Throughout the long and illustrious history of World Wrestling Entertainment, many superstars have come and gone through the company’s revolving door. Some have been a quick flash in the pan, meanwhile, others have stuck it out and managed to turn themselves into legends of the industry both on and off screen.
Of course, that kind of thing doesn’t happen every day, and it takes years of hard work. It sounds strenuous, but the level of respect from your peers that comes with that dedication is more than worth the long hours and trips down the road. Yes, before you ask, these names are all incredibly notable.
Earning respect in the locker room is no easy task, which is something that many names both past and present had admitted during various interviews. Sometimes one mistake can lead to a bad reputation and other times you may just not be a great person, but in the case of these five warriors, they seemed to do everything right when it came to clawing their way to the top – for the most part.
So with all of that being said, it’s time to run down the five most respected WWE superstars – oh, and they’re all still with the company in one way or another.
#1 Kane
When you’re as kind hearted and easy going as Glenn Jacobs, it’s hard not to be universally respected. Kane has been a part of the WWE family for nearly two decades now, which means that nobody should be surprised when we tell you that he’s one of the most appreciated guys in the back to this day.
Many superstars always reference him in the media when it comes to the good guys in the business, with most claiming that the matches with him are always incredibly fun. While The Big Red Machine is now moving away from the industry and into politics, we’ll never forget his many years of hard work and dedication.
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#2 Daniel Bryan
For a long time WWE didn’t give opportunities to the guys in the back who were adored by the WWE Universe, mainly due to their size or out of sheer stubbornness – but then Daniel Bryan came along and changed all that. The leader of the Yes Movement opened the door for a wave of new talent to come into the company, and he made it look so easy.
Bryan is adored backstage by pretty much everybody, with his charming personality only being exceeded by his sensational work ethic inside the squared circle. He may not be the biggest, and he may not be the baddest, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a single superstar who can say a bad word about The American Dragon.
#3 John Cena
John Cena is the face that runs the place, even if that face occasionally goes away to shoot movies and television shows. Big Match John has been running the show in WWE for well over a decade now, and his unbelievable work ethic is something that even the most cynical of superstars – we’re talking to you CM Punk – can appreciate.
With over 500 Make-A-Wishes and several Match of the Year candidates to his name, Cena has carried the torch for WWE in ways that few people could’ve possibly imagined when he first debuted back in 2002. You may not like his personality all too much, but you damn sure better respect how hard the man works.
#4 Triple H
Much like Cena, this one isn’t necessarily down to personality. At the end of the day, you don’t need to be loved to be respected because those two things are completely different ideologies. In Triple H’s case, his many years of service are outweighed by his phenomenal work down in NXT.
Since taking over the developmental brand, The Game has transformed NXT into an institution that has housed some of the greatest independent wrestlers of our generation. He has given opportunity after opportunity to numerous superstars who previously thought they didn’t have a chance of reaching the big time, and he’s done it all willingly.
#5 The Undertaker
From the endless stories about wrestler’s court to his 25+ years of service to WWE, it’s no surprise that The Undertaker is the headline name on this list. The Deadman managed to take a gimmick that would’ve failed in the hands of anyone else and made it work, to the point where he is most certainly one of the most important superstars in the history of the company.
Taker led the locker room for years and years on end, which included settling disputes and generally being there for anyone who needed a helping hand. He’s an icon of this business as a whole, and there is no way on this planet that Vince McMahon will ever be able to thank Taker enough for what he’s done for him.
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