10 Iconic Wrestling Personalities Even The Haters Love

Wrestling fans can be a very jaded bunch. While audiences' love for the industry is deeply rooted in nostalgia and respect for the performers, many viewers find it a little too easy to criticise. This makes sense, as the business is built around divisive characters, and not every fan has the same preferences. Even legendary figures get a tonne of hate because they aren't some people's cup of tea.

Major promotions often don't help themselves when it comes to this criticism, as they prioritise stars who have been rejected by the fans, or simply give audiences too much of a reason to complain.

However, while the internet wrestling community is somewhat divided over names like Roman Reigns, John Cena and even The Rock, some figures slip through the cracks and manage to achieve universal acclaim, with even the saltiest of spectators struggling to find a reason to dislike them.

The following entries are the best examples of these important personalities. Whether they operate inside or outside of the ring, they have generated an aura that leaves them utterly beloved by the fans, with even the biggest haters struggling to hide their appreciation.

The character of Edge certainly hasn't been a beloved figure throughout his entire career, as he built his name by being a massive heel. Adam Copeland performed his villainous role so well that he became one of the most hated wrestlers in SmackDown and Raw history, thanks to his real-life issues with Matt Hardy, and the ultimate opportunist gimmick.

It seems that since he built the majority of his career as a despised figure, he would never belong on this list, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Edge is a wrestler who has a massive amount of respect from the fans, and even those who love to hate on the business cannot throw any his way.

In an industry full of toxicity and politics, few wrestlers clearly love their jobs as much as him. When he was forced to retire from WWE in 2011, fans were heartbroken because they knew how much it meant to him. Because of this, once he made his shocking return in 2020, everyone watching gave a massive pop.

Respect, appreciation and love, there's not a single hater who doesn't at least feel some of this for Adam Copeland.