Fox Sports 11 greatest WWE superstars

[Radical Canadian Goose]

http://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/mor...f-all-time/ss-BBplYtY?ocid=spartandhp#image=1

The above link lists who Fox Sports deems as the top 11 greatest WWE superstars, I'm assuming in no particular order. If you don't feel like reading the link here is the list of names:

Andre The Giant
Hulk Hogan
Randy Savage
Ric Flair
Shawn Michaels
Bret Hart
The Rock
The Undertaker
HHH
Stone Cold
Bruno Samartino.

This list inexplicably leaves off John Cena. I personally would replace Savage with Cena.

Who else should be on this list? If you had to put on Cena, who would you replace him with?

 

[Makaveli31]

Replace Savage with Cena?!? You must be ribbing!!

"Macho Man" was a LEGEND one of THE greatest of ALL TIME!!

Cena would be somewhere in the 20's on my list.

 

[Azane]

List is pretty good, I would put Cena on there, hate all you people want, but even now, Cena is spoken in the same sentence as the people on that list, wait until after his career is actually over, John Cena is going to be held in the same light as Rock, Austin, Hogan. I would of just listed 12 and tossed him on it. The List seems like it's locked into Retired wrestlers though.

 

[TStorm]

Looks generally like any pre-2000'a list you could find online honestly (or most even today really), I think that was pretty much intended.

But it's a list that is still difficult to argue with, while there are names over the years that could be made an argument for Bryan, Punk, Cena (most likely), Brock etc., these will pretty much always be the men looked at first and foremost for being apart of the biggest booms in the business/being the best performers in the business.

With the theme they're going by, Warrior definitely has an argument on being on this list.

 

[TheLittleOne]

reading the first reply about swapping cena for savage makes me wanna take a long sabbatical from this board.. of course cena is the man, hardest working wwe performer of all time.. but SAVAGE was miles ahead of him in every other way.. maybe since cena is a current star, its ok to leave him off.. but goin over that list, even checking it twice... only bruno would i exchange for cena.. bruno had huge contributions to this industry but in a time when it was entirely a different business.. even in comparison to the 1980s and 90s...

savage is my favorite on that list btw

cream of the crop

dig it

 

[Makaveli31]

I would add Rowdy Roddy Piper, Superstar Billy Graham, Ultimate Warrior, definitely over Cena and just for me personally I would add

Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase
Jake the Snake Roberts
Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig
Ravishing Rick Rude

 

[Radical Canadian Goose]

I shouldn't need to justify my answer. I am not Pro Cena or Anti-Savage. I actually prefer Savage over Cena. I just say that any list of the greatest wrestlers in WWE history should include Cena. I couldn't think of any one I wanted to sub out unfortunately, so I said Savage. I could have said Hart, Sammartino or Andre. I said Savage, No rhyme or reason or why, other than thinking he was the least deserving out of the 11. Yes the list probably should have been top 12 or top 20. I didn't make the list. Sorry

 

[TStorm]

I would add Rowdy Roddy Piper, Superstar Billy Graham, Ultimate Warrior, definitely over Cena and just for me personally I would add

Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase
Jake the Snake Roberts
Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig
Ravishing Rick Rude

Good call on Graham, he is often forgotten about, mostly because of his heel role and his position between Bruno and Backlund, which is rather unfair, I'd have been interested in him having a face run to see how well he would have done (I think he could have managed), but Vince Sr. wanted Backlund.

 

[OYDK]

Damn, you gonna do Savage like that? Not cool yeah yeah.

I agree that Cena needs to be there. I'd take out either Bret or Taker if I'm being honest. Prolly Bret as much as it pains me.

 

[Makaveli31]

I'd have been interested in him having a face run to see how well he would have done (I think he could have managed), but Vince Sr. wanted Backlund.

If Graham woud've turned babyface in 1978/79 there would be no Hulk Hogan plain and simple. Hogan has admitted to ripping off the "Superstar". Graham could've been the first crossover national superstar but like you said Vince Sr. had a "handshake" deal with Backlund plus he needed a "shooter" just in case someone tried something funny in those days.

 

[Radical Canadian Goose]

Damn, you gonna do Savage like that? Not cool yeah yeah.

I agree that Cena needs to be there. I'd take out either Bret or Taker if I'm being honest. Prolly Bret as much as it pains me.

I probably should have said Bret. It was a spur of the moment thing saying Savage, to be honest.

 

[bjarvis]

Looks generally like any pre-2000'a list you could find online honestly (or most even today really), I think that was pretty much intended.

But it's a list that is still difficult to argue with, while there are names over the years that could be made an argument for Bryan, Punk, Cena (most likely), Brock etc., these will pretty much always be the men looked at first and foremost for being apart of the biggest booms in the business/being the best performers in the business.

With the theme they're going by, Warrior definitely has an argument on being on this list.

Agreed that Wrestling has fond memories of the pre-00's, but there is no way Bryan/Punk can make a run for the top 12 greatest WWE superstars. Top 20, hell yes.

Brock's a hard one because he's a massive draw, he's super talented and there has been no-one like him in the business. But because of the long gap, and the different styles he works (plus the significantly reduced schedule), he can only really push for top 20.

Cena's the other difficult one. He should be on that list, but I don't see a name you can really remove.

 

[Navi]

Am I the only one who thinks the number 11 is the strangest number to pick to make a list out with? I mean why not go with 10, 15, 20 or 25? Anyway, I won't take anyone off the list they have, and just add Cena to make it 12. Then as more came along I would just increase the list size.

 

[stingray11214]

only bruno would i exchange for cena.. bruno had huge contributions to this industry but in a time when it was entirely a different business.. even in comparison to the 1980s and 90s...

Cena does not belong in the same sentence as Bruno Sammartino. How many people buy a ticket to see John Cena? Compare that to how many arenas Sammartino sold out. You could have advertised Bruno Sammartino appearing in the ring taking a leak in a urinal, and have a bunch of no-names on the undercard, and that arena would have sold out. How many arenas have ever sold out advertising John Cena headlining above a bunch of no-names? Sure, the nature of the business has changed. WWE is what pushes the tickets, not who is in the ring. But, without Sammartino, you have no WWE, period.

The list is a good one. The only person that would be on the bubble is Randy Savage. But, it does tell you how much the WWE has changed in the last decade. Over the next 20 years, you will see people like Cena, Orton, DBry and maybe Chris Jericho. However, it is a long time coming.

 

[TStorm]

Agreed that Wrestling has fond memories of the pre-00's, but there is no way Bryan/Punk can make a run for the top 12 greatest WWE superstars. Top 20, hell yes.

Brock's a hard one because he's a massive draw, he's super talented and there has been no-one like him in the business. But because of the long gap, and the different styles he works (plus the significantly reduced schedule), he can only really push for top 20.

Cena's the other difficult one. He should be on that list, but I don't see a name you can really remove.

Oh I agree, as wrestling history has shown us, you have people that were a big part of the business, and then you have people that made big contributions to the business.

People like Bryan and Punk would be around people like Piper, Perfect, Rude, Jericho etc. who contributed to the business.

Cena and Brock can definitely be argumentative, but their closer towards the top (Cena's argument could be made simply based on longevity at the top), than most post-2000, outside of Orton, who also has a claim to being towards the top.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

The one I would take out is probably Flair mostly because his prime was mostly in WCW/NWA.Then with that I would put Cena on the list.

I do think he's probably somewhere between #5 to #10 though but I still can't put him in the same sentence as Rock, Hogan, or Austin yet and one might argue that he's still a notch below Andre and Sammartino.

My argument against him is the same as before, Cena wasn't someone who changed the business rather his longevity is attributed to him being molded to a company's corporate direction and was there to fill a status quo.

It's not a bad thing but when you have guys like Hogan who changed Wrestling in the 80's and Austin/Rock who was there in the Attitude Era in the company's 2nd boom period. Then Cena's accomplishments feels somewhat meager.

 

[Makaveli31]

The only person that would be on the bubble is Randy Savage.

How is the Macho Man on the bubble? He is synonymous with the WWF. He was the greatest '80's star not named Hogan. He changed the face of pro wrestling with his ariel moves off the top rope paving the way for guys like Bret and Shawn. His promo's and intensity were legendary. Macho Man is top 5 IMO

 

[stingray11214]

How is the Macho Man on the bubble? He is synonymous with the WWF. He was the greatest '80's star not named Hogan. He changed the face of pro wrestling with his ariel moves off the top rope paving the way for guys like Bret and Shawn. His promo's and intensity were legendary. Macho Man is top 5 IMO

As in compared to the rest of that list? Randy is at 11. He was in an era where you had a lot of star power: Hogan, Hart, Warrior, Andre (Though he was on the decline). He was not a great draw, either. The Rock transcended the business. Austin was more a face of the company than Savage ever was. Flair, Sammartino and 'Taker nobody is touching. Trips' book is still being written as he goes into the promotion end of things. Michaels transcended eras. Maybe an argument for Michaels to be on that bubble. But, on that list, Savage is Number 11.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I'm glad Bruno Sammartino is on the list. Despite the practice of many people today to presume that anything that happened before their ability to remember it couldn't be of any importance, pro wrestling has a long history and making a list of the greatest WWE performers and leaving Bruno off would make the entire list invalid, imho.

And yes, I would make the list of 11 into a list of 12 and include the Macho Man. His impact was enormous.

 

[BaconBits]

I don't know how you make a list of like this and leave Cena off of it. He's been on top of the E far longer than anybody else on the list, except for maybe Bruno.

So, if we're taking names off it to add Cena, the names removed have got to be Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. The largest part of being a great professional wrestler is the ability to draw money, and Bret and Shawn on top damn near bankrupted the company. They're great technical wrestlers and all, but significant draws they are not.

 

[OYDK]

I don't know how you make a list of like this and leave Cena off of it. He's been on top of the E far longer than anybody else on the list, except for maybe Bruno.

So, if we're taking names off it to add Cena, the names removed have got to be Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. The largest part of being a great professional wrestler is the ability to draw money, and Bret and Shawn on top damn near bankrupted the company. They're great technical wrestlers and all, but significant draws they are not.

Wouldn't Taker go before both Shawn and Bret if we're using this criteria? Everyone else on the list has, at one time or another been the A or A1 of their respective companies, except Taker. While Shawn and Bret may not be considered great draws, can't it also be argued that Taker wasn't really a "draw" at all?

 

[BaconBits]

Wouldn't Taker go before both Shawn and Bret if we're using this criteria? Everyone else on the list has, at one time or another been the A or A1 of their respective companies, except Taker. While Shawn and Bret may not be considered great draws, can't it also be argued that Taker wasn't really a "draw" at all?

Yeah, you could, but Taker has had such crazy longevity in WWE. He hasn't every really been THE guy, but he's been in or near the main event for over 20 years. That's pretty insane.

I mean, he's feuded with everybody else on the list except for Bruno and Andre (who were before his time) at some time or another.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I don't think you can remove Savage from the list, his impact was so big and even Hogan has stated business went up the year Savage was champ and the one wrestling every night while Hogan was making the greatest movie ever in No Holds Barred. How many guys can say they can actually improve business following Hogan?

I'm all for Cena being on the list but if it was me I'd replace him with Triple H. I don't care what anyone says Cena is a greater superstar than Triple H ever was, no question about it. Actually he's a greater superstar than HBK, Taker and Bret too but if I had to pick 1 to be removed it would be Triple H.

Overall I think it's a pretty damn good list, they got all the major names that you'd expect to be hit, you don't see guys like Guerrero on the list which is often a major issue with lists like these. It looks like a list of someone who left personal preference at the door and looked at the facts which I really like. Even without Cena on the list I find it to be pretty damn good all things considered.

 

[Makaveli31]

He was in an era where you had a lot of star power: Hogan, Hart, Warrior, Andre (Though he was on the decline). He was not a great draw, either.

That just says it all right there! He became a superstar during the golden era of the '80's (Bret wasn't a star then, he later on in the '90's) but you had Hogan, Andre, Piper, DiBiase, Rude, Steamboat, an assortment of the best of the best.

No one in ANY era could compare to the roster of the 1980's WWF when you had the best of the best. Savage rose above it all to become the top heel then the top babyface (as Champion) then top heel onnce again. It was a testament to his incredible skills on the mic.

As far as being a draw? I don't know how you could mae that argument without the numbers sitting there right in front of you but I don't know but I think the WWF was just fine when Savage was WWF Champion.

Yes I would put Austin and Rock ahead of Savage but Flair had most of his success in the NWA and WCW. I wouldn't say he was a GREAT "WWF" superstar.

Sammartino belongs on the list but let's face it. He was a REGIONAL superstar. Confined to the Northeast section of the U.S. Savage was a NATIONAL superstar. I understand the business was different back then.

You could argue 'Taker at four.

You also could argue Shawn at 5 but it's close between him and Savage.

There is no way I'm putting Bret or HHH ahead of Savage. HHH has longevity but he doesn't have the impact like Savage. Nothing stick out about HHH in my mind except he's been there forever.

Savage you think about WM 3 with Steamboat, Mega Powers with Hulk, the break-up with Hulk and Liz, the Macho King era and of course the reunion at WM 7. Those were legendary moment that stood the test of time.

 

[ilapierre]

I shouldn't need to justify my answer. I am not Pro Cena or Anti-Savage. I actually prefer Savage over Cena. I just say that any list of the greatest wrestlers in WWE history should include Cena. I couldn't think of any one I wanted to sub out unfortunately, so I said Savage. I could have said Hart, Sammartino or Andre. I said Savage, No rhyme or reason or why, other than thinking he was the least deserving out of the 11. Yes the list probably should have been top 12 or top 20. I didn't make the list. Sorry

Not pro Cena or anti Savage. Yet you believe that arguably the greatest wrestling entertainer of all time (Savage) should be dropped from this list to make room for the face of the absolute worst era in wrestling history? You can make excuses all day long: Your comment is still 100 percent delusional dude. You can easily drop HHH or Andre from this list. Andre was a great attraction but an absolute horrible wrestler. And Triple H is simply just a second tier talent in a power position who rode the wave of corporate butt kissing and pushed himself to the moon. Rowdy Piper should EASILY be listed here instead. Other than the Rock, he was the best ever on the mic.