10 Greatest WWE Champions Ever
Give 'Em The Belt. Then They Beat Everybody.
Stone Cold Steve Austin wasn't the first, but he popularised the notion that if a wrestler wasn't getting into the business to be the WWE Champion, they shouldn't bother at all.
It was flawed, of course. The fact he once said it to a selection of 'Tough Enough' contestants as soon-to-be-ex-wife Debra espoused that women were mere "candles" whilst "the men made all the money" betrayed the conviction with which he spoke.
The philosophy was believably delivered from the pinnacle he'd reached, with his well-worn tale of eating raw potatoes thrown in for the requisite rags-to-riches element. But did Austin honestly believe this could be applied to every single performer to lace up the boots? He smacked Spike Dudley and Matt Hardy around in exhilarating fashion in 2001, but was he really looking across from them with fear they may take his spot?
Few, in reality, ever make it to the level he suggested all should shoot for. It's what makes the destination so valued and the arrival so notable. The industry's no worse off for having midcarders-for-life kicking around either, but nothing replaces the magic of seeing a performer destined for greatness finally achieving what still just about remains the most prestigious honour in the industry.
Daniel Bryan's 2014 run was cut heartbreakingly short, but thank goodness his ascension at least occurred. He was destined to get there, even if he wasn't built to stay. Even he couldn't crack the most exclusive club in pro wrestling...
10. AJ Styles
Too soon? Nah, he's Phenomenal.
It took just two years for AJ Styles to look and feel like he's worked for Vince McMahon for decades. Experiencing just about every good and evil in the industry from a lengthy run as TNA's perennial top guy along with some NJPW seasoning primed him for the catbird seat in an ever-changing WWE. Styles was an eye-popping acrobat in his early years, but careful refinement made him the finest modern example of a tight technical performer.
Paul Heyman glowingly referred to him as a contemporary amalgamation of Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair, and was on-the-nose as usual. He's got the death-defying skill of the 'Heartbreak Kid', the deft heel or babyface ground work of 'The Nature Boy', but comparisons to the 'Hitman' were the most poignant. He's a meticulous technician boasting Hart's excellent execution, but - as his shocking victory over Jinder Mahal proved - he's now the safe hand whilst company reshuffles the deck. There are few positions as pressured, but Styles carries the burden effortlessly.