Top 10 Wrestlers in Counterfactual History
(Summer Slam build will be the next posts - who will challenge Rey for the Undisputed Championship? What's the next chapter in Matt/Edge? What will the dastardly 51% Solution do next? All coming on the Road to Summer Slam '06!
Don't know what this post involves? Go to Part I to see the countdown of 64-11.
Don't know why we're here at all? Go to "it begins" and work your way forward.
Mistakenly stumbled across this site and are scared? That's okay; I'll be gentle.
Here from Stamford looking for more ideas for wwe.com? Feel free. We're all fans here. )
10. Ricky The Dragon Steamboat (2 Time WWF Heavyweight Champion, NWA World Champion, 3 Time NWA US Champion, 2 Time NWA Tag Champion)
9. Rey Mysterio, Jr. (Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, WWF Worldwide Champion, WWF Tag Champion, NWA World Champion, 2 Time NWA US Champion Triple Crown Winner)
8. Lou Thesz (6 Time NWA World Champion)
7. The Rocket Owen Hart (3 Time WWF Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time WWF IC Champion, WWF Tag Champion, Triple Crown Winner)
6. Harley Race (7 Time NWA World Champion)
5. Eddy Guerrero (2 Time Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time WWF IC Champion, WWF Tag Champion, NWA World Champion, NWA US Champion, Triple Crown Winner)
4. Bret Hit Man Hart (3 Time WWF Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time WWF IC Champion, 2 Time WWF Tag Champion, Triple Crown Winner)
3. Crippler Chris Benoit (2 Time WWF Heavyweight Champion, WWF Worldwide Champion, WWF Tag Champion, 3 Time NWA World Champion, Triple Crown Winner)
2. The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels (2 Time WWF Heavyweight Champion, 4 Time WWF IC Champion, 3 Time WWF Tag Champion, Triple Crown Winner)
1. Nature Boy Ric Flair (WWF Heavyweight Champion, WWF Unified Tag Champion, 5 Time NWA World Champion, 2 Time NWA US Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
Part One - The Top 64 Wrestlers of All Time
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
The Top 64 Wrestlers Of All Time
(This concludes a multi-part look at the history of the Counterfactual, a Counterfactual almanac if you will. Not for nothing, but a new edition to wwe.com is called “What if…” and the first installment is “What if Hogan didn’t slam Andre…” I’m just sayin’. I’d anticipate the next posts, which will be the build for Summer Slam ’06 to be in June, and then the big event itself will be in August. This list is an objective look at how, based on the title histories given here, for all four companies, pre-Counterfactual through WM XXII, one would rank the greatest wrestlers in North American history. I’m just doing this numerically, assigning a weight to all of the belts which were attained herein, giving additional points for longevity of title reigns. It’s basically a bullshit exercise, of course, just an excuse to listmake, silliness piled onto silliness, but here it is. This is not, please note, my evaluation of the real world careers or abilities of the workers – I’m assuming that wrestling is a sport and evaluating their careers based on titles. Why 64? Given the point breakdown, neither 50 or 100 made good sense. Actually, the number that makes the most sense turned out to be a top 56. But 56 doesn’t lend itself to brackets. And maybe someone wants to run a tournament. So, I picked 64. Feel free to S curve it. Trade with your friends! In a year, I’ll update, as active wrestlers obviously will move up the list based on performance every year.)
64. Hulk Hogan (WWF Heavyweight Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
63. Lance Storm (WWF Tag Champion, NWA US Champion, ECW TV Champion)
62. Shelton Benjamin (3 Time WWF Unified Tag Champion)
61. George Hackenschmidt (NWA Heavyweight Champion)
60. Ravishing Rick Rude (WWF IC Champion, WWF Tag Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
59. Frank Gotch (NWA Heavyweight Champion)
58. Dory Funk, Jr. (NWA Heavyweight Champion)
57. Flyin’ Brian Pillman (NWA Heavyweight Champion, NWA US Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
56. Wahoo McDaniel (3 Time NWA US Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
55. Dusty Rhodes (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
54. Iron Sheik (WWF Heavyweight Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
53. Stanislaus Zbysko (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
52. Bronco Nagurski (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
51. AJ Styles (2 Time TNA Heavyweight Champion)
50. Rick Steiner (3 Time NWA Tag Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
49. Everett Marshall (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
48. The Magnificent Don Muraco (2 Time WWF IC Champion)
47. Greg The Hammer Valentine (2 Time NWA US Champion, WWF IC Champion)
46. The Fallen Angel Christopher Daniels (TNA Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time TNA X Division Champion)
45. The Shooter Dean Malenko (NWA Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time NWA US Champion)
44. Chief Jay Strongbow (4 Time WWF Tag Champion)
43. Road Warriors (2 Time WWF Tag Champions, 2 Time NWA Tag Champions)
42. Tito Santana (2 Time WWF Tag Champion, WWF IC Champion)
41. Tully Blanchard (2 Time WWF Tag Champion, NWA US Champion)
40. Scott Steiner (4 Time NWA Tag Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
39. The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith (WWF Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time WWF Tag Champion)
38. Jack Brisco (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time NWA Tag Champion)
37. Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig (WWF Heavyweight Champion, WWF IC Champion)
36. Taz (ECW Heavyweight Champion, WWF Worldwide Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
35. Nature Boy Buddy Rogers (WWF Heavyweight Champion, NWA Heavyweight Champion)
34. Mr. Fuji (5 Time WWF Tag Champion)
33. Tony Garea (5 Time WWF Tag Champion)
32. Giant Baba (3 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
31. Scott Hall (2 Time WWF IC Champion, 2 Time NWA Tag Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
30. Dynamite Kid (2 Time WWF Heavyweight Champion)
29. Strangler Lewis (3 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
28. Sting (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion, NWA US Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
27. Arn Anderson (3 Time NWA US Champion, 2 Time WWF Tag Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
26. Vader (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion, WWF IC Champion)
25. Tajiri (ECW Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time WWF Worldwide Champion, ECW Tag Champion)
24. Bill Longston (3 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
23. Joe Stecher (3 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
22. Terry Funk (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion, ECW Heavyweight Champion, WWF Tag Champion,
21. The Franchise Shane Douglas (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time ECW Heavyweight Champion)
20. Rowdy Roddy Piper (2 Time WWF IC Champion, 2 Time NWA US Champion, WWF Tag Team Champion
19. Macho Man Randy Savage (WWF Champion, 2 Time WWF IC Champion NWA Tag Champion)
18. Kurt Angle (2 Time Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, WWF Unified Tag Champion)
17. Bob Backlund (2 Time WWF Champion, 2 Time WWF Tag Champion)
16. Lizard King Chris Jericho (NWA World Champion, 3 Time WWF IC Champion, WWF Unified Tag Champion)
15. Pedro Morales (WWF Champion, 2 Time IC Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
14. Bruno Sammartino (2 Time WWF Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
13. Stone Cold Steve Austin (WWF Champion, 2 Time WWF IC Champion, NWA US Champion, WWF Tag Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
12. Cactus Jack (2 Time WWF Champion, WWF IC Champion, WWF Tag Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
11. Rob Van Dam (2 Time ECW World Champion, 2 Time WWF Worldwide Champion, WWF Tag Champion, ECW TV Champion)
Coming up next…the top 10 wrestlers of all time…
(This concludes a multi-part look at the history of the Counterfactual, a Counterfactual almanac if you will. Not for nothing, but a new edition to wwe.com is called “What if…” and the first installment is “What if Hogan didn’t slam Andre…” I’m just sayin’. I’d anticipate the next posts, which will be the build for Summer Slam ’06 to be in June, and then the big event itself will be in August. This list is an objective look at how, based on the title histories given here, for all four companies, pre-Counterfactual through WM XXII, one would rank the greatest wrestlers in North American history. I’m just doing this numerically, assigning a weight to all of the belts which were attained herein, giving additional points for longevity of title reigns. It’s basically a bullshit exercise, of course, just an excuse to listmake, silliness piled onto silliness, but here it is. This is not, please note, my evaluation of the real world careers or abilities of the workers – I’m assuming that wrestling is a sport and evaluating their careers based on titles. Why 64? Given the point breakdown, neither 50 or 100 made good sense. Actually, the number that makes the most sense turned out to be a top 56. But 56 doesn’t lend itself to brackets. And maybe someone wants to run a tournament. So, I picked 64. Feel free to S curve it. Trade with your friends! In a year, I’ll update, as active wrestlers obviously will move up the list based on performance every year.)
64. Hulk Hogan (WWF Heavyweight Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
63. Lance Storm (WWF Tag Champion, NWA US Champion, ECW TV Champion)
62. Shelton Benjamin (3 Time WWF Unified Tag Champion)
61. George Hackenschmidt (NWA Heavyweight Champion)
60. Ravishing Rick Rude (WWF IC Champion, WWF Tag Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
59. Frank Gotch (NWA Heavyweight Champion)
58. Dory Funk, Jr. (NWA Heavyweight Champion)
57. Flyin’ Brian Pillman (NWA Heavyweight Champion, NWA US Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
56. Wahoo McDaniel (3 Time NWA US Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
55. Dusty Rhodes (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
54. Iron Sheik (WWF Heavyweight Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
53. Stanislaus Zbysko (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
52. Bronco Nagurski (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
51. AJ Styles (2 Time TNA Heavyweight Champion)
50. Rick Steiner (3 Time NWA Tag Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
49. Everett Marshall (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
48. The Magnificent Don Muraco (2 Time WWF IC Champion)
47. Greg The Hammer Valentine (2 Time NWA US Champion, WWF IC Champion)
46. The Fallen Angel Christopher Daniels (TNA Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time TNA X Division Champion)
45. The Shooter Dean Malenko (NWA Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time NWA US Champion)
44. Chief Jay Strongbow (4 Time WWF Tag Champion)
43. Road Warriors (2 Time WWF Tag Champions, 2 Time NWA Tag Champions)
42. Tito Santana (2 Time WWF Tag Champion, WWF IC Champion)
41. Tully Blanchard (2 Time WWF Tag Champion, NWA US Champion)
40. Scott Steiner (4 Time NWA Tag Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
39. The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith (WWF Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time WWF Tag Champion)
38. Jack Brisco (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time NWA Tag Champion)
37. Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig (WWF Heavyweight Champion, WWF IC Champion)
36. Taz (ECW Heavyweight Champion, WWF Worldwide Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
35. Nature Boy Buddy Rogers (WWF Heavyweight Champion, NWA Heavyweight Champion)
34. Mr. Fuji (5 Time WWF Tag Champion)
33. Tony Garea (5 Time WWF Tag Champion)
32. Giant Baba (3 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
31. Scott Hall (2 Time WWF IC Champion, 2 Time NWA Tag Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
30. Dynamite Kid (2 Time WWF Heavyweight Champion)
29. Strangler Lewis (3 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
28. Sting (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion, NWA US Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
27. Arn Anderson (3 Time NWA US Champion, 2 Time WWF Tag Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
26. Vader (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion, WWF IC Champion)
25. Tajiri (ECW Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time WWF Worldwide Champion, ECW Tag Champion)
24. Bill Longston (3 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
23. Joe Stecher (3 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion)
22. Terry Funk (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion, ECW Heavyweight Champion, WWF Tag Champion,
21. The Franchise Shane Douglas (2 Time NWA Heavyweight Champion, 2 Time ECW Heavyweight Champion)
20. Rowdy Roddy Piper (2 Time WWF IC Champion, 2 Time NWA US Champion, WWF Tag Team Champion
19. Macho Man Randy Savage (WWF Champion, 2 Time WWF IC Champion NWA Tag Champion)
18. Kurt Angle (2 Time Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, WWF Unified Tag Champion)
17. Bob Backlund (2 Time WWF Champion, 2 Time WWF Tag Champion)
16. Lizard King Chris Jericho (NWA World Champion, 3 Time WWF IC Champion, WWF Unified Tag Champion)
15. Pedro Morales (WWF Champion, 2 Time IC Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
14. Bruno Sammartino (2 Time WWF Champion, WWF Tag Champion)
13. Stone Cold Steve Austin (WWF Champion, 2 Time WWF IC Champion, NWA US Champion, WWF Tag Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
12. Cactus Jack (2 Time WWF Champion, WWF IC Champion, WWF Tag Champion, NWA Tag Champion)
11. Rob Van Dam (2 Time ECW World Champion, 2 Time WWF Worldwide Champion, WWF Tag Champion, ECW TV Champion)
Coming up next…the top 10 wrestlers of all time…
MATT. EDGE. HELL. CELL. 24/7/365
Saturday, May 05, 2007
MATT. EDGE. HELL. CELL. 24/7/365
The main event scheduled for WM XXIII in Detroit, is of course, Matt and Edge in only the third ever Cell match. It's the first main event we've scheduled a year in advance for the buildup. It'll be the first time the WWF Championship isn't on the line (maybe...) in the main event at Mania.
It's the blowoff match to what (by that point) will be a year and a half in the Lita program, and considering the Matt/Edge history woven throughout their entire careers - it's the blowoff match nearly a decade in the making.
To that end - we start the documentary series. Matt. Edge. Hell. Cell. 24/7/365.
The direct model for this of course is the great Mayweather/De La Hoya build that HBO did; if you missed this, you want to catch it even after the fight. They heeled Floyd up real good (the shot of him with the stacks of money in his kitches is one I want to directly steal for Edge) and judging by public expert reaction, I think it's built up not just interest in buying the fight, but a genuine belief in the underdog De La Hoya (totally without merit, in my view - if I'm wrong, well, people can shoot at me, but I think the only way Floyd loses the fight is if the judges steal it from him).
The indirect model is what, I think, is still my favorite build for any wrestling match, the training scenes of Bret and Shawn before XII.
We'll start with small, but larger than normal, say, five minute, pieces within the bodies of existing WWF shows. Inside Matt's life. As it begins, he won't open up at all - since he's the enigmatic Pillman-like character. I really don't want him talking on camera until we zero in on the show - people can talk about him, we can get shots of him, but I want him largely by himself, running the steps hours before TV, shadowboxing, sitting alone in the locker room.
People can talk about him, family, friends, other workers - "Matt's changed" is the real theme of the Matt side of this. And current Matt will be juxtaposed with Ring Boys Matt, Hardys Matt.
We'll climax the Hardys stuff in time for the return of...well...someone's returning this summer, as you are aware.
When we get close, we'll break Matt open a little bit so we can recognize the degree to which he needs to win the match.
Edge, early on, will be all cocky heel. Edge goes out partying, Edge at the club, Edge with Lita - Edge and Lita with other girls. Edge with strippers. Edge with porn stars. Edge's frenzy to get at Matt has to slow way down now and build again before the big show. Right now, I basically just want to show Edge as young, single athlete guy. He makes it rain at the strip clubs, he's just a wealthy, good looking asshole living it up.
When we get close, he'll want it just as badly as Matt. But right now, he's Pretty Boy Edge.
Eventually, they'll get longer blocks of time for the documentary pieces, and since they'll both be in other feuds over the course of the year - we can use this time to always keep as a touchstone that the company is driving to one match at XXIII.
Matt. Edge. Hell. Cell. 24/7/365
The main event scheduled for WM XXIII in Detroit, is of course, Matt and Edge in only the third ever Cell match. It's the first main event we've scheduled a year in advance for the buildup. It'll be the first time the WWF Championship isn't on the line (maybe...) in the main event at Mania.
It's the blowoff match to what (by that point) will be a year and a half in the Lita program, and considering the Matt/Edge history woven throughout their entire careers - it's the blowoff match nearly a decade in the making.
To that end - we start the documentary series. Matt. Edge. Hell. Cell. 24/7/365.
The direct model for this of course is the great Mayweather/De La Hoya build that HBO did; if you missed this, you want to catch it even after the fight. They heeled Floyd up real good (the shot of him with the stacks of money in his kitches is one I want to directly steal for Edge) and judging by public expert reaction, I think it's built up not just interest in buying the fight, but a genuine belief in the underdog De La Hoya (totally without merit, in my view - if I'm wrong, well, people can shoot at me, but I think the only way Floyd loses the fight is if the judges steal it from him).
The indirect model is what, I think, is still my favorite build for any wrestling match, the training scenes of Bret and Shawn before XII.
We'll start with small, but larger than normal, say, five minute, pieces within the bodies of existing WWF shows. Inside Matt's life. As it begins, he won't open up at all - since he's the enigmatic Pillman-like character. I really don't want him talking on camera until we zero in on the show - people can talk about him, we can get shots of him, but I want him largely by himself, running the steps hours before TV, shadowboxing, sitting alone in the locker room.
People can talk about him, family, friends, other workers - "Matt's changed" is the real theme of the Matt side of this. And current Matt will be juxtaposed with Ring Boys Matt, Hardys Matt.
We'll climax the Hardys stuff in time for the return of...well...someone's returning this summer, as you are aware.
When we get close, we'll break Matt open a little bit so we can recognize the degree to which he needs to win the match.
Edge, early on, will be all cocky heel. Edge goes out partying, Edge at the club, Edge with Lita - Edge and Lita with other girls. Edge with strippers. Edge with porn stars. Edge's frenzy to get at Matt has to slow way down now and build again before the big show. Right now, I basically just want to show Edge as young, single athlete guy. He makes it rain at the strip clubs, he's just a wealthy, good looking asshole living it up.
When we get close, he'll want it just as badly as Matt. But right now, he's Pretty Boy Edge.
Eventually, they'll get longer blocks of time for the documentary pieces, and since they'll both be in other feuds over the course of the year - we can use this time to always keep as a touchstone that the company is driving to one match at XXIII.
Matt. Edge. Hell. Cell. 24/7/365
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