THE 50 GREATEST WRESTLERS IN THE WWF/E
1990-2009
This list ranks from fifty down to one the greatest wrestlers in the World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment during the past twenty years, judging wrestlers only on their performances between 1990 and 2009, and only while with the WWF/E. A range of criteria was used to rank the wrestlers. To begin with, only wrestlers who are/were active members of the roster were considered for the list, with decisions being made at my own discretion as to what constitutes an active wrestling career. The hardest decision to make in this regard was the case for Vince McMahon. Even upon deciding that McMahon, as a two time former world champion, Royal Rumble match winner, and a participant in matches at three Wrestlemanias, as well as numerous other pay-per-views, would be eligible for the list, the question then came as to what time-frame to take into consideration for his ranking, as there are no clear start and stop points to his active in-ring career. McMahon’s quantity of high profile matches, as well as his championship wins, is what ultimately differentiates him from other possible candidates such as Eric Bischoff and Stephanie McMahon, who were not considered for ranking. Shane McMahon was deemed eligible for the list.
Once restricting the list to active wrestlers only, I established the following criteria for ranking;
In-ring ability- the quality and quantity of the wrestler’s matches was taken into account, as well as the range of opponents they worked with
Promo skills- again, quality and quantity of promos, as well as versatility
Draw and popularity- consideration was made as to how over the wrestler was during the course of their career, and whether or not they were a draw, either with live attendances, television ratings, or pay-per-view buy-rates
Career success- the championships a wrestler won, the number and quality of high profile feuds and matches, and the wrestler’s longevity and positioning on the card were all taken into account
I tried not to factor any alleged out-of-ring behaviour into the ranking, unless I felt that said behaviour may have impacted the on-screen performance of the wrestler, or the company at large. For example, Shawn Michaels’ reluctance to do jobs during the mid-90s was marked against him, as this has a clear detrimental effect on the company, whereas general locker-room hazing, which the likes of Owen Hart and Curt Hennig are known for, was not generally taken into consideration.
This brings me to the hardest decision I had to make when compiling the list; the ranking of Chris Benoit. Benoit was guilty of the worst act ever committed by a wrestler when he murdered his wife and son, before taking his own life, in 2007. This left me with three options regarding his candidacy; (i) rank Benoit taking into account his crimes, (ii) rank him without taking his crimes into consideration, (iii) make him ineligible for ranking.
I immediately cast aside (i), as I felt that would be tantamount to putting a value on the lives of those lost. By the same token, I decided that (iii) would be like pretending Benoit never existed, which I think would take away from the validity of the list. Ultimately, I made the decision to rank Benoit for his contributions to the company up to, but not including, his last weekend.
I enjoyed putting this list together, and hope you enjoy reading it.
50. Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts
Years of Eligibility: Jan ‘90-April ‘92, Jan ‘96-Jan ‘97
Championships Held: None
Must See: Jake, with snake, gatecrashes Randy Savage and Elizabeth’s Summerslam ‘91 wedding.
Roberts started the 90s as an upper card babyface, feuding with Ted Dibiase over the Million Dollar belt. It wasn’t long though before he was back in the role he was born to play, as the sinister, conniving heel. This period was earmarked by two notable feuds, the first being against ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage, in which Jake coaxed a snake into biting Savage and, on more than one occasion, put his hands on Savage’s valet, Miss Elizabeth. The second big feud was against The Undertaker, which culminated in a match at Wrestlemania 8. Roberts was an excellent performer during this run, one of the best talkers in the business, and having the ability to invoke so much emotion with something as simple as a look or a gesture. His comeback four years later was an embarrassment; he could barely move, he was given a lame duck character, and his alcoholism was exploited for storyline purposes.
49. William Regal
Years of eligibility: Oct ‘98-April ‘99, Sept ‘00-present
Championships held: Intercontinental championship (twice), tag team championship (3 times), European championship (4 times)
Must see: Regal’s 2009 ECW run, showing how effective he can be as the number one heel.
William Regal has been up and down the card since his debut in 1998 (including a short stint away from the company), but has always been effective whether as a serious midcard performer, or a comedy jobber. His height in the company may have come when he transitioned from a great stint as WWF commissioner into a prominent role as a member of team Alliance during the Invasion angle. The move up to the next level didn’t come though, and it was shortly after this that Regal suffered the ignominy of being the first inductee into Vince McMahon’s Kiss My Ass club. After several years of mostly doing jobs, Regal had a career renaissance in 2008, winning that year’s King of the Ring tournament, and seemingly heading for a sustained top of the card push. That was scrapped when Regal failed a wellness test, and was suspended. Regal has now found a new niche as the top heel on ECW, and excels as the devious gentleman. Throughout his WWF/E career, Regal has proven to be an excellent promo man, playing the snob or the ruffian with relish, and pulling off comedy and serious stuff. He is also one of the better skit performers in the company. In the ring he works a stiff, European style, which can often look awkward when in with the wrong opponent. Under the right circumstances, he is one of the best and most believable wrestlers on the roster.
48. Goldberg
Years of Eligibility: March ‘03-March -04
Championships Held: World championship
Must See: The debut. Coming out and spearing the Rock, and it didn’t really get any better than that.
By the numbers: Goldberg’s pay-per-view debut scored a 1.1 buy-rate (up 0.3 from the previous year). His next appearance scored 0.75 (down 0.07), then 0.73 (down 0.13), 0.58 (down 0.17), 0.73 (down 0.13), and 0.4 (down 0.47).
Goldberg was never much in the workrate department, but became WCW’s biggest star of their hottest period by being booked as an unstoppable force, and having the charisma to back it up. With just a few explosive power moves, and an unmatched intensity, Goldberg shot to the top of the business, and there were a myriad of dream match possibilities when he finally signed with the WWE. It turned out to be a case of what might have been. He had one year with the company, and it seemed they did everything they could to undermine his drawing power and popularity, from altering his already famous entrance music, to putting him in comedy segments with the likes of Goldust, and having him struggle to victory over the likes of Mark Henry. The big matches were there, with The Rock, Jericho and Triple H, but it wasn’t the same. He did win a World Championship by beating Triple H, but his feud with Evolution did little to help him. Because of his own limitations, he needed to be booked to squash everyone, and Triple H was never going to allow himself to be squashed, winning the championship back just a couple of months later. After that Goldberg found himself in another dream match scenario, programmed with Brock Lesnar, in many ways the WWE’s version of him. However, his decision not to renew his contract, along with Lesnar’s decision to leave to pursue an American Football career, meant that the two of them got booed out of their Wrestlemania face-off, and then Stunnered out of the company by guest referee, Steve Austin.
47. Psycho Sid
The Master and Ruler of the World
Years of Eligibility: Aug ‘91-April ‘92, April ‘95-June ‘97
Championships Held: World championship (twice)
Must See: Survivor Series ‘96- Sid wins the world championship from Shawn Michaels, and is greeted like Hogan and Austin all rolled into one.
By the numbers: The average buy-rate for pay-per-views main evented by Sid is 0.81 (9 pay-per-views).
Sid’s first stint in the WWF came in 1991-1992, in which he was brought in to feud with Hulk Hogan, including main eventing Wrestlemania 8. Sid ended up walking out on the company, but reappeared four years later as Shawn Michaels’ bodyguard in a run which would eventually see him notch up a couple of world title reigns, and add another Wrestlemania main event to his resume. An impressive specimen, standing an imposing 6’8, Sid certainly looked the part, and had a strange kind of charisma which made him incredibly over at various points in his career- he was heavily cheered as a heel against number one babyface, Shawn Michaels at Survivor Series ‘96 where he won his first world championship. In the ring, though, the man was a stiff, and even the likes of Michaels and Hart struggled to get anything out of him. His signature powerbomb and chokeslam were both over, but his punches were amongst the least convincing ever seen, and he lacked even the basest form of athleticism or agility. Neither of his title runs was considered a success, and it seems that Sid really was best suited to a short-term run, popping the crowd, but leaving before he outstayed his welcome.
46. X-Pac
Years of Eligibility: April ‘93-May ‘96, March ‘98-Aug ‘02
Championships Held: Tag team championship (3 times), European championship (twice), cruiserweight championship
Must See: X-Pac did a lot of good work, but his breakout match against Razor Ramon stands up as the key moment.
Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman’s various runs in the company brought a mixed bag of success. Starting off as the ultimate underdog, the 1-2-3 Kid, Waltman brought an acrobatic style, mixed with a proficiency in martial arts, to the ring which was new to most fans. Waltman excelled as the courageous loser, notching up great matches with the likes of Owen Hart and Hakushi, but ultimately found his niche as an obnoxious heel. He left the company to join WCW, but returned to team up with his Kliq buddy Triple H as a member of D-Generation X. X-Pac was a perfect fit for the group, and along with his stablemates was one of the hottest acts of the Attitude Era. But, as the 90s ended the act began to seem passe, and Waltman, whose body had broken down as a result of his high-flying style, and possibly his well-documented drug issues, proved to have nothing to offer outside of D-X’s dated antics. Unable to fall back on his ring work, Waltman floundered as a singles performer. Things got so bad for him that the term ‘X-Pac heat’ was coined to describe a negative reaction to a wrestler, not because he was adept at working the crowd into disliking him, but because the audience genuinely didn’t want to see him perform.
45. Davey Boy Smith
Years of Eligibility: Jan ‘91-Nov ‘92, Aug ‘94-Nov ‘97, Sept ‘99-’00
Championships Held: Intercontinental championship, tag team championship, European championship (twice)
Must See: His Summerslam 1992 main event against Bret Hart.
By the numbers: Smith wrestled on pay-per-view for the world championship 4 times in ‘95-‘96; the average buy-rate was 0.44.
Smith returned to the company where he had been a big 80s tag team star in 1991, and had a solid singles run, which included an incredible main event match against Bret Hart at Summerslam ‘92 in which he won the Intercontinental championship, and a good series of matches against Shawn Michaels. Addled by substance abuse issues and encumbered by his steroid-induced frame, Smith was nonetheless a very good worker when motivated, mixing athleticism, technical prowess, and great strength. He left the company in ‘92, but returned in 1994, without really turning any heads. His career really got a second wind after teaming up with Owen Hart to become tag team champions and one of the best teams of the era. He also achieved more singles success with world championship challenges against Bret and Michaels, which many consider better than their respective ‘92 battles. Smith though was never on the main event level, lacking in charisma and being a weak talker. He was really best as part of a team, and that point was really driven home by his role in one of the best angles of the 90s- the Hart Foundation Vs USA feud. He returned for one more run at the end of the 90s, but by that time he was a shadow of his former self, and made no real impact.
44. Trish Stratus
Years of Eligibility: March ‘00-Sept ‘06
Championships Held: Women’s championship (7 times)
Must See: Trish Stratus defeating Lita for the Women’s Championship in her retirement match at Unforgiven 2006. A classy farewell to a classy competitor.
There have certainly been more popular female wrestlers at various points over the years, but few remained as enduringly well-liked and respected as Stratus, nor did any show as great an improvement in the ring. She started off as nothing more than a valet to poor mid-card tag team T&A, but her prototypical WWF diva look singled her out for bigger things. She really hit the big time in a hideous angle involving Vince McMahon, in which she played the chairman’s mistress. This involved her feuding with Stephanie McMahon and stripping to her underwear and barking like a dog. Stratus did as she was asked, and was rewarded with a babyface turn, and a run with the women’s championship. Trish’s ring work started off like most of the models who are hired to the company and forced to learn to wrestle on the fly- she was clumsy, uncoordinated, and all of her matches looked too rehearsed. Unlike others though she showed a great determination to improve and prove she was more than just a pretty face. In truth, even without that improvement in the ring, it was always her charisma that was going to make her the star she became. Trish just had a magnetic personality and, although she wasn’t a great talker, was a fine performer in most of her skits and segments, showing a naturalness head and shoulders above her peer, Lita and others. She was never on the level of a Molly Holly or a Victoria in the ring, lacking their smoothness of execution, but by the time she retired, gaining the honour of winning a seventh women’s championship in her final match, Trish had become a great proponent of the WWE women’s style, exhibiting good babyface selling and a range of athletic offensive moves.
43. Kevin ‘Diesel’ Nash
Big Daddy Cool
Years of Eligibility: Aug ‘93-May ‘96, Jan ‘02-Oct ‘03
Championships Held: World championship, Intercontinental championship, tag team championship
Must See: The 1994 Royal Rumble match, in which Diesel eliminated 7 men while establishing himself as a star.
By the numbers: The average buy-rate of In Your House pay-per-views headlined by Diesel is 0.7 (6 pay-per-views). The average without Diesel in the main, before 1998, is 0.46.
Kevin Nash first appeared in the company in 1993, acting as Shawn Michaels’ bodyguard, Diesel, and it wasn’t long before he showed he had a fair amount of charisma to back up his impressive near-7-foot appearance. After a star-making turn in the 1994 Royal Rumble match, Diesel turned babyface and, before too long, became the World Champion. His championship run lasted the best part of a year, and is often cited as the worst in the company’s history, mainly because Nash was next to useless in the ring. Business started dropping off quite considerably under Nash’s watch, as he stunk up arenas with his feuds with Psycho Sid and King Mabel. The only people able to get anything out of him were Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart, both of whom had miracle matches with him, and to a lesser extent The Undertaker, with whom Diesel had a good Wrestlemania 12 match. That proved to be one of the last matches of Nash’s first run with the company as he and fellow Kliq member, Scott Hall left to change the industry in WCW, causing controversy on the way out with the famed Curtain Call incident at Madison Square Garden. Nash returned in 2002 doing the nWo act which had been so cutting edge five years previous. By this time, however, Nash had become an even worse worker than before, was unmotivated, and seemed to get injured every time he got in the ring. He had one last run as a main eventer, against old buddy, Triple H, a feud which was insulting to the fans who had long stopped caring about the aging rebel. Along with his lack of wrestling ability, Nash brought other baggage to the table, with his well-documented backstage attitude and politics. Despite his overness in his first run with the company, good mic skills when he wasn‘t just putting himself and his buddies over, and charisma, Nash is a classic case of someone being pushed above his ability.
42. Yokozuna
Years of Eligibility: Nov ‘92-Nov ‘96
Championships Held: World championship (twice), tag team championship
Must See: Yoko’s tag team championship run with Owen Hart.
By the numbers: Average buy-rate for the year of Yoko (Wrestlemania 9-10) is 1.28 (6 pay-per-views), compared to the following year’s 1.17 (Diesel and Bret Hart on top).
Tipping the scales at over 500-pounds, Yoko had a lot of ability for a man his size. He was an excellent bumper for a big man, showed the agility to perform moves such as his thrust kick, and the technique to pop off belly-to-belly suplexes. A member of the famed Anioa’i family, Yoko debuted at the end of 1992, won the Royal Rumble in 1993, and had won the world championship at Wrestlemania 9, before Hulk Hogan came out to steal the spotlight. Capable of having good matches with high class opponents (notably Bret Hart), stamina was obviously an issue, even more so when he continued to pile on the pounds, ballooning up to 640+. He finished up as a two-time world champion, neither reign setting the world on fire, but it was all over for him when he turned babyface and revealed that he was an American all along, despite having played the classic Japanese heel for three years. From there on he was mostly doing jobs, putting over Vader as a monster, or working monster vs. monster matches against the likes of King Mabel.
41. ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper
Years of Eligibility: Jan ‘90-April ‘92, March ‘03-June ‘03, Sept ‘06-Nov ‘06, various cameos
Championships Held: Intercontinental championship, tag team championship
Must See: Piper vs. Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 8. Piper rarely looked better in the ring.
Roddy Piper was one of the biggest stars of the 80s expansion period, but by the time the 90s rolled around he had settled into a much more reduced role, typified by his feud with Ted DiBiase, which was largely the backdrop for the DiBiase-Virgil break-up. Things picked up as 1992 approached, and Piper was picked as the first rival to the debuting Ric Flair. He was never a great worker in his peak, and that was some ten years earlier, but he did manage to have a good match with Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 8, in which Piper was defending the Intercontinental championship, which remained the only championship he held in the company until his nostalgic tag championship reign in 2006. Piper was phased out completely after dropping the belt, and renewed an old rivalry with Hulk Hogan in WCW before making a surprise return to WWE at Wrestlemania 21. This run was highlighted by yet another Hogan feud and, although Piper looked terrible, with even his famed verbal skills having completely deteriorated, he was still over. Piper still gets a good pop whenever he makes a special appearance, and you can’t buy the type of charisma he has.
40. ‘Mr Perfect’ Curt Hennig
Years of Eligibility: Jan ‘90-Aug ‘91, Aug ‘92-Aug ‘93, Jan ‘02-May ‘02
Championships Held: Intercontinental championship (twice)
Must See: Summerslam ‘91- Perfect puts Bret Hart over in a classic.
By the numbers: The average attendance for Hennig’s series of house show main events against Hulk Hogan in January-February 1990 was 11,443 (7 events). Compare that to the 7,314 average for Hogan’s run against Sgt. Slaughter in 1991.
Hennig had everything you could want in a wrestler- a great look, above average ring and promo skills, and that all important ‘it’ factor. He started the 90s as arguably the number one heel in the company, going around the horn against Hulk Hogan. Perfect was then picked to win a tournament for the vacant Intercontinental championship, and was literally the perfect fit for the belt. An incredibly smooth technician, Hennig had a great natural grasp on the psychology of wrestling, and was an excellent bumper, although he did sometimes cross over into cartoonishness. The only real flaw in his game was his shallow moveset, as his matches were always built more around his bumping than his offence. By the time 1991 was reaching a close, Hennig was struggling with a back injury which would dog him for his whole career. He had one of the matches of his career at Summerslam ‘91 in dropping the IC belt to Bret Hart, but then went into semi-retirement as Ric Flair’s advisor. His second in-ring stint with the company was hit and miss- a disappointing match with Shawn Michaels at Summerslam ‘93, another classic with Hart at King of the Ring the same year- maybe Hennig’s last genuinely great match. A final run in 2002 was forgettable, but it was that first run that distinguishes his WWF career and, if it weren’t for the back injury, he could easily have been a main event player and potential world champion well into the 90s.
39. D-Von Dudley
Years of Eligibility: Sept ‘99-July ‘05
Championships Held: Tag team championship (10 times)
Must See: The tables match with the Hardy Boyz at Royal Rumble 2000. Somewhat forgotten in the aftermath of TLC, this was the match that put the half-brothers on the map.
D-Von debuted in 1999 alongside “half-brother” Bubba Ray, as The Dudley Boyz. A charismatic pairing, D-Von was the better worker of the two, but the inferior talker. The Dudleyz became popular for incorporating tables into their matches, and remained over throughout their tenure, despite their act becoming incredibly stale. They won multiple tag team championships, when the title meant something, and were involved in one of the greatest feuds around that championship, along with the Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian. They also had the ability to get over as both heels and babyfaces. The team were briefly separated, and D-Von was saddled with the Reverend D-Von gimmick which, though he was fine in the role, was never going to get over.
38. Bubba Ray Dudley
Years of Eligibility: Sept ‘99-July ‘05
Championships Held: Tag team championship (10 times)
Must See: The Royal Rumble 2000 tables match against the Hardy Boyz.
Bubba Ray acted as the primary spokesman for the Dudley Boyz team, and was the designated hot tag for the majority of their matches. A good, but limited, brawler, Bubba played the part of ‘the loudmouth who could back it up’ well, and was incredibly over as part of his tag team with D-Von. They helped to redefine the ladder match during their feud with Edge and Christian and the Hardys, and competed in the first ever Tables, Ladders and Chairs match. They also had a big role in the Invasion angle, as members of the Alliance. Bubba ranks higher than his partner based on having the slightly more successful singles run, which included a brief TV-only feud against then-World Champion, Triple H.
37. John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield
Years of Eligibility: ‘95-May ‘06, Dec ‘07-April ‘09
Championships Held: World championship, Intercontinental championship, United States championship, tag team championship (3 times), European championship
Must See: His Judgment Day 2004 bloodbath against Eddie Guerrero.
By the numbers: The average pay-per-view buy-rate for JBL’s championship reign is 0.71 (excluding Wrestlemania), compared to the previous year’s 0.675 (taken from corresponding events).
After a series of failed gimmicks, Bradshaw finally found his niche as one half of the Acolytes tag team with Ron ‘Faarooq’ Simmons. Originally members of The Undertaker’s Ministry, the team morphed into the Acolyte Protection Agency, and were very over as a pair of beer-drinking, cigar-smoking, poker-playing ass-kickers. Bradshaw carried the team both on the mic, and in the ring, with Simmons being broken down by this point, but didn’t truly distinguish himself in either department. That’s what made it so baffling when the team split up and he was turned heel and fast-tracked to the WWE championship. Layfield was a huge success in reinventing himself as the self-made millionaire; his mic work was generally stellar, despite a tendency to waffle and go for cheap heat, and he was always a great performer in skits, be it comedic or serious. His biggest attribute though, was probably his willingness to be a truly hated heel, in an era where many prefer to play the cool heel. Ring-work has always been his biggest weakness and, despite proving himself to be a decent brawler, he suffered from a serious lack of stamina. He also built up a reputation as being a bully. While his character did get over, he was never really main event material, and drew poorly for the whole duration of his reign, which surprisingly was over a year in length. He was given the important task of putting over John Cena for his first world championship, and he couldn’t have done any more to make Cena look good, even suffering the ignominy of losing an ‘I Quit’ match to him. He was also the man charged with putting CM Punk over as the first victim of his first championship run, and again, did all that was asked of him. Layfield retired due to a back injury, but did make a brief comeback with little success. His movement in the ring was clearly hampered, and the character really had run its course.
36. Scott ‘Razor Ramon’ Hall
The Bad Guy
Years of Eligibility: Aug ‘92-May ‘96, Jan ‘02-May ‘02
Championships Held: Intercontinental championship (4 times)
Must See: The Wrestlemania 10 ladder match against Shawn Michaels.
One of the biggest stars of the 90s, mainly due to his groundbreaking run in WCW, Scott Hall’s early 90s stint in the WWF as Razor Ramon shouldn’t be disregarded. Hall was an above average worker for a man his size, utilising a rugged bullying style, and possessing a killer right hand. He was very carriable by superior opponents, and always held up his end of the bargain. He also had charisma to spare, working his Tony Montana-inspired character to perfection. In his early days in the company, as an acquaintance of Ric Flair and an early challenger to Bret Hart’s WWF championship, Ramon was perfectly adequate, but it was a shocking defeat that really got him up and running. The upset loss to the 1-2-3 Kid was the catalyst for a babyface turn which saw him become one of the most popular performers in the company as he racked up four Intercontinental Championships. This period also saw him involved in a groundbreaking ladder match with Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 10 which was given a five star rating, and voted match of the year, by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Although many credit Shawn with the carry job, Razor was integral to the story of the match. His backstage antics could have played a part in his failure to take the next step to the main event scene, as his attitude and running with the Kliq are well documented. He bucked authority to partake in the Curtain Call, but by then had been pretty much jobbed out of the company. When he returned in 2002 as part of the nWo he was a washed-up drunkard and, although he got a Wrestlemania payday against Steve Austin, he offered nothing.
35. CM Punk
The Choice of a New Generation
Years of Eligibility: July ‘06-present
Championships Held: World championship (3 times), ECW championship, Intercontinental championship, tag team championship
Must See: The Loser Leaves the WWE steel cage match against Jeff Hardy on the August 28th 2009 episode of Smackdown.
By the numbers: The average Raw rating during Punk’s run as world champion was 3.2 (9 shows). The 9 prior shows also had a 3.2 average, whereas the 9 following averaged out at 3.0.
Punk was over with the WWE crowd from the moment he debuted, off the back of just a few vignettes. Sporting a look not really typical of what the company looks for in its stars, and a straight-edge lifestyle that connected with the younger audience, he soon became the most over performer on the ECW roster, and one of the most over in the company, a point driven home at Survivor Series 2006; Punk stands in the ring with his team-mates for the night, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and the Hardy Boyz, and the fans are chanting his name. An incredibly versatile performer, Punk can wrestle well at any pace, is proficient in striking and mat wrestling, can fly, and is the best seller in the company today bar none, both in selling his opponent’s offence, and in selling the various emotions of a match. His popularity was rewarded with a World Championship reign in 2008, but he was at no point booked as the top dog, playing second fiddle to John Cena and Batista, and only keeping his championship due to outside interference. The final insult was when he wasn’t even allowed to lose the title in the ring, an angle playing out instead where Randy Orton attacked him before his match, causing him to forfeit the belt. Punk rebounded from this failed run and, with his popularity starting to wane for the first time, the WWE initiated one of the finest slow-burn heel turns in the company’s history. As a heel, Punk has finally started to show the promo skills that had previously only been hinted at, and added a new dimension to his in-ring game. As good as he is, he hasn’t yet had the classic match that could define his career.
34. Sable
Years of Eligibility: March ‘96-March ‘99, April ‘03-August ‘04
Championships Held: Women’s championship
Must See: Sable battles Jacquelyn in a bikini contest at Fully Loaded 1998, and reveals painted hands ‘covering’ her naked breasts- an image that would become one of the most iconic of the Attitude Era.
Sable is one of the most influential women in wrestling history, as it was she who ushered in the era of the diva in the WWF. She was also one of the most popular stars of the Attitude Era, the biggest boom period in wrestling history, and one of the few stars of that time to breakout as a mainstream star, thanks to her Playboy photoshoot, which is another of her legacies. Starting out as the valet of ‘Wildman’ Marc Mero, it was soon clear that she had much more star potential than her charge. It wasn’t long before Sable’s popularity dictated that she play a larger role, and she began having matches in a feud with Luna Vachon. When Mero, her real life husband at the time, transformed into a chauvinist heel character, it really put Sable over the top as the fans got fully behind her. She built on the work done by Sunny in changing the image of women in wrestling, and it was Sable who provided the sexiness of the Attitude Era, wearing skimpy bikinis, and sometimes no bikini at all. Her real legacy though is in being the first woman to combine that sexiness with a real physicality beyond hair pulling and scratching. Sable wasn’t a good worker, but she was reasonably convincing as a pocket dynamite type, and it was her exploits in the ring which provided the catalyst for the reintroduction of the women’s championship, a title that has remained active to this day.
33. Dustin ‘Goldust’ Rhodes
That Gold Freak Right There
Years of Eligibility: Nov ‘95-May ‘99, Jan ‘02-Dec ‘03, Jan ‘06-June ‘06, Oct ‘08-present
Championships Held: Intercontinental championship (3 times), tag team championship
Must See: Goldust defeats Brian Pillman at Summerslam 1997 with a sunset flip that didn’t quite pan out.
Many considered it insulting for a man of Dustin Rhodes’ ability and charisma to be saddled with the homoerotic Goldust gimmick, but it is testament to his unique talent that he made it work, and became an important player in the Attitude Era. In the mid-90s, during his first run with the company, Rhodes was a truly under-appreciated talent; he was an excellent and believable brawler, a good bumper for his size, and could wrestle scientifically. The key element was that he mastered the psychology of his character, knowing when to draw the line so as not to cross the line into parody or cartoonishness. Goldust’s first major feud was against Razor Ramon, in which he won the Intercontinental championship, and introduced his real-life wife, Teri ‘Marlena’ Runnels as his valet. Goldust was always wrestling near the top of the card, but all too often the booking let him down as he was put in the ring with stiffs like Ahmed Johnson and the returning Ultimate Warrior. He also had a disappointing run against the Undertaker. Eventually, there was no other place for the character to go than turn face, and Rhodes made the transition well, eliciting great sympathy in his feud with Brian Pillman, and playing a part in the critically-successful Hart Foundation Vs USA feud. By this time, Rhodes’ work was starting to drop off a bit, and as the Attitude Era rolled around, he was back as a heel, amping up the bizarreness of the character several notches. In many ways, Rhodes embodied the push-the-envelope spirit of the era, and certainly acted as a pre-cursor to it with his earlier antics. Goldust has been fired and rehired a few times since that initial run, the most successful of which being a 2002 run in which he used his charisma, comedic timing and talking skills to get his tag team with Booker T over big against the odds. Goldust was excellent playing the part of babyface in peril during their matches, and giving Booker the hot tag to take home the match. There were long periods during his WWF/E career where he found himself horribly out of shape, and almost embarrassing to watch in the ring, but he’s back in shape for his latest run, and having good matches again, albeit in a jobber role.
32. The Big Show
The World’s Largest Athlete
Years of Eligibility: Feb ‘99-Dec ‘06, Feb ‘08-present
Championships Held: World championship (twice), ECW championship, United States championship, tag team championship (4 times)
Must See: The tag team with Chris Jericho, which gave Show a new lease of life, and made him look more dangerous than he had in years.
By the numbers: The average Raw rating during the Big Show’s first reign as WWF champion was 6.05 (8 episodes), an increase of 0.18 from the prior 7 shows during Triple H’s championship reign. Conversely, the average Smackdown rating dropped 0.33 during Show’s run on top.
It’s possible that nobody has been mismanaged the way the Big Show has. When he signed to the company he was in great shape, an athletic super-heavyweight who had charisma and star power. Unfortunately, Show piled on the pounds over the years, and seemed to lose his motivation, which slowed him down considerably in the ring. He also suffered from being turned and jobbed out far too frequently for anyone to take him seriously as the monster that he clearly should be. His first of two world championship reigns came in 1999, but it was just a short-term run used as an attempt to kick-start the Triple H era. After that, Show steadily drifted down the card, to the point that he was doing jobs to Test on Sunday Night Heat, and teaming up with Billy Gunn. His weight became such a problem that he was then sent to the WWF’s developmental territory in order to get back into shape. When he returned, he was as large as ever. Despite all the poor booking and self-inflicted de-pushes, Show remained fairly over, hugely so at times. At his best in the ring, he was a smart worker, using his size well, capable of incredible feats of strength, and mobile for his size. At his worst, which was more often the case during the middle part of his run with the company, he was a slow, clumsy buffoon, who got blown up just walking to the ring. There were times when Show was a genuine contender for worst mainstream wrestler in the world. Despite his failings in the ring, Show’s charisma is unquestionable. He embarked on a very successful run in 2000 as a comedy character, impersonating various wrestlers during his matches. His performances in the role were excellent. On the mic, he is very good at playing it straight, and comedic, heel or face, but it is as the serious, dangerous giant that he is best suited long-term. Show’s second world championship reign was better than the first, but also short-lived, and he also enjoyed a reign as ECW champion, when that title was still being booked somewhat on a par with the other two world championships. That was easily the best reign of the three. He then left the company for a year, returning in 2008 in probably the best shape he’s been in for ten years. He was also more entertaining than he’s perhaps ever been in the WWF/E. The pounds have slowly crept back on since then, and Show once again became a victim of terrible booking, which included him losing week after week to John Cena, and having an affair with Vickie Guerrero. As with his earlier run, he was also turned far too often. Ten years give or take in or around the main event is no small accomplishment, but Show could easily have been a megastar for the company, an Andre the Giant mixed with a Hulk Hogan. It didn’t turn out that way, and in that regard his career can be looked at as a failure.
31. Ultimate Warrior
Years of Eligibility: Jan ‘90-Aug ‘91, April ‘92-Nov ‘92, March ‘96-July ‘96
Championships Held: World championship, Intercontinental championship
Must See: The emotional retirement match against Randy Savage at Wrestlemania 7.
By the numbers: The average house show attendance for Warrior’s reign as WWF champion was 6,147 (from 76 shows), compared to the 8,003 average for shows headlined by Hulk Hogan during the same time period.
It would be easy to dismiss the Ultimate Warrior as a no-talent ‘roid-head, who was pushed to the moon only because of his physique, as WWE is keen to do, but that doesn’t do justice to how big of a phenomenon the man was in the late 80s and early 90s. It’s true that in the ring he was a terrible performer. His whole in-ring act was built around a few, not terribly well performed, feats of strength, and he lacked any versatility outside of that. To make matters worse, his high octane run to the ring, which was a big part of his success, often left him completely blown up by the end of it. Warrior also had no discernible promo skills, at least not in the conventional sense. However, the garbled gibberish that made up most of his promos were part of the charisma that made the character so successful. The war paint and tassels and ripped muscles, the entrance music and charge down the aisle, the grunting and groaning promos, rope shaking and looking up to the ‘higher powers’; all of these things made Warrior one of the biggest stars of the period. Warrior started the 90s as the Intercontinental Champion, but it was clear that he was being groomed for the top spot in the company as Hulkamania began to get stale. Indeed, he picked up the world championship at Wrestlemania 6, and the match with Hulk Hogan was better than it had any right to be. However, Hogan never really passed the torch in a meaningful way, as he was still portrayed as the biggest star in the company. This, combined with Warrior’s shortcomings in the ring, meant that the championship reign, which lasted until the 1991 Royal Rumble was viewed as a failure. Warrior stayed in the spotlight after dropping the belt though, and was shockingly involved in a classic match at Wrestlemania 7, as Randy Savage worked a miracle with him. He continued to work main event matches until he left the company later that year, during one of their many spats. He returned in the main event at Wrestlemania 8 to help his old ‘friend’ Hogan out, and was back challenging for the championship at Summerslam ’92, in which Savage again worked wonders with him. By this time, the steroid scandal had paved the way for a new era of more naturally athletic champions, and it was no surprise when Warrior left the company again not long afterwards. Warrior made his final return in 1996, and was still somewhat over as he worked near the top of the card. However, the novelty soon wore off, and it became apparent that the Ultimate Warrior’s time had passed.
30. Matt Hardy
Years of Eligibility: Sept ‘98-April ‘05, July ‘05-present
Championships Held: ECW championship, United States championship, tag team championship (8 times), European championship, cruiserweight championship
Must See: The Hardy Boyz versus Edge and Christian ladder match at No Mercy 1999, which put all four men on the map.
By the numbers: The average ECW rating during Hardy’s time on the show is 1.28 (31 episodes). The previous 25 episodes average out at 1.27.
Matt Hardy is quite comparable to Davey Boy Smith, both making their name in a tag team in which they were the clear number two (albeit for different reasons), and then embarking on relatively successful singles runs without ever really having the charisma to make the main event. Hardy was actually doing jobs in the company as early as 1994, but didn’t break out as a star until five years later when, along with his brother Jeff, he put himself on the map in a ladder match against Edge and Christian. Amongst the ‘TLC 3’, which also included the Dudley Boyz, it was the Hardys who were the most creative and daring with the ladders, as well as being the most popular. Along with Lita, Team Extreme were as over as anybody outside of the main event, and sometimes much more so than the ‘bigger’ stars. Despite the fact that Jeff was always the more charismatic of the two, and has always been positioned as the bigger star, it is Matt who is comfortably the better worker, being about as consistent and dependable as anybody in the company during the course of his two runs. He is an incredibly hard worker in the ring, a good seller, and his timing and execution is usually very good. The tag team was excellent, using innovative double team manoeuvres, speed and agility. Matt’s first taste of singles success came in an entertaining run as a mid-card comedy heel, before he reunited with Team Extreme partner, and real-life girlfriend, Lita, to do battle against Kane in the biggest storyline of his solo career. Unfortunately, Matt was treated as a brief diversion for Kane, and Hardy was later fired for talking on the internet about Lita’s real-life affair with Edge. This love triangle proved the catalyst for Matt’s eventual return to the company, playing the part of the scorned lover, but again, he wasn’t portrayed as being on the same level as his rival, and the feud was one-sided. From there, Hardy floundered, and it was unclear whether he would ever be looked at as a valuable commodity by the company. Things started to look up when he was put into a programme with MVP for the United States championship. It turned out to be the best feud of the year, featured Matt’s best ever promo and character work, and ended with him winning his first major singles title. From there he became ECW champion, and was then turned heel to feud with Jeff. The heel run didn’t take off, and Matt was soon back as a midcard face on Smackdown. Matt has had a tendency to get injured during the course of his career, and his mic skills are poor; he comes across as bland and not very smart when he talks, both of which have also hindered his climb up the ranks.
29. Christian
Captain Charisma
Years of Eligibility: Oct ‘98-Nov ‘05, Feb ‘09-present
Championships Held: ECW championship (twice), Intercontinental championship (3 times), tag team championship (9 times), European championship, cruiserweight championship
Must See: His February 24th 2009 ECW championship match against Jack Swagger, in which Christian carries his rookie opponent to a match of the year contender.
By the numbers: The average ECW rating for Christian’s first six months on the brand was 1.2 (from 27 episodes). The prior 27 episodes averaged out at 1.3.
Over two spells in the company, Christian established himself as a fine worker, with above average charisma, despite constantly being under-appreciated. His first run was highlighted by his tag team with “brother”, Edge, and their rivalry with the Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz. During this feud he partook in a pair of excellent ladder matches, and the first TLC match. Edge and Christian were largely a comedy team, booked as goofy and annoying, rather than dangerous. This was a stigma Christian failed to shake off once the team split up, and it took him until his Captain Charisma phase, and feud with Chris Jericho, before he really started to show any star quality as a singles competitor. It was worth the wait though, as Christian showed more charisma and better delivery of promos than just about anyone on the roster. He was headed for what could have been a great feud with John Cena, but for some reason WWE just didn’t want to pull the trigger on a main event push, and he ended up leaving the company. He returned a couple of years later as a much better wrestler. Whereas before he was a little reliant on using signature spots, in his second run he has shown a much greater ability to tell a naturally progressive story in the ring, and carry lesser opponents to very good matches. He is now one of the most well-rounded performers in the company.
28. Booker T
Years of Eligibility: June ‘01-Oct ‘07
Championships Held: World championship (twice, once with WCW championship), Intercontinental championship, United States championship (3 times), tag team championship (4 times)
Must See: Booker’s 2006-2007 run as King of the WWE.
By the numbers: Booker’s 15 pay-per-view main event appearances average out to a 0.93 buy-rate.
Booker T was equally effective, and over, as a heel or a babyface, and was capable of good matches throughout his WWF career. He came in as the main guy on Team WCW, being the WCW champion, and right off the bat had a series of very entertaining matches with Kurt Angle, before transitioning into a feud with The Rock. His status as number one heel was short-lived though, as Steve Austin and Angle were soon sent over to bolster the Alliance’s ranks, although it seems more like the company wanted to keep the spotlight on its ‘own’ guys, rather than the invaders. Booker was still a focal point of the feud though, main eventing the Invasion pay-per-view, and being a member of Team Alliance for the Survivor Series blow-off. He remained an over performer, and his mic skills and charisma developed all the while until he was turned babyface and immediately embraced by the fans. There was a window in 2002-2003 when Booker could really have stepped up to the next level, but for one reason or another, the WWE never wanted to pull the trigger on a prolonged main event run, and he ended up being stigmatised somewhat as a midcarder. It looked like the ship had sailed when Booker finally picked up the WWE title, and it was in the heel guise of King Booker that he finally did so. Booker, in this role after winning the 2007 King of the Ring tournament, was consistently the most entertaining performer in the whole company, with an immaculate sense of comic timing, perfect facial expressions and mannerisms, and a great faux-English accent. He would also back all this up with his usual good in-ring performances. The comedic nature of the role meant that the championship run was destined to be short, but it was memorable nonetheless. It’s difficult in some ways to pin down what made Booker such an entertaining performer between the ropes. He was no great technician, and didn’t particularly excel in any one area. What he did have was great athleticism, good movement, and a fine sense of timing, and was very consistent in throwing out good, action-packed matches. He was equally adept at playing a variety of roles in the ring, displaying aggression, arrogance, fear or humour, aided by possibly the best facials in the business at that time. That said, there was a tendency for Booker to overplay things, and come off as goofy when the situation called for otherwise. Outside the ring, Booker developed into an excellent promo guy, and had a good, natural-looking physique. He was a guy who could be relied on in any position on the card, from kicking the show off with a good, high-paced match, to delivering the goods in the main event. His wife, Sharmell also should not be underestimated in the role she played in the King Booker character.
27. Lita
Years of Eligibility: ‘99-Nov ‘06
Championships Held: Women’s championship (4 times)
Must See: The December 6th 2004 Raw, in which Lita challenged Trish Stratus for the women’s championship in the main event. Lita almost literally broke her neck for the cause, and women’s wrestling may never have been treated more seriously by the company.
Lita’s influence as a female wrestler can not be undermined- she was a heroine to young girls everywhere who connected with her daredevil style, and her atypical look. She had star quality from her debut, as a valet to Essa Rios, and was soon paired up with the likeminded Hardy Boyz to form Team Extreme, at various points during this era becoming the most over female wrestler the company had ever seen. In the ring, she was actually pretty bad. Her aerial moves, specifically her moonsault and ‘Litacanrana’ set her apart from the hair-pullers who made up the rest of the diva roster, but she had no technical ability, and often appeared clumsy and downright dangerous in the ring, which might be why she was so often injured. As well as this, her transitions were poor, and many times you would just find her standing in the ring between spots not having a clue what to do. Lita wouldn’t even make the top ten best workers of the ‘diva era’, and she was equally bad on the mic, but she made great strides towards women being accepted as more than just eye candy, and was over for her entire run with the company.
26. Chyna
The Ninth Wonder of the World
Years of Eligibility: Feb ‘97-Nov ‘01
Championships Held: Intercontinental champsionship, women’s championship
Must See: Chyna’s introduction and early run with the company at the beginning of 1997.
There are a lot of groundbreaking accomplishments on Chyna’s CV; first female Intercontinental Champion and first female participant in the Royal Rumble match amongst them. It was her popularity, and not her in-ring ability that allowed her to earn those distinctions, as Chyna was, for a short time at least, a genuine phenomenon. She first appeared as a valet/bodyguard to Hunter Hearst-Helmsley, at that point just another arrogant midcard heel. There is no doubt that Chyna’s presence went a long way in setting Hunter apart from the crowd, and during the first part of their association, she was certainly more over than he was. It was her muscular physique that made her such an enigmatic figure, but she also showed a lot of charisma in her ‘strong but silent’ role. Indeed, some of the gloss was taken off when Chyna became a regular talker. Chyna was there for the start of D-X, playing an important role, effectively as the ‘straight man’, and remained with the group for the duration of their ultra-hot run during the Attitude Era. It was during this time that she also made the obvious transition to active in-ring competition. Again, this blew some of the mystique, as Chyna was a poor worker, awkward and uncoordinated. It didn’t help that, despite her impressive frame, she looked out of place in the ring with the men, who were almost always at least as big as her. The fans didn’t seem to mind though, as she remained one of the most over acts on the card during feuds with Jeff Jarrett and Chris Jericho, and then her association with Eddie Guerrero. Chyna wasn’t content either with just being known for her ‘freak’ value- she also wanted to show a more sexy, womanly side, becoming the second WWF ladies competitor to pose for Playboy magazine, and having no problem stripping down to her lingerie as part of angles. She remained a solid midcard player until 2001 when she was released, probably due to a burgeoning drug problem that still haunts her to this day. It is a tribute to her popularity though, albeit a twisted one, that upon leaving the company she has become a regular of the reality TV/tabloid media circuit, making her more well known than 99% of her peers.
25. ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage
Years of Eligibility: Jan ‘90-’94
Championships Held: World championship
Must See: Wrestlemania 7, and Savage works a miracle with the Ultimate Warrior.
By the numbers: The average attendance for house shows headlined by Randy Savage during his 1992 world championship run was 3,674 (from 35 shows), compared to the average for B-level shows during the same period (mainly headlined by Ultimate Warrior Vs Papa Shango), 4,151 (40 shows).
At the turn of the 1990s, Randy Savage was the number one heel in the WWF, and was still in his prime as a performer. Paired with Sensational Sherri, the ‘Macho King’ was the perfect psychotic heel, Savage’s ball-of-energy personality making it impossible to guess when he would explode next. After mostly doing high profile jobs to Dusty Rhodes, Savage moved into a feud with the Ultimate Warrior after costing him the WWF championship, and carried his dud opponent to a classic match at Wrestlemania 7. Billed as a retirement match (with Savage’s loss ending his career in the storyline) it was also the match in which Savage was reunited with his valet and real-life wife, Miss Elizabeth, and turned back babyface. The fans ate up Savage’s performance, and it was genuinely emotional. Back then, Savage was the total package as a performer- he had a great look (toned athletic physique, an eye for the extravagant in his attire), was top five in the world on the mic when on (his trademark growl working especially well in intense situations), and was a superb worker. Ultra-athletic, Savage was capable of doing things in the ring that weren’t that often seen back then, such as springing over the top rope to the floor, or diving from the top turnbuckle to the outside. He was a great storyteller in the ring, using facial expressions and body language to add to the action, and sold well. Few were more charismatic. His babyface run was highlighted by a heated feud with Jake Roberts, which brought out the best in both men, and then a good series of matches with Ric Flair, which saw him capture his second WWF championship. After losing the belt back to Flair, Savage scaled back his in-ring work, concentrating more on his position in the commentary booth, although he did play the part of the first victim of Yokozuna’s title reign. In ‘93-’94 he lost a lot of the edge that had made him such a scintillating performer in the first couple of years of the decade, becoming more cartoonish, matching the general trend in the company.
24. Batista
The Animal
Years of Eligibility: May ‘02-present
Championships Held: World championship (5 times), tag team championship (4 times)
Must See: The slow build to his babyface turn on Triple H, culminating in him winning the world championship at Wrestlemania 21.
By the numbers: The average buy-rate for 2005 pay-per-views with Batista in the main event is 1.05 (7 events). The previous year’s average (from corresponding events) was 0.72.
Batista got his big break as part of Evolution, but it was clear from the onset that of the two ‘young’ stars in that group, he was light years behind Randy Orton in terms of in-ring ability, charisma, and potential. Batista’s role was as the muscle, and he fulfilled his duties fairly well, in that he was big, ripped and strong, though not very interesting. He was also by far the least over of the group, and that didn’t really change until he became the recipient of one of the best-executed turns in recent memory. His breakaway from Triple H was teased for months, before Batista, who by this time had exploded into arguably the most popular star in the company, won the 2005 Royal Rumble match, and turned fully babyface by powerbombing his former mentor through a table and beating him for the world championship in the main event of Wrestlemania 21. The booking had turned Batista from zero to hero, but he still had to hold up his end of the bargain. His main appeal is obviously his ultra-ripped physique, although that has also proved to be a hindrance, as carrying that much muscle around has surely played a part in the many injuries he’s picked up over the years (injuries which have curtailed at least two championship reigns). That muscle tone also limits his movement and flexibility in the ring. He is capable of extraordinary feats of power, but at the same time his offence has a tendency to look tame when compared to someone like a Goldberg and, though he looks like he’s trying to do the right things in the ring with his selling and psychology, he just doesn’t have the capability to do them well. He doesn’t fare much better in the promo department either, showing a noticeable lack of intensity on the mic, poor delivery, and at times coming across as timid, which is not something you expect or want from someone who is supposed to be an animal. The intensity shines through more in the ring though, and Batista carries with him a certain amount of charisma and star quality which have made him one of the top five most over performers in the company since 2005, including at certain times, generally when he can put together a spell of being injury free, being one of the two biggest stars along with John Cena. While his popularity endures, his constant main event push has seen him grow increasingly stale.
23. Kane
The Big Red Machine
Years of Eligibility: Aug ‘95-Jan ‘97, Oct ‘97-present
Championships Held: World championship, ECW championship, Intercontinental championship (twice), tag team championship (9 times)
Must See: Kane’s debut at Badd Blood in 1997, ripping the door off the Hell in a Cell, and laying out the Undertaker.
By the numbers: The average buy-rate of Attitude Era (1998-2000 inclusive) pay-per-views main evented by Kane is 1.04 (7 shows). The average for the period is 1.13 (excluding Wrestlemania).
After a couple of failed runs in the company, Glen Jacobs finally found his niche by playing the scorned younger brother of The Undertaker. A character which seemed to have a limited shelf-life has become a mainstay of the company for twelve years and counting, due to Kane’s ability and popularity. Kane was everything you would want from a monster- good size and strength, the ability to work smartly against a variety of opponents, big and small, as well as really good movement and athleticism. Kane was also capable of busting out impressive feats of agility, like his trademark enziguri kick and top rope clothesline. He was given a dream gimmick and introduction with his instant feud with the Undertaker, and that got him over from the start, but his character developed from there as he entered into a partnership, and then rivalry, with X-Pac which saw him become a major player in the Attitude Era, and because of his size and credibility he was someone who could always be plugged into the main event scene, making him a valuable commodity. A lot of the aura of the character was tied into his mask, and the idea that nobody knew what lay beneath, so it’s no surprise that he has struggled somewhat since losing the mask. Even so, he could have been reinvented as a character were it not for the fact that his first feud sans mask was against Shane McMahon, in which he had to put over the out-of-shape non-wrestler as a threat. Since then, Kane has found himself yo-yoing from jobbing to the next big thing, to being pushed as a monster again, all the time going from heel to babyface. With that in mind, it’s to his credit that he’s remained as over as he has. As the years have gone on, Kane has slowed down a lot in the ring, but he still works as smart as ever, and can be carried to good matches, as evidenced by his 2004 match with Chris Benoit, and his 2008 contest with CM Punk. His long association with The Undertaker, both as rivals and partners (the two embarked on a highly entertaining tag team run in 2001) has often seen him compared unfavourably to his legendary ‘brother’. Kane actually does well in the comparison. At their best, there was little between them in the ring, and Kane has probably been more consistent over the course of his run.
22. Rob van Dam
The Whole F’n Show
Years of Eligibility: May ‘97, June ‘01-June ‘07
Championships Held: World championship, ECW championship, Intercontinental championship (6 times), tag team championship (twice)
Must See: One Night Stand ‘06, in which van Dam challenges John Cena for the WWE championship, in front of a white-hot pro-ECW crowd.
By the numbers: RVD competed in 6 pay-per-view world championship matches between 2001 and 2006; the average buy-rate was 0.71.
Rob van Dam was maybe the one guy, more than anybody else at the time, who had the opportunity to be a huge draw and star for the company, and perhaps would have been had it not been for the Triple H reign of terror. He came in as part of the Invasion, and was instantly embraced by the fans, despite the fact that he was portrayed as a heel. Nobody else on the Alliance side was so universally cheered (unless in the ring with X-Pac), but RVD just had the right look, and the right wrestling style that fans across the board could connect with, and that is a truly rare thing. That wrestling style was the epitome of the high spot-oriented ECW style. RVD could perform incredible feats of athleticism in the ring, mixing high-risk offence with a repertoire of martial arts-style kicks, and his matches were always fought at a high pace. The problem was that many of his moves, while aesthetically-pleasing, looked very ineffective, and his matches lacked psychology. On top of that, van Dam was also stuck with the tag of being dangerous to work with- he was responsible for Triple H’s crushed larynx and Edge’s broken jaw, to name two. His style was one you either loved or hated. What can’t be denied is that he had heaps of charisma, and what made him more special is that it was an unconventional charisma that cannot be duplicated. He exuded confidence, even arrogance, but had a positive demeanour that made you feel invested in his success and failure, as though you were somehow a part of it. He was laidback and cool, and you believed that he was doing things his own way. He wasn’t great on the mic, but part of that was due to WWF neutering; when he finally got a chance to shoot from the hip, at the first One Night Stand pay-per-view, he cut a wonderfully impassioned and articulate promo. In many ways, RVD was the natural successor to ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin- the new anti-establishment character for the post-Attitude come down period. For whatever reason, the company decided against pulling the trigger on the push he should have received, and it wasn’t until 2006, four years later than it should have happened, that he got his first and only WWE championship run. He was also chosen at that time to be the first champion of the re-incarnated ECW brand. The only thing really memorable about the dual championship reign is the reasons behind him losing the gold. He and Sabu were stopped by police on the way to a show, and marijuana was found in their possession. Van Dam has always been infamous for his love of the weed, and he remains a powerful advocate of its legalisation. Not long after losing the championship, van Dam opted to leave the company, deciding to take a break from wrestling and spend more time with his ill wife. The man comes across as truly likeable, and for more than six years was one of the most popular stars in the company.
21. Randy Orton
The Legend Killer
Years of Eligibility: April ‘02-present
Championships Held: World championship (6 times), Intercontinental championship, tag team championship
Must See: Mick Foley makes Orton a star in a hardcore match at Backlash ‘04.
By the numbers: 2008 pay-per-views headlined by Randy Orton averaged 301,000 buys (from 5 events, excluding Wrestlemania), compared to a 260,000 average for pay-per-views in which Orton didn’t appear (8 events).
Randy Orton was seemingly singled out as a franchise player from an early age, being a third generation superstar, and possessing the kind of physique that the company loves. After a brief spell as a typical babyface rookie on Smackdown, Orton was moved to Raw and turned heel, a role he was born to play. He hooked up with the Evolution stable and had a stellar run with the Intercontinental Championship, which actually managed to elevate the champion as well as the championship, as well as developing his Legend Killer persona. Despite his obvious athletic gifts there were those who doubted Orton’s heart and, ironically, it was the same man who solidified Evolution leader Triple H as a main eventer who stepped up to legimitise Orton- Mick Foley. It was inevitable he would become a world champion someday, but he ended up being horribly rushed into the role, winning the title with little build-up, and being thrown out of Evolution and turned babyface the very next night. The title reign lasted only a month, and the babyface run as a whole failed miserably, partly because of the slapdash booking, but partly because Orton is so naturally dislikeable. A combination of his smarmily arrogant, but attractive, features, and rumours of his behind the scenes behaviour (defecating in women’s handbags, trashing hotel rooms) have made him a real-life heel, and he remains one of the most effective in the role in the company. Orton does a lot of the little things right, exhibiting certain mannerisms that add to his character. He is a good seller and bumper, and a fine athlete, having no trouble hitting a cross body block from the top rope, or a standing dropkick into his opponent’s face. His psychology is also good. There is a feeling though that he is somewhat bland, and relies a little too heavily on rest-holds in the ring. His improvement also seems to have come to a standstill in recent years, and it could even be argued that he has regressed in the ring. He is confident on the mic, but his delivery is monotone. That works well for his character at times, but at other times he just comes off as dull. After a brief demotion to the midcard, Orton finally got another shot at winning championships, and has settled into a role as one of, if not the, top heels in the company. He now excels in his role as the cold, uncaring heel and, despite bad booking which has seen him constantly undermined, his performances have been excellent in conveying a sadistic, almost psycho-sexual, pleasure in hurting others.
20. Ric Flair
The Nature Boy
Years of Eligibility: Sept ‘91-Jan ‘93, Nov ‘01-March ‘08
Championships Held: World championship, Intercontinental championship, tag team championship (twice)
Must See: The 1992 Royal Rumble match, considered by many to be the best Rumble match ever.
By the numbers: The average attendance during Ric Flair’s first run as world championship was 6,484 (from 27 shows). The total average for the year was 4,250.
Ric Flair made a big impact upon his first debut with the company in 1991, turning up with the NWA World Championship belt, and claiming to be the ‘real world’s champion’. The veteran performer was at the tail-end of his long peak, and still considered one of the best wrestlers in the world. In the ring, his reputation was built on the ability to have a great match with any opponent, thanks largely to his athletic bumping style, fine technique and execution of holds, and incredible stamina. Outside of the ring, he was possibly the greatest promo man of all time. The obvious dream match at the time was with Hulk Hogan, but their matches on the house show circuit were box office disappointments (though not drawing badly), and we never got the match on the big stage (the Wrestlemania 8 match was allegedly canned because Sid Justice had the match with Hogan in his contract). Flair ended up winning the WWF world championship in the 1992 Royal Rumble match, which many consider to this day to be the greatest rumble match in history, and going on to feud with Randy Savage. The two men gelled very well together, and traded the championship, before Flair lived up to his reputation of being a man willing to put over any opponent by dropping the belt to Bret Hart. Always entertaining during this period, Flair was never really used to his potential, and he left the company after little more than a year. He returned in 2001, by which point the years had taken their toll. His mic work was still entertaining, though he had become something of a self-parody, and in the ring he was a mixed bag- when he got it right he was still capable of hanging with the younger guys, using his experience to make up for what he’d lost in athleticism, but when he got it wrong, as was more often the case, he was an embarrassment. He didn’t really threaten the main events much, being used more as an attraction, and soon ended up hooking up with Triple H and forming Evolution, a period for which Flair was largely known for his sickening sucking up to Triple H. Flair was getting progressively worse in the ring, but he pulled himself together for one more big run, his entertaining retirement angle coming to an end in an emotional match with Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 24, and tribute the next night on Raw. His best work never came in WWF/E rings, but his star power was evident, and he retained some drawing power until the very end.
19. Brock Lesnar
The Next Big Thing
Years of Eligibility: March ‘02-March ‘04
Championships Held: World championship (3 times)
Must See: The Wrestlemania 19 main event versus Kurt Angle. The botched shooting star press is legendary.
By the numbers: The average Smackdown rating during Lesnar’s first run as world champion is 3.5 (12 shows). His second run averaged out at 3.3 (16 shows), and his third at 3.4 (21 shows). The average rating between Lesnar reigns is 3.3 (27 shows).
Billed as ‘the next big thing’, Lesnar was given a huge push from the moment he debuted in the company. Despite being baby-faced, Lesnar looked the part, with his impressively muscled, yet athletic-looking physique. His amateur wrestling background also meant that he had a good grasp of trading holds and throws. Despite these attributes, Lesnar was incredibly green in the early part of his career, which basically consisted of more seasoned wrestlers bumping for him to make him look good, and his manager, Paul Heyman doing all the talking. Lesnar proved to be a fast learner though, and by the time he was ready for his first pay-per-view main event against The Rock, he had grown substantially into his role. The Rock followed the trend and put Lesnar over like gangbusters for his first world championship, and Lesnar continued to improve heading into an intense rivalry with fellow former collegiate wrestling champion, Kurt Angle. Lesnar’s offence was obviously built around impressive power moves, but he also displayed decent mat skills, as well as speed and agility- not many men can say that they could F-5 The Big Show at his heaviest, whilst also being able to hit a shooting star press from the top rope. There were still gaps in his ring skills though, and he never really developed the kind of psychology that comes with experience. The feud with Angle was played up as epic, and in the ring the two produced some great, but spotty, matches. Outside of the ring though, they were handcuffed by some bad booking which saw the two trade babyface/heel roles, as well as partake in some questionable comedy skits during their buddy phase. Once cast aside from Heyman, Lesnar also showed not very much in the way of promo ability (although, again, he was improving) or charisma. What he was though was an athletic phenomenon, and in the course of his two year stay in the company he developed into a genuine main event star, who never stopped improving.
18. Owen Hart
Years of Eligibility: Oct ‘91-May ‘99
Championships Held: Intercontinental championship (twice), tag team championship (3 times), European championship
Must See: The epic Summerslam ‘94 cage match against brother, Bret.
The highest on the list never to be world champion, Owen Hart started the 90s virtually as a jobber, first in singles competition, and then as part of tag teams with Koko B. Ware and Jim Neidhart. His big break came in 1993 when he turned on his brother, Bret and became the best cry-baby heel of the decade, until Bret himself would go that route. Always an ultra-talented worker, the heel turn gave him more of an opportunity to show his skills, and he had classic matches with Bret at Wrestlemania 10, and then at Summerslam ‘94 in a cage, a match given 5 stars by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Owen could pretty much do it all in the ring- his speed and agility were second to none in the company, and he was a technician on a par with his brother. He was also a great storyteller in the ring, and an athletic bumper. From ‘94 to ‘97 he was possibly only behind Bret and Shawn Michaels in terms of ringwork. After coming up short in his world championship chase, Owen moved back into the tag team ranks, forging championship-winning teams with Yokozuna and Davey Boy Smith, the latter team being the best of the period. He was also involved in a good storyline with Shawn Michaels, had a great match with his partner Smith in the final of the European championship tournament, and picked up an Intercontinental championship. His mic skills had always been a little below par, and he lacked the kind of charisma that could have made him a long-term main eventer, but he was also excellent in his role, never being afraid to play the goof or look stupid. His career took another creative upturn in 1997 when he was reunited with Bret to form the Hart Foundation stable, and embark on a legendary and heated feud with ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and the USA. This included the high point of picking up the pinfall over Austin in the 10-man main event of Canadian Stampede, as well as the low point of breaking Austin’s neck with a botched tombstone piledriver at Summerslam ‘97. Owen was never reckless in the ring, but there were times when he was less than 100% focused, and it has often been said that he didn’t have the love and passion for the business the way that Bret did. After the Montreal Screwjob, Owen could, and maybe should, have been catapulted into the main event, looking to avenge his brother’s treatment, but instead he was treated as a joke by D-Generation X, and then was plugged into the Nation of Domination. Whatever his gimmick or position on the card though, Owen was always one of the most entertaining performers in the company, all the way up to his tragic death in 1999.
17. Jeff Hardy
Years of Eligibility: Sept ‘98-April ‘03, Aug ‘06-Aug ‘09
Championships Held: World championship (3 times), Intercontinental championship (4 times), tag team championship (7 times), European championship, cruiserweight championship
Must See: Jeff takes on the Undertaker in a ladder match for the world championship on the July 1st 2002 episode of Raw, convincing everybody that he could be a singles star.
By the numbers: Pay-per-views main evented by Jeff Hardy in 2008-2009 scored an average of 281,000 buys (11 events). The average for all 2008-2009 pay-per-views (excluding Wrestlemania) is 268,000 (22 shows).
Of the six men associated with the inception of the TLC match, nobody embraced the gimmick more than Jeff Hardy, who has made his mark on the industry as the ultimate risk-taker. Along with his brother, Matt, Jeff formed possibly the most popular tag team of the last twenty years and, while Matt brought the lion’s share of the ring fundamentals, it was Jeff who brought the charisma and the excitement. While displaying no real promo skills, Jeff exudes personality, and has become a poster child for the living in the moment lifestyle. His ring style was ultra reckless, and at times looked very sloppy, but it was never less then exciting, highlighted by his Swanton Bomb finisher. Jeff was also willing to perform his signature moves from ever-higher heights, all of which endeared him greatly to the fans who appreciated the sacrifices he was making. He carried with him an alternative look, dying his hair different colours and painting his face, which made him stand out from the crowd, and is a heartthrob to younger girls in particular. With all of this it was clear from the start that Jeff was the guy with the real star potential in the Hardy Boyz, destined to break out from the tag ranks like Shawn Michaels did. He did go through a lot of false starts before he finally hit the heights predicted of him, the main reason probably being his documented addiction problems. The quality of his in-ring performances dropped off a cliff in 2002, as he was noticeably suffering badly from the pain of all those crazy bumps, as well as being clearly addled by drugs. He left the company, and didn’t resurface until 2006, when he was instantly pushed into the Intercontinental Championship scene. He was well on course to move up into the main events, apparently scheduled to win the Money in the Bank ladder match at Wrestlemania 24, when the addiction reared its ugly head again. Hardy was suspended for 60 days for his second wellness violation, but it didn’t seem to hurt him long-term. He returned to feud with Edge over the World Heavyweight Championship, finally winning the big one. He is now a three-time world champion, but none of the reigns have been substantial in length, with one lasting only a matter a seconds. That championship victory though, did begin what has developed into his signature feud with CM Punk. Upon his return to the company, Jeff seemed to have rediscovered his love for wrestling, and his performances were back to something near his peak. He had even improved on his psychology to go along with the big spots. Progressively though he began to look more and more disinterested, and eventually took another sabbatical from the company. In spite of any short-comings in the ring, or issues of commitment, Jeff seems to genuinely appreciate his fans, and before his departure was considered at least the second most popular star in the company, a top merchandise seller, and one of the few draws that the company had.
16. Rey Mysterio
Years of Eligibility: June ‘02-present
Championships Held: World championship, Intercontinental championship (twice), tag team championship (4 times), cruiserweight championship (3 times)
Must See: Rey’s late-2002 run as part of the Smackdown Six, ripping it up on a weekly basis.
By the numbers: The average Smackdown rating with Rey chasing Edge for the world championship in late 2007/early 2008 was 2.8 (8 shows). The average for the next eight shows, with the Undertaker/Edge feud on top was 2.5.
Rey Mysterio made his WWE debut in 2001, and quickly became one of the most popular stars in the company. He was a mainstay of the cruiserweight division, but unlike his fellow cruisers, he was portrayed as a big star, capable of mixing it up with the heavyweights. His look made him very appealing to children, but his in-ring skills got him over with the older fans, as during his first few years in the company he could always be relied upon for a good match. Those who remembered him from his peak years in the mid-nineties will have noticed how much he had slowed down since then, but he still brought an amazing speed and smoothness to the ring, and his lucha style was something new to WWE audiences. He was the best exponent of the cruiserweight style WWE had, carrying the division, and also performed well in the role of ultimate underdog against the heavyweights. As well as being a big singles star, Rey also proved himself to be an excellent tag team competitor, alongside Billy Kidman, Rob van Dam, Edge and perhaps most famously, Eddie Guerrero. The partnership with Edge saw them, along with rivals Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, and Los Guerreros, dubbed the Smackdown Six, singled out for their run of great matches on Smackdown in 2003. The partnership with Guerrero saw them become arguably the most popular act in the company during a down time, and it was at this time that Rey became one of the few genuine draws that the company had, as he and Guerrero were responsible for making Smackdown extremely popular amongst Hispanic audiences. Rey and Eddie’s reputation as draws continued as they embarked on a feud with one another which, while questionable in content (fighting over the custody of Rey’s son), scored big ratings for the blue brand. In the wake of Guerrero’s passing, Rey was given a World Heavyweight Championship reign. This was notable for two reasons. Firstly, Rey’s stature, being 5’3 and weighing well under 200lbs, makes him the least likely WWE champion ever. Secondly, Rey was the worst booked champion ever, getting squashed week after week on television. Many say that this was just a sympathy reign, and it’s true that he may never have won the belt were it not for Guerrero’s death. However, you can’t take away from the fact that Rey has always been one of the most popular and exciting wrestlers in the company. Since the title reign injuries have taken their toll on Mysterio, and he seems to spend more time on the shelf than he does in the ring.
15. Chris Benoit
The Rabid Wolverine
Years of Eligibility: Jan ‘00-June ‘07
Championships Held: World championship, Intercontinental championship (4 times), United States championship (3 times), tag team championship (4 times)
Must See: Wrestlemania 20- Benoit wins the World Heavyweight Championship, and celebrates post-match with Eddie Guerrero.
By the numbers: Average buy-rate for Benoit’s run on top is 0.83 (5 pay-per-views), compared to the previous year’s 0.94 (using corresponding events).
Chris Benoit had built up a reputation as North America’s best wrestler prior to his introduction to the WWF in 2000, and because of this he was instantly over with the fans. His ring work was typified by an ultra hard-hitting style, technical acumen, believability, a great range of moves, and the best and most realistic selling in the company. He could wrestle a fast-paced match, or a more methodical style, as heel or babyface, at the top of the card or opening match, and he had the stamina to go all night if needed. Benoit was also a company man, willing to put anybody over, and make them look like gold in the process. I don’t think that anybody suffered from working with Benoit. It was this high level of ring work that made him so special, and it’s testament to how good he was that he got over so big despite being small in stature, and having no promo skills. His charisma, meanwhile, was tied up in his persona as a tough wrestling machine. He debuted in the company as part of the Radicalz group of WCW defectors, along with Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, and Perry Saturn. Benoit was the one instantly pushed as the top star, getting world championship shots at The Rock, Intercontinental Championship reigns, and a well-developed and lasting feud over that title with Chris Jericho. Because he was someone the fans respected, and recognised as a great wrestler, he was always an option to be brought into the main event to freshen things up, but as time went on it began to appear that he would always be the nearly man. A broken neck took him out of action for a year, and when he returned he wasn’t quite the same wrestler, although he didn’t slow down any. Benoit always wrestled the kind of intense, high risk style that was destined to take its toll on his own body, particularly with his signature flying headbutt, and it appeared that he always would. While his moves didn’t have the same kind of crispness anymore, he was still more than capable of carrying anybody on the roster to a good match, and was still involved in great feuds with Kurt Angle and, with Angle as his partner, Edge and Rey Mysterio and Los Guerreros. Maybe as reward for his continual high level of performance at his own personal risk, Benoit was finally given the big prize, on the biggest stage of all. After winning the 2004 Royal Rumble match, lasting a then-record time, Benoit won the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 20, and then celebrated in the ring with his friend Eddie Guerrero. The reign wasn’t a success though, as Benoit was presented as a second-rate champion, and hardly given any time to build interesting storylines. He lost the championship at Summerslam, and was soon back to being the midcard workhorse, making those around him appear better than they really were. This is the role he fulfilled until his death in 2007.
14. Eddie Guerrero
Latino Heat
Years of Eligibility: Jan ‘00-Nov ‘01, April ‘02-Nov ‘05
Championships Held: World championship, Intercontinental championship (twice), United States championship, tag team championship (4 times), European championship (twice)
Must See: No Way Out 2004- Eddie realises a dream by beating Brock Lesnar in an epic match.
By the numbers: The average buy-rate for Smackdown-only pay-per-views headlined by Eddie Guerrero is 0.52 (5 events). The total average for Smackdown-only pay-per-views is 0.56 (17 events).
Eddie Guerrero came into the company as part of the Radicalz faction, and while it was Chris Benoit who was the biggest star of the foursome, it was Eddie who carried the most charisma. He was excellent in his early role as the smarmy heel, with his thick Latino accent, trademark mullet, and outstanding facial expressions which conveyed so much emotion- he could have been a silent film star in another life. When at his best in the ring he was every bit as good as Benoit; excellent psychology, smooth execution of a wide variety of technical and aerial moves, and great bumping. He was a perfect midcard heel at that point, but it wasn’t long before his immense charisma necessitated a babyface turn. He was paired up with Chyna, and the two enjoyed a highly successful run, with Guerrero developing the Latino Heat character which would eventually make him a main eventer. Not without his problems though, Guerrero’s first run with the company ended abruptly as the drug problems that had haunted him his whole career took their toll. Eddie returned a year later, and looked well for his time off. He ripped it up on Smackdown as part of the three-way feud for the WWE tag team championships, with his nephew, Chavo as his partner, and Los Guerreros ended up being the last team standing, having an excellent run with the belts, and some fine matches with Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin, until Chavo turned heel on his uncle. By this time, Eddie had become one of the most popular stars in the company, one of the best performers night in and night out in the ring, and had also perfected his character, hamming it up on the mic to great effect. In 2004, WWE decided to pull the trigger on Guerrero, making him the WWE champion, as he beat Brock Lesnar for the championship in probably Brock’s best match. His popularity grew as champion, but behind the scenes things were taking a toll on him, and the decision was made to take the belt off him after only a few months. He put JBL over strong, dragging him to a series of very good matches. Guerrero drew a lot of Hispanic viewers to the WWE, and was scheduled for another world championship run at the time of his death. He wasn’t as consistent in the ring as some, having big pockets of being only average, but when he was on it was maybe only Benoit who could match him for variety of high quality work. As an all-rounder, there were very few areas of weakness.
13. Vince McMahon
Years of Eligibility: ‘98-present (sporadic appearances)
Championships Held: World championship, ECW championship
Must See: The Montreal Screwjob- even though it falls outside of his years of eligibility, it was the biggest heel act of the last twenty years, and introduced the character which has been a cornerstone of the company ever since.
By the numbers: Attitude Era (1998-2000) pay-per-views headlined by Vince McMahon have an average buy-rate of 1.28 (5 shows). The average for the era (excluding Wrestlemania) is 1.13 (32 shows).
Probably the worst world champion in WWF history in terms of wrestling ability, Vince McMahon’s only good quality in the ring was the fact that he would do anything to get a match over, be it going through tables, taking unprotected chair shots, bleeding a gusher, or having his face shoved into the Big Show’s backside. Being in his fifties when he made his in-ring debut, and juiced up on steroids to boot, ruled out the possibility of any kind of athleticism, but the fact remained that McMahon didn’t really have to do anything in the ring to pop the crowd. He took a very real situation (the Montreal Screwjob) to develop the Mr. McMahon character, the ultimate corrupt, evil boss, and became the perfect foil for the biggest star in the company, Steve Austin, during the biggest boom period in wrestling history. The feud with Austin was the foundation on which the Attitude Era was built, as well as being what ultimately won the Monday Night Wars and forced WCW out of business, and McMahon was integral in helping to get Mankind and the Rock, and later Triple H, over at the highest level as his in-ring proxies. He played his role perfectly, shaking off his years as an annoyingly inadequate announcer to display the type of charisma most active wrestlers would kill for. He had a great look, with wild eyes, a sadistic smile, and a build that made it possible for him to be believable pushing people around. He was excellent at playing a complete asshole. The promos were great too, with the booming voice and cocksure attitude, and his performances in skits were often hilarious. Vince really was an excellent heel in ‘98-2000, probably the best and most over in the business, mostly excelling when being humiliated and outdone by Austin- and he deserves credit for allowing himself to be shown in such embarrassing situations. As a babyface he was less convincing, but the fans still bought him as a badass when he feuded with top heel, Triple H in 1999/2000. Since then, McMahon has made sporadic returns to the ring, mostly with diminishing results- the feud with son Shane was entertaining, in a bad soap opera kind of way; the feud with daughter Stephanie was an absolute embarrassment; the feud with Hulk Hogan had nostalgic value; the feud with Lashley just reminded us of how much things had changed since 1998. Outside of the actual attempts at wrestling, Vince has been a detriment to his company by continually pushing himself as a top star, stroking his ego on screen with the Kiss My Ass club. All aspects of his performance has devolved- his acting has become laughably over the top, the promos waffling and repetitive. McMahon enjoyed another championship run in 2007, with the ECW championship, and the title has never really recovered.
12. Edge
The Rated-R Superstar
Years of Eligibility: ‘98-present
Championships Held: World championship (8 times), Intercontinental championship (5 times), tag team championship (12 times)
Must See: New Year’s Revolution 2006- Edge becomes the first man to cash in the Money in the Bank briefcase, defeating John Cena in a matter of seconds to win the world championship for the first time.
By the numbers: The average Raw rating during Edge’s first world championship reign was 4.4 (from 3 episodes). The previous three episodes had averaged out at 3.7. The average for his second reign was 3.9 (10 episodes). The following 10 episodes after Edge lost the championship scored an average of 3.7
Edge debuted in 1999, at the tail end of the Attitude Era, quickly became an Intercontinental Champion, but was a somewhat bland babyface who didn’t really show his true potential until teaming up with Christian and breathing new life into the tag team division. The pair were awesome as the dorky heels, and tore the house down in their feud with the Hardys and the Dudleys. When the team went their separate ways, it was Edge who was singled out as the main eventer-in-waiting, and he had a great breakout singles feud with Kurt Angle. Edge had exhibited strong mic skills during his partnership with Christian, but again struggled to really find an original voice as a babyface. His matches were always fast paced, often jumping from one spot to the next, swiftly and smoothly with only a basic grasp of psychology; he was a moves man primarily, and his execution and variety was good. He was also a good athletic bumper, and a fine seller of emotion. His babyface run was a success as he racked up the title reigns, but he was never going to break into the main event with that persona. In 2004 he was turned heel, and it didn’t take him long to become one of the best in the business, mastering the role of the psychotic heel. Things only got better as he was paired up with Lita, as the two had incredible chemistry, and were able to generate white hot heat. Edge became a world champion by being the first man to cash in the money in the bank briefcase, and there was good evidence that he could be a draw as champion, if only he hadn’t been used as a temporary champion to refresh John Cena’s character. Edge has since racked up several more championship reigns, but sadly has never been given the opportunity to be a long-term champion. That is partly due to the fact that Edge is injury prone, and has spent several lengthy periods on the sidelines. Now a ten-year veteran with the WWF/E, Edge has developed into one of the top two or three promo men in the company, and has been the best heel over the course of the past four years, having memorable feuds with Cena and The Undertaker amongst others. He has also developed a finer sense of storytelling in his matches, although he is apt to revert to the my spot-your spot style at times, especially against less experienced guys. Even so, he doesn’t have bad matches, his excellent mannerisms, timing and execution making him one of the most exciting wrestlers to watch in the business.
11. Kurt Angle
The Olympic Champion
Years of Eligibility: Nov ‘99-Aug ‘06
Championships Held: World championship (5 times), Intercontinental championship, United States championship, tag team championship, European championship
Must See: Invasion-era Angle, in which he showed the full range of his talents, going from goofy backstage skits to getting over as a sympathetic, and then ass-kicking, babyface.
By the numbers: Pay-per-views headlined by Kurt Angle during his first main event run (2000-2001, 6 shows) had an average buy-rate of 1.31, up from 1.21 from the previous year’s corresponding pay-per-views.
It took Kurt Angle within twelve months of his WWF debut, after being a gold medal winning Olympian, to become a European Champion, Intercontinental Champion, and World Champion, as well as one of the best professional wrestlers in the world, and possibly the most entertaining performer in the company. Starting out as a goofy, but obnoxious heel, Angle quickly made the transition from amateur to pro, basing his ring-work around well-executed suplexes and throws, and the kind of never-slow-down attitude also exhibited by Chris Benoit. Angle was charismatic within the ring, bumping athletically and playing to the crowd. He was a smooth executor of technical holds, as one would expect with his background, although he didn’t fully understand how to use that for the better of a match, and his selling was also a weak point. He quickly found his feet on the mic, and excelled in a comedic role, never afraid to be the butt of jokes. This extended to his performances in skits, as Angle’s timing and delivery were the best in the company; as great a wrestler as he was, he will maybe be most remembered for his series of hilarious skits with Vince McMahon and Steve Austin in 2001. This may have hurt him long-term, as he might have found a sustained main event push more forthcoming if presented as the legit tough-guy that he really was. Angle was already incredibly over when he was first turned babyface, playing the part of the WWF’s sacrificial lamb in the Invasion storyline. Angle elicited great sympathy, and went on to have a strong series of matches with Booker T, and then Austin. Austin was probably the perfect opponent for Angle, having all the know-how to reign him in and work to his strengths. He also had a good series of matches against Benoit and Shawn Michaels, and a drawn out feud with Brock Lesnar, which included a Wrestlemania main event. Angle was hampered throughout his WWF/E career by injuries, notably the well-documented neck injuries that he brought with him from his amateur days, and added to with his devil-may-care bumping style. After a golden first couple of years with the company, Angle seemed to stop progressing as a performer, relying on the high-octane bumps to pop the crowd, rather than furthering his grasp on ring psychology. He remained one of the best in the company (putting over a young John Cena and warring with Eddie Guerrero) and was still excellent on the mic, but there was also the sense while watching him that you were witnessing a man doing irreparable harm to himself. Obviously, that wasn’t all that far from the truth, as Angle and WWE shockingly parted ways in 2006, with Angle still very much a main eventer and potential money maker, with WWE claiming that Angle had refused rehab for a painkiller addiction.
10. Chris Jericho
Years of Eligibility: Aug ‘99-Aug ‘05, Nov ‘07-present
Championships Held: World championship (5 times), Intercontinental championship (9 times), tag team championship (4 times), European championship
Must See: Jericho’s August 9th 1999 WWF debut on Raw, interrupting The Rock. Considered by many to be the greatest wrestling debut ever.
By the numbers: Pay-per-views headlined by Chris Jericho in 2008 averaged 231,500 buys (4 shows), compared to the year average of 276,000 (13 shows, excluding Wrestlemania)
Chris Jericho has been a staple in the upper-midcard/main events for 8 of the last 10 years (the other two years was time he spent away from wrestling of his own accord). This has been achieved due to excellent promo skills, well above average ringwork, and enduring popularity. He made a dream debut in the company, trading insults with The Rock, before he settled into a role as the most entertaining man in the midcard, notching up Intercontinental Championship reigns. Jericho played the role of the cocky, flamboyant heel to perfection, delighting in showing his opponents up, but also in making himself look foolish. He easily transitioned into a babyface, and had what is maybe his career defining feud with Chris Benoit over the Intercontinental Championship. The two had excellent chemistry in the ring, with Jericho carrying the feud on the mic. Jericho at the time was probably only behind The Rock in terms of delivering comedic promos, as he usually hit the mark creating variations on his opponent’s names and, famously, conjuring up creative insults for Stephanie McMahon. During that babyface run Jericho was on the cusp of being a genuine headliner and draw, and looked a natural successor to The Rock. The fans ate up pretty much everything Jericho did at the time, but there were occasions when his shtick became overplayed, and the eventual heel turn on The Rock in 2001 provided just the fresh impetus that he needed. Despite all the goofiness of his run to date, Jericho completely convinced playing it intense, and finally got the break he deserved, beating Rocky and Steve Austin in the same night to become the first ever Undisputed Champion. The reign was short-lived though, as Triple H soon returned from his quad injury (which Jericho had inflicted) and squashed the champion in their feud, turning the focus away from Jericho and onto the tedious Triple H/Stephanie divorce angle (with Jericho reduced to playing the role of Stephanie’s bitch). On his best day, Jericho was as good a wrestler as just about anyone in the company, mixing a high-flying cruiserweight style, with his Calgary-instilled toughness and technical ability. He could go toe-to-toe with great wrestlers, as evidenced by his series with Benoit, and also carry inferior wrestlers to very good matches (he is probably John Cena’s greatest opponent). For his talents though, there were all too many occasions where he appeared sloppy in the ring, especially on offence. He can also be very obvious when calling spots to his opponent. After the Triple H debacle, Jericho went back to his place in the upper-midcard, always featured in big programmes (like with Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan), and always entertaining. A couple more face/heel turns didn’t hurt his overness too much either. He left the company in 2005 to pursue outside interests, putting Cena over huge on the way out, and returned in 2007. The WWE tried to recreate the buzz around Jericho’s initial debut with his return, but it fell flat, and the fans didn’t seem to buy him as a challenger to WWE champion Randy Orton. The sophomoric humour wasn’t cutting it anymore, so Jericho reinvented himself as a serious, self-righteous heel, and once again became the best performer in the company, making the fans despise a man who was once so beloved. Jericho has been the best promo man for the last 18 months, and has hardly had a bad match in that time. He had the feud of the year with Shawn Michaels in 2008, and it was a feud he largely carried. You could argue that he has never been better.
9. Hulk Hogan
The Immortal One
Years of Eligibility: Jan ‘90-March ‘92, March ‘93-June ‘93, Jan ‘02-July ‘03, April ‘05-Aug ‘05, various cameos
Championships Held: World championship (5 times), tag team championship
Must See: Hogan takes on The Rock at Wrestlemania 18, and the atmosphere is electrifying.
By the numbers: Average ‘big four’ pay-per-view (featuring Hogan) buy-rate 1990-1992; 2.75 (10 shows). The next ten (without Hogan); 1.2. Average from ten Hogan pay-per-view appearances from the comeback run; 1.1
Hulk Hogan is the most iconic figure in wrestling history, and catapulted the WWF to new heights in the 1980s. By the time 1990 rolled around though, his act was growing stale, and the company were looking at possible successors. Hogan dropped his WWF championship at Wrestlemania 6 to the Ultimate Warrior, but managed to keep himself in the spotlight in the process. When Warrior’s title reign didn’t fare as well as expected, Hogan was ready to pick up the pieces, regaining the championship at Wrestlemania 7 from caretaker champion, Sergeant Slaughter, after winning the 1991 Royal Rumble match. The same problems for the company were still there though, and numbers were declining- even the dream match up with Ric Flair didn’t draw as big as expected. Hogan did a trade of the belt with The Undertaker, before being stripped of the championship, paving the way for Flair to get the strap. Again though, Hogan, despite not being champion, made sure that he was the main focus of attention, having a ‘retirement’ match in the main event of Wrestlemania 8 with Sid Justice. In reality, the steroid scandal had hit the company, and Hogan’s name was dragged through the mud. He took an extended leave of absence, but made sure to return in time for Wrestlemania 9, winning the world championship for a fifth time in an impromptu match, which many long-term fans were sickened by. This return was short-lived, with Hogan refusing to put Bret Hart over for the belt at Summerslam, and before long Hogan dropped the title back to Yokozuna (in screw job fashion, of course) and headed to WCW. During this three-year period, almost every aspect of Hogan’s performances had diminished from the salad years of the 80s. The match with Warrior at Wrestlemania 6 was miraculously good, but generally people had tired of his routine of getting beat down for the majority of the match, before ‘Hulking up’ and making a big comeback, ending with the legdrop of doom for the victory. He had become progressively more immobile, and his offence was as light as it had ever been, including his famously poor punches. He was still as charismatic as ever, but there’s only so many times you can hear the same things before it starts to grate. The company declined with Hogan at the helm, but because nobody had been truly put over as his successor, he remained the biggest draw. He returned to the company in 2002, after WCW had been brought out, as part of the nWo faction, with which he had changed the face of wrestling. He immediately entered into a dream feud with the new franchise of the company, The Rock, and the WWE fans showed they had no intention of booing their returning hero. At Wrestlemania 18, Hogan and Rock stole the show with their emotional match, and were the true main eveners, with many leaving before the Triple H/Chris Jericho world championship match. Hogan did the job, but true to form, stole the spotlight, though this time it was giving the fans what they truly wanted- a babyface turn. After that, Hogan donned the familiar yellow and red colours, and was embraced fully by the fans, to the point that he was given another run, short albeit, with the world title. Hogan had nothing to offer in the ring at this point, and hadn’t for several years, but the nostalgia effect was in full force. It was cool to be a Hulkamaniac again. To Hogan’s credit, he even put over a few stars during his stay, notably Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle. He also had a high profile Wrestlemania match with Vince McMahon. He has made sporadic returns to the company since that two year-long run, usually when he needs to make some money. The most successful of which was probably his feud with Shawn Michaels, though the blow-off match at Summerslam 2005 is most notable for Shawn petulantly over-selling to protest doing the job.
8. John Cena
The Champ
Years of Eligibility: July ‘02-present
Championships Held: World championship (6 times), United States championship (3 times), tag team championship (twice)
Must See: The Wrestlemania 21 main event against JBL, in which Cena took his place as the franchise of the company.
By the numbers: The average Raw rating while John Cena was on the shelf (late 2007-early 2008) was 3.3 (16 shows). The 16 shows before the injury (with Cena as WWE champion) had a 3.5 average, and the 16 shows after Cena returned had a 3.48 average.
John Cena was singled out for success from the get-go, pushing Kurt Angle to the limit in his debut match, and then upsetting Chris Jericho in his pay-per-view debut. He was just a bland babyface though, and had trouble moving up the card. He eventually turned heel, playing a goofy white rapper in a role that looked to be heading nowhere. Cena was always a hard worker in the ring, and had a good, muscular look. He moved well around the ring, but was obviously limited technically. His big break was getting injured by Brock Lesnar, and when he came back he had a more serious attitude. He soon became one of the top heels on the Smackdown roster, feuding with the Undertaker and Eddie Guerrero, and was starting to get over big time with the fans. Eventually, he was so over that the company had no option but to turn him babyface, and Cena’s ascent to the top of the WWE was in motion. He made his Wrestlemania debut, winning his first championship (the United States championship) at Wrestlemania 20, and one year later, by now the hottest act in the company, he won his first WWE Championship from JBL. It was Cena’s incredible charisma that got him over. He excelled as the white rapper, with a very real talent in that area, and the raps he would cut on his opponents before matches were often hilarious (especially when he was a heel), and always well-received. Cena eventually moved to the main show, Raw, and became the undisputed face of the company, and the successor to Hogan, Austin and the Rock. On Raw, his act became incredibly watered down. The rapping stopped, and in its place came lame jokes, and cartoonish promos, with his failings in the ring also becoming magnified. He suffered a huge backlash from the fans, but continued to be pushed as an unbeatable superman, clocking up the longest championship reign since the Hogan days. Cena retained his position as the top man mainly because of his popularity with children and women, and he was by far the top merchandise-seller in the company. He’s also the closest thing the company has now to a mainstream star, with his appearances on numerous television shows and his, poorly received, film appearances. He remains a hard-worker in the ring, but has never developed into a great wrestler. He is probably the strongest man in the company, has great stamina in the ring, and has been involved in many good matches over the course of his career, these matches usually falling into the ‘good spectacle’ category, rather than being technically sound. Despite this, his offence is incredibly unconvincing, and his psychology is weak. He sells fine when he remembers to do it, but it all becomes undone when he goes into superhero mode at the end of the match. Cena is capable of being amazing on the mic, and is probably the most charismatic man in the company. Whether it’s good or bad, he always gets a huge reaction when he appears. He also main evented Wrestlemania 22 and 23, and wrestled for the WWE championship at 24 and 25, cementing his position as the franchise of the company.
7. Triple H
The Game
Years of Eligibility: May ‘95-present
Championships Held: World championship (13 times), Intercontinental championship (4 times), tag team championship, European championship (twice)
Must See: The streetfight with Cactus Jack at Royal Rumble 2000.
By the numbers: The average pay-per-view buy-rate for Triple H’s 2000 run on top is 1.43 (8 events). For his 2002 run on top, it’s 1.0 (9 events). For 2003, it’s 0.83 (10 events).
There is perhaps no more polarising figure in the history of wrestling than Triple H, a supremely gifted performer who has used his position in the company to hold down his competition. Triple H debuted in 1995, and showed some promise as an aristocratic heel in the midcard. It wasn’t long before he had hooked up with notorious trouble-makers, Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, and initially the association hindered him, as he was the only man punished for the Curtain Call incident, losing his position as the designated winner of the 1996 King of the Ring tournament to Steve Austin (a possibly history-changing occurrence), and jobbing to anyone and everyone. He had to wait just a year longer to get his crown though, and by the time he did the addition of Chyna to his act had started to get him over in a big way, and his breakout feud, with Mankind, followed. Later that year he hooked up on-screen with Michaels to form D-Generation X, and took over the reigns as leader of the group after Michaels retired due to injury after Wrestlemania 14. D-X were one of the hottest acts of the Attitude Era, providing able support to Austin, the Rock, Mankind et al, and Triple H had a good feud with The Rock over the Intercontinental Championship. He moved up to the main events at the end of 1999, but it took another pairing with a woman and feud with Mick Foley to really put him over the top. This time it was Stephanie McMahon, turning out to be excellent as daddy’s little girl gone bad, who provided the partner-in-crime for Triple H, and Foley, in the Cactus Jack guise, did everything in his power to put him over as the ultimate bad-ass heel at the beginning of 2000. 2000 turned out to be a banner year for Triple H, as he added an excellent and hot feud with the Rock to the Cactus feud, and was always the central figure as the McMahon-Helmsley Regime rolled on. He was excellent in the ring, having great psychology and ring savvy, selling well, displaying great technical expertise, and playing the unscrupulous heel to perfection. He was capable of being very good to great on the mic, and performed very well in backstage segments. He capped a great year by being named the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Wrestler of the Year. The wheels started to come off in 2001. He horned in on Steve Austin’s big heel turn (refusing to turn babyface and be Austin’s first victim, instead forming the Two-Man Power Trip) and then tore his quadricep, which caused him to miss the rest of the year, and the big Invasion storyline. He returned with much fanfare to win the 2002 Royal Rumble match, and then proceeded to bury Undisputed Champion, Chris Jericho in their feud. He came back from the injury with a lot of added mass, and had lost a lot of mobility, and 2002 began a long period of being pushed at the expense of other possible main-eveners, like Rob van Dam, Kane, and Booker T. Triple H was now becoming known for the ridiculously long, ponderous promos that would open Raw, and dull, critically-panned feuds with the likes of Scott Steiner and Kevin Nash. He’s received the longest sustained main event push since the company went national, having been on top for ten years now, main evented six of the last nine Wrestlemanias, and racked up 13 world championship reigns. The one main event star Triple H made was Batista, and he did it in style, putting him over in the Wrestlemania 21 main event. His popularity sagged in the middle of this decade, and he has always been a whipping boy for internet fans, but he is re-established as one of the most popular acts in the company, and his regular D-X reunions with Michaels prove very successful at the merchandise stands.
6. Mick Foley
Years of Eligibility: April ‘96-March ‘00, Jan ‘04-April ‘04, Oct ‘05-Aug ‘06, various cameos
Championships Held: World championship (3 times), tag team championship (7 times)
Must See: The King of the Ring 1998 Hell in a Cell match against The Undertaker, in which Foley takes the most famous bump in wrestling history.
By the numbers: The average buy-rate for pay-per-views in which Foley main evented pre-King of the Ring 1998 is 0.56 (6 ppvs). The average buy-rate for pay-per-views main evented by Foley post-KOTR ‘98 is 1.24 (9 ppvs, excluding Wrestlemania 16).
Mick Foley debuted in 1996 as Mankind, and straight out of the gate had a feud with The Undertaker which proved to be the best of ‘Taker’s career to that point. He was excellent in the role of the psychologically disturbed, sadistic heel, finding a balance between being genuinely frightening and, at the same time, intriguing. He worked a very physical style, exhibiting great brawling skills, and taking trademark big bumps to put over his opponent and the match. In 1997 Mankind made an expert transition to sympathetic babyface, earning the respect of the fans for his wrestling style, and being embraced because of Foley’s excellent portrayal of a troubled man. Foley’s persona was developed further with the introduction of Dude Love, a character Foley had created as a young man hoping to be a wrestler. This new side of Foley only added to his popularity, and the period was highlighted by a great midcard feud with Hunter Hearst Helmsley. It looked like Foley had settled into a role as a popular upper-midcarder, able to legitimise the next big star like Kane, when he was suddenly turned heel again and, in the Dude Love persona, was the first challenger of Steve Austin’s first world championship reign. Again, Foley excelled in his role, playing the goofy hippy-esque chick magnet, and formed a relationship with Vince McMahon which they would later resume to great effect. At this point, Foley had made more of his career than most would have thought, with his less-than-athletic look, and limited technical wrestling skills, but things were about to really blow up. It took one match to turn Foley from reliable WWF star, to wrestling icon, that being the Hell in the Cell match with The Undertaker at King of the Ring 1998. Foley took the most famous bump in wrestling history, off the top of the cell and through the announce table, and cemented his legacy. That match catapulted Foley into the main event, and from there he became the third biggest star of the Attitude Era, behind only Austin and The Rock. He clocked up three world championship reigns over the next year and a half, and the event of his first championship win was the first time Monday Night Raw overtook WCW’s Nitro in the Monday Night Wars (with WCW commentator, Tony Schiavone, famously spoiling the result of the match, and sarcastically saying ‘that will put bums in seats). Foley also released the groundbreaking ‘Have a Nice Day’ book at this time, which became a New York Times bestseller, and popularised the wrestling memoirs genre. By 2000, Foley’s body had become worn down after all the bumps, and he decided to retire, putting over Triple H huge on the way out. He has, however, reneged on that retirement several times, with mixed results. His most successful comeback was the feud with Randy Orton in 2004, in which he made Orton look like a million bucks. Foley got over because he had a genuine charisma, making him instantly likeable, and an everyman quality which the fans could relate to. With his frame and background he gave many the hope of one day achieving their own dreams. He also won respect for his hard work, and sacrifices in the ring. His charisma played well in skits, memorably alongside the likes of McMahon and The Rock, and there was no point in his WWF career when he wasn’t one of the best two or three promo men in the company. He was excellent at cutting in-depth intense promos, having a perfect sense of intonation and pitch, knowing when to whisper, and when to scream. He also excelled in a comedy role, having great timing. Even when he came back to the ring some fifty pounds heavier, and clearly less mobile, than he was in his prime, he still brought the goods on the mic.
5. The Undertaker
The Phenom
Years of Eligibility: Nov ‘90-present
Championships Held: World championship (7 times), tag team championship (7 times)
Must See: Bad Blood 1997- the epic first Hell in a Cell match against Shawn Michaels.
By the numbers: The average live attendance for shows in which The Undertaker challenged Steve Austin for the world championship in 1998-1999 was 15,014 (from 36 shows). The average for Austin against other challengers (including Mankind and Triple H) was 11,535.
The Undertaker is the closest thing to an ‘ever present’ on the list, debuting in late 1990, and he has been a top of the card performer for the totality of his near-twenty-year run. He spent the first year of his run as a monster heel, going undefeated on his way to a short, and screwy, WWF Championship reign. ‘Taker was a decent big man worker, evidenced by feats of athleticism like the ‘old school’ walk of the ropes and the lunging clothesline, but was handcuffed by a gimmick which required him to move painfully slow in the ring, show no emotion, no sell almost all of his opponents’ offence, and rely heavily on chokes and thrusts for his own offence. Despite this, and the intrinsic stupidity of the gimmick, he got over, be it a testament to his own abilities, or the mega-push he received. ‘Taker turned babyface at the beginning of 1992, and began a four-year run of competing as a special attraction, just below the main event, against a whole host of dismal opponents, terrible gimmicks, and monster-of-the-month types. The Undertaker was a popular figure during this time, very good in the supporting role, but there is little evidence that he was a draw, and he was generally involved in the worst match of the card every time out. His career got a shot in the arm in 1996 when he began a feud with Mankind in which he finally got an opportunity to work with a motivated opponent, someone who could bring it in the ring, in a good give-and-take feud. The Undertaker being presented as somebody with a weakness is what finally brought the best out of him in the ring. Now we learnt that ‘Taker could work a faster, more intense style, was a very smart seller, and was willing to take more chances in the ring. He was rewarded with his first Wrestlemania main event in 1997, and a good run with the championship which lasted until the Summer. ‘Taker was now somebody who could be relied on to have a good match, and was adding another dimension to his character by transitioning into more of a demonic anti-hero. He was also starting to get an opportunity to branch out more on the mic, and proved himself to be adequate at delivering gruff, threatening promos. ‘Taker finished 1997 by having a Wrestling Observer Newsletter 5-star match with Shawn Michaels, in the first Hell in a Cell match, and then entered into a feud with Kane which lasted into the Attitude Era. He became a key player in this boom period for wrestling, going back to playing the heel, but now almost in the role of a cult leader, as he took charge of the Ministry and enjoyed another world championship run. His feud with Steve Austin was a big hit at the box office, but it’s likely that anybody would have drawn opposite Austin at that point. He took one of his famed time-outs at the end of 1999, and returned in a whole new role in 2000. ‘The American Badass’ saw the Undertaker, now wrestling in leather biker pants, ride down to the ring on a motorcycle to music from Limp Bizkit or Kid Rock. Gone from the promos were the occult and paranormal references; ‘Taker was now a simple Texas ass-kicking biker, with an admitted dark-side. It was during this run that ‘Taker first began to look as though a long career was starting to take a toll on him, although the break from the Dead Man gimmick for a few years definitely freshened him up, and allowed him to display more versatility in the ring and on the mic. He was a big player in the Invasion storyline during this time, and had another run with the world championship. He returned to the Dead Man gimmick at Wrestlemania 20, but it was in actuality more of a fusion of the two gimmicks. Despite his age, ‘Taker is still able to provide the goods in the ring, especially on the big stage, although he can be a bit too reliant on strikes and ineffective-looking Mixed Martial Arts submissions. The biggest criticism he has faced is that he rarely does the job, even at this advanced stage in his career. The other side of the coin is that, even by looking competitive in defeat, wrestlers get a big rub just from being in the ring with him. By all accounts he is one of the most respected men in the industry.
4. Bret Hart
The Best There Is, The Best There Was, and the Best There Ever Will Be
Years of Eligibility: Jan ‘90-Nov ‘97
Championships Held: World championship (5 times), Intercontinental championship (twice), tag team championship
Must See: The feud with Steve Austin- perfect storytelling all the way.
By the numbers: The average Raw rating during Bret Hart’s 1995-1996 WWF championship reign was 2.73 (17 episodes). The last two months of the Diesel reign averaged a 2.4 rating (11 episodes), and the following Shawn Michaels reign averaged 2.61 (31 episodes).
From 1991 to 1997, when he left the company, Bret Hart was always amongst the best two or three wrestlers in the WWF, and often at number one. He began the decade as part of the Hart Foundation with Jim Neidhart, winning the tag team championship at the end of 1990, and holding the belts until Wrestlemania 7. Hart was the workhorse of the team, and had the more obvious star quality, whereas Neidhart was perhaps more charismatic, and certainly better on the mic. The team split after dropping the belts, and Hart quickly became a top contender to Mr Perfect’s Intercontinental Championship, winning the belt in a classic match at Summerslam ‘91. Hart’s wrestling style was built on believability and technical acumen. His execution of moves was crisp and effective-looking, and his selling was as convincing as anybody’s. He was also without peer in the company when it came to carrying inferior wrestlers to good matches, and could work entertaining matches against a wide variety of opponents. What is most impressive is that he did this whilst working to, and showcasing, his opponents’ strengths, rather than working to his own, as fellow carrying machines Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels were apt to do. Hart was very effective at this time playing the skilled, athletic babyface, always capable of beating his bigger opponents with superior technique and stamina. The fans believed in his abilities, and this made him extremely popular. His promo skills were underdeveloped- he was serviceable and believable, but lacked range and charisma. With the company looking to smaller athletes in the wake of the steroid scandal, Hart was given a run with the world championship at the end of 1992, winning the belt from Ric Flair and carrying it through to Wrestlemania 9. Business was down in general at this time, and Hart did nothing more than steady the ship. When Hulk Hogan returned in 1993, Hart was phased out of the main event picture, though by this time he was comfortably the best wrestler in the company, and maybe the most popular. He won the 1993 King of the Ring tournament, having a trio of very good matches in the one night, and then transitioned into an excellent feud with Jerry Lawler. His hard work in the upper-midcard was rewarded when he outlasted the mega-push of Lex Luger to pick up his second world championship in the main event of Wrestlemania 10, before seeing out the bulk of ‘94 in a feud with his brother, Owen. While the feud with Lawler was carried mainly by Lawler’s outstanding mic work, the Owen feud was largely workrate-based, with both men tearing it up in the ring, including having a Wrestling Observer Newsletter 5-star match at Summerslam ‘94. Hart was soon once again passed over for a less talented and less popular wrestler, as he watched on for most of 1995 as Diesel got a run with the championship. Again, during this time, Hart was usually in the best match on the card, or vying for that accolade with the emerging Shawn Michaels. He got his third reign with the belt at the end of 1995, dragging a fine match out of Diesel in the process, but this was a transitional reign as he was assigned the job of passing the torch to Michaels at Wrestlemania 12. Hart took an extended leave of absence after this match, but returned at Survivor Series ‘96 and for the next year put on arguably his best work for the company, being immediately involved in his third outstanding feud of the decade, this time with Steve Austin. This one was the best of the bunch, as the superwork evident in the Owen feud was here, and Bret also stepped up his promo work to the top level, going toe to the toe on the mic with the outstanding Austin, and perhaps being the best in the company at the time. This feud was also a pivotal one in company history, as Hart did one of the better put-over jobs you’re likely to see anywhere, helping to turn Austin into a superstar. The feud with Austin and Bret’s heel turn transitioned into the forming of the Hart Foundation stable, along with Neidhart, Owen, Davey Boy Smith and Brian Pillman, and the Canada Vs USA angle which is possibly the best booked angle in WWF history. Hart was perfect as first the bitter heel, complaining about his treatment, and then the sanctimonious heel. It all came to an end in controversial fashion after he agreed a deal with WCW, and was double-crossed out of his fifth world championship at Survivor Series ‘97 by Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels. Of all the great feuds Bret had on-screen, it was probably the off-screen rivalry with Michaels that has come to best define him. There have been criticisms that Bret was too formulaic in the ring and, while he had a large worldwide fan base, he never rose above being a mediocre draw, but his body of work stands up against anybody’s on the list, and far exceeds most.
3. Shawn Michaels
The Heartbreak Kid
Years of Eligibility: Jan ‘90-March ‘98, Aug ‘02-present
Championships Held: World championship (4 times), Intercontinental championship (3 times), tag team championship (3 times), European championship
Must See: Shawn announces to the world that he has lost his smile on the February 10th 1997 Raw, forfeiting the world championship. For all the great matches, this is a moment which will always follow Shawn around.
By the numbers: Shawn’s pay-per-view buy-rates during his 1996 year on top; Wrestlemania 12- 1.2 (down 0.1 from previous year), In Your House 7- 0.81 (no April ppv in 2005), IYH 8- 0.45 (-0.28), King of the Ring- 0.6 (-0.05), IYH 9- 0.37 (-0.33), Summerslam- 0.58 (-0.32), IYH 10- 0.48 (-0.22), Survivor Series- 0.58 (+0.01).
Shawn Michaels has always been a controversial figure, known in the mid-90s for being a backstage troublemaker, and putting his own interests above those of the business. He is notorious during that time for refusing to do jobs (only 3 of his 9 championship reigns during his first run with the company ended with Shawn doing the job), and was at the centre of two of the biggest controversies of the 90s- the Curtain Call, and the Montreal Screwjob, perhaps the most infamous event in wrestling history. He started the 1990s as a tag team wrestler, as part of The Rockers along with Marty Jannetty. From 1990 to the beginning of 1992, The Rockers were one of the best tag teams in the world, their exciting aerial and speed-based attack making them incredibly popular. The two men were very similar, but it was clear that Michaels had the potential to be a breakout star and, after he threatened to leave the company unless he got a singles run, the team was broken up and Michaels was repackaged as a cocky, pretty boy heel, along with Sensational Sherri as manager. The Michaels-Sherri combination was very entertaining, and Michaels soon got his first taste of singles gold, winning the Intercontinental championship from Davey Boy Smith in late 1992. Michaels challenged Hart for the world championship at that year’s Survivor Series, hinting at the rivalry to come, and had two good runs with the championship before being suspended after refusing to drop the championship in the ring. He returned in 1994 to feud with Razor Ramon over the championship, with the two of them setting the standard for the ladder match at Wrestlemania 10. Michaels won the 1995 Royal Rumble match, which many consider to be the worst rumble match ever, and then repeated in 1996. This second victory was much more significant as by this time Michaels had turned babyface, and was being primed for a run at the top after three years of being the company’s best midcard performer. Shawn was one of the smallest men in the company, but also one of the most agile and athletic, two of the cornerstones of his act. He was incredibly quick around the ring, performing moves crisply at great speed, and was capable of moves seldom seen in North America at the time, such as moonsaults and dives to the floor. Despite this exciting offensive style, he was perhaps best known for his athletic bumping, taking a cue from the likes of Ric Flair and Curt Hennig, but taking it up a notch to the point that it would at times detract from the match rather than add to it. His selling was also typically showy, but he was excellent at taking a beating and eliciting sympathy from the fans. Because of this he could carry practically anybody to a good match, although it was often a case of Shawn just putting on a show around his opponent, rather than with him. He was confident on the mic but, even when a babyface, his mannerisms and tone were heelish. His big moment came at Wrestlemania 12, when he won the world championship from Bret Hart in an iron man match, but his year at the top yielded mixed results. On one hand, it was a banner year for Shawn in the ring, as he put on excellent matches with the likes of Owen Hart, Mankind and Davey Boy Smith. On the other hand, while house show attendances picked up after Diesel’s reign on top, pay-per-view buy-rates and TV ratings were down as for the first time WCW became the number one wrestling company in America. It was also during this time that Michaels’ backstage attitude began to become problematic. His backstage feud with Bret Hart came to a head at Survivor Series ‘97 when he picked up his third world championship after being in cahoots with Vince McMahon to double-cross Hart, and by this time his friendship with Triple H had spilled over onto the screen in the form of the D-Generation X group. Michaels’ act really pushed the envelope in 1997, including stripping in the ring and making sexual references in his promos. However, as 1998 rolled around, it appeared as though Michaels’ career was over after he took an awkward bump on a casket during a Casket Match with The Undertaker. He wrestled through the pain to admirably put Steve Austin over for his first world championship in the main event of Wrestlemania 14, and then retired for more than four years. Michaels made sporadic appearances during his time off, before making an in-ring return at Summerslam 2002. His comeback was well-received, and it’s to his credit that he could still perform most of the same moves and bumps as during his prime, although not always as crisply. Particularly, his offence has lost a lot of its edge, and it seems Shawn has compensated by hamming up his performances, often to ridiculous extremes. His popularity has perhaps grown during his time off as, in his peak, Shawn’s fanbase consisted largely of females and children, with men being turned off by his pretty boy persona, whereas after his return he was maybe more respected for his talents, as well as being largely forgiven for his past transgressions. His attitude is also said to have changed, and he seems more willing to share the spotlight. He received a short nostalgia world championship run in 2002, and has added two more Wrestlemania main events to his resume. His reputation of always stealing the show at Wrestlemania is somewhat overstated, although he does raise his game for the big matches. Since the comeback, Michaels has remained a main event player, having big feuds with Triple H (which came off as masturbatory), Chris Jericho (the two always doing good work together), and Kurt Angle.
2. The Rock
The Most Electrifying Man In Sports-Entertainment
Years of Eligibility: Nov ‘96-March ‘04
Championships Held: World championship (8 times), Intercontinental championship (3 times), tag team championship (5 times)
Must See: The brutal Royal Rumble 1999 I Quit match against Mankind.
By the numbers: None-‘big 4’ pay-per-views with The Rock in the main event, and no Steve Austin on the card, got an average 1.21 buy-rate (7 events), compared to 7 shows with neither man in the main event from the same period, averaging at 0.91.
The Rock debuted at Survivor Series ‘96 as Rocky Maivia, and was given a big push right off the bat, being the sole survivor in his match, and going on to win the Intercontinental Championship within months. His status as a third generation wrestler was heavily pushed, but the only thing he seemed to have going for him back then was an athletic physique, hardly unique in the WWF. He was an incredibly bland babyface, coming off as dorky as he smiled and bounded eagerly to the ring. The fans didn’t take to him, and he endured chants of ‘Rocky Sucks’ on a regular basis. In the ring he was incredibly green, clearly athletically gifted, but not knowing how to best use his 6’5, 265lbs frame. Nobody predicted back then that Maivia would become one of the most charismatic men in wrestling history, and break-out into the mainstream in the way that perhaps no-one else ever has. Things first started to turn around when he was turned heel and joined up with the Nation stable. Renamed simply The Rock, Maivia began to thrive in his new role, encouraging the disparaging chants, rather than having to grin and bear them. The Rock ousted Faarooq as leader of the Nation, and by the time the Attitude Era rolled around, he was one of the most over and entertaining performers in the mid-card. What took him to that next level was his promo ability, displaying great arrogance on the mic, and also coming off incredibly natural, assured and articulate. His promos were peppered with catchphrases, and he was one of the originators of the ‘sing-along’ promo style, encouraging the fans to say those catchphrases along with him. His comic timing and delivery was head and shoulders above just about anybody else in the company, and he had the ability to improvise and play off the fans and circumstances. His charisma was so great though that he didn’t need to talk, just a look to the side or to the ceiling eliciting a stronger response than most wrestlers could dream of getting; even his eyebrow had its own gimmick. The Rock got another run with the Intercontinental Championship and embarked on a fine feud with Triple H over the belt, that coming within the DX Vs Nation feud that carried the midcard. By this time The Rock had become the archetypal cool heel, and he looked destined for a babyface run. The turn was teased, before the swerve came at the 1998 Survivor Series, two years after his debut with the company, when The Rock became the ’corporate champion’, teaming up with Vince McMahon to win his first world championship. He traded the belt in a feud with Mick Foley, which included the famous Royal Rumble 1999 I Quit Match, and the two men’s interactions were always golden, from the ‘This is your life’ segment, one of the highest rated in Raw history, to their later Rock and Sock Connection work. The Rock’s trademark opponent though was Steve Austin, the two biggest stars of the boom period facing each other in the main events of Wrestlemania 15 and 17, and again in the biggest match of Wrestlemania 19. In the Attitude Era they were perfect opponents, The Rock with his Hollywood good looks and expensive shirts, having sold his soul to McMahon, and Austin as the redneck anti-authority figure. Austin was perhaps the only man who could match wits with Rocky on the mic and, while Austin was noticeably better in-ring, The Rock had made great strides in this area, meaning the matches never disappointed. A big man, The Rock didn’t wrestle a big man style, and would probably be best described as a punch-kick guy. He was quick in the ring, and moved like the natural athlete that he was, bumping well, and selling dramatically. His offence though was very light, often looking weak and sloppy, and his technique was suspect. Despite his drawbacks, he had a great flair for storytelling in the ring, through body language and facial expressions, and his matches always had an epic feel; there were few men better at bringing the crowd into a match than The Rock. In 1999, Rocky arguably overtook Austin as the biggest star in the company, and in 2000, with Austin on the shelf for surgery, the company did a huge year with The Rock and Triple H on top. It was around this time that Hollywood inevitably came calling, with The Rock impressing enough in a bit part in ‘The Mummy Returns’ to earn a starring role in his own spin-off movie. He was a natural for Hollywood, and it was soon apparent that his future lay away from the ring. He remained the company’s number one guy in 2001, leading the WWF in the Invasion storyline, and then had a dream match with Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania 18, before leaving to shoot ‘The Scorpion King‘. He returned for his last real run with the company, this time as a heel, in 2003, playing up his new-found Hollywood fame, but he didn’t really seem to embrace the character. With his wrestling career now obviously second priority to the movies, WWE allowed The Rock’s contract to expire. His final match for the company was at Wrestlemania 20, reprising The Rock and Sock Connection with Mick Foley to put over Ric Flair, Batista, and Randy Orton of Legacy. This is fitting, as The Rock was perhaps the least selfish main eventer in WWF/E history: he established Chris Jericho as a main eventer, put Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar over for their first world championships, played the part of Goldberg’s first victim, and even lay down for The Hurricane. His star power and popularity went beyond wins and losses and, in the end, it went beyond wrestling.
1. ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin
The Toughest SOB on the Planet
Years of Eligibility: Jan ‘96-June ‘02, Feb ‘03-March ‘03, various cameos
Championships Held: World championship (6 times), Intercontinental championship (twice), tag team championship (4 times)
Must See: Austin’s coronation speech at the 1996 King of the Ring- a legend is born.
By the numbers: 1998 live shows featuring Steve Austin, post Wrestlemania, had an average attendance of 12,202 (from 63 shows), with 17 sell-outs. The average in 1999 was 14,190 (37 shows), with 21 sell-outs. From the same period in 1997, shows featuring the world champion (the Undertaker, Bret Hart, and Shawn Michaels) averaged a 6,411 attendance (76 shows), with 1 sell-out.
In 1995, Steve Austin, like The Rock, debuted in the WWF as an uninteresting midcarder, with nothing betraying the fact that he would become one of the biggest stars and draws in wrestling history. Unlike Rocky, Austin was already a seasoned pro when he joined the company, having spent several years in WCW’s midcard before famously being fired by Eric Bischoff. He was saddled with the Ringmaster gimmick in the beginning which, while not allowing Austin to show any real character, did come with the caveat of Ted DiBiase as manager, with Austin even being given DiBiase’s old Million Dollar Belt to wear and defend. Austin went on a short undefeated run, and feuded in the midcard with Savio Vega, before being separated from DiBiase and allowed to introduce the ‘Stone Cold’ character that he had created, and that would make him a star. As ’Stone Cold’, Austin was a no-frills, asskicker, unconcerned by who he pissed off, or who he beat up. This new attitude coincided perfectly with the WWF’s new edgy direction, and the fans really began to respond to this lone-gun who was pushing the boundaries of what was previously thought acceptable on WWF television. Things were taken to the next level when Austin won the 1996 King of the Ring tournament, and cut the famous ‘Austin 3:16’ promo on Jake Roberts. That immediately became a catchphrase that would define the Attitude Era, and Austin was skyrocketed towards success. At this point, WCW was still hammering the WWF in the ratings, and things looked bleak for the company. While commercially, things were not going well, 1997 was something of a creative peak for the company, largely because of Austin’s feud with Bret Hart. The two first hooked up at Survivor Series ’96, after months of Austin calling out Bret, who was taking a leave of absence after losing his world championship at Wrestlemania 12. The match was an instant classic, wonderfully telling the story of the upstart who will stop at nothing to reach the top, and the veteran being forced to fight for respect. The feud turned out to be perhaps the best in WWF history, and reached its zenith at Wrestlemania 13 in an ‘I Quit’ match which cemented Austin’s babyface turn, and Hart’s heel turn. The match was awarded 5 stars by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and the image of Austin’s bloody face as he was caught in the sharpshooter, refusing to quit, became one of the most famous in wrestling. Austin’s momentum seemed unstoppable, but at Summerslam ‘97 he suffered a broken neck in his match with Owen Hart, and he would never quite be the same again. Before the neck injury, Austin was a genuinely great wrestler, equally adept at a variety of styles. He excelled in the role of the scientific heel, executing his offence fluently, moving well around the ring, and being able to trade holds with anyone. He was also one of the finest brawlers in the industry, bringing an intensity and believability to his fights that added great credence to his character. His psychology was excellent, he sold very well, and he was great at adding to his matches with body language and facial expressions. He returned quickly from the injury and, after winning the 1998 Royal Rumble match, he was ready to take over as the WWF’s franchise player at Wrestlemania 14. Post-injury, Austin, though still an incredibly smart worker, was understandably stiffer in his movements, and was much more limited in what he could do, focusing almost entirely on his brawling-style offence. It didn’t matter though, as the Stone Cold character was now an unstoppable force, with Austin adding other elements like the beer drinking, and becoming more overtly redneck, rather than just a blue-collar everyman. It helped that he was one of the best promo men in the business, able to hold an audience’s attention for long periods of time, playing it intense or comical, but always believable. Wrestlemania 14 was the highest-grossing pay-per-view of all time, with Austin Vs Shawn Michaels in the main event (helped along by Mike Tyson as guest enforcer), and Wrestlemania 15, with the Austin/Rock main event, broke that record. Two years after that, Wrestlemania 17, with part two of Austin Vs The Rock on the big stage, smashed that record. With Austin as champion, house show attendances turned around, going from the four or five thousands that Michaels, Diesel and Hart were lucky to get, to regular gates of ten thousand plus, and a whole stream of sell-outs. Television ratings went from the 2.0s, and being trounced by WCW’s Nitro show for well over a year, to the 5.0s and 6.0s which would eventually see WCW go out of business. He had taken the WWF to the brink of going out of business themselves, to their most profitable period in history. The Attitude Era belonged to Austin, as he waged war with Vince McMahon and The Rock amongst others; fans tuned in because they had to see what Stone Cold was going to do next, whether it be drowning Vince in beer from a beer truck, or attacking him in his hospital bed. This was the era where it became cool again to be a wrestling fan, and Austin was the primary reason. He was the ultimate anti-hero, and this aspect of his character became the template for dozens who followed, from John Cena to Eddie Guerrero to the later incarnations of DX, none of whom matched the original. He became a pop culture icon and, although he never broke into the mainstream the way Hulk Hogan did, or The Rock would, Austin was the face of wrestling during the industry’s biggest boom period. As 1999, and the Attitude Era, came to a close, Austin’s act, which basically consisted of him stunnering everyone in sight and drinking beer, was getting stale, and injuries were catching up with him, to the point that he had to take time off at the end of 1999, being a victim of a storyline hit and run. He returned at the end of 2000 to feud with the mastermind behind the accident, Triple H, but the two’s matches and interplay fell flat. Things picked up again though for Austin when he won his third Royal Rumble match and turned heel against The Rock in the Wrestlemania 17 main event, teaming up with Vince McMahon. He was joined in the Two-Man Powertrip by Triple H and, although the heel turn didn’t provide the big business the company was hoping for, it gave Austin a chance to revamp his character, something he did with great success. Stone Cold now appeared as an insecure bully, desperate for the validation of McMahon, and his interactions with McMahon and Kurt Angle were some of the funniest moments in WWF history. The Austin/McMahon partnership was curtailed by the purchase of WCW, and the Invasion storyline, with Austin playing a major role as the star of the Alliance, having a great feud with Angle over the WWF championship, and again reinventing himself as a character, playing motivational speaker for the Alliance. At the conclusion of the angle, Austin went back to the old Stone Cold character with little explanation, feuded briefly with the nWo, and then walked out on the company after refusing to job to Brock Lesnar on free TV. He returned in time for Rock/Austin III at Wrestlemania 19, and then quietly retired from active competition. Since then, he has made several appearances, including stints as General Manager, usually doing the Stunner/beer drinking routine which buttered his bread during the late 90s.
Close but no cigar: some wrestlers who didn’t quite make the cut
Shane McMahon- was involved in a host of big angles, but almost always as a sidekick. His biggest feud standing on his own, against Kane, was terrible.
Hawk and Animal, the Legion of Doom- had two or three runs, and were always popular, but did little that was memorable.
Finlay- came in with a decent push, and was an excellent performer, but just falls short.
The Big Bossman- a good run at the start of the 90s, and then a successful comeback, but was also involved in some terrible stuff. Number 51.
Ken Shamrock- involved in some big angles, but wasn’t a great performer.
Road Dogg- awesome on the mic, and very popular during the Attitude Era, but the gimmick became dated.
Billy Gunn- was carried by Road Dogg, and failed when pushed as a single.
Ted DiBiase- big star in the 80s, but was being phased out when the 90s came around. Still close.
Brian Pillman- could have been huge in the Attitude Era, but death intervened.
Jim Duggan- Popular at the start of the 90s, but was sliding down the card fast.
Vader- horribly mismanaged.
Bam Bam Bigelow- a fine big man worker, and worked near the top of a card as a heel, but his stay was too short.
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2 comments:
Good read...until it completely de-railed with Triple H.
First of all, he did not "shoehorn" in with heel Austin, they had a big plan. Infact that was the only reason Austin let HHH go over in their NWO 01 match.
read this quote -
""The booking reason was, simply, WWE wanted to do the Hunter/Austin feud all over again during the summer, with Triple H as a face and Steve Austin as a heel. Triple H would be the "leader" of WWF/E, while Austin would lead the Alliance and the fact that Triple H had already beaten Austin before would work in Hunter's favor when the Power Trip would eventually implode.
The seeds had already been planted, with Austin retaining the WWE Title with the help of Triple H at Judgment Day 2001, while Hunter lost the IC Title due to a mistake by Austin. The next night during the infamous tag team match against Benoit/Jericho, Hunter's mistake cost their team the match and the psychology of Austin taking the fall was to advance the story line of Austin not being the "Stone Cold" of before. The scheduled matches for them at King of the Ring 2001 was Austin/Jericho and Hunter/Benoit in singles matches. Austin would retain the title thanks to Hunter, but Triple H would end up losing to Benoit due to Austin's interference. Both would eventually implode in the next PPV, with Triple H eventually turning face and wrestling Austin for the title at SummerSlam.
Of course, it never happened, so WWE went ahead with the Triple Threat match at King of the Ring. The entire Alliance program was in a mess because there was nobody big enough to wrestle Austin as the leader of WWE since WWE couldn't capture most of the genuine wCw stars. That left WWE with Rock and Austin only, and they didn't want to do Austin/Rock again so soon after 'Mania X-Seven.""
Secondly, he did not bury Jericho. The idea itself is preposterous considering HHH and Stephanie were the biggest reasons why y2j was able to get over big as a babyface in AE, same with Kurt. The only reason y2j even won the undisputed title was to drop it to HHH at WM 18. The original plans for WM 18 was Face HHH vs heel Austin for the title. Austin was set to become the 1st ever undisputed champion at vengeance but he refused, coz he didn't wanna drop it to HHH. The entire angle with y2j was a mess coz of Stephanie & Jericho himself admits in his book that it was his idea to involve Stephanie. People seem to have bought into this myth that HHH purposely ruined y2j but the truth is, the crap angle hurt both of them coz while HHH returned a hot babyface he needed an established heel to sustain momentum. Jericho was a weak heel champion who had no clean wins and was a whiny heel at best, he barely had any credibility. The angle hurt them both, but HHH got out with less damage because he was established star but Jericho couldn't. HHH in his off the record Interview two weeks before Mania 18 even said he wishes they had more momentum going into mania. Watch it.
Thirdly, No HHH did not held back anyone. Not Rvd, Booker or Kane. Anyone who thinks he does fails to understand how vince mcmahon operates. Vince Mcmahon always built new stars and that exactly what happened in that period. HHH put over young new stars over "attitude era left-overs" per se. The whole concept of evolution was to establish new stars for the future. It was supposed to be orton but it ended up as batista due to a botched early face turn. This is why HHH lost all those mania main events. What good does it do for HHH to hold on to the title on a irrelevant C-show PPV like no mercy or Unforgiven against RVD or Kane but tap out at a wrestlemania main events three times in a row? Does it even make sense? would you do it if you were HHH? Unless HHH is a moron who doesn't know how to do politicks, it doesn't make any sense.
What happened with Booker was that he was set to go over until a week before WM 19 & its the reason he agreed to do the "street dog" build. But Goldberg signed a deal at the last minute and Vince pulled out. Eric bischoff said this himself in his interview in 07. The original plans for WM 19 were Rock/Goldberg but goldberg didn't sign the deal, since they couldn't reach a appropriate money deal with him. By the time he did, they were well into Mania 19 build. Since Goldberg's deal guaranteed him a title reign, Vince wanted HHH to remain as a strong heel and go against Goldberg to draw big. The plans for summerslam main event was Goldberg/HHH 1-on-1 but ofcourse it didn't happen as HHH suffered a groin injury at a house show match against Goldberg and the match was post-poned to unforgiven instead. That explains his weird trunks he wore at that time to hide injury if you ever wondered. Anyways, This is why booker didn't go over at Mania 19. Watch the go home show of Wm 19, RAW tag match where HHH bladed just for booker and took the pin clean to make him look strong. That is not what a guy who holds people down does.
I could go on but I dont think my posts would change your opinion or anyone's for that matter. But I still wanted to take the time and do this because you had HHH at #9 of the list, not ignoring his accomplishments/impact and not being biased like many others which I admire.
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