Greatest Wrestler of All Time- Final Voting List

[Guest Lord of The Curry]

Ok, here it is. The final list of wrestlers that everybody included in their pimping. Pick your top ten, but please give reasons why, not just "Uh, he's really good in the ring." After ___ number of days, the lists will all be tallied up based on how many votes each wrestler got in everybodys final 10. Unfortunately, this means that if you vote for Rey Mysterio as your #1 pick and nobody else does, he ain't gonna make the final list. That's the way the cookie crumbles, I suppose. If I miss a pick for anybody, please let me know and I'll go back and check the first thread. If anybody has any suggestions about how the tallying should go down, don't hesitate to ask.

 

Here they are, in no particular order. (Thanks go out to Time Cooke, as his list is the primary source and everything else is just added on.)

 

Group A

 

Ric Flair

Barry Windham

Bobby Eaton

Dennis Condrey

Tommy Rodgers

Jim Cornette

Stan Lane

Ricky Morton

Robert Gibson

Dyanmite Kid

Jumbo Tsuruta

Toshiaki Kawada

Mitsuharu Misawa

Akira Taue

Kenta Kobashi

Akira Hokuto

Minami Toyota

Aja Kong

Jaguar Yokota

 

Group B

 

Bull Nakano

Destroyer

Nobuhiko Takada

Kazuo Yamazaki

Volk Han

Kiyoshi Tamura

Ricky Choshu

Akira Maeda

Ricky Steamboat

Terry Funk

Dory Funk Jr.

Sean Michaels

Kurt Angle

Chris Benoit

Vader

Dr.Death Steve Williams

Stan Hansen (lariatohhhhh!)

Genichiro Tenryu

Shinjiro Ohtani

Jushin Liger

 

Group C

 

Saturo Sayama

Lou Thesz

Bret Hart

Owen Hart

Great Sasuke

TAKA Michinoku

George Hackenschmidt

Edouard Carpenteir

Bruiser Brody

Harley Race

Ultimo Dragon

Eddy Guerrero

Nick Bockwinkle

Aja Kong

Bull Nakano

Mariko Yoshida

Randy Savage

Ted Dibiase

Tito Santana

 

Group D

 

Curt Hennig

Arn Anderson

Tully Blanchard

Sting

Steve Austin

Hulk Hogan

Rey Mysterio Jr.

Juventud Guerrera

Cactus Jack

Jerry Lynn

Mikey Whipwreck

Dean Malenko

Triple H

Chris Kanyon

Brian Pillman

Christopher Daniels

Davey Boy Smith

El Samurai

Hayabusa

Jake Roberts

[Guest Tim Cooke]

1. Toshiaki Kawada - the best wrestler I have ever seen. His selling, psychology, transitions, and moveset all reflected his great in ring presence.

 

Top 3 Matches to solidify his spot:

 

12/3/93 w/ Taue v Misawa/Kobashi

6/3/94 v Misawa

10/25/95 v Albright

 

2. Akira Hokuto - the best female wrestler I have ever seen. She was a story wrestler if there ever was such a thing. She would win an Emmy if she was on TV, an Academy Award if she was in a movie. Heart, intensity, desire, passion.

 

4/2/93 v Kandori

3/27/94 w Kandori v Kong/Nakano

 

3. Mitsuharu Misawa - "The Man - Version 2.0" Misawa and Kawada made the psychology of AJPW the strongest it ever was. Misawa as the man in 1994-1996 was marvelous. People don't understand his selling during that period as some will say he no sold too much. Those people don't grasp the concept of Misawa.

 

4/6/95 v Kawada

7/24/95 v Kawada

12/6/96 w/ Akiyama v Kawada/Taue

 

4. Jumbo Tsuruta - "The Man - Version 1.0" The first ever man. Jumbo wrestled MOTYC in three different decades. He made Misawa, Kobashi, Kawada, and Taue that stars that they became. He wrestled with the crowd always in the palm of his hand.

 

9/1/90 v Misawa

4/20/91 w/ Taue/Fuchi v Misawa/Kawada/Kobashi

5/24/91 v Kobashi

 

5. Aja Kong - "The Ultimate Big Wrestler" Aja is the best big person to ever work in the business. She had everything. Great moves, great selling, great work overall. Aja made Toyota, a wrestler who had nearly zip selling or psych in most of her matches, sell and become part of a very focused story on two different MOTYC.

 

11/20/94 v Toyota

6/27/95 v Toyota

8/30/95 v Kansai

 

6. Volk Han - the best mat wrestler ever. Han was revolutionary not only his quickness on the mat, but also in his awesome submission work. He was the best worker in RINGS, had higher level matches than Takada and Tamura. Simply brilliant.

 

1/22/97 v Tamura

9/26/97 v Tamura

 

7. Chris Benoit - the best wrestler to come out of North America, with possible exceptions of the Destroyer or Flair. Benoit can make shit smell good. He can do it in singles, tags, gimmicks, etc. The most well rounded wrestler in North America today.

 

3/20/96 v Otani

6/11/96 v Black Tiger

4/11/99 w/ Malenko v Raven/Saturn

 

8. Nobuhiko Takada - maybe the ultimate carrier in his style. He revolutionized the UWF style in Japan. He carried a slug like Gary Albright to great matches, carried Vader (a good worker) to a UWF style of matches that hold water today.

 

8/13/88 v Yamazaki

6/10/94 v Albright

8/14/94 v Vader

 

9. Midnight Express - as a group, there was never a better US tag team. With Cornette on the stick, and Condrey/Eaton/Lane in the ring, the made fast tag team work popular and worked the best southern tag matches ever.

 

3/12/88 v Fantastics

3/27/88 v Fantastics

7/7/90 v Southern Boys

 

10. Tommy Rogers - simply a terrific babyface who could sell better than Ricky Morton. Rogers had an awesome moveset to open up matches and then could effectivly sell for the latter portion of the match.

 

1985 v Guerreros (Mid South)

3/27/88 v Fantastics

9/1/90 v Kikuchi/Malenko

 

Honorable Mentions:

 

Kazuo Yamazaki, Kiyoshi Tamura, Kenta Kobashi, Akira Taue (95-99), Ricky Choshu, Ric Flair, Barry Windham.

 

Tim

[Guest BionicRedneck]

1. Mitsuharu Misawa - In the early-mid 1990s AJPW was probably the best promotion ever. Mitsuharu Misawa was the top man most of the time. IMO, his sheer number of classic matches is unmatched, and thus he earns top spot. He has been involved in the probably the best singles and the best tag matches in wrestling history. One Of a kind.

 

2.Toshiaki Kawada - Pretty much on Misawa's level but (IMO) he hasnt had as many classic matches as Misawa. The best seller I have ever seen. His ring presence and and psych are top notch, too. The man.

 

3.Ric Flair-Nobody in the history of US wrestling has had as many classic matches as Ric Flair. Probably the best ever at carrying lesser workers.

 

4. Jumbo Tsuruta - I am fairly certain he would be my number 1 had I seen more of him. Made Misawa, Kawada etc.

 

5. Chris Benoit -For me, Benoit has surpassed his hero the Dynamite Kid. Has had numerous classic matches in every company he has worked and can work pretty much any style on the planet.

 

6.Jushin Thunder Liger-An amazing, amazing wrestler. A revolutionary flyer, who has re-invented himself in the ring. Still one of the worlds best.

 

7.Bret Hart-The most consistently good WWF worker ever. Involved in that companies best matches ever.

 

8.Eddie Guerrero-Possibly the most versatile wrestler ever. Can work in any company, any style. Can work well as heel or face, cruiserweight or heavyweight and has played various characters. Superb.

 

9.Shinjiro Ohtani-If Kawada is the best seller ever, then Ohtani must be the second best. Great charisma in the ring, and has taken part in some of the 90s best matches.

 

10.Steve Austin-Although there are better pure workers out there, Stone Cold is the best all-rounder in wrestling. Has amazing charisma, particularly as a heel. One of the biggest stars ever, who rebounded from a broken fucking neck to have some of the best matches of 2001

 

 

(No Joshi, as I dont really know too much about it. Sorry)

[Guest HartFan86]

*EDIT* I have re-organized my list from 1 thru 10 cause I didn't realize how the point system went:

 

Seeing Jim Cornette on the list and someone like Rock not for greatest wrestlers is a little bit fucking messed up to me...but here we go:

 

1. Bret Hart - IMO, The greatest wrestler ever. Carried so many people to so many good matches, was a true role model for kids back in 93-96 when he became really big, has the wrestling history in his blood and understands the business more than anyone else. 5 time WWF champ, 2 time IC, 2 time Tag, KOTR 93, Rumble 94 Co-Winner, Former WCW Champ, mutli-US, WCW tag.

 

2. Steve Austin - One of the biggest draws ever who was a great wrestler to beat. Must like Hogan, he made more money than most wrestlers in the world. Former multi-time WWE Champ, IC, Tag, WCW TV, WCW Tag, KOTR 96, Mutli-time Roayl Rumble winner.

 

3. Chris Benoit - He may not have the ultimate speaking skills, but his actions in the ring speak for itself. Probably the best wrestler to come out of the Dungeon other than a Hart and has gotten over in the WWE not because of chrisma, but because of pure wrestling. Mutli-time IC champ, WWF tag, WCW champ, multi-US, multi-WCW tag, TV champ.

 

4. Owen Hart - Simply the best high flyer/techincal wrestler all in one. He totally rocked as the Blue Blazer and as the King of Harts. Most underrated wrester ever, as well. He was so good that when he was a heel, people cheered him cause he was that cool (Mania 10, Mania 11, Summerslam 96)

 

5. Kurt Angle - He's a machine. Simply put, the greatest pro wrestler in the world today. He's got more chrisma than half the roster and takes better bumps than half the roster. He's simply a dynimate in the ring. 1996 Gold Medalist, Former WWF Champ, IC, Tag, Euro.

 

6. Hulk Hogan - Biggest draw ever. Not the greatest wrestler ever, but he made more money than everyone in the world. Main evented 8 Wrestlemanias, 6 time WWE Champion.

 

7. Ric Flair - Greatest NWA Wrestler ever and probably the greatest NWA champion ever. Has wrestled for decades and still loves the business. 15+ times World Champ, multi-US, tag, etc

 

8. Ricky Steamboat - Out did supposely the biggest match ever at Wrestlemania 3. One of the best technians ever in the business. His offense was simple but good lord it was effective. One of the best high flyers of his time, too. Former IC, Heavyweight, US champ, etc.

 

9. Dynimate Kid - Never made it to the level he should of, but he was basically Chris Benoit of the 1980s. Simply put, this man was awesome. He'd out work everyone every night, he'd make the crowd sit in awe at his precense, was part of one of the greatest tag team ever, and was one of the greatest wrestlers in Canada/Europe/Japan ever.

 

10. Sting - The loyalist WCW superstar ever. Had some incredible matches in the early stages of carrer and was popular all through out it. Multi-time WCW champ, US, Tag, TV, etc

[cawthon777 0]

Ric Flair – Incredibly giving in the ring and it’s good to see he’s willing to elevate the stars of today before completely hanging up the boots. The perfect combination of flamboyancy, psychology, and selling as far as the U.S. goes. I’m sure there are about a million Japanese wrestlers that could out do him on some level (or so I hear), but when you take into consideration the ‘entertainment’ style of American wrestling – there was no one more consistent over the span of 30 years than Flair. Between 1981 and 1993, there were at least a few MOTY candidates per year that involved Flair. The fact that he can continue to have a prominent role in the biggest wrestling company today is a testament not only to what he’s given in the past but to what he’s willing to give now. The perfect heel flag bearer of the 1980s. If a star came from the NWA / WCW, his claim to fame involved Flair for at least one if not many reasons. What would Crockett Promotions or WCW (and the WWF/E indirectly) have been without Flair? And then there were the Horsemen too…

 

Bret Hart – Like Flair on many levels. Elevated everyone he wrestled – from the tag team scene, through the IC, to the world championship. Brought me into wrestling 10 years ago just because he made it look so real. Hart is without a doubt one of the top 5 North American wrestlers of the past decade mostly for one reason – his ability to sell. One match immediately comes to mind – that being his KOTR finals against Bam Bam Bigelow. Watching that live, I knew Bret had what it took to beat Bigelow one-on-one. But with two hard battles under his belt, numerous obvious injuries sustained during those matches, and the massive power and size disadvantage – he didn’t have a chance. I may have only been 11 at the time, but even to this day I regard that match as a major mark out moment. Bret didn’t look like he was going to lose the match; he looked like he was going to die. His ability to bring the fans in to that level, to make them care, to get them emotionally involved in the match is what made him such a vital player in the WWF.

 

Chris Benoit – From the same school of training as Bret and picked for similar reasons. Benoit is aggression and intensity at its finest. I had seen his work in WCW back in 93 but when he returned in 95 I knew I was in for something special. Benoit was what WCW was lacking in for so long – a serious, no-nonscence wrestler that ‘wrestled’. He didn’t cut promos about his 24-inch pythons and didn’t dance in the ring. He went out there and ate up all the pieces of trash that Bischoff tried to shove down our throats night after night – from Alex Wright to Mr. JL (yes, Lynn is a great worker but gimmick-wise, horrible). I have followed his career religiously since the night he stepped out of the limo on Nitro. What he lacks on the mic, he more than makes up for in the ring. Battles with Booker T, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Bret Hart, Kurt Angle, and Eddie Guerrero have allowed Benoit to do something few other wrestlers thought possible – get over by wrestling.

 

Kurt Angle – The best combination of charisma and ability today. Angle can make you laugh your ass off and then minutes later can take you along for one of the most exciting matches you’ve seen in years. What Ric Flair was in the 80s, Angle is quickly becoming today. A heel you love to hate yet can outwrestle just about everyone else on the roster, can elevate everyone, can do wonders on the microphone, and win/lose/draw can send you home happy. What a main eventer is supposed to be.

 

Hulk Hogan – THE icon of professional wrestling. There have been better workers, I don’t think anyone will argue that, however no one man did as much for wrestling as Hogan. He was the flag bearer that wrestling needed in order to reach mainstream popularity. Once it did, he kept it there. As the top man in the WWF, Hogan revolutionized wrestling in the 1980s (some say for better, some say for worse – either way, pro wrestling would not be anything like it is today without Hogan). There may never be another wrestler with the longevity Hogan had when it came to being over with the fans. Cartoons, merchandising, main eventing just about every single pay-per-view event year after year. Don’t forget about the New World Order either.

 

Shawn Michaels – Not the biggest fan of his personally but professionally few could match his ability, technique, or willingness to sacrifice his body for a pop. The Rockers were a breath of fresh air in the WWF and Michaels’ initial singles run – the whole Heartbreak Kid character – quickly became one of the most over and hated in the company. Like Flair before him, Michaels was the guy that went out there, told you he was going to do something, and then he did it – which made you hate him even more. Unlike Flair, Michaels was not as limited when it came to his in-ring work. His ladder matches forever left a mark on the company and the entire wrestling world and his numerous battles with Bret Hart (92-97) were clinics for what American wrestling should and could be (the rivalry / feud of the 90s IMO). Don’t forget about that DX thing either.

 

Steve Austin – It’s hard to imagine that the bald-headed guy that chugs beer and flicks everyone off is the same guy that 10 years ago was teaming with Brian Pillman in WCW. Austin was a solid if not exceptional worker then and his tag team battles against Steamboat / Douglas, Scorpio / Bagwell, and Anderson / Roma were clinics. He and Pillman were hilarious on the mic (‘Flair for the Old’, anyone?). His promos in 96 (KOTR, pre-Survivor Series, every time he said the word ‘ass’) elevated him tremendously and prepared everyone for the long line of emotionally charged and memorable battles against the Hart Foundation, Triple H, the Rock, and just about every other major star in the WWF since. Just when I thought he was finished and washed up, he pulls out a great deal of solid and very enjoyable battles last year against Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam, even Spike Dudley. That impressed me a great deal.

 

Arn Anderson – Similar to Benoit but with an ability on the mic second to none. Anderson was the perfect no-nonsence addition to the 4 Horsemen that just went out there, kicked ass, and took names. He made the spinebuster deadly, he made the Horsemen feared, and he made the symbol of excellence not something to be worn lightly. I will never forget the promo he cut in July of 1996 when WCW Monday Nitro was at Disney MGM. The New World Order had just come onto the scene and a week prior Hall and Nash had attacked numerous random WCW stars. After the Horsemen gave Brutus Beefcake a tremendous beating, Arn said something to the effect of ‘You send one of ours to the hospital, we’ll send one of yours to the morgue.’ That line right there sums up Arn Anderson.

 

Randy Savage – Very underrated in the 80s as far as his workrate went, very overrated in the 90s save a few instances. Savage was the perfect answer to Hogan back in 1985 when he came in to the WWF. He wasn’t the size of King Kong Bundy or Andre the Giant but he had more ferocity and intensity than either. Savage could jump around the ring, leap off the top rope, and his overall agility was second to none – especially when it came to the heel roster. His promos were unbelievable – even if you couldn’t understand them (which was sometimes the case). Character-wise, I would liken him to what Triple H was a year or two ago. Bloodthirsty, not afraid to break your leg in order to win a match, and his ability in the ring was only overshadowed by his ability to get over with the fans.

 

Owen Hart – Very underrated but superior ability than 95% of the roster. Could cut some great promos and had the ability to play the whinny heel or the crusading hero (not as the Blazer, just as himself). When he came into the WWF in 1988, his work blew everyone else’s away. No one used a baseball slide in the WWF in 1988. Here was a guy surrounded by 300lb monsters that couldn’t bend down to touch their toes and Owen flew around like he belonged in the air. His later matches with Bret, Davey Boy Smith, and Steve Austin were all memorable if not legendary. Much like Arn Anderson, Owen never got his due but also like Arn he helped a great number of careers take off – thus earning him a little bit of immortality.

[Guest BAR]

Sorry for the short descriptions...

1. Dyanmite Kid - One half of the greatest feud ever, in my opinion, with Tiger Mask I. An inspiration to Chris Benoit and Jyushin Lyger, who also are on this list. Worked his arse off to make other people look good, and easily the best wrestler to come out of England, and the U.K.

2. Bret Hart - One of my all time favourites, been apart of some of the best matches I've seen. When I make a top 20 favourite matches list, the 4-5 WWF matches will involve Bret Hart.

3. Ric Flair - No explanation is needed for the 'Nature Boy' he is, or was the man. If DK wasn't the best wrestler of the 80's, this man was.

4. Jyushin Lyger - My favourite Japanese wrestler. I haven't seen dozens of his matches, but that's how impressive he is.

5. Mitsuharu Misawa - I haven't seen to much of Misawa apart from his classics, but that's enough.

6. Chris Benoit - Benoit has had some amazing junior matches in Japan, in the early 90's and is still having great matches today, in 2003, for the WWE.

7. Toshiaka Kawada - Another Japanese favourite of mine. My favourite match of his would be against Misawa, 6/3/94.

8. Shawn Michaels - Could carry big men to decent matches. Innovator of so many things in the WWF, ladder match, hell in a cell, he was the firsts.

9. Satoru Sayama - Again, one half of the greatest feud of all time, in my opinion. Inovator for juniors.

10. The Great Sasuke - I mark for Sasuke, I love his style. Flying and mat work.

Again, sorry for the short descriptions.

[Guest Banky]

Shite! I'll give my top 10 now and explain why tomorrow.

 

1. Eddie Guerrero

2. Bret Hart

3. Owen Hart

4. Chris Benoit

5. Steve Austin

6. Jushin Lyger

7. Dean Malenko

8. Ric Flair

9. Great Sasuke

10. Chris Jericho

 

My lower entries of Lyger, Flair, and Sasuke are based soley on the fact I have only seen a few of their respective matches. I have tons of the other guys, thus I am kinda bias.

[Guest HartFan86]

Group A

 

Ric Flair

 

Group B

 

Chris Benoit

 

Group C

 

Eddy Guerrero

 

Group D

 

Dean Malenko

Dude...your suppose to pick 10 guys.....and explain why.

[Guest Lord of The Curry]

1. Chris Benoit- As somebody on the DVD board said, Benoit is the long suffering journeyman. The guy has been everywhere, seen it all and done it all with style and grace that few can match. While legends like Flair, Hart etc... have used the "broomstick formula" to carry guys to great matches, Benoit comes up with new and fun ways to amaze us all. From being the young punk gajjin, to the badass techie in ECW, to the underdog face in WCW to a staple of the WWE. The best pure wrestler of the 90's and maybe in the history of the sport. There isn't a single time that he's in the ring where I'm not cheering him on with my whole heart and feeling a sense of pride that he's a fellow Canadian. Though I wasn't raised on him like I was Hogan, Savage etc., he's helped me learn more about wrestling then anybody I've ever seen.

 

2. Mitsuharu Misawa- While many consider Flair to be the best "Ace Champion" in the history of the sport, my vote goes to Misawa. Far and away the coolest wrestler to ever step foot into the ring, the guy just has the look that says "Hey, don't fuck with this or you'll get served." He's taken place in what are arguably some of the greatest matches in the history of the sport and is always fun to watch, as Tiger Mask II, Triple Crown Champion or NOAH President.

 

3. Kenta Kobashi- Fighting spirit. The fire inside that screams "Don't give up, keep on fighting." To me, Kenta Kobashi is the most inspirational wrestler I've ever seen, as the guy has the power to make one believe that they too have that same fighting spirit. Along with Ohtani, the best facial expressions, intense moveset and an amazing ability to rile up a crowd, alongside a guy who has compiled one of the best bodies of work in the history of the sport. His match against Stan Hansen in 93 is IMO, a ***** classic, a traditional young vs old match and one of the greatest ass-kickings in the history wrestling. If you ever doubt him, look up the tag match w/ him and Kikuchi vs Furnas and Lafon from the All Asia Tag Finals. It will put any of your doubts to rest. Hottest crowd ever!

 

4. Eddy Guerrero- In my opinion, the best heel of all time. I still hear of the near-riots he was able to incite with Art Barr in AAA and smile when I think that somebody can be that good at their craft that people would almost be pissed enough to hurt them. Eddy also gets my nod for the most versatile wrestler of all time, from getting mad-tech in ECW w/ Dean Malenko to a crazy ass spotfest with Rey in WCW to showing Edge how psychology is done in WWF, Eddy is the fuckin' man no matter where he goes and who he is.

 

5. Stan Hansen- Even though I would consider Vader to be a better wrestler, Hansen is my favorite big man of all time, as well as my favorite brawler. The guy is so goddamn surly, so drunk, so angry at the world and I love every fuckin' minute of his work. From ripping off young punks heads with lariats to whipping fans with bullropes, Hansen is so out of control that you can't help but love the love. Let is be noted that he, alongside Flair, has carried Hulk Hogan to a match i'd rate above *** in All Japan during the WWF's tour in 1992. His match with Kobashi in 93 is one of my favorites of all time, as he took a crowd that was giving all their heart and soul for Kobashi and just said "Fuck you bitches" and channeled all that anger into the best lariat of all time. What a bastard.

 

6. Toshiaki Kawada- The guy that emodies everything that rules about wrestling. Stoic, stiff and one of the most devastating in-ring presences of all time. The perfect foil for Misawa's Ace Champ, Kawada is a guy you can't help but feel for after watching matches like the infamous Triple Crown 94 match against Misawa, coupled with his multiple injures that have marred his career. Hands down the best seller of all time as well, this guy is as good as they come in the ring.

 

7. Mick Foley- A sentimental favorite get's my pick here. One of the most creative guys to ever step foot in the ring, there aren't many guys out there who have my respect more then Mick. His anti-hardcore promos as Cactus Jack in ECW are the best pieces of mic-work that I've ever seen and probably ever will see. People sometime forget that the guy can work like a motherfucker for a big guy, as evidenced by his Mind Games PPV match with Shawn Michaels and his Royal Rumble match with Triple H. I will always love him for his dedication to keeping fans happy, even if the cost meant shedding skin and loosing brain cells every night. Foley knows how fans think and what they like- and he gives it to them.

 

8. Bret Hart- I'd feel like I was betraying my childhood if I omitted the Hitman from this list. I was never a huge Hulkamanic as a kid, though I dug Hogan enough to like him. I always liked the smoothies, guys like Hart, Flair, Hennig and others. Hart has carried great guys to great matches and shitty guys to great matches in his career. His "broomstick formula" is something that could be a knock against him but if it ain't broke, don't fix it. His match with Austin at WrestleMania 13 is the best WWF match of all time, IMO. Hart is also one of those guys who is able to transcend boundaries and become not just a wrestler, but a Canadian cultural icon. As any Canadian crowd will remind you at the mention of his name or the clip of him in the Desire videos, we never forget.

 

9. Jushin Lyger- I have yet to see a bad match with this guy in it. His match with The Great Sasuke in the J-Cup 94 tourney may just be one of the best J.H matches of all time and that's just the tip of the Liger iceberg. From Pegasus Kid to Pillman to El Samurai, Lyger produces every time. The guy can brawl like a dog and take it to the air a split second later, leaving you wondering if this is the same guy you saw taking it to the mat 25 seconds earlier. Oh, and as LygerFan on the DVD board so eloquently put it "Also- best movset EVER! LYGERBOMB!". I would concure.

 

10. Kurt Angle- Sometimes it scares me to think how good Kurt Angle really is. I mean REALLY scares me. This is a guy who debuted at Survivor Series 99 to zero reaction and used an elevated samoan drop to finish off Shawn "Meat" Stasiak. Flashforward to two months later, where the guy is winning the EuroContinental Titles, King of the Ring and is one of the most over heels in the company. My God. I have never seen a guy adapt so well to pro wrestling coming from an amateur background and probably never will. Angle has carried Edge to the best match of his career, put on a classic with Steve Austin and amused us in ways we'd never thought possible. Though booked to look like a goof countless times, the skills cannot be denied. His match against Benoit at WrestleMania X7 was the last great WWE WRESTLING match and their current tag team is ruling the roost. If he's done this much now, what will he accomplish in another year? Scary, scary thought.

[Guest Special K]

1. Kawada- Great strikes, selling, body-part psychology, storytelling, pacing, powermoves, etc. No matter the match, he always gave it absolutely EVERYTHING. Could convey emotion incredibly well in the match with his facial expressions. Always a joy to watch

 

2. Mitsuhara Misawa- Conveyed the attittude of 'The Man' so well with his absoluty calm facial expressions. Invented many incredible moves, had a HUGE moveset, and was great at selling to boot. Very close to Misawa in my book. His number of ***** matches (or ****1/2+ if you're really stringent) is maybe second to none.

 

3. Ric Flair- Probably THE master of joint psychology. His ability to carry lesser opponents in his prime was incredible. Had one of THE best years in '89, and could wrestle extremely well as either face or heel. His longevity is absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, he's currently lessening his great legacy.

 

4. Jushin 'Thunder' Liger- While I may like Ohtani better, I'm trying to be objective. Liger is almost undoubtably the greatest Junior ever. Excellent flying, pacing, power-moves and selling all in one, cartoony package.

 

5. Shinjiro Ohtani- Probably my favorite wrestler, in-ring- When I first saw Ohtani standing in the ring, I was a bit underwhelmed. A skinny, utterly nomal-looking guy in Simple black shorts, his face completely calm. Then the match started. He pounced on his opponent and started to twist and destroy his opponents knee with alternately looks of disdain and self-satisfaction on his face. I marked, and never stopped. Ohtani is somewhat like Malenko in his submission game. He is always moving, cranking on his joint of the day, and switching to new, more painful holds. On top of that he oversells in a generally GOOD way, and is a good, precise flyer and thrower. But it's his in-ring mannerisms that make a lacluster match with him always worth watching.

 

6. Chris Benoit- What hasn't been said about Benoit? Great ring general, great and varied moveset, a visciousness in the ring, and overall just incredibly CRISP. Has been a great, very consistent worker for over a decade, and hopefully will continue for a decade more.

 

7. Kenta Kobashi- Quite possibly my favorite offensive moveset of all time. Great selling and facial expressions, and perhaps the master on in-rings display of passion. Not the ring general that Misawa or Kawada are, but great all the same.

 

8. Jumbo Tsuruta- Honestly, I have only seen a smattering of matches from the man who WAS AJPW for so long. What I've seen is really wonderful, however. incredible ring presence, a hero to many, and the pioneer of the great AJPW style. WOuld undoubtably been hire if I had seen more.

 

9. Kurt Angle- May seem high, but just consider how consistently good the man is. Able to carry far lesser workers, a great pacer, and, again, has some of the nicest, crispest looking move in the business. Damned if his moveset isn't limited by the WWF 'style' though.

 

10. Vader- IMO, the best big man ever. COuld give ass-kickings like no one before or since. Even though he was a large man, he took his beatings too, whether it be in the form of head-drops or viscious strikes. The epitome of the monster heel.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

I don't watch a lot of Japan and Mexico stuff, so it's as simple as that.

 

1. Terry Funk...I hate to quote Beyond the Mat, "A lot of wrestlers acted crazy, but Terry made you believe that it might be true." He managed to make you care about matches, whether you want to see Terry kill someone or if you are cringing every time he takes a bump. He's managed to keep himself on top of the business longer then most, and I am considering his 97-98 ECW/WWF run "on top"

 

2. Ric Flair...I really don't need to explain Ric Flair here to anyone.

 

3. Dynamite Kid...Was part of the first group of guys to start all the Lucha moves outside of Mexico. I've seen his matches with Tiger Mask, and they relyed less on spots and more on wrestling and psychology...plus he's a major influence on just about every cruiserweight today.

 

4. Mitsuharu Misawa...ok, I have seen some of his stuff, and from what I take from it he's pretty much been the big Japan babyface for the last decade...and I've seen a handful of his matches with Kawada, so I know how good they are...very enjoyable and I kinda felt I should have added at least one puro guy anyway.

 

5. Steve Austin...The heel that got himself over...with the feud with McMahon he was the envy of every working stiff in America, beating up the boss...not since Hogan has someone got people to watch wrestling, as simple as that.

 

6. Chris Benoit...The closest thing we have to a mix of Bret Hart and Dynamite Kid today...10 years from now the technical wrestlers breaking in will list Benoit as their top influence...and what I like most about him is that his stuff looks like it hurt, bad.

 

7. Cactus Jack...He seems like a regular guy...His matches are fun to watch cause you never knew what was going to happen next...he made up for his lack of talent with amazing psychology and brutal matches.

 

8. Bret Hart...In the mid/late 90s he seemed to have the best mix of old school with new school...and he carried a lot of shitty workers to not only watchable matched, but good matches. One of the last guys to work a match like you're suppose to, wrestle and actually work a hold...and he is what a world champ should have been...a guy that started at the very very bottom and over time worked his way up to be a believeable main eventer.

 

9. Rey Mysterio Jr...Ok, 2 things first, 1) I am not a huge Rey fan, but I can appreciate what he's done, and 2) this pick could have just as easily been Ultimo Dragon...Rey took the whole jr heavyweight game to a new level. Gone were the days where a moonsault was the biggest highspot you could get out of a match...like him or hate him he pretty much set the new standard for cruisers.

 

10. Mikey Whipwreck...I KNOW I KNOW!! You should be thankful I didn't put him at number 1. Mikey though, started at the very last rung you could start at, ring crew...then worked his way up as an loveable jobber, who was oddly over, people liked him, probably cause they could relate to him...he eventually worked his way through the card and ended up with the world title , and the fans loved it...he was about as much a babyface as you could be.

[EL DANDY~! 0]

1) Ric Flair-When you think about greatness, and how many terrible workers this man has carried to good or even great, and sometimes CLASSIC matches, that alone sums up why he is the man. He's carried sacks of shit like Nikita Koloff and Dusty Rhodes to **** matches on sheer will power alone. I have seen nothing great than that of Ric Flair

 

2) Toshiaki Kawada-While Misawa was given the ball and ran hard with it, nobody embodied the Strong Style that was AJPW like Kawada. He has done no wrong as a wrestler, with his AWESOME moveset, his stoicness, and his awesome selling abilities. His selling makes the match look real. It is an amazing testament that he has wrestled through all those neck bumps like he has. Just an amazing amazing man.

 

3) Jysuhin "Thunder" Lyger-The embodiment of juniors style. To my knowledge, only he, Benoit, and Flair have had ***** matches in Japan and NA. He was one of the most innovative wrestlers up until his knee injury, and while he can't fly like he used to, he can certainly go to the mat and grind it out like a motherfucker. He might be good for even five more years, and that is saying something

 

4) Chris Benoit-He has surpassed my #5 pick in every aspect of the game. He has won a world title, and through all adversity, he still goes out there and gives 100% every night, regardless. I've never seen him go out there and be lazy. Kinda makes you hope that some people will catch on...

 

5) Dynamite Kid-The man who has influenced so many, yet I haven't seen too much of his work. He is SO fast, and he could do so much in the ring, that it's a shame that his entire career only spanned about 8-9 years. One of the greatest workers of all time.

 

6) Ricky Steamboat-People have forgotten the greatness that is Ricky Steamboat. This man had THREE...COUNT EM! THREE MOTD candidates in the 80s, and then came back and had two ***** matches in 91 and 94. Absolutely amazing. The vertebrae that cracked was one of the saddest things that I've ever seen. He's one of my personal faves.

 

7) Bret Hart-The excellence of execution, probably the greatest pure technician in North America. He has won numerous titles in many promotions and made it his goal to be the best. Politics ruined his famous career, and the death of his brother may have set him on a path that many wouldn't follow, but you can't deny the number of classic matches this man was in. Unbelievable. One of my faves.

 

8) Kurt Angle-It really is unbelievable what this man has done in a little less than three years in the business. He has held a title of every importance, and on top of that, is the most over heel in the company, and has been for the last six months. I see him as the man who can lead the WWF into the next generation. Right now, I watch SmackDown! for him and Benoit.

 

9) My one joshi vote- JAGUAR MOTHERFUCKING YOKOTA-The lady who let it all hang out, one of the greatest movesets ever, and she just DRIPPED workrate. In many peoples opinions, the greatest wrestler ever. Period. Not just joshi, but in all wrestling. Absolutely insane.

 

10) Arn Anderson-Granted, it took WCW/NWA a while to realize what a great man they had in Arn Anderson, and it took then too long, as he went to the WWF, and made a name for himself there, before coming back, become "The Enforcer" again, and finishing his storied career with that company. One of the greatest psychologists ever, and a man who had that *SNAP* to every one of his moves. His promo in July 1996 after the nWo destroyed people backstage (Rey being shoved like a lawn dart into the trailer) is the greatest promo I've ever seen. He's my favorite wrestler from the NWA, and while Flair was the man with all the greatness, Arn Anderson was right there with him, and people need to realize that he wasn't just tossed up there for no reason. His greatness was only realized after he was gone, one of the biggest shames in wrestling history, IMO.

9)

[Guest RickyChosyu]

While my list is extremely limited, this is who I would nominate according to my currenty viewing:

 

1) Akira Hokuto

Simply the best wrestler that I've had the opportunity to see thus far. She conveyed an undeniable aura about herself: arrogant, fearless, unstoppable, and fully convinced of her own ability. She treated everyone as her inferior, and even in loss, carried herself with Pride and determination. She wasn't a nice girl, but she was someone everyone could look up to, and she had a "never say die" attitude that few could brake. Her performances pretty much speak for themselves, especially Dreamslam, which is probably the single greatest performance from a wrestler I have seen or will ever seen. Her namesake fits her perfectly.

 

2) Toshiaki Kawada

The stoic warrior. Kawada's selling, timing, and intensity defined him and conveyed the attitude of someone who always had something to prove. Unbelievable performances made his chase after Misawa compelling, even though he never got his proper due. The best male wrestler I've ever seen.

 

3) Aja Kong

The best monster heel I've ever seen. Took everything that was great about Bull and added raised the levle of heatless brutality. Bullied almost everyone around, and those she couldn't push around as easilly (Bull, Kansai, ect.) she worked with just as well. She could dish violence effortlessly and made her opponents look great at the same time. So convincing in her role, and seemingly unstoppable every time she stepped into the ring. Her performance on 11/20/94 against Toyota, Hokuto, and Kansai proved that she was the best. She was still churning out legit MOTYC's four years after her prime, too.

 

4) Chris Benoit

A "machine" that used smarts as well as superior ability to out-wrestler his opponents harshly and convincingly. Came into his own by out-performing his idol and doing so everywhere he went. By becoming so adaptive, he knew how to respond to almost any kind of wrestler and get the most out of them, laying the groundwork instantly and letting his opponent fill in the gaps that he needed. The best example of this was the J-Cup finals Vs. Sasuke, where Benoit got the most out of GS than anyone ever has or will. Awesome selling, great athletisism, and a subtle arrogance that went with his beatings that cannot be denied.

 

5) Jushin Liger

My favorite junior wrestler ever. He created an amazing division with himself as the focus, yet he created countless other stars with his performances. His feud with Sano is classic, and his performance against El Samurai at the BOTSJ '92 finals is still my favorite juniors match ever. Always willing to give his opponents room to look shine and remain "the man" at the same time.

 

6) Shinjiro Ohtani

To lift a line from that is often used to describe him Ohtani seemlessly combined drama and comedy to make matches that easilly conveyed emotion, drive, and excitement. Unbelievable facial expresions, selling, pacing, and tenacity. My favorite "young punk" ever.

 

7) Rick Flair

Often frustrating and too eager to "dumb it down" for his opponent, but still an amazing worker who could, when he wasn't going by the numbers, tell amazing, deep stories that fully surpassed what was usually expected of him. His moments of greatness with Steamboat and Windham fully compensate for overrated nonsense in the ninties.

 

8) Bret Hart

A master at selling, Bret could always seem dominant and vulernable at the same time, and new how to get the most out of any opponent. Wonderful timing, and subtlies that made for smart wrestling that centered around simple storylines.

 

9) Barry Windham

Often called "the lost worker of the last two decades" Barry was a top tier worker for most of his career and never got the credit that Flair, Steamboat, and Savage did. New how to play the subtle heel flawlessly, always knowing when to reel him in and when to make him look unstoppable. He could set himself appart in any setting by wrestling smart matches, and his performances with Flair were some of the I've ever seen.

 

10) Eddy Guererro

Probably the best heel ever, Eddy could be cold, calculating, and blindly angry, and mocking, and obnoxious. He took pleasure in not only inflicting pain, but demeaning his opponents.

[Guest bob_barron]

I didn't put this in order BTW

 

Ric Flair- WOOOOOO! Prob one of the greatest wrestlers ever. Has had classics in the 80s, 90s and 2000s and the way he can get the crowd into a match is amazing.

 

Ricky Steamboat- 1/2 of the greatest wrestling series of all time. Always unselfish and willing to do anything to put over an opponent and a match. Never turned heel and his WMIII v. Savage and his series with Flair in 89 are the stuff of legends.

 

 

Chris Benoit- HHH is out for eight months and comes back a shell of himself. Benoit misses a year, comes back and within the span of 2 months has had two MOTYC. His matches at the Super J Cup 94 were kickass and he wrestled DDP in DDP's best match ever. Always comes to the ring looking intense and he is just amazing.

 

 

Bret Hart- The guy who pretty much carried the WWF for a while. Had the greatest match of all time IMO against Owen Hart at WMX, and has had classics with Austin, Bulldog, Benoit, Perfect, Flair and HBK. Changed the way we look at main eventers by not being a big roided up freak.

 

Owen Hart- One of my favourite wrestlers before his death and one of the few heels I cheered for as a mark. His matches were always entertaining and had a 5 min classic against 1-2-3 Kid along with awesome matches against many opponents, especially his matches with Bret and Bulldog.

 

 

Eddy Guerrero- EDDY!~ CHEAT TO WIN!~ The WWE has had an awful 2002 but I shudder to think how awful it would be w/o Eddy. His stuff in WCW was fantastic- especially Starrcade 95 v. Ohtani. I've seen some of his puro which was great and his run in 2002 has been one of the bright spots of this year.

 

 

Steve Austin- While the way he left the WWE and his match with Booker T really pissed me off- I can't deny that he was a great wrestler and one of the most entertaining wrestlers of all time. The guy broke his neck yet came back and was still able to bust ass and have **** matches.

 

 

 

Cactus Jack- Cactus Jack, Dude Love, Mankind- no matter what- it's all good. I always was a fan- even back in his WCW days. The Texas Death match v. Vader and the series with the Nasty Boys was fantastic and stuff no one had done before in WCW. In the WWF his matches v. Taker, HHH, Austin and Rock all left you feeling like you saw something special. The guy helped create the legend of HIAC and put HHH over big time upon retirement.

 

Dean Malenko- Man of 1,001 holds. His feud with Jericho in 1998 was awesome and his matches with WCW for the most part ruled- especially his match at Spring Stampede 99 that was a MOTYC. In the WWF he had an amazing match where he made S2H his personal bitch before killing him in mid air with a DDT. His matches with Lita were hilarious.

 

Davey Boy Smith- My all time favourite. 'Nuff said

[Guest Midnight Express83]

10: Ricky Steamboat: You can count all the bad matches this guy has had on one hand. His career at the end wasn't as great as his prime. But that is like saying Gates only has 52 billion dollars instead of 100 billion. He is just a wrestler that everyone should be like, didn't care about politics, just wrestled. And tried his hardest to have match of the night every night.

 

9: Lou Thesz: Besides a press named after him. He was the first real modern day champion. He is one of the greatest wrestlers to step foot in the ring. I seen very few of his matches but as the sport goes, if there was no Thesz, there would be no pro wrestling.

 

8: Mitsuharu Misawa, the only reason he is this high on the list is because I only seen some of his work this year. But the hype this man has is un real. Most circles have him having MORE ***** matches than Ric Flair. Which is saying a lot. He would be higher if I seen more of his work.

 

7: Hulk Hogan: Before people flip out about me adding this guy. He is the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd highest draw of all time. Depending on what you go by. He has sold out almost as many arenas as Stone Cold. He is basicly a house hold name in America. When joe dow from Mississippi says the words pro wrestling, WWF and Hulk Hogan quickly come to mind.

 

6: Tiger Mask Sayama: He made the LHW style used today. Before him it was just smaller guys doing what the heavys did. His matches from the early 80s hold up to day's style. He and Dynamite Kid basicly made Lyger by their unique styles. He was a top draw durring his time(despite what Ikoni might think). He was doing things in 1982 while Lyger and Misterio were in Grade School.

 

5: Steve Austin: What? I said number 5 is Steve Austin. Kidding aside, he is the top draw of all time in my book. He basiclly saved the WWF from dying single handedly. He made the whole attitude era work. It was his wrestling stlye that still definds the main event. More do to his injury. He out draws Hogan in shirt sells 10 to 1. Even with walking out on the WWE he is making millions a year.

 

4: Dynamite Kid: One half of one of the greatest tag teams of all time. One half of one of the greatest fueds of all time. Former non blood member of the Hart Clan(ex wife was sister to Bret's ex wife). Embodies Stampede wrestling along with the Harts. One of the greatest LHW wrestlers of all time. He is a freaking god in the ring. Stiff but not stiff enough to hurt badly. He just was too far ahead of his time...too bad drugs and steriods took his body away. He would have been more if it weren't for injuries.

 

3: Chris Benoit: his wrestling god father may have made his basic style. But he has past Billington in more ways. He is about the greatest wrestler currently in the sport. The only reason he isn't in the WO Hall of Fame right now is the fact that he is still active. He is on pace to break Misawa/Flair ***** record: I clock flair at around 15. He hardly ever has a bad match. Hell he made a seemless match with jeff Hardy in only 2 minutes. He is one of the most solid wrestlers ever. The only flaw he has is in promos. Which makes him short on my list.

 

2: Bret "The Hitman" Hart: If there was ever a wrestler who made his gimmick through the ring. It was Bret. He said he was the best and proved it. You can count every bad match he had in the WWF on your hands. You think of champion and Bret comes to mind. He wasn't much into politics. His only real backstage move was to help make an angle better(HBK/Austin vs Hart Foundation). He was great on the mic. He lived wrestling. So much that he to this day won't let SurSer 97 go. He may have lost touch with reality. But one of his last matches was a classic. And thats the best way to remember his career. 1979-1999. 20 years of him being great.

 

1: Ric Flair: "To be the man, you got to beat the man. And WHOOOOOOO, I'm the man." And that sums up Flair in those words. He his prime streak of wrestling is over 15 years. He just been a lucky man not ot be injuried much. His promo style from Superstar is even better than the master. If people say Georgeous George wrote the heel book, and Graham rewrote. Flair made the bible of Rudo. He was the essance of what a great wrestler is. He was in the greatest two matches of all time. Wrestlewar 89 and Clash VI. He made the JCP. He made WCW. When people say world champion, Flair comes to mind. "Diamonds are for ever, and So is Ric Flair". I guess that sums up him still kicking around.

[Guest TheHulkster]

10) Bruiser Brody: The greatest straight up brawler of all time. He was a cornerstone for All Japan Pro Wrestling in the 80's and a big star in World Class, AWA, Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico, New Japan, and pretty much everywhere else he wrestled, which was pretty much everywhere. If you've never seen Brody before, think Mick Foley, but with amazing athletic ability and a whole lot of anger.

 

9) Nick Bockwinkle: If this guy were 10 years younger, smarks would probably be singing his praises more than Flair. Nick was to the AWA what Flair was to the NWA. He was old by the time television rolled around, but even in his advanced age, he was still able to carry slugs to great matches.

 

8) Harley Race: His WWF career hurt his credibility a bit, but it doesn't really take away the amazing matches he had throughout his long career. If you wanted to see a brawl, this guy could fight with the best of them and if you wanted to see a technical masterpiece. he could put one on at the drop of a hat.

 

7) Kenta Kobashi: Rarely do you see such an excellent wrestler who is so damned crazy. This guy would die if it meant putting on the greatest show that you've ever seen. His offense was ahead of it's time and his charisma helped him become arguably the most popular wrestler in AJPW in the 90's.

 

6) Bret Hart: This man was a master of taking shit and turning it into gold. He could carry the worst wrestler of all time and produce something outstanding and take guys who were merely adequate and make them look like superstars. When he got into the ring with someone who was near his level, incredible things happened.

 

5) Toshiaki Kawada: He could carry slugs as good as Bret Hart and take great wrestlers to a whole other level. He was mainly responsible for some of the greatest matches of all time. Even in low profile matches, he would give it everything he had to offer, which is a hell of a lot.

 

4) Ric Flair: He is not the greatest wrestler, but Flair could put on a performance the like you've never seen before and have you on the edge of your seat. In his prime, nobody in America even came close.

 

3) Terry Funk: Like Race, he could switch gears and not skip a beat. Nobody had as many great matches throughout 30 years in wrestling as much as Terry Funk did. His longevity was and still is amazing and it was very rare that someone could bring the hatred like the Funker.

 

2) Jumbo Tsuruta: This man had arguably the match of the decade in 3 different decades. It's highly unlikely that we will ever see an accomplishment like that again. His longevity and talent put him far beyond the rest and cemented his name as the greatest heavyweight wrestler of all time. Like Bockwinkle, his only fault is not being 10 years younger.

 

1) Jushin "Thunder" Liger: Liger has set the standard for all lightheavyweights to be judged. From 1989-now, nobody can even come close to the body of work this man has produced in wrestling. He's the best professional wrestler to come out of the dungeon in Calgary, and that says a whole lot. If you've never seen Liger in the ring before, look for all of the Liger you can find, because then you will agree that he deserves to be called the greatest wrestler of all time.

[Guest Coffin Surfer]

1. Jumbo-The Real Man. For over two decades, Jumbo managed to turn out ****+ matches while never becoming stale or formullic. Rather a rising star or a grumpy old bastard, he knew his role. But not only did he know his role, he knew his opponents' role as well. His ability to further a match is unsurpassed in my eyes, everything the man did served a purpose. His matches were simple, but complex at the same time. While other's have had more spectacular and deeper matches, they were never as perfectly crafted as Jumbo's.

 

2. Kawada-Selling, Storytelling, Pacing, Kawada mastered it all. Of the big three, Kawada was probably the most diverse and the best at carrying. In the mid 90s, Kawada managed to create the greatest and deepest in ring character in wrestling history. A character that was ruthless and brutal, but also tragic and sympathetic. Of the top 5 greatest male performances in wrestling history, Kawada probably has 2 or 3.

 

3. Hokuto-Probably the greatest performer in the history of the sport. Her peformance at Dreamslam against Kandori is the greatest single performance that I have ever seen. However her performances are not even her greatest attribute, but her ability to tell incredable in ring stories puts her head and shoulders above the rest.

 

4. Liger-When it comes to storytelling in the Junior division, nobody is better than Liger. In his prime, Liger was the perfect blend of entertainment and substance. One needs only to look at his deep matches with Ohtani, his one man show, or him tricking people into thinking he had the best match at JCUP 94.

 

5. Benoit-The man has worked great matches in nearly every style, even in the WWE. From a workrate perspective, I don't think your going to find a better worker. Why he never had a ***** match IMO, it doesn't take anything away from his accomplishments. Oh and he had the best Powerbomb ever.

 

6. Kong-Why'll I haven't seen as much of her work as I should. It didn't take much to convince me that this the greatest monster heel I have ever seen. However she was more than a monster, she was a great seller, pacer and always made her opponents look great.

 

7. Misawa-As the man, Misawa managed to take in ring storytelling to another level. While he failed artistically to get out of Jumbo's shadow towards the later part of his career, he did play a key role in nearly every single ***** match in All Japan history.

 

8. Eddy Guerrero-The total package. You want a spotfest, a brawl, a junior mat match, it doesnt' matter he could do it all. Not only could he do it all in the ring, but he also always held the crowd in the palm of his hand. The Havoc match with Rey is probably the best match ever recorded on American soil.

 

9. Kobashi-Sure he is probably the most flawed wrestler on the list, but nobody on the list had the run he had in 93. As a rising superstar in the early 90s, Kobashi took nighmarish beatings and still managed to look good through sure force of will power. I don't think anybody showed more passion in the ring, than this man.

 

10. Ohtani-He participated in two of the greatest story matches in Junior history. He is goofy, but he is always under control. His selling, facial expressions, almost desperation moveset, all combine to tell a powerful story in the ring.

[Guest Lord of The Curry]

YES YES YES YES!!! RECOGNIZE THE MUTHAFUCKIN WILDBOMB!!! Coffin Surfer, YOU RULE!

 

Also, keep up the votes. Good variety goin' on up in here.

[Guest WrestlingDeacon]

I do not have the time nor verbiage to say all that I would like, but wanted to get my vote in and will try to put in little blurbs as I go. As a note on the tallying, you could assign each ranking a point total, 10 for first, 9 for second, etc. I think that might be a little fairer than just going with total votes without considering rank.

 

 

 

10) Bobby Eaton- One of the most underrated wrestlers of the past 20 years. If this were a baseball team, he would be the utility infielder. I don’t think I have ever seen an Eaton match, tag or single that I would give lower than two stars. Not only did he help to pioneer and develop the tag team formula and heel team formula, but also he did so with multiple partners over several years. While perhaps he never blossomed as a single, his brief T.V. title reign was during a high watermark time for the title and he put on an excellent best 2 out of 3 falls match with Ric Flair at a Clash of Champions that was supposed to be nothing more than filler.

 

9) Lou Thesz- Most people on this list probably can’t say that they have seen many Lou Thesz matches, if any at all. But leaving him off of a list of this nature would be like not including Abraham Lincoln in a ranking of the greatest Presidents because no one was around to see him first hand. His accomplishments and contributions have far outlived him and changed the nature of the institution. There is not a wrestler going today that does not owe a tribute to Lou Thesz for helping to bridge the gap from wrestling as a “sport” to wrestling as an “entertainment.”

 

8) Jake Roberts- I have Jake Roberts on this list because he had “Attitude” before Vince McMahon even had an inkling to what that was. Roberts was the original anti-hero and tweener who used intense promos and brilliant in and out of the ring psychology to build feuds and storylines past what his fairly abundant ring skills ever could. With Roberts there would have been no Steven Austin, no Rock, no nWo, no template to build the mold.

 

7) Arn Anderson- If Eaton is my utility infielder, AA is my ace closer. Why many of his accomplishments and skills are on par with Eaton’s, Anderson had much more charisma and personality in and out of the ring. He was the anchor of some of the finest stables in wrestling history, the Dangerous Alliance, the Heenan Family, the 4 Horsemen. He was not only a company man, but THE man a company could always depend on.

 

6) Kurt Angle- Kurt Angle will be the man who leads wrestling into the 21rst century, and I don’t mean “wrestling entertainment,” I mean “wrestling.” Angle is the perfect combination of athlete, wrestler, personality, speaker and role model. He is devoted to his craft like no other wrestler I have ever seen and I can’t remember one match where I’ve seen him dogging it. If a list like this is done in another five to ten years, he could easily be a unanimous number one.

 

5) Dynamite Kid- I go for a lot of pioneers don’t I, and here’s another. Tommy Billington was doing moves and spots that would not be commonplace for over ten years. He was a pioneer of the cruiserweight style popular today and the insane bump takers. He is in a wheel chair today due to his dedication and innovative approach to the business.

 

4) Sting- Unbelievable athleticism. That’s what I think of when I think of Sting. Boundless energy and boundless potential are next in line. While the end of his career might not have been a highlight, Sting spent many years putting on excellent matches with people up and down the card and remained remarkably over despite being in an abundance of awful angles. That is a testament to his greatness more than any other.

 

3) Randy Savage- If there had been no Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage would have been the biggest wrestling star in the world. Not only did he have the charisma and ability to work a crowd, but he had it all over Hogan in the worker department. I don’t know anyone who didn’t mark for Savage at least a little bit at one time or another. Also add in the fact that he got two near five star matches out of the Ultimate Warrior and it’s ‘nuff said.

 

2) Ricky Steamboat- In 1987 Ricky Steamboat was involved in the greatest match ever. In 1989 Rick Steamboat was involved in three more of the greatest matches ever. There are also the rumors that Steamboat put on four star matches night in and night out on house shows in the WWF with Haku just to stick it to the bookers and show them what wrestling was all about: wrestling.

 

1) Ric Flair- After you see Ric Flair at the top of every greatest wrestler list, you begin to think there’s something to the hype. Most often people just say, “he’s Ric Flair” and you nod your head, because that’s all that needed.

[Guest Lord of The Curry]

Deacon- Damn good idea. Consider it done.

[Guest Ravenbomb]

a)

Dynamite Kid: Best bumper, best flyer, and really good technician

 

b)

Kurt Angle: Good flyer, fair brawler, charasmatic and best technical wrestler since...

 

c)

Lou Thesz: Best pure wrestler of all time, and he invented the Thesz Press, powerbomb, and somewhere I heard the STF. Words cannot describe the awesomeness that is Lou Thesz

 

d)

Rey Mysterio Jr.: Pretty much the ruler by which all North American jr.heavyweights are measured, and it's like that for a reason.

[Guest bob_barron]

I'll put them in order then-

1) DBS

2) Flair

3) Bret

4) Steamboat

5) Austin

6) Owen

7) Benoit

8) Eddy

9) Cactus

10) Dean

[Guest godthedog]

i'll keep this short.

 

1. ricky steamboat--every bit as good as flair, but he didn't even need to follow the formula. he adapted his style to his opponent, so he's higher up.

 

2. ric flair--duh.

 

3. kenta kobashi--the most passionate wrestler, ever. his best matches are probably the most emotional i've ever seen.

 

4. bret hart--best worker the wwf ever had.

 

5. toshiaki kawada--enough's already been said about him, i can't really add anything.

 

6. steve austin--knew how to be intense, played his character perfectly, & flat-out had fun in the ring.

 

7. chris benoit--i'm convinced that if he hadn't had to get surgery, in 2001 he would had the greatest run of any wrestler.

 

8. mitsuharu misawa--i used to dislike him because his in-ring character was a little flat, but his offense & storytelling ability are almost unmatched.

 

9. eddy guerrero--come on, it's eddie.

 

10. kurt angle--the only active guy on the list who's still improving. i know the puro guys laugh at this guy on '10 best' lists, but at the rate he's going he'll be one of the best ever by the time he retires. could very possibly be man with the most sheer talent to ever step in the ring.

[Guest J*ingus]

No Bob Backlund = no vote from me. Did ya know that you've got some people (Bull Nakano, Aja Kong) listed more than once? And why the hell is Jim Cornette on here?

[Guest Tim Cooke]

Genius...you vote for whoever you want.

 

And if Backlund is top 10, then I am a top 30 wrestler of all time.

 

Tim

[Guest Andy]

1. Dyanmite Kid - because he is absolutely incredible. Matches against Tiger Mask are still unsurpassed.

 

2. Ric Flair - greatest Northern Armerican wrestler ever

 

3. Saturo Sayama - Awesome matches against Dynamite Kid. Brilliant.

 

4. Mitsuharu Misawa - Misawa will do just fine.

 

5. Ricky Steamboat - total legend - great matches against Flair and Savage.

 

6. Chris Benoit - master of ring psychology, and a ton of ***** matches.

 

7. Bret Hart - top bloke, could pull **** matches from anyone.

 

8. Kurt Angle - one of the best prospect's ever, who can even make WWE watchable.

 

9. Toshiaki Kawada - awesome workerm, with a great series against Misawa.

 

10. Randy Savage - one of the best workers of 1980's WWF who gave me my original fascination with wrestling.

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

[Guest godthedog]

interesting (and kinda cool) how kurt angle is getting more votes than shawn michaels. i expected a LOT more votes for michaels.

[Guest AM The Kid]

1.Owen Hart

2.Bret Hart

3.Dynamite Kid

4.Chris Benoit

5.Shawn Micheals

6.Steve Austin

7.Ricky Steamboat

8.Ric Flair

9.Kurt Angle

10.Curt Hennig

 

-I'll post my reasons later today.

[Guest BAR]

5) Dynamite Kid-The man who has influenced so many, yet I haven't seen too much of his work. He is SO fast, and he could do so much in the ring, that it's a shame that his entire career only spanned about 8-9 years. One of the greatest workers of all time.

Dynamite's entire career was from 1975-96, 21 years.

[Guest Tim Cooke]

LOL - DK's career was far from 21 years.

 

He wrestled until 1991. He then had one match in 1996.

 

Cut that down just a little bit.

 

Plus he sucked for the most part after 85-86.

 

Tim