Every “Face” Of WWE

There have been a lot of top guys in the wrestling business throughout wrestling history. But only a select rare few have been chosen to be The Face of the WWE. The person who will unequivocally represent the company to the mainstream. When non-fans think of professional wrestling, they’ll think of these wrestlers.

Over the years, The Face That Runs The Place has generally been the WWE Champion, as well as the wrestler who gets sent to morning talk shows to represent the WWE (and occasionally put the late, great Regis Philbin in a headlock.)

UPDATE: 2024/05/02 18:30 EST BY TEVON KING

Becoming the face of WWE isn’t for the faint-hearted and there is a lot of pressure on the wrestlers who are representing WWE to deliver. It isn’t just high-level matches the face of WWE is expected to excel in, it’s things outside the squared circle. Attending press conferences, meeting with fans, and appearing on TV shows. Everyone wants a piece of you when you are at the top of WWE, and several main eventers have been at the top of WWE but have not been the face of the company. The likes of Batista, Edge, Triple H, The Undertaker, and Randy Savage have multiple World Championship reigns under their names, but they haven’t been the “guy.”

12 Superstar Billy Graham Had One Of The Best Physiques In WWE History

Graham Was A Major Star In The ’70s

The man with the power, too sweet to be sour. There is a reason that the late Superstar Billy Graham’s documentary was entitled 20 Years Too Soon. It’s because he really was the prototype for what a WWE Superstar was. Everyone from Hogan to Triple H to Scott Steiner all ripped off Billy Graham in one form or another.

He held the WWE Title less than a year before dropping it to Bob Backlund and was the first “cool bad guy” that fans liked. The only reason his reign was cut short, and he wasn’t turned babyface is because of the handshake deal Vince Sr. with Bob Backlund, and was a man of his word, no matter what.

11 Bob Backlund Was A Popular Babyface In His Prime

Backlund Held The WWE Championship For Five Years

As the last Face before Hulkamania started running wild, Bob Backlund becomes an interesting footnote on this list. He certainly wasn’t as flamboyant The Superstar, or anyone else in any era ever. But it wasn’t his mayonnaise-level charisma that got him over with old-school fans.

It was his toughness, conditioning, and skill. He was the WWE Champion from the day he beat Graham in 1978 all the way to when The Iron Sheik defeated him at MSG in 1983.

10 The Ultimate Warrior Jostled Hulk Hogan For Top Spot In The Early ’90s

Warrior Had A Successful Run In The Golden Era

Let’s face(paint) the hard facts here. The Ultimate Warrior has spent more time being a neon-painted nincompoop than he did as the Face of WWE. By all accounts, a lot of that is his fault as he had repeatedly gotten too big for his britches.

The prima donna attitude never works in the backstage of WWE. Had he been far more understanding of his place in the company, there is a good chance Vince would have kept pushing him as the top guy. After all, even today fans still do appreciate his intensity and inane babbling promos.

9 Cody Rhodes Finished The Story

The American Nightmare Is Currently The Top Star In WWE

Cody Rhodes returned to WWE with a lot of fanfare at WrestleMania 38. The American Nightmare suffered a setback as he tore his bicep before his Hell in a Cell match with Seth Rollins, but somehow he managed to wrestle. Nevertheless, Cody made his triumphant return to action in the 2023 men’s Royal Rumble match.

Rhodes got over the line, and he failed to finish off the story at WrestleMania 39. A year later, Cody won the men’s Royal Rumble match for the second year in succession, and he ended Roman Reigns’ historic Undisputed WWE Universal Championship run to become a World Champion in WWE finally. Cody is the perfect face to represent the company as he will be present, and compete regularly on live events worldwide which fans have waited to see for a long time.

8 Shawn Michaels’ Boyhood Dream Came True At WrestleMania 12

Michaels Had Two Successful Major WWE Runs Pre-Retirement And His Comeback Arc

Unquestionably, Shawn Michaels is one of the greatest in-ring competitors to grace a WWE ring. The Heartbreak Kid had a solid run in the New Generation Era, after winning his second Royal Rumble in 1996, Michaels converted that victory into his first WWE Championship at WrestleMania 12.

Michaels’ popularity was at an all-time high in 1996 and he took the ball and ran with it in Bret Hart’s absence. Michaels knocked it out of the park with some exceptional wrestling matches and there’s no doubt that he rubbed some fans up the wrong way with his persona when he was a heel in 1997. The first Grand Slam Champion in WWE history deserves all the praise he got for his successful wrestling career which led to him becoming a two-time WWE Hall of Famer individually and as a member of DX.

7 Bret Hart Showed Why He Was The Excellence Of Execution

The Hitman Is One Of The Greatest Technical Wrestlers In History

WWE began to transition away from the Golden Era to the New Generation Era after King of the Ring 1993 with the likes of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage heading south to WCW. Enter Bret Hart who was poised and ready to be the “guy.” The Excellence of Execution was from the legendary Hart family and his attention to detail inside the squared circle is second to none.

Hart hit several speed bumps along the way but WrestleMania 10 was Hart’s true crowning moment as the undisputed face of WWE. Hart recaptured the WWE Championship from Yokozuna, and he went on to feud with his brother Owen. Hart turned heel in 1997, and was booted out of WWE after the Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series 1997 with the Hitman joining WCW. He was away from WWE for almost 13 years.

6 Roman Reigns Broke Records As The Longest-Reigning Universal Champion In History

The Tribal Chief Etched His Name In The History Books

Roman Reigns was the longest-reigning Undisputed WWE Universal Champion in history. The Tribal Chief held the WWE Championship and the Universal Championship simultaneously. However, his 1,316-day reign as champion was curtailed by Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 40 Sunday. Reigns has been running the show for well over three years but he is fulfilling a destiny that began over ten years ago.

Plenty of people in WWE, especially Vince were pulling for The Big Dog to be their next big babyface. But it was so forced that WWE fans weren’t getting behind him. Only after he became The Head Of The Table did fans ultimately start throwing their ones up and acknowledging The Tribal Chief.

5 Bruno Sammartino Was The Living Legend

Sammartino’s The Longest-Reigning WWE Champion In History

The first man hand-picked to be the face of the Territory was the Italian Strongman, Bruno Sammartino. He was the WWE Champion for seven years before losing the gold to Ivan Koloff; which shocked the MSG crowd into silence.

But his legend and legacy stand atop the entire wrestling world. After regaining the WWE Title he held it for years – eleven years as the WWE Champion is a feat that will never be replicated.

4 Hulk Hogan Became The Face Of The Company In The ’80s

The Hulkster Helped Put WWE On The Map

He is the first of the modern-day Faces. Hulk Hogan is the major reason wrestling came out of Smoky Elk’s Lodges and Armories and into arenas.

Our top three get to be part of the top three because Hulkamania ran wild and carved a path for everyone else to walk.

3 The Rock Moved From Professional Wrestling To Hollywood

The Final Boss Had Success As A Babyface And A Heel

As the WWE’s first-ever third-generation superstar, Rocky Maivia has some big shoes to fill. It took some time, but suffice it to say he succeeded and then some. Not only was he the Face of WWE, but he sometimes found a way to supplant Austin.

After his in-ring career was over, and he began to take over Hollywood, whenever, the Great One returns he still has the WWE Universe eating out of the palm of his hand. Rock turned heel for the first time in 19 years in February 2024, and “The Final Boss” gimmick was born. Rock competed in the main event of WrestleMania 40 Saturday alongside Roman Reigns and they defeated then-World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes.

2 Stone Cold Steve Austin Captivated The Audience In The Attitude Era

Austin Entertained The WWE Universe For Many Years

If not for all the goodwill work John Cena does to enhance the WWE’s brand worldwide, then Steve Austin gets the number one nod hands down. While Hulk Hogan was able to let Vince McMahon take the show out of gymnasiums and into arenas, Stone Cold helped Vince get into stadiums and take the WWE public.

Sure, the WWE would have probably still gotten to the points that they have, but the charge out of the abysmal business of the New Generation into the Attitude Era and beyond all started with The Bionic Redneck.

1 John Cena Is One Of The Most Polarizing Stars In WWE History

Big Match John Was Adored And Detested By Many

It’s wild to think about it. But John Cena isn’t just The GOAT because Michael Cole says it, it’s because it’s true. As far as being the Face of WWE goes, Cena has done it all and then some for over twenty years now.

No one else on this list had been on top of the company for that long. Yes, we live in a different time, but Cena is the hardest-working man WWE has ever seen. From a never-ending schedule of Make-A-Wish visitations to other appearances worldwide, he always represents the WWE and that is notoriety that you can’t buy.