The 411 Wrestling Top 5: Top 5 Masked Wrestlers

The 411 Wrestling Top 5: Hello everyone and welcome to 411 Wrestling’s Top 5 List. We take a topic each week and all the writers here on 411 wrestling will have the ability to participate and give us their Top 5 on said topic. So, onto this week’s topic…

Week 323 – Top 5 Favorite Masked Wrestlers

Who are your favorite MASKED WRESTLERS of all time?

Kevin Pantoja
5. The Hurricane – I was incredibly close to putting La Parka here as I loved him in WCW. However, I chose to go with the Hurricane. I liked Shane Helms towards the end of WCW as he was one of the bright spots. When he became the Hurricane it seemed off at first, but he absolutely threw himself into the gimmick and made it work way better than it had any right to. I really enjoyed nearly everything he did as the character. From the pairing with Lance Storm to Mighty Molly to the team with Kane and especially his interactions with the Rock. Those are among the funniest segments in WWE history. Hell, I even enjoyed his short return in ECW with the gimmick. The Hurricane was always a blast.

4. Rey Mysterio – When I first saw Rey Mysterio (Jr. at the time), I was mesmerized. My brother used to record episodes of ECW since I was too young at the time to stay up that late to see it. One of the first episodes I recall him showing me featured his classic against Juventud Guerrera. I was instantly hooked and followed him to WCW, where he continued to wow me. I fell off of liking him during the Filthy Animals stuff but was again a fan when he showed up in WWE and killed it weekly. He would rank higher on this list, but I went back to not caring much for him during the latter half of his WWE run. Still, the guy was always good in the ring and usually fun to watch.

3. Kane – Obviously I’m talking about Kane prior to say…2011 or so. The first ten or so years of Kane’s run was pretty damn great, as was his World Title run in 2010. Since he’s been around for so long and the quality of his work has deteriorated, people forget how valuable Kane was during his time. He always managed to make everything work. Give him a stupid Katie Vick angle? He does his best with it. The stupid May 19th angle? He did as good as one would expect with it. Considering all of the trash that he was given to work with, he always managed to stay relevant. Even his early stuff after unmasking was really interesting and his World Title run in 2010 was well deserved. I feel that Kane’s shining stuff is when he’s in a tag team. He has had entertaining teams with Undertaker, Mankind, Hurricane, RVD, X-Pac, Daniel Bryan and more. Kane was, for a while, one of my absolute favorites.

2. El Generico – In 2006, I attended my first indy show, ROH Final Battle. The first person that I saw come through the curtain was El Generico. He quickly became my favorite indy wrestler not named Bryan Danielson. Everything about him was excellent from his ring work to the funny mannerisms to his gimmick to his partnership with Kevin Steen. I was always hooked when he wrestled and popped big when he and Steen finally won the Tag Titles. I even bit hard when he faced Nigel McGuinness and nearly won the World Title. I didn’t buy many wrestling shirts during this era, but I made sure to get a Generico one. That’s how much I loved the guy.

1. Vader – Speaking of wrestling shirts, I recently purchased a Boy Meets Vader shirt. Vader is the fucking man. I remember seeing him in WCW and being a bit in awe. When he came to the WWF, I thought it was so cool. I have a vivid memory of the day he destroyed Gorilla Monsoon. At the time, I was a Shawn Michaels fan but I wanted Vader to beat him at SummerSlam 1996. Over the years, I’ve really grown to appreciate Vader much more though. Getting the chance to really see his work now that I’m older has allowed me to realize just how great he was. He did everything well and his inclusion in WWE 2K16 is one of the things I’m most excited about. To this day, when someone asks me “what time is it?” I’m always tempted to respond with “Vader Time”.

Justin Watry
5. Mr. America – Just on the basis that this WAS Hulk Hogan! Do not tell anybody though. Apparently, a lie detector said otherwise. Because of the fact that you have to kinda-sorta-but-not-really add his legacy as The Hulkster to his summer 2003 run as Mr. America, it makes sense. Plus, with everything that went down in the United States around this time, I actually understood WHY WWE went this route. Now, yes, the entire run was cut short and ended up being a disaster due to all the backstage babbling. However, for a few short weeks, it was fun. Not the Roddy Piper match but everything else. Only in wrestling kind of stuff…

4. Doink The Clown – It was either going to be Doink or Juan Cena. Since I had a cool interaction with the masked clown many years ago, he gets the nod. Too bad The Layfield Report ended because my tribute to Doink the Clown when he passed away was one of my favorite columns ever written. Since nothing is saved, it is gone. Still, he gets my #4 ranking…and possibly, maybe a WWE Hall of Fame induction someday?

3. Kane – I want to thank Twitter user James for this suggestion. Otherwise, I may have left out old school Kane. Since this is where I have to fill space, let it be known that I 100% supported the idea of Kane being unmasked in 2003. At that point, the ‘monster’ was long gone. He had dated Tori, kissed Terri Runnels, teamed with The Hurricane, spoke often without that voice box thingy, only held the WWE Title for one night, ‘hulked up’ with the one and only Hulk Hogan backstage, made jokes with The Rock, turned face/heel a million times, lost more often than not on pay-per-view, dealt with the entire Katie Vick fiasco, and was clearly without much of a direction teaming with Rob Van Dam in early 2003…so yeah, it was time for him to be unmasked. Well beyond saving the persona of a mysterious masked figure. That being said, his introduction in 1997 and most of 1998 and 1999 was great stuff. Deserves a spot in the top three.

2. Mankind – Growing up, Mankind was my favorite wrestler. I now say Shawn Michaels is the greatest WWE Superstar of all-time but before his 2002 return, it was Mick Foley. Especially Mankind. To this day, he is on my bucket list of guys I want to interview. Even after being repeatedly shut down, I still put in my offer every few months. Therefore Mick, if you are reading this, you know how to reach me. Any time would be appreciated. He is THAT intriguing of a character and WWE Hall of Famer. Very few people in the industry captivated me in the 1990’s like he did. Even up to his retirement(s), I was a fan every step of the way. Cactus Jack was cool, Dude Love was fun, wrestling as Mick Foley was awesome, but all three WWE Championship wins were as Mankind. Very close to making the #1 spot.

1. Rey Mysterio – No explanation needed.

Dino Zee
5. La Parka – He’s the Chairman! While most of WCW’s cruiserweights had a hard time against the level of competition that WCW offered, La Parka managed to carve out a decent spot, winning many fans over with his great gear, ability to use a chair, and of course, his dancing. He never held the Cruiserweight title, and he never went to WWE after leaving WCW, but Parka remains an extremely popular act.

4. Psicosis – A personal favorite, (my favorite 90s luchador), Psicosis never rose to the heights of Rey Misterio or Juventud Guerrera, but he was always a step behind. A two time WCW Cruiserweight champion, Psicosis brought a devastating guillotine legdrop to the table. Constantly involved in matches with the aforementioned luchadores, Psicosis did a great job of never fading into obscurity during his run in WCW. Before that, he and Rey Misterio earned attention in a series of “Extreme Lucha” contests held in ECW.

3. Hayabusa – When I first popped in WCW vs. nWo: World Tour for my Nintendo 64, I quickly came across listed as “Hannibal”. After using him once or twice, I didn’t want to use anyone else. When I later learned that he was based off FMW’s Hayabusa, nothing would be the same again. An incredible daredevil, Hayabusa would throw everything he had at his opponents, most notably Mr. Gannosuke. Fisherman Busters and Phoenix Splashes were just the tip of the iceberg, and Hayabusa always made sure to try and overwhelm his opponents with fast movements, an incredible gas tank, and even more incredible wrestling. Sadly, Hayabusa had to retire after landing on his head during an attempt at a Lionsault, causing paralysis. He recently resurfaced and was seen walking into the ring, showing how far he’s recovered since his accident.

2. Pentagon, Jr. – I wanted to put him at number 1 so that I wouldn’t have to worry about him or Vampiro showing up, but this is as high as Pentagon can go for now. Pentagon became a pretty big star this past year due to his time in Lucha Underground, where his special brand of evil garnered him quite a fan base. Of course, it’s his ability in the ring that matters, and Pentagon’s ability to blend traditional lucha libre with some violent, violent assaults made it easy for fans to want to see more of him. A huge win over Vampiro at Ultima Lucha showed how far he’s willing to push himself, and we can only wonder what plans he and his maestro are cooking up for when LU returns. ¡CERO MIEDO!

1. Jushin Liger – It couldn’t be anyone else. Jushin Liger is, depending on the day, my favorite Japanese wrestler of all time. On other days, it’s The Great Muta. Either way, LIGER has wrestled for more than 30 years, wowing audiences everywhere he has gone. He’s wrestled as both a fan favorite and a rule breaker, and garnered much success either way, proving that his skill far surpasses any boost that an attitude change can provide. From Great Sasuke to Tyler Breeze, Brian Pillman to Dalton Castle, Jushin Liger has earned his spot as my all time favorite wrestler to don a mask, and he’s still going strong today!

Wyatt Beougher
5. Fenix – I’ll admit – I wasn’t all that familiar with Fenix prior to the start of season one of Lucha Underground, but over the course of the season, he quickly became one of my current favorite wrestlers. Yes, Prince Puma has all the shine from being the first LU champion and having a whole slew of awesome matches, and King Cuerno has more presence than Fenix and a grace that belies words, but Fenix was part of what remains my Match of the Year for 2015, the Grave Consequences casket match against Mil Muertes, playing a huge role in what turned out to be the main storyline of Lucha Underground season one. On top of that, his arsenal of moves is both unique and incredible and they highlight the sometimes excessive nature of aerial work in lucha libre. Whereas some people doing all the extraneous flips and whatnot just looks like showing off, with Fenix, it somehow just works. Need an example? Here you go:

4. Tiger Mask – This is probably cheating, since there have been five Tiger Masks, but when one of them is Mitsuharu Misawa, how can you not include him in a list like this. While some Tiger Masks have been more successful than others, the one thing they have in common is that they’re all beloved in Japan and they generally put on enjoyable matches. When a character has feuded with everyone from Bret Hart to Dynamite Kid to Jushin Liger, you could say they’re pretty popular. It’s also worth mentioning that if it weren’t for Tiger Mask, there probably wouldn’t have been a Black Tiger, meaning we might never have gotten to see Black Tiger II take on the likes of Wild Pegasus and Liger.

3. La Parka/L.A. Park – While most of the masked wrestlers on this list are mostly serious when it comes to in-ring antics, La Parka remains a personal favorite simply because he was so much different than the Rey Misterios and Juventud Guerreras of WCW. Whereas those guys awed audiences with a variety of high-flying moves most American audiences had never seen before, La Parka went in a completely different direction, sticking to a more mat-based style and leaning towards the comedic side of the professional wrestling spectrum. For the first few years I can remember seeing him on Nitro, he was just there, a guy in what appeared to be a cheap Skeletor costume, but then the magic happened – as the then-WWF and WCW embraced the more hardcore philosophy of ECW, La Parka started using a chair. Sometimes he’d hit his opponent with it, sometimes he’d sit on it, almost always he’d strum it like a guitar and dance like Elvis with it; no matter how he used it, though, it was hilarious, and to this day, if I’m half-watching a WCW on the Network or flipping through the channels and a La Parka match is on, I immediately stop what I’m doing and watch the match, because I know I’m going to be entertained.

2. Jushin Thunder Liger – Liger is probably the most influential wrestler on my list, and he created a whole slew of moves that have been adopted/modified/outright stolen by other wrestlers to this day, but perhaps the most impressive thing about Liger is that he is still going strong in 2015 at age 50. Since his debut in 1984 (yup, thirty-one years ago), he’s evolved from one of the best high-flyers in the business to working a more mat-based, MMA-influenced style, but as his match with Tyler Breeze at Takeover: Brooklyn proved, he’s still one of the best in the world at what he does. Like any good wrestler based on an anime superhero, there have been multiple iterations of the Liger character, but unlike with Tiger Mask or Black Tiger, all of them have been played by the same man.

1. Ultimo Dragon – The first time I can remember seeing Ultimo Dragon was on WCW television, when he was managed by Sonny Onoo and held the J-Crown. I remember being amazed by one wrestler holding so many belts, but that was initially overshadowed by my annoyance at Sonny Onoo, and I was desperately wanted to hate Ultimo Dragon…and then I saw him wrestle. I’d seen masked wrestlers before, from both Japan and Mexico, but there was something about Ultimo Dragon that felt different, like every move had consequence and meant something to the narrative of the match. There are other masked wrestlers, at least one of them on this list, who are more famous or more influential or have more highly-rated matches, but Ultimo Dragon is my personal favorite, and he likely always will be.

Aaron Scott J
With honorable mentions to Tiger Mask 1, Mr. Wrestling II and Mil Mascaras.
5. Jushin Thunder Liger – With more championships than most, at 50 years old Liger has competed for nearly every major promotion in the world. He wrestled Brian Pillman in the inaugural match of Monday Nitro. He’s worked in MMA, and trained in the Hart Family dungeon. The innovator of the Liger Bomb, the Liger Suplex and the Shooting Star Press, Jushin was the gatekeeper for cruiserweight wrestlers in the 90s and continues to be today.

4. The Masked Assassin – The Assassins tag team led by Jody Hamilton had a few members in its reign but Hamilton and became one of the most decorated tag teams of all time. He was one of the most hated rule breakers of his time and was fired at, stabbed and attacked by fans numerous times. Upon retiring he created Deep South Wrestling and trained DDP, Kevin Nash and Goldberg at the Power Plant. Many heels are still emulating what he could do even to this day.

3. Vader – Leon White is a legend in professional wrestling, having put on wars with Ric Flair and Sting, and becoming one of the most domineering Champions in WCW and Japan. Vader is agile, athletic, a powerhouse and defined the word monster at the apex of his career. Many 450 pound men cannot fly from the top but Vader has always impressed for his talent and sheer brutality in the ring. Booking never saw him achieve much in the WWE, but it very well should have.

2. Rey Misterio – I am quite sure this man is on everyone’s lists. Rey Misterio (Jr.) popularized lucha libre in North America. His matches with Psicosis in ECW, with Dean Malenko in WCW, with Eddie Guerrero in WWE, they worked because not only is he a phenomenal wrestler, Rey connects with his fans like almost none other, now or in our history. One of the top merchandise sellers in the game, Rey still competes when he wants and is the definition of a Living Legend.

1. El Santo – You cannot talk about what the concept of a mask in professional wrestling is without mentioning the man who made wrestling in Mexico and masks themselves the stuff of legend. Not only an athlete who’s career spanned five decades, not only a crossover star in comics, films and TV, his contests with Mil Mascaras and Blue Demon added a nobility, a dedication and a self-respect that all wrestlers should emulate. The mask itself has become the symbol of the greatest virtues of what being a championship wrestler is all about. There are many legends, many lists, but if I am forced to pick a greatest masked wrestler of all time, I’m going to go with the man who died 25 years ago- and is still wearing it! My favorite masked wrestler of all time and forever, El Santo.

GREG DEMARCO

5. The Conquistadors – I know what you’re thinking. “Here’s DeMarco, trolling us again!” Nope. This is no troll statement. I’ve been watching wrestling since the early eighties, and as a kid I always loved to see The (not Los) Conquistadors come out for a WWE match. They were my favorite lovable losers, the team I always hoped would get a shot as champs. And I’m not referring to the days when established wrestlers used the gimmick to sneak up on their unsuspecting foes. I’m talking about José Estrada Sr. and José Luis Rivera, not Uno and Dos but #1 and #2!

4. Ultimo Dragon – One of the greatest technical wrestlers to ever step foot in a ring, Ultimo Dragon is far better than he’s remembered by WWE fans. “The last student of Bruce Lee” amazed fans worldwide before ever coming to the WWE, and is credited with the invention of the Asai Moonsault. Dragon is, of course, famous for holding ten championships at once—a graphic nearly every fan has seen. Ahead of his time, it takes only a little research to truly appreciate the skill of Ultimo Dragon

3. Blue Demon Jr. – Do you have an energy drink named after you? Because Blue Demon Jr does! Most likely not related to the original, Blue Demon Jr has more than made the gimmick his own. Being the first Luchador to hold the NWA World’s Heavyweight Championship, Jr has competed all over the world. He was part of the first season of Lucha Underground, and his heel turn and new alliance with Chavo Guerrero Jr hopefully means we’ll see more of him in Season 2.

2. Jushin “Thunder” Liger – Another easy favorite of American wrestling fans, Jushin “Thunder” Liger, might be the most recognizable masked wrestler not named Rey Mysterio. Liger took his gimmick after a Japanese Anime character, a move that sounds like career suicide in the US. But Liger made it his own, and built a legendary career. A regular figure in WCW, Liger wrestled the first match in Nitro history. He still competes today, appearing on New Japan undercards, making some Ring of Honor appearances, and of course wrestling at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn, in a win over Tyler Breeze the night before SummerSlam. Liger is also one half of one of my two favorite matches ever, the “Kishin Liger” match against The Great Muta.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJIzfghH5AI

1. Rey Mysterio, Jr – I write about wrestling as an American fan, and it’s nearly impossible for an American fan to not put Rey Mysterio at the top of this list. He’s the only masked WWE Champion, and for many mainstream fans, he exposed us to the excitement of Lucha Libre. He paved the way for many masked wrestlers to follow. You can trace the success of our favorite, Lucha Underground, back to Rey Mysterio popularizing the style in the US. Without Rey Mysterio, we’re not likely making these lists.

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YOUR TURN KNOW IT ALLS

List your Top Five for this week’s topic in the comment section using the following format:

5. CHOICE: Explanation
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1. CHOICE: Explanation