This is certainly not the consensus top ten of all time,but just a conversation starter.
Out of the ring skills (Talking skills,match angles) do not make any influence on this list.
The list of qualified professionals is quite long and I could have done a top 25 and come up with guys that arguably made the list.
For now,here is the first installment of numbers six through ten.
6) Kurt Angle.
The Olympic Gold Medalist could have been a star in any era with his all around skills in the wrestling business,but his matches are always interesting to watch even when the talent in the ring with him is not up his level.
Angle's style is hard edged enough to be believable,yet not filled with the craziness that fills so many matches today.
Angle's versatility wears well against any opponent for solid matches.
7) Shawn Michaels.
Most observers would have Michaels higher on this list and maybe so,but this is my list and despite Michaels talent and ability, his style often is not my cup of tea.
Steve Williams used to say that "Wrestling ain't ballet" meaning that contact is inevitable.
Michaels often seemed to shy away from that and his matches seemed more choreographed than others that I would rank highly.
Michaels did have great matches with lesser talents and helped him on the list..
8) Dory Funk Jr.
Again,I am the minority,but I prefer the classic grappling style of Dory Jr. to that of the crazed antics of younger brother Terry,who I also like a lot.
Watching Funk from his salad days makes you almost think that the result had not already been decided.
Dory Funk Jr was the practitioner of two moves that are rarely used anymore,but in the hands of Funk were a work of art-The double arm suplex and the European style uppercut.
I loved watching those...
9) Ted DiBiase
Known by the casual fan for the WWF run as the "Million Dollar Man",DiBiase's best work came in St.Louis and the Mid-South territory.
DiBiase always managed to make his opponent look good,but not at the expense of lessening himself.
DiBiase could wrestle and brawl in a well rounded style and was successful in Japan as well as the USA.
10) Rick Steamboat.
The classic good guy,Steamboat added both style and substance to his matches.
Steamboat always was at the top of his game when he was looking like he was going to pounded within an inch of his life and managing to fight back against the odds.
Steamboat also was unique for his time as he used moves off the top rope when those moves were not used every match by every ham and egger to lace up boots...
Honorable Mention-Long version and in no particular order
Barry Windham,Curt Hennig,Terry Gordy,Steve Williams,Genichiro Tenryu,Kenji Mutoh,Rick Rude,Tully Blanchard,Don Muraco,Terry Funk.Harley Race,Jack Brisco,Toshiaki Kawada,Paul Orndorff.
Back in the future on another slow day with the top five....
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