Pro wrestling pound-for-pound rankings: It's Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio's world

Welcome to the highly-respected, remarkably prestigious pro wrestling pound-for-pound rankings brought to you by Uncrowned. A couple weeks back, our inaugural rankings had critics raving with passionate reviews like, “this is absolute trash,” “ass list,” and “f***ng awful.” (Though at least a few folks seemed to understand our genius.)

Before we get into this week’s installment, ask yourself where you land on the reading comprehension rankings as I lay out some clear, concise criteria:

1. The rankings include WWE and AEW talent only.

2. The rankings are based on a superstar’s performances within current storylines. So, everyone who complained about Bryan Danielson (fresh off a loss and retired) not being ranked last time, make note of this.

3. A superstar’s performance includes their promos/segments, their in-ring work, and their wins/losses.

Got it? Good. Gonna complain anyway? Great. Uncrowned’s Pro Wrestling Rankings are like a paycheck — sent out bi-weekly and right on the money. So, as was said last ranking and will be said next ranking: You can love ‘em, you can hate ‘em, you can cry about ‘em in the comments or @ me on social media, but the fact still remains, these are definitive and final (until the week after next, of course).

Men's Pound-For-Pound List

10. Ricochet (Prev: Unranked)

Ricochet is currently riding a three-fight win streak and he hasn't been pinned in a singles match since joining AEW, which is pretty impressive when you consider how active he’s been (five matches in October thus far). The haters have been critical of his acrobatic exchanges, but why not just say you’re jealous you can’t do a backflip and go on with your day. Y’know, I’ve never understood people’s beef with wrestling sequences that move speedily and require stunning coordination versus a … less exciting, still obviously coordinated sequence that involves, say, five moves of doom.

I digress, Ricochet has been doing it all, cutting promos and putting on electric matches that are too captivating to look away from, even if fans are hate-watching so they can complain about Ricochet doing acrobatic combat well enough to make a Power Ranger gasp.

9. Shelton Benjamin (Prev: Unranked)

Ain’t no stoppin’ Shelton Benjamin since he joined AEW. With a pair of wins over Lio Rush and Sammy Guevara to start his stint, Benjamin is looking sharp and drawing attention from fans impressed with his imposing aesthetic and polished work in the ring.

Now Benjamin’s set for a match against Swerve Strickland, a high-potential bout that could (and absolutely should) lead to big things for the All Elite veteran.

8. LA Knight (Prev: 5)

The triangle of disdain that’s developed between Knight, Carmelo Hayes, and Andrade has been pure gold. Speaking of gold, Knight has been an active United States Champion, but his first title defense at a premium live event presents an opportunity to up his game, and if the match impresses and Knight prevails, there’s no reason he can’t elbow higher up on these ranks, with a top five spot saying LA Knight. YEAH.

(For the record, it’s pronounced L-A Knight — get it right or pay the price.)

7. Roman Reigns (Prev: 7)

Reigns’ recent activity has been more family drama, less action, but that’s OK because it’s Emmy-worthy stuff. It also helps that after weeks of getting his ass whooped by the Solo Sikoa-led Bloodline, Roman has begun getting his get-back, besting his family/stablemates turned enemies/rivals.

At Crown Jewel, Reigns teams with the Usos to clash with the Bloodline, presenting an opportunity for him to Superman Punch his ticket to a top spot on these rankings. Of course, it could go in a different direction and Reigns could be sent plummeting to Rock Bottom. 😉

6. Bron Breakker (Prev: Unranked)

After calling his shot and beating Jey Uso to regain the Intercontinental Title after 28 days, Breakker is in a nice spot, primed for a fresh feud. He also cut a promo on "WWE Raw" basically threatening to beat any aspiring contender’s ass and we have no reason to believe he won’t do just that.

Get used to hearing those barking dogs as Breakker's stock continues to rise.

5. Solo Sikoa (Prev: 9)

I don’t know if what Solo’s done this year is getting the appreciation it deserves, but in recent week’s he’s upped his game as the leader of the Bloodline, butting heads with Roman Reigns (and now the Usos). A six-man tag match at Crown Jewel will go a long way and deciding which direction Solo moves next, but he’s one Samoan Spike and three seconds away from a gigantic leap toward the top.

4. Dominik Mysterio (Prev: Unranked)

You’re allowed to be upset with Dirty Dom’s placement but that would only further prove my point. He’s a master of getting under folks' skin and at this point calling him the best heel in the WWE might be selling the man short — he might just be playing the villain better than anyone in the industry.

And it’s not X-Pac heat — folks are eager for him to show up so they can boo him and express their distaste for his mustache, it’s really something to behold.

With a recent win over Damian Priest, Dom might just be inching into World Champion contendership and the potential there is piping hot, a volcano ready to erupt.

🥉 3. Jon Moxley 🥉 (Prev: 2)

After winning the World Championship, cutting a cinematic promo during which he claimed to “hate what AEW has become,” and having declared his intentions to “mold” the young company, Moxley belongs among the top names in the business.

While some criticize him for blatant blading or being too cavalier as he crashes into metal shutters, he’s currently the face of an entire brand with an opportunity to do something special.

🥈 2. Gunther 🥈 (Prev: 3)

It wasn’t long ago that Gunther’s mic skills were being questioned by his harshest critics, but in recent months he’s proven that to be nonsense. He’s a menace and some felt he 10-8’d Cody in a recent trading of verbal blows.

For now, he’s chopping his way to the top, and a win at Crown Jewel makes it impossible to deny him the No. 1 spot.

👑 1. Cody Rhodes 👑 (Prev: 1)

Nothing’s changed. Rhodes is still the top dog and it’s going to take more than a good promo to knock him off.

Even if we’re not factoring in Rhodes' recent dark match W over Jacob Fatu, he’s sitting firmly atop the throne, tightly holding the brass ring — whatever your preferred analogy, however much adrenaline is in your soul, Rhodes remains that guy.

Women's Pound-For-Pound List

10. Iyo Sky (Prev: 10)

Iyo Sky remains one of the women's divisions most active participants of October, wrestling on "Raw," "Speed," "NXT," and even having a match set for the Nov. 1 "SmackDown." Though she began October with a loss to Candice LeRae for the Speed Women's Title, Sky's consistent appearances and undeniable skillset in the ring solidifies her place among the current top tier.

It's largely on WWE to get Sky involved in a juicy story or a clear feud so it doesn't feel like she's just floating (and moonsaulting) around. A little definitive direction would significantly boost Sky's standing.

9. Naomi (Prev: 9)

With a recent win over Candice LeRae, and having pinned Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton earlier in October, Naomi’s star continues to glow. But how will the WWE help her grow?

They’ve built some momentum, but it’s going to take more than scattered wins on “SmackDown” to put Noami in a better place among the women’s roster. I can feel it, she’s one significant, buzzy storyline away from a long overdue (perhaps career-defining) run.

8. Anna Jay (Prev: Unranked)

Fun fact: Anna Jay has won six straight matches since the 2024 Stardom 5Star tournament. In the world of MMA, that would call for a title shot (unless Dana White dislikes you), and here in AEW, that’s exactly what’s happening when Anna takes on AEW Women’s Champion Mariah May for the title on Saturday's edition of AEW "Collision."

May vs. Jay happened earlier in October and Jay pulled off the upset in a non-title match. Now, she gets a chance to win a strap and really climb the rankings.

7. Rhea Ripley (Prev: 4)

Ripley’s involvement in a war with Liv Morgan and Dom has had its highs, but it runs the risk of growing stagnant if something significant doesn’t shift. That said, it’s no fault of Ripley’s, as she’s spent most of her time in October post-Bad Blood cutting intense promos and relentlessly chasing after Liv with the eagerness of Coyote to Roadrunner.

With no match at Crown Jewel and having just gotten jumped in a parking lot by Liv and Raquel Raquel Rodriguez, it seems their beef isn’t over, though boiling points might reach new temperatures if Rhea (prediction so obvious it’s more of a spoiler than a guess) causes Liv to lose at Crown Jewel.

If that happens, it could present an opportunity for Tiffany Stratton, who isn’t on this week’s rankings, to cash in her Money in the Bank briefcase. 👀

6. Mariah May (Prev: 5)

Because Mariah May lost to Anna Jay earlier this month, she has to take a step back, but with a title defense looming she’ll have a chance to elbow her way back up the ranks. She doesn’t drop far because she cut an absolutely hurtful promo, during which she said these words to her upcoming opponent: “Anna, if you left this business tomorrow, do you think anyone would give a s***? Or would we just find some other fat-ass blonde, teach her how to do an arm drag, and waste five years of her life.”

Sheesh. Mariah May put the age old saying, “Words can’t hurt you,” through a stress test — and for that she belongs among the best in the business.

5. Jade Cargill (Prev: 7)

Giving the look and feel of an Avenger, Cargill held it down in October with wins on "Raw," "SmackDown," and even "NXT." While being half of the Womens' Tag Team Champions she's continued to improve, which begs the question: Just how high can Jade Cargill rise to close 2024?

4. Bianca Belair (Prev: 6)

Where there’s Cargill, there must also be Belair, considering the two have been on a dominant run as tag champs. Belair showcases in-ring strength that reminds me of '90s Lex Luger and she’s often so impressive that some fans might forget just how phenomenal a talent she is. But Uncrowned doesn’t forget. Like Pepperidge Farm, Pen Shamrock remembers.

For those in need, here’s a reminder: EST isn’t just a nickname, nor is it just an acronym for Eastern Standard Time — it’s also representative of what Belair believes herself to be. The bEST. Don’t be shocked when she does something that forces our ranking to reflect that.

🥉 3. Mercedes Moné 🥉 (Prev: 3)

Did you know Moné has not lost a single match in 2024? In fact, she hasn’t lost since May 2023, a feat frankly worthy of even higher ranking were it not for the fact that she’s 10-0 over that span, which isn’t the most active — though it’s an undeniably impressive stretch, during which she’s won multiple titles.

A compelling new conflict or a successful title defense and the CEO might crack the top two.

🥈 2. Nia Jax 🥈 (Prev: 2)

She’s dominant in the ring, a true powerhouse who has often made opponents simply appear inferior. Jax is currently in the middle of a thoroughly entertaining title run while simultaneously setting up a potential (inevitable) falling out with Tiffany Stratton, which probably means she’s going to be a prominent part of the women’s wrestling landscape for the foreseeable future.

👑 1. Liv Morgan 👑 (Prev: 1)

You can make a case that there’s nobody doing all the little things better than Liv Morgan. There’s money in minutiae and the current "Raw" Womens' Champion has had one of my favorite title reigns in recent memory. I know, there’s a lot of outside interference and Liv ducks scraps with Rhea fairly often, but it reminds me of Seth Rollins’ 2015 title run, during which he relied heavily on the Authority and was often dodging confrontations.

Then, there’s the effort to legitimize her story with Dominik, whether she’s subtly vocalizing support for Dom’s World Championship aspirations in a promo or posting their “date night” online to get the people going. She’s also been doing podcasts recently, which does wonders for building one’s brand, and on top of that she takes the time to talk shit to Rhea on Twitter. Y’all hear that? It’s kayfabe’s beating heart — the realness is alive and well.

In closing, Liv is still the champ and continues to solidify her spot as a must-watch menace, but with a match against No. 2 Nia Jax approaching and No. 7 Ripley likely seeking revenge for recent events, Morgan’s place might be in danger.

But that’s how it goes.

Heavy is the head that holds the Uncrowned crown.