The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) recently published a list of the best wrestlers ever.
From the mid-1990s to the 2020s, the WWE has gained a massive following of fans who are intensely passionate about their wrestlers. This era has seen WWE’s popularity transcend borders.
WWE has become a global brand with many iconic stars.
Whether their moves or their speech, the actions of most of these wrestlers have made them unbelievably popular.
In this article, we will examine seven names, which in the modern era redefined sport for us.
Here are the top 10 greatest WWE wrestlers of all time:
10. Randy Orton
Randy Orton made history in 2004 when he became the youngest world champion in WWE history at the age of 24, after defeating Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight Championship.
This achievement led him to leave Evolution, a faction that he was part of, and start a feud with his former allies.
Two years later, in 2006, he formed a tag team with Edge called Rated-RKO, which dominated the WWE tag team division.
Orton was known as “the Legend Killer” during his early years in WWE, a nickname that reflected his arrogant and disrespectful attitude towards the legends of the WWE.
He has won 13 World Titles in his career, including the WWE Championship and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Orton has been a loyal and reliable performer for WWE since 2006, and the company has often relied on him to carry the brand and the show.
He is widely regarded as one of the most talented and charismatic wrestlers of his generation and a true legend in his own right.
9. Kane
Glenn Thomas Jacobs, better known by his ring name Kane, is an American professional wrestler, actor, and politician who is one of the best WWE wrestlers ever.
He debuted in WWE in 1997 as the half-brother of The Undertaker, a legendary wrestler and longtime rival.
Kane was trained by Ray Candy and Dean Malenko before entering the wrestling arena.
He participated in one of the most famous ‘Hell in a Cell’ matches in WWE history, when he interfered and cost The Undertaker his match against Shawn Michaels.
He became only the third wrestler in WWE history to achieve the prestigious Grand Slam Championship, which recognizes wrestlers who have won all four major championships.
The wrestler also holds the distinction of being the eighth Triple Crown Champion in WWE history.
This honor is bestowed upon wrestlers who have won three specific championships, typically including a world championship, another significant singles championship, and a tag team championship.
He won the ECW Championship at WrestleMania XXIV in 2008, setting a record by defeating Chavo Guerrero in less than 12 seconds.
This is not the only record Kane has broken in his career, as he eliminated 11 wrestlers at the 2001 ‘Royal Rumble’, a feat that has not been surpassed to this day.
8. Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque, better known by his ring name Triple H, started his career in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1994, where he was given the name Terra Ryzing, a play on the word “terrorizing.”
He later changed his name to Hunter Hearst Helmsley, a snobbish and arrogant character, before joining the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1995.
He shortened his name to Triple H in 1998 and became one of the most influential and successful wrestlers in the company’s history.
HHH has won various titles during his tenure, such as the Intercontinental Championship five times, the World Tag Team Championship twice, the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship once, the European Championship twice, and the world championship fourteen times, making him the seventh Triple Crown Champion and the second Grand Slam Champion in WWE history.
He is also a two-time winner of the Royal Rumble match and the 1997 King of the Ring tournament.
In addition to his wrestling career, Triple H has gained prominence for his behind-the-scenes role in WWE, as he is the Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy & Development, the founder and senior producer of NXT, and the creator of the WWE Performance Center.
7. Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan debuted in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1979 when he was signed by the owner Vince McMahon Sr., and his first victory was against the legendary André the Giant.
He rose to fame in 1984, when he won the WWF Championship from the Iron Sheik and became the face of the company.
Hogan rapidly gained a lot of stardom, along with legendary terms like Hulkamania.
He has won twelve world championships in his career, including six WWF/WWE Championships and six WCW World Heavyweight Championships.
Hogan was the first wrestler to win consecutive Royal Rumble matches in 1990 and 1991.
He is also the second Triple Crown Champion and the fifth Grand Slam Champion in WWE history.
He became a household name in the United States in the mid-1980s, and his image was used to endorse various products and merchandise. He also ventured into acting and starred in several movies and television shows.
He played the lead role in the movie ‘No Holds Barred in 1989, which was co-produced by WWF. He also appeared in other films such as ‘Mr. Nanny’ in 1993 and ‘Santa with Muscles’ in 1996.
Hulk Hogan is widely regarded as one of the most influential and no doubt one of the top 10 WWE wrestlers of all time and a true legend in his own right.
6. Ric Flair
Ric Flair made his debut in 1972 in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, where he faced George Gadaski in a match that ended in a draw. He soon adopted the nickname “Nature Boy,” a persona that embodied his flamboyant and charismatic style.
He had a turbulent life that included a strained relationship with his adoptive parents, various injuries, four failed marriages, and the tragic death of his son.
In a career spanning over 40 years, he has broken several records and achieved numerous championships.
Ric Flair has been recognized as a 16-time world champion, including eight NWA World Heavyweight Championships, six WCW World Heavyweight Championships, and two WWF Championships.
Flair is the first two-time WWE Hall of Famer, having been inducted individually in 2008 and as a member of The Four Horsemen in 2012.
He is also the first Triple Crown Champion and the first Grand Slam Champion in WWE history.
Flair’s legacy has influenced many generations of wrestlers, and he has been praised for his contributions to the sport.
He continued to wrestle for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) even after officially retiring from WWE in 2008, but he later admitted that wrestling for TNA was the “number one regret of his career.”
He is currently seen in WWE to support his daughter, Charlotte Flair, who is also a successful wrestler and a 13-time women’s champion.
5. John Cena
John Cena is an American actor, television presenter, and perhaps the greatest WWE wrestler.
His wrestling career began in 2000 when he won the Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW) Heavyweight Championship in California and earned the nickname “The Prototype” for his physique and style.
He signed a contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 2001 and was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) for training.
John Cena won the OVW Heavyweight Championship in 2002 and made his debut on the main roster in June 2002, where he joined the popular show SmackDown.
Cena rose to prominence in 2004, when he defeated Big Show for the United States Championship at WrestleMania XX and established himself as a fan favorite.
He has won various titles and accolades during his tenure, such as the WWE Championship a record 13 times, the World Heavyweight Championship three times, the WWE Tag Team Championship four times, and the Money in the Bank ladder match in 2012.
He is the fifth Triple Crown Champion and the third Grand Slam Champion in WWE history.
He is also a two-time winner of the Royal Rumble match in 2008 and 2013, and the first wrestler to defeat Umaga in 2007.
4. Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels debuted in 1988 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) after starting his wrestling career in the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) and American Wrestling Association (AWA).
He won the AWA World Tag Team Championship twice with his partner Marty Jannetty, who formed a tag team called The Rockers.
He later became a singles performer and adopted a cocky and charismatic persona that made him a fan favorite.
He had a significant impact on booking decisions as the leader of the backstage group called The Kliq, which consisted of other influential wrestlers such as Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman, and Triple H.
The group was involved in a controversial incident in 1996, known as The Curtain Call, which exposed the scripted nature of wrestling.
In the same year, Michaels teamed up with Triple H, Rick Rude, and Chyna to form a faction called D-Generation X (DX), which was famous for their rebellious and crude humor.
3. Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin rose to fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when he became the most popular star in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), now known as WWE.
He adopted a rebellious and anti-authority persona, which led him to feud with the WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, in one of the greatest controversies in history.
Stone Cold has stowed many achievements in the wrestling industry, thus placing him as one of the top WWE wrestlers of all time.
He achieved 19 championships during his vocation, where Stone was given the honorable title of the popular World Heavyweight Championship six times, a double-cross Intercontinental Title, along a Tag Team Champion four times in a row.
Stone Cold was also awarded the Triple Crown champion in World Wrestling Entertainment.
He even bagged the King of the Ring competition in 1996, just like the 1998, 1997, and 2001 Royal Rumble championships, which made him the chief personality to win the battle thrice.
2. Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Johnson started his wrestling career in 1996 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), now known as WWE, where he was given the name Flex Kavana.
He fought against famous wrestlers like The Brooklyn Brawler and Bart Sawyer and won several matches.
He later changed his name to The Rock and became one of the most popular and charismatic wrestlers in the company. He had a notorious feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin, who was his main rival and ally.
He won 17 different WWE titles during his tenure.
He starred in several blockbuster movies like A Supernatural Bad Guy, Scorpion King, Game Plan, etc.
Johnson’s acting vocation kept on flourishing through his appearances in several movies, such as Driver (2010) and the most popular Fast and Furious 6 in 2013.
In 2014, movie directors featured him as a tough man in Hercules.
He additionally came back to wrestling brawls every once in a while, incorporating a 2014 collaboration with the famous Stone Cold and Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 30.
1. The Undertaker
Many WWE fans, critics, and other athletes regard The Undertaker best WWE wrestler of all time.
In 1989, he bagged the title of ‘Master of Pain’ in the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship.
He achieved several WWF titles in 1991, 1997, 1999, and 2002, respectively.
He was also the winner of the WWF Hardcore Championship in the year 2001.
The Undertaker’s presentation in the 2007 ‘Royal Rumble’ battle is considered one of his most energetic ones. This event featured five expert wrestling matches, and The Undertaker won the title by defeating Shawn Michaels.
He also achieved many other feats that no one else has matched. Over the years, The Undertaker has earned various less celebrated honors that none of his peers can claim.
He has defeated many top stars on the biggest stages and has beaten every member of one of the company’s most prestigious groups.
The 10 most successful wrestlers in WWE history listed in this article represent the pinnacle of in-ring prowess, charisma, and overall impact on the industry.
From the flamboyant showmanship of Hulk Hogan to the high-flying acrobatic feats of Randy Orton, professional wrestling boasts a rich history of larger-than-life characters who have captivated audiences for generations.
While countless athletes have stepped into the squared circle over the years, only a select few have truly transcended the sport, etching their names forever in the annals of wrestling history.
