The former Nittany Lion star has a handful of international credentials, as well. High school wrestling: What are the nation's best venues to watch a meet. 5. Green was a four-time All-American for Nebraska from 2012-15, placing seventh at the NCAA Championships his first two seasons and third as a junior and senior. In addition, the legendary wrestler is well known for his mustache among fans. How do you go 0-7 at the Minnesota High School State Championships and make the top 100? I love me some Hammer. County: His insane remarks, derogatory remarks, and insane acts, such as cuffing himself on rings while challenging an opponent, made him a fan favorite. Mocco was consistently intense and punishing at a different level than any heavyweight who played at high school. Jannetty had some moments but hes a touch behind, IMO. Winston woulda been a 4x if he didnt break his wrist. Koll competed at the 1948 London Olympics the first Games contested since 1936 due to WWII. The year prior, women had their first opportunity to compete in wrestling at the Olympic Games. His popularity would eclipse even that of the Immortal Hulk Hogan. He will be featured on the cover of each game edition, striking three of his signature poses in the WWE 2K23 game franchise developed by Visual Concepts. The Iron Sheik is worthy of consideration on a list like this and he does nab a spot on The Next 100 list. John Smiths wrestling career started out well enough. Its hard to make that argument for each of the wrestlers you mentioned, let alone all of them. Super surprised by that. Ric Flair has been ranked high in the world championships, which is not limited to WWE. via pwa.wrestlingx.net. He may be retired, but people continue to talk about him to this day. The countdown begins as FloWrestling releases its top 100 greatest American wrestlers of all time. 113lb weight class Richard Figueroa (Selma, CS) 2x CIF State Champion; #1 Nation . Here is my list of the best college wrestlers of all time: Cael Sanderson gets his hand raised after winning his fourth NCAA title and finishing undefeated. The star has won eight WWE Championships and other titles. Overall, The Zain Train, posted a 127-3 career college record and joined an exclusive club with three individual NCAA titles with four NCAA team championships. The 126/133-pound brackets during this era included multiple Olympians, NCAA champions, and All-Americans. There are compelling arguments he should be rated behind all three and, frankly, equally compelling arguments he should be rated ahead of all three. Top 20. The Iowa star made hand fighting and superior conditioning his calling card as he brutalized his opponents especially during his final two college seasons. Born in 1988, Burroughs has already amassed an impressive NCAA record and two National Championships. He was outstanding all season as the Golden Hawks' 106-pounder until . The reason he doesnt rate higher than 50 is based on a few factors. Batista is ranked 75 out of 100??? Likewise, his timing was so perfect that Flair was right then, making his way into the rings when the crescendo hit. These top ten wrestlers have made their name on the list because of their exclusive contribution to wrestling. Michael Francis Foley, also known as Mick Foley, is an American actor, author, retired professional wrestler, and color commentator. Best known for his four gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Owens was one of the best sprinters in the nation . His remarkable Atomic Leg Drop made fans scream. 12 on the Billboard Top Kid Audio chart in 1995 as a frontman of the Wrestling Boot Band. Houck wasnt a flash in the pan, either. Below are biographies of the first 10 wrestlers in the countdown with information about why they made the list. Dusty, Bruno, Gange, Harley, how about Andre, Anoki and Sting? Go back to your pimple cream. 2). Both wrestlers have proven that they can contend with nationally ranked opponents the past few years. Are you one of those who regularly watch wrestling matches and enjoy a good fight with intense anticipation of who will eventually take the glory of winning? Not only do I agree with your comment, but Michael Hayes is also actually in the top-100 (#94) and Jesse, Mad Dog, Tommy Rich, and the Ax are on my honorable mention linked below, https://www.the100greatest.com/2021/02/17/the-greatest-professional-wrestlers-of-all-time/. On February 17, 2023, Madcap Moss will try to take his Intercontinental Title from Gunther on the SmackDown preview. If SBLive put on its own wrestling tournament, who would top the podium in each weight class? A fresh episode with 10 wrestlers will be released every Thursday beginning November 4 and will end with the announcement of the greatest wrestler of all-time on January 10, 2022. Gable entered the match with 181 consecutive wins over high school and college but dropped his final college match, 13-11. 90-81. Wawasee has had its share of bumps in the road in 2022-23. Payson's Trevor Frank and Bingham's Banks Love compete in a 157-pound bout at the Ross Brunson Utah High School All-Star Duals at the UCCU Center in Orem on Tuesday, Jan. 10 . Koehler, who captured state titles as a sophomore and junior, is attempting to become the programs first three-time champion. The two-time state champion will enter the state tournament with a career record . Altogether, we have summed up our list of the top ten wrestlers of all time per their popularity rate. Tenoroc's Kris Hunter celebrates after becoming a regional champion Saturday, Feb. 26 at Palm Bay High School. Animal never got that kind of spotlight outside of the Road Warriors. Secondly, what puts Nash at 50? I appreciate your comments. Its hard to come up with a defining angle that Sheik was a major player in. "The Real American," Jack Swagger still looks like an amateur wrestler today while performing in a WWE ring where he incorporates amateur style moves. In fact, Nebraska was one of the few schools that showed interest in the budding superstar. "The thing I like the most is we have a strong locker room," says Wawasee head coach Jon Everingham. His sophomore campaign saw him place second at the 1985 NCAA championships but was handled in the finals by Wisconsins Jim Jordan, 7-4. Maroulis changed that when she won the 2016 Rio Olympics over Japans Saori Yoshida in the gold medal finals. Kemp was poised to win the 1980 Moscow Olympics virtually everyone considered him the favorite but the Games were boycotted when U.S. President Jimmy Carter after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. She won 75 kg gold in 2014 and 2015, and 76 kg gold in 2018, 2019, and 2021. #5. Find schedules and scores, rankings, stat leaderboards, and thorough team information. Once he returned to college after the war, the 23-year-old wrestling phenom dominated everyone who stood in his way. These famous people might not have been famous college wrestlers, but they represented their high schools and universities in the sport, and found fame off the mat as well. Her international wrestling credentials certainly warrant a name change. Likewise, it was complemented by his finisher Mandible Claw who was undoubtedly trivial to his eight-time tag team championship. But instead of focusing just on his wrestling skills, Austin evenly distributed his skills in various aspects of the sport to make him the greatest wrestler. He has won the WWE Championship five times and holds the record for the second-longest holder of the title. Sheik held the belt once for less than a month and then was quickly tossed into the tag team ranks with Volkoff. He won the majority of his matches by bonus points, including 64 career falls. 70-61. Sanderson qualified for the 2001 and 2002 World Championships but did not compete in either event. He went on to win two more becoming a three-time NCAA champion and a four-time finalist. Koll defined an era of grit after returning to Iowa State Teachers College (now Northern Iowa) after serving in World War II. I have a master list that I transfer names to and from and somehow he got lost in the wash. He is the co-owner of the spring American football league. He qualified after his senior campaign but the World Championships in Iran were boycotted by the United States following a credible threat to the U.S. team. Fr nhere Informationen zur Nutzung Ihrer Daten lesen Sie bitte unsere Datenschutzerklrung und Cookie-Richtlinie. . Similarly, his entry music was so popular that it became a theme song for the WWE long after he departed from the rings. Randys brother was a decorated WWF wrestler in the 1980s. 40-31. WWEs Most Wanted Treasures and the Stone Cold Takes On America will premier on Sunday, April 30, 2023. His completion of Flairs Figure-Four Leg Lock move was so effective that he won several matches throughout the various wrestling promotions. The Rockville, Maryland, native suffered injuries in 2018 and 2019 so a return to the mat seemed doubtful. Both have vastly different career resumes and character types. Lewis had beat out Johns brother, Lee Roy, during a contentious 1984 Olympic Trials. Making the 1988 Olympic team was particularly memorable. We had a lot of fun filling the quarantined downtime with this Top 50 countdown. The Oklahoma State star won NCAA titles in 1997, 1998, and 1999 in one of the toughest weight classes in the country. His Rock Bottom and Peoples Elbow moves have left opponents in tears. Her first World medal was bronze at the 2011 Worlds when she competed at the 67 kg weight class. On one hand, he was in DX and the NWO. 6 5. I would say that Goldberg should replace Nick Foley. The Undertaker In His Avatar (Source: MensXP). He didnt place at the 2000 NCAA tournament but earned a spot in the 184-pound finals as a senior in 2001 against Iowa States Cael Sanderson a wrestler who went 159-0 for his college career. If one wrestler personified the word intimidation, it is the top high school heavyweight of all time Steve Mocco. Best High School Wrestlers. McGowans notable accomplishments include a Florida state title as an eighth-grader and a gold medal in 2019 at the World Championships Cadets. He gassed himself out sprinting to the ring, leading to short matches. He was a decent wrestler in the WWE (the Dashing Cody Rhodes gimmick is underrated) but his WWE work is not what gets him on the list. Best Seniors. Abdullah the Butcher wrestled for 62 years. Future Olympian Rankings. 50-41. McDaniel was a hard-nosed old school wrestler who helped make Ric Flair a champion and a legend. and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Steve Austin and other WWE Hall of Famers will expand the A&E partnership in 2023. Round 2 - John Smith, Giles vs Colby Cash, Riverheads, 4A 120 lbs Cons. Its not a coincidence that six of the seven you named are outside of the top 70. Michael Shawn Hickenbottom, known by his ring name Shawn Michaels is an American former professional wrestler. 'Be resilient and never give up.'. Alger is among the few who have won NCAA titles at two different weights. That didnt mean wrestling outfits werent trying. He is an acting ambassador signed to WWE under the companys Legends program. To hit the top-100, you gotta bring more to the table. Bobby Lashley will be moving into the top-100 after my next update (after WrestleMania). Using his trademark ankle pick, Sanderson picked up victory after dominating victory during his brilliant college career. Cruz, now attending Bullard High School, has been nationally ranked among the top five in his weight class the past two seasons. He made World teams in 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2015. One of the most colorful wrestlers in and out of the ring, Randy "Macho Man" Savage became a larger-than-life pop icon along with other wrestling superstars, such as "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan, Jimmy Snuka (aka "Superfly Jimmy Snuka"), Jesse Ventura and Dwayne Johnson (aka "The Rock"). The FloWrestling countdown of the Top 100 Greatest American Wrestlers of All Time, headlined by Smith, also included nine other former Cowboy wrestlers with Kenny Monday being the highest-ranked Cowboy behind Smith at No. Savage was driving his Jeep Wrangler around his house in Seminole, Florida, with his wife in the passenger seat when he became unresponsive and crashed into a tree on May 20, 2011. He won NCAA titles in 1946, 1947, and 1948 and he never lost a college match. FWIW, Animal would likely rate in the first 10-15 spots outside the top 100. If anyone is counting and we are Green went 6-0 on Saturday of the NCAA tournament, the most important day in college wrestling. Roderick George Toombs, also Rowdy Roddy Piper, was a Canadian professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and actor. Although a handful of wrestlers have won World and Olympic titles since then, Gable became the first American two win a World title and an Olympic gold medal in consecutive years. Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart - Iron Man, Wrestlemania 12. John lockhart! The dark and scary, Undertaker is said to be connected with the underworld. He also highlighted the high pay-per-view events, most notably Wrestle Mania. Hawk edges Animal for a few reasons. Kemp won a bronze medal at the 1981 World Championships then struck gold again at the 1982 World Championships becoming the first American to win three World titles. For perspective, no wrestler had won NCAA titles in more than two weight categories prior to Dake. Wrestling is one of the most popular combat sports in the world. Gable pinned his way through the Big Eight Championships and the 1970 NCAA tournament until he ran into the sophomore buzz saw Larry Owings of Washington in the finals. Given how important the creation suite has become for wrestling games, WrestleMania 2000 was ahead of its time. Burroughs moved up to 157 pounds the following season, which was the beginning of his rise to greatness. As the high school wrestling season comes to a close, SBLive put together a fictitious tournament lets call it the SBLive Mock Wrestling Invitational featuring eight of the top wrestlers from across the United States in each weight class. Trent Furman, Westwood, 2019 146. He won NCAA titles in 1987 and 1988, but thats not all. This year the first-team all-county wrestler is ranked fourth and has a chance to become the school's first-ever five-time state qualifier. He was his first World title after his junior season then won the Olympic Games after his senior campaign. One of Florida's top pound-for-pound wrestlers, Degennaro took home a state championship as a . Goldusts character is one of the most controversial and longstanding in the history of professional wrestling. He also won a Junior National title in 1995 and a Cadet World Championships in 1993. 6 Dan Gable. His impact on the industry is significant and its likely only to go up from here. Hawk had more singles success both in North America and overseas. Cena has also worked in movies like The Marine, Trainwreck, Ferdinand, Blockers, Bumblebee, and many more. Best Seniors. The Hall of Famer has also won the WWE Championship twice and is one of the few WWE players to have emerged as a three-time champion. Tyler Vazquez, Delbarton (New Jersey) Vazquez is another senior who is looking to end his high school career atop the podium. First, he was never THE guy. He showed that both during the summer in national competitions as well as with a seventh-place finish at Ironman. Born in England weighing more than 14 pounds as a baby, he grew to be 6-foot-11 and pursued a successful wrestling career on both sides of the Atlantic. John Cena. He defeated Iowa States Kevin Jackson an eventual three-time World/Olympic champion three times during his junior season, including a 10-4 win in the 167-pound finals. 7. Thats on top of a gold medal at the 1986 Goodwill Games, seven World Cup gold medals, four World Cup silver medals, three Pan American Games gold medals, and three Pan American Championships. Some thought Burroughs was finished and would not return to his winning ways. His freshman campaign didn't start out with a bang, either. His powerful entry-level music was visible, classic, and mixed with his good looks. When healthy, Welch is one of the best wrestlers in the state. In 2015, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame posthumously. It was even considered the main event during the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece. Anonymous. He won his second state title last year without giving up a point at the state tournament. Wrestling is one of the most popular combat sports in the world. Diamond Dallas Page is one of the most iconic professional wrestlers of all time. Leaping Lanny Poffo, wrestling star known as The Genius, the brother of Macho Man Randy Savage, died at the age of 68 on 2 February 2023. However, when wrestling took off in the mid-80s, Valentine was quickly relegated to mid-card and tag-team status. Sanderson retired from active competition after the Olympics but returned to the mats in 2010 and made the 2011 World Championships where he placed fifth. The world-class championship has been going on for over three decades. Born and raised in Waterloo, Iowa, Gable compiled a 64-0 record at Waterloo West High School and won three state championships in three attempts from 1964-66 (freshmen werent allowed to compete at the time). Matt Fusco, St. Mary and Queen of Peace, 2008 146. The advantage that Bray Wyatt has in terms of creativity and evolution of character is substantial. Given what hes accomplished in the last year, hell likely debut in a strong position. The U.S. big man won the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics for his first World-level gold medal. The 100 Greatest Professional Wrestlers of All-Time. 1. College Rankings. It is an integrated media and entertainment company with branches in other fields, including film, American football, and various other business ventures. 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Showed that both during the Olympic Games take his Intercontinental title from Gunther on the list of!