**Discussion** Biggest WWE Legend of all Time

[5000]

Hulk Hogan-First "Real" Face Of The WWE

Bruno Sammartino-First Face of the WWE and longest WWE Title Reign of all time

Steve Austin- "Stone Cold" By far the most popular star of all time and the "original" face of the wwe

HBK-Greatest In-Ring Performer Of All Time

The Undertaker-My Personal Pick Undefeated at 'Mania nuff said

The Rock-The Second face of the attitude era and the best wrestler of all time

John Cena-11-time WWE Champion (Most in company history) been the face of the wwe for over eight years until Summerslam

HHH-Coo,13-time world champ,get's all his 'Mania Opponents over

Kane-Wrestled more matches than anyone in WWe History

Y2J-Greatest Debut of all-time,First Undisputed WWE Champion

Vince Mcmahon-Doesn't even need explanation

Rey Mysterio Jr.-Latino Face Of WWE for Years

Ric Flair-No Explanation Needed

(Honarable Mentions: Mick Foley, CM Punk,(not sure he's a legend but a poll will be up later),Batista,Brock Lesnar,Eddie Guerrero,Kurt Angle,etc.)

Randy Orton-Ended more legends career's than anyone else in history

 

[Dagron]

As much as it pains me to say it, if you voted anything other than Hogan, you're a delusional smark. In another ten or fifteen years, perhaps this changes, but for now the man most associated with the WWE/F and wrestling in general is still Hulk Hogan.

 

[Tbgator85]

There are only 2 possible choices.

Hulk Hogan, who MADE wrestling what it is today.

or

Steve Austin, who SAVED the WWE.

But when it really comes down to it, there can only be one answer: Hulk Hogan.
He WAS wrestling for years. He carried the company on his back. A larger than life character that didn't have a limit to his marketability.

He was the 1st movie star, the 1st spokes person and that will never be topped. (Sure the Rock is a bigger Hollywood star now)

Just look at Wrestlemania 17. Hollywood Hogan, a heel, came in and turned the crowd around on the Rock, who was arguably the 2nd biggest face int he company. If it was Austin, I would expect a 50/50 split.

When you think of Pro Wrestling you think of Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea.

 

[Irishock]

Hulk Hogan made sports entertainment. So that means that without him, there would be no Rock, nor Austin.

By the way, the poll could've been shortened to just 3 choices: Austin, Rock or Hogan. They're the only suitable options for "the biggest WWE legend ever"

edit: I think Taker has a case as well, especially due to his longevity. And the streak is a huge draw for WM. But Michaels, HHH, even freakin' Rey Mysterio's on this list?

 

[The Gribbler]

I voted Austin because Hogan deserves to win, but not by much. Austin took the WWE to new heights, and should be a close second to Hogan. Buuuuut, Hogan is the greatest name in WWE history, so he wins.

Out of curiosity, why is Flair on this list? He might be one of the best wrestlers ever, but he is in no way a WWE product. As such, shouldn't be on the list.

Just my opinion.

 

[Irishock]

Austin took the WWE to new heights

So Hogan didn't take the WWF to new heights? The man put wrestling on MTV.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

It has to be Hogan with Austin and Rock as close seconds.

When you look at it the fact of the matter is what WWE is today was built on the back of Hulk Hogan, there's no disputing that. Arn Anderson once said "Hogan will always be the biggest star in the history of wrestling, there's no doubting that. Ask any person on the planet and if they know nothing else about wrestling they will say "oh that's that thing that Hulk Hogan does" they know that", that says it all right there.

In 20 years it could very well be The Rock based on how successful he did in the movie business but chances are it will still be Hogan because of how much he did for wrestling. These days all you hear about is how much of a cancer he was to WCW, how much of a cancer he is to TNA and although some of those comments may have some merit (most are just absurd) but the fact of the matter is Hogan is the reason why we watch wrestling today. Without Hogan wrestling would be a lot smaller, things like Wrestlemania wouldn't exist and most of all the machine by which all wrestling is currently measured wouldn't exist.

No Hogan, no WWE (or a very small version of WWE). It's really that simple.

 

[Makaveli31]

Wait hold on!! Does anyone realize Vince McMahon in on the list?!? Who is one common denominator in the '80's WWF, the Attitude Era etc...it's Vince...it's ALWAYS been Vince. He took on the NWA and the old territorial system HEAD ON. He knew where pro wrestling, cable TV, and PPV were headed and knocked down barriers and destroyed stereotypes to turn the WWF into the behemoth it became in the 1980's!!

He gambles on WrestleMania and won big time, he used celebrities he used MTV he used Sports Illustrated he name professional wrestling NATIONAL. Now Hogan was the biggest star BY FAR and no one could match his charisma be made stars out of the Ultimate Warrior Jake the Snake Honky Tonk Man etc...Remember it was Vince and Pat that created to those memorable storylines and angles.

Vince took on the U.S. govt when they tried to shut him down on steoid distribution chargers. He could have rolled over but that wasn't in Vince's nature and he ended up DEFEATING the federal government!!

Vince took on BILLIONAIRE Ted Turner who raked his company of it's BIGGEST names and went head to head with the WWF with the intent on killing it. Vince adapted and once again changed course and.....BOOM the Attitude Era is created!!

Again the wrestlers deserve credit too. Hogan, Rock, Austin etc...but they ALL have left at one point or another and the WWF STILL THRIVED!!

 

[Aquaman6686]

Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold, Vince McMahon, and many others can all have valid arguments made for them. My personal choice is Shawn Michaels, because I believe without him, WWE wouldn't have survived the Monday Night Wars. Michaels carried the company when no one else could, and Stone Cold never would have become the true megastar he became without Michaels as a foil. All the legends who came in the past have my respect, but I'm going with Shawn Michaels, the man who kept WWE alive long enough to turn the tides and save themselves from being destroyed.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Hulk Hogan. All others pale in comparison to what he did for wrestling in general. The only person that has came close to what he has accomplished for the business is Stone Cold Steve Austin. Hulk Hogan didn't revolutionize the industry once, but twice. That's something nobody has pulled off quite yet. And I doubt anybody else can.

Hulk Hogan wasn't popular because of wrestling. Wrestling became popular because of Hulk Hogan. He was the one that made it Pop Culture. You could go your entire life without watching WWE, but you will know who Hulk Hogan is regardless. That's how much of an impact he made.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

This list is silly. You're substituting the "Greatest" or "Best" for the word "Legend". Hulk Hogan is the greatest and best WWE wrestler of all time but if you are going to throw around the word "Legend", shouldn't we distinguish the aspect of being a legend that exists in poorly documented history? Most everything Hogan has done he has discussed to death. The rest is all on Coliseum Home Video and Youtube. These are not the traits for legends, their traits for the self-aggrandizing. This goes for guys like Cena, Stone Cold, and The Rock. All great talents, the best WWE has had to offer, but not necessarily legends.

The most legendary superstars to be a part of the WWE are Flair, Sammartino, and Andre (how the hell do you not include Andre? Nevermind, I accept your apology):

- Flair because he survived a plane crash, has umpteen failed marriages, and his financial life is so hard to believe that I don't believe it;
- Sammartino because of his connection to MSG, the descriptions of his strength, and because of his nickname; and
- Andre because there are countless stories about the guy that may or may not be true regarding his drinking, shocking abilities for a man his size, likeability, and his strength.

(Calming down) Maybe Cena will be in this class someday. Facebook friends and T-shirt sales may resonate with this upcoming generation. I do give him legendary credit for all the Divas he's supposedly banged. Piper belongs on this list as well, Snuka killed someone. Scott Hall being alive could be construed as legendary. Faboulous Moola held her belt for 327 years.

I don't know, maybe I need to let go of the word "Legend", but I'd rather not. Regardless, the answer to this question is Andre the Giant.

 

[LynchCats]

It has to be the Hulkster. As Ric Flair said on Hulk Hogan's Ultimate Anthology DVD, not everyone's gonna know who Ric Flair is. But if you ask anyone who Hulk Hogan is, they will know that he was a wrestler, and he is the ultimate face of wrestling. Hogan took it to heights never seen before, or since. I love Austin and Rock, but without Hogan and the success of WM 1 (because it's been said by many people before, if WM 1 failed, Vince would have had to sell WWF because he'd have gone broke), Austin and Rock would not be the names they are today.

 

[MattBrady425]

Actually, I'm a little bit surprised that Bret Hart was not on the list. Bret Hart is by far the biggest WWE legend of all-time. His WrestleMania matches were legendary, and he was TOO big for the WWE right when the Monday Night Wars were starting up. He may not have done much in WCW, but if WWE was able to afford Hart, the Monday Night Wars might have been a little shorter than the way it played out.

 

[Radical Canadian Goose]

Hogan, Hands down. Whether you like the guy or not Hulkamania made wrestling what it is today. And then a decade or so later the NWO (led by Hogan) changed the face of wrestling (sorry Sports Entertainment) yet again. Easily Hogan,

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Hulk Hogan. Bret Hart is my favorite wrestler of all time and I could watch Ric Flair's matches all the way back to Mid-Atlantic like they were live and still gain satisfaction, but nobody gave to the business what Hogan did. McMahon laid the foundation, Hogan's name and image built the empire.

 

[LiarsDice]

Hulk Hogan.
I really don't think there is any argument to this. I'm not gonna repeat what everyone has said cause it would be redundant, but come on, Wrestlemania was created as a platform to showcase Hogan. It was originally gonna be called Hulkamania.
Anyone on this list other than Hogan, Bruno, Austin, Rock and Vince is completely irrelevant, and while their contributions are awesome, none of them were bigger than wrestling itself. The other 4 names have an honorable mention as important figures in WWEs story, but without Hogan there would be no story to tell.
Not even any need for a poll.

 

[zhaff2004]

Hogan gets the nod for now and the only person you can compare to him is Rocky. Yes, Austin was HUGE in the 90's early 2000's but The Rock has, like Hogan transcended wrestling and taken WWE to mainstream heights. Hogan, during the Rock and wrestling era and Rocky through Hollywood.

 

[Nygiantsfan1029]

The truth is nobody meant more to the WWE then Hogan and Bruno Sammartino. That is just a fact. Bruno was the first face of the company and Hogan put the WWE in mainstream.

 

[relentless1]

Hogan is the only answer, he was and is the face of wrestling the planet over, nobody will ever be as synonymous with pro wrestling as hogan is, he took the sport from dimly lit, smoky arenas to the mass media spectacle it is today

 

[Mr_billy]

Definitely Hogan, not only was he the biggest wrestling star, he might have been one of the biggest stars of all in the 80's. The only legendary wrestler who would come close is Andre the Giant. Hogan was as big as any Sylvester Stallone, Mr. T, and Madonna in his prime. People who didn't even care about wrestling knew who he was, and still mention him when wrestling is mentioned.

 

[Nygiantsfan1029]

I just notice that Bret Hart wasnt on the list. The Hitman is a big name.

 

[thebowtiekiller]

its hard to pick a single wrestler but if i had to id personally pick the undertaker hes never been the face of the company like the obvious choices hulk or austin but he is just as well known most people have heard of taker plus he may not show up much anymore but is apparantly still the most respected guy on the roster and in the twilight of his career his matchs are usually the main attraction at mania.

but the obvious choices are clearly austin rock and imo cena aswell each one was not only the face of the company but in a way they also are the symbol of 3 important eras in wrestling.hogan is what comes to mind when you think of the golden era and austin the beloved attitude era but dont count out cena one of the big reasons hes so hated imo opinion is because he symbolises the very much disliked pg era which regardless of your opinion of it is one of the main eras aswell but out of those 3 id go with hogan to a lot of people hes still the guy that comes to mind first when they think of wrasslin.

 

[dtroppe]

The answer is stone cold. Austin made wrestling more mainstream than even hogan. He sold more ppvs more thirst and got bigger audiences than hogan. Hogan made a lot of money for wrestling promotions but he also lost a lot of money. The height of Austin's carrer is a higher peak than the height of hogans.

 

[JBM]

Hogan was the first that came to mind...but when I considered longevity and loyalty to the WWE...then hands down, it's The Undertaker. He debuted when I first started watching all those years ago. I was only 8 or 9 years old....and he scared the holy living daylights out of me. To this day, no matter how old, how broken, how fat or how bald he gets, he still carries that same presense with him to the ring that screams absolute respect.

When he comes out for his annual Wresltlemania feud, I mark out every GD time!! SCSA was my favorite during the Attitude era. Hogan was my favorite as a kid. Cena has earned my respect. But Taker is the man that unites nearly every single fan of wrestling.

Taker...FTW!!!

 

[JBM]

This list is silly. You're substituting the "Greatest" or "Best" for the word "Legend". Hulk Hogan is the greatest and best WWE wrestler of all time but if you are going to throw around the word "Legend", shouldn't we distinguish the aspect of being a legend that exists in poorly documented history? Most everything Hogan has done he has discussed to death. The rest is all on Coliseum Home Video and Youtube. These are not the traits for legends, their traits for the self-aggrandizing. This goes for guys like Cena, Stone Cold, and The Rock. All great talents, the best WWE has had to offer, but not necessarily legends.

The most legendary superstars to be a part of the WWE are Flair, Sammartino, and Andre (how the hell do you not include Andre? Nevermind, I accept your apology):

- Flair because he survived a plane crash, has umpteen failed marriages, and his financial life is so hard to believe that I don't believe it;
- Sammartino because of his connection to MSG, the descriptions of his strength, and because of his nickname; and
- Andre because there are countless stories about the guy that may or may not be true regarding his drinking, shocking abilities for a man his size, likeability, and his strength.

(Calming down) Maybe Cena will be in this class someday. Facebook friends and T-shirt sales may resonate with this upcoming generation. I do give him legendary credit for all the Divas he's supposedly banged. Piper belongs on this list as well, Snuka killed someone. Scott Hall being alive could be construed as legendary. Faboulous Moola held her belt for 327 years.

I don't know, maybe I need to let go of the word "Legend", but I'd rather not. Regardless, the answer to this question is Andre the Giant.

Just curious...what exactly do the "accolades" of Ric Flair that you mentioned have to do with him being a legend? A plane crash...I don't think that puts one in "legend status". A miracle yes...but it's not a criteria for being a WWE legend in my books. "umpteen failed marriages" makes him more of a dummy than anything. And his financial life? Maybe you're being sarcastic, and I'm being too serious.

Sammartino is no doubt a top notch WWE Legend...but here's the thing: Only long time, die hard wrestling fans can connect with him. I've been watching off and on for the better part of 23 years, and I'll be honest...I knew very little of him until this years WM with his induction. And he's been forgotten sense in the eyes of most casual fans, has he not? I'm not doubting his legendary status, I'm just pointing out that he doesn't have the same connection with the majority of fans as other legends.

Andre the Giant was probably a pretty cool dude. But the reality of it is, was that he was just a giant oaf who shocked fans with his size. I have always gotten the feeling that Andre was the kind of dude that you could meet up with after a show as a fan, and enjoy a few beers with at a bar like he was just another guy. He did wonders to carry the wrestling industry in the mainstream world, and gave Hogan the ultimate opponent. He deserves to be on the list, but in my personal opinion, he's not at the top of the list.