Kasey, I love Bret. I really do. He definitely paved the way for HBK, Angle, Benoit, Eddie and Jericho to do the things they did with the title. But I just don't think Bret was better in the ring than Shawn Michaels. I also don't think his mic skills were very good. I think you have to take this into consideration, even though we're debating the greatest wrestler of all time. Who cares how good someone performs if they're no good from an entertainment standpoint?
who is the best wrestler of all time
- Thread starter TheIconn2006
- Start date
In defense of Kasey, the name of the thread is best wrestler not entertainer. There's a difference. Now HBK is a GREAt performer and probably could out perform Bret. But in a pure wrestling match, from a standpoint of amateur wrestling as far as basics and grapevining, hands down goes to Bret!!!!
daoneenigma
Occasional Pre-Show
I believe there are many different criteria for making this judgment. A wrestler by today's standards cannot be simply the greatest based on wrestling skills alone, IMO. Although wrestling ability is a definitely major component, longevity, character continuity, charisma, and other factors need to be taken into consideration
With that being said I would have three different characterizations:
Best Pure Wrestler of All Time: Kurt Angle
The man was/is gifted. He can move around in the ring like no other, he can ooh and aah people, his moves are crisp, and the man is simply a wrestling machine. Words do no justice to this man's talent.
Most Entertaining Wrestler of All Time: The Rock
Nobody was ever as good on the mic as The Rock. Nobody has had better catchphrases, more entertaining segments, and has just been so damn entertaining as The Rock. He was hilarious and got people out of their seats. The loudest pops I've ever heard on television have been for The Rock. Even if it's a return for one night, he really electrifies the place.
The Total Package/The Best: The Undertaker
He has wrestling ability, he has had the best gimmick of all time, and he sends chills down spines of millions. He's lasted so long, for so many years, and has re-invented himself so many times (and has remained in the main event scene for pretty much all of his career). He's remained with one company throughout it all as well. He's changed his wrestling style over the years, and seems to be getting better with age. He's been the source of many exciting new matches - Hell in a Cell, Buried Alive, Inferno Match, Casket Match, etc. He's been part of many historical memories in the WWE. I can go on and on. The man really is the phenom.
With that being said I would have three different characterizations:
Best Pure Wrestler of All Time: Kurt Angle
The man was/is gifted. He can move around in the ring like no other, he can ooh and aah people, his moves are crisp, and the man is simply a wrestling machine. Words do no justice to this man's talent.
Most Entertaining Wrestler of All Time: The Rock
Nobody was ever as good on the mic as The Rock. Nobody has had better catchphrases, more entertaining segments, and has just been so damn entertaining as The Rock. He was hilarious and got people out of their seats. The loudest pops I've ever heard on television have been for The Rock. Even if it's a return for one night, he really electrifies the place.
The Total Package/The Best: The Undertaker
He has wrestling ability, he has had the best gimmick of all time, and he sends chills down spines of millions. He's lasted so long, for so many years, and has re-invented himself so many times (and has remained in the main event scene for pretty much all of his career). He's remained with one company throughout it all as well. He's changed his wrestling style over the years, and seems to be getting better with age. He's been the source of many exciting new matches - Hell in a Cell, Buried Alive, Inferno Match, Casket Match, etc. He's been part of many historical memories in the WWE. I can go on and on. The man really is the phenom.
Figure4- If you take a look at some of my earlier posts. I did mention Kurt Angle alond with Chris Benoit. I do apprecaite pure athletic abilities. I wouldnt dare exclude Kurt Angle from that category. I actually was in ATL when he competed. He is a true wrestler thru and thru
Hitman_Hart
Dark Match Jobber
I think that I would have to say that Ric Flair is the greatest of all time with Hogan. Flair has contributed alot to the sport called pro-wrestling and is an icon in WWE, WCW, and other pro-wrestling federations. Hogan however is legendary for his charisma and legendary fueds in the WWE. I would have to say both are great, and both are the best or one of the best wrestlers of all time.
S
Silent_Dan
Guest
Bruno Sammartino he been wwe champ for like 7 years
Sorry cant agree with Flair. He's a great in ring performer, probably the greatest and I'm sure a future Hall of Famer. But the thread is about wrestling and I have to give you a little of a vote on Flair. Hogan on the other hand, I completely disagree. Yes, a icon, yes a Hall of Famer. But greatest wrestler, no. He is what I call a made champion and a made superstar. When I say that I mean that the business made him great, he didnt make the business great. Vince saw a gold mine in Hulk and used his Hulkamania to exploit the wrestling industry. Vince actually madde Hulk a household name, so I really dont consider Hulk to be a great wrestler, agreat performer yes, but not a great wrestler, sorry
gza/genuis
Dark Match Jobber
totally agree, well saiddjmalachi said:
Kasey
Connoiseur of the MILF
I do think Michaels was a solid performer during his original run (I feel he's become a routine man like Flair since he returned) and he was a wonderful marriage of high-flying maneuvers, dead-on selling (much better than his peers), and was great at working the crowd, his adaptability to other wrestlers was not what I feel would be a strength. Hart's matches were unpredictable and he was never into running a routine, but rather keeping the fans guessing. Michaels was another guy who has become all about hitting the signature spots in a planned sequence that can be called out three moves in advance. For me, Mr. Hickenbottom has tarnished his legacy with this, as it's obvious his creativity is absent these days. The only glimpses of his former talent were his matches with Angle in the past year.djmalachi said:
Kasey
Connoiseur of the MILF
Flair was brilliant at times, but usually only when he was in the ring with a solid talent who could control the match (Sting, Steamboat, Savage, Funk). I remember an interview with Sting where he talked about how he continually pushed Flair to change up their match routines as they had wrestled many times over a number of years. Flair's reply was something along the lines of telling him that people would feel robbed if they didn't get to see the same signature spots of Flair being beaten up by Sting. I hate having my intelligence insulted by seeing the same routine over and over again in the ring. It entertained me when I was five and Hulkamania was running wild in my living room, but that time has passed. Also, Flair's "falling forward" routine is as phony as it gets, for me. If a feud is to remain fresh, it should be executed like the old RVD/Jerry Lynn feud in '99 where they kept building signature spots each match. THAT was how to keep an angle alive, and how I like to see feuds approached. Not regurgiated routines like Flair getting bealed off the top rope for the 4,000th time. That offers no surprise, just predictability.djmalachi said:
J
john_rober
Guest
The best all time WWE wrestlers have wrestled a lot longer than Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle, and Rey Misterio Jr and have faced much better competition.
These are my Top 5 based on in ring ability, longevity, defence of World Championship Belts, entertainment value, and match storytelling.
5. Bob Backlund
4. Ric Flair
3. Shawn Michaels
2. Randy Macho Man Savage
1. Bret The Hitman Hart
These are my Top 5 based on in ring ability, longevity, defence of World Championship Belts, entertainment value, and match storytelling.
5. Bob Backlund
4. Ric Flair
3. Shawn Michaels
2. Randy Macho Man Savage
1. Bret The Hitman Hart
^This was perfectly said.^Kasey said:
Best wrestler of all time... no doubt it's Bret "The Hitman" Hart. The most important aspect of a wrestling match is storytelling. Bret Hart's storytelling and in-ring psychology are second to none. On Bret Hart's DVD he was labelled "the greatest storyteller in the history of the business" by Vince McMahon. He was more adept at creating tense and entertaining matches than anyone else, which means he has to be the best.
The top 5 "wrestlers" that I've ever seen are:
1. Bret Hart
2. Kurt Angle
3. Shawn Michaels
4. Ricky Steamboat
5. Chris Benoit
P
PauLwaLL
Guest
john_rober said:
Are you insane? Macho Man... Nowhere near the best...
Bret is far from it as well.. Yes he was good.. But he didnt have a long enough carear...
Im gonna stick with HBK just for these reasons.. When you think of memorable matches... HBK's name almost always comes up... I read I think in page 2... Someone having pure wrestler, entertainer, the best... HBK has great wrestling skills, Entertains in every match he's in.. Has great mic skills... The Total package... Ric Flair is a close second tho..
I agree with not having Macho Man on that list. Macho was a great in ring performer also but not one of the best wrestlers. HBK , back in his day was also a great wrestler. I think now he's more of a great entertainer . I guess I could include him on my list including Angle, Hart, Benoit, and Flair.
Lil'Rick Tha Boss
Dark Match Winner
Shawn Michaels hands down
R
REMY
Guest
This is not really a fair question it has to be Ric Flair he may not be anywhere close to where he used to be now but his past cannot be denied a distant second would be Bret Hart the man who was cheated out of his WWF championship and had his WCW championship taken away the point being he never lost either one of them.
B
bman420
Guest
Ric Flair, Bret Hart, Sting, Triple H
This question really has to be segmented in areas of , power wrestler, technical wrestler and so on. its preatty hard, with technical u have the hbk, kurt angle and benoit, with power u have the big shows, the undertakers etc, with substituion, u have the flairs, anngles, stingers etc, it is a very hard question if you really think about it.
The Enforcer
The Heel John Cena!
bman420 said:
Sting?! Are you serious?! He sucks!!! The best wrestler is HBK! He has been in the best matches, he is the most entertaining, and will put his body on the line (and has) to make the fans happy. Here is the top 5
1) HBK!!
2) Kurt Angle (Also very entertaining)
3) Ric Flair
4) HHH
5) Benoit
Brilliance In Supremacy
Getting Noticed By Management
these are the top five wrestlers that have been in the WWE:
1) Kurt Angle
2) Chris Benoit
3) Bret Hart
4) Owen Hart
5) Eddie Guerrero
not Hogan, not The Rock, not The Undertaker, not Austin, and not even HBK (he's in the top ten, but his skill and move set isn't as expansive as the guys I listed)
1) Kurt Angle
2) Chris Benoit
3) Bret Hart
4) Owen Hart
5) Eddie Guerrero
not Hogan, not The Rock, not The Undertaker, not Austin, and not even HBK (he's in the top ten, but his skill and move set isn't as expansive as the guys I listed)
Skullz Crack'Em
Lord of the Skulls
Some might disagree but I think HHH is the best overall wrestler in the past six years because he really is that damn good. He is a ten time world/wwe champion, he put on a great show in all of his matches(win or lose), he participated in the most hell in a cell matches and won the most hell in a cell matches, he is a royal rumble winner, king of the ring winner, he won the tag team titles, IC title, European title, and even beat kane in an inferno match one time. Along with all of that he used his manipulative ways to gain allies and form stables like Evolution and the McMahon Helmsly Era. He knows how to sway the fans too because people hated him so much as a heel and now that he is a face they love him. Oh I forgot, he also won 2 out of the 4 elimination chamber matches.
