Review: WWE Top 50 Superstars of all time (Disc 1)

February 3, 2011 by Brett Mix

Brett Mix’s- “50 Greatest Superstars of all time” Disc One Review:

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“Vince McMahon himself even stated that Stone Cold Steve Austin is the greatest of all time. But this is not the the list of the Chairman, this is the list of the Superstars.” –Todd Grisham

-When discussing this DVD Steve Austin said “I don’t know the criteria for the WWE Top 50 list,” Austin wrote on Twitter. “I disagree with 85 percent of it.”

-Chris Benoit did not make the list for obvious reasons but everybody knows he would of likely cracked the top 25 had he still been alive.

-Disc 1 is a count-down of the top 50 Superstars seemingly with no criteria because we have wrestlers such as Nick Bockwinkel who have never competed in the WWE on it. Bockwinkel by all means should be on a top 50 list but if he is on the list, then where is Sting one might wonder. Even Goldberg or the Ultimate Warrior might of made more of an impact then say Dave Batista yet he is on the list at 49.

-Disc 2 and 3 cover some clipped and some full length matches through different eras covering wrestlers on the list. A good thing here is they include rare tv matches.

-The Fabulous Moolah was the only female to crack the top 50 list.

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Disc 1:

The Top 50 Countdown:

Okay so here is how were going to do this, same as always. I will give you their list and reflect on my thoughts on the Superstar and there ranking.

As for matches on Disc 2 and 3, I dont RATE (Star Ratings) clipped matches but I still discuss them.

And here we go!

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#50 – Killer Kowalski

-The man who trained one of the greatest of all time in Triple H. Killer Kowalski is one of those old-school names that you just knew had a shot on the list. I am all for that. I think the old-school talents had it harder to keep kayfabe and are perhaps more deserving then some of the newer stars like you will see directly below this man. His legacy is talked about often and he was a credible name long ago in this profession, and he clocks in at the #50 spot.

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#49 – Batista

-An absolute joke. This man would not crack my top 200 of all time. Maybe not even 250, 300….

Can he work…well yeah, it took awhile but eventually he got some brilliant matches with veterans like Undertaker and Triple H. He is not capable of carrying anyone in the ring and is borderline laughable on the mic. His charisma is so bad for a man that looks like he could have so much if he actually applied it like say Goldberg or Warrior. (Both of which did not make the list) You see this and wonder why the list is laughed at.

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#48 – “Ravishing” Rick Rude

-There we go. Someone that deserves to be in the Top 50. Rick Rude was the Val Venis of the 1980s but he obviously did it before him. And while Val was certainly talented in the ring and very over during the attitude era, Rick Rude was on a level even higher then Mr. Venis. Rude put on a lot of great bouts with the likes of Ricky Steamboat and other tremendous in-ring workers. He is a guy worthy of at least a two disc DVD set and a Hall of Fame induction, both of which I am sure we could very well see within the next five years.

#47 – Bob Backlund

-There is absolutely no doubt he deserves to be on the list as well. He is maybe placed a bit low though, but still good to see him. He is not in the Hall of Fame yet which is mind-boggling. I would say Him, Sammartino and Savage are three that need to be in the most at the present moment as of this writing. A DVD would be nice of Mr. Backlund but how well it would sell to the general public is the only concern I am sure the WWE would have. It is the same with the likes of Dean Malenko… (another technically gifted great who unfortunately did not crack this list) Backlund sold out MSG before Hogan and was the headliner of the WWWF and WWF before the Rock N Wrestling era started. His memorable matches, promos and rivalries stand out over time.

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#46 – Dory Funk Jr.

-Few legends in this business have gotten the praise Dory Funk Jr. has gotten. Bret Hart considers him one of the best ever. I believe he wrote in his book that he thought he was the best wrestler of all time at one point until he saw the Dynamite Kid work. Belonging to the legendary Funk family is reason enough to brag but when you worked for as many years in as many promotions as Dory did, then you understand why this Hall of Famer makes the list. He is much like Terry in that regard. Dory Funk Jr. was an excellent technical wrestler as well, especially for his time. When it is all said and done the Funks are underrated but seeing Dory on the list makes me smile.

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#45 – Jeff Hardy

-Like Batista I feel that could of perhaps taken Jeff out and thrown someone else in here. I would of taken the Ultimate Warrior for instance and thrown him here. Sure Jeff has been apart of some legendary matches but so has Warrior, and Jeff was not 1-10th the draw Warrior was for as well as Jeff sold merchandise. I am not trying to rip on Jeff but I always liked his brother better and it is because of all his bumps they likely put him on the list. I could never understand his popularity but this is not my choice at the end of the day. I still would not have him on the list.

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#44 – Nick Bockwinkel

-Thank you. A little higher though. I would of put him in the top 30 if not 25. Talk about an all around talent. This guy was innovative in the way he cut promos. Ric Flair, Chris Jericho and Triple H all stole this guys swagger or at least learned from him. But immitation is the highest form of ones praise. Much like Brian Pillman (who I am very upset is not on this list either) used a dictionairy to come up with new words for every promo. This guy also did it with class in nice suits. A top heel drawing big crowds against the start of Hulkamania. Bockwinkel and his talents on the mic were even over-shadowed by his presence in the ring. His classics with Curt Hennig in the AWA could NOT be ignored. The fact he is in the WWE Hall of Fame already and attends it anually without ever being in the WWE says how great he truly was.

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#43 – Kane

-I dont really mind the fact he is on the list because the character at one point was great. The person Glen Jacobs is even better and very loyal. Problem is he is NOT that great of a worker and has had some really, really horrible storylines over the years. I am not going to go into them. He should of got the Batista spot perhaps at 49, him above Bockwinkel I have problems with, even if it is just by one spot.

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#42 – Sgt. Slaughter

-For most, it is the character that people think of most often. Or the loyal backstage worker that he has been for so many years. People think of his Wrestlemania 7 feud and actually great match with Hogan a lot but most of the time he was the hero. The American Hero. His feud with the Iron Sheik is often remembered most, and his battles in the late 70s and early 80s is what REALLY earns him his spot among the elite. Slaughter produced several classics in the four star range during that time span. I would not call him a Legend (only if I was to use that term loosely) but he is an important name and good enough to be on the list.

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#41 – Jack Brisco

-Well at least it is Jack. Not Gerald. The better of the two. However when discussing both, The Brisco Brothers are now Hall of Famers and one of the best tag teams of all time doing a lot of their work in the NWA. Jack Brisco much like Lou Thesz and Dory Funk Jr., Harley Race, Ric Flair are often remembered as one of the greatest World Heavyweight Champions of all time. A memorable name. A borderline legend in the business and just overall an old-school great worthy of being in the top 50. Technically in the ring he was underrated in a time when not many had that paticular style. Very deserving of a spot. A little surprised he is this high though.

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#40 – The Big Show

-No. I will admit the guy has plenty of heart and has been in the business for a long time but how many great matches or promos has he been in….better yet, is he in just because of his presence. He is a unique individual and a good person, no doubt, but 40th, or even in the top 50 is pushing it here. Not for me. He broke in WCW as The Giant in a feud with Hogan so he was given the main event slot right away due to aging stars and his obvious size. He got better half-way through his WWE tenure but still has to transition his allignment more often then not. He has gone from heel to face so many times that I dont even know where to look and when. When they do that with you, that is usually not a good thing…

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#39 – Jake “The Snake” Roberts

-Nice. They have yet to put him in the Hall of Fame likely due to his lifestyle but have treated us to a DVD of the tragic life of Jake Roberts. I really did not intend to make it seem like his life has been hell but if you watched his DVD you know all about how he has seemingly been damned since day one. It is just not fair considering the man had a mind of pure genius. His ability to intimidate anyone is down-right scary and his mic skills are pure genius. I only think Foley and Piper had better mic skills. Jake third, Savage fourth, Austin fifth. Those are my top five on the stick. (Jericho, Rock, Flair, Hogan, Raven, Pillman, Bockwinkel, Cornette and the like all follow) Jake also had psychology not only in the ring but in everything he did. What I mean by that is he studied everything about his current storyline and was one of the best actors the Federation ever had. Long live the legend of the Snake, I hope he sees the Hall of Fame before he dies. Beyond the Mat got it right when they said everyone has heard of Jake the Snake Roberts.

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#38 – “Superstar” Billy Graham

-Ahead of his time for sure.

The DVD they released on him was even called 20 years too soon. Billy Graham had the McMahon look and what I mean by that is he was the body builder type. Ironically him and Vince dont always see eye to eye. Last I heard he was putting his WWE Hall of Fame ring on E-Bay but I am not sure how true that is, and if it was I doubt you would be seeing him on this list knowing the grudge Vince can hold. Either way Graham was a solid Superstar in that all-around type of a way worthy of a spot.

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#37 – The Junkyard Dog

-Okay, for WWE loyalty perhaps. I hear this guy was just a tremendous person and McMahon loved him. Infact fans loved him, I remember being young and loving the JYD myself. I did not care that he was no Ricky Steamboat in the ring, and he was one of the first African Americans to go far in this business which I am guessing is one of the reasons he makes it hear. This late star is already a Hall of Famer but he was never all-around that impressive. He is a GOOD mans Koko B. Ware. Koko for some reason is in the Hall but the JYD actually deserved it. I am not sure he should be ranked so high but I still dont have a problem he is on the list.

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#36 – Gorilla Monsoon

-Will YOU be Serious! Most people know him for lines like that from the booth but this guy is a legend in his own right inside of that ring for decades. You gotta love The Body Ventura (Jesse) ripping on how he wrestled in the stone ages on old Mania broadcasts. I loved the fact he and the Body did the first six Manias, they were my favourite commentary tandem ever, even ahead of Monsoon and Heenan. But the fact you see Monsoon over and over is because is was talented on the mic and in the ring, another all-around great. It was a sad day to see him go and he is dearly missed.

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#35 – “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers

-The ORIGINAL Nature Boy.

Now I still have a hard time knowing what a Nature Boy is exactly but one thing I do know about Rogers is he was one methodical mat worker. McMahon himself said Bret Hart was the best wrestler at telling a story since Buddy Rogers. For his time in the Federation, kick-starting it he is up there and the amount of great matches he put on he was definitely going to crack the list. I am loving the fact these old-school picks are up here. I do not however like that guys such as Edge are ahead of these men.

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#34 – Kurt Angle

-A perfect example of a guy being too low. It would be criminal to not have him on the list so at least the WWE got that part right. While Angle was certainly a loose cannon at times, these days, or for the past half decade and while he did not always throw out top notch psychology, it is hard to ignore his quality. His overall work ethic is always top notch. He delivers all the time. On PPVs, TV matches, one of those guys worthy of the quick push the big company gives to someone. He got over with his natural dorky wit on the stick and in the ring he was even better although it took him some time. He is best off facing a guy like Benoit or Lesnar or Guerrero. Infact Steve Austin even got some of his best work out of him. Arguably a top 25 talent for me, I know some people even have him in their top 10 or even 5.

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#33 – Mick Foley

-Well, I am glad he is here. I have no idea why the live crowds act like Foley is just your average nobody for the past half decade. The Hardcore Legend. Forget the fact that he is probably hands down the nicest guy the wrestling business has ever seen but when you look at how diverse, brave, witty, and all around entertaining a man can be….how can he not be higher is all I have to ask. Foley is a top 15 talent for me and while I am not going to cry about his 33rd ranking I am going to say he is way more then a glorified stunt man. Ric Flair can go get some anger managment if he must with all his insecurity issues, feeling the need to put down others to make himself look better. Foley was a proven draw and even out-popped Steve Austin and The Rock on some nights in 99 and 2000 when that would of otherwise been unheard of on some editions of Raw and Smackdown! He was that popular in his commish role. Forget the passion he has for the business or his long journey sleeping in his car, paying his dues the hard way to get there. Mick Foley is in inspiration and an incredible worker. To go as fast as he goes at that weight is absolutely remarkable. He is most noted for taking bumps, and that is fine but its not like he is limited to just that. Not only does this man take the most brutal bumps in Pro-Wrestling but he has the best mic skills in the history of Pro-Wrestling. Cane-Dewey, Anti-Hardcore Promos in ECW among the many WWF-WWE promos he has had are among the best you will ever see. So much charisma and could be any part of the show, as said, so diverse. Foley is Good.

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#32 – “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka

-Never saw the appeal. He leaped onto Don Muraco in a time where many leaps were not seen by many eyes. Big Shi*! I also have heard some of the worst rumors about this man but for some reason the WWE just love this LEGEND and I say LEGEND under my breath in the most sarcastic of ways. I would not put Snuka in my top 100 and I dont care to elaborate any further. Next to Edge and Batista I hate this placing, I really, really do….Snuka sucks. End of story. At least in my mind.

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#31 – The Iron Sheik

-One of the all time ultimate heels. The Sheik was not only relevant for being a bad guy, on his anti-america run but he was instrumental in getting over Hulkamania in 1984 in MSG the day it was born in the WWF. He will forever be remembered for his feud with Slaughter. His Hall of Fame induction might be the most hilarious one ever and his shoot promos are hilarious. The screws might not be all there, but he was one of the most important wrestlers in history for certain, him and his signature Camel Clutch.

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#30 – Pat Patterson

-The First ever IC Champion. One of the Stooges. French Canadian Pat Patterson a homosexual wrestler behind the scenes who came up with the Royal Rumble concept apparently. For that alone (since it is my favourite match) he deserves to be on the list. Patterson was never the most flashy guy, or quickest in the ring but he held his own and definitely knows a lot about the business. One of the better minds in wrestling history and that is why he places so high on this list.

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#29 – Randy Orton

-Kind of confused with this one. Orton is good and everything but not top 50, and certainly not top 29 but the WWE wants to put out their current Main Eventers on this list and that by all means is fine with me. Orton pushed at a time when John Cena was the only other top prospect the company had in mind back in 2004. Many saw them as perhaps the next Rock and Austin but obviously not going to be on their levels, and they were kind of right in a sense. Orton has never been better then mediocre on the mic and in the ring it is pretty much the same but for some reason he is a multi-time world champion. Belts are handed out like Candy at the house of Albert Fish these days so that part I can at least understand. Orton could POSSIBLY crack my top 100 list when his career is over but for now, I would not have him here.

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#28 – “Classie” Freddie Blassie

-Like the Sheik, arguably the greatest heel ever along with guys like Flair, Hunter, Vince and perhaps the greatest heel ever The Million Dollar Man who we have yet to get to on this list thankfully because he deserves to be high. Blassie who was known to call people PENCIL NECK GEEKS was also remembered as a brilliant HEEL manager, perhaps 2nd to only Bobby Heenan. It was sad to hear of his passing but he was the voice of the WWF during the Invasion in one of my favourite segments ever. The heritage of this Legend was evident during that segment where Austin came back from the bar to clean house and save team WWF. Classie Freddie Blassie was arrogant and to the point. A real straight shooter. I like him on this list. An important name for sure but he perhaps could of been lower. I have not said that about many names but I will here, however it is not a big deal.

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#27 – The Fabulous Moolah

?-The only Female to make the list.

I thought Trish Stratus, Chyna or Lita stood a shot but I guess not. Moolah is more then deserving holding her title for decades, just amazing. She was an inspiration to most of the Divas who followed the business and did not just jump into the profession for being apart of a reality show. The Hall of Famer deserves to be here and I am glad to see it. May she RIP.

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#26 – “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase

-People often argue, who is the best bad guy of all time. I often hear, Piper, Roberts, Lawler, Flair, Vince, Bischoff, Hogan, Hunter, Blassie, Heenan…..well for me…look no further.

It is the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase.

It is not just being the greatest bad guy that makes him so impressive. His mic skills and with how arrogant he was got on the nerves of everyone. DiBiase was also an amazing wrestler that has a long history outside of the Federation in Mid-South that not many know about. His matches with Bret Hart paticularly I enjoyed, I felt their chemistry was great. One of the all time greats…

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#25 – Chris Jericho

-When thinking of who is great at everything you think of Chris Jericho. The man who is the best in the world at what he does.

Chris made an impact everywhere. His DVD breaking the code is top notch and it shows why he is one of the best Sports Entertainers ever. On the mic he can get over as a heel or babyface which is a rare thing in this business. He also improved drastically in the ring over time and hung with the best inside the ring like Benoit and Guerrero. He was ECW, WCW, the WWF and the WWE. He took time off and never lost a beat. He is one of the greatest of all time for sure, top 25 in my book so I love where he is ranked on this list. One of the good ranking points in my book. Jericho is the first Undisputed Champion beating Austin and Rock in the same night. Enough said.

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#24 – Bruno Sammartino

-The LIVING LEGEND. THE GUY.

You could even call him Mr. WWWF.

A HUGE draw, right under the big three of Austin-Hogan and Rock. Bruno is the biggest name not in the hall of fame. Savage and Backlund are the only other two who deserve it as much as Bruno but it is Sammartino himself who elects to not be in it due to him not liking the direction the business has gone. That or a bad relationship with Mr. McMahon. I am sure one day this legend will get his due. Either way no one can forget all his positive contributions to the wrestling industry and most importantly the WWF.

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#23 – Hulk Hogan

-Just ridiculous. This is one I dont even have to go into. Now if your judging this on overall talent, #23 might not too bad of a number for the Hulkster. But come on…he is the biggest name in Wrestling history. Some say he is Wrestling. He was a superb draw EVERYWHERE he went from AWA, WWF and WCW. Ask anyone in the world who Hulk Hogan is and maybe one out of every 100 people will not know. IF THAT. His work in Japan is highly underrated and even his typical WWF and WCW work while predictable was executed well with a ton of charisma and the fans loved it. The Babe Ruth of the WWE. Hulk Hogan may be doing whatever it is he is doing in TNA but that is up to him. His best days are clearly behind him. He should be higher, he is top ten in every list out there but this one I guess. Hulkamania truly will live forever, like the guy or not.

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#22 – Terry Funk

-Now THIS is an AWESOME surprise. Funk above Hogan and Bruno. WOW. WOW. Terry Funk is one of the most underrated wrestlers of all time. Getting his due here was such a shock to me. This guy may have the longest wrestling career out of anyone and been in more promotions and matches then anyone else. Well he has had more retirement matches then Mick Foley and Ric Flair combined so that has got to stand for something. Seeing him in the class of 2009 Hall of Fame was a nice touch. The Funker could do it all, brawl, wrestle, he helped kick-start the ECW franchise and was a wonderful worker in the WWF and WCW as well. Even in the NWA in his memorable feud with Flair, his bouts especially the I Quit are that of legendary. Terry Funk should be talked about more but sadly is not….the idol of Mick Foley. Terry Funk deserves recognition, and here he gets it. Great.

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#21 – Lou Thesz

-Lou Thesz. You might not have ever seen his matches, you might not even know what he looks like…but chances are you have heard his name so many times if you are a wrestling fan. They never just say ANYONE and their name over and over unless they were not extremely important. Austin hits the Thesz press in almost every match he has been in under the Stone Cold name, it is one of his signature moves before the Stunner. Several other stars have as well but when the greatest wrestler of all time uses it frequently, that means something. So innovation is definitely not a worry for Thesz. He is maybe the most recognizable name associated with the NWA title either before or just after Ric Flair. Many claim he is the greatest ever. Unfortunately his work is so limited we can only hear from the mouths of wrestling experts how great he was. So him being on this list was not unexpected, it was essential.

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#20 – Jerry “The King” Lawler

-A perfect spot. Absolutely. For some reason I have heard from many reviews Lawler should not be on the list let alone top 50. I wonder if those people watched any Memphis Wrestling or were just high on some illegal substance. This man is one of the greatest of all time. Forget his broadcasting tenure in the WWE and his last 20 years with them, but what he accomplished from the Andy Kauffman feud to everything in Memphis with the likes of Savage, Von Erich and more is that of brilliance. Jerry Lawler knows this business in and out and one of the funniest wrestlers of all time. He is a wrestling legend, no doubt. Bow to the king. If there was ever one in Wrestling, its him. Not Harley Race…Jerry Lawler. Awesome ranking to put him in the top 20, he makes my top 15.

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#19 – Edge

-This right here is my biggest problem on the ENTIRE LIST which covers a lot of ground. Some have a problem with Race at 6, Batista at 49, Rey Rey at 9, Hogan at 23, etc. I have the biggest problem with Edge at 19. EDGE. In 2002, that is the ONLY time I thought this guy is special. Not only can he work, he is damn good. But he was apart of the Smackdown! six and had the best talent to work with. He was never the same after the injury that kept him out over a year. He has been in some of the best ladder matches, and has held the world title so many times I have lost count. He currently nearing the end of his career one would think and has the respect of many superstars and WWE veterans which is why he is ranked so high. Personally, Edge does not make my top 100 in anything wrestling related. I say all this and I dont even mind the guy that much. Infact he cracks me up. But to say Edge is ahead of Hulk Hogan, even Nick Bockwinkel….really…..

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#18 – Dusty Rhodes

-A little high for my liking. However he was full of charisma, the fans loved him proving that he was a draw and man could he talk. If you could make out what he said half the time then you would be doing good but whatever he was saying much like Randy Savage always made sense and he was just oozing charisma. And for a man at his weight he could hang in there with the best NWA talents. He had a short run in the WWF but mostly made a name as the American Dream in the NWA. A popular star who has two sons in the WWE. Cody Rhodes and of course the Golden one who actually has a resume that is borderline arguable to be in the top 50 himself!

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#17 – Ric Flair

-Alright, alright. I have never been the biggest fan of Flair. A different story for a different day. I could go on for hours. Is the man a wrestling legend, absolutely. Is he one of the greatest of all time…I have him third. So I am not biased against Naitch. He even cracks me up. The person clearly loves this business but he is a hypocrite and he also has an ego the size of Texas. I am not even going to go into the Bret Hart war but I completely disagree with everything he said about Bret, and the WWE ass kissing (likely inspired by his biggest marks in HHH and HBK) makes me borderline sick. They gave him the biggest farewell ever, a man that was never a draw in their company and had a dissapointing year run in the WWF. Then he pisses on it and goes to TNA. Ric Flair is a legend and one of the greatest of all time but it is purely subjective on where to place him or how you feel about him. I have no problem with him being at 17 just because I am not a big fan of the guy but there is no denying his skill, his talent, and he is an all-around great. Excellent charisma and mic skills, wrestled in multiple territories against essentially everyone. You have to give him that. That is all I feel like saying about him or else I just wont stop.

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#16 – John Cena

-Like Flair, not a fan. Was during his first heel run in 2003 on Smackdown! but when he got corny in 2004-2005 and pushed to fast to beat JBL in that terrible Mania 21 co-main event I lost serious interest and fast. Lines like Y2 Cheap did not win the fans over. He got booed and was hated on the internet more and more in 2005, that by 2006 he was booed out of the arena. They called him controversial. No, that was merely a cover-up. He was just a Babyface that no one enjoyed supporting. ECW One Night Stand 2006 is the best example of this, or perhaps Wrestlemania 22. Even to this day in 2011 it has remained the same. He moves merchandise in a day and age where not many people can so he is praised. He is confident on the mic but does not say the right things. His skills in the ring are average at best and comparable to Hulk Hogan. Cena is not the draw the WWE likes to think he is but he is amazingly loyal, a good person and good for the way they want to move their product forward. I am glad he did not make the top 10 but again on my list, I would put him in the 40-50 range.

#15 – “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig

-NICE ranking. Infact on my own top 15 I think I had Hennig 15 myself. Much like #14 who is next, he was the total package. He could do every sport, he could be liked by everybody, he could have amazing in-ring skills and mic skills. He could play either allignment well, he was…well, perfect. Or as close as they come. It is great to see this Hall of Famer ranked so high. One of the most missed wrestlers next to Benoit, Eddie and of course who I consider the most missed…Owen Hart. He should be top 30 but if it is legal issues that kept him from coming on this list, then I can forgive that. Perfect had an unfortunate end to his life making some bad choices but he was a wonderful human being as learned by his family at the 2007 indcution ceremony and the man who inducted him, Mr. Boggs. I miss Curt and hope he is in a better place. No one will ever forget…Mr. Perfect!

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#14 – “Macho Man” Randy Savage

-There are literally so many things to say here that I have no idea where to begin. If you have followed my reviews you may know that the Macho Man is the reason I got into wrestling. He is my all time favourite wrestler and to see him ranked so high on this list pleases me considering the many rumors and how many times the E has ignored him over the years. Savage seems to be on better terms these days which is good. Randy and his three decade career span a lot of time. Innovation, Charisma galore, a top four mic worker, and could get a great match out of anybody. A multi-time world champion, a major draw and apart of both wrestling boom periods. There was never anyone as colorful as Randy Macho Man Savage. His Hall of Fame induction is long over-due and when that happens I hope he is alive and I will truly love that moment whenever it comes. I keep waiting. Thank you Randy for everything you did and still do to entertain me. History Beckons the Macho Man!

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#13 – Gorgeous George

-Sort of like Lou Thesz but I am a little confused on why so high. I would of thought George could of been in the 40s on this list. I do not know why he is #13 but regardless he is and maybe that is because he started many things in the business. He was always colorful and well decorated so to speak, this may of intimidated his opponents. He was a natural and kept kayfabe to perfection back then. He is another one of those old-school names you knew would pop up, it was just a matter of when and I am surprised it is this high, but again, it is what it is.

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#12 – Triple H

-Worked his way up, and he became damn good. You can not take that away from Triple H no matter what your feelings are. I hated the gutless puke after his Off the Record segment in 1998 that you can still probably find on youtube. But by late 99 by the time he was Champion I knew big things were coming to Mr. Helmsley. Terrific matches and feuds with Steve Austin, Mick Foley and mostly The Rock through the years 99 and 2000 made him a huge star. His match with Taker at Wrestlemania X7 is also wonderful. His match with Austin three stages of hell the month before at No Way Out was even better. Five stars from where I stand. He gets a lot of heat for marrying into the McMahon family but no one can deny he was the wrestler of the year in 2000. His last man standing match with Jericho, his matches with Chris Benoit, I could go on and on. He thinks he is funnier then he actually is but the guy does have wit, mostly in DX segments. (The older version) When it comes down to it at the end of the day Triple H is my 6th greatest ever, so seeing him at #12 here I have absolutely no problem with.

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#11 – Eddie Guerrero

-Now is it one of those cases where a guy is overrated after his death. Not sure. Eddie was a Hall Of Famer. There is no arguing that, I felt his mic skills were always overrated as a babyface and I dont like to bad talk the dead but his heel mic skills were wonderful. In the ring he is one of the greatest of all time. Any time you say anyone is one of the greatest of all time. That definitely has some meaning. Eddie was no doubt in his prime in years like 1997 and 2003. He was such a good person who overcame his demons which is sometimes the hardest thing to do. Even I have had issues much like Eddie so I can sympathize with Guerrero. Good for him. Eddie put on so many classics in ECW, WCW, Japan, Mexico and ultimately the WWE. A legend. A hall of famer and a fan favourite for life. Everybody misses him and I have no problem with his place. Some claim he is overrated, I think #11 is just fine.??

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#10 – “Rowdy” Roddy Piper

-Wild. Charismatic. A loose cannon.

The second greatest talker in the history of Pro-Wrestling and that is why he gets the #2 ranking all time on the mic.

They gave him his own show Pipers Pit because he was so talented at not only delivering what needs to be delivered on the mic, but get any feud or rivalry over no matter if it was in the undercard or main event. Hogan and Andre before Mania 3 was on the Pipers Pit. Perhaps his most famous was when he hit Snuka with the Coco.

Piper had a couple of classics with Bret at Mania 8, and Valentine at Starrcade 83 in the Dog Collar match. (Both four stars from where I sit) He is a one time IC Champion beating the Mountie and has an amateur background working with greats like Flair in Mid-Atlantic in the early 80s. He claims wrestling has saved his life. Good to see him inducted in 2005. He is one of a kind, very hysterical. Roddy Piper is a name almost everyone knows and is perhaps most known for his feud with Hogan in the mid 80s around the time of the first Mania.

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#9 – Rey Mysterio

-So Rey Mysterio has competed in some of the greatest matches of all time. Never been good on the mic. Sells a lot of masks but he started at age 14, a WWE veteran and despite the fans turning on him a lot he continues to always put it on the line injures or not. Some of his matches become predictable over time but come on, give credit to where it is due. Maybe #9 is too high for him but Rey Mysterio has been Sh*t on so much lately that I am starting to think he is underrated if anything. His DVD has 29 full length matches and are of nothing but quality.

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#8 – Andre The Giant

-Arguably the biggest attraction of all time in Wrestling. A top draw, EVERYBODY knows who he is. Everybody has heard of his name. He took place in the biggest match of all time with Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania 3. Andre never could speak well but he had a great voice working for him in the legendary manager Bobby the Brain Heenan. Andre was a sight to see and everyone wanted to see how big he was in the 80s. And just how dominant. Well deserving of being high on the list.

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#7 – Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat

-Before a couple years ago Steamboat was one of the most underrated wrestlers ever, if not the most underrated wrestler of all time. Steamboat gave Savage the best match of his career At Mania 3. Steamboat gave Austin his best matches in 94 in WCW until that point. Steamboat gave Rude his best match to that point in an ironman match in WCW. Steamboat gave Bret Hart his best match to that point in 1986 from Boston which is on the DVD of the Hitman. That match gets better on each watch if you study it. Steamboat never had to talk a lot, he did his talking in the ring. Behind only Bret and Benoit he is the greatest North American grappler of all time. Steamboat still had it at the age of 57 taking on Jericho at Mania 25 and then Backlash 2009. Ricky Steamboat is a hall of famer now and got his own DVD. I love him at number seven.

#6 – Harley Race

-Alright, he is the one guy in the wrestling organization that almost every loves. He hosts wrestling get-togethers and that is a huge part of why he is number six. He was a huge part of the early days of the NWA and getting Flair over, sure. He could also work, although unorthadox. His talking was not bad either but I really dont know how he is number six. I would think in the 30s would be a better ranking. Either way it is what it is. Harley Race has certainly never been a favourite of mine. In his short stint with the WWF he jobbed to the likes of Haku on PPV. Either way here he is. Next to Edge this is my biggest question mark on this top 50 list.

#5 – The Rock

-No doubting he is top 5 if not top 3. He should probably be third in terms of popularity in wrestling, maybe 1st outside of it.

The Rock was to Randy Savage what Steve Austin was to Hulk Hogan. Popularity wise in the Federation anyway.

People will always claim he is the best talker ever, he is a wonderful talker but he repeated way too often, and I could easily nitpick for hours on why he is not. But he definitely up there. Charisma, I would say he just behind Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan. The Rock accomplished more then many would dream and that is why is an absolute legend forever and can do whatever he wants for the rest of his life.

His wrestling skills even got tremendou by the year 2000 as well which should be noted. Rock is so gifted in so many ways.?

#4 – Bret “The Hitman” Hart

-The Excellence of Execution. A tragic life in the last decade but focusing on the positives Bret Hart is arguably the greatest to lace up boots. He is on this list anyway since there is no Chris Benoit.

Bret the Headlining Hall of Famer in the class of 2006 came as a shock but Vince does not forget who was loyal and did a lot of great for work him. (For the most part) Vince even was nice enough to pay Bret a visit in Calgary at the hospital and give him a big hug when both men were on bad terms after his stroke. Bret has had a couple of DVDs out since, has been on a lot of Raw episodes in 2010 and now he is living his life to the fullest. But back in the 80s and 90s no one was as crisp as Bret. He could tell a story like no other and get a four star match out of an average nobody. Hart for his loyalty and being the great draw he is world-wide, especially in Canada deserves to be this high. My overall ranking is 2 for him, but I will definitely accept 4.

#3 – Stone Cold Steve Austin

-The greatest wrestler to ever live. All around that is. One of the biggest names in wrestling history changed the face of wrestling, brought in a new era. Steve Austin is the biggest draw of all time. He is also one my favourites next to Hart and Savage. No doubt he makes my list at #1 but #3 is still a bit low in my opinion. Then again I would think #2 would even be a tad low for Steve.

Austin could do it all. He was a gifted technician before his injury and Austin even proved he could do technical work with Angle and Benoit in 2001 when he was a machine. People tuned in to see his legendary rival with McMahon in 1998 which over-took the ratings war and made Raw beat Nitro. Austin and The Rock were the two main things then from 99-2003 in the WWE. People often say wrestling died when they left. Take that for what its worth. Austin came up the hard way, payed his dues and has one of the best minds in wrestling history. Thank you Steve Austin.

This video here is fan-made and proves why Steve Austin is the greatest of all time:

His whole career in order to the Cult of Personality by Living Colour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly0NDg8ve8I

#2 – The Undertaker

-Loyalty and the Streak is pretty much the only thing I figure here. He is one of the most respected wrestlers of ALL TIME so of course he is going to be in the top few, let alone #2. Undertaker was never really a great wrestler until Bret, Shawn and Austin got some great work out of him in 1997 and he changed his style to quick attack. His legendary rival with Mick Foley over the years were beyond violent and gained Taker even more popularity. Then you have the feud with Kane, the brothers of destruction, his manager Paul Bearer. Taker is multi-time Champion and the Phenom of the WWE. One of those gimmicks that just clicked and worked. Not many like this can, but Mark plays the Undertaker gimmick to perfection. I personally would not rank him ahead of the likes of Randy Savage or Bret Hart, Steve Austin, etc but he deserves to be high on here.

#1 – Shawn Michaels

-So here we are. The #1 Superstar of all time is Shawn Michaels. Like it or not (I have never been a big Michaels fan except for when I was younger at the time before I knew what kind of guy he was) he is one of the greatest ever. Charisma and Mic Skills are good, not great. However is in-ring ability and loyalty are amazing. He is headlining the 2011 Hall of Fame and has had arguably the greatest career in the history of Wrestling. Bret Hart and Ric Flair could compare but Michaels may just win that argument. He changed his ways for the better, he is now a better person. I still find a lot of his matches overrated (especially at Wrestlemania) but he could no doubt work and probably has more four star matches then anyone in history. Again I could only see the likes of Flair and Bret coming close to Shawn in that department in North America. So congrats to Shawn for making it to the #1 spot in a list that I am exactly sure the criteria was set for. Either way he is here and that is that.

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Overall Thoughts on Top 50 List:

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-Okay, so going over every superstar and their position on the list I have made it clear how I feel.

Now I am going to talk about some names who did not make the list.

Brian Pillman. Owen Hart. Bam Bam Bigelow. Arn Anderson. Tully Blanchard. Magnum TA. Kerry Von Erich. The British Bulldog. The Road Warriors. Goldberg. The Ultimate Warrior. Sting. Paul Orndorff. Ronnie Garvin. Butch Reed. Barry Windham. DDP. Scott Steiner. Kevin Nash. Scott Hall. Big Van Vader! Benoit*(*Although we know why)

These are just some names off the top of my head, I could likely think of many more even MORE deserving then some of the names I just listed. I guess on a subjective list you cant name everyone but it would of been nice to see some names replaced with some of the ones I mentioned above.

The ranking spots were confusing of course, but since I did not see a set criteria is was expected. It was still fun to see a lot of the names and the run-down regardless.

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Disc 2 and 3 to Follow with Final Rating of the Three Disc DVD…

Check out more posts here on WrestlingDVDNetwork.com:

WWE Night of Champions 2023 DVD Cover Artwork, Five… May 31, 2023
Exclusive: WWE Backlash 2023 DVD Cover Artwork Revealed,… May 14, 2023
Match Listing for WWE 'Best of Money in the Bank',… May 9, 2023
FULL ARTWORK for WWE WrestleMania 39 DVD & Blu-Ray -… April 27, 2023

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Just A Dude says:

January 5, 2013 at 12:10 am

You can tell just from this article that you don’t want to move on from what you grew up with. Every current star doesn’t deserve a spot in your opinion even though they do. You’re biased and it shows here. You know, not everything new is bad and not everything old is good. Unless you begin to understand that, you’ll never be able to see clearly and fairly. Just some advice.

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Brett Mix says:

December 16, 2011 at 2:16 am

I am a bit biased, I’ll admit against the Superfly. I realize he was an inspiration to many. I just think it’s dumb the WWE treats him as a bigger legend then Randy Savage as if he was better in any way. Drawing, not a chance. Wrestling, hell no. Athlete? Not even a better high flyer and that was his gimmick to fly. Mic Skills…please. Charismma…don’t make me laugh. Savage was better in every way and despite Savage being ranked higher on this list (since it was superstar chosen) it doesen’t change the fact it pisses me off that Vince thinks Snuka did more for his company. Or at least acts like it.

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- RabidHeat says:
  
  September 22, 2017 at 5:11 am
  
  “I’ll admit against the Superfly. I realize he was an inspiration to many. I just think it’s dumb the WWE treats him as a bigger legend then Randy Savage as if he was better in any way.”
  
  But they haven’t. Savage is at #14. Superfly is at #32. So what’s your point?
  
  Reply
Anonymous says:

December 16, 2011 at 2:10 am

Rock has to be number 1

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Lewis says:

September 9, 2011 at 4:58 pm

I agree completely with Pete. Whilst not a massive fan of Snuka, his work often speaks for itself. Including the suggestions already discussed, his rivalry with the Funks in Japan teaming with Brody are legendary. I also wonder at times if you have any idea what you are talking about. Jack Brisco a borderline legend??? That completely shows your ignorance. Also Sgt Slaughter not a legend, the man had a successful Tag career, AWA championship run, WWF main eventer in the early 80s and WWF champion. One of the most loved and hated Legends in history. I have never commented on this site before, but felt compelled to do so whilst reading this review.

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pete says:

September 3, 2011 at 6:34 am

Your “evaluation” of the superfly is pathetic…. you obviously have never watched much of him, except from the come back years late 80’s early 90,s and his highlight reels. Do you know anything about his AMAZING BABYFACE WORK IN CALIFORNIA in the 70’s. ? His fued w playboy buddy rose? His tag team w paul orndorff and the INCREDIBLE WORK RATE HE PRODUCED FOR A HUGE GUY… his tag w gordy n the great heel work. His initial heel run in wwf. PLEASE HE IS A TOP TEN GUY FOR SUREas is jake roberst..

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Brett Mix says:

July 13, 2011 at 1:23 am

I agree, there are a lot of spot errors and people like Jeff Hardy shouldn’t be here instead of Sting.

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Anonymous says:

July 12, 2011 at 11:50 pm

This isnt a list of ‘top wrestlers’ but ‘top superstars’. Ugh, so i don’t understand a lot of this at all. Undertaker at #2? egads. When people think of wrestling they think of hogan, austin, shawn michaels, bret hart, rock. Ric Flair should be higher because he could elevate people and sell for them and make them look like a million bucks. Even if he was not a great headliner or big draw, people overlook his contribution to the business overall because of how he elevated other wrestlers. I would put sting, stan hansen. Even goldberg, warrior, luger, and kevin nash, while they werent great in the ring, they put asses in the seats and were big draws and ‘superstars’. Honestly, how on earth is sting not on here? while i dont like hogan, if not for him, most of these stars would never have a job to begin with so he really should get the top spot. this isnt ‘top wrestlers’ but ‘top superstars’

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Anonymous says:

July 3, 2011 at 2:15 am

ULTIMATE WARRIOR IN TOP TEN FOR SURE>

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Anonymous says:

April 7, 2011 at 12:32 pm

Ric Flair is overrated. He was sloppy in the ring, but he did have tremendous charisma. However, he just went crazy in his interviews most of the time and that had more comedy value than anything. A tremendous performer yes. But everything he did someone else did better. Hogan was more charismatic and a much bigger name. Bret was a far better wrestler because Ric Flair’s matches quite frankly are all over the place. Shawn Michaels was better than Ric Flair at everything. Piper was a better talker. And as far as being the nature boy goes, I think Buddy Rogers deserves the credit there.

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Hawk says:

April 7, 2011 at 9:43 am

So glad to see someone else out there who doesn’t suck up to Flair just because the WWE started building him up as the greatest of all time in the early 2000’s up to his “retirement” match with Shawn.

Excellent review overall. I think Bret & Austin would be my personal #1 and #2, respectively.

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Bryan says:

March 6, 2011 at 8:32 pm

Hitman, Flair, HBK in any order 1-3 4. Angle 5. Jericho

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Anonymous says:

March 6, 2011 at 8:26 pm

1.Austin 2.Hogan 3.HBK 4.Undertaker 5.Bret Hart 6.Ric Flair 7.The Rock 8.Angle 9.Eddie Guerrero 10.Jericho

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rpoed says:

March 2, 2011 at 12:35 am

1. hbk 2. angle 3. jericho 4.austin 5. rock 6. bret 7. undertaker 8. hogan 9. flair 10. steamboat

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Jacob says:

February 5, 2011 at 12:34 am

IMO, Shawn Michaels does deserve the #1 Spot.
Off topic question, but if anyone can help me out. I know the US judgment Day 2002 DVD is rare, but is the Canadian KOCH version rare too? Thanks.

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CJ says:

February 4, 2011 at 3:45 am

The actual ranking shouldn’t come into question for rating the DVD since it’s all opinion and no matter what people would have disagreed with it.

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Rob L says:

February 3, 2011 at 3:18 pm

Yeah, that was my post lol

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Anonymous says:

February 3, 2011 at 3:15 pm

My top 10 would be as follows: 10)Kurt Angle 9)Chris Benoit 8)Ricky Steamboat 7)Mick Foley 6)Eddie Guerrero 5)The Rock 4)Shawn Michaels 3)Bret Hart 2)Chris Jericho 1)Steve Austin

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Brett Mix says:

February 3, 2011 at 6:49 am

My top 10 since I did not add it. 1) Steve Austin 2) Bret Hart 3) Ric Flair 4) Randy Savage 5) Shawn Michaels 6) Triple H 7) Hulk Hogan 8) The Rock 9) Chris Benoit 10) Mick Foley

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Steven says:

February 3, 2011 at 3:13 am

They got the number 1 superstar right, hands down its Shawn, Charisma, 5 star matches in the ring night after night, and I thought Kevin Nash should’ve been on the list. This would be my top 10, 1.HBK, 2. Stone Cold, 3. The Rock, 4.Chris Jericho, 5. Macho Man Randy Savage, 6. The Undertaker , 7. Kevin Nash, 8. Triple H, 9, Jeff Hardy and 10. Hulk Hogan and The King Jerry Lawler.

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