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It might be the pretty wrestlers that make it to the top and be on pay-per-view posters, but a WWE roster will never be complete without the addition of some intimidating superstars. Over the rich history of the company, Vince McMahon has used the size and aura of such superstars to the maximum and most of the times he yielded profit as well.The intimidation factor usually makes these superstars into great heels in between the ropes and instead of attracting only hate from the fans, what they attract is a mixture of fear and dislike.WWE is going to continue this formula of building up intimidating guys in the roster and let’s take some time out and look at some of the best ones from the lot.
#10 Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar is naturally intimidating. He doesn’t need a gimmick to scare people like most of the other superstars in the list. Lesnar’s physique is what helps him the most. He has some sheer power in his favor and at the same time comes along with a badass attitude of not caring about anyone.
Thanks to the lack of microphone skills that he has, Lesnar most of the times spoke volumes with his actions and added another layer of complexity to the image. The current WWE World Heavyweight champion further boosted his resume when he defeated Undertaker at WrestleMania 30 and proved that the Phenom is a mere mortal.
#9 Batista
Before the fans started seeing Batista as a joke due to his recent botched run, he was considered as a legitimate threat in between the ropes. He was most effective during his run with the Evolution and was the muscle of the faction.
There were instances of Batista choking out superstars so much that they’ll bleed from mouth for selling the angle. The face turn didn’t take the sting out of Batista’s career as he managed to build himself as an intimidating baby face. After numerous Championship wins, Batista took a break from the wrestling business and when he returned, we all know how that turned out to be.
#8 Goldberg
Goldberg might be an extremely over rated wrestler but he did have the physique to intimidate the fans. Picked up from the College football scene, the brilliance of WCW creative team morphed Goldberg into an unstoppable monster despite having limited wrestling skills.
His winning streak in WCW was crucial for the same and all of a sudden Goldberg turned into a dominating monster. He had high profile feuds and matches during his WCW stay but once Goldberg reached WWE, he was running on fumes. His well-documented lack of love for the business soon caused chaos for everyone and Goldberg decided that it was best for him to stay away.
#7 Luke Harper
It is easy to include Bray Wyatt into this list, but since Bray connects with the fans through his microphone work, it is Luke Harper who fits in better into the category. With a ring gear that looks ages old, a beard that hasn’t seen blade and an unorthodox in-ring style, Harper is a mysterious superstar.
He is not a big talker like Bray and it makes it hard for the fans to understand him. And it is a human nature to be intimidated by the things we don’t know about. Harper has some insane wrestling skills for a man of his size and with the right push; he could make it to places.
#6 Vader
Vader belongs to the list of most underrated superstars. Though Vader had a big frame, he had an impressive agility in between the ropes which in turn made him a very valuable asset on the roster. Vader however didn’t win any championship in WWE but did win three WCW championships during his stay in WCW.
The feuds he had with Mick Foley, Shawn Michaels and Undertaker are the most memorable ones and in all of them, Vader knew how to intimidate the fans. The giant guy who squashed everyone in his path will also be remembered for the mask he wore as it was something different from the things WWE tried back in the days.
#5 Umaga
Umaga’s wrestling career came to an early ending due to his death but he did leave a mark behind. Umaga had an impressive main event run at one point and he was headlining pay-per-views alongside the likes of John Cena and Batista.
What made Umaga a good heel was his gimmick. It was that off a wild Samoan who cared nothing about his opponent and didn’t even utter a proper word in English. The size was there and the face paint made him more intimidating. Umaga probably had some more years in him if it wasn’t for his untimely death and just like all the other superstars, it will remain as a ‘what if’ scenario.
#4 Big Show
The World’s largest athlete is one of the hottest topics for troll pages thanks to his never ending turns. Big Show would be a babyface at one time and after a five minute toilet break he would be a heel.
As a heel, Show had some memorable outings in the past. Before the company came up with the whole ‘full of turns’ thing for him, Show was a credible threat to the superstars out there. He has had some solid feuds with top baby faces and the most intimidating days of Show’s career came during his WCW days.
Under the name ‘Giant’, Big Show had a heel gimmick that was designed around his size and it helped Show to establish himself in the business. It is a bit sad to see Show’s talent being wasted at the moment.
#3 Kane
The new fans of WWE might only know Kane as a suited authority figure who loses almost all his matches. But back in his prime, Kane was one of the most intimidating superstars in the company.
With his red mask and imposing physique, Kane had a dominating run in the WWE and even after he removed his mask, Kane scared the hell out of most people. These along with the whole backstory that he had, made him an original. Kane’s career was derailed with the comedic acts and Authority angle he got involved in and all of a sudden, the intimidating Kane we knew was a blast from the past and nothing more.
#2 Andre The Giant
The legendary Andre the Giant was probably the company’s first mainstream intimidating superstar. He was a drawing name when Vince McMahon went ahead with the idea of WrestleMania and breaking the territory walls. The pure size and in ring charisma made Andre an important player for the WWE and the storylines came along easily.
The iconic WrestleMania 3 match between Hulk Hogan and Andre wouldn’t have been iconic if it wasn’t for Andre’s intimidating size and this is just one of the many instances throughout his career. Andre’s memory will live on for the years to come and the Andre the Giant Battle Royal will be the next stop for fans to remember him.
#1 Undertaker
Undertaker is arguably the most intimidating superstar in WWE’s history. Taker was one of those rare breeds of intimidating superstars who had the wrestling skills, size, promo skills and the gimmick in perfect synchronization.
The dead man gimmick looked tailor made for Taker and though most of his supernatural powers were a bit unbelievable, the fans came back for more from the Phenom. The entire WrestleMania streak also helped to build up the intimidating figure of Taker and as he is ready to make his return at WrestleMania 31, the fans will have another opportunity to stand up and appreciate the legend.
