From MJF and Rhea to…a Viking? Here are the 30 best pro wrestlers under 30
The pro-wrestling business is on the upswing. WWE is selling out arenas at a torrid pace and posting impressive television ratings. AEW is about to put a potentially record-setting amount of people inside London’s Wembley Stadium later this month. Impact is as good as it has been in years.
Overseas, stalwarts New Japan Pro-Wrestling and CMLL in Mexico have recovered from rough pandemic stretches. Stardom is the fastest growing promotion in the world. Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, commonly referred to as just AAA, just drew more than 15,000 people for its TripleMania Tijuana show last month.
At ESPN, we have made lists of the best 25 fighters under the age of 25 in both MMA and boxing. So, why not a similar list for pro wrestling? In the fight game, athletes usually peak younger. But in wrestling, it’s typically somewhere in an athlete’s 30s. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin was 33 when his popularity exploded in 1998, Hulk Hogan was 31 at WrestleMania 1 and Roman Reigns is doing his best work right now at age 38.
Below is our list of the 30 best pro wrestlers under the age of 30. The rankings were based on merit rather than on future potential, which is far more subjective. The criteria included drawing power; popularity; skills; position on the roster; and accomplishments, including championships and tournament victories. About a dozen different promotions are represented in some way over multiple countries.
1. MJF
Promotion: AEW
Age: 27
“Generational talent” isn’t just a nickname or catchphrase. Long Island’s own Maxwell Jacob Friedman is one of the best mid-20s wrestlers the business has seen in some time. He’s already the focal point of AEW, winning the promotion’s world championship last November. ESPN rated him the 2022 promo artist of the year and, frankly, he’s been just as good in between the ropes. MJF’s Ironman match with Bryan Danielson at AEW Revolution in March was an instant classic, and his four-way match with Jack Perry, Darby Allin and Sammy Guevara was excellent, too. It’s scary to think he hasn’t reached his prime yet.
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The best of WrestleMania 39 Night 1
Check out some of the best performances from superstars like Rhea Ripley, Sami Zayn and John Cena from Night 1 of WrestleMania 39.
Promotion: WWE
Age: 26
At her young age, Ripley already has a Hall of Fame résumé inside the ring, whether by her emergence on the indie scene, NXT UK, NXT or the WWE main roster. Everywhere Ripley has gone, she’s held a title, and is the only wrestler, man or woman, to say they’ve won gold in NXT UK, NXT and WWE. As one-fourth of Judgment Day, Ripley’s presence and demeanor haven’t only elevated the faction — it’s given added gravity to Dominik Mysterio. It’s a matter of when, not if “Mami” will be considered among the greatest performers to ever step inside the squared circle.
Promotion: WWE
Age: 26
It would not be a shock to see him as the face of the entire industry in a few years. Theory, the WWE United States champion, has some things to polish up. He just turned 26 years old, after all.
But he’s a five-tool player, good at just about everything you want a wrestler to be good at. He has the looks, the charisma, the athleticism and the presence to be a top guy for a long time. Just wait until he puts it all together.
4. El Hijo del Vikingo
Promotion: AAA/AEW/ROH/GCW
Age: 26
A second-generation star, Vikingo has already carved out a name as lucha libre’s next heir apparent in AAA. However, his March 22 match against Kenny Omega on AEW Dynamite promptly set social media ablaze. With fluidity and zero abandon, Vikingo attempted to break gravity on several occasions, via springboard 630 splashes, Phoenix splashes and more. At his young age, he is already the third-longest reigning AAA Mega Champion. More and more U.S. audiences will become aware of Vikingo’s greatness, making him a near-impossible act to miss.
Promotion: WWE
Age: 26
The son of the greatest luchador of all time, Rey Mysterio, found a way to escape his father’s shadow in 2022 with a long-awaited heel turn at Clash At The Castle. No matter the arena, Dominik is a heat magnet, a character so easy to hate that you forget to notice his in-ring work is only improving. From a high-profile showcase match against his father at WrestleMania this year to winning the NXT North American title, Dom’s evolution is only moving upward.
6. Bron Breakker
Promotion: WWE NXT
Age: 25
Comparisons don’t always translate across generations in pro wrestling. But Breakker combines his father, Rick Steiner, and uncle, Scott Steiner, mixed with a splash of Goldberg. The 6-foot, 230-pound former college football player has already been a two-time NXT champion, with his last reign lasting nearly a year (362 days). Breakker is an excellent athlete who looks like a badass and should be unleashed on the main roster before long. It doesn’t take understanding Steiner math to realize his potential.
7. Carmelo Hayes
Promotion: WWE NXT
Age: 28
“Melo Don’t Miss” isn’t only a mantra for the current NXT champion — it’s become symbolic of everything he does in the ring. Hayes rocketed through the NXT ranks, shifting from Breakout tournament winner to the longest combined reign as NXT North American champ, to now the No. 1 guy on Tuesday nights. From his in-ring ability to the work on the mic and elaborate entrances paying homage to putting names in the rafters, it won’t be long before Melo is prominently on SmackDown or Raw.
8. Konosuke Takeshita
Promotion: AEW/DDT
Age: 28
In Japan, Konosuke Takeshita had already emerged as a young gem, honing his skills as a young prodigy in DDT Pro-Wrestling. When he arrived stateside in AEW, Takeshita, who once vowed to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, quickly earned the fans’ respect and adoration with matches against Adam Page, Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega. Having already proven himself inside an AEW ring and emerging as one of the company’s budding heels, Takeshita’s on the path to making even more noise stateside.
Promotion: WWE
Age: 29
Morgan signed to NXT when she was 20. Nine years later, the former two-time women’s tag team champion, Money in the Bank winner and SmackDown women’s champ is barely scratching the surface, whether it be her performance in-ring or character work. From challenging Becky Lynch during the peak of “Big Time Becks” to taking down Ronda Rousey, Morgan has long shed the label of being a plucky underdog waiting for her moment. Now she’s poised to be remembered as one of the more underrated stars of the women’s division.
Promotion: WWE This might be somewhat of a polarizing pick, but Paul — like his brother, Jake — is a polarizing guy. The YouTuber-turned-combat-sports-disruptor is only a part-time wrestler for WWE, though it’s impossible to overlook the impact he has had and how good his performances have been. Paul has only been in big matches — including a bout for the Undisputed WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns — and has pulled off some incredible feats. For someone who has had only six matches in his career, Paul’s ability has been preternatural. Promotion: Stardom Born in London to an Italian father and a Japanese mother, Giulia would be a superstar in any part of the world. Her fashion and swagger are unmatched in the business, and she’s constantly changing her look while somehow never missing. Giulia, a former World of Stardom and Wonder of Stardom champion, currently holds the New Japan Strong women’s title. While her clothes appear to be straight out of a model’s closet, Giulia’s work in the ring is ruthless and violent. U.S. fans will get a treat when she makes her debut here later this month. Promotion: WWE Whether he’s Butch or Pete Dunne, one thing is for sure when the Brit is in the ring: fingers are going to get snapped. Since 2017, Butch has made waves in all three separate WWE brands, including a record reign as NXT UK champion and memorable matches with Tyler Bate and Gunther. Within the Brawling Brutes, he’s their fulcrum, an aggressive medium between Sheamus and Ridge Holland that keeps all parties level. In-ring wise, it’s only a matter of time before the former bruiserweight emerges as a potential top guy. Promotion: AEW Jungle Boy is no more. The babyface character Perry portrayed to start his career is gone now, giving way to an arrogant heel befitting his upbringing as a Hollywood kid. The son of the late, great actor Luke Perry, Jack is a former AEW tag team champion (with Luchasaurus) and challenged for the AEW world title in a four-way match at Double or Nothing in May. Last month, he beat Hook to win the FTW title, his first major victory in this promising run as a villain. Promotion: WWE NXT A former NXT tag team champion, Wes Lee not only managed to add to the legacy of NXT’s North American title but also became its greatest champion during a historic reign. Known for his grace in the sky and ability to have a great match with virtually anyone, Lee embodies what it means to “have next” in wrestling. Before long, he’ll be transitioning away from the black and gold brand and onto Raw or SmackDown, giving network TV another highwire act to fall in love with. Promotion: Stardom Hayashishita came into Stardom with some celebrity. She’s the daughter of Japanese TV personality Kiyoshi “Big Daddy” Hayashishita and got a huge push immediately as the “Big Rookie.” But Utami, a black belt in judo, has wholly shed the criticisms that it was too much, too soon. The former World of Stardom champion became one of the world’s best women’s wrestlers, and her series of matches with Syuri was the best women’s wrestling has to offer in this era. Promotion: AEW The New Zealand-born wrestler spent much of her upbringing in Australia and is no stranger to travel. But she’s been a star everywhere she’s been. Storm is a former World of Stardom and NXT UK champion and is currently in her second reign as the AEW women’s champ. She has even held titles in England and Germany. The accomplishments for Storm are fitting of some wrestler’s 20-year career, and yet it still feels like she’s just scratching the surface of her potential. Promotion: WWE NXT A second-generation lucha libre star in his native Mexico, Dragon Lee is one of only a few wrestlers to have performed in AEW and then transitioned to WWE since the former promotion launched in 2019. Once he stepped foot in a WWE ring, Lee was already stamped to in-the-know fans as a former IWGP junior heavyweight champion, former two-time Ring of Honor Television and ROH tag team champ and two-time CMLL World Lightweight champion. It won’t be long before he begins adding titles in NXT to his growing resume. Promotion: AEW/GCW “The Most Wanted” is one of the best masked luchadors in the world. Bandido mixes the traditional high flying of Mexican wrestling with incredible strength, making him a well-rounded talent. The well-traveled Bandido has been the Ring of Honor and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla world champion, runs his own promotion in Mexico called Big Lucha and is a sometimes talent for Game Changer Wrestling in the U.S. and GLEAT in Japan. That schedule won’t let up now that he’s signed with AEW. Promotion: AEW Owning the third-longest reign as AEW Women’s world champion is no small feat considering she had been cutting her teeth all across the United Kingdom and Japan before arriving stateside for good in 2021. Similarly to the likes of Rhea Ripley, Hayter’s imposing presence in the ring makes every move feel sudden and direct, a bold contrast to some of her fellow competitors in the division. Soon, Hayter may reign again as queen of AEW, but she’s already carved out a place among wrestling’s best young talents. Promotion: AEW To go from Philly underdog to learning under Bryan Danielson is a fantastic transition for Wheeler Yuta. A former two-time ROH Pure champion, the Blackpool Combat Club member can say he got a pin on Kenny Omega in an Anarchy in the Arena match and had one of the more visceral moments on TV when he fell in Blood and Guts, AEW’s version of War Games. Yuta’s technical skill continues to develop in the ring, and at only 26, he’s surrounded by proven vets such as Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli and Danielson. Yuta should have no choice but to become one of the best technical wrestlers on the planet. Promotion: Pro Wrestling NOAH The future (and perhaps current) ace of NOAH has had an interesting year. Early in 2023, he became embroiled in a blood feud with New Japan ace Kazuchika Okada, extending into a spot in New Japan’s prestigious G1 Climax tournament. The idea for NOAH is to get more eyes on its golden-haired, baby-faced prodigy before bringing him back as a dominant top guy. Kiyomiya is already a former two-time holder of the GHC Heavyweight belt, NOAH’s top title. Promotion: Stardom Flashy and athletic with a background in dance, Kamitani is one of the best high-flyers in women’s wrestling. She can pull off a somersaulting Phoenix Splash and springboard moves off the ropes, into and out of the ring. But she became much more than someone who can produce entertaining moments over the last year, holding the Wonder of Stardom title for 480 days with a host of excellent performances in those record-setting 15 defenses. Promotion: New Japan The next potential general in the Los Ingobernables de Japon (LIJ) stable, Tsuji graduated from “young lion” in his first stint in New Japan Pro Wrestling to a talked-about commodity. Upon his June return, the 6-foot Tsuji had star written all over him thanks to his look, sudden strikes in the ring and demand to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight title. With more high-profile matches already on his plate in the G1 Climax, he’s already on the path of ascension in NJPW, perhaps taking LIJ into a new evolution as well. Promotion: Independent There are powerlifters in the world of pro wrestling and then there’s Grace, a 5-foot-3, well-muscled dynamo who became one of the faces of Impact Wrestling’s Knockouts division. A former two-time Knockouts champion, a former Knockouts tag team champion and the winner of the company’s Knockout of the Year award in 2022, Grace set a new standard for others to follow behind her in Impact. Currently a free agent, there’s no telling when and where she’ll continue building her name. Promotion: Impact Impact Wrestling (and TNA before it) have had a pioneering women’s division long before highlighting female talent was en vogue. Purrazzo has followed in the footsteps of predecessors like Gail Kim and becomes the clear ace of Impact Knockouts. Purrazzo has had three reigns with the Knockouts title since the beginning of 2020, for a total of 531 days with the championship. She’s also held belts in Ring of Honor and AAA. Promotion: WWE NXT The stiffest matches in NXT history, NXT UK or otherwise, have involved Dragunov in his attempts to dethrone Gunther as NXT UK champion. Every time Dragunov steps into the ring, you expect passion and violence in ways not commonly seen on American television. “The Mad Dragon” proclaims to be NXT’s toughest star, and there’s very little debate on the subject. Perhaps it’s his time for him to claim the throne of NXT, much like he did in the UK. Promotion: Impact/GCW Born in Russia with training in Japan, Slamovich is well-rounded and simply one of the most promising young women’s wrestlers in the world. She won the Impact Knockouts tag team titles with Killer Kelly last month and is sure to be a factor long-term in that division. Slamovich has arguably done her best work in Game Changer Wrestling, where she had a stint as the promotion’s world champion — not women’s champ — earlier this year after beating deathmatch legend Nick Gage. Promotion: WWE NXT The “Big Strong Boi” became an NXT mainstay across the pond and otherwise with his work in the Cruiserweight Classic and then having a match of the year with Butch in 2017 for the UK Championship. In a land of super athletes, Bate counts himself among them despite his 5-foot-7 height. After already making history as the youngest performer to ever win singles gold in WWE at age 19, Bate continues to make waves within NXT, capable of putting on a match-of-the-night contender with anyone. Promotion: AEW/PWG It’s not only dance moves with the Buffalo standout, as the 24-year-old Garcia has proven on several occasions within AEW and elsewhere he’s one of the more prodigious technical wrestlers in the world. After winning the ROH Pure title in 2022, Garcia celebrated as if the Bills had won the Super Bowl and immediately launched into a feud with Bryan Danielson. Garcia continually finds himself across the ring from legendary technical savants, and before long, future stars can say they stepped in the ring with him. Promotion: New Japan Umino has a strong chance to be in the top 10, if not the top 5, of this list next year. He, Tsuji and Ren Narita were named the Reiwa Three Musketeers, following in the footsteps of the last generation’s trio: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Shinsuke Nakamura and Katsuyori Shibata. Those are some large shoes to fill. But Umino, a unique amalgamation of Jon Moxley and Tanahashi, has all the abilities to become a future multiple-time Tokyo Dome headliner. Honorable mention: Atlantis Jr., AZM, Blake Christian, Cameron Grimes, Creed Brothers, Kris Statlander, Lio Rush, Maki Itoh, Miyu Yamashita, Ren Narita, Riho, Roxanne Perez, Starlight Kid, Shun Skywalker, Sonya Deville, Kyle Fletcher of Aussie Open
Age: 28
11. Giulia
Age: 29
Age: 29
13. Jack Perry
Age: 26
14. Wes Lee
Age: 28
15. Utami Hayashishita
Age: 24
16. Toni Storm
Age: 27
17. Dragon Lee
Age: 28
18. Bandido
Age: 28
19. Jamie Hayter
Age: 28
20. Wheeler Yuta
Age: 26
21. Kaito Kiyomiya
Age: 27
22. Saya Kamitani
Age: 26
23. Yota Tsuji
Age: 29
24. Jordynne Grace
Age: 27
25. Deonna Purrazzo
Age: 29
26. Ilja Dragunov
Age: 29
27. Masha Slamovich
Age: 25
28. Tyler Bate
Age: 26
29. Daniel Garcia
Age: 24
30. Shota Umino
Age: 26
