Thats because of Jimmy Snuka. While the previous two had a tremendous impact in Mexico, Mascaras is the guy most responsible for making Lucha Libre popular in other parts of the world. Joe 2: Retaliation Actors/Actresses. He was also innovative in the ring, pioneering moves that are still practiced. I believe in the carnage of blood and gore from a bull rope match and I love seeing barbed wire draped across the ring. Sting is better as a face but has played the heel role on different occasions in WCW and then in TNA. He is also the man to make Ric Flair "retire". (Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu)# #ProWrestling# # pic.twitter.com/rjsG0L4iDA. Dusty Rhodes was the white man everyone could identify with, the son of a plumber and the man who fought the villain and won on many occasions. Discovered by Japanese wrestling Giant Baba, Tenryu actually made his debut in the United States in epic fashion with a match against Ted DiBiase. Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player who ever lived. 30. Goldberg is one of the most popular figures of the late 1990s/early 2000s professional wrestling boom. His father Gory Guerrero became a star in the U.S., an icon in Texas and a legend in Mexico. That began with brilliant matches in ECW and WCW. There were a few memorable wrestlers who used The Sheik moniker. A second generation wrestler out of the Mid-South region. With Hulk Hogans epic run coming to an end, WWE needed a star to carry it through the early to mid 1990s. Prior to that, however, Jack Brisco was laying the groundwork for what it meant to be a top-notch champion throughout the 1970s. The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) recently published a list of the best wrestlers ever. Owen Hart could have been a world champion in any wrestling promotion. (1999), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and Spectrum Wrestling (1977). During that time, served as a standout for WWE, AWA and NWA. He feuded with Roddy Piper and Jay Youngblood. He was also one of the last great technical wrestlers in the WWF. As there was never anyone like Ric Flair and there never will be. The fact that it came in brutal hardcore matches is all the more impressive. It's a shame. Martin Anthony Lunde , better known by the ring name Arn Anderson, is an American professional wrestling road agent, author, and retired professional wrestler. But the man was truly amazing, his technical style brilliant, his high-flying beautiful to watch and one of the absolute best sellers the business has ever known. His brutal style made him the most dominant . A seven time world champion and the heart and soul of the Missouri territory. Rocca won titles in a number of promotions, from AWA to Stampede Wrestling to the WWF. Tatsumi was the "Dragon." Your opinion of Abdullah the Butcher probably depends on your stomach for hardcore wrestling. Classy Freddie Blassie helped redefine what it meant to be a villain in wrestling, making the way you looked and acted just as important as how you performed in the ring. by Jack Crosby 7 years ago . He was an in-ring technician unlike anyone else. But he accomplished so many great things, including multiple Heavyweight Championship runs, while breaking down racial barriers as the first ever African American to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. During his first run, he held his own in the U.S. and Japan against the likes of Harley Race, Stan Hansen and Giant Baba. He stuck with the tag team scene and won the NWA World Tag Team Titles four times. He died on September 22, 2004 in Dallas, Georgia, USA. He had just as much to do with ushering in Hulkamania as anyone. Big Boss Man 47. Plays. During his early years, Austin was a standout performer in WCW, who was underrated by that promotion. The great Terry Funks career should be looked at in two parts. Terry Funk Speaks On Possible WWE Return, Modern WWE Product, More https://t.co/XIFgZaeqoY pic.twitter.com/iollRdmVKc. When WWE decided to embark on WrestleMania, Piper was the villain they picked to co-headline. He . He held the Intercontinental Title but never got a shot at the world title. He looked the part of a major heel and played it perfectly. But even if the man whose real name is Bryan Danielson had never stepped foot in a WWE ring hed likely be in this discussion. Can you name the wrestlers listed in the book 'The 50 Greatest Pro Wrestlers of All Time'? Greatest Wrestlers of all time - IMDb As a member of DX or in Evolution, he was the leader, the standard, and one of the reasons the "Attitude Era" worked so well in the WWE. A strong man with an undeniable potential, Kane's character is perhaps one of the . Rood broke into the business after a stint as a Curt Hennig was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the son of one of wrestlings all time legends - Larry Hennig - Aka Larry The Ax Hennig. There won't be any argument here. Tanahashi might be the best in-ring performer wrestling has today. During his days with the AWA, Hennig held the World Heavyweight Championship for over a year. Bookmark Quiz Bookmark Quiz -/5-RATE . He performed for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) under his real name, and in the World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF/E) under both his real name Davey Boy Smith was born on November 27, 1962 in Manchester, England, UK. Many sellouts at the Sportatorium when he faced Wahoo & Fritz pic.twitter.com/GVZRlPi5ch. Won NWA gold and was a title holder in both WWE and WCW. Colon helped build the World Wrestling Council and was champion in his homeland. He was defeated by Hulk Hogan after the Iranian champion beat Bob Backlund. He was a rugged brawler in the NWA who gave the fans a chance to see what pushing wrestling was really all about. He looked the part (touching the sky with his head at nearly 7-feet tall). https://t.co/CmtUNTKJ0U pic.twitter.com/qdpgTOZ7mU. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in April 2017. Anderson feuded with Dusty Rhodes and other faces during the height of WCW. He was as big as anyone during wrestlings peak of the late 1990s thanks to a larger than life persona he owned from the locker room to the ring. 4. But long before that, Simmons career was groundbreaking for the industry. His matches were so highly regarded he joined WWE for a bit in the 1990s and even competed at WrestleMania VII. WWE news: Who are the 50 greatest wrestlers of all time? 4. He was taken way too soon and I'm of the belief that Owen Hart had many more great years in him. Flair was a part of two all-time great stables in The Four Horsemen and Evolution, and his ring work in over 40 years was always one of the best. Just vote for your favorites. (1999), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and WCW Saturday Night (1985). Earlier in his career, before Lesnar became a UFC champion, he was full go mode in WWE, becoming its youngest champion ever and being on track to become one the greatest of all time. Forty-seven years ago today on this date: Dory Funk Jr. @fuanku defeated Sandy Scott in Norfolk, Va. pic.twitter.com/30ix98ctDe. AJ Styles 32 Bob Backlund 33 Terry Funk 34 Goldberg 35 Rick Rude 36 Mr Perfect 37 Ted Dibiase 38 Jake Roberts 39 Jimmy Snuka 40 Lou Thesz Page 1 of 2 Click things you've done 1 Alexander Karelin. Triple H 13. Now he's a gun for hire, but an impressive one at that. The big guy is coming to the Club! He can do so many things off the ropes and on the mat. Because of his accomplishments as a wrestler, Chavo makes it into our top 5 greatest Mexican wrestlers list. Although he is widely regarded as one of the finest tag team wrestlers in history, Jeffrey Nero Hardy is an American professional wrestler and musician. Who knew so much could be done with boot to the face and a leg drop. Gordy even once held the important Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. Hes been the face of the biggest wrestling promotion in the world for more than 10 years. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. The pythons, the attitude and the all out power. Top 25 Greatest Canadian Wrestlers of All Time - TheSportster Top 10 Greatest WWE Wrestlers of All Time. Here is my list of the best college wrestlers of all time: Cael Sanderson gets his hand raised after winning his fourth NCAA title and finishing undefeated. This countdown contains profiles of 50 of the greatest Superstars ever including kings, snakes, nature boys and giants. Ric Flair said Harley Race was the toughest wrestler ever to be in the business. WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time - amazon.com (Jumbo Tsuruta)#HappyBirthdayJumboTsuruta# #JumboTsuruta# #ProWrestling pic.twitter.com/eX08PYXAck. He died too soon to know his true greatness in the ring. This is a list ranking the Greatest Wrestlers of All Time, and like any list, it is subjective based on my personal opinion. He started training to be a professional wrestler under 'Walter 'Killer' Kowalski' at the age of 18. Junkyard Dog Credit: WWE 40. And when that was not enough, Funk strengthened his legend as a hardcore wrestler. Malenko could beat you many ways and all of them meant you were "handled" by a pure wrestling professional. @MichaelPSHayes1 @BADSTREETBUDDY pic.twitter.com/vor1r9MWe2. We're going to rank the 100 greatest wrestlers of all time! He won multiple championships in different organizations and became a big enough name to challenge the great Bruno Sammartino on multiple occasions. Abby was one of the most feared men in the business and one of the all time heels. He was previously married to Diana Hart. He beat Hulk Hogan for the WCW Title, but the reign was short-lived. 30. He brought The Road Warriors, Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan. He was one of wrestlings most captivating stars of the 1980s and is responsible for one of the most memorable moves in wrestling history when he jumped from the top of a steel cage onto Don Muraco in 1983. He was a singles wrestler in the AWA and Florida. The most electrifying wrestler in the world. But he also knew how to ham it up, which made Andre a pop-culture giant. Steve Austin. It's incredibly difficult to rank a man who murdered his family high on a list of anything, but there's no taking away from Benoit's immense talent. Terry Funk (465 points) Whether he was on top of the world as NWA World Heavyweight Champion, middle-aged and crazy, or a soft-spoken elder statesman of the industry, Terry Funk is a pioneer. But theres more to Steve Austin than just that. Roddy Piper had huge feuds with Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat and Jack Brisco over the years. Mil Mascaras. Big Bossman had the most believable police look about him and that is due to his attire. Professional wrestler and TV pioneer Gorgeous George died on this date in 1963, at the age of 48.