HONORABLE MENTION

There have literally been hundreds of wrestlers that have had a huge influence on impacting the WWE. It might be in the ring or on the mic, but several other wrestlers have helped shape WWE as we know it today.
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Dusty Rhodes was in charge of booking a lot of the matches in WCW in the 80s. His clout in the wrestling world then was so much that his main rival, Vince McMahon, named 'the Million Dollar Man' Ted Dibiase' servant, Virgil after Dusty (Rhodes' real name was Virgil Runnels).
Dusty eventually came to WWE but was more impactful for knocking the stereotype that wrestlers had to be ripped and gorgeous.
'The American Dream' was also extremely important to the formation of NXT and almost any wrestler to pass through it during Dusty's time there was impacted by him.
'Rowdy' Roddy Piper may not have been the most jacked or best in-ring technician, but man, could he spin a yarn on the mic. During his 'Piper's Pit' segments, he'd run down people like Jimmy Snuka, Sammartino and even Morton Downey, Jr.
It can be said this show was the predecessor to modern-day incarnations like Chris Jericho's 'Highlight Reel,' Edge's 'the Cutting Edge,' Christian's 'Peep Show,' the Miz's 'MizTV' or 'the Kevin Owens Show'.
And a more recent impact of Piper's influence on wresting is that of Ronda Rousey. She was a huge fan of his as a child and now carries on his legacy in the ring.
'Macho Man' Randy Savage was so well known for his gravelly voice and top-rope elbow. He was one of the first well-known in-ring technicians. It was said that a match with him was hard to have because he liked to telegraph and plan out the entire match before hand.
He was one of the many beloved superstars of the eighties and nineties. Savage was involved in memorable storylines like the Mega Powers exploding and his whole run as Macho King. His return to face and relationship with Miss Elizabeth, whether it was or wasn't in reality, was a bright and heartwarming moment when they reunited.
Sting was so important to WWE as one of its main rivals. He was literally the franchise and top face of WCW for much of the 80s and 90s. His feuds with Flair, Lex Luger, Hogan and the NWO and Vader solidified his spot as a bonafide hero in WCW.
When WCW went out of business in the early 2000s, he was one of the few WCW wrestlers to never lace up the boots for Vince.
He signified not 'sellling out' to the competitor and eventually became one of the cornerstones of TNA.
He eventually did join McMahon in 2014 as one of the most anticipated signings in WWE history.
Mick Foley signified the 'every-man' type of wrestler. He was a fan as a child and teenager and made a career out of his childhood dream.
Although not a beautiful or stunning specimen, Foley was so wonderful at his craft that he created not one but four memorable characters.
Mankind was the twisted, sadistic hardcore icon that helped define the violence of the Attitude Era. Watching him fall through the Hell in a Cell structure was simply hard to watch.
Then there were Dude Love, what appeared to be his teenage creation, who was a fun and free loving 'heartthrob'. Cactus Jack was a no b.s. straight-forward hardcore wrestler.
And then there was the most important man, Foley himself. He'd wrestle in a plaid shirt and sweatpants, but it was hard to ever root against him. He represented the fact that anyone, given enough passion and drive, could one day be a professional wrestler.
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