"You Just Made the List"

In a previous blog I wrote about possibly doing a list of my favorite 30 wrestlers of all time. While I think it would be completely useless to just name 30 people but also way to boring to give a description of all thirty wrestlers, I decided to list 30-11 and give a paragraph to the Top 10. Seems fair and, let's face it, a little less time consuming for everyone. I have no criteria for who makes 'the list', it's just people I enjoy from all over the world, current and retired, male and female. So, with out further a-do, I give you, a boring list of 20 superstars:

30) Finn Bálor 29) Rikishi 28) Christian 27) Rob Van Dam 26) Elias 25) Luke Harper

24) Kane 23) Corey Graves 22) Daniel Bryan 21) Kevin Owens 20) Lita

19) Dean Ambrose 18) Bray Wyatt 17) Edge 16) Eddie Guerrero 15) Nikki Cross

14) Aleister Black 13) Pentagon Jr. 12) Paige 11) Goldust

Top 10

10) John Morrison

One of the coolest cats in the WWE during the early 2000's, under the ring name Johnny Nitro, I was instantly attracted to the high flying par core style of John Morrison. Watching him twist and turn through the air with ease reminded me of myself on the trampoline in my back yard. He never disappointed or missed a beat when it came to the chemistry between himself and every other superstar on the WWE roster. Leaving the company due to a neck injury, he would become one of the first wrestlers to go from the WWE to the Independent circuit and be successful. Seeing how he went from lower mid card to a main event wrestler in nearly every promotion he went to, he became true inspiration for anyone in the independent scene.

9) Braun Strowman

Possibly the 'greenest' wrestlers in the entire list, meaning he has been wrestling less then anyone else, Strowman made a huge impression when he signed a WWE contract back in 2013. Not even two years later and he was debuting on RAW, skipping the 'minor league' show, NXT, completely. Impressive in it's own right, Strowman would quickly become a fan favorite for his size, agility in the ring, and deep intimidating voice. An amazing character who wasn't hindered by getting his single's push, after a year with The Wyatt Family, he actually elevated himself higher then anyone could've imagined. Proving that you don't have to win championships to become a star, Strowman showed me that being successful doesn't mean winning every match, it's how you present yourself after getting back up.

8) Cody Rhodes

An all time favorite who never quite reached a top ten spot during his time in the WWE, Cody Rhodes, son of late great Dusty Rhodes, started off his career in wrestling with huge shoes to fill when he debuted in 2007 for the promotion. With his father newly inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and his brother already a 19 year veteran gave Cody the prestige to becoming something special. Making sure not to step into the shadows of his family legacy was always the goal and Cody certainly lived up to it. Sadly, management didn't see him as a main event contender and in 2016 he would ask for his release, feeling stuck in his current gimmick at the time. Cody would have to drop his Rhodes' name for legal reasons but that didn't stop him from completely crushing the independent market. A household name, multi time champion, and successfully booking/managing his first ever wrestling event, all in less than two years, Cody has proven to the newest generation of wrestlers that you don't need the WWE to become a wrestling icon. You just need faith in yourself.

7) Alexa Bliss

The only woman to ever reach my top 10 list, but not the first woman to be on the list, that honor goes to Paige and Lita, Alexa Bliss has quickly rose to stardom in the Women's Division. She started her career as a plucky baby face who wore a too-too and liked glitter and was actually called a fairy but she would turn heel in 2015 during her time in NXT and never turned back. Formulating one of the best female characters in recent memory, Bliss became a narcissistic bully who could back up her verbal jabs with ruthless actions that shook the WWE when she arrived on SmackDown in 2016. Thought to be to 'green' for a main roster run, Bliss proved everyone wrong, improving week by week, and winning the SmackDown Live Women's Championship just a few months after debuting. A two time SD champ and a three time RAW champ has made her one of the most decorated female competitors in recent history. Five feet of fury, the Wicked West of the WWE, and Little Miss Bliss are all fitting nicknames for Alexa since she is the shortest full time women's wrestler in history. She is a unique entry in this top 10 because I love her character for being a bully and loud mouthed simply because there's no one else who could do it as successfully as she does while still getting people to get excited to see her every week.

6) The Undertaker

If the Undertaker isn't in your top 10 list then you're probably not a WWE Network subscriber and haven't gone back to watch matches from Taker's earlier years in the company. The most iconic and polarizing character ever has been a main event star since his debut match at Survivor Series, 1990. Mark Calaway has been in character as a dead mortician for nearly three decades, with a few years as a biker, which to me is the most impressive part of the Undertaker's story. For someone to be that dedicated to his fans and to the sport of pro wrestling it really speaks to Calaway's character outside of the ring. Every time the gong hits he goes into this whole new person and I've always been completely overtaken by the persona. Such an icon only comes around once in a life time and he's lucky he started during the 'cartoon' days in the WWF because back then people actually believed in the mythical side of Taker but even today he is still loved and adored by fans of that old style of wrestling. A pretty boring pick for a top ten to talk about since everything has already been said about Taker by basically every wrestling fan out there.

5) CM Punk

Outspoken, outlandish, outright crazy and an amazing personality in and outside the ring, CM Punk has become the anti-WWE enthusiast, after being fired on his wedding day by said promotion. With a successful law suit against the WWE's head physician for miss diagnosing a back infection as 'just a lump', it seems like Punk will never step foot in a WWE ring again but there is still hope he will join another promotion in the future. During his time as a wrestler, however, CM Punk was one of the most famous wrestlers in the world, ranking top 100 [wrestlers] in the world from 2004 to 2013 and top 10 from '09 to '13. I loved Punk for his appearance and carry since it proved to be a unique and genuine 'character' among bland hero or villain personas. I quoted the word character because CM Punk the wrestler WAS Phillip Brooks the man which was the coolest thing to me. He gave a voice to the voiceless and that was his best quality to me, being someone with not that big a voice myself.

4) AJ Styles

Once thought to be the most unlikely man in the entire world of wrestling to join WWE, knowing where he was a few years ago and seeing him as a two-time WWE Champion now is remarkable. Styles was the poster boy for anti-WWE wrestling for years, ever since his try out match for the promotion in 2001, where he was not offered a contract. Named Mr. TNA, after 11 years with the company, Styles made his name synonymous with that promotion until his contract had finished in 2013. Moving to New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2014 and joining the stable known as Bullet Club, Styles became a heel, villain, immediately and would win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in his first Pay Per View match. He is one of the most successful small men in history and shows that if you have the determination to become something more than a cruiser weight then there's nothing stopping you from reaching the top. There isn't much else to say about Styles, just that he is genuinely one of the most humble wrestlers in the world despite being in the top 30 wrestlers for 14 years straight and being in the top 5 the past 4 years. Just an all around phenomenal pro wrestler and a great role model for anyone.

3) Jeff Hardy

With one of the most unique and triumphant stories in wrestling history, Jeff Hardy has had a well documented struggle with drug addiction over his 24 year career. The highs reached all the way to the WWE Championship twice in 2009 but his lowest point would be when he came to the ring intoxicated in 2011, as part of TNA. He made a huge return to the WWE at WrestleMania in 2017 to one of the biggest pops, positive reaction, in wrestling history. He is fearless, flamboyant, a thrill seeker, and the Charismatic Enigma so what's not to love? Not afraid to put his body on the line to wow a crowd, it is a miracle how little wear Hardy's body shows in his most recent matches, which included jumping off a 20 ft ladder and cage roof. I have always been mesmerized by Hardy's style of care free attitude which has made him my most searched wrestler when it comes to re watching old matches. I love his story, coming off years of drug abuse and trying to make the most out of what is most likely his final run in the WWE. A redemption story that can inspire anyone who has had problems similar to Hardy and a never give up attitude for life as a whole, is one of the reasons why He ranks so high on my list. He's an iconic wrestler with an even greater redemption story.

2) Kofi Kingston

The very first match I ever watched was on Saturday morning with my little brother, between Chaotic and Yu-Gi-Oh, and I was instantly hooked. Seeing a grown man pretend to have an invisible friend was one thing, but seeing another grown man pretend to be hit by punches from the invisible friend was a completely different story. Did I think it was stupid? Yes. Did I find it entertaining? Most definitely. R-Truth and Little Jimmy were quirky and fun but the man who was selling punches from Jim was the highlight of the match, and my first ever favorite wrestler, Kofi Kingston. Doing my own research, I found that Kofi was swiftly becoming a fan favorite among kids and adults alike and I was no different. A love able baby face who was just there to smile and jump around, Kingston proved to me that you can truly be yourself, no acting or pretending to be someone else. I mentioned that CM Punk was like this as well but not his entire career was he completely himself through and through like Kofi has been the past ten years with the company. One of the nicest guys in wrestling today and a seasoned veteran, Kofi Kingston was my very first favorite wrestler, but he isn't number one.

1) Chris Jericho

Nearly reaching his 30th anniversary as a professional wrestler, the one they the Best in the World, has certainly proved himself worthy of the top spot. One of the most entertaining men in sports entertainment history, and a decorated veteran, Jericho has never disappointed. Always reinventing his character, he never felt over used or out of style even in the past few years. Showing off his creativity inside the ring has always been a strong suit for Chris but getting to use those skills outside the ring has proven to be his best characteristic. He started his wrestling career in nearly every wrestling country except the United States until 1995 but his television mainstream didn't fully get underway until 1996, as a member of the WCW roster. A spunky attitude that meshed well in the Cruiser weight division but could also tangle with the best of the Heavy weights would make Jericho a must see act even when he jumped ship to WWF in 1999. My favorite part about Jericho was his ability to keep the buzz going around him for this long, even becoming the first wrestler in nearly 40 years to wrestle in both the WWE and New Japan Pro Wrestling at the same time, last done by Hulk Hogan in 1980. An innovator, creative master mind, rock star, and,most importantly, all around Best in the World, his name is Chris Jericho.

"Drink it in Maaaaaaaaaaaan!"