The REAL 50 Greatest WWE Superstars of All-Time (50-26)

Towards the beginning of the year the WWE released a DVD that was to list, in numerical order; the 50 Greatest WWE Superstars of All-Time. The release was met with harsh criticism and stark disagreement because of obvious biases and blatant discrediting of Superstars that had left an indelible mark on the world of sports entertainment. The list has been around for a few months now, so I doubt I’ll be spoiling the anti-climatic and despicably horrid selections for you, the reader; but in case you want to be “un-pleasantly” surprised I’ll leave you this link to view the results at your own discretion: http://web.me.com/cmgeezus/WWE50Greatest/WWE.html

I hope you haven’t damaged your computer too much after witnessing the diabolical shuns and parting shots directed towards some of the single-handedly Greatest Superstars the WWE has ever had the pleasure of doing business with. Today I plan to rectify the errors of the WWE and include the omissions, bring light to the oversights and descend the overrated. Here is a list of the REAL 50 Greatest WWE Superstars of All-Time and reasons to support my claim. Enjoy!

50) Big Show: Sure he’s 7’ tall and close to 500 pounds, and he’s won every major Championship there was to win at one time (if you count the WWE version of the ECW title); but what sets him apart from other “Giants” is his ability to lose so well. Big Show never took his self too serious, and it’s his focus on putting other guys over that earns him a spot on this list. If you judge the Big Show on his 2 WWE Championships, 5 World Tag Team Championships, aforementioned ECW Championship, 3 WWE Tag Team Championships, United States Championship and 3 Hardcore Championships; then Show would legitimately be the best big man in the history of the WWE. Unfortunately, a man the size of the Big Show is expected to be more dominant and make a “larger” impact on the business; which he has not done. The Big Show relinquishes his look of superiority every time he lets somebody slam him or life him off of his feet. Show will never be another Andre the Giant, but his willingness to surrender his “monster” like aura to put over other Superstars is definitely something that I can respect.

49) Jake “The Snake” Roberts: Although Jake never won a WWE title of any sort; his gimmick was unmatched. Whether it was a Burmese Python, Reticulated Python or (my personal favorite) a Cobra; Jake Roberts intimidated his opponents so much that he had the match won before the bell even rang. His classic feud with Randy Savage, Blindfold match with Rick Martel at Wrestlemania VII and attempted mind games with The Undertaker showcases his ability to incite a crowd as either a heel or face. Roberts’ personal demons plays a part in why he’s so low on this list, but upon his return in 1996; he attempted to play out his battles with addiction in front of the WWE Universe. Jake is indirectly responsible for the creation of “Austin 3:16” being born, as it was his defeat at the King of the Ring that caused Stone Cold to coin the phrase. Roberts never had a true ally in the WWE, and despite him telling his opponents to “Trust” him; he made it apparent that you should “Never Trust a Snake”. Jake Roberts is a 2 nd Generation wrestler that was a solid performer for the company for a number of years, and let us not forget that he’s the innovator of the DDT!

48) Chyna: Chyna is certainly a woman of firsts. The WWE can try to ignore her all they want, but her milestones are forever etched into the record books of professional wrestling. Coming from the school of Killer Kowalski, to being the bodyguard of Triple H, to being in one of the most popular factions in wrestling history, then having a singles career that included wrestling men, being a #1 contender for the WWE Championship, being the first female entrant in the Royal Rumble, becoming the only woman to win the Intercontinental Championship, and capping off her achievements by leaving the WWE as Women’s Champion; what more can you really say about her run in the WWE? Epic.

47) Captain Lou Albano: Captain Lou was colorful before colorful became cool. Lou Albano was part of the WWE for 4 decades and was extremely popular in each one. Whether he worked as a heel or a face, Albano evoked emotion from the fans. You’d be a fool to take his wild promo style and rubber band décor as a sign of incapability, because Captain Lou Albano managed 15 teams to WWE Tag Team gold. Albano was also a part of the “Triumvirate of Terror”, a faction of managers that dominated the WWE for a decade.

46) Ravishing Rick Rude: Pop Quiz – Who’s the only man to show up on both Monday Night RAW and WCW Monday Nitro in the Same Night?? If you guessed Ravishing Rick Rude then you win the prize! To take things further, later that week he even appeared on ECW’s Hardcore TV as well. Rude was a commodity to say the least. He’s a former Intercontinental Champion that possessed one of the best physiques in all of wrestling. Rude’s feuds with Jake Roberts and the Ultimate Warrior is what helped catapult the Minnesotan into the top 50 of All-Time. In only 3 years Rick became a household name and multiple wrestlers have attempted to copy his gimmick since his 1987 debut. Back injuries kept Rude out of action for a good part of his career, and his untimely passing shook the wrestling world in 1999. The most standout quality of the Ravishing one would definitely be his mic skills, as he let all the “fat, out of shape sweat-hogs” know that it was his time to shine.

45) Sgt. Slaughter: Where do you start when it comes to naming the accolades of Sgt. Slaughter? He’s a former WWE Champion that was a major success as both a heel and a face. Slaughter had one of the first ever Hardcore-style matches against WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson in 1981. He left the WWE at the height of his career, when he was legitimately the 2 nd most popular wrestler in the company to Hulk Hogan. When he returned to the WWE, he became the biggest heel in the company and defeated the Ultimate Warrior for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble. Once a supporter for the USA, Slaughter’s ways had changed and he despised what his country stood for. Hulk Hogan assumed the role of the defender of our great country and challenged the Sarge for his WWE Championship at Wrestlemania VII. Slaughter would lose the title, but would regain his appreciation for the good ol’ US of A. The “Sarge” had a G.I. Joe action figure and character in the famous cartoon series. He was also the WWE Commissioner and he’ll forever be remembered for his Cobra Clutch. It didn’t matter if he was the ultimate patriot or an Iraqi sympathizer, Slaughter knew how to make his gimmick work.

44) Jesse Ventura: Jesse “The Body” Ventura had charisma that could just blow you right out of your seat. Only Superstar Billy Graham could rival the over the top persona of Ventura’s, from his mic work to his wardrobe (which Ventura copied from Graham). The one thing “The Body” had over Graham was the ability to make the transition to the announce booth. Jesse’s career was cut short due to blood clots in his lungs and it was time for him to start thinking about his future; which ultimately led to him becoming one of the best color commentators in the business. He was one of the first commentators to have a heel persona and always root for the bad guy. Jesse was also one of the first wrestler/commentators that blurred the line of “good and bad”, as the fans always gave him a great response despite his dismay for Hulk Hogan. Ventura has had great success outside of the ring with his involvement in politics and television since his retirement, but “The Body” always finds time to give back to the company that put him on the map. Some say that he was ahead of his time, and I partly agree; but I can’t imagine the 80’s without Jesse “The Body” Ventura as a part of it.

43) Honky Tonk Man: We all know that he’s the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion, but is he the greatest? Well no man since Honky has held the title for 1 year, 2 months and 27 days. His rivalries are a little sketchy at best, with the most prominent contenders being Ricky Steamboat (whom he beat to win the title), Randy Savage, Jake Roberts and Brutus Beefcake. When he wasn’t in the ring, he was beside Vince McMahon doing commentary and/or looking for his heir apparent. There is much skepticism regarding the legitimacy of the Honky Tonk Man as a wrestler and his contributions to the WWE, but 20 + years later; Honky is still relevant in the world of professional wrestling, and that has to count for something.

42) Chris Jericho: Jericho received the biggest “countdown” of any debuting Superstar the WWE Universe has ever seen; and he didn’t disappoint. What better way to make an impression than to interrupt The Rock on WWE’s flagship brand, Monday Night RAW! But Jericho didn’t rest his laurels on just making a splash; he made a long-term impact. He is a record setting 8-time Intercontinental Champion, 5-time World Tag Team Champion, 2-time WWE Tag Team Champion, European Champion, Hardcore Champion and a 6-time World Champion who still has some gas left in his tank. Jericho can stake claim as the only man to defeat The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin in the same night, en route to becoming the WWE’s 1 st ever Undisputed Champion; unifying the WWE Championship and the WCW Championship. “Y2J” always finds a way to reinvent his self, and while he’s taken a break to explore ventures outside of wrestling; one can only imagine what the Winnipeg, Manitoban will surprise us with next.

41) Wendy Richter: Wendy was the first of many to feel Vince McMahon’s wrath, as she was screwed out of her WWE Women’s Championship in similar fashion to how Bret Hart was screwed out of the WWE Championship in Montreal. Prior to that incident, Richter assumed the role of a female Hulk Hogan during the days of the Rock ‘N’ Wrestling movement. Wendy was led to the ring by Pop Icon Cyndi Lauper at MTV’s The Brawl to End it All & The War to Settle the Score before the two arrived on the grandest stage of them at the inaugural Wrestlemania. Richter is also credited with ending the incomprehensible 28-year reign of the former WWE Women’s Champion and fellow WWE Hall of Famer The Fabulous Moolah. Wendy Richter was a proven 2-time Women’s Champion herself, showing the world exactly what “150 pounds of twisted steel and sex appeal” was capable of.

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40) Iron Sheik: A little known fact about the Iron Sheik is that he won the first ever battle royal to be held at Madison Square Garden in 1979; his rookie year as a WWE competitor. If that’s not a sign of greatness to come, then I don’t know what is. Sheik is a former WWE Tag Team champion, and WWE Champion who managed to win and lose his belts in historical and memorable fashions. Sheik won the championship by beating Bob Backlund in 1983, a match in which Backlund was never pinned or submitted. Backlund’s manager Arnold Skaaland threw in the towel for his protégé when he saw that Backlund couldn’t get out of the Sheik’s patented finisher the Camel Clutch; thus ending Backlund’s tremendous 5-year reign as Champion. A month later The Iron Sheik would drop the belt in a transitional scheme to the future leader of the WWE, Hulk Hogan. This title change would become the birth of Hulkamania. Sheik went on to feud with other Superstars as a mid-card competitor, but the pinnacles of his career came at the beginning and the end of his time as a Champion.

39) Killer Kowalski: When you look up the term “Monster Heel”, Kowalski should be pictured next it. The Killer is a 2-time Tag Team Champion, but more important than that is the role that he played in the 60’s and 70’s as the main antagonist to Bruno Sammartino. His finisher, the Kowalski Claw; has been one of the most popular and mimicked moves in the world of professional wrestling. Once the light dimmed on his wrestling career, he became a trainer for his own Killer Kowalski Pro Wrestling School in North Andover, Massachusetts. He is responsible for the careers of Triple H, Chyna, Saturn & Kronus (The Eliminators), Kazarian and Kofi Kingston. Though Kowalski is no longer with us, his memory lives on in the youth of the industry today.

38) Owen Hart: Gone too soon sums up the life and career of Owen Hart. He was a 4-time Tag Team Champion, King of the Ring, 2-time Intercontinental Champion and a European Champion. Owen was such a solid competitor that even though he never won a WWE Championship, many Superstars had to get past him in order to win theirs. He was a measuring stick of sorts, to where if you could have a good match with Owen, then you were a bona fide main eventer. I’m sure we’ve all read the stories of what was supposedly planned for his character going forward, but I choose not to dwell on what could have been, but rather on what was. Opening Wrestlemania X with a 5-Star performance versus his brother Bret, having a classic Steel Cage Match at Summerslam with Bret as well, delivering the blow that gave Shawn Michaels the concussion that people shed tears over all around the world, or “Owen 3:16 says I Just Broke Your Neck”. Owen was great in so many ways and for those of us who have had the pleasure of seeing him perform, we were the ones that were truly blessed.

37) Eddie Guerrero: When I think of Eddie Guerrero, I think of a man first. I think of a man who was unfairly taken while he was trying to get his life together for the betterment of his self and his family. I think of a man who loved the wrestling business and earned everything he achieved. There was so much more for him to achieve, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he would’ve achieved it if his life hadn’t ended prematurely. Like Owen Hart, he was also a 4-time WWE Tag Team Champion. He also became a 2-time European Champion, 2-time Intercontinental Champion, United States Champion and WWE Champion; but what exceeded all of those accomplishments was the size of his heart. Eddie had an infectious smile and a personality that lit up the entire arena. At the end of the day Eddie “Lied, Cheated and Stole” his way not only to multiple championships, but also into the hearts of all the fans that embraced him. It seemed like no matter whom Eddie wrestled, they always came out looking better than when they went in. “Latino Heat” locked horns with Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, JBL, Rob Van Dam and Booker T. Before he passed away, he was involved in a feud with Rey Mysterio that ended up showing the world that Mysterio could be a main event wrestler. The last accolade he received was being posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, an honor that was just as much for him as it was for the business.

36) Edge: Nobody can come close to the 31 Championships accumulated in Edge’s career. Unfortunately due to the toll he put on his body night in and night out for the WWE fans, his career was recently cut short; but in the 14 years he wrestled for the WWE he revolutionized tag team wrestling and conquered singles competition as well. Some of his notable feuds included his soap opera with Matt Hardy, love triangle with Kane, hair on the line against Kurt Angle, history with The Undertaker, an endless rivalry with John Cena and redemption against Jericho. Edge was the first man to win the popular Money in the Bank Ladder Match and cashed it in almost a year later to win his first WWE Championship. At Wrestlemania 22, Edge, Lita and Mick Foley took the WWE to the Extreme when they had a breathtaking Hardcore Match that saw thumbtacks, barbwire and a flaming table. Edge always said that it was the Wrestlemania VI match between Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior that made him decide that wrestling was what he wanted to do for a living; so it’s only fitting that Edge had the privilege of going out on top as the World Heavyweight Champion and wrestled his final match at the “Granddaddy of them All”, Wrestlemania.

35) Jim Ross: From Wrestlemania IX in 1993 to 2009, Good Ol’ J.R. had been a relative mainstay in the WWE. No other play-by-play announcer in the history of the WWE has had a greater impact than Jim Ross. J.R. was the first play-by-play announcer to turn heel (usually it’s the color guy that gets that duty) in 1996, when he exposed Vince McMahon as the owner of the WWE at a time when casual fans just believed him to be the lead announcer. He is also responsible for the “Fake Diesel/Fake Razor Ramon” storyline of the same year. Jim Ross is the personification of perseverance. After suffering from several bouts of Bell’s palsy and being unjustly fired on numerous occasions, J.R. always clawed his way back to the top of the totem pole. Ross’ Oklahoman expressions such as, “Slobber knocker” “Bowling Show Ugly” and the more common and understandable decree, “Business is About to Pick Up!” are all vintage trademarks of the celebrated announcer. Jim Ross has worked behind the scenes since 1997 as a member of management in charge of hiring talent. In 2002 Ross assumed the Executive V.P. roll of Talent Relations and can name Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, Shelton Benjamin and John Cena as some of the fruits of his labor. Overall, Ross will go down as the greatest man in the history of the WWE to call matches, and only Gordon Solie rivals him as the best this entire business has ever seen. The Hall of Fame is a worthy place for an irreplaceable individual like Jim Ross.

34) Ted DiBiase: DiBiase flourished in a roll that Vince McMahon himself always envisioned he’d one day portray; a rich aristocratic, pompous and powerful man with the means to get whatever he wanted by buying it. The Million Dollar Man gimmick is one that will never be forgotten, and the words, “Everybody’s Got a Price” will live on forever. What many do not know is that prior to DiBiase receiving this gimmick, he had wrestled for the WWE as a young man and became the 1 st North American WWF Champion (a belt that ended up being merged with the fictitious “South American Championship” to form the Intercontinental Championship). As DiBiase’s wrestling days were slowly winding down, he formed a successful tag team with I.R.S (Irwin R. Schyster) where he won his first legitimate piece of gold (excluding his self awarded Million $ Championship) in the form of the WWE Tag Team titles. Once he left the ring for good, he formed a stable known as the Million Dollar Corporation, which included high profile heels that feuded with the main event baby faces. The last man DiBiase managed was none other than Stone Cold Steve Austin, whom was introduced to us then as The Ringmaster. Ted DiBiase’s scintillating promos and maniacal laugh have taken on a life of their own, and his career has been immortalized forever in the WWE Hall of Fame.

33) Jerry Lawler: It’s unfortunate that Lawler didn’t have much of a wrestling career in the WWE, because he is indeed “The King of Wrestling”. All of his title accolades came outside of the WWE, but he engaged in a white-hot feud with Bret “the Hitman” Hart upon his arrival. Other competitors that he’s stood across the ring from in the WWE include Rowdy Roddy Piper, Jake “the Snake” Roberts and Doink. As entertaining as his run-ins with those wrestlers were in the WWE, it’s perhaps the rivalries involving the WWE Superstars that took place outside of the company that really drove home the fact that Lawler was a Legend. Throughout his career Lawler still wrestled in his hometown of Memphis, where he was a mega baby face despite the fact he was a heel everywhere else. The USWA vs. WWE war was incredible as it debuted a heel Vince McMahon as Lawler’s antagonist way before he assumed that role with Austin in 1998. Then in 1997, Lawler was the main representative of the WWE as they engaged in battle with ECW. When ECW wasn’t invading Monday NightRAW, Lawler was in Philadelphia (the home of ECW) doing the WWE’s dirty work. While all that might be news to some, Jerry Lawler will most famously be known for his work as a Color Commentator. At the height of the Attitude Era, Lawler’s humor truly began to shine and his adult oriented one-liners finally caused fans to embrace him instead of hate him. Lawler questioned the decision of Vince McMahon to put him in the Hall of Fame because Lawler had never wrestled at a Wrestlemania before, but a few years after his induction, his dream came true as he wrestled in front of 71,000 at Wrestlemania XXVII.

32) Ric Flair: Now I know there’s going to be a few of you that will be outraged by seeing the Nature Boy this far down the list, but you have to remember that this is based solely on his tenure with the WWE, and not including all of his accolades around the world and in other promotions. Flair is a 2-time WWE Champion, 3-time WWE Tag Team Champion, Intercontinental Champion and Royal Rumble winner. I like to think of what could’ve been if he had spent more time in the WWE his first go around back in 1991. Flair brought his “Stylin’ and Profilin’” persona to the WWE and proclaimed his self the “Real World’s Champion”. It didn’t take long before he became the company’s top heel, but he never received the rabid fan reaction up North that he had been given down South. For the first time ever, Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan (the 2 biggest stars of that era) were under the same roof at the same time. It was inevitable that these two Superstars were going to clash, especially with Wrestlemania on the horizon. Unfortunately the highly anticipated match between Flair and Hulk Hogan never materialized, but thankfully Randy Savage saved the day by being able to deliver the style of match that Hogan couldn’t at Wrestlemania VIII for the WWE Championship. After losing his title, regaining it and losing it again, Flair left the WWE in 1993 and returned a lengthy 8 years later following WWE’s acquisition of WCW in 2001. Ric would proceed to take on the roll of Co-Owner of the WWE, engaging in confrontations with Vince McMahon, The Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin. When he was relieved of his duties, he would go on to form the stable Evolution with Triple H, Randy Orton and Batista. At one point Evolution was so powerful that they collectively held every title on Monday Night RAW (Flair and Batista were Tag Team Champions, Orton was the Intercontinental Champion and Triple H was the World Heavyweight Champion). When Evolution dissolved and Flair’s matches weren’t high priority or profile, he knew his time was nearing its end. He handpicked Shawn Michaels to be the man to defeat him and send him into retirement (a stipulation that Vince McMahon made where he said the next match that Flair lost would be his last). When Flair decided to retire the WWE gave him the most elaborate send off a guy could ever ask for, as he was to have his final contest in a compelling and emotionally tear-jerking match at Wrestlemania XXIV. That same year he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame; the only active wrestler to ever be given that honor. Ric Flair might arguably be the greatest wrestler to ever live, but his contributions in the WWE are minimal compared to his achievements in whole.

31) Rey Mysterio: The WWE has never seen a high flyer like Rey Mysterio! Professional wrestling has always been known as a big man’s sport, but then guys like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels showed that smaller guys could be just as successful. Rey Mysterio showed that even smaller guys could have favorable outcomes as well, all while capturing the WWE Tag Team titles 4-times, the Cruiserweight title 3-times, the Intercontinental Championship twice and the World Heavyweight Championship twice. If that’s not enough, throw in a Royal Rumble win where he set the record for longevity in the match with a 62-minute performance. It was Rey’s feud with Eddie Guerrero that showed the world that a man his stature could put on a solid main event match. Other Superstars like Randy Orton, Kurt Angle and Batista were able to show their versatility when wrestling Rey Mysterio, because Rey brought out the best in his opponents. Mysterio is the Mil Mascaras of the WWE, and his legacy has already been witnessed with the signings of other Mexican stars such as Alberto Del Rio and Sin Cara. The master of the 619 is a pioneer and has been a huge fan favorite since his debut in 2002. Rey truly is the “Littlest Big Man” in the business and although he’s often imitated, he’ll never be duplicated.

30) Ricky Steamboat: Steamboat’s ranking is very similar to Ric Flair’s, as both had so much more success outside of the WWE. Ricky only served 3 years as a WWE competitor but within that time he was an Intercontinental Champion and is partly responsible for the Greatest Wrestlemania match in the history of the event (Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat at Wrestlemania III). Ricky appeared in the first four Wrestlemanias, and was pretty over as a face. Towards the end of his career he would come to the ring and climb to the top rope where he would “breath fire”. Since 2005 he’s been employed by WWE as a road agent and has made Special Guest Referee cameos. “The Dragon” had one last Wrestlemania moment, showing the world he could still go; when he was part of a handicap match against Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania 25. Steamboat is a Hall of Famer, but he will always be recognized more for what he did outside of the WWE than what he did in his very short run with the company.

29) Mr. Fuji: Was he a better manager or wrestler? When you have to ask that question it’s obvious that the person being evaluated was successful in both ventures. This is the case with Mr. Fuji, as he was a 5-time WWE Tag Team Champion in his days as a competitor; but most of today’s fans would probably remember him more as a manager. “The Devious One” was actually trained by the Legendary Nick Bockwinkel and went on to have an extraordinary career. Fuji seconded almost 2-dozen wrestlers in his time as a manager; all monsters in there own right. Along with his accolades come a lot of funny and classic memories of the evil ways Mr. Fuji reached his success. Whether it was the time with his protégé Don Muraco where they famously parodied Miami Vice (Fuji Vice), or leading Demolition to the tag team titles, then turning on Demolition with The Powers of Pain, his tangent for throwing salt, or trading in his signature bowler hat and tuxedo for a kimono when he led Yokozuna to the WWE Championship on two occasions; it’s safe to say Fuji’s spot in the Hall of Fame (and this list) is well deserved.

28) Mick Foley: Extreme, charismatic, insane, funny, hardcore, intelligent, reckless, emotional, unpredictable, demented, and tortured. No one else can lay claim to all these personalities in professional wrestling but Mick Foley. His characters had so much range and diversity and at times you wondered, which one is truly Mick? Is it Mankind.. Is it Dude Love.. or is it the most familiar of the three, Cactus Jack? At the end of the day it really didn’t matter because all three were successful and all three were Champions! Foley’s success came to the tune of 8 Tag Team Championships, 3 WWE Championships, and a title made just for him; a Hardcore Championship. Foley had a lot of adversaries in his day, like The Rock, Triple H, Vince McMahon, Kane, The Big Show, Edge, Goldust and Stone Cold; but there was nobody more like Mick than The Undertaker. From a Boiler Room Brawl match to a Buried Alive Match and to their classic Hell in a Cell Match, Mick would go toe to toe with the Dead Man like no one had ever seen before. Foley took outlandish bumps and never feared a high spot. At the King of the Ring, to watch Foley fall off of the top of the Hell in a Cell structure, and to hear his body crumple amongst the rubble of the Spanish announce table is a sight and sound one will never forget. Seeing Mick take 11 unguarded and unprotected chair shots to the head at the Royal Rumble versus The Rock made you feel like the match was almost inhumane; but then he’d come back a few weeks later and make you laugh like it never happened. Mick was so accomplished on the mic, that he was given a position as Commissioner, Co-General manager and an announce position. Mick Foley may never be mentioned in the same breath as Frank Gotch, Pat O’Connor or Lou Thesz, but his place as a Legend is cemented none-the-less.

27) Superfly Jimmy Snuka: Rey Mysterio may be the WWE’s best highflyer, but Jimmy Snuka is the WWE’s 1 st. Madison Square Garden was the setting for the splash that inspired a handful of ECW alumni to pursue wrestling careers. On top of the 15-foot high steel cage, Snuka looked at home; standing with his arms outstretched and his hands giving signs of love before plummeting down on top of an unsuspecting Don Muraco. His legacy goes beyond winning titles. Snuka ushered in a new style of wrestling in one night. Jimmy has the privilege of saying his was part of the main event of the first Wrestlemania, although he didn’t wrestle on the card. He can also say that he was the first of currently 19 victims that fell to the Undertaker at the same event. How about the fact that he had a coconut smashed over his head? Snuka may not have won a Championship, but his highlights are “Golden”.

26) Tito Santana: Only 2 men can say they participated in 9 straight Wrestlemanias, Hulk Hogan and Tito Santana. Not only does he have that honor, but he also has the distinction of being a part of, and winning; the very 1 st match in Wrestlemania history. His accomplishments aren’t all Wrestlemania related, he’s a 2-time Intercontinental Champion, 2-time WWE Tag Team Champion and a former King of the Ring. Tito was one of only a handful of Rock ‘N’ Wrestling era wrestlers that was able to successfully make the transition into the 90’s. Santana’s presence is a key component to the success of the WWE during his 14-year stint.

By: Cameron McBride-Gee
ProWrestling-fans.com Wrestling Writer