Monster Mount Rushmore

David Gibb’s Monster Mount Rushmore

Andre the Giant

Andre was wrestling’s most valuable and protected attraction from the early ’70s through the mid ’80s. A born giant who fiercely protected his spot against football players in lifts and weightlifters who were getting increasingly scientific in their approach to training, Andre almost always played babyface on camera, but he was the monster who struck fear into the hearts of the other monsters, both in the ring and in the locker room.

Vader

Leon White wasn’t the first big man to cut a flip or eat underneath wrestlers alive, but he discovered a new formula for combining agility and power that no other wrestler in the subsequent 25 years has been able to match. He is one of the greatest American wrestlers in the history of Japan, one of the greatest football players-turned-wrestlers and was capable of having the best main event matches of anybody 325-plus-pounds.

Kane

The Big Red Machine/Monster was one of the most captivating figures of wrestling’s late-90s peak years week to week, even though the character debuted relatively late in the game compared to all the other difference-making acts of the time. The mystique of his mask and backstory combined with the promo ability of the late Paul Bearer and a little stage magic made Kane the perfect monster you could almost believe in. While his evolution over the years are not as celebrated as those of Chris Jericho or Matt Hardy, Kane is the all-time example of the monster built to last.

Mark Lewin/Purple Haze

In the earliest days of wrestling on television, Mark Lewin was a handsome babyface, but in the second half of his career, he transformed into a gigantic gabbling madman whose only purpose in life was to make strange sounds and do the bidding of semi-satanic sinestros like Kevin Sullivan and Gary Hart. In a time when many still believed or wanted to believe, Lewin combined body language from classic horror films with simple pro wrestling psychology and copious amounts of blood to entertain and horrify fans around the country and the world.

Matthew Smith’s Monster Mount Rushmore

Andre the Giant

Everyone’s list starts with Andre. My first memory of wrestling lore is Hogan picking him up and slamming him. Andre transcended wrestling and became a pop culture fixture right along with Hogan.

Mark Henry

From his Sexual Chocolate role to the Nation of Domination to the World’s Strongest Man, Mark Henry always made lemonade out of lemons. His fake retirement speech on John Cena should have seen him win the ultimate prize, but at least he got a world title run during the Hall of Pain era.

Kane

He isn’t the phenomena that is the Undertaker or as massive as the Big Show, but The Big Red Machine deserves recognition for his longevity. Kane arrived on the scene by terrifying the WWE audience and ripping off the Hell in a Cell door and laying out his brother. He could have fizzled out as most monsters in WWE do, but instead he kept evolving his character.

Big Show

The Big Show doesn’t need a long write up because if you have watched wrestling anywhere from 1996-2020, you’ve seen the Giant cause destruction on your screen. It’s safe to say anytime you say big men in the WWE, you atomically hear “WELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL IT’S THE BIG SHOW!”

Juan Batista’s Monster Mount Rushmore

Bruiser Brody

The scenes of the Japanese crowd running away are epic. Brody was a monster everywhere he went.

Abdullah the Butcher

All you have you to do is look at his forehead. They put Abby in an electric chair and it still didn’t stop him.

Vader

Vader had legendary battles with Mick Foley and was a god in Japan. Hell, he finished a match with his eye knocked out of its socket!

Brock Lesnar

The last legitimate monster left in pro wrestling.

Chad Gelfand’s Monster Mount Rushmore

Big Show

Big Show takes the top spot for not only his longevity, but his versatility (to his detriment a lot of the time). Show at his peak was one of the most athletic wrestlers we’ve ever seen for a man his size.

Andre the Giant

Andre is such a legendary, historical figure in wrestling that he belongs on any list of the greatest giants. To this day, he is one of wrestling’s most recognizable names, despite passing away almost 30 years ago.

Vader

Vader was truly a monster of a man. One of the most feared competitors in WCW and Japan, a lackluster WWF run doesn’t take away from his phenomenal career.

Mark Henry

Mark Henry is on this list almost exclusively for his Hall of Pain run. Sexual Chocolate was entertaining, but that alone isn’t enough to get you on an all-time giants list. The Hall of Pain run was fantastic, and Henry’s fake retirement ceremony remains one of the most innovative and memorable moments in WWE history.

Steven Jackson’s Monster Mount Rushmore

Big Van Vader

It’s Time. It’s Time. It’s Vader Time! When you think of monsters, you think of scary behemoths who cannot be stopped, and nobody fits that description more so than Vader! A powerhouse with the scariest punches in wrestling history, Vader was one of a kind and a true wrestling monster.

Abyss

In the early days of TNA, Abyss was the quintessential monster heel in the company. With his Hannibal Lecter mask, steel chain and devastating Black Hole Slam, Abyss made his opponents and fans cower!

Takeshi Morishima

In the late 2000s, Takeshi Morishima ran roughshod over everyone in Pro Wrestling NOAH and then brought his path of destruction to Ring of Honor. Morishima had the size of Terry Gordy, the speed of Mike Awesome, the power of Steve Williams and the strikes of Vader. A terrifying individual, Morishima may not be everyone’s first choice when you think of “monster,” but he definitely deserves the label.

André the Giant

The monster all monsters have to follow. André the Giant’s incredible size and dominance made him the foundation of all monster wrestlers of the modern age. Nobody before or since has been able to match André’s impact or significance in the industry.

John Corrigan’s Monster Mount Rushmore

Andre the Giant

The Eighth Wonder of the World remains synonymous with pro wrestling. His larger-than-life physical features and natural charisma made him a star in the ring and on the silver screen. All other giants fall in his shadow.

Vader

It’s not like his WWE run started off bad – he put Gorilla Monsoon out on the shelf. Unfortunately, Shawn Michaels got in his head and the Mastodon never regained his momentum. But let’s look at the five years prior, where he was the most intimidating, agile heavyweight in the wrestling world.

Brock Lesnar

Co-signing Juan: Lesnar is the only believable monster left.

Umaga

The Samoan Bulldozer didn’t last long in WWE, but he sure left a path of destruction in his wake. Until he came up against Super Cena, Umaga mauled everyone on the roster, stunning the audience with his speed and agility.