Put your top 5 in here. Rank them if possible. If you can't rank them, then put your top 5 in any order. Note: this is NOT a personal Top 5 favorite list.
For me, here goes....
1) Hulk Hogan--the guy that put the sport on the national scene, its most important and first charismatic wrestler, if not for him there may not be a next 4, can anyone really forget: WHATCHA GONNA DO......?
2) The Rock--simply, the greatest entertainer the sport has known, NO ONE could play the crowd better, there's not even really a close 2nd to the Brahma Bull, the Great One, The Most Electrifying Athlete in Sports...blah, blah, blah. You get the picture. The reason why the WWE stinks today is because there is truly a Rock "hangover". IF YOU SMELLLLALALALALALALLOW.....
Re: "Pro" Wrestling's Greatest Wrestlers of all Time
Ooops, sorry, itchy trigger finger...
3) Rick Flair--While Hogan was carrying the then WWF, Rick Flair was holding his own equally as well "in the other league". I couldn't tell if the strut wanted to make me laugh or throw a brick at my TV, or both! ...was hard to put him at #2 over the Rock, but there is no denying his influence and longevity on the sport. TO BE THE MAN, YOU GOTTA.... WoooOOOOOOOOOO!
4) Goldberg--It's starting to get tough now to fill in the remaining slots, but it's hard to argue against what I consider the most destructive force the sport has known. ..can't seem to recall a wrestler who could manipulate gravity and toss 300+ pounders around like a sack of potatoes. The intro is not too shabby either. In then end, it can't feel good to be hit with the best spear EVER, only to be hoisted up later and remain there forever looking down at the mat while blood rushes to your head and the be driven into the mat. Could anyone else ever in the sport really hold the Big Show up that long? ..and then there's steak, of course.
5) ...need some time to think of this one. This is the hardest one yet for me. Stone Cold? Andre the Giant? Randy Macho Man Savage? The Undertaker? The Road Warriors, Animal & Hawk?
This is still for all intents and purposes a personal favorites list. What's the criteria supposed to be? Best draws? Technical ability? Mic skills? Good matches?
Also, your write-up for Hogan is hilariously wrong in quite a few areas. How much do you actually know about the history of the business?
I don't profess to know much about the business. But looking back, I omitted Bruno Sammartino, which is an obvious glare. But, personal preferences aside, I was looking at those who enhanced/brought the sport further financially/globally. I could be wrong, but that's just my opinion. You are most certainly entitled to yours as well.
1. The Undertaker
2. Terry Funk
3. Mick Foley
4. Shawn Michaels
5. Bret Hart
That'd be my personal picks, of course.
Never found Hogan to be charismatic at all, but I can't deny that many people did.
He's overrated like Cena, imo.
__________________
"Farewell, Damos... Ash, Pikachu... And you. All of my beloved." -- Arceus
Last edited by AsbestosFlaygon on Jan 5th, 2011 at 03:18 PM
Like them. Like them all. I guess what I was trying to do in this thread, is basically state who has done the most for their sport. That's more or less what I was trying to achieve. Who's the Gretzky's and Michael Jordan's of this sport. Yes, there were faster skaters than Gretzky, harder shooters; stronger Bballer's than MJ, taller guys than MJ, but who are the greatest? Now, if someone goes the route of best technical wrestlers, this totally changes the list in a heartbeat. But, my point about this thread is who has put the sport on the map, or brought more viewers than anyone else to the television.
Well, if we were going that route, then Stone Cold Austin was just about the same level of popularity as Hulk Hogan when they were in their prime.
Stone Cold brought about the Attitude era, a total make-over from the fancy-pants era of the bygone years.
He gave the chance for 'heels' to be superstars.
He made children of the modern era like wrestling, when it was almost on the verge of death.
He should be #3, if not #2 or #1, in your personal list.
__________________
"Farewell, Damos... Ash, Pikachu... And you. All of my beloved." -- Arceus
Last edited by AsbestosFlaygon on Dec 30th, 2011 at 10:56 AM
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1. Shawn Michaels
He was just the complete package. He could be a brawler, he could be a technician, he could be a high-flier, he could sell, he could work a crowd, he could cut a fantastic promo, etc. He could do it all. He could wrestle a broomstick and it'd be a Match of the Year candidate. The greatest ever, imo.
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2. Great Muta
The Japanese Undertaker. He, like HBK, could do it all in the ring (brawl, technical, high-flying, etc.), and had enough American appeal to win the World Heavyweight Championship in WCW. He is also one of the most decorated champions in Japanese pro wrestling history. And his gimmick was AMAZING. The most underrated wrestler ever, imo.
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3. Ric Flair
He was Shawn Michaels before Shawn Michaels. He couldn't do the acrobatic manuevers that Shawn would be able to, but he was an even better crowd worker and an even better promo cutter. The guy just dripped charisma and was a real good mat wrestler. One of the greatest of all time.
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4. Randy Savage
Another all around fantastic performer. A great in-ring talent who had the charisma to work a crowd like no other. OOOHHH YEEEEAAAHHH!!!
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5. Bret Hart
Not the most interesting guy to ever lace up a pair of boots, but he is the definition of a technical wrestler. One of the best pure in-ring talents to ever get into the ring.
Honorable Mentions:
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Hulk Hogan
The original superman of professional wrestling. He had the charisma, and was an underrated in-ring performer. He was never gonna be a great technical wrestler, but as a brawler, he could put on very memorable matches. WHATCHA GONNA DO, BROTHER?!?!
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Sting
Yet another all around performer (see a pattern?) who had plenty of in-ring talent AND charisma. His Surfer gimmick was fun and nostalgic, but his Crow gimmick from 1996-1997 remains one of the best gimmicks ever in American professional wrestling.
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Undertaker
One of the best gimmicks ever. Whether a heel or face, he could work a crowd. And his older matches with Bret Hart, Steve Austin, Mick Foley and Shawn Michaels back in the 90s were fantastic. Though he WAS slightly more charisma than ring work, his in-ring talent could not be denied.