Pro Wrestling's Mount Rushmore

In sports, the debate continues to rage as fans discuss who is the greatest of all-time or who should is on their Mount Rushmore in a specific sport, and it is no different in professional wrestling.

Hulk Hogan vs Ric Flair in WCW

For me, the greatest wrestling of all-time is Ric Flair. Flair had the ability on the mic to cut amazing promos, his in-ring work was fantastic, and he had the “IT” factor. As for my Mount Rushmore of professional wrestling, I would have Ric Flair, Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, and the fourth spot I feel is interchangeable, but I go with Andre the Giant.

Since the mid-1970s, Ric Flair has used the moniker “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, and is regarded as one of the best all-round talents in the wrestling business of all-time. Flair had a 40-year career, spanning from 1972 until 2012, and has noted tenures with Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, later WWE) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).  Flair was a major pay-per-view attraction throughout his career, headlining several NWA/WCW events, including Starrcade, and has also co-headlined the WWF’s counterpart, WrestleMania, in 1992, after winning that year’s Royal Rumble. PWI awarded him their Wrestler of the Year award a record six times, while Wrestling Observer Newsletter named him the Wrestler of the Year (an award named after him and Lou Thesz) a record eight times. The first two-time WWE Hall of Fame inductee, first inducted with the class of 2008 for his individual career and again with the class of 2012 as a member of The Four Horsemen, he is also a member of the NWA Hall of Fame, and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Bruno Sammartino was dubbed “The Italian Strongman” and “The Strongest Man in the World” early in his career, and later earned the title “The Living Legend”. Sammartino is best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE), where he held the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship for over 11 years (4,040 days) across two reigns and holds the record for the longest title reign in WWE history at 2,803 days. Regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Sammartino was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013, and is a part of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, and has won several awards for being the Best Wrestler of the Year, having the Best Feud, or the Best Match.

Hulk Hogan will go down in wrestling history as “the most recognized wrestling star of all-time”. Hogan helped usher in the 1980s wrestling boom with WWF as he headlined the first nine WrestleManias in WWE history. Hogan would win the WWE Championship six times during his career, also winning the WCW World Heavyweight title six times. Hogan holds second place for the longest title reign in WWE history and became the first wrestler to win the Royal Rumble back-to-back, when he won the rumble match in 1990 and 1991. Hogan is not only an American wrestling star, he is also a global star, winning titles in Japan with NJPW, including the IWGP Heavyweight title. Hogan is a part of several Halls of Fame including being a two-time inductee of the WWE Hall of Fame, and has won several awards from magazines and newsletter, including Comeback of the Year, Feud of the Year, and Wrestler of the Year.

Andre the Giant was billed as “The Eighth Wonder of the World”, and became one of the most recognizable wrestlers of all-time. Andre wrestled around the world becoming a fan favourite and a attraction for several wrestling promotions during the 1970s and early 1980s, but by the boom period of the 1980s, Andre had become a heel and aligned himself with Bobby Heenan, were he feuded with Hulk Hogan. Both men headlined WrestleMania III in 1987, and Andre would defeat his rival to win his only WWE World title in 1988. During his time in WWF (now WWE) Andre had a 15-year undefeated streak and was a tag team champion with Haku. Andre was the first member of the WWE Hall of Fame, and two other Hall of Fames, as well as winnnin several awards and battle royal matches over the course of his career.

I feel the first three Flair, Bruno, and Hulk should be on everyone’s Mount Rushmore, but last spot could have several names including Steve Austin, Luo Thesz, Shawn Michaels, or Bret Hart to name a few. For me these four men are the four names I think of when wrestling is mentioned.