The Definitive Ranking: Greatest Professional Wrestlers of All Time

Constantly, there are discussions and debates about who are the greatest pro wrestlers of all time and I wanted as definitive a list as possible. Because pro wrestling is subjective (Do you value “work rate” (however you might define it) over popularity?) I knew that there was no more a way to statistically prove who the “best” pro wrestler in history was any more than you can definitively prove who was the greatest rock and roll act of all time: because it is subjective.

However, what could be done is create a consensus list of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. And, if you use enough credible sources, you can average out any bias that might exist and come to as definitive a consensus conclusion as possible. That is how I came to create the When It Was Cool 201 Greatest Pro Wrestlers of All Time List: The Greatest Pro Wrestlers Ever.

Compiled By: Karl Stern (Patreon) Sourcing Data from over 30 Historians, Vetted Greatest Wrestler of All Time Lists, Major Media Rankings, Cumulative Lists, and Major Vetted Halls of Fame. This list is not my opinion. The only input I had into ranking this list was doing the math and averaging the results and putting it together in a readable format. This, according to multiple respected pro wrestling historians, major media rankings, published books, and vetted rankings are the 201 greatest pro wrestlers of all time, with bonus points given for major vetted Halls of Fame and Wrestler of the Year Awards.

I, myself, am a pro wrestling historian as evidenced by our Ultimate History of Pro Wrestling Zone and my When It Was Cool Wrestling Podcast. I have voted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame balloting for over 10 years. I have worked at FigureOnline.com / WrestlingObserver.com for over 10 years.

These are the sources, lists, and methodology I used- here. I could have easily ranked 500 but settled on 201 because, as you get deeper and deeper into the list, it becomes less reliable due to sample size as many of those wrestlers didn’t make as many lists and the consensus becomes more murky. Anything under the 300 greatest wrestlers of all time has a pretty good consensus, and 201 has even better agreement.

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The point system I used as described on the sources page does include the 2022 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame results which came out just in time to be included in our ranking of the greatest pro wrestlers of all time. Now, without further delay, here is the consensus opinion of who the 201 greatest pro wrestlers of all time are.

Top 14 Greatest Pro Wrestlers of All Time

Here is a list of the top 14 pro wrestlers of all time based on compiled data:

1. Ric Flair
2. Hulk Hogan
3. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
4. Lou Thesz
5. Andre The Giant
6. Bruno Sammartino
7. The Rock
8. Frank Gotch
9. Harley Race
10. Dusty Rhodes
11. Shawn Michaels
12. "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers
13. Jim Londos
14. Bret “Hitman” Hart

Now, without further delay, here is the consensus opinion of who the greatest pro wrestlers of all time are.

1: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair

Many will argue, perhaps rightfully so, that any of the top 10 are interchangeable. However, Ric Flair did have a substantial point lead over almost everyone because he placed number one on so many lists. Ric Flair trended strongly among mainstream rankings and historians as well. While, Hulk Hogan and The Rock may be bigger mainstream pop culture names than Ric Flair, Ric Flair is largely considered the best in-ring worker among the group and, for those of you who may say he often wrestles the same match, need to go back to 1970s and 1980s for a more diverse Ric Flair. Ric Flair is both the highest ranked NWA World and WWF heavyweight champion on our list of the greatest pro wrestlers of all time.

2: Hulk Hogan

Probably the most famous pro wrestler of all time? I suppose one could argue The Rock as more famous now but still, ask the average person on the street to name a pro wrestler and quite often you are going to hear the name Hulk Hogan. So, it’s no surprise he was ranked very high, especially by mainstream media sources. But even the historians gave Hulk Hogan his due. The insider wrestling fans and newsletter readers may be the loudest in complaining about Hulk Hogan but even they could not argue his place as one of the most influential and marketable pro wrestlers in history. Finally, just because he settled in on a fairly simple style of wrestling during his heyday, there is plenty of video evidence from Japan that Hulk Hogan could, in fact, work a more complex style of pro wrestling if the situation and crowd called for it. Hulk Hogan is the highest ranking IWGP champion on our list of the greatest pro wrestlers ever.

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3: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin

From his humble beginnings with World Class Championship Wrestling in Texas, insider wrestling fans saw potential superstardom in “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. He quickly learned his craft, had an unmistakable “something” that screamed “superstar”. Through a combination of badly timed injuries and outright lack of foresight, his time in WCW was underwhelming but after cutting a series of unforgettable promos in ECW, WWF/WWE finally came calling… but with a bit of a stumble. The Ringmaster didn’t look like he would cut it in WWE until finally finding his true calling as “Stone Cold” and the rest is history. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin became the face of WWE during a period of time where more people than ever before or since were watching pro wrestling. Steve Austin was a work horse and a charismatic promo whose character as the “take no shit” badass forever cemented his spot as one of the greatest pro wrestlers in history.

4: Lou Thesz

From a previous time, Lou Thesz suffers from not being from the modern era of television wrestling. Lou Thesz time as the legendary NWA World heavyweight champion came largely before color television so modern mainstream wrestling rankings overlooked him in favor of the more TV famous, however pro wrestling historians certainly know who Lou Thesz is. Long considered the greatest NWA World heavyweight champion of all time, even before that, Lou Thesz was capturing pre-NWA World championships (many of which he would later unify with the NWA title) and beating the best in world with his traveling manager and mentor Ed “Strangler” Lewis, another name that you will see on this list. For multiple generations Lou Thesz was considered by serious pro wrestling fans as the greatest wrestler ever.

5: Andre The Giant

Andre the Giant transcended professional wrestling to also become a pop culture star. Andre the Giant was literally larger than life and, in his early days, quite a great pro wrestler. But, as his body got larger and larger (as a result of the health condition acromegaly) he got slower and slower but his fame got larger and larger landing acting roles as Bigfoot in the Six Million Dollar Man TV show among others and his most famous role as Fezzik in The Princess Bride. His most famous match, sadly, was among his worst, against Hulk Hogan at WWF Wrestle Mania III in front of one of the largest wrestling crowds ever. Andre the Giant is the highest ranked person to have never held a major recognized World heavyweight championship on our list of the greatest pro wrestlers ever. He once “won” the WWF title in storyline, but that was rescinded.

6: Bruno Sammartino

If you asked the question, “Who is the greatest pro wrestler in history?” to any average New Yorker circa 1969 the answer would have been, indisputably, Bruno Sammartino. With two WWWF (your future WWE) title reigns spanning from 1963-1977, Bruno Sammartino regularly sold out Madison Square Garden to face many other names on the Greatest Pro Wrestlers of All Time Lists… and usually beating them. While the “true” world heavyweight championship may have resided with the NWA (WWWF was a member of the NWA until the 1980s) many people, especially on the east coast, considered Bruno Sammartino as the top man in the sport and, with the record crowds he drew, who could dispute it? Bruno Sammartino ranked well with both mainstream sources and pro wrestling historians.

7: The Rock

Dewayne “The Rock” Johnson is probably the most famous pro wrestler in the world at the time this list drops in 2023, despite the fact he has only wrestled four matches in the last 10 years (subject to change in 2023). The reason is obvious, despite going from the most popular wrestler in the world to the most popular movie star in the world, Dewayne “The Rock” Johnson has maintained his anchor to his pro wrestling origins. And, his pro wrestling origins run deep, he is the son of territorial era pro wrestling star Rocky Johnson and a part of one of (if not THE) largest extended pro wrestling families ever- The Samoan/Anoa’i family. While historians were tepid, though not dismissive, in their assessment of The Rock, he either topped or was very near the top of most mainstream greatest pro wrestler ever rankings and was one of the biggest stars (along with Steve Austin) during an era where the most people in history watched pro wrestling.

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8: Frank Gotch

For most of history, the answer to “Who is the greatest pro wrestler ever?” was Frank Gotch and second place wasn’t even close. But Frank Gotch is ancient history now and what he did, while technically pro wrestling, is very different from what is done today. Frank Gotch was the transition between two eras. The pioneer era with names like William Muldoon and Evan “Strangler” Lewis transitioned into more of an arena sport venture and Frank Gotch dominated. Despite the misconception that all of Frank Gotch’s matches were “real” (unscripted shoot matches) they were almost certainly not. But, Frank Gotch did have quite a few matches that were most likely legitimate, probably including his two biggest and most famous in 1908 and again in 1911 in front of a combined 40,000 or more fans. The championship which he and George Hackenschmidt contested over in those two matches (with Frank Gotch winning both, though not without controversy) is generally considered the first true pro wrestling world championship.

9: Harley Race

Harley Race was so great that it is often times understated. You probably know him as famously, the seven-time world heavyweight champion and the greatest wrestler on God’s green Earth. Well, he was actually an eight time NWA World heavyweight champion and he may well have been one of the toughest men on God’s green Earth at any given point between 1973 to 1977… maybe even beyond. By the time he came to the WWF in 1986 he was a shadow of his former self as injuries and time had taken their toll and, unfortunately, many people remember him as “The King” of the WWF which was not his best look. Still, those who really knew the pro wrestling business and respected it’s history knew of the legendary seven (well, eight) time World heavyweight champion his legendary matches around the world with many of the other names on this list from Dory Funk, Jr. to Dusty Rhodes, to Ric Flair. Harley Race did best in rankings by historians, obviously, with mainstream publications not so much.

10: Dusty Rhodes

The “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes may be the biggest over-achiever in pro wrestling history. Despite having a body that looked like anything but a pro wrestler, with a heavy dose of charisma and better than you’d expect in-ring skill, Dusty Rhodes connected with fans all over the United States for many years. Dusty Rhodes did exceptionally well among mainstream publications and “best of” lists yet struggled some with historians who may have held his later booking of Jim Crockett Promotions against him. Dusty Rhodes was a divisive personality to be sure. I’ve met about as many people who loved him as hated him but it seems that most respected him. Much like Harley Race, a less than laudable run in the WWF didn’t seem to hurt his credibility much and, in fact, the polka-dot era WWF Dusty Rhodes has gained a sort of cult following over the last few years as well. His sons Dustin Rhodes and presently Cody Rhodes continue his legacy in pro wrestling with excellent careers of their own.

11: Shawn Michaels

For a while it looked like Shawn Michaels might be a contender for the top spot. Mainstream rankings helped Shawn Michaels out a lot and so did some historians… some. It seems pro wrestling historians were very divided on Shawn Michaels with some ranking him at, or very near the top, and others were not so impressed. Over the last couple of years I have noticed a narrative developing that between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels that Bret was the better of the two, while historically, the opposite seemed to be true with the main detraction for Bret Hart being his often repetitive use of the same moves and structure during a match. Yet, recently something has changed but not enough for Bret Hart to pass Shawn Michaels in the cumulative average of all the ratings and lists I used. (Only 116 points separated the two which is miniscule among the top 50.) Still, despite the debate, few could argue that Shawn Michaels is one of the best in-ring performers of all time with an equal measure of charisma and athleticism. With four WWE/World championships to his credit, Shawn Michaels truly does deserve a place among the best of the best in pro wrestling history.

12: “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers

To a better man it couldn’t have happened. Indeed, “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers is one of the best remembered and charismatic stars of the early TV era. A contemporary of Lou Thesz and Bruno Sammartino, many have the opinion that Buddy Rogers was a lot of flash with not as much substance. But I’ve been watching a lot of Buddy Rogers matches recently and let me tell you, that reputation is not really fair. Buddy Rogers was a very good in-ring wrestler. Yes, his bravado and flair were often the center of his act and his out of the ring antics (very similar in many ways to Shawn Michaels as both often turned up “injured” at key moments) rubbed many the wrong way. Still, all these years later his name still remains strong among the wrestling historians and mainstream sources. If you don’t believe me, check out Buddy Rogers verses Killer Kowalski or Buddy Rogers verses Lou Thesz to see just how great the original “Nature Boy” could be. Holding both the NWA World title (1961) and the first WWWF championship (1963), Buddy Rogers was one of the biggest drawing cards of that era.

13: Jim Londos

Often cited as the biggest draw in the history of pro wrestling. That’s an arguable statement because what is a “draw” has changed since the days of Jim Londos with the addition of pay-per-view, TV ratings, and the proliferation of live events. Still, changing criteria aside, for his era Jim Londos probably wrestled in front of more people than any of his peers and those before him. There are unverified but widely reported accounts of Jim Londos wrestling multiple times in front of crowds larger than 100,000 in Greece. Pictures survive but it’s impossible to know how many people were really there. Jim Londos also had longevity, wrestling from 1912 well into the 1950s and was recognized by multiple state athletic commissions and organizations as the World heavyweight champion during his heyday.

14: Bret “Hitman” Hart

Bret “Hitman” Hart had one of the most respected careers in modern pro wrestling history. For better or worse, his name is forever tied to that of Shawn Michaels and many have deba...

Visual spectacle has always been a major draw in professional wrestling. For decades, certain wrestlers became masters at creating visible moments that left audiences mesmerized, transforming what could have been a simple wrestling match into unforgettable theater.

This list celebrates thirteen legends who didn’t just wrestle; they understood that wrestling’s visual element could captivate crowds and define entire eras. Discover 13 wrestlers who mastered visual drama, crafting some of pro wrestling’s most haunting and graphic moments.

The following article was handwritten on a pad of paper by Dale Pierce and submitted to Evan Ginzburg for future use in his “Wrestling- Then & Now” newsletter. Sadly, Dale passed away in 2018. A big thank you to Evan Ginzburg for transcribing the following write-up by Dale Pierce and for his valuable additions to this article.

1. Abdullah the Butcher is one of wrestling’s most visually distinctive and legendary performers, a true icon of brutal, high-impact drama.
2. The Sheik (Ed Farhat) was a territorial legend who mastered the art of creating striking visual drama throughout his storied career.
3. Ric Flair is sent crashing out of the ring by Randy Savage, a perfect example of the high-impact visual drama that defined his classic battles.
4. Terry Funk’s legendary career spanned decades, during which he became famous for creating some of wrestling’s most visually intense matches.
5. Dusty Rhodes, one of wrestling’s all-time greats, was a master at creating legendary visual battles that captivated audiences for decades.
6. Dr. Dr. Jerry Graham was known throughout his career as one of wrestling’s most fearless and visually striking performers.
7. Jos LeDuc, the intimidating monster heel, became a territorial legend through his mastery of creating dramatic visual spectacle.
8. Manager and wrestler Lou Albano was a master showman who understood how to create visually striking moments that left audiences stunned.
9. ECW’s The Sandman built his legendary reputation on creating unforgettable visual moments that captivated audiences.
10. WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Superstar Billy Graham was renowned for his ability to create striking visual drama in the ring.
11. Sabu dropped a brutal leg at ECW’s Double Tables 1995. Trained in the wild tradition of The Sheik, he became a master of dramatic visual impact throughout his legendary career.
12. Mankind (Mick Foley) during his legendary high-risk plunge from the Hell in a Cell structure against The Undertaker at King of the Ring 1998, demonstrating the extreme dedication that defined his career.
13. WWWF Tag Team Champions “The Valiant Brothers” (Johnny and Jimmy Valiant) alongside manager Lou Albano in 1974.

Whether you love or loathe physical drama in your matches, there’s no denying it has been a major part of pro wrestling.

With WrestleMania 40 just around the corner, there's no better time than to turn to you, the loyal IGN reader, for an honest-to-goodness Greatest Wrestler of All Time rundown. With voting results taken a few weeks ago ahead of the WWE 2K24 launch, using an IGN Face-Off that allowed y'all to vote for your favorite wrestling legends, a Top 25 list was born. It was an elimination process that took into account wrestlers from all eras, grapplers in all styles of the art.

• 25. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper Quite simply one of the greatest loud-mouthed heels every to step foot in the ring was the universally adored "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.
• 24. AJ Styles AJ Styles is what he says he is: phenomenal.
• 23. Bryan Danielson After a decade of witnessing game-changing athleticism in Ring of Honor and on the independent scene, fans were finally hungry for something different, be it CM Punk or wrestling nerd extraordinaire Daniel Bryan.
• 22. Cody Rhodes Relatively speaking, Cody Rhodes is a newcomer to "Best Wrestler" lists, having just rose up over the last five years as a ferocious force to be reckoned with.
• 21. CM Punk A true double-edge sword of the wrestling industry, CM Punk is a significantly polarizing figure.
• 20. Rey Mysterio A true pioneer of not only the cruiserweight division, but also of the Lucha Libre-style in America, Rey Mysterio is one of the few "little guys" to make it to the big time.
• 19. Andre the Giant Remembered fondly, and largely, as "The Eighth Wonder of the World," Andre the Giant was the biggest and best wrestling "attraction" in history and it's crazy that his most famous moments came toward the tail-end of his career when he was struggling with so much pain he could barely move.
• 18. Roman Reigns It's hard to believe, given Roman Reigns' current historic title run and powerful "Tribal Chief" mafioso gimmick, that there was a time not too long ago that the "Head of the Table" was public enemy number one for a large swath of wrestling fans.
• 17. Edge When Adam Copeland -- a.k.a. Edge -- hung up his boots in April, 2011, he was able to look out at a capacity crowd who unanimously saw him as a living legend... despite having portrayed one of the most despicable heels in wrestling history.
• 16. Mick Foley Mick Foley is the most cuddly masochist of all time.
• 15. Chris Jericho From Mexico to Japan to ECW to WCW to WWE to, now, AEW, Chris Jericho has been wrestling at a marquee level for 34 years.
• 14. Randy Orton It's hard to believe that this popular third-gen veteran was once the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in history, but "Apex Predator" Randy Orton, a WWE "lifer," has managed to turn his cold, calculating persona, and occasionally plodding wrestling style, into gold.
• 13. Eddie Guerrero Gone too soon, from acute heart failure at age 38, Eddie Guerrero was a brilliant, expert performer who worked Japan, Mexico, ECW, WCW and the WWE -- capturing the hearts and minds of audiences wherever he wrestled.
• 12. Randy Savage "Macho Man" Randy Savage -- with his stringy hair, giant sunglasses, bandanas, bedazzled jackets and robes, and gravely, insane voice -- is one of the most instantly-recognizable and magnetic performers the wrestling world had ever seen.
• 11. Kurt Angle This freakin' Olympic Gold Medalist took to the business faster than any other "outsider" had before him, quickly becoming the biggest, most exciting talent in WWE.
• 10. Hulk Hogan THE hero of the '80s, and THE villain of the '90s, Hulk Hogan's history in the business is undeniable.
• 9. Sting Having just retired from the game at age 65, after a few death-defying years in AEW as Darby Allin's cool goth uncle, "The Icon" Sting is one of the few guys on this list who wasn't a WWE guy.
• 8. Triple H Triple H was always respected as a wrestler, having worked his way up from being WCW's Jean Paul Levesque and the WWF's Hunter "Hogpen Match" Helmsley to the leader of Degeneration X -- to shattering the main event scene as "The Game."
• 7. John Cena "Let's Go, Cena!""Cena Sucks!" In 2005, John Cena became the WWE fr...

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