Sunsport Wrestlers Of The Decade

[nightrain]

SUNSPORT today name Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels as our wrestlers of the decade.

Rated solely on work inside in the ring — rather than storylines, characters or promos — TNA's Olympic gold medallist and WWE's Heartbreak Kid easily came out on top.

Our team of five wrestling writers spent the last few months compiling an in-depth look back at 2000-2009.

For each year they selected the three best matches — and it is these on which our results are based.

Of the 30 best bouts of the decade, which you can see by clicking here, Michaels and Angle appeared in EIGHT each.

That is double their closest rivals — Triple H, Edge and Samoa Joe — who all scored four. Behind them were Undertaker and Mick Foley with three apiece.

Simon Rothstein, who headed up our panel, said: "Nobody in wrestling, and perhaps no one in any sport, came close to the consistent brilliance Michaels and Angle showed throughout the decade.

"Some, such as Triple H and Mick Foley, started the noughties with a bang while others ended in top form, most notably TNA's Samoa Joe and WWE legend The Undertaker.

"But Michaels and Angle were the guys who, year after year, were having the sort of outstanding matches fans will be still be watching a decade from now."

When 1990s legend Michaels returned to the ring in 2002, after a 'career-ending' back injury, everyone thought it was just for a short non-wrestling run.

But his first bout back, against pal Triple H at SummerSlam, stole the show and he is still turning the back years today at 44.

Michaels can also be confirmed as Mr WrestleMania — five of his eight prize-winning fights were at WWE's showpiece event.

They were the triple threat with HHH and Chris Benoit, and singles outings against Chris Jericho, Angle, Ric Flair and Undertaker.

His other three bouts to rate were against Hunter, Jericho and John Cena.

Angle, 41, has also showed impressive staying power throughout the last 10 years.

He scored five of his eight top clashes in WWE — against Steve Austin, Benoit, Edge, Michaels and Brock Lesnar.

However, when he left the federation under a cloud, and plagued by personal problems, many assumed it was the end of a brilliant career.

Yet the man who won his gold medal with a broken neck showed the same resilience in bouncing back and performing at the same elevated level in TNA.

There we rated two of his bouts with Samoa Joe and his recent contest with Desmond Wolfe as among as the best in their years.

Rothstein concluded: "Michaels and Angle have always given their all to put on the best show possible for the fans.

"This is a richly deserved prize."

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/2807862/The-Sun-name-Kurt-Angle-and-Shawn-Michaels-as-the-wrestlers-of-the-decade.html#ixzz0cbbwic54

[Hammy]

They'd easily be my two choices as well, their in-ring work is a cut above.