Who are the five most popular wrestlers in the history of wrestling?

[DrA]

By popularity, I guess I mean a combination of those who were the most, well, popular during their time with their respected company, combined with overall name familiarity and how much of an impact they actually had in making wrestling mainstream.

I was thinking about this earlier, and the list I came up with was:

The Rock
Hulk Hogan
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Goldberg
Sting

I picked those guys mainly because their names individually seemed to have transcended farther than just being associated with the WWF or WCW while still being associated with them. I don't know if I am describing this efficiently or logically at all really. Take Ric Flair, for example. He has been a gigantic star in the wrestling industry for many years, but his name doesn't seem to travel far beyond the connotations of the promotion he was with. People who watch wrestling regularly know all about him, as do many casual onlookers, but he isn't the first person the average person would have thought of if you were to mention wrestling to them. I also feel the same way about Shawn Michaels to a certain extent. You all might think differently on those issues, though.

I haven't watched wrestling regularly since Chris Jericho left, so maybe a guy like John Cena would be on this list now, I am not sure. Just post your list and your reasoning for it.

[James Steele]

Ric Flair would be on that list instead of Sting (in the South anyway).

Hogan,Austin,Rock,Goldberg,Flair

Sting would be #6 most likely though.

[Jordan]

In order...

Hogan
Austin
Flair
Sammartino
The Rock

[Jordan]

I'd say the Rock is the most famous but he wasn't around nearly as long as any of the other guys except Austin. Sammartino led WWF for like 10 years or more. Flair was a draw everywhere he went, and Austin may have drawn more than Hogan but Hulk was a draw for nearly 20 years.

[The Naitch]

Hogan
Austin
The Rock
Flair

#5 is a huge toss up between alot of people

[Executioner]

i agree with JamesSteele with the Ric Flair...but i would take out Goldberg and put in Triple H

[The Naitch]

lol Triple H

[The Naitch]

Bret Hart over Triple H anyday

[Executioner]

damn..i was just getting ready to correct myself

[mrslackalack]

In no order

Austin
Rock
Flair
Goldberg
Hogan

[Jura]

Top 4 Easy:

Hogan
Rock
Austin
Bret Hart

Others:
Shawn Michaels
Undertaker
Andre the Giant

[Jordan]

Bret Hart over Triple H anyday

Bret Hart didn't draw 50 thousand fans to an arena once. The only arguement would be SS with Davey Boy, and we all know that was Davey Boys crowd.

[gatoconbotas]

Hogan
Rock
Austin
Benoit
I dunno for 5.

Rock, Austin and Hogan all lead their company when they were with them. They are mainstream names that anybody outside of wrestling knows as well. Rock and Hogan have been in movies, and Austin was so huge in his time that people outside of wrestling know him as well.

To be honest, I put Benoit for a few reasons. People who watch wrestling know who Benoit was. He was a great wrestler, worked for years, albeit never at the top, but he was always a pretty popular guy. Then he makes some decisions, and the whole world hears about him. Benoit's just as popular as Austin, although in a different light.

[Jura]

Bret Hart didn't draw 50 thousand fans to an arena once. The only arguement would be SS with Davey Boy, and we all know that was Davey Boys crowd.
But who's talking about draw? :-\

[CSL]

In no order

Austin
Rock
Flair
Goldberg
Hogan

[The Naitch]

Actually, I'd put Undertaker up there

[Jordan]

But who's talking about draw? :-\

The only way to prove how popular someone is is how much money they make.

[The Naitch]

on an unrelated note: alot of the artsy people I know seemed to like the Ultimate Warrior

[James Steele]

I love how people talk about how great of an international draw Bret Hart was. WCW did a international tour in 2001 that broke profit records (until WCW ending up fucking up on accounting or something and ended up losing money).

[James Steele]

Not many people other than New Englanders would know who Sammartino is.

[The One]

Steve Austin
The Rock
Hulk Hogan
Andre The Giant
Ric Flair

[The One]

And while I'm kind of near the topic, a poll was done in 1999 about the top 5 most recognizable wrestlers of all time...kind of along these lines I guess...Anyway I know for a fact that Nash made the list, though I can't off the top of my head remember the other ones. I just recall being a bit surprised that Nash beat out other somehow seemingly more likely workers.

[Mr. Nerfect]

And while I'm kind of near the topic, a poll was done in 1999 about the top 5 most recognizable wrestlers of all time...kind of along these lines I guess...Anyway I know for a fact that Nash made the list, though I can't off the top of my head remember the other ones. I just recall being a bit surprised that Nash beat out other somehow seemingly more likely workers.

Actually, I knew Kevin Nash before I started watching wrestling. I also knew of Rikishi, though, so what does that tell you?

The top five would probably be:

Stone Cold Steve Austin
Hulk Hogan
The Rock
Goldberg
The Undertaker

That is if we are talking about outside recognition and shit. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan and The Rock are easy. I owned a Goldberg product even before I knew who he was. All I knew from friends was that he was "really tough." The Undertaker joins the list because he is just so striking, that anyone who knows wrestling probably remembers the guy who was a zombie. I recognised his name before I became a fan.

Andre the Giant comes close, but I think that might be a generation thing, and you could very easily substitute Goldberg for Andre. Bret Hart is a name that is coming up, and I'm not too sure about that, but I'd assume that's a generation thing. Perhaps the most meaningful indicator of his recognition was that he got to guest star in an episode of The Simpsons, didn't he? That they chose Hart over some others must have meant something at the time.

Ric Flair would not make my list. Legendary, yes, but if I didn't watch wrestling, there is no way I would have any clue who he is. Sting has a better shot, in my opinion. He is another that I knew from around the place before I started watching.

[Mr. Nerfect]

The only way to prove how popular someone is is how much money they make.

That measures how successful they are. I thought we were talking about inside and outside influence, though? I've only heard Triple H's name mentioned outside the company once, and that was because the person couldn't stand him.

[Corkscrewed]

Hogan
The Rock
Austin

easily

And then, from there, it's a bit harder. I'd go:

Ric Flair

and um....

The Undertaker :lol: I dunno who I'd pick for #5.

[weather vane]

Hogan
Austin
Flair
The Rock
Andre

[Jordan]

Sting is probably up there, Goldberg I agree with too.

[OverTaker]

JEEZ this is hard. I'd have to agree with all the names brought up.

[GD]

Hulk Hogan
Stone Cold Steve Austin
The Rock
Ric Flair
Bret Hart

[OverTaker]

^ Whats the story behind your Avatar? Is that Pac-man?

[Hanso Amore]

Hogan
Austin
Rock
Andre the Giant
Rick Flair

[Dave Youell]

Hogan
Taker
Rock
Austin
Andre the Giant

Mainly based on the fact that they were all known outside of hardcore wrestling fans through other forms of media, with exception of Taker, but when I was younger anyone older than me would always talk about Taker. The other 4 have all done films giving them more mainstream

[BigDaddyCool]

Um, you guys are way off. Kevin Nash is the 5 most popular wrestlers ever.

[IC Champion]

Um, you guys are way off. Kevin Nash is the 5 most popular wrestlers ever.
He is the biggest draw in wrestling history, He once grossed over 100 million Eruos from one event.

[St. Jimmy]

Hogan
Flair
Rock
Austin
HBK

[BigDaddyCool]

He is the biggest draw in wrestling history, He once grossed over 100 million Eruos from one event.

One time he sold out the Tokyo Dome to the point that the only way for him to get to the ring because of all the people was to crowd surf.

[IC Champion]

Austin
Rock
Hogan
Foley
HBK

[The One]

One time he sold out the Tokyo Dome to the point that the only way for him to get to the ring because of all the people was to crowd surf.

Last time Kevin Nash was advertised to be at the Silverdome, the arena was so packed with standing room only people, and the wait to get inside was so massive, they had to helicopter Nash directly into the arena...

...sadly over 2,000 people were killed that day due to mob mentality and murders with the intent of taking someone else's ticket...

[Anybody Thrilla]

Bret Hart wasn't just on The Simpsons. He was also on Lonesome Dove and MAD TV a few times.

[Stickman]

Was Ric Flair really a draw? Watching some old footage you see a tonne of empty seats. I'd say Hart was a bigger worldwide draw than Flair by far.

[BigDaddyCool]

Bret Hart wasn't just on The Simpsons. He was also on Lonesome Dove and MAD TV a few times.

Lonesome Dove and Mad TV both suck.

[IC Champion]

Flair didn't mind wrestling infront of 300 people then taking off in his learjet, that's why he was NWA champ so many times.

[BigDaddyCool]

Flair didn't mind wrestling infront of 300 people then taking off in his learjet, that's why he was NWA champ so many times.

Yeah, well Nash didn't mind wrestling infront of 300,000 people then taking off in his learjet, that is why he beat Bob Backland in less than a minute.

P.S.
Nash's planes never crashed either.

[apokalypse7]

1. I"ll probably get some shit about this, but fuck it
Flair This is the leader of the best, most know faction EVER.
He's like the bono of wrestling, AND I'M BLACK!

2. The Rock Talk shit about him, everyone loves the rock, and if they don't, they're hogan!

3. SCSA

4. The kliq, bitches
5. Hogan, and only cause he got to tag along with the kliq!!!






bitches.

[loosecollector]

Hogan
Austin
Rocky
Flair

...this is a hard one....

toss up between Taker and Andre

[Nervous Ferret]

THE ROCK
Hogan
Andy the Giant
Undertaker
Stone Cold Steve Austin

[Verbose Minch]

Rock, Hogan, Stone Cold, Goldberg and Foley.

I say Foley because of how much stuff he does outside of wrestling.

[IC Champion]

Stone Cold was on Nash Bridges, so there you all have it.

[Stickman]

HBK was on Baywatch wasn't he?

[FakeLaser]

Hulk Hogan
The Rock
Steve Austin

Those are easily the top 3. Nobody else even comes close. All household names.

After that I'd say Andre The Giant and Ric Flair. If you want to count Vince McMahon, then he's on the same level as Hogan, The Rock and Austin but he isn't *actually* a wrestler.

Bret Hart EASILY in Canada but he's not exactly a household name here in America.

In terms of name recognition, Chris Benoit is about as high up there as anyone now.

[Super V]

Low Ki
Kenta
Kenta Kobashi
Bryan Danielsen
Ken Masters [/WhatWouldKevinDo]

[Zen v.W.o.]

The only way to prove how popular someone is is how much money they make.


Um, no it isnt. And besides that, HHH doesnt exactly come off as a god in any single country. Bret does. In quite a few. Bret drew fucking countries man. Bret was the reason they had any audience at all, along with HBK and Taker, for the longest time. HHH just stands around and basks in the glory that Austin and The Rock created for him.
Bret on a worldwide status trumps most of the wrestlers. He was their main draw for overseas tours, in England it was Davey but he was second.
In Canada the man is mainstream to the point of his name is known, like that of a great hockey player.
You cant just consider america in this, and even if you did, Bret is more popular then most. Including HHH, quite easily.

Hogan
Austin
Piper
Bret
Rock

Taker would probably come close.

But to be honest, guys like Goldberg were popular for a time, much like the warrior, but it isnt at all sustained. Nobody gives a shit about them any longer. It's like boy bands. They have a following for a few years and then they are no longer relevant. Guys like Bret and Austin stand the test of time.

[Zen v.W.o.]

Also there is a distinct lack of Piper here.

He was the biggest name besides Hogan throughout the 80's. He made it into film, just like Hogan. He was the top heel for his time, and then became a huge face, second only to Hogan again. His name is known to anyone who has ever heard about wrestling.

Piper is easily top 5.

[Jeritron]

Austin
Rock
Hogan
Andre the Giant
probably Chris Benoit

guys like Macho Man, Flair and Undertaker are up there

[KingofOldSchool]

Austin
Rock
Hogan
Bruno Sammartino
Andre/Flair/Piper (tie)

[hitman23]

Austin
Rock
Flair
Hart
And that creative control pulling piece of shit Hogan!

[Anybody Thrilla]

Lonesome Dove and Mad TV both suck.

True, but he was still on them.

[Heyman]

Heyman's $0.02


Honorable mentions: Undertaker, Sting, Rowdy Roddy Piper.


5) Bret Hart: A legend in Canada, and has a well established legacy around the world as well.

4) Ric Flair: World Wide fame, and respected by almost all peers. Long lasting legacy as well.

3) The Rock: World Wide fame, and immense popularity. Successful transition to Hollywood.

2) Steve Austin: Highest drawing WWE superstar of all-time. Hogan put wrestling on the map, but Austin brought it back. Austin was the leader of the attitude era....and is my personal favourite wrestler of all-time.

1) Hulk Hogan: Put Wrestling on the map IMO. No one is bigger than the Hulkster.