Wrestlers Who Have A Case For Being The GOAT
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- The GOAT discussion happens in virtually every circle. Whether that be sports, television, music, cinema, and more, it is generally a fun conversation to have. Everyone has their favorites. And professional wrestling is no different. For years, it has taken place. This list below includes many names and no doubt there will be more added in the years coming, such as CM Punk, Kenny Omega, Roman Reigns, Kazuchika Okada, Will Osprey, and more. For now, however, here are some of the most prominent names brought up in the discussion of who the GOAT is.
They call Babe Ruth the greatest of all time (GOAT), of baseball. For football, it's Tom Brady or Jerry Rice. For hockey, it's Wayne Gretzky. For the NBA, it's either Michael Jordan or LeBron James. But for the professional wrestling industry? It's a wide-open debate, where fans and pundits can make a strong enough case for 10 to 15 superstars.
The Longest Intercontinental Championship Reigns In WWE History, Ranked By Length
Only a few WWE wrestlers have had great Intercontinental Championship reigns. These are the longest ever.That said, you can easily narrow it down when you factor in several elements: Championship success, longevity, in-ring work and so much more. By doing that, we came up with a few wrestling legends who rightfully earned the "GOAT" status, and others who don't quite belong in the conversation.
UPDATE: 2024/03/17 17:30 EST BY BENJAMIN VIEIRA
The GOAT discussion happens in virtually every circle. Whether that be sports, television, music, cinema, and more, it is generally a fun conversation to have. Everyone has their favorites. And professional wrestling is no different. For years, it has taken place. This list below includes many names and no doubt there will be more added in the years coming, such as CM Punk, Kenny Omega, Roman Reigns, Kazuchika Okada, Will Osprey, and more. For now, however, here are some of the most prominent names brought up in the discussion of who the GOAT is.
Has A Case: "Rowdy" Roddy Piper
Piper Was One Of The Best Heels Of His Era
Debut Year | 1973 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Intercontinental Champion, World Tag Team Champion, NWA Television Champion |
Notable Rivals | Hulk Hogan, Bret "The Hitman" Hart |
There can't be a big hero without a big villain on the other side of the ring. It is a good argument that Hulk Hogan never could have been as big as he was in WWE in the 1980s if it wasn't for Rowdy Roddy Piper. While his villainy ended up making him a fan favorite over time, his years as the top villain in WWE is something never seen before in the industry. During his time on top as Hulk Hogan's biggest enemy, almost everyone hated Piper and he deserved all the scorn. There wasn't a better villain in professional wrestling than Piper.
Villains these days struggle to really earn hate from the fans, and most of the time, they end up cheered no matter what evil things they do. This happened with Piper over the years, but if anyone wants to see how to be a villain that everyone hates, wrestlers today should study Piper and his promos and segments during the rise of the Rock 'N' Wrestling era. If there is one GOAT when it comes to professional wrestling villains, it is Rowdy Roddy Piper.
Doesn't Have A Case: Mick Foley
Foley Wrestled As Numerous Characters Over His Career
Debut Year | 1986 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, WWE Hardcore Champion, WWE Tag Team Champion |
Notable Rivals | The Rock, Triple H, Vader |
There is no doubt that Mick Foley is an all-time great. When looking at hardcore wrestling, there might not be anyone more important who is not named Terry Funk. However, he isn't really up there when it comes to the GOAT in wrestling history, and Foley would likely agree with that. There is little chance that Foley would ever put his name above Funk or even names like Ric Flair.
In his career, Foley wrestled as Cactus Jack, Mankind, Dude Love, and even under his own name - Mick Foley. He is a former three-time WWE Champion and while there are several people who never reached that level, his importance was not about being a champion. He was someone who was a great ambassador for the sport and achieved success no one could have expected from someone who looked and wrestled like him. He is one of the greats, but he is not the GOAT.
Has A Case: "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
Rhodes Was A Champion For The Working Man
Debut Year | 1967 |
Notable Accomplishments | NWA World Heavyweight Champion |
Notable Rivals | Ric Flair, The Four Horsemen, Randy Orton |
If there is one person who was a surprise success as a professional wrestler, it is Dusty Rhodes. He doesn't look like a world champion. He didn't wrestle in the style of a world champion. When he signed with WWE, he wasn't treated like a world champion. However, look at his NWA work and what he really meant to the business, and he was exactly what a world champion should have been. Rhodes could easily be considered a GOAT for more than one reason.
The biggest thing that Rhodes had going for him was the art of the promo. No one could talk to the crowd and sell his matches and feuds better than Rhodes. He was the man who helped train some of today's top promo men and women in WWE, and they still don't match up to what Dusty brought to the table. He was the master on the mic, and he could sell fans on who they needed to cheer for and helped set up some of NWA's biggest moments with just his mouth. Rhodes was also a three-time NWA World Champion, adding to his resume.
Doesn't Have A Case: Kurt Angle
The Olympic Gold Medalist Had A Poor End
Debut Year | 1998 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, World Heavyweight Champion, TNA World Heavyweight Champion |
Notable Rivals | "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Sting, Shawn Michaels |
Kurt Angle had everything it took to become the GOAT of professional wrestling, but injuries got in the way and kept him from reaching the levels of the best of the best. Angle came into WWE with success in his past, winning a Gold Medal for the United States in wrestling - with a broken neck. He then proved he wasn't just a great amateur wrestler, and he showed he was also a superior professional wrestler and one of the best promo men in the business. He was only a three-time WWE world champion, but it could have been more.
What held Angle back was his injury history. After eight years as a main event star and some of that time spent as a comedy wrestler, with his best moments coming with Stone Cold Steve Austin, he left when his injuries got so bad he needed time off and said WWE wouldn't allow it. Sadly, the best matches of Angle's career came in TNA Impact Wrestling, in front of smaller audiences. He was a six-time world champion there, but he slowed down with more injuries piling up and he retired in 2016.
Has A Case: Andre The Giant
The Eighth Wonder Of The World Helped Popularize Wrestling
Debut Year | 1966 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, WWE Tag Team Champion, Inaugural WWE Hall of Fame Inductee |
Notable Rivals | Hulk Hogan, Big John Studd |
If Andre the Giant was a current wrestler for today's fans, they would hate him. His work rate was mostly slow and plodding. He could barely move in the last decade of his career, and he was nothing more than a special attraction. However, that does not tell the true story of The Eighth Wonder of the World.
Yes, Andre was nothing more than a special attraction for most of his career, but he was one of the best to ever hold that distinction. He was a spectacle and a wonder to behold. What he lacked in wrestling moves, he more than made up for in charisma, storytelling skills, and popularity. There was no one more famous or beloved than Andre the Giant through most of his career. Professional wrestling is more than moves, and Andre ticked every other box, easily in the conversation for the GOAT of the industry.
Doesn't Have A Case: Bryan Danielson
While At The Top, WWE Often Held Him Down
Debut Year | 1999 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, World Heavyweight Champion, ROH World Champion |
Notable Rivals | Triple H, CM Punk, Randy Orton |
Daniel Bryan proved that he was one of the best in-ring wrestlers working when he proved everyone in WWE wrong. The company tried to embarrass him time and time again, and he had the fans wrapped so tightly around his fingers that they followed him to the ends of the Earth.
Bryan got over everything WWE threw at him, and his Yes Movement forced the company to finally relent, and he won the main event of WrestleMania by beating Triple H, Randy Orton, and Batista. He was a multi-time world champion and defied all odds. However, WWE kept him from the top for most of his career, and while he proved he could be the best in the business, politics held him down. In-ring talent-wise, Bryan is a GOAT, but overall, there was too much against him to stand up to the true GOATS of professional wrestling.
Has A Case: Bret "The Hitman" Hart
He Is "The Best There Is, The Best There Was, And The Best There Ever Will Be"
Debut Year | 1978 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WCW World Heavyweight Champion |
Notable Rivals | Shawn Michaels, Owen Hart, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin |
Bret "The Hitman" Hart called himself "The Best There Is, The Best There Was, and The Best There Ever Will Be." That is pretty close to accurate. He was a master technician. He was a tag team specialist. He was a top mid-card champion.
Finally, he became one of the best WWE world champions of all time. He helped make Shawn Michaels a star. He is the number one reason that Stone Cold Steve Austin became the main event superstar. Hart put on great matches with everyone, most of his contemporaries praised his work, and he should always be namedropped when talking about the GOAT in wrestling.
Doesn't Have A Case: "Macho Man" Randy Savage
He Should Have Been On Top Longer
Debut Year | 1974 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE World Heavyweight Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WCW World Heavyweight Champion |
Notable Rivals | Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat |
"Macho Man" Randy Savage should have been the GOAT of WWE. He was one of the most hated villains ever to step into the WWE ring. He put on what many considered the best WrestleMania match of all time for years against Ricky Steamboat. He was in one of WWE's greatest angles with the Mega Powers implosion.
The problem here is that Savage flamed out very quickly. After Hulk Hogan won the Mega Powers war, Savage slipped back down and he was never as popular again. He had one more big WWE moment with his wedding to Miss Elizabeth and he had some big matches in WCW, including making Diamond Dallas Page a star, but his time on top was too short for GOAT status.
Has A Case: Bruno Sammartino
He Held The WWE Title For Longer Than Anyone Else
Debut Year | 1959 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, |
Notable Rivals | Gorilla Monsoon, Stan Stasiak, Lou Thesz |
If there is one person who most people unfairly devalue in the talk of wrestling's GOAT, it is Bruno Sammartino. That is wrong on many different levels. Fans today struggle to watch classic WWE wrestling because of its slower pace and reliance on rest holds. When looking at the GOAT, that should not come into the equation.
Bruno Sammartino held the WWE world title longer than anyone in history, at 4,040 days. He has the longest single title reign ever at 2,803 days. He did this because fans loved him and he sold out Madison Square Garden constantly. He was as popular in his day as Stone Cold Steve Austin in the Attitude Era. He could tell a story in the ring better than most people in today's WWE and he deserves a spot near or at the top as the GOAT of professional wrestling.
Doesn't Have A Case: The Rock
His Time In Hollywood Outweighs His Time In The Ring
Debut Year | 1996 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WCW World Heavyweight Champion |
Notable Rivals | "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, John Cena, Triple H |
The Peoples' Champion had just about everything you want in a "GOAT": Microphone skills, charisma, in-ring ability, and of course the talent to reinvent himself when necessary. The only problem? Rock simply didn't stick around in WWE long enough to warrant the "GOAT" status.
Of course, nobody can blame him for leaving the industry in 2004 so that he could "only" become the biggest name in all of Hollywood. This isn't a knock against The Rock at all. He accomplished more than most wrestlers despite a relatively short career, but we simply can't put him above the other wrestling goats.
Has A Case: Hulk Hogan
Hogan Was WWE's Biggest Name In The 1980s
Debut Year | 1977 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, WCW World Heavyweight Champion, IWGP Heavyweight Champion |
Notable Rivals | Andre The Giant, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, The Rock |
"Hulk Hogan" is perhaps the biggest and most well-known name in the wrestling industry. Vince McMahon chose The Hulkster to be his go-to guy during the WWE's booming period in the '80s.
Now, Hogan didn't bring a whole lot in the ring. Many argue he was more of an entertainer than an actual wrestler. That's fair, but where would the wrestling industry be today if Hulkamania didn't sweep over the sports entertainment world? Hogan's impact alone in WWE (and WCW) is enough to put him in the conversation as the greatest of all time.
Doesn't Have A Case: Brock Lesnar
Lesnar Did Not Do Nearly Enough
Debut Year | 2000 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, WWE Universal Champion |
Notable Rivals | Roman Reigns, The Undertaker, Goldberg |
Maybe he's the most dominant and freakish athlete in the history of WWE, but let's not put Lesnar in the discussion of GOATS. In fact, it's easier to argue that he's not even in the top 20 or 30 wrestlers of all time.
For starters, Lesnar left WWE in 2004 and didn't return until 2012. That eight-year gap obviously prevented him from reaching the success of the true wrestling GOATS. But even today, Lesnar isn't doing enough to put himself in the discussion.
Why? Because WWE simply paid him millions of dollars on an annual basis to only wrestle a handful of matches. And they tend to be easy victories for Lesnar. This, folks, is not a wrestling GOAT. And with the allegations made against him, Lesnar will never be involved in the GOAT conversation.
Has A Case: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
He Helped To Make WWE Cool
Debut Year | 1989 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, 3x Royal Rumble Winner |
Notable Rivals | The Rock, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Shawn Michaels |
Like The Rock, Steve Austin's WWE career ended earlier than most expected. Creative frustrations and a serious neck injury forced the Texas Rattlesnake to hang up the boots for good in 2003. But Austin changed absolutely everything when he left WCW and joined WWE in 1995. When Vince McMahon moved towards the Attitude Era, he chose Austin to carry the way and lead WWE past WCW in the Monday Night Wars.
Austin's feud with the WWE chairman changed the course of pro wrestling forever, and without his services, there's a good chance WCW would have won the wars and put Vince out of business. No wonder he called Austin the greatest superstar in the company's history.
Doesn't Have A Case: Chris Jericho
It Took Too Long For Him To Become A Main Event Talent
Debut Year | 1990 |
Notable Accomplishments | Undisputed WWE Champion, AEW World Champion, World Heavyweight Champion |
Notable Rivals | MJF, Edge, Shawn Michaels |
Chris Jericho adopted the "GOAT" moniker during his time in WWE and AEW, and it was the perfect play for his villainous persona. But in reality, Y2J is a tier or two below the true GOATS of professional wrestling. Only The Rock has a case for being a better microphone talker than Jericho. The latter is also a Grand Slam and Triple Crown Champion. And you can argue that no superstar in history reinvented themselves better.
But Jericho simply didn't spend quite enough time as a main eventer in WWE (this isn't his fault). And of course, he was in and out of WWE while touring with his band, Fozzy. And while he has been one of AEW's top stars, it'd be unfair to put him above all the other wrestling greats, given they had greater longevity and overall impacts. That said, you can easily debate that Jericho is in the all-time top 10.
Has A Case: Ric Flair
He Was Successful Everywhere He Went
Debut Year | 1972 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, WCW World Heavyweight Champion, NWA World Heavyweight Champion |
Notable Rivals | Sting, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels |
He is by far the biggest, most charismatic, and entertaining figure in the history of professional wrestling. "The Nature Boy" brought a form of swagger that was never seen before in the industry. Flair's energy and passion always fired up the crowd. And of course, we're talking about a 16-time World Champion who found ample success in both WWE and WCW. Let's not forget his run with Evolution, where "The Nature Boy" helped Batista and Randy Orton develop into world-class talents.
And, oh yeah, Flair was only part of The Four Horsemen - perhaps the greatest and most iconic stable in the history of professional wrestling.
Doesn't Have A Case: Triple H
He Was Not On The Same Tier As Some Of His Contemporaries
Debut Year | 1992 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, World Heavyweight Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion |
Notable Rivals | Randy Orton, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels |
You can safely argue that Triple H is a top-10 wrestler, but it's really difficult to make a case for him being the greatest ever. Sure, he's a 14-time World Champion who's headlined seven WrestleManias while reinventing himself time and time again.
But, Triple H simply didn't match GOATS like Austin and Michaels when it came to in-ring work. His matches didn't always take your breath away. And of course, it doesn't help that "The Game" buried numerous big-named superstars during his career. Jim Cornette famously described Triple H as "the guy who works with the guy who draws the money" and that may be accurate. However, he has done excellent work as WWE's Head of Creative and has helped in building the next generation of WWE talent.
Has A Case: The Undertaker
"The Deadman" Is WWE's Most Iconic Character
Debut Year | 1987 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, World Heavyweight Champion, WWE Hall of Fame 2022 Inductee |
Notable Rivals | Shawn Michaels, Edge, Triple H |
The Undertaker is the complete package. He checks off every single box when it comes to discussing the greatest of all time. Decorated in the ring? Check? Mic skills? Check? Ability to reinvent himself? Check. Putting other superstars over? Check. Championship success? Check. Leading his own stables? Check. A perfect WrestleMania streak that lasted two decades? Check.
Michaels didn't quite reinvent himself like Undertaker. Hogan and Flair didn't flourish in the ring like Undertaker. This man has put on a clinic for over three decades, and he remains as legendary and polished as ever. Simply put, you can't find a flaw in the case of Undertaker being the GOAT. That's why it's easiest to argue that he is the best to ever do it.
Doesn't Have A Case: John Cena
While He Is Great, He Did Get Stale At Points
Debut Year | 1999 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, World Heavyweight Champion, WWE United States Champion |
Notable Rivals | Randy Orton, CM Punk, Edge |
John Cena became the face of WWE in the midst of the Ruthless Aggression Era, following the departures of Steve Austin and The Rock. Some like to think of Cena as the greatest wrestler of all time, but that's simply nothing more than recency bias. We're not taking anything away from Cena here. He handled all the pressure of replacing Rock and Austin, and he flourished as the company's main face for almost a decade. But is he greater than Undertaker, Austin, Michaels, Flair, and Hogan? We can't put him above every single one of those guys.
Cena didn't really reinvent himself that much, and WWE's decision to never turn Cena heel was surprising and questionable. He may be a 16-time World Champion, but Cena doesn't have the longevity nor the in-ring moves to be considered the GOAT. You can argue that he's in the top five all-time, but unless he wrestles for another 15 to 20 years (not happening), it's hard to envision Cena ever truly earning the "GOAT" status.
Has A Case: Shawn Michaels
"The Heartbreak Kid" Was Multi-Facated And Talented
Debut Year | 1984 |
Notable Accomplishments | WWE Champion, World Heavyweight Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion |
Notable Rivals | Triple H, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Chris Jericho |
In terms of in-ring skills, technique, pace, and execution, absolutely nobody did it better than Shawn Michaels. There's a reason he earned the nicknames "Mr. WrestleMania" and "The Showstopper."
Michaels put on many historic feuds throughout his illustrious career, perhaps none finer than his well-documented rivalry with Bret Hart. Of course, HBK was able to reinvent himself - be it the arrogant and obnoxious heel or the ultimate good guy. As for accomplishments, Michaels was a two-time Royal Rumble winner and a three-time World Champion. He became the first Grand Slam Champion in WWE history back in 1997.
