Professional wrestling in the 1990s have always been famous for their storylines, and feuds, and (most of all) star power. This is an absent aspect in today’s wrestling and it’s one of things that make all wrestling fans feel right at home whenever they go back to this decade. Many of the most popular wrestlers (that are over the age of 50) had the best time of their lives from 1990 – 1999. As the wrestling industry got very fierce with competition, every promotion pushed their roster to go even futher (for ratings purposes). WCW, WWF, ECW, NJPW, AJPW, AJW, and FMW really made the most out of their wrestlers during this time. That means being charasmatic with promos had to be honed, making memorable moments to remain relevant, and in-ring psychology to keep people tuned and talk about for years to come. There are hundreds of favorite wrestlers in this decade, but I’m only including twenty different wrestlers based on one thing; greatness. By professional wrestling standards, greatness isn’t based on how good your gymnastics are (cough… cough… indie smartmarks), it’s based on the memorable moments that gets everyone talking about for many years to come. To get your audience continously bring up those moments, you need to have a great number of people knowing of those moments in time – whether if it’s winning the promotion’s most prestigious championship, making match of the night, creating feuds to get fans interesting, or have a segment that get people realize that there’s more to wrestling than workrates. What we’re judging here is the ammount of accomplishments during a wrestlers time in January 1st, 1990 to December 31st, 1999. Charisma, in-ring psychology, appearance, becoming a big selling draw, and accomplishments is what creates a true star, but we’re looking at those dates at what made wrestling as a whole truly special.
Number 20. – Chyna
(Reign on Top 1999)
You have to remember that there was a time were WWE treated their female talents like either midcarder who just filled up the card (1993 – 1995) to just sex objects (1997 – 1999). Luckily, WWF treated Chyna much, much differently. Joanie Laurer came in a bodyguard for Triple H after he couldn’t get over with other managers like Mr. Hughes, Mr. Perfect, Sable, Rick Rude, Vince, and Stephanie McMahon. None of them has ever put Triple H over as Chyna did. Laurer really broke gender stereotypes that women weren’t able to wrestle with male performers. Boy, how Chyna managed to make every testicle’s worst nightmare. Chyna earned the “9th Wonder of the World” nickname because she was this monsterous woman that no female performer since and after ever had a similiar presence. She looked like Xena: Warrior Princess and had the physique of an amazon. Just watching her on television got us to see that there is a diversity of women that wasn’t your typical model that straight males gazes for. As she broke away from D-Generation-X, that was when Chyna was no longer a valet, but instead a fulltime performer. Her time as an official wrestler in 1999 was when she started making accomplishments like we’ve never see before. She was the first woman to win the Royal Rumble, she was the first female to ever be number 1 contender for the WWF Championship (until Triple H & Mankind took that away from her) and he was the first ever female to be Intercontinental Champion. When she beat Jeff Jarret for the IC title and threw him off of the company at No Mercy 1999, that’s when Chyna became my favorite female wrestler of all time. The WWF did so much with Chyna with the little amount of time she spent with the company. Her feud with Chris Jericho save his career and she was able to keep up with the soon-to-be greatest wrestler of all time. It was always a sight to see whenever Chyna lifts male wrestlers over her head and keep up with the boys like any top star. Though she accomplished more in 2000, what she was able to do from 1996 – 1999 is more of an accomplishment than any female wrestler even today stuggles to do. I’ve never seen a female as dominant as Chyna was and there have been others that tried to follow what she tried to do; i.e. Asya, Beth Phoenix, and the rest. None of them ever ever convincing enough that they could beat their male contemporaries like jobbers the way she could. I wish there was another Chyna and it sucks that Chyna could have been WWF champion and do much more than just be Intercontinental Champion. And it’s very sad how Hunter and the McMahons threw Joanie out of the company and never give her a second chance, even when she passed away in 2016. No matter how much WWE tries to wash Chyna’s accomplishments out of the history books, we alread know Chyna is “the man” and did what no other woman could do.
Number 19. – Diamond Dallas Page
(Reign on Top – 1997 – 1999)
It’s total bullshit that people believe the statement that (with the exception of Goldber) WCW doesn’t create stars. Diamond Dallas Page is one of the finest examples of WCW making a true star. Sure he did came in the business too late (in like mid-30s) but DDP proved that being young doesn’t matter in being an all-time great. Back when DDP was a midcarder, he constantly attempted to make many of match of the night within every WCW show. Every WCW fan always wants to see the Diamond Cutter and whenever that hits, you hear the largest crowd pop of the night. Page was one of the few faces that stood out during the time when WCW oversaturated the New World Order faction. Though NWO became stale towards the late 90s, DDP fortunately remain relevant. His feud with Macho Man Randy Savage in 1997 is argued as being the best feud in World Championship Wrestling. Though he wasn’t WCW World Heavyweight Champion just yet, he was already a main eventer. Savage certainly made DDP a star and Page ran with his soring popularity like no one’s business. For someone that reached his 40s, he wrestled like he was 20 year-old wrestler. At the time, he all knew he was the right guy to beat Goldberg’s undefeated streak. He came so close to beating him in Halloween Havoc 1998. You need to remember that that match against Goldberg for the WCW World championship was aired the night after for free (thanks to the technical difficulties that cut off Halloween Havoc ’98) and it drew an 8.5 million viewer television rating. If that doesn’t tell you that DDP was a star, nothing will. Even though DDP only won his first World title in 1999, Spring Stampede 1999 was the best night of that year. It’s such a shame that that in the 2000s, both WCW & WWF has devaluted DDP and his career never recovered from those awful storylines. There no argument that DDP in the late-90s that he was WCW’s best main eventer. Go ahead and watch his time from 1997 – 1999 and you’ll see how much of a big star he was and how WCW properly handed him as the next face of the company.
Number 18. – Goldberg
(Reign on Top – 1997 – 1998)
There’s no question in my mind that Goldberg is WCW’s greatest sucess (outside of the NWO of course). Bill Goldberg should be honored that he got the push that others would die for because that undefeated streak from 1997 – 1998 is what got everyone to tune in. This was the only undefeated streak in wrestling that ever went to a major promotion’s World title. The man didn’t talk much but his stiffness is what got everyone tuning in. If you wanted moves that looked like it definitely hurt, Goldber was the right guy. The fact that the entire WCW roster (even Hogan himself) laid for this guy made the hype so real. There are a lot of haters of his that really want to discredit any success that Goldberg made. But when you have a rookie that drew millions for the company and even have the whole crowd chant his name (even today), you know Goldberg was a big deal. He was so good a doing just one thing that it made the entire WCW roster look like chumps in comparison. Go ahead an complain about his matches being short. Well, fireworks last no more than 10 seconds and it still gets people’s attention when one goes off. I’ rather have shorter matches than longer boring ones. And it worked. He drew so much money during his undefeated streak and television rating were soaring high for Monday Nitro. Look at how many viewer Goldberg made beating Hogan for the World championship, or the Halloween Havoc replay against Diamond Dallas Page. Wrestling today wishes they could draw that much viewership now. The only real reason why Goldberg isn’t any higher on the list because after his first defeat at Starrcade 1998, WCW didn’t know what to do with Goldberg. He just main evented and that was it. Bug because Goldberg was a big draw and his matches were so hard-hitting is why he not only made an impact, he’s still relevant even today.
Number 17. – Big Van Vader
(Reign on Top – 1990 – 1994)
If there’s one WCW monster that was more dominant and more of a success story than Goldberg himself, it has to be Big Van Vader! Vader has to be one of the most unfortunate wrestlers that got seriously mistreated in the mid to late-90s. His time in the early 1990s, Vader absolute pulverized the WCW roster. The only wrestlers that beat him (Sting, Ron Simmons, & Ric Flair) were the only ones that deserved to beat him. Everyone else had the toughest time facing the Mastodon because he was stiff as fuck! He’s arguably stiffer than Goldberg himself. And unlike Goldberg, whenever Vader loses, he gets right back up and exacts his vengeance. Don’t ever forget that Mick Foley lost his ear to this freak of nature. And because he was so dangerous is why top stars that played it safer (like Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels) not only nuffed him but buried his momentum. It’s such a damn shame that WCW gave Hulk Hogan exactly what he wanted and allowed Vader to get pushed down from the card. Switching over to WWF in 1996 was perhaps the worst decision because Vince McMahon listened to Shawn Michaels and as a result damaged his credibility even more. If we just ignore his sad downfall in the mid to late-1990s, and focus on his reign from 1990 – 1994, he was better than Goldberg. I mean not only was he stiff as hell, but he could also do a fucking moonsault in that bodyshape of his. That is like Holy Shit moment each time he pulled it off. And not only that, he had match of the night in multiple WCW shows (especially Halloween Havoc ’93) and had match of the year in 1993 in his strap match with Sting. Without a doubt Vader is a monster’s monster and we should honor his memory as the top 3 WCW World Heavyweight Champions of all time!
Number 16. – Randy Savage
(Reign on Top – 1990 – 1992, 1995 – 1999)
Vince McMahon was absolutely wrong in putting Savage in the commentary desk because he was in his mid-40s. Savage was able to still go and he was able to prove that when he went to WCW, along with his Slim Jims. And even he was still in WWF, Savage was still making an impact. He started the 1990s decade as the heel Macho King. By Wrestlemania VII after his match of the Ultimate Warrior and reuniting with Miss Elizabeth, Savage was able to get the crowd cheering for him. Even though everyone still remembers Savage’s time in the late-80s, I feel so many discredits his success in the 1990s decade. His time in WCW was a very memorable run. He won the first ever World War 3 match (a triple Royal Rumble), won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship four times, and had feud of the year with Diamond Dallas Page. Randy Savage really was the man’s man. Even when he joined the NWO, he was able to stand out from the faction. Everybody still put Savage in high regard in a time when WCW’s roster was absolutely stakced! And let’s not forget his little faction of he and his valets called Team Madness. He was able to make his girlfriend at the time, Gorgeous George (not the male, the female), Madusa, and Miss Madness (aka Molly Holly) share the same spotlight. The fact that he beat Ric Flair, Sting, and Kevin Nash (three of WCW’s finest) for the WCW title is truly remarkable. Macho Man Randy Savage had the longevity to wrestle as long as he did. Go back and what Randy Savage in the 1990s and you’ll see how underappeciated Savage was as a WCW star.
Number 15. – Hulk/Hollywood Hogan
(Reign on Top – 1990 – 1993, 1996 – 1998)
Even though Hogan is most remembered for his time in the 1980s, he still managed to create a give impact in the 1990s decade. His start with making Hulkamania running wild in the early-90s, had a lot of miss fires in the mid-90s, but started an NWO boom in the mid-late 1990s. To disregard Hulk Hogan’s contribution to wrestling in the 90s is just absurd. The most popular wrestler of all time has managed to change the face of wrestling twice which is something that no other wrestler has ever been able to do. Who in their right mind can say they changed the landscape of wrestling in the 1980s (after slamming Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III) and also shocked the world by forming the NWO at Bash At The Beach 1996? Austin tried to do a heel turn at Wrestlemania X7 and it fell flat on its face. Hogan’s heel turn in 1996 was the best decision ever. Everyone was getting tired of Hogan doing the exact same thing in the early to mid-90s just like he did in the 1980s. This was not only refereshing but it gave us a legitimate reason to hate on Hoga. Hollywood Hogan was the greatest villain in all of wrestling. Who’s only purpose was to destroy WCW by beating their roster and stealing their belts made him the best villain in history. Forget the fact that every midcarder (except for Goldberg & DDP) couldn’t get over with Hogan around, he did drew millions of people to watch his shows. Most importantly he drew the biggest pay per view in the 1990s with Starrcade 1997. Yes, I acknowledge that his wrestling skills deteriorated as time went on. Yes, I acknowledge that he buried so many rising stars. Yes, I acknowledge that his run with the NWO overstayed his welcome. Yes, I acknowledge that there were other stars that deserved to be in the main event spot. Yes, I acknowledge that nearly every finish he made in WCW shows were all screwy. But you cannot ignore the fact that mass audience actually cared about his every move. But you cannot ignore the fact that his run with NWO made wrestling itself popular again after fans lost interest during the early and mid 1990s. His heel run has been argued as being better than his babyface run in the 1990s and because Hulk continued to be a bigger villain, we all stayed tuned to continously see his ass get kicked.
Number 14. – Megumi Kudo
(Reign on Top – 1992 – 1997)
Quick! Tell me who is the Queen of Hardcore? If you answer anybody else beside Megumi Kudo, try again! In the mean time, let me discuss about the most underapprecated femal wrestler of all time. Megumi Kudo is Mick Foley’s female counterpart. A wrestler that has fantastic workrates, a stong presence and is willing to litterally go through fire, barbwire, and multiple deathmatches. Megumi Kudo is nothing more than an innovator of women in wrestling by putting herself into the most dangerous hardcore stipulations. Even in the 1990s and today, everyone thinks that female talents have no business being in a deathmatch or a hardcore promotion like FMW. Megumi Kudo, however, showed the audience pretty faces like her are willing to be as violent and as extreme as the boys. Known as ‘the Evil Princess’, Megumi ‘Kudome’ Kudo was the unrelenting, fearless and borderline-sadistic hardcore wrestler that wasn’t afraid of putting her body through incredible pain and suffering. She wrestled primarily for Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) and became known for her penchant for wrestling in deathmatches. In doing so, she set a new standard for women’s wrestling, proving that not even the ultra-vicious sphere of hardcore deathmatches could be limited solely to men. Kudo’s reputation for hardcore matches made her a major draw in FMW, and many women in that promotion and elsewhere became genuinely afraid of her due to the crazy things she did in the ring. Still to this day, her match Exploding Barbwire Match against Aja Kong at FMW 7th Anniversary Show is without a doubt the promotion’s greatest match of all time. And that’s saying a lot since FMW had such talents as Hayabusa that became a draw. Her finisher, theKudo Driver (a.k.a. the Vertebreaker, made popular by The Hurricane and Homicide), was just as terrifying as the weapons in her matches. Her retirement match at FMW 8th Anniversary Show was the hardest match to watch because it was her most brutal and emotion match in her career. I don’t see any women in wrestling that’s willing to go as far as she did and the end result made FMW’s women’s division an attraction that no other wrestling promotion could ever provide. No doubt the second greatest Joshi wrestler that ever wrestled.
Number 13. – Mick Foley
(Reign on Top – 1992 – 1999)
I’m so much of a Foley fan that I just went crazy for all of his characters. The sad thing is that Mick really put his body on the line every single night and as a result his career shorten. Though Mick is remembered for his role in the WWF, you can’t ignore the rest of his accomplishments in WCW and ECW. His time in WCW is very unappreciative considering he brought the company a different style. Foley didn’t have the look of a star, didn’t have the body shape, and he looked like an everyday Joe you can find in the trailer park. And that was part of Mick’s appeal; he stood out from his peers. What Mick lacked in he made up for in mic skills, storytelling, and in-ring psychology. I was surprise how actually good his matches in 1992 – 1994 were as he wrestled WCW’s roster. He was the only one that was untraditional. And we all know how he made a name for himself when he wrestled in WWF. Wether if you like Mankind, Dude Love, or Cactus Jack, Mick Foley brought hardcore wrestling style to the New Generation Era that slowly evolved into Attitude. He became a huge attraction of the WWF as a human crash test dummy. He got over by putting others over, while taking the hardest bumps and faced the most violent matches. Without him, this Crash TV image that the Attitude Era needed wouldn’t’ get so many audiences to tune in. Part of what made Attitude work is that it showed that anyone can be a star and Mankind accomplished that dream. Despite how legendary Cactus Jack and Dude Love were as characters, the Mankind persona was the most effective. We all feel sorry for Mankind who had a heart of gold to damage his body but we love him for doing it for our own entertainment. Who can ever forget all the times he knocked people out with Mr. Socko, being the first ever Hardcore Champion, tossed off the Hell in a Cell with Undertaker twice, Rock This is Your Life (highest rated episode of Raw), and taking more high risk moves and crash landed harder than any one else in the ring? He was the happy-go getter of a roster filled with badasses. The night that Mankind won the WWF Championship was when WWF started beating WCW in the ratings! Without that historic episode of Raw is War, who knows how would WWF beat WCW in the Monday Night Wars. And yet, he didn’t even stop the gaining ratings when he did the Rock This Is Your Life segment that still stands as the highest rated episode of Raw history! Mankind is one of the most important figures of the 1990s as a whole. From his run in WCW, to hardcore matches in ECW, to extreme matches from FMW, to making history with the WWF, Foley won our hearts. We sympathized, we laughed, and we were in awe with almost everything Mick Foley succeeded and it’s a darn shame people forget about that.
Number 12. – Hayabusa
(Reign on Top – 1995 – 1999)
What sucked about wrestling in the 1990s was that there was a plethora of high-flying wrestlers but none of them could ever get over. Yes, in Japan many of them had shows dedicated to them (Super J-Cup) but so many of them got lost in the midcard and struggled to rise higher in the wrestling hierarchy. Thankfully there was one wrestlers with that skillset that was able to draw a hug audience. Hayabusa is one of the greatest high flyers of his time and Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling did the right thing in making him the face of the company. He gained a lot of attention in Super J-Cup 1994 when wrestling Jushin Thunder Lider and since then he soared in popularity. Just when FMW was going to just star Atsushi Onita in their promotion, Hayabusa was the right guy to pass the torch to. The man was like a combination of Sabu, Rey Mysterio, and Mick Foley into one. The fact that the man litterally carried FMW and provided some of the most dangerous matches imaginable should have my fullest respect. If those scars on his body don’t tell you all the hell he’s been through then rewatching his matches will. We’re talking about barbwire matches, barbwire cage matches, death matches, explosions, and so many more. Of course Hayabusa doesn’t get the credit of his in ring skills. Despite his impecable flying skills, Hayabusa did a fantastic job at grappling his opponents. You can take a look at his match with Masato Tanaka in 1999 and see he doesn’t alway rely on weapons or gymnastics. Hayabusa was like a violent superhero that could tell a very good story both in-ring psychology and on the mic. I still won’t forget his rivalry with Mr. Gannosuke at FMW 8th Anniversary. When Hayabusa beat Gannosuke in the Hair vs Mask match, begged Gannosuke to start over instead of cutting his hair, and then get swerved by Gannosuke and lost his mask, it was as heated moment. That rivalry between Hayabusa and Mr. Gannosuke was a very heated blood feud from that segment. Though FMW became less quality promotion in the late-90s, Hayabusa was the only thing to care about the show. It’s so tragic that he had an accident in 2001 that not only ended his career but also put FMW out of business. I agree with everyone that Hayabusa is the heart and soul of FMW. His match with Masato Tanaka vs. Terry Funk & Mr Pogo at FMW 7th Anniversary Show is one of the most violent and suspensful masterpiece of a match. Everytime I watch that match, I wonder how body died in that match. My respect for Hayabusa is based on his skills in the ring, the emotional stories he told, how he led an entire promotion when Masked wrestlers were appreciated, and how he managed to survive all the dangerous stipulations that very view wrestlers would dare do.
Number 11. – Sabu
(Reign on Top – 1993 – 1999)
A Middle Eastern wrestler that managed to create an attraction for the promotion instead being booked as your stereotypical foreign heel (that’s only purpose is to lose to jingoistic booking) is one of the most inclusive aspects that ECW has done. Even through the ultra violence and misogyny doesn’t sit well with many wrestling fans today, but I can easily say that ECW gave non-White wrestlers a fair chance. Sabu is one of those non-white wrestlers that made it bigger than he had ever right to be. When we’re talking about an ECW alumni that debut in 1993 and made moment after moment with the company. Though far from being the most disciplined wrestlers, Sabu is definetly one of wrestlings biggest daredevils. It’s sad that everyone remembers the guy for making botched moves, but no wrestler can ever perfectly time their gravitational pull when they dive in the air nor will they be certain if the landing will hit perfectly. For someone like Sabu to do that perfectly on a nightly basis, you have youself one of the best risk takers that the industry has ever seen. The fact that guy cares little of his physical well-being is why Sabu should be honored as one of the best of ECW’s alumni. With every one of his matches, Sabu took chances time and time again. The fact that he took said chances speak volumes of his capability in the ring and outside of it too. In fact, Saub is the very reason why the term Extreme is synonymous with ECW. I cannot imagine ECW being the company that it is without Sabu. Back in 1993 – 2000, Sabu managed to be more fearsome than even his uncle The Shiek. Sabu just knew how to give the audience what they want and almost all of his matches, he over-performed. Along with Taz, Sabu is a ECW’s few triple crown winner accomplishing the ECW World Tag Team Championship (twice), ECW Television Championship, and the ECW WOrld Tag Team Champion (three times). Not to mention he is one of the two wrestlers that won Taz’s Fuck The World Championship which is telling how much of an accomplished wrestler he truly is in just a singular promotion. For a wrestle that spoke very little in his time in ECW, he could sway the audience into loving him or hating him without ever spilling a sentence. Plus many of ECW’s greatest matches involved Sabu and because he was the biggest contributing factor for the promotion. This is all why he deserved to be the best of the ECW alumni. There is simply no way you can have a hardcore promotion without a risk taker like Sabu.
Number 10. – Mitsuharu Misawa
(Reign on Top – 1990 – 1999)
The moment Mitsuharu Misawa stopped being the beginning of 1990, Misawa was able to stand out as his own wrestler. Not that many wrestlers are able to progress their wrestling career without their iconic mask, but Misawa had a lot of drastic changes during the 1990s. He was no longer the agile high-flyer we all remember him for, instead Misawa became one of the strongest grapplers of is time. Because he was able to reinvent himself, Misawa went on to be the most acclaimed wrestler in All-Japan Pro Wrestling. Mitsuharu had a lot of tough competition to remain as the face of AJPW. He had to face really good wrestlers like Stan Hanson, Dr. Death Steve Williams, Jumbo Tsuruta, and so many one. But we all know his biggest rival is Kenta Kobashi and together they’ve wrestled numerous matches together throughout the 1990s. What’s great about their rivalry is that both Misawa and Kobashi’s matches together consecutively got better and better. That’s the reason why Japanese wrestling fans continue to watch Kobashi vs. Misawa because they feel right at home seeing them together. The fact that this man was so impressive that he made a smartmark like Dave Meltzer give him a 6-star rating with his match agaisnt Toshiaki Kawada show the level of skill Misawa has. The man is a Triple Crown winner and been a mainstay for All-Japan until the company went into a completely new direction in 1999 (after Giant Baba’s death) is astonishing. For the longest time, Misawa was the best wrestler that New Japan Pro Wrestling couldn’t get their hands on due to his loyalty to All Japan Pro Wrestling. Misawa matches are known for being incredibly stiff beyond belief. What made his matches so good was that he wrestled in a way that suggested any move he used had the potential to end a match. From his signature elbow strikes and Rolling Elbow smash to his Tiger Driver ‘91 and Tiger Suplex, to his patented Emerald Flowsion, Misawa knew how to not only make himself look like a star but also knew how to make his opponents look like stars. The man lived and breathe pro-wrestling so much that he would die for it. He was a phenomenal wrestler whose abilities in the ring could rarely be matched by anyone. He was so good at telling a fantastic story in the ring that sometimes you forgot he had an opponent. Mitsuharu Misawa truly lived to be ‘The Standard Bearer For Future Generations’ because now that we’re seeing so many strong-styles in wrestling (especially Japanese), there’s no doubt that it all came from Misawa.
Number 9. – Manami Toyota
(Reign on Top – 1990 – 1995)
It’s such as shame, really because it’s only lately women wrestling has received the respect that they long deserved. As great as Becky Lynch, Charlette Flair, and Tessa Blanchard are they still have a lot of proving their sustainability as headliners. Manami Toyota, on the other hand, has already achieved what other women have or have yet to accomplish. She’s the best woman in wrestling for good reason! She’s a woman who isn’t afraid of anything; not even high risk moves, most painful submissions, and receiving the worst bump could even intimidate this individual. Manami just has that relentless spirit of keep going and keep coming back like a widow out for revenge. She’s just capable of doing some of the most ridiculous stunts and gives you an impression. Manami Toyota has one hell of a reputation in Japan; she’s been the main event in Dreamslam I & II, had 10 five-star matches, and multiple championships from so many Japanese wrestling promotions. No other woman wrestler has accomplished what Manami has done in the wrestling world. Sure she only won the AJW singles World Title and she’s been booked as a tag team expert, but how many female wrestlers do you know where her loss really effected you in an emotional level? Never has there been such intensity and excitement from a singular wrestler. Regardless of size, gender, or race, she will still take you down and does it all with raw emotion. You can just feel what she’s going through and we route for her like she’s the female Rocky Balboa. She made this grappling sport look like art and that’s all I want from all my wrestlers, if not 100% the effort. I’m not just putting Manami Toyota on the top of the list because of her accomplishment (which is the most important part) but I can even put my money where my mouth is that she can actually take on all of these women if she ever had the chance. It’s really a shame that All Japan Women’s Pro Wrestling (AJW) is no longer in business and who knows how much they would put their talents such as her’s to its full potential. Still to this day, no other female wrestler (let alone most male wrestlers) could ever match her skill level during her decades worth peak.
Number 8. – The Rock
(Reign on Top – 1996 – 1999)
If this was 2000 – 2002, The Rock would have been much higher on the list. However, since we’re looking at his career from 1996 – 1999, The Rock had a long ladder to climb. And climb he very well did. Everyone knows who this guy is but do they really know how The Rock became the star that he is now? He debuted in Survivor Series 1996 as Rocky Maivia as a third generation wrestler and he wasn’t as liked. Dwayne Johnson’s persona as Rocky Maivia was a white meat baby-face as they come. This was the 100% morale wrestler that everyone is sick and tired of. It backfired so badly that audiences shouted “Die, Rocky Die” on a nightly basis. No doubt 1996 – 1997 was a very rough start for Dwayne. It wasn’t until he was given more freedom to fired back and joined the Nation of Domination (a faction who preeches about the racial injustices in wrestling). His time in the Nation actually saved his career because he became the biggest bad guy for the WWF. Everyone catched on to The Rock’s charisma and wrestling abilities that his popularity skyrocketed faster than anyone. No doubt the repackaging of The Rock is the best character makeover of all time. From 1997 – 1999 WWF was well behind The Rock. He was the perfect opponent for Stone Cold Steve Austin. I love going back to these days before The Rock became the Mega Star that he is. All the wrestlers he worked with (Mick Foley, Triple H, Ken Shamrock, Owen Hart, The Nation, and the rest) how he was able to combine Muhammad Ali’s smack talk, Elvis Presley’s look, and Shawn Michael’s flashy moves into one great mix is what gave him that universal appeal. Whenever he’s on the mic, it has the audience in the palm of his hands. All of those catchphrases are so ingrained in popular culture that it even rivals Looney Tune’s iconic status. There are so many days that I wish he still wrestled because he was able to make wrestling more important than it already was. The matches he had were so damn good that it’s worth rewatching. I don’t think The Rock gets enough credit for being a very versatile competitor. Not only was he able to do sport entertainment style wrestling, but also did a good number of hardcore wrestling, tag team wrestling, big match stipulations, and even constantly win every argument in promo battles. The fact that The Rock started as a product of the New Generation’s generic characters into being the leading force of the Attitude Era is absolutely astonishing; making lemons into lemonade.
Number 7. – Shawn Michaels
(Reign on Top – 1990 – 1998)
I’m extremely conflicted about Shawn Michaels in the 1990s. You cannot dismiss that the Heartbreak Kid was absolutely talented in the ring, on the mic, and on camera. On the other hand, Michaels was the biggest dick wrestling. I can only imagine how traumatic it must have been in the same locker room with the Kliq. Nash, Hall, Hunter, Waltman, and Michaels was nothing more than your typical high school bullys but has the principal’s ear to get away with it every time. When Nash and Hall went to WCW, Shawn must have been insufferable backstage whenever he doesn’t get his way. Remember the bullshit “Lost My Smile” segment because he didn’t want to drop the belt to Bret? Remember when he buried Big Van Vader in Summerslam ’96? Remember he European stole the belt off of Davey Boy Smith in his homecountry at WWF One Night Only? And let’s not forget the Montreal Screwjob! Sadly, this is what makes Shawn Michaels so hard to go back to because we all know that his return after retirement in 2002 – 2010 is the better run for HBK. Despite all of the infamous incidents Michaels has made in the mid to late-90s, it’s what makes him such an interesting star in deed. The Heartbreak Kid was an extremely cool villain when betrayed Marty Jannetty to break off on his own. Shawn had a lot of changes throughout the 90s from pairing when Sensational Sherri, to teaming with Diesel as The Two Dudes With Attitude, to his first WWF Championship run as the Boyhood Dream (honestly the worst version of Shawn Michaels), to going completely out with D-Generation-X, to his supposed last match at Wrestlemania XIV. 1996 Shawn Michaels was the absolute worst because we he downgraded from this realy edgy villian to this white-meat babyface that we all knew was complete bullshit. It’s no wonder why Madison Square Garden in Survivor Series ’96 boo’d the living hell out of him. The moment he ditched the gimmick and took off his fake persona with his faction, D-Generation-X, this was twice the impulsive version of the HBK from 1992-1995. Though DX is the most overrated faction of all time, it was actually entertaining to go back to 1997 (the only good year of the faction) and become the biggest heel in the WWF. Like, Fuck Shawn was so good at portraying himself as this giant cock that you either love or hated. Even a conflicted fan such as I can admit that Shawn provided the most stylistic matches ever booked in the WWF. He was the perfect guy to not suspect that he was on steroids because was the right size after the McMahon steroid scandal. Because he was so slim and not very bulky, Michaels was able to move like no one’s business. Though he was never a draw, he made the most of keeping WWF fans interested when WCW was dominating in the ratings. I will always say that Shawn Michaels was better in the 2000s decade, I can’t disregard his time in 1990s as being memorable, for better or for worse.
Number 6. – Kenta Kobashi
(Reign on Top – 1992 – 1999)
You will not have any arguments out of me whenever someone claims that Kenta Kobashi is the greatest Japanese wrestler who ever lived. Forget Atonio Inoki and Giant Baba, or Kazuchika Okada for a second and think about a wrestler that surpassed and withstood Mitsuharu Misawa at his prime. All Japan Pro Wrestling had the toughest roster of wrestlers imaginable and for the fact that Kobashi earned being the promotion’s headline and at least beat everyone there shows how special he truly is. He has a longer list than of great matches than Ric Flair, more longevity than Genichiro Tenryu, and ultimately peaked higher than any of his temporaries. You have to remember that this was a league where stiffness was prevalent on a nightly basis and since he was like wrestling with other pro wrestling gods at the point is truly incredible! And let’s not forget that Kobashi had the best wrestling maneuvers – Brainbuster, Orange Crush, Diamond Head, Burning Lariat, and the one move nobody has ever broken out of – The Burning Hammer! With a moveset like his, Kenta Kobashi was able to go very hard in his wrestling career winning every championship in All Japan Pro Wrestling and even became headliner in NOAH with Mitsuharu Misawa. I argue that his time free from All Japan Pro Wrestling got him to wrestle in all sorts of territories. When he wrestled for the first time in America against Samoa Joe in Ring of Honor, Kobashi made indie wrestling’s biggest badass look like a bitch after he beat him. And if you thought Ric Flairs “supposed” final match at Wrestlemania 24 was emotional, Kobashi’s Final Entrance & Ring Introduction At Final Burning tore the roof down. This, more than anything else, is Kobashi’s legacy: being an outstanding and incredibly decorated wrestler who stood head and shoulders above the rest in terms of quality performances throughout his career, which included both the highly-competitive 1990s decade and early 2000s periods that many people consider the best era ever for pro wrestling. Above all else, Kenta Kobashi is that rare performer that has everything (except for being a great heel) that you can imagine. Give me a Kenta Kobashi match over Kenny Omega or Kazuchika Okada any day of the year.
Number 5. – Ric Flair
(Reign on Top – 1990 – 1994, 1998 – 1999)
The fact that Ric Flair was able to still be relavant in the 1990s just was he was in the 1980s speaks volumes at how great of a wrestler he was. Even when the quality of WCW down plummeted under Jim Heard’s leadership in the early-90s, Flair still managed to keep himself relevant. Even being masked to be the Scorpio at Starrcade 1990, as The Black Scorpion, Flair was able to still be a main eventer worthy for WCW World title shots. Just when he was going to be re-branded as the “Gladiator” he switched over to the WWF and still remained on top. If you want proof of Flair’s relevancy in this time period, look at The Great American Bash 1991 when he was absent. The whole crowd kept screaming “We Want Flair” throughout the night. If you want proof that Ric Flair has to be the best wrestler of all time, he was the winner of the 1992 Royal Rumble match (best Royal Rumble in history), drawing at number 4 against WWF’s most recognized stars. Ric Flair remains was the first ever wrestler that was able to be the most prestigious champion in three major global promotions (WCCW, WCW, and the WWF). When he returned to WCW in 1993, the whole WCW audience welcomed him in open arms. His run from 1993 – 1995 was his most dominant year in his career. Not only did he beat Vader in Starrcade 1993’s main event, but also proved to be the best booker who ever lived. Look at how well masterfully booked Spring Stampede 1994 and Slamboree 1994 both were during Flair’s booker role. He was able to add closure to his previous feuds with Ricky Steamboat and Barry Windham and still made great matches with them. Even despite Hulk Hogan’s reign of terror ruining WCW’s quality in 1994 – 1996, Flair managed to still find his way to be WCW Champion again and again. Look at Starrcade 1995 and see how he managed to not only beat Lex Luger and Sting, but also pulled double duty to beat Macho Man Randy Savage for the WCW World Heavyweight title at the main event the same night. And when WCW was having a war with the NWO faction, who the leading force for team WCW? Who else but Ric Flair? Flair a wrestler where no matter how many times he loses, he’s able to come back and still make match of the night. When WCW was at it’s worst in 1995, 1997, and 1998, Flair managed to get the crowd “Woo”-ing for him and he never went stale. Ric Flair managed to win one more WCW Championship in 1999 at Uncensored still getting longtime wrestling fans interested. Not every wrestler needs to reinvent themselves when fans are still interested. No matter how many times Flair and Anderson re-opened the Four Horsemen faction, with new members, Flair has always been the star of the show. Even when Hollywood Hogan and Steve Austin ruled both WCW & WWF, Flair’s return on September 14, 1998 episode of Nitro drew high ratings. Ric Flair was that hot in the 1990s just as he was in the 80s. It’s sad that nobody puts Flair’s time from 1990 – 1999 as high regards as his accomplishments in the 80s. Go ahead and watch his time in both of those decades and see how Flair was the most consistant and facinating wrestler ever.
Number 4. – Stone Cold Steve Austin
(Reign on Top – 1990 – 1994, 1996 – 1999)
Throughout the 1990s, WWF struggled in finding their next Hulk Hogan after he switched over to WCW and kicked their ass in the competition. They tried Ultimate Warrior, then Lex Luger, then Diesel, then Bret Hart, and lastly Shawn Michaels. It’s a no brainer that Steve Austin was the right guy to be the next Hulk Hogan. Not since Hulk Hogan was there ever a wrestler that created a cultural impact outside of wrestling. People who weren’t even into wrestling knew who Stone Cold was and only wanted to see him kick so much as. Steve came a very long way to the top. His time in WCW he wrestled his very best but couldn’t get any further than being a member of the Dangerous Alliance, tag team of the Hollywood Blondes, and United States Champion. If he didn’t get fired and remained in WCW, he would have never got anywhere. His shift to ECW after being fired by Bischoff helped him get creative and bash WCW as much as he could, despite only having 3 matched in ECW. Though his debut as Ring Master in 1996 WWF was nothing more than an extension of Ted Dibiase’s Million Dollar Gimmick, Austin was still able to wrestle like the excellent technical wrestler he always was. He way to the Main Event scene was a long climb as he reinvented himself with debuting Austin 3:16 at King of the Ring, to making himself a babyface and making his opponent Bret the heel at Wrestlemania 13, to breaking his neck from Owen’s sit-down Tombstone at Summerslam ’97… all of this is what gave him more credibility when portraying himself as a badass. It was at the point where whenever he pulled his finisher, The Stone Cold Stunner, the whole audience shakes the whole arena. When Austin won the 1998 Royal Rumble and beat Shawn Michaels in the best Wrestlemania of all time, Wrestlemania XIV, it all became an historic moment. Unlike Shawn Michaels, I can go back to every single moment of Stone Cold’s career in the 1990s and feel like the journey and the handling on his character will always be the best. There wasn’t a single cringly moment in the 1990s for Steve Austin. Sure his neck issues in 1999 truly effect his ability to perform as a wrestler, but even though he doesn’t do technical wrestling, switching to his brawling style compliments his character. When he drinks on stage, flipping the bird to his rivals, smack talking on the mic, to stunning anyone he sees, the presence of Austin was electrifying. Despite all of those moments that he’s made, Austin’s greatest appeal was he was relatable to the working class. Who didn’t want to beat their boss whenever work was getting more mundane and stressful? Who didn’t want to smack talk a bad teacher when homework and tests gets frustrating? And who wouldn’t want to hurt a public figure like a politician whenever they’re not doing their job in leading the people? Whenever Monday Night Raw or WWF pay-per-view was on the air, Austin was our coping mechanism. It was a stress releaver to see Austin ruin Vince McMahon because that what we all wish we could do. Vince represented every person we’ve hated and Austin representing us. This dynamic of evil boss vs. underdog employee was truly captivating. Without Vince McMahon and his stunt at the Montreal Screwjob, I really don’t think Austin would have been as interesting. Even the wrestlers that Austin wrestled, despite him going against our favorites, we always chose Ausin over them. No matter where Steve is at in his life, nothing can taint the legacy he’s done in keeping the WWF business alive when competition with WCW was too much for Vince to bear.
Number 3. – The Undertaker
(Reign on Top – 1990 – 1999)
Undertaker has got to be Vince McMahon’s greatest creation. Mark Calaway is lucky that he was given the honors to do the Undertaker gimmick because this persona of being dead actually convinced and scared audiences watching. From his debut as the indestructable zombie mortician in Survivor Series 1990 to being the Minister of Darkness was indeed a transformative character. It is one of those rare times that WWF carefully handled a character to make his mistique so gratifying. As you kept watching Undertaker go after the next wrestler’s soul, you, as the audience, got a chance to glimses of who the Undertaker was and what powers he possessed. He and his manager Paul Bearer are the greatest wrestler-manager chemistry that I’ve ever seen. Together they set out to take as many souls as possible. Sure it was absolutely silly at times, but for this to be the first time an undead halloween character to convince you that he actually not only beat his opponents but also torments them was nightmarish to watch. Even the gimmick matches that revolved around the Undertaker such as Casket matches, Buried Alive match, Hell in a Cell, and Inferno match… they were all creation that resolves around the Undertaker’s character. You have to remember that these were some of the ballsiest things that wrestling has ever aired. Those who had a legitimate fear of the dead or was too Christian for this material couldn’t stomach the presence that Mark Calaway portrayed on screen. Because he was so convincing that he could very well be this spiritual figure that pulled supernatural stunts at his opponent is why he created such an impact. People also forget that he turned babyface, Undertaker’s character did not change one bit. This makes him the original tweener character in wrestling. There’s just so much lore behind the Undertaker’s character and as we continued to unravel his mystique, Undertaker’s character got more interesting. Like Paul Bearer being his father, Kane had a brother that survived young-Undertaker’s arson, and his religious journey of serving darkness. It was just so damn dark and was so interesting to watch how kayfabe can go so far. Just think of the successes that Undertaker had. He was victorious at Wrestlemania VII, VII, IX, XI, XII, 13, XIV, and XV, he beat Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship in just one year after his debut, main event and won the WWF championship at Wrestlemania 13, scare the audience more so than the wrestlers, and he had the third greatest win-lost percentage in the WWF after Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan from 1990 – 1999. That’s something all wrestlers wish they had. It didn’t matter that he moved pretty slow or his entrance was longer than nessessary, if the audience is in awe with such a eerie presence, there was no need to do any unnessessary bumps or stupid flips. Undertaker’s character just captures your attention and suspends your disbelief at its fullest. Undertaker’s biggest contribution to wrestling as a whole was to make the industry have a dark side when everything was bright and flashy. Even when WWF was at their worst in the 90s and any year, Undertaker still kept you interested.
Number 2. – Bret “Hitman” Hart
(Reign on Top – 1990 – 1997)
I don’t think that there’s any argument that from 1990 – 1997 that Bret Hart had the best singles run. Bret Hart was one of the few tag team wrestlers that made it very big as a single performer. This was perfect timing for Bret Hart because when Vince McMahon was trailed for the Steroid scandal and he lost Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart was the right person to lead the New Generation era. Even when Shawn Michaels and Diesel (aka Kevin Nash) failed to draw money for the WWF, Bret Hart was always the fans’ preferred star. Why? Because Hart was the ultimate underdog. Who knew that the colors of pink and black could create such an effective presentation as being cool and heroic. Without a doubt, Bret Hart knew how to make you believe that he was struggling in his matches but was willing to give out his absolute best. He beat Ric Flair for the WWF Championship in 1992, he won King of the Ring twice (1992 & 1993), he was the 1994 Royal Rumble winner (tied with Lex Luger but we know he couldn’t draw), he main evented Wrestlemania IX (Hogan doesn’t count), X, and XII, had match of the year four times (Hart Foundation vs Demolition Summerslam 1990, vs. Perfect at 1991 Summerslam, vs. Owen Hart – Wrestlemania X, and vs. Steve Austin – Wrestlemania 13. The fact that Bret always made you believe that he was this sympathetic yet hardworking technical wrestler was effective. Which is why it came as a shock that when he turned heel after he beat Austin at Wrestlemania 13, the United States hated the Canadian hero. He was the leading force of Canada vs US feud in the 1990s. 1997 was Bret Hart’s last good year and he wrestled the best final year possible. The Hitman was especially the best role-model for kids that didn’t have a nonsensical personality, he didn’t harm anyone that didn’t deserve it, and he worked his ass-off every time he gets out to wrestle. The only reason why he was a big heel was because WWF in 1997 was filled with characters that were no longer your traditional good guy. Bret was the last one to pull it off perfectly and he was both loved and hated for it. This explains why Bret’s time in the WWF aged extremely well. There are a lot of uncomfortable moments in WWE’s writing and segments, but Bret’s run from 1991 – 1997 never offended anyone. This is why it’s so hard to accept that the Montreal Screwjob happened and Bret’s run in WCW left a whole lot to be desired. How he finished the rest of the 1990s with 1998-1999 was really pathetic and it’s all the fault of WCW. I pitty Bret, but am proud that he made such an impact to everyone, both wrestlers, fans, and non-fans of wrestling. If anything else, Bret Hart is the most accomplished wrestler and one of the few wrestlers that boarderlined his character and his actual personality perfectly well.
Number 1. – Sting
(Reign on Top – 1990 – 1999)
I don’t know why Sting is not highly regarded as an important figure in 90s professional wrestling because wrestling journalists have incredibly short-term, yet selective memory. When we judge wrestlers who contributed the most from 1990 – 1999, remained a must-see throughout that decade, make great matches each year of the 90s, big draw, and also have character development, I can’t think of another wrestler that fits that criteria more perfectly than with Sting. It’s such a shame that great talent like Steve Borden doesn’t get the credit that he deserved. You may not like World Championship Wrestling, but you cannot hate the man they call Sting. Sting has gone one of the biggest transformations in the 1990s and no matter what smartmark would want you to believe, he is the reason why you want to watch WCW. When you go back to the year 1990, WWF was trying to put Ultimate Warrior as their next big star, and WCW tried to do the same with the other 1/2 of The Blade Runner tag team partner. Obviously Sting was the better star, employee, and team player to the roster than Ultimate Warrior could ever be. Plus, Sting was already having great matches in the 1980s before he became a World Champion. And when you go back to Sting’s early days as WCW World Champion, how many wrestlers besides Hulk Hogan can you name that can pull out a white-meat babyface promo on a nightly basis and still get fans interested in watching? And the best part is that Sting was having great match after great match because he had so much energy and made you believe he was more than capable to beat the likes of Big Van Vader, Sid Vicious, Ric Flair, Great Muta, Rick Rude, Cactus Jack, and the rest. The fact that Sting had match of the year candidate with all of these contenders screams volumes of what he’s ring skills. Sting was the John Cena of the 1990s. Unlike Cena, Sting was able to adapt to the times. When NWO had a war with WCW, everyone relied on Sting to defeat NWO. His trust issues with his colleagues was the start of the Crow Sting that was all known and love. How many wrestlers do you know spent an entire year’s worth of build up towards a feud and deliver 1.80 buy rate for a single pay-per-view like Starrcade 1997? Sting drew so much money because we all wanted to see this cool hybrid of Bret Hart, Undertaker, and Ultimate Warrior combined into one full package to beat the most hated wrestler ever, Hollywood Hogan. And unlike Goldberg, Sting managed to still do a lot of great things with the character after he lost his WCW championship. Even when you look at Sting’s career from 1990 – 1999, the man never stop making great matches that were great contenders for match of the year. Sure he stayed in one promotion throughout this entire decade, but not even WWF could book the likes of Diesel, Shawn Michaels, or Breat Hart in a consistant basis and still get that many fans tuning in and buying their shows. Not once has Sting ever been boo’ed out of the building (even when he had a heel run in 1999) he was cheered like the hero he was. Even HBK got boo’ed out of Survivor Series 1996 and Hitman was boo’ed out of Wrestlemania 13 because fans got sick and tired of them being shoved down our throats. Luckily Sting never once got stale. Whenever he made changes to his character, you know its for a reason. From the cheesy promos from the early to mid-1990s, to heart-filled promos, to changing to the dark side, to even making match of the year contender, Sting just knew how to make wrestling in the 1990s worth it.
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