In the september 2009 issue #197 of Game Informer they list "the top best fighting game characters"...check it:
1.Akuma-Street Fighter
2.Nightmare-Soul Calibur
3.Scorpion-Mortal Kombat
4.Jin Kazama-Tekken
5.Sentinel-Marvel Vs. Capcom 2
6.Sol Badguy-Guilty Gear
7.Chun Li- Street Fighter
8 Genan Shiranui-Samurai Shodown
9.Fulgore-Killer Instincts
10.Bayman-Dead Or Alive

Personally i think this is junk. whats with the SNK shunning? how they gonna front like Bayman is cooler than any dude in Art Of Fighting 2 or King Of Fighters 98? how can Fulgore make the list but terry bogard from Fatal Fury cant even get an honorable mention. And for real? your gonna say Akuma is number 1 instead of Ryu? Atleast they put Sol Badguy, that dude is a kingpin. Also Nightmare is the 2nd greatest fighting videogame character of ALL TIME? gimmie a break...hes a champ and all but thats high posting...

do you guys agree/disagree?
i'm doing this on the fly but my list would be:

1.Ryu-Street Fighter
2.Terry Bogard-Fatal Fury
3. Scorpion- Mortal Kombat
4. Chun Li-Street Fighter
5. Robert Garcia-Art Of Fighting
6. Subzero- Mortal Kombat
7.Yoshimitsu-Tekken
8.Sol Badguy-Guilty Gear
9. Sophitia-Soul Caliber
10. Bad Mr. Frosty-Clayfighters

KillerInstinctFan should be happy...or angry...depending on the way he looks at things. I personally don't care for fighting games, so my top 10 would all come from the Super Smash Bros. series.

HOLY CRAP! How could i forget Samsh Bros! Marth is my boy! he would be number 1 lol

I don't know If I could really break it down into a top 10, but Blanka would have to be near the top. I love that cheap bastard.

where is Yoshimitsu from Tekken

1-10: The Red Cyclone.

Chun-Li for the thighs, Cammy for the victory pose, Dr. Boskonovitch for the pure joy of fighting on your back.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl:
1. Marth
2. Link
3. Samus/Zero Suit Samus
4. Snake
5. Ike
6. Sonic
7. Luigi
8. Fox
9. Captain Falcon
10. Ganondorf

Chuck Norris, from Chuck Norris Superkicks.

1. Nightmare-Soul Calibur
2. Zato-1one/Eddie-Guilty Gear
3.Hyo Imawano-Rival Schools
4.Kairi-Street Fighter
5. Kazuya-Tekken
6.Vega-Street Fighter
7.Krizalid-King of fighters
8. Hattori Hanzo-Samurai Shodown
9.Scorpion-Mortal Kombat
10.Kage-Virtua Fighter

I don't have a top 10 fighter's list for now, but one of the characters would definitely be Hanzo from World Heroes.

I would list, but they are all from SSBB and they technically are form fighter games

ohhhh brother....i forgot alllll about Rival Schools. what a good game!

In no favorite order:
Captain Falcon - SSBB
Ness - SSBB
Hanzo - Samurai Showdown 1 & 2
Ryo - Art of fighting/king of fighters
Ryu - Street Fighter
Sagat - Street Fighter
Little Mac - Punch out (boxing is fighting)
Robert garcia - art of fighting/king of fighters
Takuma - art of fighting/king of fighters
Andy Bogard - fatal fury/art of fighting

@DaDun good call on little mac, i totally agree that he should be on the list. he is the ultimate underdog! fighting people like 4 times his size hahaha

1. Eddy Gordo
2. Eddy Gordo
3. Eddy Gordo
4. Eddy Gordo
5. Eddy Gordo
6. Eddy Gordo
7. Ummm
8. Yeah
9. Still Eddy Gordo
10. You should really play Tekken and find out cause Eddy Gordo freakin rocks.

In no order

Akuma
Ken
Asteroth
Heitchi
Meta Knight (SSB)

In no particular order, and absolutely not featuring a single SSB character:

Yoshimitsu - Tekkken/Soul Caliber
Marshal Law - Tekken
Astoroth - Soul Caliber series
Jack - Powerstone
Scorpion - Mortal Kombat
Subzero - Mortal Kombat
Kage - Virtua Fighter
Ura Bahn - Fighters Megamix
Akuma - Street Fighter series
Cham Cham - Samurai showdown 2

(One per series, and no order)

1. Cervantes - Soul Calibur
2. Chipp Zanuff - Guilty Gear X
3. Lau Chan - Virtua Fighter
4. Mahler - Fighting Vipers
5. Joe - Last Bronx
6. King/King 2 - Tekken
7. Mondo - Battle Arena Toshinden
8. Guile - Street Fighter
9. Sub-Zero - Mortal Kombat
10. Valgas - Power Stone (thanks for reminding me about this one Blaze )