Eck,

Why HHH? His feud with Orton was TERRIBLE. His main event match at WRESTLE MANIA was TERRIBLE. He was barely even on Smackdown despite being their champion. I don't get that choice at all

Hi Kevin,

I bet I won't be the only one to write that, but I was very surprised to find Kozlov in that list. He didn't win a single title, and if I'm correct, the only victory over a top star he got in his carreer was the one against the Undertaker. Could you explain why you put him in that list, whereas a guy like Kofi Kinsgton, for instance, has won the US Title and successfully defended it in six-men and four-men matches, but did not make it to your top 20? Is it only for his squash streaks in 2008 at Smackdown and in 2009 at ECW against a bunch of jobbers?

No Christian either, even if he has been ECW champ two times during that year... Since you consider only the wrestlers'actual achievements, then why is Kozlov in the list and guys like Kingston and Christian (or even Dreamer or JBL) not there?

Otherwise, thanks a lot for posting that list, I love the idea and the discussions it creates! I would love you to write someday a list of the best feuds in history in your opinion, that would be a great read!

I think both, Christian and Mark Henry, have had more significance this year than Kozlov.

Also, I think John Cena is way to high on this list this year. I just can't remember any standout thing, including important wins, that he's done this year.

triple h as number one come on kev

Vladimir Kozlov......you inserted him as a joke, right?

So do the females get their own list or was this list for both male and female wrestlers and just no females made the top 20

RESPONSE FROM KE: This was just for men. PWI does a separate list for women. I believe it comes out next month. When it does, I'll do a women's list.

17. VLADIMIR KOZLOV?? What has he done? I don't recall him being a legit threat to any championship.

Mick Foley as least one a few championships, why isn't he on this list?

I don't know if others like doing this..but i love making lists like this - than doing a 16 man tournament - like the NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNY - SO WITH THIS TOP 16 THE MATCHUPS WOULD BE - 1. TRIPLE H vs
16. A.J. STYLES - awesome match/ 2. JOHN CENA vs 15. SHAWN MICHAELS - when did they last face each other?/ 3. EDGE vs 14. REY MYSTERIO -2008 Royal Rumble re-match / 4. RANDY ORTON vs 13. THE BIG SHOW - hmm like this one-rematch of prev Raw/ 5. STING vs 12. CM PUNK - battle of the clean cuts / 6. JEFF HARDY vs 11. BATISTA - not for awhile /
7. CHRIS JERICHO vs 10. KURT ANGLE - has classic written all over it - "walls of Jerrico" vs Angle's ankle tap-out hold - could see many reverses/ 8. THE UNDERTAKER vs 9. SAMOA JOE - as Peter Griffin would say "freakin sweet" - another classic - think we just booked next year's Wresltemania - Kevin do you know any rich people who can but one or the other and make this happen?

I did not know that you were also on the Mcmahon payroll because i think by far Orton has had a better year than thor.

heres my top 20:

1. randy Orton
2. Chris Jericho
3. Edge
4. Sting
5. john Cena
6. c M Punk
7. A J Styles
8. Kofi Kingston
9. Kurt Angle
10. Rey Misterio jr.
11. HHH
12. jeff hardy
13. Somoa Joe
14. undertaker
15. Booket T
16 Shawn micheals
17. Christian
18. Big Show
19. jack Swagger
20 MVP

I am really surprised that you would have Kozloff in your top 20 and not Swagger who had just as good a unbeaten streak along with a title. i am really stunned that you don't have your boy toy ranked higher but justas surprised that you have his best friend at the top.

GRRR RAGE YOUR OPINIONS ARE DIFFERENT THAN MINE RANT RANT RANT!

Nah sounds about right. Although I will be checking this page frequently to view the angry posts

Just like the PWI list, I have major issue with #1. HHH has not delivered in the least in the past year. Even though he headlined Wrestlemania, his match with Orton was roundly criticized. He was also in perhaps the worst title match of the year against Kozlov at Survivor Series.

I would have put Cena and Orton ahead of Trips.

To the people against Kozlov, remember that for a long while, he was winning every week. Squash matches against nobodies? Yes. But they were wins. And that's what this list counts. Wins.

Interesting, Kev, that the arguments are already hitting the flood gates. Despite the very clear criteria that you (and the PWI) set out for the compilation of the rankings.

The Shawn Michaels fan in me would like to see him ranked higher, but the criteria excludes him from a higher ranking.

I like that you put Triple H first. He deserves it from this past year.

Kev,

I'm guessing that Kozlov made the your list based on the winning streak he accumulated when he was squashing jobbers during his initial push? Since this is a kayfabe list, then I'd have to agree with you that his "performance" during that time warrants a spot on this list.

Having HHH at the top will always cause debate....he has been involved at the top for the past year in terms of main events, and been involved in title picture almost constantly. Having not kept record of win/loss record, I assume it must be that to have put him top, otherwise for me Orton should have it.

Can't disagree with the rest of it as such....though is that 2 years you have had him at the top?

You have some very questionable guys on your Top 20 list. Booker T, The Big Show and Vladimir Kozlov??? Let's start off with Booker T. He was the TNA Legends Champion and didn't beat anyone for the title. Come to think of it. What main event star has Booker T beaten since joining TNA??? If your putting Booker T on the list. You might as well put Scott Steiner on your list. They both had about the same kind of year. Big Show came back to the WWE in a match against Floyd Mayweather at Wrestlemania 24. In which he lost. Then start a feud with The Great Khali enough said. He then challenged for the ECW Title and lost in three way at "Night of Champions". Then started a feud with The Undertaker. In which he was destined to lose. He became Vicky Guerrero "secret lover" and start feuding with Edge & John Cena for World Title. He contiune his feud with Cena and lost in a submission match. Now he is one half of the Unified Tag Team Champions along with Chris Jericho. Because Edge was injury for the rest of the year. I ask this question why is The Big Show on the list.

Vladimir Kolzov was being pushed as this monster heel. He does has victories over Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy and The Undertaker. He never won the WWE Title and his singles push has cooled off by 2009... Where is Vladimir now??? In the land of Extreme as one of William Regal lackies.... How about guys like John Morrison, Christian, Kofi Kingston, and MVP????

About Kozlov, Yes he had an initial winning streak squashing jobbers but I thought quality of opposition was part of the critera.

HHH is definitely first. Nobody had a better year than him.
A toss up between Jericho and Orton for two. I guess I go with Orton even though my heart says Jericho.
I have to question why you have Jericho at # 7. His feud with HBK last summer was the vocal point of the whole company. A feud in which he dominated and eventualy led him to the world title. If you're counting wins and losses over quality opposition that pretty much puts him higher than everybody in my book. But then again my book is dedicated to Chris Jericho.

Good list. I used to love making lists like this back when I watched WWF, WCW, and ECW every week. I can't say I watch much TNA though so my list would end up being all WWE guys.

I got 99 problems with your list. This is the second year in a row you've underrated C.M. Punk. Jeff Hardy should be top 3. And I don't think you can put 'Taker up there so high without giving similar consideration to Michaels. And considering what an HBK mark you are, that's surprising.

We love ya' man. We wouldn't bust your b---- so hard if your column weren't so awesome.

It's a real shame that such a legitimate pro wrestling journalist such as you won't cover ROH because it's a "distant No. 3" - 100% of what they do is more pro wrestling than anything on TNA's weekly TV show. Bryan Danielson, Tyler Black, Nigel McGuinness, and Austin Aries easily outrank most of 11-20 on your list, based on ability and performance alone.

When will ROH start getting the credit it is due?

RESPONSE FROM KE: Except ability and performance weren't the determining factors on the list.

I think Kevin has done an objective analysis. The single biggest proof of it is we all know Kev is a huge HBK fan, but that didn't stop him from placing HBK at 15 (despite an awesome wrestlemania performance).

Doesn't mean that I agree with everything (especially placing HBK in 11-20 slot).

Hey Eck, my question to you about your rankings is why did Undertaker have a higher spot over Kurt Angle? Angle has been the TNA champion and actually competing while Undertaker has been out for quite some time now. You even have Samoa Joe over Angle which left me with more questions than answers but hey, one man's opinions is another man's headache I guess.

RESPONSE FROM KE: Angle is great and has consistently good matches, but he lost a lot of matches over the past year -- to Sting, Styles, Jarrett and Joe. He did not hold the TNA title until June.

If this is being treated as an actual competition, I don't understand how Randy Orton can't be at the top of the list. Hasn't he held the strap on the #1 rated wrestling show the longest in the past year?

Other changes I'd make to this list:

(WWE) Undertaker should be lower since he was out a good bit. Batista should be lower. Punk should be higher (and I'm no Punk fan). Kozlov & Matt Hardy should be gone. Christian should be added for his reign as ECW champ.

(TNA) Angle should be above Joe. I'd drop Booker T and add Beer Money.

Are you going to be doing a shoot list?

RESPONSE FROM KE: I'm thinking about it.

Angle is too low. He is up there with Sting and probably above him as well. Angle should not be below Samoa Joe at this point.

Koslov? Uncontrollable laughter!!!!! Did you really mean to say "Swagger"? Toss Christian in there around that level too!

I might insert Kofi in there at Matt Hardy's level as well and drop Booker.

Otherwise your list is quite reasonable!

The amount of commenters who fail to read the criteria for the picks and who then complain about the picks is staggering...

My top 20...

1. Randy Orton
2. Jeff Hardy
3 Y2J
4.CM. Punk
5. John Cena
6. Sting
7. Kofi Kingston
8. HHH
9. Morrison
10. AJ Styles
11. Edge
12. Kurt Angle
13. Shawn Michaels
14. MVP
15. Undertaker
16. Big Show
17. Christian
18. Mark Henry
19. Jack Swagger
20. THE MIZ...i know, seems crazy...

Kevin,

In late 2008, many MLB scouts were calling Matt Wieters the best catcher in baseball, even though he had yet to play an MLB game. A top ten list of catchers in baseball that did not include Wieters would have to be dismissed as incorrect.

Along those lines, under the rules of the PWI 500, leaving off Nigel McGuinness is inexcusable, even if he did only wrestle in the wrestling equivalent of the minor leagues.

- Prominence within promotion: He held the ROH World Championship for eight of the twelve months under consideration.

- Won-loss record: He was defeated exactly four times in one-on-one matches: against Bryan Danielson in September in Japan, against Tyler Black in January in a non-title match, against Jerry Lynn in April with two torn biceps to lose the title, and then against Austin Aries in June in an unsuccessful attempt at regaining the belt.

- Quality of opponents: He pinned NOAH ace and contender for "best wrestler in the world", Naomichi Marufuji, in December, in addition to recent WWE signee Bryan Danielson, GHC heavyweight champion Go Shiozaki, and also retained his title against NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce.

- Major feuds: His feud vs. Danielson is legendary. His feuds with Black and Lynn are less so, but they happened.

- Activity: Until he tore both his biceps, he rarely missed an ROH show and also wrestled in his native England and occasionally appeared in other indies.

- Talent: He's got more of it than two thirds of this list (not Joe, Angle, HBK, Styles, Jericho, Undertaker, or Punk)

I have NO idea why HHH is number 1. What has he done this year to gain the position? He is unlike other spectacular stars who consistently perform well. He (along with Randy Orton) flopped at WM, the biggest show of the year. You simply have to be able to "bring it"-no excuses. We pay too much money to get mediocrity. He has not done anything profound. My number 1 this year would be Chris Jericho. He has made the biggest transition from face to heel. He has had profound feuds, starting with the HBK feud. He's made the biggest jump from mediocrity to the upper echelon. He's an excellent performer. His WM performance can be differentiated from HHH's because HHH was in the main event with a present, young star, whereas Jericho was wrestling against veterans who haven't wrestled in years. I simply don't understand why HHH is number 1. Does anyone have a reason for this?