wrestling / Columns
The Top Ten 08.12.08: Wrestlers
Good day friends and welcome back to another fantastic edition of The Top Ten. This week we’re going to look at The Top 25 Wrestlers of all-time. This was an extremely hard list to come up with as there were a lot of people that I had to leave off. Three men in particular that I REALLY wanted to include on the list, but didn’t make the cut were Owen Hart, Rick Rude, and Bob Backlund. So before you flood upthe comments box or send me death threats for excluding them, they were close but just didnt quite make the cut. Ok, enough shit talking, let’s do this SON!
-Sometimes being a member of IWC is depressing because of all the negativity. It’s just constant bitching and whining, I feel like I’m at an all-girls grammer school instead of a website for wrestling fans. When Adamle was announced as the new GM, all I read was, “Waaa, Waaaa, Adamle sucks, Waaaa!” Jesus Christmas people, give the man a chance. So far, Adamle has done a good job in his new role but the way people reacted when it was first announced was like it was the end of the wrestling industry.
-Why do I continue to Watch Last Comic Standing? Every year, I watch and hope that America is FINALLY going to pick the best comic and it never happens. Last year, it was freakin’ Jon Reep of all people (who shouldnt have even made the top 10, yet alone win the damn thing). And this year, they picked fucking Iliza when Jeff Dye, Marcus, and Louis Ramey were all much funnier than her. Hell, even Sean Cullen and Ron G were better than her. I give up America, all you fuckers are officially unfunny.
-I am officially addicted to The Olympics.
-Speaking of The Olympics, I’m convinced that The Chinese teams have just discovered the art of the double high five because that’s all I see them do. Good play in a volleyball game? Double high five. Perfect performance on the parellel bars in gymnastics? Double high five. Gang bang the Romanian Water Polo team? Double high five.
-I’m supremely saddened about the death of Bernie Mac. The man was just unbelievably funny and it’s hard to envision a comedic world without him. I think that amongst black comics, only Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy were ahead of Mac. His TV show was very underappreciated and I always looked forward to watching any stand up special that featured Mac. He will truly be missed and this year has definitely been a rough year for fans of quality comedy as we have lost some true greats.
-I watched Batman Forever a few days ago after not seeing it for years and I forgot just how much I loved Jim Carrey’s performance as The Riddler. He was so over-the-top and outrageous that it made the movie that much more enjoyable. I love how he even acknowledges his campiness when after growling to Batman, “If knowledge is power, well then a god am I” he states, “Was that too over the top? I can never tell!”
25) Nick Bockwinkel
Well this certainly is going to be a controversial pick, but if you think about it, it really shouldn’t be. There was a time when the AWA was one of the hottest promotions in the country and a big part of that was Nick Bockwinkel. Bock played the arrogant, cocky heel to perfection which made the fans fork over their money to see the cocky champ get his comeuppance. There were a myriad of challengers to Bockwinkel’s championship including future Hall of Famers like Hulk Hogan, Sgt Slaughter, and Curt Hennig, but somehow The Bock (as I like to call him) seemingly always found a way to hold on to his gold. He always displayed class, style and cool. Bock was one of a kind and easily one of the most underrated talents ever in the wrestling game.
24) Roddy Piper
The Rowdy One had the gift of gab like no other wrestler before him and very few since. Even Ric Flair stated that Piper was the best promo man the business has ever seen and while I don’t agree with that, who am I to dispute the ‘Naitch? His promo skills eternally outshined his in ring skills, but Hot Rod could definitely hold his own in the ring. While he wasn’t a technician in any sense of the word, his unpredictable and unrelenting style in the ring made him a joy to watch. His Piper Pit’s segments are legendary and his matches against the likes of Greg Valentine, Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart are still talked about to this day. Piper often said that while Hogan took credit for the wrestling boom in the 1980’s, he couldn’t have done it without a heel that everyone wanted to pay to see him beat up and Piper was definitely that man.
23) Chris Benoit
I’d be lying if I said that the last few days of Benoit’s life didn’t contribute to him not being higher on this list. Although I try to be as objective as possible when creating lists, I felt it unfair to place him higher than some of the other people ahead of him on this list who I felt were equal to him in terms of talent. And in the case of a tie, I have to go with the non-murderers. With all that said, there is no denying that Benoit was one of the most talented men to ever step in a wrestling ring. What he lacked in promo skills and charisma, he made up for with some of the finest wrestling you could ever hope to watch. The man was a machine in the ring, so crisp and so fluid that you were left in astonishment that someone could be THAT good. He was idolized by many fans and fellow wrestlers alike and its a shame that his life ended in such horrific circumstances because future generations will now miss out on one of the greatest performers of all-time.
22) Rey Mysterio
It’s hard nowadays to remember when Rey Mysterio was the most innovative and exciting wrestler in the business, but that day did exist not too long ago. With all of his excessive injuries, Rey is a shell of his former self in this day and age, but a little over a decade ago, people were going nuts over how awesome Mysterio was. It seemed like every match, he pulled off something that we had never seen before and what was more impressive was that he made it seem so easy and effortless. Rey was so quick and snapped off moves with such precision, that many times it took a second to process what you had just seen. Rey truly revolutionized the industry with his high-flying feats and is one of the main reasons you saw and continue to see the death defying antics of many of the cruiserweights that followed him.
21) Vader
There was a time when Big Van Vader was the most feared man in the wrestling industry, kayfabe or not. He was big, mean, nasty, stinky and wasn’t afraid to legitimately pound the shit out of anyone he was facing. Mick Foley has told stories about how guys would see they were scheduled to face Vader and would quit right there rather than face him. You had to be a tough son-of-a-bitch to match up with Vader and when someone did, the results were magical because it would be a stiff fest of epic proportions. Not only was Vader tough as hell, but he also had a surprising amount of agility for such a big man. He could hit a moonsault off the top rope just as efficiently as he would hit a right hand to your jaw. Vader was the perfect definition of the word Monster and remains to this day as one the greatest big man the industy has ever seen.
20) Terry Funk
There has never been a Terry Funk match that didn’t entertain me in someway. That is because Funk’s crazy and erratic behavior makes it so that you cant turn your head when watching a match of his. Whether he was flinging chairs all over the place or swinging wildly at his opponents (or fans) or screaming something ridiculous and over-the-top, he always provided entertainment. Funk has been involved in some my favorite matches including his Empty Arena Match with Jerry Lawler (that saw him call Lawler a son-of-a-bitch about 56 times) and his I Quit Match with Ric Flair. What made those matches so memorable, as with most of Funk’s matches, is his wild and crazy behavior (which the commentators would be sure to mention). Funk was one of a kind and I doubt we’ll see anybody as crazy, deranged, and downright entertaining as him ever again.
19) Curt Hennig
Mr. Perfect really was the ideal moniker for Curt Hennig because everything the man did in the ring was just that: perfect. The way he sold moves was a sight to behold and the way he executed manuevers were precise and flawless. From his legendary showdowns with Nick Bockwinkel in the AWA to his mat classics with Bret Hart in the WWE, Hennig was a man that you could always count on to give a fantastic performance. He was another performer that left us far too early, but he left behind a catalog of great matches and moments for fans to enjoy for years.
18) Chris Jericho
During the Attitude Era, while most people’s favorite wrestler was either Stone Cold or The Rock, mine was Chris Jericho. That is because not only was Jericho hugely entertaining on the mic, but he also delivered fantastic matches. Whether he was calling somebody an assclown or slapping on the Walls Of Jericho, I pretty much marked for everything Jericho did. His WCW run was memorable as well, even though he was constantly held back by management when at times it was clear that he was the #1 heel on the show (ok, maybe #2 because everyone hated Hogan). When he debuted as Y2J in the WWE, he was so entertaining and unbelievably popular that the WWE had no choice but to turn him into a face despite his heel status. He has continued to provide us endless hours of entertainment, whether heel or face, and his recent program with Shawn Michaels shows that he can outshine even the greatest of icons when given the chance.
17) Bruno Sammartino
Before guys like Hogan, Race, Dusty and Flair took over the wrestling world, there was one man that stood above all other competitors and that was Bruno Sammartino. Sammartino dominated the then WWWF and had a legendary title reign that started in May of 1963 and lasted until January of 1971. His second title reign was no slouch either as that one lasted from December 1973 to April 1977. Sammartino’s popularity singlehandedly kept the WWWF afloat during a time when business not revolving around Sammartino was down. He sold out anywhere that he went and was a superstar before that term was even coined. Without such a popular figure like Sammartino to pave the way, who knows if we would have ever seen the Hogans and Flairs of the world.
16) Ricky Steamboat
Steamboat might be the most underappreciated talent ever in the wrestling industry. When people talk about the greats of this sport, you rarely hear Steamboat’s name mentioned and that’s a true crime because the man rarely (and i mean RARELY) had a bad match. His classic matches against such legends like Ric Flair, Randy Savage, Bret Hart and Steve Austin are still talked about to this day. His 1989 series of matches with Flair are regarded by many as the greatest matches in North American wrestling history. If you want to watch a great match, you can pretty much any Steamboat match and have your wish fulfilled. He was so great in the ring that he didnt need to cut killer promos or have undeniable charisma because he told a story in the ring that the fans could get behind.
15) Kurt Angle
There is no way to dispute the fact that Kurt Angle is simply awesome. Does he take unnecessary risks with his health and should he be at home instead of a wrestling ring? Hell yes. But even in his broken down state, he still manages to put on great matches. And what is scary is that the Kurt Angle of 6 years ago was even BETTER. From 2001-2005, there was no better wrestler on the planet than Kurt Angle. Angle could do everything, he could bring it to the mat, he could brawl, he could fly, he could bust out submission moves, he could cut a funny promo, he could cut a serious promo, he basically could do it all. Once his body started to deteriorate in 2006, it seemed like the end of an era, especially when the WWE released him. But he found a new home in TNA, which was more beneficial to him due to the lighter work load, but the more intense style of TNA seems to finally be catching up to him. As much as I love seeing Kurt perform, I hope that he hangs up his boots before he ends up like Dynamite Kid or worse.
14) Sting
I think that this generation of fans forget just how influential and popular Sting was during his heyday. Honestly, the only factors that kept NWA/WCW afloat during the WWE’s boom in the late 80’s and early 90’s were Ric Flair and Sting. If it weren’t for those two, WCW might have been dead a lot sooner before Vince bought it out. Sting had the type of energy that made the crowd go nuts anytime they saw him. Some of the loudest and most boisterious crowds I’ve ever seen were during Sting matches. He just had a way of getting the crowd completely into his matches and while he might not have been the greatest ring technician, his charisma made up for it because you couldnt stop watching his matches. His run in TNA has shown that he still has what it takes to get it done and his legendary status is cemented in history.
13) Randy Savage
There was something about Macho Man Randy Savage that just made him insanely cool. Whether it was his lavish entrance jackets or his blinged out sunglasses or his over-the-top gruff voice or how he would whisper one second AND THEN YELL THE NEXT, you couldn’t help but be entranced when Savage entered your TV screen. The Macho Man had legendary showdowns with the likes of Tito Santana, Ricky Steamboat, Hulk Hogan, and The Ultimate Warrior which are still remembered fondly by fans to this day. Hopefully, Vince will one day squash whatever beef he has with Savage so we can see him get inducted in the Hall Of Fame and get the DVD set that he so richly deserves.
12) Harley Race
There is a reason why future legendary figures like Ric Flair and Steve Austin looked up to Harley Race and that is because the man was imply bad ass. He was a legit tough guy who would ground and pound you in the ring and expect the same in return. He took the NWA to new levels and his feuds with Terry Funk, Dory Funk Jr, Dusty Rhodes, and Ric Flair are still talked about to this day. Race was a one of a kind original and even though he’s been retired for around 20 years, people still look back at his matches as examples of how a wrestling match should be conducted.
11) Dusty Rhodes
The charisma that Dusty Rhodes exuded on a night in, night out basis made him one of the most iconic figures this sport has ever seen. His promos are absolute classics and for a man his size, he certainly was no slouch in the ring. Anytime I watch a Dusty promo or match, I cant help but smile because the man had charisma oozing out of him. I dont think we’ll ever see another wrestler who can connect with the fans as easily as Dusty Rhodes because all he had to do was enter a room, cut a 30 second promo, high five somebody and the crowd was instantly in love with him.
10) Triple H
I’m sure I’m going to get a lot of flak from some people for placing The Game so high, but quite frankly he deserves it. Before HHH bashing became cool on the web, people were gaga over the guy and for good reason. He was a ring general that could put on an entertaining match with just about everybody. People act like he’s a slouch in the ring, but outside of 2003 (which granted was a bad year for him) he has consistantly put on great matches. From Mankind to The Rock to Stone Cold to The Undertaker to Shawn Michaels to Kurt Angle to Chris Benoit to Batista to John Cena, the man has repeatedly put on classic match after classic match. So give The Game a break, he isn’t as horrible as we all make him out to be. If you’re still feeling some hatred in your heart, watch HHH vs. Cactus Jack from Royal Rumble 2000 and watch the hate ooze away.
9) Eddie Guerrero
In a family full of wrestling royalty, Eddie Guerrero shone through the brightest. His natural charisma made him a natural for the wrestling biz and his mix of mat wrestling and high flying made him one of the best talents in the world. From his early days in Japan and Mexico to his run in WCW to fulfilling his dream and becoming WWE Champion, Eddie always kept the fans entertained and developed a legion of fans that loved him like family. His untimely passing remains one of the saddest days in wrestling history because he was still entertaining us thoroughly when he was taken away from us. But at least we can rejoice that Eddie was able to overcome his demons long enough to achieve his ultimate dream and give us a few more years to enjoy his overwhelming talent.
8) The Rock
The Most Electrifying Man In Sports Entertainment. That pretty much says it all, doesn’t it? The Rock was the picture perfect example of a sports entertainer as opposed to a wrestler. Don’t get me wrong, The Rock could put on one hell of a show in the ring, but it wasn’t due to a bunch of technical holds and mat work, but rather through sheer charisma. His promos have become the stuff of legend and his bouts with Stone Cold, Triple H, Hulk Hogan, Mankind, and others are certified classics. Nobody has ever had such a huge impact on the business in such a short period of time. The Rock was only a full-time wrestler for 5 years, but in those 5 years he crammed in a lifetimes worth of entertainment.
7) Mick Foley
Mick Foley is my favorite wrestler of all-time, hands down. How can you not respect a man who has put his body through such unimaginable pain just to please us bloodthirsty wrestling fans? But Foley was more than just a man who dove through tables and got seton fire. He was also one of the best talkers ever in the business. I’d even go so far to say that if Foley had a career as long as Ric Flair’s (25+ years), he would probably be the best promo man EVER. Let the hate mail commence. Foley had that undeniable charisma that made him connect with the fans despite the fact that he was the complete opposite of what a normal fan favorite looked like. He wasnt muscular, he wasnt handsome, he wasnt flashy, but he sacrificed his body for our entertainment and the fans greatly respected that. Foley was one of a kind because I doubt we’ll ever see anybody else willing to put themselves through such ridiculous amounts of pain to please us fans. Makes you appreciate him even more, doesnt it?
6) The Undertaker
Who knew that a gimmick that seemed so limited would turn into one of the most iconic characters ever in the wrestling industry? I think that is a testimony to the man behind the character as he has done everything in his power to make sure that The Undertaker character withstood the test of time. For about 17 years, The Deadman has dominated the squared circle. His undefeated streak at Wrestlemania speaks for itself and just gives a glimpse of how dominant he has been. A lot of people unfairly knock The Undertaker by saying he isn’t that good of a worker which I think is absolutely ludicrous. I think that he is easily the best big man ever and the only one to even come close to him in that regard is Vader. When Taker is placed in the ring with a decent to great performer, he puts on one hell of a show. But I don’t think even Flair, Michaels, Steamboat or any of the best workers this industry has ever seen would have been able to put on great matches with the likes of Giant Gonzalez, King Kong Bundy, and Heidenreich. The Deadman has been going strong for almost two decades and it there is no denying his place in wrestling history.
5) Bret Hart
The Best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be. While I don’t agree with that assessment, I don’t think anyone can deny that he was damn close to telling the truth. I’m not going to lie, when I was a kid, I worshipped Bret Hart. I thought everything he did was cool. From the sunglasses to the jacket to the entrance music to the way he entered the ring to The Sharpshooter, Bret was THE MAN to me. As I got older, I started to favor guys with more of an edge like Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold, but there is no way I can deny how huge a Bret fan I was in my younger days. Bret was just a master technician and his matches were truly a joy to behold. Seeing Bret dissect a body part was like watching Michaelangelo creating a masterpiece or Beethoven compose his newest symphony, it was a work of art. It’s a shame that Bret went to WCW when he did because I would have loved to see him work with the likes of Kurt Angle, Triple H, The Rock and others while they were all in their prime.
4) Hulk Hogan
For all the hatred that Hogan gets (much of it deserved) there is no denying that the man almost single-handedly revolutionized the sport of wrestling. He made wrestling cool and mainstream and expanded the wrestling audience to proportions never seen before him. He dominated the 80’s and early 90’s and was smart enough in the mid-90’s, once his popular started to wane, to turn heel. That kept his character fresh for an additional 3 years until he eventually went back to the WWE for one more title run. Love him or hate him, Hogan is perhaps the most important figure ever in the wrestling industry and who knows if the WWE would even still be around if it wasnt for the boom he created during his heyday.
3) Steve Austin
I wonder how many times Eric Bischoff has kicked himself for releasing the man that wound up being one of the main reasons his wrestling organization went out of business? In the early 90’s Steve Austin displayed the type of look, charisma, and technical skills that made it apparent that he was going to be a big star someday. It wasnt until he got firedand went to ECW that his potential became very clear. His brief stint in ECW gave the promotion a shot in the arm and got him noticed by the WWE. Once he got there and dropped the horrible Ringmaster gimmick, he was allowed to be himself which is what turned him into the biggest star in the industry. Austin was a kick ass machine that rebelled against all kinds of authority and the fans ate it up. His legendary feud against Mr. McMahon propelled the WWE to unforseen heights and kept the WWE at the top for good. There is constanly a debate of who was the bigger draw, Hogan or Austin and while I dont think that’s a question that will ever be answered, it wouldnt be foolish to side with Austin considering the impact he had on the industry.
2) Shawn Michaels
The Icon. The Legend. The Main Event. The Showstopper. Mr. Wrestlemania. All of these have been used to describe The Heartbreak Kid and they are all well deserved. Shawn Michaels in his prime might have been the most exciting wrestler to ever enter a ring. I remember as a kid being in awe of him and idolizing him even though most of the time he was the “bad” guy. Even to this day, when I watch some old matches of HBK’s, I’m left with my mouth agape at all the incredible maneuvers he pulls off. I mean the man was FLAWLESS. If Michaels had really retired in 1998 and never came back, he would still be regarded as one of the best ever, but the fact that he came back in 2002 and continued to put on classic matches makes him in a league of his own. While he may not be able to do all the flashy moves he did when he was younger, he makes up for it nowadays by displaying the type of ring psychology that hasn’t been seen in the wrestling biz for a long time. The man continues to innovate and perform better than pretty much anybody else on the WWE roster today. Cherish him while you can because I have a feeling that we wont see another performer as great as Shawn Michaels for a looooong time, if ever.
1) Ric Flair
Was there any doubt? Ric Flair is without a doubt the most influential and respected man to ever lace up a pair of wrestling boots. The reason Flair is regarded so highly is because the man could do it all. He could give the type of promo that would make you get goosebumps and then he would go in the ring and put on a performance that left the audience in awe. He is the rare wrestler to be loved by marks and the IWC alike. It is very rare to find anyone that doesnt have something good to say about Ric Flair. Even people who feel he is overrated still admit that he is probably the best promo man ever. Simply put, Flair did it all and he carried an entire promotion on his back for nearly 2 decades. Flair is a legend is the truest sense of the word and I feel that even 50 years from now, people will still be looking back at Flair’s matches and be highly entertained by them.
That’s it for me people, but a quick announcement before I leave. Due to work and family matters, next week will be my last Top Ten column. But I’m going out with a bang as next week I present the 50 greatest matches of all-time. Until then, go wash your ass!
