By Shawn Valentino, PWTorch Specialist

Greetings Torch readers, and welcome to a world of magic, memories, and mania! My name is Shawn Valentino, part-time attorney and full-time wrestling fan, and speaking of magic, this is a bit of a dream come true for me as it is my first article for the Torch.

I grew up in Sterling Heights, Mich., a short drive from the Pontiac Silverdome, the sight of the most famous event in wrestling history, Wrestlemania 3. Although I now reside in Hollywood, Calif., within miles of the film studios, I still feel that no movie can compare to the larger than life world of wrestling.

I have been a fan of this often spectacular, often frustrating, business since 1987 after being awestruck by the athleticism and intensity of Randy Savage and Ricky Steamboat's classic battle for the Intercontinental Title. At that time, going to Wrestlemania was just a fantasy, but I have been lucky enough to make it come true by going to six of the last seven WrestleManias, feeling the awe of the Skydome crowd screaming for Hogan, and shedding tears with the Citrus Bowl crowd as Ric Flair got pinned for the final time.

Every week, I will present an article that will examine an aspect of the American wrestling business in the WrestleMania era. I will begin by taking a look at the top ten performers of my favorite era of being a fan, the 1990s. I hope I can bring back some magical memories.

The 1990s saw the American wrestling business reach unparalleled highs as well as frightening lows both in business and television programming. Over the course of the decade, we saw superstars and legends fall and new ones emerge in their place. Those who watched wrestling during the decade were fortunate to witness some unforgettable performers with unique talents that left an indelible impression on the industry and its fans. The creation of a special wrestling performer is the merger of a variety of talents. The criteria I have based my list around include workrate, charisma, drawing power, big match performances, promo skills, impact on the business, as well as longevity as a top star, in order to determine the top American performer of the decade.

10. Sting

Sting is without a doubt the biggest American wrestling star of the decade not to have worked for the WWF. Bless with athleticism, a great look and incredible charisma, Sting was the backbone of WCW throughout the decade. Despite not being a spectacular worker, nor having terrific promo skills, his consistent popularity with the fans was amazing. He worked in memorable feuds with Ric Flair, Vader, and Lex Luger. He reached the height of his stardom, however, when he feuded with Hollywood Hulk Hogan and the NWO in one of the longest built matches of all time. With a character modeled after the Crow, Sting was able to sustain his momentum and increase his aura without uttering a single word or wrestling a match for about a year. Unfortunately, due to politics, bad booking and some of his own shortcomings, he never reached that next level of stardom that he should have, given the time and effort put into the rivalry. Despite this, his contributions and consistency while working with WCW kept the company afloat during its darker days, and helped nearly put WWF out of business at its peak. Sting deserves to be recognized as one of the top ten stars of the decade.

9. The Undertaker

Nobody on this list was more difficult to rate than the Undertaker. Almost everybody would agree that he was one of the most memorable performers of the nineties, but how do you measure his greatness? During the decade, the Dead Man's strength and weaknesses rested on his gimmick. It created the aura of invincibility and the atmosphere of a larger than life star, but it also made many of his matches predictable and limited his promos. He spent much of the era wrestling gimmicky squash matches that were about as compelling as a Hulkamania era Hogan match. Despite his limitations, however, he is arguably the greatest gimmick character in the history of wrestling, playing his dark persona to perfection. Undertaker was unique in that he was a big star almost from the moment he stepped into a WWF ring. He did what was unthinkable just a couple years prior by defeating Hulk Hogan for the WWF title, thus cementing him as a star of the future. He earned this status by continuously improving his craft to the point where he became a very good worker in the ring by the late nineties. Taker provided some of the most memorable matches of all time in his Hell in the Cell battles against Shawn Michaels and Mankind. Although his impact on the business is difficult to measure due to the nature of his character, by the end of the decade, he was viewed in the locker room as a respected and loyal leader of the company, and by the fans as perhaps the greatest big man wrestler in history.

8. Scott Hall/ Razor Ramon

Scott Hall may be the most underrated wrestler of the nineties. He was never a world champion or necessarily a main event wrestler, but he was consistently a top star and popular amongst fans throughout the decade. As Razor Ramon, he ushered in an edgy persona years before the Attitude era started. He played the "bad guy" to perfection, paving the way for heroes with the shades of gray that became so popular in the late nineties. Arguably, even more than Hulk Hogan, it was Hall's "cool factor" that he brought as the outsider invading WCW that set off the Monday night war. There is a reason Hogan attached himself to Hall and Nash when he was getting stale as a babyface performer. Unlike Nash, Hall was consistently a good to great worker in the ring, able to work with all different types of wrestlers. He had two of the greatest matches of all time in the ladder matches with Shawn Michaels, and those were by no means HBK carry-jobs. He could shift back and forth between the midcard and the main event, and his promos were always solid in building a feud. One can only imagine how much greater he may have been if it were not for his personal demons. Although Hall may have never been a world champion, his impact in the business is far greater than many of the wrestlers who were world champions during the decade.

7. "Macho Man" Randy Savage

Randy Savage was one of the few performers who can be considered one of the greatest performers of both the eighties and the nineties. The fact that he has become an afterthought amongst modern wrestling fans proves the power Vince McMahon has in preserving a wrestler's legacy. It should not be forgotten that the Macho Man was one of the most colorful, charismatic and exciting characters in the history of wrestling. Even before Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart attained main event status, Savage brought smaller, athletic performers to the grand stage. He was a spectacular worker who often saved his greatest performances for the biggest matches. Macho Man had phenomenal Wrestlemania performances against Ric Flair and the Ultimate Warrior, carrying Warrior to perhaps his greatest match ever. His feuds were groundbreaking in their edgy quality, which later became a staple of the Attitude era. Who can forget Ric Flair promising centerfold pictures of Elizabeth, Jake's snake biting him, and countless other controversial moments? When he went to WCW after Hulk Hogan, he was the second most famous wrestler on the planet and he helped bring new fans to the company that nearly bankrupt WWF. While Hogan played politics and held down talent, Savage was responsible in the breakthrough of Diamond Dallas Page as a main event performer in a memorable feud. Although his matches declined in quality at the end of the decade, his intensity, unpredictability and athleticism made every thing he did interesting. The Macho Man was a unique talent that influenced the direction of the business and his contributions in the nineties should be recognized.

6. Mick Foley

Mick Foley broke all the rules in what it takes to be a main event caliber performer. He was not blessed with a great physique or handsome looks or great technical wrestling skills. Mrs. Foley's baby boy more than made up for it with unmatched charisma, phenomenal mic skills, and a courage that bordered on insanity. He provided some of the most memorable moments in wrestling history in the brutal Hell in the Cell match with Undertaker. With all due respect to Ric Flair, however, Foley was more than a glorified stuntman. He was a world class performer that played widely divergent characters in convincing fashion. In his portrayals of Cactus Jack, Mankind, or Dude Love, Foley proved he was one of the great actors in wrestling history, able to go from lovable and hilarious to maniacal and psychotic in the blink of an eye. He had memorable matches in WCW, ECW as well as WWF and he progressively became a bigger star as the decade progressed. His incredible bumping ability took the business to a new level in what it takes to "wow" the fans. Speaking of "wow," imagine the shock Time magazine felt when Mick Foley was the top vote getter in their Man of the Year poll in 1998. His popularity transcended all logic and conventional wrestling booking wisdom. His books became top sellers on the New York Times list. After a decade of risking his life for the fans, Foley provided one of the all time feel-good moments in wrestling history when he became WWF Champion. It was a fitting tribute to one of the greatest performers of the decade.

5. Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan reinvented himself in the nineties to continue his reign as the most well recognized wrestler on the planet. Hogan started the decade as the WWF's top star, continuing to ride the Hulkamania wave. He had one of the greatest matches of his career against the Ultimate Warrior in a passing of the torch that was never to be, due to Warrior's instability and Hogan's own ego. His move to WCW instantly elevated their status and resulted in WCW finally overtaking WWF in the ratings. Along the way, a funny thing happened to the Hulkster. People tired of his stale act and American culture thirsted for edgier anti-heroes, instead of cartoonish good guys. In possibly the most shocking and unforgettable turn in the history of wrestling, the biggest hero in the business became the biggest villain. It was Hogan's heel turn and the formation of the NWO that led professional wrestling to the surge of popularity that it enjoyed in the late nineties. Before Steve Austin and the Rock became the top stars of the Attitude era, Hogan and the NWO brought wrestling ratings and merchandise sales to new heights and made it cool to watch wrestling again. Hogan's portrayal as the evil leader of the heel stable, as well as his willingness to reinvent himself into an unlikable, egomaniacal, bullying jerk was vital in the change in direction of the wrestling business in the mid-nineties to a more hip, edgy product. Although Hogan's weakness has always been his in-ring work, and his matches left something to be desired, his mainstream fame and his charisma took WCW to astonishing levels of success. Unfortunately, his politics and ego led to its demise. For all his faults, however, his transformation to Hollywood Hulk Hogan helped bring wrestling to its most successful period ever.

4. The Rock

The Rock, quite simply, is the biggest mainstream entertainer in the history of wrestling. While other wrestlers flirted with movies and music, Rock has successfully made the transition to becoming bigger than the business. Who could have imagined when he first appeared on the wrestling scene, he was a cheesy, lame character that was unintentionally booed out of buildings, despite the fact that he was a third generation superstar. This reaction ultimately led to him being added to the Nation of Domination, turned heel and creating one of the most entertaining, and yes, electrifying performers in the history of wrestling. Blessed with a dramatic voice and incredible comedic timing and wit, his mic skills are arguably the greatest in the history of the business. His ability both to excite fans as well as anger them made him equally effective as a heel or a face. The Rock's incredible good looks and charm drew women and casual fans to watch wrestling and made him a natural on talk shows and television. Although his in ring work often gets overshadowed by his personality, the Rock was a very good worker who consistently put on solid matches. His feud with Steve Austin is one of the greatest in history and the Nation's feud with DX provided some of the most entertaining skits of the era. The only thing prevents the Rock from being higher on this list is that he was a major star for only about two years of the decade. The millions, and millions, of his fans should treasure the unforgettable entertainment he provided during that short time.


3. Bret "The Hitman" Hart

Bret Hart was the most consistent wrestler of the entire decade. His rise to legendary stardom should be a blueprint on how to grow from midcard performer to top star of a promotion. He started off the decade as part of one of the greatest tag teams of all time in the Hart Foundation. After getting notice, due to his in-ring skills and good looks, Hart became one of the best Intercontinental Champions of all time, competing in some of the most memorable matches of the decade, including against Roddy Piper and Davey Boy Smith. During a transition stage for the company, Hart's sensational ability to have great matches with all types of opponents in the ring made him the WWF World Champion and top main event star for much of the mid-nineties. He wasn't blessed with magnetic charisma or spectacular mic skills, but his intensity and sincerity made him a welcome change from the overblown cartoon characters that filled the WWF talent roster at the time. Hart's technical expertise and storytelling ability in the ring was crucial in the company staying afloat during a difficult time when wrestling was on a downswing and later when the WWF was nearly steamrolled by the competition. His feuds with Jerry Lawler, Owen Hart, and of course, Shawn Michaels, were some of the most memorable of the decade and provided countless in-ring clinics, including the Wrestlemania X opener against Owen and the Wrestlemania XII Iron Man Match vs. HBK. Despite the fact he did his talking in the ring, Hart was able to adjust to the Attitude era by creating a unique character that was bitter heel in the USA, but an antihero everywhere else. This brought some of the best promos and matches of his career. The peak of his run in the WWF was his legendary feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin that showcased some of the most incredible matches in wrestling history, including the Wrestlemania XIII bloodbath, widely considered the best in the event's history. It was also this rivalry that brought the Stone Cold phenomenon to the forefront and made him the star that brought WWF back to glory. Unfortunately, the final years of the decade were not kind to Hart. From the Montreal Screwjob, to the death of his brother, to the awful booking in WCW, to the concussion against Goldberg, he has become as much the subject of sympathy as awe. His ultimate legacy should be as one of the greatest wrestling performers of his era.

2. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Stone Cold Steve Austin was the biggest star in wrestling in the nineties, only placing number two on this list because his years as a top star were not as long as the one below. The Austin phenomenon led the industry to its most successful period in history. Like Foley, he broke all the rules of what it takes to be a top draw in a promotion. The ultimate antihero, Austin's beerdrinking, trashtalking, disrespectful rebel would have been a top heel in another era. Thanks to the cultural climate of the late decade, it was the fans that chose to make Austin a hero, defying booking and conventional wrestling wisdom. He had started off the decade in WCW and looked to be a promising star, forming the formidable Hollywood Blondes tag team with Brian Pillman, and eventually becoming a solid singles star. His career took a downturn when he was infamously fired by Eric Bischoff by phone call. It was in ECW where Austin showed signs of the Stone Cold persona that would take over wrestling a few years later. His career took another swing in the wrong direction when he was saddled with the Ringmaster gimmick in WWF. After he gave the famous Austin 3:16 promo at the 96 King of the Ring, however, nothing would ever be the same. His feud with Bret Hart that showcased some of the greatest battles in wrestling history transformed him into a major star. He overcame a near career ending injury to increase his aura in his absence. Austin revolutionized the industry with his rebellious persona. At his peak, merchandise sales were at an all time high, as were PPV buys and live attendance figures. His feud with Mr. McMahon was the most successful in wrestling history and resonated with millions of viewers who identified with the blue collar worker rising against the tyrannical boss. His charisma had no equal and he could single-handedly carry twenty minute segments on the microphone. Unlike Hogan, Austin was also a terrific performer in the ring, starting off the decade as a great technical wrestler, then after his injury, becoming one of the greatest brawlers in history. Austin was responsible for the WWF demolishing the competition in the Monday night wars and he deserves to be recognized as the biggest star of the era, if not all time.

1. "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels

Ask a group of serious wrestling fans who the best all around performer in wrestling is and it is likely that a majority of them would say it is the Heartbreak Kid. Although he was never the draw that Steve Austin or the Rock was, arguably nobody was more instrumental in keeping the WWF afloat during the decade than HBK. Like Hart, he started off the decade in one of the greatest tag teams ever, the Rockers. He earned the attention of both fans and the company for his handsome looks and unmatched athleticism. The turning point in his career came in one of the most famous turns in wrestling history when he threw Marty Jannetty through a window. Michaels immediately became a top-flight singles performer, capturing the Intercontinental Title. Throughout the mid-'90s; he consistently had some of the greatest matches of the era, against the likes of Jannetty, Jeff Jarrett, Bret Hart, Mankind, and more. Like Ric Flair, Michaels had the ability to drag great matches out of all types of wrestlers, even carrying Psycho Sid and Diesel to memorable battles. Although he was always a dynamic performer, it was his sensational ladder matches against Razor Ramon that convinced people that Michaels should be the star of the next generation. He won the WWF title in memorable fashion in the unforgettable Iron Man Match against Hart, a rivalry that captivated the industry in the mid-decade. At a time when the industry was seeing dark days, Michaels' consistently spectacular work in the ring kept hardcore fans watching. There was arguably never a better big match performer, as HBK arguably had the best matches on every Wrestlemania from IX to XIV, other than XIII where he did not compete. Michaels also had an enormous influence on the direction of the wrestling business. Like Hall, he had an edgy attitude and controversial persona long before the Attitude era began. His groundbreaking rebel faction, DX, along with Austin, paved the way for WWF to take over the competition and reach dizzying new heights. HBK was one of the rare wrestlers who could sell matches both on the mic and in the ring. Michaels' innovative in ring style also set the stage for the types of matches that became staples of the Attitude era. His spectacular performances in Ladder Matches, Hell in a Cell match and the Iron Man Match put these gimmicks on the mainstream map. Unfortunately, his arrogant persona also made him unpopular backstage and one of the biggest politicians of the time. His often reckless in-ring-style also sidelined him for the era he was instrumental in ushering in. This should not distract from his phenomenal decade of work. Although the business often focuses on drawing casual viewers, it is wrestlers like Michaels that keep the hardcore fans watching and he deserves recognition of being the top all around wrestling performer of the nineties.

So there you have it, the top ten performers of the 1990s based on my criteria set out at the start of the article. During a tumultuous and transitional time in the industry's history, these were the wrestlers that stood tall through the peaks and valleys. They brought two worldwide companies to the pop culture forefront and led wrestling to its most successful period of all time. These ten gifted individuals provided us with some of the greatest matches and memorable moments in wrestling history, and they should be remembered as the top performers of the decade.

Please seed questions, comments and feedback to valentino.torch@gmail.com

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