And how he, Daniel Bryan, Triple H and Shawn Michaels shot that memorable live promo with almost no preparation

 

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Kofi Kingston  
    # of Reigns: 1    

    The power of positivity.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Jeff Hardy  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    The un-“Broken” half of the Hardy Boyz has had the more storied singles career.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Bray Wyatt  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    Abigail’s brother used to go by “Husky Harris” — we’d say this run is working out better for him.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Sgt. Slaughter  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    Camel Clutch, Cobra Clutch — whatever “C”-animal it was, it hurt.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Dean Ambrose  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    And “The Lunatic Fringe” pulled this off while wearing jeans.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Chris Jericho  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    You’re a “stupid idiot” if you didn’t know this guy made “The List.”  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Eddie Guerrero  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    Generally considered one of the best ever to have done it held the big-boy belt for 133.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: The Miz  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    The kid from “The Real World” made good on his over-the-top MTV promos. One of the best on the mic, Miz has been holding down the Intercontinental Championship more than any other Superstar of the past few years.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Jinder Mahal  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    Shortly before this publishing, the “Modern-Day Maharaja” dropped the title to A.J. Styles, ending a somewhat confusing run right before the WWE went to India.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: John “Bradshaw” Layfield  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    JBL has taken his heel persona from the ring to the announce table. Never without a cowboy hat, Layfield thankfully leaves his lariat clothesline at home.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: The Ultimate Warrior
    # of Reigns: 1  

    The muscle-bound maniac who handed Hulk Hogan his first-ever “WrestleMania” loss died after suffering a heart attack three days after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: “Superstar” Billy Graham  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    “Superstar” Billy Graham was a bodybuilder and buddy of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Yeah, blame Graham’s body for Jinder Mahal.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Kevin Nash  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    You mean Tarzan from “Magic Mike”?!?!?   Yes, yes we do.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Pedro Morales  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    History lesson: Back in the WWWF days, Morales became the first guy in wrestling history to win all three of the major men’s titles — the WWF Championship, the Intercontinental Championship and the WWF Tag Team Championship — in the company.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: André the Giant  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    The stories about André the Giant sometimes feel as tall as he was.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: The Iron Sheik  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    This guy is as big a hit on Twitter as he was in the ring.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Kane  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    You wouldn’t know it by looking at him, but Kane is one of the smartest Superstars in WWE history.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Rey Mysterio    
    # of Reigns: 1  

    We’re not going to talk about how ridiculous the setup to his finishing move, “The 6-1-9,” became. This is a happy list.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Stan Stasiak 
    # of Reigns: 1  

    Unfortunately Stasiak only held the belt for nine days.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Rob Van Dam  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    One of the most popular ECW wrestlers of all-time, RVD has brought his three initials to seemingly every pro-wrestling promotion with three initials.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Ivan Koloff  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    The “Russian Bear” was actually Canadian.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Buddy Rogers  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    Rogers was kinda-sorta the first champion in the company. It’s complicated — ask Killer Kowalski and Bruno Sammartino.  

  • Rank: 30 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Vince McMahon  
    # of Reigns: 1  

    Hell, Mr. McMahon runs the damn company — of course he made this list.  

  • Rank: 17 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Batista  
    # of Reigns: 2  

    Guardian of the Galaxy, defender of WWE Championship.  

  • Rank: 17 (tie)  
    Wrestler: The Big Show  
    # of Reigns: 2  

    You can’t miss this two-time champ — not even in a mega-arena.  

  • Rank: 17 (tie)  
    Wrestler: A.J. Styles  
    # of Reigns: 2  

    “The Phenomenal One” held the belt for 371-straight days, which is a record for a “SmackDown” wrestler.    

  • Rank: 17 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Alberto Del Rio  
    # of Reigns: 2  

    Si! Si! Si! Si! Si! Si! Si!  

  • Rank: 17 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Sycho Sid  
    # of Reigns: 2  

    It was a long way down from Shawn Michaels’ former bodyguard’s power-bomb.  

     

  • Rank: 17 (tie)  
    Wrestler: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair  
    # of Reigns: 2  

    If you haven’t watched ESPN’s new “30 for 30: Nature Boy,” do that. Oh, and look up Flair’s ridiculous NWA runs too.  

  • Rank: 17 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Sheamus  
    # of Reigns: 2  

    Master of the Brogue Kick, Rocksteady in the “Ninja Turtles” movies — which is the greater accomplishment?  

  • Rank: 17 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Seth Rollins  
    # of Reigns: 2  

    He’s BURN(ed) IT DOWN more than once.  

  • Rank: 17 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Yokozuna  
    # of Reigns: 2  

    That belt needed a few extenders to fit around the sumo.  

  • Rank: 17 (tie)  
    Wrestler: CM Punk  
    # of Reigns: 2  

    Let’s just say he was a little less successful in the UFC.  

  • Rank: 17 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Randy “Macho Man” Savage  
    # of Reigns: 2  

    Before he snapped into Slim Jims, the “Macho Man” was snapping dudes in half.  

  • Rank: 17 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Bob Backlund  
    # of Reigns: 2  

    Backlund couldn’t “Make Darren Young Great Again” — or even keep the guy employed — but the master of the cross-face chicken wing had a pretty incredible career of his own.  

  • Rank: 17 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Bruno Sammartino
    # of Reigns: 2  

    Google him, kids.  

  • Rank: 13 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Mankind  
    # of Reigns: 3  

    Mick Foley nearly killed himself to raise these titles.  

  • Rank: 13 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Roman Reigns  
    # of Reigns: 3  

    Go ahead and boo him, Universe — WWE is still the Big Dog’s turf right now.  

  • Rank: 13 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Shawn Michaels  
    # of Reigns: 3  

    Before he found God, the “Heartbreak Kid” found jaws with his foot, popularizing the Superkick.  

  • Rank: 9 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Daniel Bryan  
    # of Reigns: 4  

    Welcome back, (current) champ.  

  • Rank: 9 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Edge  
    # of Reigns: 4  

    On this day, you can see clearly… that Edge is one of the best to ever lace up.  

  • Rank: 9 (tie)  
    Wrestler: The Undertaker  
    # of Reigns: 4  

    The Dead Man is truly a living legend.  

  • Rank: 9 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Kurt Angle  
    # of Reigns: 4  

    Top 10, it’s true — it’s damn true.  

  • Rank: 7 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Brock Lesnar  
    # of Reigns: 5  

    Eat. Sleep. Win Titles. Repeat.  

  • Rank: 7 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Bret “Hitman” Hart  
    # of Reigns: 5  

    The best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.  

  • Rank: 5 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Hulk Hogan  
    # of Reigns: 6  

    Hulkamania was real. Then again, so was Gawker at one point.  

  • Rank: 5 (tie)  
    Wrestler: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin  
    # of Reigns: 6  

    On the Mt. Rushmore of all-time greats, and that’s the bottom line.  

  • Rank: 3 (tie)  
    Wrestler: The Rock  
    # of Reigns: 8  

    He may be Dwayne Johnson now, but he’ll always be “The Rock” to us.  

  • Rank: 3 (tie)  
    Wrestler: Triple H  
    # of Reigns: 8  

    Boss of The Authority has two words for the other guys on this list. We can’t reprint them.  

  • Rank: 2  
    Wrestler: Randy Orton  
    # of Reigns: 9  

    The Viper has RKO’d a lot of dudes outta nowhere.  

  • Rank: 1  
    Wrestler: John Cena  
    # of Reigns: 13  

    U Can’t See Him.  

  • Who’s next — err, NXT?  

  • From Buddy Rogers to Brock Lesnar, here are all the guys from the old WWWF and WWF days — and beyond

     

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