The Mount Rushmore of Men’s Wrestling

Robin Leacock’s Mount Rushmore

Hulk Hogan

Without any disrespect meant to my fellow contributors who may have erroneously omitted him from their list, Hulk Hogan is the only no-brainer on the wrestling Mount Rushmore. Not only is he the most recognizable star in wrestling history, Hogan is also responsible for some of its most transcendent and important moments, including his WrestleMania III slam of Andre The Giant, his Bash at the Beach heel turn and his Icon vs. Icon match with The Rock at WrestleMania X8.

Once his Hulkamania run had come to an end, he was able to reinvent his entire persona as a heel and prolong his career by remaining relevant and influential. To people not acquainted with sports entertainment, wrestling is and will always be “that thing Hulk Hogan does”. Personal problems have stained his legacy outside the ring, but his contribution to the business as a whole cannot be ignored.

Shawn Michaels

For my money, Shawn Michaels is the greatest in-ring performer of all-time. Furthermore, there’s no chance a man dubbed “Mr. WrestleMania” based on his body of work at the most important show every year will be left of this list.

More than anything, Michaels deserves his Rushmore spot based on longevity alone, his four-year break included. His greatness spans many eras and incarnations: The Rockers, the heel Heartbreak Kid, The Boyhood Dream and D-Generation-X only account for the first half of his career. The second half is arguably even better, including his comeback feud with Triple H and his WrestleMania masterpieces with Chris Jericho, Ric Flair and of course, The Undertaker. Like Hogan, Michaels’ track record speaks for itself.

Vince McMahon

It wouldn’t be hyperbole to say that many of our fondest wrestling memories – and wrestling as we’ve known it in the past and how we know it today – wouldn’t be possible without Vince McMahon. There’s a reason why, regardless of the criticism he receives online for present day storylines and booking, fans symbolically bow to Vince every single time he enters an arena.

It’s truly remarkable that McMahon has left a legacy both as a builder and a performer, as he was one of the driving forces behind the nuclear-over “Stone Cold” character during the attitude era. Vince McMahon can still put someone over like no one else can (see: Kevin Owens) and he may very well be the most important person in wrestling history.

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin

This was without a doubt the toughest spot to fill. Many performers were strongly considered (Ric Flair, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, The Undertaker, John Cena and Bobby Heenan, to name a few), but at the end of the day, the biggest star of the most successful wrestling era could not be left off the list. His classic feuds with Bret Hart, The Rock and Mr McMahon have left fans with innumerable classic matches and moments. There’s no pop like an Austin pop, a reaction he received from fans for years and years. His brand and character are iconic and his runaway train run in WWE will likely never be matched.