1. Steve Austin
There's a lot to be said about the great "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. When Vince McMahon inducted him in the Hall of Fame in 2009 he called him the greatest superstar in the history of WWE. Why? Because when Austin was the top guy the WWE made more than they did than with anybody else on top. The sad thing is that Austin's run on top didn't last long enough due to his early retirement in 2003 at the age of 39. Most wrestling fans know about Austin's neck injury that he suffered at SummerSlam 1997 when Owen Hart went to give him a Tombstone and Austin's neck hit the mat because he didn't drop to his knees to hit the move - he went to his butt instead. Austin missed most of 2000 due to major neck surgery. When he came back in late 2000 he had an incredible year, but his career was over a couple of years later. His accomplishments in WWE are very impressive with 6 WWE Titles and main eventing three WrestleManias in a four year period. If he didn't have that neck injury? Who knows how long he could have gone. He said himself that he wanted to work well into his 40s, but it just didn't happen that way for him. What's amazing about Austin is that even though he hasn't had a match since 2003, people still think he might wrestle one more match. It's as if they don't want to fully comprehend the idea that he stopped wrestling because of serious neck and knee injuries. While he does remain in great shape while filming movies, that doesn't mean he wants to risk his health by taking more bumps in a wrestling ring. There is nothing more for him to do other than a dream match against a guy like Punk, but I don't think it will ever happen. The fact that Austin left at a time when he had years left and over a decade later fans are clamoring for one more match, it just shows how much he was beloved. Even when he's in 50s and 60s fans will think he might wrestle again. Maybe Vince McMahon was right in saying Austin is the best ever because even in retirement the fans keep wanting more.