He was one of the first guys to ever go top rope, which was obviously a pretty huge innovation. 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. Liger works his usual high-flying style, and at one point my then-girlfriend asked “so when is this guy getting called up?”. Lesnar elevates everything. But to put two hugely hated heels together as a tag team and get that over was a rarity. In the United States, in the First Golden Age of … Sure he was never a stalwart main eventer, but Rick Rude brought color, and that’s all we’re looking for sometimes. On to the list. El Santo was more than a wrestler, he was a folk hero. 1. Anderson was the most physically gifted of the Four Horsemen, but unfortunately his in-ring career was cut short after a number of injuries in 1997. Like Inoki, Akira Maeda had a background in MMA, and worked hard to protect puroresu as a legitimate sport. 17. He came up in the Vaudeville days, back when wrestling was trying to be as realistic as possible, and invented the Piledriver, which might be the least realistic looking wrestling move ever. Sure he was never as popular as Vince McMahon probably wanted him to be, but Big Dave absolutely made an impact, and I hope he makes it back to the company to end things in a proper way. 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. Abdullah was this huge, bloodthirsty monster who’d go from territory to territory and cut massive gashes in the heads of your favorite wrestlers. No, that’s why he’s up here at 101, but I feel like someday we’ll look back on Miz the same way we look back on Ted DiBiase. Kensuke Sasaki was born on August 4, 1966 in Fukuoka, Japan. He was the single best thing about New Japan Pro Wrestling, and now he’s the single best thing about NXT. Instead, she took to the business naturally, and a decade since her retirement it’s hard to think of any female superstars in WWE who’ve eclipsed her. WWF No Mercy 1. At 46, we hope he has one last renaissance left in him. He broke into the industry in the ‘60s, bringing a then-unique set of offensive moves, like body slams and piledrivers. A medical student at Minnesota ... 2. But he was really great in Japan and WCW, and that shouldn’t be forgotten. 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. Two men trying to win a match, with no grand storyline motivations or blood feuds. Eclectic? When his family returned to the States he attended St Mary's College in Maryland where he graduated with a degree ... Michael Francis Foley was born on June 7th, 1965, in Long Island, New York. Native Detroiter Kevin Nash is an actor and equal rights advocate who discovered his love of comedy as the class clown in elementary school and to this day, he can find humor in almost any situation. Larry Pfohl was born on June 2, 1958 in Buffalo, New York, USA as Lawrence Pfohl. When people talk about the golden era of NWA, they’re talking about the 35-minute cage matches between Harley Race and Ric Flair. My vote for the scariest guy in the industry. The Rock. Roddy was born Canadian, but the WWF billed him as coming out of Glasgow, Scotland. Legendary? Also, he gave us The Brood, and The Brood was awesome. The Top 50 Wrestlers of All Time. He understands audience dynamics better than anyone on earth, and obviously that quickly translated across all mediums. He once tossed an arm-drag in TNA to this hilariously shocked pop. He has had a bona fide Hall of Fame career, and even when he’s given nothing—like that Roman Reigns match from last year—he still puts a unique spin on things. Talk WWE wrestling and there’s lot that comes to mind. DiBiase was also great in the ring and had a lot of respect for the business, but it’s his top-notch character work that keeps him timeless. Wrestling hipsters aren’t tipping you to great Sammartino matches the way they’ll tout Tully Blanchard or Barry Windham. But since entering the WWE, he’s been a perennial world champion and capable of putting on good matches with anyone in front of him. He owns a junior hockey team named after him and has his own column in the Calgary Sun. Japanese pro wrestling in the ‘80s was really something. 5 more . … He’s also responsible for one of the more noteworthy shoot fights in the industry, after he refused to job to an aging Andre The Giant. In Memphis, he's an icon, and in 1982 his public feud with comedian Andy Kaufman gave wrestling one of … 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 Brody’s unruliness. The Top 100 Wrestlers. I often wish Hennig were still alive just so he could be around the NXTKids. (1999) and WCW Thunder (1998). He wrestled for several promotions from the 1970s to 2010. In this weekend's Hot Clicks: Ted Leonsis wasn't quite living in the moment, Kelvin Benjamin's possible return to tight end and more. Rate 5 stars Rate 4 stars Rate 3 stars Rate 2 stars Rate 1 star . His wars with Ric Flair were legendary, and the legacy he passed down through his advocacy and unjadedness in NXT will never be forgotten. What a workhorse Gene Kiniski was. If you’re going to build a company around one character trait, it’s probably that. Dusty Wolfe (born July 18, 1962) is best known for his run as an enhancement talent in the World Wrestling Federation from 1987 to 1993, and in World Championship Wrestling from 1995 to 1996. During his run from the 1980s-90s, Warrior became known for high high energy when running down to the ring with his music hits, shaking the ropes during his entrance, his ... Roddy Piper was born Roderick George Toombs on April 17, 1954 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. We have to give it up to Wild Bill. And Flair had more, ahem, flair. Eddie's brothers, Hector, Amadno and Chavo, Sr. also became wrestlers. When he joined the WWE in 1990, the Undertaker's gimmick was as the uncharismatic seven-foot tall... 3. That counts for something. Ramon wasted no time inserting himself in the top feud in the company between Randy Savage and Ric Flair for the WWF World Championship when he caused Savage to lose the title. That’s what it was back in the day so that’s what we’re calling it for this list. Jake wasn’t a great wrestler, but he’s been responsible for some of the fundamental beats in wrestling. He cut these quick, articulate promos that dug down into the minutia of kayfabe, and people hated him for it. Wrestling is full of underdog stories, but there will only be one Dusty Rhodes story. Brand. From his high-flying offense to ridiculous ring gear, the guy truly defined what it meant to be a cruiserweight. Oh and the wrestler quotes thing from WWF War Zone returned here too, putting the rancid cherry on top of a rotting cake of sub-mediocrity. That can’t be understated. His father Gory Guerrero became a star in the U.S., an icon in Texas and a legend in Mexico. He was an actor, known for Fist of the North Star (1995), Baywatch (1989) and WCW Saturday Night (1985). That strap has been through a lot over the decades, but Morales proved there’s no ceiling to the significance of a secondary title. The son of a professional wrestler (Warren Bockwinkel), it was only natural for Nick Bockwinkel to follow in his father's profession. Leon White was born on May 14, 1955 in Lynwood, California, USA as Leon Allen White. Jeff Hardy is crazy. If we’re only talking about his WWE work, Daniel Bryan burned twice as bright for half as long—giving us one truly memorable WrestleMania campaign and a few years defined by the near-misses in the mid-card. This video of a young A.J. Check out this list of the best WWE Superstars of the 90s. Tell us what you think about this feature. A bald-headed everyman with a chip on his shoulder and a whole lot of contempt for limp-wristed authority. Hitman proved he could work with anyone, and in a perfect world he’d be wrestling hour-long barnburners for the rest of time. Bam Bam Bigelow. Mick Foley was the ultimate everyman. It was lightning in a bottle, and WWE was lucky to have him as long as it did. List View. It’s weird to think that nobody in the industry has ever captured the “handsome prick” mystique since–and sorry, no, Batista doesn’t count. These 10 are the best of the best. So this is the real deal and don't expect corny John Cena "who just wins with 2 moves after his opponents carry him" to be high on the list. I love the Iron Sheik because in a weird, twisted way he does kind of represent the American dream. He counts. A hero in Mexico, a patriarch of a wrestling lineage, and the master of the chop, Blue Demon is immediately iconic. Years of frightening back bumps and unprotected chair shots have left him semi-crippled, but his legacy is untouchable. The guy threw himself into anything he was involved with, which is what’s kept him around for so long. He and tag-team ... Japan's Antonio Inoki is a "living" legend in Asia. 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. If nothing else, it proved to American audiences that this business really did stretch all over the world. But what makes Keiji Mutoh special is how much of a pioneer he was for other Japanese workers. Still, no wrestler... 2. Things fell off quickly after Savage went to WCW, but his golden age stands tall over nearly everyone. He is an actor, known for Stampede Wrestling (1957), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and WCW Saturday Night (1985). 32 Cool Pics and Memes For Excellent Adults and Teens 19,833. He had a sister living near Edmonton.During his 22-year career, Benoit worked for ... Is no surprise that he wasn't on the WWE list but he would have been if he didn't do what he did. A good wrestling game transports the player to being in the ring and feels like an authentic recreation of weekly television or big events. That feeling is few and far between in this industry, but between his groundbreaking promos, erudite wit, excellent ring psychology and, yeah, a great sense of style, Punk is responsible for one of the most unique runs in the history of WWE. One of the industry’s best talkers, he's the motor that stoked the Freebirds feuds. An exceptional college wrestler (Steiner was an All-American at the University of Michigan), his signature move—the Frankensteiner, in which he’d jump, wrap his legs around an opponent’s neck in midair, and flip the poor fool onto his head—is widely regarded as the most impressive technique ever seen in the ring. Ric Flair. It's not easy ranking wrestlers. Joe has put on a number of great matches in TNA, but like a lot of former stars of that company, he’s currently enjoying a renaissance carrying the NXT title. He has been married to Erin D. Lunde since 1984. 9 out of the top 10 wrestlers of 1985-1989 WWF are still alive. 30 … Royal Rumble, Summer Slam, Wrestle Mania, No Mercy and other such championships were the only things every guy out there was talking about. In the 1950s (which is considered the first "Golden Age of Professional Wrestling") the media and pro wrestling promoters thought that they had watered down and thinned the pro wrestling product and scaled down on the number of wrestling programs taking major TV time slots. The greatest foreign heel ever, mostly because he was actually foreign. This is such a subjective list as it is purely the wrestlers that I personally enjoyed watching during the 80s and 90s in the WWF. Like Ed Lewis! Sigh. We have to include one guy from the carnival era, and that guy is Frank Gotch. Maybe, but there’s no question who is the biggest success story in wrestling history. I know, it’s Kevin Nash. Go Orange. 1. In 1996 he was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame. He has been married to Crystal Maurisa Goins since August 23, 1995. Yeah, he’ll always be the Macho Man to Cena’s Hogan, but honestly, I kinda prefer it that way. We hope you agree with the choices. No, he couldn’t really wrestle. Yes he was tiny, but you’re talking about a guy who could propel himself 360 degrees in the space between the ropes. But he certainly has cast a long shadow. She could also wrestle like crazy, (ask Chris Jericho.) There are a lot of tragic deaths in wrestling, but this one still hurts every day. Bret has held the ... One of the most colorful wrestlers in and out of the ring, Randy "Macho Man" Savage became a larger-than-life pop icon along with other wrestling superstars, such as "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan, Jimmy Snuka (aka "Superfly Jimmy Snuka"), Jesse Ventura and Dwayne Johnson (aka "The Rock").When ... Born on March 24, 1965. Dustin Runnels could’ve had it a lot easier, but instead he got over as an androgynous, non-binary sex robot thing. Thirteen years after his death, Curt Hennig remains ‘Perfect’. Hansen might be more revered in Japan than he ever was in America, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s one of the greatest of all time. $70 - $180. 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 global touring brand, ... Kurt Angle was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Honestly, in a couple years it wouldn’t surprise me if A.J. He also appeared in a few films and TV shows. Sometimes I wonder if things hadn’t worked out for Trish Stratus, and she had turned out to be just another fitness model brought in for easy dollars. He has been married to Sharmell Sullivan-Huffman since February 5, 2005. He is the grandson of Bob Orton, Sr. and the ... American-born, Canadian-raised professional wrestler, rock singer, actor and author. Sure, the Rock is more popular. Mattel. You might snort at this, but I actually think The Miz has become a truly idiosyncratic part of the WWE. Styles, it never mattered–at 45 he’s still the kid with whom we fell in love. I love Bob Backlund. Redbubble. Edge is the sort of guy we’ve learned to appreciate more after he retired. He is also one of the guys who put the hair vs. mask trope on the map, which continues to be the greatest stipulation in wrestling history. Back when wrestling was fun, over the top … Back when wrestling … Terry Funk is still wrestling. For me, Bret is up there. The first megaheel. 40 Dark Memes For a Morbid Laugh 17,526. A great wrestling game does all of the above while doubling as a fun fighting game as well. Dusty Rhodes was simply the best pure babyface in the history of pro wrestling. His motto was “Make every punch and kick count.” You can do a lot of tricks to make your brawling look real, or you could just… punch someone for real. ... Is the face of the WWE for some reason, but he can't wrestle. Let’s pour one out for the man who turned a gold medal into a sniveling heel icon. Richard Morgan Fliehr isn't what you'd expect from a professional wrestler. He is known for his work on WWE Smackdown! That was him. Rick Rude was a dependable worker, but he deserves most of his credit for being an absolutely amazing character. He spent his childhood in Robinsdale, Minnesota, and had an early childhood friendship with future pro wrestler Curt Hennig. He turned a legendary run in the ‘60s to a prodigious film career, and entwined his soul around Mexican pro wrestling. Views. I don’t like how people have turned Benoit’s murder-suicide into a sympathetic tragedy just because of how messed up his brain was after all those concussions. Some of these older guys deserve to be on this list simply for a few core innovations. Hulk Hogan. He starred as one of the leads in the fifth season of the popular television series Haven on Syfy. In the ‘70s he wrestled title matches around the NWA, in the ‘80s he made it to WWE, and by the ‘90s he was laying the groundwork in ECW. Ed Lewis invented the sleeper hold. Bobby Heenan was “The Brain” behind some of WWE’s toughest brawn of the 1980s, and used his keen intellect to scheme his clients’ into the main event — he was known as The Weasel for good reason. Steve was also the only wrestler from WCW who never worked for WWE until 2014 when he made... Curt Hennig was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the son of one of wrestlings all time legends - Larry Hennig - Aka Larry The Ax Hennig. His ... André René Roussimoff was born in a small farming community in Grenoble, France to Boris and Marian Rouismoff. The greatest manager in wrestling history was also the most devious. And yeah, it certainly doesn’t hurt that everybody in the business has an amazing drunk Andre story. The Top 10 Greatest WWE Wrestlers of All-Time 1. He was best known for his time in the WWF in the early to mid 1980s and was credited for introducing the high-flying style of wrestling to the sport. Valentine was a top-star through the ‘70s, mostly because he was willing to put his body on the line. He was never great on the mic, and his character didn’t deviate from fiery, sorta naive babyface, but my god, the wars he had with Ric Flair might be the best wrestling has ever looked. That might be true, but even when he’s sleepwalking, Orton does his job better than anyone. Today; 7 Days; 30 Days; 26 Facts That Sound Fake but Are True 24,457. Debuted in 1990 in Calgary after training in the Hart Family Dungeon. Hulk Hogan. The top 10 WWF wrestlers of the 1980s 1. straight-up humiliating a 10-year old kid, the worst Sharpshooter in television history. Welcome to my custom Amazon Shop with all my WWE Action Figures, Shirt, Belt, Toy.! Richard Morgan Fliehr isn't what you'd expect from a professional wrestler. Third-generation wrestler, Dwayne Johnson is by far one of the most classy and greatest wrestlers of all time. He had a brief role (unmasked) as himself in Ready 2 Rumble. He made his professional ... Hulk Hogan was born on August 11, 1953 in Augusta, Georgia, USA as Terry Gene Bollea. In 2005, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as one of the greatest pro wrestlers … I know it’s weird to put someone on a list of the greatest wrestlers because he’s a good shoot interview, but whatever, I just like Kevin Nash.