Top 5 of the top 5

[Poop Master Flex]

Perhaps not through the history of wrestling but at the present time I would say that the top 5 promotions, past or present that are most relevant to wrestling fans today would be WWE, TNA, NWA/WCW, AWA, and ECW. While these 5 promotions may not have been the best they are all influential in the current landscape of wrestling whether that be for better or for worse. With that said who do you feel are the top 5 wrestlers in each of the promotions mentioned.

Points to consider are:

• The Overall impact of the wrestler on that promotion
• How well did that superstar draw.
• His overall ability to entertain the audience
• His lasting contributions on wrestling in general

All responses are welcome and if you can't do all 5 feel free to do whatever promotions you can.


TNA

1) AJ Styles - The true face of TNA, he's their most decorated guy, an original in every sense of the word and by far the best TNA made star ever.

2) Jeff Jarrett - The founder of TNA and their perennial main eventer in the early days of TNA. Not his biggest fan but his contributions are unquestionable.

3) Sting - The first real big acquisition of TNA. He brought a lot to the table when he came, a leader inside and outside of the ring and had a second career in TNA.

4) Kurt Angle - The most shocking (and best) moment for me in TNA's history was when it was announced Kurt Angle was coming to TNA. The Miz can say all he want but everyone knows between the ropes no one is more awesome than Kurt Angle.

5) Samoa Joe - The last few years haven't been great to the guy, but for 2-3 years he was one of their top guys and main attraction. Him and AJ (along with Daniels) put on the greatest match in TNA history and he was one of their best guys for a long, long time. Hard pick but I feel Joe deserves to be in the top 5.


ECW

1) Raven - One of the darkest, sickest and most disturbing characters in wrestling history, and we love him for it. Great psychology and was one of the most original characters I've ever seen.

2) The Sandman - Horrible wrestler that didn't need to be good. Sandman was over as f*** in ECW, had one of the best entrances ever, and embodied what ECW was more than anyone, except for maybe the next guy.

3) Sabu - The nucleus of the ECW. He was their 1st real big attraction and really carried the place in the early days and helped get it off the ground. Quite possibly ECW's most influential wrestler.

4) Taz - The human suplex machine who wasn't the tallest, but was a monster nonetheless. Was there from the beginning and was as important in the growth of ECW as anybody. Besides who doesn't love the FTW belt.

5) Rob Van Dam - The whole F'n show and the guy who carried the company in its dying days. He was so different from everyone else in ECW, laid back, cocky, possibly baked, but was so innovative in the ring, he truly was Mr. PPV


AWA

1) Verne Gagne - 10 time AWA champ and trained more successful wrestlers than anybody. His promotion helped usher in some of the biggest superstars of all time and may have been the most influential person in wrestling history.

2) Nick Bockwinkel - A great talker, great wrestler and was the perfect foil to Verne Gagne. He was the top bad guy for over 15 years and was constantly in the main event.

3) The Crusher - My personal favorite AWA wrestler, he had one of the greatest characters of all time. He was entertaining as hell on promo's and was a great wrestler to boot. Without The Crusher there never would have been a Stone Cold Steve Austin.

4) Billy Robinson - Probably the only wrestler that could match up with Verne Gagne hold for hold. Just an amazing preformer all around and you knew whenever he wrestled, quality was assured.

5) Mad Dog Vachon - Another great heel and memorable character. A very violent, very barbaric, but also very very memorable.


NWA/WCW

1) Ric Flair - What can be said about Flair that hasn't been said before, OF COURSE HE'S NUMBER ONE.

2) Lou Thesz - The first real champ of the NWA and carried that title so well and for so long. He wrestled in 5 different decades and was known all over the world and was just as important to wrestling in general as anybody.

3) Harley Race - The gap between Thesz and Flair. Harley Race was a great NWA champ and always put on a quality match, always gave a quality performance and you never questioned his toughness. When you saw Race wrestle, you a man you truly believed was the best.

4) Sting - The greatest WCW made star of all time and the only name mentioned twice. Sting was the ultimate warrior of the NWA, except he was actually talented. Sting had everything, charisma, look, skill, work ethic and reliability.

5) Dory Funk Jr - This could have went to about 10 different guys but I decided to go with Dory. He was a great old school wrestler, had a great run as NWA champ and was another guy you believed was legit tough. When you saw Dory, you never questioned why he was champ.


WWE

1) The Undertaker - A bit of an odd pick for #1 but I feel he deserves it the most. The real face of the new generation Taker was more than a superstar, he was an attraction and he did it for 20 years (and counting). Throughout the years you'd be hard pressed to find a fan that didn't like Taker, he was a true phenom in every sense of the word and the best big man EVER.

2) Hulk Hogan - The man who changed the face of professional wrestling. Hogan's the most recognizable wrestler in wrestling history and ushered in the era of sports entertainment, nuff said.

3) Stone Cold Steve Austin - The most popular wrestler in wrestling history. When Austin was on TV it was must see and if it wasn't for him we may very well have been watching Nitro every monday nights.

4) The Rock - The most successful mainstream wrestler in history and the only one who left wrestling and didn't have to come back. The Rock is the only one on this list that doesn't need wrestling because he is that good.

5) Andre The Giant - The most memorable wrestler in history. Andre was an attraction, a true giant, movie/television actor and someone you just had to see to do justice. Andre truly was the 8th wonder of the world.

Those would be my top 5 of the top 5. With that said tell me who you would consider the top 5 in one of the promotions mentioned.

 

[TUFFY54]

Good Thread! Just so you know, I'm only using wrestlers from the modern age (1984) and up. I also don't have them listed in any particular order.

WWE
Hulk Hogan
Andre The Giant
Steve Austin
The Rock
John Cena

WCW/NWA
Ric Fair
Dusty Rhodes
Sting
Goldberg
Hulk Hogan

ECW
Shane Douglas
Terry Funk
Tommy Dreamer
Sandman
Sabu

AWA
Nick Bockwinkle
Larry Zybsko
Hulk Hogan
Hawk
Animale

TNA
Jeff Jarrett
AJ Styles
Sting
Kurt Angle
Hulk Hogan


I put Hulk Hogan in four of the five companies. This just goes to show how huge his impact was in wrestling. While his contributions to WWE and WCW need no explanation, I will defend his placement in AWA and TNA. Hogan was in Rocky 3 and wildly popular during his AWA run. The fans loved him and he basically had the same gimmick that he would use to make the WWE the biggest company in the world. In fact, if the AWA had put the belt on Hogan, he probably wouldn't have left the company. Unfortunatly, the AWA thought that, as popular as Hogan was, the champion needed to be a sound techincal wrestler. The fact that his leaving lead to the AWA going out of business due to all the other stars following him up north says a lot about his impact with them.

While people may argue about his sucess in TNA, you can't deny that he brought more attention to them than they had gotten in the previous seven years. The news of Hogan signing with TNA showed up on all of the news sights and gossip blogs. Most impressivly, he went on Jimmy Kimmel Live (one of TV's most popular talk shows) to discuss comming to TNA. His arrival was also hyped with a three hour live show that went head to head with the WWE. Seeing as how he brought more attention to TNA than they had gotten in their entire existance, you have to include him.

 

[Richie Cult]

Just like the last post, it is only fair that I speak about things I watched in my lifetime instead of legends like Lou Thesz that I only read about.

WWE:
1) Hulk Hogan - Took the sport to a whole new level
2) Steve Austin - Winning captain in Monday Night Wars
3) Undertaker - A mainstay with size, gimmick, and almost a household name
4) Bret Hart - Kept WWF alive post-Hogan, which was a tall order
5) Shawn Michaels - Kept WWE alive post-Bret & a favorite among ladies

NWA / WCW:
1) Ric Flair - Dominated magazines and was always seen as the "credible" champion vs. WWF's Hogan until their matchups
2) Hulk Hogan - Heel turn was the talk of all wrestling at the time, despite beginning career as a heel w/ Blassie
3) Sting - A reliable "Robin" to the above two "Batmen"
4) Dusty Rhodes - Helped make Flair & Flair made Dusty. Fans needed a "Common Man"
5) Goldberg - Good booking w/ the streak, strength, and style. WCW needed a home grown hero and Bill was he.

ECW:
1) Rob Van Dam - Great unique style & personality that was "at home" in ECW
2) Sabu - Daredevil moves that are legend
3) Taz - Who does not love the mysterious suplex machine? Great champ too.
4) Raven - The slacker personality fit the unconventional ECW fans
5) Sandman - Beer, singapore cane, another fit for the ECW fan

TNA:
1) A.J. Styles - The face of TNA (was almost Christopher Daniels)
2) Jeff Jarrett - Great wrestler, but father started the promotion, so...
3) Kurt Angle - The biggest acquisition TNA could have obtained and a great employee who gives it all for the business
4) Samoa Joe - An important "TNA original"
5) Hulk Hogan - I love Hulk Hogan, but this broken down version 3.0 is only good for his household name and mic skills. Did not boost TNA as I wished he would, but unfortunately, he fits #5 better than Abyss would

AWA:
1) Nick Bockwinkle: Made a belt feel special with his lengthy title reigns
2) Larry Zybysko: Made the fans hate him so much, which was a great draw
3) Hawk - greatest tag team ever
4) Animal - greatest tag team ever
5) Col. DeBeers - Another hated champ that packed The Showboat in hopes of watching him lose

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

TNA
1.) Kurt Angle- I realize he's not a TNA original, but he was the first major wrestler to jump ship after his release. He brought a lot of publicity with him as well as opened the door for others to follow him. He also brought experience and leadership to a then green roster of young wrestlers.
2.) AJ Styles- The man helped put the X Division on the map back in the day. Now he's a former World Champion and has gone toe-to-toe with greats like Sting, Kurt Angle, and Booker T...and he's walked away victorious. He is arguably the best homegrown talent TNA has ever had.
3.) Sting- The man is a legend from one of the most successful companies in wrestling history. The experience, name recognition, and ability he brought to the company is unparalleled.
4.) Christopher Daniels- Arguably the best X Division performer ever, as well as a great tag team wrestler. Just all around a lot of fun, and one of the reasons I started watched TNA.
5.) Jeff Jarrett- As much as I can't stand the guy, he has to be on the list. Obviously, without Jarrett, there would be no TNA.

Close calls...
-Robert Roode
-Booker T.
-Samoa Joe

 

[The Eighties]

WWE:
Hulk Hogan - The biggest star in wrestling history
Stone Cold Steve Austin - The man who brought the second boom period
The Undertaker - The most respected man in the companies history
Shawn Michaels - The greatest performer in WWE history and father of DX, one of the most lucrative and enduring gimmicks in history.
John Cena - Despite a bumpy ride he has carried the torch for the new generation well.

NWA / WCW:
Ric Flair - Simply the greatest World Champion ever.
Hulk Hogan - Took the company to another level commercially.
Sting - The enduring face of WCW and possibly the greatest babyface ever.
Harley Race - The man in the 70's and early 80's, passed the torch to Flair.
Vader - The monster of the promotion who was the antagonist in some of it's biggest matches with Sting, Flair and Hogan.

ECW:
Cactus Jack - He brought a legitimacy to a "garbage wrestling" fed.
Raven - Drove the feuds with Sandman and Dreamer that put ECW on the map.
Shane Douglas - Created the ECW title and is arguably their greatest champion.
RVD - The most popular star and draw in ECW history.
Sabu - An insane car wreck performer that enticed people to tune in to see if he died.

TNA:
AJ Styles - The face of TNA and the reason a lot of people checked the promotion out in it's early years.
Jeff Jarrett - Without him there is no TNA.
Christian - A wrestler leaving the WWE to go to TNA was a big statement for the promotion
Kurt Angle - A WWE main event capture who has delivered countless top feuds for the company.
The Knockouts Division - Ok this is several wrestlers but it made women's wrestling credible again and constantly draws the best ratings for TNA.

Sorry, other than the WWE DVD I never really saw anything from the AWA.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

WWE

1.) John Cena- ...just kidding...
1.) Hulk Hogan- Yeah yeah yeah, he put wrestling on the map. He's the greatest drawing camel of all time. Blah blah blah. Let's just get him out of the way. I tried really hard to come up with ANYBODY else that could take his place, but it's just not possible.
2.) Shawn Michaels- I would have loved to put him at number 1. He may not have drawn popular attention to wrestling, and he may never be considered a celebrity. But the man could put on a story better than anybody in history.
3.) Steve Austin- Attitude Era. Enough said.
4.) Ric Flair- He didn't necessarily do a LOT for WWE in terms of wrestling. But his name brought credibility to the promotion again. He also trained up Triple H, Randy Orton, and Batista, a giant accomplishment in its own right.
5.) The Rock- The youngest man on the list. He left at the peak of his popularity, and his return would produce the highest ratings, possibly of all time. Charisma, comedy, ability, storytelling...badassery...the man had it all. I've never seen any other wrestler...neh...perfomer have a crowd eating from his hands more than the Rock.

Close calls...
-Chris Jericho
-Triple H
-Mankind
-John Cena
-Andre the Giant

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Great thread! All these catagories are tough decisions!

WWE

1. Hulk Hogan- the most recognisable wrestler of them all. The man who brought wrestling into the big time. The icon

2.Steve Austin- The face of the company during its biggest boom period. A Hulk Hogan type figure to modern wrestling fans

3. The Undertaker- A stalwart of the company. The greatest gimmick of all time, with the legendary WM streak

4. The Rock- Just as important as Austin, and up there with Hogan as the best entertainer of them all.

5. Andre The Giant- The first giant in wrestling. A huge draw and a legitimate legend


Close Calls- Shawn Michaels, Ultimate Warrior, John Cena, Bret Hart, Triple H

TNA

1. AJ Styles- TNA's biggest home grown success and the most entertaining wrestler in the business today

2. Kurt Angle- The first MAJOR star to leave WWE for TNA. The best in ring competitor in the world

3. Jeff Jarrett- The founder of TNA and the longest reigning champion in the companys history

4. Sting- A genuine icon, and a huge name who helped to put TNA on the map.

5 America's Most Wanted Harris and Storm are the best tag team to appear in TNA, and dominated the division during the promotions early years

Close Calls- Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, Christian Cage


ECW

1. The Sandman- Represented the everyday wrestling fan who wants to get in to the ring to fight. One of the most iconic entrances in history

2. Rob Van Dam- The biggest star in ECW history

3. Raven- Paul Heyman's greatest gimmick. One of the best promo guys of all time

4. Sabu- The biggest daredevil in mainstream US wrestling history. A true innovator

5. Tommy Dreamer- The heart and soul of ECW, who had a special bond with the fans

Close Calls- Terry Funk, Shane Douglas, Dudley Boyz

NWA/WCW

1. Ric Flair- The Hulk Hogan of the NWA. The greatest champion of them all

2. Dusty Rhodes- The common mans hero. Rhodes inspired Flair to get into the business

3. Harley Race- Incredibly tough, Race was the peoples champion

4. Sting- Along with Flair, Sting was WCW. Incredibly loyal to the company

5. Hollywood Hogan- The most famous heel turn of them all. Hogan joining the nWo gave WCW a big lead in the ratings

Close Calls- Goldberg, Ricky Steamboat

I have not seen enough AWA to be able to comment