10 Next Generation Wrestlers You Didn't Know About

By Jack Morrell /

3. Dean Malenko

One of the more recent performers who always crops up in discussions of the best wrestlers never to hold a major singles title: there€™s a reason why Dean Malenko belongs up there with the best of the best. Nicknamed €˜the Shooter€™, the €˜man of 1000 holds€™ and €˜The Iceman€™, Malenko was a technical marvel. We say €˜was€™ €“ he€™s a road agent with WWE now alongside Brian James, and knowing Malenko€™s notorious cardio regimen, he could probably still go if they threw him in the ring tomorrow. Trained by his father Boris Malenko, mainstay of the territories during the 1960s and 1970s, Dean Malenko€™s main contribution to the business might not be the scores and scores of fantastic matches in Mexico and Japan, or for ECW, WCW or the WWF against Eddie Guerrero, Psicosis, šltimo Dragón, Rey Mysterio Jnr., or Chris Jericho. No, like his father, who went on to open a gym and wrestling school after he retired, Dean Malenko is responsible for giving back to the business by training and mentoring the next generation of stars. The quiet, methodical and ultra-talented star is still one of the most respected men in the game.