WWE Bracketology Elite Eight: Who Is the Greatest Wrestler of All Time?

This is part nine of the WWE Bracketology series.

You will find out who won all of the Sweet 16 matchups. You will also have the opportunity to vote on all of the Elite Eight matchups.

Part nine will also recap all of the previous action and include a link to the actual bracket.

So, let's get to the voting.

Criteria and Voting

Criteria

The method to come up with these 68 names wasn't an exact science.

The first step was to look through all of the WWE, WCW and TNA World Champions. Once this was done, the majority of my list was complete.

To fill the final spots I looked at many lists citing the greatest wrestlers to never be world champion, taking into consideration upper mid-level talent that dominated middle divisions.

I was looking for wrestlers with unique accomplishments, great ring work, good characters, great mic skills and the overall package.

This list has a little bit of everything in it.

Voting

Voting will take place over the span of the next couple of weeks. The play-in round will be voted on first, followed by the opening rounds in each region.

I will allow 24-48 hours between each round of voting.

In order to vote, you will need to comment on the article corresponding with your selections or tweet it to me.

Recap: Play-in Round

Here are the results from the play-in round:

• DDP defeated Great Khali
• Alberto Del Rio defeated Jack Swagger
• Daniel Bryan defeated Colt Cabana
• Dean Malenko defeated Honky Tonk Man

Winners were all awarded No. 16 seeds and placed into an official Region.

Recap: Hulkamania Region Rounds 1-3

Here are the results of the Hulkamania Region. The percent of the vote that each wrestler received is in parenthesis next to his name.

Round 1:

• No. 1 Hulk Hogan (81%) defeated No. 16 DDP (19%)
• No. 2 Bret Hart (93%) defeated No. 15 William Regal (7%)
• No. 3 Triple H (93%) defeated No. 14 Bam Bam Bigelow (7%)
• No. 4 Goldberg (56%) defeated No. 13 Vader (44%)
• No. 5 Chris Jericho (100%) defeated No. 12 Lex Luger (0%)
• No. 11 Christian (58%) defeated No. 6 AJ Styles (42%)
• No. 10 British Bulldog (75%) defeated No. 7 Ultimate Warrior (25%)
• No. 8 Mr. Perfect (56%) defeated No. 9 Rey Mysterio (44%)

Round 2:

• No. 1 Hulk Hogan (76%) defeated No. 8 Mr. Perfect (24%)
• No. 5 Chris Jericho (78%) defeated No. 4 Goldberg (22%)
• No. 3 Triple H (89%) defeated No. 11 Christian (11%)
• No. 2 Bret Hart (93%) defeated No. 10 British Bulldog (7%)

Round 3:

• No. 5 Chris Jericho (70%) defeated No. 1 Hulk Hogan (30%)
• No. 2 Bret Hart (61%) defeated No. 3 Triple H (39%)

Recap: SmackDown Hotel Region Rounds 1-3

Here are the results of the SmackDown Hotel Region. The percent of the vote that each wrestler received is in parenthesis next to his name.

Round 1:

• No. 1 Steve Austin (79%) defeated No. 16 Alberto Del Rio (21%)
• No. 2 The Rock (93%) defeated No. 15 Dolph Ziggler (7%)
• No. 3 Randy Savage (98%) defeated No. 14 Abyss (2%)
• No. 4 Sting (86%) defeated No. 13 Mark Henry (14%)
• No. 5 Chris Benoit (74%) defeated No. 12 RVD (26%)
• No. 11 JBL (75%) defeated No. 6 Sgt. Slaughter (25%)
• No. 7 CM Punk (91%) defeated No. 10 Samoa Joe (9%)
• No. 8 Owen Hart (88%) defeated No. 9 Sid Vicious (12%)

Round 2:

• No. 1 Steve Austin (93%) defeated No. 8 Owen Hart (7%)
• No. 4 Sting (58%) defeated No. 5 Chris Benoit (42%)
• No. 3 Randy Savage defeated (86%) No. 11 JBL (14%)
• No. 2 The Rock (65%) defeated No. 7 CM Punk (35%)

Round 3:

• No.1 Steve Austin (82%) defeated Sting (18%)
• No. 2 The Rock (68%) defeated No. 3 Randy Savage (32%)

Recap: Flair Country Region Rounds 1-3

Here are the results of the Flair Country Region. The percent of the vote that each wrestler received is in parenthesis next to his name.

Round 1:

• No. 1 Ric Flair (53%) defeated No. 16 Daniel Bryan (47%)
• No. 2 Shawn Michaels (99%) defeated No. 15 Chyna (1%)
• No. 3 Bruno Sammartino (77%) defeated No. 14 Vince McMahon (23%)
• No. 4 Kurt Angle (90%) defeated No. 13 Ted DiBiase (10%)
• No. 5 Brock Lesnar (52%) defeated No. 12 Jeff Hardy (48%)
• No. 6 Batista (82%) defeated No. 11 Sheamus (18%)
• No. 10 Eddie Guerrero (90%) defeated No. 7 Scott Hall (10%)
• No. 8 Big Show (84%) defeated No. 9 Yokozuna (16%)

Round 2:

• No. 1 Ric Flair (91%) defeated No. 8 Big Show (9%)
• No. 4 Kurt Angle (82%) defeated No. 5 Brock Lesnar (18%)
• No. 3 Bruno Sammartino defeated (84%) No. 6 Batista (16%)
• No. 2 Shawn Michaels (89%) defeated No. 10 Eddie Guerrero (11%)

Round 3:

• No. 1 Ric Flair (51%) defeated No. 4 Kurt Angle (49%)
• No. 2 Shawn Michaels (89%) defeated No. 3 Bruno Sammartino (11%)

Recap: Rated R Region Rounds 1-3

Here are the results of the Rated R Region. The percent of the vote that each wrestler received is in parenthesis next to his name.

Round 1:

• No. 1 John Cena (68%) defeated No. 16 Dean Malenko (32%)
• No. 2 Undertaker (98%) defeated No. 15 Scott Steiner (2%)
• No. 3 Andre the Giant (63%) defeated No. 14 Jimmy Snuka (37%)
• No. 4 Edge (96%) defeated No. 13 Jeff Jarrett (4%)
• No. 5 Mick Foley (78%) defeated No. 12 Booker T. (22%)
• No. 11 Dusty Rhodes (57%) defeated No. 6 Kevin Nash (43%)
• No. 7 Randy Orton (65%) defeated No. 10 Jake Roberts (35%)
• No. 9 Kane (73%) defeated No. 8 Roddy Piper (27%)

Round 2:

• No. 1 John Cena (58%) defeated No. 9 Kane (42%)
• No. 4 Edge (66%) defeated No. 5 Mick Foley (34%)
• No. 3 Andre the Giant defeated (71%) No. 11 Dusty Rhodes (29%)
• No. 2 Undertaker (98%) defeated No. 7 Randy Orton (2%)

Round 3:

• No. 4 Edge (64%) defeated No. 1 John Cena (36%)
• No. 2 Undertaker (99%) defeated No. 3 Andre the Giant (1%)

Elite 8 Matchups (Voting Needed)

Hulkamania Region: No. 2 Bret Hart vs. No. 5 Chris Jericho

Hart is a two-time WCW champion and a five-time WWE champion. Hart was the second man in the WWE to win the triple-crown and the fifth to do it in WCW.

He is also a former two-time King of the Ring winner, as well as a Royal Rumble Winner.

Hart has held numerous tag team championships, the United States Championship and the Intercontinental Championship.

In WWE Jericho has won the WWE Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship a combined five times.

He also holds the record for most Intercontinental Championship reigns with nine. Jericho was the first ever Undisputed Champion after the WWE acquisition of WCW.

SmackDown Hotel Region: No. 1 Steve Austin vs. No. 2 The Rock

Austin is a six-time WWE Champion. He has also won the most Royal Rumbles with three, as well as a former King of the Ring champion.

He's a former four-time Tag Team champion and a two-time Intercontinental champion. In WCW, he held the Tag Team, T.V. and United States titles.

Austin was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.

The Rock is an eight-time and current WWE Champion. He is also a two-time WCW Champion.

Rock has held the WWE Tag Team and Intercontinental titles and was the winner of the 2000 Royal Rumble.

Flair Country Region: No. 1 Ric Flair vs. No. 2 Shawn Michaels

Flair is a 16-time World Heavyweight Champion, with reigns in NWA, WCW and WWE. In many peoples' minds, Flair is pro-wrestling.

Flair has held numerous tag team titles as well as the WWE Intercontinental Championship. In 1992 he won the Royal Rumble. He is also the first ever WCW triple-crown winner.

Flair has been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice, by himself and as a member of the Four Horsemen.

Michaels is a former WWE Champion and World Heavyweight Champion. He has also held the Tag Team, European and Intercontinental titles. Michaels was the first ever WWE Grand Slam winner. Michaels won back-to-back Royal Rumbles in 1995 and 1996.

In 2011 he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Rated R Region: No. 2 Undertaker vs. No. 4 Edge

Undertaker has held the WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship a combined seven times.

He is also a former Tag Team and Hardcore champion. In 2007, Undertaker won the Royal Rumble.

In his career he is a perfect 20-0 at WrestleMania.

Edge has held the WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship a combined 11 times. Edge is also a 14-time WWE Tag Team Champion and has held the Hardcore, United States and Intercontinental titles.

Edge has won King of the Ring, Money in the Bank (twice) and the Royal Rumble. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012.

Conclusion

Which No. 1 seed being eliminated was most surprising to you, John Cena or Hulk Hogan?

Part ten of this series will contain the Final Four matchups.

Here is a link to the actual bracket that I created for this series.

Remember, if you want to vote, comment on this article or tweet me.

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