Every Major Star Wrestler From The OVW Class Of 2002, Ranked Worst To Best
Daniel Davis 
UPDATE: 2024/01/22 14:30 EST BY BENJAMIN VIEIRA
In 2002, a new generation of professional wrestling stars from OVW entered into WWE. However, no one could predict just how much talent and how far many of them would go. While some were good and had some minor successes, others went on to be the ones to define generations and become legends. Some of them are regarded as some of the very best of all time to ever step foot into the squared circle. While they vary in far some got compared to others, there is no doubt that the 2002 OVW Class was the most significant groups of talent to enter WWE in the last couple of decades. Here are the stars that made up that superbly talented class.
Prior to NXT becoming WWE's primary developmental territory, there were numerous farm systems throughout the United States that would help feed the roster with new talent. The most well-known WWE territory was Ohio Valley Wrestling, which was WWE's primary developmental promotion from 2000 to 2008. During this time, most of WWE's new talent would spend time in OVW to hone their skills before debuting on the main roster.
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OVW has been recruiting legendary and capable wrestlers since started by Danny Davis. Here are 10 wrestlers that got their start from the OVW.Throughout all its years of affiliation with WWE, the most revered class of new OVW talent was in 2002. While talent is not normally remembered for the year they passed through developmental, this class was incredibly special as many of the talents had very successful WWE careers. Between those that "graduated" from the OVW class of 2002, there have been over sixty WWE championships shared between them, and that includes four of these men being the kinds of world champions who'd have thrived in any era. To say that this class has been one of the highlights for WWE over the years would be an understatement.
9 The OVW Class Of 2002 By The Numbers
7 Stars Made Up The 2002 Class
While pro wrestling talent is all but inevitably subjective, before ranking the stars from the OVW Class of 2002, it's worth pausing to consider some of the sheer numbers attached to this group. Within the bounds of WWE alone, this collection of talent has combined for 46 world title reigns, 7 United States Championship reigns, 4 Intercontinental Championship reigns, and 17 Tag Team Championship reigns. Additionally, they've cumulatively won 8 Royal Rumbles and the group features four different, highly decorated WrestleMania main eventers.
8 Rico Was The Least Successful Of The 2002 Class
He Held The Least Titles Out Of Anyone Else
Rico's WWE career included the least amount of championships out of any wrestler in the 2002 OVW class. While he did win two WWE Tag Team Championships, both were included as comedy tag teams due to his flamboyant character.
Despite having the skills to be a success, Rico was never taken seriously during his main roster stint. In comparison to the rest of the 2002 class, Rico pales in comparison from an accomplishments perspective and is not fondly remembered as one of WWE's greatest wrestlers.
Notable WWE Accomplishments | Tag Team Partner |
|---|---|
WWE Tag Team Champion (1 Time) | Charlie Hass |
WWE World Tag Team Champion (1 Time) | Rikishi |
7 Charlie Haas Joined Forces With Shelton Benjamin
While Great In Tag Team Action, He Was Not Successful In Singles Action
When it comes to tag teams, there is often one very successful member and another that gets left behind in their singles career once the team splits. When it comes to The World's Greatest Tag Team, the many versions of Shelton Benjamin went on to have a very successful singles career, making him a multi-time Intercontinental Champion. Unfortunately, Charlie Haas would not be as fortunate after their team broke up.
Haas is certainly a very capable wrestler as evidenced by his amateur wrestling pedigree, but he did not have the same level of charisma as his partner to help propel him as a singles star. When the team split in 2004, Haas was quickly lost in the shuffle and was quietly released shortly afterwards.
Notable WWE Accomplishments | Tag Team Partners |
|---|---|
WWE Tag Team Championship (3 Times) | 2 Times With Shelton Benjamin, 1 Time With Rico |
6 Batista's WWE Success Has Translated To Hollywood
"The Animal" Became A Big-Time Actor
As a six-time World Champion, Batista had his share of great matches and exceeded fans' expectations from his initial debut, as he was initially dismissed as just another big man wrestler. However, his evolving wrestling abilities and charisma set him apart from others, and he enjoyed a very successful WWE career. While he did not have the same in-ring skills as other members of his class, his accomplishments cannot be denied.
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Notable WWE Accomplishments | Tag Team Partners |
|---|---|
WWE World Heavyweight Championship (4 Times) | |
WWE Championship (2 Times) | |
WWE Tag Team Championship (1 Time) | Rey Mysterio |
World Tag Team Championship (3 Times) | Ric Flair, John Cena |
2005 and 2014 Royal Rumble Winner |
5 Shelton Benjamin Is One Of WWE's Most Underrated Performers
Benjamin Shined In Both Singles And Tag Team Wrestling
Shelton Benjamin may not have achieved a World Championship in his WWE career, but he has been consistently labeled as one of the most underrated performers in the company's history. With incredible wrestling abilities in both the technical and high-flying departments, Benjamin has proven he has the skills to be a top star, but he has never been given the opportunity.
With a proven track record in the singles and tag team divisions, Benjamin has nothing to be upset about when it comes to his accomplishments. Even with a seven-year hiatus from WWE from 2010 to 2017, Benjamin came back looking as good as ever and enjoyed a respectable run in WWE before his release.
Notable WWE Accomplishments | Tag Team Partners |
|---|---|
Intercontinental Championship (3 Times) | |
United States Championship (1 Time) | |
WWE 24/7 Championship (3 Times) | |
WWE Raw/World Tag Team Championship (3 Times) | Charlie Haas (2 Times) Cedric Alexander (1 Time) |
4 Randy Orton Matured To Become One Of WWE's Most Reliable Wrestlers
He Is Only Remaining Member Of The 2002 Class Still With A Full-Time Schedule In WWE
Randy Orton's WWE career has been spent almost exclusively at the top of the ladder, and he has maintained his spot as one of the premier wrestlers since he debuted in 2002. As one of the few wrestlers who can successfully transition between good and bad with ease, Orton has proven to be one of WWE's most consistent and reliable performers.
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Notable WWE Accomplishments | Tag Team Partners |
|---|---|
WWE Championship (10 Times) | |
World Heavyweight Championship (4 Times) | |
Intercontinental Championship (1 Time) | |
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship (2 Times) | Matt Riddle |
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship (1 Time) | Bray Wyatt & Luke Harper (Freebird Rule) |
Money In The Bank 2013 Winner | |
Royal Rumble 2009 & 2017 Winner | |
World Tag Team Championship | Edge |
3 Despite Being A Part-Timer, Brock Lesnar Dominated WWE
Lesnar Was The One To Break The Undertaker's WrestleMania Streak
When Brock Lesnar debuted with WWE in 2002, he was quickly labeled as The Next Big Thing. Since then, he has grown into one of the biggest box office stars in WWE history. As one of WWE's most unstoppable monsters, he has maintained a stranglehold on the WWE's top championships any time he is a part of WWE programming.
Wrestlers Lesnar come around once in a lifetime, and WWE struck gold when they brought him into OVW. As one of the legitimately toughest wrestlers of all time, Lesnar has been successful in both his professional wrestling and mixed martial arts careers, which has turned him into one of WWE's bankable stars. He may not be around as much as other performers, but this has turned him into a special attraction for the company.
Notable WWE Accomplishments |
|---|
WWE Championship (7 Times) |
WWE Universal Championship (2 Times) |
2003 & 2022 Royal Rumble Winner |
2002 King Of The Ring |
2019 Money In The Bank Winner |
2 John Cena Became The Undisputed Face Of WWE
Cena Is The Most Decorated World Champion In WWE History
There has not been any wrestler who has remained on top of WWE's main event scene other than John Cena. Since his debut on Smackdown in 2003, he has been one of WWE's biggest stars and has transcended the sports entertainment industry. Through the help of his long WWE career, Cena has become a star in the cinema world as well. Even if they are not wrestling fans, people around the world have heard of John Cena.
As the most decorated World Champion in WWE history, Cena is the most successful of his OVW class. In fact, Cena has arguably become the most decorated WWE wrestler. Despite just how successful the 2002 class has been, it is unlikely that any other wrestler will reach the same heights that Cena has.
Notable WWE Accomplishments | Tag Team Partners |
|---|---|
WWE Championship (13 Times) | |
World Heavyweight Championship (2 Times) | |
WWE Tag Team Championship (2 Times) | The Miz, David Otunga |
World Tag Team Championship (2 Times) | Batista, Shawn Michaels |
United States Championship (5 Times) | |
2008 & 2013 Royal Rumble Winner | |
2012 Money In The Bank Winner |
1 The Legacy Of The 2002 OVW Class
Some Of WWE's Biggest Stars Defined Eras
In looking back on the seven men associated with the OVW Class of 2002, they combine for a truly remarkable legacy. John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, and Batista in particular are marquee stars who have now been viable main event level performers across three decades. Moreover, Lesnar went on to become a heavyweight champion in UFC, while Cena and Batista became two of the most legitimate crossover success stories ever, transitioning from wrestling to acting in major motion pictures.
NXT vs. OVW: Which Is Truly WWE's Best Developmental Brand?
Before there was NXT, OVW set up WWE Superstars like John Cena and Brock Lesnar. Which developmental brand was actually better?It's little wonder that when Netflix dropped its Wrestlers docuseries in 2023, focused on modern OVW, the territory still proudly touted its connection to these men, long after OVW's association with WWE had ended. It's a remarkable set of young prospects who turned into full-blown stars, the likes of which wrestling had never seen before and is unlikely to see again.
