WWE's Mt. Rushmore of Best In-Ring Workers Today

The strides WWE has made creatively in the last two years have not gone unnoticed by fans, and as strong as some of the storylines have been, the exceptionally talented roster is equally responsible for the boom period the promotion currently finds itself in.

WWE will very likely never again have a crop of competitors as star-studded as the Attitude Era's main event scene from the late '90s into the early 2000s. The way wrestling transcended pop culture during that time was unprecedented and will be nearly impossible to replicate, but a majority of the matches the audience is treated to today are far superior.

AEW also boasts an outstanding roster, but WWE's roster in particular is the strongest it's been in some time. Paul "Triple H" Levesque has not only brought back ex-Superstars who weren't afforded opportunities during the previous regime but also given many fresh faces a chance to shine and show what they're capable of as well.

Who any one person believes is the best is obviously subjective, and both Raw and SmackDown being so stockpiled with supremely skilled wrestlers at the moment makes it difficult to dwindle it down to a mere handful.

However, the following four Superstars are worthy of being considered WWE's Mt. Rushmore of greatest in-ring workers right now.

AJ Styles

The Phenomenal One was widely recognized as one of the very best in the business when he arrived in WWE in 2016. Despite not always being utilized to his full potential, he's remained at the top of his game since then and is coming off an instant classic with Cody Rhodes at Backlash that solidifies his spot among the honorable mentions.

Becky Lynch

It remains to be seen whether she intends to re-sign with WWE, but for now, Lynch deserves to be recognized among the elite. The work she's put in the last year with the likes of Trish Stratus, Lyra Valkyria, Liv Morgan, Rhea Ripley and Nia Jax has been top-notch and has elevated her in-ring ability to another level.

Sami Zayn

Zayn's skills as a storyteller inside the squared circle are unmatched. He's always been above-average as a wrestler, but his ability to take the audience on a journey every match he has—regardless of what role he's in—makes him one of the very best.

Seek out his encounters with Roman Reigns, Gunther, The Usos and even Johnny Knoxville for examples of his excellences.

Iyo Sky

Even following an eight-month run as WWE Women's champion, Sky is still underrated and underappreciated by many. Although she and the rest of Damage CTRL have struggled to get over with the audience, her matches never cease to deliver.

She and Bayley had one of the best bouts of WrestleMania weekend this year, and there were plenty of other gems sprinkled throughout her reign as well.

Ricochet

The awe-inspiring aerial artist came into the company with a ton of buzz in early 2018, and while he's arguably failed to live up to those lofty expectations (with his abysmal booking being largely to blame), he's had his fair share of success and memorable matches.

His recent run-ins with Ilja Dragunov on Raw have served as the ultimate reminder of how truly talented he is ahead of his expiring contract (h/t Fightful Select).

It's only appropriate to include Cody Rhodes in WWE's Mt. Rushmore of best in-ring workers, not only for his current standing as Undisputed WWE champion but mostly because the body of work he's put together since returning to the company in 2022.

Interestingly, Rhodes was never one of WWE's most exciting performers to watch between the ropes during his original run. There was never anything egregiously bad about his matches, but he failed to stand out in a major way in that respect.

Leaving on his own terms and honing his craft across the globe really was the smartest thing he could have done for his career. Mixing it up with the world's most elite athletes—pun intended—allowed him to improve every aspect of his game.

Once he resurfaced at WrestleMania 38, he was a much more polished performer. His trilogy with Seth Rollins is one of the greatest in WWE's recent history, and his back-to-back WrestleMania matches with Roman Reigns were five-star outings.

Throw in his terrific title defenses against AJ Styles and Logan Paul on pay-per-view and it's hard to argue against him in this spot.

Under different leadership, it's safe to assume Gunther would have just been another wrestler on the roster with nothing remotely special about him or his presentation.

Gunther wasn't on the main roster long enough when Vince McMahon was at the creative helm for fans to see how he would have been handled long-term, but in Triple H's WWE, he's been booked as an attraction and rightfully so.

His Intercontinental Championship wasn't revered for the sole fact that he held the belt for as long as he did—an astounding 666 days. Rather, he excelled where many champions fall flat: producing a consistent string of tremendous title defenses.

It didn't matter the opponent or the feud he found himself in. Gunther brought the goods each and every time his gold was up for his grabs, and even when he was involved in tag team action or non-title matches.

That hasn't changed despite no longer being Intercontinental champ. He dominated the King of the Ring tournament with four straight wins over top talent to capture the crown and now his sights are set on the World Heavyweight title.

When the lights are on bright, never bet against Gunther.

It might be a tad premature to put Ilja Dragunov among such coveted company, but anyone who followed his work in NXT and NXT UK is aware of why it isn't much of a stretch.

Dragunov rose through the ranks of NXT UK fairly quickly and gradually got himself over with the audience through his sheer intensity and in-ring relentlessness. It was unknown how he'd translate to the formal NXT brand once he arrived in late 2022 and he thrived there, too.

His seven-month reign as NXT champion produced a number of gems, and he managed to ride that wave of momentum over onto Raw in the 2024 WWE Draft. His debut match against Ricochet, which also happened to be a King of the Ring first-rounder, was an absolute thrill and got fans behind him from the get-go.

Dragunov has a tendency to bring the best out of everyone he shares the ring with, regardless of their experience level. His eccentric facial expressions are a bonus, along with his unadulterated strength and speed.

The Mad Dragon's main roster run has merely gotten underway and already he's proven himself as a world-class competitor. WWE fans should prepare for the bangers he's bound to bring in spades.

Although he's out injured at the moment, Seth Rollins remains the measuring stick for success in many ways.

He instantly joined the conversation of the company's best in-ring workers when he joined the main roster as one-third of The Shield in 2012. He returned from his first major ACL tear in 2016 slightly slower than he was before, but by 2018, he had found his groove again and was back on top as WWE's premier athlete.

It's easy for fans to take The Visionary for granted with how long he's been around, but even at the age of 38, it can be argued he is still in the physical prime of his career. Look no further than his recent reign as World Heavyweight champion for proof.

Rollins' character work can wear thin at times, but his matches have never once dipped in quality. Roman Reigns, John Cena, Dean Ambrose, Edge and Cody Rhodes lead the list of his greatest rivals.

Even some of his weakest feuds and storylines have featured superb matches including against Bray Wyatt, Rey Mysterio, Brock Lesnar and Sting.

Rollins has shown zero signs of slowing down anytime soon, ensuring he stays a fixture on this Mt. Rushmore for years to come.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.