Top 10 WWE Wrestlers From The 2000s

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best WWE wrestlers active during the 2000s. Only what they accomplished between 2000-2009 will be taken into account.

#10: Batista

Who could have predicted that Reverend D-Von's Deacon would one day become a major Hollywood star? Batista's proper WWE legacy starts with Evolution, a stable that allowed him to rub shoulders with the best in the business. Although excellent as a heel, Batista's natural charisma attracted fans to him, culminating in a masterfully done face turn in the lead-up to his match against Triple H at "WrestleMania 21." This brilliant feud with The Game established the Animal as WWE's second top babyface for the second half of the 2000s, while Batista's feud with Taker cemented his icon status.

#9: Rey Mysterio

The Master of the 619, Rey Mysterio helped usher in a new era of high-flying wrestling in the States. In his first-ever WWE PPV, Mysterio showed that he had not lost a step from his WCW days by producing one of the all-time best opening matches. Although the Lucha Libre wrestler struggled at times to move ahead in the land of the giants, Mysterio's consistency in the ring made him a fan favorite. Throughout the 2000s, Mysterio constantly delivered innovative offense as the cruiserweight had memorable feuds with the likes of Eddie Guerrero and Chris Jericho.

#8: Edge

Edge did it all during the 2000s. As a tag team wrestler, Edge started the decade by creating history in the first-ever TLC matches. Edge went on to be a strong babyface, knocking it out of the park in feuds against Kurt Angle and, to a slightly lesser extent, Christian. As great as all that was, Edge went up another level when he reinvented himself as the Rated-R Superstar. A detestable heel who could go toe-to-toe with anyone in the ring, Edge brought out the best in the likes of John Cena, The Undertaker, and Mick Foley, cementing himself as a legend in the process.

#7: Randy Orton

Handsome, young, and innately talented, Randy Orton was a heat magnet when he burst onto the scene, and then he fell on some thumbtacks and people really started to take notice. Whether during his Legend Killer or Viper phase, Orton proved he was a natural heel, and his character work got progressively more twisted as the decade went on. While there were a couple of low points, Orton's feuds with The Undertaker, Edge, John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Jeff Hardy, and Mick Foley produced some of the most enduring matches of the Ruthless Aggression and PG eras.

#6: Eddie Guerrero

Brilliant in the ring and endlessly charismatic, Eddie Guerrero was incredible. While Latino Heat's first stint in WWE was a touch uneven, Eddie performed at another level when he returned in 2002. Initially focusing on the tag team scene as part of Los Guerreros, Eddie's mischievous ways and ring excellence propelled Guerrero to the main event alongside Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle. As one of the "SmackDown" six, Eddie was relied upon to deliver one of the best matches on any given card, and Guerrero rarely fell short of expectations.

#5: Chris Jericho

Listing all of the Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla's accomplishments would take all day, but let's just say there is a reason Y2J has remained relevant for decades. The first-ever Undisputed Champion, Jericho produced match of the year candidates throughout the 2000s, ranging from his Last Man Standing battle against Triple H at "Fully Loaded 2000" to his various bouts with Mysterio. Jericho's talent for reinventing himself is almost unparalleled, a fact exemplified by his transformation from cocky babyface to stoic heel in his flawless 2008 feud with Shawn Michaels.

#4: Shawn Michaels

When HBK retired due to a back injury, few people could have predicted that he would not only return to wrestling but arguably be better than ever. Shawn Michaels might be the best entertainer in WWE history, something he repeatedly demonstrated throughout a decade that included multiple "WrestleMania" show stealers back to back. Whether putting on a clinic with the Undertaker, retiring Ric Flair, insulting Montreal, elevating young superstars, or flip-flopping his way around a bewildered Hulk Hogan, HBK was always magnetic in the ring. Some people were just born to wrestle and Shawn Michaels is one of them.

#3: The Undertaker

Arguably the greatest WWE gimmick ever, The Undertaker somehow kept on getting better during the 2000s. Big Evil put Brock Lesnar on the map in a big way, but Taker's strongest work came as the Deadman. Taker's "WrestleMania" streak became a prize almost as coveted as the WWE Championship, sparking awesome feuds against Randy Orton, Edge, and Batista. During the second half of the 2000s, Taker produced some of the best and most consistent work of his career, culminating in "WrestleMania 25's" legendary match with Shawn Michaels. A fixture of "SmackDown!," Taker felt like a special attraction during an era that did not have them anymore.

#2: John Cena

The face of the company for the better part of a decade, John Cena defined WWE in the late 2000s. Exploding in popularity as the Doctor of Thuganomics, Cena won the belt and became the cleanest of babyfaces, albeit one that could get vicious in the ring if the moment called for it. Incredible on the mic and no slouch between the ropes, Cena was WWE's ultimate workhorse, the type of wrestler companies are built around. Polarizing as Cena can be, the Champ's matches with Edge, Michaels, Umaga, JBL, and occasionally Orton are among the decade's best.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Brock Lesnar

Because The Beast Had a Short But Impactful Run During The 2000s

Booker T

Because King Booker Was Awesome

Rob Van Dam

Because We Will Always Have “One Night Stand”

Triple H

Because There Was More To The Game’s 2000s Than Just The Reign Of Terror

#1: Kurt Angle

Outside of maybe Brock Lesnar, nobody took to the business as seamlessly as Kurt Angle. The Olympic Gold Medalist could outwrestle almost anyone, but Angle's character and promo work were also impeccable. Whether portraying an arrogant heel, a goofy face, or a wrestling machine, Angle always brought intensity, integrity, and intelligence into the ring. Pick any top wrestler from this era, and nine times out of ten, one of their best matches was against Kurt Angle. Oh, it's true. It's damn true.

Who was your favorite WWE wrestler during the “Ruthless Aggression Era?”