My TOP 20 Pro Wrestlers of All Time. Thoughts.

[AfroBanana]

Bret Hart
Hollywood Hogan
Stone Cold
Kurt Angle (imo best in ring performer ever)
Rock
Kevin Nash
Scott Hall
Ric Flair
Undertaker
Kane
Raven (ECW/WCW)

I know I'll get a ton of flak for Raven, but you have to understand I was about 15 in late 90s and grunge /Nirvana had a huge effect on me like so many angsty teens at the time. His WCW theme was so 90s .

Honestly that's really it.

It’s all subjective man and I like that you gave Raven some love and reminded me of that gimmick.

I would totally add Greg Valentine and Somoa Joe on my list because they’re crazy workers and that strong style they bring is intense and somewhat believable. I value them as workers and the longevity they had over “popularity”. I’ll be back to make my own list as it will take some time to think.

 

[AfroBanana]

It's too difficult to do a list like this because wrestling has evolved/changed so much over nearly 100 years its been around.

Lou Thesz is easily more important and better than Kane, but most people haven't seen a Thesz match and his style was just different. Out of people from his era, he is more watchable because he is less slow paced than others from his era. You can find some of his matches on youtube.

Definitely.

My grandfather introduced me to Nick Bockwinkle. As an adult I watched a bunch of his stuff on ESPN (the AWA classics they aired around 2007-2011) and peacock. The guy IMO is so good and composed he’s like the classy arrogant heel but believably so. Amazing talent back then in and out of the ring. A classic vintage Chad I would put on my own top 20.

 

[Goonerview]

Bret Hart
Hollywood Hogan
Stone Cold
Kurt Angle (imo best in ring performer ever)
Rock
Kevin Nash
Scott Hall
Ric Flair
Undertaker
Kane
Raven (ECW/WCW)

I know I'll get a ton of flak for Raven, but you have to understand I was about 15 in late 90s and grunge /Nirvana had a huge effect on me like so many angsty teens at the time. His WCW theme was so 90s .

Honestly that's really it.

Raven’s hardcore matches in the 90s were awesome!

Raven’s match against Goldberg for the US title was one of my favorite matches of all time. The crowd went wild in the match.

Also, Scott Steiner’s mic work in the late 90s was brilliant.

 

[Evenflow80]

Raven’s hardcore matches in the 90s were awesome!

Raven’s match against Goldberg for the US title was one of my favorite matches of all time. The crowd went wild in the match.

Also, Scott Steiner’s mic work in the late 90s was brilliant.

It's funny , but I forgot that my screen name is named after Ravens evenflow ddt. I've been using Evenflow as a screen name everywhere since the late 90s. I have w gamefaqs and Force.net accounts made in late 90s called evenflow.

Yeah the grunge Raven really connected to me as a teen in the 90s

Dude, Scott stieners unhinged, rambling, incoherent mic work in the late 90s/early 2000s was truly something special

 

[BoogerDawson]

Mil Mascaras

Bob Backlund had a 5-6 yr reign. Although kind of a boring personality for that run, he was technically very good. I like the crazy Backlund in the 1990's who snapped.

Fabulous Freebirds
Exotic Adrian Street

 

[Streeter]

Flair
Shawn
Brett
Punk
Macho

My top 5 no order.


If had to choose throw a coin in air between Shawn Michaels an CM Punk. Shawn was better a little in ring but CM had best mic skills ever an still great in ring.

 

[SammyPops]

Guessing you are young, b/c guys like Piper, Dusty, Terry Funk, Steamboat are not on your list.

 

[SammyPops]

Mil Mascaras

Bob Backlund had a 5-6 yr reign. Although kind of a boring personality for that run, he was technically very good. I like the crazy Backlund in the 1990's who snapped.

Fabulous Freebirds
Exotic Adrian Street

OT- but do you remember an angle with Street vs. Jimmy Valiant? I always wondered wtf happened there, b/c it seemed to end when Paul jones and Kamala do a run-in and got colour on both Street and Valiant. That was it. Kamala was in WWE the next week or two. Street Valiant fued over.

 

[Spam On Rye]

Wouldn't put half of those guys in my top 200. Where's all the regionals? You should check out Dr. Death Steve Williams, Rick Rude, Vader, Steamboat, Liger, Stan Hansen, Terry Funk, Harley Race, Tully Blanchard, Dusty, Lawler, Terry Gordy, Ultimo Dragon, Arn Anderson, Freebirds, Black Jack Mulligan,

 

[Pliny Pete]

OT- but do you remember an angle with Street vs. Jimmy Valiant? I always wondered wtf happened there, b/c it seemed to end when Paul jones and Kamala do a run-in and got colour on both Street and Valiant. That was it. Kamala was in WWE the next week or two. Street Valiant fued over.

Jimmy Valiant deserved to get his ass beat for trying to mack on Miss Linda, you don't touch another man's squeeze

 

[Batjester]

OT- but do you remember an angle with Street vs. Jimmy Valiant? I always wondered wtf happened there, b/c it seemed to end when Paul jones and Kamala do a run-in and got colour on both Street and Valiant. That was it. Kamala was in WWE the next week or two. Street Valiant fued over.

Pretty sure it was just a case of the enemy of my enemy is my ally type of deal. Valiant was feuding with Jones and his goons for pretty much the entire 80's

 

[sleepwalk]

It’s all subjective man and I like that you gave Raven some love and reminded me of that gimmick.

I would totally add Greg Valentine and Somoa Joe on my list because they’re crazy workers and that strong style they bring is intense and somewhat believable. I value them as workers and the longevity they had over “popularity”. I’ll be back to make my own list as it will take some time to think.

Raven was a top five "psychology" guy of all time.

Greg Valentine is one of my childhood faves and I feel he could have been just as big a deal under his shoot name as a babyface as he did as a heel using his dad's ring name.

 

[steeldragon]

Surprised no one has a high regard for Eddie Guerrero a hell of a lot better then goldberg

 

[sleepwalk]

Surprised no one has a high regard for Eddie Guerrero a hell of a lot better then goldberg

Eddie might be in my Top Five all-arounders.

 

[Typrune Goatley]

1. Hulk Hogan
2. Ric Flair
3. Stone Cold Steve Austin
4. Undertaker
5. Bret Hart
6. Sting
7. Macho Man
8. Rey Mysterio
9. Kurt Angle
10. Curt Hennig
11. Chris Jericho
12. The Rock
13. Scott Steiner
14. Roddy Piper
15. Mick Foley
16. Chris Benoit
17. Andre The Giant
18. Eddie Guerrero
19. Scott Hall
20. Kane
21. Rob Van Dam
22. Shawn Michaels
23. Booker T
24. Brock Lesnar
25. Sabu

 

[sleepwalk]

Openly acknowledging my US bias and in no particular order...
1) Ric Flair
2) Shawn Michaels
3) Kurt Angle
4) The Rock
5) Booker T
6) The Undertaker
7) Bret Hart
8) Steve Austin
9) Hulk Hogan [EDIT: Dusty Rhodes]
10) Eddie Guerrero
11) Bryan Danielson
12) Jake Roberts [EDIT: Randy Savage]
13) Rob Van Dam
14) Curt Hennig
15) Seth Rollins
16) Chris Jericho
17) Scott Hall
18) Rick Rude
19) Vader
20) Rey Mysterio Jr

 

[SocraticMethod]

Are these your favorites, or are you saying they are the best professional wrestlers of all time? If the latter, in what capacity? Star power? Ring work? Combination of workrate, mic skills, look, and impact?

 

[sleepwalk]

Are these your favorites, or are you saying they are the best professional wrestlers of all time? If the latter, in what capacity? Star power? Ring work? Combination of workrate, mic skills, look, and impact?

For mine, it's mostly being an all-around stud. Like, if I was going to give them a VFW curtain jerker or the main event at WM with three months of promos and vignettes, who is absolutely going to give me a classic.

 

[SocraticMethod]

My completely subjective top 10 based on favortism and whatnot:

1. Stone Cold Steve Austin
2. The Undertaker
3. Hulk Hogan
4. Shawn Michaels
5. Chris Jericho
6. Kurt Angle
7. Macho Man Randy Savage
8. Bret Hart
9. Mick Foley
10. AJ Styles

HM to Andre, who I didn't get to see quite enough of.
I was strictly a WWF kid in the 80s, so I didn't see too much of Flair or Dusty either.

 

[the ambush]

Surprised no one has a high regard for Eddie Guerrero a hell of a lot better then goldberg

Eddie might be in my Top Five all-arounders.

For the limited duration of him as a top level pro wrestler I consider him to be "legend like". Eddie of course had the classic match with Brock. I personally believe Eddie should have consideration on these type of lists, it's just his run at the top was not very long