Ranking the 4 most underrated wrestlers of all time

When it comes to debating about who the greatest wrestlers of all time are, everyone has an opinion. Some fans opt to look primarily at their ability inside the ring, citing their signature finishing moves, titles won, and record against top opponents. Others focus mainly on their ability outside the ring, primarily looking at how they were able to entertain the audience and also antagonize their opponents.

Either way, we often tend to see some of the same fighters gravitate towards the top of most lists. This is fine, but it definitely leads to some instances where certain talents are overrated and others are underrated.

This list will contain 4 fighters who I believe have had very solid careers, yet still, don’t get much love from the wrestling community. Without further ado, let’s get into it.

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#4. Dean Malenko

Given what Dean Malenko managed to accomplish in the ring, I feel as though he is criminally underrated by most wrestling fans. He had incredible versatility and even earned the nickname “The Man of 1000 Holds” for his elite finishing moves.

An incredible athlete and skillful wrestler, it wasn’t Malenko’s ability inside the ring that held him back. Instead, it was probably his relative lack of ability to engage and entertain the audience outside the ring. This is admittedly an important part of the job but is one that has cost Malenko dearly when it comes to fan ratings.

With the talent and versatility to his game, I still feel as though Malenko should be talked about by wrestling fans in a more positive light. Given his physical profile, he probably would’ve had strong success in other major sports leagues. Whilst it’s admirable that he stuck it out in the WWE, his lack of charisma earns him a spot on this list.

#3. Goldust

Another incredibly underrated wrestler by modern fans is the infamous Goldust. He is admittedly remembered by lots of fans for his painted face, but his accomplishments inside the ring are often glossed over.

Goldust was an elite wrestler that could regularly hold his own against some of the top opponents in the sport. Whilst he is notorious for his signature gimmick, I actually believe that works against him here. He’s become somewhat of a meme when his wrestling career should be lauded.

More than his skills inside the ring, Goldust was a greater entertainer on the outside. He was able to dive deep into his unique character and put on a memorable show for the audience.

Combine this with his strong athletic ability, and Goldust is criminally underrated by most wrestling fans. Given his relative lack of appreciation, I feel we won't see as many unique characters going forward.

#2. Lance Storm

Perhaps the best pure wrestler on this list, Lance Storm still fails to receive the appropriate respect from MMA fans. He showed his immense quality by winning WCW and WWE titles early on his career but struggled to parlay that into future success.

As such, he just doesn’t get the recognition he deserves from the mainstream wrestling media. If a few things broke differently, I have no doubt that Storm could’ve been one of the biggest names in wrestling and perhaps even across the sporting world. He was really that talented.

His fights were incredibly entertaining inside the ring and he also had the skills to back that up outside on the mic. Things just didn’t break his way and you’ll very rarely see him on one of the top wrestlers of all-time lists. Fortunately, he earns a spot on my list of underrated wrestlers as a consolation prize.

#1. Raven

Out of all the wrestlers that came from the ECW, Raven may have been the best one. He was immensely successful as part of the ECW, winning an impressive 6 titles as both an individual and tag-team wrestler.

On top of his elite wrestling ability, he was also an engaging entertainer outside the ring. He was a cult-like leader for two very strong supporter groups in the Raven’s Flock and the Raven’s Nest. It was his elite charisma that allowed him to pull this off whilst still tearing things up inside the ring.

Combining his elite athleticism and wrestling ability with a fantastic out-of-the-ring persona, Raven has a legitimate case as one of the greats of our sport. That said, I rarely hear any publications or wrestling fans list him there. As such, he takes out top spot on my list of the most underrated wrestlers of all time.