Pro Wrestling Illustrated designates World Championship status to IMPACT, Ring of Honor titles

Pro Wrestling Illustrated, the venerated magazine that launched in 1979, has awarded a number of promotions World Championship status to some of their major titles. These promotions include IMPACT, All Japan Pro Wrestling, and Ring of Honor.

Since this will surely get shared out of context anyway, the titles in this screenshot join the top singles and tag championships of Raw, Smackdown, AEW, NJPW, and AAA, which we'd previously listed. https://t.co/82OkSgTggQ

— PWI (@OfficialPWI) February 26, 2021

In their upcoming May issue, Pro Wresling Illustrated has bestowed World Championship status to all of IMPACT's major singles and tag team championships (of both genders), as well as Ring of Honor's and those of the National Wrestling Alliance — bringing that organization's titles back to the world stage after years away. Also, it's the first time that the magazine has bestowed World Championship status to an all-female promotion. Here is the entire list of new World Championships:

PWI's newest World Championships (via @MCavacini on Twitter)

Pro Wrestling Illustrated is one of the longest-running wrestling magazines

Pro Wrestling Illustrated, commonly refered to as PWI, has been the industry's most visable pro wrestling publication not run by a promotion itself. The magazine covered the industy over the years much like magazines such as The Ring would cover boxing. It treated wrestling as a legitimate competitive sport, sticking to "kayfabe." In recent years, it has relaxed that stance a bit and has also provided more behind the scenes coverage.

Pro Wrestling Illustrated is also the publication known for their "PWI 500" rankings.