While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. Dory Funk Jr.s philosophy has trickled down into a generation of talent. We have to give it up to Wild Bill. I know its weird to put someone on a list of the greatest wrestlers because hes a good shoot interview, but whatever, I just like Kevin Nash. He dropped out of school to become a pro wrestler in Mexico. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. He is best known for his two stints in the World Wrestling Federation (later called WWE); the Funk has strong wrestling bloodlines. Curtbegan training to follow in his fathers footsteps when he was just 12 years old. 60.45, Masahiko Kimura is the most famous Wrestler. A year later, after sending tapes of his matches to the major wrestling companies at the time, he was contacted by the AWA, who proposed that he team 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin was born in Victoria, Texas, as Steven James Anderson, on December 18, 1964, the youngest of five children. Just think about that for a second. Eldridge Wayne Coleman better known by his ring name "Superstar" Billy Graham, is an American former professional wrestler. He was big and mean, and brandished a bullwhip and a mouthful of tobacco. Jeff Hardy. He was a rich, conceited coward who was capable of some of the most damnable heel moves everlike buying his own championship belt or straight-up humiliating a 10-year old kid. Once upon a time, The Undertaker was a stiff. Larry Zbyszko put together a pretty groundbreaking storyline with Bruno Sammartino. DiBiase entered the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the late 1980s where he gained most of his fame as "The Glenn Thomas Jacobs better known by the ring name Kane, is an American politician, actor, and professional wrestler. I mean, sure, hes had plenty of good moments in the company that made him famous, but after leaving that sinking ship he joined New Japan Pro Wrestling and had a crazy run of great matches with people like Okada, Nakamura and Tanahashi. Hes sort of hard to gaugebecause his greatest matches happened in the 30s, 40s and 50s. Kevin Von Erich was the oldest brother (and one of the best wrestlers) out of the talented and tragic Von Erich family, and their legendary feud with the Fabulous Freebirds has a rightful place in the lore. Like Ed Lewis! So where exactly does The Deadman rank amongst the greatest pro-wrestlers of all time? Without any further ado, here are the 30 best WWE wrestlers of all-time. Interviewed some of the biggest names in WWE including Triple H, Kurt Angle and Charlotte Flair. You might snort at this, but I actually think The Miz has become a truly idiosyncratic part of the WWE. He had many legendary matches and feuds with Ric Flair, culminating in their epic "Holy Trilogy" of matches at WCW Harley Race is one of the foremost legends of professional wrestling. A semi-chubby stoner bro who brings tight strikes, superfluous high spots and great selling into his legend. He was fired from WCW for not fitting the mold, and he remembered that rejection with every step he took in the ring. If nothing else, it proved to American audiences that this business really did stretch all over the world. CM Punk, Triple H, A.J. He is best remembered . The late Latino legend, Eddie Guerrero, battled his share of demons during his lifetime but ultimately overcame and survived the darkest hours. With that, WWE loses one of their greatest performers of all time. He would work alongside some of the biggest names in helping . SI.com's ranking of the top 101 wrestlers of all time. Scott Hall, or Razor Ramon, was ahead of his time. These days you probably remember Zbyszko for his commentary in WCW, but its important to consider his golden era too. Shawn Michaels is the most relatable wrestler Ive ever seen. 86. Retired American professional wrestler of Japanese descent as Ricky Steamboat. Theres a lot that goes into professional wrestling; its not just what you can do in the ring. In 1998 he transitioned into professional wrestling where he sky rocked to success after joining the World Wrestling Federation. Rock left WWE in 2004 and came back in 2011 as a part-time entertainer and later retired in 2019. Ed Lewis invented the sleeper hold. I know we forget that when he was being a blight on commentary, but the exaggerated stock-market billionaire gimmick made him immensely hateable, and a great foil for a kid in jean shorts named John Cena. It was lightning in a bottle, and WWE was lucky to have him as long as it did. (1999). Does the name sound familiar? But beyond his prodigious in-ring career, this is also the man who founded New Japan Pro Wrestlingproviding a mecca for talent all over the world. Real shame we cant talk about him without shaking our heads and feeling weird though. His father Gory Guerrero became a star in the U.S., an icon in Texas and a legend in Mexico. Yes he was tiny, but youre talking about a guy who could propel himself 360 degrees in the space between the ropes. Changed to Ali Vaziri while working for NWA Big Time Wrestling ( Allen Neal Jones best known by the ring name AJ Styles is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE. Hes always been kinda self-deprecating and acutely aware of his limitations. Pic credit: WWE. Its not the tidiest way to make money in the business, but it certainly drew, and the death matches of today owe him back tax. But he was really great in Japan and WCW, and that shouldnt be forgotten. The Rock was effortlessly fun-to-watch. It was messy, but it was awesome, and all the great brawlers in the world, from Dean Ambrose to Stone Cold Steve Austin, owe something to Brodys unruliness. George got his start in the 50s, when pro wrestling was trying to look as close to the real thing as possible, and he was one of the first guys to push the industry towards the sports entertainment end of the spectrum. He is widely considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. They have two children named, Turk & Duke. The Rock's over-abundance of charisma has allowed him to cross-over into Hollywood and become an honest-to-goodness movie star, something many other wrestlers have tried to do with little success. No, thats why hes up here at 101, but I feel like someday well look back on Miz the same way we look back on Ted DiBiase. Currently hes running Chikara, which takes pro wrestling to its comic-book extremes, which makes me love him even more. But since entering the WWE, hes been a perennial world champion and capable of putting on good matches with anyone in front of him. The Iron Sheik was born in Tehran, and eventually fell in the business under Verne Gagne. My time has come to let The Undertaker rest in peace.. He had a brief role (unmasked) as himself in Ready 2 Rumble. Register for free or log in to build your IGN game library. He is signed to WWE.He began his professional wrestling career on the independent circuit in 1992, wrestling in Curt Hennig was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the son of one of wrestlings all time legends - Larry Hennig - Aka Larry The Ax Hennig. 14:00. Classic. She could also wrestle like crazy, (ask Chris Jericho.) Rock is a former professional wrestler. Timer. Dino Bravo. Fujinami was one of the Japanese greats, and one of the first torchbearers to unite both sides of the Pacific. Bockwinkel wrestled for several years in various regions, but gained his greatest fame in the now-defunct American Wrestling Association (AWA). After receiving Jerry Lawler was born on November 29, 1949 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. A no-holds-barred, definitive loo. These days Harley Race matches are a transformative experience. 6th), while professional services. 18. A pioneer of the shoot-style of wrestling, Maeda remains one of the sport's most important figures of the 1980s. Triple H, Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman: 12 WWE Superstars who look completely different without beards, Reigns, Lesnar, Orton, Rock: Best WWE stars to never win 'Wrestler of the Year'. People like to talk up Hulk Hogans transition from megaface to dastardly PG-13 heel, but Ive always thought Sting showed more range. His brother Bret is also one of the most well known wrestlers of all time. It was another life claimed too early by steroids, and you get the feeling that Smith had a lot more to give the business. Its amazing it took so long for Rey Mysterio to get real main event chances. Pic credit: WWE In November 2018, Jeff. Its hard to think of a guy who witnessed more history in more places than Kiniski. Chris Jericho was the original vanilla midget the internet loves, going as far back to WCW, when he was a weird, absurdist heel trying to thrive in a company in which people like Goldberg were getting a push. Attitude without athleticism is all talk and never pays off. After being a WWF Champion and President, he became known for his work on WWE Raw (1993), WWF Challenge (1986) and WWF Prime-Time Wrestling (1985). Superstars come and go, but icons like The Undertaker, who captivated audiences for three decades, are very rare. Sting & Goldberg also not made to the list since they are famous for their times in WCW. Ted DiBiase might have my favorite gimmick ever. He had neither the underdog fighting spirit of Chris Benoit nor the undeniable charisma of Eddie Guerrero, which means that Malenko was always left on the outside looking in when it came to big pushes. That cant be understated. Hes a crazy person, but he also happens to have the second longest WWF title reign ever. A two-time WWE world heavyweight champion and one of the greatest African American wrestlers, Mark Henry is the strongest wrestler of all time. The Rock is more famous, John Cena is more palatable and Hulk Hogan might be more iconic, but when we talk about zeitgeist, nobody comes close to Stone Cold. Born and raised in Cameron, North Carolina, Hardy started his career as a youth performing in the Trampoline Wrestling Federation, which he started alongside his brother Matt Hardy. 20 . What a weird career Triple H has had. If you dont think John Cena is in the Pantheon, youve been wrong for a long, long time. Autoplay. If youre going to build a company around one character trait, its probably that. Jos Luis Rodrguez Arellano, known in the ring as Dos Caras, is not only the brother of fellow mexican Superstar Mil Mscaras, but also the father of Dos Caras Jr., who is now known as WWE Superstar Alberto . Were still a little sore about the Randy Orton feud, but hey, no big deal I guess. As a two-time inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame, Hart now acts as a kind of wrestling ambassador, more recently bestowing his glory upon the debuting AEW Championship. This industry is dangerous, but if you embrace that, it can make you pretty undeniable. 0 Ratings 0 Want to read; 0 Currently reading; 0 Have read; Donate this book to the Internet Archive library. Out of all the retired legends in wrestling, I think Bret Hart is the guy I wonder about the most. Two men trying to win a match, with no grand storyline motivations or blood feuds. Jeff Hardy Jeff Hardy, whose wrestling career began at the age of 17 in 1994. He was a major part of one of the most important WrestleMania matches ever, and his charisma transitioned neatly into a couple cult action movies. I get that ranking Scott Steiner ahead of people like Christopher Daniels might seem like heresy to a certain type of wrestling fan, but youre wrong. He was, and forever will be, the ultimate attraction. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Styles eventually made it to WWE, but Christopher Daniels is one of the few remaining standouts of his generation yet to make it to the main event. WWE was goofy and cartoonish, and that worked well for them, but the southern stuff carried a stronger, gorier edge. But over 25 years, Taker has morphed into the single-most respected person in the wrestling industry. 14. Being around for over 100 years, the business has grown by leaps and bounds over generations, turning into the global phenomenon that we know today. Hats off. While his father was more famous, El Hijo del Santo is kind oflike the Sting of Mexican wrestling. Bestselling author Larry Matysik shoots from the hip about who q A no-holds-barred, definitive look at the greatest pro wrestlers ever Who were the best pro wrestlers of all time? He owns dozens of classic matches, a legendary entrance and the single-most hallowed feat in fake fighting (21 straight wins at WrestleMania.) Professional wrestling is an athletic spectacle that, while often criticized, is one of the most popular brands of entertainment you will find on this earth. Rock is a 10-time world champion, a two-time . I will never get tired of watching him stalk around the ring and hit clutch RKOs. Thats a super-varied career, and I dont think well ever see anything like it again. Lou Albano. He Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. Seriously, go check out his stiff kicks on Daniel Bryan. WWE news: Kurt Angle shows off his amazing physique aged 51 - 'feeling like I'm in my 30s', WWE news: The Undertaker explains Brock Lesnar confrontation at UFC 121 - reveals if it was a shoot, WWE news: Shock opponent in line to challenge Drew McIntyre for WWE Championship at TLC, WWE Crown Jewel 2022: Logan Paul vs Roman Reigns, Live Stream and more, WWE's heartbreaking plans for Randy Orton 'severe' injury return, WWE: Roman Reigns' emotional backstage interactions after announcing he had cancer. Will Jake Paul be at WWE Crown Jewel 2022? Daily Fantasy Baseball: DraftKings Picks For August 12, FanDuel fantasy baseball tips: Top 10 batter vs pitcher matchups-8/12, Washington Commanders release potential franchise-altering statement, WWE Fastlane 2017: Updated Match Card, Predictions for Entire Raw PPV, The Good, bad, and 'Let it play out' of Triple H running the show. In this role, he oversees the Company's Talent Development department, serves as a senior advisor to the CEO for talent strategy and is the Executive Producer of NXT, WWE's third Andr Ren Roussimoff was born in a small farming community in Grenoble, France to Boris and Marian Rouismoff. Standing out than the rest, Ultimate Warrior became one of the most popular wrestlers in the WWE (back then in the WWF). Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. If I had to pick one wrestler to go 30 minutes in a serious, no-chicanery main event, Id take The Dragon every time. He competed for Stampede Wrestling, for the Canadian National Wrestling Alliance (no connection to the National Wrestling Alliance) and West Kurt Angle was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He made his professional Adam Copeland is an actor and retired professional wrestler, who wrestled as Edge in the WWE. Yeah hes never going to be great in the ring, but Miz is a fantastic heel who has reinvented himself a number of times over his 12 years in the WWE. Unfortunately,Chyna died too young to be welcomed back in the WWE fold, and that remains one of the greatest tragedies in the companys history. The Valiant Brothers. That alone is enough. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is responsible for the greatest run in the history of pro wrestling. That meant a lot of hard strikes, which made him really fun to watch. Stone Cold Steve Austin. Also, hes only 29. Pedro Morales had plenty of time with the WWE championship, but he also was responsible for elevating the Intercontinental Title after his legendary 600-day reign. He was a longtime mainstay in the WWF, and was one of the biggest "bad guys" in the WWF during the early '80s, before Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). I often wish Hennig were still alive just so he could be around the NXTKids. The 10 Best Tech Companies to Work for in Raleigh, NC. Rushmore of all-time WWE wrestlers, and the one wrestler that deserves a mountain of his own. Part Islander, part Trinity Killer, Joe has been in classics with the likes of AJ Styles, CM Punk, Christopher Daniels, Kurt Angle and Kenta Kobashi. The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #1 Barry Bonds; The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #2 Babe Ruth; The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #3 Willie Mays; Recent Comments. They have five children. His parents and four siblings were all of normal size, but Andr suffered from acromegaly, a hormonal disorder that results when the pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone. straight-up humiliating a 10-year old kid, the worst Sharpshooter in television history. Its only 13 minutes, but its a technical masterclass. avg. Kurt Angle wasnt the first guy to enter the wrestling business green and take to it naturally. Joe has put on a number of great matches in TNA, but like a lot of former stars of that company, hes currently enjoying a renaissance carrying the NXT title. Hes 61 in suspenders and a bow-tie, who is both responsible for some technical masterpieces and jobbing out to Diesel in eight seconds. He died on December 2, 2020 in Miami Beach, Florida, USA. Jimmy Wang Yang. Years of frightening back bumps and unprotected chair shots have left him semi-crippled, but his legacy is untouchable. Whether hes an emasculated corporate shill or tagging with Daniel Bryan, hes always serving a role. While she was never an elite wrestler, Lita showed young girls around the world that one doesn't need to be a blonde fitness model to succeed in the business. Ric Flair. He was the Wrestling Machine, but he could also inject a careers worth of emotion into a single ankle lock. In 10 years I expect to see Seth in the top 20, maybe the top 10. There, he held the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship (WWWF Heavyweight Championship during his second reign) for more than . He was a waste of space in WWE and should've never been hired.". Bret has held the Dwayne Douglas Johnson, also known as The Rock, was born on May 2, 1972 in Hayward, California. Th big Red machine. Hart comes from the legendary Hart Family of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Hes not even the one who did it best, (that designation probably belongs to Brock Lesnar.) Highest Grossing Indian Films of all time, 50 Best South Indian Actresses of all time. When Ivan Koloff beat Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF title 1971, the referee waited until he was back in the locker room before awarding him the title. He cut these quick, articulate promos that dug down into the minutia of kayfabe, and people hated him for it. type to search . avg. The uniforms the wrestlers wore became flashier and the scripted aspects began to increase, as did the fan following. Stan Hansen might be the greatest cowboy character ever. For 30 long years, Ive made that slow walk to this ring and have laid people to rest time and time again, he said. Inoki has worked with practically every legend of wrestling, and hes responsible for maybe the greatest Hulk Hogan match of all time. His mother, Beverly Jane (Harrison), remarried to Kenneth Williams, and he took his stepfather's surname. Nintendo Announced Its Black Friday Deals, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi Does What Even The Clone Wars Couldn't, God of War Ragnarok Graphics Modes Revealed for PS5, PS4 Pro, and PS4, When and Where to Watch the New Weird Al Movie, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Review, We're Playing God of War: Ragnarok - Read Our Review on November 3, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope - Character Breakdown, New Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet (Gen 9), Genshin 3.2 Version Release Date and Details. 20/25 20. Jeff Hardy, whose wrestling career began at the age of 17 in 1994. Hes a monster heel and a white-meat babyface at the same time. But Rocky's best asset, and the number one tool in his shed, is his ability to entertain his millions (and millions!) Ranking the top 101 wrestlers of all time is a tall task. However, Martel's greatest wrestling success came in the AWA where he held the World Heavyweight Championship for 595 days. Styles, and Kevin Owens, and before that he was working bloated, mass-marketed epics with The Rock. Jake on The 100 Greatest Basketball Players of All-Time; Dan on The 100 Greatest Basketball Players of All-Time; Jake on The 100 Greatest Hockey Players of All-Time He owns a junior hockey team named after him and has his own column in the Calgary Sun. Greatest Pro Wrestlers of All Time The Undertaker at WrestleMania 27 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2011. 2023 NFL Mock Draft: A new successor for Tom Brady in Tampa Bay? Austin joined the WWF with the help of Jim Ross and Diesel, who convinced WWF's owner to hire him in 1995. He was a brilliant heel, a brilliant man, and this business is a sadder place without his mind. El Santo was more than a wrestler, he was a folk hero. Instead, one really could grow up loving wrestling and make it their life. During thatlongstanding history of professional wrestling there have been many great names that have stepped through theropes to perform for crowds all over the globe. People at Samoa Joes matches chant Joe is gonna kill you because next to Brock Lesnar, theres frankly never been a more devastating striker in the fake stuff. For better or worse, this is the face of wrestling. 50 Greatest Professional Wrestlers of All Time The Definitive Shoot by Larry Matysik. With business booming, professional wrestling only continued to grow in recent years . Part of me thinks we should put the whole Von Erich family here, but unfortunately it doesnt work that way. Regal could make anything magic, and he did so for decades. A look at some of the best names and talents to ever come through the ranks of professional wrestling Professional . He was a big, burly heel who spent over 1,000 days as NWA Champion. He was never great on the mic, and his character didnt deviate from fiery, sorta naive babyface, but my god, the wars he had with Ric Flair might be the best wrestling has ever looked.