By Ethan Schlabaugh
Updated
Fans are always debating who the GOAT is, but there is no denying that when it comes to pure skill, these wrestlers rank among the best of all time.
Read update
- With professional wrestling being a long-lived tradition and countless names that have learned the craft, listing the absolute best of the best can be a never-ending topic. Let's give some credit where credit is due to the many men and women who have bled and sweat for the sport that we fans love to watch. Looking at every promotion and era possible, here are a few more names that truly deserve to be classified as some of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of boots.
Every wrestling fan has a list of their own favorite wrestlers and who they believe to be the best of all time. A handful of names might pop up on quite a few different people's lists, but no one person's picks are identical to another. Looking over the vast history of professional wrestling, there have been countless names that rank among the best in the industry based on the level of their skill between the ropes.
Related
10 Best ECW Wrestlers Of All Time (In Terms Of Pure Skill)
ECW was known for its hardcore style, but there were also some wrestlers with great in-ring skill on Paul Heyman's roster.
They range from athletes who are technical wizards with 1000 different maneuvers or skilled grapplers who can suplex, throw, and stretch their opponent any way they want. Let's go through the years and take a look at some of the best wrestlers (based on their skill alone) who have graced wrestling rings for companies like WWE, WCW, NJPW, AEW, and fans' televisions.
UPDATE: 2024/04/02 17:30 EST BY ETHAN SCHLABAUGH
With professional wrestling being a long-lived tradition and countless names that have learned the craft, listing the absolute best of the best can be a never-ending topic. Let's give some credit where credit is due to the many men and women who have bled and sweat for the sport that we fans love to watch. Looking at every promotion and era possible, here are a few more names that truly deserve to be classified as some of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of boots.
21 Rey Mysterio Is The Greatest Underdog
Still Is Considered The Best Cruiserweight Of All Time
Notable Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Two-Time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, WWE Hall Of Fame, AAA Hall Of Fame | December 11th, 1974 | N/A |
With a career spanning four decades, Rey Mysterio has proven that he is without a doubt one of the greatest cruiserweight wrestlers. His skill and popularity saw him break out of that division and become a constant challenger in the World Title division in the WWE.
During his time away from the WWE, Mysterio showcased his worth by appearing in New Japan, Lucha Underground, and AAA, where he was treated as a legend. This culminated with Mysterio finally being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2023 while remaining an active wrestler.
20 Owen Hart Was Taken Far Too Soon
Owen Hart Is Arguably The Most Talented Wrestler In The Hart Family
Notable Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Two-Time WWE Intercontinental Champion, One-Time IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Four-Time WWE Tag Team Champion | May 7th, 1965 | May 23rd, 1999 |
One of the best wrestlers to have ever come out of the infamous Hart Dungeon, Owen Hart was a once-in-a-lifetime performer that many have compared to his brother Bret. Some argue that Owen was better all-around due to his mic abilities, an aspect of the business Bret has often been criticized for, and in-ring performances.
Owen sadly never reached the same heights his brother would in wrestling in terms of championship success and overall legacy. The King of Harts is fondly remembered for his amazing matches in New Japan Pro-Wrestling and the WWE before his untimely passing.
19 Nigel McGuinness Deserved So Much More
Famous For His Work In Ring Of Honor
Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
One-Time ROH World Champion, One-Time ROH Pure Champion | January 23rd, 1976 | December 17th, 2011 |
If given more time to be a professional wrestler, Nigel McGuinness would have easily cracked the top ten of best of all time. His in-ring skill is comparable with names like Bryan Danielson and Bret Hart, but Nigel sadly never got the chance to reach the same heights that those other two legends did.
McGuinness' reign with the ROH Pure Championship alone made him stand among the greatest of that promotion, with a total of 17 title defenses against names such as Claudio Castagnoli, Samoa Joe, and Roderick Strong.
18 Chris Jericho Is A Living Legend
Famous For His Work In Multiple Promotions
Notable Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
One-Time AEW World Champion, One-Time Undisputed WWE Champion, Nine-Time WWE Intercontinental Champion | November 9th, 1970 | N/A |
Chris Jericho has been everywhere and done almost everything possible. His time as a cruiserweight in WCW made that division as important as it ever got. He went to WWE and immediately stood toe to toe with greats such as The Rock and Steve Austin, and he even ventured to Japan and had a massively popular feud against Kenny Omega.
Related
10 Best Technical Wrestlers In Impact Wrestling History, Ranked
Impact Wrestling has been home to some of the finest technical wrestlers in the world. How do they stack up, when ranked?
Continuing to work under the AEW brand, where he became their inaugural World Champion at All Out in 2020. Since working with AEW, Jericho also had the chance to work for the Ring of Honor promotion, where he also captured their World Championship.
17 The Great Muta Invented Countless Moves
Became One Of The First Big Japanese Wrestlers In The US
Notable Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Three-Time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, Four-Time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, One-Time GHC Heavyweight Champion | December 23rd, 1962 | February 21st, 2023 |
Keiji Muto, best known as The Great Muta, has worked almost everywhere possible during his career, including runs at the top of New Japan, All Japan, and Pro Wrestling Noah. Despite the success in his native Japan, Muta decided to venture to the United States where he had a working relationship with WCW and was able to feud with some of their top names, such as Sting, Ric Flair, and Lex Luger.
Not settling on just being a top talent wherever he worked, Muta also invented a lot of wrestling moves that are commonly used today, like the Muta Lock and the Shining Wizard. His career was so impressive that he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame despite never working with the promotion.
16 Asuka Outworks Her Peers
Has Become One Of The Greatest Women's Wrestlers Ever
Notable Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
WWE Women's Grand Slam Champion, One-Time Reina World Women's Champion, One-Time JWP Openweight Champion, | September 26th, 1981 | N/A |
There are not many wrestlers that can compare to Asuka. Starting her career in 2004, Asuka has managed to become one of the most decorated wrestlers in the industry, having captured titles in Japan and the US. Her work in WWE alone proves why she is one of the greatest, with her time in NXT being a particular highlight.
Her work has drawn praise from names like Dave Meltzer, who said in 2015 that she may be the best worker in the WWE, man or woman. In 2021, WWE themselves declared that she is one of the top 5 greatest female superstars of all time.
15 Kenta Kobashi Could Carry Anyone To A Good Match
Famous For His Work In All Japan & Pro Wrestling Noah
Notable Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Three-Times Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, One-Time GHC Heavyweight Champion, Four-Time All Asia Tag Team Champion | March 27th, 1967 | May 11th, 2013 |
Besides his often partner and rival, Mitsuharu Misawa, one of the greatest talents to ever come from All Japan Pro Wrestling is that of Kenta Kobashi. Kobashi had amazing matches against the rest of the four pillars and traveled outside Japan to wrestle amazing matches against talent like Samoa Joe.
His work in Pro Wrestling Noah also stands out as the most impressive body of work in that promotion. Kenta held the GHC Heavyweight title for 735 days, the longest reign with that belt.
14 Mitsuharu Misawa Was The Essential Pillar
Famous For His Work In All Japan & Pro Wrestling Noah
Notable Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Five-Time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, Three-Time GHC Heavyweight Champion, Six-Time World Tag Team Champion | June 18th, 1962 | June 13th, 2009 |
One of the greatest to ever do it, Mitsuharu Misawa is considered by many to be the best wrestler ever. The match that Misawa had against Toshiaki Kawada on June 3rd, 1994 has been cited as one of the greatest matches of all time alone.
Related
10 Most Influential Japanese Wrestlers In History, Ranked
With so many different legends to look at, here are just a few names that should be considered as the most influential wrestlers from Japan.
Misawa only worked for two major promotions, All Japan and Pro Wrestling Noah, and held both company's top prize on multiple occasions. The amount of awards Misawa has from companies like Tokyo Sports, Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and Pro Wrestling Illustrated is countless, just furthering the claim that he might be the greatest to ever lace up a pair of boots.
13 Shawn Michaels Was A Workhorse In His Prime
Had Two Legendary Runs In The WWE
Notable Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Three-Time WWE Champion, One-Time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, First Grand Slam Champion, Two-Time WWE Hall Of Fame Member | July 22nd, 1965 | March 28th, 2010* |
The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels, is a legend beyond most. His work in WWE eclipses many others who have worked in multiple promotions as the company was heavily invested in him due to his popularity and incredible in-ring performances. PWI gave him Match of the Year eleven times between 1993 & 2010, plus Match of the Decade twice for WrestleMania 24 and 26.
As noted above, Shawn Michaels was also the first wrestler to achieve the Grand Slam in WWE and the fourth to achieve the Triple Crown. HBK has been noted as having one of the best retirements in wrestling, even if that didn't technically stick. His return match against The Undertaker & Kane at Crown Jewel 2018 was awful, but the retired Michaels still ended up being the best worker in the match that night.
12 El Santo Is Still Worshipped In Mexico
Not Just A Wrestler, But A Pop Culture Icon
Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Biggest Icon In Lucha Libre History, Five-Time Mexican National Middleweight Champion, Two-Time NWA World Middleweight Champion | September 23rd, 1917 | September 12th, 1982 |
A name that fans that aren't super familiar with Lucha Libre might not hear often, El Santo, the biggest star in Mexico for quite some time. The legend was far from just a wrestler, however, he would star in 54 movies ranging from 1958 to 1982.
His actual in-ring skill was something to be admired as well. The man wrestled like no one else around him and performed as he would have fit in a more modern era. El Santo held countless championships during his time, including the NWA World Middleweight Championship and the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship.
11 Dean Malenko Is Vastly Underrated
Famous For His Work In WCW, ECW & WWE
Notable Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Four-Time WCW Cruiserweight Champion, Two-Time ECW World Television Champion, Two-Time WWE Light-Heavyweight Champion | August 4th, 1960 | December 11th, 2001 |
Another name that should have achieved so much more during his time. Dean Malenko put on some of the best matches in the 90s while working in promotions like WCW, ECW, and the WWE. Malenko never became a World Champion in any promotion he worked for but was ranked as the Pro Wrestling Illustrated number one wrestler for 1997 beating names like Steve Austin and Mitsuharu Misawa.
Malenko also served as an inspiration for names that would later become amazing performers in their own right. After retiring from wrestling, Malenko joined WWE as a road agent where he worked for 18 years before joining All Elite Wrestling, where he currently works as a senior producer.
10 William Regal Is Cunning, Technical, And Hilarious
Famous For His Work In WCW & WWE
Major Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Two-Time WWE Intercontinental Champion, Four-Time WCW World Television Champion, WWE King Of The Ring 2008 Winner | May 10th, 1968 | November 21st, 2013 |
William Regal is easily one of the most underrated performers in all of wrestling as his in-ring skills surpassed most of his fellow superstars, but the man also was a comedic genius and could captivate audiences with his words.
Regal famously worked with WWE after leaving in-ring competition behind, helping run the WWE Performance Center and working with the younger talent coming into the company and the NXT brand. He also briefly helped All Elite Wrestling, where he worked on-screen with Jon Moxley to create the Blackpool Combat Club.
9 "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair
Flawless With A Mic And Between The Ropes
Major Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Seven-Time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, Two-Time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, WWE Hall Of Fame | February 25th, 1949 | N/A |
There is not much that needs to be said when speaking about how great and vital Ric Flair is to professional wrestling. The man was the top name in WCW for a vast majority of the promotion's lifespan and has held at least sixteen World Championships.
Not just in-ring but on the microphone, Flair can captivate an audience in a way not many can. Flair's career spans over 50 years and, in that time, the man has proved he deserves to be considered in the top echelon of professional wrestlers.
8 "Macho Man" Randy Savage Was Far Ahead Of His Time
Could Easily Fit Into Any Era
Major Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Two-Time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Four-Time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, WWE Hall Of Fame | November 15th, 1952 | December 5th, 2004 |
Becoming one of the biggest names in the sport alongside titans such as Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant, and Ric Flair, Randy Savage truly showed that he was a cut above the rest, as he was putting on classics with the likes of Ricky Steamboat and Flair in a company and a time when in-ring quality was not a huge factor.
Savage could easily be placed into any particular era of professional wrestling and any company, and become a top name. His charisma was through the roof and his in-ring skill was non-comparable to his peers.
7 Kenny Omega Has Broke The Glass Ceiling
Kenny Omega Was Named "The Best Bout Machine" For A Reason
Major Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
One-Time AEW World Champion, One-Time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, One-Time Impact Wrestling World Champion | October 16th, 1983 | N/A |
Currently working today, there are very few wrestlers better than Kenny Omega when he tries his best. His style of wrestling has taken a massive toll on his body, and he has admitted that he can't continue the way he is for much longer, but the body of work he has given fans is impressive, to say the least.
Related
10 Best NJPW Wrestlers Of All Time (In Terms Of Pure Skill)
These are the absolute greatest pro wrestlers in NJPW history when it comes to pure in-ring skill.
Becoming a major star in promotions like New Japan and AEW, Omega has captured numerous titles and headlined some of those promotions' biggest events.
6 AJ Styles Is Simply Phenomenal
A Legend Of WWE, TNA & NJPW
Major Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Two-Time WWE Champion, Two-Time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Five-Time NWA World/TNA World Heavyweight Champion | June 2nd, 1977 | N/A |
For the longest time, AJ Styles was the name that fans wanted to see wrestle in the WWE because of the great matches he had during his time in Impact Wrestling, alongside Christian Cage, Kurt Angle, and Samoa Joe. Styles' accolades outside of championships include titles such as Wrestler Of The Year for PWI multiple times and Wrestlers Of The Decade in 2020.
Styles would also accomplish feats such as becoming a Grand Slam champion in both Impact Wrestling and WWE. Other legends, including Steve Austin and The Undertaker, have given Styles praise, calling him titles such as "the best wrestler on two feet" and "probably the best in the business".
5 Eddie Guerrero Was Perfect As A Heel And Face
"Latino Heat" Was Taken From The World Too Soon
Major Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
One-Time WWE Champion, Two-Time WWE Intercontinental Champion, AAA Hall Of Fame, WWE Hall Of Fame | October 9th, 1967 | November 13th, 2005 |
There aren't many fans that could draw the ire of fans like Guerrero in WCW or the love of an audience like his later work in the WWE and Mexico. Eddie Guerrero has been the inspiration for countless wrestlers, like Mercedes Mone and Cassie Lee.
Much like AJ Styles after him, Guerrero has earned countless amounts of praise from co-workers, such as Ric Flair calling him one of his top 10 opponents or Chris Jericho saying he was the best performer in the world when he was on.
4 Kazuchika Okada Carried NJPW On His Back
Famous For His Work In New Japan
Major Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Seven-Time IWGP (World) Heavyweight Champion, One-Time AEW Continental Champion, Four-Time G1 Climax Winner | November 8th, 1987 | N/A |
Kazuchika Okada became the first ever Japanese wrestler to rank number one on the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500 in 2017. Okada would receive critical acclaim from critics such as Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter by giving him a seven-star match.
In-ring, Okada has held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship five times and the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship twice. Tokyo Sports has also given him the Best Bout Award nine times since 2012.
3 Bret Hart Is The Excellence Of Execution For A Reason
The Hitman's Matches Hold Up Over 30 Years Later
Major Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Five-Time WWE Champion, Two-Time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, Two-Time WWE Intercontinental Champion, Two-Time WWE Hall Of Fame Member | July 2nd, 1957 | September 12th, 2011 |
The number of names that Bret Hart has inspired to become wrestlers themselves is countless, including FTR and CM Punk. Other wrestlers like Kurt Angle and Steve Austin have also claimed Hart to be the greatest professional wrestler of all time.
As mentioned before, Hart did suffer on the microphone, but anything he lacked there he would completely make up for via his in-ring skills. Matches like his King of the Ring performances and WrestleMania 13 bout with Austin have proven just that.
2 Bryan Danielson Can Not Be Touched In The Ring
Famous For His Work In Multiple Promotions
Major Accomplishments | Date Of Birth | End Of Career |
|---|---|---|
Four-Time WWE Champion, One-Time ROH World Champion, One-Time WWE World Heavyweight Champion | May 22nd, 1981 | N/A |
Bryan Danielson is the culmination of someone who studied names like Malenko, Regal, Misawa, and Kawada all to become one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. Danielson would have a unique connection with audiences as his arrival in AEW was one of the biggest moments in the company's history and famously became the most cheered-for wrestler in the WWE from 2013 to 2015.
His work would lead him to get awards from critics, such as the Wrestling Observer Newsletter giving him the Best Technical Wrestler award every year from 2005-2013 and even naming the award after him.
