Famous 20th Century Wrestlers

A renowned former wrestler with numerous titles under his belt, Dwayne Johnson initially wanted to be a football player but an injury turned him towards wrestling. He soon entered the world of acting, experienced phenomenal success in television and films and became the highest earning male actor in the world.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, The Undertaker is currently signed to WWE. In a career spanning over three decades, he has clinched the world heavyweight championship seven times. He has appeared in a few films and TV shows as well. In 2004, he was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.

André the Giant was one of the most popular French wrestlers ever to appear in WWF. He stood over seven feet tall due to a condition aptly called gigantism, but used his condition to gain popularity. Also an actor, André the Giant continues to be one of the most recognizable faces in the world, several years after his death.

Former American professional wrestler Hulk Hogan had a very successful career from the 1970s to the 2010s and won many championships. He has also acted in several movies. However, he has been accused of being a racist and a homophobic and a leaked sex tape involving him created quite a stir.

Professional wrestler and former football player. Bill Goldberg, is currently signed to WWE on a part-time deal. A very popular figure in the late 1990s/early 2000s, he has wrestled for many promotions and is best known for his stint with World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Also an actor, he has appeared in numerous films and TV shows.  

Olympic gold-medal-winning wrestler Kurt Angle is a 13-time world champion. He became a Triple Crown champion and a Grand Slam champion with WWE before joining TNA. He has been named to the WWE, the TNA, and the International Sports Halls of Fame. He has also participated in Japanese wrestling championships.

Eddie Guerrero was an American professional wrestler. At the time of his death at age 38, Guerrero left a legacy and impact as one of the most beloved wrestlers and an inspiration to several future wrestlers. Considered one of the greatest in-ring performers ever, Guerrero was renowned for his technical skills and ability to entertain the audience with his gimmicks.

Canadian professional wrestler, amateur boxer, and actor, Roddy Piper, is best remembered for his work with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).  He headlined multiple PPV events and hosted the popular WWF interview segment Piper's Pit. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He also appeared in a few films and TV shows.

Big Show is a professional wrestler. Known for his large frame and athleticism, Show is one of the most popular WWE wrestlers of all time. He has won several world championships in WWE. Big Show's large frame is attributed to a condition called acromegaly, which he used to his advantage and established himself in the wrestling world.

Johnny Knoxville is an actor, filmmaker, and stunt performer. He is credited with owning and operating Dickhouse Productions, which produces films and documentaries. Johnny Knoxville is also credited with co-creating the popular MTV reality show Jackass. 

The father of former WWE wrestler and actor Dwayne Johnson, Rocky Johnson was a popular Canadian professional wrestler. He was the first black wrestler to win the Georgia Heavyweight Championship. He inspired several popular wrestlers, such as The Rock. He is also credited with helping wrestlers like Hulk Hogan establish themselves in the wrestling world.

Bret Hart is a Canadian-American former professional wrestler. Regarded as one of the all-time greats, Bret Hart was one of the most popular and important WWF wrestlers during the promotion's New Generation Era. In 1996, he was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. He is amongst the seven people who have entered the WWE Hall of Fame twice. 

Born into the illustrious Arquette family, David Arquette is a multitalented personality. As an actor, he grabbed limelight with the Scream film series and other films like Never Been Kissed, Bone Tomahawk and the web series Cleaners. Apart from acting, he has also ventured into direction, production and screen writing. Arquette has also won WCW World Heavyweight Championship’ title in 2000.

Mick Foley is an American author, actor, and retired professional wrestler. Widely considered one of the greatest WWE wrestlers of all time, Foley played an important role in popularizing WWE's Attitude Era during the late-1990s. Also a well-known humanitarian, Foley's philanthropic work is centered around children; he often participates in Make-a-Wish Foundation events and makes surprise visits to children’s hospitals.

WWF legend James Hellwig was better known as The Ultimate Warrior and the Dingo Warrior and won the WWF Heavyweight Championship once and the Intercontinental Championship twice. Following his retirement, he became a public speaker. Shortly before his death, he was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame.

Former professional wrestler, Dave Bautista, is a four time World Heavyweight Champion and two time WWE Champion. The WWE legend has also ventured in the entertainment industry and proved his acting capabilities with blockbuster movies like Guardians of the Galaxy film series and Avengers: Infinity War. His other notable films include House of the Rising Sun and Blade Runner 2049.

Scott Hall is an American retired wrestler best known for his association with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where he is popularly known as Razor Ramon. Apart from his several championship reigns in WWE, Scott Hall is also renowned for being an original member of the New World Order, one of the most popular stables in the history of professional wrestling.

Chuck Liddell is a retired mixed martial artist. He participated in 23 fights in the UFC and is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He is widely credited with bringing MMA into mainstream American entertainment. He was featured on the cover of ESPN The Magazine in 2007. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2009. 

Kenny Omega is the ring name of Tyson Smith, a Canadian-born professional wrestler. He had a successful tenure in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) after which he joined All Elite Wrestling (AEW), in which he is an executive vice president as well. He also appears in Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide and Impact Wrestling. He considers himself straight edge. 

Often regarded as one of the best wrestlers of all time, Chris Benoit was known for putting his body on the line to create a greater impact than most of his fellow wrestlers. One of his popular moves, a diving headbutt, was cited as one of the reasons for his deteriorating mental health that eventually resulted in his suicide.

Randy Couture is a former U.S. Army sergeant and retired mixed martial artist. He currently works as an actor. He began his career as an army man and later turned to mixed martial arts. In this field, he was a three-time UFC Heavyweight Champion. After quitting UFC, he became an actor and starred in the hit film The Hard Way. 

Curt Hennig was an American wrestler and color commentator. The father of modern-day wrestler Curtis Axel, Hennig performed for various promotions, including the World Wrestling Federation, American Wrestling Association, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling. Credited for raising the bar of technical wrestling in WWE, Curt Hennig was made an inductee of WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.

Rick Rude was an American wrestler who performed for several promotions, such as World Wrestling Federation (WWF/WWE), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). Although he never won the WWE Championship, Rick Rude is often regarded as one of the best WWE wrestlers of his generation. In 2017, he was inducted posthumously into the WWE Hall of Fame.