Who are the Greatest Aces in WWE History? (Part 1)
[Introduction]
From the left, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, John Cena, and Roman Reigns.
These are the superstars who achieved great success and defined an era in the world's largest professional wrestling organization, WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), based in the United States.
Here is a quiz.
Even in the decades-long history of WWE,
there is a feat that only these four have achieved.What could it be?
Something that even The Rock, Triple H, and Brock Lesnar could not accomplish.
It is
winning the main event of WWE's biggest annual event, 'WrestleMania,' for multiple (two or more) consecutive years.In other words, consecutive main event victories at WrestleMania.
It is a remarkable achievement that even Shawn Michaels, known as Mr. WrestleMania, could not fulfill, and was impossible even for The Undertaker, who recorded an immortal 21-match winning streak at WrestleMania.
Hogan achieved this from 1985-87 and 1991-93,
Austin from 1998-99,
Cena from 2006-07,
and Reigns from 2016-17 and 2021-24.
I personally consider these four wrestlers to be the greatest aces in WWE history.
Since WWE publicly states that it has scripts just like dramas and movies, matches and storylines proceed according to a plot.
Therefore, unlike other sports, there are no upsets. In a sense, it is a world even stricter than a meritocracy.
For that reason, being given the super-important role of winning the main event of WrestleMania for two consecutive years,
I believe, signifies the absolute protagonist of WWE,
in other words, the ace.
And not just any ace, but the greatest ace among aces—a super ace.
You could also call them the face, the billboard, or the symbol of the organization.
It will end soon, but this year (2025) is the 100th year of the Showa era, the 80th year since the end of the war,
and various other milestone years,
but since the first WrestleMania was held in 1985, it is also the 40th anniversary of WrestleMania.
To commemorate this, let's briefly look back at their achievements along with the background of the WWE era at the time.
[Genealogy of WWE's Greatest Aces]
🟡First Ace: Hulk Hogan🟡
In the mid-1980s,
WWE (then known as WWF) rapidly expanded its popularity through the introduction of television broadcasts, which were still rare at the time.
The person who took the lead role was Hogan, who had also been active in Japan. His nickname was 'Real American'
Loosely translated, it feels like 'America's hero.'
The term 'Hulkamania,' referring to his fanatical fans, became the origin of the legendary event known as WrestleMania.
It was truly an event centered on Hogan, and this tournament, which fused sports and entertainment, became the world's largest professional wrestling festival that continues to this day.
Hogan, who revolutionized professional wrestling history and established WWE's status, can be called the greatest star of American professional wrestling.
He later transferred to the rival organization WCW, where he would go on to thrill all of America as a villain.
🔴Second Ace: Steve Austin🔴
In the mid-1990s,
WWF's popularity declined, pushed by the momentum of WCW, which Hogan had joined.
The one who saved the organization from that crisis was Austin, who made a huge breakthrough with the nickname 'Stone Cold' (a cold-blooded man).
He was far removed from the traditional hero image, often giving the middle finger and using profanity, but
it was a huge hit, partly because the WWF at the time steered toward an extreme direction called the 'Attitude Era' with the goal of defeating WCW.
Austin, who sparked an explosive boom and became the savior of the organization, won the 30-man 'Royal Rumble' battle a record three times.
However, he suffered from a neck injury for many years and retired early.
The Rock (Dwayne Johnson), who was another protagonist figure, also turned into a movie actor, and WWE was once again left without an ace.
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