The Top 10 WWF/E Superstars of the Last 15 Years

[Kaneanite]

The last 15 years of WWF/WWE has seen a lot of change and turn-over. Mixing WCW superstars in with the WWF, Mature Audiences to PG Era, SCSA and Rock to Randy Orton and John Cena. In your opinion (and why) who are the best 10 superstars of the last 15 years (since 1996)?

1 - The Rock

The Rock, along with Stone Cold, was the biggest draw of the last 15 years. He was a 9 time World Champion during his tenure in the WWE to go along with a Royal Rumble win in 2000, 2 time IC champ, and 5 time Tag Champ. He also put on one of my favorite matches of all time - 'I Quit' match with Mankind at Royal Rumble '99. Electrifying, amazing and I MEAN AMAZING on the mic, very serviceable in the ring and put on some of the most memorable matches and feuds of all time. The Rock is my #1 of the last 15 years.

2 - Stone Cold Steve Austin

Not too far behind Rock is Austin. In '96 Austin entered a feud with Bret Hart that really brought Austin to a whole new level where, despite losing, he'd put on the best match (in my opinion) of his career at WrestleMania 13. Austin is a 6 time WWE World Champion, a WWE Hall of Famer, a THREE TIME ROYAL RUMBLE WINNER, a 2 time IC champion and a 4 time Tag Champion. Austin was, like Rock, incredible on the mic and just flat out awesome. His feuds with the likes of Rock and Mr. McMahon will be remember forever by those who saw it.

3 - Triple H

I'm sure there is a bit of controversy with him being over HBK, Undertaker, and maybe even Kurt Angle. However I'm dead set on my choice as Trips being 3rd. Although many didn't like it; none can deny that he ran the show in the early 2000s. World title runs left and right, Evolution, and he helped put over WWE's biggest star in John Cena at WrestleMania. Trips is a legend to the business and is a 13 time World Champion, was a leader in DX and led Evolution arguably the 2 biggest factions in WWE history, 2 time Euro champion, 5 time IC champion, 3 time tag champion, Royal Rumble winner and King of the Ring winner. Trips really has 'done it all'.

4 - The Undertaker

Undertaker may have never been the "#1" guy in the business but he's been a main event player and all around legend over these entire 15 years. Tag Champion 7 times and World Champion 7 times. 'The Streak' speaks for itself. He retired hall of famer Shawn Michaels. Taker also won the Royal Rumble in 2007.

5 - Shawn Michaels

Shawn spent a lot of time out due to injury but while healthy he's been one of the biggest players in the history of the business. His mic work is one of the best and his athleticism and in ring ability was at the top until the day he retired. HBK is a countless 'match of the year' winner. He's also a 4 time World Champion, 3 time IC and 6 time Tag Champion. Shawn has also won the Rumble twice.

6 - John Cena

You knew he was coming, probably a little earlier than expected however I'll explain. John, through love and hate, has been the face of the company for about 5 or 6 years now. Defeating juggernauts such as HHH and Batista at WrestleMania's John is one of the most dominating superstars during his time. He is a 9 time world champion, 4 time tag champion (despite all 4 times being short-lived), 3 time US champion and a Royal Rumble winner. John is tremendous on the mic in my opinion and through his hard work and dedication he has earned his spot in my top 10.

7 - Kurt Angle

Angle might be the best in-ring competitor on this list. He's only this low because of his move to TNA and this being a WWE list. Kurt is a 5 time World Champion and has had a run with the Tag, Euro, Hardcore, IC, and US titles. His match with Undertaker at No Way Out 2006 and his match with Shane McMahon at King of the Ring 2001 were two of my favorite matches of all time. Kurt is also a King of the Ring winner.

8 - Edge

11 World Champion, 14 time Tag Champion, 5 time IC, 1 time US, Royal Rumble Winner, King of the Ring winner. Is that enough for you? Not to mention he is the king of ladder matches, tremendous both on the mic and in the ring, his feud with John Cena was amazing, and his 3-way tag TLC Matches (both) and his hardcore match with Mick Foley at WrestleMania 22 were amazing. Edge is a true legend to the business and even has the strap right now.

9 - Chris Jericho

Beat Austin and The Rock in the same night. They are 1 and 2 on this list. To become the first Undisputed Champion. Jericho is probably THE BEST on the mic on this list. His in-ring work is even just as good. He plays a great face and an even better heel. He's a 5 or 6 time World Champion and has won the IC title probably 40 million times, with also some tag title runs. Jericho is fantastic and definitely deserves a spot on this list.

10 - Mick Foley

This spot could have gone to a lot of guys but I got to give Mick Foley credit. Mankind was one of my favorite characters of all time and he's good on the mic and is not afraid to take ANY bump. He's a 3 time World Champion and an 8 time tag champion. The Hell in a Cell with Taker, the 99 Rumble with Rock, WM 22 with Edge, the list goes on and on. Foley isn't afraid to put anyone over and he is one of the best there was.


Honorable Mentions: Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, Batista, Rey Mysterio, Big Show, Kane. Matter of fact, more I think about it, I probably should have put Orton in for Mick Foley but I'm not going to change it now.

Bret Hart came close too but was only really a competitor for about 2 years in the last 15 in WWE.

So by all means get to your bashing and make your own lists! My own request is that when you bash mine, post your own, so I can bash back

 

[tripleddd]

I haven't got a particular order but here it goes
The Rock, Stone Cold & Triple H - at the peak of the attitude era these 3 guys were awesome and more to the point we still love to see them now . mic skills ring skills charisma i could go on.
HBK & Undertaker - just pure legends - we don't realise how lucky we were to watch these two guys they had it all
Mick foley - his strength of character and unbeleivable falls he took were incredible.
Kane & Big Show - 2 giants of the ring sometimes getting booked wrongly but both with tremendous presence in the ring
Y2J - hes got it all ring skills mic skills still prefer him as a face but thats my choice.
And Finally john Cena love him or hate him but he took the ball and he ran with it and to be honest eventually would like him to get the same kind of pop as The Rock or austin - are you reading wwe writers look at your history

 

[OlderFan]

This position isn't a popular one to have and people actually do groan when they here it but I would put HHH much lower down on the list. He is a great performer and would have been successful anyway but I don't think it would have been to the degree it was because prominent as he became, the lion's share of the spotlight and success he got happened AFTER he married Stephanie. The Undertaker for the unique aspect of his character and how endearing Mark Callaway made that to the fans was a performance worthy of an Oscar. But what does surprise me was that no one mentioned any of the women and I would have to give one hell of a nod to Chyna.

 

[Kaneanite]

I've never really been a fan of womens wrestling. Right now it is downright horrible, boring, and just straight up dumb. They make it look fake. The WWE isn't 'fake', it is staged. But "diva's matches" look straight up fake.

I enjoyed Chyna, Lita, Trish, Sable, and maybe 1 or 2 more so back in the day yeah it wasn't horrible. But given the success of the guys I have on the list and then even others like Batista, Rey, and Orton I just cannot justify putting any women on such a list.

 

[marklouis]

1) Stone Cold Steve Austin: He gets the edge over The Rock for #1 because without his success, there may not have been a WWE for The Rock to star in. He personified the Attitude Era and helped turn the tide in the Monday Night Wars.

2) The Rock: One of the biggest draws & most entertaining stars in history. Best talker of the era, & a solid wrestler. I just think Austin had better matches & was more important historically.

3) HHH: The top heel of the company for many years, he was the guy the top 2 were fighting against in many of their main events. Many will say he only got so far because of his political work, but he's proven himself in the ring time & time again. Also leader of a stable that created 2 stars that were fixtures in the main event scene later in the period.

4) The Undertaker: This was the time when the streak really became important-you didn't really hear about it much before this time. Multiple time champion, put on numerous solid matches. Part of the best match on the card the last 3 Wrestlemanias.

5) Shawn Michaels: Mr. Wrestlemania. Honestly, he never had a bad match at the event. Even though he missed a few years, he more than made up for it with the quality of his matches. The feud with HHH was the focal point of the company for over a year, and he had good runs with DX.

6) John Cena: Current face of the company, a poor man's Hulk Hogan. I'm not a fan, but you can't ignore the fact that of all the current stars, he's the most well-known among non-wrestling fans. He's also a better wrestler than he's given credit for.

7) Chris Jericho: 1st Undisputed Champion, multiple time IC & tag team champion. Good as a face or a heel. Maybe the most consistent & dependable guy on the list.

8) Batista: Again, I'm not a fan, but he had a very good run in the main event scene as a heel & a face. Multiple time world champion & tag champion. He got huge pops when he was a face, and his last heel run was pretty good. Part of a dominant heel stable with Evolution.

9) Randy Orton: 2nd biggest star currently, behind Cena. Very effective as a heel during his legend killer/Legacy run, and the crowd has really gotten behind him as a face. Part of a dominant heel stable with Evolution & good tag team with Rated RKO, along with being a multiple time world champion.

10) Edge: Tag team success (Rated RKO & with Christian), multiple time world champion, over as a heel & a face. I'm not a huge fan-he's ok but not one of my favorites. But when healthy, he's a very solid worker & very over with the crowd. Also part of the highest rated segment on RAW.

 

[reed214]

1.the rock--popular,great rival for scsa,great athelete,best talker/promos,only 7yrs
2.HBK--look at pwi's match of the year...it is hbk vs.. almost every year he wrestled
3.stone cold--you can compare his popularity to hogans of the 80s.not my fav but how many great matches?
4.undertaker--beats out S.C.S.A on all time list,streak,incredible matches
5.chris benoit--if it wasnt for the tragedy,he would talked about weekly
6.chris jericho--they have been saying he was a replica of hbk..gotta mean something
7.Edge--has he gone more than 6 months without a title?? hall of famer
8.HHH-early 2000's he was forced down our throats,had some quality matches
9.Cena--only makes my list b/c of his superman powers...and he loves wwe
10.Rey Mysterio--popularity and one of the best lightweights and is anyone more exciting? it would be John Morrison on here but tag titles (when he carried the miz) and ecw title and 12 I.C reigns doesnt count,or even compare to rey's world title victory

 

[ToWhomItConcerns.]

i think we can all agree the Top 5 is SCSA, HHH, Rock, Shawn Michaels and Undertaker...its just a matter of which order to put them in.

personally as much as i love Rock i think its absolutely idiotic to put him over any of the other guys...the man hasn't wrestled in 7 years and has only made a handful of appearances in the last (almost) 8. so on my list hes definitely #5 (again i love the guy but its just my opinion)
4 goes to HHH
3 is when it gets really hard for me. you have probably my 3 favorites ever. 1 was the reason for the Attitude Era on screen (Austin), and the other 2 are definitely my 2 favorites of all time (1 of them being partly responsible for the Attitude Era off screen) Taker and Shawn Michaels.

right now if i had to choose i'd say
3 Austin
2 Michaels
1 Undertaker.

honestly all those spots can be switched around. Taker is #1 soley based off the fact that hes been wrestling for the entire 15 years and Austin and Michaels haven't.

 

[Iversen]

In no particular order really although probably in the order I'd order them in at the moment at least.

Stone Cold - Just the man that shaped the way I've watched wrestling in my life and a man who even now is exciting to watch which in my opinion puts him over my next choice.

The Rock - I love the Rock I really do. One of the best of all time on the mic and just so damn entertaining. I just feel like in his recent run I've heard it all before where as Austin is still entertaining me even on Tough Enough (I know theres only been one episode but can only judge what I've seen)

HBK - This is the man that if I was judging it on pure wrestling would be top. Entertaining unlike none other every card he was on he was guaranteed to steal the show. Could have wrestled a great match with a steel chair.

Undertaker - The last great gimmick wrestler really. The streak alone would be worthy of this list but the last 3 years he's stolen the spot light at Mania and thats not even starting really on what he's achieved in the last 15 years.

Chris Jericho - The mans a pro in every sense of the word. Can be shoved into every situation and make it believable. The kind of guy that every company needs and fantastic at doing it to.

John Cena - I'm not a fan but he lives and breaths that company and has been at the center of it for however long. I respect how much he loves entertaining people and if it wasn't for my own prejudices he should be higher up the list.

Edge - He's a constant main eventer and has proven that he deserves to be there. Reliable and good at what he does.

HHH - Another who I love. Sure people claim he's only there because of Steph. Yet at Mania this year he proved he can still go. I really don't give a shit what other say he deserves his place and is without a doubt a legend.

Mysterio Jr. - Best cruiser-weight of all time. Sure he's getting on a bit and can be a moody fuck but he's proven time and time again when he decides to he can steal a show. In the last few years has stolen the show with Punk and Jericho to name a few.

Kurt Angle - Fantastic wrestler and has been in the main event in two companies in the time period. Just unstoppable in terms of technical ability and has proven time and time again to be worthy of a spot in any top ten list.

Honorable mentions: Batista, Orton, Foley, Benoit, Guerrero, Punk, Styles and could go on for a bit I'm sure. Some too young to properly have proven themselves, some been marred by personal tragedy and others who just miss out in my opinion.

 

[BobbyDigital]

My top 10 goes:

1. Stone Cold
Top Draw, spawned the Attitude Era and the greatest superstar of all time according to Vinnie Mac

2. HHH
Best Heel in the last 20 years, no doubt. As good as Rock vs. Stone Cold was, HHH vs. Stone Cold was better in my opinion.

3. HBK
One of the best performers of all time if not the best.

4. Rock
As great as he was, he was never the top dog when he was around. That has to mean something

5. Taker
Truth be told, I hate his character. His streak and tenure with the WWE have to count for something.

6. Kurt Angle
He hung with everyone step for step thats in the top 5 so he has to be 6th.

7. Chris Benoit
WCW should have never let him go

8. Chris Jericho
He's too good to leave off of this list

9. Mick Foley
I'll never forget that Hell in a Cell match.

10. Jeff Hardy
His popularity was crazy and he was fun to watch in the ring.

Honorable mention goes to (in no particular order):
Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, Booker T, Randy Orton

 

[MetalBuffalo911]

1- Stone Cold Steve Austin- He has got to be the most important guy since Hogan and is probably just AS important as Hogan. He was the face of the company and, although not as successful as the Rock, has had some Mainstream success. No one gets a pop like Austin. When you hear the glass, the roof comes off the building, EVERYTIME!

2- The Rock- almost as big as Austin, a huge draw, and has had a lot of mainstream success.

3 - The Undertaker- in the 15 year span he has been a big star, the streak has become just as big as any championship (at least on the WM card), and he has done everything. He was a Mid-Carder while being a main eventer when he was Hardcore or Tag Team Champions. His Matches have been amazing, and he has been the face of Casket Matches, HIAC matches, Buried Alive MAtches, and Inferno Matches. He is and always will be one of the top superstars of all-time

4- Triple H- Is there any question that this guy is amazing. He is a behemoth, he can flip back and forth as a heel or face freely like it is no ones business. He has been the top of the top as a Heel and the top of the top as a face.

5- John Cena- The last 7 or 8 years he has been everything the company has needed. People could say if he wasn't around someone else would have stepped up. Well, I'm not so sure. He has just as much charisma as any superstar ever. The thing that knocks him down the list is that his in ring skills are ok at best and I feel as though people don't respect him much, simply because they are sick of him, but that isn't hjis fault, but rather the WWE's.

6- Edge- 11-Time Champion is huge. He has won a RR, main evented WM, MITB, and even as a heel, HAD to be a face because he was so good. He has more or less been one of the only draws and smackdown. I'm prety sure mostly everybody like him (men, women, children, the IWC)

7- HBK- THE ONLY and I mean ONLY reason I am putting him this low is because he was gone for so long during this time period. BUT, he must make the list because of how he put over many guys and had some classic matches with the older guys. He also is one of those guys who carries wrestlers in matches and does a hell of a job of making even the most unathletic guys look decent.

8- Kane- He flows from jobber to mid card to Main Event so smoothly its unbelievable. He has been loyal to the WWE, is one of the best big men ever to get in the ring, and can span a face and a heel. The thing that knocks him down a few pegs is some terrible storylines (not his fault) and the lack of ME Championships. When he won MITB and became champion, no one deserved it more.

9- Batista- If anyone was going to beat out Cena for the Face of the company it was him. Some decent matches but many of his matches were the same.

10- Chris Jericho- Too good to leave off the list. I think he should be higher but he has had long periods of absences. BUT, I will say he is probably my favorite superstar of ALL TIME, but thats only when he is around. He is remarkable in the ring, remarkable on the mic and is now getting Mainstream success with game shows, his music, and DWTS.

 

[DeadmanFan]

1. The Undertaker. Some of you might wonder why I place him so high. (Yes, you see my name, but truth be told Taker is my 3rd favorite wrestler behind Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock.) The answer? His longevity. He's been there longer than anyone else, and always in a relevant scene, whether that be in the main event or building up guys for that picture. Whether it be his innovative matches, his character, or his in-ring skills, he's always consistently sold tickets and generated interest longer than anyone else has. This is why he's not only the greatest of the last 15 years, but the greatest superstar in WWE history, period.

2. Stone Cold Steve Austin. For seven solid years, ever since Hart left, Austin was the man. He took the WWE on a whirlwind course and nothing was ever the same. It was because of him that the Attitude Era was ushered in and the WWF/E reached the pinnacle of its popularity, allowing it to be the victor in the Monday Night Wars. Without Austin, this would be very much in doubt.

3. The Rock. He can be considered Austin's first understudy in the Attitude Era, and when Austin was gone in 2000, the WWF didn't skip a beat thanks in large part to him, and he headlined the greatest WrestleMania in history (17). Even now it's been The Rock that has kicked WWE in the ass and generated interest for a dud WrestleMania.

4. Triple H. Only behind The Undertaker in sheer longevity, Triple H is easily the top heel of the last decade and it was in large part thanks to him that Orton and Batista have/had successful careers. You could always count on people wanting to see Trips get his ass kicked during his Evolution days. Hell, the DX revival was a much needed shot during lackluster years in 2006 and 2007.

5. John Cena. Love him or hate him (I dislike his kayfabe character but I respect him as a man), he's been the top guy since WrestleMania 21 and has led the WWE into a new era, for better or worse. He generates interest and revenue for the company and is very passionate about the business. Even now I'm super excited for his showdown with The Rock and think this is the best thing that's happened in years. A one-year build will be something new and exciting to see. Hell and I'm not even a Cena fan!

6. Sean Michaels. He came back in 2002 and was a much needed presence during what could be seen as a waning period in the WWE off the back of the Attitude Era. He always gave us great matches and in his last years, two spectacular WrestleMania gems with The Undertaker. Sean Michaels will always be relevant.

7. Edge. He took the ball and ran with it in 2005, and hasn't left the main event scene since after a long period of time in the mid card. He's a great heel and could always generate ticket buys to see him get his ass kicked. His feud with Taker in 2008 was the most interesting thing IMO that happened to wrestling in years prior to that point.

8. Chris Jericho. He's always been around. He's great in the ring and on the mic, and you could always count on him to wear the belt and headline another somewhat lackluster WrestleMania (26). This speaks volumes about his ability and the trust the company has in him. Hell, he even pioneered the Money in the Bank concept which has become so important in building future stars.

9. Brock Lesnar. I'm surprised I haven't seen him on this list so far. For 2002-03 when WWE was just coming out of the Attitude Era, he took the ball and kept it going. His match with Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 19 was first class. Of course I think he was overpushed and he left too early to make a huge impact, but WWE fully trusted him to be "the next big thing" when he was around.

10. Batista. John Cena's first understudy in many ways. As an understudy, he was worse in the ring and on the mic, but for some reason WWE kept him in the main event consistently for many years until his departure. His matches with Triple H in 2005 were decent and being in the spotlight for half a decade has to count for something, as undeserving as it was IMO. I suppose we can credit Triple H and Ric Flair for giving credibility to a guy that sold tickets for a reasonable period of time.

Edit: Dammit I forgot Kurt Angle. He put on consistently great matches for many years. In retrospect I'd probably put him at #8 or 9. So Batista gets bumped off this list.

 

[Mr_billy]

Thee are in no particular order.
1. Stone Cold Steve Austin, he hooked us in and got us watching
2. Kurt Angle- Great in ring performer and we all wanted to watch his pompous ass get beat.
3. HBK- best in ring talent and DX was a lot of fun
4. Triple H- he is the game and dx
5. Vinny Mac- he was the boss man and one of the best heel characters ever.
6. Jericho- can comeback at any time and make an impact. And Great Mic worker
7. Alberto Del Rio- He is the future, good on the mic great in the ring
8. CM Punk- He is awesome on the mic and when he feuds with a face, he pulls you in to the feud and makes you care.
9. Tie Big Show and Kane, the pull the work load and can be called to ME at anytime and no one is dissapointed.
10. John Cena- he is drawing in the fans of tomorrow, and with out them, there will be no WWE in the future.
11. Th ROck, the best mic worker period.

I know it asks for 10, but my list goes to 11, because 11 is one more and louder than 10.

 

[Cena's #1 Fan]

I understood the greatest over the past 15 years, so this is how i conceive my argument.

*First off, head poster dude, the rock was not the biggest draw for the past 15 years, nor was he a 9 time champion, more like 7.

Now,

1. The Undertaker. Should it be disputed? 19-0 at wrestlemania. 7 time HW champion. Crowd has loved the guy since he beat hogan in 91. Seeing as that was nearly 20 full years ago, i think nuff been said bout that one.

2. Bret Hart. Because he is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.

3. HBK. Shawn Michaels, because he is Mr. Wrestlemania and he is the SHOWSTOPPAAA!!

4. Stone Cold. He isn't the greatest because he was only on top from 98 to late 01. sorry scsa marks, but that's just the way it is.

5. Hulk Hogan. the man basically alongside vkm created "professional wrestling"

6. The Rock. again, like austin, wasnt on top for that, that long. i understood it as 15 years.

7. HHH. Pretty good in ring, and imo, one of the greatest heels of all time.

8. Kurt Angle. The guy is a wrestling machine. He won the gold medal with a broken freakin' neck!!!!!

9. Y2J. Chris Jerichoooooooo. raw is jericho. the guy is known world wide. he is a legit superstar.

10. It was a toss up between John Cena and Mick Foley
so it was pretty simple the three faces of foley. MICK FOLEY.

Here's why i left cena out(for all the peeps who will be mad cause i did) the guy sucks in ring, completely overrated on the mic and the most boring lame character since double j jeff jarrett. The guy has been getting boo'd since mania 22 and cena sucks rocks out the arena every monday. that's why i left him out. only little kiddies like him, and women.

CENA SUCKS.

 

[S.J. Maximus]

1. Stone Cold Steve Austin - There is no reason why anyone else should be number 1, this guy was the true face of the company and damn Owen for breaking his neck and shortening his career.

2. The Rock - The Rock proved in 2011 how valuable he still is and in 2000 he was the face of the WWF, doing a great job filling in for Stone Cold until he returned later that year. Rock is definitely the most recognizable WWF Superstar of the last 15 years and he continues to bring in tons of mainstream media

3. Triple H - What is a great face without a great heel to battle with? HHH was the man to put over Rock, Angle, Jericho, Batista, Orton, Cena and more in order to create the biggest faces of the last 15 years, so he is almost equally if not more important than they are.

4. The Undertaker - He has done so much in the last 15 years and probably has had more meaningful feuds than anybody else on this list, the only things keeping out of him out of the top 3 is his lack of mainstream success and title reigns compared to the other 3.

5. Shawn Michaels - 15 years ago it was 1996 and HBK was on top of the WWF, although his injury took time out of his stardom he definitely made sure to earn it all back in the 2000s, including headlining 3 different WrestleManias and putting on 5-star classics in 3 either ones.

6. John Cena - He's only been around for 9 years, but he is the Hulk Hogan of this generation, being the absolute face of this company for the last 5 years. He is wrestling's top draw and has slowly made a name for himself in the mainstream world

7. Edge - 15 years ago he didn't even a contract but it didn't take him long to become one of the greatest tag team wrestlers in the history of the sport and then build legacy via the money in the bank contract. Today, Edge is in double digits for both Singles and Tag Team Title reigns, which is something no other man on this list can say

8. Chris Jericho - This man has the mainstream attention, the charisma, and the mic skills to rival the likes of the Rock and Austin but he lacked the size, so today he lacks in accolades. Regardless of what Vince thinks of him, Jericho has always been a bright star and today he shines on Dancing With the Stars as with one of the highest scores on the show.

9. Brock Lesnar - Had this man actually loved WWE, John Cena and Randy Orton wouldn't even have headlined a WrestleMania. Brock is still today the youngest WWE Champion of all-time at 23 years old and just imagine the superstardom he would've reached if he was still with the company today.

10. Bret Hart - If this was for 13 years, then Bret Hart wouldn't even be on my top 25, but 96 and 97 were still 2 years where Bret was a 3-time WWF Champ and both a top heel and face in the company. He accomplished more in those 2 years than most people do in their career and for that he deserves a spot on this list, even if it's the bottom

Honorable Mention: Mick Foley, Kurt Angle, Kane, Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy

 

[MCMG]

1) The Rock
Easily most inflectional superstar in the last 15 years. Great on the mic and in the ring. He would have been even bigger if he had not left.

2) Taker
In recent years he has appeared less and less but he was phenomenal in his prime. Injures have hindered him slight but he still managed to be great and iconic nevery mind his Wrestlemania streak.

3) HHH
Some don't like him but personally one of my favorite superstar of all time. He has won 13 world titles in such a short time even though some would agree it was only because of Steph it is still a great achievement.

4) Cena
He is truly massive right now. A lot of people hate him but I don't mind him and it seems he deals with the hatred and bashing in a very positive way.

5) Austin
A bit low down in the list but in my opinion he was in the Rocks shadow. He was great and incredibly funny amongst other things but he was helped and hindered by the rock and to be honest if HBK had not got injured than he would not be involved in the massive feud with the rock.

6) Kane
I'm big fan of Kane and he is truly great and has been for a long time. He can do anything between putting over younger talent to being in the main event picture.

7) Orton
Similar to Austin in the fact that he is perhaps slightly in Cena's shadow. However he has won plenty of world titles and is great in the ring and will only get better as the years go on.


8) Edge
Never Edge's big fan but he got an opportunity and made the most of it. He became a multi - time world champ and will now go down in history for the sheer number of belts he has won.


9) Chris Jericho
Multi time world champ and record IC champ holder. Fantastic on the mic and great in the ring and I'm sure he will be back in the near future to build on his already impressive career and to get more championships.

10) HBK
He came back in 2002 and was great in the time he was hear. Maybe deserved one last title run but he helped put over some other guys in his time and gave some of the greatest matches in history.

Honorable mentions - Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Rey mysterio,

 

[Pole Smoker]

1. Stone Cold Steve Austin

He is the top draw and put on many memorable matches and feuds.

2. The Rock

He was second to Austin in the Attitude Era. He was amazingon the mic and the fan favourite.

3. The Undertaker

He's had some amazing matches in this time and imo has the best gimmick ever. He had Hell in a Cells, Wrestlemania streak matches, world title reigns and was a top wrestlerin the company.

4. Triple H

He was the top heel for lots of these years and like taker he has put on so many great matches. Not to mention 13 world title reigns in under 12 years.

5. John Cena

In the last 6 years Cena has dominated. He is a mega draw and keeps the WWE moving. He has been in world title match at every Mania since 2005. If this wasn't a 15 years where he was not around for 6 years for I'd have him a very close third.

6. Shawn Michaels

An amazing performer who has had so many 5 star matches. He is a legend and no one could put on a match like him imo.

7. Kurt Angle

Like Michaels he is an amazing performer.Amazing matches and numerous world titles.

8. Chris Jericho

Great on the mic. Great performer and a great asset to the WWE. He is a legend of the business and has had some great matches and storylines.

9. Edge

Another legend who has won 11 world titles since 2006 and was apart of a legendary tag team with Christian. He is a great performer and is great on the mic. (especially as a heel).

10. Mick Foley

A legend of the business and had so many memorable moments.

 

[TheKingHustla]

My Top 10 is:

1. Shawn Michaels-
Granted, he has missed time, but as far as my personally choice, I think Shawn Michaels is/was will always be the top guy in the business. I've been an HBK fan for as long as I can remember so he has to be number 1.

2. The Rock-
I was and always will be one of the millions and millions of Rock fans. His charisma was unmatched during his time, and he held the entire fanbase in his hands. He even had one of his catchphrases not only become a WWE show, but it was added to the dictionary. How many people can say that?

3. Stone Cold Steve Austin-
Austin was the man every man wanted to be at their own job. He did whatever he wanted, beat the shit out of his boss, drunk beer on the job, and got paid for all of it.

4. The Undertaker-
The Undertaker has been in the business longer than anybody I can ever remember. The man is as ancient as the WWF/E is, but he is still one of the biggest draws today.

5. Mick Foley-
From the beginning, Foley was a bad ass son of a bitch. He was the definition of hardcore, he was the WWF champion, a best selling author, he was supposed to be the Time's Man of The Year, he had numerous injuries, had ears torn off, teeth knocked out, bones broken, thumbtacks stuck in his ass, and everything else under the sun. The man laid his life down every night he stepped into that ring, and the fans love him for it.

6. Triple H-
The Game, the king of kings, the cerebral assassin, all of those names fit. He has been a force in the WWE for a long time, and he is soon to own the whole damn thing, but to me, the thing that sets him apart is the amount of star power he had under him. from d-x with chyna, new age outlaws, x-pac and those guys, to evolution with young batista and orton, he has unleash some great forces onto the WWE World.

7. Edge-
Even back in his tag team days, (which I touch on later) he was a star. there's no denying that the rated R superstar belongs on this list.

8. Chris Jericho-
Chris Jericho did things that no one before him did. He even stood toe to toe, face to face with many great speakers on this list, including a literally face to face promo against The Rock where they "borrowed" each others catchphrases. Truly one of the best on the mic that we've seen.

9. John Cena-
No matter how much you hate Cena, you have to respect what he does for the company. He is carrying this company, even if most of the fans don't want to admit it. The reason why he is 9th on my list, is because I think if Cena were around when The other's on this list were still in their prime, Cena would have been buried, and that's in the pg era, attitude era, or any era.

10. The entire tag team division of the late 90's early 2000's-
The entire landscape of the tag team division were great! From Edge and Christian, to the Hardy Boys, The Dudley Boys, The Headbangers, The New Age Outlaws, The Acolytes, Kane and Foley, Too Cool, The Rock N Sock, Benoit and Jericho, you can go on and on naming great tag teams of this period. The tag team division was at it's best and they ignited the crowd with wonderful matches like Hardy/E&C/Dudley TLC.

 

[Cena's #1 In My Heart]

1. Stone Cold Steve Austin - The man has beaten The Rock the majority of the time, and personally, when did anyone ever start chanting Austin sucks? Or Die Austin Die? Even when SCSA "turned heel" against The Rock... THEY STILL CHEERED HIM... over.. The Rock... therefore Stone Cold Steve Austin tops The Rock.

2. The Rock - He did it.. he may have closed the gap from the WWE to Hollywood... therefore.. he is the number 2 biggest.. Superstar... if this list was off of WWE accolades, I'd probably drop him a few spots.

3. The Undertaker - You can't deny the streak, it's one of the hottest things going in pro wrestling today. The Undertaker has built himself since the early 90s.. he was here before The Rock and Stone Cold, and he was here after them. However, he's just been a mainstay, and he hasn't really revolutionized the business like the two above him.

4. Triple H - 13x World Champion? There is no way he is going to fall too far. He was the man everyone hated before Cena for never getting off of the PPV main events, except he was more bearable to watch.

5. Shawn Michaels - The last 15 years you say? Well HBK has been in HHH's shadow a lot of the last 15 years.. HHH certainly has dominated the main event scene more than HBK.. They don't say Shawn Michaels and Triple H.. they say Triple H and Shawn Michaels.

6. Mankind - I think he needs to be here, him winning the WWE Championship swung the ratings war during the 90s, and he basically took this business to a whole nother level with his pain tolerance and stunts.

7. John Cena - The man is... The Man in this generation, he is the guy to beat. Really not much more I can say.. we all know what he's done. The man has been a main event main stay for some time now.

8. Kurt Angle - The 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist, he certainly came into the WWE and gave it some legitimization with his background. He obviously hasn't beat out Cena because he basically is going head to head to him in company vs company. Though thats a bit of a different stride. Easily one of the best in-ring wrestlers ever.

9. Edge - So many titles won over the years, he continues to add to his resume'. Edge was The Rated R Superstar and perhaps helped build John Cena into the "fan favorite" he is today.

10. Dave Batista - It's coming due to either Dave Batista, Chris Jericho, or Kane, but lets be real... people were calling the new generation of Austin/Rock... Cena/Batista.. and to be referenced like that defiantly makes you a bonified superstar.

 

[Awesome]

Okay, beyond number 1, Im making this up as I go along

1 HBK - I think this should be obvious. Without a shadow of a doubt the best in ring performer in history, and well capable of holding his own on the mic - especially before his injury.

2 The Rock - A true crossover star. I remember liking wrestling in school and it was considered a nerdy thing to like. Then the Rock came round and that wasn't the case anymore

3) Stone Cold - was never his biggest fan, but his impact is undeniable

4) Hogan - Same as above

5) Taker - Like the two above, not one of my favourite wrstlers, but a huge draw and identifiable worldwide.

6) Chris Jericho - truly one of the most underrated ever. Almost as good as HBK...nuff said

7) The Miz - I know this is controversial, but the future will vindicate this choice. He's the reason I still watch wrestling and I know Im not the only one.

8) HHH - Just look at the accolades

9) Kurt Angle - Ruining his legacy by his TNA involvement, could have been rated higher otherwise, but lost relevance many years ago

10) John Cena - Yawn

 

[Cena's #1 Fan]

4. The Undertaker - He has done so much in the last 15 years and probably has had more meaningful feuds than anybody else on this list, the only things keeping out of him out of the top 3 is his lack of mainstream success and title reigns compared to the other 3.

Excuse me? Other than HHH, Undertaker, Rock, and Austin are tied with 7 world titles.

Lack of mainstream success. I'm not real sold on that one. He gets the best pop at mania for at least the last 5 or 6 years. He's known worldwide on the sports circuit. I'm sorry that all the little cena kiddies don't know who he is. That's not my fault.

You sir, stand corrected.

 

[poppycock]

1. The Undertaker - He has remaind relevant for 20 years and in that time as outlasted some of the biggest names in professional wrestling..(stone cold, the rock, hulk hogan, shawn michaels, bret hart etc...) He is undefeated at the WWE's biggest PPV event and has won many many Championships. He has been involved in some of the most gripping storylines not just in professional wrestling but as far as entertainment goes..on TV period. The whole story with kane in the late nineties was amazing and as good a horror story as any hollywood movie. Although he has pretty much stuck to the same gimmick for his career he has made little changes here and there to fit in with the times and stay somewhat fresh. I think as far as in the ring wrestling goes he has improved so much as the years have gone by.

2. Stone Cold Steve Austin - Defined one of the biggest periods of the company the Attitude Era. His fued with Vince will probably go down as the most important fued in WWE History. Up until I saw people wearing 3:16 tshirts out and about during my everyday life I never really saw much WWF merch other than my own that is. All of a sudden I see people wearing Austin shirts and I see 3:16 graffiti all over the place.

3. Shawn Micheals - A living legend who if this list was based soley on in ring ability and great wrestling matches would top it easily. I remember seeing him for the first time at Summerslam 1992..I thought he was just a cocky poseur and didn't like him much at all..I have since been made to eat my words again and again.. He is a cocky poseur but he can and could always back it up both in the ring and on the mic.

4. Triple H - The best heel the WWF/E has had in the last 15 years by a long shot. I really am not a fan of face Triple H..infact I would not even put face Triple H in my top 10 but as a heel he is untouchable. He can back it up in the ring also and has taken part of some of my most favourite matches of recent times including his street fight with Cactus Jack at the Royal Rumble 2000.

5. The Rock - I personally never liked the guy but I am guessing this isn't a personal favourites list or he wouldn't be on it. Even though he never did anything for me I can't deny his popularity at the peak of his career. Up there with Austin in the Attitide Era as far as popularity goes. He was great on the mic I give him that.. always entertaining...it was no suprise he went on to make movies.

6. Mick Foley - Gave everything he had to the WWF on a physical level and helped make most of the names on this list look roughless in the ring by taking many many many bumps. When he became WWF Champion as Mankind I was over the moon.

7. John Cena - Just like with The Rock I really don't like him on a personal level and if this list was personal favourites he would be way down there with Rico but dispite how much you like/hate him he is unquestionably the main face of today's era and is popular amongst the kids and some adults too. Even though I hear many boo's everytime he enters the ring so God knows how that works. I wish they would just turn him into a huge heel like WCW did with Hogan and be done with it.

8. Chris Jericho - Great heel..great on the mic..great in the ring. Possibly underrated by many. I could be wrong but I think he has held the IC Title more than any other?

9-14. Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boys, Edge and Christian - Produced some of the most watchable (or unwatchable depending which way you look at it) tag matches of all time. I think The road Warriors were the greatest tag team in WWE history but the fueds betweens these three teams took the tag division to places it had never been and has never been since.

15. Hulk Hogan -I would feel a lot better putting Hogan on this list if it was the last 20 or 25 years but I am going to include him anyway because of what he did for the business. If not for him I doubt we would know most if any of the names on our lists. Plus he still is relevant to the WWE fans as seen when he stood toe to toe with The Rock at Wrestlemania and got more love than the "peoples" champion.

Bret Hart was just a couple years out for me and Kane just missed out because I think he only really important for a very brief time and that was a long time ago.

 

[A1sauce518]

1.the rock--popular,great rival for scsa,great athelete,best talker/promos,only 7yrs
2.HBK--look at pwi's match of the year...it is hbk vs.. almost every year he wrestled
3.stone cold--you can compare his popularity to hogans of the 80s.not my fav but how many great matches?
4.undertaker--beats out S.C.S.A on all time list,streak,incredible matches
5.chris benoit--if it wasnt for the tragedy,he would talked about weekly
6.chris jericho--they have been saying he was a replica of hbk..gotta mean something
7.Edge--has he gone more than 6 months without a title?? hall of famer
8.HHH-early 2000's he was forced down our throats,had some quality matches
9.Cena--only makes my list b/c of his superman powers...and he loves wwe
10.Rey Mysterio--popularity and one of the best lightweights and is anyone more exciting?

it would be John Morrison on here but tag titles (when he carried the miz) and ecw title and 12 I.C reigns doesnt count,or even compare to rey's world title victory

your buggin! are you serious?!!! were you really going to put john morrison down here over angle, batista, and orton. F THAT!!!

 

[S.J. Maximus]

Excuse me? Other than HHH, Undertaker, Rock, and Austin are tied with 7 world titles.

Lack of mainstream success. I'm not real sold on that one. He gets the best pop at mania for at least the last 5 or 6 years. He's known worldwide on the sports circuit. I'm sorry that all the little cena kiddies don't know who he is. That's not my fault.

You sir, stand corrected.

your name is Cena's #1 fan and yet youre bashing a 'cena kiddies' who don't know who he is? I'm pretty sure any WWE and wrestling fan knows who the Undertaker, you may not just be smart enough to understand the definition of mainstream success.

The Rock needs no explanation, but Austin and HHH have both been in movies that aren't the terrible WWE Films, they're actually legitimate movies shown in many theaters. Austin's also appeared on countless talk shows and comedy shows like mad tv just like HHH has and although Undertaker has been on a few, his mainstream success doesn't compare to the likes of Rock Austin and HHH who are well-known figures in pop culture

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Okay, beyond number 1, Im making this up as I go along

1 HBK - I think this should be obvious. Without a shadow of a doubt the best in ring performer in history, and well capable of holding his own on the mic - especially before his injury.

2 The Rock - A true crossover star. I remember liking wrestling in school and it was considered a nerdy thing to like. Then the Rock came round and that wasn't the case anymore

3) Stone Cold - was never his biggest fan, but his impact is undeniable

4) Hogan - Same as above

5) Taker - Like the two above, not one of my favourite wrstlers, but a huge draw and identifiable worldwide.

6) Chris Jericho - truly one of the most underrated ever. Almost as good as HBK...nuff said

7) The Miz - I know this is controversial, but the future will vindicate this choice. He's the reason I still watch wrestling and I know Im not the only one.

8) HHH - Just look at the accolades

9) Kurt Angle - Ruining his legacy by his TNA involvement, could have been rated higher otherwise, but lost relevance many years ago

10) John Cena - Yawn

Oh, I can tell you made it up as you went along with your inclusion of the Miz and try to state that the future will vindicate. Well, if you looked at the name of the thread it says the top 10 superstars of the last 15 years which means anything The Miz does starting at 2012 will be irrelevant.

 

[Kaneanite]

Okay, beyond number 1, Im making this up as I go along

1 HBK - I think this should be obvious. Without a shadow of a doubt the best in ring performer in history, and well capable of holding his own on the mic - especially before his injury.

2 The Rock - A true crossover star. I remember liking wrestling in school and it was considered a nerdy thing to like. Then the Rock came round and that wasn't the case anymore

3) Stone Cold - was never his biggest fan, but his impact is undeniable

4) Hogan - Same as above

5) Taker - Like the two above, not one of my favourite wrstlers, but a huge draw and identifiable worldwide.

6) Chris Jericho - truly one of the most underrated ever. Almost as good as HBK...nuff said

7) The Miz - I know this is controversial, but the future will vindicate this choice. He's the reason I still watch wrestling and I know Im not the only one.

8) HHH - Just look at the accolades

9) Kurt Angle - Ruining his legacy by his TNA involvement, could have been rated higher otherwise, but lost relevance many years ago

10) John Cena - Yawn

Over the last 15 years Miz has been a greater superstar than HHH?... Edge? Cena and Angle?

Whatever! It's your opinion man. Still... damn...

Anyway I saw some tag teams up there. Maybe I'll make a 15 greatest tag-teams of the last 15 years thread soon. That would probably an even more fun thread. Good input guys, keep it up.