Sports Illustrated has released its list ranking the 20 greatest WWE wrestlers of all time, with WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin claiming the top spot.
The rankings feature stars from multiple generations of WWE history, ranging from the territorial era to the modern-day product, with legends such as Hulk Hogan, The Rock, John Cena, and Roman Reigns all landing inside the top five.
The full list released by Sports Illustrated is as follows:
- Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Hulk Hogan
- The Rock
- John Cena
- Roman Reigns
- The Undertaker
- Triple H
- Shawn Michaels
- Bret Hart
- Bruno Sammartino
- Randy Savage
- Kurt Angle
- Roddy Piper
- Edge
- Randy Orton
- Andre the Giant
- CM Punk
- Chris Jericho
- Mick Foley
- Becky Lynch
Sports Illustrated also explained why Austin ultimately earned the No. 1 ranking, pointing to his influence during WWE’s Attitude Era boom period and his role in helping the company surpass WCW during the Monday Night Wars.
“Stone Cold Steve Austin was the face of the biggest and most memorable professional wrestling boom period, The Attitude Era. Austin brought the realism and rawness that the business needed in the mid 1990’s.
Helping WWE push past WCW and win the Monday Night Wars, ‘The Rattlesnake’ and his era-defining feud with Vince McMahon became the greatest feud in the history of the business. His other fantastic feuds with The Rock and Triple H left an unforgettable mark on the company that is often talked about to this day.
Austin tops this list because without him, there might not be a WWE at the top of the industry today. His legacy is untouchable and worthy of being the greatest WWE wrestler of all time.”
The rankings have already sparked debate online among wrestling fans, particularly regarding the placements of stars from different eras and the omission of several notable names from the top 20 entirely.
