A Fans Perspective: The Top 15 of All Time

[AwesomeRko]

Moderator's note: Remember this is a non spam thread. You must support your opinion. Those who simply post a list without supporting it will be infracted for spamming.

I was watching the WWE's 50 greatest superstars of all time dvd for the first time recently, something I'm aware has been much criticised. I personally thought some of the placings Hogans and Foleys especially were absolutely ludicrous and were obviously the workings of politics. My own list would differ significantly from the WWE's and it got me wondering who other people would select in their top 15 (or more if you want), I'm aware its completely subjective but I think it would make for an interesting discussion

Note: This is your perspective on the actual top 15 best of all time not a list of your own personal favourites.

My take would be:

1. Stone Cold- Probably the most popular ever, launched the attitude era arguably saving the WWE, involved in many great fueds and matches most notably Vince and the Rock just an all round incredible superstar.

2. The Rock- The number 2 guy in the most successful ever period in wrestling, really took the ball and ran with it after Austins injury. His popularity ranks alongside Austin and his crossover and star appeal run unparallelled. In my opinion the best promo artist of all time.

3. Hulk Hogan- Was wrestling first massive star and really put pro-wrestling on the map in terms of mainstream appeal. His popularity has lasted almost 3 decades now (although recently has diminished slightly) and his involvement in severeal of the most innovative and exciting aspects of wrestling history (the NWO, the slam heard around the world etc) will never be forgotten.

4.Bret Hart- Carried the company through the difficult fallout from the golden era and in a time dominated by declining standards and poor gimmicks really made the product watchable. Blazed a trial for smaller wrestlers to enjoy success in the WWE and was one of the most accomplished tecnical wrestlers of all time. Never had an opponent he couldn't make look good and get the best from and provided a ridiculous amount of 5 star matches.

5. Shawn Michaels: Great on the mic, particularly in his 90's run, leader of DX one of the greatest stables of all time, amazing in the ring, oozed charisma and helped make wrestling cool. HBK was one of the most innovative and talented superstars of all time in the ring, regularly stealing the show and like Bret coud have a great match with anybody in probably WWE's most barren time.

6. Undertaker: A legend in every sense of the word his tenure with the company, classic fueds and matches and ability to reinvent himself all pay testament to his etraordinary talent.

7. Andre the Giant: The original and best big man, his incredible undefeated streak and universal fame and popularity deriving from his star quality make him one of the best ever.

8. Rowdy Roddy Piper: A supestar way ahead of his time, really helped to create the phenomenon that was Hulkamania, his promo work as a heel helped to revolutionise wrestlers role as entertainers.

9. Ric Flair: His huge success in every promotion he wrestled in and his careers lonetivity testify to his greatness. One of the orginal cool superstars, really helped to create the everlasting persona of the cocky heel with his elaborate dress sense, expensive haircuts and energetic, in your face interview style.

10. HHH: Arguably the greatest heel of the past 15 years, his championship success, tremendous fueds and believable bad -ass perosna in-ring and on the mic make him a great superstar. In spite of accusations of political manouevering his involvement in factions like Evolution, DX and angles like the McMahon-Helmsley regime in 2000 display his talent. Had an ability to inspire loathing amongst the fans which few posessed and made an excellent nemesis to the biggets face stars of his generation including Rock, Goldberg, Foley and Cena.

11.Mick Foley: His diversity, incredible mic work, ridiculously high pain threshold and unwavering ability to trigger an emotional response from the crowd make him an all time great. He may not have been blessed with the greatets in-ring ability but he had a gift for inspiring empathy amongst the fans and always delivering a great fued, made whoever he worked with look like gold.

12. Sting- Is such an intriguing character, never misses a beat in the ring and his promo work, commitment to his gimmick and ability to entertain and thrill audiences is tremendous. Was one of the fixtures of WCW during its most successful era and is probably the greatest superstar never to have set foot in the WWE.

13. John Cena: The icon of this generation, massively popular and his huge involvement in promotional work, Make a Wish etc testify to his crossover appeal. Love him or hate him he is a huge draw and it is difficult not to develop some sort of emotional response form his matches. Not great in the ring but is one of the best on the mic when let off the leash and not restrained by the confines of his do-gooder character.

14. Edge: A superstar who's career was incredibly diverse, one of the most decorated superstars of all time and a born entertainer. Was involved in so many fascinating fueds and tremdnous matches the first ever tlc, his role as Cena's most dangerous nemesis, Edge-Jericho at mania, he has definently given us some of the best moments of the past decade.

15. Chris Jericho: One of the most charismatic superstars of all time, his promo and in-ring skills are exemplary enabling him to work with almost anybody and still put on a great match. His ability to move up and down the card, putting up and coming superstars over without dropping credibility himslef makes him stand out as the ultimate team player.

 

[RATED R CHAMPION]

heheeh you guys look like have only seen wrestling from the 80's to the present, but that's ok. making a top 15 is too difficult and takes time to analize, now I can add some guys you have not written here yet, that have to be in the top ranks in history.

*LOU THESZ, where in the heck did you leave lou out of the top 15? best technician ever, nwa champ for 7 years, enough said, first big star of the tv era

*JACK BRISCO, another master technician, nwa champion, amazing performer pure wrestler

*HARLEY RACE, Nwa's main guy for years, nwa champ 8 times, oh my god what a psycologist in the ring

*BUDDY ROGERS THE ORIGINAL NATURE BOY, first wwe champ, nwa champion one of the best wrestlers and included the arrogant strut by a heel

*FRANK GOTCH, America's first world champion and popularized wrestling in the early days in the US, 5 Years as champion

and the list goes on and on and on...

 

[flair4ever]

1 ric flair--- The greatest champion ever
2 shawn michels--- the best in ring performer
3 taker
4 rock
5 stone cold---- carried wwe into the new millennium and helped save the company
6 bret hart
7 triple h---- probibly the best all around performer
8 hogan----- great champion but according to every thing ive seen people says he was a tool behind the scenes
9 jericho
10 macho man---- very underrated by alot of people
11 sting--- great in wcw, wish id had seen him in wwe instead of tna
12 edge--- one of the best ever, wish his career wasnt cut short
13 dusty rodes
14 ricky steamboat
15 L.O.D---- revolutionized tag team wrestling only team to ever win a belt in every promotion they went to

 

[AwesomeRko]

heheeh you guys look like have only seen wrestling from the 80's to the present, but that's ok. making a top 15 is too difficult and takes time to analize, now I can add some guys you have not written here yet, that have to be in the top ranks in history.

*LOU THESZ, where in the heck did you leave lou out of the top 15? best technician ever, nwa champ for 7 years, enough said, first big star of the tv era

*JACK BRISCO, another master technician, nwa champion, amazing performer pure wrestler

*HARLEY RACE, Nwa's main guy for years, nwa champ 8 times, oh my god what a psycologist in the ring

*BUDDY ROGERS THE ORIGINAL NATURE BOY, first wwe champ, nwa champion one of the best wrestlers and included the arrogant strut by a heel

*FRANK GOTCH, America's first world champion and popularized wrestling in the early days in the US, 5 Years as champion

and the list goes on and on and on...

Yeah I get that, my knowledge of wrestling prior to the 80's is practically non-existant. I'm only 21 so basically everything before even 97 I've got from dvds, youtube etc. The whole idea of the discussion though was that its subjective based in how different peoples opinion of the 15 best of all time is shaped by what they have been exposed to and the time/ length they have watched wrestling.

 

[#hamler]

Steve Austin and The Rock can pretty much fight over the second and third spot all they want, but there's no way Hulk Hogan doesn't destroy both of them; there levels are so far apart too. Hulk Hogan made wrestling main stream - there is no way you can credit anyone with being more popular and over as Hulk Hogan. It's understandable that without Austin, the WWF wouldn't have survived the Monday Night Wars but without Hogan, the WWF wouldn't have even made it that far. Hogan's name is more synonymous with wrestling than any other name; not really an opinion, but a fact.

Like I said, Steve Austin and The Rock are pretty much interchangeable to me. Cases can be made for both Steve Austin and The Rock and both have solid points. Next should be Shawn Michaels simply because he's more consistent with solid match than anyone else in history. Fifth - Ric Flair - he's personified the name World Champion. The rest can't really be put on a solid list but here's mine.

1. Hulk Hogan
2. Steve Austin
3. The Rock
4. Shawn Michaels
5. Ric Flair
6. Bret Hart
7. Roddy Piper
8. John Cena
9. Randy Savage
10. Undertaker
11. Triple H
12. Harley Race
13. Sting
14. Andre the Giant
15. Lou Thesz

I probably left out someone totally obvious but this is pretty much my basic rundown. The last two on the list may come as a bit of surprise but these two were a little before my time of interest.

 

[josh4worldchamp]

Ok im guessin u mean from past generations and not really current so ill go with that.

1. Ric Flair The best wrestler ever alive hands down and 1 of the top 3 talkers ever this really needs no explanation. He is the best ever

2. Shawn Michaels The very best performer to ever put on a pair a boots and a big inspiration behind people who start wrestling

3. Chris Benoit IMO tied with kurt angle in being the best wrestler since ric flair and no matter what happened he'll always be 1 of my heros and inspirations in pro wrestling

4. Kurt Angle Perhaps the best wrestler around today

5. Eddie Guerrero One of the best in ring performers and along with benoit one of my
personal heros and inspirations

6.The Undertaker Without a doubt the best big man in pro wrestling everything he does is amazing despite his size and the work horse of the wwe for over 20 years

7.Stone Cold Steve Austin Does this even need an explanation? One of the best talkers and 1 of the most popular wrestlers alive

8. Sting One of the most respected men in the world of pro wrestling everything he does you just have to respect and of course the best wrestler never to be in wwe

9.The Rock 1 of the best talkers ever who could really carry it in the ring not to mention perhaps the most popular wrestler of all time

10.Bret Hart His quote says it all

11.Randy Savage A great promo man character and was gold in the ring

12.Mick foley A man who really is amazing at every thing he does whether its promos putting someone over or carrying a match (yes once upon a time he was a really good wrestler) without weapons

13.Roddy Piper One of the best talkers and characters in history of wrestling no matter if he was heel or face

14.Rick Rude 1 of the very best heels ive ever seen always got amazing heat but also got the appreciation he deserved for the amazing matches he put on

15.Triple H One of the best in wwe no matter whether he was heel or face outside or in the ring everything he does he does it good

 

[Str8Edge]

Well, I started watching wrestling in the 90’s so I’m going to judge from what I’ve seen on live television, dvd’s, and youtube videos.

1. Hulk Hogan - He’s not my favorite, but without him there probably wouldn’t even be a WWE.
2. Shawn Michaels - The Golden Era was dead and brought the company back to its peak, i.e. New Generation Era.
3. Stone Cold - The man who gave us the Attitude Era and so much edgy entertainment for years.
4. Undertaker - Maybe the most successful character in the WWE. Holds records that’ll probably never be broken.
5. Bret Hart - He was the other face of the New Generation Era and the stepping stone for Austin’s elevation to Main Eventing.
6. The Rock - Just like Hart, he was the other face of the Attitude Era. Gave us many great moments with Austin.
7. Triple H - Had a great career. Evolution, DX, or his singles career as a face or a dominating heel.
8. Ric Flair - The 16 time Champion. Woooooooo. Entertaining in the ring and on the mic.
9. John Cena - Not a big fan, but he’s always been a descent performer and a dedicated worker. Face of the PG Era.
10. Randy Savage - Ooohh Yeah! He was so over during his run in the WWF.
11. Sting - Greatest to never compete in the WWE. Very well known regardless.
12. Ricky Steamboat - So underrated as terms as how popular everyone else is. Such a phenomenal wrestler to witness.
13. Chris Jericho - Great on the mic and in the ring. Greatest innovator in terms of keeping his character fresh.
14. Andre The Giant - So dominating and feared during his time. Everyone wanted to watch him.
15. Bob Backlund - Honestly this guy is so underrated. He’s so technical and original in his style. Find him really entertaining.


Honorable Mention: CM Punk - He’s not there yet but will definitely be breaking the top list in some years.

 

[King of the Words]

My TOP 15 GREATEST WRESTLERS, of all time would be as follows.....

#1. Andre The Giant, simply the greatest.

#2. Steve Austin, with out Austin and the attitude era the WWE wouldn't be around now.

#3. Hulk Hogan, with out Hulkamania, the WWF may have never made it into the mainstream of entertainment and the sport might have died off.

#4. Ric Flair, perhaps, pound for pound, the best wrestler of his time and arguably the greatest on the mic of all time.

#5. The Undertaker, maybe the most respected wrestler of all time and great in ring performer for his size.

#6. H.B.K., Arguably, the best in ring performer ever!

7. Bret Hart, next to HBK, the greatest in ring performer of all time.

8. Kurt Angle, one of the greatest mat wrestlers in the game, oh it`s true!(lol)

9. Macho Man, great performer, a one of a kind.

10. The Rock, very good performer, maybe the greatest on the mic.

11. Triple H., great wrestler, intense, greatest heel ever, perhaps, next to Mr. McMahon.

12. Ultimate Warrior, one of the biggest names of his time, not the best in the ring or on the mic, but had a unique appeal that attracted many fans.

13. Sting, one of WCW`s legends that lit up the 90`s and has gone on to have a cult like following.

14. Chris Jericho, next to Bret, possibly the greatest in ring Canadian wrestler of all time. Great on the mic, all round awesome perfomer.

15. Mick Foley, the hardcore legend that lived up to his name. Had one of the greatest moments in wrestling history by being thrown off the top of the cell by the Undertaker.

 

[Brahma Bull]

1. Hulk Hogan- There would be no discussion or wrestlezone if it were not for Hogan. He is number 1 period.
2. The Rock- Austin may have started the attitude era, but the Rock took it over and became more popular. The rock has to try and stutter and write notes on his wrist to make cena look better. Best ever on the stick, and while not a technical wrestler, he was always very solid and never was a danger in the ring.
3. Austin- Helped the wwe win the war. One of the most popular and over characters ever. His heel run was bad, but he was the most over tweener ever.
4. Cena- I hate cena, but he has taken the reigns and run with them. One of the most loved and hated characters at the same time. Insanely over, and he is still young in his career.
5. Shawn Michaels- Best performer of all time. Made most of his matches classics. Mr wrestlemania
6. Taker- Best big wrestler ever. Best gimmick ever.
7. Bret Hart- Ill just use his line. The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be.
8. HHH- One of the best heels ever. Is one of the most dominate characters ever, and his career has had great longevity.
9. Sting- The best to ever not be in the WWE. Even WWE fans who never watch the other shows know sting. Great company man too.
10. Bruno Sammartino- Sold out Madison Square Garden before it was televised. Nothing else needs to be said for how big he was.
11. Bob Backlund- The biggest guy in the WWE before Hogan took the reigns and made it unstoppable.
12. Ric Flair- Led the best stable ever, and would probably be higher on the list if he didnt become a caricature of himself.
13. Andre the Giant- The attraction and most dominate wrestler ever.
14. Chris Jericho- Created a new genre on heel while being the first undisputed champion ever.
15. Randy Savage- Also helped to bring the WWE into unfounded popularity.

 

[ilapierre]

I feel like the idea of picking the top 15 and not your personal favourites doesn't really make sense. We all feel like we are rational, objective people who can differentiate what we subjectively think with what is an objective truth. Anyone who puts Stone Cold Steve Austin at number one on a list of the 15 best ever is being subjective. The guy dominated wrestling for 4 short years. He was a mid carder his whole career till the King of the Ring when he coined 3:16. If this list was Top 15 to make an impact in a short period of time, then i'd objectively and subjectively think he'd be number one. If it was biggest impact over largest amount of time I might say Flair or Hogan. If we're talking everything combined though Stone Cold can't finish that high in the top 10. He wasn't around the main event scene long enough and against strong enough competition to be considered the best ever. Same goes for The Rock. He might be the best promo guy of all time. But if we're talking all time then you have to balance what Austin and Rock did in a very short period of time with what Hogan and Flair did against much better competition for decades.

So what I read here is a bunch of personal favourites, nothing objective. Anyone who puts Triple H ahead of Randy Savage in a list definitely has very little idea of who the Macho Man was. These threads kill me because some people who think they know everything leave Randy Savage and Bruno Sammartino completely off their lists. This is because WWE has not allowed them into their crappy Hall of Fame. I also find it funny how Bret Hart is so low on these lists compared to Shawn Michaels. These guys had pretty parallel careers and you can't place one much further than the other.

So here's my shot at a top 15. These are not my personal favourites but when I make this order i keep in mind a point system that would reward for main event drawing power and longevity (20 pts), overall impact (20 pts), world titles (10 pts), mat skills (10 pts), entertainment value (20 pts), best matches, feuds, and high profile wins (10 pts) and finishing move (10 pts).

My 15 are...

15 Kurt Angle
He is pound for pound perhaps the best wrestling technician of all time. He definitely puts on one hell of a wrestling match and does it more consistently than anyone ever. He was a great heel, had high profile matches, won tons of titles and is held in high esteem among his peers. I don't know if he could rise any higher in my rankings because he just wasn't that important to his era the way Cena or Triple H or Michaels was. Don't get me wrong, he's one of the best and one of the most important. I just wish he could have been around a few years earlier to face Hitman, or Hogan and Savage. I think he can't be too much higher without those higher profile feuds and matches with wrestling's all time best. Sure, he faced some of the best and others among the Top 30 like Orton, Edge, etc. Number 15 isn't too shabby though, it's hard to argue that the guys ahead of him can be any lower.

14 Triple H
Not a fan. But I cannot deny his importance to the history of wrestling. He did win 13 world titles. He was the part of DX and he was part of some of the best angles in modern wrestling history. He is one of the most dominant ever. I just believe he was the most pushed wrestler to make the least amount of overall impact. Some fans love the guy more than life itself while others like me just feel like he was an above average talent who had way too much creative control of his character and legacy. He was one of the best, there is no doubt. I just feel like he manipulated his way up the list of the best, he didn't really earn his way there by getting all wrestling fans to buy it.

13 Roddy Piper
One of my personal favourites. The guy is, after The Rock, the best on the mic ever. Piper can make wrestling more believable than anybody in history. He made Hogan interesting in the mid 80s and he made Hogan the most evil villain ever in their feud in 1996. Piper tore apart Vince Russo in one of the best promos in the history of wrestling. He has always been around when wrestling mattered. His Piper's Pit segments are the best things ever to watch on youtube.

12 John Cena
I have to give the guy the credit. He's carried WWE for the better part of 10 years. He can hold his own in his feud with the greatest guy on the mic ever: The Rock. He has done everything for the WWE longer than any wrestler ever except maybe Triple H. But he did it through work ethic and not through connections or marrying into family. He is up there as one of the best role models of all time and he hasn't even tapped into the heel persona he will soon take on. He may move higher if he can pull off the heel character.

11 The Undertaker
He was lucky to be in the right place at the right time to get the best all time character. No character in the history of wrestling will match the realm of possibilities that come with being 'The Undertaker'. His Wrestlemania streak has been turned into the only reason to tune into Wrestlemania. But it might be the coolest thing WWE has ever done. His death at the Royal Rumble 94 was one of the weirdest and coolest things ever. His matches with Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania were modern day epics. It may look like i've undervalued him here but the truth is he can't go any higher. Without the character he acquired, he wouldn't have amounted to as much as he did. He will go down in history as one of the most entertaining characters of all time.

10 Sting
Sure, he never wrestled for WWE. But WWE is not the end all and be all. Because he didn't wrestle there, that's what makes him one of the best. Look at his career. Look at who he has fought. He was the big draw in WCW forever. His feud with the NWO is up there with the best of all time. It was my all time favourite wrestling program. Sting reinvented himself and proved to be the toughest foe for the NWO. He has cleanly beat Hogan by pinfall or submission 7 times. The only other wrestler to do beat Hogan more than once was the Undertaker and he only did it twice. Sting's longevity cannot be underrated. His career is just so amazing, I think I may have underrated him.

9 The Rock
This guy had the biggest impact of any wrestler of all time in the shortest period of time. Unlike Austin who did dwell in mid-card status for half a decade, The Rock was a main eventer early in his career. Had he stuck around after 2003, he could have been looked at as the best of all time. He had the entire package. Best ever promos. He was one of the only guys to cleanly beat Hogan and he did it on the biggest stage of all: Wrestlemania. I believe only the Ultimate Warrior can say the same thing. It might seem that I've undervalued The Rock but I'm trying to be objective. He is one of my all time favourites. I just don't think he wrestled in that competitive of an era and he won a lot of short term titles and wasn't the draw Austin was.

8 Steve Austin
OP talks about Austin like he's glad WWE put its competition WCW out of business. Sure Austin saved WWE but really I would have rather preferred WCW still be around. Austin is perhaps the most popular ever after Hogan and launched the best era in WWE history. His feud with McMahon was perhaps the best ever. Austin is one of my all time favourites. He was actually one of my favourites when he was Stunning Steve and I was so shocked when he blew up in WWE. Had he stuck around at the top for another 5 years then I'd make the case he was the third most important wrestler after Hogan and Flair.


7 Bret Hart
10 years ago I would have said Bret Hart was the number one wrestler of all time. Truth is though, his career at the top did not last long enough and he really wasn't the best entertainer. He was certainly up there though. He just wasn't on the same level as Michaels, Savage, Hogan, Rock, Austin etc. He will be remembered as the guy with the most high caliber matches and feuds where he came out on top. He is my personal second favourite wrestler of all time. Had he wrestled another 5 to 10 years, who knows how much higher he would be valued by today's wrestling fan.

6 Shawn Michaels
Michaels is one spot ahead of Bret Hart only because his second run in WWE where he became Mr. Wrestlemania catapulted him ahead of what the Hitman was able to accomplish between 1992 and 2000. I believe Shawn is the best wrestling entertainer of all time. He's one of my personal favourites just behind Savage, Hitman, Scott Hall and Eddie. Michaels' legacy is cemented because he wrestled for today's era of fans. Savage and Hitman didn't have that same luxury.

5 Randy Savage
I'm sure some of you kiddies who think you know everything about wrestling since 1984 are shocked by me putting Savage so high. Randy Savage is my personal favourite of all time. Look at this guys career. Long as hell. Look at this guys matches. Most intense and exciting pieces of art I've ever seen. Look at this guys promos. Pure gold. Look at this guys feuds. Most believable acting I've ever seen. Look at this guys matches. This guy at age 45 once flew off the top of a much higher than normal steel cage to deliver a double axe handle on Hulk Hogan. Look at this guy's ring attire, fan reaction, entrance music, epic moments, caliber matches. If there were no Hulk Hogan, we may all be talking about how Randy Savage made wrestling. He definitely had more impact on shaping the future of wrestling than Hulk Hogan. Benoit, Jericho, Hitman, Michaels, Edge all have much more to owe Savage than Hogan. You kids who leave Savage off your lists or place him between number 15 and 10 are in the complete dark. You guys need to get a better handle on the reality of the past.

4 Lou Thez
He's considered the Ric Flair of his era. I don't like to discredit the guys who came decades before yet I don't like giving too much credit to wrestlers who weren't part of what I feel to be the most important period of time in wrestling: from 1984 till now. No matter what though, Thez deserves to be Top 5. Look at his career, look at his dominance, look at his drawing power. He and Flair cannot be placed very far apart on a list like this.

3 Bruno Sammartino
He's actually boring to watch when you look back and compare the style of his day to today. But for his time, he was the man. He was the Hogan of the 60s and 70s. A limited skill set but barely lost and got the biggest pops of anyone. One of the biggest draws of all time and that is reflected by his world title dominance.

2 Hulk Hogan
He's not my favourite wrestler but he's my personal favourite for number one. As Hollywood Hogan, I believe he was the greatest heel of all time. Vince or Hogan, but I prefer Hogan because he was an actual wrestler who held a title as a heel longer than anyone. I loved to hate him and his dominance and leading of the NWO was just the best story ever. He almost put the WWE under. Whether Vince likes it or not, Hulk Hogan made Vince and made the WWF. Hulk Hogan is Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky. But he's not number one...?

1 Ric Flair
He's not one of my personal favourite 5 but you can't deny that the guy has adapted to every wrestling era better than any wrestler in history. He's the complete package. Best career ever.

Just outside the top 15 would be Andre the Giant, Harley Race, Chris Jericho, Bob Backlund, Frank Gotch, and Antonio Inoki. I personally like Jericho and Race and Backlund better than Triple H or John Cena though.

 

[fenfool]

Can't judge anyone I haven't seen, so:

1. Randy Savage
2. Hulk Hogan
3. Bret Hart
4. Steve Austin
5. Shawn Michaels
6. Rock
7. Chris Jericho
8. Undertaker
9. Sting
10. Andre the Giant
11. Kurt Angle
12. Mick Foley
13. Ricky Steamboat
14. John Cena
15. Ric Flair

This is affected by my personal favorites, but takes history into account. I never was a fan of HBK or Flair, but I appreciate what they have done. My personal favorites would include AJ Styles & Christopher Daniels, but I'm sure I would be crucified for including them here. Savage-Steamboat at WM3 is what really got me to be a wrestling fan...Hogan-Andre is what brought me to watch that event in the first place. Both matches did great things towards making new fans, so I don't think the importance of these wrestlers can be overstated.

Again, I never really saw Sammatino or Frank Gotch or Lou Thesz, so I have no fan-perspective frame of reference for including them.

 

[OneTooManyPunts]

Surprised that more people haven't ranked Curt Hennig in their Top 15's. IMO, the greatest mid card wrestler to never get a World Title run in the history of the WWE.

 

[Dynamitekid2012]

It's blowing my mind how many people are listing Edge and Chris Jericho in the top 15 of all time. I mean no disrespect guys as they're both great talents, but they are nowhere near that level! Not even close! They would be lucky to be considered in the top 15 of the AE. Maybe people have seen so much vanilla in the last few years that they've simply forgotten how good wrestling used to be... Ah, enough with my rant, to each their own.

15. Sting

14. Kurt Angle

13. Randy Savage

12. Andre the Giant

11. Gorgeous George (Redefined what a character should be. Easily the most influential wrestler of the modern era.)

10. Harley Race (The man was a 7 time NWA champion when the NWA was the biggest promotion in the world. Blows my mind how devalued the NWA
guys are!)

09. John Cena

08. Triple H

07. Bret Hart

06. Undertaker

05. The Rock

04. Shawn Michaels

03. Ric Flair

02. Stone Cold

01. Hulk Hogan


This isn't a list of my favorites or guys who I think were the best overall talents. This is my list that of the top 15 guys based on influence, relevance, popularity, and effect on the history of professional wrestling. I have never been a Hulkamaniac but it's undeniable that he is the biggest star of all time. Likewise, I've never been too keen on Triple H, Andre the Giant, or John Cena. However, this is my attempt at being unbiased and it would not be fair to not include them on the list.

I'm probably forgetting someone, but that's the list I got.

 

[FlairFan2003]

This is so subjective, is it just post 1984, Hulkamania era onward, or all time ? Without putting them in order, just listing the names...

1. Lou Thesz: One of the original big stars in wrestling.
2. Buddy Rogers: First man to be both WWE/WWF & NWA/WCW Champion, huge early star in era of televised wrestling. Along with Joe Namath, was inspiration for Ric Flair's Nature Boy persona.
3. Ric Flair
4. Hulk Hogan
5. Dusty Rhodes: one of the most popular fan favorites of all time, classic matches vs Flair, Tully Blanchard, & Harley Race.
6. Steve Austin
7. The Rock
8. Randy Savage
9. Harley Race: 7 time World Champion, main evented late 60s thru mid 80s against everyone from Dusty to Flair to Hogan.
10. Bruno Sammartino: The man WWE was built on, his legendary 7 year run as champion, the 1st seven years the company existed, was phenomenal. While Race dominated the Mid South & Mid West Bruno dominated the North East and Canada. Without his popularity there might not have been a WWE.
11.Sting
12. Triple H: Dominated post attitude era like no one else
13. Undertaker
14. Andre The Giant
15. Verne Gagne: Not only a highly decorated champion, ran one of the most successful promotions in 70s & 80s. Gagne either trained or provided huge breaks for Flair, HBK, Road Warriors, Curt Henning, Scott Hall, Hulk Hogan, Bobby Heenan, and helped establish Nick Bockwinkle as one of the top stars of late 70s to mid 80s.

 

[JayQ111]

1) Hulk Hogan
2) Stone Cold
3) The Rock
4) HBK
5) HHH
6) Kurt Angle
7) Chris Jericho
8) The Undertaker
9) Ric Flair
10) Eddie Guerrero
11) Randy Savage
12) Edge
13) Goldberg
14) Booker T
15) Sting

The reason I put Sting so low on this list is simple IMO he kind of messed his career up by going 2 TNA... I remember sting as a great performer with a great Character in WCW and his reasoning 4 not going 2 the wwe was because he didnt want 2 be misused and he didnt want wwe 2 ruin what he did in the past and now he's in TNA ripping off the Joker from Dark Knight SMH... Huge mistake IMO
and there are many performers i am missing but I went by success of character an In Ring Performers

 

[ProudFlairMark]

Like someone else said, I have to question any list that would include Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero or Curt Hennig on them. While each is tremendous worker in their own right, to believe they even break into the top 25 of a truly objective "All Time Greatest Professional Wrestlers" list is laughable. I'd even go as far to say Mick Foley doesn't need to be anywhere near one of these lists. Not in when those spots could be filled with people like Nick Bockwinkle, Verne Gagne, Jerry Lawler (and anyone who believes Lawler doesn't truly does not understand his impact on the world of professional wrestling) and dozens more.

 

[obamartins]

Considering WWE basically represents pro wrestling these days & other people are listing likes of Verne Gagne i think Japanese wrestlers Rikidozan, Giant Baba & Antonio Inoki should also be given consideration for their MASSIVE contribution to the pro wrestling business.

Why the likes of Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, Curt Hennig, Edge, Mick Foley, Ricky Steamboat, Kurt Angle, Goldberg, Ultimate Warrior are being mentioned is beyond me.

Some people puttting likes of Chris Jericho & Edge above Bruno Sammartino? Terry Funk? Gorgeous George? Lou Thesz? El Santo? Frank Gotch? Ed Strangler Lewis? Macho Man Randy Savage? Andre The Giant?

Give me a break...

Also what is the criteria here? ive based mine on imporantce & impact had on the business.

The man at the top of the list is Hulk Hogan.

 

[FanFromSweden]

I would like to start by sayin that im only 14 and started watching wrestling like 2009 and therefor i have only watch youtube stuff about old wrestlers.



1.Shawn michaels-Simply the best in-ring performer of all time,also good on the mic and a member of the best stable ever (IMO)

2.The rock-Maybe the best on the mic of all time.Also VERY underrated in-ring

3.Hulk hogan-I personally dont like him....but lets face it he was the man who put wrestling on the map

4.Stone cold Steve austin-Not very good in the ring but epic mic skills and just overall BADASS

5.The undertaker-For a man of his size-fucking incredible inring and also one of the best gimmicks ever

6.Randy savage-Really entertaining on the mic and very ahead of his time

7.Mr perfect Curt hennig-As savage really ahead of his time and probably the best seller of all time

8.Chris benoit-Doesnt really matter what he did,this is a thread about the best wrestlers,and he is one of them...

9.Eddie guerrero-Pretty much good at everything he did.His win vs brock was one of the best moments ever

10.Chris jericho-You know why

11.Kurt angle-Really really good in the ring.A suplex machine

12.HHH-One of the most overrated ever but he had his moments.A baddass

13.Bret hart-I will probably get so much hate for this....but WWE/WWF is for entertainent and sure he was a god in the ring but just fucking terrible on hte mic

14.Ric flair-the reason he is not higher up on the list is because i have not been able too see much from him..BUT he is a living legend

15.CM punk-Yes you read that right.tbh if wwe didnt mess him up i would have put him higher.......

 

[dakikko049]

I never really saw much before the attitude era but here we go

1. Steve Austin- this guy almost single handedly brought about the attitude era and saved WWE. He put one some of the best matches and made some of the best promos ever and was definately one of the most popular of all time.

2. Hulk Hogan- as I said I wasnt alive for any of the Hulkamania era but I heard, read and saw some of the moments he made. Personally he's not my cup of tea but he is probably the most well known name in WWE history.

3- The Rock- exactly what it says on the tin: The Most Electrifying Man in all Sports Entertainment. Secondly (if not joint) biggest face during the attitude era and another very well known name outside wrestling. His promo work was in my opinion the best of all time.

4. Shawn Michaels- regarding by many, including myself as the best in ring performer of all time. Has made so many brilliant matches throughout the years and really did steal the show every single week.

5. Randy Savage- Another name very popular guy whose promo work was very entertaining from what i've seen and who has had some terrific matches as well.

6. Bret Hart- Many classify him as the bet technical wrestler of all time. He wasn't great on the mic but really did capture the heart of the fans.

7. Undertaker- Kind of like the only really gimmicky guy to be truely loved. Wrestling fan or not it seemed everybody knew of the Undertaker. His mystical presence has made for some terrific moments over the years and he has one of the best storylines ever imo in the streak.
8. Rowdy Roddy Piper
9. HHH
10. Y2J
11. Kurt Angle
12. Ric Flair
13.John Cena
14. Mick Foley
15. Edge

 

[Wald]

Anyway my list is based off of my years as a wrestling fan since 1989, based on the WWF/E, WCW, ECW and TNA, as these are the only promotions I have ever watched. I'll give a short personal list of favourites that might help anyone reading understand where I come from as a fan before getting into a top 10 of all-timers

1. Bret Hart
2. Randy Savage
3. Kurt Angle
4. Steve Austin
5. Shawn Michaels
6. The Rock
7. Ric Flair
8. Randy Orton
9. Sting
10. Hollywood Hogan
11. Mick Foley
12. The Undertaker
13. Triple H
14. Edge
15. CM Punk

If you want a top 10 of who I think are the most important of all time, not personal favourites, I'll be honest and say I can only rank since about 1984, I haven't done my wrestling history lessons

1. Hulk Hogan
2. Ric Flair
3. Steve Austin
4. Bret Hart
5. Andre the Giant
6. Macho Man
7. Triple H
8. The Rock
9. The Undertaker
10. Roddy Piper

I'll try to explain those choices.

Hogan is a no-brainer, what wrestling is today is what Hogan made of it. He's the most important pro wrestler in the history of the sport, and he'll never be knocked off that top spot.

Ric Flair vs Steve Austin was a big battle for me for number two. Flair, although taking the Buddy Rogers gimmick, has come to define what a wrestling heel should be. Austin practically single handed saved the most important wrestling company in the history of the sport. Flair takes it for what he did for heels and how they should act, plus he made a bit of money too

Bret Hart at number four might be the most controversial choice on that list, but I think he warrants it. Macho Man probably opened the door for Bret to break into the main event, but Macho was still viewed as a pumped up caertoonish hero of the Hulk Hogan variety I feel. Bret made it possible for people to believe in wrestlers that may not be the strongest, ones that have to fight very hard to overcome the odds, but ones that always showed great heart, determination and skill to rise above those bigger than them. Without Hart breaking the mould and doing good business for Vince I doubt HBK, Benoit, Angle, Jericho, Punk, Bryan and wrestlers of that calibre would have been considered for the top table. Bret changed the way Vince viewed the main event, and in so doing changed the WWF.

Andre was still around when I got in to wrestling. He was pretty much finished but you could see what a big deal the guy was. When he was on the screen you sat up and took notice, he brought a level of fame to the WWF in the 80s that only Hogan could match, and was a major part of them moving ahead of the NWA in the wrestling wars.

Macho Man pointed to a wrestler having to be as unique as possible in the WWF. I think he set the benchmark for WWF's superstars even more so than Hogan at the time. He was over the top, he was flashy, he was intense and he could really go in the ring. I think that set the tone for the WWF on an international market, where wrestling was just viewed really as a darkened room with dull men in dull tights before.

Triple H. The guy has dominated the biggest company in the industry for over 10 years now, I'm not his biggest fan but let's give the devil his due here.

The Rock. Could possibly be ranked higher, as the reason he is on the list is pretty much the same reason Andre is. Still, main eventers are judged off whether or not they have great mic skills these days, if you don't you won't be up there for too long, as many have found out. That's because of the Rock. He is part of the Big 3 of pro wrestling when it comes a non-wrestling audience recognising a wrestler too, the other two being Hogan and Andre, so he deserves a lot of credit for his short run in the industry.

The Undertaker. In much the same way Macho and Bret helped redefine how people viewed their type of wrestler I feel the Undertaker moved the big man wrestler type away from the freak show routine Andre had made it by the end of his career. His career didn't really take off for me until he became the American Bad Ass, but since then he has been the WWE's MVP

Roddy Piper. Is basically the Rock light for me. Great talker, raised the barometer on a wrestler needing good mic skills. Achieved fame outside of the ring and was a big part of the WWF becoming a global phenomenon whilst the NWA remained an American attraction. The Rock just did things one level up from him, hence why the Rock is at 8 and Piper is at 10

 

[MrMojoRisin]

Good topic, and tough list to come up with.

The criteria I used was that to be on the list, you MUST have held the WWE/WWF/WWWF, NWA, WCW, or WWE World title at least once in your career. Number of reigns meant nothing to me, since you cannot compare that with the different eras. I did have one exception to this rule, but that individual happens to be arguably the most influential wrestler of the past century. I also only included American wrestlers, since I am not familiar enough with Japan or Mexico.

Star power, believeability in the ring, influence and body of work were all factors in the overall ranking.

15 - Terry Funk - Most remember him from his later career as the hardcore legend, and rightfully so. But Funk was so much more than that. He was a great NWA champion when the NWA title was the most important title in the world; was a fantastic worker; unselfish behind the scenes; able to change with the times and was involved in some of the most compelling storylines around.

14 - Randy Savage - Definitely ahead of his time. There wasn't nothing that the Macho Man couldn't do, and for wrestling fans who'd grown tired of Hogan in the mid-80's, his first title reign was a breath of fresh air.

13 - Jack Brisco - Considered one of the greatest NWA champions of all time by his peers. Could have held the title longer, could have held it multiple times, but he wasn't selfish. Also part of an all time classic tag team with his brother Jerry. One of the best workers ever.

12 - Dusty Rhodes - You could say that he set the template for the super face that Hogan would later become famous with. Was a 3 time NWA champion, although all were political/transitional reigns... because he was so over that he never needed the belt.

11 - Gorgeous George - My one exception. Someone said earlier that he redefined how to be a character. Wrong. He DEFINED how to create a character in wrestling. He used entrance music 20 years before anyone else did. He was the most hated heel ever when he was alive. Good in the ring, but unprecedented in his influence on the sport. Who knows where wrestling would have gone if it wasn't for Gorgeous George.

10 - Harley Race - In his time, he was just the man. Great performer in the ring. Tough as nails both inside and outside it. Understood how to do business as well as anyone.

9 - Bruno Sammartino - I was never a fan, but it cannot be denied how over he was. In the 70's, he was considered on a level with Muhammad Ali in terms of popularity, just to give some perspective. Trusted with the WWWF title for over 7 years, which was an iconic reign even for that period, when long reigns were the standard. Sold out MSG I believe more than anyone in history.

8 - The Rock - What he accomplished in such a short time was epic. One of the two biggest stars to come out of arguably the biggest period in wrestling history.

7 - Triple H - Forget the politics. He is just such a great performer. Few understand how to create as compelling of a big match as the Game.

6 - Buddy Rogers - One of the biggest stars of all time. He was apparently a real prick to work with, but he was a draw, and everyone wanted to work with him because they knew they would make money. First ever man to hold both the WWWF and NWA titles.

5 - Hulk Hogan - The second biggest draw of all time. Brought professional wrestling to heights never before imagined. There were lots of knocks on him as a worker, but he knew what the fans wanted to see, and he mastered that inside the ring. Wrestling would be vastly different today if there wasn't a Hogan.

4 - Bret Hart - The best there is, was and ever will be. Almost, but not quite. Still he was an unbelievable performer in his believeability in the ring. He made it look real at a time when no one believed it was real anymore. Hart was a 70's throwback that fit in the 90's, and kept subtly updating his repetoire to keep it relevent. He could always be counted on to have the best match on the card.

3 - Ric Flair - To be the man, you got to beat the man... and Ric Flair was the man. Don't let the last 10-15 years cloud your memories of this guy. Outside of the WWF, he WAS wrestling. He knew every trick in the book, and knew how to keep the fans on the edge of their seats. Everyone would pay to see him lose, and he'd always find a way to sneak out of the arena with his title intact, and the fans itching to come back because they just knew that the next time would be the time he lost. With the exception of some of the overly showy spots, Flair should be a case study in how any heel champ should work.

2 - Lou Thesz - THE classic professional wrestler. The number one star of his era. Multiple time NWA champion when such a thing was practically unheard of. Innovator of so many moves that are still popular today. One of the most respected ever.

1 - Steve Austin - Yeah the #1 draw of all time is #1 for me. Innovator in how to get over as a mega face while still being a heel. Actually amped up his heel character when he got turned face, and became more unbelievably over as a result. Was a massive pop culture icon in his time, yet still was at the center of many extremely compelling storylines. Was a great worker period, both before his neck injury and even after, by switching to a brawling style that both suited his character better, and was still enthralling to watch. The absolute best of all time in my eyes.

Honorable mention goes to Nick Bockwinkel, Shawn Michaels, Sting, Kurt Angle, The Undertaker, Ricky Steamboat, Ed Lewis, Barry Windham, Curt Hennig, Jerry Lawler and Andre the Giant. I probably should have included AWA champs as well, but I was too far into the list before I realized that

 

[TheExceLLenceOfExecution]

1) Hulk Hogan
2) Stone Cold
3) The Rock
4) HBK
5) HHH
6) Kurt Angle
7) Chris Jericho
8) The Undertaker
9) Ric Flair
10) Eddie Guerrero
11) Randy Savage
12) Edge
13) Goldberg
14) Booker T
15) Sting

The reason I put Sting so low on this list is simple IMO he kind of messed his career up by going 2 TNA... I remember sting as a great performer with a great Character in WCW and his reasoning 4 not going 2 the wwe was because he didnt want 2 be misused and he didnt want wwe 2 ruin what he did in the past and now he's in TNA ripping off the Joker from Dark Knight SMH... Huge mistake IMO
and there are many performers i am missing but I went by success of character an In Ring Performers

so you are mad that he ripped of the joker from "dark knight", but in your opinion he was a great character in WCW while he ripped off the character from movie "the crow?"

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

For my list I used the following conditions:
a) Only rank guys I watched (late 80's-present)
b) Only rank guys according to their time in WWE/F
c) Ranking wrestlers on the combination of wrestling ability, mic skills, charisma, main event status/longevity, ability to be both heel and face

Before I get to my list I have to mention:

CM Punk is knocking on the door and if he remains in main events for the foreseable future he can crack this list and guys like Rhodes/Ziggler are on the right path and when/if they get to the main event and remain on top of their game they could get on this list.

On to the list.

15)Batista: If he either started his carrier earlier (mid 30's by the time he debuted) or was still a current competitor he could have been higher. Not as bad in the ring as people like to say.

14) Mr.Perfect: Only guy on my list not to be a WWE champ. Still meets all of my criteria and passes with flying colors on most. Never got to be a top face, but I have to believe he could have pulled it off.

13) Randy Orton: I put him here now, but there is room to grow. If he can find a way to be a more polarizing face, and continue to improve on the mic, everything else is their for him to move higher.

12)Diesel: Ranks lower for me because his time in the WWE was short and I'm not considering his WCW stint. Otherwise he would be higher as he has it all and is another guy that I think doesn't get enough credit for his in ring work.

11) Edge: One of my favorites. A guy who was stuck in midcard too long and got hurt which cut his career short. Only knock is Edge face towards the end of his run was nowhere near heel Edge. However, I think that's more a product of the pg era as he would have made a great attitude era face.

10)Macho Man: Ahead of his time and as such it hurts him here. I don't think the WWE knew how to fully utilize him in a time where 6'6'' and 300lbs was the norm. One of only a few handful of guys from back then that could have competed today and held their own. Also says alot about him when he was a 2 time champ and still underused.

9) Chris Jericho: The best in the world and he's not too far off in that claim. First guy on this list to be a WWE champ and have no flaws. Like Edge, spent too long as a midcarder and his on again off again status hurt him here.

8) Brock Lesner: What could have been???? What other guy ever at 6'2'' could dominate giants and it look totally believable? This guy was scary good and his mic skills were coming along before he departed.

7) Kurt Angle: The best wrestler ever. Unfortunatly that's not enough to get him top status. Two things hurt him here. One is that he was overshadowed during the attitude era by the Austin's and Rock's and he was misused at the end of his WWE run which makes him look worse the he is.

6) Triple H: Never cared for Hunter, but got nothing but respect for him. Student of the game who has had long reigns as both top face and heel.

5) The Undertaker: The best gimmick ever and Calloway has used it to mark out this spot for himself. For as much as I liked early Taker, he seems to be getting stale, and I hope Hunter ends the streak this year.

4) Stone Cold: Leader of the attitude era and an all around badass help put him here, but its his underated wrestling skills and the way he got fans to love him without trying that earned this spot.

3) The Rock: Most charismatic and best on the mic. Wheather face or heel he got the reaction he wanted out of the fans every time. Also very good in the ring.

2) Shawn Michaels: No one puts on the show this guy does when it matters the most. Was able to overcome a near career ending injury and pick up where he left off.

1) Bret Hart: The best their is, was or ever will be lands the top spot like his namesake suggests. Just like the Rock could control the fans with his words, Bret did with his work in the ring. For that reason (along with his numerous accolaides) land him here.

 

[HBKperfect23]

15. Chris Benoit: So dedicated, greatest technical wrestler of his time
14. Roddy Piper: the orginal rebel
13. Jake Roberts: greatest mind in wrestling history
12. Taker: Always consistant, most professional
11. Cena: Leader of the PG era, underrated in the ring (at times)
10. Ted Dibease: The best heel ever, solid in the ring, could make anyone look good
9. Rock: Maybe the best personality ever, underrated in the ring
8. Bret Hart: Best storyteller ever (next to savage)
7. Triple H: Great in the ring and on the mic, can make his oppenent look great
6. Kurt Angle: Best pure athlete ever, great on the mic
5. Randy Savage: Classic match after classic match and made wrestling so beleivable
4. Hulk Hogan: Put WWF on the map, underrated worker(when he wanted to work)
3. Steve Austin: Extremly underrated in the ring in the early/mid 90s. Biggest draw ever
2. Ric Flair: greatest showman ever. Top notch in the ring, not too far off #1
1. Shawn Michaels best in ring performer ever, great on the mic. 1996/7 he could have put on a good match with anyone

Hard leaving off: Chris Jericho, Perfect, Yokozuna, Eddie Guerrero, Rick Steamboat , Edge, Sting. They all crossed my mind for the last few spots
I think CM Punk may work his way on to this list before hes all said and done

 

[midgensa]

This is a solid topic to get people going back and forth.

What I love are the people in here calling other people idiots for having Jericho on the list and not Gagne or Thesz or whomever. To each their own. This list could be ranked so many different ways. Lets be honest ... wrestling now is a much bigger thing than it ever was pre-80s. If you want to go pure economic impact then anyone prior to Hogan is out right off the bat.

I am going to go by whatever my criteria is ... and I can't really figure it out myself. I mean, pure box office ... then 1-3 is a lock at Hogan, Austin and Flair ... technically speaking ... Benoit, Angle, Hart and Lance Storm all of a sudden are top dogs. So lets mush it all together and see what I come out with.

1. Stone Cold Steve Austin - Simply the top dog in the most-profitable era in wrestling history. Had a number of memorable world championship reigns as well as non-world title feuds. His merchandise flew off the shelves and his rise not-only saved the foundering WWE, but also helped begin the fall of WCW. Three Royal Rumble crowns and a King of the Ring to boot just help load up his resume. He is the top dog.

2. Hulk Hogan - Put wrestling on the tip of people's tongues nationwide. Could easily be argued as the top guy on this list. His heel turn and forming of nWo is one of the most shocking and well done moments in wrestling history. His performance against Andre the Giant was not spectacular ... but completely changed the landscape and led to WWF being a worldwide phenomenon. Creative control issues in his career probably put a halt to a handful of mega-feuds that could have easily vaulted him to No. 1 on this list. But all that aside ... he still gets major pops and still is a massive drawing card today, despite being practically crippled.

3. Ric Flair - The man. He carried so many promotions. He was the top dog in NWA/WCW/WWE and he never was a disappointment. His 16 World Championships stands alone and seems like it might be destined to stay there (Triple H looks on the road to retirement, spotty appearances ... though Cena is coming). His match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24 was on many lists as match of the year ... despite the fact that he was 58 years old. An amazing promo man, technician and performer. Flair simply has it all.

4. Shawn Michaels - They are not overdoing it when they call The Heartbreak Kid the "Great In-ring Performer of All-time." There has simply never been anyone that puts together amazing matches like Shawn Michaels. It does not matter who he is performing with ... he takes it to another level. Whether he is stealing the show in his SummerSlam return. Or doing it with The Rock vs. Stone Cold on the same card ... he NEVER brought anything but his best to the ring. His WrestleMania matches are simply epic. From Ramon to Hart to Austin to Jericho to Undertaker x 2 ... absolutely perfect. I am thrilled he took a chance to return in 2002 and take his great career and turn it legendary. "One More Match" chants will chase him until he is 70 years old ... and even then he would find a way to put on a five-star classic.

5. The Rock - Would be higher on this list had Hollywood not come calling (which is not a knock). He definitely was the top dog in the WWE at times, even when Austin was around ... and to be perfectly honest, that is shocking considering Austin's immense popularity. His return has definitely left a little to be desired, but is welcome none-the-less. His rivalry with Austin absolutely put WCW away ... and it is arguably the best rivalry the business has ever seen (definitely the most profitable). Even now, when he is not at his best, he OWNS the crowd. And that is something that just cannot be taken for granted.

6. Lou Thesz - Simply dominated the sport nationwide for a six-year period (including a 5 1/2-year run with the NWA title) while taking wrestling from a "Mom & Pop" operation to a spectacle people across the nation looked forward to. Is thought to be the inventor of a number of moves ... and had the charisma to get the crowd eating out of his hand. Would he have made it in the post-80s wrestling world? Hard to tell. But he definitely was huge in the era that presented itself to him

7. Jerry Lawler - This one really needs no explanation to people who really follow wrestling history. I am not going to harp on those that don't have him on their list ... but Jerry is LEGENDARY beyond belief. He was a HUGE draw in his prime and played the villain as well as anyone.

8. Triple H - Long before he was the boss' son-in-law Triple H was on the road to greatness. He has the look. The charisma. The intellect. And, of course, the promo skills. Many got tired of him at the top of the card, but the simple fact is ... other than The Rock and Austin, Trips drew a ton of money through the Attitude Era and beyond. His 14 World Titles is a testament to the fact that whether a face or a heel ... him being at the top of the card kept people tuning in.

9. Harley Race - One of the most undervalued performers in wrestling history. He single-handedly help Ric Flair become an icon. Holding the NWA World Championship seven times is no small matter. Three PWI Match of the Year awards with three different performers is also quite notable. His work in the ring was damn near flawless and look up some of his promos if you are unfamiliar. They were edgy ... even in an era where edgy was not always encouraged.

10. Andre the Giant - By far the most popular wrestler on the planet in the late 70s and early 80s as everyone wanted to see him for his pure size. His ring work was not nearly as bad as some would make it out to be ... and his work with Hogan simply changed the landscape of wrestling forever. His feud with King Kong Bundy was excellent and provided some of the best big-guy vs. big-guy matches of all time.

11. Bret Hart - The Best There Was. The Best There Is. The Best There Ever Will Be. Maybe not quite, but for in-ring work ... there has never been anyone as complete and who worked as hard to make the spectacle take a back seat to the technique.

12. John Cena - Has simply owned his era. Nobody is even close to him in earning and in accolades in the post-Attitude Era. His feuds with Edge and Randy Orton raised those guys to different levels (and they are honorable mentions because of this guy). He LOVES this business. LIVES this business and wants nothing more than to be the best. Say what you want about his character or in-ring work (both of which are not nearly as bad as the anti-Cena crowd would have you believe). He is the top dog.

13. Kurt Angle - A tough one, because he is actually hurt by the fact that when he went to TNA he did not raise it above the levels it is currently at. I thought he could, but it simply did not happen. His in-ring work is excellent and his promo work is highly underrated. The fact that he is an actual gold medalist is just icing on the cake.

14. Rowdy Roddy Piper - By far the best guy to never hold a top title (sorry Perfect fans). He simply cuts promos like nobody else and still has a swagger that makes it impossible to turn away from the TV.

15. Undertaker - The toughest spot on the list because I had a hard time bumping Sting and Savage. But in the end. The streak is HUGE. It has been his entire legacy for almost 10 years now and he has owned it and continued to put on golden matches year in and year out.

Honorable mention: Sting, Randy Savage. Verne Gagne, Chris Jericho, Edge, Bruno Sammartino, Mr. Perfect, Mick Foley, Gorgeous George, Randy Orton, CM Punk