PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year
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The PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year Award, given yearly since 1972 by professional wrestling magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated, recognizes the most popular professional wrestler of the year as voted by readers of the magazine.
[edit] Award winners and runners-up
| Year | Winner | First runner-up | Second runner-up | Third runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Jack Brisco Fred Curry |
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| 1973 | Chief Jay Strongbow | |||
| 1974 | Billy Robinson | |||
| 1975 | Mil Máscaras | |||
| 1976 | Wahoo McDaniel | Chief Jay Strongbow | Mr. Wrestling II | Ivan Putski |
| 1977 | André the Giant | Dusty Rhodes | Bob Backlund | Mil Máscaras |
| 1978 | Dusty Rhodes | André the Giant | Ricky Steamboat | Bob Backlund |
| 1979 | Dusty Rhodes | André the Giant | Ivan Putski | Mr. Wrestling II |
| 1980 | Mr. Wrestling II | Dusty Rhodes | André the Giant | Bruno Sammartino |
| 1981 | Tommy Rich | Bob Backlund | André the Giant | Dusty Rhodes |
| 1982 | André the Giant | Tommy Rich | Hulk Hogan | Dusty Rhodes |
| 1983 | Jimmy Snuka | Dusty Rhodes | David Von Erich | The Junkyard Dog |
| 1984 | Kerry Von Erich | Hulk Hogan | Dusty Rhodes | Sgt. Slaughter |
| 1985 | Hulk Hogan | Magnum T.A. | Kerry Von Erich | Tito Santana |
| 1986 | Roddy Piper | Hulk Hogan | Ricky Morton | Nikita Koloff |
| 1987 | Dusty Rhodes | Hulk Hogan | Randy Savage | Nikita Koloff |
| 1988 | Randy Savage | Hulk Hogan | Sting | Lex Luger |
| 1989 | Hulk Hogan | Ric Flair | Sting | The Ultimate Warrior |
| 1990 | Hulk Hogan | Sting | The Ultimate Warrior | Lex Luger |
| 1991 | Sting | Hulk Hogan | Sid Justice | The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner) |
| 1992 | Sting | The Ultimate Warrior | The Undertaker | Ron Simmons |
| 1993 | Lex Luger | Sting | Bret Hart | Dustin Rhodes |
| 1994 | Sting | Bret Hart | The Undertaker | Hulk Hogan |
| 1995 | Shawn Michaels | Sting | Diesel | Hulk Hogan |
| 1996 | Shawn Michaels | Randy Savage | Sycho Sid | The Undertaker |
| 1997 | Sting | Steve Austin | Ric Flair | Diamond Dallas Page |
| 1998 | Steve Austin | Goldberg | The Rock | Diamond Dallas Page |
| 1999 | The Rock | Steve Austin | Goldberg | Mankind |
| 2000 | The Rock | Rob Van Dam | Chris Jericho | Goldberg |
| 2001 | Rob Van Dam | The Rock | Chris Jericho | Kurt Angle |
| 2002 | Rob Van Dam | Hulk Hogan | Booker T | The Rock |
| 2003 | Kurt Angle | Steve Austin | Rob Van Dam | Rey Mysterio |
| 2004 | John Cena | Chris Benoit | Shawn Michaels | Eugene |
| 2005 | John Cena | Batista | A.J. Styles | Rey Mysterio |
| 2006 | Jeff Hardy | John Cena | Shawn Michaels | The Undertaker |
