Who is the best at putting people over?

After Mr H's comments on HHH and Nash in the 1991 thread I wondered who you guys thought was the best at putting people over?

Who made their opponents who they are today by letting them win at a big stage?

Who made their opponents looked strong and helped them gain respect from the other wrestlers and fans?

What matches in history do you think somebody had a great chance to be put over and never was?

Bret Hart

For me the 3 best at putting people over were/are Angle, Y2J and HBK (excluding the 90's) as they were just so good in the ring that they knew just how to draw fans into their matches and get them truly interested in the outcome that when you saw the other guy win you actually sat back and would think "wow, that kids good".

Obviously you have HBK and Austin at Wrestlemania and Angle putting over Brock again at Wrsetlemania but Jericho is much harder really as he put over far to many people and has just never really been considered to be a top guy, in my opinion anyway.

The Rock put over Austin, HHH, Lesnar, Angle, Jericho and countless others.

The Rock & Bret Hart

Chris Jericho has put so many people over that going over him nowadays doesnt give his opponent any major rub and isnt even a big deal.

For me the best is Shawn Michaels. Even if he won the match he'd still make his opponent look a million dollars, which leads back to the old saying of 'you dont have to go over to get over'. Even in the twilight of his career he was the master, he put Ric Flair over big time at Mania 24, he made Flair look gold. Not to mention the two matches against The Undertaker. Yes Taker could still go, but Michaels was the catalyst in turning those matches from being 'good' to 'great'.

Speaking of The Undertaker. Surely he has to be up there with the worst at putting anyone over? Maybe its something his character dictates, but he could give someone some major rub. Not necessarily at Wrestlemania though. Imagine what it'd do for someone like Punk or Sheamus if they went over Taker at Survivor Series. Taker used to use the motto of 'making someone famous' in the HIAC matches, well he literally could make someone famous by letting them go over him.

Mick Foley for me, The Undertaker improved 100% after working with Foley, he was a main guy in establishing HHH as a guy with real potential in 97 then making him look the real deal as the main guy in 2000, he was also instrumental in helping Rock get over as the main heel in the WWF in late 98 early 99, his Mankind character was brilliant, he also had a good feud with Austin although he was well over by then, then when his career was long finished he puts Edge and Randy Orton over, for me Mankind/Cactus Jack has done more for the WWF/E Main Event scene than anyone else since I started watching

Im with gaffer, Foley for me. He made HHH, Rocky, Orton and Edge who they were.

Completely forgot about Foley who is an excellent shout, definitely up there along with Angle and HBK for me.

Mr H agree about Jericho also, kind of shows what happens when you don't play backstage politics in order to look after your spot.

Steve Lombardi has put one or two over! Ha!

Didn't taker put both Khali and Kozlov over clean when they both first started? Not his fault they were absolute rubbish.

Taker only put Kozlov over so HBK could beat him so it looked like Shawn Michaels had a chance of ending the streak, Kozlov was well past it as a character by the time he went over Taker

Bret Hart and HBK for me. As H said HBK even if you lost made you look a million dollars. Never forget the match he had with Vader at Summerslam 1996 and had his work cut out in a match with a 400lber. He made Vader look outstanding despite having to work twice as hard. He put over Sid, Nash, Taker big guys and made them look superb.

Hart for me also put over people brilliantly. Look at Bulldog and Austin who had their career best matches with Hart. Again another one who made others look brilliant.

Taker made Lesnar the real deal.

A lot of people overlook Bret Hart because he was so fiercely protective of his character but if you're not then you end up becoming Jericho when someone beating just doesn't matter

I'm going to throw Hogans name in. He might not have put over that many people in his time, but the times he did were memorable.
Firstly The Ultimate Warrior, at the the time the two biggest baby faces in wrestling, Hogans stock was starting to dwindle a bit, but he was far from past his best and still very much in his prime.
Then when returning to the WWE he put over The Rock in another passing the torch moment, followed by tapping out to Kurt Angle and Brock Lesner.

Bret Hart without doubt..... Win lose or draw the opponent ALWAYS came off better after he'd been in the ring with The Hitman.

I remember a near 30 minute tv title defence against The 1-2-3 Kid. Who else would make such a believable superbly executed match against a green 180 pound Waltman

Taker has put over a lot of wrestlers, or at least helped make them look better. The catch is that he always wins the fued eventually, mainly becuase his character typically has revenge. Lesnar is the only guy he's never won a fued with, with everyone else he has beaten them to end the fued however long it takes. Unlike Cena though, he does make the opponents look stronger (even Heindenriech), Cena just steam rolls everyone he faces by the fueds end.

Bret Hart and HBK are the other two I can think of. Though I'm sure Ziggler will eventually be added to that list.

Rey was good last year e.g. Cody Rhodes and R Truth

Taker even let Maven eliminate him from the Rumble.

Taker also put Austin over a number of times.

Did Austin put anyone over?

Mick Foley is a great shout, I never realised just how good he made his opponent look.

How about Vince himself?

Beating him didnt exactly put anyone over for wrestling ability but every on screen feud he has had, resulted in him ultimately losing and elevating the opponent.

A bit off topic, but does anyone know the last time Taker actually lost a match?

Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and Mick Foley.


In their prime (did HBK ever NOT have a prime?!) they made their opponents look like a million bucks whether they won or lost.

Ziggler has to be up there, he sells literally everything so well and is probably going to be one of the biggest stars WWE have ever had in my opinion.

Ziggler is a great seller no doubt but he could wind up in Chris Jericho territory if he's not careful.

djcc2004 wrote:A bit off topic, but does anyone know the last time Taker actually lost a match?

Bragging Rights 2010 v Kane

Wrong Hero, he lost to his hoodie last week on RAW. Total squash.

Incrediablly that bragging rights lost to Kane was acctually Undertakers 3rd match since this day.

Booker t always seems happy to put tallent over.

IRS and Papa Shango where always more than happy to put people over.

theundisputedY2D2 wrote:
Ziggler is a great seller no doubt but he could wind up in Chris Jericho territory if he's not careful.

Sell monkey?

Brooklyn Brawler

There is a massive difference between selling a move and putting people over

I don't think Ziggler has really put anybody over yet.

Am I the only one who thinks Ziggler is starting to play up to his reputation of selling and they're becoming more over the top?

Crimey wrote:I don't think Ziggler has really put anybody over yet.

Am I the only one who thinks Ziggler is starting to play up to his reputation of selling and they're becoming more over the top?

I have thought this for a few weeks, I fear he is becoming a sell monkey.