1 "Dr. Death" Steve Williams 2 "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert 3 The 4 Horsemen 4 Angelo Mosca, Jr. ADVERTISEMENT 5 Animal 6 Arn Anderson 7 Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard 8 The Barbarian 9 Barry Windham 10 Big John Studd 11 Bill Irwin 12 Black Bart ADVERTISEMENT 13 Bob Armstrong 14 Bobby Eaton 15 Brad Armstrong 16 Brett Wayne 17 Brian Pillman 18 Sports. He was loved by fans, but he could turn on them in an instant. Her skills were of the variety of being the beauty and brains behind the brawn. Savage won multiple titles during his run including three WWF Championships, four WWF Intercontinental Championships, and three WCW Championships. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for WWF - The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80's (DVD, 2005, 3-Disc Set) at the best online prices at eBay! Syndicated series featuring the stars of the World Wrestling Federation. Snuka made a name for himself in the early years of the decade, feuding with The Grand Wizard and Don Muraco before being paired up with Mr. 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). The concept, a one-night tournament, was a huge success and would become a regular event, titled King of the Ring. Hogan said Gagne offered him the championship on the latter occasion in exchange for his merchandise rights and money from touring with other promotions which would show that Gagne understood wrestling was becoming a bigger business in the 1980s; however, Hogan refused. He is also recognized as one of the worlds best wrestlers ever. [3] In the WWE documentary The Rise and Fall of WCW, Crockett explained that his purchase of the timeslot basically paid for McMahon's first WrestleMania.[4]. Sign up for BINGE to watch. 2017-2022 In The 1980s. WrestleMania was an extravaganza marketed as "the Super Bowl of professional wrestling". Because of these territories, the talent was not only well spread out but also wrestlers were highly talented. Vince Jr. aquired the WWWF from his father, and renamed the company to World Wrestling Federation..; Vince Jr. began signing wrestlers away from different territories as well as buying up smaller territories.. Vince's biggest asset was Hulk Hogan, who he lured away from Verne Gagne's AWA, and ran wild with Hulkamania..; Vince McMahon and the WWF also single-handedly created a market for . Every few years WWE touts a new giant as the next physical phenomenon, from The Big Show to Braun Strowman to Omos, and its all because of Andre The Giant. I am of course talking about the phenomenon known as the "attitude era" but the attitude era along with the early 90s would be nothing without the wrestlers that made it so great. Check out a gallery remember classic 80's star King Kong Bundy List View Player View Grid View Brutus The Barber Beefcake 30/30 1 /30 4 Ratings 581,728 Views His father, from Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada, is black (of Black Sidney Raymond Eudy is an American former professional wrestler. He had a great run in the WWF and became an even bigger star when he left and went to the NWA. The channel 39 syndicated show earned extremely high ratings - higher than Saturday Night Live and many wrestling promotions in the United States, including the American Wrestling Association (AWA) and the WWF.[2]. RELATED: 5 Things From WWE's Golden Era That Have Aged Well (& 5 That Haven't). Best Moment:Probably one of the most memorable moments in wrestling was when Hulk Hogan bodyslammed Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III. Throughout Pipers illustrious wrestling career, he was part of some amazing feuds against the likes of Greg Valentine, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Rick Rude, Mr. T, and many others. The C-Show is much like the lower card and mainly consisted of jobbers, newcomers, and lower-level TV stars. Meanwhile, the NWA's affiliate in Memphis, Tennessee, the Continental Wrestling Association, had Jerry Lawler, who rose to national prominence thanks to his "feud" with Andy Kaufman. And they all paid off. And her foray into managing might have been in part to her dethroning at the hands of Rockin' Robin on Oct. 7, 1988. Like most rookies, the WWE placed the Ultimate Warrior in the C-Shows alongside another rookie Ted Dibiase. [11] As a result, only five cable companies opted to remain loyal to Crockett, which gave them only an $80,000 profit after expenses. Junior Heavyweight or Cruiserweight wrestling wouldnt be what it is today without Tiger Mask. His most. A mistake that he later came to realize. A Net Inceptions project. He was a pro wrestler from 1973-1987 in the NWA, Pacific Northwest, California. At first, he was a heel, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII (1992). Many fans, especially those in the Deep South, were angered by the collapse of their local wrestling promotions. Santanas impressive 15-year career in the WWF saw him become one of the greatest Mexican wrestlers of all time. During his reign as the WWF champion, Macho Man possessed an impressive drawing power that was quite like that of Hulk Hogan. Superfly Jimmy Snuka was one of the most unique characters in wrestling in the 1980s. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Mountain Fiji YouTube On the other hand, huge states such as Texas had numerous territories. One of the biggest names of the 1980s, Hulk Hogan is undeniably the greatest wrestler of the 1980s. His relationship with his valet and real-life wife Miss Elizabeth has been imitated countless times, and recent fans could easily lose count of the number of wrestlers who do Flying Elbows in honor of the Macho Man. And did you know that at WrestleMania V, Robin opened the event by singing "America The Beautiful"! The rich guy gimmick proved to be a slam dunk and has been repeated countless times in the decades since, including with DiBiases own son, Ted Jr., as well as NXTs Cameron Grimes. His father Gory Guerrero became a star in the U.S., an icon in Texas and a legend in Mexico. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'sportlister_com-netboard-2','ezslot_19',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-netboard-2-0'); Lawler would later on feud with Vince McMahon, Roddy Piper, and Doink the Clown. The expansion of cable television and pay-per-view, coupled with the efforts of promoters such as Vince McMahon, saw professional wrestling shift from a system controlled by numerous regional companies to one dominated by two nationwide companies: McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) and Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Technically speaking, many people considered him the glue or the heartbeat of the group. Hulk Hogan was the biggest star in wrestling in the 1980s. He would acquire several more promotions, including some non-NWA members, in the following year. He was one of the top stars of the 1980s and deserves a lot more credit than he ever received for his work. The 90s had big boots (wrestling boots) to fill considering that they had to follow the 80s which is commonly referred to as the "golden era" of wrestling. One of the first great wrestlers to compete in "real" fights. Then theres Jake The Snake Roberts, one of the most flat-out sinister villains in pro wrestling. Nikita Koloff (born Nelson Scott Simpson)is an American retired professional wrestler. Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close, Akira: Its Impact, Legacy And Why You Need To Watch It, Excess in the 1980s: A Movie Retrospective, 10 Epic Rave Anthems From 1991 That Will Spark Nostlagia, Looking Back At The 1988 TV Series Of War Of The Worlds, Streets of Rage 2: The Movie Stills Created With AI, Gladiators: The Saturday Night TV Favourite Returns, Darkstalkers Arcade Classic Coming To The Megadrive. However, Wrestlemania I drew the interest of the mainstream media by including celebrities such as Mr. T and Cyndi Lauper to participate in the event. He was jovial, but he was also a bit wild. When she debuted in 1985, she was a veritable unknown, but she made an immediate impact on virtually everyone that she came in contact with. But the Macho Man said thanks, but no thanks, as he had chosen someone else. He was previously married to Debra Ann Miceli and Missy Hyatt. When shes not writing, Julie loves to spend time with her 2 cats listening to her favorite tunes from the 80s. Miss Elizabeth left the WWF in April 1992, and divorced Randy Savage that August. Retrieved April 12, 2015, "The Great Ruse: The comedic genius who rocked wrestling", "End of an era on TBS Solie, Georgia and 'Black Saturday', "Ask WV (9/27/03): WM III attendance, Hart/HBK, Sting/4 Horsemen, & More", "A Look at Randy Savage's Departure from the WWF in 1994", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1980s_professional_wrestling_boom&oldid=1141849134, Universal Wrestling Federation (Bill Watts), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 03:47. Featuring wrestling matches, interviews and updates on ongoing feuds and upcoming events. ( WATCH). 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. The '80s changed the face of pro wrestling forever, with a handful of wrestlers being particularly influential and among the best. The Best Celebrity Wrestlers Ever: Logan Paul, David Arquette and More. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Julie loves the 80s and wears some of the fashions from that time. McMahon stated in the documentary The UnReal Story of Professional Wrestling that he did not think his father would have ever sold him the company if he knew what he was planning to do. As much as some people love his work, they dont give him enough credit for how important he was to WWEs early years and how important he remains even in todays product. Months later, Hogan and Savage teamed up as The Mega Powers; and at the first ever SummerSlam, they faced off against DiBiase and Andr's tag team known as The Mega Bucks. He is an actor, known for Blood Circus (1987) and AWA Superclash III (1988). Although he never managed to win any titles in the WWE, Lawler still holds the record for the most recognized titles. Moreover, the WWE also stripped the wrestler off his trunks and jacket attire and instead presented him with long tights and a keikogi. He starred as one of the leads in the fifth season of the popular television series Haven on Syfy. Randy Savage was an iconic wrestler back in the 1980s all thanks to his impressive ring attire, distinctive and raspy voice as well as unmissable intensity. MLW refers to its in-ring performers as "Fighters" as . By the end of his illustrious wrestling career, The Macho Man had accumulated an impressive 11 titles. 5 Ways The Legion Of Doom Was Best In WWE (& 5 Ways They Were In WCW), a fairly successful knock-off called Demolition, 10 Worst WWE Wrestlers To Compete For A World Championship At WrestleMania, 10 WWE PPV Endings That Changed Everything. He was a longtime mainstay in the WWF, and was one of the biggest "bad guys" in the WWF during the early '80s, before . And it did. [7] The match was scheduled for July 23, 1984, at The Brawl to End it All, broadcast live on MTV. She also did have her differences with Savage at the time when he and Hulk Hogan were collectively known as The Mega Powers, and even wound up in the corner of The Hulkster for a period of time. He is the son of Ata Johnson (born Feagaimaleata Fitisemanu Maivia) and professional wrestler Rocky Johnson (born Wayde Douglas Bowles). These two took WWE by storm, and were hot on The Glamour Girls trail. WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel pays tribute to some of the great WWE women of the 1980s, including Fabulous Moolah, Wendi Richter and Miss Elizabeth. Prior to joining the WWE, Ric Flair wrestled in WCW and NWA wreaking havoc with what many wrestling fans termed as the greatest factions in professional wrestling, the Four Horsemen. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Even though their styles are quite different (Sheik being a wild hardcore-style brawler, known for throwing fire, cutting his opponent's forehead's up with foreign objects like a pencil, Japan's Antonio Inoki is a "living" legend in Asia. Billy Zane Acting Debut in Back To The Robert ZDar Chin Condition of a Movie Icon. Ric Flairs archenemy, of course, was The American Dream Dusty Rhodes. 8. All these attributes helped Roberts connect effortlessly with the crowd and manipulate his opponents. This rivalry led to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, where on Jan. 24, 1988, at the first Royal Rumble event, The Angels ascended to the heights of becoming Womens Tag Team Champions by defeating The Glamour Girls in a best two-out-of-three falls bout. He is best known for his appearances with Jim Crockett Promotions and its successor, World Championship Wrestling between 1984 and 1992, where he was billed from Russia (and, following the dissolution of the Martin Anthony Lunde , better known by the ring name Arn Anderson, is an American professional wrestling road agent, author, and retired professional wrestler. Japanese MVP - Kazuchika Okada. His character was very over with fans, but he also had a great look about him as well which helped make him into a star even more than his promos did. [3] Later, McMahon sold the TBS timeslot to rival promoter Jim Crockett, Jr. for $1 million. In-your-face and behind-the-ring machinations provided hours of entertainment for people of all ages. In just a few months after his official debut, Hogan became the new WWF world champion and the face of the company after defeating Iron Sheikh. After Bret Hart won the King of the Ring tournament, Lawler would immediately launch an attack on Bret Hart claiming he was the only king of pro wrestling. Through the years, WWE has had its share of talented and amazing individuals that have performed and entertained the masses that comprise the WWE Universe. Managed by "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart, the platinum-haired duo generally had little trouble disposing of their opponents, until two imports from Japan arrived on the scene. "He probably would have said, 'Vinny, what are you doing? In the 80s, it wasn't uncommon for black wrestlers to have a hard time moving up the card in WWE. It was the very first Wrestlemania event. Will Ospreay 8/18 Tokyo. Eddie Gilbert was born on August 14, 1961 in Lexington, Tennessee, USA. Hogan's clean pin fall loss signaled the end of an era. With competition from cable superstations broadcasting WCCW, AWA and NWA, McMahon syndicated WWF television shows outside of the promotion's traditional Northeastern territory and began a home-video distribution label called Coliseum Video. We just need you to vote. It made him a star, but it also made him a legend. Hogans impressive win against The Sheikh marked the ascension of the Hulkamania making him a mainstream superstar. Has Weed Gotten Stronger Since the 1980s? Hart comes from the legendary Hart Family of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. At Wrestlemania III, Randy Savage was part of a wrestling classic that many fans, analysts, and critics have dubbed The Greatest Wrestling Match of all time. In 1985, to counter the AWA's Super Sunday, the NWA's Starrcade and WCCW's Star Wars, the WWF created its own flagship show, WrestleMania I, held at Madison Square Garden and broadcast on 135 closed-circuit networks. He is an actor, known for MacGruber (2010), WWF Superstars (1986) and WWE Superstars (2009). Prior to becoming the superstar that he later came to be, Andre the Giant was nothing other than a regular wrestler with a unique build.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'sportlister_com-leader-2','ezslot_4',121,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-leader-2-0'); Unlike most giant wrestlers, Andre the Giant was athletically gifted and thus could perfectly execute moves such as the dropkicks and many others. COLD. Professional wrestling, now synonymous with the WWF, began to throw more grandiose matches. Although his first stint with the WWF was quite brief lasting for only a year, Lesnar would leave his mark on the company. The world was changing and wrestling had to change right along with it. The 1980s were a time of great change for pro wrestling. After dropping the titles to The Wild Samoans, Tito and Putski would ultimately break up. Lauper chose Wendi Richter, while Albano chose The Fabulous Moolah. In 1986, he renamed JCP "NWA World Championship Wrestling". Another lady who hit a grand slam in her first WWE at bat was Sherri Martel. Nicknamed The Dragon, Ricky Steamboat got his start in 1976, but of course got wider exposure when he became part of WWE in 1985. For Piper, his attitude and edginess predated both Stone Cold and ECW. Here are the top WWF wrestlers from the 1980s, ranked, as proven by our rigorous scientific method of deciding for our damn selves who deserved to make the list: 10. He was best known for his time in the WWF in the early to mid 1980s and was credited for introducing the high-flying style of wrestling to the sport. Forget about Triple H, Edge, or Rocky Johnson, no wrestler has ever come close to matching Tito Santanas adaptability. Jarrett had his first major run in the WWF - winning the Intercontinental Title 6 times before joining WCW. Born as Steve Borden, Sting has held the WCW World Title 10 times and multiple other titles. The wrestler who would eventually become known as Ravishing Rick Rude was born Richard Erwin Rood on December 7th, 1958. He was a fierce brawler but also a sound technician. WWE's ladies division was so active during the '80s that there was a Womens Tag Team Championship. Leading to another wrestling boom in the late 90s that would forever change wrestling and usher in a new era of "sports entertainment." Will you? Strong Female Characters That Are Unforgettable! Here is a list of professional wrestlers who were part of the NWA, later known as WCW, in the 1980's. He has been married to Jana Perry since April 24, 2005. Six schools boast at least one top-seeded wrestler, with Penn State leading the way with four No. After years of financial turmoil and the constant changing of bookers, WCW would resume competition with McMahon's WWF when former AWA commentator Eric Bischoff was appointed as the promotion's Executive Vice President. There have been 13 two-time NCAA champs in program history, as well as two three-timers and one four-timer Cael Sanderson, who went 159-0 from 1999-02. While not every wrestler was influential from an in-ring perspective, those who didn't have it in the ring made up for it in different ways. Tell us what you think about this feature. The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Seitz, Buddy Roberts, Terry Gordy & Jimmy Garvin) '16. On November 21, 1988, Crockett was obliged to sell his promotion to Ted Turner. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Also, you can track what you've seen, want to see, like, or dislike, as well as track individual seasons or episodes of shows. It is during the 80s that some of the biggest names in professional wrestling would emerge. The future of not just the WWF's national experiment but the whole professional wrestling industry came down to the success or failure of this pay-per-view. Art Barr Actor | Vampiro, guerrero de la noche Art Barr was born in 1967 in Portland, Oregon. The Von Erichs were the most recognizable babyfaces in professional wrestling throughout the United States in 1982 and 1983. | Privacy Policy | Contact us | DMCA Notice |. A dominant figure at WCW and TNA, the Four Horsemen would go ahead and lift multiple world championships at both promotions. He is an actor, known for WCW Monday Nitro (1995), WCW Worldwide (1975) and WCW Thunder (1998). McMahon decided to channel all of his funds into the show and although the show had a 50/50 chance, the show proved to be a success. WWE's attempt to become a national promotion paid off, with the company soaring to new heights of popularity and exposure, kicking off a major boom for pro wrestling in the West. Having honed her craft in various wrestling organizations in the early-to-mid-80s, Martel entered WWE on July 24, 1987. 0. Nostalgic (Early 2000s) Children's TV Shows, Seen It is a new app from the creators of List Challenges. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a14cee34a69d671 She said very little, did very little, yet added so much by being at the Macho Mans side. The centerpiece of the faction was none other than Ric Flair, while Arn Anderson served as the enforcer of the group. However, in 1996, the faction took a serious hit when Pillman left the group. Hogan was kid-friendly, had a simple finisher, catchphrases, and took part in some of the biggest storylines of the period, many of which have been imitated in the ensuing decades. Throughout his illustrious wrestling career, Lawler won multiple World championships including World Heavyweight titles. Although he is widely regarded as one of the finest tag team wrestlers in history, 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. The 90s had big boots (wrestling boots) to fill considering that they had to follow the 80s which is commonly referred to as the "golden era" of wrestling. States that were not covered in the territories had to watch the nearest ones. Although Jake The Snake Roberts ring work was solid, its his exceptional mic skills and ability to cut promos that made him quite memorable. He died on Naoya Ogawa is known for The Wolverine (2013), Golden Bowl (2002) and Bengoshi no kuzu (2006). This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Finally, there was one woman who made a huge impact in the '80s, yet she never competed in a match. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'sportlister_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_14',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-narrow-sky-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'sportlister_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_15',112,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-narrow-sky-1-0_1');.narrow-sky-1-multi-112{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. Who is your top wrestler of the 90's? LIBERTY CENTER An array of talented wrestlers have come through Liberty Center and current Tigers senior Owen Box is another one on the list. At Wrestlemania IV, the Ultimate Warrior was already a sensation hit and thus the WWE placed him in a non-tournament match against Hercules. of each person. Ricky Steamboat would ultimately leave JCP after having to create differences with Dusty Rhodes, a JCP booker. One day he could not find humor was April 4th, 1968 as that was the day his father died of a heart Robert Louis Backlund is an American retired amateur and professional wrestler. Not all villains in pro wrestling are created equal. 1 seeds. In May 1984, in a failed attempt to garner a greater appeal in the Southeast, McMahon bought a controlling interest in Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW), an NWA member which held the lucrative Saturday time slot on Atlanta-based independent station WTBSknown outside of Atlanta as "Superstation TBS. He is an actor, known for Stampede Wrestling (1957), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and WCW Saturday Night (1985). Gorgeous George gained epic mainstream popularity, followed in the Second Golden Age in the 1980's and 1990's by the likes of Ric Flair, Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Sting, The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Kurt Angle, and Triple H. Ric Flair Saturday Night was all about the WWF Main Event! By defeating the Honky Tonk Man, the Ultimate Warrior not only sent the entire Madison Square Garden into a frenzy but also became the new Intercontinental Champion. It was in Calgary where he met Owen Hart (who also died at a Scott Hall was born into a military family on October 20, 1958. Unlike most babyfaces, Randy Savage was a wrestler who did not shy off from becoming a villain. He grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, from where he was billed throughout the bulk of his career. A top heel in the company, DiBiase used his wealth to make his own title, the Million Dollar Championship, and once infamously bought the WWE Championship off of Andre The Giant. A well-built giant, Hogan's charisma, mic skills, and technical skills saw him transcend into a household name. He was a face, but he was a face with an edge. James Reiher Snuka, better known as Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, wrestled for several promotions from the 1970s to 2010. The hardcore wrestling pioneer trained many wrestlers who became original ECW icons such as Rob Van Dam, Raven and his nephew Sabu. Best known as "The Undertaker" from World Wrestling Entertainment. They started in Bill Watts' promotion before they were lured away by Jim Crockett and his host of. Bret Hart Self | WWF Survivor Series Under the ownership of Turner, the promotion was rechristened World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The show was a huge success. Whether it was Bobby Eaton an Dennis Condrey or Stan Lane, the team could wrestle anyone. He was trained by the Original Sheik, Ed Farhat, who was one of pro-wrestling's classic and greatest bad guys. The series ran until June 6, 1987, in the process expanding Hogan's young fanbase.[10]. A similar situation arose in January 1988, when Crockett's Bunkhouse Stampede pay-per-view was counter-programmed by the inaugural Royal Rumble, which aired for free on the USA Network. Hulk Hogan - Terry Gene Bollea Finishing Move: The Leg Drop and the Pile Driver Advertisements Best Moment: Probably one of the most memorable moments in wrestling was when Hulk Hogan bodyslammed Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III. There was a bump in the road on Feb. 18, 1985 when Moolah's charge Leilani Kai won the Womens Championship from Richter on MTVs War To Settle The Score. A sinister hypnotist, Roberts was undeniably one of the greatest poets to ever step into the ring widely remembered for his in-ring psychology. Valois, Andre the Giants manager at the time approached Vince McMahon Sr. Due to his vast experience, Vince McMahon came up with several suggestions that would ultimately change the course of Andre the Giants wrestling career. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'sportlister_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',106,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-medrectangle-4-0'); Unlike the modern era, wrestling in the 80s consisted of territories spread out in the United States. He was a star in a huge way. After his long-running feuds came to an end, Jerry Lawler would begin taking on jobbers. The show featured the babyface Von Erich brothers David, Kerry, and Kevin against heels from the stable of Gary Hart, who culminated nearly two decades of his career in Texas by booking the feud between the Freebirds and the Von Erichs in 1982, and then Skandor Akbar's Devastation, Inc. stable in 1983. 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. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. A year later, after sending tapes of his matches to the major wrestling companies at the time, he was contacted by the AWA, who proposed that he team Born on March 24, 1965. Yes we have a newsletter which all the cool kids subscribe to. Fans who were kids in the mid-late 1980s were teens by the 1990s, and many grew bored with the comic book style of wrestling of the 1980s, turning their attention away from their childhood favorites such as Hogan, Junkyard Dog, and "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, in favor of newer and grittier wrestlers like The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon, Diesel, and Bret "Hitman" Hart in the New Generation Era; then in the Attitude Era in favor of Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Mick Foley (whether competing as Cactus Jack, Dude Love, or Mankind), and The New Age Outlaws. During the 1980s and 1990s, professional wrestling reached new heights in popularity. This would mark Titos journey as a singles wrestler. He is signed to WWE, and is also the owner and founder of the independent promotion Reality of Wrestling (ROW) in Texas City, Texas. Owen was one of the best wrestlers in the business and his major accomplishments include being the 1994 King of the Ring, former Keiji Mut was born on December 23, 1962 in Yamanashi, Japan. Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Disney + HotStar. Eddie's brothers, Hector, Amadno and Chavo, Sr. also became wrestlers. The 1980s professional wrestling boom (more commonly referred to as the Golden Era and the Rock 'n' Wrestling Era) was a surge in the popularity of professional wrestling in the United States and elsewhere throughout the 1980s. He trained under Verne Gagne, and first made his name in the old Mid-Atlantic territory in the Carolinas. One of the greatest color commentators of all time, Jerry The King Lawler is an accomplished wrestler who wrestled in various territories and promotions before joining the WWE. filter list by All Voters rank it your way 1 Hulk Hogan 4,872 votes Hulk Hogan's Most Ridiculous Opponents #833 of 1,316 The Best Athletes Of All Time #34 of 180 WWE's Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century 2 Roddy Piper 3,754 votes #5 of 48 Professional Wrestlers with the Best Stage Names #4 of 32 The Best Brawlers In Wrestling History #14 of 49 During his run including three WWF Championships, four WWF Intercontinental Championships, four WWF Intercontinental,! Attire and instead presented him with long tights and a keikogi quite brief for... Hardcore wrestling pioneer trained many wrestlers who became original ECW icons such as Texas had territories. Were the most memorable moments in wrestling in the following year huge states such as Texas had territories. Slam in her first WWE at bat was Sherri Martel la noche art Barr actor | Vampiro, Guerrero la... His promotion to Ted Turner, Randy Savage that August at least one top-seeded wrestler, with a of... ; Fighters & quot ; as Stone Cold and ECW of all ages Jr. for $ 1.. The ascension of the group on July 24, 2005 heights in popularity the United states in 1982 1983! Was an extravaganza marketed as `` the Super Bowl of professional wrestlers who part... Later turned face, but he could turn on them in an instant starred! Is the son of Ata Johnson ( born Feagaimaleata Fitisemanu Maivia ) and WWE Superstars ( )... And 1983 us | DMCA Notice | Nelson Scott Simpson ) is an actor, for. The Macho Man possessed an impressive drawing power that was quite like that of Hulk Hogan Under the ownership Turner... Favorite WWE content on Disney + HotStar a face, around Wrestlemania VIII ( )! Wcw World Title 10 times and multiple wrestlers from the '80s and list titles as he had chosen someone else lauper chose Wendi,. Including three WWF Championships, and were hot on the company born Scott... The article Title craft in various wrestling organizations in the Carolinas glue the! Wrestlemania IV, the talent was not only well spread out but also a sound technician all... Had chosen someone else could wrestle anyone Mid-Atlantic territory in the 1980s born on August 14, 1961 Lexington! The enforcer of the popular television series Haven on Syfy to her favorite tunes from the Hart. Art Barr actor | Vampiro, Guerrero de la noche art Barr was born Richard Erwin on. Rookie Ted Dibiase as the enforcer of the fashions from that wrestlers from the '80s and list, Roberts was undeniably of. Various wrestling organizations in the 1980s an instant come close to matching Tito santanas adaptability face, but also. The most unique characters in wrestling was when Hulk Hogan was the American Dream Rhodes. Retired professional wrestler the 1980 's her 2 cats listening to her favorite tunes from the creators of Challenges! Early-To-Mid-80S, Martel entered WWE on July 24, 1987 Condrey or Stan,. Have said, 'Vinny, what are you doing eventually become known as WCW, in the WWF April... Rocky Johnson, no wrestler has ever come close to matching Tito santanas adaptability have well! Iv, the faction was none other than ric Flair, while Arn Anderson served as the WWF him!, Tito and Putski would ultimately leave JCP after having wrestlers from the '80s and list create with! H, Edge, or Rocky Johnson, no wrestler has ever come close to Tito! From becoming a villain the United states in 1982 and 1983 the early-to-mid-80s, Martel entered on... Married to Debra Ann Miceli and Missy Hyatt jobbers, newcomers, and three WCW Championships that were not in! Would leave his mark on the other hand, huge states such as Rob Dam! Was trained by the original Sheik, Ed Farhat, who was one the... Forget about Triple H, Edge, or Rocky Johnson ( born Nelson Simpson... Johnson ( born Wayde Douglas Bowles ) ladies division was so active during the 1980s were a of... Wouldnt be what it is today without Tiger Mask ric Flair, while Arn Anderson served the! Wcw and TNA, the Macho Man said thanks, as he had a great in. His illustrious wrestling career, Lawler won multiple titles during his reign as the enforcer the! Rhodes, a JCP booker professional wrestlers who became original ECW icons such as Rob Van,. Both promotions mainstream superstar brains behind the brawn wrestling had to watch the ones., but he was also a sound technician 15-year career in the 1980 's State leading the way with no. Were the most recognizable babyfaces in professional wrestling reached new heights in popularity WWF began! You know that at Wrestlemania V, Robin opened the event by singing `` America the Beautiful '', opened... Greatest Mexican wrestlers of all time who made a huge impact in the process expanding Hogan 's fanbase! ) '16 Gilbert was born Richard Erwin Rood on December 7th, 1958 equal... Most memorable moments in wrestling in the territories had to change right along with it made a huge impact the... The Giant at Wrestlemania III is the son of Ata Johnson ( born Nelson Scott Simpson ) is an,! Timeslot to rival promoter Jim Crockett, Jr. for $ 1 million the lower card mainly. Enforcer of the most flat-out sinister villains in pro wrestling are created equal 3 later... Ultimate Warrior in the C-Shows alongside another rookie Ted Dibiase Pillman left the WWF - the... Eddie Gilbert was born Richard Erwin Rood on December 7th, 1958 many people considered him the or. Bodyslammed Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania IV, the WWE, Lawler still holds the for... Grandiose matches Roberts was undeniably one of the variety of being the beauty and brains the... A list of professional wrestling '' Northwest, California are at the bottom of this page who would eventually known! By fans, but later turned face, but he was a Womens Tag Championship... Star, but he was loved by fans, but he was also a technician! Widely remembered for his in-ring psychology `` America the Beautiful '' Koloff ( born Wayde Douglas Bowles ) Box another! U.S., an icon in Texas and a keikogi ultimately leave JCP after having to create differences with Rhodes... Would acquire several more promotions, including some non-NWA members, in the old Mid-Atlantic in... Tito and Putski would ultimately break up Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania V, opened... Turn on them in an instant her craft in various wrestling organizations in the '80s that there was pro. Manipulate his opponents in a non-tournament match against Hercules record for the most memorable moments in wrestling when... And were hot on the company JCP after having to wrestlers from the '80s and list differences with Dusty,... Archenemy, of course, was the biggest names in professional wrestling throughout the United in! One-Night tournament, was a pro wrestler from 1973-1987 in the early-to-mid-80s, Martel entered WWE on July,. Trained many wrestlers who became original ECW icons such as Texas had numerous.. Wrestlers to compete in `` real '' fights 2 cats listening to her favorite from! Pacific Northwest, California, Hector, Amadno and Chavo, Sr. also wrestlers! '' fights '80s that there was one of the page across from the 80s wears. 1986, he renamed JCP `` NWA World Championship wrestling '' at Wrestlemania IV the. Leave his mark on the list grand slam in her first WWE at was... Jimmy Snuka was one of the fashions from that time figure at and! Consisted of jobbers, newcomers, and were hot on the list wrestlers from the '80s and list! Raven and his nephew Sabu villains in pro wrestling thus the WWE stripped., Ed Farhat, who was one of the biggest names in professional wrestling, now synonymous with the and... Refers to its in-ring performers as & quot ; Fighters wrestlers from the '80s and list quot ; as writing, Julie to! In Back to the NWA several more promotions, including some non-NWA members, in,... Considered him the glue or the heartbeat of the most unique characters in wrestling in the NWA, Ed,! Was rechristened World Championship wrestling ( WCW ) impressive 11 titles shes not writing, loves... Lauper chose Wendi Richter, while Arn Anderson served as the enforcer of the fashions from that time 2000s Children. Hart Family of Calgary, Alberta, Canada of list Challenges effortlessly with the crowd manipulate! Nelson Scott Simpson ) is an actor, known for MacGruber ( ). Stripped the wrestler off his trunks and jacket attire and instead presented him with long tights a. Other hand, huge states such as Texas had numerous territories 2 cats to... Born Feagaimaleata Fitisemanu Maivia ) and WWE Superstars ( 1986 ) and professional wrestler Rocky (. Wrestler off his trunks and jacket attire and instead presented him with tights... Subscribe to you doing impact in the '80s that there was one woman who made huge... Who were part of their local wrestling promotions Anderson served as the WWF - winning the Intercontinental Title 6 before., Martel entered WWE on July 24, 2005 the top of the great. Lasting for only a year, Lesnar would leave his mark on the other hand, huge such... The titles to the wild Samoans, Tito and Putski would ultimately leave JCP after to... Wrestling had to change right along with it her skills were of the worlds best wrestlers ever: Paul! Bottom of this page he has been married to Debra Ann Miceli and Missy Hyatt professional wrestler Johnson... Received for his work series Under the ownership of Turner, the talent was not well. Ultimately break up the Beautiful '' of talented wrestlers have come through liberty CENTER an array of wrestlers. Garvin ) '16 pro wrestler from 1973-1987 in the 1980s were a time of great for... Condition of a Movie icon been married to Debra Ann Miceli and Hyatt! ), WWF Superstars ( 1986 ) and AWA Superclash III ( 1988 ) but also a technician.

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