Who are the real best champions?

[Kiffy Lube]

Now on paper... you'd say Ric Flair, John Cena, Randy Orton and Triple H. Based on drawin' power clearly Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin and The Rock...

But that's not what I'm gettin' at. Cena/Orton/Trips dominated a certain time period, even Hogan overlaps into that realm. Austin and Rock were arguably more popular without the championships.

This is wrestlin' though... It sure as hell ain't dumbass champs like Jinder Mahal. When you see these folks I've mentioned with the championship it feels more like a prop than somethin' they won based on in ring ability. Not sayin' they don't have in ring ability but if they are the Today Show the regular viewers will still know who they are. They don't need the championship to headline a PPV. I am more lookin' at folks like Daniel Bryan and Bret Hart... they elicit a complete different emotion when holdin' the ultimate prize. They look like they've earned it regardless if it brings in more fans. They seem like that it is really there end all, be all. You can see Triple H screamin' his head off that THIS IS ALL HE EVER WORKED FOR but he's kind of the same even in a feud that doesn't have any gold on the line and knows bein' away from the title won't hurt him.

What is a real world "wrestlin'" champion? Is it someone that just looks good at the top or someone that is a great wrestler who can't draw a dime but you know they worked harder based off a lack of charisma and still made it?

Does this include Seth Rollins? Does this include Kofi Kingston? Who is the actual best champion of all-time? I don't fuckin' know, I'm sure everyone has a different perspective.

 

[Cwalker]

The “best” Champions are the guys that drew the most money imo. Hogan, Bruno, Cena, Austin, etc.

You’re not a good Champion if you’re going out there having 5 star matches but nobody is watching

 

[Chris]

Yeah the best are def the guys you named early on but the first dude I thought about reading the rest of your post about winning the title was def Eddie

 

[Chris]

The “best” Champions are the guys that drew the most money imo. Hogan, Bruno, Cena, Austin, etc.

You’re not a good Champion if you’re going out there having 5 star matches but nobody is watching

This is an opinion i can't really disagree with but personally I don't rate drawing as high compared to my own level of enjoyment. I acknowledge it's more important but if I were ranking champs I'd just rank the guys who's reigns I enjoyed the most...granted all these guys would still be up there for that too bc there's a reason they drew money, they were entertaining

 

[Deezy]

Best champions are the ones who are making the most money and drawing the most eyeballs....they're the ones putting food on people's tables and the ones who were being thanked by their contemporaries for drawing the house.

 

[Hoss]

I agree with everyone that drawing is the most fundamentally important thing. So if we're talking BEST, it has to go to those guys. My favorite champs would be a different conversation...

 

[Cwalker]

I agree with everyone that drawing is the most fundamentally important thing. So if we're talking BEST, it has to go to those guys. My favorite champs would be a different conversation...

And this is where I think people get confused. People want to link “best” and “favorite” when they’re two different things.

If CM Punk’s run from 2011 to 2013 is your favorite then so be it. But that wasn’t a good a championship run

 

[Kiffy Lube]

Yeah, I am a huge Triple H mark and fuckin' loved the reign of terror but to say that's the best championship run/era I would sadly be mistaken.

 

[Deezy]

Every Bret Hart mark wouldn't be able to even speak on this.....HBK too.

 

[Chris]

And this is where I think people get confused. People want to link “best” and “favorite” when they’re two different things.

If CM Punk’s run from 2011 to 2013 is your favorite then so be it. But that wasn’t a good a championship run

This is true for like literally everything too. Like I love Marvel movies and they're some of my favorite of all time, but I wouldn't ever say they're better than The Godfather even if I personally like some of them more.

 

[Deezy]

This is true for like literally everything too. Like I love Marvel movies and they're some of my favorite of all time, but I wouldn't ever say they're better than The Godfather even if I personally like some of them more.

This is why you can't make a comprehensive list on something as subjective as art.....and rasslin is an art form.

Sports are objective.....you can easily use stats to show who was objectively the best in their sport.

You can't do that with art.

You can't go and say a Rembrandt was better than a Picasso based on how many paintings one sold over the other guy.