So much is made of professional wrestling success in the United States and in Mexico and Latin America. But looking at this list, Canada has produced some pretty good talent as well. Take into account Lance Storm, Stu Hart, Brian Pillman and Gail Kim did not make this list.
Yes, it’s that good.
It all started with Hart, who founded Stampede Wrestling, a promotion based in Calgary, Alberta, and associated wrestling school "The Dungeon" and from there, it exploded. Hart has been considered one of the most influential wrestlers and promoters of all time, training some of the best to ever get in a wrestling ring.
Here is a look at the 10 best to ever wear the red and white from the Great White North.
1.Bret Hart
Has there ever been a better wrestler north of the border than Hart. The Excellence of Execution. When you talk about Canadian superstars, more than likely the discussion starts with Hart. 32 held throughout his career, and 17 held between the WWF/WWE and WCW. He is a seven-time world champion, having held the WWF World Heavyweight Championship five times and the WCW World Heavyweight Championship twice. If you want to understand how dominant he has been over the years, he spent more time as WWF World Heavyweight Champion than any other wrestler during the 1990s, with a total of 654 days as the title holder.
2. Gene Kiniski
Kiniski helped set the standard for Canadian superstars. Before professional wrestling, he was a member of the Edmonton Eskimos football team. The pinnacle of Kiniski's career finally came on January 7, 1966, when he defeated Thesz to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in St. Louis, Missouri in front of 11,612 fans at the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis. His title run only lasted a month. Kiniski also defeated Verne Gagne to win the AWA World Title in 1961. Kiniski challenged Bruno Sammartino in 1964 for the WWWF World Title but was unsuccessful.
3. Edge
When you talk about wrestlers who fall under the “underrated” category, Edge’s name does not fall far from the top of the list. Originally a tag team specialist, Edge became a mainstay in the main event picture. He got his start as a member of The Brood and then as a tag team champion with Christian. Edge stood out as a singles champion as well. Edge won 31 championships in WWE overall, including 11 world championships (the WWE Championship four times and the World Heavyweight Championship a record seven times). He also won five Intercontinental Championships, one United States Championship.
4. Chris Jericho
Jericho got his start in Canada but moved on to fame and success in WCW’s famed cruiserweight division and the moniker “The Lionheart”. But his real success came in WWE as a six-time world champion and the first ever unified heavyweight champion in WWE history. There are few who can match his gift for gab and his ability in the ring. As a babyface or heel, he is one of the most popular wrestlers of all time. He is also a record nine-time Intercontinental Champion. Although he has been a part-time player of late, he is a solid contributor to Raw.
5. Roddy Piper
There are few who had as much of an impact on this business for his mouth as Piper. Yes, he as one of the true free spirits and a crafty veteran who has fought the likes of Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, Jack Brisco and Greg Valentine. In WWF/E, he helped Hulk Hogan and Cindy Lauper usher in Hulkamania and the first WrestleMania event. The Canadian superstar wore his kilt with pride, even though he was Canadian-born. Although he was one of the more popular wrestlers of the 1970s and 1980s he never wore a world title in any promotion he competed in.
6. Pat Patterson
Patterson is known as one of the better wrestlers in the WWWF under Vince McMahon Sr. Patterson became the first ever Intercontinental Champion. In 1979, the WWF North American Championship and the (fictional) South American Championships were unified to create the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Patterson was crowned the company's first Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion after an alleged tournament held in Rio de Janeiro. He dropped the title in 1980 to Ken Patera. He still works for the company behind the scenes.
7. ‘Whipper’ Billy Watson
Not many of this generation’s fans know who Watson is. He was a two-time world champion in an era when professional wrestling was not the mainstream success it is now. Wrestling was still considered more of a carnival attraction, a niche show that was mostly kept under wraps. 1956, Watson ended Thesz’s six-year reign as World Champion in front of 15,000 fans. The win put him on the map and “shocked the world” as fans had accepted Thesz as a household name. He is credited with training Rocky Johnson, who is The Rock’s father.
8. Abdullah the Butcher
“Abbie” is considered one of the most grueling, hardcore wrestlers to ever get in the ring. A huge star regionally and international, he is known for both his size and the huge scars on his forehead from blading during his career. In addition to his wrestling, he is a successful martial artist in both judo and karate. He has had brutal feuds with Carlos Colon, Bruiser Brody and The Sheik. He has had a long list of managers in his career including Gary Hart, Paul Jones, Eddie Creatchman, Black Baron, The Grand Wizard, J.J. Dillon, Damien Kane, Larry Sharpe, Chicky Starr and Oliver Humperdink.
9. Bobby Roode
Roode, who is now on the NXT roster, helped put TNA on the map. Often compared to Arn Anderson, he has been a rough and rugged tag team and singles star. Roode had the longest run of any TNA world champion and was a multiple tag team champion – six with James Storm, forming Beer Money – also with Austin Aries and Eric Young. Altogether, he won 11 championships during his career in TNA, and is considered a "TNA Original".
10. Trish Stratus
You cannot talk about women’s professional wrestling without discussing Stratus. She came to WWE as the manager of Test and Albert (TNA) and later became arguably the most successful female of the current era. With only seven years in the business, she won the company’s Women’s Title seven times and retired in 2006 after WWE Unforgiven. Stratus and Lita helped usher in an era where women were as proficient in the ring as the men and was a huge part of the Attitude Era.
