Until very recently, there was only one real pinnacle of wrestling in the United States for almost two decades: WWE. Sure, TNA made waves at times thanks to Dixie Carter's penchant for spending her parents' company's money, but once WWE purchased WCW in March 2001, it was generally the place to be for wrestlers looking for a consistent paycheck with long-term job security.

In the past several years, however, several longtime WWE mainstays have moved on to other ventures - whether to Hollywood, AEW, or simply an extended break. Still, for every Paul Wight, who left the company in early 2021 after an over 20-year tenure, there's a Randy Orton, who's remained not only loyal to the McMahons but active for nearly two decades, himself.

UPDATE: 2023/12/18 14:30 EST BY ETHAN SCHLABAUGH

The WWE and professional wrestling, in general, is a very grueling career to choose, which means that many names don't last a very long time due to the strain it takes on them. Despite this, there are a few wrestlers in the WWE who have been employed by the company for quite some time now and deserve recognition for putting their bodies on the line and entertaining audiences for as long as they have. Looking at the (semi) active WWE roster, here are a few of the names that have been working with the company the longest and some information about their careers.

16 WWE's Role Model, Bayley

Debuted In December 2012 For NXT

Bayley signed her WWE contract in December 2012, and she made her televised debut on the March 20, 2013, episode of NXT, when she lost to Paige. Bayley worked hard and became a top female wrestler in a short time.

She has had several great matches throughout her career and became a Grand Slam Champion. Now 11 years after her signing, it is safe to say that Bayley has been one of the most important female wrestlers in WWE history.

15 The Beast, Brock Lesnar

Debuted In October 2000 In WWE's Developmental League OVW, Returned In April 2012

Even with the long amount of time that Brock Lesnar spent away from the WWE after his initial run with the company, his return in 2012 sits him among some of the longer-tenured members of the roster. Lesnar can also sit among a few names that, despite his age, or relevance to storylines, Lesnar is always one of the top wrestlers whenever he shows up.

Lesnar has a whole host of accomplishments, such as his seven WWE Championship reigns and his three Universal title reigns. However fans might feel about his status as a part-timer, there is no doubt that he has given many, many years of his life to this business.

14 The Queen, Charlotte Flair

Debuted In July 2013 For NXT

Charlotte Flair followed in her father's footsteps and decided to become a professional wrestler. She signed with WWE in 2012, but it wasn't until 2013 that she made her televised debut in NXT, defeating Bayley.

Since then, Charlotte has become The Queen, the most titled female wrestler in WWE history, and has a chance to become the wrestler with the most World Titles overall. Her career has been memorable, and she has been a true game-changer for women's wrestling.

13 The Lone Wolf, Baron Corbin

Debuted In October 2012 For NXT

After being released by the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals, Baron Corbin signed a contract with WWE and made his NXT debut in 2012.

He spent nearly four years on the developmental brand until he received a call-up to the main roster in 2016. Since then, Corbin has had a decent run, as he won the United States Championship, won the King Of The Ring tournament, and was also the Mr. Money In The Bank, although he missed his cash-in.

12 The Architect, Seth Rollins

Debuted In September 2010 For WWE In Florida Championship Wrestling

Seth Rollins has had one hell of a WWE career so far, and it doesn’t look as though it is anywhere close to being over, with plenty of years still to spend atop the card. His WWE journey began all the way back in 2010, as one of the best names in independent wrestling signed with WWE developmental.

He would be molded in the WWE style, eventually becoming the first-ever NXT Champion, which was the first step to one of the best careers in modern-day WWE, which would include multiple World Titles, a Royal Rumble, and a sea of WrestleMania moments.

11 The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns

Debuted In August 2010 For Florida Championship Wrestling

Roman Reigns signed with WWE in 2010 and was immediately assigned to the promotion's developer, Florida Championship Wrestling. Reigns made his main roster debut at Survivor Series 2012, as part of The Shield, alongside Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins.

Since then, Reigns has had a long road and went through a lot. Currently, Reigns is The Tribal Chief, the Head Of The Table, he has over 1,200 days as Universal Champion and has become one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.

10 One Of The Most Underrated Talents, Xavier Woods

Debuted In July 2010 In Florida Championship Wrestling

In 2010, Xavier Woods signed with WWE's developmental promotion, FCW. He wrestled there for a while and then, on October 31, 2012, he made his NXT debut.

Woods worked hard and eventually got the call to the main roster. In 2014, Woods joined Big E and Kofi Kingston, forming the iconic stable The New Day. Woods is a 12-time Tag Team Champion and has had a great career, though he is the only one of the group who has yet to win a singles title.

9 The Toughest Woman In The WWE, Tamina

Debuted In May 2010

Tamina hadn’t spent too long in the wrestling business before signing with WWE in 2010 and spent even less time in developmental as she was thrust onto Raw alongside The Usos. Tamina has had an up-and-down time in the company, with most of it being uneventful.

She would finally win her first proper title after over a decade, as she and Natalya would win the Women’s Tag Team Championship in 2021.

8 Beloved By Everyone, Big E

Debuted In December 2009 For Florida Championship Wrestling

There's probably not a single wrestling fan in existence who would claim that Big E hasn't paid his dues on his way to the top of the industry. Ettore Ewen signed a developmental contract with WWE in 2009, just a few years after an injury ended his time playing defensive end for the Iowa State Hawkeye football team.

Big E's athleticism and powerlifting background immediately impressed trainers, but he required nearly four years of seasoning in Florida Championship Wrestling/NXT before being promoted to the main roster. E pulled 'double duty' for a period, being NXT Champion while aligning himself with AJ Lee and Dolph Ziggler on Raw. Eventually, in the summer of 2014, he was paired with Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston in a trio which, while at first seeming to miss the mark a bit, ended up opening the door to a whole New Day in E's career.

7 Main Event Jey And His Twin Brother Jimmy Uso

Debuted In November 2009 For Florida Championship Wrestling

Jimmy and Jey Uso - a.k.a. Jonathan and Joshua Fatu, sons of Rikishi - signed with WWE in 2009 and were immediately assigned to Florida Championship Wrestling late that year. They debuted in 2010 as heels on Monday Night Raw alongside manager Tamina, but their initial run was underwhelming as the young brothers struggled to stand out from the rest of the mid-card.

Their babyface turn in 2011 let them show a different side of their personalities, and a stint in NXT helped them develop more interesting characters, which finally came to fruition in 2014 when they won the first of eight WWE Tag Team Championships. They've now become one of the biggest acts in WWE thanks to The Bloodline storyline.

6 WWE's Resident Comedian, R-Truth

Debuted In 1999, Returned In August 2008

Ron Killings' chance meeting with Jackie Crockett of the NWA at a halfway house shortly after his release from a 13-month prison sentence in the mid-1990s changed the future of R-Truth's life, although it would take a few years for it to show. Killings signed with WWE off the strength of a highlight video he submitted in 1999, but his time as 'K-Kwik' was forgettable aside from a brief tag team with the Road Dogg.

Upon his release in 2002, Jeff Jarrett's up-and-coming NWA-TNA promotion signed Killings, who quickly became the NWA World Heavyweight Champion. After losing the title later that year, however, he fell back into the mid-card - and, after frustration with his inability to work in AAA and other outside promotions, negotiated his release in late 2007. The following year, Killings, now dubbed 'R-Truth,' made his WWE debut. and hasn't stopped asking audiences "What's Up?!" since.

5 The Celtic Warrior, Sheamus

Debuted In October 2007 For Florida Championship Wrestling

Dublin, Ireland's Stephen Farrelly began his wrestling career in 2002, first training with fellow Irishman Larry Sharpe at his world-renowned New Jersey Monster Factory school before suffering a serious neck injury. Once he recovered in 2004, he spent the next two years further honing his craft in promotions like Irish Whip Wrestling and British Championship Wrestling on his native island before signing with WWE in 2007.

Upon his debut for the company, the rechristened Sheamus O'Shaunessy spent the better part of the next two years in Florida Championship Wrestling. In June 2009, however, he received an opportunity to join the main roster's clear 'C-Show,' ECW. After less than five months, though, the Irishman got his 'big break' upon being drafted to Raw, ending the year as WWE Champion less than six months after his main roster debut.

4 The Women's Division Veteran, Natalya

Debuted In March 2007 For Deep South Wrestling

Nattie 'Natalya' Neidhart might have officially signed with WWE in 2007, but professional wrestling is in her blood. She, cousin Harry Smith and family friend Teddy 'Hart' Annis bounced among the various developmental promotions at the time, before she, Smith, and T.J. Wilson ended up on the main roster.

Natalya debuted in the Women's Division first for several months before she, Smith, and a renamed Tyson Kidd established the Hart Dynasty, which coincided with their Uncle Bret's return to the company. In the decade since, Natayla has been a mainstay on the roster, holding the Divas Championship and SmackDown Women's Championships once apiece and most recently serving as one-half of the Women's Tag Champions alongside fellow second-generation star Tamina.

3 New Day Member & WWE Champion, Kofi Kingston

Debuted In September 2006 For Deep South Wrestling

'Kofimania' struck WWE in early 2019, driven by fans' respect for - and acknowledgment of - Kingston's long and rollercoaster-like run with the company. The young Ghanan began training in 2005 and was signed as a still-green, yet athletic prospect with strong potential. It took a couple of years of seasoning before officials felt he was ready for television, though, as Kingston made his debut for ECW in early 2008.

Moving forward, Kingston was a reliable-if-unspectacular babyface whose only major push in 2009 (in a feud against Randy Orton) went infamously awry. Despite his popular association with Xavier Woods and Big E as the New Day beginning in 2014, it seemed like Kingston was destined to be considered a top name who never won the big prize. However, that all changed with Kofimania, the well-deserved culmination of his years of top-notch performances.

2 The A-Lister, The Miz

Debuted In 2004 As Part Of Tough Enough Reality Show

When Mike Mizanin talked about his love of professional wrestling as a cast member on MTV's The Real World, it was treated as a joke. However, WWE executives must have seen the very things - inherent charisma, humor, and an underrated work ethic - that caused MTV to bring Mizanin back several times after his cast's initial season. At worst, Mizanin would be a perfect fit for Tough Enough, and even if he didn't win, he was a crossover figure sure to draw at least a few curious MTV viewers.

Few would have thought then that in 2021, Mizanin would have celebrated his second WWE Championship victory as well as seventeen consecutive years of active WWE employment. Sure, things got off to a rocky start when the Miz debuted as the host of SmackDown in 2006, and they'd get even weirder during the summer's Diva Search. However, despite loud criticisms from his detractors at every step of his journey, it's hard to argue that the 'Most Must-See WWE Superstar's career has been anything less than awesome.

1 The Viper, Randy Orton

Debuted In June 2000 For Ohio Valley Wrestling

What is there to say about Randy Orton that hasn't already been said a million times over? Orton's 20-year WWE career has taken him from being a 'Legend Killer' to a legend himself, and the fourteen-time World Champion is an underrated candidate to eventually break Ric Flair (and John Cena)'s record of 16. Perhaps most impressively, however, is that, aside from a few short breaks, he's been an active member of the in-ring roster for that entire stretch - something that others like Triple H and John Cena can't say.

The 'Viper' was a blue-chip prospect from the start as part of the famous 'OVW Class of 2002' alongside Cena, Brock Lesnar, and Batista. Despite taking a bit to get going (including his infamous shoulder injury and accompanying 'RNN' progress updates on Raw), soon Orton joined Ric Flair, Triple H, and Batista in Evolution and became the youngest World Champion in WWE history at 24 years old in 2004. Two decades later, Orton is a living legend.