Jack G. King's 10 Greatest Wrestlers Of All Time

Those of you wise enough to have purchased our magazine 'Wrestling - Issue 2' will have seen our survey asking for your 10 Greatest Wrestlers Of All Time. Your votes will help comprise the main feature of Issue 3, a rundown of the 100 Greatest Wrestlers ever to grace the industry. If you haven't already done so, you can register your choices here:

http://whatculture.com/top-ten-greatest-wrestlers-of-all-time

But how do you rank legendary wrestlers? It's an impossible question, of course, but like a particularly polite D-Generation X, let's at least try to break it down.

In-ring ability is important, of course. You can't be one of the greatest wrestlers of all-time if you can't wrestle. Charisma is an important factor too, as undefinable a concept as it is. A far simpler (but similarly important) notion a wrestler's 'look' - how impressive or unique is their appearance, and how well does it help convey their character?

We've barely scratched the surface, by the way. How successful was a wrestler in terms of ticket sales, world titles, critical reception and sheer popularity? How fondly are they remembered? Did they directly change the very landscape of the industry, or were they merely one of the major players? Are they still a major player?

It's all rather dizzying, in the end. Nobody can be great at everything (apart from Steve Blackman, and even he didn't make it onto this list), but a select few can be damn good at most of them.

Here are my top ten wrestlers of all time; some are excellent in the ring, others fantastic on the mic. Some are both, or neither, depending on your opinion. Some are simply on there for personal reasons - because I liked them as a child, or because they got me back into wrestling.

It's a strange old mish-mash, and a devilishly hard one to compile, but I hope you enjoy it.

It was clear from the beginning that WWF were putting a lot of faith in Chris Jericho. His explosive 1999 debut segment was perhaps the greatest in the history of the promotion, cutting off The Rock (of all people) mid-sentence, and establishing Y2J as an obnoxious, insecure, brilliant force to be reckoned with.

Thankfully, the self-styled 'Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla' had more than enough ability to build on such a great start. Combining fast-paced action with an excellent technical game - a unique style honed in Japan, Mexico and ECW - Jericho shot to prominence in short order, winning the WWE Undisputed Championship just two years after his debut.

In years ahead, however, the Canadian will probably be remembered far more for his persona. More than capable of being a cocky, loveable babyface, his true greatness shines through as a bad guy. His WCW promos are the stuff of YouTube legend, from declaring his mastery of 1,004 holds (and reading them aloud) to getting lost en route to the ring, Spinal Tap style. He has also reinvented himself throughout his career, from egotistical rockstar to sinister suit, to his current "stupid idiot"-hating incarnation.

In short, Y2J is one of the best all-rounders ever. His mic work is up there with the greatest of all-time (particularly as a heel), and his enduring ability to put on great matches has cemented his status as a bonafide legend of the industry and one of my favourite wrestlers ever.