Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time: Wrestling Observer's

Do I agree with the order of the top 100? No, not necessarily but it is not my top 100 or yours. If you don't agree and you think you know, write your own book. This book is about the 100 people he feels are historically the most important and he gives good information on wrestlers and includes American, Canadian, Mexican, Japanese, and others. Plus there are many wrestlers who were way before our time who may have paved the way for others. It gives good insight of all the wrestlers so just enjoy the book and figure out your own top 100. I liked learning about wrestlers oversees who I have either never heard of or vaguely heard of.

You may not agree with the rankings, personally I don't agree with several, however it is still a great look at stars from the US, Japan, Mexico and Europe. This book would be a great introduction for younger fans who may not be familiar with men like Gene Kiniski, Strangler Lewis or Billy Robinson. Just enjoy it for the biographies and don't worry about the rankings.

Being a professional wrestling fan for over 30 years as a young child, I have always wanted to see who the top wrestling journalists thought were the greatest of all time. I think they did a credible job, although this list will always stir up controversy. How do you rate wrestlers from the early 20th century? What is the most important aspect when rating wrestlers? workrate, drawing power, or importance to history? Casual fans will dismiss this list because Hulk Hogan, Austin, or the Rock aren't #1. People that take workrate too seriously and neglect the entertainment value to the casual fan would probably want all the old time wrestlers such as Thesz, Lewis, and Gotch in the top spots. Others will say there are too many Japanese and Luchador wrestlers ranked too high. Putting this list together will not please everyone, but it is fun all the same. I think they did a great job. The stories, while short are very imformative. The photos are great also. This would rank fourth on my list of favorite wrestling books behind Meltzer's Tributes, Foley's first book, and Dynamite Kid's. Just for fun, here is my top 10 list:1. Ric Flair- Great in all aspects of the business.2. Antonio Inoki- I knew who he was as an 9 year old kid. Even though he got the rub from Ali, his fame and impact were far reaching.3. Hulk Hogan- Even though he is terrible in the ring, he is most responsible for wrestling's expansion.4. El Santo- Learned more about him from the book than any other wrestler. Really was a fascinating cultural icon.5. Lou Thesz- Great for his time, however was too negative towards the wrestling of today. Should have evolved with the business.6. Andre the Giant- Wrestler I was most fascinated with as a kid.7. Bruiser Brody- Most influential brawler of all time.8. Bruno Sammartino- WWWF champion for 7 years straight.9. The Sheik- Best heel of all time.10. Giant Baba- Along with Inoki, most influential Japanese wrestler and promoter.Remember this is only one man's opinion, don't beat me up too much.

The only list I've seen that includes wrestlers from all nations and eras and gives reasonable arguements as to why they are worthy of the Top 100. If your looking for Goldberg or Lesner you've got the wrong book. Filled with great info on guys like Hansen, Vader, Hashimoto, the Funks and Mutoh. Perfect for the fan who likes more then just the WWE, not so good if your looking for only mainstream modern North American stars. Only complaint is that spots 51-100 only have short blurbs on the atheletes, I think everyone on the list deserves a page to themselves.

Here are excerpts from my Jan. 5, 2002, column in the (Charleston) Post and Courier:Toronto-based journalist John Molinaro takes a bold step in attempting to rank the greatest pro wrestlers in the history of the game in his new book, "Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time." Unlike many of the "best" and "greatest" lists that spread like wildfire at the end of the millennium, Molinaro's compilation has blossomed into a well-written, thought-provoking work that's sure to spark spirited debate among wrestling fans for years to come.And that's a good thing.Like many similar lists, the Top 100 is not one with which everyone will agree. Any effort to rank athletes in any sports endeavor over such a long period of time is a risky proposition at best. But Molinaro, who at age 28 is already one of the top writers on the pro wrestling scene, covers all the bases in his study, giving a detailed, biographical account of each wrestler on the list.The rankings are not solely based on the opinions of Molinaro, who was a driving force behind Canada's SLAM! Wrestling site. The list was compiled by some of the industry's leading experts, along with the assistance of several mat historians. The book is further strengthened by Molinaro's inclusion of Dave Meltzer as a contributing editor. Meltzer, longtime editor of the authoritative Wrestling Observer newsletter and author of "Tributes: Remembering Some of the World's Greatest Wrestlers," lends his considerable expertise to the effort, explaining the selection process in great detail in the foreword of the book. Serving as a co-editor was radio broadcaster/writer Jeff Marek, founder and host of the world's longest-running wrestling radio talk show, The LAW (Live Audio Wrestling), based out of Toronto.The book's strong points are many. Not only is the writing crisp and concise, but some intriguing, rarely seen photos - most from the collection of noted wrestling photojournalist Dr. Mike Lano - accompany all 100 listings. There are countless stories and first-hand accounts of the performers who shaped the wrestling business, along with bios that help put their illustrious careers into historical perspective.Molinaro's Top 100 also is a truly global ranking, since it includes wrestlers - male and female - from all over the world, representing every style of wrestling, from every major promotion.Among the criteria used in determining the rankings were professional success (including the number of titles a wrestler had won), importance to history, ability in the ring, drawing power and mainstream status achieved. Also considered were those qualities that can't be measured in numbers, such as the ability to put on a great match each night. Perhaps the most studied and researched ranking revolved around just who was the greatest of all time, a question that has been tossed around, it seems, forever.For his consistency and longevity, along with his ability to make opponents look better than they really were, Ric Flair was unan