Recommended Free Tools
The strongest AWA-to-WWE success stories include Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Curt Hennig, Jesse Ventura and the Legion of Doom. This ranking weighs each person’s documented AWA connection, achievements and lasting recognition in WWE, while accounting for non-wrestling contributions such as commentary and managing. The order is an editorial judgment, not an official ranking; WWE’s own histories identify the AWA as a launching ground for many future WWE figures.
How this ranking works
AWA credentials alone do not make someone a top pick: the question is who carried meaningful recognition or success into WWE. The list therefore favors documented WWE championships and Hall of Fame recognition, while also recognizing major contributions outside the ring. A tag team is treated as a single entry because its WWE success came as a pair.
WWE’s biography of AWA owner Verne Gagne describes the promotion as a breeding ground for future WWE Superstars and names several people below. That is WWE’s account of the AWA’s legacy, not a neutral comparative measure.
The 10 AWA stars who made it big in WWE
1. Hulk Hogan
Hogan is the clearest AWA-to-WWE breakout in this group. WWE says he left the AWA in late 1983; in January 1984, he defeated The Iron Sheik for the WWE Championship. WWE’s 2014 corporate announcement records six WWE Championship wins and his 2005 WWE Hall of Fame induction. The Associated Press, reporting his death at age 71 on July 24, 2025, described him as a central figure in WWE’s late-1980s and early-1990s mainstream popularity. Those achievements and reach put him at the top of this ranking.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match#1 Best Overall
- Fan Favorites! WWE action figures bring Superstars to life in 6-inch scale.
- TrueFX Technology! Each figure is detailed with a life-like face for added collectability.
- Dynamic Posing! Fans can recreate signature moves with 14 points of articulation.
- Play and Display! Reenact favorite WWE Main Event matches or create new rivalries and moves.
- Super Collectible! WWE fans can find their favorite Superstar figures (each sold separately, subject to availability).
2. Shawn Michaels
Michaels first made his AWA mark alongside Marty Jannetty as one half of the Midnight Rockers. WWE’s historical timeline records their AWA tag-team championship win in January 1987. Michaels later became one of WWE’s most prominent stars, making the AWA connection an early chapter in a far larger WWE career.
3. Curt Hennig
WWE describes Hennig as a top AWA star before his later WWE run. WWE records him as an Intercontinental Champion and United States Champion, and inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2007. His documented AWA standing and WWE honors make him one of the strongest direct fits for the title.
4. Jesse Ventura
Ventura’s WWE success was not limited to wrestling. WWE identifies him as an AWA World Tag Team Champion and a WWE Hall of Fame inductee in 2004. His later WWE work included commentary, giving him a distinctive role in the company’s presentation as well as in the ring.
Rank #2
- Recreate unpredictable finishes and thrilling ladder matches with the WWE Money In The Bank Cash-In Ring playset!
- The action-packed ring stands more than 20-inches tall and features 2 ways to play!
- Choose Kick-Out Mode when it's time to go for the pin or set to Money In The Bank Mode to send Superstar figures (sold separately) flying toward the suspended briefcase or out of the ring.
- An astonishing 40+ sounds and phrases punch up the excitement even more -- just like in a real Money In The Bank ladder match!
- Amp up the action with iconic WWE accessories like a breakaway scaffold crane, ladders and WWE Money In The Bank briefcase!
5. The Legion of Doom
Animal and Hawk, the team known as the Legion of Doom in WWE, are among the AWA-linked names in WWE’s account of Gagne’s legacy. Their case belongs in a list that recognizes tag-team impact rather than judging everyone by singles titles. The available WWE material identifies the duo as part of the AWA-to-WWE pipeline but does not provide a comparable tally of WWE honors here.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →6. Marty Jannetty
Jannetty’s best-established AWA milestone in the cited WWE timeline is the January 1987 tag-title win with Michaels as the Midnight Rockers. He also carried that partnership into WWE. Ranking him separately from Michaels recognizes his own place in the transition, though the strongest documented achievements in this source set belong to the team and to Michaels’ later individual career.
7. Scott Hall
WWE includes Scott Hall among the future WWE figures associated with the AWA in its Verne Gagne biography. That makes him a credible crossover pick, but the cited AWA-history page does not detail his WWE championships or other comparable accomplishments. His position reflects the documented connection without implying a head-to-head achievement score.
Rank #3
- Roll down to the ring with the Lucha Low Rider vehicle.
- Includes a WWE Main Event Rey Mysterio action figure with advanced articulation.
- Recreate iconic entrances with the Lucha Low Rider hydraulics action.
- Rey Mysterio can enter the match with the vehicle's launching action.
- Ride into matches with real rolling wheels.
8. Bobby Heenan
Heenan’s AWA connection is part of WWE’s account of the promotion’s influence. His inclusion also illustrates why “made it big” should not mean only winning titles as a wrestler: managers and other on-screen personalities helped define the wrestling business. The source set names Heenan among AWA-linked future WWE figures but does not itemize his WWE honors, so his placement is necessarily less evidence-rich than those above.
9. Gene Okerlund
WWE names Gene Okerlund among the figures tied to the AWA in its account of Gagne’s promotion. His career represents the broadcast side of wrestling’s talent pipeline, an important distinction in a list spanning wrestlers and personalities. The cited WWE material establishes the AWA link but does not give a detailed WWE achievement record for comparison.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
10. Sherri Martel
WWE also identifies Sherri Martel as one of the future WWE figures connected with the AWA. Her inclusion broadens the list beyond male wrestlers and reflects the value of performers whose prominence came through more than one role. The AWA-to-WWE association is documented, but the cited source does not quantify her WWE achievements against the other entrants.
Rank #4
- Ready to Rock! WWE Elite Collection action figures bring WWE Superstars to life in 6-inch scale.
- TrueFX Technology! Each figure features highly detailed life-like facial features.
- Dynamic Posing! Recreate signature moves with 25 points of articulation.
- Extra Pieces! Includes interchangeable hands and iconic accessories for play and display.
- Super Collectible! WWE fans can find their favorite Superstar figures (each sold separately, subject to availability).
Why Nick Bockwinkel is an important AWA name—but not on this list
Bockwinkel is central to AWA history: WWE’s biography credits him with four AWA World Heavyweight Championship reigns and notes his 2007 WWE Hall of Fame induction. Those facts establish his importance to the AWA and WWE’s recognition of his career, but they do not by themselves establish that he made it big as a WWE performer. His case is therefore different from the crossovers ranked above. WWE attributes this line to Bockwinkel: “I am the smartest wrestler alive.”
The AWA’s legacy in WWE history
WWE says the AWA ceased operations in 1991. Its Verne Gagne biography also says WWE bought the AWA video library in 2003. That archival acquisition helps explain how the AWA remains visible in WWE’s historical record, but it is separate from the question of which individual stars successfully crossed over.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
