THE WRESTLING PYRAMID

The 100 Greatest Wrestlers of All-time.

THE WRESTLING PYRAMID

This is a list ranking the Greatest Wrestlers of All-time. Like any list, this is quite subjective as it is my personal opinion. As a wrestling fan for over 43 years, I have witnessed the bulk of what “Sports Entertainment” has grown into. I initially wrote a previous article 5 years ago, so with Cena's retirement it seemed like a good time to update it. I will probably do it every 5 years.

The criteria used for this list was quite simple actually: impact on the industry. There’s a lot of intangibles that I could’ve worked into, such as mat skills, or promo ability… yet in the end, the only thing that really mattered was their impact on the industry. Did they draw fans to shows? Did the promotion make more money with them there? Was the product better because of them? Will they be remembered? Being a great wrestler isn't enough.

I did my best to rank everyone objectively without bias. 

I am only ranking American Men’s Wrestling. Since the WWF, WCW, and now AEW have the highest profile, the wrestlers that compete on those stages have the biggest impact. Sorry indies, Japan, Mexico, and to even the smaller shows like ROH, IMPACT! I will do a separate few articles on Tag Teams, and Women’s wrestling. I will not include tag team wrestlers unless they had a signifigant solo career (Booker t/Stevie Ray).

I am also not counting the really old guys, only modern era guys. Bruno and Andre were the cutoffs, so no one earlier.

Also, I have ranked some controversial characters here. They might have been scum bags, but I don’t believe in scrubbing history clean. 

I didn’t bother doing an honourable mentions list, as it could’ve easily been 40. I had Swerve Strickland at number 101, in case you are curious. 

Also of note, I used Bill Simmons' idea of using a "Pyramid" to rank everyone. I think it works well. For the most part, everyone in each Tier can theoretically be switched around without a lot of serious debating, however it isn't that easy to move a guy up into the next tier. You'll figure it out as you read along.

Let the flaming commence:

ROLE PLAYERS

This section is the base of the Pyramid, and it is the largest. Most of the guys in these spots are interchangeable. A recurring theme you will see is wasted potential. Everyone here had value, and were good hands. Think ‘Groundskeeper Willie’ or ‘Newman’. 

100. JEFF JARRETT

‘JJ’ did enough in his career to warrant a spot in the Top 100. Yet, he was the only one who thought he was great. After a fantastic early WWF run, he failed to achieve his potential. We also need to remember that making this list is great, he will be remembered, which is commendable.

99. GOLDUST

Maybe the ultimate Underachiever/Overachiever? Dustin had trouble creating an interesting identity early on, but really made an iconic character in Goldust. Did he reach his ceiling? Is his greatest achievement not inheriting his dads body? He hasn't really done much since the early 2000's.

98. “SUPERFLY” JIMMY SNUKA

Super popular performer, who was an inspiration for high flying performers. That’s all the nice things I have to say about him. 

97. NICK BOCKWINKLE

Great performer. Did enough to gain a spot here. Looked like everyone’s uncle. 

96. ADAM COLE

He draws crowds and sells merch. Not sure about his potential anymore?

95. ALEISTER BLACK

He has potential still, but time is running out.

94. ORANGE CASSIDY

Draws a ton. Not sure how high his ceiling is?

93. DAMIEN PRIEST

Early, hopefully they don't 'Baron Corbin' him.

92. SID VICIOUS

Despite his push, looks, and athleticism, Sid really underachieved. Badly. He really should be in the top 50, but I just can't do it. I always imagined that he would’ve been the biggest douchebag at the bar. 

Remember, this list is about Impact... no one was clamouring to see big Sid. Ever.

91. BAM BAM BIGELOW

One of the best ‘Big men’, Bam Bam was an excellent performer, and had an interesting look. Was a very under-utilized talent. Had a ‘flaming skull’ tattoo before it was cool. I will never understand how he was never in a main event program with Hogan.

90. SEAN WALTMAN 

Played an important role. Was a good performer. But annoying... so fuck him, he goes here. 

89. CESARO/CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI

He's gotta do something soon, but man... what do you even do with him?  

88. XAVIER WOODS

Hopefully he gets more than a Tag push in the future. Fantastic charisma, and is criminally under-utilized. He’s probably the only wrestler better than me at Tetris. 

87. TITO SANTANA

‘Chico’ was a great mid-carder who always performed. If I could rewrite wrestling history, I would’ve booked him as an evil Taco chef, where he would use tacos as a foreign object every match. Imagine him pulling a taco out of his trunks, or trash talking while eating tacos... those promos would’ve been money. 

Now I’m hungry. 

86. MATT HARDY

Possibly reinvented himself better than anyone in history. His career was probably over, yet he’s still working, so good for him.

85. DOMINIC MYSTERIO

I know... but he's doing incredible work. This is fine.

84. LARRY ZYBYSKO

Had a ton of accolades. Was great all-around. His hairline never quit. 

83. KAZUCHIKA OKADA

One of the best wrestlers in the world, and the biggest draw... in Japan.

82. CHAD GABLE

He's so funny and offers a ton of value. I never would have guessed he'd make it here, but El Grande Americano is incredible.

81. RON SIMMONS

Had a few peaks, all of which were drastically different. I bet if Stanley from ‘the Office’ and Ron Simmons walked into a room, you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart. I placed him a few spots higher because he liked my Buffalo wings.

80. NIKITA KOLOFF

Loved the ‘Russian Nightmare’! He was scary as fuck. I bet all he does is drink vodka and eat kittens. 

79. OWEN HART

So sad, had enormous potential. Had a giant beak (not that kind, you perv).

78. WILL OSPEREY

He's only been here a short while, but he is a big draw and obviously super gifted.

77. MARK HENRY

I enjoyed his work as a monster heel. I was always envious of his ‘Sexual Chocolate’ gimmick. I thought of going as ‘Sexual Lychee’ for awhile, but it wasn’t popular among my friends. Bastards. 

76. DAVEY BOY SMITH

Not a big fan. But was the only white guy who could pull off braids. Or did he.

75. CHRISTIAN

Meh.

74. R-Truth

This was a hard placement. He is so valuable in comedic sets, that I couldn't place him lower than this.

73. JBL

Liked his Texas A$$hole gimmick, as he was probably just playing himself. 

72. CURT HENNIG

Was a truly great performer, hindered by injuries and substance problems. Sadly, ‘Mr Perfect’ didn’t reach his potential. 

71. SAMOA JOE

Sadly, he stayed in Impact way too long. What a waste. Not the most creative name. This might be too high. I dunno.

70. TED DIBIASE

The ‘Million Dollar Man’ had a major role in the 80’s. Has the best laugh of all-time! I had a hard time placing him. You could talk me into the 60's.

69. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA 

He may be the most under utilized  performer in history. He also kind of looks like a muskrat.

68. RVD

Great performer, one of the best ever really. He smells funny.

67. DOLPH ZIGGLER

Too many comparisons to Shawn Michaels ultimately held him back. Sweet hair. 

66. ADAM PAGE

Still very early for the ‘Hangman’. Time will tell. I predict he will end up somewhere in the 40’s. 

65. SAMI ZAYN

Might have already peaked, and maybe has no business being on this list. Think he’s the only redhead to crack the Top 100, so his mom should be proud. I predict a decent World title run before he's done.

64. KOFI KINGSTON

Over achieved. Good for him!

63. DREW MCINTYRE 

He probably does okay with the ladies. 

62. BRAUN STROWMAN

I can't imagine him coming back and doing anything signifigant. He might not even be on this list in 5 years. But he did have a very strong run, so this is fine... for now.

61. BARRY WINDHAM

Man was he great. Just an awesome all around talent. Too bad he wasn’t pushed more. 

STARS 

This section covers guys who had significant impact, with several high potential guys sprinkled in. Most had a run at the top, but for various reasons couldn’t get over enough to become mega stars. Think Vince Carter, or Mike Myers. 

60. BOBBY LASHLEY

The most dangerous guy to have ever competed. Change my mind. 

59. YOKOZUNA

Had an important run, and played a large role during a transitional period (literally). Great athlete for a giant fatso. Maybe the first guy to ever pull off a man-bun! 

58. THE GREAT MUTA

My all-time favourite wrestler! Muta had the best gimmick and was way ahead of his time. I could only rank him this low due to his limited North American runs. He inspired a ton of wrestlers, and is probably the greatest Japanese talent of all-time. He had unbelievable agility for a heavyweight, and was so creative with his character. He is just the best. He opened many eyes to Japanese wrestling, hence the placement here.

57. KEVIN OWENS

Good performer, yet he’s reached his peak in WWE. Would be excellent in AEW. His eyes are too close together. 

56. VADER

Had a giant run as a monster heel. Everything he did looked like it actually hurt.

55. SHEAMUS

No one has cared about him for at least 8 years, but hopefully he retires in a memorable way.

54. JEFF HARDY

A true innovator. Legendary performer, and I’m amazed he’s not in a wheelchair or dead. 

53. JERRY LAWLER

Hugely successful in the territories in his heyday. One of the worst commentators in history. 

52. DDP

Great performer, and an even better person. Yoga is hard!

51. SCOTT STEINER

Fantastic athlete, and kind of overachieved. His promos were gold, despite them being accidental. Definitely the best mathematician. 

50. FINN BALOR

Wish they wouldn’t waste his talent. Poor guy. He’s one of the most talented guys they’ve ever had, yet they couldn’t figure out how to book him. He’s insanely over, and a Top 5 wrestler. This guy should be the face of WWE, yet I have dropped him into this category. He's had the biggest drop of anyone on this list.

ALL STARS

We start getting into the serious players. These guys all had significant impact on the business, and one or two have a chance at a Top 26 placing. All of these guys have been in numerous high-profile programs.

Think Hall & Oates. Lots of hits, but do they come to mind when talking about Greatest Bands of All-time? NO.

‘Sara Smile’ is their best song btw. 

49. LEX LUGER

Not as bad of a wrestler as everyone says. Also, not as good either. Lex was an important character and a main event level guy for the NWA, WWF, and WCW. Think about that for a minute. How many guys can say that? Pretty much just Flair. And that is the main reason Luger is this high. He was one of the hardest guys to place. 

48. TERRY FUNK

He’s probably still wrestling in some bingo hall somewhere, even if it's just his corpse propped up in the corner.

47. BATISTA

My doppleganger. Funny story, I am a vendor at various comic expos, and I usually set the over/under of how many people say I look like Dave Bautista at 29.5 for each weekend. It's always over.

46. BRAY WYATT

He will probably be in the Top 50 in 5 years still.

45. MJF

Tons of potential and was unranked in my previous list. I can see him breaking into the Top 20 when he's done.

44. REY MYSTERIO JR.

Nash using poor Rey as a dart is still one of my favourite NWO skits.

43. BOOKER T

One of my favourite WCW guys. He had such great athleticism for a heavyweight. Wish he and Benoit worked together more.

42. KENNY OMEGA

Only this low because of his lesser role in AEW so far. The best wrestler in the world for awhile now. I predict he will climb into the 30’s. He’s also the reason I believe I have a wrestling T-shirt problem. I have 8 of his shirts, and one hoodie. Shut up. 

41. CHRIS BENOIT

...

40. THE BIG SHOW. 

His ‘Knockout punch’ sucked. Would be the perfect guy to play the ‘Kingpin’. 

39. KANE

Actually a very versatile performer. He definitely over achieved. Did he even ever officially retire? He deserved a proper send-off.

38. THE MIZ

The Miz is in the conversation for the most over achieving wrestler of all time. He’s awesome. This is probably his ceiling. He should rap more. 

37. RICKY STEAMBOAT

36. RICK RUDE

I Loved them so much. They could make anyone look awesome. They should’ve been much bigger stars. They both were way ahead of their time and severely under appreciated. Neither one was versatile though. Steamboat would forever be a face, and there’s no way Rude could’ve pulled off a face-turn at any point in his career. Ricky was my first favourite wrestler, then as I developed a taste for evil, I grew an instant fondness for Rude.

Rick gets the edge because of his sweet tights and moustache. 

THE ALMOST GUYS

What separates these guys from the ALL STARS list, is that all of these guys have all had NUMEROUS big moments. We start to see a clear separation between the groups. These guys almost made it as Franchise players (or did briefly). Think Matthew McConaughey, or the Killers. 

35. HARLEY RACE

He was a massive territorial star, but his career was winding down once he got to the WWF. He had a giant head, looked like an orange on a toothpick. Think everyone has a drunk uncle that looks exactly like him. 

34. THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR

God it hurts my soul to have him ranked this high. He was pure garbage. 

33. MICK FOLEY

Super Humman before it was cool.

32. ‘ROWDY’ RODDY PIPER

Severely underrated. Played a massive role in making the WWF into a major entertainment force. His career wasn’t what it should’ve been though. ‘They Live’ rules though! He’s one of the guys that could be Top 50 or Top 20. Difficult to rank. This felt like a good spot. 

31. EDGE

Never a fan of him and his chicken legs. 

30. JAKE ‘ THE SNAKE’ ROBERTS

The ultimate sad story. Such a waste. Should’ve been a top 15 guy. The best nickname of all-time? 

THE ELITE STARS

You could build a program around any of these guys. They have all had a serious impact on the business, and this section will be moved around a lot over the next 10 years. 

Think Rihanna. She’s not Beyonce... but she’s not far behind. 

29. AJ STYLES

Who doesn’t love this guy? Always the superb athlete, I think it’s impossible for him to have a bad match. He’s probably the best pure wrestler of all-time. Glad he’s finally settled into a nice hairstyle, although the soccer mom look was pretty good. His TNA run is what is keeping him in this category.

28.CODY RHODES

27. JON MOXLEY

Both haven’t reached their potential, but are doing great, especially compared to where they were 5 years ago. Mox should definitely go back to the WWE. Cody’s lame neck tattoo was the tiebreaker. 

26. CM PUNK

My least favourite “UFC Fighter” of all-time. And I REALLLLLY hate Tito Ortiz. Can't deny that he draws tons of money.  

25. EDDIE GUERRERO 

Of all the guys left, he’s probably the most universally beloved. One of the greatest performers of all time... maybe even the best? Cheat to win! 

24. DUSTY RHODES

All three Rhodes members made the list! 

23. DANIEL BRYAN 

Bryan had one of the biggest Wrestlemania moments, slightly behind Hogan/Andre in my opinion. They really messed up his comeback. But he's had an outstanding career.

22. GOLDBERG

Just. The. Worst.

21. SETH ROLLINS

He’s kind of a tweener. He’s a legit Main Event guy, but you couldn’t build your brand around him. You can build a program around him with anyone sure, but that’s a much different thing than carrying the company. I think they really don’t know what else to do with him. Can they make money off him? How big of a draw is he really? I’m not even sure if he’s peaked already or not. He’s basically the next Orton.

20.SCOTT HALL  

19. KEVIN NASH

Kinda had to pair these two together. Obviously they were super important to WCW’s success... and eventual downfall. Nash got the edge because he’s taller. 

18. KURT ANGLE

Of all the wrestlers who jumped ship, he made the biggest mistake going to TNA. Shoulda been a Top 10 guy. 

17. RANDY ORTON

I should probably write more about Orton... but I won’t. I think he ends up here forever.

16. BROCK LESNAR 

I hope I never see him wrestle again. 

FRANCHISE CORNERSTONES

These guys have all cemented their places in Wrestling history. They have all carried a company on their backs, and are some of the best in the business. Longevity is a common trait that you will see, as it’s a vital aspect to being considered a GOAT. 

Think Kobe Bryant, Dwight Schrute, or Radiohead. 

15. CHRIS JERICHO

Oh god I want to put him in the Top 10 so bad, but I just can’t. Jericho is probably the most versatile performer in history. I could write an entire article on his best comedic bits. He has hung around too long and it's probably hurt his ranking.

14. ROMAN REIGNS

The only guy on this list to go 2-0 against cancer. His Tribal Chief run has cemented him here.

13. BRET ‘THE HITMAN’ HART

One of the weakest links of the franchise guys, as he carried the promotion during a down time. But that’s not why he’s here, as injuries kept him below these other guys. He was involved in three of the top 5 feuds of all-time, which is his most impressive feat. Maybe the coolest sunglasses of any wrestler... or at least tied with the Macho Man. 

12. HHH

Somehow he snaked his way up this high. He developed into a great wrestler, and was in my opinion the best at telling a story in the ring. Motörhead is terrible.

11. STING

Was the WCW franchise for so long. Was one of my favourite guys. ‘Crow’ Sting was amazing and by far the best part of the Monday Night Wars. Sting vs the Great Muta was my personal favourite feud. He also made the biggest mistake of any wrestler by not going to the WWE earlier. He probably should be in the Undertakers spot. 

10. SHAWN MICHAELS

I hate him. Always will. But fuck, can’t keep him out of the Top 10. 

9. ANDRE ‘THE GIANT’

Was enormously popular (pun intended). He was one of the reasons that Vince even had a chance to grow the WWF into what it was. Plus he was maybe the best wrestling actor of all-time... which is really sad. 

8. THE UNDERTAKER

The ‘Ace’ that Vince could always play whenever he wanted. He definitely had the most impressive entrance of all-time, which is really the only value he had left at the end. He milked that stupid gimmick to the MAX. He is the standard that every silly gimmick wrestler should try to achieve. 

7. ‘MACHO MAN’ RANDY SAVAGE

I can’t say enough great things about him. Even my sister can do a Macho Man impression. An amazing performer, with major crossover appeal, the Macho Man was criminally under-utilized. If you didn’t love the ‘Macho Man’, then you’re a stupid idiot. 

MOUNT RUSHMORE (KINDA SORTA)

The cream of the crop. These guys were the very best, and I had a hard time ranking them. I thought Hogan was a clear #1, but any of them can be #2. Wrestling wouldn’t be what it is today without any of them. 

I had a hard time narrowing it down to 4 to make a proper ‘Mount Rushmore’, so I am making this a 6 person section. These guys are a step ahead of Macho and his ilk. 

Obvious comparisons are Michael Jordan, Michael Scott, and the Beatles. 

6. BRUNO SAMMARTINO 

Admittedly he was pretty much finished by the time I got into wrestling, but there’s no debating his place. He was the entire show for a very long time.

5. THE ROCK

One of the biggest movie stars and celebrities on the planet. Like Cena, Rocky is a great athlete and above average wrestler. Like Cena, the Rock is quick witted, with the ability to cut a promo like no one else. He’s frankly the best at it. Ever. 

Although his career was shorter, the heights he hit were higher than almost anyone. He was extremely important during the ‘Monday Night Wars’, which helped pave the way for the WWE to become so successful. 

Most importantly, his celebrity helped get extra eyes on the product. He could literally be the President in the near future. He’s about as popular as it gets, which always equals to money, and therefore... into impact. 

4. JOHN CENA

I think Cena is clearly in the Top 4, and you might be able to talk me into #2. He more than carried the WWE for a decade plus. As the face of the company, they smartly changed their business to a more “PG” and family friendly model. By doing so, they are now a BILLION dollar corporation. They are one of the biggest “sports” franchises going. 

It was drastically different when Cena showed up. He has transformed the business, and is now a mainstream movie star.

3. STEVE AUSTIN

I can’t see anyone (right now) bumping him from this spot. Austin had arguably the largest fan base, and he probably had the highest peak of anyone. Never a fan of his character, but he was a good wrestler and good mic work. 

Peak is what’s important here. How many Austin shirts do you think they’ve sold over the years? I’m guessing most of you reading this have one, and if not, you know 40 nerds who do. 

Injuries shortened his career, which is really the only reason I kept him at number 3. I could easily be talked into #2 (if you bribed me with a Pepsi). 

2. RIC FLAIR

There isn’t really much to say about Flair that hasn’t been written a million times. He’s basically the Gold Standard of what being a Professional Wrestler is. EVERYONE loves him. Myself included. 

One of the very best wrestlers, he had a feud with literally every big name. Try and narrow down his best matches to 5. Good luck. He was the main attraction for the NWA, WWF, and WCW. He probably has grossed the most gate money for the industry, mostly due to longevity. He was my favourite promo guy, especially as he got more and more ridiculous with age. 

Extended peak and performance is why he’s in this spot. 

1. HULK HOGAN

Hogan is at Number 1 for his overall impact. He peaked twice, which was probably the most impressive part of his career. Not only did he make the WWF into a serious money machine, he did the same thing in WCW as Hollywood Hogan. Those are two MASSIVE peaks. 

He’s probably made the most total money for wrestling, including gate, merch, PPV buys, etc... But he’s almost solely responsible for the success that everyone has right now. He was the perfect guy to fill that spot, and he came at the perfect time. You can say that he was just a product of super booking, but if you plugged Greg Valentine into his spot, what would’ve happened? Exactly.

He’s number one, 4 Life. 

ADDENDUM

My personal favourites.

Wrestling can be a wonderful mix of athleticism and storytelling. I was always drawn to the guys who could perform amazing feats, but equally as much, I really enjoyed the ability to tell a story using ‘Ring psychology’. It’s especially great when they can do both. These are my faves:

THE GREAT MUTA

Muta is my all-time favourite wrestler. He could move like a cat, and had a very unique style, especially in the late 80’s. He was way ahead of his time. Everything from his ring entrances, ring attire, gimmicks, and his move set have been copied by numerous wrestlers over the years, which is probably the biggest tribute a wrestler can have. He’s just the coolest. 

Muta vs Sting is my all-time favourite feud. Both men were up-and-coming stars, and pushed each other to perform great matches. I loved their chemistry. 

BOOKER T

I really enjoyed WCW Booker T. A superb athlete, Booker could work like a cruiser weight, but also work well with any heavyweight. I was happy they rewarded him near the end.

Booker T vs Chris Benoit was one of the best things that WCW ever did. Both men came out of that feud looking incredible.

STING

He was so good, and had my favourite run with his Crow gimmick. I'm probably the only person who enjoyed his feud with Vampiro.

CHRIS BENOIT

Probably the best wrestler of the 90's. Not a great dude tho.

DANHAUSEN

My current favourite! So funny.