The year was 1975. I was a year old. And, from the stories my parents told, I used to sit on my great grandpa Gauthier’s lap and watch wrestling with him. He would curse at the television when a “heel” got the best of a “babyface”. Granted, those times were a lot different from the professional wrestling you see nowadays. It’s a billion-dollar business now. Back then, nobody cut their foreheads with a tiny shard of a razor blade tucked into a wristband or tights. They bloodied each other by digging into each others’ skin by biting or clawing. There were no movie deals, record deals, or television deals with the wrestlers of old. They hardly got paid jack shit. Popularity soared in the ’80s with the first Wrestlemania, and it grew from there. I admit. That’s when I actually got hooked. I’ve been a nonstop fan since. The below 20 (plus an added “Honorable Mention” section) are MY personal favorites of all time and not by popularity either.
#20-Bam Bam Bigelow
“The Beast from the East” is what I remember him as. He was the absolute most agile monster of a man anybody had seen. He was known hugely for the flame tattoo on his head. One would never mistake who that man was. Scott Charles Bigelow died on January 19, 2007 (45 years old) from a suspected drug overdose. Rest in peace big man. (Twenty-one year career)
#19-Ron Simmons (Faarooq)
“Damn!” In later years, his use of the word won him more fans than ever. He was the first African American WCW World Heavyweight Champion, held several tag team championships in both major organizations, and retired last year, 3 months before his 51st birthday. He makes cameo appearances to bring out the “Damn!” once in a while. He has always been impressive. (Twenty-four year career)
#18-Vader
“It’s Vader time!” Anytime I heard that before his music would start, I got pumped. If the crowd was booing, I was smiling. The guy was always a force and you could for sure expect something dastardly coming. With several heavyweight championships in his career, he retired in 2006. Leon Allen White has a boy in training and is signed to WWE already. Lookout. It’s Vader Junior time! (Twenty-one year career)
#17-Lex Luger
“The Total Package” Lex Luger had a physique, hence “The Total Package”. I remember the first time I saw him. Did not like his look or his attitude. Then, he put his opponent in his finisher, The Human Torture Rack. Holy shit. I kept an eye on him for years, even when he showed up in WWE as The Narcissist. Lawrence Wendell Pfohl suffered a spinal stroke in 2007. As of 2010, he is able to walk comfortably and even drive some. (Twenty-one year career)
#16-The Great Muta
Known as a “heel”, people may remember him as spitting green or red mist into the eyes of his opponents to gain the upper hand. He is the best wrestler to ever come out of Japan. I remember all the different ways his face was painted each week. Always awesome to watch, I could never take my eyes away from the t.v. One never knew what he would do next, and how fast he would do it. He held several championships throughout the old NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) days and early WCW and is huge in Japan. He’s still going at it. (Twenty-seven years and counting)
#15-Brian Pillman
“Flyin” Brian. His aerial maneuvers and quickness earned him a helluva reputation early on. He teamed with “Stunning” Steve Austin (Hollywood Blonds), and the two became friends outside of the ring. He was a “face”, then a “heel”, then a “face”. Doesn’t matter. The guy rocked the ring every time he stepped through the ropes. Brian William Pillman died in 1997, at 35 years old, from a heart condition that nobody knew about. His step-daughter, Alexis, was just starting her career, when an auto accident took her life at 26. (Eleven year career)
#14-The British Bulldog
Anybody ever associated with the Hart family has got to be good. The dude had one of the biggest torsos I’ve ever seen. Once part of a great tag team, he turned to singles competition years later. Always a dominant force in the ring, he won numerous championships to add to all his other accolades. David Smith died of a heart attack in 2002 at the age of 39. (Twenty-four year career)
#13-”Macho Man” Randy Savage
“Ohhhh, yeahhhh” If you ever let the bright and colorful clothing fool you, well, you’re a fool. He was ONE of the best heavyweight champions in history. He started as a “heel”. He became a fan-favorite and pretty much stayed there throughout the rest of his tenure in the WWF/WWE. You think I wouldn’t mention Miss Elizabeth. She was a stunner and was by his side for years. Randall Mario Poffo has made several appearances in movies, including the first Spider Man. Drop that elbow Macho Man! (Thirty-two year career)
(Edit: Randall Mario Poffo (AKA-Macho Man Randy Savage) suffered a heart attack while driving, veered off the road, and ran into a tree. It is said the impact to the tree is what caused his death and not the heart attack. His wife, Lynn, was in the passenger seat and suffered minor injuries. He was 58. I am truly saddened by this event and wish and pray for strength for his family and friends at this time. You are missed already Macho Man. Rest in peace. November 15, 1952-May 20, 2011)
#12-”Nature Boy” Ric Flair
“Woooooooooo!” This man needs no introduction. The absolute most flamboyant, shit-talking, loud mouth son of a gun to ever grace a ring. “To be the man, you gotta beat the man.” His disputed 16 or 21 heavyweight championships is second to none. His antics (even as a “face”) kept him popular throughout his career. Some dumbass kid let me put a Figure Four Leg Lock on him when I was a teenager. I guess it really does hurt. Richard Morgan Fliehr is a machine and is still drawing crowds. (Thirty-nine years and counting)
#11-Randy Orton
“The Apex Predator” He is a 3rd generation superstar, his dad being “Cowboy” Bob Orton and grandfather being Bob Orton, Sr. He came in like a bat out of hell, and has been raising such hell since. He’s been a “face”, then a “heel” for some time, and now that has come back around in such a way that the fans cheer him again, even with his now infamous “head punt.” His RKO can be hit anytime and his championships prove it. Randal Keith Orton will be in this many years to come. (Eleven years and counting)
#10-Jake “The Snake” Roberts
He didn’t have the best physique or attitude. Maybe that’s why he was a favorite of mine growing up. I got to see him live here in my hometown quite some time ago. Of course he had Damien. The man invented the DDT by accident and used it to finish off opponents, whereas now, the DDT is used so often that I feel people forget it used to be a finisher. Whatever, I remember. He retired in January this year, no doubt intimidating all up until that point. (Thirty-six year career)
#9-Andre the Giant
“The Eighth Wonder of the World” He garnered huge praise in “The Princess Bride”, but I know him as the single most dominant force in wrestling history. His “size” feuds with the likes of Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy were nothing compared to his feud with the “Immortal” Hulk Hogan. The best match in history came in Wrestlemania 3 between these two. Andre’s health was depleting, yet he did not officially retire until 1992. He was the first inductee ever into the Hall of Fame. Andre Rene Roussimoff died of congestive heart failure in 1993. (Twenty-nine year career)
#8-Goldberg
“Who’s next?” NOBODY has ever made an impact into this form of entertainment as much as this machine. The spear and Jackhammer were not the only calling cards, but also the haunting music and the intensity that arose from him. From WCW to WWE, he laid to waste all that would challenge him. If he lost to one, he’d come back and beat them, decidedly. William Scott Goldberg got into the Hollywood stuff, and retired from the ring. (Seven year career)
#7-Mick Foley/Mankind/Cactus Jack/Dude Love
“Bang! Bang!” From the moment I saw him as Cactus Jack, I was hooked. Claiming to be from Truth or Consequences, NM (for fuck’s sake, why?), he burst onto the scene as an all-or-nothing competitor. The matches he was in were brutal, and people ate it up, including me. An actual softy-at-heart, I watched in awe as he got “thrown” from the top of a Hell in the Cell cage onto an announce table. Broken and battered, I then watched him climb back up to the top of the cage where Undertaker was standing and take a chokeslam THROUGH the roof of the cage, causing him and Undertaker to crash to the mat. That was NOT supposed to happen. More craziness ensued, but he became a plain badass in my book. Oh, and he’s a New York Times bestselling author. Michael Francis Foley, Sr. is still wrestling, but I think the main insanity has subsided with age. (Twenty-eight years and counting)
#6-The Rock
“If you smeeeeeeell what The Rock…is…cookin” Say what the hell you will. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is in the elite of the most popular and best superstars of all time. He comes from a great lineage of professional wrestlers. His grandfather was “High Chief” Peter Maivia, and his dad was Rocky Johnson (half of one of my favorite tag teams of all time). He really started making a name for himself as a “heel” in The Nation of Domination faction. He won many championships in his time. Then, he hit the big screen. His movies do very well, mostly in his action flicks. He just recently returned to the ring just before this year’s Wrestlemania, and as usual, made a helluva statement. Absolutely the best ever on the mic. Dwayne Douglas Johnson, or The Brahma Bull, has many years left, and I love it anytime he shows back up. (Fifteen years and counting)
#5-Bret “Hitman” Hart
“The best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be” That wasn’t just a statement, that was fact. Touted as the best technical wrestler and storyline teller of all time. Bret was exciting as hell to watch as a kid/teenager. Every time he stepped through the ropes, you could count on his mat skills to win out. There was a reason he was also called “The Excellence of Execution”. He executed his moves precisely as needed. Training put to good use by his father, Stu Hart. The very best in the industry has faced Bret Hart and have been beaten by Bret Hart. There is nothing his man hasn’t done. Age has taken its toll on him, but his last appearance caused me to get that old excitement in my chest. Very cool feeling. (Twenty-two year career)
#4-Ultimate Warrior
Yes, he beat the “Immortal One”. His feud with “Ravishing” Rick Rude was one of the best in history. His intensity knew no bounds. The Ultimate Warrior is one of the most memorable ever to come through the ropes. He did not have the most championship wins and was one of the least favorite of most critics, but I didn’t care. I knew I would enjoy any ring time he had. I even bought the very first issue of his comic book. James Brian Hellwig made an appearance as early as 2008 but officially retired in 1999. He is now a public speaker across the U.S. (Fourteen year career)
#3-HHH
“The King of Kings” HHH made a name for himself early on with his moniker, Hunter Hearst Helmsley. I hated him. He went from “heel” to “face” to “heel” to “face”. I think he wanted to stay a “heel”, but the fans just would not let him. Neither would I. Part creator of the factions DX and Evolution, his popularity soared and so did my respect of what he did in the ring. Almost every move he does, whether it be the simple “punches”, seemed to make an impact. I remember the edition of Raw where he tore his left quad muscle clear off the bone. I saw it happen and could see it as he was helped up the ramp. Yet, in true ring-style, he did finish the match he was in. He had a storyline of marrying Vince’s daughter, which of course, is a real-life storyline. They have 3 daughters together. He made his most recent appearance at this year’s Wrestlemania in trying to end the Undertaker’s undefeated streak at the event. He was unsuccessful. Paul Michael Levesque still brings the fans to their feet every time his music hits, which is my second favorite entrance music of all time. (Nineteen years and counting)
#2-Undertaker
“The Phenom” I remember watching him in the old WCW/NWA days as “Mean” Mark Callous. When he went off to the WWF/WWE, I knew who he was the first time I saw him take his hat off. I was impressed from the get-go. The Tombstone Piledriver. The Chokeslam. I had really never seen these things. Awesome. He has the record for the most wins in Wrestlemania history. He has been a part of 19 of them and has won his match in each. Love that shit. What other wrestler in history could be touted from Death Valley? None. His feuds with his half-brother, Kane, Stone Cold, The Rock, HHH, Shawn Michaels. He has slain and been beaten by all, but make no mistake, he still has what it takes. Recently, defeating HHH at this year’s Wrestlemania, and being taken out on a stretcher himself. One can hardly see any slow in this man’s step. Mark William Calaway is currently married to wrestler Michelle McCool and has a son and two daughters from previous marriages. (Twenty-seven years and counting)
#1-”Stone Cold” Steve Austin
“Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your ass!” Who the fuck else would be my personal numero uno? Nobody. He ushered in the Attitude Era with the above catchphrase, and his popularity blew up the television. People were not sure what to think of this man at first, so they booed. All saw what he was doing, then they cheered for years. He tried to become a “heel”, and that didn’t work. He has some of the best t-shirt phrases and catch phrases of all time. “Fuck Fear, Drink Beer”, “Austin 3:16″, “What?”, “That’s the bottom line ’cause Stone Cold said so”, “Arrive. Raise Hell. Leave”, and “Oh Hell Yeah!” are just a few of these infamous lines and shirts. Those that beat him in the ring could only do so by “cheating”. Those that got beat by him, felt the Stone Cold Stunner. I remember a stunner he did on Vince once. I thought he broke his damn neck. He has lived in pain for many years, from a bone spur in his neck that eventually required major surgery, to the knee braces he has worn for the majority of his career as “Stone Cold”, he has fought whole-heartedly to keep his fans happy. My favorite Stone Cold Stunner of all time? When he stunned Goldberg. I had been waiting for that for years. I think everybody in wrestling nowadays has been on the receiving end of his finisher, truly, as you’ll see in the below video. He is in the WWE Hall of Fame for a reason. Steven James Anderson still makes appearances, raises Hell, and leaves. When that glass breaks before his music hits (my favorite entrance of all time), people are on their feet instantly. It’s an awesome sight to see. (Twenty-two year career)
HONORABLE MENTIONS AND IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER:
Hulk Hogan, Rikishi, George “The Animal” Steele, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, Sting, Shawn Michaels, Sid Vicious, Eddie Guerrero, Kane, and Tazz
Thanks for reading y’all. Comments are much appreciated.