Evaluating Wrestlers: A Top 20 List
By Maegan McFarland
“Monday Night Raw” celebrated its 25th anniversary on January 22, so I wanted to create a top 20 favorite wrestlers list. However, narrowing the list down to just 20 wrestlers is hard, so I called in Kamri Allen from Grace College’s Wrestling Club for help. This is our collaborative top 20 list of the best WWE Wrestlers:
- Shawn Michaels
Kamri: “Some say Michaels could wrestle a broomstick for 30 minutes and still produce a compelling match.”
- Undertaker
Kamri: “Switched his character more than an undecided undergrad switches majors, and is still a wrestling ‘giant.’”
- John Cena
Kamri: “And his name is…an overplayed meme tied to the best talker in modern wrestling.”
- Steve Austin
Kamri: “Ever work for a boss who made you wish someone would shower him with raw sewage? Do I have the wrestler for you.”
- Chris Jericho
Kamri: “Won every title in WWE at least once over his twenty-year career….”
Mo (Maegan): “…and that makes him awesome. Disagree? You just made The List!”
- Randy Orton
Mo: “Pretty!”
Kamri: “No comment.”
- Triple H
Kamri: “12-time World Champion, creator of WWE’s NXT brand, and (in a leather jacket) the embodiment of what a mid-life crisis looks like.”
- CM Punk
Kamri: “Next to Edge, my favorite heel wrestler of all time. His ability to evoke emotion from the crowd is next to none.”
- Daniel Bryan
Kamri: “Best underdog story ever told in wrestling. Held back by management, raised to the main event through the fans.”
- AJ Styles
Kamri & Mo: “Phenomenal!”
- Rey Mysterio
Kamri: “The most revered luchador, not only in WWE, but in the world.”
- Beth Phoenix
Kamri: “A powerhouse female wrestler of the early 2000s, and one of three women to enter a men’s Royal Rumble match. She eliminated a 7’2” giant during the match.”
- Asuka
Kamri: “Winner of the inaugural women’s Royal Rumble. 211-0 undefeated win streak. Nobody is ready for Asuka!”
- Mickie James
Kamri: “Showed that women wrestlers are just as good as the guys in a time when they were nothing but eye candy.”
Mo: “My favorite wrestler of all time!”
- Sasha Banks
Kamri: “Sasha’s bout with Bayley in 2015 is considered the best women’s match in WWE history. Go check it out.”
- Charlotte
Kamri: “6-time Women’s Champion, the only to hold the NXT, Smackdown, and Raw’s Women’s titles, and the daughter of WWE Hall of Famer ‘The Nature Boy’ Ric Flair.”
Mo: “WOOOOOOOOOOO!”
- AJ Lee
Kamri: “Fantastic wrestler, whose theme song haunts my dreams.”
- Lita
Kamri: “My favorite female wrestler. She and Trish Stratus were the first women to main event Monday Night Raw in 2004.”
- Trish
Kamri: “My third favorite female wrestler.”
- Bayley
Kamri: “Best choice for introducing children to wrestling. She’s wonderful.”
Mo: “ Also Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tubeman!”
Honorable Mentions
The Miz
Mo: “AAAAWWWWWWEEESOOOOOOOME!”
Jeff Hardy
Mo: “EXTREME!”
Dean Ambrose
Mo: “He used a hot dog cart as a weapon!”
Naomi
Mo: “Can you feel the glow?!”
Paige
Mo: “She started her career at 19 and I will forever respect that!”
Bruno Sammartino
Kamri: “World Champion for 7 YEARS.”
Rob Van Dam
Mo: “Rolling Thunder is the best move in wrestling.”
Edge
Mo: “Favorite villain of all time.”
Alexa Bliss
Mo: “What a Brat! I mean that in the best way possible.”
which is being held February 25th in Philathea with pizza.