Best in Pro Wrestling (WZ Column needs your help!)

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Hey everybody! I'm getting ready to debut a new column that tracks the best pro wrestlers in the industry, week by week based on WWE and TNA's television schedule. I'd love to include ROH, but the nature of their new TV product makes it virtually impossible. For the first column I'm going to just put out who the best have been in the last few months, and then adjust it week by week. I've already put out a poll on Twitter and have had a few dozen replies. Basically what I'm doing is taking everyone's opinion into account, writing up my own Top 10, and then putting out a list of the Top 10 by popular opinion. If the mods allow it, I will probably do this on a weekly basis.

So, give me your Top Five pro wrestlers in WWE and TNA right now?

So far the most popular are Punk, Roode, Rhodes, Orton, and Sheamus.

 

[RicoLen]

Cena's been putting over everyone lately. From The Miz at Wrestlemania, to CM Punk at Money in the Bank to Alberto Del Rio at Hell in a Cell. This whole year he's been making people stars. I don't see how anyone could argue that he's not the best right now. Even if they want to argue that CM Punk is the new big star on the rise, right now John Cena is STILL the best.

 

[GrandSword]

These are my AT THE MOMENT best in the U.S. industry


Most entertaining - Sting. He has taken his new gimmick and put a lot of energy into it. Instead of coasting on his more familiar character, Sting has decided to try and go all out and make very risky changes to his character. Some have criticised it, some have loved it.. but he has been the most entertaining wrestler in the U.S. two major companies for the last few months.

Most improved - Mark Henry - WWE management have given him a superman push and Mark although his in ring is the same has noticably stepped it up on the mic. I guess that happens when you get more opportunities to cut promos.

Best promos - At the moment you can't go past Cody Rhodes. He fluently talks very well and strongly and is able to get over his current storyline, his opponent and himself excellently.

Best in ring - Robert Roode is putting on clinics in TNA right now. I know he is being booked to win, but it just goes to show , if TNA would actually give their original talent some actual match time over 5 minutes, how brilliant they can be. Roode has always been the master of great comebacks ina match and with him being a face moving towards the heel Champion at BFG, he is showing what he can do.

Best Overall - At the moment, I would have to say right now, it's not Punk or Cena, it is Sheamus. He is getting quite the push, but hasn't had to change his character too much. His matches are very watchable and he looks very confident and crisp in the ring. Although he has his WWE 5 moves of doom, he has been consistent and people are clealry getting behind the Celtic Warrior.

 

[The Future Rises]

If we're talking about someone who can really go in the ring and just straight up put on wrestling clinic then I have a few in mind. Daniel Bryan is a guy who can put on a good match with just about anybody. He can go from technical wrestling to submission wrestling to high flying wrestling in mere seconds. Another guy you have to include is Sheamus. He's definitely the most talented big man on the roster right now. He always puts on a good show and has great timing every time he hits the Brogue Kick. Dolph Ziggler is another a guy that you can't leave out from your column. He should at least get an honorable mention considering how great he is in the ring. The guy is a midcarder still young in his career yet he has already put on a couple of 4 star wrestling clinics. And finally, you have CM Punk. Whenever you think of best in wrestling nowadays Punk's name is the one that's bound to come to mind first. He has really shown off his real talents this year and not only can he talk like the best but he can sure as hell wrestle like the best. I don't watch TNA that much, but from what I've seen AJ Styles and Bobby Roode seem like great talents. Kurt Angle needs to make your column too he's honestly my all time favorite wrestler.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

The column will likely debut next week, after we can factor in Bound for Glory and get more votes. Including on Twitter over 100 votes have been tallied. So far Punk, Roode, Rhodes, Sheamus, and Henry make up the Popular Opinion Top 5. Please continue send in your votes. If you don't want to give a full-fledged explanation here, there is a duplicate of this in the spam section. You can also go to Twitter and caste your vote as well.

 

[The Crock]

For me, this is simple. It comes down to these 5 men:

1. John Cena
2. CM Punk
3. Mark Henry
4. Randy Orton
5. Sheamus

I know, an all WWE top five, how dare I? Simply put, I don't think Robert Roode, Kurt Angle, or Sting really compare to these guys at this point. Angle's on cruise control, Sting's a shadow of what he used to be, and Roode can be very good, but he has moments where he bores me beyond belief.

Cena's the best in the business. People who argue that are people who try to look smarter than they are by going in-depth about how he's not good technically. So what? The man's a machine on the mic and can tell one hell of a story.

Punk's on fire right now, but his storyline has gotten boring. That said, he's still excellent on the mic and puts on great matches with anybody he's matched up with. He's looking to become the top guy in the WWE right now and I only have Cena and Orton above him.

The rest of my list have all been solid, Henry being the only surprise. He's had a monster push and he deserves it. Enough said.

 

[poppycock]

CM Punk - Going to put him at number one right now even though this would have been more concrete a couple of weeks ago. He is very over right now with the WWE fans young and old... I would personally say more so than Cena right now even. Needs something else to happen though to keep him at the top...maybe starting to show signs of getting stale with the impatient fans of today's product.

Bobby Roode - Very over in the world of TNA and it has spilled outisde that world and lots of people are talking about him. Pretty hot right now I would say.

Mark Henry - Come a long long way over the last few months and looks like a monster. He has come close in the past to being pushed but this time he managed to capture the World Heavyweight Championship. Being pushed to the moon right now and I am pleased for him.

John Cena - Not really done anything out of the ordinary as of late..just lost the WWE Title but as always he is very over and still the number one face of the WWE.

Randy Orton - Pretty much the same as above. He is one of the two top faces/superstars in the WWE and therefore has to be included in a list like this.

Sting - Big match with Hogan coming up and seems to be very over with the fans. Is involved in one of the biggest TNA storylines at the moment. Very relevant right now.

Cody Rhodes - His gimmick has shot him up the ladder faster than maybe if he was not given it but was always going to get up the ladder in my opinion. Intercontinental Champion and making the belt meaningful again.

Dolp Ziggler - In the same boat as Cody... or at least somewhat similar. Destined to be a star I feel.

The Rock - Not wrestling but seeing as i basing my list on who is over with the fans at this present moment in time...everybody is talking about him and awaiting his return and his Wrestlemania match with Cena is on the tip of most peoples tongues.

Austin Aries - Seems to be pretty big right now in TNA and is now X Division Champion.

 

[Jessie Lynn DivaGirl]

1. Bobby Rhoode
2. Kazarian (I'm a sucker for tall, dark and tan guys- I'm a teen)
3. Sheamus
4. Cody Rhodes
5.

I have to debut with myself on that one. I'll get back to it at the end.

The guys I've listed so far all have great personality, good in-ring skills, and a lot of promise for the future.

Ah, yes! Here we go.

5. Daniel Bryan

Sorry bout that, had to argue with myself over the last spot.

 

[Good Golly It's Ollie]

First let me say I like this idea Mike. I think it could potentially be more interesting than say, PWI 500, if you get enough feedback.

For me, this is simple. It comes down to these 5 men:

1. John Cena
2. CM Punk
3. Mark Henry
4. Randy Orton
5. Sheamus

I know, an all WWE top five, how dare I? Simply put, I don't think Robert Roode, Kurt Angle, or Sting really compare to these guys at this point. Angle's on cruise control, Sting's a shadow of what he used to be, and Roode can be very good, but he has moments where he bores me beyond belief.

I completely agree with the Crock. These 5 guys are basically the most entertaining and the most at the top of their game at the moment.

I'd re-order it for personal preference to look like this:

1. Cena
2. Punk
3. Orton
4. Sheamus
5. Henry

Cena and Orton I feel are pretty self-explanatory. As for the other three guys:

Now I'll admit there's a huge Mark Henry bandwagon and it's justifyable to say that this isn't justifyable. Mark's not all that different from his previous heel personae. But this time I think good booking's been on his side. He's clearly always had this potential but it just took a long time and the right circumstances for it to work out for him.

I think Edge retiring this year has reshaped the very foundation of WWE. Not only have several "new" guys reached/are reaching the top, but Punk's been elevated to an even higher position now. He can truly be ranked alongside Cena and Orton, and I feel he's got greater freedom to do what makes him above the average guy - the mic work.

Sheamus has been set alight with his face turn and not only is he a humorous character, he's still pretty bad-ass. That's quite rare to get in a wrestler. I think he's very unique.

Honourable mentions to the Miz. If Henry goes off the boil I'd stick Miz in his spot in a second.