The Five Greatest WWE Champions...Ever?

In this article, I try to give my opinion of the five greatest WWE Champions ever and according to my view what made them stand out.

I remember just about a decade ago in the year 1999, WWE magazine had an article that featured the five greatest WWE (then WWF) champions of all time and what made them great. They were in no particular order:

• Bret "Hitman" Hart

- Listed for his technical mastery in the ring as well as being a ruthless ring general. Also noted for being a methodical strategist who battered down any opponent systematically

• Hulk Hogan

- Noted for extraordinary charisma and overwhelming popularity, but the writers also in the same article noted him as perhaps having some of the worst in-ring skills of all time (Granted, Hogan certainly wasn't the greatest worker, but this was also written during the Monday Night Wars, so...propaganda, anyone?)

• The Heartbreak Kid - Shawn Michaels

- Ranked as one of the greatest for being a blend of audacious ring ability as well as incredible charisma. The writers also acknowledge him as the most controversial with him as the head of DX as well as involvement in other endeavors

• Stone Cold Steve Austin

- Cause he's the goddamn toughest Son of a Bitch in the World Wrestling Federation and that's because Stone Cold said so!

• and...Bob Backlund...yes, Bob Backlund             

- Yes, I was a bit surprised by this, since my earliest exposure to Backlund as champion was during his brief reign (an understatement...or perhaps it's an overstatement if anything) during the month of November 1994. I thought the most notable thing about him was his kayfabe run for presidency and losing the belt in the shortest world title match ever.

Yet, as it turns out he had an epic run from the late 70's to early 80's and his major achievement was being a brilliant technical wrestler as well as one of the first "small guys" playing the big man's game in the Federation setting the stage for the likes of guys like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels.

- {Special Mention} Although he was not put into the list, the Undertaker was mentioned of course as being a class unto himself being the Phenom and all.

Anyhow, this got me to thinking. After so many years who would now be considered the five greatest?

True, the Brand extension era has allowed for even more world champions to be considered due to the World Heavyweight Championship being added to the mix with the WWE Championship. 

However, this article is focused on strictly the WWE Championship and whoever has held that specific title.

My list and reasons for greatest five champions are as follows and once again in no specific order and remember it is just my opinion:

1. Kurt Angle

Honestly, he was one of the first who came to mind. Personally, I feel he has the technical grace and fluidity of Hart and Michaels combines and then some to a higher power. Any match he was in in the WWE had a feeling of being elevated from "Sports Entertainment" to pure combat sport.

His classic five-star matches with pure mat technicians like Benoit and Guerrero as well as brutal ring wars with brawlers like Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock, solidify Angle as an incredible master combatant.

In addition to all that, Angle was a great entertainer who cut some of the funniest promos of all time in wrestling. His original version of goofy nerd Kurt was hillarious.

And the bad-ass bald Kurt Angle who just loved to see his rivals tap out was awesome.

From his tenure as King Kurt to swearing he would make his enemies tap out, Angle was the definition of what a total package the greatest WWE superstars should be.

1. The Rock

True, he has all but left wrestling behind to focus on his film career, but during his stay in the WWE, from the time he first won the title in 98 and until he lost his seventh WWE championship at Summerslam 2002, he dominated the federation. He was one of the superstars who capitalized on the surge in the late 90's and made a name for himself as a smooth talking egomaniac who could still draw the crowd towards him whether being a face or a heel.

Even though he may not have been a master technician like Angle, he was still an awesome brawler who could carry an awesome match and make it worth watching from beginning to end. His classics against Triple H, Austin, and even Angle showcase that he was another complete package of great ring ability, incredible presence and breathtaking charisma on the mic and in any promo.

1. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

I know by now some of you may be thinking that these champions basically all come from the attitude era, but bear with me there are still two more after this. Speaking of the Attitude Era it was basically the era that tried to keep up with Austin 3:16.

Austin dominated the federation and there are many reasons he is considered the one of greatest WWE champions, if not the greatest.

Firstly, his being crowned the champion also came at a wild time in the Monday Night Wars when WCW was leading the ratings war. However, after being crowned champion, Austin's presence turned the tide.

His battles with Vince McMahon gained more ratings as they got increasingly brutal with each other as the weeks went on and viewership increased.

Also, Austin was able to have a drawing ability that wasn't seen since the heydays of Hogan in the federation. He sold PPV's and merchandise just by being a bad-ass who liked to kick ass and take names while guzzling down beer.

However, as good as all the stuff out of the ring was, Austin's in-ring work was spectacular as well. His matches with the Rock are legendary as well as the epic Submission match with Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 13.

His brawls against Mankind and Dude Love are noteworthy along with his battles against Shawn Michaels and even his pair of matches against the late great Owen Hart.

Even though Austin is thought of as a brutal brawler he was a very good technician until his unfortunate injury in 97. Yet even then he was able to go up against mat wrestlers and brawlers in a wild style all his own.

Overall, Austin dominated the the period from late 1996 to just about the tail end of 2001. From promos, matches, mic skills, ring skills and personality, Austin defined an era and that makes him stand as one of the greatest.

1. Bret "Hitman" Hart

Some may be surprised by this while others may not be. Any great champion has to be defined by a great title reign and while wearing the belt, should be able to draw the viewer in and endear them until the next match and beyond.

Although many great grapplers may have held the belt before and after him, Bret Hart's reigns as WWE champion stands out as some of the greatest. Hart was an ice-cold strategist in the ring who pummeled his opponents and as a submission expert he wore them out until they tapped out.

His look of having greasy hair with the leather jacket, shades and the symbol of a heart with a skull on it was a far-cry from the bright sunshine colors of Hulkamania.

Hart was a shift in a bold new direction for the WWF (I am so tired of saying WWE). The cartoon era during the 80's was slowing down to make way for a shift (albeit slow) towards more ring ability and competition.

He was a ruthless ring general who had incredible ring presence and was able to manipulate the way a match could go. His catchphrase of "The Best there is..." wasn't just a mere T-shirt line, it was something he set out to do by proving each title reign was something he sweat and bled for in classic matches one after another.

Moreover, Hart's reigns weren't a snorefest like some present-day ones in the current Brand-extension era. He had a vicious feud with the Black Hart, Owen Hart in classic ring masterpieces.

He had to ward off the vicious sumo Yokozuna and take on upstarts like Shawn Michaels, Diesel, the Undertaker and so many more. Essentially I find him to be the Randy Couture of the Federation.

He was someone who hungered for the title and showed it to you, and once he got it he made sure to show how much it meant to him. Whether he was a heel or a face, he made sure to enthrall an audience with incredible ring presence and a hungering passion for prestige.

1. Hulk Hogan

Yes, I know some of may say how lame or "really!!!?!?!?!?!", but trust me somehow I feel this list is incomplete without him somehow. Let's face it the man knew how to draw.

Were his matches classics? Most of the time, no.

Did the "brother" thing get stale? Yes.

Does Vince McMahon also know how to market a cow till he milks the last drop?

Definitely.

In the 80's Hogan clearly defined the era. He was bright and sunny and built like a truck oiled up and ready to squash something in a match. His feuds with Roddy Piper, Randy Savage, Ted Dibiase, and many more were legendary.

I was personally never a big fan of Hogan and still find many of his matches cringe-worthy, but I have to say he knew how to grab a crowd and take them from bell to bell in a massive ride just by posing and taunting.

If anything he was the one that put the WWE on the map and he allowed them to eclipse the AWA, NWA/WCW as well as other territories just by sheer energy of showmanship.

All right, well, that's the list. I know my list is probably not going to meet with much pleasure, but I assure you I only based it on personal opinion and criteria that maybe makes no sense.

I would really like to see whom you readers' would classify as your top five. And remember I focused on the WWE Championship title-holders and title reigns exclusively not those who made their rep on the World Heavyweight.  

Honorable or Dishonorable Mentions :

I know I'm going to get a lot of heat from people for not including Triple H. But in all honestly I feel he made more of a name on the World Heavyweight Championship rather than the WWE title. True he held it in 1999 and 2000, but I feel then he was just holding it for the Rock to take it from him or to pass it on to him.

Also, I know people will mention Shawn Michaels and I assure you I thought of him, but there was just something that I feel I think he is even more incredible without the title.

As for someone like the Undertaker, well he is the phenom and I feel he is in the same group with Michaels and Mankind/Dude Love/Cactus Jack.

And before I forget, yes, I did not mention John Cena.