Your Favourite Wrestlers Throughout Time

[Hanley!]

This is a little different from the kind of favourites lists we usually do, though it's inspired by the other thread that was posted here recently. This isn't about listing your favourite wrestlers of all time - this is about stating your one very favourite wrestler during each period of your time as a fan. So don't mention anyone who wasn't your true favourite wrestler at one point.

1993 - 1994: The 123 Kid

I loved this guy when I was first getting into wrestling. I was only about 6 years old when I first saw him, but I thought he was awesome. I had a thing for plucky underdogs even then apparently. Doink the Clown was another favourite, who was obviously aimed at people my age, but I preferred 123 Kid. When Owen Hart knocked him out in the semi-finals of the 1994 King of the Ring, I was heartbroken.

1995 - 1995: Bret Hart

I had always enjoyed Bret Hart along with the 123 Kid, but as I grew a little older I started to like him a bit more and appreciate his skills in the ring. Plus I remember having a sticker album around this time with him on the cover. Plus I think 123 Kid turned heel in 1995 some time, which obviously I would have no part in as a child.

1996 - 1997: Sting

I stopped watching WWF around this time and started watching WCW. And while I had a lot of favourites in WCW, nothing captured by attention to quite the same extent as the crow Sting's shenanigans. That was absolutely amazing television to me and I've probably never enjoyed wrestling more. To this day, I think that angle was possibly the best ever in American wrestling.

1998 - 1999: Rey Mysterio

Other than Sting, the thing that I loved about WCW was always the cruiserweights. The two that I really remember loving back then were Ultimo Dragon, but even more so Rey Mysterio. I looked forward to his matches every week, even when they were against nobodies. Because I just didn't understand how he did all that flipping and twisting. It was magic for a kid.

2000 - 2002: The Hardy Boyz

When I switched back to WWF, it was the Hardy Boyz that captured my interest most. Probably because I had loved the cruiserweights in WCW and they were the closest thing that the WWF had right then. Looking back, I think Edge & Christian were probably the main reason that I enjoyed a lot of the Hardyz angles, but back then I naturally hated them as I was still young.

2003 - 2005: Eddie Guerrero

I grew to really like Guerrero - he was someone I had seen in WCW and he had been great there. And it was around this time that I was starting to appreciate technical wrestling more. But it was his cheeky face persona that really won me over. I don't think there's been a face as good as Guerrero since he passed. He had such charisma and charm. A perfect all-rounder.

2006 - 2008: Edge

This period was dominated by Edge, he really had no competition here in terms of providing entertainment. You never knew what would happen with Edge around. Every surprise moment and every great title change involved Edge. He added unpredictability to the show. They could badly do with someone like Edge now.

2009 - 2011: CM Punk

Punk took Edge's place around 2009 for me. His summer of Punk angle in 2009 was outstanding, but then unfortunately went nowhere. His Straight Edge Society stint was really interesting, but that went nowhere. Then the awesome shoot promo in 2011, which ... well that didn't really go anywhere either. But he was great throughout.

2012 - 2013: Austin Aries

I find it harder to decide my favourite wrestler since I started watching Impact instead of WWE, as there are a few that I really enjoy. Aries, Roode, Styles and Daniels being the major four. But of them Aries has provided many of the best moments and has been perhaps the most consistent, so he gets my vote. He's the best wrestler in the world right now in my mind.

[The Legend]

1988-1990: Hulk Hogan, was fascinated by the hero role as a young kind from 5-8 years old. Just loved the thought of a good guy doing good and being at the top because of it.
1991-1993: Randy Savage, him and Hogan really probably overlapped as a favorite of mine as this time was unfolding, but since the rule was just one I seperated them this way. He was just a really cool dude who had an awesome power to draw you in to what he was saying.
1993-1996: Bret Hart, I liked his interaction and connection with the crowd and just the way he went about things. Plus his matches entertained me more than anybody.
1997-1998: Undertaker, dude was awesome as a character and just so mesmerizing.
1999-2002: Kurt Angle, immensely entertaining and hilarious.
2004-2008: John Cena, no matter what anyone says, he made you feel the passion he has for what he's doing more than anyone else at the time.
2008-2011: Edge, crazy talented, even if it took a while to realize his full potential.
2012-2013: CM Punk

[Everlong]

Good thread! I'll see what I can come up with.

1992-1994: Randy Savage
He wasn't active throughout this entire time period I think, but he was my first ever favorite wrestler when I was a little kid. Even today I can't help but go back and be charmed by his ridiculously over the top character, even though there's no way it'd ever work in today's wrestling world. THE TOWER OF POWER, TOO SWEET TO BE SOUR, FUNKY LIKE A MONKEY, SKY'S THE LIMIT, SPACE IS THE PLACE...

1994-1995: Bret Hart
He really carried the WWE during this period. I think I actually appreciate him far more now as an adult even than I did when I was a kid. Unbelievable wrestler who knew how to invoke emotion with action rather than words, a rare skill.

1996-1998: Stone Cold Steve Austin
I was actually in attendance for the "Austin 3:16" speech that Austin gave to Jake the Snake, that's my little part in wrestling history But yeah, Austin and Rock are my two all time favorites, and this period for Austin was really the start of something special in the WWE. That WrestleMania 13 match with Bret Hart is one of my all time favorites.

1998-1999: The Rock/Stone Cold
I had a real hard time picking between Rocky, Austin and Mick Foley for this time slot, but these couple years was really when Rock started to come into his own. The Rock/Mankind stuff during this time was especially great. And this was also still the height of the Stone Cold era. I can't in good conscience leave him out of this.

2000-2002: The Rock
There were a few people I could have picked here... Triple H, Hardy Boyz, Jericho, Austin to name a few, but when I think of turn of the 21st century wrasslin, I think of the Rock. Though his shtick may have started to get a little old toward the end of his face run, there was still nobody that I would have rather watched.

2002-2005: Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle was the absolute best thing going in the company during these years, even better than HHH, Guerrero and Lesnar. He's the definition of "total package." The Angle/Lesnar and Angle/Guerrero feuds here were absolute class.

2006-1010: Edge
I was mostly an on-and-off watcher during these years while I was in college. Most of what I've seen from these years has been through YouTube. But from what I have seen, it's clear to me that Edge was a cut above the rest during this time, which had some pretty dark years it seems.

2011-2012: CM Punk
Is there any other choice? This guy owned those years.

I haven't watched wrestling since May 2012, but if I had my current choice would probably be either CM Punk or Daniel Bryan.

[VaderBomb]

It's going to be tough for me to choose just one person from each era but I'll do my best.

1991-1992: Randy Savage & The Rockers

I remember being completely heartbroken when Shawn threw Marty through the Barber Shop window. Also when Jake Roberts attacked Macho Man with the cobra was very traumatic. I was convinced that Savage was never coming back after that. I was also heavily behind Savage during his feud with Flair leading up to WM VIII.

1993-1996: Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, The Undertaker

Nobody came close to those three during this period for me as a kid. The amount of matches I did with my figures between those three was probably in the quadruple digits. I was also obsessed with Vader when he first debuted in WWF. I knew of his work during WCW in the early 90s but I hadn't seen much of it outside of some tape rentals. He was very intimidating and mysterious.

1997-1999: Stone Cold Steve Austin

Steve Austin won me over in 1996, but it wasn't until 1997 when he became my favorite wrestler of all time. I had all of his figures, shirts, knew all of his classic quotes and even named my first dog Austin. Stone Cold was fucking untouchable during the attitude era. Ken Shamrock was my second favorite during this period, and while I loved his matches he had zero of the charisma that Austin had.

2000-2006: Dean Malenko, Edge

I stopped watching WWE in High School around 2002 but before I stopped I was a big fan of Edge and Dean Malenko. Those were the guys whose matches I seeked out, even after I stopped watching. I was also a big fan of Jericho, Benoit and Guerrero. When I started watching WWE again in 2005, I was extremely happy to see Edge as the top heel and he was the major reason that I started up again and eventually joined WWE-Club in early 2007.

2007-present: Bryan Danielson, Mitsuharu Misawa

I discovered independent wrestling and Bryan was my guy and still is. Mitsuharu Misawa is another favorite after discovering Japanese wrestling around the same time. I believe that they are the two greatest wrestlers of all time. CM Punk, Antonio Cesaro (Claudio Castagnoli), Kassius Ohno (Chris Hero) and Colt Cabana all come close to being my favorite wrestler.

Well, so much for picking just one. Sorry Hanley.

[Daz]

Pre 1980's: Pat O'Connor (Those who have read my Sim stuff know how I like me an O'Connor roll.)
1980's: Ricky Steamboat, The Road Warriors, Randy Savage
Earlier 1990's: Rick Martel, Jake Roberts
Late 90's: The Rock, X-Pac, Val Venis (Don't you judge me)
Earlier 2000's: Hardy Boyz, Edge & Christian
2006: Delirious, Jimmy Rave
2007 - 2009: Nigel McGuinness
2010 - 2013 - Bryan Danielson/Daniel Bryan

[ShaneOfan]

I honestly don't remember which year was what but the guys I have considered favorites over the years...

Kurt Angle
Shane McMahon
Christian
Matt Hardy (not proud of that one)
Dolph Ziggler

[prophet]

I'm shocked I had no room to fit HBK or Austin in, for shame!

1998-2000 - The Rock

The way I see it you were either Rock or Austin and when I first began watching wrestling week after week The Rock was the damn man. He was the guy I got up every morning to watch on the TV and he's forever remained one of my all time favourites. Easily one of the greatest of all time.

2000-2002 - The Hardy Boyz

This was when wrestling really was the coolest thing going and all my friends watched it. Naturally we'd all try fight at home and at school and at this period I think everybody's favourite wrestlers were the Hardy Boyz. They opened a lot of eyes to the world of extreme and the fact that Jeff would do some of the craziest things I'd ever seen was incredible plus they had badass music. At one point my parents banned me and my brother from watching wrestling because me and my brother used to fight all the time and we broke the shed jumping off it too much

2002-2005 - John Cena/Eddie Guerrero

How great was Cena during his 'Dr of Thuganomics' gimmick? It's almost upsetting to compare post '02 Cena with the one we have today - he was just cool wasn't he? Eddie was the same - he made lying, cheating and stealing cool and along with Cena he was just funny and great to watch. Watching him beat Lesnar at No Way Out for the WWE title is a memory I'll never forget. RIP Eddie - I miss you.

2006-2008 - Edge

Edge was the first to capitalize after Triple H made hating Cena the cool thing to do. Also 2006 was the year I signed up for WWE-Club so that's when I had my innocent wrestling mind poisoned by cynics and haters Everyone loved Edge and like a sheep I began to love the guy too. Baa.

2008-2010 - Chris Jericho

I've always loved Y2J and his return saw arguably my favourite feud of all time with Shawn Michaels. They always had amazing chemistry and SRS BSNS Jerky was the best part of RAW for months. The old site was at it's best during this period and Jericho was worshipped by all.

2010-2013 - CM Punk

I won't go into much detail here. The WWE has been going downhill content wise for years since they began catering to children. CM Punk has been the shining light of the programme for the past 3 years whether he was the Straight Edge Saviour or sticking a metaphorical middle finger up at Cena, Vince and HHH he's the only reason to tune in.

[Settee]

I'm not too good with years but my favorites In order since I started watching wrestling...

HHH (for a very short period of time)
Edge (probably my longest favorite)
Y2J (from his 2007 return until left again)
HBK (he became one of my all time favorites after I saw him in his match at WM 22 against Vinnie Mac)
Jeff Hardy (when he made his WWE return)
CM Punk (I liked Punk since I first saw him on ECW, He became a personal favorite with the SES gimmick)
Daniel Bryan (just before he won the United States Title I became a huge fan of his and now he is my Favorite wrestler)

[KaiserGlider]

2003- The Undertaker
2004 - John Cena
2005- Triple H
2006 - King Booker
2007 - MVP
2008 - Jeff Hardy
2009 - Samoa Joe
2010 - AJ Styles
2011 - CM Punk
2012 - Brock Lesnar
2013 - Austin Aries