Everything is bigger in Texas.
Texas has always been a famous hotbed for professional wrestling. During the 1980’s in the pro wrestling world, Dallas was home to the highly successful World Class Championship Wrestling. The Von Erichs were extremely popular and they helped sell out the Dallas Cowboys Stadium for WCCW’s major shows. Texas was the place to be for wrestling.
It should come as no surprise then that with its long pro wrestling roots that Texas would produce some amazing WWE stars. This was certainly a difficult list to produce with a dozens famous stars from the Lone Star State.
With that in mind, I give you the top five WWE Superstars from Texas:
#5 Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes might have been “the son of a plumber” and just a “common man” but he certainly earned his place among the most important and beloved in WWE history.
He had most of his in-ring success in World Class Championship Wrestling, National Wrestling Alliance and WCW and was among the most popular and beloved in pro wrestling history. But his contributions to the WWE go far beyond that to put him on this list.
I am not only referring to his in-ring work, with his most memorable moment in the WWE is a mixed tag match at WrestleMania VI, but his work behind the scenes. His contributions to NXT are far too many to measure. He was a head writer and creative force for most of the early years of NXT history.
He built the show, worked on promo skills and build many of the younger talents that are leading the main roster today. His impact on the business will be felt for years to come. That earns his place on this list.
#4 Eddie Guerrero
I may be a bit biased as “Latino Heat” is among my favourite WWE wrestlers of all time. His ties to Texas are through the city of El Paso. He grew up in the area, graduated from high school in El Paso and grew up watching his father wrestle in Texas as well. He would quickly follow in his father’s famous footsteps.
His work in WCW, ECW and New Japan made his a quick star in the industry. Sadly, his first tour in the WWE was a disaster. He battled injuries and drug addiction before being released in 2001.
He got a second chance and became a truly beloved figure in WWE history. He quickly became part of the “Smackdown Six” and begun months of amazing matches with the likes of Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle, Edge and Rey Mysterio.
This would eventually build into his amazing match with Brock Lesnar at No Way Out in 2004 where Eddie Guerrero won the WWE Championship for the first time. While Eddie tragically left us in 2006, there is no denying his place in WWE history.
#3 Shawn Michaels
You know a state is really good for WWE Superstars when “Mr. WrestleMania” is third on this list. But you cannot deny Shawn Michaels’ deep ties to the state of Texas. He grew up in San Antonio and graduated from Southwest Texas State University. He even got his professional wrestling start with World Class Championship Wrestling in Dallas, Texas.
I don’t really know if we really need to list his accomplishments. Whether it was tag team success as a part of The Rockers or eventually D-Generation X. He was part of memorable gimmick matches with the Ladder Match at WrestleMania X or against Undertaker in the very first ever Hell in the Cell.
He had amazing matches and feuds with the likes of Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, Triple H and, of course, The Undertaker. Shawn Michaels’ career is one that few can truly match.
#2 The Undertaker
I went back and forth about placing one of the most beloved WWE wrestlers second on this list. The Houston native grew up in Texas and attended college in Texas before beginning his career as a pro wrestler. He too got his start in World Class Championship Wrestling.
You cannot deny “The Dead Man” his unique place in WWE history. His WrestleMania streak is likely the most beloved records in pro wrestling history. People were genuinely upset when he lost that streak to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX.
If you throw in his nearly thirty decades of service and amazing wrestling in the WWE, you cannot deny his place in WWE and Texas history.
#1 “Stone Cold” Steve Austin
His career may have been shorter than No. 2 and 3 on this list but you cannot deny Stone Cold his place on the list of best Texas wrestlers. More so than anyone on this list, he is completely tied to his Texas roots.
He spent most of his early life in Texas, went to college at North Texas and had most of his early pro wrestling career in the state as well. He wasn’t called “The Texas Rattlesnake” throughout the height of his WWE career for nothing.
It was a brief run at the top of the WWE main event scene but few, if any, wrestlers can match in terms of popularity. His feud with Vince McMahon arguably carried the company for most of 1998 and 1999. It was a major factor in helping them to win the Monday Night Wars.
He had amazing matches with Bret Hart, Kurt Angle and The Rock through his amazing WWE career. Stone Cold deserves his place at the top of the Texas heap.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
