Honorable Mentions1 OF 11
Andre the Giant
The Eighth Wonder of the World was a mountain in a singlet. Billed at 7'4" and 520 lbs., The Princess Bride's Fezzik made large men like Hulk Hoganseem small. And until his body broke down, the big man had legitimate moves in the ring. Though an unforgettable presence, his time atop the WWE—he only won two belts in his entire career—was too brief to warrant a spot in the top 10.
Bret "The Hitman" Hart
Interestingly enough, "The best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be" fell just shy of our top 10. The Excellence of Execution was a great technical wrestler, and the Sharpshooter was arguably the best submission finisher of all time. But he always seemed to be reading from cue cards in his promos, and his entrance music was average at best.
Chris Jericho
Unlike Hart, Jericho was one of the best trash talkers the WWE has ever—e-e-e-e-ver—had, and his entrance music was top-notch. But he always seemed to need a cheap shot or some sort of interference to win his best matches. That isn't to say he wasn't a great wrestler, but it just devalued him a little bit. Also, the Liontamer/Walls of Jericho was one of the more underwhelming finishing moves.
Chyna
No women made it into the top 10, though the Ninth Wonder of the World was worth considering. Chyna had a short run in WWE, but she was something of a one-woman revolution en route to winning the Intercontinental Championship. Before Chyna, the roles of women in wrestling were predominantly as managers or valets. Less than two decades after Chyna took the world by storm, WWE is going to have its first all-women pay-per-view event in October.
Dusty Rhodes
The American Dream didn't have great entrance music, his "Flip, Flop and Fly" finisher was sub-par compared to the rest of the candidates for the top 10 and he only spent a couple of years as a full-time wrestler with WWE. Still, he was a prominent figure in the sport for nearly half a century, which at least warrants an honorable mention.
Hunter Hearst Helmsley (Triple H)
Coming from a former DX junkie, The Game will always be a personal favorite. But he was like the Grant Hill of wrestling, constantly battling injuries that kept him from truly fulfilling his potential—though he did win more than his fair share of belts over the years.
Kurt Angle
Perhaps the greatest technical wrestler in WWE history, Angle is also one of the most loathed characters of all time. Entire arenas have been chanting "You suck!" during his entrances for more than 16 years, so it's hard to imagine wrestling without him.
Only two guys who made their WWE debut in the last 20 years were even considered for this list: Orton and John Cena. And even though the RKO is an outstanding finisher, The Viper has always been a little overshadowed by Cena.
The Ultimate Warrior
Some wrestlers routinely engaged in 15-minute matches for decades. Not the Warrior. His matches typically ended within three minutes and his career barely spanned 10 years, but it was one hell of a whirlwind ride.
Vince McMahon
He wasn't legitimately considered for a spot on the list, but as far as entrance music and charisma on the mic is concerned, Mr. McMahon is an all-time great. And the gifs and memes of his overreactions to everything will live on forever.
10. Mick Foley
Entrance Music: 3.7 / 10
We start out the list with a tricky one for this category, because Mick Foley wrestled under several alter egos, each of which had a different walkout song. But they were all rather forgettable. The best of the bunch was arguably "Wreck," which was the one that he used when he was plain ol' Foley late in his career. Unless you're an unabashed fan of disco music, the worst entrance music was definitely for Dude Love.
Finishing Move: 5.9 / 10
It's no Rock Bottom or Stone Cold Stunner, but the Mandible Claw was certainly unique. If nothing else, I believe it's the only finishing move that one could theoretically practice by doing it to oneself, though that behavior is strictly discouraged. (Just trust us. It hurts like hell.) It probably would have only scored a 4.2 if Foley hadn't later turned it into Mr. Socko.
On the Mic: 9.5 / 10
Plenty of wrestlers over the years have played the role of the tormented soul. Guys like Kane, Raven, Gangrel and Al Snow did it quite well. But no one could deliver a deranged soliloquy quite like Foley. And the fact that he could juxtapose Mankind's mania with Dude Love's chill persona only added to his intrigue. Foley's most memorable/haunting monologue (YT: Cactus Jack Cane Dewey Promo)
of all time, however, came as Cactus Jack when he was with ECW.
of all time, however, came as Cactus Jack when he was with ECW.
In the Ring: 9.7 / 10
Foley was far from the most technical wrestler, but man alive could he take a beating and put on a show. The moment The Undertaker threw Mankind off the top of the Hell in a Cell and onto the announcing table is one of the most iconic in WWE history. Two years later, Triple H threw Cactus Jack (YT: 60 Seconds in Hell - Mick Foley vs. Triple H - No Way Out 2000)through the cell and through the canvas of the ring in an even more death-defying stunt. It's a miracle Foley's career lasted as long as it did—a career that produced three WWF championships, eight WWF tag-team championships and a WWF hardcore championship.
through the cell and through the canvas of the ring in an even more death-defying stunt. It's a miracle Foley's career lasted as long as it did—a career that produced three WWF championships, eight WWF tag-team championships and a WWF hardcore championship.
Total Score: 28.8 / 40
5. Ric Flair
Entrance Music: 9.6 / 10
Not many wrestlers could pull off a classical piece by Richard Strauss, but "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair was stylin' and profilin' to the tune of "Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30." It's not the type of music that instantly jolts you out of your seat, but it does crescendo for roughly a full minute such that it's hitting the sweet spot right as he's entering the ring.
Finishing Move: 9.5 / 10
You don't find many submission moves on the list of the greatest finishers of all time, but Flair's Figure-Four Leg Lock belongs on a pedestal in the Wrestling Hall of Fame. It's that much of a timeless classic.
On the Mic: 10 / 10
Woo! Put a microphone in front of the Nature Boy and he was liable to go off the rails in the best way possible. You could do a top 50 of the greatest Flair promos of all time and still be forced to omit some classics. No one was better about bragging about his own greatness and riches while strutting around and screaming "Woo!" A top-five spot on that list would have to go to the time he stripped down to his boxers and handcuffed himself to the ring (YT: Greatest Ric Flair Promo feat. Mean Gene Okerlund) while challenging Eric Bischoff.
while challenging Eric Bischoff.
In the Ring: 6.5 / 10
Ric Flair was an incredible wrestler. He was named world champion so many times that people literally lost count. The disputed total is somewhere between 16 and 25.
Here's the problem, though: This is a ranking of the greatest WWE wrestlers of all time, and Flair spent less than two years in the WWE during his first three decades of wrestling. He returned to the WWE in 2001 at the age of 52 and continued to wrestle quite well for his age, but there's no question that his prime came with WCW and NWA. Because of that, we had to dock him a few points. Still, he was a WWE legend.
Total Score: 35.6 / 40
1. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
Entrance Music: 10 / 10
You know you're in the presence of a wrestling fan if a glass shatters and he or she quickly scans the room in search of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. The beginning of Austin's entrance song is the quintessential sound of wrestling for an entire generation of fans. But unlike The Rock's entrance, which immediately went downhill from there, Austin's entire walkout song essentially became the WWE anthem for more than a decade.
Finishing Move: 10 / 10
The Stone Cold Stunner is the greatest finisher in WWE history, and that isn't open to debate. (Although, if you wanted to argue that Austin's actualfinishing move was climbing to the second rope and pouring a few cold ones down his throat, that's fair.) You never knew for sure when The Texas Rattlesnake was going to strike, but it was always amazing. And any time he delivered a stunner to Vince McMahon and proceeded to scream right in his semi-conscious face, it was even better.
On the Mic: 10 / 10
"Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your ass" might be the most iconic mic drop in wrestling history. He wasn't the best role model for kids, but Austin turned flipping birds and chugging beers into an art. His career-long feud with Vince McMahon resulted in an absurd number of spectacular speeches and classic videos to be played on the Titantron. And it's because of Austin that fans have been incessantly screaming "What?!" during monologues for the past two decades.
In the Ring: 9.7 / 10
It's the only area where Austin's legacy falls short of perfection, and only because he suffered a devastating neck injury about a decade into his professional career. He continued handing out stunners like they were candy bars on Halloween, but he was more of a brawler and a showman than an actual wrestler beyond 1997. Still, Austin battled night in and night out, winning 12 WWE belts as the intercontinental champ (twice), tag-team champ (four times) and WWE champion (six times).
Honorable Mentions
Andre the Giant
The Eighth Wonder of the World was a mountain in a singlet. Billed at 7'4" and 520 lbs., The Princess Bride's Fezzik made large men like Hulk Hoganseem small. And until his body broke down, the big man had legitimate moves in the ring. Though an unforgettable presence, his time atop the WWE—he only won two belts in his entire career—was too brief to warrant a spot in the top 10.
Bret "The Hitman" Hart
Interestingly enough, "The best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be" fell just shy of our top 10. The Excellence of Execution was a great technical wrestler, and the Sharpshooter was arguably the best submission finisher of all time. But he always seemed to be reading from cue cards in his promos, and his entrance music was average at best.
Chris Jericho
Unlike Hart, Jericho was one of the best trash talkers the WWE has ever—e-e-e-e-ver—had, and his entrance music was top-notch. But he always seemed to need a cheap shot or some sort of interference to win his best matches. That isn't to say he wasn't a great wrestler, but it just devalued him a little bit. Also, the Liontamer/Walls of Jericho was one of the more underwhelming finishing moves.
Chyna
No women made it into the top 10, though the Ninth Wonder of the World was worth considering. Chyna had a short run in WWE, but she was something of a one-woman revolution en route to winning the Intercontinental Championship. Before Chyna, the roles of women in wrestling were predominantly as managers or valets. Less than two decades after Chyna took the world by storm, WWE is going to have its first all-women pay-per-view event in October.
Dusty Rhodes
The American Dream didn't have great entrance music, his "Flip, Flop and Fly" finisher was sub-par compared to the rest of the candidates for the top 10 and he only spent a couple of years as a full-time wrestler with WWE. Still, he was a prominent figure in the sport for nearly half a century, which at least warrants an honorable mention.
Hunter Hearst Helmsley (Triple H)
Coming from a former DX junkie, The Game will always be a personal favorite. But he was like the Grant Hill of wrestling, constantly battling injuries that kept him from truly fulfilling his potential—though he did win more than his fair share of belts over the years.
Kurt Angle
Perhaps the greatest technical wrestler in WWE history, Angle is also one of the most loathed characters of all time. Entire arenas have been chanting "You suck!" during his entrances for more than 16 years, so it's hard to imagine wrestling without him.
Only two guys who made their WWE debut in the last 20 years were even considered for this list: Orton and John Cena. And even though the RKO is an outstanding finisher, The Viper has always been a little overshadowed by Cena.
The Ultimate Warrior
Some wrestlers routinely engaged in 15-minute matches for decades. Not the Warrior. His matches typically ended within three minutes and his career barely spanned 10 years, but it was one hell of a whirlwind ride.
Vince McMahon
He wasn't legitimately considered for a spot on the list, but as far as entrance music and charisma on the mic is concerned, Mr. McMahon is an all-time great. And the gifs and memes of his overreactions to everything will live on forever.
10. Mick Foley
Entrance Music: 3.7 / 10
We start out the list with a tricky one for this category, because Mick Foley wrestled under several alter egos, each of which had a different walkout song. But they were all rather forgettable. The best of the bunch was arguably "Wreck," which was the one that he used when he was plain ol' Foley late in his career. Unless you're an unabashed fan of disco music, the worst entrance music was definitely for Dude Love.
Finishing Move: 5.9 / 10
It's no Rock Bottom or Stone Cold Stunner, but the Mandible Claw was certainly unique. If nothing else, I believe it's the only finishing move that one could theoretically practice by doing it to oneself, though that behavior is strictly discouraged. (Just trust us. It hurts like hell.) It probably would have only scored a 4.2 if Foley hadn't later turned it into Mr. Socko.
On the Mic: 9.5 / 10
Plenty of wrestlers over the years have played the role of the tormented soul. Guys like Kane, Raven, Gangrel and Al Snow did it quite well. But no one could deliver a deranged soliloquy quite like Foley. And the fact that he could juxtapose Mankind's mania with Dude Love's chill persona only added to his intrigue. Foley's most memorable/haunting monologue (YT: Cactus Jack Cane Dewey Promo) of all time, however, came as Cactus Jack when he was with ECW.
of all time, however, came as Cactus Jack when he was with ECW.
In the Ring: 9.7 / 10
Foley was far from the most technical wrestler, but man alive could he take a beating and put on a show. The moment The Undertaker threw Mankind off the top of the Hell in a Cell and onto the announcing table is one of the most iconic in WWE history. Two years later, Triple H threw Cactus Jack (YT: 60 Seconds in Hell - Mick Foley vs. Triple H - No Way Out 2000)through the cell and through the canvas of the ring in an even more death-defying stunt. It's a miracle Foley's career lasted as long as it did—a career that produced three WWF championships, eight WWF tag-team championships and a WWF hardcore championship.
through the cell and through the canvas of the ring in an even more death-defying stunt. It's a miracle Foley's career lasted as long as it did—a career that produced three WWF championships, eight WWF tag-team championships and a WWF hardcore championship.
Total Score: 28.8 / 40
5. Ric Flair
Entrance Music: 9.6 / 10
Not many wrestlers could pull off a classical piece by Richard Strauss, but "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair was stylin' and profilin' to the tune of "Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30." It's not the type of music that instantly jolts you out of your seat, but it does crescendo for roughly a full minute such that it's hitting the sweet spot right as he's entering the ring.
Finishing Move: 9.5 / 10
You don't find many submission moves on the list of the greatest finishers of all time, but Flair's Figure-Four Leg Lock belongs on a pedestal in the Wrestling Hall of Fame. It's that much of a timeless classic.
On the Mic: 10 / 10
Woo! Put a microphone in front of the Nature Boy and he was liable to go off the rails in the best way possible. You could do a top 50 of the greatest Flair promos of all time and still be forced to omit some classics. No one was better about bragging about his own greatness and riches while strutting around and screaming "Woo!" A top-five spot on that list would have to go to the time he stripped down to his boxers and handcuffed himself to the ring (YT: Greatest Ric Flair Promo feat. Mean Gene Okerlund) while challenging Eric Bischoff.
while challenging Eric Bischoff.
In the Ring: 6.5 / 10
Ric Flair was an incredible wrestler. He was named world champion so many times that people literally lost count. The disputed total is somewhere between 16 and 25.
Here's the problem, though: This is a ranking of the greatest WWE wrestlers of all time, and Flair spent less than two years in the WWE during his first three decades of wrestling. He returned to the WWE in 2001 at the age of 52 and continued to wrestle quite well for his age, but there's no question that his prime came with WCW and NWA. Because of that, we had to dock him a few points. Still, he was a WWE legend.
Total Score: 35.6 / 40
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