The son of former AWA President, Blanchard got started in the wrestling business at age 10, selling peanuts at the arenas and putting up flyers. The flashy, charismatic and smooth talking Million Dollar Man didnt possess the hulking mass of many of the more popular superstars like Paul Orndorff or Ultimate Warrior, but Ted DiBiase was still in tremendous, athletic shape. Wigan-born Davey Boy Smith started out on World of Sport at 15, known as Young David. They were also the only tag teams at the team to win titles in the NWA, AWA and WWW. Another wrestler who could have been better than he was. His injury led to Dusty Rhodes and Koloff becoming the Super Powers and Koloff's face change. Archive and tribute to dead wrestlers. He was so white and pale and hairless, he was referred to as the Michelin Man. While Hayes and Gordy could go it alone, Roberts needed the help to win matches. Tommy Dreamer was born on February 14, 1971 in Yonkers, New York, USA as Thomas Laughlin. Slaughter. WWE's greatest females of the 1980s are highlighted in this photo gallery, including Wendi Richter, Fabulous Moolah and Rockin' Robin. At first, he was a heel, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII (1992). He feuded with everyone and was the lead face while Ric Flair was the lead heel. He has been married to Shawn Trebnick since January 9, 2008. The Sheik's talents were more than just a Camel Clutch and hooked wrestling boots. Mattel's WWE Legends The Iron Sheik (2010) The Iron Sheik was an Iranian American professional wrestler who won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship in 1983. Her garish fashion statements have since inspired a new generation of sartorial outsiders. 10 10. His uncanny ability to draw heat with impeccable timing translated perfectly from manager to announcer. The fire breather wowed fans with his in-ring talent and remarkable physical strength and agility. She is mostly remembered for having her top removed in a tag match that also involved Sable, something that found it's way back online during her induction last year. He battled Bob Backlund and won the WWF world title before Hulk Hogan came to save the day at Madison Square Garden and Hulkamania was born. He is an actor and director, known for ECW on Sci-Fi (2006), WWE Raw (1993) and ROH: All Star Extravaganza (2002) and his own promotion House of Hardcore (2012). Nicknamed "The Dragon," Ricky Steamboat got his start in 1976, but of course got wider exposure when he became part of WWE in 1985. Blood clots in his lungs hampered his in-ring career which has affected him later in life as well. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a manager. 2. Went to WWE, where he was a star and later WCW, where he feuded with Sting. The knee from the top rope into the back of the skull was downright scary! Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. In today's video, we go back to the 1980s and the 'Golden Age' of WWF Wrestling. He starred as one of the leads in the fifth season of the popular television series Haven on Syfy. Often seen brandishing a castrating pair of garden shears, Beefcakes libidinous persona was displayed in his eccentric outfits. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. He is signed to WWE, and is also the owner and founder of the independent promotion Reality of Wrestling (ROW) in Texas City, Texas. The Sheik was an accomplished amateur before he went pro. He made his professional Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. All the personal troubles and wheelin and dealin" seem to have taken its toll on the "Nature Boy" who, at 68, looks almost unrecognizable compared to his pretty boy good looks of his youth. This list details eight wrestling legends of the 80s that still remain in great shape and eight others who have jobbed out to Father Time. (2007) and WCW Monday Nitro (1995). Few have lived the kind of life Jesse Ventura has, serving as a navy seal, pro wrestler, actor, and even Governor. At 58, Sting still looks totally capable of donning the paint for one more match. Bret Hart Actor | WWF SmackDown! Eventually he became apart of the ring crew, helping set up for matches. He joined the Horsemen and teamed with Arn Anderson to form a powerful tag team. The Excellence of Execution used his technical prowess in the ring to defeat his opponents. As a fan for the past 35 years and a writer who covered it in South Carolina, I seen some great things. Outside of The Road Warriors, Hawk was a sporadic Joseph Michael Laurinaitis, better known by his ring name Road Warrior Animal (or simply Animal), was an American professional wrestler. Von Erich was tall, strong and could hold his own in the ring with anyone. That is high praise from anyone. As a member of the notorious Crush Gals tag team, Lioness Asuka helped to propel womens wrestling to global popularity. Perhaps due to the benefits of a WWE income, many legends have avoided the effects of time, while others less fortunate have had Father Time lay the smackdown on them. Lou Albano. Meltzer has previously described her as the most popular womens wrestler of all time.. Steve was also the only wrestler from WCW who never worked for WWE until 2014 when he made Born on March 24, 1965. The 1980s was a time when professional wrestlers all sportedthe action hero, bodybuilder stature. While not sporting a killer physique, Jake The Snake maintained a modest, athletic build. A powerful athelete from an early age, Shelton was the South Carolina state heavyweight champion in high school wrestling in both his junior and senior years at Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School. Also, you can track what you've seen, want to see, like, or dislike, as well as track individual seasons or episodes of shows. He could have been one of the best of all time, but was rushed too soon and we never got to see the best of him. IT DOESN'T DIE! Debuted in 1990 in Calgary after training in the Hart Family Dungeon. He died too soon and his talents are missed. While still able to go toe to toe with anyone, a serious mid-match neck injury has sidelined Sting and his in-ring career is now over. You can view movies and shows in one place and filter by streaming provider, genre, release year, runtime, and rating (Rotten Tomatoes, Imdb, and/or Metacritic). With that in mind, weve created an alternate pantheon of both iconic wrestling legends and lesser-known heroes who many would consider underappreciated compared to the more ubiquitous and deeply obvious wrestling celebrities of that decade. The Niedhart legacy these days is carried on through current WWE superstar Natalya, but her father frequently known as The Anvil had cemented his heroic status long before she began fighting. Twitter. Though being the heel commentator, his hilarious one-liners on commentary have endeared him to the fans. He is a three-time World Heavyweight Champion Scott Charles Bigelow was an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Bam Bam Bigelow. His reputation for playing mind games with his opponents never superseded his actual in-ring acumen. Ricky Steamboat was one of the most popular superstars of the 80s and, still to this day, his match with Randy Savage at WrestleMania 3 is regarded as one of the best WrestleMania matches ever. With a combination of surgeries, treatments and falls that broke his shoulder, pelvis and hip (twice), The Brain's health has deteriorated tremendously over the years. Served as a booker for WCW before it closed its doors for good. When the WWE women's division was reactivated in 1993, Alundra Blayze was the lady to beat. Feuded with Don Muraco and wrestled Ivan Koloff for the WWF world title after Koloff defeated Bruno Sammartino. Her matches with her aforementioned nemeses were attended by sold-out crowds in Japan and bolstered the reputation of Japanese womens wrestling worldwide. Joe character a no-brainer and instant classic. His father, from Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada, is black (of Black Curt Hennig was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the son of one of wrestlings all time legends - Larry Hennig - Aka Larry The Ax Hennig. He is known for his trademark style of hardcore wrestling, which he pioneered in his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) from 1995 to 2000. Wrestling (2004) and ECW: Hardcore Revolution (2000). When he was in college, he played football. However, in 1985 she was forced to vacate her championship due to an injury, which prompted an early retirement in 1986 at the age of 24. Georgia Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions, Southeastern Championship Wrestling. Rhodes began wrestling in the 1960s and gained a reputation as a fast-talking, hard-rocking wrestler. Our rubric is based not only on cultural pervasiveness but on global influence and pure skill. Booker has John Hennigan was born on October 3, 1979 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Asai now works for CMLL in Mexico City and also Luis Ignacio Urive Alvirde was born on December 22, 1982 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. In the WWF, he was King of the Ring and was in the latter stages of his career. Feuded with Austin Idol and Randy Savage. Jeffrey Nero Hardy is an American professional wrestler and musician. Whatever you do, leave the hairbrush at home - the more disheveled the better. Please share and retweet! There is a rumor going around that Merced Solis never had a bad match in the WWF. Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . Wrestling (2004). Rhodes went to the WWF and was summarily used as a mid card wrestler. He was a three-time world title holder, and held court in Florida and the Carolinas. He has been married to Akira Hokuto since Actor | It was in Calgary where he met Owen Hart (who also died at a Jimmy Snuka is a classic example of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) (formerly known as World Wrestling Federation (WWF)) bad guy who became a baby-face (a good guy) without trying. He has been married to Kira Hennigan since June 1, 2018. Michael Lee Alfonso was an American professional wrestler. William Jason Reso (born November 30, 1973) is a Canadian actor and retired professional wrestler. Jesse Rodriguez is a writer from Belleville, IL and sports fan that doesn't walk the ESPN, WWE or sports talk radio line. He is best-known for his time in WCW and WWE.Goldberg is one of the most popular figures of the late 1990s/early 2000s professional wrestling boom. He is of Italian (father) and French-Canadian and English (mother) descent, and is the grandson of baseball player Tony Lupien. When he started out in the business, he was a singles wrestler, wrestling in some smaller federations before coming to the NWA (WCW) to team with his older brother, Rick. Diamond Dallas Page probably had one of the most unlikely wrestling careers of all time. Sting has toured the world and wrestled in the NWA, WCW and now TNA. Originally a "heel", he came into the WWE under the guidance of heel manager Capt. He was held down by the emergence of Hulk Hogan. He is an actor, known for Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends - The Movie (2009), Glory to the Filmmaker! forest park wrestling. Ranking The Greatest WWE Hall of Fame Inductees. At 450 pounds, with a big bald head, no visible neck, and an evil glare in his eyes, he was Hulk Hogan's first "giant" opponent, and the footage of him injuring Hogan's ribs in 1986 is still etched into many an aging Hulkamaniac's brain. And having Missy Hyatt at his side was not a bad idea, either. And before the bolted to the WWF, names like Piper and Sgt. Sting shocked the world and showed up in WWE, taking on Triple H and The Authority, even challenging then WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins. Though not a wrestler, Bobby The Brain Heenan managed a plethora of all-time greats in professional wrestling. He captured world gold. His father Gory Guerrero became a star in the U.S., an icon in Texas and a legend in Mexico. When he was wrestling in Bill Watts' promotion, JYD was a talker and a performer. Why was it so great? Broke into wrestling in the Global Wrestling Federation, known then as The Lightning Kid. He was also known for his fiery Latin temper. score: 23 of 126 (18%) required scores: 1, 2, 3, 4, 51 list stats leaders vote print comments In North America, many professional wrestlers have traditionally worn masks after they had been used in an area . Held numerous tag titles in the NWA and WCW and was United States and National Heavyweight title champion as well. Hogan may not be body slamming any giants anytime soon, he still seems to be drinking milk, saying his prayers and taking his vitamins. He is an actor, known for TNA iMPACT! One of wrestlings premiere villainesses, Bull Nakanos striking punk rock-influenced look would enrapture audiences around the world, as did her absolute physical domination in the ring. The legendary singer popularlised visable dark roots and bleached blonde hair. He is an actor, known for WWE Smackdown! They have two children. 20. This led to a buying of NWA by McMahon that led to the formation of WCW, which Hogan took over as their top guy. His later years were spent training the up-and-coming legendary children of NXT and his own biological children, Cody and Goldust, remain in the top tier of wrestlings biggest stars to this day. Jimmy Snuka. When he got to the WWF, he created a buzz with feuds against Big John Studd and Hulk Hogan. Times have changed and its increasingly difficult to view grapplers like The Ultimate Warrior without thinking of his appalling and bigoted worldviews. Hulkmania ran wild all over the WWE, and even WCW, becoming the most popular superstar ever. Japan's Antonio Inoki is a "living" legend in Asia. Just try not to cry while watching it! This cannot be undone. Now, he works in the WWE as a road agent. Alcohol and drug abuse started to pile up and turn Lugers life into a downward spiral. At one point turned heel. Although the conceit might seem silly, Sayama had the skill to back up the story: his match at NJPW Sumo Hall Show in 1983 (against Dynamite Kid Thomas Billington) was the first fight Meltzer ever granted a 5 Star rating. Hart comes from the legendary Hart Family of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The son of a professional wrestler, Ted DiBiase had started his pro wrestling career as a fan favorite, but soon "changed sides" and became a heel throughout the rest of his career. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. He was previously married to Diana Hart. Names like Bockwinkle and Martel and the Road Warriors were cool and hip. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. They have two children. He spent his childhood in Robinsdale, Minnesota, and had an early childhood friendship with future pro wrestler Curt Hennig. WATCH: Scott Dawson (then known as K.C. His dad, Dory Funk Sr., was a well-known grappler from the 1940s to the 1970s, and his brother, Dory Funk Jr., wrestled from 1963 until the early 90s, and won the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) world heavyweight championship in 1969. He is an actor, known for WWE: OMG! Many former superstars are still a big part of WWE today and work for the company in some capacity. He is signed to WWE.He began his professional wrestling career on the independent circuit in 1992, wrestling in Paul also played college basketball at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville from 1992 to 1993, and was a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Cougars basketball team. Ric Flair is one of, if not the most, popular wrestler of all time. They're the cream of the crop! Both Hector and Amando Christopher Michael Benoit is a Canadian wrestler who was born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Michael and Margaret Benoit. Though he has mostly recovered from his stroke, in 2016 Bret Hart was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Although she was far more active in All Japan Womens Wrestling, she made brief appearances in the WWF in 1986. Sadly, Demolition only wrestle a few Indy shows per year lately, and their physical conditioning is noticeably poor. With all do respect to Robert Aitken, my writing colleague, there are better wrestlers in the 1980s that came out of other organizations besides the WWF. While no longer flaunting his Million Dollar Championship belt, hes still on good terms with the WWE and makes special appearances from time to time. OOOOHHHHHHH YYEEEEEEEAAHHHHH!!! Although he was often relegated to WWFs midcard, he garnered immense popularity as a working mans hero. He Dwayne Douglas Johnson, also known as The Rock, was born on May 2, 1972 in Hayward, California. Perfect, Heenan became one of the, if not the, most hated managers of all time. 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A talker and a writer who covered it in South Carolina, I seen some great things clots in eccentric! While Ric Flair is one of, if not the most, wrestler. Super Powers and Koloff becoming the most, popular wrestler of all.! Global influence and pure skill to WWFs midcard, he works in the ring to defeat his opponents superseded...
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