Your Favourite Wrestler's Of All Time (Top Ten List)

Viola Moonlight

I'm Literally Just Here for WZCW
Let's go for something a little more spiritual and deep into your own thoughts about you as a wrestling fan to try and decipher something close to your heart that has been lingering there for many moments of your life without having the proper assembly... the list of YOUR own personal favourite wrestlers to ever step foot into a wrestling ring.

There aren't any conditions for this, except that there has to be Ten spots filled with wrestlers that are your favourites... male or female. Alright, let's go for my list first:




10. Steve Corino - An old school wrestler making it successful in the modern era speaks loads to me and I will give the man all the credit in the world for keeping up tradition. A man who I would love to wrestle against as well... one day... one day...

9. Mick Foley - Great charisma skills and his contributions in the hardcore wrestling side of the "sport" made me fall in love with all things gory and the development of characters. To this day, he can still work the mic and wrestle in the hardcore fashion... respect given to Foley.

8. Natalya Neidhart - The future of women's professional wrestling. She has great looks and can wrestle extremely well. Though she has not been featured in the ring as of late, her charismatic skills are great and really take an impact positively to the Hart Dynasty. Everytime she has stepped in the ring, she has really elevated her opponents to the next level (Michelle winning the Diva's Championship, facing off against Eve Torres)

7. Kane - I have always had a soft spot for the man and always appreciated what he has done for the business. Ever since I caught a glimpse, he has had me hooked on his character.

6. Ricky Steamboat - Back in the day, the man could wrestle and put on a clinic in the ring. His matches always turned to gold and classic feuds with Flair and Savage got me interested in brushing up on my knowledge of professional wrestling in the yesteryears... I also respect the man for his recent performances this year who proves he still has what it takes. I would love to see a dream match between him and my number five entrant many years after they peaked in the ring.

5. Sting - The greatest professional wrestler ever to not work for Vince McMahon. He achieved great success and always put his heart and soul into many of his matches. I respect the man for his contributions to the business and wish him well in retirement.

4. Bret Hart - He is the standard that I want to live up to when I join the professional wrestling circuit. Great technical wrestler, good with submissions, puts on clinics every match and knows how to work matches.

3. Rob Van Dam - An influential figure in my professional wrestling fan life that helped me cement my interest for the business. I also discovered the independant circuit and other known companies at the time like ECW, WCW and New Japan because of RVD's relevance.

2. Mickie James - She is the reason why I am still interested in professional wrestling and is currently my favourite women's wrestler. She is basically the complete package who can wrestle, work hard and do amazing things most others can't. Although she hasn't got much to work with in a company that isn't focused on that area, she has done enough to cement herself in the books. One day, I would love to see her as a TNA KnockOut to figure out the meaning of life and decide once and for all whether she is the greatest the world can offer at this point inside the North American circuit.

If Mickie James is second, who possibly could be the first entrant to the countdown?



1. Kurt Angle - Quite simply, this is the man that got me interested in professional wrestling in the first place. Back when he first debuted with the WWE, I was only a youngster who was discovering the art of channel surfing that led me to the Olympic Gold Medalist. Since that day, I have never left the wrestling community. Add to the fact that he has been a very influential figure of modern times and is a phenominal wrestler in his own right.


Now, you list your Top Ten and search within yourselves to bring back the wrestling fan in you. I sure as hell lived some great memories and became enlightened with my list.
 
#1 Chris Benoit. In 2004 he was what got me into wrestling with his win at Wrestlemania 20. If I hadn't watched that event I probably wouldn't of gotten into wrestling and who knows what I would be doing now

#2 Eddie Guerrero. Despite only getting to watch him for just over one and a half years from when I started wrestling, he was the second reason I got into wrestling. I enjoyed his antics during 2004 - 2005 as a face and hated him as a heel. I was sad when he died. Probably a big part of Benoit being my favourite and Eddie being #2 is them hugging with both World Titles in hand at the end of WM20

#3 Edge. I got into him the moment he returned on Raw in 2004. I loved it when he and Benoit one the tag titles, I loved it when he beat Orton for the IC Title. I notice his heel turn coming and loved every moment after he turned heel in the later half of 2004. I was waiting forever for him to cash in the MITB. Then he finally did and I've enjoyed every last moment of the past three and a half years.

#4 Chris Jericho. Yet again a favourite since I started watching in 2004. He was cool in 2004 wrestling against Christian, facing Evolution. Winning the IC Title. Not quite making it to the main event. I hated him when he turned heel in 2005 when he faced Cena. I laughed when he got fired. I was thrilled to see him return in 2007 and ever since his heel turn its been pure gold

#5 Randy Orton. I hated him during his IC Title reign. Him losing it then winning the battle royal to face and then beat Benoit. The World Title reign, sadly losing it to HHH. Feuding with Evolution for the rest of 2004. His feud with Taker in 05. Doing shit all in 2006. Finally making it back to the main event in 2007 and staying there to this day. I've enjoyed the ride watching him going from a young inspiring prospect. Being the youngest world champion, a three year stall and the current two years at the top.

#6 Kurt Angle. You Suck! You Suck! You Suck! In reality he could never suck but just chanting that while he was a heel just made his mere entrance entertaining. His in ring work was gold. He was entertaining on the mic. Everything about him was perfect. He would probably be higher if I hadn't missed him between 06 - 08 when he went to TNA.

#7 Rob Van Dam. How would I have found out about ECW without RVD. He was the whole F'n show.

#8 Mick Foley. He can still bring it now. Simple as that, he has shown he can still bring it to the table at this point. I have gone back because of the little I've seen in the past 5 years and watched old stuff involving Foley.

#9 Batista. Yes really, yet again another one from 2004 leading into 2005. From when his personality appeared at Survivor Series 2004 to when he won the World Title. I enjoy what he does although with age he has gotten less entertaining.

#10 Rey Mysterio. Yeah. Not much of a reason. I enjoy his work as he still delivers at this point in time.
 
My top ten, well thats more like it.

1. The Rock - Well, he's awesome, the most charismatic wrestler of all time, put on great matches everytime, 9 time World Champion in the space of 6 years. Had the crowd in the palm of his hand with nothing but a small gesture.

2. Ultimate Warrior - Crazy, full of energy. A candidate for greatest natural charisma of all time, he'd just pump his arms up and down and people would go beserk. Very underrated in the ring, during his peak he didnt put on a single bad match and had classics with the likes of Savage and Hogan.

3. Randy Savage - Whats to say? Greatest all-rounder of all time, great charisma, awesome as a face and a heel.

4. Sting - The face of WCW, he was the fucking man. He's still great in TNA today and he's like well old now. Not the greatest talker of all time but certainly has a lot of ring presence, his mic skills are at the worst above average. Sting and Savage are interchangeable.

5. Kane - He's been consistantly over for about 10 years now, sorry, but watching Kane storm to the ring and destroy people back in the day was frankly quite awesome.

6. Chris Jericho - One of the most charismatic wrestlers of all time, can make anyone look good. There's very little not to like about Y2J.

7. Bret Hart - The greatest technical wrestler of all time. That is all.

8. DDP - Back in WCW he was great, shame he started his career so late, maybe not the most successful wrestler ever but he had a lot going for him.

9. John Cena - Currently the best in the world today, watching him lose to HHH on RAW was sickening. He is still in a position to rise up my list.

10. Rico - I cant have a top ten list without him, it's as simple as that.
 
1. Sting - You know, I have to give credit to the likes of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage as to why I became a fan of professional wrestling, but honestly... it wasn't until I saw Sting vs. Vader that made me a die-hard fan of this sport. I was a fan before seeing it, sure, but man... after that match, I wanted to watch pro wrestling every chance I could. And I have Sting to thank for that. The man was just awesome. He was powerful like Hogan, but could fly around the ring like Flyin' Brian. And his look couldn't have been more bad ass, either. All those things combined, he quickly became my favorite wrestler, and remains to be my favorite to this day. I remember when he went to the Crow gimmick and didn't talk for a year and a half... I still loved the dude more during that period than I did before. Everything Sting did in the nineties, I was glued to that TV screen, at the edge of my seat, rooting for him.

2. Rob Van Dam - First saw this incredible athlete at Barely Legal 1997 on pay-per-view, and instantly became a fan. Growing up, I LOVED Martial Arts. It was my biggest passion, outside of professional wrestling. I mean, not only did I take karate and all that, but my favorite movies (The Karate Kid, 3 Ninjas, Kickboxer, Bloodsport, etc.) and television shows (TMNT, Power Rangers, etc.) at the time revolved around Martial Arts. So when I laid my eyes on a true Martial Artist in a professional wrestling ring, it was like the greatest thing ever. And that's what RVD was to me, and I still remain a huge fan to this day, because not only did he have that aspect, but the guy is one of the most charismatic performers in the history of the business, and his matches are just off the fucking charts.

3. Raven - I hadn't even seen him wrestle yet, and Raven was already one of my favorite wrestlers. How can that be? Well, when I was a kid, I collected wrestling magazines, and one day I bought a new one, and inside was a picture of the ECW Champion, Raven. And never had I seen a wrestler who looked as cool as that motherfucker. Never. So, instantly, I was drawn to him. But when I actually got to watch him wrestle on ECW and WCW, it became clear that this guy was more than just the coolest dresser in the industry, but he was also a complete maniac, both physically and psychologically. I loved everything about Raven back then, and remained a die-hard fan throughout his entire career.

4. Bret Hart - He never passed Sting as my all time favorite, but he's the closest to ever do so. Sure, I came to like Raven and RVD more than him today, but Bret Hart will always have a special place in my heart. Him, Sting, and Bobby Herbert were my biggest heroes in the early nineties. And Bret Hart remains a hero to me to this day. Whenever I watch an old match with him in it, it brings back this weird, indescribable nostalgic feeling that nothing else can. And I'm sure it'll always be like that, because the man was simply awesome. No one can match his body of work inside that ring.

5. Shawn Michaels - Ahh, Bret's nemesis. You know, it's weird Shawn makes it so high on my list, because to be honest with you, it's only his first babyface run in 1995/1996 and his stint in the original DX why that is so. I mean, I loved The Rockers, but I was a bigger fan of Jannetty than I was Michaels. And when The Rockers broke up, I fucking HATED Michaels. That is, until he turned face, and then he rivaled Sting, Bret Hart, and Diesel as my favorite wrestler, and did so up until he left wrestling in 1998. However, while he has had some absolutely fantastic matches since his return in 2002, I never felt the way about Shawn as I did when I was younger. I still like HBK, but it's the HBK from 1995 'til early 1998 that makes this list, none of the other versions of him.

6. Taz - The baddest motherfucker I've ever witnessed wrestle in a professional wrestling ring. No one, and I mean NO ONE, ever had me convinced he/she was the real deal like Taz did during his ECW run. I thought no one on this planet could fuck with him. Not Hogan, not Austin, not Bret Hart, not a UFC fighter.... no one. He was that believable awesome. In the ring, he just kicked ass like no other, and on the mic... he spoke with such ferociousness and hatred that you just had believe every word that came out of his mouth.

7. Hayabusa - I first saw Hayabusa on probably the greatest pay-per-view ECW has ever held and in my opinion, one of the greatest wrestling pay-per-views of all time, in Heat Wave 1998. That night he teamed up with Jinsei Shinzaki (Hakushi in the WWF) and had an absolutely SUPERB match against Rob Van Dam and Sabu. After seeing that, I became a fan of his. I loved his look, and to this day he is the most graceful wrestler I've ever seen. It wasn't until a few years later where I had the means to actually see some more of his stuff, but when I did, he became a favorite of mine and remains one of my favorites to this day.

8. Randy Savage - Like I mentioned earlier, this man deserves credit for me becoming a fan of professional wrestling. Wrestlemania 4 is my first memory of the sport, and he remained a favorite of mine throughout his entire stay in it, even when he was a bad guy. And as a kid, I loved the good guys and hated the bad guys, but I could never bring myself to hate Randy Savage. Well, unless he had Sheri Martel with him, because I hated that bitch more than anyone (God rest her soul). But yeah... Savage was awesome.

9. Shane Douglas - Ranks right up there with Raven as my favorite heel of all time. Ever since I became a fan of ECW, everyone hated Shane Douglas and Raven, but for some reason... they were my absolute favorites in the company. For Shane, I just admired him. He was basically that quarterback in high school everyone wants to be. He had the gorgeous woman, and led the most bad ass group of men, and he was the champion no one could find a way to defeat. Also, his brashness and "I don't give a fuck" attitude helped a lot as well. To this day I get a kick out of watching any kind of Shane Douglas interview. His matches weren't the greatest (though his match against Bam Bam Bigelow at November to Remember 1997 is one of my all-time favorites), but he never failed to entertain me whenever he performed. Never.

10. Brian Pillman - I loved this dude when he was wearing those lame Tiger tights, and he became an all-time favorite when he became the Loose Cannon. When he was Flyin' Brian, he was just fun to watch. His matches were just things I hadn't seen at that time. However, it was his transition to the Loose Cannon as to why he remains a favorite of mine to this day. That character was just epic. Watching it, you didn't know what was real and what wasn't whenever he spoke, and that's very, very rare in professional wrestling. But Pillman was able to pull it off, and every time he came out, you had no idea what he was going to do next. He was very, very exciting to watch, and other than Hayabusa's paralyzation, Brian Pillman's death is my personal saddest moment in the business.

Honorable Mentions: Roddy Piper, Tommy Dreamer, Kevin Nash (Diesel, preferably), Terry Funk, Ricky Steamboat, CM Punk, Sabu, Brian Kendrick, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, AJ Styles, Edge, Randy Orton, and Bryan Danielson.
 
1. Chris Jericho - The guy that made me watch pro wrestling and became a die hard. I remember when he first debut in the wwf in 1999 and his whole entrance was the coolest thing for a 6 year old kid like me at the time. I loved everything about Jericho his charsma, in ring skills his mic skills. If it wasn't for Chris Jericho i wouldn't have become a pro wrestling fan.

2. Eddie Guerrero - This guy for me was one of those guys where he was perfect in any role you gave him. Rather he was playing a heel or face he always made it entertaining. He was also one of those guys were he made you some how attach to his character and felt bad or good of what he said. It so sad how he died I really miss the guy.

3. Triple h- yes Triple h make my list at number 3 as my favorite wrestler of time. This guy is simply entertaining. When ever i watch him he never gets boring. He also is awesome on the mic and some of my favorite matches from Triple h was against Shawn Micheal.

4. Rob Van Dam - One of the sole reason why I never missed ecw back in the day.

5. Kurt Angle - Back in late 2003 up to 2005 it used to be fun chanting you suck to him. What made him become my number 5 favorite wrestler of time was his matches against the likes of Taz, John Cena Stone cold The rock Chris Jericho etc.

6. Chris Benoit - Regardless of what he did in his personal life even though i think he didn't do it. The guy was a Technical wrestling god his matches against the likes of Triple h Shawn micheals Kurt angle Raven Eddie Guerrero etc. His matches never put me to sleep and was always awesome when I say him wrestle.

7. Raven - This guy to me was the creepiest guy to watch back in the old ecw days. Maybe that's why I loved him so much. His mic skills were above par and his in ring skills were great. I became a fan of this guy cause of his feud with Tommy dreamer.

8. John Cena - John Cena the sole reason why I watched smackdown back in 2004. His Rapping gimmick was the most entertaining thing about the show I used to tune in every week just to see him. He is right now the face of pro wrestling and the best in the world today and i'm proud to say he is my number 8 favorite wrestler of all time.

9. Jbl -This guy was simply a god on the mic. He was another reason why I tuned into smackdown every week hoping he would get his ass kicked hoping he would lose that title. That why I loved jbl so much got me attach and made me hated his character. His feud with Eddie Guerrero was awesome to and I'm still sad he retired.

10. The Undertaker - And last but not least The undertaker. This guy was awesome and was one of the scariest things to watch in pro wrestling. I still remember at the royal rumble 2006 he returned and destroyed the ring with the lightning mark out moment right there. My dream match I'm hoping we get soon since they are on the same brand now is Chris Jericho vs The undertaker I have been waiting and Waiting for this and hope we get it really soon.
 
1. Sting - He was pretty much the guy who got me into wrestling. His series of matches with Rick Rude is what got me hooked, and I've been a huge fan of his ever since. In my eyes, he's the greatest all-rounder of all-time with his flawless charisma, freakish strength, agility, able to have good matches with everybody, adapt to different styles etc. Greatest wrestlers of the 90's without question. Matches with Muta, Vader, Flair, Rude, DDP, Cactus Jack and the Four Horsemen rank among my favourites of all-time.

2. Terry Funk - Funk is just amazing. I remember the first time I saw Funk, and that was during his feud with Lawler in Memphis when they had the empty arena match. Funk led there on the mat screaming "oh god help me, my eye!" for about ten minutes. That scene gave me chills and scared the shit out of me at the same time. The man made his stuff so believable that at the time I actually thought "holy shit, this stuff is actually real". An absolute phenomenal wrestler who could work the ropes better than 99% of wrestlers could imagine. His run as NWA champion was nothing short of brilliant, and his tag-team stuff with Dory in Japan is just as great. He's one guy who I never get the slightest bit of boredom from watching. He's underrated as fuck as far as promos go as well.

3. Hulk Hogan - I don't give a shit how crap people think he is in the ring, he's the most entertaining wrestler ever. Shit, the people who hate on Hogan because of his style really piss me off. Not much to say here other than he's had a shitload of great matches, and still manages to give me goosebumps when I watch his stuff (WrestleMania X8 mainly..)

4. Harley Race - A fucking machine. Harley was easily the greatest wrestler during his prime and put on wrestling clinics every time he stepped into the ring. His matches with Rhodes and the Funk's are legendary and pretty much essential viewing to any wrestling fan. As far as in-ring work goes, Harley's among the top 5 ever without question. Arguably the most decorated wrestler in history.

5. Arn Anderson - EASILY the greatest worker to never become world champion. Yeah I know, most people would say Piper, but Arn was just too damn good. Fuck the Rock, give me Anderson on the mic any day. In the ring? Arn's top of the list. Most of his stuff was in tag-teams but the singles that he did wrestle were just as great. I honestly believe if Flair wasn't champion for as long as he was, Arn could have easily taken his spot, as he was just as good both on the mic and in the ring.

I'll leave it at that for now, as it's becoming too hard to rank from here. Honorable mentions go to John Cena, Antonio Inoki, Tully Blanchard, Nick Bockwinkel, DDP, Gorgeous George, Ted DiBiase, Scott Steiner, Bruiser Brody, Barry Windham, Vader, Kurt Angle and Mitsuhara Misawa.
 
10 Hulk Hogan: The guy who made wrestling mainstream and the name we all heard before any other wrestler. After watching his old matches from back in the day on various DVDs it makes you respect Hogan and the effect he had on the WWE during the 80s. And the legendary four year title run wont be replicated anytime soon so seeing matches from that era is something to savor

9 Bret Hart: I always liked Bret when he was heel back in 1997 when he was heel and the hart foundation feud with DX before Bret left still holds up today and it brings back nostalgia. Bret had some of the best matches in the 90s and of all time the Iron man match the Match with Bulldog from Wembley. Hands down he was the best there is best there was and the best there ever will be.

8 John Cena: Now i dispice cena but from 2002-2006 Cena was the man he cut awsome promos and had decent feuds. When i got back into Wrestling he was my favorite simpley cos he was the man at top of WWE back in 2006 and everyone knew who John Cena is. Plus his old Rap gimmick will always be cool even though he lost the rap image now.

7: Kurt Angle being one of the all time best performers in wrestling Angle kicks alot of ass. But chanting you suck during his entrance music was always fun when you heard it. But during the mid part of the decade angle had incredible matches with Lesnar at Mania the iron man match on Smackdown the epic match with Shawn at Mania 21.

6 Undertaker: Everyone knows who taker is and respects him. For the past two decades he has been the dominante man in WWE. Back during the attitude era Taker who pure evil with the ministary the full on satanic look made me like Taker then the biker look was even cooler with the Bike down to the ring and the whole gimmick in general was awsome.

5 The Rock: during the attitude era I was a Rock Man he had the look the attitude and the best promos. Unlike Austin Rock could cut good promos and wouldnt do the same thing in the ring all the time. Rock feuded with some of the best in the WWE at the time in HHH Foley Taker and the epic match with Hogan. Rock did it all and now that he shuns wrestling due to Hollywood i still respect Rock for the effect he had on that Era and Pop Culture i dont see any Austin quotes in the dictionary.

4 Y2J Chris Jericho: Recently i took a shining to old school Jericho from when he arrived in WWE in the attitude era. Back when Jericho had attitude and wore weird outfits during promos. But wasnt until 2001 when he became a true force in the wwe when he took on the alliance with team WWF beat Rock and Austin feuded with HHH in 2002 and hell even Cena in 2005. And i do listen to his band cos im a metal fan and they play metal so yeah

3 Stone Cold Steve Austin: Now that im a teen Austin seems alot cooler then he did back in the 1990s. The beer drinking the flipping off and kicking anyones ass apeals to me alot more than it did 10 years ago. Though Austin is gone i stil enjoy watching his old matches on the net or his Legacy DVD and he cut some of the apparent best promos in WWE history

2 Edge: Edge has well be awsome all the time now not so much but from the days of Edge and Christan to the Rated R Superstar Edge rules. Though i like the old Edge than the 2008 era Edge i still watched the matches from 2008 mainley his ones with Taker which were awsome cos well Edge and Taker in a TLC match or Hell In A Cell just spells out awsomness. Though Edge needs to go and cut some better promos for when he returns from injury

1 HHH: My all time fav wrestler The Game HHH though i never like the Snoob character the 1999-2005 Heel was awsome HHH did whatever to get the title drugged the bosses daughter and married her beat the hell out of his allies in evolution when they got ahead of him and he has the best theme songs in WWE. HHH has been stale in recent years but heel cant be that bad if he is one of the most popular guys in WWE
 
well my list is gonna be rather odd but hey.


10. Amazing Red: I just love to watch Amazing Red, everytime I see him I get drawed in, I just love watching him wrestle, he entertains me everysingle time in the ring and I love his finishers, one of the best high flyers I have ever witnessed.

9. Rhino/Rhyno: I dont know what it is about Rhino but I always seem to like him whether he's a heel or a face, I just seemed to be interested in him ever since ECW to WWE then TNA where I believe he's been at his best, well to me. Plus I love his GORE seems like it would kill to take it.

8. Raven: His character interests me so much and Raven plays it to perfection, Raven can perform is alot of different styles from hardcore to technical he's good. Shame TNA haven't got him back because he'd bea great person to use to push the younger guys to the top. Also his DDT looks great.

7. RVD: Well what can I say about RVD just that he is awesome, yes he may not be the best on the mic but in wrestling ability he was great, could kick you from out of no where, he was just so athletic and his Five Star Frog Splash looks like it could break your ribs.

6. Chris Benoit: Chris Benoit actually got me interested in wrestling again after I drifted away from it, after watching him win the Royal Rumble, I straight away got hooked again, the emotion he put into that match made me fall in love with the sport again

5. AJ Styles: It pained me to put him this low but I couldnt see me prefering him to the others ahead of him, the reason AJ is this high is because he it just so entertaining to watch, I truly believe he is the best wrestler today. He also puts alot of emotion into his matches and puts on a great match every single time he gets in the ring.

4. Eddie Guerrero: The main reason for him being this high is because his ability to make me laugh every time he got in the ring as a face or made me hate him when he was a heel. He was so good at what he did and deserves a place in my top 5

3. Shawn Michaels: Shawn Michaels is just amazing, he would of been number 2 if i hadnt found love for my number 2, Shawn is just amazing to watch, he's such a great all around athlete, can have a great match with anyone one of the greatest performers of all time.

2. Christian: I've recently re gained my love for Christian, I just forgot how Charismatic he is, I dunno whether its his music, his look, his style of wrestling, how he talks on the mic but I just seem to love him, one thing is, he needs to be on Smackdown.

1. The Rock: The greatest wrestler on the mic I have ever heard, no one could out do him on the mic, I also think he's really good in the ring, he can sell well to even maybe over the top some times but still. No one comes close to The Rock in my view
 
10. The Undertaker-The best "gimmick wrestler" of all time, and possibly the best big man worker ever. The Undertaker is one of the rare guys who can give you goosebumps without doing anything. He possess one of the most memorable entrances ever, and chills go down my spine when I hear the gong.

9. John Cena-My personal favorite of the new breed. I missed his rapper gimmick, but his current persona is a throwback (which is a big reason it's unpopular with the IWC), and the guy has natural charisma on a level that most others don't reach. He's no Hogan, Rock, Austin, etc., but he's good, and he gives his all in every match.

8. Sting-Mostly the original blonde surfer Sting, I loved the guy. The facepaint,the high impact, and the charisma. You always rooted for the Stinger.

7. Rey Misterio, Jr.-Really brought the high flying style to prominence in the USA, and one of the few who managed to transfer a lucha style to a US fanbase. Wrestling's answer to Mighty Mouse.

6. Rob Van Dam-Had to have an ECW guy, and he was my choice. I love RVD before it was cool to be an RVD fan. He had a cool, painful looking moveset, and a cockiness that brought people in. He was the perfect ECW wrestler, IMO.

5. Chris Jericho-I was kind of "meh" on this guy when he first came in, thought he was just an inferior type cruiserweight. Then he got on the mic and he was gold. When he turned his heel, this guy slayed me, and he made me a fan for life when he declared himself the man of 1,004 holds during a feud with Dean Malenko. Also, one of the few guys who could really keep up with the Rock on the mic, and that's saying something.

4. Bret Hart-"The Excellence of Execution" really lived up to the name. A joy to watch in the ring, he was very much a meat and potato's type of wrestler. He wasn't overly flashy, but yet he could still keep you totally into his match. On the mic, I find him to be very underrated. He got himself and his opponent over, had a few good catchphrases, and he got the proper message across.

3. "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig-Maybe it's odd to see him so high, given his lack of world titles or whatever, but even as a kid, when I was still in the thrall of kayfabe, I still found myself loving this guy, even though he was a heel (and a GREAT one at that). What a gimmick, what a wrestler. He was exceptional in the ring, exceptional on the mic. Injuries and early passing are what kept him from being a multiple time world champion.

2. The Rock-"The Great One". "The Brahma Bull". The Rock is simply one of the all time greats, and the absolute best man on the microphone...ever. He held a crowd in the palm of his hands whenever he had the stick, and they did exactly what he wanated them to do. It was astounding. Always experimenting, always having a new catchphrase, and EVERY ONE got over with the crowd. In the ring, he had a certain electricity, and kept the crowd involved again. The People's Elbow may seem silly to some, but there may not have been a more over move in history. And I admit to marking out when he did it.

1. Hulk Hogan-"The Immortal" Hulk Hogan is the man that made me a wrestling fan, and I love the guy. I know he's unpopular in the IWC, but I couldn't care less. People complain about his workrate, but you never heard a crowd complain, and that's the point. Hogan is the greatest professional wrestler of all time. Not the best worker, etc., but the best professional wrestler. The whole point of the business is to draw fans and money, and nobody did it like Hogan. Wherever he his, he has the crowd in the palm of his hands. He had a big, but not really chiseled physique, a balding head, a limited move-set, and he was good but not exceptional on the microphone. So why is he the mosst over guy in history? Because he had It. The man has more charisma then anybody in the history of the business, including Ric Flair, Steve Austin, and the Rock. He just had an innate ability to work a crowd in the match, and he was very underrated in the ring. He may not have been the best worker, but he certainly wasn't terrible, and he had great match psychology.
 
10. John Morrison- I'm a sucker for the flips this man can do. He was the first ECW champ I followed with his feud with Punk and he was in the first main event I saw live.

9. AJ Styles- This man can put on a match where he breaks boundaries of normal wrestling moves and you think no way he can top it, then he goes out there and proves you wrong. My favorite wrestler in TNA and one of the only reasons I tune in.

8. Londrick- I had to add both of them because I couldn't decide. This is the team that got me into wrestling. I was watching SNME at my grandfathers house and I see a shooting star press. Blew my fucking mind. How do you a back-flip forward? Let me see pass my original stereotype of wrestling.

7. Edge- I think he's a bit overrated but he's still up there in my favorite wrestlers. He was the first singles wrestler I hated. Now I see the brilliant character he is

6. John Cena- I used to hate the man but reading these forums let me see the emotion and dedication he has to the business and I respect that

5. CM Punk- Thought he was so-so as a face but when he cashed in that money in the bank and the promos that followed he drew me in.

4. British Bulldog- I've only seen a few matches by this man but the tag team match in the Tag Team DVD let me look into old school tag teams and made me see how crappy we are today.

3. RVD- This man used to be my favorite wrestler before I discovered my top 2. He has the craziest moveset and added athletic ability to a hardcore division full of people like The Sandman.

2. Mike Awesome This man could put on a brutal hardcore match. He could be a unstoppable powerhouse and then get on that top rope and hit that Awesome Splash.

1. Raven I was watching the Rise and Fall of ECW DVD and they had the part on Raven and everything about him captivated me. I immediately looked on Youtube and watched his matches and his promos and he blew me away. He was part of the most controversial angle ever and failed in WWE and WCW. Why did they not push this man I did not know. I loved his feud with Punk in ROH and made him reach this number 1 spot.
 
10- Triple H. During my time watching the WWF his evolution from mid carder to main eventer was pretty addicting.
9- Chris Jericho. His mic work and ring skill made me a fan.
8-Mick Foley. His willingness to give up his body to entertain the fans.
7-Hulk Hogan. His charisma and his larger than life character made wrestling what it is today.
6-Kurt Angle. I think that he was the next generation Bret Hart.
5-The Undertaker. His deadman gimmick might have been the best gimmick of all time. Include his ring skills and he was pretty entertaining.
4-The Rock. Perhaps the greatest man with the mic in wrestling history, his athleticism made him one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.
3-Stone Cold. The man who saved the WWF. He has the greatest finisher of all time, knew how to work a crowd and the ring.
2-Shawn Michaels. He might be the greatest athlete to enter a WWF/E ring. His athleticism pushed him to the top and his great rivalry with Bret Hart made him a superstar.
1-Bret Hart. The greatest ring performer of all time. He could work any kind of match. even though his mic work was sub par, his great fueds with Owen, Stone Cold, and HBK showed us he was the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.
 
10. Kurt Angle-He always made you care about the match. The matches weren't repeats of his previous match, always had a big spot out of nowhere- he was very good as a heel and highly entertaining in the early 2000s.

9. Undertaker-He has wrestled in nearly every type of match, taken beatings, falls, and has put others over. Highly entertaining in the ring, understands how to work a match. Has been a part of numerous highly successful feuds.

8. Kane-The debut Kane, this is. I don't care about him now. But when he first came in I loved him. His feud with Undertaker when I was 6-7 years old is why I watched wrestling. Corny matches like the Inferno match? Sure. Do I still love watching the replay? Sure do.

7. Stone Cold-I like him a lot more after his days than I did when he was active. I always enjoyed his promos, and loved the Stunner. He had two amazing rivalries that drew considerable interest.

6. Mick Foley-Didn't really go for him, but I loved watching him perform. He took the sickest bumps ever. He put nearly everybody over, he was always in a bloodbath, he was one of the most entertaining wrestlers in my mind.

5. Sting-I loved Sting in the WCW, don't follow TNA so I don't know what's going on over there. I just know he had an awesome entrance, great demeanor, and was fun to watch wrestle.

4. Jeff Hardy-Common theme continues here, I loved watching his matches. He thrived as a tag-teamer, but grew into a very entertaining singles competitor that drew unmatched interest from the crowd.

3. The Rock-The Great One. He would be higher if I seen more of him at a younger age. In my mind he's the best ever. I loved his title matches, his feud with Austin, his promo work, his ring work, just everything about him made him the perfect star to me.

2. Randy Orton-He's my guy right now. He was excellent as the Legend Killer and I love his work now. I love the RKO and his mic work. I think he's abused by his era, and would have thrived far better outside the current era.

1. Goldberg-By far drew more interest from me than anyone, and was the reason I ever watched wrestling as a young child, and probably why I still watch it today (sometimes). He had the coolest entrance, the power moves, and was just the coolest guy in wrestling when I was younger.
 
I can't believe there hasn't always been a thread for this. Good stuff.
1. HBk- He wasn't my first favorite, but he certainly has been my favorite since he showed up. I've always loved his matches, his promos, his title reign. The guy is awesome.

2. Eddie Guerrero - Its been said that Eddie could wrestle a great match with a broom. I believe it. don't believe me? watch his stuff as a cruiserweight in WCW, or The 2 out of 3 falls match with Dean Malenko in ECW. His character really developed in WWE and he to me is one of the best Ring psychologist ever. His death was a tragedy, and i'm not ashamed to say that i cried like a baby during the Raw tribute.

3. Hulk Hogan - I was but a child during the Hogan era, but that period of time forever engraved me as a wrestling fan. regardless of what you think of him as a person, Hogan is arguably the best "sports entertainer" ever. period.

4. Macho Man Randy Savage - One of the best all time Promo men. One of the best in ring workers. One of the first Americans to work a fast pace high flying style. An innovator. Bat shit crazy, but great, none the less.

5. Ric Flair - Best heel ever. Self explanatory why he is on this list. Cliche? maybe, but His promos, his style, everything he did was awesome, in my opinion.

6. The Rock - I was a stereotypical angsty teen during the attitude era, and The Rock was one of two guys that made an impression on me to the point that all i ever wanted to do was get home on Monday to watch Raw. Arguably the best Mic worker in history.

7. Stone Cold Steve Austin - One of the first anti-hero mega stars. also seemed like he was a legit tough guy. one of the best brawlers ever in my opinion.

8. Dusty Rhodes - Dusty's golden era was before my time so my love comes from videos and wrestling history. if i watched it all live he may be higher on this list. He was an amazing promo man, my all time favorite being the ''hard times" promo. He was a big guy who brawled and didn't really "wrestle" but it all worked perfectly.

9. Lita - my all time favorite female wrestler. say what you will she "reeks of sex appeal" and was a good worker in an era where women's wrestlers were pretty much just eye candy.

10. Randy Orton - I love Orton. His promos are calculated and intense, I like his methodical ring work. his facial movements suit his character perfectly. He also has neat tattoos.
 
My top ten go like this


1. Jerry "The King"Lawler - I'm from memphis what mo can i say this guy have beat and face them all -like- Ric Flair,Terry Funk,Hulk Hogan,Dusty Rhodes,Curt Hennig,Austin Idol,Tommy Rich ,Dutch Mantel,Bill Dundee,Randy Savage,King Kong Bundy,Rick Rude,Bret Hart,Owen Hart,Jack Brisco,Jimmy Valiant,Bob Armstrong,Jos Leduc,Rocky Johnson, do I need to keep goin?

2. Ric Flair - Beside Jerry Lawler, he made me watch wrestling. The love he got for the business says alot. He is what a World Champion pose to be.

3. Scott Hall- "The Bad Guy" was another guy that was underrated. He never got the real chance in WCW like he supose to got. His work in the ring was great and his mic skills where awesome.

4. Great Muta- To me the best wrestler to come out of Japan. The feud with He and Sting had was great. Has held many world titles and single titles.

5. Randy Savage - This guy was hardcore before hardcore was out. The battles Savage-Lawler had was awesome. This guy has held WCW world title,WWE world title,WWE intercontinental title and many more titles: he could have been higher.

6. Sting- The man they call "Sting", he is truely the icon. The battles with Flair made him. He also had great feuds with Great Muta,NWo,Rick Rude,Vader,Cactus Jack,Jeff Jarrett,and etc.

7. Vader - Its vader time, After flair left WCW he dominant wcw. He was the first big man to do a move off the top rope.But when he left(fired)wcw and went to the wwe that hurt his legecy but he still one of my favorites of all-time.

8. Kurt Angle- He has done alot in a short time(TNA world title,WWE world title,World champion,WWE european title,WWE Intercontinental title,TNA world tag team title,and etc.)

9. AJ Styles- I remember watching AJ wrestling on the WWA tour he caught my eyes then. I'm glad to see that TNA gave him the TNA World title back. AJ Styles have beat stars like Jeff Jarrett,Kurt Angle,Jerry Lynn,Raven,Daniels,X-pac,Samoa Joe.

10. Austin Idol- "The Universal Heartthrob" the first cool heel i liked this guy never got the chance in the nwa to win the world title but had some good matches that i have seen,he mite had more but i'm just 26 so i caught him when he was almost out his prime. But he is underrated.
 
This is gonna be tough. The only thing that remains constant is my number one. Every other pick changes as often as my views on politics. In addition, my knowledge is very United States over the past 25 years centered, so that's definately going to come across. Sorry about that. We can't all be perfect.

10) Mick Foley - Foley had a lot of faces and always made you feel something, especially in my first impressions seeing him as Mankind at the age of six. Frightening! From dives off the cell, to his feud with Taker, to his association and feud with Steve Austin, to his feud and association with the Rock, and his final curtain at the hand of Triple H, to his occasional returns to action, to his involvement with up and coming companies like ROH and TNA, Foley has always felt like a unique attraction that gave something to the product. Passionate and giving, he asserts himself as top ten worthy with the ECW promos I've seen since discovered the internet. The man has a rare gift and is one of the best mic workers ever.

9) Rey Mysterio - Fun as a flier in WCW, great as a top attraction in the WWE. Rey has come a long way and has been likable the entire way. Slowing down never hurt this talented cruiser as he evolved as a wrestler and made the most of his opprotunity in the WWE. His matches with Eddie Guerrero, Kurt Angle, and Chris Jericho are some of my favorite matches of the decade.

8) Shawn Michaels - Yeah, I think he's overrated. But make no mistake, I'm definately a fan. His matches with Foley, Cena, Triple H, Jericho, Jarrett, Austin, Undertaker, and so on are just too good to ignore. He has put together a great body of work in spite of his overratedness and his personal short-comings.

7) Chris Jericho - From the WCW conspiracy theorist, to calling out Goldberg, to his debut promo opposite the Rock, to almost winning the belt from Triple H... Gosh, there are so many great Jericho moments and he's evolved so much in my time as a wrestling fan. A great supporting character and someone who I never tire of. Where's my Jericho DVD, damnit?!

6) CM Punk - My first exposure to him was the WrestleRave promo. He impressed me there and I'd heard good thing about his matches with Joe, so I DLed the last match between them to see if he could wrestle as good as he talks. What an amazing match. Seeing a blood-soaked Punk fighting to take down the dominant champ to the point that Joe tried to cheat really made Punk come off well. I was a fan instantly and his 2005 work and WWE run leave me with no regrets about that judgement.

5) John Cena - He brings a huge feel to almost every match he's been in since 2005. The stories he tells and the feeling surrounding them is what professional wrestling is all about. He'll be remembered as the best WWE Champion of the decade. His third title reign should have lasted longer as the quality of the matches he was throwing down in that time was just fantastic.

4) Steve Austin He's a bad motherfucker. His feud with Hart is one of my favorites ever and produced my favorite Wrestlemania match ever. His matches with Rock, Triple H, Benoit, Michaels, and Angle justify his place on this list.

3) Eddie Guerrero - Awesome WCW cruiser, badass heel, great storyteller, a man with unique charisma. I loved this man. I was wearing an Eddie banner when he died as I had been sold big time on his feud with Batista. Class act up until the end. I was a fan and he's deeply missed. It drives me nuts when people say that he's overrated because of his death because I always felt he was worth his hype and then some. He's had matches with Lesnar, JBL, and Rey that I would rank as some of the best of the decade.

2) Bret Hart My first favorite wrestler ever. From the age of four, he was a role model. The battles with Owen, Austin, Diesel, Bulldog, Taker, and Lawler were really something to see for me. He became a Canadian icon, impossible for me not to cheer, and was as sound as they get between the ropes. His match with Diesel at Survivor Series remains one of the fondest memories of my childhood. What a story, what a war, what a shocking win for me.

1) Rob Van Dam - Cool as fuck, easy to cheer, unique. Seeing him never reach the heights he could have only made me feel more loyal. I'm not sure anyone will ever top him in my eyes.
 
Damn, this will be byfar the hardest list for me to make. Due to me always changing my mind due to re-watching clasic matches and current favorites, this list will be based of of what my current thoughts are.

#10. Ric Flair
Even though this man has acomplished so much, 16 time World champ, and then capturing the Intercontinental Title during the last legs of his career he put passion into wrestling and I admired that bout him. WHOOO!!! Such a popular catchphraise that will always be around, thanks to him.


#9. Mr. Perfect
The way this man presented himself, was just impecable. I was so captivated by this man, able to beat numerous superstars Hogan included. The match him and Bret Hart had for the intercontinental title was superb even with the injury he was working with. RIP.


#8. Lita
She was a beautiful women, who defenetly pull off some unique moves. Even though she was a manipulative bitch during the Edge vs Matt period she was still talented, and held the womens title.


#7. X-PAC
Haha some might laugh at this but he was always one of my favorites even as the 123-Kid, he beat Razor!!! Seeing him join DX was awesome in my opinion.


#6. Undertaker
One of the best gimmi ck(spelling?)wrestlers to lace up a pair of boots. With all the things this man has done I'd be surprised if he's not everyones list.


#5. Sting
This man is god to me, he made me want to watch/learn and just be a part of the wrestling community. He was one of the few people that have lasted as long as they have.


#4 'Macho Man'Randy SavageOh Yeah!!
He's another one of my favorites, he was bringing a new era of high flying style. His match with Ricky Steamboat at WM was epic.


#3. Randy Orton
The way he has progressed from debut to his rise to the Legend Killer to now being the Viper. He has always shined in my opinion, even though he got shot up to soon, he ended up adjusting later on.


#2. Shelton Benjamin
Athletic, and that's stunning some of stuff he can do, is quite impresive.


#1. Chris Benoit
Regardless of what he may have done he was truely talented. Emotion, Charisma, I can't explain he's just my all time favorite.

-TheBigCheez-It-
 
10. Velvet Sky - Let's face it, she's so hot I'd sell my own mother into a lifetime of white slavery for just one night of dirty, sweaty, nasty nakedness with Velvet. But her character is what gets her on this list. She is a cocky, smug princess and the Beautiful People is one of the greatest factions ever, not just in TNA and not just in the womens division.

9. New Jack - He is on the list because he is crazy. He once wanted to do a spot where he jumped off of 95 (the highway which runs above the ECW Arena) and landed on somebody on the roof of the arena. They couldn't come to a monetary solution so it didn't happen. He also tried to kill Vic Grimes. Crazy.

8. Sandman - Find the clip of the night in Pensacola Florida, when Sandman went to the ring after drinking a gallon of Vodka, a jug of milk and a case of beer, took off his pants, and chased a very scared Asian lady. I would love to go drinking with Sandman.

7. Raven - Not the most athletic fella, but neither are some of the other fellas on this list. But he is one of the smartest wrestlers ever.

6. Koko B Ware - Fuck you guys, I can hear you laughing. But when I was a kid I loved this dude. And Frankie the Bird was cool too.

5. Jake the Snake Roberts - I also loved him when I was a kid, he was a great heel. He'd DDT you and then put Damian the Snake on you. This was good stuff in the early 80's. Maybe I just like wrestlers with animals.

4. Chris Jericho - He is a huge Narcissistic, smart ass and I like that. More so his last time with WWE.

3. Undertaker - I grew up liking the Dead Man, I like the gimmick, he's a big strong dude, and he's stuck around forever.

2. Hulk Hogan - I'm not exited about him anymore but he is the reason I became a wrestling fan, so he's gotta be near the top of this list. He was great as Thunderlips in Rocky 3, a guest appearance on the A Team, and that cartoon I used to watch on Saturday Mornings. He made wrestling what it is today, I firmly believe that.

1. Macho Man Randy Savage - He was a great face and a great Heel. He had the beautiful Elizabeth, one of my first crushes. He was cocky and had all those stupid sayings. He was great.

honarable mention - Sabu, RVD (sorry RVDGurl), Roddy Piper, AVD, Brutus Beefcake, Junkyard Dog, King Kong Bundy, Briscoe Brothers
 
I had the worst time trying to organize this list. I've been a wrestling fan for 25 years, so narrowing a list down to my 10 favorite was a chore. There have been so many wrestlers that I've loved to watch, but I think I managed to create an accurate RVDgurl-loves-to-watch-you list:

10. Road Dogg - It's obvious from this pick right here that my list has been developed solely on who I like, not who is a great wrestler. Road Dogg was one of the main reasons I loved the WWE back in the mid 90's. I had the Road Dogg tshirt. He has always been my favorite member of DX. He was charismatic and fun to watch.

9. Austin Aries - Since Danielson's departure, Aries has moved into the top spot on RVDgurl's ROH favorites list. The best heel in the business today- he is the total package of in ring skills, mic skills, unbelieveable charisma and a great look. I love me some Austin Aries.

8. The Sandman - As previously mentioned by CFH, the Pennsicola Florida incident is enough to land this man on my list. Funniest shit I've ever seen in wrestling. The Sandman was tough, funny and just plain fun to watch. His entrance in ECW was the greatest wrestling entrance ever. He embodied what the hardcore of ECW was about.

7. Raven - One of the greatest ring psychologist of all time. I loved watching this man work whether it was in the ring or on the mic. It's amazing how great he was considering he was completely whacked out on drugs for the majority of his career.

6. Brutus Beefcake - You know it! The Barber himself was my first "favorite" wrestler. Throughout my childhood, he was the guy I waited to see everytime I tuned in. I was completely into him. He had great ring attire and the best mullet ever. THe Barber gimmick was fun and I still crack a smile anytime I catch an old school Beefcake match.

5. Sabu - The 3rd ECW guy to make my list- anybody catching on yet? There is no one crazier than Sabu. His fueds with Taz, Terry Funk and RVD are legendary in ECW. He may botch some moves, but he never fails to entertain me. I still get excited to see Sabu and his flashy pants fly around the ring.

4. Chris Jericho - The minute Chris Jericho set foot in the Lulu Temple, I was hooked. I had always heard about him while he wrestled in Mexico and I was psyched when ECW brought him in. He has had a magnificant career and is still one of the best in the business today.

3. The Undertaker - I dressed up like this man to go to a wrestling show for my 11th birthday. I had his posters on my wall. I had a 6 ft. cardboard standup of him in my college dorm room. I still get star struck at wrestling shows when I get to see him perform.

2. Bryan Danielson - I have 6 different Danielson Tshirts, 3 Best of Danielson DVD's, 1 shoot interview and a picture of he and I sitting on my desk at work. If I could watch matches of only 1 wrestler, it would be this guy. I absolutely love watching this man work. He is beyond amazing in the ring and having Bryan Danielson work a show is worth the price of admission in itself.

1. Rob Van Dam - I did wrestle with the order of my Top 2. But when it comes down to it, nobody else could be #1 on my list. Simply put- I love RVD. He was responsible for making me a wrestling fan for life at a time when my interest was disappearing. RVD is wrestling god.


Honorable mention list: Jake Roberts, Tommy Dreamer, Shane Douglas, Ultimate Warrior, Mr. Perfect, Ric Flair, Ted DiBiase Sr., Tully Blanchard, Christian, and CM Punk.
 
10. "Macho Man" Randy Savage
-Macho Madness. He was insane, he is the man. Could cut a promo with the best and brought high flying wrestling to the mainstream and made it cool. Savage is a guy I love watching and rather enjoy more so now that I have the Macho Madness DVD. Ooooh Yeahhhh!

9. "Road Dogg" Jesse James
-I always wanted to be Road Dogg. I went around as a kid going "Oh You Didn't Know??" And doing a little shake rattle and roll. He was just cool to me as a kid and a guy I wanted to be. Him and Billy are one of my all time favs as a team and RD was one of my favs as a singles star, unlike Billy.

8. "Y2J" Chris Jericho
-When Jericho says he is the best in the world at what he does, he is pretty spot on. Jericho has always entertained me whether he is the Ayatollah of Rock N Rollah or if he is his big word using superstar of now. I prefer my Jericho in comedy, but serious Jericho is a nice change.

7. Rikishi
-I'm a big dude, so when Rikishi was apart of 2 Cool it made me think, hey a dude that big is well liked, so I can be as well. Rikishi made me laugh with his rumpshaking and his athleticism for a dude his size.

6. "Rated R Superstar" Edge
-I've loved Edge since his tag team days. I've always said he had main event potential and usually was shot down by any of my buddies or my dad. Edge has really been a rising star the last few years, winning numerous world titles and I can't wait for him to return from his recent injury.

5. Shelton Benjamin
-I've been a huge fan of Shelton since his days in WGTT. While he will be a career mid carder, I still feel he could thrive in the Main Event and wish he would have got the push when he was hot soon after being drafted to Raw. Throw in his athleticism for another reason he is high on my list.

4. "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
-Dream is way before my time, but I have his DVD and the guy is really awesome. He just oozes charisma and he always makes me laugh with his fantastic promos. He was a legend back in the day and one of wrestling's greatest minds and workers.

3. The Undertaker
-I've recently realized how much I truly love and respect Taker's work. I remember him being my dad's all time favorite with The Rock. And now with the technology of Youtube and DVD's I have gotten to love Taker's work more and realizing how awesome he is.

2. "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan
-I'm a huge Hulkamaniac. Hogan is just awesome and I was really contemplating putting him number 1, but I just couldn't put him ahead of Hitman. But Hogan made wrestling cool and he has the greatest music ever.

1. Bret "Hitman" Hart
-My all time favorite wrestler since I started watching. Loved the pink and black, loved the music, the sunglasses, etc... And as I grew older I grew to appreciate the greatness that was Bret Hart and how great he truly was in the ring and on the stick.
 
#1 - Bret Hart
I know, I know... "Bret Hart wasn't that great" "Bret Hart sucked" yeah, I've heard it all before. But the fact is, I'm a person who has always loved Bret Hart for his in-ring work. He had such a great attitude inside the ring, and his fist drop always got me amped up. I remember being a little kid and whenever he went to the top rope and brought up that fist, I climbed onto the arm of my mom's couch and brought up my fist. And at the same time, we'd jump off. Him cracking his opponent's head and me smashing my fist onto a pillow. And when I finally got to sit front row a watch him for the first time, he actually sought me out in the crowd and gave me his glasses. I still have them in my trophy case. A little inspiration on how great of a wrestler I want to be one day.

#2 - Owen Hart
My second favorite wrestler of all time. His charisma was unlike any other. The Rocket was able to pull off great drop kicks, great submissions, and even great rivalries. The work he did with the likes of Shawn Michaels, Yokozuna, Ken Shamrock, and Stone Cold were fabulous. But my all time favorite, of course, being Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart. And like with Bret Hart, I also was given a pair of shade by Owen, and they too sit in my trophy case.

#3 - Macho Man Randy Savage
I didn't become a huge fan of his until he went to WCW. When he was in WCW, I was always there cheering him on. That's not to say I never liked him, it's just that I feel WCW allowed him to reach his full potential. No, I don't have any of Macho Man's Ring accessories, but oh well.

#4 - Austin Aries
I simply can not rank him any lower. His ability to pull of nearly any gimmick is amazing. And his abilities inside the squared circle and the hexed circle is just phenomenal. With the Pendelum Elbow and Brainbuster to boot, he is really a phenomenal athlete.

#5 - Chris Jericho
The Underdog of the Attitude Era. Everyone talks about how great The Rock and Austin were. But nobody ever realizes that Chris Jericho helped a great deal. The comedy sketches, the great storyline with Chyna as Co-Holder of the IC title, and that amazing Lion Tamer. Jericho was a huge success in the Attitude Era, and still one of the best today.

#6 - Josh Magnum
This local indy wrestler is a personal friend of mine, and a really terrific in-ring performer. He can work the cocky heel or the golden child face routine to the core. In the Carolina area, he is simply over with any crowd that he works. His 450 Splash is amazing, and if not for him retiring due to personal matters, he would be in WWE or TNA.

#7 - CM Punk
He's a mentor that I can look up to. He doesn't smoke, he doesn't drink, he doesn't do drugs, and he doesn't have premiscuous sex. Not to mention his mic abilities are simply amazing and go along terrrifically with his in-ring skills. He is straight edge and he is better than you.

#8 - Edge
Another mentor for me to look up to. Just like CM Punk, he doesn't smoke, drink, or do drugs. He doesn't need to. And like me at the moment, he was an underdog his entire career until he won the first ever money in the bank, and cashed it in to launch himself into the main event picture.

#9 - Chris Benoit
His way of leaving was extremely horrible, but his ability to work a match and a crowd was terrific. Simply put, he could make anybody look good.

#10 - Myself, Jackie Williams
Yes, I'm a rookie independent wrestler. But someone once told me that if I don't consider myself one of the best, if not the best, then I will never go anywhere in wrestling. And to me, that's great advice. I know, it sounds like me promoting myself, but in all honesty, I'm just being real.


Notable Mentions
Dolph Ziggler - The Future
Christian
Kurt Angle
Tyson Kidd - Excellent choice to have carry out the Hart Legacy
Kane - I'm a Kaneanite, plus he's done a lot and deserves at least an IC or US title run, maybe even another ECW.
 
Ok, here goes nothing.

10) Matt Hardy. I have always been a total mark for the Hardy boys. When I first started watching wreslting back in 2000,2001 they were probably the biggest reason I got hooked, other then the Rock.

9) Jeff Hardy. See above. I also just was hooked on his extreme style and was always amazed at the things he would do.

8) Rob Van Dam. Once again another guy who could do some crazy stuff in the ring and I loved it about him. He also always just seemed like a really cool down to earth guy.

7) Teddy Hart. Probably my favorite high flyer of all time. Sure he is an asshole but the guy does things that no one else can do, cuts promos better then mos0t others, and is just all around better.

6) Scott Hall. I loved the bad guy gimmick. He was so charasmatic and made me actually like the bad guys instead of want to throw garbage at them. A true icon of wrestling. Shame he never won the world title.

5) Eddie Guerrero. I cried when I found out he died. Was my favorite guy wrestling when he passed on and I still miss hearing his music. One of the funniest and most athletic men to ever step inside the ring. His title win was such a feel good moment.

4) Shawn Michaels. The best in ring entertainer in history. He always puts on the best matches and can get anyone over. He was at his best in the 90's but when he came back there was no one I was more excited to see return full time then him.

3) Kevin Nash. Dont ask me why he is so high on my list, but I have always been a big fan of Big Kev. Sure hes not the best wrestler in the world but he makes up for it by being amazing on the mic. Its also really cool that he sticks up for the younger guys when the vets dont generally do that.

2) The Rock. When I first started watching it was for the whole reason of hearing the rock talk and kick ass. He was so good in the ring and on the mic. His matches were always good regardless of who it was against. When he left I was kind of pissed but I am glad he is becoming a big actor cause I still get to see him.

1) Hulk Hogan. My mom was a principle and had this Hulk Hogan doll that sat on the top shelf for a very long time. I would always see it and want to play with it but was never allowed. For some reason that just made me like Hogan more and more. I always enjoyed watching him wrestle regardless of his skills. He knew how to put on a show and I love it. Seriously, my favorite wrestler ever.
 
10. Gotta go with Dean Malenko in the 10 spot. His ECW matches with Eddie Guerrero were easily among the best ever, and I always enjoyed following him in WCW. His WWE run wasn't very memorable. My dream was for him and Eddie to open a WrestleMania, but the Shooter lacked the charisma I guess. I got picked on for liking him (and Misawa) at work, and the best thing ever was when the PWI 500 came out and he was #1. I almost shit myself. And Misawa came in the two spot, so I flaunted that magazine around for a long time. Dean and Eddie were really the first real juniors I had seen since Liger/Benoit when I was a kid, and I thought "this is wrestling!". So I became a huge ECW fan watching them, and when they left it was Mysterio and Psychosis, who were almost, but not quite as good as Eddie and Dean.

9. Jushin Thunder Liger: It's amazing to me that he's still going, and still wrestling great matches. Almost won himself the GHC Junior title in a tourney a few weeks ago, but they wouldn't put the strap on an outsider (it pissed me off because Liger brainbusters Kanemaru off the top, who kicks out, but then Liger lays down to the Touch Out, some lame variation of a normal brainbuster a few minutes later). It's difficult to pick a favorite JP junior because there's a lot of good ones (Tiger Mask I - Sayama, Otani, Kanemoto, Great Sasuke, Marufuji). I remember seeing Liger's match against Benoit (Wild Pegasus) on a WCW show (or was it still NWA then?), and just couldn't believe my eyes. Frankesteiner off the top rope! Liger can fly, strike (palm strike FTW), or go to the mat - he's just good at everything. In a day where people like Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, Yoshinari Ogawa and Naomichi Marufuji have worn heavyweight championships, I don't know why Liger hasn't been given the opportunity. Give the man a heavyweight strap already. I will also note that had Tiger Mask I (Sayama) continued to wrestle regularly, he would definitely be my favorite junior, and he might have been in the top 5 best wrestlers ever. Watch his stuff with Dynamite Kid: un-be-lieve-a-ble.

8. Scotty Steiner (pre-blond). Scotty was an awesome wrestler that busted out the coolest moves I had ever seen. From his suplexes to the Frankensteiner to the tilt-a-whirl to the best move ever: The Steiner Screwdriver. Great pacing, great move set, great innovater. He was so agile for his size. Unfortunately, for some reason he got so huge he could hardly even move, and reduced his moveset to nothing and changed his finisher to a chinlock. What a waste.

7. The Sandman - a total Hack, but he exemplified ECW in 95, and he got me back into Wrestling during Vince's circus era. Steve Austin stole his gimmick! Coming to the ring with a cigarette and a beer, and then letting himself get torn up with barbedwire, or the crazy shit he did in those ladder matches against Mikey Whipwreck...Sandman was always a treat.

6. Randy Savage - Loved the Macho Man as a kid. Great charisma, great work rate, great interviews, and of course, Miss Elizabeth. I remember his WWF TV debut and I was in awe by his flying double axe-handle to the floor, and of course his finisher. Great work as IC champ and then with Hogan through WM5, nobody will ever forget those storylines. After his WM7 retirement match where the Warrior no-sold 5 flying elbows, it just seemed like he was never the same. His interviews got pretty ridiculous, the slim jimm stuff, Sherri Martel, Macho King, horrible announcing, and then his weak WCW run.

5. Ricky Steamboat - I was a Steamboat mark, although I'm not sure why. He had great charisma, was a good worker, and always made his opponents look as good as possible. But his 'karate' kinda sucked, he didn't ever kick (besides his weak dropkick); he just did those stupid chops. "He could work the arm like nobody else" - not really, I don't remember him ever getting an arm submission - Kendo Kashin disagrees. But for whatever reason, I always cheered him on. He made a great challenger to Flair and Savage, but he was never a good champion. I saw some of his post-retirement WWE work recently, and it was kind of entertaining. Here's to you, Ricky Steamboat, I mark out for you more than anyone.

4. Hulk Hogan - I hated Hogan as a kid. I hated his "Hulk up", hated his finisher, hated his title reigns, hated how he squashed everyone. I hated that they put the strap on him in WCW. And then he went heel. And then he became the most hated heel of his era. I always liked rooting for the bad guys, and I liked this new Hogan. I liked the badass Hogan. I also learned to respect him, because he was much more than just a one trick pony. Hogan put on good matches with Inoki and Mutoh, where he fired up the Japanese crowds, and as everyone knows he captivated America and owned the box office for almost two decades. Hogan sucked any audience in with his massive size and charisma, regardless of his opponent, with his unique style of selling and match flow. He was by no means technical, or a risk taker, but he didn't need to be, and that's why he was able to work as often and as long as he did. If you haven't, watch some of his stuff in japan on youtube, and I think you'll appreciate him more.

3. Toshiaki Kawada - Misawa's rival is a strong third for me. Kawada kicked the shit out of his opponents, and put on some of the greatest matches ever with Misawa, in pro wrestling's greatest rivalry. I unfortunately have not seen much of his work after NOAH was formed, but he is always outstanding. Unlike Misawa and Kobashi, he seems to have preserved his health, and I hope to see some more five star matches from him. Dangerous K.

2. Kenta Kobashi - Fighting spirit personified. You can feel Kobashi's aura just watching his matches. When he clenches his fists, grits his teeth, and screams...you can feel the intensity building up in your own body. Never have I seen a more brutal arsenal of moves, and aside from Misawa, never have I seen someone so good at bringing out the best in his opponent. Kobashi dished it out like no other, but he took it too. If not for his bad knees, renal (kidney) cancer, and his latest ailment, arm problems, his legacy would be unparalleled. While Kobashi still puts on a great show, the pain he suffers in the ring is evident, and I wish he would retire. You have given enough, my friend.

1. Mitsuharu Misawa - From Tiger Mask II, to dethroning Jumbo, to dozens of 5 star matches as the Triple Crown champ, to creating and running NOAH, Misawa exemplified the King's Road style. Along the way he made his opponents look like gold. He worked everything his opponent had, and then some. The first time I ever saw Misawa fight (Best of Budokan Hall), I said he was the greatest worker I've ever seen. Rest in peace, my hero.
 
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Before we begin, I'd just like to say I have left out some Mexicans and Japanese wrestlers, as despite the fact I enjoy them, they may be horrendous at the mic side of things. Also, I am by no means an expert of puro, so it'd be wrog to voice strong opinions.

10. Ricky Steamboat Just a really good in ring worker that could bring the best out of anybody, even in his fifties. Steamboat may not have been the greatest talker in the world, but he more than made up for it with his matches. Alledgedly his son is better than him, and if true I would happily make a new spot on this list for him.

9. The Rock There is just no words to describe how good this man was on the microphone. The fact he's now in blockbuster films is testament to how believable he was and how well delivered everything he says was. I always felt he was missing something in the ring, and he would have benefitted from being about 3 years younger so he still faced Austin, but their careers didn't overlap entirely. That being said, a true behemoth of the ring.

8. Lou Thesz I find wrestling before about 1985 immensely boring for the most part, but for some reason the matches of Lou Thesz seem really gripping. Perhaps its just because he invented the modern professional wrestling we know and love, but I think there's something more than that. The guy just knew how to work.

7. Dynamite Kid Quite simply the most consistently good in ring competitor I've seen in my time as a wrestling fan. Kid had some superb matches against some superb wrestlers in just about every global market. People talk about Bret Hart being the best technical wrestler, but Bret Hart talks about this guy, and that should probably say enough to be honest.

6. X-Pac Seriously. Look at it like this. I started watching wrestling properly in 1998. How many people can honestly say that they didn't love DX back then. And X-Pac, unbelievably, is what made them cool along with the New Age Outlaws. He was actually quite entertaining in the ring too for quite a long time.

5. Ultimate Warrior I challenge anyone to watch one of his matches as live and not feel the charisma. Sure, the matches are awful, but I don't think anyone has ever worked the crowd better than he did. I think he is one of about 1 people that could have beaten Hogan when he did and stayed face. He is probably the most ridiculous human being in existance, but that only adds to his enigma.

4. Chris Jericho When I was small, the people I lived with stopped getting the channel Raw was on, so I was forced to watch Nitro. This was rare in the UK at the time, and everyone at school said it was for old timers and young people, not good people. Long story short, Monday Night Jericho (always a better pun than Raw is Jericho) and the cruiserweight division as a whole became a reason to watch, and I've always liked him since then really.

3. El Solitario Of all the people on this list, he is the one that I have seen the least of. I've probably only seen 10 or so matches, but it is enough to know that he is one of the most gifted wrestlers in terms of in ring ability ever. I haven't named many luchadors on here, mostly because I can't speak Spanish, so can't really be entertained by their promos. That being said, this guy is simply awesome.

2. Randy Savage I usually say that Savage is my favourite of all time, largely because my actual favourite is a jobber and it makes me look uncool. Whatever way you look at it, Savage had it all and is probably the only wrestler ever to be equally convincing as a face and a heel. In addition, because of how iconic he is, he has even managed to get another wrestler in Jay Lethal over several years after he retired.

1. The Genius Honestly. There isn't much to say about this except that he had an excellent character, was one of the best on the mic ever and put on a decent match with just about everyone in the 1980s. For whatever reason, he was a career jobber, but that being said how many career jobbers beat Hogan in world title fights? The Genius is by far the most all around entertaining wrestler in my eyes, and it is a travesty that he was never used more. If he'd have debuted in 1995 rather than 1985, he'd have won the world title. Probably not, but a man can dream.
 
10.Mr Perfect Curt Hennig-I am a big fan of technical wrestling, and very few men did it better than he did. His name pretty much says it all. He perfected every move he attempted. He had so much flow with his matches, and his perfect plex, one of my favorite finishing moves. His matches with the likes of Bret Hart and Ric Flair were phenomenal. As for his gimmick, it was just so simple and subtle, one of the greatest gimmicks....imo.
9. Jerry Lynn- I first so him in TNA and I couldn't get enough. He was just a great performer. He always made the other man look good. His matches with Rob Van Dam were some of the best I saw in ecw. He didn't need a gimmick to be awesome, he had the in-ring ability to back it up.
8.Chris Jericho- I did like his y2j character, but that's not the reason he is on my list. His current sophisticated, better than everyone character is the reason why he is on my list. IMO, this stage of his career is his best mic work. Calling the fans parasites and germ-incubators is always great to see. Also, in the past few years, he has had some of his best matches with the likes of Shawn Michaels and Rey Mysterio. He is definitely at the high point of career.
7.Goldberg-What needs to be said about this man. He was simply a person who would tear apart anyone in his way. He got right to the point with everything he did. Sure, he might have been a stiff wrestler, but just his character he presented and how he presented it wins me over.
6. Shawn Michaels- He is arguably one of the greatest in-ring performers to ever step in the squared circle. I didn’t see much of his first wwe run, so my opinions are primarily based on his current run. Every feud he has been in has been entertaining to me for the most part including HHH, Jericho, Kurt Angle etc. In these feuds were some of my favorite matches including vs. Angle at Wrestlemania 21, vs. Jericho at Wrestlemania 19, and vs. HHH at Summerslam '02. At his age, he still puts most of the younger talent to shame. He always finds a way to entertain all of us, including me.
5.Mankind- I love Mick Foley, but him as Mankind is my favorite character of his, primarily the early mankind. This was one of my favorite gimmicks. A very dark and disturbed human being, showing it in his promos and matches. Pulling his hair out and squealing was very entertaining. Also, for a man his size, he always put on some great matches with the undertaker and Shawn Michaels. Very underrated worker at this time.
4.Kurt Angle- Kurt Angle is a man that’s just fun to watch. If his mic work wasn’t enough, his ring work definitely was. Matches with the likes of Chris Benoit, AJ styles, and others proves that he is a great pure wrestler and an awesome mat wrestler. I would also like to say that his mice work may get unseen due to his wrestling abilities, but he is one of the best at playing the crowds.
3.The Rock- When I first starting wrestling, he was one of the first ones I saw. He was just so entertaining. He had what a true superstar needs to succeed. Ring wise, in my opinion, was very underrated and a great worker and seller. But that’s not what took me. His charisma is matched by no one. When he gave promos, he really knew how to deliver. No one, and I mean no one, gave promos like he did. If it is indeed true that he will host raw soon, I WILL MTFO big time.
2.The Undertaker- One of if not the greatest bigman of all time, the Undertaker was very sharp in every aspect of the wrestling game. Every time he comes to the ring, he always entertains me. On rare occasions will he not. VERY rare. His gimmicks were always entertaining whether it be a motorcycle riding everyman, or an undead being looking for innocent souls. Other aspects of why I like him include psychology, promo delivery, and most of all, In ring work. While his in-ring abilities have been a little worn down, he was always very strong. For a bigman, he was probably the most athletic ones Ive ever seen.
1.Chris Benoit- (I know what he did, but I am not going to mention it and I will just talk about him as a wrestler.) If I were to ever watch one wrestler’s matches for the rest of my life, it would have to be Chris Benoit. Wrestling abilities alone would make him my no. 1. Every match he wrestled he brought so much intensity to them, it almost looks real. Like most technical wrestlers, he was a match perfectionist. Everything he did in the ring just looked crisp and had so much flow, he was so much fun to watch. He was one of the most over wrestlers with the fans , very underrated, and arguably the greatest technical wrestler ever.
 
10. Ricky Steamboat -One of the greatest in ring performers of all thime Although I didn't runt for him that off becuse I am a huge Flair fan and Horsemen fan. However I loved to watch his matches. Great as a tag e wrestler with Jay Youngblood and Paul Jones in the late 70's early 80's and a supreme wrestler in the mid 80's to early 90's.
9. A.J. Styles - The man reminds me of a young Ricky Steamboat. He's a great worker just lacks in mic work.
8. Kurt Angle - One of the greates in ring performers ever. Above average mic skills.
7. Shawn Michaels - The second greatest in ring performer ever and holds his own on the mic.
6. Sting - A great in ring performer a very passionate mic worker and great in the locker room.
5. Tully Blancard - Oh how I wish he hadn't used the drugs. I think he would've been one of the top 5 wrestlers of all time. With the exception of Flair no one could wrestle and deliver on the mic as well as him.
4. HHH - One of the greats of all time. He knows when to give the rub to someone and is better as a heel but great as a good guy. He, Flair, and although I don't like him Hogan were the only ones that could pull that off also Savage.
3. Michael Hayes- As a young boy the Vonrich- Freebirds feud was as great as anything going, WWE or NWA! The man was an above average wrestler but on the mic and working a crowd there weren't many better.
2. Arn Anderson - As has been stated on these forums the greatest to never hold a world title, the only others can even be mentioned is Piper and Wahoo McDaniels. The man knew what his role was and did it. He was the enforcer, but what distiguised him is his ability as a tag wrester and singles wrestler.
1. The one and only Ric Flair- No one can match his passion for the business, his in ring work. He could make the Brooklyn Brawler look like gold. The man is the best mic worker of all time. The only one that comes close is The Rock.
I have to give hornable mentions because there are so many great one.
Randy Savage
Terry Funk
Andre the Giant
Austin Idol
Lou Thez
Magunum TA
Black Jack Mulligan
Barry Windam
Antion Ionki
Wahoo McDaniels
 

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