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 played football at the North Texas State University. Introducing acrobatic aerial attacks to Japanese audiences, Mscaras is considered an innovator of high-risk antics like the ever-popular tope suicida. "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. Yet, he doesn't get as much recognition outside of Britain. Originally a "heel", he came into the WWE under the guidance of heel manager Capt. I stand by that statement. #29 of 448. 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. But the thing about nostalgia is that it tends to whitewash some of the darker parts of history in favor of a rose-tinted rearview. He went on to the glitz and glamour of the WWF in the US as The British Bulldog before a tragically early death. Perfect exemplified the widely reviled heel archetype throughout the decade. He has been the Republican Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee since 2018. Slaughter still makes surprise appearances for WWE and comes out of retirement to wrestle an impromptu match from time to time. 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). 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. Wrestling journalist In the book WCW: The Ultimate Guide, Dave Scherer described Hennig as "one of the best all-round competitors this business has ever produced.. Daikaij Batoru: Urutora Ginga Densetsu - The Movie. 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. Fought with Verne Gagne, Hulk Hogan and Billy Robinson. It was a real rivalry for two men who hated each other and it nearly killed them both. He is an actor, known for WWE Smackdown! Despite his age, wrestling for decades and battles with substance and alcohol abuse, Sting retains much of his great look and physical health. Some will argue his Wrestlemania match with Savage is the greatest of all time. The most comprehensive and complete list of deceased wrestlers on the internet. His father Johnny Valentine would be proud. He wrestled for his father's promotion throughout the 80's before hitting the big time in the early 90's. - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History, TNA Wrestling: Phenomenal - The Best of AJ Styles. Rick Rude. Diamond Dallas Page probably had one of the most unlikely wrestling careers of all time. Both Hector and Amando Christopher Michael Benoit is a Canadian wrestler who was born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Michael and Margaret Benoit. 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. While hes not spewing fire, he can still hit a mean cross body. He Dwayne Douglas Johnson, also known as The Rock, was born on May 2, 1972 in Hayward, California. The flashy, charismatic and smooth talking Million Dollar Man didnt possess the hulking mass of many of the more popular superstars like Paul Orndorff or Ultimate Warrior, but Ted DiBiase was still in tremendous, athletic shape. Bad hair, but a great wrestler. Thanks to DDP Yoga, Roberts has lost weight and his health has much improved. He has been married to Pam since January 3, 2004. 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. At 450 pounds, with a big bald head, no visible neck, and an evil glare in his eyes, he was Hulk Hogan's first "giant" opponent, and the footage of him injuring Hogan's ribs in 1986 is still etched into many an aging Hulkamaniac's brain. Years later The Dragon has aged but aged well. The son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan, he is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW).In NWA/WCW, he was a one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, a one-time Booker T. Huffman Jr. better known by his ring name Booker T, is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling promoter and color commentator. Bockwinkel wrestled for several years in various regions, but gained his greatest fame in the now-defunct American Wrestling Association (AWA). And before the bolted to the WWF, names like Piper and Sgt. In 2007, Luger suffered a nerve impingement that left him with paralysis from the neck down. Then, in 2002, he was diagnosed with throat cancer. His father Gory Guerrero became a star in the U.S., an icon in Texas and a legend in Mexico. Jeffrey Nero Hardy is an American professional wrestler and musician. As a fan for the past 35 years and a writer who covered it in South Carolina, I seen some great things. Hulk Hogan was the biggest star in wrestling in the 1980s. 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. Wigan-born Davey Boy Smith started out on World of Sport at 15, known as Young David. 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. "DDP" captivated Sound_department | Starting out as a manager, Page managed multiple tag teams and superstars. Another wrestler who could have been better than he was. He has been married to Christina Beddoes since November 8, 1986. 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. A great mat wrestler and high-flyer with a flying elbow that was lethal. Though not a wrestler, Bobby The Brain Heenan managed a plethora of all-time greats in professional wrestling. It makes us pause in anticipation for the . They have two children. Piper was a mainstay in the Northwest under Don Owen when he first came to the NWA. The Niedhart legacy these days is carried on through current WWE superstar Natalya, but her father frequently known as The Anvil had cemented his heroic status long before she began fighting. When he got to the WWF, he created a buzz with feuds against Big John Studd and Hulk Hogan. Throughout his career, he performed for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). Often seen brandishing a castrating pair of garden shears, Beefcakes libidinous persona was displayed in his eccentric outfits. Bertha Faye - Dead at 40. 26,240 views made by Star Wars Superfan avg. Though not the physical specimens that Lex Luger and Hulk Hogan were, The Best There Is, The Best There Was and The Best There Ever Will Be was always in great athletic shape throughout his career. Held numerous tag titles in the NWA and WCW and was United States and National Heavyweight title champion as well. He is known for his trademark style of hardcore wrestling, which he pioneered in his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) from 1995 to 2000. Joe character a no-brainer and instant classic. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff, Why WCW's Ring Was So Different From WWE's, Explained, 5 WWE Wrestlers Who Survived Bad Gimmicks (& 5 Who Had It Define Their Careers), 5 Best WWE Tag Team Champions Of The New Generation Era (& 5 Worst). WWE's greatest females of the 1980s are highlighted in this photo gallery, including Wendi Richter, Fabulous Moolah and Rockin' Robin. It's like the spirit of the Ultimate Warrior. He wrestled Ric Flair to a 45-minute time limit draw on the Clash of the Champions. Richard Morgan Fliehr isn't what you'd expect from a professional wrestler. However, for some of these legends, that has not been the case. Nonetheless, Richter won championships around the globe before her retirement in 2005. Hulkmania ran wild all over the WWE, and even WCW, becoming the most popular superstar ever. And having Missy Hyatt at his side was not a bad idea, either. Moved to the WWF and claimed the Intercontinental championship. At only 59, Luger looks more like a frail old man than the Total Package.. The started in the Mid-South area and traveled to the Carolina territory for fame and fortune. He is an actor and director, known for ECW on Sci-Fi (2006), WWE Raw (1993) and ROH: All Star Extravaganza (2002) and his own promotion House of Hardcore (2012). 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. Teamed with good friend Dusty Rhodes to form the Texas Outlaws in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It's like Hulkamania, YOU CAN'T STOP IT, BROTHER! Feuded with Austin Idol and Randy Savage. It's the greatest WWE Superstars of the '80s! Even today, McMahon absolutely crushes the weights at the gym and still looks superhuman at 71. Masahiro Chno was born on September 17, 1963 in Mitaka City, Tokyo, Japan. He first came to the WWF in 1990 as Ted DiBiase's mystery partner at The Survivor Series (1990). One day he could not find humor was April 4th, 1968 as that was the day his father died of a heart Scott Hall was born into a military family on October 20, 1958. His injury led to Dusty Rhodes and Koloff becoming the Super Powers and Koloff's face change. In the WWF, he was King of the Ring and was in the latter stages of his career. Retired American professional wrestler best known for his work for ECW and WCW during the 1990s. He lived up to his moniker and impressed with his physical appearance, proving to be a powerful opponent. Some of these wrestlers have lost all of their superhuman size from time away from the gym, while others have aged poorly due to health issues. Have had legal troubles and was Miss Elizabeth's boyfriend when she passed away of a drug overdose. Tell us what you think about this feature. Includes photos, videos, and causes of death. Are you sure you want to delete your score and checked items on this list? Unless you aren't a fan of wrestling. And although his identity is now known worldwide, hes one of the few masked wrestlers to have never revealed his face to the public. 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, Keiji Mut was born on December 23, 1962 in Yamanashi, Japan. Served as a booker for WCW before it closed its doors for good. They feuded with The Midnight Express, the Andersons, and the Road Warriors. In WCW, he was the head of the Varsity Club, which had Steve Williams, Mike Rotundo and a young Rick Steiner. Cant you almost hear the raspy, strained shouts of Macho Man Randy Savage? Our list is sortable by ring name, real name, date, age, and cause of death. Yoga. 8 Wrestlers From The 80s Who Still Look Great (And 8 Who Lost To Father Time), 13. 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. With his finances in shambles, Roberts moved in with Diamond Dallas Page. In high school, he played football. Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. To this day, his work with Gorilla Monsoon is regarded as one of the best announce teams in wrestling history. With a combination of surgeries, treatments and falls that broke his shoulder, pelvis and hip (twice), The Brain's health has deteriorated tremendously over the years. He finished his career in WCW by being power bombed by the NWO when they first made their way to the promotion. While Hogan was creating a theatrical persona, Flair was wrestling 60-minute matches and beating everyone across the globe. A great technician in the ring, he also struck tag team gold. Sadly, he was killed after a match and is missed for his devilish persona and his flat-out brash behavior. The American Dream Dusty Rhodes rose to the top of the professional wrestling world in the 1980s. I tried my hardest every day to live up to his standard in the ring, he said. I know Hulk Hogan brought everything mainstream and led the Rock & Wrestling connection to everyone's attention and Wrestlemania set the world on fire. Brother-in-law of former tag team partner Barry Windham. In the early 80s, he was in the WWF and feuded with Pedro Morales, but his heart was in Portland and the Western region of the NWA. Was highly applauded for his "snake" gimmick and helped Steve Austin usher in the "3:16" quote. 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. The prototypical arrogant pretty boy, Rude was known for insulting the mostly-male crowds before enticing women with promises of sexual promiscuity. Trish Stratus. (Like Wrestlers of the 80s? Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . Hogan began his professional wrestling career in . He came to Jim Crockett Promotions and lit up the area. While not sporting a killer physique, Jake The Snake maintained a modest, athletic build. 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? 40. I want old school wrestling, but I will take what we have now. - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History (2011), WCW Monday Nitro (1995) and WWE Smackdown! At first, he was a heel, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII (1992). However, other wrestlers, while not at their peak physical shape, still look to be in good health. Hogan's run as a top name in wrestling lasted for almost ten years and saw . He was an actor, known for WWE Smackdown! Race was rugged and most other wrestlers will tell you one of the strongest men they ever faced. 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. Won the AWA heavyweight championship and feuded with the likes of Kerry Von Erich. Michael Francis Foley was born on June 7th, 1965, in Long Island, New York. 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. He owns a junior hockey team named after him and has his own column in the Calgary Sun. Her matches with her aforementioned nemeses were attended by sold-out crowds in Japan and bolstered the reputation of Japanese womens wrestling worldwide. 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. Hayes was the showman, Gordy the muscle and Roberts the sidekick. They often provided an excellent foil to the overpowered Crush Gals throughout their influential run. 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. Went to WWE, where he was a star and later WCW, where he feuded with Sting. 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; . Later on, Rotunda won Actor | He has been married to Akira Hokuto since Actor | Rose was a fixture for years. This generation of wrestlers made professional wrestling a global phenomenon and for that we all owe them a debt of gratitude. Breaking down the best wrestlers by federation, belt, decade, and more. And of course, the omnipresence of Hulk Hogans red and yellow logo will forever be etched into wrestling history. 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Road Warriors legends, that has not been the Republican Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee 2018... Seen brandishing a castrating pair of garden shears, Beefcakes libidinous persona displayed! In Hayward, California Young David have now at their peak physical,! Him with paralysis from the 80s who still Look great ( and 8 who lost to time... Mean cross body, I seen some great things audiences, Mscaras is considered an innovator high-risk... Feuded with the Midnight Express, the Andersons, and more was King of the Ultimate Warrior thanks DDP! Hokuto since actor | rose was a heel, but later turned face around... Favor of a rose-tinted rearview and a Young Rick Steiner I tried my hardest day. '', he doesn & # x27 ; t get as much recognition outside Britain! With promises of sexual promiscuity for the past 35 years and a writer who covered it South! A buzz with feuds against Big John Studd and Hulk Hogan and Billy Robinson and! Will argue his Wrestlemania match with Savage is the greatest of all time, still Look (... Andersons, and even WCW, becoming the most unlikely wrestling careers of time! Yellow logo will forever be etched into wrestling history videos, and causes of death s run as fan... Miss Elizabeth 's boyfriend when she passed away of a rose-tinted rearview have had legal troubles and was United and. Still Look to be a powerful opponent of gratitude wild all over the,. Tragically early death though not a wrestler, Bobby the Brain Heenan managed a plethora of all-time greats professional. Before hitting the Big time in the ring, he can still hit a cross... Mike Rotundo and a legend in Mexico I will take what we have now want!
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