First things first, keep in mind this list is my opinion and not facts.
This list will be ranking stars on there activity from 2000-2009
10: Rob Van Dam
RVD was one of the most captivating wrestlers to come to the WWE, initially debuting as a heel in 2001 RVD became popular with the fans due to his exciting moveset and overall athleticism. RVD came to WWE as a part of The Invasion storyline which saw WCW and ECW stars unite to take down WWE, talk about a mess. The Invasion would go on to hurt more careers than help but one man it helped was RVD.
Van Dam became one of the most popular members of the Alliance, even faced The Rock for the WCW Championship on multiple occasions, and even challenged Alliance leader Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF Championship including a triple threat match at No Mercy also involving Kurt Angle, but did not win. Van Dam soared to the top of popularity rankings quickly.
Van Dam would go on to become Intercontinental Champion by defeating Regal at WrestleMania X-8, then unifying the European and Intercontinental championships by defeating Jeff Hardy in a ladder match. All within a year. RVD was destined for huge things and besides winning the Hardcore Championship, Intercontinental Championship, European Championship, and Tag Team Championship with Kane, RVD struggled to get ahold of the big title. Van Dam would finally get that opportunity as he won the Money In The Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 23, Van Dam would be the first person to announce their cash-in and he did so against the face of the company John Cena.
RVD would challenge Cena at ECW One Night Stand (2006), with the help of Edge and assistance from Paul Heyman, RVD defeated John Cena to become NEW WWE and ECW Champion. RVD would later have to relinquish the belt due to failing WWE's wellness policy. Van Dam would go on to leave the WWE in 2007 and make a small Royal Rumble return in 2009.
9: Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy debuted alongside his brother Matt as The Hardy Boyz in 1998, The Hardy Boyz would go on to become one of the best Tag Teams of all time. After years in the tag team division, Hardy took on The Undertaker in a ladder match for the WWE Undisputed Championship. Hardy came up short in the match but earned The Undertaker's respect when he displayed courage by attempting to rise to his feet after the match and challenge The Undertaker to continue, this is where Jeff finally started to break out on his own.
Hardy competed for singles titles on several occasions and defeated William Regal for the European Championship. Hardy was defeated a few weeks later by Rob Van Dam in a ladder match to unify the European Championship and the Intercontinental Championship, and the European Championship was retired. Hardy was released by WWE in 2003 for his erratic behavior and refusal to go to rehab, but this didn't stop him from pursuing his dream.
Hardy would go on to sign with TNA for a brief stint before eventually going back to WWE in 2006 with his brother Matt. Hardy would then capture the Intercontinental Championship from Umaga in 2007 after a series of brutal matches between the two. Hardy finally got into the WWE Title picture as he entered one of his better feuds with WWE Champion Randy Orton, although unsuccessful in his few attempts this wasn't the end for Brother Nero.
Armageddon 2008, Jeff Hardy defeated Edge and Triple H to capture his first WWE Championship. A moment that fans were wanting for quite some time finally happened, and it was all worth the wait. Hardy would eventually lose the WWE Championship to Edge at the Royal Rumble after his brother Matt hit him in the head with a steel chair igniting the rivalry between the two brothers. Matt and Jeff would eventually have their dream match against each other at WrestleMania 25 where Matt Hardy was victorious. Jeff got revenge a month later as he defeated Matt in an I-Quit match at Backlash. Hardy would go on to win the World Heavyweight Championship from Edge in 2009 and started a feud with CM Punk where he lost and recaptured the title before eventually, his contract expired and he left the company again.
8: Stone Cold Steve Austin
Now, remember this list is of the entire 2000s and Stone Cold left the company in 2003 and retired in 2002 so that is why he is not higher.
Stone Cold Steve Austin is the most popular WWF star of all time alongside The Rock, Austin debuted for WWE in 1995 as The Ringmaster and quickly transitioned into the toughest SOB on the planet Stone Cold Steve Austin where he would go on to have one of the most successful careers of all time.
Austin appeared at Backlash 2000, attacking Triple H and Vince McMahon to help The Rock reclaim the WWF Championship. After Austin's return to Unforgiven in September, Commissioner Mick Foley led an investigation to find out who ran Austin over, with the culprit revealed to be Rikishi (he did it for The Rock). Austin would then enter a feud with Triple H which featured several matches, the series ended at No Way Out where Triple H defeated Austin in a Three-Stages-Of-Hell match.
Stone Cold would go on to start another feud with The Rock leading to their anticipated WrestleMania rematch at WrestleMania 17. During the match, McMahon came to the ring, preventing The Rock from pinning Austin on two separate occasions and giving Austin a steel chair. Austin then hit The Rock several times with the chair before pinning him to win the WWF Championship for the fifth time. After the match, Austin did the unthinkable and shook hands with McMahon, turning heel for the first time since 1997. Austin would go on to start a tag team with former rival Triple H and ran through all the competition before finally losing the Tag titles to Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit.
Stone Cold would eventually join Team WCW/ECW in The invasion storyline to take down the WWE. Though Austins involvement was short-lived it was impactful as he was WWE's biggest star. Austin would go through several rivalries with the likes of RVD, Kurt Angle, The Undertaker, and Kane. Stone Cold Steve Austin would then go on to have his final feud with longtime rival The Rock, the two men fought for the last time at WrestleMania X-8 where The Rock finally got his big win and Stone Cold rode off into the sunset. Stone Cold would appear several times throughout the 2000s as an authority figure at times but mostly to just drink some beer and stun some asses. Austin was inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 2007.
7: Batista
We're going to be skipping Batistas time in OVW and as the Deacon.
Batista officially debuted as a part of the Evolution stable in 2003, he was labeled as the muscles of the group with his freakish physique and aggressive moveset. It wouldn't be long before The Animal captured his first championship as he and Ric Flair won the Tag Team championships at Backlash 2003. Evolution was at the top of the chain since Randy Orton was Intercontinental Champion, Triple H was World Heavyweight Champion, and Batista and Flair held the Tag Titles all at once. Evolution would remain dominant for the next few years until tensions between members of the group started to rise.
As 2005 began, Triple H realized the possibility of Batista becoming a threat to his World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H suggested that he not enter the Royal Rumble, claiming that it would be selfish of him to do so and to simply focus on Triple H retaining the title. Batista entered anyway and went on to win the Rumble earning the right to participate in the main event of WrestleMania 21 against the World Champion of his choice. Batista would tease to choose the WWE Champion instead until an episode of RAW where Batista made his decision and chose Triple H before hitting a Batista Bomb through a table, turning him face for the first time and leaving Evolution.
Batista would go on to win the World Heavyweight Championship from Triple H at WrestleMania 21 turning himself into a mega-star. Batista would eventually get drafted to Smackdown as World Champion and began a feud with JBL in which he won. At 282 days of being World Champ Batista was forced to vacate the title due to injury but promised to be back to recapture the title. Batista would come back and fight for the title though unsuccessful on multiple occasions he was finally able to get it back after defeating King Booker at Survivor Series 2006. Batista would go on to lose the World Championship at WrestleMania 23 to The Undertaker and his chase for the gold restarted.
Batista would capture the World Title again and continue to have a successful run on Smackdown before eventually being drafted back to RAW where he would end his run with the WWE. Batista would go on to capture the WWE Championship starting a feud with John Cena where Cena eventually got the title back and Batista walked away from the company in 2009.
6: Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle was a wrestling machine, I mean this guy came in and turned the sport upside down with the way he manhandled people off his mat wrestling experience. I mean, he did win a gold medal with a broken freakin neck. 2000 is around the time Kurt Angle finally started to take off as a legit threat to the top stars in WWE. Angle got involved in a feud with Triple H as they were involved in some love triangle with Triple Hs wife Stephanie Mcmahon. This would lead to a few matches between the two where Angle picked up a win but Triple H got the final win.
At No Mercy 2000, Kurt Angle defeated The Rock to capture his first World Title. Angle became the first wrestler to have won both an Olympic gold medal and the world championship. Angle retained the WWF Championship for the rest of the year in matches with The Undertaker at Survivor Series and in a six-man Hell in a Cell match at Armageddon. After beating Triple H at the Royal Rumble, Angle eventually lost the title to The Rock at No Way Out. Angle then feuded with Chris Benoit whom he defeated at WrestleMania X-Seven, but lost to him at Backlash in an Ultimate Submission match.
Kurt Angle would eventually turn face and join the WWE to take down the WCW/ECW invasion also igniting a feud with Stone Cold. Angle and Austin would swap the titles for a little while before Angle finally got his chance to shine. Angle would go back to being a heel after stating he was the main reason WWE defeated The Alliance, he then began feuds with Chris Jericho, The Rock, Triple H, and Kane. Angle then started a feud with Edge where Angle was forced to shave his head. Talk about pure comedy segments.
Angle won his third WWE Championship at Armageddon by defeating Big Show with the help of Brock Lesnar. Angle began a new storyline when he gained the services of manager Paul Heyman and "Team Angle" (Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin). At the Royal Rumble, Angle defeated Benoit to retain the WWE Championship by forcing him to submit the ankle lock. He then began feuding with Brock Lesnar, who had won the 2003 Royal Rumble match. Angle lost the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania XIX to Lesnar.
Kurt Angle would go on to form the Wrestling Machine gimmick where his main goal was to destroy his opponents with his pure wrestling skill. This would lead to one of his best series of matches against Shawn Michaels. Angle defeated HBK at WrestleMania 21, then was drafted to RAW and resumed his feud with Michaels where HBK got the victory at Vengeance. Angle had a short stint in WWE's ECW before eventually leaving the company due to health issues. Angle would go on to TNA and put on some of the best matches of his career.
5: Triple H
Triple H started the year 2000 off great by giving himself the nickname "The Game" declaring he's not the best in the game but he is The Game. In January 2000 Triple H defeated The Big Show to become WWE Champion for the third time. Triple H was looking better than ever to start the new millennium off, Triple H feuded with Mick Foley in early 2000. They both fought at the Royal Rumble in a Street Fight Match for the WWF Championship, which Triple H won after performing two pedigrees on Foley. The feud ended at No Way Out in a Hell in a Cell, where Triple H retained the title and forced Foley to retire. It was one of the first feuds of Triple H that truly showed he was the full package.
Triple H would go on to WrestleMania 2000 where he successfully defended his title against The Rock but unfortunately, The Rock would beat him for the title at the next PPV Backlash. He regained it three weeks later, in an Iron Man match at Judgment Day, only to lose it back to The Rock at King of the Ring, talk about hot potato. Triple H would then go on to feud with Angle over his wife Stephanie and started a feud with Stone Cold where Triple H had paid off Rikishi to run down Austin at Survivor Series, causing him to take a year off. Triple H also won Tag Team gold with Stone Cold and also captured the Intercontinental title from Chris Jericho.
On a 2001 episode of RAW, Triple H suffered a legitimate and career-threatening injury. Chris Jericho had Austin trapped in the Walls Of Jericho and Triple H ran in to break it up, but just as he did, he suffered a tear in his left quadriceps muscle, causing it to come completely off the bone. Despite his inability to place any weight on his leg, Triple H was able to complete the match. Talk about a tough SOB. This was not the end for The Game as he would make his triumphant return in 2002 on an episode of RAW. Triple H declared for the Royal Rumble Match which he won by eliminating Kurt Angle. Triple H was back as a face this time around. At WrestleMania X-8 Triple H defeated Chris Jericho to become Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. After holding the title for a month, Triple H lost it to Hollywood Hulk Hogan at Backlash.
Triple H would then go back to being a heel after longtime DX member Shawn Michaels returned and Triple H attacked and brutalized him. The two would embark on a long journey of grueling matches against each other. Triple H would capture the World Heavyweight Championship multiple more times throughout the 2000s also forming and running Evolution. Triple H was in the spotlight for the majority of the 2000s and was able to capture 7 World Championships. Triple H would also go on to reunite with Shawn Michaels to reform DX from 2006-2011
4: Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho debuted towards the end of 1999 as Y2J a play on the Y2K Bug. Jericho was immediately a huge deal as he made his debut interrupting The Rock. Jericho's first long-term feud was with Chyna, for the WWF Intercontinental Championship. After losing to Chyna at Survivor Series, Jericho defeated her to win his first WWE Intercontinental Championship at Armageddon. Jericho lost the WWF Intercontinental title to then European Champion Kurt Angle at No Way Out.
Chris Jericho was teased for big things as he upset Triple H in a WWF Championship match. Referee Earl Hebner made a fast count when Jericho pinned Triple H, causing Jericho to win the title. Hebner later reversed the decision due to pressure from Triple H, and WWE does not recognize Jericho's reign as champion. Chris Jericho would then go on to be the face of the Intercontinental Championship as he would go on to win it a record-breaking 9-times!
Jericho turned heel by almost costing Team WWF the victory against The Alliance after he was eliminated in their Winner Take All matchup by attacking The Rock. Despite this, Team WWF won the match. At Vengeance, Jericho defeated both The Rock for the World Championship and Stone Cold Steve Austin for his first WWE Championship on the same night to become the first wrestler to hold both championships at the same time, which made him the first-ever Undisputed WWE Champion, as well as the fourth Grand Slam winner. Don't care how he did it, HE BEAT THE ROCK AND STONE COLD ON THE SAME NIGHT.
Jericho retained the title at the Royal Rumble against The Rock and at No Way Out against Austin. Jericho later lost the title to Royal Rumble winner Triple H in the main event of WrestleMania X8. Jericho would go on to form a Tag Team with Christian for a little while where they ended up winning the Tag Team titles together. The two would eventually fall apart and start a feud with each other which ended when Jericho defeated Christian to capture his 7th Intercontinental Title. Chris Jericho would have big feuds with all the top stars in the company including Edge, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, and Eddie Guerrero. Chris Jericho reinvented himself in 2008 and he went on to win the World Heavyweight Championship 3 times.
3: Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels career was already Hall Of Fame worthy before the 2000's even started, but it was somehow even better the second time around. Shawn Michaels returned to the WWE in 2002 after suffering a career-ending back injury in 1998. Michaels returned to WWE television after Kevin Nash announced him as a new member of the recently reformed New World Order (NWO). Michaels was the only nWo member to have never worked in WCW. After the nWo had disbanded, Triple H appeared to make amends with Michaels. This was solidified when Michaels pleaded with Triple H to return to RAW. DX was reformed as the duo repeated their signature catchphrases to the fans Triple H would pedigree Shawn Micheals thus starting one of the best rivalries of all time.
After weeks of assaults and verbal attacks from both men Shawn Michaels return match was made official, Summerslam 2002, Triple H VS Shawn Michaels No Holds Barred. Shawn Michaels would go on to win that match but after the match, Triple H continued the assault as he hit HBK with a sledgehammer to his surgically repaired back. At Survivor Series, Michaels won the World Heavyweight Championship from Triple H in the first Elimination Chamber match. Michaels's reign as champion came to an end a month later when he lost the championship to Triple H in a Three Stages of Hell match at Armageddon.
Michaels then began a rivalry with Chris Jericho, after Jericho claimed that he was the next Shawn Michaels. Michaels defeated Jericho at WrestleMania XIX. Despite this, Michaels was low-blowed after hugging Jericho. As a part of an ongoing feud with Triple H, the two competed alongside Chris Benoit in the main event at WrestleMania XX for the World Heavyweight Championship. The former DX partners both came up short in the match, as Benoit won the championship. Unfortunately for Michaels, this wasn't the end of him and Triple H as they would fight inside Hell In A Cell where Triple H emerged victorious.
Degeneration-X was not dead, Michaels and Triple H reunited to take down The McMahon's and The Spirit Squad in a series of matches. Both Michaels and Triple H resumed their singles careers while still having each others back until Rated RKO came along and started up a vicious feud between DX. Triple H would become injured during this feud forcing Michaels to continue his pursuit in the singles competition, Michaels had compelling feuds with the likes of Randy Orton, Edge, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, and John Cena.
HBK would go on to WrestleMania 23 to face John Cena for the WWE Championship where he was unsuccessful. DX would reform again in 2009 and have feuds with Legacy and Jeri-Show. Michaels would go on to main event WrestleMania 25 and 26 in two of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history against The Undertaker. Shawn Michaels was defeated in both encounters, HBK was forced to retire after losing to Undertaker at WrestleMania 26.
2: The Undertaker
The Undertaker started off the 2000s with a whole new look and attitude as The American Badass. The Undertaker took out the entire Mcmahon-Helmsley family with this new attitude and style, Undertaker would remain The American Badass until around 2004 before the return of The Deadman. Undertaker had great feuds before returning to his Deadman state, WrestleMania matches against Ric Flair and Triple H. After The Alliance was defeated, The Undertaker turned heel by inducting commentator Jim Ross into Mr. McMahon: Kiss My Ass Club, In transitioning his "American Badass" biker identity into a heel, The Undertaker eventually cut his long hair short and went by the nickname "Big Evil". At Vengeance, The Undertaker defeated Rob Van Dam to win the WWF Hardcore Championship.
Under the Big Evil name Undertaker would go on to help Hulk Hogan win the WWE Undisputed Championship, just a few weeks later The Undertaker would defeat Hulk Hogan to become Undisputed Champion. The Undertaker, however, lost the title at Vengeance to The Rock in a triple threat match that also involved Kurt Angle. Over the remainder of 2003, The Undertaker entered a brief feud with John Cena, Undertaker would then enter a feud with champion Brock Lesnar. The first, on SmackDown, against Kurt Angle, ended in a no contest, due to interference from Brock Lesnar. The second, at No Mercy, was a Biker Chain match between The Undertaker and Lesnar, which Lesnar won with the help of Vince McMahon. This match resulted in a feud with McMahon, culminating at Survivor Series where The Undertaker lost a Buried Alive match against McMahon when Kane interfered. The Undertaker disappeared for some time following the match, with Kane claiming that he was "dead and buried forever"
Accompanied by Paul Bearer at WrestleMania XX, The Undertaker returned his Deadman identity, defeating Kane in a singles match. Introduced was a more dramatic, theatrical, and supernatural Deadman than in years past, his presence, mannerisms, and entrances were significantly elaborated on as well, such as with special effects and rising and falling flames. The Undertaker would go on and have feuds with JBL, Kane, Edge, Batista, Randy Orton, and even Paul Bearer himself.
The Undertaker remained undefeated at WrestleMania throughout all of the 2000s and was able to capture multiple World Heavyweight Championships. The Undertaker proved that he was a loyal companion to the WWE and was rewarded for it by having such a legendary run filled with legendary matches.
1: John Cena
John Cena became the face of the WWE as soon as he won the big one, he was the most polarizing star of all time and became increasingly more popular over time. John Cena debuted in WWE in 2002 by answering an open challenge by Kurt Angle. After declaring he possessed "ruthless aggression", he lost by a pinning combination but managed to put on a good showing. Cena began to flounder a little bit and was even on the verge of being released. Cena would then come up with the "Doctor of Thuganomics" basically imagine a watered-down Slim Shady and that's what you got. John Cena would go on to become US Champion by defeating The Big Show at WrestleMania XX, he even customized the title by putting a spinner on the belt.
Cena was stripped of the title on SmackDown by Kurt Angle, (SmackDown General Manager) after he accidentally attacked him in Angle's wheelchair. Cena won the championship back by defeating Booker T in a best-of-five series that culminated at No Mercy, only to drop it to the débuting Carlito Caribbean Cool the following week on SmackDown. John Cena would then go on to get his first taste of Hollywood as he starred in The Marine, this would be the beginning of his rise as the face of WWE.
Cena participated in a number one contender's tournament for the WWE Championship and made it to the finals at No Way Out, where he defeated Kurt Angle to earn a spot in the SmackDown brand's WrestleMania 21 main event match, Cena defeated JBL at WrestleMania to win the WWE Championship, giving him his first world championship. Cena then had a spinner WWE Championship belt made. JBL took the original title belt and claimed he was still the WWE Champion until Cena defeated him in an "I Quit" match at Judgment Day to retain the championship. Cena participated in the Elimination Chamber match where he retained the WWE Championship when he last eliminated Carlito. Immediately after Cena won, Mr. McMahon announced Edge was cashing in his Money in the Bank contract with a "guaranteed title match against the WWE Champion at a time and place of the owner's choosing". Two quick spears allowed Edge to pin Cena and win the championship.
Cena began feuding with Triple H. The crowd, which had mostly cheered Cena over the previous few months, started booing him again and cheering Triple H. Cena beat Triple H at WrestleMania 22 to retain the WWE Championship. The negative reaction towards him intensified when he faced Rob Van Dam at ECW One Night Stand which took place in front of a boisterous crowd of mostly original ECW fans. Cena was met with raucous jeering and chants of "You can't wrestle", and "Same old shit". When he began performing different moves as the match progressed, the fans started chanting "You still suck". Cena lost the WWE Championship to Van Dam after interference from Edge. Cena would go on to feud with Edge for the WWE Championship which Cena would win back, Cena would then go on to WrestleMania 23 to defend the title successfully against Shawn Michaels.
Cena would end up suffering a severe shoulder injury and was forced to stay sidelined for the foreseeable future. John Cena made his triumphant return at the 2008 Royal Rumble and won by eliminating Triple H. Cena would eventually win the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania 25 by defeating Big Show, and Edge. No matter how you feel about Cena you have to respect what he's done for the WWE. Cena is a 16-time World Champion which is tied with Ric Flair for most ever.