Your Favorite Superstars/Moments of All Time

[hollowpoint]

I'm having a nostalgic moment right now so you will have to excuse me. I know something like this has been done before, but not in a while so here we go. I was looking at some WWE Classic matches and it got me to thinking:

Who are your 10 favorite Superstars of all time?

What moment do you remember that made them your favorite?

Now keep in mind that favorite doesn't have to mean best. I think this is better because the "best" is super subjective depending on who you are talking to. I think this takes it back to why we all started watching wrestling in the first place so think about it, and see what you can come up with. I will startl

1. The Rock - There was no one else I could pick that could even come close to the Rock to me. When they scrapped the whole clean babyface gimmick and let him talk, he exploded like no one ever has. Everything from the Millions (and millions) of catchphrases. To all the trash he talked about anyone and everyone who he faced. He's a stud of an athlete and could have a great match with just about anyone. He sold everything and sometimes even over sold it (see Stone Cold Stunner). My favorite Rock moment would have to be when he and Mankind went at it during halftime of the Superbowl with no one in the audience.

2. Sting - I know he isn't nor has he ever been a WWE guy, but he's been one of my favorites since forever. The battles with he and Ric Flair at the Clash of the Champions and all of the work he did with and against the nWo and Hogan.

3. Stone Cold Steve Austin - I don't need to say much, but nobody rocked the wrestling world like he did. When he beat Jake the Snake Roberts and dropped the "Austin 3:16" line at the KOTR, I was like Oh Hellll Yeah!

4. The Utimate Warrior - His energy was like nobody I have ever seen. His entrance is one of my favorites of all time. Favorite moment with him was when he beat Hulk Hogan for the WWE Title giving him both the WWE and IC Titles at the same time. I was both shocked and excited because I didn't think Warrior was going to win.

5. Hulk Hogan - As with most kids that came up in the Golden Era of wrestling, I was a Hulkamaniac as well. I never wanted Hogan to lose and I always wanted him to take on all the evil and defeat it. LOL...My favorite oment was When he slammed Andre the Giant at WM.

6. John Cena - yeah i said it. When he started his rap gimmick, I was like WTF?! Then he started going at Lesnar, then Angle, Undertaker, and all the top dogs in the "E" at the time. It had never been done like he did it and it was something new and fresh. He was the "franchise playa" on the "superbowl stage". Mr untouchable. My favorite moment with him was when they came to Iraq on Christmas and he took the time to shake every Soldiers' hand in attendance to thank them for their service. I was one of those Soldiers.

7. JYD - When you heard "Another one Bites the Dust" you knew what time it was. I was at a house show and was one of the kids he picked to come up and dance with him after a match back in the day. One of my favorite moments ever.

8. Kerry Von Erich - yeah the Von Erich's were cursed, but when he beat Ric Flair for the World Title, I was like a kid in a candy store

9. Bullet Bob Armstrong - cut some of the best promos ever and got it on with all the greats of his time. The one moment that sticks out is when he got burned with a flame and had to where a mask.

10. Austin Idol - he was the hogan/ric flair in my area. No one could touch him. One moment I remembered is when he and Jerry Lawler tagged together to beat the Road Warriors. Classic match

 

[The Future Rises]

#1- Kurt Angle : Definitely my favorite of all time. I think he was on the roll of his career when I first started watching. And long story short the first thing I saw on a WWF program was this :
I wanted Kurt to get some revenge and he did. He's been my favorite from 2001 all the way to his WWE departure in 2006.

#2- The Rock : Rocky was another guy that was on the roll of his career when I first started watching. He was the face of the company. And he was always electrifying in his promos and in the ring. Which is why I became a huge fan of his.

#3- Goldberg : What can I say? His WWE debut was awesome. I never really knew much about him back then but the way he came off as this huge badass was great. And I was a huge fan of his ever since his WWE debut.

#4 - The Undertaker : Never really was a big fan of him as the American badass. But his epic entrance and his gimmick return at Wrestlemania 20 made me mark the fuck out. I think I'm the only one around here who would put WM 20 in a top 5 Wrestlemanias of all time list. I've been a fan of 'Taker ever since the event.

5 - Steve Austin : When I first started he was in the whole Alliance angle and I hated him so much.. I always wanted to shoot him whenever he went "What?". But then he just grew on me. I knew he wasn't a real asshole. And I really started to become a fan of his when he was "sheriff" Steve Austin.

6 - Shawn Michaels : I was always a big fan of his. Ever since I started watching he always had a big match at Wrestlemania and he never disappointed. Plus his feud with Angle is probably one of my if not my all time favorite feud.

7 - Triple H : I was a huge Evolution fan back then. Why? I was a huge Triple H fan. He really took Batista and Orton under his wing. And he was a real badass. My favorite Triple H moment that turned me into a huge fan was probably when he pedigreed Shawn Michaels. It was just so unexpected. And their feud was great.

8 - Chris Jericho : I was always a Y2J fan. But what really made me into a huge mark was his suit wearing hypocrite fighting heel character. I honestly think he's one of the greatest heels in the history of the WWE.

9 - Edge : I've always been an Edgehead. And he was my favorite on the roster by the time he retired. I think what really turned me into an Edgehead was when he cashed in the MitB briefcase on John Cena to win his first WWE title and establish himself as the Rated R Superstar. I was really upset to see him go. He was never my favorite on the roster and when he finally was.. He just had to retire.

10 - CM Punk : Yep.. Already on my top ten list. And I really wouldn't be surprised if he was on my fave five on day. I was a Punk fan ever since his ECW days. But his 2009 heel turn really made me a huge fan. And his infamous live shoot and "Voice of the Voiceless" character just sealed the deal.. He's on my top 10 favorite wrestlers of all time list.

 

[RJJ]

Who are your 10 favorite Superstars of all time?





1- The Rock: His ability to control the crowd is unbelieveable. Everything he did, he did it his way. There is only one Rock. Love him or hate him, you can't deny his greatness. That's what I call "The total package".

Favourite moment: Winning the title at backlash 2000.



2- Kurt Angle: What more can I say? Kurt is a once in a lifetime superstar. The impact he made in his rookie year was huge. The guy knew what to do in the ring and on the mic. That's a natural talent. In the ring, IMO kurt is the greatest WRESTLER ever(I believe HBK is better all around). Nobody can beat angle in mat wresling. He's the only guy that made HBK question his in ring ability. On the mic, I think kurt is underrated in this cate'. Yes, he's not good on the mic as a face, but as a heel, he was AWSOME! He even drew more heat than HHH during the 00-01 period. He just knew how to piss the crowd off.

Favourite Moment: Beating Austin in his hometown to become the WWE champion(Unforgiven 2001).




3- Stone Cold Steve Austin: I think austin is one of those few superstars that you can't hate, even if you try to. When Austin is on the screen, wrestling is almost real to me. He's intense. And just like you said, he changed the wrestling business forever when he dropped the "Austin 3:16 said I just whooped you ass!" line.

Favourite Moment: Beating HBK for the title at WM 14.




4- RVD: What you see is what you get, that's what RVD is all about. Van dam is one of a kind. His unorthodox in-ring style made me a huge fan. Without a doubt one of the most underrated superstars of all times.

Favourite Moment: lol no question, ONS 2006.



5- HHH: I don't care what people say about this guy, HHH is a great all around superstar.


Favourite Moment: His return in 2002.



6- Undertaker: The most respected superstar of all time.

Favourite Moment: vs HBK, WM 25.



7- HBK: The Greatest In-ring Performer of all time.

Favourite Moment: Beating HHH at Summerslam 2002.



8- Hollywood Hogan: Hogan made it cool to be the bad guy. Not to mention that he's the biggest star of all time.



9- Brock Lesnar: He was an animal, a killer, a great mat wrestler, but the most important he's the most physically gifted superstar to ever step in a wrestling ring.


Favourite Moment: Shooting Star Press at WM 19.



10- Bret Hart: Bret was an artist in the ring, everything he did inside that squared circle make sense. Another thing he elevated alot of legends during their early days(HBK, SCSA, Taker).

 

[keehlnate]

Making a top 10 list is really hard but I'll try. One note on my list is that I only watched WWE since 2003. That is post-attitude era, I haven't seen The Rock and Stone Cold in their best. Although I'm starting to watch tapes of RAW starting 1996.

10. CM Punk - Honestly, I am not a fan of CM Punk before that 7.17.2011 MITB promotions stuff. Goddamn, he is so good on the mic. When he talks, everybody listens.

9. Trish Stratus - Definitely my favorite diva of all time. A multi-time women's champion and one of the best female wrestlers out there. Not to mention that he is so hot and sexy. My favorite moment is at Unforgiven in 2006 when she used the sharpshooter on Lita that looked like she almost broke her back really sick.

8. The Undertaker - Perhaps the most spine-chilling superstar that ever lived. He is one of the best performers out there, and even continues to upgrade his arsenal while changing his character at the same time. My favorite moment is when he performed the last ride on JBL on through his limousine.

7. Kurt Angle - I'M A WRESTLING MACHINE. This guy can really deliver wrestling at it's finest. He really looked like a machine when he performs. I liked his feud with Brock Lesnar.

6. Edge - This guy here is my favorite Heel of all time. He really pisses me off when he is taking every opportunity to his advantage. But that's why he is a great heel. You have to hate him. He is my favorite heel that's why he is on my list. My favorite moment is when he was thrown off by Cena on the sea.

5. Chris Benoit - What I like about him is that he is a tough guy. He never backs down on any challenges and makes them tap one by one. He is best technical wrestler I've ever seen. This guy can really perform inside the ring. I like it when the crowd gives him a standing ovation everytime he enters. Favorite moment? Wrestlemania 20, winning the world title and celebrating it with Eddie.

4. Eddie Guerrero - I love his antics and gimmicks in the ring. What I liked about Eddie is that a lot of wrestlers seemed to have a lot of respect to him outside the ring. Too bad, he suffered a tragic ending. Favorite moment for Eddie is perhaps my favorite feud of all time - his feud with Rey Mysterio. It was really personal. I'm Your Papi.

3. Triple H - I was also one of his fans during Evolution days. He can be destructive and calculating at the same time. That's why he is the cerebral assassin. He is also definitely one of the best performers inside the ring. My favorite moment with Triple H is always when he sprays the water in the air. He looks like an ancient warrior or something in line with that.

2. John Cena - Cena beat the best of the best. Name them, he already beat them. I was a Cena fan back in my highschool days and I even used his thuganomics music while making my entrance on one of the school programs. And the students went all crazy. What I like with Cena is his strength. he is a freak. When he FU'd giant after giant, there he got my respect. Favorite Cena moment? When he peed on the undertaker's tomb.

1. Shawn Michaels - The Showstopper, the headliner, the main-event, the icon, the heart break kid, Mr. Wrestlemania Shawn Michaels. He really lived up to his name, and he is definitely the best wrestler of all time. He can be a high-flyer and he can also be a technical wrestler at the same time (watch WMXXII Iron man match). Well, I don't know, what else to say except that he is the best. Perhaps his resiliency and come-back kid attitude makes his matches look epic. Favorite moment? Shawn entering the stage of Wrestlemania from the top of the arena all the way down to the ring.

 

[JPSYN]

The rocks promo's were all classic. But when billy gunn won the KOTR ANd The rock cuts a promo where he pretends to be God was awesome. can never find it on youtube. But best moment ever

 

[therock2011]

This should be interesting:

1. The Rock - Never fails to entertain me, or make me laugh with one of his promos, jumped out of my seat when he returned, and looking forward to his match at wm 28.

2. Kurt Angle - Intensity, Integrity and Intelligence - Absolute Wrestling machine and not bad at promos, he had some great feuds and matches with lesnar and benoit.

3. Triple H - The Game, The Cerebral Assassin - Loved him in dx and such a great heel, underrated when it comes to promos, and he had many great feuds. People say he slept his way to the top but i disagree, maybe he wouldnt have had as much championships bu he'd still be a top star, plus he has one of the coolest entrances.

4. Edge - Hated him as a heel, loved him as a face. Good job edge, really sad he had to retire, because he had been carrying smackdown for many years, and we didnt get to see a match with christian unfortunately.

5. Chris Jericho - Really funny as a face, maybe the only other superstar who could go toe to toe with the rock at trash talking, and he evolves his character so many times, hope hes coming back soon.

6. Shawn Michaels - Greatest in ring performer of all time!! So many good matches, its endless, the fact that he stole the show so many times at wrestlemania is amazing, mr wrestlemania is not just a nickname, it is a fact.

7. Chris Benoit - Admirable in ring performer, great in ring pshycology and had a great underdog story as start of 2004 and took part in one of my fav triple threat matches at wrestlemania XX.

8. John Cena - Yes John Cena is on my list, you read it right. He is one of the best all rounded performers probably after the person underneath him right now, and christian. In Ring Skills? Check - people say the other wrestler carries john cena in his good matches but i believe it takes more than one to make a good match. Mic skills? - Check. Sure some of his promos are goofy but when he wants to he can cut a serious promo. Charisma? - Double Check - Love him or Hate him he makes you care about him in some way, reason why hes the topic of many threads.

9. CM Punk - My favourite wwe star right now, but since we're looking at careers as a whole then john cena beats him. Also best promo cutter right now, the way he just outdoes everyone in dissing and the way he comes up with stuff, an absolute natural, sure to move up my list over the next few years.

10. Jeff Hardy - Yes i know hes ruined his life, but lets forget that and think about the good old days where he was fighting, along with matt, against dudleys and e&c and i loved his road to the wwe championship, and his daredevil persona, holy shit he used to pull some crazy spots

Honorable Mentions: Christian, Undertaker, Stone Cold

 

[BigPoppaPunk]

1)Kurt Angle-probably the best all around wrestler in the business during his time in WWE. Few guys could be as successful as Angle in a few short years, especially after training a few months prior. My fav moment for him would have to be his fued with Brock Lesnar. Everything that occured both in and out of the ring was classic WWE moments.

2)Brock Lesnar-Easily one of the biggest dudes with such great wrestling skills and agility. Yet another guy who made a huge impact on wrestling in a short period. My favorite Lesnar moment was his work with Stone Cold and Goldberg. Classic when Austin was F5'd by Lesnar on RAW, then Austin confronting him on SD. His in ring match with Goldberg sucked, but the build to it was awesome.

3)Stone Cold-Probably the biggest star to come along ever in wrestling. As hot as any big star I can think of. He almost singlely established the Attitude era that made wrestling so popular. My fav Austin moment would be his last run against The Rock at WM 19. Both had evolved so much at that point, everything they did in 2003 seemed on a different level than their previous fued material.

4)The Rock-Wow, the great one! What else needs to be said? He broke out of the mold quickly in WWE and did so despite being a third generation wrestler. One of the best promo guys of all time. When you think wrestling, he's right up there with the Hogans and Austins of WWE. My fav Rock moment would be his whole Hollywood heel turn of 2003. It completely blew away any of his past personas and work. His mic skills were IMO legendary then, as he was the most entertaining heel I'd ever seen at that point.

5)CM Punk-This whole year of 2011 is the year of CM Punk. He won me over around 2008, but his groundbreaking work in 2011 will be remembered as his breakout moment. Obviously, he's the complete package when it comes to having a complete game in wrestling. My fav Punk moment was his shocking promo and subsequent match with Cena at MITB this year. Though his match with Cena at SS was great, at the time, Punk did a great job of making us believe he was gonna leave WWE with the WWE Title.

6)Batista-Look at my avatar and banner and you can see a was and am a huge Batista fan. Much like Lesnar, he was a huge guy that could also wrestle and hang with the best of the best. His face run was over big time, and his heel run was equally as impressive. I was a big time fan of his last heel run and loved his work against Cena. My favorite Batista moment was his powerbomb on Cena onto the steel steps.

7)Chris Benoit-I can't make a list of all time fav wrestlers and moments without Chris Benoit. I grew up in the 90's watching all things Benoit related. He was a huge reason I was a wrestling fan to begin with. Another guy who broke through the big man streotype to become successful in WWE. My favorite Chris Benoit moment was him winning the WHC at WM 20, and hugging Eddie Guerrero after his win.

8)Eddie Guerrero-Another great wrestler from the 90's who was a huge inspiration to why I'm a wrestling fan. Like Benoit, he was able to be a success in wrestling, despite being a small guy. He proved talent in wrestling doesn't mean being 7' and 300 lbs. My favorite Eddie Guerrero moment was his match with Brock Lesnar at NWO 2004. Easily a classic WWE moment and a underdog comeback story for the ages.

9)John Cena-Though Cena isn't as popular lately, when he was the "Dr. Of Thugnomics" back in 2003, I was a huge Cena fan. I still am to some degree, but he seemed to be trying so much harder back then. And at least then he was listening to the fans and using original material. Now, he reduced to corny jokes and pandering to kids. Regardless, my favorite John Cena moment was his fued with Brock Lesnar. Everything from his promos to his naming his FU after the F5 screamed to be noticed. Not a wonder WWE got behind him so hard after he was starting to come into his own.

10)The Undertaker-You can't make a definitive WWE fav list without including the Deadman. He's been one of the more consistent guys WWE has ever produced. From his original themed character debut to his legendary streak at WM, he will be considered one of the best to ever step foot inside a WWE ring. I also loved his transition to the American Badass, as he improved enourmously seemingly with ease. My favorite Taker moment would have to be his fued with Batista at WM. A true clash of the titans and a much better match than I expected.

 

[hollowpoint]

The Undertaker definitely gets an honorable mention on my list, but in the interest of All Time greats, I had to put some of my favorites as a kid. Been watching wrestling for over 25 years. I only started liking undertaker when he came back from his American Badass gimmick back to the Deadman. All the list on here are great and pretty much what I expected though which is great.

 

[LSN80]

1. John Cena- The best thing to happen to pro-wrestling in a very long time. When all is said and done, he could very well be looked at as the greatest superstar of all-time. The Cena bashing threads on here are just laughable as they expose those who bash them as having limited knowledge regarding wrestling. Cena's mic skills, ability to connect with a crowd, his gimmick, and his in-ring work complete with the best in-ring psychology of this generation all impress me, and his work with Make-A-Wish makes me respect him. Him capturing the title at WM 21, his huge match that really cemented him as a top draw at WM 22 vs HHH, his suprise return at the 08 Royal Rumble and his match at MITb with Punk are just the tip of the iceberg for the greatest performer of you and I's generation.

2. Shawn Michaels: I plead my case with passion in the HOF section for his induction over Bret Hart or Terry Funk. I like both of the other men, alot. But there truly may never be another man to step inside the ropes to put on a show the way HBK did. I dont care about his drawing power or the fact that he was a general ass the first part of his career. He returned after 5 years off to the same level he left at, and continued to perform at said level until he retired in 2010. Pick a moment with HBK: His first match back at SS against HHH in 2002, his 4th title win in the Elimination Chamber at Survivor Series of the same year, or his legendary matches at WM with Jericho, Angle, Flair, and especially The Undertaker. He could plaay any role asked of him with conviction and believability.(See: Hulk Hogan feud in 2005)

3. Mick Foley: Find me someone else who could have played the Four Faces of Foley without falling flat on their face. The great thing about Foley's gimmicks were that that there was no guesswork involved as to who the man was behind the gimmick was, yet each was still just as believable as the next. Foley cut promos distinct to the gimmick but relevant to Mick Foley the man at the same time. I love the Undertaker, but Foley truly had the greatest gimmick(s) of all-time. His promos were chilling, believable, and he was one heck of a wrestler as well. He bumped around better then anyone in history yet he moved around well and executed his moveset as smoothly as anyone. As a big fan of in-ring psychology, one should understand why I dig Foley so much. Maybe the best ever in this department.

4. Rey Mysterio: Easily the greatest high-flyer of all-time. Those who love Rey's in-ring work now need to familarize themselves with rey in his WCW, laate 1990's days. The man does things that just seem unbelievable in theory, he's a great storyteller in the ring, and he's turned out to be able to successfully carry many a great feud over time. Rey's a true guilty pleasure for me in the sense that I likely have him too high, but he's one of my personal favorites. Consider his match with Eddie Guerrero at Halloween Havoc 1997 in a Mask vs Title match as proof of how great the man is in the ring.

5. Randy Orton: When you look at everything Orton has accomplished despite his checkered past and backstage problems, one needs to realize there's a reason for that. Orton is the premiere ring general right now, and patterns his career around the old Bret Hart adage of "Never a Wasted Move". Everything Orton does in the ring has purpose and is followed up with in a meaningful way. He's as smooth a wrestler as there is in the ring today, and one of the smoothest of all-time. He appears so effortless and executes moves so flawlessly, incredible for a man his size. He's much better on the mic then given credit for and probably has the best overall presence of anyone in the business today.

6. Ric Flair: Noone has more charisma or was better on the mic then Flair was. Be it his age or what have you, but Im surprised he hasn't made anyone's list just yet. Noone utilized the ring better then he did, and he utilized old-school tactics such as eye-rakes, low blows, feet on the ropes, pulling tights and loosening turnbuckles moreso then anyone in history. Use the ring, Ive heard it said so many times, know where you are. Noone did that better then Flair in his time. His figure-four leg lock is the best submission maneuver of all-time, and he's still the most emulated to this day. The original 60 minute man also formed or played a major role in two of the greatest stables of all-time in Evolution and The Four Horsemen. To judge Flair on what he is now or even what he's done the past fifteen years is a slight to the man.

7. Randy Savage: His recent death has brought about quite a bit of debate as to where Savage falls on lists of the all-time greats. Lost in his unmatched charisma, entertaining and inventive promos, and phenomenal gimmick is the fact that Savage is one of the greatest technical wrestlers of all-time. Savage could just go within the ring, period. So many people fail to recall this because of the gimmick, but from Macho Man to Macho King, Savage is truly one of the greatest wrestlers of all-time as well.His was another one of the amzing storytellers I favor and combined that skill with a phenomenal gimmick to become of the greatest of all-time. His match vs Ricky Steamboat at Wrestlemania 3 is proof of this.

8. The Undertaker: A larger then life gimmick that has transcended two decades. A 7 foot tall man who can move like he's half his size in the ring. 'Taker is another who can tell a story in the ring better then most, including the lost art of the well-told loss. Undertaker has remained relevant and hasn't lost a thing despite being willing to be countless amount of younger talent over. Taker doesn't speak much, but when he does, he commands attention and displays unmatched presence. Injuries have caught up to him, but when he does wrestle, he looks as if he hasn't lost a step. See his matches vs HBK at WM 25 & 26 and HHH @ WM 27 for proof of this.

9. HHH: I honestly don't see the hate for the man he gets on the IWC. He worked his way back from numerous injuries and publicized incidents(MSG comes to mind) to become one of the greatest champions ever. HHH is likely the best worker of the WWE style of all-time, is a throwback to old-school performers, and truly one of the greatest heels of all-time. He's one of my favorites all-time on the mic as well and his return at MSG is truly my favorite moment of his career as Ive never seen a larger crowd response in my life.

10. Steve Austin: I left the Rock off my list, and he only made it at the bottom end. Seeing how this is a personal favorites list, that's my perogative. He was a very good storyteller in the ring without having great skills, and he was one of the greatest talkers of all-time. His feud with the McMahon's may have made the greatest heel of all-time in Vince, and he truly was one of the more compelling characters ever. He cut some of the best promos of all-time as well, but his in-ring work left something to be desired as compared to the names above him. His submission match with Bret Hart at Wrestlemania along with his ladder match with the McMahons at King of the Ring and its aftermath are surely among my favorite Steve Austin moments.

My apoloigies to the Rock's, Bret Hart's, Chris Jericho's Hulk Hogan's, and Edge's of the world, but none of them make my personal top ten for one reason or another. I understand why others view them as great, I just happen to share a different opinion, even if there are some I greatly enjoyed.(Hart, Jericho, Edge)

 

[RicoLen]

The rocks promo's were all classic. But when billy gunn won the KOTR ANd The rock cuts a promo where he pretends to be God was awesome. can never find it on youtube. But best moment ever

Here's that promo for you.

#1 "Macho Man" Randy Savage:
This is the guy that brought me into the fold. He had his own 3 i's Intense, Incredible & Insane. His promo style was out of this world. Whispering one second, yelling the next, usually babbling incoherently but sounding hilarious and awesome while doing it. To this day when someone talks about a mustache I still am tempted to say "YOUR MUSTACHE IS CROOKED!" He wasn't a coke addict either, he was a tweeker. High on caffeine to help give him that boost in the ring to act jittery (It's part of my charm) and hyperactive. Any way you can judge a pro-wrestling superstar, Randy Savage is in the top 5 in every category.

Favorite Moment: When "Macho King" Randy Savage turned face at WM7. Best face turn EVER, and one of the best moments in WWE history.

#2 Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Back in the day I hated WWF's attitude era, but when WCW turned to crap, and I grudgingly came back I was greeted with a superstar that was so much better than I ever realized, I completely forgot I was supposed to hate the WWF's current generation of nobodies. He was cool to watch in the ring, everything he did oozed cool attitude. He was badass, but not an asshole, he was hilarious, and every now and again you catch a glimpse that he was a really cool guy IRL too.

Favorite Moment: The Rock vs The Hurricane feud. Jesus Christ that s**t was so damned funny. Their promos together were awesome.

#3 "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig
You'd be pretty hard pressed to find a better all around athlete anywhere. This guy made everything he did look easy, and he looked good doing it. He was Mr. Cool as far as I was concerned back in the day. His match at WM5 against Owen Hart is was of the best matches I've ever seen, and no one ever talks about it. There is no other wrestler save for Owen Hart for whom I feel a greater sense of loss due to his injury and later, his death. He could easily have risen to the same heights as Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels, but even so, he was a Hall of Famer, and deservedly so.

Favorite Moment: The Perfect Face Turn. 1992, the best year the WWE ever had was capped off amazingly with what is to this date, the best face turn since Savage at WM7. The first segment had me very interested and very upset that The Ultimate Warrior was fired, and every segment after that went a long ways towards me not giving a crap he was gone, until the very end where Perfect pours a pitcher of water on Bobby The Brain Heenan's head and asked Ric Flair how he liked his wet weasel. lol

#4 Bill Goldberg
The Phenom of the WCW, and by far the most under-rated WCW superstar by the IWC. No one these days give Bill his due, because they always look at his WWE run. Bill Goldberg was a solid WRESTLER, but that didn't matter. He was a street fighter that had credibility from day 1, not because he was handed squash matches endlessly, but because he looked badass doing it. NO ONE could pull off what he did. There have been many undefeated streaks in pro-wrestling. Mr. Perfect & Tatanka both were undefeated for over a year, but neither looked like unbeatable, or scary. Goldberg brought believability to the role of unbeatable monster like not even The Undertaker or Yokozuna could. If there was any guy, who, after watching a match you did not want to f**k with, it was Goldberg. There has never been nor likely ever will be a flash in the pan monster that will ever compare to Bill.

Favorite Moment: Bobby Heenan's comment of "This place will erupt when he picks him up." Hollywood Hulk Hogan vs Bill Goldberg. I hated Hollywood Hogan, and I loved Bill Goldberg, this was a no-brainer.

#5 Kurt Angle
For my money, this is the pure wrestler WWE has ever had. AND Kurt was far more entertaining than Bret Hart. I KNEW I was going to like both the WWF (post WCW, downturn) and Kurt Angle when I saw this. I knew that The Rock was big, and pretty damned entertaining when I started watching WWF again. I'd seen a number of great segments of his, and he was pretty much the only thing I was looking forward to seeing. I had no idea Kurt Angle was even funnier is his own way. Kurt Angle is IMO the best heel I've ever seen. I was never a fan of the monster heel or the badass heel, they're dime a dozen, and in the end they're going to lose to the face anyways, but Angle. lol Oh s**t he was awesome! Here's a heel disguised as a face, doing all the things faces do, but coming off like a complete snob and a total naive kid, yet when he stepped into the ring he was better than anyone. He told a great story, was hilarious even in the ring, and that is NOT easy to do, and he was an amazing mat technician.

Favorite Moment: Vengeance 2002, The Rock vs Kurt Angle vs The Undertaker. Kurt Angle made this made IMO, The Rock might have won, but Angle made this match even more than a great WWE Championship match. "I'm Kurt Angle, you will pay attention to me!"

#6 The Miz
I stopped watching around 2004, but when I found out that Bret Hart was going to come back to host Raw and make his first ever appearance since the screwjob, I had to see that. Now I've made a number of attempts over the years to come back and get invested and give a s**t about wrestling again. But John Cena, Randy Orton, & Dave Batista just weren't doing it for me. This time however I was entertained a lot more than ever before (since '04). I watched off an on, not loyally every night just yet, but there was a promo for the new WWE Magazine where The Miz talked about how far he had come, and I couldn't help but think, yeah it's a work, but that doesn't mean that he's not absolutely right, because he is. Here is the very first new star I've seen since... since what? Kurt Angle? That really wowed ME. I'm not your average fan, I don't get off on Stone Cold Steve Austin, I didn't like Hulk Hogan when I was a kid all that much, that grew on me as I got older. I liked the #3 guys, Hogan/Warrior/Savage, I liked Savage, Hitman/HBK/Perfect, I liked Perfect, Austin/HHH/The Rock, I liked The Rock. I like the entertainment side of pro-wrestling. The matches CAN wow me at times, but I'd rather a good story be told. So here's this reality star, this know-nothing moron from The Real World, and by the time this promo aired I'd seen him a number of times, specifically with ShowMiz. He was good in the ring, not great, certainly not Hitman, or Savage, or Kurt Angle, but he was easily as entertaining in the ring as The Rock, who was never that great either, but he knew enough to hold his own, and like The Rock, The Miz had real skills on the mic, more than enough to make up for his lacking in other areas. This noob had a point, he was the real deal and he deserved respect.

Since then he's been the highlight of Monday Night Raw nearly every night for me, and I'm itching to see him return.

Favorite Moment: The Miz introducing himself to The Rock. "Hello Rock. We haven't been properly introduced. I'm The Miz, the WWE Champion."

#7 The Undertaker
I badly miss the old school zombie. The gimmick under which he first debuted. Sure you could beat him, and he'd sell it, in his own way. Kind of like taking a shovel and beating a zombie over the head. You can stun him, but he's going to rise from the dead, again, and keep coming for you. He never got hurt, he'd just get sent reeling. He had one speed, and that was low gear forward, sometimes he'd surprise you with speed, but that was only after you whipped him into the ropes and forced him into a run yourself. He was like the zombies from Night of the Living Dead. The way he went to the ring at This Tuesday in Texas was awesome to me. It really sold his character, he wasn't a wrestler (yes he was, one of the best ever), he was a creature of the undead, and that title he had? It was given to him, so he kept it, otherwise, it was just useless to him. After he turned to Big Emo during the attitude era I stop caring, that teardrop under his eye ruined him for me, and The American Badass was ok, I mean, if they had changed his name I'd probably have liked him, a lot, but The American Badass version of The Undertaker was terrible. I like his last outlaw thing though, I wonder if he'll come back with that same gimmick whenever it is that he comes back. But his years as the zombie with Paul Bearer were amazing.

Favorite Moment: Undertaker vs Kamala @ Summerslam 1992. This is what made me an Undertaker mark. The whole thing, from that awesome entrance on the back of the hearse, to the way he got crushed by Kamala, and then rose up like nothing, freaked Kamala out and took off after him.

#8 Bret "The Hitman" Hart
There's something different about this guy. He has always been a little different than other superstars out there. He seemed very dry and to the point, he seemed as though he should be boring, he seemed as though he should get his ass beat all the time, but he was great. On paper, I just don't see the draw of this guy, but on screen, day in day out he earned my respect. After all he's been through, I wish him nothing but the best. He's one of the best wrestlers ever.

Favorite Moment: His match with The British Bulldog at Summerslam 1992. First, and only IC title match main event to my knowledge, and deserved so. For my money this is the best technical wrestling match the WWE has ever had.

#9 Kevin Nash
I liked this guy in the WWF as Diesel, but I loved him in WCW as Big Sexy, The Giant Killer. He was so f**king awesome in nWo, and I loved watching him turn face and establish The Wolfpack... however I would have rather had seen Hall & X-Pac as members of the Wolfpack, but I liked seeing Sting in the Wolfpack too. Regardless, Kevin Nash is, to me, THE guy in nWo, like you simply just can not have nWo if you don't have Kevin Nash. He's another WCW guy, so he gets trashed a lot, but he and Steve Austin are two guys who I could watch shoot interviews from all day long. He's very well spoken and educated, and just a ton of fun to watch on screen.

Favorite Moment: Kevin Nash tosses Rey Mysterio into the side of a trailer. God I loved those early nWo attacks.

#10 Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
If Bobby Heenan were a wrestler, and had done more to entertain in the ring (which, when he did he was spectacularly hilarious) he would likely be my all time favorite pro-wrestling superstar. I only put him at 10 because he wasn't much of a wrestler. But as an entertainer, there has never nor, sadly, will there likely EVER be an equal to The Brain. Another way of saying it is when it comes to being on the mic, Bobby Heenan is the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be. He is the only superstar in wrestling where I truly believe his talent was wasted on pro-wrestling. When I look at The Rock, I feel like he's not getting the right roles in his movies, however at the end of the day I'd rather see him on WWE TV week in week out and his legacy would reach its peak. With Bobby Heenan, he should have been on ABC opposite Johnny Carson (on NBC) & David Letterman (on CBS), with ABC's money & production values. Bobby Heenan was THAT good. He actually got a variety show of his own for a short time, but it was a WWE produced thing and while funny, never got good ratings because of the wrestling slant it had.

Favorite Moment: There really isn't one favorite moment. So here's a couple. Bobby Heenan on Dennis Miller live. Here's a highlight reel for you.

 

[Why Always Me]

1) The Rock

A popular choice, my favourite of all time (the greatest of all time in MY eyes too). Oozed charisma, fantastic on the microphone, had a connection with the crowd like no-one else and was good in the ring too. Many hours of my youth were spent putting WWF Volume 4 on, track 14, pretending I was The Rock giving Rock Bottoms and People's Elbow out to big pillows and teddy bears, good times.

Favourite moment - winning the WWF Title at Backlash 2000

2) Stone Cold Steve Austin

Ushered in the Attitude Era and for a while was the face of the company. Can see why some regard him as the best ever. Certainly has the best finisher of all time too. Did everything the average man wanted to, drink beer and beat up your boss, who wouldn't like to do that.

Favourite moment – making Vince piss his pants

3) Randy Orton

IMO, this guy should be the current face of the company. Cena is the perfect fit for the PG Era in many ways but if the WWE are trying to move away from that with the Reality Era then Orton should be the Number 1 guy. Was good in Evolution, you could tell he was destined for great things. The Viper is a brilliant gimmick, and the RKO/Punt To The Head are two great finishing moves.

Favourite moment – punting Vince in the head

4) Mankind

KOTR 98, Hell In A Cell. When Mankind flew off and then through the Cell I was in shock. Countless other spots like that too, but there was more to him than that. Played 3 gimmicks brilliantly, very good on the microphone and quite good in the ring too (overlooked because of the crazy things he has done). I even liked the fact he beat The Rock for the WWF Title just because he deserved it so much.

Favourite moment – Flying off the top of Hell In A Cell

5) HBK Shawn Michaels

One of the best, period. Mr WrestleMania, can’t argue with that. In particular, WM24, WM25 and WM26. Three of the greatest matches ever. I started watching wrestling properly just after WM14, so at that time I didn’t really know much about Shawn Michaels until he came back at SummerSlam 2002. But he stole the show that night like most others. A legend.

Favourite moment – Returning to steal the show at SummerSlam 2002

6) Rob Van Dam

I like high flying wrestlers, and I appreciate wrestlers who have a Martial Arts or legitimate wrestling background. When RVD fought Jeff Hardy at Invasion I didn’t know much about him, but when he outperformed Jeff Hardy I knew he was good. The crowd turned him face and I cheered when he became WWE Champion.

Favourite moment – His match with Jeff Hardy at Invasion

7) Ken Shamrock

Shamrock was awesome! Billed as ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Man’ and with a UFC background, he was brilliant in his short time in the WWF. Very popular, could of easily been a credible WWF Champion. Was gutted when he left in September 1999, the feuds he could have had with Jericho, Angle and Benoit would have been amazing.

Favourite moment – Breaking out of his straightjacket and suplexing Shane then chasing Vince on Raw

8) Chris Jericho

Even if you are a Rock fan, you have to enjoy Y2J’s debut. The crowd pop when his name came on the Titantron was unreal. Gave credibility to the Intercontinental Title through his feud with Chris Benoit. First ever Undisputed Champion, if he ever comes back he should unify the gold again. Awesome on the microphone and can play face and heel very well. Who wasn’t a Jerichoholic?

Favourite moment – ‘Winning’ the WWF Title from Triple H on Raw

9) Chris Benoit

As stated, I like guys with a legitimate background. Benoit in the ring was AWESOME. Put him in there with someone like Jericho or Angle and you have a 5 star match. Royal Rumble 2003 against Kurt Angle for the WWE Title is my favourite match of all time. When Triple H tapped out at WM20 he deservedly became World Champion, great moment.

Favourite moment – Becoming the World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania 20

10) Kurt Angle

Like Shamrock and Benoit, had a legitimate background. Won an Olympic Gold Medal with ‘A Broken Frickin Neck’! Had many great matches with Benoit, Lesnar and Jericho. Pure wrestling is great to watch and Angle delivered. He could also portray the arrogant heel, goofy, funny clown and be nasty and sadistic. A shame he had to leave the WWE.

Favourite moment – Beating Austin to become WWF Champion in his hometown