20 Absolute Best Wrestlers In The World Right Now
17. Io Shirai
NXT still has the best women's division in American wrestling, but the best women's matches currently taking place on American television are going down in AEW.
This was unforeseen. While AEW's division isn't as talent-rich as WWE's, improved focus on performers like Britt Baker, Serena Deeb, and Thunder Rosa, and the Women's World Championship Eliminator Tournament are yielding great results for the oft-criticised scene. Only Raquel Gonzalez and Rhea Ripley's barnstorming Last Woman Standing match has hit similar peaks for NXT in 2021.
Is any of this Io Shirai's fault? No, not really, and she's still one of the best wrestlers in the world regardless of gender. She just isn't being given the opportunity to show it with the same regularity as in 2020. TakeOver: Vengeance Day's Triple Threat with Mercedes Martinez and Toni Storm was fine, but messy, and not to the same standard as Shirai's other big matches.
Fortunately, this should be addressed over the coming months. A pure singles feud with Storm and potential Gonzalez rivalry will put Shirai back on the elite level she belongs at. For now, though, she can't finish higher than this.