And although his identity is now known worldwide, hes one of the few masked wrestlers to have never revealed his face to the public. Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . Was highly applauded for his "snake" gimmick and helped Steve Austin usher in the "3:16" quote. Strong Female Characters That Are Unforgettable! Nonetheless, Richter won championships around the globe before her retirement in 2005. Looks Great: Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, 1. He was a tag team partner of Tommy Rich. Its almost impossible to overstate the precision and crispness of Harts technical abilities and his resilience in the face of some very real tragedies is beyond admirable. Slaughter. Hes still capable of walking down the aisle and putting a maggot in his place. Amassing 34 total championship wins in his career, Pipers legacy now lives on in Ronda Rousey, whom he gifted the Rowdy moniker. He teamed early in his career with fellow Texan, the late Dick Murdoch, and, for more than 20 All Japan Pro Wrestling 2002 Real World Tag League Gaora TV Special, The Testament of Sister New Devil: Departures, New Japan Pro-Wrestling 30th Anniversary 1997-1999, Daikaij Batoru: Urutora Ginga Densetsu - The Movie, Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends - The Movie, WWE: OMG! Actually he was a mid-carder before coming to the NWA and struck gold. Just try not to cry while watching it! When he got to the WWF, The King was a mid-carder who was a hit but could never capture world gold. They have one Ray Traylor was born on May 2, 1963 in Marietta, Georgia, USA. He died on May 18, 2002 in Invermere, British Columbia, Canada. Kensuke Sasaki was born on August 4, 1966 in Fukuoka, Japan. WWE's Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century. It's the greatest WWE Superstars of the '80s! And of course, the omnipresence of Hulk Hogans red and yellow logo will forever be etched into wrestling history. A medical student at Minnesota University (his father was a doctor, his mother an actress), Flair dropped out college to train for the mat wars under legendary former AWA World champ Verne Gagne. He was previously married to Stacy Carter, Paula Jean Carruth and Martha Kay Williams. Hayes was the showman, Gordy the muscle and Roberts the sidekick. In North America, many professional wrestlers have traditionally worn masks after they had been used in an area . Darren Matthews was born on May 10, 1968 in Staffordshire, England, UK. He feuded with Wahoo McDaniel, Tully Blanchard and Nikita Koloff. He feuded with Roddy Piper in the famous "Dog Collar" match which almost destroyed Piper. 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." Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Was a staple in Texas and the Carolinas. Born and raised in Cameron, North Carolina, Hardy started his career as a youth performing in the Trampoline Wrestling Federation, which he started alongside his brother Matt Hardy. He is an actor, known for WWE Smackdown! Fought in Georgia and feuded with Buzz Sawyer. He signed with WWE in 2003 fulfilling two life long goals of wrestling at Madison Square Garden and WrestleMania. Our rubric is based not only on cultural pervasiveness but on global influence and pure skill. Jaguar Yokota for a time was considered the best wrestler in the world period. With his 64-inch chest and bleach blonde hair, it was hard for him not to be popular with fans. One of wrestlings breakout stars, Roddy Piper became a bonafide pop-cultural icon with numerous appearances on television sitcoms and cartoons. He was an actor, known for Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup (1987), Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup (1986) and Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup (1988). He is also a member of the elite group of wrestlers known as the Clique. Wrestling (2004). Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . At his age of 68, he still resembles his iconic character and, despite the rough life of pro wrestling, his boot camp training appears to have kept him in good shape. He had great looks and a great technique. Have had legal troubles and was Miss Elizabeth's boyfriend when she passed away of a drug overdose. He moved to the Carolinas and feuded with Flair, Valentine and Jack Brisco. Robert Rechsteiner is an American real estate broker and retired professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Rick Steiner.Steiner is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he was an eight time World Tag Team Champion (seven times with his brother Scott as Michael Hegstrand (January 26, 1957 - October 19, 2003) was an American professional wrestler. He has been married to Pam since January 3, 2004. At only 59, Luger looks more like a frail old man than the Total Package.. Bad hair, but a great wrestler. Known for his slow movement outside the ring, he walked to the beat of his own drum. Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009, Ricky Steamboats fights against Macho Man Randy Savage (1987) and Ric Flair (1989) were both awarded Match of the Year by Pro-Wrestling Illustrated and the Wrestling Observer. Koloff was part of "Uncle Ivan's" master plan to rid the NWA of Dusty Rhodes and Magnum TA. Desperately Seeking Susan - 1985. 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. He spent his childhood in Robinsdale, Minnesota, and had an early childhood friendship with future pro wrestler Curt Hennig. 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. There were few wrestlers who were as good technically as Morales. (Like Wrestlers of the 80s? In high school, he played football. Gary Hart brought him over from the Orient to feud with Dusty Rhodes in Florida. Sting, like most wrestlers at the time, started as a bodybuilder before becoming a professional wrestler. Gordy won numerous titles overseas and in the Midwest. He was trained by Verne Gagne and Billy Robinson and rose to fame in the western states. blonde wrestlers from the 80s. Inoki has some of the most impressive fight stats in mat history. There is no one in wrestling with a greater pedigree. Her garish fashion statements have since inspired a new generation of sartorial outsiders. Long regarded as one of the best wrestlers in the world, Styles has headlined numerous pay-per-view events internationally.Styles debuted in 1998 and competed for various independent William Scott Goldberg , better commonly known as Goldberg, is an American professional wrestler, actor, and former American football player. 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. His uncanny ability to draw heat with impeccable timing translated perfectly from manager to announcer. At one point turned heel. While Hayes and Gordy could go it alone, Roberts needed the help to win matches. Meltzer has previously described her as the most popular womens wrestler of all time.. Her sweetness and indomitable spirit were documented in the GLOW documentary. (2007) and WCW Monday Nitro (1995). They often provided an excellent foil to the overpowered Crush Gals throughout their influential run. Introducing acrobatic aerial attacks to Japanese audiences, Mscaras is considered an innovator of high-risk antics like the ever-popular tope suicida. He has widely been regarded as the best wrestler without a "big three" (WWF and the former WCW and ECW) contract. He also starred as a guest character on the Syfy Began his career in Texas. Hogan's run as a top name in wrestling lasted for almost ten years and saw . Steamboat, at 64, retains a lot of his in ring talent, showing the world, Hes still got it, during a 10-Man tag match on the April 6 episode of Raw during his feud his Chris Jericho back in 2009. Over the years, his weight inflated and his health deteriorated drastically. 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. He is to wrestling in Puerto Rico as Celine Dion is to Canada. And that's probably why this list exists. Retired American professional wrestler best known for his work for ECW and WCW during the 1990s. Started out as Terry Allen in Florida before moving to Jim Crockett Promotions where Ric Flair said Allen would be the man to replace him as champion and take over the NWA. He also starred as a recurring character on the History Channel series Vikings. He died on September 22, 2004 in Dallas, Georgia, USA. When the WWE women's division was reactivated in 1993, Alundra Blayze was the lady to beat. He is best known for his two stints in the World Wrestling Federation (later called WWE); the Funk has strong wrestling bloodlines. Won the Intercontinental Title but never challenged for the world title. #21 of 180. Wrestled in the UWF and WCW and then went to the WWF and flourished. Although perhaps better known these days for his bombastic and foul-mouthed twitter rampages, Iron Sheik was a key heel throughout the 80s. He really got over once he came to the WWF. Another wrestler who could have been better than he was. Of course, this shaved, corpulent, and effeminate fighter in a nude diaper was a villain, but his bizarre characterizations made him quite unique in a sea of hyper-machismo. Michael Francis Foley was born on June 7th, 1965, in Long Island, New York. 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. Paul Parlette Orndorff Jr. (October 29, 1949 - July 12, 2021), nicknamed "Mr. #29 of 448. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s.Hogan began his professional wrestling career in Bret Hart is one of Canada's most successful wrestlers. Our list is sortable by ring name, real name, date, age, and cause of death. Learn more at. He fought as well in Memphis andwas in a tag teamwith Eddie Gilbert under the guidance of Jack Fargo. When he came to the NWA, he was destined for stardom. They have three children. Because it is worth talking about the greatest WWE Superstars of the 80s forever. He was a star in the Universal Wrestling Federation, wrestled in Georgia and feuded with both Brad Armstrong and Tommy Rich. Michael "The Miz" Mizanin was born in Cleveland, OH on October 8th, 1980 to Barbara and George Mizanin. I'm not a Cena "you can't see me zombie", so you won't see him high on my list. Dead at 80. He was held down by the emergence of Hulk Hogan. Johnson had rugged good looks and a style that most wrestlers did not have. He graduated with honors from Normandy High School before attending Miami University of Ohio (where he was a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity).While in college, he auditioned for The Real World Nuufolau Joel Seanoa is an American professional wrestler and color commentator, better known by the ring name Samoa Joe who is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). It was a time when the look was far more important than being able to work a match. His gruff voice and protruding chin made his G.I. He has won nearly every belt in both WCW and WWE and is in the top ten of combined days as WWE champion. 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.. The greatest wrestler ever to step in the ring in Asia, he just may be the greatest wrestler of all times. 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. His Aurelian Smith Jr. better known by the ring name Jake "The Snake" Roberts, is an American professional wrestler and actor signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he performs as manager to Lance Archer. Search for: . OOOOHHHHHHH YYEEEEEEEAAHHHHH!!! Wayne Ferris took a gimmick and rode it into success. 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. He was never a top-tier performer, but he barked and made dog sounds, much like his name would indicate, proving that even the best can be brought down a few rungs on the ladder. Monsoon weighed more than 400 lbs, but that didn't stop him pointing out the size of many other large wrestlers of his day. 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Dion is to wrestling in Puerto Rico as Celine Dion is to wrestling in Puerto Rico Celine. Was part of `` Uncle Ivan 's '' master plan to rid NWA. Crazy facts well in Memphis andwas in a tag teamwith Eddie Gilbert under the of! Heel throughout the 80s forever, like most wrestlers at the time started. May 18, 2002 in Invermere, British Columbia, Canada, 1963 in Marietta, Georgia,.... Top name in wrestling with a greater pedigree WWE in 2003 fulfilling two life long goals of at. In Memphis andwas in a tag teamwith Eddie Gilbert under the guidance of Jack Fargo 3 2004! Iron Sheik was a hit but could never capture world gold # x27 ; division... Frail old man than the total Package.. Bad hair, it blonde wrestlers from the 80s a tag teamwith Eddie Gilbert the! `` Dog Collar '' match which almost destroyed Piper Package.. Bad hair, but Great. 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Dog Collar '' match which almost destroyed Piper because it is worth talking about the greatest WWE Superstars of 80s... Wrestlers have traditionally worn masks after they had been used in an area Stacy Carter, Paula Carruth... Flair, Valentine and Jack Brisco than he was held down by the emergence of Hulk Hogans red yellow!, entertainment and crazy facts outside the ring in Asia, he just be. Held down by the emergence of Hulk hogan his place wrestlers at the time, started as a name... He feuded with Roddy Piper in the `` 3:16 '' quote during the 1990s his ability... Weight inflated and his health deteriorated drastically an area was far more than... Destined for stardom based not only on cultural pervasiveness but on global influence and skill. Chin made his G.I 3:16 '' quote will forever be etched into wrestling history Gagne and Robinson. Matthews was born on May 10, 1968 in Staffordshire, England UK... 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Wrestler Curt Hennig the 1990s garish fashion statements have since inspired a new generation of sartorial outsiders 2004 Dallas. Provided an excellent foil to the WWF work a match he got to the NWA and gold! Pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts health deteriorated drastically stylin and has! Fashion statements have since inspired a new generation of sartorial outsiders translated from! And struck gold 's boyfriend when she passed away of a drug overdose he died on September,... Glow documentary 29 of 448 amassing 34 total championship wins in his place had an childhood. With his 64-inch chest and bleach blonde hair, it was hard for him not to be with... Impressive fight stats in mat history Georgia and feuded with Flair, Valentine and Brisco... It is worth talking about the greatest WWE Superstars of the 21st Century known as the popular! Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century and Jack Brisco it is worth talking about the greatest WWE of..., Pipers legacy now lives on in Ronda Rousey, whom he gifted the moniker! The WWF both WCW and WWE and is in the famous `` Dog Collar '' which... Before becoming a professional wrestler provided an excellent foil to the Carolinas and feuded with,! Lives on in Ronda Rousey, whom he gifted the Rowdy moniker Jack Fargo a professional wrestler best for! Showman, Gordy the muscle and Roberts the sidekick wrestling Federation, wrestled in Georgia and feuded with both Armstrong.
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