Shortest WWE Wrestlers: There are certain people who have disregarded these “unwritten” restrictions and shown the world that wrestling is about more than just size in a field where wrestling corporations favour athletes with remarkable physiques.
Wrestling promoted wrestlers with athletic builds throughout the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s because they matched the idea of a wrestler at the time.
However, the emergence of the cruiserweight class in the late 1990s provided wrestlers who did not conform to this image with an opportunity to establish themselves.
It has been demonstrated by wrestlers such as Rey Mysterio, Sin Cara, Daniel Bryan, Eddie Guerrero, Tyson Kidd, and several more that success in the sport is possible even for those without a particularly athletic physique. We examine the 12 shortest WWE wrestlers in history, taking into account not only their stature but also their achievements and honours in the realm of sports entertainment.
Ranking The 12 Shortest WWE Wrestlers in History
1. Hornswoggle: 4’5
Even though Hornswoggle was the smallest wrestler on the WWE roster, his skills were so great that the company eventually made him the Cruiserweight champion.
Hornswoggle faced up against well-known wrestlers including Chavo Guerrero, The Miz, and Rey Mysterio while he was a member of the WWE.
In addition to his fierce energy, Hornswoggle will be remembered by many WWE wrestling fans for his love of mischief. Under the ring moniker Hardcore Wonder, Hornswoggle began his professional wrestling career in 2004 with FVWA.
After two years, Hornswoggle will adopt the new alias Little Bastard to start his career with WWE.
Finlay is not the biological son of Hornswoggle, despite what the WWE led fans to think.
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2. Drake Maverick 5’4
Drake Maverick has been in the business for a while, but his big break came when he wrestled for TNA as Rockstar Spud. But it was in the WWE that Drake Maverick would go on to become an international star.
Following his appointment as general manager of the purple brand 205 Live, Drake Maverick engaged in one of the longest feuds in history with R-Truth for the 24/7 Championship title.
At 5’4″, Drake Maverick is one of the tiniest wrestlers of all time. Apart from his accomplishments in the ring, Drake Maverick has shown to the wrestling community his ability to oversee wrestlers.
Drake Maverick led the AOP to their first WWE Tag Team championships with the Red Brand.
3. Spike Dudley: 5’5
Spike Dudley, a two-time tag team champion, started out as D-Von and Bubba Ray’s sidekick in the ring.
Spike Dudley would tamper with a match on his debut night in order to assist his two brothers in winning the WWF World Tag Team Championship from Christian and Edge.
This would be the first time Spike Dudley was seen in the WWE. Spike Dudley would wrestle as a face for several months, putting up makeshift tag teams to compete against his siblings.
Spike would win two more belts, the European Championship and the Hardcore Championship, after triumphing over his brothers to win the World Tag Team Championship titles.
Dudley was drafted by WWE to SmackDown in 2004, where he won the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
4. Kalisto: 5’6
Kalisto, one of the shorter WWE wrestlers, depends more on his agility and airborne style of wrestling. Even though Kalisto lacks the height or power of other WWE wrestlers, his quick reflexes make him one of the league’s most dangerous competitors.
Kalisto was a former United States champion whose career trajectory seems more oriented towards the tag team ranks.
Following the 2017 WWE reorganisation, Kalisto was assigned to Raw. Kalisto would fight Braun Strowman twice with Raw. In their second meeting, Kalisto unexpectedly emerged victorious against the “Monster Among Men.”
A few months later, Kalisto was drafted by the WWE to Raw, where he quickly rose to prominence in the cruiserweight class.
Then, Kalisto would unseat Enzo Amore to become the new cruiserweight title.
5. Rey Mysterio: 5’6
Not only in the WWE but among the smallest wrestlers in sports entertainment overall, at 5’6″. Rey Mysterio makes up for his lack of height and strength with his battling spirit and abilities.
At a young age, Mysterio started training for professional wrestling under the tutelage of his uncle, Rey Mysterio Sr.
Rey Mysterio was a fan of the Lucha Libre style of wrestling, and as such, he was required by regulations to conceal behind the face. Rey Mysterio distinguished out because of his distinct wrestling style and charm, and WCW and ECW quickly embraced him.
Mysterio would square off against famous wrestlers like Psicosis and Eddie Guerrero in memorable matches under these organisations.
Rey Mysterio went on to become one of the all-time great Mexican wrestlers.
6. Evan Bourne: 5’7
One of the most thrilling athletes in the business, Evan is well-known to WWE and WCW fans for his distinctive “Air Bourne” top rope finisher and his daring style of flying. Following the WWE and WCW merger, Bourne quickly gained notoriety.
A few months following his WWE debut, Jason Bourne won the WWE Universe title.
Later on, he would receive another nomination for a Slammy Award, which he would win in his first year. Evan Bourne gained a huge fan base and became well-known in the WWE after he teamed up with Kofi Kingston.
Following his brief tenure with the WWE, Evan Bourne severed his relationship with the organisation and eventually joined Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Evolve Wrestling, and Impact Wrestling, among other organisations.
Because of his WWE contract, Evan Bourne was forced to give up his pseudonym even though he would still compete as a professional wrestler.
7. Funaki: 5’7
Funaki, one of the all-time great Japanese wrestlers, had a ten-year career in the WWE. Funaki performed in the bottom card for most of his career, using the gimmick of “Smackdown Number 1 Announcer.”
Funaki would do backstage interviews while fighting in the cruiserweight division of the WWE during this time.
Even though Funaki was relegated to a jobber status in the cruiserweight category, three years later he overcame Spike Dudley to claim the title of new cruiserweight champion, marking his breakthrough.
Before losing the championship to Chavo Guerrero, another cruiserweight star, Funaki would defend it for over a year.
8. Sin Cara: 5’7
Many wrestling fans thought Sin Cara was the legitimate heir to Rey Mysterio’s reign in his early years. He gained a cult following in the WWE because of his aerial style and in-ring acrobatics which made him a favourite among the fans.
The original Sin Cara, one of the most well-known Luchadores, started learning the ropes in Mexico at a very young age.
During this time, Sin Cara wrestled under the alias Mystico before changing to Incognito. In the end, Kalisto and Sin Cara joined forces to become the Lucha Dragons.
Lucha Dragons would go on to defeat Ascension and win the NXT Tag Team Championship. At 5’7″, Sin Cara is among the smallest wrestlers in sports entertainment, similar to many other Luchadores.
9. Eddie Guerrero: 5’8
Eddie Guerrero is the wrestler who, if anybody has mastered the art of cheating, it is him. Eddie had a knack for winning games, even when the odds were against him.
Eddie even attempted to enlist his nephew Chavo Guererro at one point, sparking one of the biggest feuds in WWE history.
Chavo, in contrast to Eddie, was a wrestler who did not agree with his uncle’s methods since he always wanted to win matches within the rules.
He thus became one of the WWE’s most despised performers.
Eddie was a fantastic wrestler who could take on anyone on WWE’s roaster, despite the fact that he mostly depended on cheating to win battles.
In truth, Eddie Guerrero rose to prominence on Smackdown throughout his time in the WWE, a point that Paul Heyman and Batista have stressed often.
10. Brian Kendrick: 5’8
Brian Kendrick began his training after working in the trenches at the Shawn Michaels Academy. Kendrick was the shortest wrestler in the academy, but he persevered through the training and eventually received his diploma.
In Japan and Mexico, where stature was less of a factor, Kendrick travelled throughout the early stages of his career.
Brian Kendrick eventually made his way back to the US, where he started mask-wrestling.
After Brian Kendrick was signed by WWE in 2003, he began competing under the Spanky name.
11. Tajiri: 5’9
Thanks to his exceptional ring work and in-ring skills, Tajiri made a big impression on his 2001 WWE debut.
Tajiri, a three-time cruiserweight champion, was prepared to go above and beyond to prevail in fights, even if it meant pulling off the Asian mist, an illegal move in which the opponent was sprayed with a red or green mist.
The Asian Mist’s many colours affect opponents in different ways. The green mist, which Tajiri preferred to deploy, temporarily blinded an opponent, while the blue mist put an opponent to sleep.
It was mostly employed in Japan, although there was also a yellow mist that could paralyse an opponent.
Even though Tajiri had no problem lying, there were times when he faced rivals who were not only more cunning than he was but also made him appear foolish.
Tajiri received a dose of his own medicine from one opponent, Eddie Guerrero. While blinding the referee, he hit Tajiri low and delivered a title punch to the head.
12. Chavo Guerrero: 5’9
Chavo Guerrero’s time as one half of Los Guerrero was particularly noteworthy during their time in the WWE. Even though Chavo Guerrero didn’t have a great career as a singles wrestler, he would eventually find relief in the tag team division.
Chavo would go on to win two tag team championship titles with Los Guerreros. A third-generation wrestler, he has won the Cruiserweight title six times, the WWE tag team title five times, and the ECW World Championship one time.
Following his debut in professional wrestling in Mexico, Chavo found himself in the lesser shows. He continued to tour NJPW on the lesser shows in 1996, and he even competed in the Best of Super Junior event.
Later in his wrestling career, Chavo settled into the WWE cruiserweight division, where he won his first-ever cruiserweight championship title by defeating Rey Mysterio.
