The Sunday Debate: Who is the Greatest Professional Wrestler of All-Time?
Written by Lex on November 30th, 2008 in ECW, Opinion, PWB, Raw, Smackdown, Sunday Debate, TNA, WWE, Wrestling Industry.
Sundays with no wrestling PPVs tend to equal no wrestling news. Because of that, I’ve decided I’ll start a new tradition here at PWB: the Sunday Debate.
Let’s start off with a simple topic that we always like to debate: who is the greatest professional wrestler of all-time?
This is really a tough one. There have been great wrestlers in every decade: guys like Lou Thesz, Gorgeous George, Buddy Rogers, Freddy Blassie, Bruno Sammartino and Harley Race and Andre the Giant eventually gave way to guys like Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes in the 1980s. But who can forget Ricky Steamboat, “The Macho Man” Randy Savage, and Bret Hart? And what about a guy like Shawn Michaels, who rose to prominence in the late 80s and early 90s and is still wrestling? The Undertaker falls in that category, as well. So does Sting.
Then, of course, you’ve got the new stars of the mid-90s and the Attitude Era: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Rock, Mick Foley, Chris Jericho, Triple H, Booker T, DDP, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. Then there’s the newer crop of top guys: Kurt Angle, Edge, AJ Styles, Christian Cage, Samoa Joe, John Cena, Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero (R.I.P.), Jeff Hardy and The Miz (OK, just kidding on that one). But seriously, one of those guys might be on their way to being one of the greatest of all-time.
There are a lot of different things that go into this debate: wrestling ability, persona and drawing power have to be the most important things to consider. Also, you have to look at it from this angle: is the guy a household name?
Those are just names off the top of my head. I know I’m leaving some big names out. But let’s get the debate going: who do you think is the greatest professional wrestler of all-time?
I’ll give you my top 5:
1. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin - As if I would choose someone else. He made the WWE relevant and cool during the hottest era of professional wrestling.
2. The Rock - He also made the WWE cool during the Attitude Era and early 2000s. In fact, he was so popular, he cut his career short and became a bona-fide movie star. His rise to stardom is so unique I think you have to put him near the top.
3. Hulk Hogan - Wow, I hate to do this, but you can’t deny the guy’s star power. He wasn’t much of a wrestler, but then again, he never really had to be thanks to his persona.
4. (Tie) Bret Hart - Simpy the best technical wrestler ever. This guy could make any stiff look good.
4. (Tie) Ric Flair - I think it’s only fitting that these two guys who didn’t really seem to like each other tie for fourth place. Flair was the man, especially in the Southern United States.
5. Undertaker - Just look at this guy’s longevity and drawing power–it’s ridiculous. Also, his ability as a big man is truly unmatched. I’ve never seen such a big man wrestle so well. I put Undertaker at number five instead of Shawn Michaels simply because he can make any feud popular, with or without a championship belt inovlved. Like it or not, more people seem to be interested in a random Undertaker feud than the greatness that was Chris Jericho and HBK earlier this year. That definately counts for something in my book.
There are really some tough choices involved in deciding who’s the best–I always have to throw a lot of my personal biases out the window. Granted, I’ve got Stone Cold first, but I actually put Hulk Hogan on this list, and that pains me. It also pains me to leave HBK and Mick Foley off, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
November 30th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
i gotta throw my 2 cents on this one.
Rob Van Dam.
reasons why:
RVD was always a drawing name and main attraction in WWE and ECW. his in ring skills are great, he was good on the mic even though WWE didnt really give him the chance to prove it. RVD is taking a break now, but i believe he will return to WWE in 2 or 3 years and be an even BIGGER draw. much like Jericho has this past year.
so i say in my eyes. years from now, RVD will be recognized as one of the greatest of all time
November 30th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
justin,
One of the guys I left off the list…funny how you forget about people after they are gone for a moment. I hope you are right about him coming back!
November 30th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
good debate lex.. great concept.. could really become popular!
lets see.. i reckon:
1. The Rock
2. Steve Austin
3. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat
4. Ric Flair
5. The Undertaker/Kurt Angle
So hard to pick a top 5 man! i was leaning toward Benoit, Hogan, HBK and even Foley but i always felt Angle was just about as close as you can get to the complete “Sports Entertainer”
November 30th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I would have to say that you are right about this Lex. It’s really tough. Off the top of my head I will have to say……..
#5) The Hulkster- Like him or not he was and still is a household name. When you think professional wrestling, or talk to anybody about it, no matter if they watch or not they know Hulk Hogan. His mic skills were great and the presence was awesome.
#4) Macho Man Randy Savage - This guy in his day was so electrifying. He could wrestle, he was awesome on the mic and one of the greatest heals ever.
#3) The Rock - Im not going to go into detail about the Rock. We all know what he is about.
#2) The Undertaker - One of the biggest draws, the biggest theatrical ring entrance, he could wrestle with anyone and everyone, he put asses in the seats every week and PPV and has lived through 20 years of the industry and his mic skills no matter if was the undertaker or the american badass is awesome.
#1) Stone Cold Steve Austin - Where do you start with this guy? He took wrestling to the next level. It went from Jake the snake, ted dibiase, Koko B ware, The slickster, The killer Bees, Iron Shiek, Adrian Adonis, Billy Jack Hanes, King Kong Bundy and so many others to the greatness that is The texas rattlesnake.He changes the way people feuded. He changed the way people cut promos, he changed the way people handled them self in the ring. Hell he changed the way the announcers called matches. This guy literally changed the WWE and is the 1 and only reason why there was an attitude era. There were many others involved from ‘98-2002 who helped evolve it but Stone Cold has my vote for greatest wrestler of all time.
I have been a WWF-WWE fan since about 1983. I am 32 years old right now and have seen a lot of wrestlers come and go. It almost seem unfair to only have 5 slots to fill but thats the rules. There are so many others but there is my list. I had point out that Randy Savage needs to be on the list and Im surprised you didn’t mention him Lex. And just fore the record, before people start shitting all over my list because Ric Flair isnt on it. I thought about him and its plain and simple. Other than his mic skills, I DONT THINK HE WAS THAT DAMN GOOD. Sure he won the world championship a trillion times, but to me he wasnt the total package. And I dont mean Lex Luger. So for now soak in my top 5 and marinate in it cause the one and only real deal DIAMOND D said so.
November 30th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
1 hbk
2 bret hart
3 edge
4 stone cold
5 the rock
reason i put edge over the rock and austin hes the man the right now and best heel the wwe will ever have
November 30th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
STONE COLD STONE COLD STONE COLD!!!!!
November 30th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Jmart. If Edge is the man right now and that is why you put him over SC and The Rock, then why isnt he your #1? The rest of your list is WWE alumni as well. Your list really baffles me. Your reasoning doesnt make sense. Please explain the reason behind your choices.
November 30th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Here’s my very tentative list
5) Hulk Hogan - I really don’t like this guy but he defined an era bla, bla, bla……you know why he’s gotta be in the top 5
4) HBK - Shawn Michaels had such a profound impact on a lot of the wrestlers who came after him. If there was no HBK then is there a RVD, a Jeff Hardy, an AJ Styles, a John Morison I’m not sure so he’s got to be in the top 5.
3) Bret Hart - In my opinion the best technical wrestler of his generation and probably of all time. He and HBK both held the WWE on there backs during the early 90’s if it weren’t for Bret Hart Vince would be selling insurance somewhere in Connecticut right now.
2) Stone Cold - What can you say incredible mic skills mixed with great ring savvy and popularity they transcended just sports entertainment he’s almost my #1 but…..
1) Ric Flair - There are hundreds for reasons he’s my #1 pic but I think the most compelling is if you asked all the other wrestlers on my list(with the exception of Hulk Hogan) who the greatest wrestler of all time was they would probably say Ric Flair.
Undertaker came so close to being in my top 5 but I had to fit Hulk Hogan on this list somewhere………sorry Taker but you are by far the best wrestler at your height and weight if that is any consolation.
November 30th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
…
1) Hands down Stone Cold… I’m not even going to go into reasons why… you guys have already stated enough reasons… I mean He just is you know?
2) The Rock… He had the charisma to completely mesmerize an entire crowd with his excellent Mic skills and wrestling ability… He really knew how to cut a promo and he did them better than anyone I can think of off the top of my head… (ok I might be lying or brain-dead)
3) Bret Hart… He was very well the best damn technical wrestler in history… He really was the best there was, the best there is, and the best there ever will be (in terms of technique)… the reason that he is 3rd on my list is that his mic skills really weren’t as great as they could have been… not to mention that they pail in comparison to stone cold and the rock…
4) Hulk Hogan… Diamond D said it best, no matter who you talk to, they know Hogan… and even still, whenever the crowd hears his music they go crazy…
5) Flair/Piper/taker tie… I know that some of you might not agree with me about this, but i honestly believe that Piper deserves some recognition… I mean think back to all of those memorable moments where he took a fire extinguisher and smacked some one with it… or the time that he slammed the cake in matt stricker’s face… or all the times that he lulled opponents to sleep with his signature sleeper hold…
6) I know that you are only allowed five, but i felt like i needed to add this… Big Show impersonating Hogan, Piper, and other greats of the buisness… Come on… I mean some of those moments were really funny… you all have to admit it… if you can remember the time that he came out to the ring to fight angle as hogan with the wig and spandex that was hilarious…
anyway… that’s all for now…
$David “ShortZ & A T” Heffernan
November 30th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Hey, glad to see people agree with me on Stone Cold…I’m still waiting for Hogan Mark to make his appearance here and put Hogan #1!
November 30th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
im baffled no one is putting edge in there top 5 the guy is a good draw hes a 6 time champ and has won pretty much every title edge deserves to be in the top 5 i believe
November 30th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
oh and he can pretty much have a great match with ne one and tell a great story
November 30th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
bret hart isnt going to sqy flair is the best, sideshow.
i am refusing to make any picks because it would take to long
November 30th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Howcome no one is mentioning Triple H? He is definitely going to be remembered as one of the greatest.
1.) Shawn Michaels
2.) Steve Austin
3.) Edge
4.) Triple H
5.) Undertaker
November 30th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
hey lex we should have like greatest champions like the wwe title world title wcw title nwa title with the top 5
November 30th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Lex,
Like the concept!
The one and only real deal DIAMOND D,
Impressive a fan since 1983.
My Mega Greats list for modern era of wrestling would be:
1-Austin
2-Hulk
3-The Rock
4-Mick Foley
5-Sting
Classic era of wrestling list:
I cannot do one as I never really watched that era but it would contain guys like Ric Flair, Terry Funk, Rocky Don Muraco, Tito Santana and so on.
Great wrestlers list:
This one would contain guys like Bret Hart, HBK, Piper, Savage, Edge, Y2J, RVD, Booker T and so on:
November 30th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Come on guys, Kurt Angle.. gotta give him some recognition!
November 30th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
kurt angle was good for like 5 years. now he’s just another pretty good name to me.
November 30th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
By everybody’s answers I’m guessing that most here are in their late 20s. So how you can say “of all time” is crazy, because most here probably don’t even remember Ric Flair when he was in his prime, let alone Bruno Sammartino or Lou Thesz. So you should change your question to be “of the last 15 years” . Not “of all time”.
Also Lex, you have to be more definitive with your question. Do you mean the Greatest Wrestler, i.e someone that can actually wrestle, or greatest entertainer of all time? They are two completely different things.
November 30th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Well if Lex put Hogan in his list, I think it’s safe to say that he meant all-around entertainer
November 30th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Well, I guess if we go just by the question asked meaning the best PRO WRESTLER i would have to go with Shawn Micheals because he has put on the best matches for at least 20 years i mean in AWA he had great matches as the mudnight rockers…in WWF he had great Tag Team mactches as well not to mention his singles career with all the IC title reigns then WWF titles reins…Now in WWE he is still the showstopper. So yea there’s my opinion. Plus on this month Legends of Wrestling on WWE on Demand Ric Flair said At Wrestlemania X Micheals wrestled a LADDER and had an all time great match LOL!! That pretty much says it all coming from the Nature Boy!
November 30th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Dynamite,
I’m talking greatest all-around pro wrestler…so that takes everything into account. Wrestling ability, persona, entrainment, etc…
November 30th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
5) Sting by far in away the fact that he has had amazing staying power for someone who never wrestled for WWF/E.
4)Rowdy Piper think about how much of an impact this man had who never won a world heavyweight championship.
3) Undertaker Nuff said
2) Ric Flair Nuff Said
1) SCSA No doubt about it, how can you argue with a man who completely changed the business.
December 1st, 2008 at 2:00 am
HBK should be #1 on every body’s list ! So here’s my list
1.HBK
2.Rick Flair
3.Bret Hart
4.Jeff Jerrette
5.Chris Jericho
December 1st, 2008 at 2:21 am
I’m not your average crazy wrestling fan…so i’ll give who i think belongs on that top 5:
1. Austin: reasons stated above
2. Flair: duh!
3. Taker: his staying power is ridiculous…he is great at the power, speed, technical, and brawler sides of wrestling (to go with svr movesets)…and need i mention the streak?!
4. Mick Foley: i was considering leaving him off…and then i realized something: this guy made hardcore wrestling cool and has massive staying power w/ 4 characters! (mankind, dude love, cactus jack, and mick foley) now that deserves a spot!
5. jeff hardy: i kno im gonna get slammed for this one…but what the hell ill go for it! he has nearly-single-handedly brought daredevil-style high-flying into the mainstream and was a success in both singles and tag team wrestling! he is receiving the biggest push i have seen since john cena in 2004-2005 and is pretty much the poster boy for the WWE these days!
so there u have it…feel free to agree with me or call me an idiot…
December 1st, 2008 at 2:25 am
1. The Rock
2. Kurt Angle
3. HBK (Prev that guy with the name Chris and last name with a B)
4. Jericho
5. Eddie Guerrero
Arice - Jeff Jarrett? HMPH…
December 1st, 2008 at 3:11 am
SCMike
Yes ! The Chosen One,The king of the mountain, Slapp Nutts Double J Jeff Jarrett. Hey my fault he’s not as over rated as The Rock or Steve Austin..
December 1st, 2008 at 3:13 am
AND WHAT DOES HMPH MEAN
December 1st, 2008 at 3:50 am
HMPH = gesture of doubt.
December 1st, 2008 at 4:02 am
my top 5(In Ring)
1- HBK
2- Bret
3- Steamboat
4- Kurt
5- Mr Perfect
——————————-
Overall
1- Hogan (pains me)
2(or 1A)- Austin
3- Flair
4- HBK
5- HHH (ONLY because he will take over wrestling once Vince is dead, sad I know)
December 1st, 2008 at 4:02 am
RVD is tied with Perfect, lol
December 1st, 2008 at 4:05 am
Lex, how the hell could you have Bret ahead of Flair, but HBK not on the list?
Bret over Flair in the ring
Flair over Bret in Popularity
Shawn Better than Bret on the Mic(clearly)
Shawn better than Flair in the ring
Bret on the list, but HBK isnt
hmmm
December 1st, 2008 at 11:16 am
5 THE BARBER BRUTEUS BEEFCACKE - HE MAKES CELEBRITIES WRESTLE LIKE GREAT MEN
4 BIG DADDY VISKERA - GREAT LARGE MAN HELD BACK YEARS AGO BY UNDERTACKER, SHOULD BE CHAMPION OF ALL WECW UNIVERSE TODAY
3 DAMIEN DEMENTO - ENTERTAINING, CHARASMATIC AGAIN HELD BACK BY NO GOOD OVERRATED UNDERTACKER
2 HULK HOGAN - HOW CAN HE NOT BE ON ANY LIST, IF IT NOT FOR HIM THEN NO WORLD FEDIRATION OF WRESTLING
1 KHALI - GREAT MAN WITH BIG HEART WHO DESTROY ANY WRESTLERS AND SELLS MOVES LIKE A GIANT SHOULD
December 1st, 2008 at 11:38 am
JSN,
Like I said, you have to make tough choices in picking the best wrestler of all-time…and picking the top five best wrestlers of all-time. It’s bad enough that I had to put a tie in the rankings, so I’ve actually got six on there.
In my opinion, Bret is a better wrestler than HBK. Don’t get me wrong, HBK is great, but Bret takes the cake. Bret understood the psychology of wrestling more than anyone I think I’ve ever seen wrestle. Go back to the HBK/Bret Ironman match. I don’t think HBK could have had that kind of match with anyone else at the time, but I think Bret could.
In terms of mic work, HBK is good…but is he really that much better than Bret? I though Bret was a bit underrated when it came to that aspect of his character. In fact, during the times they were both in the WWF at the same time, I preferred Bret’s promos–especially when HBK descended into the DX stuff.
Also, I think you’re right about HBK being better than Flair in the ring–HBK is more creative. But that doesn’t trump Flair’s persona–that guy was absolutely THE MAN for an entire region of the country for a very long time. HBK was and is popular, but I don’t think anything can top the larger-than-life persona that was Ric Flair in the 80s and 90s.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Thats why I think its good to have 3 different lists (my earlier comment) as wrestling evolves from time to time.
Its like ranking bands such as D Generation and Iron Maiden? it would be difficult as there totally different to each other. So I would make two lists, one Glam Punk and the other Metal.
December 1st, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Lex
Bret hart is not better than HBK ! The Only person The Hit Man could have had Ironman match with is Owen Hart
”HBK was and is popular, but I don’t think anything can top the larger-than-life persona that was Ric Flair in the 80s and 90s ” Two words for you, Hulk Hogan. I’m 20 and every time I ask a pearson who is over 30, who is the greatest they always say Hulk Hogan. Me personally I think HBK is the G.O.A.T.
December 1st, 2008 at 3:49 pm
im a hogan mark…. But 1 Stone cold steve austin im not even going to state the reasons why 2. Ric Flair 3. Undertaker 4.Hulk Hogan 5. Bret Hart
December 1st, 2008 at 4:37 pm
1. Ric Flair– Obvious
2. Dusty Rhodes–He laid the foundation for promos in my opinion
3. Jimmy Snuka–If it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have high fliers now
4. Andre the Giant–Need I say more–the best ever Giant in the industry–take note Khali
5. Bret Hart–He just has that thing about him and of course the Hart legacy
December 1st, 2008 at 4:56 pm
1.Flair
2.Stone Cold
3.The Rock
4.Jericho
5.Benoit (best in ring in my opinion before he lost it)
Rob Dib
http://www.prowrestling-gear.com
December 1st, 2008 at 5:31 pm
wow, tough question, but i like it. without a whole lot of thought, my list would probably go as follows:
1 (tie). Stone Cold- pretty much everything has been said already that needs to be said
1 (tie) Hogan- Maybe it’s the fact that i still mark out to hogan even with everything i know about him, but this guy literally defined wrestling as it is today. He (among a few others) took wrestling from a relatively underground spectacle into the biggest attraction of the early to mid 80s. It would be comparable to someone taking a sport like kickboxing or muay thai (despite the fact that those are real sports and wrestling is scripted) and making it the hottest spectacle in america. sure people know about those sports, but they don’t draw 11 million viewers if you put em on national tv like SNME and the war to settle the score did in the 80s. He was basically the face of wrestling as we know it today, and despite his personality behind the scenes, his ability to entertain was basically second to none.
2. Bret Hart- One of the best pure wrestlers of all time, as well as a hell of an entertainer. Could flourish in any style match with pretty much anyone, which is a skill very few wrestlers have ever possessed. One of the greatest comments I’ve ever heard describing bret hart, that in my mind puts him on this list is that he could have ten matches with the same wrestler, and have an entirely different match with them each time. Looking over the course of bret’s career, it’s hard to find more than a couple matches that are similar to one another. The guy could flat out work, not to mention the fact that he helped to carry the wwf in the mid 90s.
3. Taker- Best and most versatile big man ever, nuff said
4. HBK- Mostly everything has already been said about him too. Great technician, great on the mic, and knows how to work a storyline and a crowd.
5. Ric Flair- I don’t have the perspective on this that some do, as I wasn’t raised in the south, but flair undoubtedly has had one of the most significant impacts of all time on the sport of wrestling, as well as being one of the best technical wreslers of this era. His career not only helped define the business, but influenced and shaped so many wrestlers, some of whom are on this list. Even during his stints in wwf/wwe, he was still an unbelieveable draw. One drawback, like hogan, is that many of his matches followed a similar psychology to one another, although they were still excellent matches.
just barely missing the cut- piper, perfect, HHH, dibiase, steamboat, savage
one additional comment- IMO, edge still ranks behind dibiase in my all time best heels list. Dibiase could put on great matches, and really knew how to turn a crowd against him and make people hate him. During the 80s, this guy was a part of some of the most legendary feuds of all time, and put on some unbelievable matches. Edge has the potential to be better, but still has some catching up to do
again, this list and everything is just my two cents, so take it for what it’s worth.
December 1st, 2008 at 7:06 pm
For being the big hulk hogan mark i am ! yeah Lex you wanna join the bandwagon? …. for 1 and 2 it’s a toss up between Stone Cold or Ric flair, you cannot go wrong for putting one over the another. You cannot put the rock over bret hart or hbk. And i have to say for the most underated wrestler ever Owen Hart, never got his due in the business, And if he was still here today Proably would won the WWE Championship or World Heavyweight championship by now.
December 2nd, 2008 at 8:07 am
Fuck Pole Foam, you like D Generation? I’m coming to like you more and more. Awesome, awesome, vastly underrated band.
December 2nd, 2008 at 8:10 am
but Lex, most here don’t go back to much earlier than 1990, so to say of all time is a little inaccurate, as it devalues the amazing achievements of thousands of wrestlers most here have never heard of. I could put together a real top 5, but most wouldn’t understand it at all, and how could they if they started watching WWE in 1991.
December 2nd, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Dynamite Kid,
Yeah got into them recently, the vamp nation/guitar mafia and definitely underrated.
1-I heard wild thing at age 3 on the tv and definitely a moment.
2-I then heard children of the revolution, get it on and many other glam rock songs on tv/radio and really liked them.
3-I heard Motley Crue at 16-17 and those were the first albums that I found were perfect. But got bored of there later albums as they seemed too polished.
So now I needed more raw rock n roll and rebellious real music, so I ventured into punk.
December 4th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
1. The Undertaker
2. Sting
3. Hayabusa (The best Japanese wrestler of all time)
4. Ultimate Warrior
5. Edge
December 21st, 2008 at 11:58 am
[...] the inagural “Sunday Debate,” we had a great discussion on the greatest wrestler of [...]