Baltimore Sun's Ring Posts article : Top 10 all-around performers

The recent retirement of Ric Flair has sparked a lot of talk about who the greatest wrestler of all time is. It’s a complex question because everyone has a different idea of what constitutes a great wrestler. Is it the best worker? The biggest box office draw? The biggest crossover celebrity? What about longevity?

I think a less ambiguous question would be: Who is the best all-around performer? I define that as the wrestler who possesses the best combination of in-ring ability, charisma and promo skills. Following that criteria, I have come up with a list of my top 10.

Wrestlers who excelled in one aspect but were significantly deficient in another did not make the cut. For example, Hulk Hogan, the biggest star in the history of wrestling, did not make the list because his in-ring work was average at best. On the flip side, an outstanding worker such as Chris Benoit did not make the list because he was ordinary as far as charisma and promos.

I only considered wrestlers that I have seen enough of to judge. Therefore, legends such as Lou Thesz, Buddy Rogers, who would be included in any discussion of the all-time greats, aren’t on the list. I also didn’t consider wrestlers such as Harley Race, Verne Gagne, Jack Brisco, Terry Funk and others because I didn’t see much of them in their primes. I have been watching wrestling for more than 35 years, but, having grown up in Baltimore, the only exposure I had to any wrestling other than WWE prior to the early 1980s was in magazines.

Back to Flair. A strong argument can be made for him being the greatest wrestler of all time, especially when factoring in longevity, drawing power and the fact that he inspired many of today’s stars to pursue a career in wrestling.

One of those stars is Shawn Michaels. And while Michaels likely won’t be regarded as the greatest of all time, he does get the nod over Flair as the best all-around performer that I have ever seen.

Here’s my top 10:

1. Shawn Michaels: As a heel, “The Heartbreak Kid” exudes cockiness and is a superb bump-taker. As a babyface, his selling is top notch and he is both charismatic and sympathetic. No matter which role he plays, Michaels is a great worker, a master of ring psychology and strong on promos. Michaels, who has earned the moniker of “Mr. WrestleMania” for often stealing the show at WWE’s signature event, incorporates mat wrestling, Lucha Libre moves and brawling into his repertoire. Perhaps the greatest testament to Michaels’ ability is the fact that an array of wrestlers have had their best matches against him.

related links : Ring Post's Top 10 all around performers|Ring Post website|Shawn brand new action figure