6 Best pure athletes in modern day WWE roster

There has been, and probably always will be, much debate about whether there is favouritism shown towards wrestlers who are "bigger" in size, when it comes to assuming the mantle of the face of the WWE. Andre The Giant, Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Brock Lesnar and John Cena, to list the sequence of superstars who bore the mantle with temporal accuracy.Despite this, the wrestler who fits the 'underdog' tag, both in physique and how he is portrayed in WWE programming, has always thrived, survived and managed to capture the fancy of the audience with shows of athleticism that seize a beat in the heart of the viewer. Over the years, wrestlers who are smaller in size, but arguably more than make up for it with their intensity, physical ability and heart, have grown in number amongst the WWE ranks.Today's roster contains many such superstars, and their fast-paced, well-constructed and atheletic brand of showmanship has meshed itself into the very heart of the WWE product. However, atheleticism and agility in the ring are not traits that are merely confined to wrestlers who lack in bulk, and is also possessed in equal measure by some of the 'heavyweights' in the industry.That being said, the following is a list of wrestlers who epitomize the growing trend of athleticism in the WWE today, and have strongly influenced the in-ring showmanship element of the WWE in the past few years.

#1 Seth Rollins

It is note-worthy that the WWE has chosen to entrust the WWE World Heavyweight Title with Seth Rollins while they possibly wait for an opportune moment to kickstart the Roman Era. It is a richly deserved reward for the man who has impressed one and all with his in-ring and microphone skills, every since The Shield parted ways. Arguably, Seth Rollins has come on the furthest as a singles competitor when compared to his ex-Shield brethren.

Seth Rollins stole the show at Royal Rumble, with his triple threat match against John Cena and Brock Lesnar, and also worked a solid match against Randy Orton at Wrestlemania. His ability to constantly rub shoulders with the best that WWE has to offer surely points towards a long an successful career, that he would hope, mirrors the exploits of a certain Mr. Wrestlemania, for the budding similarities are there for all to see.

#2 Randy Orton

The Viper, Randy Orton, has been a constant and consistent source of in-ring excellence for the past decade. His matches are gripped by tempered pulses and bursts of energy, that are extremely well choreographed and well executed.

His athletic ability is evident for all to witness, if not purely for the supreme assuredness with which he executes innovative spots while nailing the RKO on unsuspecting opponents, then surely considering the picture perfect drop kicks and off the top-rope body splashes that formed a more active part of his move repertoire` in his early days.

Randy Orton’s in-ring performances always convey conviction, with his athletic ability crowning the cherry atop the cake, allowing him to pull off jaw-dropping RKO spots continually over the years. Here’s to the “RKO outta Nowhere!” and it’s continued prominence in the WWE!

#3 Dolph Ziggler

“It’s too bad, I’m too good” reads the self-advertising t-shirt that Dolph Ziggler sports, but many in the IWC would be inclined to agree with him. Dolph Ziggler has been an “Internet Darling” for quite a period of time now, and that has a lot to do with his ability to “sell” for other wrestlers, convincingly.

His in-ring work has been commendably consistent for a number of years now and it is quite the puzzle to many, why the WWE does not grant Ziggler the elevation that he has earned. Ziggler sets a fast pace in his matches and this is in keeping with the changing trend in the kind of matches audience appreciate nowadays.

With the in-ring fighting style also branching out towards pure striking and kicking, rather than the technical in-ring wrestling style that predominantly characterised yester-year WWE, Dolph Ziggler has carved a niche for himself in the hearts of the audience with his all-action style and sheer athletic ability.

#4 Neville

We can all agree that this NXT graduate from England is a breath of fresh air. His high-flying ability and agility in the ring is Luchador-like while his stocky physique only furthers the disbelief at his feats. Neville has already faced-off against John Cena, Seth Rollins and Dolph Ziggler; with all matches providing ample entertainment despite yielding predictable results.

Neville’s finishing move, the Red Arrow, which in actuality is a corkscrew shooting star press off the top rope, is coupled with other gravity defying spots like standing moonsaults, moonsaults off the barricades and repeated backflips across the ring.

While Neville is currently being “shown the ropes” by established superstars, it is conceivable that the WWE is banking on him becoming a pronounced success, and possibly a symbol for the type of new talent that they want to recruit, going forward. Gravity would probably be the only entity that forgets Neville if he maintains this level of showmanship in the days to come.

#5 Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar, or “The Beast Incarnate” as Paul Heyman sometimes deferentially refers to him, is the single most awe-inspiring athlete that the WWE possesses today. His in-ring intensity tells a story of its own while his punishing move-set is rendered with such ferocity and capability that Brock Lesnar has to be viewed as nothing short of a physical specimen, or super-athlete.

His athleticism had come to the fore from a young age, aiding him in his now-completed quest for becoming the first man to achieve the unprecedented treble of holding the NCAA, WWE and UFC Heavyweight Championship Belts. Although Brock Lesnar only wrestles a limited and seeming restful schedule than compared to the other wrestlers, his in-ring performances have afforded him the leeway to get away with his credibility despite doing so.

To a wrestler’s in-ring ability, could there be a greater ode than that?

#6 Daniel Bryan

“The Flying Goat” is possibly the most “over” superstar with the audience in the WWE currently. Daniel Bryan’s in-ring acumen, like his heart and beard, is generously proportioned, often leading to matches that “steal the show”. His stamina and speed are apparent in the undeterred intensity he displays in his matches, with the audience also appreciating the convoluted submission moves that he masterfully executes.

Daniel Bryan has earned the right to be the ‘benchmark’ guy in the WWE that he now is, confirmed by WWE’s attempt to engineer a more positive audience reaction for Roman Reigns by having the two wrestle each other at Fastlane. Although Bryan is being kept out of TV programming for a precautionary period of time, it is highly likely that audiences worldwide will soon be able to enjoy WWE’s master grappler at his athletic best yet again.