The Wrestling Bard 12.28.09: Wrestlers of the Decade - #10-1

Posted by Aaron Hubbard on 12.28.2009

Who is the greatest professional wrestler of the last ten years? Who came close? From WWE mainstays like Triple H, John Cena, and Edge to TNA stars AJ Styles, Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe, these are the greatest wrestlers of the last ten years.

So here we are, the top ten wrestlers of the decade.Forty wrestlers have already been mentioned. They have all made an impact on wrestling this decade, winning championships and having great matches, or making new stars. But they weren't good enough to get to the top ten. This is the cream of the crop, the best of the best, the elite of Professional Wrestling in the last ten years.By now, you've probably deduced who the ten are, but where do they fall? Who takes the #1 slot? Does he deserve it, or does someone lower on the list deserve the spot? And so we begin…The Final Countdown.

Yeah, that totally gives away who the #10 guy is. And now, let the fecal matter hit the cooling device.


#10: Bryan Danielson
Active Years: 2000-2009
Achievements: ROH World Champion (1 Time), GHC Jr. Heavyweight Champion (1 Time), ROH Pure Champion (1 Time, Last), FIP Champion (1 Time), PWG Champion (2 Times), ECWA Tag Team Champion (1 Time w/Low Ki), IWJP Jr. Tag Team Champion (1 Time w/Curry Man), King of the Indies 2001, Numerous Other Independent Titles
Promotions Worked For: ROH, WWE, NOAH, NJPW, FIP, PWG, NWA, CHIKARA, Dragon Gate USA, Numerous Other World Wide Independents
Why He's #10: 2001 saw WCW and ECW close within the span of a month. The World Wrestling Federation was the only game in town unless you wanted to go to Japan. With a mass of unsigned veterans and young up-and-coming stars, some promotions tried to make a go at becoming the second biggest promotion, from the XWF to the WWA, and TNA, which has taken that throne (by nature of their star power and their television deal and little else). But other promotions decided to take a different route. Why try to compete with the juggernaut that was the WWE? With DVD distribution and the internet to spread the word, an indy promotion could become a successful business and make money as a small federation. The result was a massive influx of indy talent and promotions making names for themselves, a period called the Indy Boom. The Indy Boom provided fans that were disenchanted with WWE an alternative, not just in brand name, but in style. Indy wrestlers were smaller, faster, and were able to work a more technical style, mixed with hard strikes, high-impact moves, and high flying. Chief among these wrestlers is Bryan Danielson.

Danielson was trained by Shawn Michaels and signed to a WWE Developmental contract where he received further training from William Regal. Danielson then traveled the world, from Europe to Japan and from Canada to Mexico, gaining valuable experience and learning a multitude of styles. In America, there is hardly an indy promotion where Danielson has not stepped foot in at least once. He has taken booking after booking after booking. On his occasional breaks, Danielson has either been recuperating from injuries or training and developing his style. Bryan refuses to be complacent and is always seeking to evolve and improve. The result is that Bryan is perhaps the most versatile in-ring worker in wrestling, and he has amassed a body of work that would make Ric Flair blush with concern and Shawn Michaels smile with pride. In the eyes of many, including this writer, Bryan is exactly what his gimmick says he is; "The Best Wrestler in the World."

Certainly, Ring of Honor is where Bryan has his greatest fame. Part of the main event of the very first show against Low Ki and Christopher Daniels, Bryan has faced every top star to come through Ring of Honor, from Samoa Joe to Paul London, AJ Styles to Roderick Strong, KENTA to Tyler Black, Austin Aries to Davey Richards. In my mind, the three things that define Bryan Danielson's time in Ring of Honor are his fifteen month title reign, his rivalry with Nigel McGuinness and his bitter feud with Takeshi Morishima. The title reign, which started by beating James Gibson in a human chess match in 2005 and ended in an emotional loss to Homicide at Final Battle 2006, saw Ring of Honor rise to new heights and earned Danielson the title "Best in the World". His rivalry with Nigel show the best of the ROH style, as seen in their incredible match at Driven 2007 and the two never failed to deliver in-ring excellence; it was fitting that their last match in the company was against each other. The feud with Morishima is amazing because it shows how Bryan Danielson had to change his style to defeat an opponent. When all of his technical skill and strategy couldn't put Shima away, Bryan dug deep and fought his way to a victory.

To many fans, the American Dragon represents everything that is right about wrestling; hard work, technical skill, paying your dues, dedication to the art, and love for the business and its fans. His style is steeped in the tradition of wrestlers from a bygone era, but is also something new entirely, with MMA and Jujitsu influencing his in-ring work. Bryan is not a superstar yet, but he is an amazing professional wrestler.
Why He Isn't Any Higher: There are only two criticisms I have for Mr. Danielson. One is that he is an average at best promo, a category that most of the men ahead of Bryan have in spades. The second one is that Bryan has yet to wrestle on a widespread television program other than ROH on HDNet and Velocity, something which all of the men ahead of Bryan have to their advantage. Bryan will get a chance to rectify that in the next decade, as he is signed by WWE. Most are skeptical, some are hopeful, but Bryan will get his chance.


#9: Shawn Michaels
Active Years: 2002-2009
Achievements: World Heavyweight Champion (1 Time), WWE Undisputed Tag Team Champion (1 Time w/Triple H), World Tag Team Champion (1Times w/ John Cena)
Promotions Worked For: WWE
Why He's #9: From the student to the teacher. By all rights, Shawn Michaels shouldn't have even wrestled in this decade. With a surgically repaired back and a resume that runs longer than the Bible, no one would have begrudged Shawn Michaels for staying on the sidelines. However, I don't think anyone is complaining that he has been wrestling for the last seven and a half years, because he's been one of the most consistently excellent performers in the business that entire time. In many ways, Shawn Michaels couldn't be more different than the man he was in the 1990's. He was once the most controversial man in wrestling, both in and out of the ring. Now, Shawn is a God-fearing family man and is less controversial than Beenie Babies. He was once a high-flying guy who would outwork everyone, and now he relies on drama and psychology to put on the best match he can. But in other ways, he is still the same Shawn Michaels we all know. He is still determined to be the Showstopper and loves wrestling just as much as he ever did.

Shawn returned to the WWE in 2002 in an incredible street fight with Triple H at Summer Slam 2002. This would be his major rivalry for the next two years, a rivalry that got Shawn a brief run with the World Heavyweight Championship and a Wrestlemania main event that was won by Chris Benoit. At Wrestlemania 21, Shawn would wrestle Kurt Angle. Although he came out on the losing end, it was an incredible showcase. The feud would continue for most of the year before Shawn got into a long war of ideals with Vince McMahon. Michaels would utterly destroy Vince at Wrestlemania 22 and get an unexpected ally in Triple H. D-Generation X made life miserable for the McMahons and had a feud with Rated RKO that put Hunter on the shelf. This would end up being the best thing for Shawn Michaels, as he had a new found dedication to being the best and would end up challenging John Cena in the Main Event of Wrestlemania 23 and then facing him in an almost hour-long match on RAW. HBK's next feud with be with Randy Orton that forced Shawn to be better than he was, as he was prevented from using Sweet Chin Music.

2008 was a great year for Shawn professionally but an awful year personally. He retired Ric Flair in his most emotional Wrestlemania performance yet, and then had to pay for doing so at the hands of Batista. But it would be a feud with Chris Jericho that defined Shawn Michaels in the year, as the two men had a long, personal, and very violent feud that saw Shawn dig down into his soul in order to put Jericho away. The feud's penultimate Ladder Match for the World Championship is considered by some to be the Match of the Year for 2008. And just as Shawn was done with Jericho, he became the employee of JBL and had to yearn his freedom. He would do so, but his first action as a free man certainly didn't make his life any easier. Shawn challenged the Undertaker to a match at Wrestlemania XXV, giving Undertaker his best ‘Mania match before falling to a second Tombstone Piledriver. Shawn has spent the last few months of the decade together with Triple H in feuds with Legacy and the team of Chris Jericho and the Big Show that saw the duo finally become Tag Team Champions. But there is no doubt that Shawn Michaels is still hungry for World Championships. When he and Triple H were put into a triple threat match with John Cena at Survivor Series, Shawn's first move was to superkick his partner in the jaw. Michaels only has a few years left, but if they are anything like the years he has given in this decade, he will still be on the list of the 2010's.
Why He Isn't Any Higher: Go up to the achievements section of this blurb to find out why Shawn Michaels isn't any higher. Shawn Michaels held most of his World Titles in the 1990's. Has Shawn Michaels delivered great matches? Yes, but he has precious little to show for it, especially when compared to the eight men ahead of him.


#8: Chris Jericho
Active Years: 2000-2005, 2007-2009
Achievements: Undisputed WWE Champion (1 Time, First), World Heavyweight Champion (2 Times), WCW World Champion (2 Times, Last), Intercontinental Champion (9 Times), European Champion (1 Time), Hardcore Champion (1 Time), WWE Undisputed Tag Team Champion (1 Time w/Edge/Big Show), World Tag Team Champion (3 Times w/The Rock, Chris Benoit & Christian)
Promotions Worked For: WWE
Why He's #8: Chris Jericho started the decade in a feud with Chyna over the Intercontinental Championship and ended in a feud with Shawn Michaels and Triple H over the Undisputed Tag Team Championship. This should tell you how much Jericho has grown over the years. In 2000, Jericho was a young, brash, talented and popular superstar that was stealing shows with Chris Benoit, a feud that helped bring wrestling back to the WWF, and he was still in that role at the beginning of 2000, winning a Ladder Match with Benoit that ranks among the best in the genre. He would form a successful team with Benoit that defeated Triple H and Steve Austin for the World Tag Team Titles on RAW and defended the titles in a TLC against the Hardyz, Dudleyz, and E&C on Smackdown! Jericho would become an important fighter for the WWF against the Alliance until he and The Rock started to have tension. Jericho would finally win the big one by beating Rock for the WCW Championship, and would top the feat two months later by defeating Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock at Vengeance to unify the two titles and became the first Undisputed Champion. Jericho would defend the title until Wrestlemania X8 when he lost it to Triple H.

Jericho would go to the RAW brand for another successful pairing with Christian. In the meantime, he would face Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XIX and Goldberg at Bad Blood. Jericho had one of the best long term angles of the decade with his romance with Trish Stratus, a soap opera with twists and turns that helped turn Jericho back into a face and ended with Trish teaming up with Christian and starting a new feud for Jericho. Jericho would meander around RAW, beating Christian for an IC Title but losing it to Shelton Benjamin, suggesting Money in the Bank but losing it. Jericho made a special appearance for ECW One Night Stand to face Lance Storm as "The Lionheart" of old days, but the debut of John Cena on RAW brought Jericho back to reality. Jericho would try unsuccessfully to wrest the WWE Championship from Cena and wound up being fired in the process.

After a two-year sabbatical from wrestling, Jericho returned to WWE with a new short haircut and tried to dethrone Randy Orton but ending up getting involved in a rivalry with the also returning JBL. Jericho seemed to go right back where he was before he left, winning the IC Championship for the record eighth time, and ending up back in the Money in the Bank. But Jericho put any doubts behind him when he started a deeply personal rivalry with Shawn Michaels that continued to escalate and became one of the best feuds in wrestling history. Jericho would become World Champion two more times in the fall and winter of 2008, losing to Batista and John Cena. Jericho would get to fulfill a dream by wrestling Ricky Steamboat, first at Wrestlemania and then at Backlash before starting another personal rivalry with Rey Mysterio that produced a classic at The Bash. On the same night, Jericho would team with Edge to become the Undisputed Tag Team Champion, a title he would defend alongside the Big Show until Tables, Ladders & Chairs. Jericho has rarely been without gold and has proved himself to be one of the best all around performers in WWE.
Why He Isn't Any Higher: Jericho always seems to get lost in the shuffle. When he became the Undisputed Champion, he should have been at the top of the card for the rest of his career. Instead, he has spent a lot of time challenging for the Intercontinental Championship and to an extent he still has the stigma of a career mid carder. If Jericho's World Title reigns were spread out over a couple years, he'd probably rank higher. Chris also kind of lost his way as a performer in 2005 and took two years to come back. Those two years really cost him.


#7: Samoa Joe
Active Years: 2000-2009
Achievements: ROH World Champion (1 Time), TNA World Champion (1 Time), TNA X-Division Champion (4 Times), ROH Pure Champion (1 Time), TNA World Tag Team Champion (1 Time), UPW Heavyweight Champion (1 Time), King of the Mountain 2008, Super X Cup 2005, Numerous Independent Titles
Promotions Worked For: TNA, ROH, NOAH, UPW, Numerous Independents
Why He's #7: Those who only know Joe's TNA story might be surprised that Samoa Joe is this high on the list. They probably won't deny his talent or his unique style, or that he has competed in some of the best matches in TNA history. After all, for the first eighteen months of his TNA career, he was undefeated in singles competition and had great matches with AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels. When the streak was broken, it was by Kurt Angle, and sparked another series of great matches. Let's not forget his strong showings against Christian Cage, or his time as leader of the frontline, or even his most recent match with AJ and Daniels that is in my opinion the 2009 Match of the Year. But he is a one-time world champion and always plays second fiddle to Kurt Angle. And the buzz surrounding him faded away a few years ago, right?

Joe has had a far greater impact on American Wrestling than some people may realize. He is an absolutely essential part of the history of Ring of Honor, as he held the company's championship for twenty-one months. Joe had to make up for the abysmal run of the previous champion Xavier, and had to pull ROH through the Rob Feinstein Incident and the subsequent leaving of all but a few contracted TNA wrestlers, like AJ and Daniels. He did so with flying colors, from his violent rivalry with Homicide to his one-hour draws with CM Punk to dropping the title to Austin Aries. Joe made the ROH Championship something to be respected. He became so respected that Japanese Legend Kenta Kobashi came to Ring of Honor to battle Samoa Joe in a dream match, a show that brought more attention to ROH than anything bar Matt Hardy's plugs at WWE shows. While he lost, the company got a much needed boon and has been growing ever since. To say ROH would not be where it is today were it not for Samoa Joe would be an understatement of unimaginable proportions. He is the reason why ROH is as big as it is. To a smaller extent, Joe has done the same for TNA, as he was one of the most pushed stars when TNA got it's Spike TV deal and his three-way with AJ and Daniels from Unbreakable is considered as THE definitive TNA Match.

Another oft-overlooked contribution Joe has made is that he is the first person to successfully bring the All Japan Main Event Style to American Television. Samoa Joe's style is a combination of Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, and Kenta Kobashi, to the extent that I always reference Joe when people ask me about those wrestlers. People who tuned into a TNA show and watched Samoa Joe wrestle saw something very different from what every other wrestler in America was doing. For some, it was a new style that captivated them. For others, it was a style they were familiar with but never thought they'd see on Spike TV. Joe may not be in the same class as the legends that influenced him, but he had actually done more for that style of wrestling than any of them. In adopting that style, Joe also made a case that not all Samoan wrestlers have to wrestle the same way. The style has also contributed to some of the most exciting matches of the decade, some of which will be tossed around as possibly the best match of the decade. For his contributions to two companies that provide an alternative to WWE, and in recognition of his tremendous talent, Joe is ranked among the very best.
Why He Isn't Any Higher: Samoa Joe suffers from being in TNA. That has two meanings. One, Joe is going to have a hard time beating the top stars of the WWE. Second, TNA has is infamous for their inability to book Samoa Joe in an effective manner. His one and only World Championship Win came almost a year too late and he suffered from a lack of good challengers and was a dud overall. Joe also took a serious dip in his entertainment value when he embraced "The Nation of Violence" persona, as his pseudo-MMA was thrown out for the old Samoan Savage gimmick that simply does not fit Joe. His in-ring performances were less than world changing as well. Joe seems to be coming out of his slump somewhat, but one has to wonder if Joe's time has already passed him by.


#6: The Undertaker
Active Years: 2000-2009
Achievements: WWE Champion (1 Time), World Heavyweight Champion (3 Times), Hardcore Champion (1 Time), World Tag Team Champion (2 Times w/Kane), WCW Tag Team Champion (1 Time w/Kane), Royal Rumble 2007
Promotions Worked For: WWE
Why He's #6: In 2001, Scott Keith released a book entitled The Buzz on Wrestling. In it, he said The Undertaker was past his relevance and would probably be gone within a few years. HA! Alright, in all fairness, I expected Undertaker to retire after his fantastic and brutal Hell in a Cell match with Brock Lesnar in 2002. He had been wrestling in WWE for nearly twelve years and had completely reinvented himself in 2000, becoming the American Badass "Biker-Taker", a character that was much less supernatural but no less intimidating. As it turns out, that match would be far from his last match, and The Undertaker had continued to make WWE his yard. He has seen a career renaissance since 2006; he has become a more complete and diverse wrestler by adopting MMA to complement his power game, and he takes frequent sabbaticals so that when he does wrestle, he is at the top of his game. He is just as marketable as ever, popular with old fans and new fans alike.

While Undertaker's appearance and moveset have changed somewhat, he has played the same basic role for the entire time. When a young kid like John Cena, Ken Kennedy, or Randy Orton wants to make a name for himself, they challenged The Deadman. When a monster like Brock Lesnar, The Great Khali, or even Undertaker's "brother" Kane becomes unstoppable, Taker is the one who steps up to the beast and more often than not defeats them. And when an arrogant superstar like Edge, Triple H or CM Punk thinks a little too highly of themselves, the Undertaker comes in and beats respect into them. He is WWE's version of Batman, lurking in the shadows to punish the wicked for reasons that only he seems to know. He shows few emotions and has fewer allies. He evolves himself to face the new challenges while staying essentially the same. Because of this, I feel that Undertaker will never be truly replaced.

While Undertaker won four world championships in the last decade and has had many memorable moments, I feel that the accomplishment I must talk over is The Streak. It is in this decade where Undertaker's streak has become a thing of legend instead of merely an interesting statistic. Nine matches and ten men. Triple H, Ric Flair, A-Train, Big Show, Kane, Randy Orton, Mark Henry, Batista, Edge and Shawn Michaels. Taker has won world championships, stolen shows, settled rivalries, returned to the dark side, and cemented his place in history in these matches. Some have come very close to defeating Undertaker, but all have fallen. The streak is almost sacred and will be talked about twenty years from now in the same hushed tones as Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant the Flair-Steamboat series. If anyone does beat Undertaker at Wrestlemania, it will be the greatest accomplishment of their career, regardless of how many world titles they win. The number of people who have beaten Undertaker in a fair match cleanly is a very short list. Kurt Angle, Triple H, Batista, The Great Khali, Brock Lesnar and The Big Show. And whether you are making a list of the best wrestlers of the 1990's, the 2000's, an all-time list, Taker belongs in the top ten.
Why He Isn't Any Higher: Undertaker is probably the biggest "name" in this top ten, an icon for almost two decades. However, Taker rarely concerns himself with championships; he is above the championship, really. Indeed, Undertaker said in a promo recently that the reason he seeks championship gold is because others seek it, and having the belt guarantees that wrestlers will come to face him instead of fleeing. The five men above him have won more championships and building their legends, so their resumes are more impressive. However, Undertaker became legendary almost with his first appearance, so he has one up on all of them.


#5: Edge
Active Years: 2000-2009
Achievements: WWE Champion (4 Times), World Heavyweight Champion (5 Times), WCW U.S. Champion (1 Time, Last), Intercontinental Champion (5 Times), Undisputed Tag Team Champion (1 Time w/Chris Jericho), WWE Tag Team Champion (1 Time w/Rey Mysterio), World Tag Team Champion (11 Times w/Christian, Hulk Hogan, Chris Benoit & Randy Orton), King of the Ring 2001, Money in the Bank 2005 (First), Money in the Bank 2007*
Promotions Worked For: WWE
Why He's #5: Edge is the Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart for my generation. I'm not saying that he is in the same class of competitor that those two men are. But we have grown up with Edge in much the same way as people in their thirties grew up with Bret and Shawn. We have watched him grow from tag-team wrestler to mid-card show stealer to main-event heel. When we were pre-teens, he was the super-babyface on Smackdown! with long hair who made us laugh and seemed like the champion of the future. When we were teenagers, Edge had rebellious spirit and boasted of how he beat Mick Foley to a bloody pulp and how Lita was his personal sex kitten. And now, as we move into real adulthood trying to earn respect and our place in this world, Edge has matured to be one of the best in the business, earning the respect of almost everyone and cementing his place in the history of the company. I can't help but feel a certain kinship with Edge, and I think many others in my age group would echo that statement.

Edge has done virtually everything there is to do in WWE. He is a tag-team specialist, winning thirteen tag titles with six different partners. When he climbed up the ranks of the WWE, he held both the Intercontinental and U.S. Titles, uniting them at one point, and winning King of the Ring and Money in the Bank. And at the main event level, Edge has nine world titles to his name and always finds a way to get the gold around his waist. He was one of the top babyfaces in the company in 2002 and became the top heel in the company in 2006. He is a versatile competitor, able to wrestle, fly, cheat and brawl whenever the situation arrives. His feuds with Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, Matt Hardy, Mick Foley, John Cena, Randy Orton, Batista, The Undertaker and Jeff Hardy are all highlights of the decade.

Edge also sticks out to me because he is everything a heel should be and prides himself on having no redeemable qualities whatsoever. He is arrogant, opportunistic, sadistic, and will do anything to walk out of a match with the world title around his waist. He is a cheater and a coward. Well, most of the time. If he has to dive off a 20-foot ladder or headfirst into a flaming table to get the job done, he'll do what is necessary. But if there's another, easier way to win, he'll take it without a second thought. So dedicated to his heel status is Edge that none of his World Titles have been won without some short of shenanigans. Oddly enough, by having no redeemable qualities, Edge became one of the coolest wrestlers in the world. His T-Shirts look like ones you would get at a rock and roll concert, and his girlfriend Lita would well, almost wear them. He was the perfect compliment to the goody two-shoes John Cena, providing a villain for Cena fans to boo and a hero for Cena-haters to cheer for. It doesn't hurt that Edge is both really smart and really talented.

In my mind, there are only two things left for Edge to do: win the Royal Rumble, have a babyface world title run. Considering that Edge turned his back on Vickie Guerrero and has stepped up against Chris Jericho, and will soon make his return after an injury to his Achilles heel, I think the time for Edge to do both is soon. Whatever his role may be, you can beat that Edge will give 110% to it, making sure that he is an interesting, entertaining character and that he delivers quality matches. That's exactly what he's been doing for the last ten years. This has truly been "The Decade of Decadence".
Why He Isn't Any Higher: Edge's nine world titles look impressive until you realize how short they are and how he hasn't won a single one in an honest manner. His laundry list of injuries makes him look real tough, but it also takes years off his career. Being the top heel is nothing to sneeze at, but it also means he plays second-fiddle to the babyfaces, especially Cena.


#4: AJ Styles
Active Years: 2000-2009
Achievements: TNA World Champion (1 Time), NWA World Champion (3 Times), X-Division Champion (6 Times), ROH Pure Champion (1 Time, First), TNA Legends Champion (1 Time), PWG Champion (1 Time), IWA: MS Champion (1 Time), ROH Tag Team Champion (1 Time w/Amazing Red), TNA World Tag Team Champion (1 Time w/Tomko), NWA World Tag Team Champion (4 Times w/Jerry Lynn, Abyss & Christopher Daniels), Ted Petty Invitational (2004), Numerous Independent Championships
Promotions Worked For: TNA, WCW, ROH, NJPW, ZERO-ONE, NWA, WWA, XWF, PWG, IWA: Mid-South, Numerous Independent Promotions
Why He's #4: If you ask somebody to name a TNA Wrestler that made his name in TNA, the person most likely to be named is AJ Styles. While he has found plenty of success in the Indy Scene and was once an integral part of Ring of Honor, TNA is AJ's home and is the promotion people associate him with. And for good reason. Styles was in the very first match on TNA PPV, was it's first X-Division Champion, pioneered said division, has held the NWA Championship three times, ended the tyrant-like rule of Jeff Jarrett for the last one, was the first triple crown winner in TNA and is the only Grand Slam winner in TNA, almost always steals the show, has been in TNA's very best matches, and is the TNA Champion heading into the new decade. AJ Styles is not just the face of TNA as much as he IS TNA.

AJ Styles is without a doubt in my mind the greatest X-Division wrestler of all time. He's gone through the formative years with Jerry Lynn and Low-Ki, wrestled the new guns in Chris Sabin and Petey Williams, and wrestled in its Golden Age with Christopher Daniels and Samoa Joe. His combination of high-impact offense, like the Styles Clash, and gravity defying high-spots, like the springboard 450 splash and the Spiral Tap, epitomize the innovation of the X-Division and make him the gold standard. But AJ is not only an indy spot-monkey. In 2005, AJ showed an incredible ability to tell a story, whether it was winning the NWA Championship from Jeff Jarrett, battling Daniels in 30-Minute Iron-Man Matches, or losing an amazing match to Samoa Joe at Turning Point 2005, AJ has proved that knows how to mix storytelling and high spots. When he turned heel and became a lackey for Christian Cage and Kurt Angle, and later feuded with them, he had great wrestling matches, not just spotfests. And in his current role as TNA World Champion, AJ is making a convincing case that he is the best pound-for-pound wrestler in the world.

Only three men in the top ten have not competed in WWE, and they all three represent the very best of the alternative. One of the most important aspects in wrestling for the 2000's has been the smart fan's search for something different from what WWE provides. AJ Styles provides that in spades. Above all his quality matches, all his amazing athleticism, and all of his titles, AJ Styles embodies the independent spirit and wrestling freedom, both for the athletes and for the fans. Styles absolutely deserves to be this high.
Why He Isn't Any Higher: I suppose the only reason I can point to is that AJ Styles is in TNA, and the three men ahead of him have all been in WWE and have been multiple time world champions. But really, AJ Styles is at #4 simply because the three men above him are the unquestioned top three wrestlers in my mind. Yes, two men are despised by significant portions of the IWC and one man hasn't been in WWE for over three years, but I really don't think you can make a case for AJ being higher than any of the three men above him.


#3: Triple H
Active Years: 2000-2009
Achievements: WWE Undisputed Champion (1 Time), WWE Champion (5 Times), World Heavyweight Champion (5 Times, First), Intercontinental Champion (1 Time), WWE Undisputed Tag Team Champion (1 Time w/Shawn Michaels), World Tag Team Champion (1 Time w/Steve Austin), Royal Rumble 2002
Promotions Worked For: WWE
Why He's #3: Triple H defeated Big Show for the WWE Championship in January 2000, and that set the tone for the rest of the decade. Triple H was the top heel in WWE and one of the best all around performers. He had wild brawls with Mick Foley and Chris Jericho, terrific sports entertainment main events with The Rock, and a technical classic with Chris Benoit. He became the first heel to walk out of Wrestlemania with the World Title by defeating Rock, Foley and Show. 2001 looked to continue the trend of Triple H greatness, as he attempted to settle his rivalry with Kurt Angle, defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin in an epic Three Stages of Hell match, and came within an inch of defeating the Undertaker at Wrestlemania X-Seven. He formed a partnership with Austin that ruled the WWE for a while, and won the Tag Team Championship and the Intercontinental Championship in the process. But in a match against Jericho and Benoit, Triple H tore his quadriceps and was out for the rest of the year. If the first eighteen months were any indication, Triple H was going to become one of the most decorated and best wrestlers of the decade.

He certainly made good on the former. The Game would defeat Jericho to become Undisputed Champion at Wrestlemania X-8, although he would lose it to Hulk Hogan a month later. When Lesnar took the WWE Championship to Smackdown!, Triple H became the top man on RAW, becoming the first World Heavyweight Champion and having a bitter rivalry with the returning Shawn Michaels. 2003 saw Triple H hold the World Championship for nine months and defend against WCW alumni like Scott Steiner, Booker T, Kevin Nash and Goldberg. Goldberg would be the man to end the reign of terror but Triple H regained the title in short order. Triple H brought the World Championship into Madison Square Garden for the main event of Wrestlemania XX, defending it against Michaels and losing it to Benoit by submission. The match is considered one of the best of all time and Triple H tapping was one of the most satisfying moments in Wrestlemania history.

During this time, Triple H formed a potent stable called Evolution with Ric Flair, Randy Orton and Batista. It was obviously a tribute to The Four Horsemen and dominated Raw, making two huge stars in the process. From the summer of 2004 until the beginning of 2006, Triple H would spend his time feuding with his stable mates, turning on Orton for becoming world champion, being abandoned by Batista when the Animal decided to make the first move, and betraying Ric Flair for no apparent reason other than to try and prove he was better than his idol and mentor. While the feud with Orton was a dud, the feuds with Batista and Ric Flair produced several high quality matches and seemed to be a return to form for The Game. Triple H would return to the main event scene, challenging John Cena for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 22, entering as the overwhelming favorite of the fans, but losing the match. After coming up short in a Triple Threat match with Cena and Edge, Triple H embraced the fans once more, burying the hatchet with Shawn Michaels to reform D-Generation X and feud with the McMahons, a feud which reached its bloody climax in a Hell in a Cell that saw Vince McMahon shoved into Big Show's crack.

DX would feud with Rated RKO and Triple H would tear another quad in a match at New Year's Revolution. The Game returned at Summer Slam, defeating King Booker. The Game had a feud with Umaga and held the WWE Championship for a couple of hours at No Mercy 2007 before losing a Last Man Standing Match to Randy Orton. After a shocking loss to Jeff Hardy, Triple H started pushing full bore to the WWE Championship, and eventually unseated Randy Orton at Backlash 2008. He would defend the Championship against Randy Orton and John Cena before being traded to Smackdown! Jeff Hardy became his top challenger for the WWE Championship and the two had one of the best matches of either man's career at No Mercy. Triple H has spent most of 2009 feuding with Randy Orton and his cohorts Legacy, but ending the decade by winning the Undisputed Tag Team Championship with Shawn Michaels in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match against Chris Jericho and the Big Show.

With a multitude of World Championships, PPV main events, and great matches, Triple H is truly one of the best of the last ten years. Not the best, but one of the best. He has helped makes stars in John Cena, Batista, Chris Benoit, Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy and is a valuable company man. If this list were judged merely by kayfabe accomplishments, Triple H would surely top the list.
Why He Isn't Any Higher: The Triple H fan in me is about to cringe, but here it goes. Triple H is a wrestling star, but he will never be mentioned in the same breath as Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, The Rock or even John Cena. He is a great heel, but not nearly as good as Ric Flair, Harley Race, Roddy Piper or even Edge. He is a good brawler, but not as good as Terry Funk, Mankind, Undertaker or Randy Savage. And he is a good wrestler, but not as good as Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit or Kurt Angle. In short? Triple H is a well-rounded wrestler who is very good in all categories. But he isn't the best. Triple H is a second rate professional wrestler, and no amount of world titles is going to change that fact. He may be the best second-rate wrestler of all time, but he is second-rate.


#2: John Cena
Active Years: 2000-2009
Achievements: World Heavyweight Champion (2 Times), WWE Champion (5 Times), United States Champion (3 Times), World Tag Team Champion (2 Times w/Shawn Michaels & Batista), Royal Rumble 2008
Promotions Worked For: WWE, OVW, UPW
Why He's #2: In 2002, John Cena debuted on Smackdown!, showing ruthless aggression against Kurt Angle. After the initial buzz faded, Cena traded in the short tights for jean shorts and throwbacks. Embracing his love of hip-hop music, Cena started rapping his way down to the ring, cutting his opponents to shreds with edgy lyric after edgy lyric. After an unsuccessful WWE Championship bid against Brock Lesnar, Cena put the world on notice. As one of the premier heels on Smackdown!, Cena had no fear and attempted to make his name by challenging the elites on the brand, from The Undertaker to Eddie Guerrero to Angle. His act was so entertaining that the fans eventually embraced him, and he became one of the most popular acts on the brand. He defeated The Big Show at Wrestlemania XX, and defended it against all comers, most famously in a best of five series with Booker T. At Wrestlemania 21, Cena succeeded where so many had failed, and ended the WWE Championship run of John Bradshaw Layfield to become WWE Champion. A star was truly born.

After defeating JBL in an I Quit Match, Cena left Smackdown for RAW, where he stayed ever since. Cena defended the WWE Championship against Chris Jericho, Angle, and Shawn Michaels, as well as young stars Carlito and Chris Masters before an opportunistic Edge ended his title reign, the beginning of a rivalry that would define both men. But first, Cena had to face the challenge of defeating Triple H at Wrestlemania 22. This would have been a daunting task under normal circumstances, but with most of Chicago booing him, it seemed impossible. But Cena would persevere until coming in front of an even more hostile crowd at the Hammerstein Ballroom, where Edge would cheat him out of a victory over Rob Van Dam. Cena became a truly one of a kind wrestler, as large portions of the crowd loved him and large portions hated him. But either way, he was the biggest star in wrestling. Cena would become a three time WWE Champion by defeating Edge in a TLC Match, and it was the start of a year long run that saw Cena defend against Umaga, Shawn Michaels, The Great Khali and Randy Orton before an injury forced him to relinquish the belt.

Cena made a shocking return at the 2008 Royal Rumble and won it, but would lose the Wrestlemania Title match with Randy Orton and Triple H. Cena would renew acquaintances with JBL before battling Batista in a battle of WWE's two biggest stars, a match he lost. Cena would return to defeat Jericho at Survivor Series to win the World Championship for the first time. Cena would lose the title to Edge but win it back in a triple threat that involved Big Show at Wrestlemania. Cena lost the final chapter (for now) in his rivalry with Edge and then defeated Big Show. He has spent the rest of 2009 feuding with Randy Orton, a rivalry which has seen them wrestle in an I Quit Match, a Hell in a Cell, and an Iron Man Match. He recently lost the WWE Championship to Sheamus at TLC in a shocking upset. While Cena is not universally loved and is far from the best wrestler in the world, he has grown perfectly into the role of WWE Champion and proved that he can have very entertaining matches. He is the biggest star in wrestling today.
Why He Isn't Any Higher: Look at who he's competing against!


#1: Kurt Angle
Active Years: 2000-2009
Achievements: World Heavyweight Champion (1 Time), WCW Champion (1 Time), WWE Champion (4 Times), TNA World Champion (3 Times, First), IWGP Third Belt Champion (1 Time), WCW U.S. Champion (1 Time), Intercontinental Champion (1 Time), TNA X-Division Champion (1 Time), European Champion (1 Time), Hardcore Champion (1 Time), WWE Tag Team Champion (1 Time w/Chris Benoit, First), TNA Tag Team Champion (1 Time w/Sting), King of the Ring 2000, King of the Mountain 2007 & 2009
Promotions Worked For: WWE, TNA, NJPW, IGF, Other Japanese Promotions
Why He's #1: When I compiled this list, only the three top wrestlers on this list even crossed my mind as the wrestler of the decade. Angle was the third person I thought of, but once I thought of him, any and all doubt over this #1 slot was removed. Angle is the top guy in every category I considered. The Olympic Gold Medalist has become one of the best professional wrestlers, not just of this decade, but of all time.

If you want kayfabe accomplishments, Angle has been winning titles almost since the beginning of the decade. He held the Intercontinental, European, and WWE Championships in his first year with WWE, winning King of the Ring and surviving a six-man Hell in a Cell. In his first WWE main event, Angle battled a concussion to play his role in the final moments. He proved he could deliver in the drama department with his love triangle with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. In 2001, Angle had technical classics with Chris Benoit and emotional battles with Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock, and became the ace of the WWE. 2002 saw Angle go to another level entirely, and feuds with Edge, Rey Mysterio and Chris Benoit cemented him as perhaps the best wrestler in the world. In 2003, he had an incredible feud with Bock Lesnar that main evented Wrestlemania XIX. In 2004, he wrestled Eddie Guerrero for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania XX. 2005 saw him defeat Shawn Michaels at ‘Mania XXI and go to RAW, where he continued his feud with HBK and challenged John Cena for the WWE Championship. He would the World Championship in 2006, defend it in an incredible match against Undertaker at No Way Out, and defend it against Rey Mysterio and Randy Orton at ‘Mania 22. Angle would go to the newly reformed ECW for a short while, putting Orton in his place before leaving WWE in the summer.

And that's just his WWE career. Angle would shock the world by going to TNA and would have an incredible feud with Samoa Joe, which he won. Angle then had a feud with Christian Cage where he ended up becoming the first TNA World Champion. Angle would defeat Samoa Joe in a winner take all match to become X-Division Champion and Tag Team Champion, with Sting as his partner. He would lose the X-Division Title to Jay Lethal, the Tag Titles to Ron Killings and Pacman Jones, and the World Title to Sting. He defeated Sting in a matter of weeks to become World Champion again, and defended the title against all-comers before losing to Samoa Joe in an MMA inspired match at Lockdown 2008. Angle has spent most of his time in TNA since then in personal rivalries with AJ Styles and Jeff Jarrett, but also became a part of the Main Event Mafia. Angle has now been feuding with the young studs in TNA like Matt Morgan and Desmond Wolfe. Along the way, he has also competed in New Japan Wrestling against its top stars like Yuji Nagata and Hiroshi Tanahashi. And while this is something of a recap of his career, it's also a list of almost all of Angle's classic matches, because Angle rarely has a bad match.

Aside from his numerous accomplishments and great matches, Angle has turned the wrestling world on its shoulders, completely changing the style of wrestling. He brought pure wrestling back to WWE, and his style of wrestling became the standard. Watch a WWE main event before Kurt Angle arrived, and then watch one after he left. The matches are longer, see more in-ring action and creative counters. That's because Angle refused to just be another WWE wrestler. He wanted to be the best of all time. Some say he's already accomplished it. At the very least, he is my easy #1 for the last ten years, and I think that it will be hard to make an argument.

*****
So, I thought it would be fun to do a little trivia at the end of this thing. So here's a statistical breakdown of the list.


- 43 World Champions
- 17 Currently Employed WWE Wrestlers
- 12 Currently Employed TNA Wrestlers
- 1 Currently Employed ROH Wrestler
- 3 Part-Time ROH Japanese Wrestlers
- 2 Currently Employed NJPW Wrestlers
- 6 Currently Employed NOAH Wrestlers
- 1 Currently Employed CMLL Wrestler
- 7 Currently Unsigned or Retired Wrestlers
- 21 ROH Alumni,
- 33 White Wrestlers
- 1 Polynesian Wrestler
- 8 Japanese Wrestlers
- 4 Hispanic Wrestlers
- 3 Samoan Wrestlers
- 1 British Wrestler
- 4 Canadian Wrestlers
- 2 Black Wrestlers
- 4 Deceased Wrestlers
- 3 WWE Hall of Famers


There has been a lot of moving around on the list as well, working off a list that I still have written down. Just for the heck of it, here is that list.

1. Kurt Angle
2. John Cena
3. AJ Styles
4. Triple H
5. The Undertaker
6. Edge
7. Samoa Joe
8. Shawn Michaels
9. Chris Jericho
10. Bryan Danielson
11. Batista
12. Randy Orton
13. CM Punk
14. Rob Van Dam
15. Nigel McGuinness
16. Rey Mysterio
17. KENTA
18. Jeff Hardy
19. Austin Aries
20. John Bradshaw Layfield
21. Eddie Guerrero
22. The Rock
23. Kenta Kobashi
24. Jeff Jarrett
25. Stone Cold Steve Austin
26. Christian Cage
27. The Big Show
28. Christopher Daniels
29. Jun Akiyama
30. Chris Benoit
31. Naomichi Marufuji
32. Booker T
33. Abyss
34. Mistico
35. Low Ki
36. Brock Lesnar
37. Keiji Mutoh
38. Ric Flair
39. Mick Foley
40. Hulk Hogan
41. Scott Steiner
42. Hiroshi Tanahashi
43. Kane
44. Matt Hardy
45. Mitsuharu Misawa
46. Umaga
47. Shelton Benjamin
48. Goldberg
49. John Morrison
50. Monty Brown

Quite a different list, no? I should mention that at one time, Go Shiozaki was on the list at #50, making him the only wrestler to be added to the original list but taken off the final list.