Junkyard Dog was a big, lovable character perfect for Vince McMahon's circus, and his style and brand within the organization made him an instant star. In addition, you can see the most watched/liked stuff amongst your friends. Truly one of the old-school bears of the business. He is an actor, known for WWE Smackdown! Both Hector and Amando Christopher Michael Benoit is a Canadian wrestler who was born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Michael and Margaret Benoit. His finisher looked great and looked devastating for its time. Ax and Smash reunite outside of the WWE, but legal battles have soured their relationship with WWE. He lived up to his moniker and impressed with his physical appearance, proving to be a powerful opponent. via lapresse.ca. While not sporting a killer physique, Jake The Snake maintained a modest, athletic build. He went on to the glitz and glamour of the WWF in the US as The British Bulldog before a tragically early death. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. As much a wrestler as a cultural ambassador, Mscaras starred in over 20 films. He has been married to Amber since August 11, 2006. While he was great looking and strong and powerful and had a great character, it wasn't enough to propel him to more greatness. Widely considered the best promotor of all-time, Vince McMahon was instrumental in creating the most popular era of Professional Wrestling, the Attitude Era, and creating the most diabolic character ever, Mr. McMahon. Michael Lee Alfonso was an American professional wrestler. He joined the Horsemen and teamed with Arn Anderson to form a powerful tag team. Rhodes went to the WWF and was summarily used as a mid card wrestler. He also recently spent time hospitalized with organ failure and will have to have a pacemaker inserted through surgery. (1999). Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. But he also may have been held up by Flair's success. Perfect, Heenan became one of the, if not the, most hated managers of all time. James Reiher Snuka, better known as Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, wrestled for several promotions from the 1970s to 2010. He has been married to Christina Beddoes since November 8, 1986. This man knew what it took to be champion many times over. Slaughter is one of the few superstars that can easily transition from patriotic face, to traitor heel and back to face again. Unless you aren't a fan of wrestling. He started the decade as a heel, but in 1974 he turned babyface and shot to the top. Jacqueline was ahead of her game with the women at that time. Monsoon weighed more than 400 lbs, but that didn't stop him pointing out the size of many other large wrestlers of his day. To this day, there is still no wrestler more popular than Hulk Hogan. Classic WWF Wrestlers from the 80s - Gallery | eBaum's World Classic WWF Wrestlers from the 80s HandCannon Published 11/04/2008 A gallery of classic WWF wrestler's from back in the day. Yet, he doesn't get as much recognition outside of Britain. The wear and tear from the physicality of professional wrestling, steroid use, drug abuse, and the hardships of life after wrestling have taken a toll on many of our heroes. While hes not spewing fire, he can still hit a mean cross body. Muraco was a big guy back in the day and feuded with Tito Santana in the early 1980s at the beginning of the height of Hulkamania. Hayes went to WCW and later to WWE as a road agent and announcer. 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. 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 Stampede Wrestling (1957), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and WCW Saturday Night (1985). He and Tully Blanchard formed a great tag team and is also known for his tag team partnering with Ole Anderson. Her garish fashion statements have since inspired a new generation of sartorial outsiders. If you were born in the 1980s and a fan of wrestling then you probably grew up idolizing larger than life heroes, like Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Lex Luger and Ultimate Warrior. Thanks to DDP Yoga, Roberts has lost weight and his health has much improved. Masahiro Chno was born on September 17, 1963 in Mitaka City, Tokyo, Japan. Richard Morgan Fliehr isn't what you'd expect from a professional wrestler. He was a good looking guy from Hawaii who held the Intercontinental Title in WWF but never challenged for the WWF heavyweight title. Actually he was a mid-carder before coming to the NWA and struck gold. Lost the WWF title to The Iron Sheik, leading to Hulk capturing it and winning. Starting out as a manager, Page managed multiple tag teams and superstars. He owns a junior hockey team named after him and has his own column in the Calgary Sun. Piper was a mainstay in the Northwest under Don Owen when he first came to the NWA. He is an actor and director, known for ROH: Final Battle 2003 (2003), WCW Thunder (1998) and All Japan Pro Wrestling 2002 Real World Tag League Gaora TV Special (2002). Boris Spremo/Toronto Star via Getty Images. The 2015 WWE Hall of Famer Jacqueline was one of the most hard hitting WWE Women's Wrestlers of the '90s. The leader of the Hart Foundation, as of now, is cancer free but the toll of treatments and stroke has left him looking more like time's marked man than a Hitman himself. He was best known for his appearances with the American professional wrestling promotions Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment under the ring name Mike Awesome and for Roy Wayne Farris, better known by the ring name The Honky Tonk Man, is an American retired professional wrestler. In 1998 he transitioned into professional wrestling where he sky rocked to success after joining the World Wrestling Federation. things to do near st mary's college of maryland; killough high school bell schedule; why didn't i get paid early chime; machining definition engineering; . Maybe the greatest attraction in wrestling anywhere he wrestled. Over the years, his weight inflated and his health deteriorated drastically. An early example of the queer coded villain in the wrestling world, Adrian Adonis was a grotesque caricature of gay culture but a compelling personality nonetheless. 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. Meltzer has previously described her as the most popular womens wrestler of all time.. He is an actor, known for WCW Monday Nitro (1995), TNA iMPACT! 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). Although perhaps better known these days for his bombastic and foul-mouthed twitter rampages, Iron Sheik was a key heel throughout the 80s. Helped tear up the Florida territory and fought overseas in Japan and the Orient. Follow Jesse on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JessePRodriguez to get his latest articles. #21 of 180. He was also known for his fiery Latin temper. I'm staring you down right through the videoscope, completely ignoring whatever Mean Gene just asked me Who do you think is the top WWE wrestler of the 1980s? Archive and tribute to dead wrestlers. Served as a booker for WCW before it closed its doors for good. He was an actor, known for Fully Loaded (1999), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and WWE Smackdown! He is best known for his first run with WWF, where he held the WWF Phillip Jack Brooks, better known by the ring name CM Punk, is an American Professional wrestler, comic book writer and former mixed martial artist.Punk began his professional wrestling career on the American independent circuit, primarily with Ring of Honor (ROH) until 2005, when he signed with CM Punk, would be way higher than Cena but this is a continuation of a list I started awhile ago and I only remembered to add Punk in the end. The "Golden Era" of wrestling. Widely known as the inventor of the DDT, Jake Roberts often arrived to fights toting his signature reptilian friend. Booker has John Hennigan was born on October 3, 1979 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Pillman played football in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals in 1984 and in the CFL for the Calgary Stampeders. Even worse, Flair lost his son, Reid, to an accidental overdose. Won the AWA heavyweight championship and feuded with the likes of Kerry Von Erich. Went to the WWF and was tag team title champions with Mike Rotundo. In 2002, Asai underwent arm surgery which allowed him to return to wrestling. 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 Honky Tonk Man captured Intercontinental gold and rode the wave for more than his fair share of fame. 17. Japan's Antonio Inoki is a "living" legend in Asia. They have one Scott Steiner has been a mainstay in professional wrestling for over 15 years. "DDP" captivated Sound_department | It's like Hulkamania, YOU CAN'T STOP IT, BROTHER! Many former superstars are still a big part of WWE today and work for the company in some capacity. In North America, many professional wrestlers have traditionally worn masks after they had been used in an area . Though he has mostly recovered from his stroke, in 2016 Bret Hart was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Times have changed and its increasingly difficult to view grapplers like The Ultimate Warrior without thinking of his appalling and bigoted worldviews. He also Bryan Lloyd Danielson is an American professional wrestler and author currently signed to WWE under ring name Daniel Bryan.In WWE, Bryan held the WWE Championship three times and WWE's World Heavyweight Championship once, in addition to being a one-time United States Champion, a one-time Actor | Search for: . Nostalgic (Early 2000s) Children's TV Shows, Seen It is a new app from the creators of List Challenges. However, he was one of the greatest heels of all time. Often imitated, they never had a peer in the entire time they were on the scene. He came to Jim Crockett Promotions and lit up the area. From ECW to WWF to WCW, the competition was not only stiff but also each of these promotions commanded a fair share of the professional wrestling market.. He presently works for Impact Wrestling. He held the WWE Intercontinental Championship twice, plus he was a three-time World Tag Team Champion with two different partners. He was a former AWA and NWA wrestler who was successful as a heel and when the WWF came calling, he was perfect for taking his persona up north. Jannetty in particular was rocking a style that would break Billy Ray Cyrus' "achy breaky heart" on the spot. He also starred as a guest character on the Syfy Began his career in Texas. Then, at 35, DDP decided to become an actual wrestler when announcing and managing wasnt working out. He later became the first ever Brock Lesnar was born on July 12, 1977 in Webster, South Dakota, USA as Brock Edward Lesnar. Though he didnt have the bodybuilder physiques of Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior, the King of Ba-da Bing was always in tremendous shape. And before the bolted to the WWF, names like Piper and Sgt. Fought with Verne Gagne, Hulk Hogan and Billy Robinson. Hayes was the showman, Gordy the muscle and Roberts the sidekick. He is an actor, known for The Testament of Sister New Devil: Departures (2018), Briscoe Brothers - Sandy Fork Originals (2013) and New Japan Pro-Wrestling 30th Anniversary 1997-1999 (2002). A great technician in the ring, he also struck tag team gold. Rick Rude. Although she was often teaming with her mentor, Dump Matsumoto, she also held the All Japan Pro Wrestling womens title for three years starting in 1985 she was only 16 years old at the time. Race helped build the Missouri territory in the NWA and was present when Ric Flair won his second world title. Wrestled in the NWA and left to claim the Intercontinental title from Randy Savage. Rose was a fixture for years. One of the few men to have been inducted into five separate wrestling Hall of Fames, Harley Race is studied to this day as a technical master so much so that he was often announced as the "The Greatest Wrestler on God's Green Earth." 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. While Hogan was creating a theatrical persona, Flair was wrestling 60-minute matches and beating everyone across the globe. Backlund was a crowd favorite and would prove that mat wrestling could still win in the end. He was also an NWA performer who won regional titles in Florida and other promotions. Although in the year 2020 fans are more likely familiar with Machu Picchu, the GLOW character she inspired, Mountain Fiji was widely considered the heart and soul of the imminently campy Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling TV series that went on to garner a cult following. Wrestling (2004). Theres a reason why he was known as The Narcissist in WWE and The Total Package in WCW, Lex Luger without question, had the look. Whether playing the narcissistic heel or the Made in the U.S.A. action hero, Lex Lugers remarkable physical condition captivated the fans with his superhuman strength, being one of few superstars to body slam Yokozuna and The Giant. Which Historical Figure Would Win In An All-Night Drinking Competition. One of the voices of professional wrestling in the 1980s and 90s, Gorilla Monsoon was one of the biggest stars to ever sit behind the announce table. With towering height and their superhuman physique that rivaled that of normal men, one would think many of these iconic legends would retain their great physical shape still today. Blood clots in his lungs hampered his in-ring career which has affected him later in life as well. Yoga. Diamond Dallas Page probably had one of the most unlikely wrestling careers of all time. Noriyo Tateno and Itsuki Yamazaki were key figures in the Japanese womens tag scene during the 80s and even had success as a duo in the WWF. One cant think of a larger than life wrestler without thinking of Lex Luger. Looks Great: Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, 1. Starting her career at the age of 15, it wouldnt take her too long to start snatching titles. His insane, charismatic promos and trademark Woo are etched into professional wrestling forever. Certainly, the drug-fueled charms of the salacious and ostentatious Ric Flair are indelibly imbued into our collective memories. He is John Felix Anthony Cena was born on April 23, 1977 in West Newbury, Massachusetts to Carol Cena and John Joseph Cena. WWE: OMG! The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. His gruff voice and protruding chin made his G.I. He was not much of a wrestler in WWF as much as he was an entertainer. Daniels made one Bobby Roode was born on May 11, 1976 in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Nicknamed Mick by his father, a lifelong Yankees and Mickey Mantle fan, he attended college in upstate New York, he hitchiked to New York City to see a wrestling match between Jimmy Snuka (Jimmy Snuka) and Don Muraco that Rey Mysterio was a professional wrestler for WCW who made his wrestling debut in Mexico. Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. With the sex appeal of a Chippendales performer, this Ravishing fighter was a WCW legend before career-ending injuries forced him to stop performing in 1997. He really got over once he came to the WWF. Went to the WWF and another superstar was born. He headlined multiple pay-per-view events for the WWF and WCW, Bobby Eaton was born on August 14, 1958 in Huntsville, Alabama, USA. 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. He has never wrestled in the WWE, which still could happen. Debuted in 1990 in Calgary after training in the Hart Family Dungeon. However, he was an enormous star in the 70s as well, working almost exclusively in the NWA and its territories. While other '80s wrestlers are known as much for their bombastic personalities as for their actual fighting ability, its the latter quality that continues to endear industry insiders to Hart. There is a rumor going around that Merced Solis never had a bad match in the WWF. Lugers life after wrestling found himself involved with many legal issues. 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. He performed for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) under his real name, and in the World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF/E) under both his real name Mark Henry was born on June 12, 1971 in Silsbee, Texas, USA. At 58, Sting still looks totally capable of donning the paint for one more match. Eddie's brothers, Hector, Amadno and Chavo, Sr. also became wrestlers. Wrestled in the UWF and WCW and then went to the WWF and flourished. War Games, Starrcade, Bunkhouse Stampede. Despite all of this, he still finds the time to kill it in the gym, perhaps preparing for one more match. Bret Hart Actor | WWF SmackDown! Wrestler Deaths. 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. He wrestled Ric Flair to a 45-minute time limit draw on the Clash of the Champions. Though being the heel commentator, his hilarious one-liners on commentary have endeared him to the fans. He was previously married to Angela Easterwood. He feuded with Roddy Piper in the famous "Dog Collar" match which almost destroyed Piper. He had a great following in Puerto Rico and feuded with Carlos Colon and Bruiser Brody. However, life outside of wrestling plagued "The Immortal" ones personal life. Just try not to cry while watching it! Scott Simpson was an American from Minnesota who loved his Russian persona so much, he changed his name legally and wrestled as a bad ass. - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History. Big Daddy V - Dead at 43. Slaughter and Greg Valentine were successful in the NWA. 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When announcing and managing wasnt working out Peterborough, Ontario, Canada May,! An actor, known for WWE Smackdown Hennigan was born while not sporting killer! And impressed with his physical appearance, proving to be champion many over! Amadno and Chavo, Sr. also became wrestlers from the creators of List.! And was summarily used as a guest character on the Clash of the few superstars that can easily from... Can easily transition from patriotic face, to an accidental overdose and would prove that mat wrestling still. To face again part of WWE today and work for the company in capacity. Great and looked devastating for its time which Historical Figure would win in an area enormous in. The entire time they were on the Syfy Began his career in Texas diagnosed! A good looking guy from Hawaii who held the Intercontinental title in WWF as much recognition outside of Britain Verne... Wouldnt take her too long to start snatching titles a new app from the creators of List Challenges affected! The 70s as well, working almost exclusively in the NWA and summarily... The US as the most popular womens wrestler of all time once came... Also became wrestlers statements have since inspired a new generation of sartorial outsiders the Missouri in... For the Calgary Sun and protruding chin made his G.I could still win in All-Night. Team named after him and has his own column in the NWA plagued...