How many people would you say have been top guy in the company?

[chatty]

I can't really go back before the 80s so feel free to fill that in, although I'm pretty certain Sammartino will definitely be one of the elite guys but how many guys have actually been the number 1 wrestler in the company.

I would say Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin and John Cena are the only ones since the 80s that have had the company built around them. Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, The Rock and HHH are ones who have effectively been the number one guy for a period but not been the main focus of the company during their era. Then you can make arguments for filler guys like Kevin Nash, Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, Randy Orton, Ultimate Warrior and maybes a few others who have been tested at the top but no necessarily been the main guy.

Feel free to do other companies as well if you have the knowledge.

[thesamuelcooke]

Sammartino - Hogan - Austin - Cena are The top guys. But including little, but significant, runs at the very top would like this:

Sammartino - Backlund - Hogan - Hart - Michaels - Austin - Rock - Triple H - Cena

Triple H may be controversial to some, but in 2002-4 there was no one bigger who was consistently there. Sure The Rock made odd appearances but Triple H was a constant force.
If Lesnar had stayed maybe he would be there, it certainly seemed like he was going to be The Man, maybe going over to Raw to feud with Austin after WM XX?

Angle was a steady hand who could bounce from midcard feuds to headline act, but never the face of the company. Orton could have, and probably should, have been where Cena is now. But his early lack of appeal as a face mixed with his suspensions nixed that.

NWA/WCW is basically Flair then Hogan isn't it? Goldberg, Sting and Macho were never as big as those two. Maybe if they'd experimented and not had politics we would've seen a Goldberg, DDP or Booker T be The Man. It appeared Booker was primed to be the next guy, but obviously they were bought out.

Interesting to see a Japanese equivalent of this. There always seemed to be a few guys as the main draw didn't there? Tanahashi is far and away the man in Japan, with Okada more than likely being the next in line.

[The Law]

In the beginning, there was Bruno Sammartino. When the WWWF broke away from the NWA in 1963, they awarded Buddy Rogers the WWWF Championship. And then had Bruno beat him for it in 48 seconds. He held the belt for the next eight years, until dropping it in late 1970. Pedro Morales held the belt for close to three years until dropping it to Stan Stasiak, who lost it to Bruno nine days later. Bruno reigned for another 3+ years after that. I'm not an expert on the times, but it seems like Bruno was the top guy even when he wasn't champion, much like Cena today.

Bruno was on top until "Superstar" Billy Graham defeated him in April 1977. Bruno was still around after that, but in a lessened role. He still headlined the big Showdown at Shea card in 1980 against Larry Zbyszko. Graham was the first bad guy to be anything more than a transition champion. He held the belt for almost a year, before losing it to Bob Backlund. I'd consider Graham to have had a brief run as top guy here.

Backlund held the belt for almost six years. Doesn't seem like he was much of a draw, but they stuck with him. Finally, they had him lose to Iron Sheik in late 1983 so that Shiek could lose the title to Hulk Hogan.

Hogan's reign on top lasted until he left. In this time, he main evented every Wrestlemania except IV, where he was still involved as Savage's cornerman against Ted DiBiase. So Hogan was the main from 1984 to 1993.

I would say Bret was top guy from 1993 until he lost to Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 12 in 1996. Even though Diesel held the title for a year from 1994-1995, they never let him beat Bret. Bret's loss to Shawn was a torch passing, as Bret wasn't sure he was ever going to come back to wrestling (or at least the WWF) at that point.

Obviously, Shawn's run as top guy ended at Wrestlemania 14 when Austin beat him. Austin was the man until he walked out in mid-2002. At that point, things are a little muddled, but I would consider Triple H to have been WWE's top guy until 2005. Brock showed signs of it, but he only headlined one Wrestlemania and spent most of his time on Smackdown, the B-show.

They tested both Cena and Batista as top guy, but Cena clearly took the reigns when he was drafted over to Raw in June 2005. And he's still on top now. His eight-year run really isn't unprecedented, although it's the longest since Hogan. In my view, Bruno was basically top guy for 15 years, which I don't think Cena has a chance to beat.

Here's my timeline:

1963-1977: Bruno Sammartino
1977-1978: "Superstar" Billy Graham
1978-1984: Bob Backlund
1984-1993: Hulk Hogan
1993-1996: Bret Hart
1996-1998: Shawn Michaels
1998-2002: Steve Austin
2002-2005: Triple H
2005-Present: John Cena

[chatty]

In the beginning, there was Bruno Sammartino. When the WWWF broke away from the NWA in 1963, they awarded Buddy Rogers the WWWF Championship. And then had Bruno beat him for it in 48 seconds. He held the belt for the next eight years, until dropping it in late 1970. Pedro Morales held the belt for close to three years until dropping it to Stan Stasiak, who lost it to Bruno nine days later. Bruno reigned for another 3+ years after that. I'm not an expert on the times, but it seems like Bruno was the top guy even when he wasn't champion, much like Cena today.

Bruno was on top until "Superstar" Billy Graham defeated him in April 1977. Bruno was still around after that, but in a lessened role. He still headlined the big Showdown at Shea card in 1980 against Larry Zbyszko. Graham was the first bad guy to be anything more than a transition champion. He held the belt for almost a year, before losing it to Bob Backlund. I'd consider Graham to have had a brief run as top guy here.

Backlund held the belt for almost six years. Doesn't seem like he was much of a draw, but they stuck with him. Finally, they had him lose to Iron Sheik in late 1983 so that Shiek could lose the title to Hulk Hogan.

Hogan's reign on top lasted until he left. In this time, he main evented every Wrestlemania except IV, where he was still involved as Savage's cornerman against Ted DiBiase. So Hogan was the main from 1984 to 1993.

I would say Bret was top guy from 1993 until he lost to Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 12 in 1996. Even though Diesel held the title for a year from 1994-1995, they never let him beat Bret. Bret's loss to Shawn was a torch passing, as Bret wasn't sure he was ever going to come back to wrestling (or at least the WWF) at that point.

Obviously, Shawn's run as top guy ended at Wrestlemania 14 when Austin beat him. Austin was the man until he walked out in mid-2002. At that point, things are a little muddled, but I would consider Triple H to have been WWE's top guy until 2005. Brock showed signs of it, but he only headlined one Wrestlemania and spent most of his time on Smackdown, the B-show.

They tested both Cena and Batista as top guy, but Cena clearly took the reigns when he was drafted over to Raw in June 2005. And he's still on top now. His eight-year run really isn't unprecedented, although it's the longest since Hogan. In my view, Bruno was basically top guy for 15 years, which I don't think Cena has a chance to beat.

Here's my timeline:

1963-1977: Bruno Sammartino
1977-1978: "Superstar" Billy Graham
1978-1984: Bob Backlund
1984-1993: Hulk Hogan
1993-1996: Bret Hart
1996-1998: Shawn Michaels
1998-2002: Steve Austin
2002-2005: Triple H
2005-Present: John Cena

Solid post, I'd pretty much go the same, although my knowledge on pre-Hogan eras is minimal.

I think you could put Savage, Rock and Punk as solid number 2 guys.

Warrior, Nash, Lesnar, orton and Batista as experiments at the top.

[Andy]

Rock was the face of the company while Austin was out, no doubt about that. It might've only been for a year but he was definitely a top guy.

[The Law]

I was thinking about adding a note for that. There were times where the top guy wasn't around. Hogan was gone for a solid year from Wrestlemania VII to Wrestlemania IX. Savage filled in on top for awhile, and then Bret got the belt from Flair in October.

Similarly, Shawn was gone for a lot of 1997. After he gave up the belt he didn't really come back full-time until the fall. Taker was champion during that time, but Bret was the top guy, as his feud with Austin and the USA/Canada storyline was the biggest attraction.

When Austin was out in 2000 Rock was on top. Had Rock not been going away to make movies there's a decent chance Wrestlemania 17 would have been a torch-passing from Austin to Rock. Instead, that show was pretty much the end of Rock being a full-time wrestler. Austin was already receding into the background in favor of Triple H and Lesnar when he walked out, but his leaving pretty clearly ended his time on top.

I left out Andre, because his role was a little strange. He was a huge draw and attraction, but he never got near the title because he didn't need it. In many ways, Andre was bigger than the WWWF and WWF Championship. They never would have even considered having Backlund beat him. I don't really know where to place Andre, but he was #2 at the absolutely lowest for much of his career.

[Andy]

It's amazing to think the Undertaker, who may well go down as the best ever and has been around the main event for over 20 years, has never been the top guy.

[MMH]

It's amazing to think the Undertaker, who may well go down as the best ever and has been around the main event for over 20 years, has never been the top guy.

Could say similar for Andre the Giant.

[Kimura Kid]

It's amazing to think the Undertaker, who may well go down as the best ever and has been around the main event for over 20 years, has never been the top guy.

Well in regards to how he's viewed in the locker room I think it's safe to say that Taker has been the main guy in the locker room for prolly longer than anyone before him.

I could be wrong.

I feel like Taker is just a special talent. He's almost "Above" being the main guy. But it wasn't always that way so.......yeah Crazy to think about.

[BullyRayStoleMyLunch]

I'd agree with Hart - he was the face of the "New Generation" Era.

Taker and André I feel are similar in that they were immensely over without the need for the whole "This is THE MAN" style media push that a Hogan or Rock benefited from. To me, its the same kind of reasoning as to why Piper never became the Champ - he didn't need it to get by.

[Atty]

Here's my timeline:

1963-1977: Bruno Sammartino
1977-1978: "Superstar" Billy Graham
1978-1984: Bob Backlund
1984-1993: Hulk Hogan
1993-1996: Bret Hart
1996-1998: Shawn Michaels
1998-2002: Steve Austin
2002-2005: Triple H
2005-Present: John Cena

I'd agree with that timeline, but I'd have Cena starting in 2006, not 2005. When he beat HHH, that's when they really ran with him as the center of everything. When he beat JBL for his first belt it was on SD and not the focus (not even the main event), but when they had him beat HHH, he became the clear focus of everything.

[Cewsh]

I would argue quite seriously that Batista was the top guy in 2005. He got there a year before Cena, but once they switched shows, Cena surpassed him.

[chatty]

I think a case could be made for Orton in 2007 when Cena was injured, he held the belt for about 8 months and the focus was pushed on him while Cena was out. He was just a stand in though I suppose, similar to the Rock in 2000 but not near as over.

[Hotbeef-Injection]

I'd agree with the list including Bret and Shawn, but even though i'm a massive fan of both I don't think we can really say they had the company built around them the way Hogan, Austin and Cena did. Those three seem to have had the full backing of the WWE. Shawn, Bret and even HHH were all (to me, at least) keeping the seat warm till WWE found their next main guy. It's like Punk being champ for over a year but you know he's not 'the man'. HHH, Shawn and Bret weren't the guys WWE wanted to build around, I feel. They were just the hottest guys they had at the time.

[The Law]

Batista and Cena both won the belts at Wrestlemania 21 and then Cena was drafted to Raw and Batista to Smackdown in June. So maybe Batista was top guy in April and May, but they settled on Cena pretty fast.

[Andy]

The period from about WM17-WM19 was a bit of a strange one, I'm not sure that anyone was really the top guy. Austin was heel at first and it was a weird run. Then Angle got mega over before they turned him. Then Rock came back and beat Austin but didn't hang around for long. Then Trips came back to the mega response but his momentum fizzled out. Then Hogan was ridiculously in the title scene for a bit, then Lesnar won so soon into his debut year, then Michaels came back. The roster was so stacked with huge stars they didn't really have any need for anyone to be definitely the top guy. It was only after WM19 that the incredibly boring run of Trips being on top began. That's how I remember it anyway.

[Kneeneighbor]

I would put Warrior in for that 9 months or so he was champion. There was no Hogan around during that period.

[thesamuelcooke]

WM 17 until WM X8 was kind of shared by Austin and Rock. Angle and Jericho not quite there, and then pushed even further down when Hogan and Triple H returned.
The Draft period was weirdest for me. Rock wasn't full time, Austin was walking out and they kept hot shotting the belt to anyone who'd got a reaction. It was only when Lesnar left to SD! that we were given a clear divide and Triple H started his reign of terror/awesomeness. He was then the impromptu 'guy' until Cena came along.
But that period from Vengeance 01 to August 02 was bizarre to me, chaotic almost.

[Atty]

I'd honestly list HHH's era starting in 2000. Yes, he missed half a year due to injury, but was largely the focus from mid-1999 until 2006. Austin was the focus while he was hurt, but it was HHH who main evented WM 18, 19 (well, title match), 20, 21 and 22.


Didn't notice Law's post had HHH as 2002-2005, so I wanted to clarify.

[Version 6]

I think narrowing it down to a set number of months in a given year is diluting the concept somewhat.

What we are really talking about are who are the guys that you identify "eras" of wrestling with. Sort of dealt with this same thing in that Mount Rushmore of Wrestling thread someone made a few months back.

And to that end, (for mine) its:

Pre Hogan: Bruno
Pre New Generation: Hogan
New Generation: Hart
Attitude: Austin
Post Attitude: Cena

[Version 6]

I mean if we are including guys like Batista and Orton, then it probably extends to CM Punk & Diesel as well, given their lengthy title reigns.

[Mills]

I wouldn't put Batista or Orton there at all.

[Version 6]

Agreed. Not even close.

[Kdestiny]

I almost feel Punk more than Orton or Bats since he brought wrestling to the mainstream again in the Summer of Punk, but never the top guy

[Mills]

I'd say he could've done more but WWE seemed to neuter itself there. That said, none of those three could be considered THE top guy in WWE.

[Bluegunn]

It's amazing to think the Undertaker, who may well go down as the best ever and has been around the main event for over 20 years, has never been the top guy.

You could say that he was the top guy during the brand split for the Smackdown brand

[Mills]

yeah, but that's really diluting the topic of THE top guy. He was the top guy on half the brand, but wasn't the face of the brand.

[Version 6]

If you are taking things to that level, the list includes Bradshaw.

We really shouldn't be including Bradshaw.

[Judas Iscariot]

It's amazing to think the Undertaker, who may well go down as the best ever and has been around the main event for over 20 years, has never been the top guy.

It really is crazy. Undertaker has been this huge icon of the industry, who everyone knows and reveres and is one of the few who could be considered PHENOMS of the company, but he was never the face of the company.

Nor should he have been and I really doubt he ever wanted to be that. His gimmick wouldn't have supported it, either. But you just made me think, "Holy shit, Undertaker is one of the most legendary performers of all time, someone who EVERYONE goes apeshit for and someone who at some point in everyone's childhood was THE FUCKING BEST but doesn't really even sniff being the face of the company."

Pretty crazy.


Could say similar for Andre the Giant.

Wasn't around during his heyday, but same goes for him as Undertaker.


Well in regards to how he's viewed in the locker room I think it's safe to say that Taker has been the main guy in the locker room for prolly longer than anyone before him.

I could be wrong.

I feel like Taker is just a special talent. He's almost "Above" being the main guy. But it wasn't always that way so.......yeah Crazy to think about.

Yeah I think Taker probably preferred being a backstage general over the face of the company. Keeping little shit heads in line as a complete professional in the biz.

Wasn't he down on Punk as being a little indy shit whose shit smelled like roses until one day he was like, "Punk... He's one of us."

[Defrost]

In the beginning, there was Bruno Sammartino. When the WWWF broke away from the NWA in 1963, they awarded Buddy Rogers the WWWF Championship. And then had Bruno beat him for it in 48 seconds. He held the belt for the next eight years, until dropping it in late 1970. Pedro Morales held the belt for close to three years until dropping it to Stan Stasiak, who lost it to Bruno nine days later. Bruno reigned for another 3+ years after that. I'm not an expert on the times, but it seems like Bruno was the top guy even when he wasn't champion, much like Cena today.



Pedro was pushed as the number 1 guy when he was champion. His issue was that he was a great draw in NYC, but in the other arenas not so much so Vince Sr kept having to bring Bruno back to draw in Toronto, Boston, Philly, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore. But he was used more as a special attraction than the way say Cena was obviously still the #1 guy during Punk's title run.

[Defrost]

To me it would go like this

Buddy Rogers - Bruno Sammartino - Pedro Morales - Bruno Sammartino - Superstar Graham - Bob Backlund - Hulk Hogan - Randy Savage (Hogan was gone making No Hold's Barred the majority of his first reign) - Hulk Hogan - Ultimate Warrior (rewatch 1990 tv and they are trying to push him harder than Hogan) - Hulk Hogan - Ric Flair (even though he dropped the belt to Savage and didn't work Summerslam all the angles revolved around Flair) - Bret Hart - Lex Luger - Bret Hart - Diesel (Cena level pushed down our throats in 1995) - Shawn Michaels - Bret Hart - Steve Austin - Rock - Steve Austin - HHH - John Cena

Cena has had the most longevity as continuous #1 guy since Backlund. And the want to push Bret aside and having to always come back to him is interesting in hindsight.

[MMH]

Ultimate Warrior (rewatch 1990 tv and they are trying to push him harder than Hogan) -

They were until they put the title on him and then seemingly pulled back on the push straight away. It was weird how after his feud with Rude he was getting involved in tag team matches with LOD and Demolition.

They did have the intro to Superstars being just him though so yeah he was definitely their man for a bit. Luger is a good shout.

[Defrost]

The booking of heels before and after Warrior won the WWF Title was horrendous and the biggest issue with him. The fact that Hogan killed off Perfect when he was just getting over, and they had Savage wallowing in that deal with Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire was beyond idiotic. If Perfect wasn't working the perfect feud to go to was Savage which other than a short house show loop that Hogan didn't work they had never done anything together instead they went back to something they had already blown off with Rude, which did draw great houses on the shows they main evented for the IC Title to be fair, which was a dead issue.

Still the whole way they pushed him as their guy. Hogan was off making Mr Nanny or Suburban Commando or something so they did that angle with Earthquake and when they blew off that Warrior/Road Warriors vs Demolition feud at Survivor Series the main event of that show was all about Hogan playing second fiddle to Warrior.

[RuneEdge]

What's interesting about Austin's run is, it arguably only ran from around 98 to 02. Almost a year of that was missed due to injury from late 99 to late 2000.
So really his reign as the top dog only last around 3 to 4 years, which isnt much more than someone like Bret's run.