LU's Top 50 Wrestlers - The Countdown

[afinalsin666]

4 star and 5 star matches BF.

 

[Misanthrope]

Throppy can you please by-pass the language filter so we know what you're referring to? Use special characters if you need to.

Yeah, there's no language filter. I am saying four star or five star matches. Did you think I was saying nasty words about him? :lol:

 

[Bulldog Force]

Yeah, there's no language filter. I am saying four star or five star matches. Did you think I was saying nasty words about him? :lol:

I had no idea what you were saying man :lol: I'll know now - cheers ;-)

 

[Hoggmaster]

Remember when lists had numbers 30 through to 1? Those were good times.

 

[Misanthrope]

Remember when lists had numbers 30 through to 1? Those were good times.

Remember when our school internet crapped itself for the better part of this week? ;-)

 

[Misanthrope]

#30 - Shane McMahon - 51 points from 3 voters

Promotions: WWE.
Finisher: Coast to Coast.
Titles: WWF European Champion and WWF Hardcore Champion.

The family McMahon's first appearance on the list is undisputedly the best wrestler the family has produced, as Shane O'Mac makes an appearance at #30.

While he was never a guy working ***** classics, McMahon's daredevil antics during the Attitude Era created some unforgettable wrestling moments. For a guy who wasn't a full-time worker, he could work a decent match and wasn't afraid to put life and limb on the line to tell a good story.

Despite his old man having the book and not being above a bit of nepotism, it's worth noting that Shane McMahon almost always put the business first. He wasn't a guy who was the feature of a main event storyline or hogging important titles, and for that, he'll likely go down as the McMahon who probably did what was best for business more often than his more hands on father or sister.

He's also notable for being the only McMahon who probably never wore out his welcome...

#29 - Hulk Hogan - 54 points from 2 voters

Promotions: WWE, WCW, and TNA.
Finisher: Leg Drop.
Titles: 6x WCW World Heavyweight Champion, WWF World Tag Team Champion (with Edge), 6x WWF Champion, 1990 and 1991 Royal Rumble winner, and 2005 WWE Hall of Famer.

If this were a count-down of most influential wrestlers, you'd expect to see the Hulkster much higher up the list, but much like Ric Flair, he's likely been a victim of being a bit before the time of most voters. By the time he was selling out pay-per-views for WCW in the mid nineties, Hulk Hogan's in ring star had well and truly waned, and his recent swan-songs have been more spectacle than substance.

During the 80s and early 90s, though, Hogan was professional wrestling. From his trademark promos to his instantly recognizable gimmick, Hulk Hogan is arguably the most well known wrestler of all time.

While his renowned love of politics played a huge part in the demise of World Championship Wrestling and we'd all like to forget his run booking for TNA - Hogan's still a figure worthy of respect. He blazed the trail for many of today's stars, and even earned himself a reputation as a more than passable worker when he worked in Japan away from the shackles of powerslams, big boots, and leg drops.

#28 - Vince McMahon - 57 points from 3 voters

Promotions: WWE.
Finisher: Pedigree/Stunner/Elbow Drop/Leg Drop.
Titles: ECW Champion, 1999 Royal Rumble Winner, and WWF Champion.

A polarizing figure among fans of professional wrestling, there's no debating that Vincent Kennedy McMahon is the father of modern professional wrestling.

It seems fitting that the man responsible for Hulk Hogan would come in just ahead of him in the count-down, and although he's never been a wrestler in the strictest sense of the world - Kennedy has won more WWF titles than Roddy Piper, more ECW titles than Sabu, and more Royal Rumbles than CM Punk.

Not that he didn't totally, 100% earn those accolades...

Say what you will about his booking or his love of big men, but Vince McMahon not only brought us Wrestlemania and the many memories that event has generated - but also played a huge role in the formation of the Attitude Era and the rise of WWF/E to the #1 spot. He might not have intended it when he screwed Bret Hart, but McMahon made himself one of the biggest and best heels of all time - and the perfect foil for Stone Cold Steve Austin's rise from relative unknown to genuine megastar.

His matches have generally ranged from awful (see his clash with the Harts) to passable, but one thing is for sure: people have never tired of seeing Vince McMahon getting his ass kicked.

=#27 - AJ Styles - 60 points from 3 voters

Promotions: WCW, ROH, and TNA.
Finisher: Styles Clash/Calf Killer.
Titles: IWGP Heavyweight Champion, ROH Pure Wrestling Champion, ROH Tag Team Champion (with Amazing Red), 3x NWA Heavyweight Champion, 4x NWA World Tag Team Champion (with Jerry Lynn (1), Abyss (1), and Christopher Daniels (2)), 2x TNA Television Champion, 2x TNA World Heavyweight Champion, 2x TNA World Tag Team Champion (with Kurt Angle (1) and Tomko (1)), 6x TNA X-Division Champion, First TNA Triple Crown Champion, and First TNA Grand Slam Champion.

Some might groan at AJ Styles' appearance ahead of the likes of Savage and Hogan, while others might groan at some of the names he is behind. One of the most talented workers to never step into a WWE ring, the criminally underused worker didn't even get to reach his full potential in TNA.

And they've let Eric Young and Ken Shamrock be World Champions.

From modest beginnings as one of a million guys on WCW's bloated roster at its demise, Styles is arguably the guy who put TNA on the map with his unique style and fearless approach to the business. Never the most charismatic guy on the stick, Styles gave it his all in the ring and the fans loved him for it. His three way matches with Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels are the stuff of TNA legend, and he was eventually rewarded with a run at the top.

Inexplicably let go recently, Styles now plies his trade in the indies, at Ring of Honor, and in Japan - where he's met with immediate success.
​

=#27 - Kane - 60 points from 3 voters

Promotions: WWE.
Finisher: Choke Slam/Tombstone.
Titles: ECW Champion, WCW World Tag Champion (with Undertaker), World Heavyweight Champion, 2x WWE Tag Team Champion (with Daniel Bryan and Big Show), WWF Champion, 2x WWE Intercontinental Champion, 9x WWF World Tag Team Champion (with Mankind (2), X-Pac (2), The Undertaker (2), The Hurricane (1), Rob Van Dam (1), and Big Show (1)), WWF Hardcore Champion, 2010 Smackdown Money in the Bank winner, 8th Triple Crown Champion, and 3rd Grand Slam Champion.

From one of the best high-fliers ever to one of the best big men to ever grace the squared circle; the monster, Kane, has been the gateway to the WWE main event for so long now that I fear the WWE won't know what to do when he finally does retire.

A company many through and through, Kane stumbled through some truly awful early gimmicks (including an evil dentist and a knock-off of a wrestler) before settling into his iconic role as Kane. That didn't spell the end of his trials as a WWE employee, though - the poor bastard has been through some of the WWE's most awful storylines including Katie Vick and the Lita miscarriage storyline.

The poor guy has been 'awarded' PWI's 'Worst Feud of the Year' on seven occasions now...

Through all of that, he's put on good matches and proven to be more versatile than just another big guy. Watch his work as part of Team Hell No for an example of his comedic timing.

While he's perhaps never been adequately rewarded for his immense service to the company, Kane's collected a huge number of titles over his time, and up until recently was the record holder for most eliminations in a Royal Rumble.
​

 

[Hoggmaster]

Did Road Dogg fall down a trap door in that Vince GIF?

 

[Misanthrope]

Did Road Dogg fall down a trap door in that Vince GIF?

Certainly looks that way.

You always ask the tough questions, Hoggmaster.

 

[Bulldog Force]

OMG... Hogan at #29? f**king 29??? I voted for him, meaning only 1 other person did you. Like... SERIOUSLY?? People here have no idea.

 

[afinalsin666]

Boo Hogan, boo. I never got Hulkamania, way too young. My first memory of Hogan was watching Brett Hart v Yokozuna at Wrestlemania 9 a few years later when he came out and f**ked over Brett. Always hated him for that, not that i particularly liked Brett.

 

[WellsNZ]

OMG... Hogan at #29? f**king 29??? I voted for him, meaning only 1 other person did you. Like... SERIOUSLY?? People here have no idea.

You seem to have missed the fact that this is a list of peoples favourite wrestlers. People having different favourites to you doesn't mean they have no idea.

If this was a list of the most important wrestlers or something like that, then no doubt Hogan would be much higher. As it stands, it's about peoples favourites, and a whole lot of people hate Hogan.

 

[Misanthrope]

OMG... Hogan at #29? f**king 29??? I voted for him, meaning only 1 other person did you. Like... SERIOUSLY?? People here have no idea.

Wells has already pointed out it is favourite wrestlers.

If it were most influential, he'd be higher up.

If it was best wrestlers, he shouldn't be anywhere near a top fifty. Woeful worker and not nearly as good on the mike as a lot of other workers.

80% hype and 20% substance.

 

[Manurewa_Marlins]

When I was a kid, mid/late 90s, I never got Hogan either. It confused the shit out of me why I was supposed to think he was as cool as Nash and Hall when he was that much older/dated. Nash and Hall were cool. Austin was cool. DX was cool. The Rock was a dick but still cool. Shamrock was cool because he was legit. You had the cruisers who were cool. Scott Steiner was cool. Buff Bagwell was a nice person haha. But by the time the 90s sorta got going, Savage, Hogan, Lugar, Flair etc...were not cool to me. nWo included.

 

[RHCP]

Hogan is a bit too old to be a favourite of many on here.

 

[afinalsin666]

Wells has already pointed out it is favourite wrestlers.

If it were most influential, he'd be higher up.

If it was best wrestlers, he shouldn't be anywhere near a top fifty. Woeful worker and not nearly as good on the mike as a lot of other workers.

80% hype and 20% substance.

To be fair, he could go when the shackles were off. He was the wrestler the WWE needed, not the one he deserved to be. Shame they water down the talent so much.

[youtube]gi7TPFuMUvk[/youtube]

 

[Misanthrope]

See, I can appreciate that his Japanese stuff is better than his US stuff, but it's still far from a wrestling clinic.

 

[afinalsin666]

Oh definitely, but just as far from woeful. I'd say fairly mediocre. Woeful is reserved for 80's fatty no sell punchers.

 

[Hoggmaster]

Hogan's AWA work is pretty good too. Verne Gagne just didnt like big guys so would only make him champ if he signed over his image rights. He said no, signed for Vince, and made 10 times the money for a 10th of the work rate... smart move.
Say what you want about Hogan, in a sport where perception is paramount he's managed to convince promoters he's worth the huge money he's paid for over 30 years. He also was the key to the two biggest boom periods in wrestling since the 1950's.
People say he's bad for the business but look at guys like the Dynamite Kid. He did the right thing when asked, he put guys over, he made careers, and as soon as he was too disabled to work, the business spat him out. Hogan didnt allow his image to be marred by losing all that often, he hardly put anyone over, and now can still convince a promoter he's a draw despite his 7 back surgeries and inability to remember if he's in the Superdome or the Silverdome, because people only ever remember him as the top guy.
The 'business' is corrupt and ruthless, I cant hate a guy who actually carved himself out a slice of it and made it serve him.

BTW Dynamite should have been on my list. Think Chris Benoit 15 years beforehand.

 

[Misanthrope]

Hogan's AWA work is pretty good too. Verne Gagne just didnt like big guys so would only make him champ if he signed over his image rights. He said no, signed for Vince, and made 10 times the money for a 10th of the work rate... smart move.
Say what you want about Hogan, in a sport where perception is paramount he's managed to convince promoters he's worth the huge money he's paid for over 30 years. He also was the key to the two biggest boom periods in wrestling since the 1950's.
People say he's bad for the business but look at guys like the Dynamite Kid. He did the right thing when asked, he put guys over, he made careers, and as soon as he was too disabled to work, the business spat him out. Hogan didnt allow his image to be marred by losing all that often, he hardly put anyone over, and now can still convince a promoter he's a draw despite his 7 back surgeries and inability to remember if he's in the Superdome or the Silverdome, because people only ever remember him as the top guy.
The 'business' is corrupt and ruthless, I cant hate a guy who actually carved himself out a slice of it and made it serve him.

BTW Dynamite should have been on my list. Think Chris Benoit 15 years beforehand.

See, I can because I'm not in the business. Hogan's ruined more careers than anybody else in wrestling not named Vince McMahon.

 

[Parra Pride]

I was playing NBA 2K14, and they have Nas' Hate Me Now on the soundtrack, which made me remember that awesome promo they did for Miz at WM 27 I think it was, which made me think I may have left him off my list, which makes sad. I demand a re-vote.