My Top 10 Favorite WWE Superstars of All Time

I was asked a very thought provoking question not too long ago. The question was a simple one, yet it was one that I could not provide an answer to. I fumbled my words, and it required a half an hour of thought before answering. The question?

"Who is on your wrestling Mount Rushmore?"

Once I finished answering that, it got more and more elaborate for me, and I started thinking about my all time favorite WWE superstars. It took me a while, but I finally came up with a list of my 10 favorite WWE wrestlers of all time. Worth noting: this is only WWE. If I included WCW, ECW, and TNA, this list would be much harder to condense.

Honorable mentions to Triple H, Randy Orton, Eddie Guerrero, AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan, Mr. Perfect, and Macho Man Randy Savage. It was so hard for me to leave them off of this list, but I guess that's the point of making a top 10. You have to make some tough choices, and some of those are controversial. I'd figure out I'd start with a little bit of controversy myself:

10. Stone Cold Steve Austin

If this is the most successful WWE superstars of all time, Stone Cold would be right near the top, quite possibly #1. What Stone Cold Steve Austin did during the Attitude Era is stuff of legend. The decades long feud with Mr. McMahon and his ability to capture audiences made for some amazing TV. He oozed charisma. For some reason, I just never connected with Austin like others did. There's a reason he makes the list, but he's not top 5 in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I love Austin and everything he has done for the business, though. I still scream "Hell Yeah" after every time he calls for it.

9. Kurt Angle

He won a gold medal. He won the WWF Championship within a year of debuting. He main-evented Wrestlemania. Is there anything that Kurt Angle can't do? Kurt has this ability to make people laugh no matter the situation. Whether he was trying to rap during his feud with John Cena or he was telling the crowd about his 3 I's, you were always in for a good time when Kurt was in the ring. Add to that his wrestling ability and his matches with guys like Brock Lesnar and Chris Benoit, and you have the recipe for someone that I would be glued to my TV watching. 

8. Edge

The reason that Adam Copeland, better known by his ring name Edge, makes it so high on this list is because of his ability to entertain. Edge could make you love him or hate him in one simple promo. I grew up during the time where Edge was easily the most hated wrestler on SmackDown. As I grew up, I understood what made him so great. The Rated R Superstar was a character that was ahead of its time, and it was something that would never make WWE television today. It did not matter if he was a face or heel, the fans always had respect for what Edge did. The greatest World Heavyweight Champion of all time, I was over the moon when I found out Edge was coming back at the Royal Rumble. Now that he's back, he could have matches with guys like Seth Rollins and AJ Styles. Sign me up!

7. The Undertaker

The greatest wrestling character of all time, The Undertaker is unquestionably one of the most beloved and respected figures in the history of the WWE. The Deadman won 21 straight matches at Wrestlemania, a record that stands today and very well may until the end of time. In an era where characters were the norm, The Undertaker seemed to be the one to stand out among the rest. 30 years later, it's easy to see why he's so well liked. He was able to succeed under a high priest who believed in human sacrifice or as a biker coming out to Kid Rock (or more recently, Metallica). The only issue nowadays is that I don't think 'Taker knows when to hang up the boots. If I did this list at the end of Wrestlemania 33, the Phenom would probably be around, let's say, 5-ish. Nevertheless, The Undertaker still makes it at 7 for his characters and aura every time he makes his presence felt.

6. The Rock

There was a time when I was first getting into wrestling where I thought The Rock was the greatest thing since sliced bread. He could cut a promo like no other. Out of the Attitude Era stalwarts, I can confidently say that The Rock is probably my favorite out of the main-eventers. His catchphrases such as "Know Your Role and Shut Your Mouth" and "Layeth the Smack Down" are now part of everyday language used in wrestling. Even while wrestling, The Rock could still hold his own with the likes of Stone Cold, Triple H, and Mick Foley. To this day, I will still YouTube various Rock promos from the Attitude Era if I ever need a laugh. That's how great of an entertainer he is. 

5. Shawn Michaels

He thinks he's cute, and he knows he's sexy! Anybody who knows me well knows I absolutely love Shawn Michaels. When he introduced his "Heartbreak Kid" character in 1992, no one knew he would become the WWF's next big star. Later on, the fans felt something in Michaels, and his character became much more lovable, while keeping his Heartbreak Kid persona. After taking some time off to heal an injured back, Shawn almost retired. If he hung up his boots then and there, he wouldn't be on this list. Then his amazing second stint in the WWE happened. Now a beloved hero, Michaels was easily the most popular superstar on the roster for years. A fun fact: Shawn Michaels' theme song is actually my ringtone. I'm not making that up. Add to that the fact that he part of an amazing comedic duo with Honorable Mention Triple H. All things considered, it was a no brainer for me to put HBK on this list.

4.  Bret "The Hitman" Hart

The best there is, was, and ever will be is not an exaggeration. In my opinion, there has been no better pound for pound wrestler to grace the squared circle than Bret Hart. Coming from a legendary family, Bret was born to be a wrestler. He started training with his father, Stu Hart, in the legendary Hart Family Dungeon. Along with his brother, Owen and his brother-in-law, Jim Neidhart, the Hart Foundation took the WWF by storm. Once the Harts became babyfaces, Bret's career began to take off. He was the face of the company in a time where the WWF was in desperate need of a top guy. Bar none the most loved superstar in the company, the WWF fans rejected every other babyface thrown their way. Guys like Lex Luger and Diesel were getting modest reactions, while Bret was getting the loudest pops. Bret Hart could make any wrestler have a great match, and nobody could get out of his Sharpshooter. His infectious personality and ability inside the ring and out earned Bret a firm 4/10 on my list. 

3. CM Punk

Now we're getting to MY superstar as a kid. There was no guy during the early 2010s like CM Punk. If there's no CM Punk, I'm not watching the product today. Punk was having modest success when I first started watching, but once he announced he was leaving the company in 2011, everyone took notice. His promo skills rapidly evolved, now becoming a sarcastic babyface who defied authority. By all accounts, Punk was the next Stone Cold. Not only that, but he was the best wrestler on the roster at the time. It was such a rarity for superstars to be the top on the mic AND the top in the ring. Every time Punk was on, it became must watch television. Much like Bret Hart, Punk was the face of the WWE during a time that the company was struggled. If he stayed longer, he very well would've been pretty close to #1.

2. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper

There have been many that tried to replicate him, but there is only one "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. For today's modern fans that are reading this and are not familiar with Piper's work: think MJF combined with a touch of Randy Orton's in ring ability. Piper was transcendent, becoming the company's top heel while hosting his own interview segment, Piper's Pit. He was known for his quick wit and his hearty insults. He did hit Jimmy Snuka with a coconut, but that's not all. He had guests like Mr. T, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Orndorff, Hulk Hogan, and others on his show, frequently mocking their attire or their personality. Rowdy was the first to do this, and since, it has been replicated by countless others. Even later on as a babyface, Piper became easy to love and he began to mock heels. The first time I saw Piper put the fire extinguisher to Morton Downey Jr, I fell over laughing. Sadly, Roddy Piper passed away in August of 2015, and I cried for hours. Roddy Piper's impact is still felt today. So who could top the Hot Rod as my favorite WWE Superstar of All Time?

1. Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho gets the #1 spot for me for one reason in particular. Y2J is my second favorite talker ever, behind The Rock. He's top 5 for me in terms of in ring ability. However, that's not why he's #1. Chris Jericho is my favorite wrestler of all time for his constant ability to reinvent himself into many different characters. It's never the same thing twice with Jericho. He has been able to be a humorous face or a serious heel and vice versa. Eventually, Jericho would be cheered wherever he went, no matter if he was with the crowd or against them. So, how did he get the crowd to hate him? He got rid of all of his older catchphrases and played a character similar to Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men. It was absolutely incredible, and some of his finest work. He invented a List of Jericho, ranted about how people were going to get "it", and became obsessed with scarves in his most recent heel run, but even that was so popular that WWE had to make him a crowd favorite. Even in his 40s, Jericho is still an incredible talent inside the ring and out. Factor that in with his longevity, his sarcastic humor, and his ability to change characters while still being a success, it was an obvious choice for me that Chris Jericho is my favorite wrestler of all time.

So there you have it, my top 10 favorite WWE Superstars of All Time. It was so tough to narrow this list down to 10 names, but I had to make some tough choices. There's one thing I do want to say before I end this piece. WWE is a great brand. They are filled with phenomenal workers and people who give their life and soul to the wrestling industry. I'm not asking you to fall in love with WWE, but I am asking you to give wrestlers the respect that they deserve putting on a show for us great fans.

Although the storylines recently do have to get a little better, if you ask me. But that's an article for another time.