MJF beats multiple WWE champions on ESPN’s list of the top 30 wrestlers under 30 years old

Pro wrestling is hot these days, and a lot of younger wrestlers are trying to make their mark on the business as we speak.

With that in mind, ESPN has ranked the top 30 wrestlers in the world who are under 30 years of age. Here is the criteria for the rankings:

“The criteria included drawing power; popularity; skills; position on the roster; and accomplishments, including championships and tournament victories.”

Here’s what they came up with for the top 20. You can head on over to ESPN to see the full list of 30 wrestlers and an explanation for why each wrestler belongs in that spot.

1. MJF
2. Rhea Ripley
3. Austin Theory
4. El Hijo del Vikingo
5. Dominik Mysterio
6. Bron Breakker
7. Carmelo Hayes
8. Konosuke Takeshita
9. Liv Morgan
10. Logan Paul
11. Giulia
12. BUTCH
13. “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry
14. Wes Lee
15. Utami Hayashishita
16. Toni Storm
17. Dragon Lee
18. Bandido
19. Jamie Hayter
20. Wheeler Yuta

It’s not surprising to see AEW World Champion MJF at the very top of the list. At 27 years old, he is already arguably the best mic guy in the business, and he’s had several great matches to go along with it. The scumbag accepted the number one spot by reminding us that he’s better than all of them:

Some of the WWE main roster stars who make ESPN’s list include Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley, United States Champion Austin Theory, Dominik Mysterio, Liv Morgan, and... YouTube star Logan Paul. There are also plenty of NXT wrestlers on the list. It was just two years ago when WWE’s aging roster stood out and needed to be addressed, and the company has taken steps to do just that.

As far as the AEW names on the list are concerned, the one whose trajectory intrigues me the most is 28-year-old Konosuke Takeshita. His incredible skills in the ring always helped him get over with AEW fans even when he was stuck in lower card matches or matches where he was obviously going to lose. He recently turned heel, joined up with Don Callis as his mouthpiece, and is now booked opposite the likes of Kenny Omega. There’s a lot to be excited about here.

From a Cool Moves standpoint, the most exciting name listed here is El Hijo del Vikingo. He’s going to make a lot of money in pro wrestling if his body can withstand the rigors of his breathtaking style.

Who do you think are the best wrestlers under 30 years old in pro wrestling today? Give us your picks in the comments below, Cagesiders.