Randy Savage easily for me, everything from look, the way he wrestled to how he talked he was he the deference of Charisma.

 

This is a tough one....

A tie between Randy Savage and Roddy Piper. 365, 24/7....Backstage, walking to the ring, speaking, in ring wrestling. You believed it, you felt it.

Lot of close seconds.... but those two were the bar.

 

As charismatic as those two are, I’m not sure how anyone could rank them higher than Dwayne Johnson

 

How the fuck is the Ultimate Warrior not in that list?

Regardless of what you think about the man and the wrestler, the man was walking, talking charisma on two legs.

No one has topped his physical presentation. No one. That's a fact. I can tell you this for a fact because almost every non wrestling fan who saw him on the screen immediately picked him out.

Even his nonsensical promos were charismatic as fuck.

There's no way in seven hells that Cody Rhodes has more charisma than Warrior. Hell, even if you don't have him at one, the fact that he's not in the list period is shambolic.

And of course no Mick Foley or Jake Roberts, but Orton and Cody? Come on.

 

I started watching wrestling in late 1999, so I haven't seen much of The Ultimate Warrior, maybe that's why I didn't put him in that list. But I had a clear perception of Randy Savage's performance.

Jake Roberts and Roddy Piper, I have seen some...but like I was trying to say there wasn't much content back then, a few ordinary WM's...there wasn't much really to rank them somewhere.

Mick Foley should have been on the list.

 

For overall charisma, it is unquestionably The Rock at #1. Like - it's not even close.

If you want to talk charismatic "in the ring", as in during matches, I'd have Hogan #1, and HBK #2 (Rock is close to top, but not top 2). Those two can get fans to care and react to what they do more than anyone else (Hogan especially, in a class of his own).

For overall charisma - after Rock, guys like Austin and Hogan are near the top. Lots of other good names listed too, HBK, Flair, Savage - all top notch.

 

My GOAT.

 

Ric Flair

 

The Rock is more charismatic than all your favourites

 

Randy Savage was charisma personified.

 

If it’s limited to wrestling Hogan or Austin. If it’s everything I’d go with Rock for people I’ve seen. He transcended in a way nobody else was able to ( so far ).

I’d imagine people before my time/who I didn’t see much of in contention are Jim Londos, El Santo and Rikidozan.

He’s not the answer, but HHH is far more charismatic than some of these names in my opinion. He’s managed to convince people he’s the saviour of wrestling in recent years. On top of a career that was pretty successful , despite me finding it silly that he has accolades comparable to Hogan.

An underrated one I’ll throw in is Jeff Hardy. Guy couldn’t talk to save his life, was nothing amazing in the ring. Involved in stupid crimes and constant career fuck ups and people still love him.

 

The Rock imo.

Stone Cold was charismatic in terms of being a fearless character who has guts, but that's a different category imo.

 

Hogan

An average looking mostly bald man who looked 42 when he was 30 became one of the most recognizable people on the planet and a pop culture phenomenon

Good looks helps carry a lot of the weight of what people deem as charismatic. Prime HBK wouldn't have been nearly as appealing or "charismatic" if he wasn't a good looking guy. In interviews the guy is boring as soup.

Flair, Rock, and Austin definitely got a little bit of a leg up because they were good looking men. Not saying they were not charismatic in their own right, but their looks definitely were a big plus.

 

Hogan was a lot of things but average looking? There aren’t that many 6’6-6’7 guys with his thick build out there even today, much less in the 80s when society wasn’t as knowledgeable about steroids, bodybuilding, optimal eating, etc. Not to mention he definitely benefited from good genetics.

Which probably puts Hogan at #1 since he also had immense natural physical charisma (When he walks in a room, he instantly stands out and people quickly gravitate to him).

Savage is def top 5 all time if I’m being honest, but nobody came close to The Rock, from Summer 98 - 2000 dude was the epitome of confidence. Even after when he got a lil more goofy and not as serious he still was eradicating people on the mic

Usually Kurt Angle is the template for someone who quickly picked up on all the important elements of being a wrestling star but The Rock has to be at or near the top. Went from being bland generic Rocky Maivia in late 1996 to being on par with the likes of Hogan, Piper, SCSA, etc by the second half of 1998. It took Hogan like 6 years to develop his persona. It took about 7-8 years for Austin. Rock did it in about 18 months.

 

CM Punk is a weird addition.

I like CM Punk a lot, but I'm not sure "charisma" is the word I would use to describe him. If anything, he's anti-charisma always moody or brooding. He's enjoyable that way, and a hell of a promo etc. Just - 'charisma' isn't the word I think of for him.

 

There is no such thing as a "hell of a promo" without a ton of charisma. It's a nonexistent type of performer. Not all people with great charisma are great promos, but all great promos have great charisma. It is a literal prerequisite.

 

Hard to argue against Randy Savage, dude was charismatic as all hell every waking second.

 

Ric Flair

 

Overall it's Austin, but 99 Rock reached a league of his own, so I'll go with him.

 

Savage is def top 5 all time if I’m being honest, but nobody came close to The Rock, from Summer 98 - 2000 dude was the epitome of confidence. Even after when he got a lil more goofy and not as serious he still was eradicating people on the mic

 

Yeah it's hard not to put Savage at the top. Colorful look, and a larger-than-life personality to match. His promos were incredible too. They were equally entertaining as the were intense / believable.

Everyone loved the Macho Man.

 

The Rock has to be number 1 to me just because the mans got so much charisma that it's what helped him have success out of WWE in Hollywood.

Randy Savage is a great mention though. He for sure is up there close behind The Rock.

 

The Hulkster.

 

Where is Superstar Billy Graham,the guy who influenced all these guys! Like for real!

 

It isn't even close. 1A oozes it like no other. Not even 1B in the revisionist history is as charismatic.

 

The Rock by some distance. He got his eyebrow more over than 99% of the roster. At times the only thing that got a bigger pop was his elbow.

There’s never been anyone that can generate the kind of excitement as Rock when you saw him with a mic.

 

Ric Flair is the greatest of all time.

 

Hogan and Sting

 

Hogan or Austin.