Yet, through all the scandals, Hulk Hogan is still no stranger to the gym and stays in great shape for his age. He feuded with everyone and was the lead face while Ric Flair was the lead heel. Later on, Rotunda won Actor | Before all this happened, the NWA was a better product with better wrestlers and the AWA was able to present a brand in the Midwest and the the northern states like Minnesota that was crisp and regional and cool. They started in Bill Watts' promotion before they were lured awayby Jim Crockett and his host of wrestlers. His brother Bret is also one of the most well known wrestlers of all time. The Sheik was an accomplished amateur before he went pro. Paul is a member of the Xi Beta Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Southern Actor | 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. He trained under Verne Gagne, and first made his name in the old Mid-Atlantic territory in the Carolinas. - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History (2011), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and WWE Smackdown! 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. They challenged the Horsemen, the Minnesota Wrecking Crew, the Road Warriors and had a famous battle with the Rock & Roll Express. There, he proved to be one of the greatest babyfaces of all time, putting on a classic feud with Jake "The Snake" Roberts and one of the greatest WrestleMania matches of all time against Randy Savage. Though The Snake appears to be getting his life back on track, substance abuse and battling cancer has taken its toll on Roberts making the 62-year-old look much older than he should. Even today, McMahon absolutely crushes the weights at the gym and still looks superhuman at 71. He defeated Hulkamania. His finisher looked great and looked devastating for its time. He is an actor and producer, known for Boone: The Bounty Hunter (2017), Strange Nature (2018) and Birds of Prey (2020). Starting off in the AWA - Curt began his career as a tag team wrestler. He helped launch the careers of Sting, Lex Luger, Rick Steamboat and Arn Anderson. score: 23 of 126 (18%) required scores: 1, 2, 3, 4, 51 list stats leaders vote print comments They were mean, and everyone who wrestled them knew they were in for a fight. He has been married to Jane Lee since January 14, 2002. Santana did just about everything else in his career, as he has one of the most overlooked lists of credentials from wrestlers in the 1980s. He played football at the North Texas State University. Retired American professional wrestler of Japanese descent as Ricky Steamboat. The 2015 WWE Hall of Famer Jacqueline was one of the most hard hitting WWE Women's Wrestlers of the '90s. Went to WWE, where he was a star and later WCW, where he feuded with Sting. 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. He has been married to Kira Hennigan since June 1, 2018. 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. He had a great run in the WWF and became an even bigger star when he left and went to the NWA. He grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, from where he was billed throughout the bulk of his career. His reputation for playing mind games with his opponents never superseded his actual in-ring acumen. Archive and tribute to dead wrestlers. Jannetty in particular was rocking a style that would break Billy Ray Cyrus' "achy breaky heart" on the spot. While Hogan was creating a theatrical persona, Flair was wrestling 60-minute matches and beating everyone across the globe. Georgia Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions, Southeastern Championship Wrestling. - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History, TNA Wrestling: Phenomenal - The Best of AJ Styles. Hogan may not be body slamming any giants anytime soon, he still seems to be drinking milk, saying his prayers and taking his vitamins. 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. Wrestler Deaths. And when he came to WWF, Piper's Pit and his feud with Jimmy Snuka was vintage Piper. But he also may have been held up by Flair's success. Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . A big bully technician, he started out in the NWA as a tag team partner of Ric Flair and grew into a great singles competitor. Then, the second-generation wrestler traveled to the WWF and caused all kinds of havoc as the Million Dollar Man. 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. He has been married to Rena Mero since May 6, 2006. Very popular wrestler who was everyman and wrestled as a rugged fighter. Served as a booker for WCW before it closed its doors for good. 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. 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. Japan's Antonio Inoki is a "living" legend in Asia. He was trained by Verne Gagne and Billy Robinson and rose to fame in the western states. 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). News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Strong Female Characters That Are Unforgettable! Wrestled in the NWA and left to claim the Intercontinental title from Randy Savage. 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. Many former superstars are still a big part of WWE today and work for the company in some capacity. And of course, the omnipresence of Hulk Hogans red and yellow logo will forever be etched into wrestling history. It sucks what he did, you can't deny though that his matches heightened the careers of anyone who got in the ring with him. 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. Was successful as United States Heavyweight Champion. Retired American professional wrestler best known for his work for ECW and WCW during the 1990s. Standing out than the rest, Ultimate Warrior became one of the most popular wrestlers in the WWE (back then in the WWF). Perfect exemplified the widely reviled heel archetype throughout the decade. He and tag-team One of the great Hispanic wrestlers, Eddie Guerrero grew up part of the famous wrestling family: The Guerreros. Jarrett had his first major run in the WWF - winning the Intercontinental Title 6 times before joining WCW. He was not much of a wrestler in WWF as much as he was an entertainer. 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 | He was previously married to Angela Easterwood. 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. He previously wrestled for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). He was a tag team partner of Tommy Rich. Slaughter. He has never wrestled in the WWE, which still could happen. More of a loner and indy wrestler much like Bruiser Brody. It makes us pause in anticipation for the . The Wrestlers: Land of a Thousand Dances. Came to WCW from ECW In 1996 after he debuted Leon Allen White (May 14, 1955 - June 18, 2018), better known by his ring names Big Van Vader or simply Vader, was an American professional wrestler and professional football player. Although perhaps better known these days for his bombastic and foul-mouthed twitter rampages, Iron Sheik was a key heel throughout the 80s. Slaughter is one of the few superstars that can easily transition from patriotic face, to traitor heel and back to face again. The Toughest Professional Fighters in History. This man knew what it took to be champion many times over. The Gimmick started in the Mid-South region and kept right on going to the WWF universe. He won the world title 16 times in the NWA, WCW and WWF. 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. via lapresse.ca. Though he didnt have the bodybuilder physiques of Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior, the King of Ba-da Bing was always in tremendous shape. The '80s. He would later become one of the greatest heels ever once he entered the WWE. Feuded with Barry Windham and then became his partner against Oliver Humperdink. I want it to. Have had legal troubles and was Miss Elizabeth's boyfriend when she passed away of a drug overdose. Race was rugged and most other wrestlers will tell you one of the strongest men they ever faced. At one point turned heel. Why are you here? But he was one of the few bigger men that could move well and also spent time in the NWA wrestling in Georgia. They have one Ray Traylor was born on May 2, 1963 in Marietta, Georgia, USA. Traveled to the NWA and Ric Flair taught him to make money and made him a star. He had the best mind to create anything he wanted. All comments are welcome. Her matches with her aforementioned nemeses were attended by sold-out crowds in Japan and bolstered the reputation of Japanese womens wrestling worldwide. Troy Allan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name Shane Douglas. The most comprehensive and complete list of deceased wrestlers on the internet. He is an actor, known for MacGruber (2010), WWF Superstars (1986) and WWE Superstars (2009). The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. They have two children. When he came to the NWA, he was destined for stardom. 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. His quick one-liners, sharp tongue and squeaky voice made his heel role a perfect fit and helped transition The King from wrestler to announcer. He is an actor, known for TNA iMPACT! He has been married to Pam since January 3, 2004. 17. He started the decade as a heel, but in 1974 he turned babyface and shot to the top. "The Snake" was an NWA mid-card player for years in the Carolinas as Barry Windham's tag team partner and then traveled to Florida, became a member of Kevin Sullivan's cult and feuded with Windham, breaking his nose. He came to Jim Crockett Promotions and lit up the area. Started in Memphis and feuded with Jerry Lawler, even losinga match where he had to wear a dress. He was trained by the Original Sheik, Ed Farhat, who was one of pro-wrestling's classic and greatest bad guys. Starting out as a manager, Page managed multiple tag teams and superstars. A rugged small wrestler from the Boston area tore up Florida in the late 70s and early 80s, feuding with Mike Graham, Dusty Rhodes and Barry Windham. He has been married to Amber since August 11, 2006. A symbol of the spirit of Lucha Libre, Mil Mscaras is one of the few masked fighters ever inducted into WWEs notorious Hall of Fame. A great technician in the ring, he also struck tag team gold. He was the best talker ever in wrestling and was a better mat wrestler than you think. 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. With his pet snake, Damien, draped over his neck, Roberts sadistic charisma, in-ring talent, dark mic skills and use of one of the deadliest finishers of all time, the DDT, made Jake The Snake one of the all-time greats. 3. Even an alternative canon of pro-wrestling would have to include Andre The Giant. Our list is sortable by ring name, real name, date, age, and cause of death. Wrestling (2004), TNA Wrestling: Phenomenal - The Best of AJ Styles (2004) and 1PW: First Anniversary (2007). The son of a professional wrestler (Warren Bockwinkel), it was only natural for Nick Bockwinkel to follow in his father's profession. He will always be known as the guy who helped set up Hulkamania. To this day, there is still no wrestler more popular than Hulk Hogan. The Brain is now unrecognizable and, sadly, left unable to speak. Dead at 80. [16] Ivan Koloff. He was huge and intimidated wrestlers with his presence. Probably because of these WWE (then WWF) Superstars. With his 64-inch chest and bleach blonde hair, it was hard for him not to be popular with fans. forest park wrestling. Piper was a mainstay in the Northwest under Don Owen when he first came to the NWA. Few have lived the kind of life Jesse Ventura has, serving as a navy seal, pro wrestler, actor, and even Governor. Bret has held the One of the most colorful wrestlers in and out of the ring, Randy "Macho Man" Savage became a larger-than-life pop icon along with other wrestling superstars, such as "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan, Jimmy Snuka (aka "Superfly Jimmy Snuka"), Jesse Ventura and Dwayne Johnson (aka "The Rock").When Born as Steve Borden, Sting has held the WCW World Title 10 times and multiple other titles. When the WWE women's division was reactivated in 1993, Alundra Blayze was the lady to beat. (1999), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and WCW Saturday Night (1985). He is John Felix Anthony Cena was born on April 23, 1977 in West Newbury, Massachusetts to Carol Cena and John Joseph Cena. It is all a matter of perspective and opinion. The Midnight Express 11 of 50 Whether it was Bobby Eaton an. He wrestled with the best of them, playing the heel role well and winning acclaim. 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. He had a great look and when he came to Florida, everyone knew he would be great. Barry Clinton Windham is an American retired professional wrestler. His father Johnny Valentine would be proud. He captured world gold. He has been the only wrestler to stay in WCW since the late 1980s and he had a reconstructive knee surgery in 1991. Hi there and welcome to Nostalgia Hit. He was so white and pale and hairless, he was referred to as the Michelin Man. 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. He was a good looking guy from Hawaii who held the Intercontinental Title in WWF but never challenged for the WWF heavyweight title. Her appearance as a heart-hardened sensei in the 2000 documentary Gaea Girls showed how she viewed wrestling not as an art form or a sport but as a kind of sacred pursuit. Names like Bockwinkle and Martel and the Road Warriors were cool and hip. It was at this time that Steiner became world A star collegiate basketball player, Diamond Dallas Page entered the nightclub business in the 1970s, becoming one of South Florida's top club owners and promoters. And before the bolted to the WWF, names like Piper and Sgt. Sadly, he was killed after a match and is missed for his devilish persona and his flat-out brash behavior. Yet, he doesn't get as much recognition outside of Britain. The wrestler who would eventually become known as Ravishing Rick Rude was born Richard Erwin Rood on December 7th, 1958. Also, you can track what you've seen, want to see, like, or dislike, as well as track individual seasons or episodes of shows. - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History. King Kong Bundy was an '80s wrestling monster. Truly one of the old-school bears of the business. Ted DiBiase was one of the most hated heels in the WWE. He is the grandson of Bob Orton, Sr. and the Adam Copeland is an actor and an professional wrestler, who wrestles as Edge in the WWE. Von Erich was tall, strong and could hold his own in the ring with anyone. 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. Backlund was a crowd favorite and would prove that mat wrestling could still win in the end. At age 67, Mr. Hayes was the showman, Gordy the muscle and Roberts the sidekick. He was a consummate heel but was respected for his in-ring technical skills and the ability to perform night in and night out. (1999). He signed with WWE in 2003 fulfilling two life long goals of wrestling at Madison Square Garden and WrestleMania. Between those Owen Hart was one of twelve children from a legendary Canadian wrestling family. (1999). The started in the Mid-South area and traveled to the Carolina territory for fame and fortune. He also appears for AEW's sister promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), where he is the current ROH World Television Champion in his first Ken Anderson was born on March 6, 1976 in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, USA. The American Dream Dusty Rhodes rose to the top of the professional wrestling world in the 1980s. What can you say about Andre that has not already been said? He is an actor, known for WWE Smackdown! 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. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. (1999), Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia (2009) and TNA iMPACT! 10 10. Despite all of this, he still finds the time to kill it in the gym, perhaps preparing for one more match. He is an actor, known for Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends - The Movie (2009), Glory to the Filmmaker! Traveled to Georgia and feuded with Ron Garvin for the NWA World TV Title and then made his way to Stamford and Vince's Circus. Vampiro is known for A Wolf at the Door (2013), Trash (2014) and Crossing the Line (2012). The prototypical arrogant pretty boy, Rude was known for insulting the mostly-male crowds before enticing women with promises of sexual promiscuity. From years of taking bumps, suffering injuries and battling cancer, Paul Orndorff is definitely looking less wonderful and more like grandpa. War Games, Starrcade, Bunkhouse Stampede. 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. Paul Parlette Orndorff Jr. (October 29, 1949 - July 12, 2021), nicknamed "Mr. 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. He finished his career in WCW by being power bombed by the NWO when they first made their way to the promotion. Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. Thanks to DDP Yoga, Roberts has lost weight and his health has much improved. He was one of the first Asian wrestlers to come to the states to "take over" professional wrestling. At first, he was a heel, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII (1992). If Flair had not been so great for so many years, he could have been the next great thing. He is best known for his time in WWE under the ring name Christian and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) under the ring name Christian Cage. The main rival of the Crush Gals, Matsumotos ghastly look complimented her domineering in-ring presence. It's the greatest WWE Superstars of the '80s! Davey Boy Smith was born on November 27, 1962 in Manchester, England, UK. Originally a "heel", he came into the WWE under the guidance of heel manager Capt. Bobby Eaton was a quiet type who did not speak and Condrey looked sheepish, so their manager Jim Cornette used his gift of gab to rocket them to the top. He also has a stint in WCW when he wrestled with Ricky Steamboat against Barry Windham and Ric Flair at a television taping, leading to Steamboat getting a shot at the world title. It's like the spirit of the Ultimate Warrior. Rhodes went to the WWF and was summarily used as a mid card wrestler. He is also remembered for wrestling Ric Flair to a time-limit draw when he was top dog in Minnesota. Known for his signature evil laugh, The Million Dollar Man bragged about you guessed it his extraordinary wealth while trouncing opponents around the world. Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. Played by Satoru Sayama, who Bret Hart once called the Bruce Lee of professional wrestling, Tiger Mask I was both a real-life wrestling character and the star of a popular Japanese cartoon. Orton was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, to Bob Orton, Jr. and his wife Elaine. Randy Savage Actor | Spider-Man Mullet Critique: Riveting. His vicious character climaxed in the . The greatest wrestler ever to step in the ring in Asia, he just may be the greatest wrestler of all times. In 2002, Asai underwent arm surgery which allowed him to return to wrestling. Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . Sting has toured the world and wrestled in the NWA, WCW and now TNA. He began training to become an in-ring performer at the age of 35, the oldest rookie in Pro Wrestling history. He was a pro wrestler from 1973-1987 in the NWA, Pacific Northwest, California. Another wrestler who could have been better than he was. Boris Spremo/Toronto Star via Getty Images. He has held the WWF World 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin was born in Victoria, Texas, as Steven James Anderson, on December 18, 1964, the youngest of five children. Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson were two undersized wrestlers that made it work. Now, he works in the WWE as a road agent. A great booker and script writer. They were also the only tag teams at the team to win titles in the NWA, AWA and WWW. Ranking The Greatest WWE Hall of Fame Inductees. He is an actor, known for WCW Monday Nitro (1995), TNA iMPACT! Came back to the NWA and beat The Great Muta for the title. He has been married to Meredith Whitney since February 11, 2005. 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.