The Mount Rushmore of wrestling lists stretches into just about every category a fan could possibly think of. This one is all about the best superstars to have never headed “up north” to the WWE. With the roots of the WWE stretching as far back as the Capital Wrestling Corporation, hundreds, if not thousands of superstars have had the opportunity to work for the McMahon family.
While the wrestling industry does revolve around the WWE, that doesn’t mean that every superstar ever has come through their doors. Some of the names on this list aren’t just the best to never work for the company, they’re some of the best, period.
10 Exotic Adrian Street
If you haven't heard of Exotic Adrian Street, the WWE Network has a whole special about his legendary career. Wrestlers like The Velveteen Dream, Dalton Castle, Goldust, and others all owe a debt of gratitude to Exotic Adrian Street. Even guys like Shawn Michaels, who sang his own theme song like Street did can look to this trailblazer as inspiration. As he traveled the world perfecting the act, he also introduced the world to one of professional wrestling’s first valets - his future wife Miss Linda.
9 Bruiser Brody
Had the incident of Bruiser Brody in Puerto Rico not have happened, the hardcore legend would have undoubtedly headed to WWE at some point in his career. In reality, the icon would get his start in World Class and traversed the globe to make his fans and fortune.
Brody even got to work the Garden against Bruno in the days before the WWE. New Japan is where the legend only grew, thanks to his tag team with Stan The Lariat Hansen.
8 Magnum TA
In the early to mid 80s throughout Crockett and the NWA, there was a huge rising star. He had a tremendous physique, along with flowing long blond hair and Tom Selleck-like handlebar mustache. Nope, it wasn't Hulkamania running wild down south, it was Terry Allen - Magnum TA. Similar to Dusty Rhodes, he had the common man style down pat while still flaunting the celebrity lifestyle. To this very day, his I Quit / Steel Cage match against Tully Blanchard is a must watch. Unfortunately, a massive car accident would occur and shatter fans (and Magnum’s) dreams of TA achieving that true legendary status.
7 Akira Hokuto
With one of the most innovative ways to land a powerbomb on an opponent, Akira Hokuto wowed Japanese fans for years with her Dragon Queen Bomb. Like a lot of other famous Japanese wrestling legends, Hokuto was able to tour the globe and wrestle for various companies, including CMLL. American wrestling fans would have gotten a small taste of what she was capable of when she headed to WCW and won the inaugural Women’s Title at Starrcade 1996.
6 Gino Hernandez
Fans who grew up with access to World Class got to witness one of the best cocky heels of the late 70s and early 80s. Gino Hernandez invented the barber gimmick when he teamed with Gentleman Chris Adams.
But it was when he turned on Adams that got him really over as a nasty heel, the kind of heel befitting of the name Gorgeous Gino, the handsome Half-Breed. On more than one occasion, Hernandez’s friend Bruce Prichard has stated that he believed Gino could have also been able to pull off The Million Dollar Man gimmick.
5 Kenny Omega
As the only fully active wrestler on this list, Kenny Omega is (hopefully) not even halfway done with his career. After deciding WWE developmental wasn’t for him, Omega headed to Japan to follow in a long line of Gaijin who made their way in the Rising Sun. Omega was the first ever non-Japanese winner of the G-1 and eventually captured the NJPW World title. Now in AEW, he isn’t just their world champion, but also the AAA and Impact champion as well.
4 Gorgeous George
For those of you that know, you know. Otherwise, it’s time for a major history lesson. All of the pomp and all of the circumstance that any superstar has today or from the recent past owes a debt of gratitude to the original superstar, Gorgeous George. George was the first to have an outlandish heel gimmick and lavish robes. He would disinfect the ring with “Chanel No. 10,” and come to the ring to “Pomp And Circumstance.” Randy Savage was clearly influenced by the legend as was just about every superstar that came afterwards.
3 Nick Bockwinkel
Before Ric Flair was wearing suits telling the world he was best dressed man in wrestling, there was Nick Bockwinkel. Before Chris Jericho became an honest man who told it like it was and used big words that our tiny brains couldn’t comprehend, there was Nick Bockwinkel. The AWA legend was able to dominate the Midwest territory for nearly 20 years, having big matches against the likes of Verne Gagne and young up and comers like Hulk Hogan and Curt Hennig.
2 The Midnight Express (Sweet Stan & Beautiful Bobby)
When Stan Lane and Bobby Eaton formed a new version of The Midnight Express, the team became a legendary tag team that dominated the NWA.
Jim Cornette has said over the years that the trio didn’t see the reason to move to WWE since they’d make the same amount of money down south and travel less. That might be understandable, but it certainly robbed fans of amazing dream matches against the likes of a the Harts, Bulldogs, and Rockers.
1 The Great Muta
The Great Muta was a purveyor of the mysterious green mist and that mystique helped him to win the NWA title, along with countless other champions in The Rising Sun for both All and New Japan. Other than Jushin Thunder Liger, Muta might be the greatest Japanese crossover star of all time, and his feud with Sting is basis for that argument alone. It's a shame we never got to see him in WWE.