Many of the greatest sports entertainers derive from WWE

Taylor Jensen, Editor-in-Chief

There’s no doubt that WWE has showcased some of the greatest athletes in the world but only a few can make the list as the greatest of all-time. In the world of sports entertainment, a professional wrestler has to possess more than just wrestling skills. They have to have the charisma to make fans get up out of their seats; they have to have mic skills to make their claims believable and they must have the “look.”

Many superstars demonstrate these qualities to be the top-dog in WWE but ones that stand out amongst fans are Shawn Michaels, The Rock, and John Cena.

Shawn Michaels may just be the greatest superstar of all-time because of his extraordinary ring work and charisma. He isn’t called “The Showstopper,” “Mr. WrestleMania,” and “The Heartbreak Kid” for nothing.

He won the 1995 and 1996 Royal Rumble matches to main event WrestleMania 11 and 12 because he was the top guy at the time. The women wanted to be with him and the men wanted to be him. He had the flamboyancy and the charm like no other wrestler possessed.

After being absent from the world of WWE for four years due to a career-threatening back injury, Michaels returned in 2002 to win the World Heavyweight Championship in the Elimination Chamber match at the annual Survivor Series PPV. To prove that he never missed a beat during his time away, he received one of the loudest ovations in history when the referee called him the winner that night.

During Michaels’ departure, a new top baby face had to take his spot. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson started his WWE career in 1996 as Rocky Maivia but it was clear that he had much more potential to dish out for the WWE fans.

1999 and 2000 are arguably the best years in The Rock’s career. His catchphrases such as “Do You Smell What The Rock Is Cookin’?,” and “It Doesn’t Matter!,” became the trademarks of some of the best selling t-shirts in WWE at that time.

His charisma couldn’t be matched. There was never a dull moment when he was on camera whether the promo was backstage, parking lot, dressing room, or the ring. The fans hung on to every word that he said because the way he expressed his motives were so captivating, which is putting it mildly. He was also known for his quick-witted jokes.

Eventually The Rock broke into the movie world in his first role as the “Scorpion King.” When The Brahma Bull transcended into a movie star, coincidentally new stars arose in WWE. One, in particular, made an impact with only two words: “ruthless aggression.”

The man that possessed “ruthless aggression” was none other than John Cena. Cena is without a doubt, one of the most popular wrestling superstars in the history of the business. To this day, he holds 16 world championships which ties him with Ric Flair for most championship wins of any superstar.

There’s a lot to say about Cena. He is definitely the most controversial superstar because people either love him or they hate him. The chant “Let’s go, Cena! Cena sucks!” sums up the fans feelings each night when he’s on tv. The women and children cheer him; the men boo him.

However, Cena has never let that get him down because he accomplished just about everything in the WWE. He is for sure a future Hall of Famer.