Famous 21st 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.

One of the biggest WWE stars of all time, John Cena has bagged 25 championships, with 16 reigns as a world champion since his professional career began two decades back. Apart from wrestling, Cena has also carved a career as an actor and rapper. His significant projects include films The Marine, Trainwreck and Sisters and rap album You Can't See Me.

The current WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns, is one of the most popular WWE superstars of the current generation. After battling leukemia for 11 years, Reigns announced that he would take an indefinite break to receive treatment. He made a comeback in 2019 and went on to reestablish his position as a popular champion.

A professional WWE wrestler, Ronda Rousey was the first UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion and also the first woman to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Earlier, she became the first US woman to win an Olympic medal in judo. Amongst the greatest female MMA fighter, Ronda has also appeared in films like The Expendables 3 and Furious 7.

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.

Former American professional wrestler, Hulk Hogan, is one of the best-known wrestlers in the world. He 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.

Often considered the best wrestler in North America, Triple H played an important role in the World Wrestling Federation's Attitude Era as part of the influential D-Generation X stable. From being a professional wrestler, he went on to become a part of WWE's management team after marrying CEO Vince McMahon's daughter Stephanie. Triple H is a WWE Hall of Famer. 

One of the most popular female WWE wrestlers of the current generation, Sasha Banks was named the top black wrestler in a list titled BW 500 in 2020. A celebrated wrestler, she was involved in the first Iron Woman match, first women's WWE pay-per-view event, and first women's Hell in a Cell match.

Randy Orton is an American professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers ever, Orton has 14 world championship victories under his belt, only behind Ric Flair and John Cena. His bad boy image and distinctive wrestling style have inspired several young wrestlers all over the world.

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.

Stephanie McMahon is an American businesswoman. As the chief brand officer of WWE, McMahon contributes immensely to the development of the entertainment company. Also a popular wrestling personality, she often appears on WWE's SmackDown and Raw brands. She is considered one of the most powerful women in wrestling business around the world.

Retired professional wrestler, actor, and television presenter, Shawn Michaels, is regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers in history. He is a four-time world champion and two-time Royal Rumble winner. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice. Besides wrestling, he has appeared in a few films and TV shows.

Daniel Bryan is a professional wrestler. He is one of the most recognized WWE wrestlers of the current generation and is credited with starting the Yes Movement. A self-proclaimed vegan-turned-vegetarian, Daniel Bryan was honored with PETA's Libby Award under the Most Animal-Friendly Athlete category. Bryan is also a self-described environmentalist.

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.

Jeff Hardy is a professional wrestler. Best known for his tag team partnership with real-life brother Matt in WWE, Hardy has also achieved success as a singles wrestler. He is popular for his daredevil stunts and is often described as a death-defying and high-flying performer. Also a musician, Jeff Hardy is credited with forming a rock band called PeroxWhy?gen.

Widely considered one of the most athletic competitors ever in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Yoel Romero is often compared with the greats of the sport. A former freestyle wrestler, Romero earned Cuba a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Mike Mizanin, popularly known as The Miz, is an American actor, media personality, and professional wrestler. Over the years, he has been an important wrestler for WWE. He has held several WWE championships, such as the Intercontinental Championship, United States Championship, and Tag Team Championship. As an actor, he is popular for playing Jake Carter in the Marine film series.

Bayley is an American professional wrestler. Currently, she is one of the most important female members of WWE. She has won several WWE championship titles, such as Raw Women's Championship and SmackDown Women's Championship. Renowned for her tag team partnership with Sasha Banks, Bayley has also won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship along with Banks.

CM Punk is an American retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. CM Punk is one of the first independent wrestlers to have achieved tremendous success in WWE; his success served as a precedent for other independent wrestlers. Over the years, CM Punk has influenced and inspired popular wrestlers like Seth Rollins, Adam Cole, and Rhea Ripley.

Irish wrestler Fergal Devitt performs as Finn Bálor for the NXT brand under WWE. He has won titles such as the NXT Championship, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. Also known as Prince Devitt, he co-founded NWA Ireland, his own promotion.

 Amy Dumas (Lita) is an animal welfare activist, singer, and retired professional wrestler. Beginning her career as a wrestler, she was a full-time wrestler with WWE for a few years. After her retirement, she embarked on her second career as a singer and founded the punk rock band, The Luchagors. She is a dedicated animal lover as well.

Brie Bella is an American entrepreneur, TV personality, and retired professional wrestler. One half of the popular wrestling duo The Bella Twins, Brie Bella often appeared in WWE alongside her twin sister, Nikki Bella. Brie Bella became one of the main wrestlers who helped develop the Women's Revolution movement in WWE.

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.

Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese wrestler best known for appearing in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where he has won several championships, such as the Intercontinental Championship, United States Championship, and SmackDown Tag Team Championship. In 2016, Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine named him the Most Popular Wrestler of the Year. He is also known for his association with New Japan Pro-Wrestling. 

Natalya Neidhart is a Canadian-American wrestler and columnist. She is best known for her appearances in WWE, where she is one of the most important members of the women's division. She is the first female wrestler to hold both the SmackDown Women's Championship and the Divas Championship in the history of WWE.

Matt Hardy is an American wrestler best known for his appearances in WWE where he was part of the famous tag team, The Hardy Boyz, with his real-life brother Jeff. One of the most popular WWE wrestlers of all time, Hardy has held various championships, such as the United States Championship and Tag Team Championship.

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.

Canadian fitness model and former wrestler Trish Stratus is known for her stint with WWF (later renamed WWE). The Diva of the Decade and three-time WWE Babe of the Year has also been a WWE Hardcore Champion. She also became the first female to earn the Lou Thesz Award.

A multi-faceted personality, Brock Lesnar has had successful careers in the field of wrestling, mixed martial arts, and football. Best known for his wrestling career, Brock is widely considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers ever. Brock, who has had an equally successful MMA career, is the only person in history to hold a WWE world championship and UFC championship.

Retired professional wrestler, Nikki Bella, is a two time WWE Divas Champion whose second win lasted for a record time. Earlier, along with her twin sister, she formed a popular tag team and entered the WWE. The sisters have also appeared in reality television show Total Divas and Total Bellas, launched their own YouTube channel, Podcast and ventured into business.

Mark Henry is an American powerlifter, strongman, Olympic weightlifter, and retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearance in WWE, where he was often referred to as the world's strongest man. In 2018, he was made an inductee to the WWE Hall of Fame. A three-time USA National Weightlifting Champion, Henry holds several weightlifting records.

Maria Menounos began her career with a win at the Miss Massachussetts Teen USA pageant. At 22, she became the youngest person to co-host Entertainment Tonight. Currently the CEO of AfterBuzz TV, she has also been a professional wrestler and has penned several self-help books. She also supports many charitable initiatives.