Top 5 Entertaining Characters In Wrestling Today

[hArdyPUNKmArk]

I just read the article by Chris Cash on the main site about his top 5 characters in wrestling to watch right now and wanted to replicate that here in the forums. It’s just opinion not fact so please keep it as light hearted as possible. Here’s my top 5 characters to watch right now in no particular order:

Santino

Chris put Santino in his list and I have to agree. He honestly cracks me up everytime he’s on TV. As long as he’s positioned as a comedy mid carder I’m happy. He’s no world champion but in his current role he’s perfect. I loved his entrance on Monday night when he was power walking the ropes. He really has a nack for making people laugh and I really value his time on the air. Great talent as a mid card comedy act and entertaining every time.

Bully Ray

I’m also putting Bully Ray on my list. He’s so good as a heel right now and is looking in the best shape of his life. His promos are great and his intensity in the ring is unmatched in TNA. He is the only reason these days I watch TNA. Since his split with Devon he has really excelled and has been nothing but a pleasure to watch. His berating of the face wrestlers and fans is top notch and he’s got to be one of the best heels in the business right now if not the best. Classic heel.

CM Punk

Punk has been fantastic since his infamous ‘shoot’ promo last year. I liked him before that promo but now I truly love his character. I always thought he was much better suited as a heel but after his promo last year he really catapulted himself into the main event as a full blown face getting more merch sales than Cena and the biggest pops of the night. His promos are always entertaining and his in ring work never fails to entertain me. The great thing about his work with Jericho lately is he’s showing some real acting chops and is now getting even more cheers as a sympathetic baby face. Great work from Punk the past 10 or so months and I can’t wait for his bout with Jericho at Wrestlemania.

The Rock

Even though I don’t think he’s been as on his game as he was during his prime with the WWE I just can’t get over the nostalgia of seeing him cut a promo on WWE television. He’s pure entertainment through and through. Wether he’s doing movies or promos with WWE he’s a joy to watch. Seeing him wrestle at SummerSlam was surprise to see how much he could still go and I’m certainly excited for Wrestlemania. He’s even helped make Cena enjoyable again.

Cody Rhodes

Cody’s journey the past 18 months has been phenomenal. He’s had that classic build of characters to get himself where he is today. He’s gone from the Dashing gimmick, to the Deranged gimmick to the current IC Champion he is today. He’s completely carrying this feud with Big Show. I love Show but he’s done nothing to interest me in his match with Rhodes but thanks to Rhodes’s work I’m genuinely excited for their bout at Wrestlemania. Cody has some of the best facial expressions in wrestling today, he’s right up there with Punk or Jericho. I’ve really enjoyed his progression and I get interested when his music hits. I’m very excited to see his career progress even further.

So, with my list out of the way lets see what everyone else comes up with. Please, post your top 5 characters in wrestling that entertain you the most these days. Please remember they’re not the top 5 superstars, just the 5 that personally entertain you more than the others. For example, Jericho, Angle, Hardy, Taker and Bryan are some of my favourites to watch but honestly they’re not entertaining me as much as the 5 mentioned above.

Lets get this going.

 

[AwesomeRko]

I'l chip in, I think I'm gonna try and go with full-time stars, I'm a massive Rock fan so he and Y2J would normally make the list but I'l try and be a bit different, here we go:

1. Bobby Roode: Has had a phenomenal reign as champion and in my opinion has been consistently the best champion on any show since his title win. Hie fued with Sting and Storm has amde TNA highly enjoyable again and I just think he has everything.

2. Cody Rhodes: What a year and a half the guy has had, easily the most improved superstar in the WWE. He has terrific natural charisma and his ic-skills have risen to amongst the best in the company. Also a great athlete, his disaster kick is one of my favourite moves. His recent stuff wth Big Show and Booker has been particularly excellent, got star quality in abundance and must be a sure-fire future WWE champion.

3.Dolph Ziggler: Amazing in-ring ability and a magnificent athlete, can put on a great match with anyone and always makes them look good. He has a great gimmick and is confident, funny and eloquent on the mic, its time for hi to dump Vickie and really push for that first real world championshio run, in a career brimming with promise.

4.Miz: I may be in the minority here but I think that the fact that Miz still retians such heat and is capable of sparking such debate and controversy amongst WWE fans in spite of his horrendous run in-ring is testament to his ability as an entertainer. His mic-work of late has been on thr rise again after a tough spell and his mania storyline is for me one of the most captivating and interesting in spite of having no actual fued so far. People over-exaggertae the limits of his in-ring ability, he is very capable in the ring imo but on the mic he is in my view the best on the current full-time roster and at invoking a response from the crowd.

5. Bully-Ray: Has been brilliant as the overbearing school bully type heel. He is absolute gold on the mic, draws heat like few i've ever seen and can go in the ring. Would love to see a fully fledged Bully/Roode fued for the titl if Roode retains post-Lockdown.

 

[WWEvsJosh]

Cena- I don't care what anyone says but I think he is more entertaining than 88.32% of the wrestlers in the business today. I think his matches are alright too great and his mic work is really good in my opinion.

Santino- Just funny and I think he brings a spark to the show.

D Bryan- kind of boring at first but the heel character grew on me very very very fast. Funny and he has good matches. That's a good deal

Orton- I truly believe he is up there with the best in the ring right now. His matches are tense and fun to watch.

Bully Ray- I think he is the best heel on the mic as of right now. I always liked his mic work.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Sure. Why not.

John Cena/ The Rock - This may be cheating, but in my defense I don't think either would have made the list without the other. Cena and Rock have been playing off each other perfectly, creating some excellent drama going into WrestleMania 28. I don't think I can pick out of the two who is more entertaining right now, so they're both just stuck together in this spot. Even if you don't like the Rock or John Cena, which doesn't seem to be a common position to hold, I feel like all hostility between both groups of fans is entertaining enough in itself. The two both know how to breed interest from wrestling fans, for better or for worse in Cena's case. Sometimes their hilarious, sometimes dramatic, but always entertaining.

Santino - The entire reason the Long/Lauriniatis feud has been so much fun to watch develop: Santino Marella. Comedic goldmine. He's convinced several of my non-wrestling friends to start watching up to WrestleMania, just to see him in a match.

Cody Rhodes - I was losing hope in Cody, but his recent work with the Big Show has brought him back into relevancy as the IC Champion. His segments every week aimed at embarrassing the 500 pound giant are classic, and I've loved every single one. The kid has come along way and turned that awkward promo voice into a gimmick in itself.

Kofi Kingston/R-Truth - You want to talk about a guy who puts on fun matches that are usually entertaining to watch, let's talk about Kofi Kingston. You want to talk about a guy who is hilarious but also a great in-ring performer? R-Truth. I love their team, and not JUST because they're black (ok...it's a little bit because they're black).

Bobby Roode - It was tough for me to choose between Roode and Bully Ray. I love Ray a little bit more as a character, but Roode has been getting better and better every single week. The post-match angle at Victory Road was a serious jump in legitimacy for his character. There's more to entertainment than flips, tricks, and jokes and Bobby Roode proves that. He's just plain enjoyable to watch.

OTHERS...

Bully Ray - See above
Dolph Ziggler - In a bit of a slump
Randy Orton - I'm generally an Orton fan, but his injuries have kept him from being close in this discussion, in my opinion
Daniel Bryan - No. I just don't like him.
Sheamus - I love Sheamus. The guy is really entertaining, but is currently being overshadowed by the above mentioned guys.
Eric Young - Not a huge fan of the ODB relationship, but EY is hilarious. I've always thought EY, Santino, and Colt Cabana could make the greatest team in history.
CM Punk - I'm from Chicago, so know I'm serious when I say this...Punk hasn't been given any time or material to prove he's the "best in the world" at all so far in 2012. I want him on the list, but he just doesn't deserve it right now.

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

1. Chris Jericho: I am hardly a Chris Jericho fan and I find his work terribly overrated by the IWC but by God, there cannot be a bigger dick in the industry right now than Jericho. He was boring me with this "you stole my ideas" stuff but now I just want Punk to make Jericho tap like a little bitch. Punk has played his part well in this feud, by showing vulnerability but it is Jericho who has stolen the show so far.

2. The Rock: Some of you may be finding his body of work repititive and tedious but I'm loving it. Yes, I would agree that he is not as proficient as he was in 2001 but he is still head and shoulders above most wrestlers in this industry. I loved The Rock concert, much more than Cena's rap which I found weak compared to his rap earlier this year. There may be little substance in his promos but to the majority of the crowd it is much more entertaining than the other guy pointing out that his jokes are immature. Nostalgia is also admittedly having it's effect on me.

3. Cody Rhodes: He has been entertaining me for quite a while even before his feud with Big Show. I guess I was one of those few who did not really care about him not defending the IC title. A feud with Orton is always better than a feud with Justin Gabriel. His recent feud with Show isn't as great to me as it is to some of the others but it is different and quite possibly the best you can do with Show.

4. Undertaker: Always gets into another zone at around WrestleMania but he hasn't really been allowed to let it rip this time round with both Shawn and Hunter making the streak all about themselves than about the guy holding it. I liked the " I will end you" promo against Shawn, though. It reminded me of those rumors that were circulating at WM 14 about Taker threatening Shawn to do the job to Austin. The mind games with HHH have been neat too and he has been my favorite performer among the three men involved in the second biggest match at Mania.

5. John Cena: Not a huge fan of him calling out The Rock on having wrist notes( God knows how many people have done that) or calling Rock's promos immature( Yeah, pro wrestling is extremely mature stuff in the first place) but he has had some strong promos in this feud and even managed to get the crowd on his side in one of the arenas. That is a huge deal considering this is John Cena, who gets mixed reactions everywhere, and that his opponent was The Rock, who is pretty much adored everywhere.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

1 - Santino.

This guy is just great to watch. Whether he up jumbles his words, plays with the audience, makes funny facial expressions or even just strutting to the ring, he can make me laugh far too easily. Ever since he was with Beth Phoenix, he's been able to have these little moments that are just so unexpected and so funny, that I look forward to seeing him. Gotta love him.

2 - The Rock

Oh I can smell what he's cooking. It's the same recipe from years ago, and is still a feast for the eyes and ears. He's having fun, doing his job and keeping the crowds entertained. Perhaps he wasn't as smooth as many of us wanted to be upon his return, but Rock rough around the edges is still good enough for me.

3 - Daniel Bryan.

YES! YES! YES! A phrase, like "Excuse me!" that is helping the guy in his heel role. He seems a lot more at ease with what he's doing now than he was a few months ago and I can only see him improving. (Plus he's from an Aberdeen too, much love.)

4 - Jericho

"...but your sister on the other hand..." was the point where I got more invested in the feud with Punk. The sudden gear change from 'you stole my catchphrase' to 'you may be straight-edge, but you're doomed!' may have happened too soon to Wrestlemania, but Jericho now has better ammunition if they extend the feud past Mania.

5 - Kane.

I'm a Kaneanite, he has his mask back, and is beating up folk. Plus he's keeping Orton busy and may make Orton go a little mental which is always fun.

 

[JakeAdams]

El Generico, Dolph Ziggler, Brian Danielson, Bobby Roode, Kevin Steen.

I would go with these guys. Because each one has impressed me with their abilities.

 

[scottyshowman82]

Tremendous props for putting Bully Ray on your list. Back in ECW as many people know the Dudleys took pride in getting heat from fans, pretty much being fearless and Bully Ray U believe taken that same energy and it is putting it into his character today.


For me:

Austin Aries- I love this guy man. He's a throw back to the old school. He's a champion and when he walks around with that X Division Title, you believe he's the man. He's like Flair, thinks so highly of himself calls himself "The Greatest Man who ever Lived." Preposterous yes, but it works. I know whenever I get a TNA pay per view, his match will deliver and it always does. What I love about him is passion. He loves this business. Not an old man by any means but he knows he's not getting younger and he wants to be great, he wants that recognition and you can tell that when he picks up a mike and looks in the camera or when he's inbetween those ropes.

Daniel Bryan- I really thought it was a sign of disrepect for the WWE to turn him heel. But Bryan has taken a cowardly gimmick and has made it look like an art form. He's so cold to AJ the way he controls her and will not return her affections but he delivers it in such a sly why you can't help but be entertained. He's got a catch phrase (or word) that even the Rock can't avoid when doing a promo and he's not a half bad wrestler either to say the very least.

Jericho- Jericho's promo on CM Punk on Smackdown a few weeks back on CM Punk was masterful. Jericho is so articulate and knows the intricacies of being a solid heel. I mean just saying that he'll have a drink to celebrate after he beats punk and making the drinking motion with his hands. He's such a prick lol.

Kevin Steen- The Ring of Honor hellraiser will not let up on his personal vendetta on ROH brass especially Jim Cornette. You can bet two things on every episode ROH: That there is going to be some great bell to bell to wrestling and that Steen will either come out and beat the living crap out someone or deliver a threat to Jim Cornette that he win the ROH title and take that very company hostage.

CM Punk- I know I may be resting on what Punk did last summer but he is still very interesting and compelling on the mike. The feud with Jericho was elevated even higher this past week on Raw with Y2J drenching a beaten Punk in alcohol and crushing a bottle against his skull. Expect Punk to come out in a rage next week.


of course, The Rock is the Rock always entertaining, Cena has been solid lately but those are the ones that I really look forward to each week. And I do get a crack out of David Otunga's law commercials as well.

 

[DangerousDave]

Austin Aries - I completely agree with scottyshowman82, I love this guy too. When he comes down the isle you know you are going to get a good show whether hes in there with a veteran or a jobber. I've talked to him several times, hes a great guy and I instantly sensed his passion for the business. This guy is going to go a long way, I just hope its in TNA, The other thing I like about him is he has a great sense of humor and likes to fuck with the marks before the match or when they ask for autographs, all in good fun of course.

Bully Ray - I like heels, what can I say. I think he is second only to Roode right now, who is excellent in the role, but not as entertaining as Bully. I thought he was gonna be a bust when he went to singles, but I've been pleasantly surprised. I've seen ringsiders say something he doesn't like when hes on the way out of the ring and him get in their face and call them out. I'm talking his face about 6 inches from theirs and he totally scares the shit out of them and humiliates them. I witnessed one of these face offs from 2 people away. A few of his lines include: "I don't care if I get arrested, I'll smash your face" and ending with telling the guy "There, I embarrassed you in front of your boyfriend." It made my night lol.

Kid Cash - Old school style and a stiff worker. I especially enjoyed his work with Sorenson. He's another one that likes to fuck with the marks before a match which I always get a kick out of.

ODB - The only wrestler that makes the Knockouts worth watching. Yeah the others are hot, but ODB is the only one that is a real entertainer. She never fails to bring a smile to my face.

Ric Flair - I've been a Slick Ric mark for years, he's the man and he will always be the man. Not that I want to see him wrestle again, but as a manager I love him. He keeps the pot stirred and can still cut a promo with the best of them. I would rather watch Flair than Hogan any day of the week.

 

[Peoples_Champ]

In no particular order:

Santino - Well, he's first partially because we're both from the same city. But he's tremendous on the mic and in promos / segments. His timing is just as good as any comedian and his shtick is still fresh.

Punk - The world clings on his every word for good reason, he's quick witted and his charm last summer was really on display. He stole every segment, no matter if it was with Cena or HHH or Laurinitis. His mic work is excellent.

Cena - Love him or hate him, there's no denying his ability to entertain. Even haters stop booing to listen to him. As polarizing as he may be, he's still the face of the business and he couldn't have got there without being entertaining.

Jericho - I love listening to him talk. I'm wrapped around his every word. His intelligence and charm is clearly on display from the moment he's visible. Even things like his lite-brite jacket all build into his mystique. There's nobody better - although I would love to see him and Cena go at it verbally.

Tie, R-Truth & The Miz - I love both of these guys and I can't decide which one entertains me more. Miz is absolutely hate-able, while Truth has become a comedic genius. I loved the Awesome Truth concept and wish it lasted much, much longer. However, both these guys belong in the Top 5.

 

[The_Gene_Genie]

There seems to be a common trend with names here, but that's for good reason. My list is as follows and the majority won't be much different from anybody else's selection:

1) Dolp Ziggler I love his show off persona. The comparisons that are often made to such legends as Curt Henning are, in my opinion, justified. He seems to have taken the best heel elements from many a great heel of yesteryear and incorporated them into his own unique style. His selling is often commented on and at the moment he is second to none in that department. That 360 degree face plant he does from a monkey flip is insane.

2) Santino My wife and kids love his character and it gives me an opportunity to reclaim control of the TV remote and watch wrestling when he is on. I can't deny that I find him entertaining at every turn. My 7 year old daughter mimmicks his speed walk to the ring. My 5 year old son copies his trumpet celebration. Both have mastered the cobra. My wife laughs at the anarchy his appearance on TV causes in my household. I smile because I get to watch wrestling.

3) Eric Young I don't watch TNA often. The odd bits that I do catch are never enough to retain my attention. The few bits I see of Eric Young do. He is wrong on so many levels. I don't know what he is talking about. I don't know what he is doing. I don't necessarily get it. But he is batsh*t crazy and I am glued to the screen when he is on and find myself smiling regardless.

4) Magnus I've liked his attitude and persona even since his days as Oblivion on the British Gladiators gameshow. As I said before I don't watch a lot of TNA, but he is one of the few that always seems to be active when I do switch on. He is an effective speaker, has a good look and s still young and heading in the right direction as a performer. Being British I may have a soft spot for British wrestlers, but he is arguably one of the better ones working in the states today.

5) Brock Lesnar We know all about Brock and what he is capable of. His return, for me, was unexpected. It was immense watching the show, not knowing in advance that he was coming back. I was the proverbial kid in a candy shop. Now I want more and can't wait to see the who, where, when, why and how of what happens next.

 

[Hbkfan4eva]

in no particular order
santino he is just a pissa and knows what it takes to engage and entertain the crowed hence he got a major pop at elimination chamber amazing

dolph ziggler- i could watch this guy work all day and night he is an incredible performer and has the best matches most nights

cm punk he is on the verge of being that guy and its easy for him to be liked cause what u see is what u get with punk.

cody rhodes another guy that i said when he began in the wwe that this guy had it when everyone else was saying dibease i knew this was the guy that could be a main eventer

chris jericho- this guy is probably the best storyteller in that company right now and he loves to be hated he does it so well look at all his great feuds and he was the heel amazing im a major y2j mark

 

[syxxeffect]

Santino - The Cobra is so over and I crack up every time he is on TV.

Ziggler - He so good with his in ring work.

Daniel Bryan- I like his more old school approach.

Cody Rhodes - He just embodies his character and is a good worker.

Jericho - He's a great storyteller and he makes everyone he is in the ring with look better.

 

[Trill Co$by]

5. David Otunga coffee cup not included, this guy's very gifted in the ring IMO. He can carry himself on the mic to some believable measures, and has put on some memorable moments already. He's not the best in terms of who I like to see week in and week out, but he's entertaining when I do see him, and that's what counts.


4. CM Punk and this isn't a fall from grace in the slightest. CM Punk is still very entertaining to me, and this storyline with Jericho is a great cause of it. But unfortunately, he's just not entertaining enough to beat the other three.


3. Daniel Bryan. Picture this. You win a world heavyweight title, on the biggest stage of them all, in record setting time, and you still are getting out shined weekly by the man you beat. That is what Sheamus is thinking every time Daniel Bryan's theme song hits and every time the fans chant "Yes! Yes! Yes!"... it's amazing how Bryan went from an okay World Champion to an instant hit all because of Miami.


2. Madison Rayne. Call me crazy, ******ed, fucked in the head... whatever have you. But at the end of the day, Madison Rayne is more entertaining than a great number of MALE wrestlers, let alone her fellow female wrestlers. I still don't know why she isn't KO champion, but that's not for me to worry about I guess.


1. Robert Roode. There isn't a person in the entire wrestling world right now who can match the entertainment level of Roode. The guy makes you believe that the TNA World title means something, a goal which no champion before him could really do as well. He's a breath of fresh air from the common heel champion and has become known as the selfish champion... and I love it. The only reasons I watch TNA are for Madison Rayne, MMG (they've returned!), Joe & Magnus, and Roode... and at times for Aries & Ray.

 

[Lowdown]

For me, it goes like this:

Bully Ray: Been a fan of him and Devon since before they jumped to WWF. Bully has been on a tear the last year and a half. He is arguably the best heel in TNA next to Bobby Roode. The man can talk and hold his own in the ring, not to mention has gotten himself in tremendous shape.

Bobby Roode: His progression as champ was slow, but he keeps getting better. I wasn't sure how he was going to do going into his reign, but he has impressed me, particularly in his feud with Sting. Not exactly the best on the mic, but far from bad. Has a Triple H vibe to him, though not as vicious, at least not quite yet.

Austin Aries: Didn't know much about Aries prior to his return to TNA. But as soon as he came back, he's been nothing less than impressive; perhaps TNA's best all around star on their roster. He can do it all, whether its dominating the X division or hang with the big fellas like Bully Ray. Not to mention he's absolute gold on the mic.

Samoa Joe: Love the guy's intensity and bad ass attitude. Joe seems to want to put a hurtin on someone when he steps between the ropes. Not all too gifted on the mic, but makes up for it in his ring work. His current reign with Magnus as tag champs has been a highlight since they won the titles.

Kevin Steen: I rarely get to watch ROH when it comes on Saturdays. But when I do, the standout is Steen, without question. Dubbed "Wrestling's Worst Nightmare", he continues to wreak havoc throughout ROH in his quest to get his hands on the championship. First time I saw him on TV, he was in his constant feud against Jim Cornette and powers that be. I expect to see a lot more of Kevin Steen in the near future.