About This Quiz
From larger than life gimmicks like giants and superheroes to devastating signature moves like the DDT and Stunner, wrestlers provide a form of entertainment that can't be found anywhere else. What exactly makes a wrestler legendary, though? Sure, they need great character work, because an audience already has to suspend their belief to get behind wrestling. Bad characters make the mythical appearance of wrestling dull and difficult to watch. There's also the ability to perform in the ring. Wrestlers who constantly botch moves and can't tell a story on the mat aren't going to win over many fans.ÂÂ
The truth is, there are so many elements that make up a great wrestler that it's best to just watch long enough to see if a wrestler has the potential to reach legendary status or if they're just another performer. Even promoters don't know how hot a wrestler will get until they put them in front of a crowd of roaring fans, who will definitely let them know if they aren't worthy of their attention.
Are you ready to test your knowledge on the wrestlers who were able to reach legendary status by both entertaining fans and gaining the respect of their peers? From the earliest superstars to more modern legends, this quiz covers them all. When you're ready, get started and find out if you can get the finish before the bell sounds.
Rising to the top of the wrestling world during the Attitude Era, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was one of the biggest draws in wrestling history. His feud with Mr. McMahon helped WWE beat out the WCW in the Monday Night Wars to become the top promotion in wrestling.
John Cena became the face of the WWE when he won his first WWE Championship against John "Bradshaw" Layfield at WrestleMania 21. The feud between the two would continue after WrestleMania, finally ending after Cena won an "I Quit" match at Judgement Day.
Most of what The Rock was cooking during his time in the WWE was wins, as he became one of the most recognizable faces in the company for over a decade. Though he had many memorable matches, his feud with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin resulted in three classic meetups at WrestleMania, with The Rock winning the final encounter at WrestleMania XIX.
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"Hulkamania" ran wild throughout the '80s after Hulk Hogan won his first WWE Championship in 1984 by defeating the Iron Sheik at Madison Square Garden. In the match, Hogan was the first person ever to break the Sheik's lethal Camel Clutch to overcome the fierce villain.
Mark Henry was a legitimate strongman outside of the wrestling ring. He even won several weightlifting competitions, which included winning a silver medal at the 1995 Pan American Games in the super heavyweight division.
The Undertaker has been striking fear into his competition since he made his WWE debut in 1990. One of his earliest feuds was against The Ultimate Warrior, who The Undertaker locked in a casket during an interview segment.
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The son of "Cowboy" Bob Orton, Randy Orton went from being the "Legend Killer" to becoming a legend himself. He was able to establish that legacy after becoming the youngest WWE World Heavyweight Champion by defeating Chris Benoit at SummerSlam in 2004.
Brock Lesnar shocked the entire wrestling community when he became the first person to defeat The Undertaker at a WrestleMania. At the time, The Undertaker was on an undefeated streak of 21-0. When Lesnar won, the graphic "21-1" ran across the Titantron.
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair didn't always win his matches, but he always put on a show for the audience to enjoy. He was known for putting over top wrestlers like Bret "The Hitman" Hart and Sting, helping them win their first championships in dazzling fashion.
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Kurt Angle had the ability to put on a great show in the ring, but could also serve as a comedic relief outside the ring. He even created a great bit with fans who chanted "you suck" during his entrance to the ring, demanding that they show him respect only to receive the same chants each time his entrance music sounded again.
Nicknamed "Mr. WrestleMania," Shawn Michaels could put on a five-star match at the biggest wrestling event of the year in his sleep. He gave classic matches at WrestleMania against competitors from Chris Jericho to The Undertaker, demonstrating how versatile he was as a performer.
"Macho Man" Randy Savage could cut a promo like no one in the business. After all, only "Macho Man" could get away with saying "I'm the tower of power, too sweet to be sour. I'm funky like a monkey. Sky's the limit and space is the place."
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Andre the Giant only ever held the World Heavyweight Championship once during his wrestling career in the WWE. However, after winning the title, he immediately surrendered it to Ted DiBiase, who had apparently purchased the belt from the Giant because he couldn't win it himself.
There was no better heel throughout the late '80s than Jake "The Snake" Roberts, whose daunting stare and hypnotic voice struck fear in his competition. Roberts was best at using psychology to get under the skin of his opponents, going as far as to carry a snake to the ring as a form of intimidation.
Though women's wrestling wouldn't gain much momentum on the national level until the 2000s, The Fabulous Moolah was one superstar who achieved fame in a career that lasted over 50 years. During that time, she held the Women's Championship longer than anyone in the sport's history.
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A devastating car crash nearly took Eddie Guerrero's career and life away from him, but the man known as "Latino Heat" wouldn't succumb to his injuries. Instead, he worked his way back to the top of the wrestling world, winning the WWE Championship in 2004.
With charisma and the voice of a rock star, Chris Jericho became a fan favorite in the WCW, but the company never gave him a strong push. Jericho eventually bolted from the company and joined the WWE, where he declared, "'Raw' is Jericho."
Booker T is one of the few wrestlers to rise to the top of both the WCW and the WWE, holding world championships with both companies. In total, Booker T has help 35 championships, which includes titles in TNA as well.
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Recognized as "The Excellence of Execution," Bret "The Hitman" Hart prided himself on his in-ring ability, where he barely botched a move, let alone a whole match. Injuries eventually forced Hart to retire early despite having a few years left in the tank.
Goldberg didn't have the greatest wrestling ability, so in his early years, he relied on quick matches to get over with fans. Eventually, he racked up an undefeated streak that lasted for over a year before finally losing to Kevin Nash.
One of the most controversial figures in the wrestling business, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper never backed down from a challenge. His fiery nature led him to take on Mr. T in a boxing match at WrestleMania II, which Mr. T won after Piper got furious and delivered a bodyslam on "The A-Team" actor.
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When Big Show joined the WWE in 1999, he was introduced as an enforcer for The Corporation, a stable led by Mr. McMahon. He made his debut during a cage match between Mr. McMahon and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, when he tore through the mat to attack Austin.
The result of a tragic childhood, Kane is the scarred younger brother of The Undertaker, who he feuded with after his debut in the WWE. The "Brothers of Destruction" would later mend fences to become Tag Team Champions as they tore through their competition.
Over with fans at the time, The Ultimate Warrior was viewed as the future of the WWE when he won his first heavyweight championship from Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI. However, ratings dropped after Warrior gained the title, forcing WWE to go in a different direction.
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Known as "The Ninth Wonder of the World," Chyna was the only female wrestler ever to hold the WWE Intercontinental Championship, which she won twice. She was also a number one contender for the WWE Championship, but Mankind ultimately took the title shot away from her.
Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka shocked the wrestling world in 1983 when he competed in a steel cage match against Don Muraco in Madison Square Garden. In the match, Snuka delivered his signature Superfly Splash from the top of the cage, which was a rare bump for a wrestler to take at the time.
Mick Foley has wrestled under several names other than his real name, including Mankind, Cactus Jack and Dude Love. In the 1998 Royal Rumble, Foley appeared as all three personas in the event, though he was eliminated each time.
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After wrestling with various promotions, Junkyard Dog finally made a name for himself in Mid-South Wrestling during the '80s. It was during this time that he started wearing his famous collar and chain to his matches, which became a staple of his gimmick.
Harley Race was past his prime when he joined the WWE in 1986. However, considering everything Race had accomplished before that, WWE wanted to honor his legacy. To do this, they had him win the King of the Ring tournament, and afterward, he started calling himself "King" Harley Race.
Following the collapse of WCW, Sting had the opportunity to join the WWE along with many other stars from his previous company. However, Sting feared the way the WWE would treat wrestlers from another company and, instead, elected to lend his talents to lesser promotions like TNA.
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Anytime Dusty Rhodes came to the ring in those polka dot tights, fans glued their attention to the man who called himself "The American Dream." The poor son of a plumber, Rhodes earned the attention he received by overcoming hated heels like those who made up the Four Horsemen.
Lita gained fame in the WWE beside the Hardy Boyz, forming the stable known as Team Xtreme. This trio was characterized by their daring stunts and highflying moves that made them a sight to watch in the early 2000s.
In 1994, Kevin Nash, using the ring name "Diesel" at the time, won all three championships in the WWE: the WWE Championship, the Intercontinental Championship and the World Tag Team Championship. This made him one of the rare wrestlers to achieve a WWE Triple Crown in one year.
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Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat's match with "Macho Man" Randy Savage at WrestleMania III is often considered one of the greatest matches in the history of wrestling. The match ended with Steamboat winning the Intercontinental Championship, which was the first time the belt changed hands at WrestleMania.
Triple H now sits at the top of the WWE, but there was a time when he was in owner Vince McMahon's dog house. He found himself in this position after he broke kayfabe at a live event in Madison Square Garden with several other wrestlers. Following the incident, Triple H was forced to do jobs for other wrestlers until he worked his way back into McMahon's good graces.
The vibrant colors he wore and the macaw he carried to the ring were perfect representations of Koko B. Ware's colorful personality. That bright personality was always on display, including in the ring, where he used his signature move the Ghostbuster to take out opponents.
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Curt Hennig, the wrestler known as "Mr. Perfect," was nothing less than perfect in the ring. His ability to work in the ring helped him win two heavyweight championships in two different promotions as well as the WWE Intercontinental Championship twice.
Whether he was engaging in serious feuds with his brother Bret "The Hitman" Hart or taking on the comical gimmick of The Blue Blazer, Owen Hart could always perform at a high level. To the detriment of the wrestling community, however, Hart died in an accident where he fell after being lowered to the ring on a zip line.
When Trish Stratus made her wrestling debut in 2000, there were only a few competitors in the women's division. Still, she quickly rose to the top of the competition, winning her first WWE Women's Championship in 2001.
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Prior to his run in the WWE, Dynamite Kid spent time with New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he had several famous bouts with Tiger Mask. The quick-paced style that both wrestlers used help establish a place for smaller wrestlers in the business and shaped in-ring performances for the decades to come.