Being a lifelong fan is a common theme among many of the biggest names in the wrestling industry. While some of these wrestlers had dreams of going far in the industry based on their love of the sport alone, others wanted to follow in the footsteps of their childhood heroes who made a name for themselves in the squared circle.

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Many modern-day wrestlers have been outspoken in their admiration of those who came before them. Many of these competitors sculpted their in-ring skillset or personality based on their idols, and others were simply in awe of their presence when they were younger.

10 Daniel Bryan - Dean Malenko

Daniel Bryan with mic and Dean Malenko with belt

Daniel Bryan's biography Yes: My Improbable Journey to the Main Event of WrestleMania provided valuable insight into what made The American's Dragon the star that he has become. One of the most notable takeaways from the book was his admiration of WCW Cruiserweight standouts Rey Mysterio and Dean Malenko.

Bryan called the classic WCW Cruiserweight Championship match between Malenko and Mysterio at the 1996 Great American Bash pay-per-view a turning point where he realized that his diminutive size would not get in the way of his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. His technical in-ring skillset has led many to compare Bryan to The Man of 1000 Holds.

9 Sasha Banks - Eddie Guerrero

Sasha Banks and Eddie Guerrero with belt

Sasha Banks has been open about her praise of Eddie Guererro, who she has called the biggest inspiration for her career. Banks, who has attempted to follow in Guerrero's footsteps, has committed some truly heelish acts throughout her career.

Banks was one of the most influential figures during WWE's Women's Revolution a decade after Guerrero had a similar impact on the Cruiserweight Division. Her impressive accomplishments would surely make Latino Heat proud, if he were still around to witness them today.

8 Chris Jericho - Hulk Hogan

Chris Jericho with mic and Hulk Hogan ripping shirt

Hulk Hogan was not only one of the top stars in the wrestling industry in the 80s, but he was also one of the biggest pop culture icons. Chris Jericho, a lifelong wrestling fan, claims he was an ultimate Hulkamaniac when he was a kid.

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The two legends only went head to head a few times during their respective careers, but Jericho said he always loved facing The Hulkster. They will go down as two of the best competitors of all time, and there will be wrestlers entering the business in the coming years who will view Jericho the way he saw Hogan.

7 Roman Reigns - Bret Hart

Roman Reigns and Bet Hart

Roman Reigns has praised Bret Hart for being one of the biggest influences of his childhood. He claims that Hart's size made his standout career even more impressive, as many of the top competitors of his day had more imposing physiques. Regardless, the Excellence of Execution was still able to thrive as the top star in the company.

Hart may not agree with the massive push Reigns has received to this point in his career (he thinks he was getting over on his own before WWE made him the face of the company), but he has also said kind words about Reigns. The Hitman has compared The Big Dog's brawling in-ring skillset to Triple H and Kevin Nash.

6 Kevin Owens - Shawn Michaels

Kevin Owens and Shawn Michaels with belt in ring

You may not know it if you saw him today, but Kevin Owens was a scrawny kid who many believed was years younger than he actually was throughout his childhood. He has said that Shawn Michaels, who was on the smaller side when it comes to main event competitors, was a huge inspiration to him when he was a kid.

Despite the success that he has achieved in his career, Owens still looks up to The Heartbreak Kid, and facing the icon would be a dream come true.

5 Becky Lynch - Mick Foley

Becky Lynch and Mick Foley in ring

Becky Lynch and Mick Foley, two of the most influential wrestlers of their respective generations, were two of the best signings in WWE history. The two icons have a mutual admiration for each other, and they have each expressed their gratitude for one another multiple times on social media.

Lynch claims that Foley was one of the biggest inspirations throughout her childhood and that she wanted to be just like The Hardcore Legend. Foley even took The Man under his wing and trained her on improving her speed.

4 Drew McIntyre - Bret Hart

Drew McIntyre with belt and Bret Hart

Drew McIntyre said that Bret Hart was his favorite wrestler throughout his childhood. He claims that the storylines surrounding The Hitman during his career made him stand out from his peers.

Bret Hart has also been an advocate for McIntyre throughout his career and even criticized WWE for burying him during his first stint with the company. He also said that McIntyre is one of the modern-day wrestlers he would have loved to face during his career.

3 The Miz - The Ultimate Warrior

The Miz and The Ultimate Warrior

The Miz listed The Rock, John Cena, The Ultimate Warrior, and, unsurprisingly, himself when asked who belongs on the Mount Rushmore of wrestling. While he may have shown respect to a few wrestlers who paved the way before him, he has also gone on record to say that The Ultimate Warrior was his all-time favorite.

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The Miz said he used to paint his face and put streamers on his arms because he wanted to be like The Warrior. He regretted not introducing himself to the icon when he had the opportunity before the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony.

2 Big E - Goldberg

Big E and Goldberg with WWE Championship

Big E has stated that his dream match would be against Goldberg, who was his favorite wrestler throughout his childhood. He remembers being thrilled when Goldberg complimented his suit at an autograph signing when he was a kid. Goldberg also remembers the signing as it resulted in the only time he was late for a match in his career.

Goldberg, who has been working with WWE on-and-off, believes he still has a lot left in the tank and mentioned Big E as a potential opponent. If the dream match were to happen, it would have to feel like a full-circle moment for both men considering their interesting history with each other.

1 Seth Rollins - Shawn Michaels

Seth Rollins with belts and Shawn Michaels

Seth Rollins has said that Shawn Michaels is his favorite wrestler of all time and should be considered a member of the Mount Rushmore of wrestling (while also taking a bit of a shot at Hulk Hogan).

Rollins magnetic charisma and impressive in-ring ability have drawn comparisons to HBK, and he has done a great job of living up to the billing to this point in his career. He has stated his desire to face off against The Showstopper in a dream match, and the two men would surely put on a show if granted the opportunity.

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