Pro wrestling 30 under 30: Mysterio, Storm, MJF, Ripley, more
Credit to Author: ESPN| Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2024 06:25:27 EST
The next generation of professional wrestling is already in peak position to be future faces of sports entertainment.
Last year, ESPN took on the unique task of highlighting the top young stars across WWE, AEW, NJPW and other wrestling promotions worldwide. The result was an inaugural list of the 30 best professional wrestlers under the age of 30.
Why under the age of 30? In wrestling, the sport’s top stars usually peak in their 30s. Jon Moxley, formerly Dean Ambrose, won his first WWE intercontinental title at age 30. Charlotte Flair won the inaugural WWE women’s championship at age 30. Swerve Strickland won his first AEW world championship just this year at age 33.
Below is our second edition of the 30 best pro wrestlers under 30. The rankings were based on merit rather than 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. A dozen different promotions were represented in our voting ballot across multiple countries.
Andreas Hale, Mike Coppinger, David Dennis Jr., Arda Ocal, Brandon Caldwell and Eddie Maisonet provide analysis on the final list.
Editor’s note: Along with the writers above, special thanks to Marc Raimondi and Sachin Chandan for their voting participation on this year’s list.
Age: 27
Promotion: WWE
Last year’s rank: 5
The son of the legendary luchador Rey Mysterio has become the ultimate heat magnet in pro wrestling. From his mullet and cartoon villain mustache, to his dastardly relationship with Liv Morgan, which only amplified the hate, Mysterio has cemented himself into a full-blown heel in an era where there are far too many “cool” bad guys. He’s easy to hate but has quietly improved his in-ring skills to match his persona. He has become a constant presence on WWE television who never wears out his welcome. Instead, showering him with deafening boos has become the best part of the show for most. — Hale
Age: 28
Promotion: AEW
Last year’s rank: 1
Last summer, MJF was one-half of AEW’s best storyline, with Adam Cole, as the anchor for AEW and arguably the best champion in company history. Fourteen months later, MJF remains a company ace who is a legit heat magnet on the mic and one of the best wrestlers in the world. Want proof? Watch his matches with Cole at All In 2023 and Jay White at Full Gear 2023. Injuries kept him on the shelf for half of 2024, but Maxwell Jacob Friedman always stands out no matter the situation. — Caldwell
Age: 29
Promotion: AEW
Last year’s rank: 16
Storm is a perfect example of a wrestler reinventing themselves in a post-WWE world. Some live off the WWE sheen for years, while others shed an unwanted character to make one more true to themselves. Storm did the opposite, creating a character that has become “Timeless.” Her presentation is unique and captivating, quickly becoming one of the weekly highlights of AEW. Mariah May was an excellent foil for Storm as her understudy became a betrayer, as May dethroned Storm from her women’s championship at All In. Storm is the cornerstone of the women’s division in AEW and is the top female wrestler on this list. On some nights, she has been the most interesting wrestler in the game. — Ocal
Rhea Ripley explains why being genuine has helped her and other WWE superstars resonate with the audience.
Age: 28
Promotion: WWE
Last year’s rank: 2
Ripley has transcended the WWE women’s division with her larger-than-life charisma and powerhouse style. Her involvement with Judgment Day pushed her to new heights, and now that she’s no longer in the group, she could be primed for a run bigger than her older peers like Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair. Ripley has already done it all, but her career highlight might have been headlining in her home nation, Australia, at Elimination Chamber earlier this year. — Coppinger
Age: 26
Promotion: AEW
Last year’s rank: NR
May is a menace inside the squared circle. May entered 2024 as the understudy of “Timeless” Toni Storm, but those who saw her work in Stardom knew she was nobody’s protégé. Her true AEW coming out party was when she turned on Storm with a vicious attack shortly after winning the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. The vitriolic rivalry was the best women’s feud in AEW to date and culminated in a hard-hitting match at All In, where she won the AEW women’s world championship. Between her mic skills and heel work, May is set to be one of the top stars in AEW, male or female. — Hale
Age: 29
Promotion: AEW
Last year’s rank: 8
In-ring, few talents in AEW can match Takeshita’s blend of power and speed. After his heel turn solidified him as one of the company’s next big things, Takeshita fulfilled that promise by unseating Will Ospreay to claim his first International title. 2024 proved to be a breakthrough for the Japanese wrestler, with multiple Match of the Year contenders with Ospreay, one at AEW Revolution and a triple threat match with Ospreay and Ricochet in October. Takeshita’s name will continue to ring bells across wrestling, and he’ll also find himself on a few year-end lists. — Caldwell
Age: 27
Promotion: AEW
Last year’s rank: 13
Formerly known as Jungle Boy, where he was a babyface tag-team champion alongside Luchasaurus, Perry has found new life as a singles heel. With his scapegoat gimmick — a reference to his infamous, real-life backstage fight with CM Punk that led to his departure from AEW — he has enjoyed a TNT Championship run that ended this weekend at Full Gear. Perry remains with AEW but will prepare for another New Japan appearance when he meets Yota Tsuji at Wrestle Dynasty in January. Early in his career, Perry gained recognition due to his father, the late actor Luke Perry, but he has proved to be far more — he’s now a legit face of a promotion. — Coppinger
Age: 25
Promotion: AEW
Last year’s rank: NR
When Fletcher’s Aussie Open tag team partner Mark Davis went down with an injury, the Australian was forced to unlock a new version of himself as he joined the Don Calis Family and embarked on a solo career. He entered 2024 as the ROH world television champion and punctuated a breakout year by defeating his mentor and friend Will Ospreay in an epic encounter at Full Gear that stole the show. The frightening thing is that Fletcher is just getting started. His allegiance with Don Callis, coupled with his in-ring talent, will make him a fixture in the title scene in 2025. — Hale
Age: 26
Promotion: AEW
Last year’s rank: 29
The Buffalo native might have endeared himself to fans with his dancing, run as ROH Pure champion and feud with Bryan Danielson in 2023, but he dropped the fun and turned up the edge in 2024. Garcia takes things to another level with his passionate promos and matches with MJF and Jack Perry, the latter of which resulted in his first TNT championship reign. In a crowded scene in AEW, Garcia has emerged as a constant, able to work comedy and go to another realm when pushed. — Caldwell
Age: 27
Promotion: NJPW
Last year’s rank: 30
Last year, it was suggested that Umino could climb into the Top 10 in 2024, and the 27-year-old made us look like geniuses with a stellar year. New Japan Pro Wrestling has been looking for someone to replace Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi as the promotion’s Ace and Umino is inching closer to filling the massive shoes of his predecessors. He’s the amalgamation of Jon Moxley and Tanahashi, and his stellar match against the former at NJPW Resurgence proved he has finally arrived. He’ll challenge Zack Sabre Jr. for the IWGP world heavyweight championship at Wrestle Kingdom on Jan. 4, and we’ll see if NJPW is ready to pull the trigger on the budding star. — Hale
Age: 27
Promotion: WWE
Last year’s rank: 6
Breakker is both Steiner Brothers in one. He has the explosiveness of his father, Rick, and the charisma of his uncle, Scott. He’s one of those professional wrestlers who looks like he should be on “SportsCenter” for his real-life speed and athleticism. His rise in NXT was meteoric, but Breakker showed his main event potential in his feud with Sami Zayn in a best 2-out-of-3 falls match for the Intercontinental Championship — which he won — in August on Raw. Bron jumps off the screen and should be main-eventing WrestleManias in the next few years. — Dennis
Age: 28
Promotion: NOAH and NJPW
Last year’s rank: 21
The current and three-time GHC heavyweight champion climbed the list with a strong showing in 2024. The golden-haired babyface kicked off 2024 with a must-see match with Go Shiozaki and certified himself as NOAH’s ace later in the year by reclaiming the GHC championship. As his third tour with the title continues, Kiyomiya showcases exceptional in-ring storytelling through his facial expressions and exudes the qualities of a Japanese superstar. — Hale
Age: 27
Promotion: AAA
Last year’s rank: 4
Injuries are the only thing that has prevented the second-generation lucha libre sensation from cracking the top 5. His death-defying aerial assault has been his calling card, leading to breathtaking matches with viral high spots. He delivered an absolute smoker of a match with “Speedball” Mike Bailey at TNA Bound For Glory. He’s so good that you almost forget the degree of difficulty he operates in. If he can avoid the injured list, the former AAA Mega Champion will compete for the top spot in 2025. — Hale
Age: 29
Promotion: AEW
Last year’s rank: NR
When I watch Statlander, the potential, personality and in-ring talent jump off the screen. Statlander has been wrestling for only eight years and will benefit from more seasoning and matches inside the squared circle. Statlander has been booked strongly throughout 2024 en route to a TBS championship match with Mercedes Mone at Full Gear, which was one of the best matches of the year. — Ocal
Age: 27
Promotion: WWE
Last year’s rank: 3
Make no mistake: Theory will be a future WWE world champion. He has been an active wrestler for under a decade, but he has the in-ring presence and the résumé to back it up. He truly is a complete talent. No matter how he has been portrayed in certain segments up until now, the time will come when Theory will be given the ball and he will run with it. — Ocal
Age: 28
Promotion: TNA and WWE
Last year’s rank: 24
A powerlifter and bodybuilder, Grace is one of the strongest women on any roster, where her imposing powerhouse style stands out, especially for her diminutive size. The wrestling world is used to seeing plenty of dominant women, but rarely in a 5-foot-3 package. Grace caught attention with a surprise entrance at this year’s Royal Rumble and has parlayed that into sporadic NXT appearances. However, Grace remains with TNA, where she’s a former Knockouts Champion. — Coppinger
Age: 25
Promotion: AEW
Last year’s rank: NR
The son of former wrestling star and AEW commentator Taz, Hook has enjoyed more prominent storylines this year, highlighted by a program with Chris Jericho, whom he defeated in August to regain the FTW Championship named after his father. Hook retired the title shortly after that, and, like Taz, is a submission and suplex specialist who can tie up opponents in many ways. — Coppinger
Age: 25
Promotion: WWE
Last year’s rank: NR
Bold prediction: Stratton will be women’s champ by WrestleMania. Easily. And she’s going to hold the belt for a long time. As someone embroiled in a compelling women’s feud in WWE, she’s showing her storytelling proficiency and her ever-growing in-ring talent. She has already mastered the promo skills to make audiences love or hate her, and she’s got some real money matches in her future. — Dennis
Age: 23
Promotion: CMLL and AEW
Last year’s rank: NR
Dorada 2.0, the son of luchador legend Ephesto (and not Mascara Dorada, which can be confusing), has had a well-traveled 2024. Mascara Dorada 2.0, who also wrestled under the name “Panterita del Ring Jr.,” spent time in both CMLL and AEW, as he won the annual CMLL Universal Championship in April and worked in various trios matches against Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli. There’s no nepotism at play here with Dorada 2.0, as he’s one of the best luchadors in the world, with the talent to become something even bigger. — Maisonet
Age: 23
Promotion: WWE
Last year’s rank: NR
One of the youngest wrestlers on this list, 23-year-old Perez joined WWE in 2022 and has been steadily improving in NXT. When NXT debuted on The CW Network in October, WWE trusted Perez and Giulia to christen the new era in the first match — and kicked it off with a bang. While some are asking why Perez hasn’t gotten that main roster call yet, there’s no need to rush. Perez has a great thing going on in NXT, with many successful years ahead of her. — Ocal
Age: 28
Promotion: AEW
Last year’s rank: 20
It’s not hard to see how someone who executed the most shocking and cruel heel turn of the year makes the list. Yuta has been getting a significant rub from hanging around AEW’s biggest stars and now he’s the central cog in the betrayal and presumed retirement of Bryan Danielson. Now, if Danielson does return, his first target is likely Wheeler in a big money match. At the very least, Wheeler is set up to be as hated as anyone on the AEW roster, and he’ll absolutely capitalize on it. — Dennis
Logan Paul puts on a show in a wild win over Rey Mysterio at Crown Jewel.
Age: 29
Promotion: WWE
Last year’s rank: 10
Though a part-time WWE performer, Paul has stood out every time he has wrestled, showing off talent and ring savvy that belies his limited experience. With his impressive athleticism, Paul has quickly developed a bundle of high-impact moves highlighted by a picture-perfect frog splash he often deploys to the outside. Paul has fared far better as a natural heel — and displayed those traits during his 273-day run as United States champion — following an initial babyface run where he was usually booed anyway. In his biggest match to date, Paul more than held his own in a main-event loss last year to Roman Reigns. — Coppinger
Age: 29
Promotion: AJPW
Last year’s rank: NR
Aoyagi’s 2024 has been as impressive as anyone’s across professional wrestling, as the “Insidious Fighter” has become a face of the All Japan Pro Wrestling brand for a few years. In August, Aoyagi dethroned Yuma Anzai to become AJPW’s Triple Crown heavyweight champ for the second time, before dropping the title to Davey Boy Smith Jr. in November. Aoyagi has proved he doesn’t need the belt to be a star, as he blends a righteous personality with brash trash talk, which makes for a fun-loving star with a bright future. — Maisonet
Age: 27
Promotion: NJPW
Last year’s rank: NR
Kidd exudes the “it” factor. He has the look and size, plus he can cut an engaging promo, which sets up the British talent as NJPW’s foreign talent. He’s a sneering force of nature who seems primed to take the lead of the storied Bullet Club faction sooner or later and restore the faction’s credibility as one of the best stables in all of pro wrestling. His brutal “No Ropes Last Man Standing” match with Eddie Kingston to win the NJPW STRONG openweight championship proved his worth, and he has everything needed to sit atop this list by next year. When Kenny Omega returns from a long-term injury and targets you for a match at Wrestle Dynasty, it speaks volumes about Kidd’s potential. — Hale
Age: 26
Promotion: Marigold
Last year’s rank: NR
The former “Big Rookie” for World of Stardom is now one of Marigold’s marquee talents. Hayashishita’s stature as one of the world’s best women’s wrestlers has only grown since 2023, as she added the Dream Star Grand Prix tournament championship to her growing list of accomplishments and headlined Marigold’s first major event alongside now WWE talent Giulia. Hayashishita’s story will grow even further as she’s poised to be Marigold’s ace and the company’s next top champion. — Caldwell
Age: 23
Promotion: AEW
Last year’s rank: NR
From Varsity Blonds to House of Black, Hart has had quite the ride to emerging into a star at AEW. She entered 2024 as the promotion’s TBS champion, a title that lasted for 155 days until dropping the belt to Willow Nightingale at the Dynasty PPV. Hart would likely be higher on this list, but shoulder surgery put her on the shelf in May. Her comeback has been teased in recent vignettes, but getting her back to full health should make for bigger opportunities — maybe a title run — in 2025. — Maisonet
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Age: 29
Promotion: AEW
Last year’s rank: 19
It’s high praise when Nigel McGuinness says you’re one of the best to ever hold a championship, which is what he said about Hayter and the AEW Women’s Championship. The 29-year-old England native (aka Paige Wooding) has been one of the stalwarts of the women’s division since making her AEW debut in 2019. Then, a debilitating back injury sent Hayter to the sideline for 15 months. “I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t even stand up straight,” Hayter told Renee Paquette on “AEW Up Close.” Whenever major injuries like that happen to pro wrestlers, you wonder if they will be a shell of themselves in the ring, but Hayter has shown no signs of that. — Ocal
Age: 28
Promotion: Dragongate
Last year’s rank: NR
Skywalker has overpromised and overdelivered time and time again in the ring, whether stateside or for Japan’s Dragon Gate. The masked wrestler’s ability to adapt to whatever his opponent throws at him has made him one of Japan’s biggest emerging young stars and one of its best heels. As co-founder of the Z-Brats stable, Skywalker has done his damage in all areas and has the unique features to be a big-time player in Dragon Gate and beyond. — Caldwell
Age: 29
Promotion: WWE
Last year’s rank: 17
Before he signed with AEW and later WWE, Dragon Lee starred in Mexico as a second-generation luchador. Following a successful NXT run — where he held the North American Championship — Dragon Lee made the full-time jump to the main roster earlier this year. With his high-flying style and unique move-set, Dragon Lee has found a perfect marriage as WWE Speed champion, where abbreviated matches are streamed on social media channels. — Coppinger
Age: 25
Promotion: AJPW
Last year’s rank: NR
When you own the record for the youngest Triple Crown heavyweight champion in AJPW history — 24 years and 350 days old — it guarantees a place on this list. Anzai wasn’t done adding gold to his resume, as he partnered with ELPIDA teammate Rising HAYATO to win the All Asia Tag Team Championship in October. Just over two years ago, Anzai was making his debut in the sport. Two years from now, Anzai might be near the top of this list. Sky’s the limit for “Mirai no Ace” (Ace of the Future). — Maisonet