Top 5 WWE Wrestlers that Made Me LOVE Wrestling

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[@Dporticus]

Please consider checking out the paid AND free content on my Patreon: www.patreon.com/dporticus

[@codyswan3863]

For the Bayley thing there is a common issue with face wrestling were your chase for the title is more interesting then the title reign itself. They build the character around being screwed but when they finally win they have nothing to do but eventually lose the title in a heelish way Iike seth having to fight 2 matches to.lose the belt

[@gambor15]

FYI, shoot basically means "real" or out of character. More specifically, the term was originally for when a wrestler would deviate from the script of a match and "shoot" on their opponent, usually to steal a win but there is at least one famous example of a wrestler submitting when they weren't supposed to as a shoot (David Samartino, if you're curious). So a shoot interview or promo is one that is about real stuff instead of storyline. The opposite is a work which is all storyline. Then there's worked shoots where it is storyline but it's supposed to be confused for real.

[@ExSpectre]

A "shoot" promo is usually a "real-life" promo, one that's not scripted, one that's the person speaking, not the wrestler speaking.

[@jonahsmyth1020]

When Wwe was at its worst in 2017-2019 Kenny Omega and the bullet club in New Japan kept me loving wrestling, thus he is my all time favourite

[@robertbaczik7305]

People who say wwe was at it's worst from 2017 to 19 haven't seen the older stuff in the early 90s.

[@robertbaczik7305]

Mid 90s

[@jonahsmyth1020]

@@robertbaczik7305 o ya 1995 was definitely way way worse than anything in the 2010s but I wasn’t watching back then so I guess I shoulda said the worst while I was watching, my bad. Whoever booked Viscera vs Kevin Nash to main event Summerslam should have been arrested

[@DBToy]

Cody introduced me to Kenny omega and I will forever be grateful for him for that

[@chadbrisco4042]

@robertbaczik7305 wwe was almost out of business back then. I was watching back then but I believe 2017-2019 was worse. They still knew how to book basic things and were pushing Bret Hart despite wanting Luger. In 2017-2019, they were pushing Roman Reigns and not paying much attention to the people wwe universe wanted.

[@MuhammedMahad-oq4te]

The thing about Gunther's mic work is that he's so straightforward with it. No meaningless insults no nothin If he likes you , he'll praise you if he doesn't he'll chop the shit outta you!!

[@Dporticus]

exactly lol

[@rantsofafangirl7000]

It's so European. I can't explain it. I think the "fluffy" stuff is given to Ludwig to make up for it.

[@dCa991]

As a kid Rey Mysterio was like a real-life superhero to me. The outfit, mask, colored contacts, and his moveset all worked together perfectly.

[@navtektv]

Love the Miz acknowledgement. There was a moment in time in the mid 2015 when Miz as Intercontinental Champion was literally carrying the company. Lesnar was the Universal champion and mainly absent and Roman was WWE champ half the time with no one liking his booking of course. Miz has always been one of my dark horse favorites and I like that you took the time to appreciate the man's work. He's got the most losses in WWE history, the definition of a true worker.

[@Dporticus]

that man deserves the respect

[@speedforcepunch]

It was definitely Jeff Hardy for me in the early 2000s, his crazy high flying and insane stunts was just so unique at the time and his look was just the cherry on top.

[@Daniel-tf5vj]

Same bro!!

[@operagh0st]

For me it was seeing Sting and Flair back in 88. I stumbled across Clash of the Champions and was hooked. Hopefully you get a chance to see that show sometime.

[@splinter4161]

I always kinda liked it, especially during the Randy vs Cena era But what really hooked me, was the Shield and then later the Wyatt family. Bray and Dean especially, my two all time favourites.

[@Robby_C]

Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, and Razor Ramon were the main people who got me into wrestling. I think what you said about Gunther and mic skills is 100% exactly how to book to somebody's strengths and hide their weaknesses, even if those weaknesses aren't THAT weak, it is still important to emphasize their strengths as much as possible.

[@cyan6045]

Randy Orton turned me into a wrestling fan back in 2011, then I took a short hiatus from watching. AJ Styles then brought me back into watching wrestling, and Johnny Gargano made me love and adore wrestling as I do now.

[@ZBatt1]

When Rhea comes back the pop is going to be immaculate, she’s definitely one of my favorites. Shawn Michaels Batista Undertaker then I fell off, but then Roman Reigns got me back into it.

[@gangaffiliated3245]

Good list, im guessing you fell off between 2010-2020? If so go back and check out some of The Shield and Brock Lesnar feuds you might have missed out on.

[@bmck1124]

I remember my Uncle brought over a VHS of Royal Rumble 2001 when I was a kid and I instantly was obsessed with it. Kane, HHH, Shawn Michaels, and The Undertaker got me hooked. But, probably around 2010 I fell out of it. All my friends were no longer watching and it wasn't really considered cool anymore. Which looking back is a dumb reason to stop watching something you enjoy. But, a few years later i was flipping through the channels and stumbled upon Raw, Daniel Bryan was making his entrance and the crowd was absolutely electric. Going nuts for him with the yes chant and just being so vocal in support of him. I ended up watching the whole episode and I haven't looked back since. Daniel Bryan and The Shield all got me hooked once again. I stopped caring what people thought of wrestling and just enjoyed it. I met one of my best friends by getting back into wrestling. We've been watching ppv's and going to shows ever since. In fact we're going to smackdown tonight and forbidden door this weekend.

[@williamroper5422]

Bret The Hitman Hart - I was a young and more casual fan during the Prime years of Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, and Macho Man Randy Savage, but it was when more technical and skilled wrestlers like Bret and Shawn Michaels moved from the tag division to being singles stars moving up the card that I really became a hardcore fan who made it a point to watch every single week. When Hogan had his long run on top his matches had become so formulaic with the exact same big boot and leg drop finish to every match. When Bret became WWF world champ he was a fighting champion and there was more variety to the types of matches he had and to the finish of the matches. He had his sharpshooter submission hold that was a great finisher, but he also won matches in all kinds of other more creative ways like a small package or victory roll out of nowhere when it seemed like he was being dominated. I personally think his mic skills were underrated as well. He wasn't a big personality or the most charasmatic, but he usually had a cool confidence, and he could also get across the proper emotion when he had a reson to be really angry at someone and he made me believe that he believed he was the best technical wrestler in the world. He also had an underrated catch phrase when he would call himself the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. To quickly fill out a top 5 just from the era that made me fall in love: 2. Shawn Michaels 3. Razor Ramon 4. Owen Hart 5. The Steiner Brothers

[@Rayan-nv5eg]

Has to be CM Punk, he made me love wrestling in 2011, and I just came back to watching WWE in 2023 because of Punk's return

[@ShowtimeJahh]

Gotta be Jeff hardy for me, the swanton bombs from the top of the stadium was so crazy to see. I was cutting holes in my socks to make arm sleeves like him 😹

[@JustChrisTM]

It was weird for me. Watched WCW and WWE since 1989.... didn't have a favorite wrestler that I locked into until Rey Mysterio won the WCW Crusierweight title in 96. Never seen moves like that at the time. For WWE I locked into Kurt Angle on his debut night (Survivor Series 99). He seemed boring and ordinary, then cut a mid match promo to the fans and he made too much sense for me to deny. He's the original "Why are you booing me, Im right" meme.

[@InfernoNando]

John cena is the one that got me in when I was young but I came back for Bray when he introduced the firefly fun house

[@imthatjay]

Pretty similar for me, ofc as a kid everyone talks about Cena. But I liked Bray because during the Wyatt Family era it felt like how other people who grew up on the undertaker said they felt.

[@InfernoNando]

​ @imthatjay IKR I loved the shield vs wyatt family and wyatt family vs brothers of destruction

[@punkln0453]

Io Shirai (now Iyo Sky) brought me back to wrestling in 2019, just watching her was extremely enjoyable to me and I could tell I was watching the best women’s wrestler in the world. Then Tetsuya Naito brought me to enjoy a whole bunch of wrestling outside of the WWE.

[@ElaineClush]

When I was a kid in the 2000s, Bobby Lashley always captivated me. It was so unique and interesting seeing such a huge and strong dude not just be a brute, but have this sort of formality and cordialness with the way he moves around the ring. His time in armed forces really molded the way he approaches fighting in-ring. Plus he lives local to me here in my city in Kansas and that was always cool to me as a kid, fast forward to now and he really helped me fall deeper in love with wrestling still- sometimes I'll see him at a local pub around the holidays, and he genuinely speaks with so much grace and excitement. Got to buy him a couple shots last December and ask him about some pointers before I go into wrestling school and he was so overjoyed to chat about the nitty gritty and getting going.

[@rileywakeford8773]

Kofi Kingston/the New Day got me into wrestling because Kofi has a very similar build so it helped show me that lanky skinny guys like me can still have a major role in wrestling and sports in general (I came in between WM34 and WM35) and the group as a whole are so friendly and welcoming and lovely to each other and everyone around them

[@fanaticant6695]

I started watching WWE because of Rey Mysterio and his whole gimmick back in the early 2010’s. While I did enjoy him and he will always have special place in my heart, he didn’t make fall in love with wrestling. I eventually stopped watching during 2015 It wasn’t until November 2023 when CM punk returned which had me interested. I started watching again and while it was because of CM punk which triggered my return, it was Cody Rhodes that kept me watching. His story kept me watching every week and he ended becoming my favorite wrestler. If it wasn’t for Cody I might not have kept watching. It was Cody that made me fall in LOVE with pro wrestling as a whole.

[@stanleylee3329]

I remember being a really small kid getting a Rey Mysterio DVD and being absolutely enamored with what that man could do. Him and Batista were my guys.

[@JaredWeathersOfficial]

Seth Rollins was that person for me. I started watching WWE and he was the one that hooked me. And he is my #1 favorite

[@Nickie102]

The first wrestler I ever saw was Chris Jericho. The night he became Undisputed Champion. Have no memory of the match prior but the visual of him holding up those two titles captured my interest.

[@leegroves7327]

Tied between Finn Balor and Johnny Gargarno. I watched wrestling pretty consistently prior to my discovery of them but, once I learned who they were and the work they did, I've loved them both ever since, specifically Finn's body paint gimmick since the indies and Gargano's ability to sell and tell amazing stories with his body in his matches.

[@shanerogers7198]

The two wrestlers that hooked me. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat vs “Macho Man” Randy Savage. I felt that entire feud for its full run. From the ring bell to the throat, to arguably the best match in WM history. It affected me so much, that it took several years into his WCW run before I became a fan of Macho Man. Most of the people who started in that era will site this as their starting point as well.

[@TheeCTK01]

Jeff Hardy, Bray Wyatt, and Cody Rhodes; the first ever wrestling segment I’ve ever seen was [who I now know as] Kurt Angle calling out a masked wrestler called “Willow” to basically take off the mask in Impact Wrestling [now known as TNA] and that was the only part of that random episode because I instantly fell in love with who Jeff Hardy was as soon as I saw his first match that same episode. Also I kinda fell off of wrestling around 2019 [thanks to Goldberg vs Kevin Owens] and I really never would of gotten back into it if I didn’t get a random KZbin suggestion for something called “The Firefly Funhouse segments” that started a wrestler I was familiar with [since I was watching WWE when Bray won the WWE Championship the first time in the elimination chamber] which inspired me to watch a WWE PLE that was conveniently on that same week; Wrestlemania 38. And my biggest question coming out of Wrestlemania 38 was “who the f*** is Cody Rhodes?” Because at that point the only thing I’ve seen from cody was like 2 matches [one being a house show] as Stardust so legitimately had no idea who he was until I searched him up the day after Wrestlemania 38. :P

[@Assassin6687]

John Cena got me into wrestling. When I was a little kid, I found 2k14 on my uncles game shelf and the highest rated wrestler in the game was Cena, so that’s who I used lol.

[@Willsten_]

I’ve been watching WWE since 2011 and the one Superstar that kept me watching was CM Punk. Actually my 1st WWE show watching was when CM Punk had the iconic Pipebomb promo, but when he left the Superstar that kept me hooked was Seth Rollins. When The Shield broke up I actually didn’t like Rollins, but after his Wrestlemania cash in he became my favorite wrestler just because that moment was just so unexpected to me and I’ll never forget the excitement I had when I heard his music and he cashed in, in the main event. It was one of my key memories as a WWE fan that I’ll never forget

[@jaysteezy2]

Cena and CM Punk around 2011-2012, I was 6-7 years old

[@Dporticus]

Would that have been from the feud around 2011 MITB?

[@jaysteezy2]

@@Dporticus yep

[@NoMoreHeroes75]

Rhea Ripley is actually the reason I got back into wrestling during the whole Mysterio family feud and I was intrigued by her look and the fact she was built like an Amazon plus her match at WM 39 was amazing and ngl I was heartbroken when she had to vacate her title but I know when she comes back I’m gonna be screaming my head off outta pure joy seeing my favorite wrestler again

[@drewpierce2346]

I was big fan growing up, got back into heavy after this last wrestle mania. But my two favorites have always been The Miz and Cody Rhodes. No clue why I liked them so much when I was a kid, but both still goated. John Cena also because as soon as I hear that music I get hyped

[@prototype27]

When I got back into pro wrestling in the mid 2010s, one of the people who really drew me in was Kota Ibushi, who was in the Cruiserweight Classic around that time.

[@Dporticus]

Was that WWE?

[@sioeli74]

The Cruiserweight Classic was a tournament that WWE hosted back in 2016 to establish the inaugural champion for the newly revived Crusierweight Championship. It was quite revolutionary at the time as most of the competitors in the CWC were from outside WWE (except for a few NXT talents). Kota Ibushi had already made a name for himself in Japan via DDT/ NJPW promotions so it was pretty surreal to see him and a bunch of other talents enter the tournament. Fun fact: this tournament is what led to Akira Tozawa signing with WWE after his run in Japan

[@prototype27]

@@Dporticus Yes!

[@kevinberge4655]

Chris Jericho - While John Cena was the guy that 1st hooked me with wrestling, Jericho's heel turn in 2008 was what really showed me the layers of storytelling in wrestling and kept me invested through tough years to come. He was the justified villain, calling out Shawn Michaels for his bad behavior, only to become the ultimate hypocrite as he did anything to put himself first.

[@ericerickson4252]

Probably Macho Man Randy Savage. He just jumped of the screen with charisma and in-ring action.

[@HornAndHaloWrestling]

Bray Wyatt not only got me into the wrestling during my initial love of it, but hes also the reason I returned to being a fan of wrestling, R.I.P Bray, still miss you

[@cesarcervantes7597]

For me it's the shield specifically dean ambrose, now Jon moxley even now Seth is my favorite guy currently

[@BatLanterns439]

When I was 10 years old, I found myself staring at my TV watching Triple H's entrance. It was the first time I've ever seen a real life human who looked like him. I genuinely thought he was a super villian. I was terrified by him. I was in awe by him. I was hooked.

[@tristonchristensen6216]

Jeff Hardy got me into wrestling his daredevil ways and his unique look spoke to me. I've always been an odd ball myself and to see him be just himself and be so different inspired me. Jeff Hardy's logo was my first tattoo.

[@RyomaGX]

Jeff Hardy got me into Wrestling back in the 2000s and CM Punk is the reason why I continue to love Wrestling and is a major reason why I'm reinvested into WWE on a daily basis 👏🏾

[@aidinexmachina4232]

For me it was Undertaker. Eventually I quit watching, and Edge's 1st retirement made me come back. Legit cried watching it.

[@tristynsmith6797]

A shoot promo is when a wrestler is speaking out a character The term for The Miz's promo is "Worked shoot". Basically a promo that is presented as if it is a shoot, but is worked out (at some level) ahead of time Really enjoying your content. Wishing you many subscribers in the foreseeable future

[@whattheheckification]

Rey Mysterio got me into wrestling back in 06. Loved his underdog run with the world heavyweight championship, and his high flying style.

[@erisdeception2507]

Simple Answer: The Undertaker. Specifically, The Undertaker vs CM Punk made me in awe of the spectacle of pro wrestling because that's what it is to me at the end of the day, a spectacle. Watching The Undertaker's entrance was like being pulled into something you never know what to expect. It was both scary and thrilling and it was the best feeling ever. Some honorable mentions CM Punk - Undertaker's opponent for the match I mentioned. He was what got me into the technicalities and nuances of wrestling on a regular basis. The promos, in-ring storytelling, and just overall wrestling ability. I was so sad when I found out he left after RR 2014. Then, there was a time when I wasn't watching much wrestling because I kinda thought it was getting boring (around 2015) but in 2016 what got me back was: Dolph Ziggler - that storyline with The Miz made me cry lol, the promo where he puts hid career on the line was incredible. And I've always liked DZ before but by this time, he was like a wrestling God to me. I think people might say that that's overkill but his work during 2016, with Styles, Cena, Miz, etc. was so damn good. Then, for my current favorite wrestler, it has to be: Cody Rhodes - It might be a cop out since he's the most popular but I've been a Cody fan since 2013, the storyline with The Shield was what also got me very hooked. And seeing his growth over the years is incredible. Like, he's the wrestler that got me into Indies wrestling because I watched that match with Kota Ibushi and I was like, there's stuff outside WWE that's actually fire. So, what he's done for the business is so incredible. And finishing the story might be the single greatest moment in the 2020s, and there's a ton of great moments (i.e. returns of Edge and CM Punk, Swerve winning the AEW belt, Sami and KO beating The Usos, etc.) but that "Finish. The. Story." call by Michael Cole is one that will be stuck in my head for decades.

[@victorapolinario2766]

for me it was Jeff Hardy in 2008. I was 9, and seing a super charismatic, colorful, exciting guy doing the stuff he was doing was awesome. He was starting to get a main event push at that time so I think that helped me to feel like I wasnt going to be frustared by liking someone who´s not featured much or was just a jobber.

[@chadbrisco4042]

I started watching in 1996 and the wrestlers that made me fall in love with Wrestling were Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan, Sting, The Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin. It was that two year period from 1996-1997 when I was a child that helped sell me on wrestling. I watched Shawn Michaels win the WWE title at Wrestlemania 12 in 1996, The NWO form in the summer of 1996, Surfer Sting turn into Crow Sting, Stone Cold Steve Austin break into Brian Pillmans house, Bret Hart and Austin's double turn at Wrestlemania 13 and The Undertaker's Rivalry with Kane in 1997 and 1998.

[@hunterwise5156]

Cena, Orton, Batista, Triple H, Stone Cold were the ones that got me into it and kept my attention in later years

[@rantsofafangirl7000]

Rhea and Gunther are thw reason i came back. Im Aussie and my tiktok was FLOODED with Mami that i had to check her out. She is so entertaining Gunther just has an Aura. I love his style and makes me want to watch the matches.

[@MuhammedMahad-oq4te]

Seth was that guy for me personally and still to this day i am so protective of the guy😅 No one can talk shit about seth near me!!

[@G_Rez]

Rhea is an excellent example of a "badass" heel. She comes in, she talks trash, and then she backs it up with skill. She doesn't need to cheat to win, she doesn't run away from challenges, she talks you down and then she beats you down and the heel aspect of her character comes from the fact that the good guys can't get one over on her. More heels should be booked dominantly like that

[@rickykozak58]

The Shield is what hooked me, Undertaker and Bray Wyatt made me really fall in love with wrestling. I loved how larger than life they were

[@JBOwens-wg3qv]

Lyra Valkyria has increased my interest significantly. She has a very unique look, her offense is very unorthodox and she sounds very authentic on microphone. I got in 1990 so there have been a lot of other favorites over years. Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam, Edge, Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin all had me hooked in their primes too.

[@RobboEntertainment]

My first exposure to wrestling in 1998 was 2 VHS tapes my best friend lent me- a HBK one and an Undertaker one. HBK captured my attention with his athleticism and flashiness- both in the ring and with his character. While Taker was an awe-inspiring presence that immediately had my attention. As a result, I've never had an idea in my head that a wrestler should be a certain size or have a certain type of character, because HBK and Taker pretty much ran the spectrum of what a pro wrestler can be. Stone Cold and The Rock captivated me further with their promos and characters. I was so invested in the Austin/McMahon saga, and 1998-2003 Rock was an absolute riot on the mic. Oh, and the flippy move of Seth Rollins that I think you're thinking of is the Phoenix Splash. If you want to see an example of him hitting it- in an awesome match, no less- check out Rollins vs. Cena vs. Lesnar from Royal Rumble 2015.

[@JordanScotland]

Back when I was a child it would be John Cena, Rey Mysterio, Edge, The Undertaker. As a child pretty much any babyface lmao. As an adult, Drew McIntyre brought back my love of wrestling

[@anxofernandez3344]

I started watching in 1990. Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage and the Ultimate Warrior were the top guys but the one who really caught my attention was the Undertaker because he was completely different. He didn't do much in the ring at first, he was slow on purpose, his entrance was simple, he was dark and broody, he barely talked but his aura did the talking.

[@evilangel5498]

Undertaker was the guy who ORIGINALLY got me into wrestling. There truly was just nothing else quite like him, before or since. After he retired, Bray began to fill that role for me until he passed. Other than those two, I think the one that’s most responsible for keeping me invested is Rhea Ripley. She’s a unique talent and truly changes the game for all the female talent and how they can be presented. I was a fan of her even during her NXT and NXTUK days, and seeing just how she’s evolved into the absolute star she is now has been incredible.

[@nadiahassan5307]

Also yes, Seth is amazing. I didn’t know I missed him until he was gone and him coming back was a legit moment of pure joy.

[@catlawyerwilldefendfortrea6038]

Great video!! Love your picks! Gunther and Rhea definitely got me back into WWE. John Cena andLegend Killer Orton were the original guy who got me into WWE as a kid but that love lost steam soon. I'll say what made me love wrestling as an art form was the Adam Hangman Page's storyline, MJF vs CM Punk and Will Osprey

[@arthurcesar7541]

For me it was jeff hardy just by the looks alone, especially in the early 2000 that boy was dripping

[@Rasen-pf9vq]

When I was a kid, I honestly don't think I had a favorite. Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, Rey Mysterio, Austin, Angle, Undetaker, Lesnar. Everyone felt like a megastar. Eventually, CM Punk hooked me back into WWE and got a passionate following. He made me want to be straight edge in high school, and his return would hook me into AEW. When he left, Daniel Bryan became my boy. And when he had to temporarily retire, Bray won me over more than anyone. Bray carried that company on his back for years with his genius character work.In the end, I want to say Bray was the one I became most passionate about. Honorable mention to MJF

[@Optilliam]

Stone cold in 97....he was biggest thing goin on and was for years then legendary fued with the rock

[@EcchiHeroOda]

Mankind got me into wrestling as a child, I watched it a couple times before but when he did those sit down interviews I balled my eyes out then just kept watching it till the cena era, cm punk brought me back in 2011 after seeing the pipe bomb

[@thesobieski5081]

i got really into wrestling when i was 9 and was captivated by the “summer of punk” storyline in 2011. CM Punk was my John Cena growing up.

[@PhatLayCes7825]

It may have been Jericho's Y2J gimmick. He leaped from WCW into the main event scene of WWF. Omg his swagger was up to par with the Rock. And then him, on a random Monday Raw.. defeating Triple H for the title (btw for one night) was huge for me as a teenager.

[@jordanlopez222]

For me RVD got me into wrestling. He's style was so fun and I loved his Rob Van Dam gesture before a frog splash

[@ObiePictures]

Ultimate Warrior and Shawn Michaels HBK when I was a kid. Then I got wayyyy into it with stone cold and undertaker. I only came back this year after about 25 years. Right now Seth Rollins, Drew, tiffy, Bianca…man the list goes on. I love the wealth of talent right now.

[@talkintomenow]

Randy Orton, Triple H, Undertaker got me hooked in an instant. As a kid I thought Randy was a psychopath, but he kept me watching.

[@frostbit17]

When I was little in like 2007 I loved John Cena. But in 2019 when I was completely out of love with wrestling I saw the firefly funhouse and it was everything I loved at the time. Cryptic creepy vignettes. A mystery to be solved. I loved it. Bray Wyatt is the reason I fell back in love with wrestling

[@Heelmanu]

as a Child i thought Rey Mysterio is Spiderman and because of that i started watching Wrestling and Rey was my favourite Wrestler growing up. So because of that i will love Wrestling forever

[@syphoun]

For me, it was AJ Styles that really got me into WWE, bought the gloves and everything in 2018 or 19, and as soon as I found out about NJPW and Bullet Club, I watched as much as I could from AJ being there

[@dpMovies93]

John Cena got me into wrestling back in 2005. I started watching when they were leading up to WrestleMania 21 where he won his first world championship

[@markmorales-smith8100]

The guy who really hooked and kept me into wrestling was probably Shawn Michaels. There were of course others in the early 90s. Undertaker, Razor Ramon etc. But Shawn was the guy who made me a lifelong fan. If you ever get a chance watch the original Ladder Matches between Shawn and Razor. Both are classics.

[@ToMito1017]

Rhea Ripley definitely got me back into wrestling i remember going over to my friends house and he had wrestlemania 39 on tv, and i was like “who’s this mairlyn manson looking girl?, she’e dope!” And from then i was like damn i gotta start watching again

[@Dporticus]

I think she brought a lot of folks into wrestling lol

[@mattyd_15]

My favourite as a kid was John Cena as he really stood out with his fearlessness. Then i got back into WWE in 2021 and got really hooked to NXT/NXT Uk and Ilja Dragunov, Johnny Gargano and lots of the UK talent got me back hooked. Then Roman with the main roster.

[@Lazmarkable]

Short Answer: Favorite was Eddie Guerrero First time i watched WWE Was the leadup to Summerslam 05, That show got me to fall in love with Undertaker, Randy Ortan, Edge, Chris Jericho and Eddie Guerrero at which point i wanted to watch more but we didn't have access to WWE Content at that time, We got access to that just a few weeks before New Year's Resolution and at that point Jericho and Guerrero two of the guys i loved were both no longer in WWE, i felt defeated and wanted to give up on WWE which i was convinced i would do when watching New Year's Resolution(It was kinda garbage) however the Elimination Chamber match on that card with Edge cashing in on John Cena was such a special moment for me because it brought back all that hope at once. Without that moment i may not have been a Wrestling Fan through my childhood.

[@nickholden663]

The first wrestler that got me into wrestling was Shawn Michaels, but the wrestler that got me back into wrestling was Mitsuharu Misawa. I found him off of a recommendation, and I had to find more which lead me to really enjoying more Japanese promotions and learning his history and his unfortunate death in the ring. While I wasn’t watching WWE at the time finding that style of wrestling changed everything for me. I had to find more! And that lead me to where I am today watching any and everything, because I love it so much! Misawa and HBK are my two favorites that really helped shape me as a fan and to just enjoy what you enjoy!

[@wrestlingmemeration771]

I've told the story in the comments before, Bray Wyatt was the guy who got me into wrestling because a video of him attacking Finn Balor as The Fiend appeared in my YT feed. After the main event of Summerslam 2020 I became the hardcore 24/7 fan that I am today. Braun Strowman and Roman were also important to make me stay. Sami also played a part on that because of his conspiracy character at the time and MJF was the reason why I started watching AEW and therefore other companies.

[@AquaMaceEnt]

My top ten favorites are: 1. AJ styles 2. The Miz 3. Shawn Michaels 4. Triple h 5. Seth Rollins 6. Edge 7. Batista 8. Jeff Hardy 9. Randy Orton 10. Bray Wyatt If I had to do an extra 5 honorary mentions they would be 1. Mjf 2. Chris Jericho 3. John Morrison 4. Roman reigns 5. Baron Corbin

[@reeseatkinson5796]

I started watching wwe in 1998 and stopped in 2001. What got me watching again in 2022 was Cody Rhodes. I resonate with him on a personal level as far as trying not to live in your successful father’s shadow. The way he left and made a name for himself and just plowed through all the adversity was very inspiring to me. Stone cold will always be my #1 tho

[@admcomet8193]

For me it was Cena and Big E. Those two brought me in when they faced the shield with mark henry. Those three matches were what made me say "oh i get it now".

[@TheNeonParadox]

The first thing I remember seeing was Hogan VS Iron Sheik, but the person who really got me into it was Mr. Perfect. I found out he graduated from the high school in my area, so I started rooting for him even though he was a heel. I later found out his graduating class included like four other future hall of famers.

[@EchoMaaaan]

I'm an old head, so I started watching during the golden age. It was Hulk Hogan. Saying your prayers eating your vitamins, no selling shtick. Next was The Ultimate Warrior because he was a comic book character come to life. Then Stone Cold Steve Austin. He was the "every man". Flipping the bird to his boss and drinking beer which every average jow wants to do.

[@RubexCube1]

I've been watching since the 80s. I would say it's gotta be Hogan. He was so different than everything else in the real world and on TV. Real American is such an underrated theme

[@killswitchaaron6959]

The first match I watched front to back was Rey Mysterio's Royal Rumble win so Rey will always have a special place in my heart as my first wrestling hero. Jeff Hardy was what kept me around though

[@Finalwolfe]

Rey Mysterio for sure got me in as a kid, Cody Rhodes got me reinvested after not watching for a lot of the 2010s.

[@robecoyote9136]

I've had two phases of loving wrestling, though I've on and off watched ever since the 80s. But only two times where I *really* got into it for a prolonged period. First was the attitude era, during which I just plain adored the high flying 'madmen'. Started with the Hardy Boys and Lita, as they were pretty much embodying my own personal aesthetic at the time (And I was, and still do, crush on Lita). Something about the high octane, mad flying got me, so loved them along with wrestlers like RVD, Rey Mysterio, Tajiri and Shane Mcmahon. I think it was the vicarious enjoyment of people taking insane risks. It was sheer craziness. I then fell out of love for a long time when the Attitude Era ended. The riskiness just seemed to evaporate (and to be honest, rightfully so, nobody should take risks like they did for entertainment, even though I loved it). So, a long break. Years went by, I changed, wrestling changed. And then, I came to appreciate character. Bray Wyatt. Hot. Freaking. Damn. I don't think I need to explain why I loved Bray, in all his incarnations. Windham Rotunda was a genius who never got the full follow through support he should have during his time. He elevated not just himself, but everyone involved with him (I adored Alexa Bliss when she was involved with him, and hope she returns to that gimmick as I feel it was her absolute best work, though much like Bray, wasn't properly supported with it). He is, and will be forever, missed deeply Bo (Taylor) is doing him proud, right now, and seemingly finally getting the proper support that Bray should have had when he was here, so I have high hopes even though it's early days... but it's heartbreaking to imagine just how incredible it could have been with him still here.

[@danialamirghahari5525]

The one who really made me fall in love with professional wrestling was Prime Cena. I always thought to him as some sort of superhero who was invincible

[@GeekOfArabia]

The guys that were formative in my wrestling fandom are Bret "Hitman" Hart and the Undertaker. I have been watching since rhe early 90s, and Bret's in ring acumen and the Undertaker's entire character was captivating to me, even the silly spooky side.

[@dad9466]

It’s a non wrestler but Pat McAfee got me really invested into wrestling. I watched as a kid and Roman was my favorite

[@lightningstorm2100]

Bray Wyatt was the first wrestler I ever saw and I was blown away from that very moment, I’ll say who kept me engaged after my introduction was Seth Rollins, started watching in January 2015

[@Xander_Vos]

A friend of mine started watching wrestling last year with Summerslam, started talking about it around me and I somehow ended up on the Tiktok algorithm for Cody Rhodes. My first Raw was Jey coming back and my first PLE I watched was Fastlane. There are so many different storylines from NXT, Raw and Smackdown that have me tuning in every week but my favorites are Cody, Jey, Drew, Tiffany, Bianca and believe it or not Dominic (he's such a great heel and his turn is going to be epic!)

[@mysterioqbeck]

I first got into wrestling back in the 90's and Mankind aka Mick Foley was who hooked me. But I lost touch with it for about 20 years and rediscovered my love for it about 6 months ago as I was curious about John Cena after watching Peacemaker. I did some catch up, watched a bunch of matches and who kept me interested most was The Miz and now he's my favourite. The Miz is consistently entertaining and his dedication and love for wrestling is to be admired. I'm glad that you acknowledged him here! Great video and keep up the good work here on the channel!

[@Dporticus]

Thank you!

[@McWigan]

Originally, John Cena. Was the start of his World Title runs and he and Edge were so interesting to me. After I took a break from wrestling, Seth Rollins MITB cash in dragged me back in. I had to go back to learn about Daniel Bryan, The Shield, The Wyatts, but Seth's entire performance at that Wrestlemania got me interested in the storytelling of wrestling again.

[@Algo1]

Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero winning the big titles in 04' and 05', also Rey Mysterio. They got me hooked. Then Undertaker made me come back every year for Wrestlemania, regardless of the product. I guess you could say Cody Rhodes, The Rock, Roman Reigns and *Seth Rollins* took me back.

[@terancecollins3693]

John Cena was cutting a promo against Sheamus, and I said "Yeah, I'm here to stay." Then after a few years, The Shield and Roman Reigns in particular. I stayed with him, didn't boo once. He's was my fave after Cena, and then everyone jumped on his bandwagon when Bloodline took off, and because of that character he's my number one, now. Hope this makes sense

[@MilkyWayGrump]

Im so sad that I only got into wrestling after Bray Wyatt's passing because his Fiend stuff seems like it would have been EXACTLY up my alley. Glad that Uncle Howdy seems to be angling towards bringing that back.

[@d_b_beermann]

As a kid in the early 90's I watched with swedish commentary, one of those guys could make anyone believe this is real. Then I fell off the wagon and climbed back on in 2008, Miz and Kofi caught me.

[@chiefJayOG]

Undertaker got me into wrestling, and Bray Wyatt re-sparked my love for it

[@VSYonDemand]

I've been Watching for almost my entire life, however within the last 5 or so years, I've gotten super into it to the point of wanting to work towards actually becoming a Pro Wrestler. It's hard to name just one but I could name the first to do it. Kofi Kingston, the KofiMania storyline from 2019 had me emotionally invested, Through The New Day's lows and the Highest of Highs at Wrestlemania 35 when Kofi Kingston won the WWE Championship.