Top 10 Greatest Pro Wrestlers of All Time
These titans of the ring have battled it out, leaving everything on the mat and crafting a legacy that echoes in the hearts of fans worldwide. They've been part of legendary face-offs that we still whisper about with awe, and they've starred in contemporary sagas that have reshaped our understanding of what pro wrestling truly is.
Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965), better known by his ring name The Undertaker, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he has worked since 1990, making him the company's longest tenured in-ring performer . Calaway began his wrestling career with World... read more There has never been and never will be anyone like The Undertaker. His legacy spans generations, from Hulkamania to the rise of the WWE Universe. The Undertaker has proven time and time again that no one can truly compare to his accomplishments.
He's left no stone unturned, and there was nowhere he dared not tread. Unfortunately, his legendary career will likely come to an end at WrestleMania 32 after what will likely be a decisive victory over John Cena, at least if the rumors are true.
Although he'll be gone from the ring, he'll never be gone from our hearts, and he will never rest in peace.
Steve Austin (born Steven James Anderson on December 18, 1964, later Steven James Williams), better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American actor, media personality, producer, and retired professional wrestler who is signed to a legends contract for WWE... read more Known as the man who changed everything in the pro wrestling business and the toughest SOB in the entire world, some people think Stone Cold Steve Austin was even more popular than Hulk Hogan. He sold the most merchandise of any other pro wrestler in history, along with the most tickets, and is a 6-time WWE Champion.
Despite having such a tremendous career, unlike so many wrestlers before him, he retired from the ring at a very young age after making his fortune and rising to the top quickly so that he could live a healthy life and pursue a very successful acting career. Many people believe that as a wrestler, he was the most popular and respected professional wrestler and superstar of all time.
Dwayne Douglas Johnson, also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American and Canadian actor, producer and semi-retired professional wrestler, signed with WWE. Dwayne The Rock Johnson was a third-generation wrestler who has had an extensive career and has recently transitioned to acting, achieving great success thus far.
He is a star everywhere he goes, from football to wrestling to acting, and is the most Hollywood-known wrestler today. He now prefers only the name Dwayne Johnson and tends to shy away from his time in the wrestling business.
He has stated previously that he wants nothing to do with the pro wrestling business anymore.
Shawn Michaels was born on July 22, 1965 . He is an American professional wrestler. He is the first wrestler to win all the titles the WWE could have offered. He is known for his moves and looks. His nickname provided by WWE is HBK (Heart Break Kid). He was in DX (Degeneration X) a tag team with Triple... read more He was, he is, and he will always be the best pro wrestler to ever step foot in the ring. He was the complete package in almost all aspects of pro wrestling, be it technicality, storytelling, or 5-star matches. No doubt, in his 26-year career, 12 of his matches won the Match of the Year award.
He was involved in the first-ever ladder match, Hell in a Cell match, Elimination Chamber match, and Iron Man match. That shows the character of this man and the trust of the company in him. He is the role model of numerous superstars, and he even topped the WWE Top 50 Wrestlers list.
If you build wrestling from scratch, you will get Shawn Michaels.
John Felix Anthony Cena Jr. (/ˈsiːnə/; born April 23, 1977) is an American professional wrestler, rapper, actor, and reality television show host signed to WWE, where he is assigned to the SmackDown brand... read more He can take any kind of knockout. He survived every cage fight. He is a beast. The wrestlers fear him, so they sabotage him in the middle of the ring. They go outlaw.
Play Cena with the law, and you know how dangerous he is! He is the kind of wrestler that makes you watch WWE because of him. In my country, Ethiopia, people watch WWE because of John Cena, and it is true. He has to be in the top 3. Leading!
Come on, man, he has just made the record of 11 WWE Championships and beat The Rock at WrestleMania 28. Plus, he's the man of his own word and broke the curse of Khali by beating him in the finals.
And you just put him at number 5? He SHOULD be at number 1, man, not that freaky old underworld guy.
Terry Gene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American professional wrestler, actor, television personality, entrepreneur and rock bassist. Hulk Hogan might be the most famous wrestler. He might not be the greatest wrestler when it comes to wrestling moves, but the fans would go nuts when Hogan was wrestling more than any other wrestler. Just watch WrestleMania 3 and 18.
Hogan was the top guy in WWE in the '80s to the early '90s. He even helped WCW in the ratings war during the NWO days in 1996-1997, which was my favorite time watching wrestling. In 1998, the NWO started to fall apart, and in 2001, WCW died.
Hogan made WrestleMania what it is today, maybe even wrestling what it is today. The Undertaker is a legend, and if it wasn't for Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker might not have had the winning streak.
Ric Flair will always be known for WCW, while Hulk Hogan will always be known for WWE. Hogan should be number 1 for being the most popular wrestler of all time.
Richard Morgan "Ric" Fliehr, better known by his ring name Ric Flair, is a professional wrestling manager and American retired professional wrestler currently signed to the WWE under a legends appearance contract. Flair was the most entertaining wrestler to watch. You never knew what he was going to say on the mic, and I don't think he did at times. His in-ring antics were a thing of beauty. He had everybody hooked on every move he made. He could also get vicious at times.
It didn't matter how big his opponent was, Flair would always find a way to knock them to the mat. People get so caught up in all these other wrestlers because they can relate to their era more. Ric beat every top star from many eras. He's the best! There'll never be another like him.
Steve Borden, better known by the ring name Sting, is an American retired professional wrestler, actor, author and former bodybuilder. Sting had the perfect combination of a great gimmick, charisma, and wrestling ability. There were a lot of guys with great gimmicks who couldn't wrestle (Ultimate Warrior), guys who could wrestle but had lame gimmicks, and guys who could wrestle but were lousy on the mic.
Sting did it all, and he did it all incredibly well.
A face with white paint and sad eyes, and a baseball bat in his hand. He gave wrestling fans hope when everything seemed to go bad. Wish the WWE universe could experience the charisma of this man like WCW fans did.
He was the biggest superstar in the '90s. There will never be another Sting. LEGEND.
Paul Michael Levesque, better known by his ring name Triple H, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, corporate executive, and actor. Changed the business and spearheaded the attitude wave. Now, 18 years later, he is creating the next generation of stars to carry on the legacy of the WWE.
Say what you will about his politicking, but the guy's a true pro and one of the greatest ring generals of all time.
I'm kind of hoping WWE lets him have one more title run. Triple H is one of my favorites of all time. He knew how to get heel heat on himself, and he could get some funny moments with Shawn Michaels.
I want him back because WWE is starting to die, and he could save it.
Bret Sergeant Hart, better known by his ring name Bret "The Hitman" Hart, is a Canadian-American writer, actor and retired professional and amateur wrestler. A member of the Hart wrestling family and a second-generation wrestler. The Excellence of Execution. The Best There Is, the Best There Was, and the Best There Ever Will Be. A member of both the WWE Hall of Fame and the Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, a 5-time WWF Champion, and a 2-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion.
He is the master of the infamous Sharpshooter submission hold and arguably the most gifted and technically sound craftsman the wrestling world has ever seen. He never seriously injured anyone during the course of his 24-year active-ring career.
He is the 2nd wrestler ever to earn WWF's "Triple Crown" by holding the WWF Championship, Tag-Team, and Intercontinental titles. PWI ranked him #1 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year back-to-back in the PWI 500 in 1993 and 1994.
The Newcomers
Cody Garrett Runnels Rhodes is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to WWE. Rhodes is also known for his time in All Elite Wrestling, where he served as an executive vice president and was the inaugural AEW TNT Champion.
Barbara Jean "Barbie" Souray is an American model, former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet, better known by her ring name Kelly Kelly.
Christopher Keith Irvine, better known by the ring name Chris Jericho, is a Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, media personality, actor, author, and businessman, currently signed to AEW. I can't believe Chris Jericho and Bill Goldberg share the same list. Goldberg is not even in the same league as a true pro like Y2J. By the way, the fact that Goldberg is ranked 11 and Jericho is 20 is embarrassing.
I've never seen a bad Jericho match. I've seen plenty from that jabroni Goldberg.
The ultimate performer. Flawless in the ring and on the mic. Still able to put on classics at the age of 45. True legend.
Best talker of all time. He's the GOAT. He was awesome in the ring as well. I think he's better than Cena.
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor who is signed with WWE, where he is a member of the SmackDown brand. He is a 12-time world champion, having held the WWE World Championship eight times and the World Heavyweight Championship four times. From his RKO to his Spike DDT, he is one of the most dangerous WWE wrestlers of all time. If you step into the ring with him, I promise he will give you a free RKO and then easily pin you. Yeah, that's right.
Adam Joseph Copeland is a Canadian actor and professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Smackdown brand under the ring name Edge. Twenty-foot super spears! Five-second poses!
I respect every wrestler that steps into that ring, but Edge is my inspiration.
I feel I must add that I wasn't allowed to watch wrestling in the 1980s (when I was a child), but, dang it, I knew the names Hogan, Macho Man, and Captain Lou!
He has plenty of stardom and charisma. He shakes the arena on entry. A risk-taking character, he can hold the company alone on his shoulders. He deserves it.
The spear is my favorite move, and no one does it better than Edge.
Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino was born in Pizzoferrato, Abruzzo, Italy, to Alfonso and Emilia Sammartino on October 6, 1935. He then died on April 18, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. He is known for his powerful bearhug finishing move, and is widely considered to be one of the... read more No man has ever held the title longer than Bruno. The human wrecking ball from Italy held the title for more than 11 years. He was the workhorse of the WWE in the '60s and '70s and is regarded as the most popular wrestler of that era.
I don't really see how anybody who knows anything about wrestling would vote for anyone but Bruno as #1. It just doesn't make sense to me if you are treating the poll seriously.
Hands down, the greatest professional wrestler of all time! The one and only true living legend of professional wrestling! True class!
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, actor and former amateur wrestler currently signed to professional wrestling promotion WWE, where he was the on-screen general manager of the Raw brand and an occasional wrestler. You could not complete this countdown without the Olympic American hero, Kurt Angle himself. As soon as he arrived in major wrestling, he ripped through all the competition and has the most WWE titles won in the shortest time.
Obviously deserving to be in the top five.
Won in the Olympics with a broken neck, is one of the most, if not the most, skilled wrestlers of the Ruthless Aggression Era, and is just amazing in general.
He needs to be higher on this list. Oh, it's true, it's DAMN true!
He is probably the greatest icon in the Ruthless Aggression Era. When The Rock retired after WrestleMania XIX, and after losing his title at XIX, he won it back at Vengeance '04.
Is Angle number 1? It's true.
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks, also known by the ring name CM Punk, is an American comic book writer, actor, upcoming mixed martial artist and retired professional wrestler who is signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship... read more He is a one-time ROH World Champion, a two-time ROH Tag Team Champion, a one-time ECW World Champion, a one-time Intercontinental Champion, a one-time World Tag Team Champion with Kofi Kingston in WWE, a three-time World Heavyweight Champion, a two-time Money in the Bank winner, and a two-time WWE Champion.
He's beaten Chris Jericho, John Cena, The Miz, Alberto Del Rio, Jeff Hardy, John Morrison, Edge, Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, and more.
Why is he at #16? He cut arguably the best promos of all time. He was the best of the 2000s on the mic. He held the title for 434 days in an era where they usually hold it for 50 days. He defeated almost everyone in this time span.
His matches are classics: 2011 MITB vs. John Cena, 2013 WrestleMania vs. The Undertaker, and 2013 SummerSlam vs. Brock Lesnar. Lastly, it didn't matter if he was a heel or face. He was still "the best in the world."
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley Sr. is an American retired professional wrestler, writer, color commentator, actor and voice actor. He did a lot for the sport. The three personalities of Cactus Jack, Mankind, and Dude Love were entertaining, and what's unique is they all were different, as if he could tap into some rare type of schizophrenia.
I don't know if anyone has sacrificed their body more than Mick Foley. He's one of the greats.
Mick Foley, the wrestler with multiple personalities. I just liked Mick Foley, period.
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero Llanes, was a Mexican-American professional wrestler and a member of the Guerrero wrestling family. Eddie Guerrero was born into wrestling, but he was also born to wrestle. His personality was so strong and enticing that you couldn't help but love and cheer for him.
He will always be handsome, will always be young, and always at the top of his career.
Sad to see Eddie go at a young age. His last matches were some of his best. He kept getting stronger. Had he lived another 5 years, who knows?
Unmatched charisma. Watching him execute a common move is like watching perfection, from the snap in one of his suplexes to the execution of the frog splash.
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is an American professional wrestler, insurer, and actor. He works for WWE, and is best known by his ring name Kane. The Devil's Favorite Demon is here. Kane, the brother of The Undertaker, is one of the tallest WWE wrestlers at 7'0. He wears a mask, changing it for each different era. He is now a part of The Authority and unlikely to wear a mask again.
Kane came in as the brother of The Undertaker, and it fit. His darkness and the mystery of his persona were exciting and fun.
Kane is the biggest energy wrestler, signaling big fire. Kane wears a mask due to a facial injury caused by fire.
One of the most famous wrestling stars of the '80s and early '90s. The Macho Man has worldwide recognition and has been a hero for many children growing up.
He has made movie appearances along with commercials and remains a very wealthy and popular man.
You won't find another wrestler who was more intense. His in-ring work was precise, and his attention to detail in his storytelling is unmatched.
Are you kidding me? 39th best? All you guys better think this one over long and hard. In his generation, he was #2 in putting wrestling over, right after the Hulkster.
Bryan Lloyd Danielson is an American professional wrestler best known for his tenure in WWE under the ring name Daniel Bryan. He is a five time WWE world champion. He thought he would never get a chance to wrestle because he is too small. But he made a giant success in World Wrestling Entertainment! His famous tag team, Team Hell No with Kane, is one of the funniest and most entertaining tag teams in history.
His passion for wrestling is evident in every match. In my opinion, he is the single most technically sound wrestler I have ever seen.
Yes, yes, yes, yes. There is no other word that says it better.
Christopher Michael Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler. During his 22-year career, he worked for numerous promotions including the World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF/WWE), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), and New Japan Pro-Wrestling... read more The obvious stain on his legacy is what he did at the end of his life. Based solely on his in-ring work, he was one of the most intense and captivating performers of all time.
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, professional American football player, and mixed martial artist who is currently signed to WWE. He is a beast. He defeated all the wrestlers who came in his way. He is a beast. And he ended the undefeated streak of The Undertaker. No person can take him down, but Brock did.
That's why he is awesome. He has no weakness.
Reigning, defending, undisputed WWE wrestler of all time. He deserves to be number one, although I do not like his attitude.
Óscar Gutiérrez, better known by the ring name Rey Mysterio, is a Mexican-American professional wrestler who currently works for WWE on the Smackdown brand. I think the ultimate underdog is a great wrestler. The kids love him. He wins matches against men double his size. He is one Hall of Fame superstar in the making.
Show respect by giving this a thumbs up, just like Rey showed respect for Eddie Guerrero in the 2006 Royal Rumble.
The Biggest Little Man - Rey Mysterio is a Mexican-American wrestler. He retired in 2015 because he felt guilty about the accidental death of the wrestler Perro Aguayo Jr.
The greatest little man of all time.
André René Roussimoff, known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. André He most famously feuded with Hulk Hogan, culminating at WrestleMania III, and his best-remembered film role was that of Fezzik, the giant in The Princess Bride. His size was a result of gigantism... read more The largest sports entertainer ever known, standing at almost 7'5", was taller than the wrestling ring itself. He weighed over 575 pounds at his heaviest, although Hulk Hogan claims he weighed 700 pounds when he slammed him at WrestleMania 3.
He was featured in numerous movies, TV shows, talk shows, and events worldwide even before he stepped foot in the ring. Andre the Giant was known as "The 8th Wonder of the World," and people came from all around the globe to see him.
He was also known for never being pinned or submitted in his entire career, over 10 years, until he met The Immortal Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 3. Some people believe to this day the match was controversial and that Andre never lost.
Andre died in France at the age of 47 from gigantism, but his name remains very famous.