Bret Hart: "The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be." It was definately not just a gimmick when refering to Bret Hart. The man has got to be without a doubt the best Canadian Wrestler in the entire industry. Past, Present and Future.. its very doubtful that anyone will ever match, or top what Bret Hart has done for this business.
He came from a great wrestling Family, and he definately set landmarks in sports entertainment. He truly became the first smaller athlete to become a World Champion, to my knowledge. And he set records by becoming the first guy to hold the Heavyweight Championship, Intercontinental Championship and Tag Team Championship when they were the only titles available at that time. Noone before him did that.
Unfortunately a stupid kick by an inexperienced jackass cost Bret Hart and millions of fans what could've been a slightly longer and even more storied career in Professional Wrestling. I don't care what anyone says, Bill Goldberg needs punished perminately for his actions. Accident or not, the guy was shit and didn't belong in the same ring as Bret Hart.
Noone will ever forget Hart for everything hes done. Hes been rightfully inducted into the Hall of Fame, and forever will be remembered as one of, if not THE best Canadian Wrestler in all of Professional Wrestling.
Edge: Without a doubt, the best Canadian wrestler in the business today, and quite possibly setting out to become the 2nd greatest of all time. Noone would've seen Edge becoming half of what he has, and several could contribute it to the personal life actions between himself, Amy Dumas and Matt Hardy. However I'd like to think its because the guy has pure talent that isn't seen in hardly any of the newer Superstars.
Edge's intensity drives him through everything, and seeing him get fired up makes you almost want to be just as into each match as he seemingly is.
I can personally say I called this one on the night he debuted. I don't know how, and I have no clue why, but I said the moment I seen him that he would become a World Heavyweight Champion. Hes held multiple Championships, and has been what main have not. The leader of both Raw and Smackdown, as their respective World Champion. Thats a great accomplishment for him, and shows how incredible he is in this business.
Chris Jericho: I have next to no love for Chris Jericho as one of the best Canadian athletes. Hes great on the mic, but outside of that hes not really anything above par to me. Especially anymore. I loved Chris Jericho in W.C.W. the most, and his highest point in the W.W.F/E. that I loved him, was during his "Living Legend" days as the first ever Undisputed World Champion.
Unfortunately there hasn't been a lot that Chris Jericho can live up to saying hes done. Outside of what I mentioned previously, hes done nothing except become the first ever Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion.. a title that later got resplit back into two seperate Championships anyways and defeated the purpose.
Jericho will always be one of the very best for what he did in W.C.W., but he got lost in the mid-card ranks in the World Wrestling Federation and it just goes to show he doesn't have what it takes to Main Event like some of the other, better, Canadians.
Lance Storm: 3rd best Canadian EVER, if not tied for 2nd, in my mind. Lance Storm was incredible in E.C.W. and was definately on a level all by itself in the latter portion of W.C.W. He was (to my knowledge) the ONLY athlete to ever hold 3 single's Championships at one time. Winning them back, to back, to back.
Lance Storm is the definition of technical in the world of sports entertainment. He doesn't have a very charismatic approach to the business, but thats what adds even more appeal to him, because he feeds off just that.
He was one half of the Impact Players in E.C.W., a Tag Team that should be seen as one of the best but often gets forgotten by everyone due to the fact that both guys were tremendous single's stars in E.C.W.
I don't know what more to say about Lance Storm other than I haven't watched a single one of his matches, that I have ever been bored with. Steve Austin can kiss my ass with that shit ass gimmick, because Lance Storm is the best at what he does. Austin should take a page, or 20 outta Storm's book. He might learn something more than a punch.
Christian: When a Tag Team splits up, typically one guy gets a major push, the other guy just gets shoved.. out the door. Christian made sure he wouldn't be getting any type of shove, when he willingly walked out and into a Main Event spot of his own, against his former Tag Team partner and best friend.
Christian will always be remembered as nothing more than Edge's partner in the W.W.E. region, but to T.N.A. fans across the world, Christian Cage will be seen as one of the best Main Event guys to ever come into the business. Christian has what it takes to be on that level, but unfortunately in the ranks of best Canadian superstars, he'll always fall below his best friend... again.
Owen Hart: Much like when a Tag Team splits and the push/shove happens. When brothers break into the business, they're often compared greatly to one another. Unfortunately for Owen, his brother was Bret.
There is no way Owen Hart can top everything his brother did for the business, but unfortunately Owen may be remembered (in the worst of ways) more dramatically than his older brother will ever be.
It in my mind is without a shadow of a doubt that Owen Hart would've became a World Champion someday, had that dreadful night not happened. Owen Hart didn't get a great chance to accomplish many things in his Pro Wrestling career before his life was cut short, however the one thing he did do, was upstage his brother in the opening match at Wrestlemania X. Owen Hart out wrestled his brother, only to be upstaged by Bret winning the World Championship at the end of the night.
When I think of Owen, the things I'll never forget are.. his kick to Shawn Michaels. His feuds with Bret. Breaking Austin's neck. His amazing matches against his brother-in-law, the British Bulldog. His many Tag Team's with Bulldog, Yokozuna, & Jeff Jarrett. His Slammy award winning achievements. Owen Hart will forever be in my heart and missed greatly.
Chris Benoit: Going from one tragedy to another is never a good thing. But in remembering the best Canadian Athletes its almost fitting to end with Chris Benoit.
In W.C.W. he was considered one of the end all be all greatest technical Superstars to never win a Championship, then he hit a gold rush becoming United States Champion, Television Champion, and then World Heavyweight Champion all before exiting the company as undefeated with the Heavyweight title.
Arguably one of the very best that Canada has ever produced and now someone most wrestling industries are trying to erase. I think its a crime to erase the legacy that was Chris Benoit, because the man has been all over the Professional Wrestling scene. Hes held multiple Championships everwhere hes went, and his career has been amazing throughout.
Wrestlemania XX is a landmark, a milestone in Professional Wrestling and Chris Benoit has the pleasure of being the headlining act that went over two of the very best in the business. When people remember Wrestlemania's, they'll typically remember the landmark ones. 1, 10, 20.
Chris Benoit will NOT be erased from my mind, and I could give a shit less what the man did in his personal life. To me, he was one of the very best in Professional Wrestling, and as such would instantly be one of the absolute best to come out of Canada. Just like Owen, Chris Benoit is in my heart and I miss him greatly.
Other: There are reasons why noone has mentioned the guys I'd put in the other section, however I'd be remise if I didn't add Val Venis, Test, and...
Trish Stratus: Hey, who said the best representative had to be a guy? Trish Stratus paved the way for the next generation of Female wrestlers in this business. She started as nothing more than a valet, and became one of the most famous, popular and record setting diva/female wrestlers in this sport.
Shes lead guys that she managed to Championships, and shes found the Women's Championship multiple times on her own. Shes set records for being a Champion, and will forever be missed in the sport. Now retired, fans often see what today's female wrestling has boiled down to and send cries and pleas, deseprating wanting her back. Trish Stratus is without a doubt, the BEST Canadian Superstar.. as far as females go.
