Good wrestler names add to the pageantry of this sports entertainment enterprise. So, don’t be a heel — check out our lists and recall some of your heroes from days gone by.
As a spectator sport, wrestling really debuted at the 1896 First Modern Day Olympics in Athens, Greece. Although, professional wrestling can actually be traced back to the 1830s in France. French promoters touted the exploits of The Steel Eater, The Bone Crusher, and The Colossus. Taking a break from World War II, Pro Wrestling really hit its stride in the 1950s and has been going strong ever since.
Professional wrestlers are noted for their oversized egos and theatrical approaches to their exhibitions. It only makes sense that their names are over-the-top as well. Read on.
Best Male Wrestler Names
Going back to the 1950s, these twenty wrestlers represent the best in the business. All showmen, but with a hardened edge and crafty skills:
André The Giant
Hulk Hogan
Gorgeous George
Macho Man Randy Savage
Ric Flair
Rowdy Roddy Piper
Handsome Harley Race
The Rock
Antonio Inoki
Dusty Rhodes
Top Wrestler Names
Bruno Sanmartino
Stone Cold Steve Austin
John Cena
Triple H
Ultimate Warrior
Brett The Hitman Hart
Lou Thesz
Jake The Snake Roberts
The Undertaker
Sting
Check out Andre the Giant: The Man. The Myth. The Legend.
Why you might love Professional Wrestling video
Top 50 Female Wrestlers
Women’s Professional Wrestling is popular in Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, United Kingdom, and the United States. The First Women’s World Champion Wrestler was crowned in 1937. Often called Steel Kittens, Woman’s Wrestling is still going strong today. Here is a list of 50 great female wrestlers.
June Byers
Charlotte Flair
Alundra Blayze
Judy Grable
Melina Perez
Eve Torres
Early Dawn
Tona Tomah
Carmella
Molly Holly
Chyna
Beth Phoenix
Io Shrai
Fabulous Molah
Karen Kellogg
Taya Valkyrie
Barbara Gallento
Dark Angel
Kathy Starr
Bull Nakano
AJ Lee
Tara
Peyton Royce
Leilani Kai
Ember Moon
Babs Wingo
Taryn Terrel
Ruby Riot
Brooke Tessmacher
Black Venue
Lady Apache
Good Wrestling Names
Barbara Shade
Naomi
Paige
Che Che Paris
Dana Brooke
Mae Young
Violet Ray
Lioness Asuka
Sara Del Ray
Rhonda Rousey
Marcela
Sable
Cora Combs
Princess Little Cloud
Luna Vachon
Natalya
Sasha Banks
Tara
Bayley
Tag Team Names
Sometimes wrestlers truly shine as part of a tag team. The name comes from the practice of “tagging out,” touching your partner’s hand to bring them into the ring. Here is a list of some of the great tag teams:
Fabulous Kangaroos
Midnight Express
New Day
The Rockers
Ricky Steamboat & Jay Young Blood
Bushwackers
Super Powers
Gold Dust and Booker T
Mr. Fuji and Professor Tanaka
Miracle Violence Connection
The Russian Team
Blade Runners
Paul London & Brian Kendrick
Beer Money, Inc.
The Mega Powers
Russian Team
Black Jacks
New Age Outlaws
Harlem Heat
Revival
American Alpha
Nikolai Volkoff & The Iron Sheik
The Brain Busters
Fabulous Ones
Typhoon & Earthquake (The Natural Disasters)
Steiner Brothers
Los Guerreros
Team Hell No
Hart Foundation
Edge & Christian
The Shield
Rock and Roll Connection
Hollywood Blonds
The Young Bucks
Valiant Brothers
Wild Samoans
Enzo & Cass
The Funks
Brisco Brothers
Fabulous Free Birds
Hardy Boyz
The Outsiders
Dudley Boys
Rock and Roll Express
The British Bulldogs
Demolition
The Von Erichs
Abdulah the Butcher & The Sheik
Minnesota Wrecking Crew
The Miracle Violence Connection
High Energy
The Crusher & The Bruiser
Wrestling Names: Ring Duos
Legion of Doom
Duece & Domino
Spirit Squad
Gymini
The Godwinns
Pacman Jones & Ron Killings
Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Riley
Santana & Ortiz
The Dicks
USO’s
Acolytes Protection Agency
The Ding Dongs
Miz & Morrison
Lucha Bros
The Johnsons
AMW
Motorcity Machine Guns
Triple X
DIY
Nasty Boys
The Valiants
Pat Patterson & Ray Stevens
Gangsters
Eliminators
The Rogue Brothers
Fantastics
Daniles & Kazakian
Bruiser Brody & Stan Hanson
Sheepherders
America Wolves
Public Enemy
Rock and Sock Connection
Kevin Steen & El Generico
Vachons
Golden Lovers
Viking Raiders
Los Gringos Locos
Heavenly Bodies
Guerrillas of Destiny
Rated RKO
MNM
Kings of Wrestling
The Assassins
Too Cool
Quebecers
The Bullet Club
Samoan Swat Team
Hurricane & Rosey
Red Devils
Fabulous Ones
Jumping Bomb Angels
Speed Muscle
The Hillbillies
Smoking Guns
Can-Am Connection
Rob Van Dam & Sabu
The Bastien Brothers
Dynamic Duo
Strike Force
Billy & Chuck
The Kingdom
Varsity Club
The Mongols
Gorilla Monsoon
The Sicilians
Haystacks
Tolos Brothers
Pepper Gomez & Pedro Morales
Masked Medics
The Interns
Luchadores Names
Lucha Libre is what professional wrestling is called in Mexico. It literally means “free fight’” and basically refers to the ability to punch, kick, and apply chokeholds (few rules). The Luchadores are wrestlers and will sometimes wrestle in three-man tag teams. The wrestlers always wear masks, and as part of the match, the loser can be forced to remove their mask. Here are a few well-known Luchadores:
El Santo (The Saint)
Blue Demon
Mil Máscaras (Man of a Thousand Masks)
Super Crazy
Rey Mysterio, Jr.
Eddie Guerrero
Black Shadow
Fishman
Olimpico
Mistico
Sumo Wrestler Nicknames
Sumo Wrestling dates back centuries and is a part of the Shinto Religion. Nikkunēmu is Japanese for nickname. Here are the nicknames of some famous Sumo Wrestlers:
Demon of the Dohyo
The Bleeder
F1 Sumo
The Viper
Cannonball
The Wolf
Prince of Sumo
Sideburns
The Boss
Moby Dick
Water Wings
The Beast
Moovin’
Angry Grandpa
Mr. Bumpy
Male Wrestler Names
We couldn’t possibly list all the wrestlers that have made their way through the professional wrestling ranks. But here is a list of some of the most memorable male pro wrestlers:
Sod Buster Kenny Jay
Larry The Axe Henning
Baron Von Raschke
Geeto Mongol
Nick Bockwinkle
Superfly Jimmy Snuka
Sheik Adnan El Kaissey
Johnny Diamond
Krusher Kruschev
Nikita Koloff
The Dynamite Kid
Captain Lou Albano
Koko B. Ware
Tony Atlas
Black Gordman
Great Goliath
Tarzan Tyler
Johnny Rodz
Grave Digger
Greg Valentine
Ivan Putski
Pete Sanchez
Cowboy Bill Watts
The Bulldog
Ted DiBiase
Mick Foley
The Edge
Kurt Angle
Chris Jericho
Ricky Steamboat
King Curtis
Hangman Jim Grabmire
Ken Patera
Bob Backlund
Argentina Apollo
Mad Dog Vachon
Billy White Wolf
Smasher Sloan
Magnificent Maurice
Don McClarity
Butcher Vachon
Skull Murphy
The Beast
Johnny Powers
Verne Gagne
Chief White Owl
Shochi Baba
Jimmy Valentine
Cowboy Bob Duncum
Masked Destroyer
Jerry The King Lawler
Superstar Billy Graham
Creative Wrestling Names
Klondike Bill
Baron Gattoni
Ace Freeman
Joe Leduc
Canadian Wolfman
Buddy Austin
Nord the Barbarian
Eric the Red
Chief Big Heart
Greg Gagne
Antonio Rocca
Fritz Von Erich
Ripper Collins
Mighty Igor
Sargent Slaughter
Adrian Adonis
Colonel DeBeers
King Kong Bundy
Mongolian Stomper
Luther Lindsay
Jesse The Body Ventura
Brock Lesner
Texas Rattlesnake
Goldberg
Gorilla Monsoon
Midget Wrestler Names
The heyday for Midget Wrestling was the 1950’s and 1960’s, but the diminutive fighters are still on wresting cards today. Here is a list of some of the more colorful combatants:
Little Beaver
Diamon Lil’
Jamaica Kid
Mini Nova
Billy the Kid
El Gallito
Little Bruiser
Meatball
Microman
Lord Littlebrook
Cowboy Lang
Mosaic
Honey Girl
Tiny the Terrible
El Torito
Little Tokyo
Brown Panther
Farmer Pete
Rolly the Rocket
Sky Low Low
Fantasy Fictional Wrestler Names
Here is a list of funny, fantasy, and fictional names of pro wrestlers:
Extra Mustard Mulligan
The Scary Surgeon
Lights Out Logan
Professor Pain
Pile Driver Dawson
Crazy Bones Simpson
Big Beat Down
Dog Face Duggan
The Night Stalker
Captain Kill
Head Butt Henderson
The Ball Smasher
Lead Head Lawson
Mr. Spike Driver
Freeze Hold Frayley
Doctor Down and Dirty
Mad Skills Murphy
The Kegerator
Legendary Cheap Shot
The Ditch Digger
Fantasy Fictional Tag Team Names
Here is a list of funny, fantasy, and fictional names of pro wrestling tag teams:
Elephant Hammers
Dialing for Danger
Ninja Assassins
The Gusher Makers
Bomb Squad
Dragon Slayers
Slam of Shame
Muscles of Mass Destruction
Demolition Squad
The Hammerheads
Licensed to Kill
Skill Set
No Holds Barred
The Drop Kick Deadlies
Full of Face
All Gassed Up
Feel the Heat
Board of Directors
Nuclear Fall Out
Team of Terror
Famous Wrestling Managers
Every self-respecting professional wrestler needs a good cornerman—someone to distract the referee and often act as a foil. Female Managers were referred to as Valets. Here is a list of 15 of the greatest wrestling managers:
Bobby The Brain Hennen
Jimmy Hart
Stephanie McMahon
Paul Bearer
Bill Alfonso
JJ Dillon
Classy Freddy Blassie
Vicki Guerrero
Eric Bischoff
Mr. Fuji
Slick
James Mitchell
Miss Elizabeth
Jim Cornette
Paul E. Dangerously
Marlena
Backstage Stories About Wrestlers
- Milwaukeean Reggie Lisowski is better known in the wrestling ring as The Crusher. His unique training routine was running next to Lake Michigan holding a full beer keg.
- Pacman Jones, a cornerback with the Tennessee Titans signed a contract to be a professional wrestler. The problem was he was still playing football. The Titans had his contract changed to read, “Pacman Jones will not touch or be touched, use or be hit by any object or anything that could injure him.” His career was very short.
- Rowdy Roddy Piper decided he wanted to shoot an alligator and use the hide to make boots and a belt. He stalked the unsuspecting animal and shot it. When he went to retrieve it from the water, it was still alive. He ran for his life.
- A wrestler who went by the names Haku or Meng was so feared he could not be fired. It was rumored that he had bitten off the nose of another wrestler. Everyone was too terrified to fire him. Talk about job security.
Andre the Giant: A Real Gentle Giant Who Could Also Drink
Born in 1947 in France, André’s birth name was André Rene Roussimoff. As a teen. He moved to Paris to train to become a professional wrestler. When he was a young student on the farm, his neighbor, playwright Samuel Becket, would give him rides to school. Before training to become a professional wrestler, he was rejected by the French Army because he was too big. Fezzik, the gentle giant in the movie Princess Bride was written specifically for André by William Goldman.
Stories of André’s ability to drink alcohol are legendary and beyond belief. It wasn’t uncommon for André before and during matches to drink 5 or 6 bottles of Cognac. He once drank 16 bottles of wine and then wrestled in three matches. Once, a bartender took a beer pitcher at a bar in New York City and filled it with whisky, gin, rum, vodka, and brandy and handed it to André. He could also eat. In one sitting, he ate 12 steaks and 15 lobsters. Hats off to the giant.
The Legend of Ring Announcer “Mean Gene” Okerlund
Not often does a ring announcer, interviewer, and TV Host become as famous as the wrestlers he is covering. But that was not the case with the late Mean Gene Okerlund. He worked with the AWA, WWF, WCW, and WWE. A career that spanned 48 years. Jesse The Body Ventura gave him the moniker Mean Gene spontaneously during an interview.
He became close friends with many wrestlers, even serving as the best man at The Iron Sheik’s wedding. Hulk Hogan was a close friend, and Mean Gene often stayed at the Hulkster’s house in Florida. He became friends with André the Giant, and they would play Cribbage and Gin Rummy together. Mean Gene once said this about André, “I saw him cry. He was a compassionate man. I don’t think people realized that.”
Professional Wrestling: A Serious Endeavor
Well, not really a fun fact. For those of you that think wrestling is fake, here are some eye-opening facts. Dozens of men and women have been seriously hurt or died in the wrestling ring. Injuries include broken bones, torn muscles, a severed ear, and paralyzation. Causes of death include brain hemorrhages, broken necks, and deadly falls.
By Tim “Turnbuckle” Moodie
Tim Moodie has never been a wrestler. However, as a toy developer, he has met a few. Many wrestlers would attend the New York Toy Fair to promote their action figures. At Toy Fair, Tim met Bobby The Brain Hennen, Macho Man Randy Savage, and Hulk Hogan. He went to High School with Steve Steve O Olsonoski of the AWA. Oh…he also wrote the box copy and helped design the Jesse The Body Ventura Action Figure.
Encore
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