The "It Factor".....

I realize Bobby Roode claims to be the 'it' factor of professional wrestling. He claims to set the benchmark for what a champion is supposed to be. But I would like to know....is it true? Who truly is the "best in the world", as CM Punk and Chris Jericho talk about being?

I'm not talking about being the best ever, because there are so many names who could lay claim to that title,  based on factors I have covered before. What I want to know is who can say it and back it up for the current generation? If ANYONE says John Cena, I've got a loud and resounding NO on standby. Don't get me wrong. He has been given a great gift by Vince and his list of sponsors as the face of WWE, but he, in no way, is the best in the world. Say what you want, but John Cena cannot move up and down the card and still make the PPV feel important. IF, and I do mean IF, Cena were allowed to make calls barring the decisions of Vince and his cronies and sponsors and such, I think a Cena turn back at Survivor Series would have put him into the running, but in the climate he operates in, he's entirely too "white bread face".

I WOULD argue that Chris Jericho needs to go on the short list. As a staple to the WWE product for about a decade altogether, I've seen him go both up and down the card and perform at the same caliber every time. It takes a very special opponent to be able to have that kind of luxury and Shawn Michaels among the others on the list of opponents Jericho has faced on PPV in an undercard capacity made some of the luster for him. Nevertheless, the argument stands.

Also on the list MUST go Kurt Angle. WWE isn't the only place he has risen and descended down the card and made people look good. In TNA, sometimes the feuds he has been in have been the highlight of the card. Jeff Jarrett, Sting, and AJ Styles have all faced Angle in the undercard and have made the PPV look like an important event.

If Jeff Hardy doesn't go on the list, I'm not sure who else could fill the spot. His list of accolades speaks for themselves. TLC in the midcard, World title matches in the upper card; he has done them all and helped bring whatever division he's been in to another level.

Upon close examination, I feel compelled to put two more guys into this category from WWE's side of the fence. Randy Orton and CM Punk. I've seen both guys grow into performers the world looks at to carry matches and even though I have my difficulties with Randy Orton's wrestling style, he has grown in leaps and bound since his debut and rise. Punk is a controversial figure. I like that. He makes waves and that deserves mention. Where John Cena fails to make waves and move from a place near the top of the card, Punk and Randy Orton have succeeded time and time again.

Lastly, but not surprisingly, I place AJ Styles on the list for TNA. He, as representative of the X Division, helped put the division in the spotlight. Ascending and descending the card, he has elevated talents and made them look like champions. Few can hold a candle to his athleticism and his matches are often the best things on the card.

These are my contenders. While a few would argue that Jericho will be gone soon, I would argue that if Edge were still around, he'd be on my list too. The point is, Jericho comes back and makes waves each time. Edge cannot say the same, though I wish he could. I'm sure there are others I've missed in the current shuffle, but these are MY picks as the best in the world TODAY.