22 Days Of WrestleMania (Top 10 Favorite Wrestlers)

After brainstorming ways of getting more people to view the Tool Box, I came up with "The 22 Days Of WrestleMania". If you're looking for credibility, writing about professional wrestling is probably the best way to go about doing so.
For those of you who do not know me, I have been pretty much hooked on pro wrestling (WWF/E in particular) since I saw my first match in 1990 (Demolition vs. The Hart Foundation at SummerSlam). My interest died down a little during the WrestleMania IX period, but somehow I was hooked once again in a period where a typical main event was Mabel vs. Diesel.
Still to this day, I spend oodles of money on worthless wrestling stuff (DVDs, tickets, etc.) and while I'm not proud of it, I consider myself to be a top tier fan. So my first top 10 countdown to celebrate WrestleMania 22 is my top 10 favorite wrestlers of all time. Away we go...

Just Missing The List: Ric Flair, Christian, Matt Hardy, Brian Pillman, Owen Hart

10. Curt Hennig
I credit Hennig, or to many fans "Mr. Perfect", to being the first bad guy I really rooted for. Had the gimmick come out today, no question about it, it would still be effective. Oh and then there's the fact that he was one of the top wrestlers that WWF had to offer at the time. Hennig has since passed away, but his legacy still lives on.
Match You Have To See: Mr. Perfect vs. Bret Hart for the Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam '91.

9. Mick Foley
Humor and blood seems like an odd combination, but Mick Foley was perhaps both the most hardcore and hilarious wrestler to ever grace the squared circle. Any wrestling fan will forever have his horrific Hell In A Cell performance engraved in their memory, but Mick Foley has put on plenty of other terrific matches throughout his great career whether it was Mankind, Cactus Jack, Dude Love, or just plain old Mick Foley.
Match You Have To See: Dude Love vs. Steve Austin for the World Championship at Over The Edge '98.

8. Kurt Angle
The only ever WWE competitor to have won an Olympic Gold Medal (Atlanta '96), Kurt Angle still felt like he had more to offer the world of wrestling. When he stepped into the WWE rings for the first time, it seemed like another Olympic bomb for Vince McMahon (a.k.a. Mark Henry). Boy were most people wrong. Kurt Angle, in his short career, is already, in my opinion, one of the greatest wrestlers in history. His mic skills are top notch and you know everytime he steps in the ring, he'll bring out the best of his opponent.
Match You Have To See: Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXI.

7. Rob Van Dam
Known for being perhaps the "spottiest" wrestler in the world today, there's still no question that RVD sends you with your money's worth every time you see him. Perhaps the most flexible wrestler in history, RVD can hit just about any move at any time, making him one of the most exciting performers in the business. He made a name for himself in ECW, and hopefully the WWE will reward him sometime soon for his consistency.
Match You Have To See: Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn for the ECW Television Championship at ECW Living Dangerously '99.

6. Eddie Guerrero
The most recent superstar to pass away, Eddie Guerrero had a big impact on thousands of fans. He was a true David vs. Goliath story when he defeated Brock Lesnar for the World Championship back in 2004, and many people quickly related to Eddie's underdog mentality. Eddie was also one of the most technically sound competitors in the ring and you knew he could adapt to any style there was. I will forever miss having Eddie Guerrero in the ring.
Match You Have To See: Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship at WCW Halloween Havoc '97.

5. Chris Benoit
Of the hundreds of wrestlers I've watched perform, I'm not sure I've seen a harder worker than Benoit. He has been a favorite of the so-called smart fans for years, and in 2000 he did the unthinkable when he won the WWE World Championship. It is one of those memories I will never forget and couldn't have gone to a more deserving athlete. Hopefully he still has at least 5 more years left in him, because I can't picture the WWE without him.
Match You Have To See: Chris Benoit vs. HHH vs. Shawn Michaels for the World Championship at WrestleMania XX.

4. Bret Hart
While my first favorite wrestler may have been Ultimate Warrior, I was also only 6 years old. As I understood the business better and the fact that a good wrestler doesn't necessarily need to be a steroid freak, I latched onto Bret Hart very quickly. There was just something about his performances that often left you breathless. Whether it was his 60 minute classic with hated rival Shawn Michaels or defeating the Bolsheviks in record time, he always made it look like it was his toughest match to date.
Match You Have To See: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart at WrestleMania X.

3. Shawn Michaels
Although I never really liked his good guy persona as much as his heel character, Shawn Michaels is in my opinion the greatest performer of my lifetime. He has been in so many classic matches, you'd need a 5 disc DVD set just to give a good representation. He battled back from a bad back injury to extend his career a few years, and is still putting on great matches night after night.
Match You Have To See: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania X.

2. Steve Austin
While it may seem like the equivelant of choosing Hulk Hogan this high, I must say that I was a Steve Austin fan long before the masses. I even cheered for this guy as "The Ringmaster". Steve Austin is the greatest wrestler of the 90's and brought wrestling to a new high. Still to this day, he receives huge pops at any arena. Known mostly for his catchphrases, he was also a teriffic wrestler, and sometimes doesn't get enough credit for that.
Match You Have To See: Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart in a Submission Match at WrestleMania XIII.

1. Chris Jericho
I first saw Chris Jericho in WCW back in the late 90's and was immediately impressed with his in-ring skills. Little did I know he would also be my favorite personality in wrestling history. Week after week, Jericho found a way to come up with a fresh routine to make him entertaining, while at the same time still putting on fantastic matches. Jericho also has the ability to elevate his opponents and to make any of his feuds, whether they're with mid-carders or main eventers, feel like they're special.
Match You Have To See: Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit in a Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship at Royal Rumble '00.