I'm going to run through the list. I don't have the patience to drag it out.
Any comments are welcome and will be answered....Debates are also encouraged. It's possible I forgot someone. I put comments where I thought explanation might be needed.
Sometimes, my heart over ruled my head...sometimes, I stuck with my ratings. It wasn't easy.
Here is my list of the Top 20 Pro Wrestlers of All Time....again, it's my list. I limited it to wrestlers I enjoyed watching and who I respected somewhat.
Honorable Mention: Ted Dibiase (he was funny, could talk, and was a good performer)
#20 Mr. Wrestling #2 (Iconic look, smoother performer)
#19 Abdullah The Butcher (Icon)
#18 Andre The Giant (Icon)
#17 Kurt Angle (he could talk well and was funny, extra points for being legitimate, put on a good show)
#16 Goldberg (quit early because he didn't want to be turned into a bad role model for kids in the WWE...wow.....great performer and good look).
#15 Bam Bam Bigelow (iconic look, tough, innovative for a big man to do high flying moves)
#14 Rob Van Damme (as entertaining as anyone, very innovative, under rated, good look.)
#13 Big Poppa Pump (extra points for look, legit wrestler)
#12 Kane (big, bad, smart, very funny...stays prominent despite having to job a lot)
#11 The Rock (hilarious, good performer and talker)
#10 Cactus Jack/Mankind/Dude Love (looked like a sack of crap....he over came it)
#9 Steve Austin (hilarious, good performer and talker, innovative with catch phrases/shirts)
#8 Superstar Billy Graham (extra points for being innovative, he was copied by a lot of people)
#7 Dusty Rhodes (a legend, funny, loves to talk, good performer)
#6 Steven Regal (hilarious, good wrestler, good talker, very smart, good technique, British)
#5 Jake the Snake Roberts (the best talker in the business, invented the DDT)
#4 Randy Savage (Icon, wild look, great performer)
#3 The Nature Boy Ric Flair (if he doesn't retire again, he's going to start to slip on this list).
#2 Ravishing Ric Rude (extra points for "look", stayed a heel longer than anyone on this list)
#1 Rowdy Roddy Piper
(he's been too funny, too smart, too tough, too successful, too good at putting on a show, too good with the fans, too much of a party animal, to NOT have him #1. He created Hulk Hogan because he made everyone hate Roddy Piper. As for the "look"....leather jacket and a kilt. Innovation? He helped create the show within a show idea...Piper's Pit. He attacked Cyndi Lauper back when she was big time. He starred in one of my top 20 favorite movies. He admitted to taking a dive for Mr. T. He was a smart, funny, strong, eloquent cocaine snorting Christian. He's still with us today)
I had almost 50 people on this list before I started rating them. I believe only 4 of these wrestlers are deceased....Andre The Giant, Bam Bam Bigelow, Randy Savage, Ric Rude).
If all these wrestlers were in a battle royal, I would find myself pulling for Steven Regal or Kane.