Forness known as The Good, The Dangerous, and The Hungee; the newest episode is accessible right here.
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