Jon Moxley: #6 in PWI 500
The second entry from AEW in PWI 500 top ten is former AEW world champion, Jon Moxley.
It can be argued that the former Dean Ambrose has had an underrated year. He carried the AEW World Championship during the pandemic, consistently putting on excellent matches with various opponents and wrestling in both AEW and occasionally in NJPW.
Mox also held the IWGP US Heavyweight Championship during the consideration period, defeating the likes of Yuji Nagata and KENTA to retain his title.
Some of the most memorable title matches during Moxley's reign came against Brian Cage, Lance Archer, Eddie Kingston, MJF, and Darby Allin. That's a pretty solid list of wrestlers to have retained your title against.
Jon Moxley also put up a high-octane contest with Kenny Omega in an Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match which will always be one of the most violent matches in AEW history.
There's no doubt Mox is deserving of a top ten spot in the PWI 500.
Cody Rhodes: #11 in PWI 500
Cody Rhodes was a workhorse for AEW during the pandemic and a selfless worker throughout. He narrowly missed out on the PWI 500 top ten.
The EVP of AEW won the inaugural TNT Championship just before the consideration period. Since then, he has defended his title in an astounding 12 matches across two title reigns.
His open challenge for the title helped many wrestlers get over, none bigger than Eddie Kingston, who has become one of the company's top babyfaces.
Cody Rhodes lost the title to Mr. Brodie Lee and Darby Allin and put them both over in a major way. Darby Allin has gone from strength to strength since then, and he has Rhodes to thank for it.
The American Nightmare has had an excellent year and fully merits his high ranking in PWI 500.