The First 11...Wrestlers of the Decade

The 11 most important Superstars in the WWE, 2000-present.

A decade of dueling in the squared circle has produced some of the most enduring imagery ever in wrestling. Future Hall of Famers ended their careers and new icons were born in the post-attitude era and here are the best that the noughties had to offer.

Honorable Mention: Eddie Guerrero, Jeff Hardy, Chris Benoit, Trish Stratus.

11. Chris Jericho – Ever since his entrance into the WWE at the end of the last millennia, Jericho has captivated audiences with a combination of brash promos, savvy in-ring work and unadulterated personality. Despite a two-year hiatus from 2005-2007, there is little doubt that Jericho has shaped this decade in the WWE more than most. Notable feuds against Triple H, Kurt Angle and particularly The Rock (including a fabulous match for the WCW Championship at No Mercy 2002) established Y2J as a main event star in the first part of the decade but perhaps it was his two feuds with Shawn Michaels, culminating in matches at Wrestlemania XIX and Unforgiven 2008, that fully cemented his place in this list. Whether the ‘Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla’ or Self-Righteous Villain he currently portrays, it is hard to ignore the influence of Y2J.

10. Brock Lesnar – No other competitor made a such a forceful imprint on wrestling in the decade in such a short time as Lesnar. He debuted in dominant fashion the day after Wrestlemania and X8 and by the time he exited following perhaps the worst match of his career against Goldberg at Wrestlemania XX, he was known as one of the most intense, powerful and capable wrestlers in the world. The ‘Next Big Thing’ became the Champ in the space of just three months, pinning the Rock cleanly at Summerslam, and rode the wave through five star, often brutal, matches with The Undertaker and Kurt Angle (remember how you felt when he missed that shooting star press at Mania XIX?) and even made the Big Show look good (their match at Survivor Series in 2002 was probably Show’s best ever). Lesnar should be remembered for what he achieved rather than what he failed to but one cant help but think that, should he stayed for the rest of the decade, he would be right at the top of this list.

9. The Undertaker – 17-0 at Wrestlemania, a six-time World Champion and arguably the third most iconic wrestler in WWE history (behind Hulk Hogan and Steve Austin), Undertaker has ruled the yard for twenty years. He began the current decade as ‘The American Badass’, turned into the ‘Big Evil’ and finally returned to the ‘Deadman’ persona that he was renowned for. Whatever his moniker, The Undertaker has spent the last last nine odd years in main event after main event against the biggest stars in the industry. Indeed, it seems harsh to keep Taker this low on the list, especially in the wake of his match with Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 25 but he is hurt by routinely missing time, failing to have a long title run and being so dominant in the 90’s.

8. Randy Orton – The future of the industry. A phenomenal performer who has matured from trainee in ‘Evolution’ to leader in ‘Legacy’. Orton plays the role of a modern heel to perfection and has developed into a real master of pace and psychology over the last few years after an uneven beginning to his career. His victory over Chris Benoit for his first World Title was premature but Orton has always had fantastic talent and has showcased it in some of the best matches of the last few years, particularly in repeated feuds with RVD and Triple H. For all that he has achieved this decade, If he can stay focused, then the next ten years could really be ‘The Age of Orton’.

7 John Cena – The most polarising athlete on the WWE roster, Cena is the most marketable product currently in wrestling. He is the only guy on this list who has always been a face (and the only non-high flyer that comes to mind, they include Rey Mysterio Jr, Jeff Hardy and RVD) and has developed into the successor to the Rock’s ‘sports entertainment’ throne. His in-ring ability has improved, albeit he is still not at the level of his main event peers, but his charisma, his look and his determination have taken him to the top and, for all his haters, he has been involved in many of the most memorable moments of the decade; his debut against Kurt Angle, his many freestyle raps, his match with RVD at ‘One Night Stand’, his spinner belts, his loss to Edge when his opponent cashed in the first ever ‘Money in the Bank’ briefcase and his return at the 2008 Royal Rumble.

6. Kurt Angle – As proficient a technical wrestler as we may have ever seen, Angle blended superb in-ring performance with strong mic work and a resiliency that place him near the summit of any list of the all time greats. Angle was active in the WWE from 2000-06 and in this time featured in match of the year candidates on a regular basis. His Matches against Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania XIX, Stonecold at Summerslam 2001, Shane McMahon at King of the Ring 2001 and Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 21 are amongst the very best of the decade and his week-in-week-out level of execution has been virtually unrivalled. Angle’s exit from the WWE was sour and robbed avid viewers of some potentially dynamite feuds and matches in the last few years but Kurt’s combination of Intensity, Innovation and Intelligence (and questionable integrity) was a reason to buy PPV’s throughout his tenure.

5. ‘Stonecold’ Steve Austin – Essentially retired since Wrestlemania XIX in 2003, Austin’s impact on the decade within the WWE was certainly less than what he contributed in the 90’s, an era he defined. However, every time he is on WWE programming, a sometime mediocre show becomes must-watch television. Even in the selectively part-time role he has been employed in since his final match with The Rock (and most of it has been repetitive and generically scripted) he has offered entertainment with the help of the odd stevie-weiser, a catchphrase and a patented stunner. While active, he feuded with Triple H, Chris Benoit, Booker T, Kurt Angle and of course The Rock and got the best out of his opponents both in and out of the ring. Particularly out of the ring. I would rate his storylines with Kurt Angle and the Rock (both of them) as decade highlights and his final match, an emotional matchup with his long time nemesis was a masterpiece of personality and story telling.

4. The Rock – Another who saw limited action in the past ten years, The Rock has hardly been seen since 2004, but his influence and his domination of the WWE at the turn of the millennia would have had him atop this list a few years ago. The ultimate sports entertainer, Rock’s high intensity in-ring work rarely produced five-star matches (notable exceptions being the aforementioned bouts with Austin, a man with whom he shared incredible chemistry with, and matches at the beginning of the decade with Triple H) but his all around magnetic character saw him as the leading face within the WWE until his retirement. The Rock worked harder than anybody to please the fans and his love for the business should not really be called into question, despite leaving for Hollywood.

3. Shawn Michaels – It is no coincidence that every man who faces Michaels seems to be that much more capable in those matches than most other occasions. Michaels was true to form right from the moment he returned in 2002 and subsequently beat Triple H in an unsanctioned match at Summerslam. Shawn has really never disappointed in the ring and has had show-stealing matches against the likes of Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Ric Flair, The Undertaker and whoever else you care to mention. His jovial nature, comic timing and comfort in front of the camera have endeared him to another generation of fans after being one of the premier wrestlers of the mid-90’s and, with his retirement seemingly on the cards for next years Wrestlemania, his imprint on the WWE will soon be complete. But what an imprint. Shawn Michaels was the man to retire Ric Flair, chosen as the opponent to face the Undertaker at the 25th anniversary of Wrestlemania, fought Hogan in a ‘legend versus icon’ match, formed ‘DX’, won the first ever Elimination Chamber match….and we have yet to even mention Bret Hart.

2. Edge – The only man to have won the World, WWE, Intercontinental, U.S and both Tag Team Titles, Edge has risen through the ranks as the decade has progressed. At the height of the tag team division, Edge and Christian were winning gold and redefining the boundaries of the anything to do with tables, ladders and chairs. When the King of the Ring tournament still an annual tournament, Edge won it, when the Intercontinental championship was still being hotly contested by main event talent, Edge was at the centre and when the Money in the Bank ladder match debuted, guess who climbed the ladder, won the match and then won the World Title as a result. You got it. Although he may not perform at the speed he once used to, he is a consummate ring general, smart speaker and the WWE rightly see him as one of the safest pairs of hands for any title going. It is very difficult to maintain the position of a lead heel for any sustained period but that is exactly what Edge has done, forming the foil in classic matchups with the likes of Cena, Matt Hardy, Batista and The Undertaker. The Rated R Superstar continues to be at the top of his game and may well have some of the most important feuds of the 2010’s.

1. Triple H – Really only one man could be at the top of this list. The King of Kings was involved in the first mega-match of the decade, a brutal yet beautiful match against Mick Foley, and likely will be involved in the last. He married the boss’ daughter and formed the ‘McMahon-Helmsley Faction’, picked out two future World Champions and lead ‘Evolution’ and still found the time to revive ‘DX’. Trips has feuded with every major star of the decade (except Brock Lesnar, moved to Smackdown while HHH was awarded the World Title on Raw) and been in more main events than anybody during the period. His feuds with Foley, Michaels, Rock, Austin, Angle, Jericho, Orton, Benoit, Batista and Cena have all been electric and he has been the focus of many of the most crucial storylines of this decade. Epic battles against The Rock at Backlash and Judgement Day 2000, Jericho at Fully Loaded in 2000, Shawn Michaels at Summerslam 2002, Benoit and Michaels at Wrestlemania XX, Cena at Wrestlemania 22 defined the first part of the 2000’s and although his recent matches have not been quite at that level, he remains a strong performer in the ring and a master at the building blocks of a conflict.

The decade saw some of the best matches and most intense feuds ever in the WWE, albeit punctuated by a series of mismanaged storylines, and was ably represented by all the wrestlers above but it is Triple H’s longevity that has him No.1. The Game has been at the top of the Game for the entire decade and whether in a stable or alone, face or heel, winner or loser, he has been the most central, most important figure on WWE programming since 2000.