Wrestling Forum banner

Who do you think were total package WWE Champions?

5K views 70 replies 55 participants last post by  The Renegade 
#1 ·
Charisma, in ring, looks, booking

I can only think of 4 that are all of the above:

HBK
The Rock
Triple H
Chris Jericho

The rest of them I can find faults with


Sent from Verticalsports.com Free App
 
#15 ·
Re: Who do you think we're total package WWE champions?

HHH had it all in his second (early 2000) reign. I honestly can't think of anybody else who had charisma, in-ring talent, and a good look who wasn't let down by booking. Austin probably comes the closest with his '01 heel run; I don't think it was perfectly booked (playing his alliance with Vince as a goofy bromance wasn't the way to do it IMO), but it was still pretty damn good, and he had all the rest. (His '98-'99 heyday doesn't count for me; his in-ring work [and everybody else's] was hampered by Russo's overbooking.)

Then there's Brock, who probably doesn't count for most people because he doesn't have mic skills. Workhorse, presence like nobody else, actually booked well more often than not. But since I hate listening to promos like I hate listening to nails on a chalkboard, I put no stock in mic skills.
 
#3 ·
Re: Who do you think we're total package WWE champions?

I dont think there has ever been a complete full package. Someone that was a 10 in all departments. Everybody has flaws. The closest I can think of are Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle. Amazing inring performers. Great looks. Very good mic skills. But even they werent perfect when it comes to mic skills they werent rock or flair on the stick.
 
  • Like
Reactions: twaughthammer
#13 ·
Re: Who do you think we're total package WWE champions?

Shawn Michaels, Macho Man, Ric Flair, The Rock, Austin, Punk, Angle, Mankind and Jericho are one of the few guys i think were the total package champions of the last 20-25 years. There are a lot of guys right now who could fit that criteria, but i believe we should see how their careers pan out in a few years to judge them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CJ
#23 · (Edited)
Re: Who do you think we're total package WWE champions?

Shawn Michaels, Macho Man, Ric Flair, The Rock, Austin, Punk, Angle, Mankind and Jericho are one of the few guys i think were the total package champions of the last 20-25 years. There are a lot of guys right now who could fit that criteria, but i believe we should see how their careers pan out in a few years to judge them.
A lot of guys? Like who? I'd struggle to find one complete package after Cena let alone a lot.
 
#48 · (Edited)
Some WWF/WWE World Heavyweight Champions stand out to me because not only did they have the recognition as the WWE World Champion but because I had them ranked as the pound for pound best in the world at the time of their reign, which to me is even more prestigious than having recognition as the WWE title holder. Being the P4P best in the sport and having that recognition is tough due to there being literally thousands of wrestlers all around the world spanning multiple organizations, so the holder of that title should be given recognition as the real Worlds Champion. Also, being the P4P champion doesn't mean your the best wrestler in the world, but instead it means that your seen as the top dog whether it be for titles held, money drawn, notoriety, accreditation, or popularity among fans. Below is a list of WWF/WWE World Champions that also held the P4P recognition during their reigns that I would list as being the most "complete" champions the WWF/E ever had.

Bruno Sammartino - This was during his first reign.
Hulk Hogan - This was during his first reign, with recognition given during his third reign.
Randy Savage - This was during his first reign.
Bret Hart - This was during his 3rd reign.
Shawn Michaels - This was during his 3rd reign.
Steve Austin - This was during his first reign.
The Rock - This was during his 4th reign.
Triple H - This was during his 2nd reign.

Aside from the above list I don't feel a WWF/E title holder was truly the best in the sport while holding the belt, though there may have been times when the best P4P in wrestling was NOT a title holder. Well, there you have it, enjoy!
 
  • Like
Reactions: BadTouch
#50 · (Edited)
Some WWF/WWE World Heavyweight Champions stand out to me because not only did they have the recognition as the WWE World Champion but because I had them ranked as the pound for pound best in the world at the time of their reign, which to me is even more prestigious than having recognition as the WWE title holder. Being the P4P best in the sport and having that recognition is tough due to there being literally thousands of wrestlers all around the world spanning multiple organizations, so the holder of that title should be given recognition as the real Worlds Champion. Also, being the P4P champion doesn't mean your the best wrestler in the world, but instead it means that your seen as the top dog whether it be for titles held, money drawn, notoriety, accreditation, or popularity among fans. Below is a list of WWF/WWE World Champions that also held the P4P recognition during their reigns that I would list as being the most "complete" champions the WWF/E ever had.

Bruno Sammartino - This was during his first reign.
Hulk Hogan - This was during his first reign, with recognition given during his third reign.
Randy Savage - This was during his first reign.
Bret Hart - This was during his 3rd reign.
Shawn Michaels - This was during his 3rd reign.
Steve Austin - This was during his first reign.
The Rock - This was during his 4th reign.
Triple H - This was during his 2nd reign.

Aside from the above list I don't feel a WWF/E title holder was truly the best in the sport while holding the belt, though there may have been times when the best P4P in wrestling was NOT a title holder. Well, there you have it, enjoy!
You omit Nature Boy Buddy Rogers who was not only the first WWWF World Heavyweight Champion, but the wrestler who prevented the nascent WWWF from suffering a crib death. NO ROGERS - NO WWE TODAY!

Rogers was hand picked to be the first WWWF champ by Toots Mondt and Vince McMahon, Sr. precisely because of the fact he was POUND FOR POUND BEST IN THE SPORT. His name was well known throughout the wrestling world with his notoriety crossing over all promotions. Rogers was a huge money draw, universally hated by the fans as the GOAT heel, former NWA World and United States Champion, and without question TOP DOG at the time. He was also a superior wrestler and one of the best on the mic during his day.

Rogers fits all your criteria while Bruno Sammartino does not. Sammartino's notoriety was confined to the WWWF, i.e. the former Capitol Wrestling Northeast Territory of the NWA. Outside of the Northeast if you mentioned Bruno's name most of the time you would get the "deer in the headlights look." Sammartino was undoubtedly a huge draw in Madison Square Garden and the ethnic urban areas of the Northeast, but was limited to that geographic area. Regarding wrestling and mic skills, he was, in fact, a mediocre wrestler and boring as hell on the mic.

Sammartino was undisputedly P4P the best in the Northeast of the U.S., but not very well known outside of his pond. He may seem to you and other fans who weren't around back in the day as something alot bigger than he was. That is because of WWE revisionist history which has very little to do with reality!

- Mike
 
#7 ·
Re: Who do you think we're total package WWE champions?

Stone Cold, The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, Randy Savage, Kurt Angle (maybe), John Cena (maybe, some would say his in-ring isn't good enough) CM Punk (maybe, his look was unique but some would say he doesn't make the cut in this department)
 
#21 ·
Re: Who do you think we're total package WWE champions?

A lot of greats to choose from but Shawn Michaels was the total package. He didn't have any glaring flaws that I can think of.
He didn't have a mainstream persona. The 'sexy boy' thing still followed him around and didn't appeal to the mass audience like Austin or Rock did.
 
#14 ·
Re: Who do you think we're total package WWE champions?

Undertaker after RR07/WM23
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top