Top 10 Legendary Professional Wrestlers Worldwide

Paul Donald Wight II, born on February 8, 1972, is better known by his ring name The Big Show, a retired American professional wrestler who performed in WWE. Wight became famous for his wrestling career in both World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. Throughout his career, he was often referred to as "The Largest Athlete in the World," and at his peak, he weighed over 400 pounds in the mid-90s. In a recent interview with WWE.com, Big Show shared that he is no longer as massive as he once was. The WWE Grand Slam Champion has lost more than 88 pounds after revising his workout routine and diet plan.

He explained, "You can't live a healthy life if you're in the shape I was. It took a lot of determination to change my weight after 40 years. I wanted to change, and I had the time and opportunity to do it, so I took advantage of it." With the guidance of Dodd Romero, a celebrity and athlete trainer, the 46-year-old champion began pushing his body through swimming, cycling, and strength training. To burn fat, he focused on high-intensity, high-repetition workouts. Alongside altering his habits, he revamped his diet by cutting out junk foods like ice cream, pizza, and fatty meats.

Paul Michael Levesque, born on July 27, 1969, is widely known by his ring name Triple H, a professional wrestler, businessman, and actor. He is currently under contract with WWE, where he serves as the Executive Vice President of Global Strategy & Talent Development. Triple H is also the creator and head of WWE's NXT brand. Hailing from Nashua, New Hampshire, Triple H began his wrestling training in the early 90s, competing professionally from 1992-1993 in the International Wrestling Federation (IWF) under the name Terra Ryzing. He joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1994-1995, where he was rebranded as a French-Canadian aristocrat named Jean-Paul Lévesque. In 1995, he signed with World Wrestling Federation (now WWE), adopting the character Hunter Hearst Helmsley and later, Triple H. He rose to fame in WWF as one of the co-founders of the influential D-Generation X faction, playing a key role in the "Attitude Era" of the late '90s.

After winning his first WWF Championship in 1999, Triple H became a staple in the company’s main-event scene, widely regarded as one of the best wrestlers in North America at the turn of the millennium. He headlined several of WWE’s major pay-per-views, including seven WrestleMania events. Throughout his career, Triple H has earned numerous championships, including a record-breaking fourteen world title reigns, three Intercontinental Championships, and a number of tag team titles, making him a seven-time company Triple Crown Champion and a second-time Grand Slam Champion. He has also won the Royal Rumble twice and the King of the Ring tournament. As his career progressed, Triple H gained recognition for his behind-the-scenes contributions to WWE, particularly his role in creating the NXT brand, which garnered praise for his business acumen in professional wrestling.

Kurt Steven Angle, born on December 9, 1968, is an American Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, a retired professional wrestler, and a former NCAA Division I wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). During his college years at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Angle earned multiple accolades, including two NCAA Division I National Championships in freestyle wrestling. After graduation, Angle won a gold medal at the 1995 World Wrestling Championships and, famously, secured a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in freestyle wrestling despite competing with a broken neck. He is one of only four individuals to complete the Grand Slam in amateur wrestling. In 2006, USA Wrestling honored him as the greatest freestyle wrestler of all time and ranked him among the top 15 collegiate wrestlers of all time. He was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 for his amateur achievements. Angle made his professional wrestling debut in 1996 and signed with WWE (then WWF) in 1998.

Known for his rapid understanding of the business, Angle made his in-ring debut in August 1998 in WWE's developmental system after just a few days of training and appeared in his first television storyline in March 1999. After months of building, Kurt Angle made his televised debut in November 1999 and received his first major push in February 2000, when he simultaneously held the European and Intercontinental Championships. Four months later, he won the 2000 King of the Ring tournament and soon began pursuing the WWF Championship, which he captured in October 2000. This marked a rookie year in WWE that many consider one of the greatest of all time. Among his numerous achievements in WWE, Angle is a four-time WWF/WWE Champion, one-time WCW Champion, and a one-time World Heavyweight Champion. He was the 10th Triple Crown Champion and the 5th Grand Slam Champion in WWE history. On March 31, 2017, Angle was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He is regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers in history. Fellow WWE legend John Cena once praised Angle's legacy, saying, 'Without a doubt, he is the most talented all-around performer we’ve ever had in the ring. There will never be another like him.'

Christopher Keith Irvine, born November 9, 1970, is better known by his ring name Chris Jericho. He is a Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, and actor, currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he serves as the leader of the faction The Inner Circle. Known for his larger-than-life rock star persona, Jericho has been hailed by journalists and peers alike as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. In the 1990s, Jericho performed for American promotions such as Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW), as well as in countries like Canada, Japan, and Mexico. He made his debut in World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in late 1999. In 2001, Jericho made history as the first-ever WWF Undisputed Champion and became the final holder of the WCW World Heavyweight Championship (later known as the World Championship) by defeating both Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock in the same night. Jericho headlined many major pay-per-view events during his tenure in WWF/WWE, including WrestleMania X8, as well as TLC and Elimination Chamber matches. He was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 2010.

In WWE, Jericho is a six-time World Champion, one-time WWF Undisputed Champion, two-time WCW/World Champion, and three-time World Heavyweight Champion. He holds a record nine WWE Intercontinental Championships and is the ninth Triple Crown Champion and the fourth Grand Slam Champion in WWE history. Jericho also won the 2008 Superstar of the Year Slammy Award and, alongside Big Show in the duo known as Jeri-Show, captured the 2009 Tag Team of the Year Slammy Award, making him the only person to win both Superstar and Tag Team of the Year. After leaving WWE in 2018, Jericho signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he became the IWGP Intercontinental Champion once and the first person to hold both the WWE and IWGP Intercontinental Championships simultaneously. Jericho joined AEW in January 2019 and became the inaugural AEW World Champion later that year. Across ECW, WCW, WWE, NJPW, and AEW, Jericho has held a total of 36 championships, including 7 world titles and 10 intercontinental titles. In 1999, Jericho also became the lead singer of the heavy metal band Fozzy, which released its debut album the following year.

Michael Shawn Hickenbottom, born July 22, 1965, is widely recognized by his ring name Shawn Michaels. He is a retired American professional wrestler who is often regarded as one of the greatest of all time. Known for his iconic monikers such as 'Heartbreak Kid,' 'The Showstopper,' and 'Mr. WrestleMania,' Michaels had a groundbreaking career with WWE, formerly WWF, beginning in 1988. His wrestling career was interrupted by a back injury that forced him to retire in 1998, but he returned to the ring in 2000 for a match at his own Texas Wrestling Academy. Michaels made a full-time comeback in WWE in 2002, retiring again in 2010 before becoming a coach in 2016. He returned for one final match in 2018. Over his career, Michaels headlined numerous pay-per-view events, including five WrestleMania main events, and was the co-founder and leader of the influential faction D-Generation X. He also competed in the American Wrestling Association (AWA), where he formed The Midnight Rockers with Marty Jannetty in 1985.

After winning the AWA World Tag Team Championship twice, the team made their way to WWF under the name The Rockers, where they gained fame. In January 1992, Michaels transitioned to a solo career, capturing the Intercontinental Championship and establishing himself as one of the industry’s top singles stars. Throughout his career, Michaels became a four-time World Champion, holding the WWF Championship three times and the World Heavyweight Championship once. He also won the Royal Rumble twice, with his first victory coming as the first entrant in the match. Michaels became the first WWF Grand Slam Champion and the fourth Triple Crown Champion in WWE history. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice: once as a solo performer in 2011 and again in 2019 as part of D-Generation X. Michaels also earned 11 Pro Wrestling Illustrated 'Match of the Year' honors, and his match with John Cena on April 23, 2007, was ranked by WWE as the greatest match ever aired on Raw.

Mark William Calaway, born March 24, 1965, is a retired American professional wrestler who gained worldwide fame for his iconic WWE career, which spanned from 1990 to 2020 under the ring name The Undertaker. Calaway began his career in 1987, performing in various roles for World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) and other affiliated promotions, where he became the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion and WCWA Texas Heavyweight Champion. After signing with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1989, he briefly wrestled as 'Mean' Mark Callous before joining WWF (now WWE) in 1990. There, he was rebranded as 'The Undertaker' and became an enduring and chilling presence with a dark, supernatural-themed persona, using intimidation tactics and mysterious elements in his character. The Undertaker holds the record for the longest tenure with WWE, working for 30 years and emerging as one of the most prominent figures during the Attitude Era, a time when the company experienced explosive growth in the late 1990s.

In the early 2000s, his character evolved into a biker persona, but he later returned to a more refined version of his previous gimmick in 2004. The Undertaker became synonymous with WWE's biggest annual event, WrestleMania, where he achieved a legendary streak of 21 consecutive wins. He also formed a dynamic partnership with his storyline brother, Kane, with whom he alternated between rivalry and alliance, known as The Brothers of Destruction, starting in 1997. Throughout his WWE career, The Undertaker won the WWF Championship, World Heavyweight Championship three times, World Heavyweight Tag Team Championship six times, and numerous other accolades. He became one of the most-watched Superstars in WWE history, headlining multiple pay-per-views, including five WrestleManias. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, The Undertaker retired from wrestling in 2020, making his farewell appearance at Survivor Series that year, marking 30 years since his WWE debut. Despite his retirement, he remains under contract with WWE.

Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, born June 7, 1966, is an American retired professional wrestler, actor, author, comedian, and color commentator, currently signed with WWE. Throughout his career, Foley has worked for various wrestling promotions, including World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), and the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), as well as numerous promotions in Japan. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers in WWE history, having headlined WrestleMania in 1999 and 2000 (the latter as a special guest referee). Foley was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

Foley is known for portraying multiple personas over his career. In WCW and ECW from 1991 to 1996, he became famous as Cactus Jack, a wild, brutal character from Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, who wore cowboy boots and used weapons such as barbed wire, thumbtacks, and trash cans in his matches. When he arrived in WWF in 1996, he debuted the Mankind persona, a deranged, mask-wearing recluse who spent his spare time in a boiler room. He also introduced the happy, carefree Dude Love character, a hippie-like persona that was well-loved by fans. These three characters, dubbed the "Three Faces of Foley", all made appearances in the 1998 Royal Rumble, making Foley the only wrestler to enter the same Rumble match under three different personas.

Foley is a four-time world champion (three-time WWF Champion and one-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion), an 11-time tag team champion (eight-time WWF Tag Team Champion, two-time ECW World Tag Team Champion, and one-time WCW World Tag Team Champion), a one-time TNA Legends Champion, and the first-ever WWF Hardcore Champion. Known for his extreme, physical style, Foley became synonymous with violent and brutal matches that often saw him endure dangerous bumps and significant physical tolls, ultimately earning him the nickname "Hardcore Legend".

Dwayne Douglas JohnsonThe Rock, was born on May 2, 1972. He is an American actor, producer, and former professional wrestler. Johnson played college football at the University of Miami, where he helped lead the Miami Hurricanes to a national championship in 1991. After being cut from the Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders in 1995, he shifted focus to professional wrestling, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Peter Maivia, and his father, Rocky Johnson. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Johnson rose to fame during his time with World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) from 1996 to 2004, becoming the first third-generation wrestler in the company’s history.

Before his wrestling career, The Rock was a college football player at the University of Miami, winning a national championship in 1991. Although he aspired to play professional football, he went undrafted in the 1995 NFL Draft. After a brief stint with the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL, he turned to wrestling, joining WWF in 1996. He gained widespread fame through his charismatic persona as a brash, trash-talking individual, helping to ignite the Attitude Era, a period of massive growth for the industry in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Johnson left WWE in 2004, but made a return in 2011 as a part-time performer until 2013, and continued to make occasional appearances until his retirement in 2019.

Steven James Anderson, born December 18, 1964, is a former professional wrestler, television host, and actor, best known by his ring name, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential wrestlers in history, Austin was integral to the success of the WWF’s Attitude Era, a period of explosive growth in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Austin’s wrestling journey began after playing college football at the University of North Texas. He became "Stunning" Steve Austin in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from 1991 to 1995, adopting a suave persona with his good looks and blonde hair. In 1993, he became half of the tag team The Hollywood Blonds alongside Brian Pillman.

Throughout his career, Austin claimed 19 championships. He was a six-time WWF Champion, a two-time WWF Intercontinental Champion, a four-time WWF Tag Team Champion, and a one-time WWE Million Dollar Champion. In WCW, he held two WCW World Television Championships, two WCW United States Heavyweight Championships, one WCW World Tag Team Championship, and one NWA World Tag Team Championship. Additionally, he was a five-time WWE Triple Crown Champion, won the 1996 WWF King of the Ring tournament, and made history by winning the Royal Rumble three times. Austin headlined numerous WWE Pay-Per-View events, including three WrestleMania matches (XIV, XV, and X-Seven). He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009. After his wrestling career, Austin began hosting the popular podcast The Steve Austin Show and launched an IPA beer called "Broken Skull IPA." He also hosted the reality competition series, Steve Austin's Broken Skull Challenge, from 2014 to 2017, and starred in the show Straight Up Steve Austin starting in 2019.

John Felix Anthony Cena, born on April 23, 1977, is an American professional wrestler, actor, television host, and former rapper currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Cena shares the record for the most world championship titles in the history of professional wrestling with Ric Flair. Raised in West Newbury, Massachusetts, Cena moved to California in 1998 to pursue bodybuilding. He transitioned to professional wrestling in 1999, debuting with Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW), before joining WWE in 2001, initially working with Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). Cena rose to prominence in WWE with a rap-based persona that showcased his trash-talking style. His first major title, the United States Championship, came in 2004, followed by his first WWE Championship in 2005, after which his persona shifted to a superhero-like figure, solidifying his role as the company's top star for the following decade.

A 16-time world champion, Cena holds a record 13 WWE Championship wins. He is also a five-time United States Champion, a four-time World Tag Team Champion, a two-time Royal Rumble winner, and a one-time Money in the Bank winner. He has headlined numerous WWE events, including five WrestleManias. While his wrestling career has earned mixed reviews from both fans and critics—praise for his character work and promotional skills but criticism for overexposure and dominance over other wrestlers—Cena has successfully transitioned to Hollywood. His acting credits include leading roles in films like The Marine (2006), Trainwreck (2015), Ferdinand (2017), Blockers, and Bumblebee (2018). He starred in F9 and portrayed Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad (2021), with an upcoming Peacemaker TV series. Cena also released a platinum-certified debut album, You Can't See Me (2005). Beyond his entertainment career, Cena is known for his philanthropic work, particularly with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, where he holds the record for granting over 650 wishes.