10 Toughest WWE Superstars Of The 21st Century
AKA 10 modern wrestlers whose drink you don't want to spill.
When it comes to the toughest of the tough, the wrestling industry has welcomed the fearsome with opened arms and a clenched fist ever since the sport began. As a result, the list of hardened fighters that have stood proud in the squared circle is virtually endless.
From the early days of Frank Gotch and Ed 'Strangler' Lewis to the Golden Era’s Lou Thesz and Danny Hodge, nothing sells tickets quite like someone who can legitimately handle himself. Even the cartoon era of the '80s boasted badasses like Paul Orndorff and Haku, while the chaos of the Monday Night Wars had everyone from Ken Shamrock and Steve Blackman to Steve Williams and Scott Steiner.
However, since the turn of the century, times have changed dramatically and the landscape of WWE today seems far more tame and controlled. WWE's stringent blood regulations have led to a culture of match stoppages at the slightest sight of blood; hardly the breeding ground for hard men to call home.
Nevertheless, today’s crop of talent measures up surprisingly well to the tough guys of yesteryear. Some are considered strong, many have proven durable while others are just plain violent, yet all of them are tough. So knuckle up and get ready, as we explore the the toughest WWE superstars to debut in the 21st century.
10. Jason Jordan
At 6'3" and 245lbs, Jason Jordan narrowly edges out Dolph Ziggler, Shelton Benjamin, and Chad Gable for the #10 spot on our list. But it's not just genetics that are on his side; Jordan has skill to back up his size and his long list of previous accomplishments prove just that.
A three sport athlete in high school, Jordan opted against baseball and football to pursue wrestling. He would go on to become a star of the mat at Indiana University and even find himself ranked as the second best heavyweight in the United States.
Much like Angle, he would test his own toughness by wrestling larger opponents, competing in the 285lbs weight class despite weighing 225lbs. Jordan would go undefeated in his senior year with a record of 35-0. So impressive were his accolades at Indiana University that it even earned him a mural on the wall of the campus gym.
In the WWE, Jordan has taken no shortcuts on his journey to the top. From jobber to Tag Champ in NXT, Jordan has worked tirelessly to hone his craft and showed a great degree of mental toughness since his first match way back in 2011. The "Angle son" storyline, while ludicrous, is a promotion nonetheless. Let's hope Angle's influence can help bring out the badass in Jordan on Raw.