Greatest 50 Wrestlers in WWE History: What Makes Them Great?

The following slideshow contains a list of 50 of the greatest wrestlers to have wrestled in WWE. Here are some of the reasons as to why I feel they deserve to be on this list.

I took things such as matches, promos, legacy, influence, and inscription into consideration, in addition to how they manage to perform at a top level year in, year out.

There is no particular order for this slideshow except for the top 10.

Jeff Hardy

Jeff Hardy was part of the amazing high-flying tag team Team Extreme, or Hardy Boyz, with brother Matt.

They are regarded by many as the greatest tag team ever in WWE, they along with Edge and Christian and the Dudleyz had some of the finest moments in WWE tag team history, such as TLC, cage matches, ladder matches, etc.

However, Jeff had something that most of his counterparts lacked, and that is star quality. He had the ability to become the greatest singles wrestler of his generation, not the best mic worker in the game.

However, he did manage to build a huge fanbase with his amazingly athletic Dare Devil-like antics as well as his boyish looks; he was the total package, in some senses.

The moment that separated Jeff from the boys was his singles match against the likes of HHH for the IC title, RVD for the hardcore championship, and of course Undertaker for the WWE title.

He showed everyone that he could stand on his own two feet and that he could claw up the power ranks in the company. He is a former WWE champion, IC champion, Hardcore champion, European champion, and Light Heavyweight champion.

CM Punk

CM Punk is undoubtedly a huge figure in WWE, however to me Punk will always be one of those guys who if you were playing Smackdown vs. RAW for example, he may have the best stats but other than that, you will never pick him. 

Punk has the charisma and the talent, however his size is preventing him from really reaching his true potential. Yes, he has won the big one on several occasions.

However, when he lost the title he had to vacate it, maybe to injury who knows but maybe he is not champion material yet.

Punk is great because he has the unique ability of a modern wrestler, who can create an audience reaction, his ability to use his words against people has been highly complemented and this asset has allowed him to create his own stable, the Straight Edge Society.

Punk is most likely to be a huge FACE in the years to come, with youth and experience on his side he is a definite shoo-in for greatness in WWE.

Razor Ramon

Razor may not be the most pleasant individual to be around outside the ring. His personal life has hugely impacted his wrestling career, he is currently working his way back to the wrestling world.

Personal life aside I feel Razor is underrated, he put on some of his best matches in WWE in the early 90's with the likes of Owen Hart, HBK, and others. He has held the IC Championship on several occasions, at one time being the record holder for the title.

Razor can be deemed great because for a non-white American wrestle,r he has done rather well in his tenure with the company.

Once a beloved fan favorite, Razor used his gimmick to win over fans, his move to WCW showed more glimpses of how great Hall really is.

He has never won the big one in any organisation; however, his work attitude towards the company is in a league of its own.

Rick Rude

Rude is another great underrated wrestler; he had some great achievements during his time as a wrestler.

He is regarded by many wrestlers including Dynamite Kid and Randy Savage as the toughest wrestler they have ever come across with, his slap of God was feared in every single locker room he appeared in.

Bret Hart credits Rude as a hero, a man who stood by him during the whole Montreal Screw Job, Even though Rude was working with DX at the time.

His legacy will be one of hard knocks however his charisma as well as his trade mark posed physique will always be remembered as true brilliance.  

He won the IC championship, which was his biggest achievement in WWE.

Mr Perfect

I Suppose this one should be titles what made Curt Hennig so Perfect.

Well besides his incredible strength, wrestling ability and charisma Hennig was able to electrify any arena or any match that he was involved in.

Fans knew if Perfect was in a wrestling ring, then the ticket was worth the money, i.e, Royal Rumble 2002.

Hennig was remarkable in the ring; his matches with Bret Hart in particular was pure class.

Even though Bret is regarded as a better wrestler between the two, you would not be able to tell the difference when these two were going at it in the ring.

Perfect, like the men before him, were never really given the big one.

HBK and Hart were two rare superstars who were middleweight stars who became WWE champions. 

Brian Pillman

Brian Pillman was known for his silly antics and crude behavior.

Pillman can be regarded great because he was an excellent showman as well as a talented cruiserweight wrestler.

These days it is difficult for cruiserweights to be taken seriously; they have to have something more to offer if they are to progress in the company, Like Rey, Jericho, and Eddie, Pillman was one of those men.

He was part of the Hart Foundation, so his rivalry with former partner Steve Austin at the time was a huge stepping stone in both men's career.

Sadly, Pillman died shortly after this and his rise to stardom never really took of as one would of hoped.

X-Pac

X-Pac or 1-2-3 Kid, was one of the pioneers of Monday Night Raw. He defeated Ramon in his first encounter and would later go on to achieve great things in WWE.

His involvement in DX, NWO and the Clique shows that Pac had a lot of friends in high places; therefore, he got most of the spotlight and opportunity,

Pac also teamed with Kane to become one of the most dominant tag teams in WWE, winning best tag team of the year in 1999.

X-Pac knew how to work with bigger men in the ring, and his educated feet along with his ex-tactic demeanor allowed Pac to hold several championships and honors wherever he went.

Vader

Big Van Vader, a star in WCW, was a monster in WWE but a gentle soul outside the ring.

In WWE, Vader was given one of the most hyped up debuts in the history of WWE. Wherever he went or who ever he came across was left in a pile of blood.

Vader is very agile for 350 pounds; he can perform amazing moves from all sorts of angles and directions such as moonsaults, leg drops, etc.

Brock Lesnar

Lesnar had the best run for a newcomer in the business. He was billed as the next big thing by manager Paul Heyman, a man who would stop at nothing to get to the top.

He accomplished more in two years with the company than most wrestlers in their careers. 

He won the Royal Rumble, KOTR, three WWE Championships, and he headlined Wrestlemania 19. The difference with Lesnar and Cena for example is that the push Lesnar got suited his character and persona, and no one really in the WWE Universe complained.

His agility, aerial ability and amazing strength made him a real force to be reckoned with.

His matches with Benoit, Undertaker, Big Show and Angle in particular showed the world just how impressive Lesnar really he is.

He was able to make the likes of Mark Henry, Rikishi and Show look like rag dolls in the ring, His 60-minute Iron match with Angle was one of the best matches in Smackdown and WWE history.

JBL

When JBL was Bradshaw he was one of those wrestlers who the fans always took a liking to. However he lacked that extra something to make him into a global superstar.

When the APA disbanded, Bradshaw became JBL, a rich Texan who had a point to prove. 

He won the WWE title off Eddie at The Bash and went on to hold the belt for 10 months before losing it to John Cena.

JBL showed a different side to him that no one thought was possible; he was able to generate such heat from the audience that on some occasions we could barely hear the man speak.

Although his reign was not exactly superb, it did manage to show us what a Bradshaw could accomplish if given the opportunity. I wonder if WWE will use these methods with the likes of Morrison and Co.

RVD

RVD, is the most loved man in wrestling.

I have never heard any one boo RVD for as long as I can remember; if that does not make him great, I don't know what does.

RVD, known for his frog splash as well as his educated feet, managed to put on some of the greatest matches known to man. His feud with Jeff Hardy has to be up there, as well as his match with ECW originals.

RVD knew how to be a performer; however, I feel that his cocky attitude ended up being his ultimate downfall.

Nevertheless, when you are that good, then how can you help but be cocky?

Dynamite Kid

Dynamite was regarded by many, including Bret Hart as the greatest singles wrestler ever to grace the squared circle.

That, coming from the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be, surely must mean a great deal.

The late Chris Benoit and Owen Hart molded their wrestling abilities from The Kid, as they cited him as a true inspiration to their wrestling lives.

With such a reputation, I only hope that Davey along with The Kid get inducted in the Hall of Fame in the future as true icons and pioneers of the sport.

Jake The Snake Roberts

Jake "the Snake" Roberts, considered by many in the IWC to be the greatest wrestler to have never won the WWE Championship. While this may be so, Jake to me is one of those guys who does not need to hold a title to prove just how good he is.

His singles matches alone were good enough to sell out arenas worldwide. He was seen more a circus act at time with the edition of his snake, Damien, in his corner Jake would win the majority of his matches, beating the likes of Kamala, Brutus Beefcake, and Randy Savage.

Chris Benoit

Benoit will always be remembered for what he did that tragic night several years ago, which I won't go into detail. However, personal life aside, we can't help but give the man his props.

He dedicated his life to the sport. He started at New Japan Pro Wrestling and eventually worked his way to WWE. Benoit was one of the great pure wrestlers the company had to offer.

His matches alone were treated with tremendous respect by those around him. I truly enjoyed his feud with Kurt Angle in particular. At a time where Entertainers such as Rock, HHH and Austin were calling the shots, these two men showed the other side or the forgotten side of wrestling and all its glory.

Diesel

Diesel has been in the Wrestling scene for over 20 years now. He has appeared in many of the big organisations.

However, he will always be credited for his time in WWE, where he was a former WWE Champion and a man who has headlined Wrestlemania.

Nash is seen more as a booker rather than a wrestler; however, he truly was a force to be reckoned with.

He is currently wrestling for TNA and is hoping to take the company to new heights.

Bob Backlund

Bob Backlund is a wrestling legend; he is a former three-time WWE Champion. He has wrestled the likes of Bruno Sammartino, Bret Hart, Ric Flair, and a host of other true legends.

Small for his size, no one really thought that Bob would be able to carry the company, let alone draw a mass of audiences from all over the wrestling community.

He has definitely paved the way for wrestlers today and will be regarded as a true inspiration to many 'til the day he dies. 

Ron Simmons

Ron "Faarooq" Simmons is the first African-American to ever hold the WCW Championship and the second in history to ever become a Heavyweight Champion.

A Footballing icon, Ron easily made the switch into Professional wrestling, as he had all the necessary requirements to make it to the top.

He is a former three-time WWE Tag Team champion and is responsible for creating one of the most powerful stables in the history of the sport, The Nation Of Domination.

His feud with Ahmed Johnson was a huge turning point in Black wrestling as it allowed them to capture the audience's attention and imagination.

He regarded as one of the most toughest and strongest wrestlers in the game today and he is definitely shoo-in as a future Hall of Famer.

Goldust

I know many of you will be wondering why Goldust has made the list.

However, Goldust provided the company with real joy, as he was one of the first characters whose over-the-top gimmick worked.

This allowed for characters such as Kane, Godfather, and others to be given the go-ahead.

He is a former three-time IC champion and son of HOF Dusty Rhodes.

Edge

Edge is charismatic, experienced, talented, great worker of the Mic and host of other assets that make the Rated R Superstar the hot ticket of the moment.

Although his in ring ability and work ethic has come somewhat subdued and repetitive, he still manages to put on five-star matches week in week out.

Edge is a great singles wrestler and he was a huge tag team specialist with partner Christian.

From then, he has managed to claw his way up the ranks of the company by biding his time and waiting for the right moment to become number one, when the likes of Benoit, Eddie, Lesnar and others were not part of WWE, Edge managed to make the most of a golden opportunity.

Edge has won the KOTR and the MITB it was at these two moments that his character developed into one of the biggest icons known today.

Randy Orton

Orton started off small; he debuted as the son of Bob Orton and slowly worked his way to becoming The Viper and current WWE Champion.

His greatest moment or transition was most probably The Legend Killer persona, which allowed Orton to showcase his talents against some of the most iconic wrestlers known today such as Undertaker, The Rock, Austin, Flair and Mankind amongst others.

His time in the Evolution stable helped him develop other aspects of his wrestling lifestyle such as mic work and chemistry.

He is arguably alongside Cena, one of the two alpha males of WWE at the moment.

Dudley Boyz

Greatest Tag Team in wrestling history, Dudleyz.

Rikishi

Rikishi was been a veteran for WWE for over 15 years as part of the legendary Anoai family; his brother was the late great Umaga. 

Rikishi helped WWE out in one of their most successful years. In 2000, Rikishi played Super Villain as we found out that it was Kish who in fact ran over Austin.

Ever since then, Rikishi has turned out to be a phenomenal wrestler and one who made the mid card entertaining.

Ricky The Dragon Steamboat

Ricky The Dragon is one word, Amazing.

For a man his age, he still has all the qualities of a young wrestler.

During his peak he enjoyed success with tag partner Jay Youngblood. They were one of the first Hawaiian wrestlers to make a real impact in wrestling.

Big Show

Big Show is the only man to do a lot of things, like hold the WWE, WCW and ECW title to name a few. 

Show is definitely more fluid and athletic in the ring compared with Andre.

For his size, he can do more and has managed to stay at the top of the mountain for several years.

Jimmy Snuka

Jimmy Snuka was born in the great islands of Fiji. He is one of the most charismatic and energetic wrestlers of all time. He is regarded as the original high flier of WWE. 

During his cage match with Don Muraco, Snuka did the unthinkable at the time.

He jumped of the 15-foot Steel Cage and frog splashed his way to victory. Many cite this day as a true turning point in their lives, i.e., Mick Foley, who stated after he saw Jimmy fly he knew then that he wanted to become a professional wrestler.

Snuka is arguably the greatest wrestler to never become the WWE Champion.

Kane

The current World Heavyweight Champion and former WWE Champion is a true man of the sport.

Kane is a true face of wrestling. Where would we be today without the BIg Red Machine?

The Undertaker would seem somewhat incomplete, the roster would not have any genuine characters, and we would not have one of the greatest big men of the sport.

Kane has the uncanny habit of doing some amazing moves for a person of his size. He can perform Huracanranas, dropkicks, top rope moves, etc.

Kane can adapt with any wrestler in the ring from Kurt Angle to Miz. He is one of the strongest wrestlers there is in the business and one of the most professional.

He waited over 10 years to capture his second title; in this time, he allowed for younger talent to move forward.

Goldberg

Not really a WWE legend, however his short time with company allowed the business to see the WCW legend take on some WWE legends in matches most of us could dream of seeing.

Goldberg was a monster in WWE; he wreaked havoc as the WWE creative team thought it would be essential to have Goldberg pick up from where his WCW career left off.

Rowdy Roddy Piper

Piper is regarded as the greatest heel in wrestling. His antics and character has demonstrated to the world just that if you act like an idiot you will get handsomely rewarded.  

Piper, although Canadian, was portrayed as a rough Scotsman who hated everything and everyone in his path.

During a time when everyone was a face, the company needed a villain, and Vince decided he needed Piper.

Piper created such moments as Piper's Pit where he would bring on guests such Snuka and Andre but only to have them beaten to a bloody pulp, well not Andre but you get the picture. To this day, many have tried but no one will come close to Piper and Evil.

John Cena

Hate him or love him, Cena is the man of the moment. People must realize where and how Cena started in the WWE.

He debuted in 2003 and faced Jericho in a match deemed a ruthless aggression try out. Cena was great in the ring, fast dedicated and was able to keep up with the likes of Y2J.

However no one really would of thought that Cena would go onto become the icon that he is today. Vince repackaged the prototype persona of Cena and made him into a white hip hop rapper who was young cocky and basically could not rap.

This enraged the audience as they felt Cena was making a mockery out of the hip hop world, however during the whole Lesnar, Angle feud which was about two years after his debut, Cena struck gold by pinning Big Show to help Team Angle to victory and from that point on a star was born.

I mean no one had a problem when Cena was defeating the likes of Lesnar, so why do they have a problem when he defeats Edge and others.

He is now one of the biggest names in the company, he is slowly making the transition into movies and music, and he is most certainly becoming a national icon.

Yokozuna

Yokozuna was the first ever Samoan to win the WWE title; he wrestled many great superstars such as Bret Hart who headlined Wrestlemania on two occasions.

He also faced the likes of Hogan, Warrior and one of his most notable feuds, Undertaker.

Yokozuna also won the Royal Rumble during his time with WWE and became tag team champions with Owen Hart.

WWE saw him as a great big guy who could do a lot in the ring. I feel they gave him the opportunity to prosper because with all the big guys leaving, WWE needed a monster.

Lex Luger

"The Total Package" Lex Luger feuded with Ric Flair over the NWA title and finally won it after Flair jumped to WWE. He received a gigantic babyface push from WWE, touring the country in a star-spangled tour bus.

He jumped to WCW on the debut of Nitro, shocking everyone, especially his former employers in WWE. There, he captured the WCW title with a win over "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan.

British Bulldog

You don't get any bigger then Davey Boy Smith or The British Bulldog.

One of the most talented and powerful men to ever grace the sport of professional wrestling. He was adored by many and hated by most, due to his ties with the Hart Foundation.

He is a former IC, Tag and Hardcore Champion. He had one of the most emotional yet five-star matches in the history of WWE, when he took on Bret Hart for the IC Championship in Wembley, England, in which he defeated Bret to win his first ever singles title.

Although he was never really given the opportunity to reach his full potential, Davey will always be remembered.

Rey Mysterio

The underdog of WWE, Rey has always been a fan favorite since his days at WCW, Rey has been able to give us 5 star matches on a weekly basis.

Rey became the first man of his size to win the Royal rumble and the WHC.

Batista

Batista seems to be a forgotten wrestler these days, ever since his departure earlier this year Batista seems to have left a sour taste in all WWE fans' mouth worldwide. 

However, Batista, like Randy started of small he was the bodyguard of D-Von and then he slowly transgressed from being the power of Evolution to the ultimate destroyer of the power stable.

There is no doubt that Batista is one strong dude, however Batista's in-ring ability has often been questioned.

He has headlined Wrestlemania on a few occasions and has won a Royal Rumble, he and Cena were the faces of the company from 2006 onwards. His dedication to the business and his time at the top was something else.

Psycho Sid

Psycho Sid, is another forgotten WWE Champion, headlined Wrestlemania and is part of The Undertaker's undefeated streak.

He was also the bodyguard of HBK. He was huge star in WCW before his freak accident which saw him break his left leg, thus ending a great career.

Sid wanted to make a comeback to WWE in some format; however, with all the old guys fading away from the spotlight these days in WWE, it would have been for nothing.

Eddie Guerrero

Eddie Guerrero, before his whole "lie, cheat, and steal" persona developed in WWE, which saw him capture his first WWE title.

He was never really taken seriously, even though he put on some great matches with the likes of Benoit, Angle, Edge, and others.

Eddie is regarded by most as the greatest Mexican wrestler to have ever lived, after his passing, his death slowly killed the WWE, as all the fun and laughter he brought to screens slowly drifted away. 

Eddie headlined Wrestlemania against Kurt Angle, after that he would have a feud with Rey Mysterio and Batista.

Other than his remarkable feuds and matches, Eddie was a great teacher outside the ring. He helped guys such as Edge, Rey, Chavo, and others develop their character and in-ring ability.

Andre The Giant

It is only natural that the man from France or the eighth wonder of the world Andre the Giant is regarded as the greatest Foreign import to ever hit the North American Market.

Andre was a beast in the ring but a gentle giant outside. He held the record for the longest undefeated streak (15 years) in the history of WWE and world wrestling.

He along with Savage and Hogan created what we know today as Wrestlemania. They were true pioneers of the sport and he he mainly helped take the industry to new height.

It was because of his height and character people from all over the world would come and watch the 7-foot + giant take on the world.

Andre was the first man ever to be inducted into the WWE HOF. If not for Andre. I assure the sport would not be as glamorous as it is today.

Randy Savage

Macho Man was one of three big stars in the Golden Era of wrestling, he, Andre, and Hogan popularized the sport by bringing in different breeds of audiences with their over the top antics and crazy promos.

Savage in particular was great on the Mic; he revolutionized how wrestlers would act in and out in the ring. He headlined a few Wrestlemanias and was also responsible for its success.

Booker T

Booker T or King Booker as he was once known, is perhaps the most decorated black wrestler in the history of wrestling.

He has won nearly every single title and still holds the record as the most successful WCW Tag team champion along with elder brother Stevie Ray.

He is a former five-time WCW Champion and one-time World Champion, 2006 KOTR Champion, IC, US and Tag champion.

Booker T was very agile and tough when it came to wrestling, he was able to perform aerial assaults as well as ground-based attacks making him the perfect all rounded wrestler.

Hulk Hogan

Hogan was able to become the cult hero is today by defeating the undefeated seven-foot Andre the Giant. This turned the balding wrestler into a Superman-like character.

He became a positive influence to many children around the world and has inspired many wrestlers to become wrestlers such as Edge.

Vince decided that would everything going on around the world today's such as wars, violence and hate, it would be something special if I could create an hero that people could rely on so he looked no further then Hulk Hogan.

To this day, no one can even come close to just how big a star Hogan was and still is.

Like Cena and Rock, Hogan was one of the first wrestlers to appear on movies and TV shows.

His most memorable moment is when he appeared in Rocky, a movie which starred hard man Sylvester Stallone, it made people want to see who would win a boxer or a wrestler and that's is how wrestling became then became known as the golden era.

Kurt Angle

The greatest wrestler in WWE is without a doubt one of the greatest performers too.

He feuded with nearly every guy on the roster from Kane to Test to Hogan and Rock. Angle was a man somewhat like HBK who could make anyone look good in the ring. 

He has won every single achievable title for his weight category. The only accomplishment to elude him is the Royal Rumble; that is not to say that he has not headlined a Wrestlemania, he has headlined four Wrestlemanias.

Angle's feud with Lesnar made 2003 a very successful year for the company as they progressed through the whole Ruthless Aggression era.

He helped guys like Cena, Edge, and others to make it to the top of the mountain.

Mankind

The Hardcore Legend helped WWE eclipse to new heights as he managed to bring Hardcore to WWE.

His match with Undertaker at KOTR where Mankind fell 15 feet from top of the Hell in the Cell only to continue with the match with each blow more devastating then the last.

Mankind has also helped WWE to secure victory on the ratings war with WCW. He, along with The Rock and others, put on some of the best wrestling and promos in WWE. 

Stone Cold Steve Austin

Like Undertaker, Austin was never really seen as a big star in both ECW and WCW. However Vince so tremendous potential in the young lad so he decided to put his faith in him and by word he was right.

Austin is the poster child for WWE, if you ask anybody what do you think of when I say WWE, Austin will be the first thing to come out of their mouth.

This is mainly due to the fact that Austin defeated the great Jake Roberts to become the KOTR Champion and also the birth of Austin 3:16.

To this day, I can't think of anybody else who gets a bigger ovation than The Rattlesnake. People love his ways and his character possibly due to the fact that they can relate to what Austin is going through, a working man who hates his boss.

The Austin and McMahon feud as well as the Austin and the Rock feud helped WWE win the Monday Night wars against WCW, putting an end to the ratings war.

Austin may never wrestle again, but that has not stopped us from seeing him he usually makes brief appearances as well as taking up role sin various movies most recently The Expendables starring Jet Li and Stallone.

Ric Flair

Mark Dadswell/Getty Images

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 21: Hulk Hogan's opponent Ric Flair is greeted by the crowd during Hulk Hogan's Hulkamania Tour at Rod Laver Arena on November 21, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)

Flair—what a legend and what an icon.

Bret Hart

Arguably the greatest Canadian wrestler of our time, Bret has wrestling in his blood, he is the son of legendary wrestler and trainer Stu Hart and brother of the late great Owen Hart.

Bret was never really taken seriously upon his arrival in WWE. I mean wrestling was all about one thing, muscles, and Bret obviously lacked the goods. 

Vince however thought otherwise, by biding his time he managed to make Bret the greatest face in the wrestling world for over 15 years. Once Hogan and company left WWE, there was an opening for a new wrestler to take the brass ring,

Bret was called on as Vince's prodigy. Small for his size, Bret managed to use to put on some of the greatest matches in the world. His feud with HBK and the British Bulldog were some glimpses of just how great once can be. 

Bret was also part of the Hart Foundation, a Canadian group who despised America and adored Canada. This allowed Wrestling to go into a whole new direction i.e. The Attitude Era.

Bret said himself " Vince told me WCW would never know what to do with a Bret Hart; how right he was.

HHH

Like the Rock and Austin, HHH is no stranger to success. HHH is the son in law of Vince McMahon so it is only natural that he should be on this list. 

HHH is known for his amazing physique and tremendous attitude and will for the sport of professional wrestling.

Vince was never a fan of Hunter mainly because of his antics with HBK in the mid 90's. however he took a shine to him during the years of 1999/2000, where he along with the Rock created some of the most epic moments in sport today.

HHH became the WWE Champion a few times during this time gap and it made the crowd angry. Especially because HHH was in cahoots with the McMahons, this certainly made good TV.

HHH today is seen more as a veteran than a leader, as he gives way to younger talent, HHH will always be remembered for the moment she shared and have the WWE Universe such as D-X, Evolution, HHH vs. The Rock, Angle, and Austin. As well as a host of others.

Chris Jericho

After his unappreciated spell with the WCW in the mid 90's, Jericho finally decided to jump to rival show WWE after signing a contract with the company in 1999. 

Then during a promo that took place on Aug. 9, 1999, we were finally introduced to the already established superstar Chris Jericho. 

The crowd went insane, they could not believe there eyes as one of WCW's guys were standing in front of the Titantron whilst the People's Champion, The Rock, was in the ring.

Just to show you how great of a star Jericho is, for a debut he was electric; personally I feel no one has ever come close to duplicating what Jericho did that night.

He was composed, energetic and certainly charismatic, he put on a great display of character as he wooed the Chicago audience, the chemistry he created with the Rock was certainly special.

Jericho has the distinct honor of holding the prestigious IC Championship more times than any other superstars

During the Invasion angle, we were treated to some pretty amazing moments such as Stone Cold Steve Austin's Betrayal, DDP revealed as the stalker, The Return of the Rock, and of course Chris Jericho capturing his first heavyweight title.

The great thing about this particular victory is not that he was competing against the Rock, but that he finally achieved what every wrestler wants and that is to be the best in the business at what they do.

Now we should not really state that winning titles makes you the best, however after the way Jericho was treated in WCW, the way he was misused etc

It was great to finally see him wear the gold around his waist.

Undertaker

The Undertaker or Mark Calloway previously wrestled for the WCW before he made the switch to WWE. In this time, the WCW managed to make a real mockery from what would be one of the greatest wrestlers and icons in the business today.

Undertaker debuted in the WWE in 1990, during a time where characters such as Hogan and Savage were running the show, so how do you create a character so unique an different and throw him into a pack of wild lions, only to come out of there alive?

Well it's simple: create a man who is already dead, that's right, create an Undertaker. His character was such a huge success that he had followers from all over the world coming into watch the Deadman in action. 

Perhaps the greatest piece of creative thinking was having this 7-foot man coming in and defeating The American Hero Hulk Hogan for the WWE title within his first year in the company.

This impressed a lot of people who at the time must of felt that wrestling was real, so obviously majority of the WWE Universe will cheer the top dog...just look at Hogan.

They also have Undertaker a nice background which allowed them to build around is character for instance the introduction of Kane his younger brother, Casket matches, Hell in a cell matches, Inferno matches and buried alive matches, all of which suited the big man's criteria.

Lastly by giving Taker the streak it has made him a Legend to a point that if he were to be defeated at Mania then Wrestling would die along with him.

HBK

The Showstopper is one of the WWE's finest assets. Once the looker, HBK had it all. He was loved by most and hated by many yet he is still regarded as one of the greatest to ever step foot inside the squared circle.,

Vince knew all too well just how arrogant and cocky HBK can be, so instead of fighting it he used it to bring in a whole new range of audiences around the states and worldwide.

HBK is noted for some of the most controversial moments in wrestling history such as the Montreal screwjob, The Curtain Call and of course D-X. 

D-X today is still one of the best selling merchandise products in the WWE, the fan base is so big that people from China named their local football team Degeneration X.

HBK is not known as the Showstopper because of his outrageous behavior but mainly due to his incredible in ring ability, he can make any one look good.

His matches with Bret Hart, HHH, Austin, Owen, Taker, Angle etc are some of the finest spectacles ever seen in a WWE Ring.

He is a shoo-in for a future HOF and thanks to Vince we have witnessed one of the greatest entertainers grace us with his presence for over 20 glorious years.

The Rock

It is no doubt or question as to why The Rock is considered the greatest wrestler ever in WWE. He was a huge star in the late '90s and early 2000s.

He was instrumental to the success of the WWE during the Monday Night Wars; he along with Mick Foley use to garner some of the highest-rated segments in RAW and Smackdown history.

With a wide following The Rock has electrified audiences all over the world, he is a former nine-time world champion, Royal Rumble Winner, IC and Tag Team Champion.

In 2000, he and HHH has one of the greatest feuds in the History of the sport, it changed wrestling forever as it brought in a whole range of different audiences and crowds. 

The Rock was and still is the greatest man to ever hold a microphone to his mouth. His catchphrases and taunts are still used today in movies, wrestling and in schools world wide.

My only hope is that The Rock will eventually get inducted into the WWE HOF, as he is one of those legends that, although gone for now, will never be forgotten.