The Greatest Wrestling Legends of All Time: From Hogan to Cena – The sport of wrestling has moved a long way from a means of combat only, to a global source of entertainment. The history of wrestling as a competitive sport started in ancient Greece and in Egypt; however, the sport has been turned into big entertainment many thanks to the 1980s cable television boom. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), formerly (the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) played a very important role in promoting wrestling as an entertainment source, and many legends were created by WWE/WWF, some of which we will discuss.
Pop culture at large would not be the same without legends like Hulk Hogan, the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin writing their names, not just in the ring, but in the history books, too. Their personality, catchphrases, and dramatic storylines have had great influence on the entertainment industry spreading even to fashion and film. We have experienced best wrestlers of all time like The Rock, and John Cena crossover into other mainstream media, including movies, TV shows, and even music. We will now explore how these icons helped shape the golden eras of wrestling
Hulk Hogan: The Icon of the Golden Era
The legendary figure of the 1980s to early 1990s being a notable Terry Gene Bollea or as we all know him “Hulk Hogan”. A multiple time WWE Champion, he dominated the WWF, and won his first title by beating The Iron Sheik, Madison Square Garden, January 23 1984. This victory was a major step in the creation of “Hulkamania”, the face of WWF.
He was not just a wrestler but also a pop culture sensation appearing in many movies and tv shows with many action figures and T-shirts bearing his image. He headlined many events, including WrestleMania and is widely regarded as the most recognized star worldwide.
From head to toe in his trademark yellow and red, “The Real American” first showed his unbridled patriotism when he leg dropped his way through The Iron Sheik to win the WWE Championship in 1984. From there, he became a household name, headlining the first WrestleMania and brushing his 24 inch pythons against celebrities like Cyndi Lauper and Billy Crystal on MTV and “Saturday Night Live.” Andy Warhol showed up at Hulkster’s matches and millions of children listened intently as their hero told them to “say your prayers and take your vitamins.
He had many achievements some of which include:
- WWF Championship: 6-time champion
- Notably held the title for a record 1,474 days during his first reign, which is the longest in WrestleMania history.
- WCW World Heavyweight Championship: 6-time champion
- Holds the record for the longest cumulative reign as WCW Champion, totaling over 1,177 days.
- Royal Rumble Winner: First wrestler to win consecutive Royal Rumble matches in 1990 and 1991.
One of his most notable matchups was against André the Giant at WrestleMania III on March 29, 1987. It is widely regarded as one of the most significant moments in professional fighting history. Hogan won the match with 93,000 fans present at the Pontiac Silverdome, setting a record for attendance, surpassing the Super Bowl XVI and the Rolling Stones concert.
Ric Flair: The Nature Boy
Ric Flair, popularly known as “The Nature Boy,” is one of the best wrestler. His career spanned over four decades, in which he was a 16-time world champion. He had titles across the following major promotions:
- NWA World Heavyweight Championship: 13 times
- WCW World Heavyweight Championship: 8 times
- WWF Championship: 2 times
- Royal Rumble Winner: 1992
Flair had a couple legendary matchups during the span of his career that defined his legacy. One of his most notable matchups was against Ricky Steamboat, who was the greatest in-ring rival of Ric Flair. Their trilogy ended in 1989, when Ric won his clean victory over Steamboat who had managed to defeat Ric twice under questionable circumstances.
During a time of rapid wrestling development, his talent made him relevant at the time and in the competition he had to face through his career. His flamboyant style, flashy robes and signature catch phrase “Wooo!” not to mention his championship wins, painted the modern image of what it means to be a champion. So many wrestlers still copy his style to make his influence so significant.
The Undertaker: The Phenom
Mark William Calaway, popularly referred to as The Undertaker makes our list as a legend. His career spanned over 3 decades in which he left his mark on wrestling. He debuted at the 1990 Survivor Series and quickly became one of the best WWE wrestler of all time.
His character was based off of a supernatural figure and he was often referred to as “The Deadman”. Many fans believed he really died and came back to life which is a storyline that gave him a menacing presence, complete with his iconic trench coat and wide-brimmed hat, His entrance to the stage and the slow music coupled with his deliberate slow walk was a part of his character that always captivated the audience.
The following are some of the achievements of the legend:
- WWE Championship: 4-time champion
- World Heavyweight Championship: 3-time champion
- WWF Hardcore Championship: 1-time champion
- WWF World Tag Team Championship: 6-time champion (with various partners including Kane, Steve Austin, The Rock, and Big Show)
- WCW World Tag Team Championship: 1-time champion (with Kane)
- USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship: 1-time champion
- USWA Texas Heavyweight Championship: 1-time champion
One of his most notable achievements is The Streak where he had a record of 21 consecutive WrestleMania victories which started with his match against “Superfly” and was eventually broken by Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 30. He was also a pioneer for many match types we watch today but you might not realize were popularized by The Undertaker such as Casket Match, Buried Alive Match, Hell in a Cell Match.
Today it is possible to celebrate his legacy through wrestling themed betting on plataforma 1Win. In 2022 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame where we will always remember him as The Phenom because of his incredible take on storytelling that gripped the audience in his wild world of wrestling.
Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Antihero
Stone Cold Steve Austin also known as “The Antihero” was one of the strongest WWE wrestlers who proudly raised his middle fingers at anyone who dares oppose him. Whenever the signature sound of shattering glass erupted throughout the arena, everyone knew the defiant man clad in jeans and black leather often soaked in beer foam was on his way in.
Though he took on Superstars including Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker, Austin is best remembered for his rivalry against two men: The Rock and the Chairman himself, Mr. McMahon.
The latter rivalry began in late 1997 when Austin, still seething over McMahon stripping him of the Intercontinental Title, handed his boss a ‘Stone Cold’ Stunner’ in front of the Madison Square Garden crowd. This wouldn’t be the first time Mr. McMahon would taste Austin’s leather boot as the pair’s hostile feud defined the Attitude Era. His achievements were many, including:
- WWF Championship: 6-time champion
- WWF Intercontinental Championship: 2-time champion
- WWF Tag Team Championship: 4-time champion (with Shawn Michaels, Dude Love, The Undertaker, and Triple H)
- King of the Ring: Winner (1996)
- Royal Rumble: Record 3-time winner (1997, 1998, 2001)
- Million Dollar Championship: 1-time champion
- WCW United States Heavyweight Championship: 2-time champion
- WCW World Tag Team Championship: 1-time champion (with Brian Pillman)
- WCW World Television Championship: 2-time champion
He also popularised the catchphrase “Austin 3:16” which became a popular slogan and was one of the best-selling merchandise slogans in history. His contributions to professional fighting during his era were many and they solidified his place as a true legend of all time.
The Rock: From Wrestling Superstar to Global Icon
There’s also Dwayne Johnson, who we know as the Rock which also makes the list as some of the most popular WWE wrestlers of all time. Blessed with great promise early, Johnson won the Intercontinental Championship within months of his debut; he was the son of WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson and a University of Miami football standout. From there, the Rock’s momentum never slowed, laying the smackdown on Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H from “Attitude Era” foes while making the kind of quotable one liners that became part of common conversation.
The People’s Champion would cock one eyebrow and warn Jabronis to “Know your role and shut your mouth,” or “Just bring it,” before finishing them off with his devastating finishing maneuver, The Rock Bottom, on his way to victory. He has many achievements, some of which include:
- WWE Championships: 8-time champion
- WCW World Heavyweight Championship: 2-time champion
- WWF Intercontinental Championship: 2-time champion
- World Tag Team Championship: 5-time champion (with Mankind, The Undertaker, and Chris Jericho)
- Royal Rumble Winner: 2000
- Triple Crown Champion: One of the best WWE wrestlers to achieve this status by winning the WWE Championship, Intercontinental Championship, and World Tag Team Championship.
But beyond fighting, he has branched out into many successful roles in Hollywood, specifically starting in the Fast and Furious franchise as well as Moana. In 2008, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Considering the Rock’s fantastic transition into becoming a successful actor makes him one of the greatest of all time.
John Cena: The Face of a Generation
In 2000 he began his professional career with Ultimate Pro Wrestling and then signed with WWF in 2001. Wrestling aside, he is also one of their superstars in a lot of action movies, and even put out a rap album titled You Can’t See Me. He is also a superstar in lots of action movies and went as far as releasing a rap album by the name You Can’t See Me.
Cena’s list of defeated foes includes future WWE Hall of Famers The Rock, Randy Orton, Batista, Brock Lesnar and Triple H as well as some of WWE’s new guard in Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Rusev, Kevin Owens and Bray Wyatt. He has won a total of 16 World Championships, including:
- WWE Championship: 13-time champion
- World Heavyweight Championship: 3-time champion
- WWE United States Championship: 5-time champion
- WWE Tag Team Championship: 2-time champion (with David Otunga and The Miz)
- World Tag Team Championship: 2-time champion (with Shawn Michaels and Batista)
- Royal Rumble Winner: 2-time winner (2008, 2013)
- Money in the Bank Winner: 1-time winner (2012)
None of this is to say that Cena’s just a ball cap wearing brawler who talks with his fists. His passion for his in ring craft mirrors his work with charity. He’s granted more than 600 Make-A-Wish visits, more than any other athlete in the organization’s history, and his message of “Never Give Up” has new meaning. He will always be remembered as a legend in professional fighting history.
Honorable Mentions
Here are some of the wrestlers that didn’t make our main list but their contributions cannot be ignored:
Bret Hart: Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart was an extraordinary storyteller in the ring and his style was a blend of technical skill and realism, making every move believable and sensational. Hart’s own mastery of psychology allowed him to reach deep inside fans with narratives he crafted.
Shawn Michaels: Shawn Michaels, known for ring names like “The Heartbreak Kid,” and “The Showstopper,” earned the title because the one thing Shawn Michaels always did was put on matches that everyone would remember.
Triple H: He is famous for both his ring presence and his off screen work in WWE. He was a multi time World Champion who had proven himself to be a versatile fighter that was able to adjust to many styles during his career.
Eddie Guerrero: A much beloved figure in his part of history He was always able to blend serious competition where he was a feared and respected competitor while being able to also have comedic elements to his “Lie, Cheat, Steal” character.
Conclusion
Hogan, Flair, Cena and the likes are wrestling’s legends who ascended beyond the ring to influence and to help transform the wider world of entertainment with epic matches, larger than life personas, and awe inspiring moments. Their legacies have left their permanent engravings in wrestling and leave generations inspired to cement wrestling as a cultural phenomenon worldwide.
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The Greatest Wrestling Legends of All Time: From Hogan to Cena
