Are you ready???
This is one of the toughest lists that I’ve ever had to put together. I grew up with professional wrestling on the family television every Sunday morning and/or afternoon and watched it religiously. Mid-South Wrestling introduced me to some of the greatest heels and faces in professional wrestling. Ric Flair, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Junkyard Dog, One Man Gang, Kamala, Eddie Gilbert, and Koko B. Ware are just a few of the wrestlers that stepped into the ring for Mid-South.
In college, the Monday Night Wars were at their peak, and myself and a number of friends were firmly in the WCW Monday Nitro camp, only flipping over to WWF during commercial breaks or during dull moments on Nitro. Eventually, WWF Monday Night Raw won me over and I began watching that program regularly. My interest in WWE has waned over the years (although I still enjoy it from time to time) and I often find myself watching other wrestling programs such as NWA Powerrr, Impact, and Reality Of Wrestling.
Throughout my life I have attended live professional wrestling events. From independent shows in high school gyms to WCW house shows and even a few live Raw events, I’ve seen wrestling on every level in person. I’ve met a few wrestlers over the years as well including Lita, Brutus Beefcake, Thunder Rosa, the Bushwhackers, Public Enemy, and multiple independent wrestlers. I’ve also read numerous issues of wrestling publications such as Pro Wrestling Illustrated and the now defunct WOW (World Of Wrestling).
Basically, I love professional wrestling and everything good and bad about it. With that being said, I struggled to figure out exactly who I should put on this list. I decided that I wouldn’t establish any specific criteria for putting wrestlers on my list. Instead, I’d go with how much I personally love each wrestler and their impact on me. This means that my list will include wrestlers from the independent circuit all the way up to the major league stars of WWE, WCW, NWA, etc. and most people will not agree with my list. This isn’t a popularity list. It’s a personal list and a love letter to all of my favorite wrestlers over the years.
The List:
#10: Isaiah “Izzy” James
Along with his valet, the Insidious One (more on her later), Isaiah James has ripped his way through a number of independent wrestling promotions. I was first introduced to him and “Sid” at a Hurricane Pro Wrestling show in Beaumont, TX. At the time he was billed as The Unholy One, and I bought his gimmick completely. I’ve been a fan ever since and see nothing but good things ahead for him and Sid.
#9: Diamond Dallas Page
Diamond Dallas Page’s rise to fame is an inspirational story. He fought tooth and nail to make it to the top and never let any setbacks, including destroying his back, stop him. Today he is the face and founder of DDP Yoga, an exercise program that I am currently using to better myself. Say what you want about Randy Orton’s RKO, but the Diamond Cutter will always be one of the greatest finishers in the business!
#8: Rick Steiner
The Dog-Faced Gremlin, Rick Steiner, was and always will be my favorite Steiner brother. Much like DDP, Rick Steiner comes across as a workhorse. It always seemed that Rick was in his brother’s shadow despite, at least in my opinion, being a better worker and a more interesting personality. I wish that Rick Steiner could have achieved bigger and better things, but he’s tops in my heart.
#7: Lance Storm
Much like a number of other wrestlers on this list, Lance Storm never seemed to get the push that he deserved. Definitely one of the most technically proficient wrestlers in the business, Storm found success in ECW and eventually some solid recognition in WCW. He started off the WCW takeover of WWE whenever Vince bought out WCW, and he was put on the backburner for pretty much the rest of his in-ring career. Lance Storm definitely deserved better, no matter how serious he might be in the ring.
#6: Shawn Michaels
Say what you want about the Heartbreak Kid’s attitude and his behind-the-scenes politics, you cannot deny that he knew how to fire up a crowd. Controversial, cocky, and seemingly having too much fun in the ring, HBK’s Sweet Chin Music was nothing more than a superkick, but it got a pop every single time he applied it to his opponents. Along with Triple H, HBK ignited the Monday Night Wars with D-Generation X, a faction that continued to flourish even after his exit from the ring.
#5: Triple H
Whether it was the Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Randy Orton, or whoever else was at the top of the WWE charts, Triple H managed to be a massive thorn in their side. Like DDP, Triple H has come back more than once from career-ending injuries. Whether you like him or not, you cannot deny how much work the guy put in night after night to get to the top of the WWE roster. Triple H was and still is a beast, and his wrestling pedigree is definitely not in question.
#4: Thunder Rosa
The NWA’s current women’s champion has a special place in my heart. I found her on the independent circuit as Thunder Rosa, but she also found success in the ring for Lucha Underground as Kobra Moon and as Serpentine. I’ve met Thunder Rosa on a couple of occasions and she is not only one of the friendliest professional wrestlers that you’ll ever meet, she’s also very interactive with her fans on social media. Her match with Mercedes Martinez at the second Hurricane Pro Ladies Night Out event is one of the greatest matches that I’ve ever witnessed live or on television. She’s going places, and I wish her the best of luck.
#3: Junkyard Dog
This is where things start to get tough. JYD could be number one on this list any day of the week, but there are a couple of other wrestlers that he has to compete with for that top spot in my heart. I used to imitate JYD as a child while wrestling with my father in the living room (much to my mother’s dismay). From what I’ve learned over the years, JYD had a massive heart to go along with all of those muscles, and he’ll always be one of my favorite faces.
#2: Sting
I grew up watching the multi-colored face of Sting every Sunday. He was the young upstart that grabbed the attention of the audience. Established stars battled him day in and day out but had a hard time winning over the fans against him. In his later years with WCW, Sting would take on the Crow paint and hang out in the rafters. This version of Sting was still great, but my favorite version will always be the one with the loud paint and brightly colored tights.
#1: Hacksaw Jim Duggan
I met this “Tough Guy” when I was eight years old. I shook Hacksaw’s massive hand and walked back to my chair starstruck. Hacksaw always came across as the regular guy who became a massive star. He looked like the fellows that my dad worked with every day. He’s an every man and I love that fact. Hacksaw is my champion and he always will be my champion. Even when he joined up with Team Canada, I loved the guy. Hacksaw could do no wrong, and I hope to meet him again soon in order to get a photo and an autograph.
Honorable mentions:
Like I said, this list was tough to create, and I left a few people out of my list that definitely deserve a spot in my Top Twenty. The Insidious One, Izzy James’ valet, has one of the coolest entrances in the business, crawling around like a spider into the ring. I’ve never witnessed her in a match live, but I’ve watched plenty of her matches on the web.
Other honorable mentions include Lita, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, Kane, Willie Mack, and Terry Taylor.
I could list more, but I would never be able to find a stopping point. Let me know some of your favorite wrestlers in the comments section!
I’m thinking about creating another list featuring my favorite tag teams. That one should be a lot easier to build as there have only been a few tag teams that really had any impact on me.
As always, thanks for reading. I’ve got a couple of toy reviews coming up soon and maybe a comic review as well.
Ken's Alternate Universe! 