10 Biggest Wrestling Promoters Ever, Ranked By Likability
Liam Parker 
When compiling a list about pro wrestlers, even if the criteria is likability, there are more than an abundance of options. When it comes to promoters however, the potential candidates are much fewer. It's not that being a wrestling promoter, per se, is enough to put you in elite company, it's just that so few will ever actually get an opportunity in that role.
5 Rival Wrestling Promoters Vince McMahon Liked (& 5 He Hated)
There is a whole list of promoters Vince McMahon seemed to like - and a similarly long list of promoters he couldn't stand.This list will, of course, focus on the most well-known or "biggest" promoters in wrestling history. We will consider which promoters were favored among the wrestlers and people who work in the industry, as well as the fans.
10 Bill Watts Was A Stubborn Man
Bill Watts Was The Promoter Of Mid-South Wrestling, As Well As The UWF
- Bill Watts was mentored by Eddie Graham
- Bill Watts' son, Erik, wrestled for WCW
- Bill Watts gave Jim Ross his start in wrestling
While he is unquestionably one of the most influential and effective wrestling promoters of all time, Bill Watts is certainly not the most popular. As the promoter of Mid-South Wrestling, Watts used cutting edge camera techniques as well as clever booking to make it one of the most critically acclaimed and successful territories. Jumpstarting the careers of Hall Of Famers, Junkyard Dog, Ted Dibiase, and Jim Duggan, just to name a few, Watts had a keen eye for talent and how to book them. The issues arise from Bill's notorious bullying tendencies, and his alleged racist views. Bill Watts has denied being a racist, but an interview with PWTorch in the early 90s, got him fired from WCW, for making disparaging racial remarks.
9 Eric Bischoff Was An Ambitious Man
Eric Bischoff Was Executive Vice President Of WCW From 1994 To 1999
- Eric Bischoff got his start in the AWA
- Eric Bischoff had limited experience as an executive before landing the job with WCW
- Eric's son Garrett, would wrestle in TNA
Eric Bishoff wasn't technically a wrestling promoter, but because actual WCW Owner, Ted Turner, had no involvement with the day-to-day operations of the company, Bischoff all but filled the promoter role. Eric ascended to power in WCW, on little more than a whim. The company was in search of a new Vice President, and Bischoff, who has always possessed a terrific business acumen, pitched his ideas and impressed the higher-ups. Eric was not always popular with his peers, however. He would find himself engaged at various points in time, on the wrong side of some of the biggest names in the sport, including Ric Flair and Steve Austin.
8 Dixie Carter Was An Odd Choice To Run A Wrestling Company
Dixie Carter And Her Family Financed And Ran TNA From 2002 To 2017
- Dixie Carter originally worked in music promotion
- EC3 was presented as the on-air nephew of Dixie Carter
- Dixie was powerbombed through a table by Bully Ray
Dixie Carter is almost certainly the most unlikely name on this list, but her significance in wrestling history can't be understated. In 2002, Dixie and her family, the owners of Panda Energy, partnered with Jeff Jarrett to create Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, or TNA for short. In 2012, Dixie would become the majority owner of the company, before selling it to Anthem in 2016. While Dixie was said to be a genuinely nice woman, most of her peers and employees felt she was in way over her head, having no prior experience in pro wrestling. To this day, she is often ridiculed by fans as being a "mark," whether that's a fair assessment or not.
7 Jerry Jarrett Was A Wrestler As Well As A Promoter
Jerryt Jarrett Began Promoting Wrestling In 1977 With His Mother, Christine
- Jerry Jarrett shared booking duties with Jerry Lawler
- Jerry Jarrett was instrumental in booking the Jerry Lawler/Andy Kaufman angle
- Bruce Pritchard is known for doing a Jerry Jarrett impression
It's difficult to explain just how prolific of a promoter that Jerry Jarrett was in a single paragraph, but let's just say that he was so competent at his job, that allegedly, Vince McMahon considered him as a successor during his legal woes in the early 90s. Jerry began his career as a wrestler, before promoting shows along with his mother for Nick Gulas in the mid 70s. He would eventually break away from Gulas, and begin his own promotion. Again, Jerry is such a long tenured promoter that we can't cover how groundbreaking and influential he was in sometimes direct and at other times, indirect ways. Like many who wield such influence, Jerry was something of a polarizing figure, who was loved by some, and disliked by others, clarifying his placement on this list.
6 Vincent Kennedy McMahon Is A Billionaire
Vince McMahon Bought What Is Now Known As WWE From His Father For The Sum Of $1 Million In 1982
- Vince McMahon didn't meet his father until he was 12 years old
- Vince McMahon is of Irish descent
- Vince McMahon's mother lived to be over 100 years old
He is unquestionably the greatest promoter in the history of professional wrestling, or sports entertainment, as he would prefer. The question is, why would he be ranked at the midway point of this list? Well, you don't get to Vince's level of power without making some enemies, and that includes the fans of his product.
10 Things Vince McMahon Never Accomplished In Wrestling
While Vince McMahon is not a trained in-ring WWE competitor, there are several things that he failed to achieve as a wrestler.In fact, some feel that the catalyst for AEW was a direct result of wrestling fans feeling disillusioned by WWE under the helm of an out of touch McMahon. To this day there is a strong contingent of anti-Vince McMahon sentiment within the pro wrestling community. One thing you can say about Vince that no one can argue with is that there has and likely will never be another like him.
5 Verne Gagne Was A Standout Amateur Wrestler
Verne Gagne Established The AWA In 1960
- Verne Gagne was one of the biggest draws in the wrestling business at one point
- Verne had a hand in both Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair's careers
- Verne's son Greg, became a pro wrestler
Kenny Bolin may have taken the "Star Maker" moniker, but Verne Gagne could possibly lay claim to such a description. Before the WWE took over the world, Verne's AWA was quite possibly the biggest promotion outside of the NWA. Both Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair owe a debt to Gagne for getting them established in the industry. While he was known to be a hard-nosed trainer and could be vindictive in certain situations, Verne was largely considered a fair and honest man. Several wrestlers have gone on record as saying that Verne always took care of them and paid them well. He was also quite beloved in the Northern region of the U.S.
4 Fritz Von Erich Was An Intimidating Presence
Fritz Von Erich Was Trained By Stu Hart
For a time, Fritz Von Erich was one of the most beloved figures in the state of Texas, and a sympathetic figure throughout the entire wrestling world. Fritz, would introduce his sons into the World Class territory, and as a result we would get one of the most exciting products of its kind during the 1980s. Fritz Von Erich was a complex man who suffered a great deal of personal tragedy, dating all the way back to the 1950s, and the death of his first son, Jack. While the only living Von Erich, Kevin, has praised his father, the recent studio film, The Iron Claw, seems to imply that Fritz may have pushed his sons a bit too hard. Nevertheless, Fritz is remembered as someone who helped push the business forward, with the groundbreaking presentation of WCCW.
3 Tony Khan Once Ran His Own E-Fed
Tony Khan Would Run The First Official AEW PPV In May Of 2019
- Tony Khan's family owns the Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tony was originally going to call AEW, WBW, for World's Best Wrestling
- Tony Khan fired CM Punk after a backstage incident in 2023
If we'd have compiled this list, say 3 years ago, then Tony Khan would have possibly topped it. After public opinion has changed in regards to AEW, Tony falls a few spots from where he might have been. To many wrestling fans, Tony Khan was seen as a savior to a stale WWE, who had all but monopolized the pro wrestling business for several years. When AEW was established, it created so many possibilities that until then, seemed impossible. Fast forward four years, and many feel that Tony has mishandled the company, and his booking has not generated wider interest in AEW. However, most if not all who have worked with or for Tony, have made it a point to say that he is a kind and even altruistic man, who is passionate about wrestling.
2 Paul Heyman Is Much Like His On-Screen Character In Real-Life
Paul Heyman Got His Start In Wrestling As A Photographer
- Paul Heyman would feud with Jim Cornette in WCW, in a Midnight Express vs Midnight Express storyline
- Paul would successfully sue WCW in the early 90s
- Paul turned down a job with TNA
It's almost hard to remember a time when Paul Heyman was a wrestling promoter, as many modern fans know him as one of the all-time great managers. There was a time in the 90s, when as the promoter of ECW, Paul would revolutionize the business, for better and for worse. The problem that most people cite is that Paul was a much better booker than a promoter.
10 Things We Would See In WWE If Paul Heyman Was The Booker
WWE would look much different if Paul Heyman took over as head of creative!While Paul is often seen as a bit of a loose cannon, he was generally beloved and respected by his peers, even having CM Punk coin the term, "Paul Heyman guy." At this point, Paul Heyman is largely considered to be one of the best overall performers in the business.
1 Eddie Graham Was A Legendary Tag Team Wrestler
Eddie Graham Is Considered One Of The Most Influential Figures In Wrestling History
- Eddie Graham and his family were the subject of a recent Dark Side Of The Ring Episode
- Eddie's son, Mike, would also wrestle and promote
- Eddie Graham was highly revered in the state of Florida
Listen to Jim Cornette opine on Eddie Graham, and you'll start to get the impression that he is one of the most important men in wrestling history. It's been said that without Eddie, there would have been no Dusty Rhodes or Bill Watts, both of whom were highly influential in their own right. You'll be hard pressed to hear anyone who knew Eddie speak ill of him. He was not only liked, but more importantly, he was highly respected. Not one without demons, Eddie struggled with both mental health issues and alcoholism, which led to him taking his own life. Because of his unequivocal wrestling acumen, he is still remembered fondly to this day.
