IWF's top 50 Wrestling Superstars of All Time

[Hometown Kid]

Yeah, i've been to theditch from the puro board I was sparse on for a bit, excellent selection from a hard working fellow if I do say so myself. Too bad MU doesn't work on the PS3 anymore. Highly recommended for others on a normal computer though.

But to Airfixx or anyone else, i'll just recommend a show, not that it was the greatest show ever or anything, but if you end up liking what Enzo was talking about. (Dead-on by the way, AJPW was pretty freakin' crazy back in those days, and my personal favorite NJPW matches were the Ultimo matches in which he'd literally have other people carry all his title belts out for him. Just brilliant.) But anyway, i'd say to check out the Rikidozan 1996 tribute show, which featured damn near EVERY promotion in the country at the time, and featured an epic match between Satoru Sayama (Tiger Mask I) and Tiger Mask IV. Just because it was the show dedicated to one of if not THE originators, it seems like a good show to watch for a new fan. ;D

 

[pumpt73]

Here's probably the best fucking site in the history of wrestling sites. Last time I gave this site out on another board they closed it down for a long while, don't know if it was coincidence or they were abusing it. Either way you get some FANTASTIC All Japan matches from the glory days. Enjoy, I know for sure HTK and Pumpt will and anyone who enjoys great wrestling. RoH fanboys, take note of what REAL 5 star matches are.
http://theditch.biz

DAMN!!! Bro, thank you for this. Terry Funk and Dory Funk Jr. vs. Nick Bockwinkel and Jim Brunzell, what a gem. Had no clue this match ever took place.

 

[Airfixx]

Props and thank to all for the info....

Sorry to somewhat hijack the thread tho'.

 

[straight_edge76]

Well... here's my list, not the best but I think it's solid; critique as you all see fit:

1. Ric Flair
2. Shawn Michaels
3. Steve Austin
4. Bret Hart
5. Hulk Hogan
6. Ricky Steamboat
7. The Rock
8. Randy Savage
9. Andre The Giant
10. The Dynamite Kid
11. The Great Muta
12. Bruno Sammartino
13. Dean Malenko
14. The Undertaker
15. Chris Jericho
16. Dusty Rhodes
17. Eddie Guerrero
18. Hawk
19. Animal
20. Chris Benoit
21. Owen Hart
22. Vader
23. Sting
24. Arn Anderson
25. Kurt Angle
26. Jake Roberts
27. Terry Funk
28. Curt Hennig
29. Scott Hall
30. Roddy Piper
31. Tully Blanchard
32. Brusier Brody
33. Rey Mysterio Jr
34. Ted DiBiase
35. Ultimo Dragon
36. Barry Windam
37. Psicosis
38. Jusin Lyger
39. Magnum T.A
40. Mick Foley
41. Triple H
42. DDP
43. Ron Simmons
44. Tito Santana
45. Bruno Sammartino
46. Mike Rotundo
47. William Regal
48. AJ Styles
49. Kane
50. Raven

 

[Veritas]

The polls will close in 12 hours at 12 PM EST. Anyone who hasn't sent in a list yet PLEASE DO SO ASAP. I'll have the results up in a few days.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

Well... here's my list, not the best but I think it's solid; critique as you all see fit:

1. Ric Flair
2. Shawn Michaels
3. Steve Austin
4. Bret Hart
5. Hulk Hogan
6. Ricky Steamboat
7. The Rock
8. Randy Savage
9. Andre The Giant
10. The Dynamite Kid
11. The Great Muta
12. Bruno Sammartino
13. Dean Malenko
14. The Undertaker
15. Chris Jericho
16. Dusty Rhodes
17. Eddie Guerrero
18. Hawk
19. Animal
20. Chris Benoit
21. Owen Hart
22. Vader
23. Sting
24. Arn Anderson
25. Kurt Angle
26. Jake Roberts
27. Terry Funk
28. Curt Hennig
29. Scott Hall
30. Roddy Piper
31. Tully Blanchard
32. Brusier Brody
33. Rey Mysterio Jr
34. Ted DiBiase
35. Ultimo Dragon
36. Barry Windam
37. Psicosis
38. Jusin Lyger
39. Magnum T.A
40. Mick Foley
41. Triple H
42. DDP
43. Ron Simmons
44. Tito Santana
45. Bruno Sammartino
46. Mike Rotundo
47. William Regal
48. AJ Styles
49. Kane
50. Raven

Good picks. Solid list.

 

[ThomC]

Finally got my list put together, hopefully not too late. Either way it's PMed and here it is...

1. Ric Flair
2. Hulk Hogan
3. Steve Austin
4. Harley Race
5. Shawn Michales
6. Nick Bockwinkel
7. Lou Thesz
8. Antonio Inoki
9. Bruno Sammartino
10. Andre The Giant
11. Verne Gagne
12. Dusty Rhodes
13. Mitsuhiru Misawa
14. Randy Savage
15. Ricky Steamboat
16. Undertaker
17. Bob Backlund
18. Stan Hansen
19. Kurt Angle
20. Curt Hennig
21. Vader
22. Triple H
23. Ted DiBiase
24. Mick Foley
25. Kenta Kobashi
26. Chris Jericho
27. Roddy Piper
28. Jerry Lawler
29. Terry Funk
30. Dory Funk
31. Arn Anderson
32. Great Muta
33. Jake Roberts
34. The Rock
35. Dynamite Kid
36. Chris Benoit
37. Eddie Guerrero
38. Owen Hart
39. Billy Graham
40. Pedro Morales
41. Buddy Rogers
42. Sgt. Slaughter
43. Kevin Nash
44. Davey Boy Smith
45. Barry Windham
46. Kane
47. Scott Hall
48. Jushin Liger
49. Dean Malenko
50. Tully Blanchard

Found it pretty difficult to rank them all from 1 to 50. I'm sure if I spent more time going over this it would end up being a different list than what is posted here.

 

[straight_edge76]

Good picks. Solid list.

Thanks Enzo, I was always a huge Malenko fan, and over Thanksgiving I came across a bunch of NWA and Crockett tapes at my uncles house and started watching them, I love the Attitude era and all, but I feel that 80s NWA was truely the golden age of wrestling. I was also able to find lots of Dynatime matches online, I had heard great things about him and he was just as good as I'd heard, I know know where the Dynamite/Benoit comparisons came from.

I also was able to find the 4 Horsemen DVD at a pawn shop for #3. Great DVD so far.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

Malenko is the reason I became a workrate snob in the first place and a reason how I discovered puro. Awesome, awesome worker, but was never given a fair shake in WCW after a solid 1997. I remember in Jericho's book that he claims when Malenko returned in 98 and he revealed himself under the Ciclope mask that it was the loudest pop he ever heard. This coming from a guy who has worked infront of 30,000 in Mexico, Japan, the states. Worked with Hogan, Austin and Rock. Malenko was awesome, even when he had that lady's man gimmick in WWF.

 

[straight_edge76]

Malenko is the reason I became a workrate snob in the first place and a reason how I discovered puro. Awesome, awesome worker, but was never given a fair shake in WCW after a solid 1997. I remember in Jericho's book that he claims when Malenko returned in 98 and he revealed himself under the Ciclope mask that it was the loudest pop he ever heard. This coming from a guy who has worked infront of 30,000 in Mexico, Japan, the states. Worked with Hogan, Austin and Rock. Malenko was awesome, even when he had that lady's man gimmick in WWF.

I couldn't agree more on Malenko. His run in 1997 was one of the best years I have ever seen any one worker have, right up there with 2001 Austin and 1996 HBK. Malenko I feel is one of the more underrated workers, people praise guys like Jericho, the Harts and Benoit as being technical masters but Malenko is just as good, if not better than them. I reallt enjoyed his ladies man gimmick as well, I thought it really could have made him a great long reigning IC champion (not sure if I could have seen him as WWF champ with guys like Austin, Rock, HHH and the like), it made for some of his more entertaining promos (some of the promos with Lita were awesome)

 

[Hometown Kid]

I've always ranked Malenko higher than his Radicalz buddies, (As evidenced by my list, ha ha) although fuck that James Bond pimp gimmick in WWE! It may have been entertaining and fun, but I wanted the Ice Man at that time, not a comedy character to be stuck in lower card lingo feuding with Scotty 2 Hotty over a forgotten belt. And then Lita and PMS of all people. What a shame he wasn't part of the Invasion storyline either.

If he had abused steroids and drugs and died like his friends would he have been revered to Benoit/Guerrero status by certain fans I wonder?

 

[straight_edge76]

If he had abused steroids and drugs and died like his friends would he have been revered to Benoit/Guerrero status by certain fans I wonder?

Sadly, that's what I think it would have taken. Many people, be it actors, wrestlers, musicians, artists whatever are never highly regarded until after they died. Among the IWF Benoit and Eddie were always highly praised, but it took a tragic death for the WWE to really celebrate the awesome workers they were. Which is pretty bad because like I've said before, Malenko>> Benoit and Guerrero IMO.

 

[Veritas]

This list is finished and I'll post the results starting tomorrow. Until then, for a little speculation.

- The Top 5 include a Hitman, an Immortal One, a Nature Boy, a Rattle Snake, and a Heartbreak Kid. Not necessarily in that order.
- No current World Champions are in the Top 50.

The Rest

51. Pedro Morales - 66
52. Ultimo Dragon - 65
53. Satoru Sayama/Tiger Mask I - 61 (T)
53. Edge - 61 (T)
55. Ultimate Warrior - 60
56. Jack Brisco - 59 (T)
56. "Classy" Freddie Blassie - 59 (T)
58. Barry Windham - 58 (T)
58. Tully Blanchard - 58 (T)
58. Kevin Nash - 58 (T)
61. Sgt. Slaughter - 57
62. Toshiaki Kawada - 48
63. Jumbo Tsuruta - 47
64. "Superstar" Billy Graham - 42
65. Kane - 41
66. Tatsumi Fujinami - 39
67. Rikidozan - 38
68. Gorilla Monsoon - 37
69. Pat Patterson - 36 (T)
69. "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff - 36 (T)
71. The Big Show - 34
72. Magnum TA - 33
73. Ron Simmons - 31
74. Sean Waltman - 30 (T)
74. Pat O'Conner - 30 (T)
76. Bill Goldberg - 29 (T)
76. Rob Van Dam - 29 (T)
76. CM Punk - 29 (T)
79. "Cowboy" Bob Orton - 28
80. Booker T - 27
81. Randy Orton - 25 (T)
81. Bobby "The Brain" Hennan - 25 (T)
83. Gene Kiniski - 24 (T)
83. Rock N Roll Express - 24 (T)
85. Jesse "The Body " Ventura - 23
86. Brian Pillman - 22 (T)
86. The Iron Sheik - 22 (T)
88. "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka - 18
89. "High Chief" Peter Miavia - 17 (T)
89. Yoshihiro Tajiri - 17 (T)
91. Mr. Wrestling II - 16 (T)
91. Low Ki - 16 (T)
91. George Hackenschimidt - 16 (T)
94. Michael Hayes - 15 (T)
94. The Dudley Boyz - 15 (T)
94. Bryan Danielson - 15 (T)
97. Davey Boy Smith - 14 (T)
97. Mr. Wrestling I - 14 (T)
97. JBL - 14 (T)
97. Psicosis - 14 (T)
101. Jeff Jarrett - 13 (T)
101. Killer Kowalski - 13 (T)
103. Dean Malenko - 12 (T)
103. Trish Stratus - 12 (T)
103. Jeff Hardy - 12 (T)
103. The Patriot - 12 (T)
107. "Phenomenal" AJ Styles - 11 (T)
107. Mistico - 11 (T)
109. "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton - 10 (T)
109. Chavo Guerrero - 10 (T)
111. Danny Hodge - 9 (T)
111. Diamond Dallas Page - 9 (T)
111. Sid Vicious - 9 (T)
114. The Assassin - 8 (T)
114. Honky Tonk Man - 8 (T)
114. Tito Santana - 8 (T)
117. "The Franchise" Shane Douglas - 7 (T)
117. Jun Akiyama - 7 (T)
117. William Regal - 7 (T)
120. "Ravishing" Rick Rude - 6 (T)
120. Tommy Dreamer - 6 (T)
122. Kevin Sullivan - 5 (T)
122. Taka Michinoku - 5 (T)
122. Christian - 5 (T)
122. Mike Rotundo - 5 (T)
126. Chris Candido - 4 (T)
126. The Miz - 4 (T)
128. Fit Finlay - 2 (T)
128. Jose Lothario - 2 (T)
130. Nigel McGuinness - 1 (T)
130. Brock Lesnar - 1 (T)
130. Raven - 1 (T)

 

[Axis]

Fuck yeah, Sid getting at least a little love.

 

[Hometown Kid]

It takes a lot of guts to put The Miz on a top 50 wrestler list.