So I was originally going to put this up during the weekend as something quick and fun. But as I started making this list and started doing research, I realized that I needed to take more time with it. So it’s being posted as the regular weekly thing because it’s just that damn important. In no way is this definitive — just my humble opinion.
So here goes.

10. “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka
Superfly was jumping off turnbuckles and steel cages before it became so damn common. He influenced a new breed of wrestlers, being the grandfather of the hardcore division: with the advent of high-flying, wrestlers began taking greater risks and became more extreme. Therefore, no Superfly, no ECW.
Why he isn’t higher: He refuses to retire and his aged appearances are diminishing his legacy.

9. Andre “The Giant”
The most recognized and loved character on this list. He was huge, humble, and starred in Princess Bride. He put his body through massive amounts of pain to pull off the simplest of moves. Not to mention he jump-started Hulk Hogan’s career.
Why he isn’t higher: He was kind of lacking in the skills area, and his matches were kind of on the slow side. Oh, and he jump-started Hulk Hogan’s career.

8. The Undertaker
Put simply: Longevity. He’s the longest running wrestler on the WWE’s roster. He’s held numerous titles, been a top card draw, a main-eventer, and sadly been given some of the lamest storylines ever but does them proudly for the love of the sport. He was the first person to delve into a super-natural type character. Whenever he walked into the arena the badass level went from 1 to 1000. Plus he’s invented like twenty different types of matches, most notably the Hell in a Cell and the Casket Match.
Why he isn’t higher: Much like The Giant, The Undertaker has never really been anything more than a moniker: he shows up, does his job, and goes on to the next show.

7. Hulk Hogan
The Hulkster basically carried the WWF for a few years. He took the torch from Andre “The Giant” and never looked back. The brand should have just renamed itself to Hulk Hogan Entertainment throughout the mid 80s to early 90s.
Why he isn’t higher: Hogan never really cared about the company in general — it was all about his popularity. He refused to job and stiffed to the extent of breaking kayfabe.

6. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper, conversely, was one of the best kayfabers of the 80s. In his show, Piper’s Pit, he gave an exaggerated version of his persona and just really pissed everyone off—and that’s who you thought Roddy Piper was, just this loud-mouthed asshole both in and out of the ring. His mic skills were only rivaled by his own fists. It was the beginning of a new era for wrestling, and Piper was at the forefront.
Why he isn’t higher: Though he was given high profile feuds with the likes of Mr. T and others, he was never really given title shot.

5. “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig
It was the little things about Mr. Perfect that made him so damn perfect. From his “high-school wrestling team” leotard, to the towel he draped over his shoulder, to the piece of gum he shot up into the air and then smacked out into the audience; it all added up to one cool motherfucker. His technical prowess was something to be admired. And the Fisherman-Suplex he dubbed “The Perfect-plex” was flawless: you could see it a million-times and every time it would be like a new seeing something new.
Why he isn’t higher: As great as he was, the dudes that follow are tough company.

4. “Macho Man” Randy Savage
No one could live in Hogan’s shadow quite like the Macho Man; he did it with grace and style and lived out a character a thousand times more developed. His matches were masterfully arranged and his interviews were possibly more entertaining than some of his contemporary actual bouts.
Why he isn’t higher: His grace turned into bitterness once his career began to wane and Hogan just sort of kept stumbling along. He spent too much energy publicly attacking his old rival instead of forwarding his own career–though the Spider-Man cameo was very nice.

3. Ric Flair
He is a twenty-time world heavyweight champion (adding up all the different brands he’s been in). Though his skills have always been lacking, his charisma has and persona have not. He made the figure-four leglock famous. His entire life revolves around wrestling and the promotion of the company: he just didn’t perform, he wrote story-lines, booked matches, and scouted talent. He was never too arrogant to not give new stars a push.
Why he isn’t higher: While still wrestling today, his moves have become noticeably stale and predictable.

2. Bret “Hitman” Hart
Bret Hart became the first smallest heavyweight champion in the WWF and made it possible for wrestlers under six feet to garner the same attention reserved only for the big guns. After Hart became the first ever King of the Ring, he was scheduled to face Hogan for the title, but some reports say that The Hulkster didn’t want to lose to Hart while others say that a Face vs. Face match would not have been good for business, so Hart had to wait for a chance to recapture the title. And when he did, he fought for and defended it like none before him, getting himself into David vs. Goliath type matches, and the purest of technical wrestling fights.
Why he isn’t higher: Despite his willingness to job, after the Great Screwjob fiasco, The Hitman couldn’t help but play the victim for the rest of his career and made it really hard to want to sympathize with him.

1. “Dynamite Kid” Tom Billington
This is probably the most controversial choice for this list, and coming in at #1 to boot. However, on any given day, in a real fight, The Dynamite Kid could take anyone on this list (except maybe Roddy Piper). Tom Billington was, hands down, the most exciting wrestler to watch in the 80s. Anyone who stepped in the ring with him was elevated because of the Dynamite Kid’s incredible shooting ability. He was small and powerful: the perfect combination of high-flyer, technical wrestler, and straight brawler. Billington never actively sought attention or story-time, he was more concerned with putting on the best show he could. He was infamously as stiff out of the ring as he was in it, taking no bullshit from anyone, forming real-life rivalries and getting into fights backstage, even being hired by Macho Man as a personal bodyguard. Had he remained in good health, he would have undeniably conquered the WWF.