Top 10 Most Popular Pro Wrestlers of All Time

When you think about pro wrestling, it's not just the matches, the titles, or the technical skills that stick with you. It's the larger-than-life personalities, the unforgettable catchphrases, the wild entrances, and the way certain wrestlers just had that special something that made fans go wild.

This list isn't about who's the best in the ring or who won the most championships. It's all about popularity, who had the crowd in the palm of their hand, who sold out arenas, and who made you stop flipping channels because you had to see what they were going to do next.

1. The Undertaker

   

   Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965), better known by his ring name The Undertaker, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler who signed with WWE in 1990, making him the company's longest-tenured in-ring performer. Calaway began his career in 1984 with World Class Championship Wrestling... read more

   Hands down, the most popular wrestler is The Undertaker because nobody ever thought he would wrestle for over 20 years. He has the best gimmicks. The only wrestlers that come close are John Cena, The Rock, Stone Cold, HBK, and I'll throw in one more: the ICON Sting.

   I don't like Hogan because he is a straight-up sellout. He can be a heel, and people will still cheer for him. The only way you can prove it is to put Undertaker, John Cena, and Sting in one ring together. To me, it's #1 Undertaker, #2 John Cena, #3 Sting, #4 Austin, #5 The Rock, and #8 HBK.

   Who knew Mean Mark Callous from WCW would be on all #1 top lists? WCW had Stunning Steve Austin. If they had kept these guys, maybe WCW would still be in business.

   The Undertaker's debut at the 1990 Survivor Series made you know he was going to be a star. He kept doing it for years until he retired. The Undertaker is in my favorite match of all time, King Of The Ring 1998 versus Mankind. You were thinking this match can't be beaten.

   WrestleMania is not fun to watch anymore. He lost some WrestleMania matches and retired. WrestleMania won't be the same without The Undertaker, and the same with wrestling.

2. John Cena

   

   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 currently associated with the SmackDown brand.

   Cena began his professional wrestling career in 1999 with Ultimate Pro Wrestling... read more

   John Cena is simply awesome! He never ever gives up, no matter how tough the competition! He is a great inspiration.

   Moreover, he teaches children to rise above all the people who hate you! John Cena is the best and always will be #1 in my book!

   I remember watching wrestling all the way back to the early eighties. I've seen a lot, and I love what John Cena has brought to wrestling. He is talented and deserves his props.

   This wrestler is one I hear about a lot. They say John Cena is the most popular wrestler, and his name is John Cena.

3. The Rock

   

   Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor, producer, and semi-retired professional wrestler. He gained fame in WWE during the late 1990s and early 2000s before transitioning to a successful Hollywood career, starring in films such as The Fast... read more

   Well, I have listened to many say The Rock is famous for his best mic skills, but I watched almost all his wrestling and noticed he was not only the best at the mic, but his wrestling skills were really impressive.

   The Rock is not only the best at the mic, accept it, Jabronies. The Rock is also the best in the ring, and of course, The Rock has the guts and ability to take any challenge, whether against a single opponent or many together, and defeat them anytime. THE ROCK is the GREATEST wrestler of all time.

   Not the best, but definitely the most popular wrestler ever. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has made his imprint on popular culture through his wrestling accolades, movies, and the entertainment industry.

   The most entertaining person to watch. As far as wrestling is concerned, he is definitely in the top 5.

4. Stone Cold Steve Austin

   

   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 with WWE.... read more

   I don't know why people would refuse a person who has the persona to take a company like WWE, which ranked 17th at his time, and single-handedly take the company to the first position. He made The Rock a real superstar. He is the only superstar in the history of WWE who has won the WWE Championship only six times. But he is still more popular than Hogan, The Rock, Hitman, Ric Flair, and Undertaker.

   Even during his time from 1996 to 2001, he made every superstar work hard to compete with him. He is the creator of The Rock and WWE. Without him, I think nobody can give that 100% to this game.

   Stone Cold Steve Austin brought WWE from the brink of defeat at the hands of WCW. While the WCW vs. NWO storyline was dominating WWE, it seemed as if Vince's company was destined for financial collapse.

   Then, because of the Montreal Screwjob, Vince stepped up to be the antagonist against Stone Cold. Their feud reinvigorated WWE and brought them back from the brink. Soon, they overtook the ratings of WCW and eventually bought them out. I believe that this alone makes him number one.

5. Hulk Hogan

   

   Terry Gene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, was an American professional wrestler, actor, television personality, entrepreneur, and musician. He rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s through his work with the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE). Hogan is widely regarded as one of the... read more

   When wrestling was at its pinnacle, there was NO ONE as popular as Hulk Hogan. Could he wrestle? No. Could he play the part? Absolutely.

   Put any ten wrestlers in a lineup, worldwide, and more people would know who Hogan is than anyone else in the history of the sport. With the single possible exception of Andre the Giant.

   I honestly found this guy a little annoying, but he definitely was extremely famous.

   He made the sport big and was an icon when the world needed it and gave a damn.

6. Triple H

   

   Paul Michael Levesque, better known by his ring name Triple H, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, corporate executive, and actor. He is currently the Chief Content Officer for WWE, where he has also served as an executive vice president. Triple H is a 14-time world champion and a key... read more

   He's won basically every title and beaten almost every opponent. Legends like The Rock and Undertaker have fallen at his feet. He has charisma, strength, and the perfect look for a WWE superstar!

   He may not be the best wrestler, but he is surely better than John Cena.

   Better than John Cena! He has more titles, and WWE hyped his return in Money in the Bank.

7. Rey Mysterio

   

   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. Known for his high-flying lucha libre style, he is considered one of the most influential cruiserweights in wrestling history. Mysterio has held... read more

   He is amazing to watch. He has always been my favorite wrestler and always will be. The high-flying, energetic guy makes people love the WWE.

   Rey Mysterio is so famous because of his trademark moves, determination, and small size. Plus, the mask adds to his awesome name.

   The king of 619, high flyer, beat a wrestler AKA JBL. He sucks, but Rey Mysterio is the bomb!

8. Shawn Michaels

   

   Shawn Michaels, born on July 22, 1965, is an American professional wrestler. He is the first wrestler to win every major WWE title available during his era. Known for his charisma and athleticism, his nicknames include HBK (Heartbreak Kid), The Showstopper, Mr. WrestleMania, and The Icon. He was a founding... read more

   "Approaching the ring, from San Antonio, Texas, HE IS THE HEARTBREAK KID, SHAWN... Michaels!" God, I will never ever forget that part of his Hall of Fame Tribute. This guy had a great sense of humor in and out of the ring, unlike other wrestlers.

   There will never be a man like HBK, EVER! Especially as a wrestler. The Showstopper, Mr. WrestleMania, the legendary Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels will never be forgotten. Not even in trillions and trillions and trillions of years in WWE World Wrestling Entertainment.

   Shawn should have been number 1! He's the magnet when it comes to getting attention from the people! He's one of the best wrestlers out there, and he holds some of the best matches of all time. Come on! Who can ever forget the Iron Man Match in WrestleMania 12?

9. Andre The Giant Roussimoff

   

   André René Roussimoff (May 19, 1946 - January 28, 1993), better known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor dubbed "the Eighth Wonder of the World." He began wrestling in France in 1966 and became a major attraction in North America from the early 1970s through the 1980s, headlining... read more

   The original super heavyweight. May his soul rest in peace.

   It's sad what happened to this awesome guy. He was very beloved for his enormous size.

10. Randy Orton

    

    Randal Keith Orton (born April 1, 1980) is an American professional wrestler and actor signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand. He is a 12-time world champion, having held the WWE Championship eight times and the World Heavyweight Championship four times. He is a third-generation wrestler... read more

    I'm in love with this guy. Not just because he's sexy, but also because he has amazing skills in the ring. He should be #1.

    Randy Orton is really powerful. He is both epic and awesome. Vote for Randy Orton now!

    Randy Orton is the best wrestler after John Cena and The Rock.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    El Santo

    

    El Santo, born Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta, was a Mexican professional wrestler and actor. He became a cultural icon in Mexico due to his masked superhero persona in the ring and in more than 50 movies. His silver mask remains a symbol of Mexican pop culture and lucha libre.

    An almost superhero in Mexico, he was the most popular wrestler there.

12. ?

    Goldust

    

    Dustin Patrick Runnels is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Dustin Rhodes. He previously wrestled for WWE under the ring name Goldust. Runnels is known for his flamboyant character and technical wrestling skills.

The Contenders

13. Ric Flair

    

    Richard Morgan Fliehr (born February 25, 1949), known professionally as Ric Flair, is an American retired professional wrestler and current WWE legend under contract .

    Over a career spanning five decades, Flair is a 16-time world champion, having held titles in the NWA, WCW, and WWF/E. He's renowned... read more

    Without Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan in the '80s, there would be no wrestling now.

    He's retired now, so you should be voting for him as a tribute.

    The greatest wrestler in the world ever!

14. Batista

    

    David Michael "Dave" Bautista Jr. (born January 18, 1969) is an American actor and former professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He rose to stardom as a six-time world champion in WWE under the ring name Batista and has starred in films such as "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014) and "Blade Runner... read more

    Batista is the best wrestler that ever walked inside a WWE ring. Batista earned his titles, unlike Cena, who was given his titles and never stops running his big mouth. He's worse than The Miz, in my opinion.

    Batista was the modern Goldberg and Lesnar, in my opinion. They should also be included in this list too.

    Batista is the strongest because he won on Great Khali's home turf: the Punjabi match. Batista is definitely #1! He told Khali, "You don't know what it's like to be in a cage with 'The Animal'."

    The best there is, the best there will be. The Animal is one of the fiercest wrestlers in WWE, and he still looks young.

    He is also a part of Avengers: Infinity War. He is the destroyer. There is no end for Dave Bautista.

15. Bret Hart

    

    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. He is a member of the Hart wrestling family and a second-generation wrestler. Hart is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers... read more

    Who can forget the night when the Ultimate Warrior was a jerk to a boy with cancer, and Hart gave him his jacket and became friends with the boy until his death?

    The greatest character of most people, not only wrestlers I've seen, and also had great spirit after Owen died. He isn't my favorite but is one of them.

    He whooped Austin in his prime over and over with brute hatred. He was great for the business and has beaten all the greats: Austin, Undertaker, Michaels, Flair, Sting, and Goldberg, among others.

    The best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.

16. Goldberg

    

    William Scott "Bill" Goldberg (born December 27, 1966) is an American actor, former professional football player, and semi-retired professional wrestler. He became WCW World Heavyweight Champion in 1998 and later won the WWE Universal Championship in 2017. Goldberg has appeared in television series such... read more

    One of the, if not the, strongest characters ever. Literally picked everyone up, and in less than a year and a half since his debut in WCW, he captured a following like no other. Listed win streak of 174.

    Great entrance theme, great in-ring ability, great finisher. No one else comes close. "Who's next?"

    He beat Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Big Show, Batista, John Cena, and Randy Orton. He's the best wrestler. He can beat HBK H.

    But now he's not in wrestling. I miss him very much. I think one day he will come and beat everybody in WWE.

17. Big Show

    

    Paul Randall Wight Jr. (born February 8, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name Big Show. He made his professional wrestling debut in 1995 with World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He has won multiple world championships, including the WCW World Heavyweight... read more

    The best wrestler and showman, although the worst booked.

    Big Show is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.

18. Edge

    

    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. A WWE Hall of Famer, Edge is known for his multiple world championship reigns and his involvement in iconic tag teams such as Edge and... read more

    If you're talking WWE, you're talking about Edge. The guy was super passionate about wrestling. It's sad that he had to retire.

    His performances were so engaging that I had goosebumps whenever I watched. I will never forget the classic "SPEAR."

    Edge, hands down, is my favorite because he's so good in the ring. His spear is the best!

    Who can forget one of the greatest matches ever with Mick Foley, when Edge was slammed on thumbtacks?

19. Sting

    

    Steve Borden, better known by his ring name Sting, is an American retired professional wrestler, actor, and author. He was also previously a bodybuilder. Sting is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, with a career that spanned several decades in promotions such as... read more

    What? No. 13? How can the most popular wrestler of all time deserve this ranking?

    He won PWI's Most Popular Wrestler of All Time a record four times, and almost every year he got a nomination in this category. Well, the list should be like this:

    1. Sting

    2. John Cena

    3. Steve Austin

    4. The Rock

    5. Hulk Hogan

    People would tune in to WCW just to see what Sting would do. His feud with nWo changed wrestling forever.

    The Icon. He and The Undertaker are the two best things that happened to the wrestling business.

20. The Ultimate Warrior

    

    Warrior was born James Brian Hellwig and was best known by his ring name The Ultimate Warrior. He wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation from 1987 to 1992, with later appearances in 1996 and 2014. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014, just three days before his death.

    The benchmark is beating the Hulkster in terms of popularity, and Hogan was really the man. It was only Ultimate Warrior who eclipsed him. He should be #1. His memory will stay forever, even if he only wrestled for a short period of time, unlike the guys above.

    By far the most electrifying wrestler of all time! This guy was nuts, with unequaled energy as he would fly through the entrance, running all over the place, igniting the whole crowd, and with the perfect entrance theme music!

    Just go back and watch the reaction of fans to his entrances. Nobody got reactions like this over and over. Hogan hated him for it. While not the best wrestler, he is Top 3 most iconic of all time.

21. Kane

    

    Glenn Thomas Jacobs is an American professional wrestler, insurer, and actor. He works for WWE and is best known by his ring name Kane. Jacobs is also the current mayor of Knox County, Tennessee, having been elected in 2018.

    Don't mess with The Big Red Machine, or he will Chokeslam you to Hell. That's why Kane is the greatest wrestler ever to step in the ring. So fear The Big Red Machine!

    Great wrestler. He is the king of all masked fighters, and when he unmasked, it was a shock to people. But he got a lot of attention.

    Kane is the strongest, toughest, scariest monster to step in the ring. With his terrifying mask and his red and black suit, Kane can destroy anyone who dares to step in the ring.

22. CM Punk

    

    Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks, also known by the ring name CM Punk, is an American comic book writer, actor, former mixed martial artist, and retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his career in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he held multiple championships and was the leader of the New... read more

    He should be there in the top 5, just because he has been the best in the world for the past 25 years, and nobody ever has dropped pipe bombs like this superstar has done.

    The longest-reigning WWE Champion of the modern era. Enough said.

    He should at least be in the top 10!

23. Kurt Angle

    

    Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968) is an American retired professional wrestler, amateur Olympic gold medalist, actor, and entrepreneur who is widely regarded as one of the greatest in-ring performers in wrestling history. He won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics... read more

    He's just a sexy Kurt! He'll make your ankle hurt! If anyone remembers that spoof when Kurt was in a rivalry with Shawn Michaels, then kudos to you.

24. Macho Man Randy Savage

    

    Randall Mario Poffo (November 15, 1952 - May 20, 2011), better known as "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler and color commentator who achieved fame in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and later World Championship Wrestling (WCW) .... read more

    At a time when nearly no one went on top of the ropes, he made spectacular moves from the ropes.

25. Jeff Hardy

    

    Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy (born August 31, 1977) is an American professional wrestler, singer-songwriter, painter, and musician. Alongside his brother Matt, he is a multiple-time WWE and TNA Tag Team Champion, a two-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, and a five-time world champion across WWE and TNA... read more

    Jeff should at least be number eleven because of his jumps.

    Not only has Jeff won 24 titles in his time as a pro wrestler, not just as a singles competitor but in a tag team with his brother Matt Hardy, but also in a range of different companies, from TNA to WWE to ROH.

    Jeff has exceeded the odds and will do anything to ensure the fans have a great time and remember the match.

26. Christian

    

    He used to be my favorite before John Cena came in.

    Captain Charisma - It's sad that the WWE tried to hold down his popularity!

    This guy deserves more than what he gets. He's one of the best around.

27. Daniel Bryan

    

    Bryan Lloyd Danielson (born May 22, 1981) is an American professional wrestler best known for his tenure in WWE under the ring name Daniel Bryan. He is a five-time world champion, having held the WWE Championship four times and the World Heavyweight Championship once. He headlined WrestleMania XXX in... read more

    Best wrestler in the world today. He spent a long time on the independent circuit, where he was the best of all time.