Daily DDT Staff Picks for Top 5 WWE Wrestlers of All Time

My Top 5

1. Chris Jericho
2. Shawn Michaels
3. Stone Cold Steve Austin
4. Kurt Angle
5. Charlotte Flair

Chris Jericho has claimed that he is the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), and he is, damn it. The Master of Lists is the top of my list because he has it all. His moveset covers all bases: technical, ground, striking, aerial, and springboard attacks.

He had the best Missile Dropkick in the game for years, his execution of the Lionsault is a beaut to watch, and the Liontamer/Walls of Jericho has been a classic finisher for the former Lionhart. He is captivating on the mic, is able to work the crowd in any way he wants, and is effective as a babyface or heel.

The most defining quality of him being the GOAT is his constant desire and success in reinventing himself. The self-proclaimed David Bowie of wrestling, every return to the wrestling ring is marked by a different characteristic to keep his run fresh, which is incorporated in character work to introduction of new moves.

He is known for getting over catchphrases like the word “it” and objects like clipboards (the list), light up jackets, and scarves. He also takes care of himself physically, which allows him to continue performing at a high level. At age 48, he recently put on an amazing, athletic performance, reminding the world how he is the greatest, and don’t you EVER forget that.

Shawn Michaels is a sexy boy; he’s not your boy toy. The Heartbreak kid is a marvel to watch during his career. His start as a part of the Midnight Rockers is highly entertaining to watch and clearly influenced a plethora of tag teams (I mean, come on, the Young Bucks).

His heel turn against Marty Jannetty broke our hearts like the barber shop window broke when Jannetty tried to dive through it to escape. This led to the compelling career of HBK as he worked his way to the top of the company with a variety of beautiful technical and aerial moves and one of the most famous finishing moves in the business.

His arrogance radiated through his character work and promos, while his work as a babyface down the line in his career won over the hearts of the WWE Universe. He is one of the few wrestlers that arguably got better overtime.

Stone Cold Steve Austin is my favorite wrestler of all time. The Texas Rattlesnake took the WWe by storm and held it hostage as he opened cans of whip-ass all over the promotion. From his famous Austin 3:16 promo, you knew the man had talent. His promo ability has made its impact on the wrestling world, which you can still hear today if you listen closely.

He played the anti-hero role perfectly, and he was able to be a heel when needed. Within the ring, though he wasn’t the most agile wrestler, he strategically used a combination of well-placed strikes and wrestling sequences that moved the match along. His character work was his true strength and kept us hooked waiting for that glorious Stone Cold Stunner.

No move in WWE history got a bigger pop than the Stunner, No theme song got a bigger pop, and No gesture got a bigger pop than the two Stone Cold middle fingers. And that’s the Bottom Line.

Kurt Angle does not suck. He is an amazing talent, who has made an impact on the wrestling world with his ability to seamlessly transition from amauter Olympic wrestling to arguably one of the best pro wrestlers of all time. His mic work progressed the more and more he came out to the ring, and his matches were always consistently of high quality.

Extremely technically proficient, the sequences he would work through to the submissions he perfectly applied (especially the Angle Lock) made you want to pay attention in lieu of missing a second of his match. He will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest in Sports Entertainment. Oh, it’s true, it’s damn True.

Charlotte Flair’s spot here may be a surprise to most, but I believe she is the best, all around, women’s wrestler the WWE has ever seen, which makes her spot in the top 5 a necessity. She  really has it all: a wide range of in-ring maneuvers, solid promo and character work, and a phenomenal talent and work ethic. Just look at her finishing move, the Figure Eight.

Within one move, you can derive everything you need to know about her and why she is the real deal. The fact that it begins as a Figure Four is an homage to her father and the wrestling lineage she comes from. Bridging the maneuver into the Figure Eight speaks volumes: she has amazing physical ability; she has the in-ring skill to pull this off and she is the evolution of her father.