The Miz on the October 2011 cover. |
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Publisher | Stu Saks |
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Frequency | Monthly |
Publisher | Kappa Publishing Group |
First issue | 1972 |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Website | www.pwi-online.com |
ISSN | 1043-7576 |
Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.[1]
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The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979. The magazine soon became known for not breaking kayfabe in its articles as it traditionally treated all "angles", or storylines, as real. However, in more recent years, the magazine has taken an editorial approach between kayfabe and "Shoot" writing, differentiating between on-screen feuds and controversies behind the scenes. PWI is not limited to covering only prominent professional wrestling promotions, as it also covers multiple independent promotions in the United States. PWI also publishes other special issues, which include: Pro Wrestling Illustrated Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts since 1996, Women of Wrestling, and a weekly newsletter entitled PWI Weekly from 1989 to 2000. It was eventually acquired by Golden Boy Enterprises.
PWI has given out annual awards and recognitions since its inception. These awards had previously been given out by another Victory Sports Magazine property-The Wrestler. PWI has also given out monthly rankings for the big promotions, some select independents, and an overall rankings in singles and tag teams. Additionally, readers are given the ability vote for the winners of the year-end awards with ballots being included in special year-end issues. A special PWI Awards magazine is issued annually, which reveals winners and the number of votes counted. The following is a list of categories in which PWI has issued awards.
PWI has published its list of the top 500 professional wrestlers each year since 1991 in an annual special edition magazine called the PWI 500. As of 2011, only Jushin Liger and Keiji Mutoh have appeared in every edition of the PWI 500. [2] In 1993, Jacqueline Moore was the first woman to be ranked in the list, she was #249. Here are the top ten ranked wrestlers for each year:
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