He is an actor, known for WCW Monday Nitro (1995), TNA iMPACT! Roberts wrestles on the indy circuit, and drugs and demons have evaporated what skills he did have. Wrestling (2004), One Night Only: GFW Amped Anthology (2017) and TNA: Genesis (2009). In North America, many professional wrestlers have traditionally worn masks after they had been used in an area . A great mat wrestler and high-flyer with a flying elbow that was lethal. One cant think of a larger than life wrestler without thinking of Lex Luger. He was the best conditioned wrestler in the states until Luger came along and held many regional titles in Texas, Missouri and Louisiana. Outside of The Road Warriors, Hawk was a sporadic Joseph Michael Laurinaitis, better known by his ring name Road Warrior Animal (or simply Animal), was an American professional wrestler. While Slaughter was a bit on the stocky side, even in his prime, he looks much the same with high chin and trademark stash. His brother Bret is also one of the most well known wrestlers of all time. He was one of the first Asian wrestlers to come to the states to "take over" professional wrestling. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. We look back at the biggest stars of . For fans that are only familiar with his work as a manager in AEW for FTR, you owe it to yourselves to check Tully out in the ring. Barry Clinton Windham is an American retired professional wrestler. 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. 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 | Michael "The Miz" Mizanin was born in Cleveland, OH on October 8th, 1980 to Barbara and George Mizanin. When he came to the NWA, he was destined for stardom. Trained by the legendary Jose Lothario, Shawn Michaels wrestled in Kansas, where he met fellow wrestler, Marty Jannetty. Best known as "The Undertaker" from World Wrestling Entertainment. Piper was a mainstay in the Northwest under Don Owen when he first came to the NWA. WWE's greatest females of the 1980s are highlighted in this photo gallery, including Wendi Richter, Fabulous Moolah and Rockin' Robin. Even an alternative canon of pro-wrestling would have to include Andre The Giant. Big John Studd 4 of 20 This guy was big, and not. 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. Big Boss Man - Dead at 41. Was the Intercontinental Champion in the early 1980s before Hulkamania hit the mainstream. 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). "Big Daddy" Shirley Crabtree - an icon of '70s British wrestling. He helped launch the careers of Sting, Lex Luger, Rick Steamboat and Arn Anderson. 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. 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. Perfect, Heenan became one of the, if not the, most hated managers of all time. His over-the-top video packages established him as a kind of miraculous meta-human that, despite or because of their inherent campiness, catalyzed his global superstardom. blonde wrestlers from the 80s. He was a pro wrestler from 1973-1987 in the NWA, Pacific Northwest, California. They have two children. He played football at the North Texas State University. Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson were two undersized wrestlers that made it work. Despite his age, wrestling for decades and battles with substance and alcohol abuse, Sting retains much of his great look and physical health. Rhodes began wrestling in the 1960s and gained a reputation as a fast-talking, hard-rocking wrestler. He made his professional Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. via lapresse.ca. In 2002, Hart suffered a stroke after a bikingaccident which left him with temporary paralysis. It's like Hulkamania, YOU CAN'T STOP IT, BROTHER! Unfortunately, Mr. He has been married to Jana Perry since April 24, 2005. In which case, you can leave. Hayes was the showman, Gordy the muscle and Roberts the sidekick. Lost to Time: Demolition (Ax and Smash), 8. Many of us never saw him wrestle, err, beat people up, err, bloody people to a pulp. Lost the WWF title to The Iron Sheik, leading to Hulk capturing it and winning. Both still wrestle in independent circuits today. score: 23 of 126 (18%) required scores: 1, 2, 3, 4, 51 list stats leaders vote print comments Gilbert could play face or heel and was pretty good at either of them. She is mostly remembered for having her top removed in a tag match that also involved Sable, something that found it's way back online during her induction last year. Thanks to DDP Yoga, Roberts has lost weight and his health has much improved. 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. He previously wrestled for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). Feuded with Austin Idol and Randy Savage. He is also a member of the elite group of wrestlers known as the Clique. 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. Koloff was part of "Uncle Ivan's" master plan to rid the NWA of Dusty Rhodes and Magnum TA. He was best known for his appearances with the American professional wrestling promotions Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment under the ring name Mike Awesome and for Roy Wayne Farris, better known by the ring name The Honky Tonk Man, is an American retired professional wrestler. Slaughter and Greg Valentine were successful in the NWA. Four times they won the world title. Many former superstars are still a big part of WWE today and work for the company in some capacity. Tell us what you think about this feature. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. WWE's Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century. As much a wrestler as a cultural ambassador, Mscaras starred in over 20 films. 3. Even worse, Flair lost his son, Reid, to an accidental overdose. Then, the second-generation wrestler traveled to the WWF and caused all kinds of havoc as the Million Dollar Man. 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! Archive and tribute to dead wrestlers . His career sky John Layfield was born on November 29, 1966 in Sweetwater, Texas, USA. Whether it was Bobby Eaton an Dennis Condrey or Stan Lane, the team could wrestle anyone. #21 of 180. 80: Stroke: Ali Pasha: Alexander Vieira Fontes: 1961-5-20: 53: Died after match against Billy Darnell (heart attack) Aliya: Sumie . He was best known as Road Warrior Hawk, one half of the tag team known as The Road Warriors (The Legion of Doom in WWF), with Road Warrior Animal. Bret Hart Actor | WWF SmackDown! Seeing Ax, at 69, and Smash, at 57, still donning their trunks and face paint wrestling in front of only a few hundred fans, looking remarkably overweight is a depressing sight to behold. Randy Savage Actor | Spider-Man Beefcake held nine titles throughout his career and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019. 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. Vote for your favorite now or I'll find you and put you in the camel clutch! It is during the 80s that some of the biggest names in professional wrestling would emerge. 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. Flair had nothing but praise for Race upon his death in 2019: Without Harley Race, there was no Ric Flair. But wherever he wrestled, people stood up and took notice. This is a list of masked wrestlers.The earliest known masked wrestler in the United States was The Masked Marvel who famously "crashed" the international tournament, which featured many of the top stars of the "Farmer" Burns-Frank Gotch era, held at the Manhattan Opera House in 1915. He trained under Verne Gagne, and first made his name in the old Mid-Atlantic territory in the Carolinas. Gordy won numerous titles overseas and in the Midwest. He was great for a number of reasons. 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. To this day, his work with Gorilla Monsoon is regarded as one of the best announce teams in wrestling history. However, other wrestlers, while not at their peak physical shape, still look to be in good health. Although in the year 2020 fans are more likely familiar with Machu Picchu, the GLOW character she inspired, Mountain Fiji was widely considered the heart and soul of the imminently campy Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling TV series that went on to garner a cult following. Hart comes from the legendary Hart Family of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. As a fan for the past 35 years and a writer who covered it in South Carolina, I seen some great things. He had the best mind to create anything he wanted. He is best known for his two stints in the World Wrestling Federation (later called WWE); the Funk has strong wrestling bloodlines. He was trained by Verne Gagne and Billy Robinson and rose to fame in the western states. He was an independent for so long in the Orient, the northwest and in Florida. The injury persisted and even caused muscle shrinkage, later in his career. The greatest wrestler ever to step in the ring in Asia, he just may be the greatest wrestler of all times. Masahiro Chno was born on September 17, 1963 in Mitaka City, Tokyo, Japan. The main rival of the Crush Gals, Matsumotos ghastly look complimented her domineering in-ring presence. Bockwinkel wrestled for several years in various regions, but gained his greatest fame in the now-defunct American Wrestling Association (AWA). The "Golden Era" of wrestling. It's the greatest WWE Superstars of the '80s! Santana was an Intercontinental Champion and was a crowd favorite the entire time he wrestled for the McMahon dynasty. In today's video, we go back to the 1980s and the 'Golden Age' of WWF Wrestling. Sadly, Demolition only wrestle a few Indy shows per year lately, and their physical conditioning is noticeably poor. Went to the WWF and another superstar was born. He was so white and pale and hairless, he was referred to as the Michelin Man. They finally lost their titles to Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine. His uncanny ability to draw heat with impeccable timing translated perfectly from manager to announcer. Unfortunately, Ric Flairs stylin and profilin has caught up to him. 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. If Flair had not been so great for so many years, he could have been the next great thing. He signed with WWE in 2003 fulfilling two life long goals of wrestling at Madison Square Garden and WrestleMania. He is an actor and producer, known for Boone: The Bounty Hunter (2017), Strange Nature (2018) and Birds of Prey (2020). The 1980s was a time when professional wrestlers all sportedthe action hero, bodybuilder stature. Wrestled against Jerry Lawler in the Mid-South area and then took his act to WWF where he teamed with Miss Elizabeth and found gold. Bertha Faye - Dead at 40. Feuded with Dusty Rhodes and Paul Jones in the Carolinas and later formed a great stable with his "cousin" Nikita Koloff and Krusher Kruschev (Barry Darsow). He Dwayne Douglas Johnson, also known as The Rock, was born on May 2, 1972 in Hayward, California. Terry Eugene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler and television personality. Some will argue his Wrestlemania match with Savage is the greatest of all time. He was previously married to Angela Easterwood. They started in Bill Watts' promotion before they were lured awayby Jim Crockett and his host of wrestlers. His IRL truculent personality and tendency towards bridge-burning made him an unlikely favorite in the industry and although he was likely portrayed as a villain (along with his partner Nikolai Volkoff) due to xenophobia within the USA, he certainly lived up to his dastardly, devil-may-care reputation out of the ring. Trish Stratus. Paul Orndorff became a WWE star during the promotion's rise in popularity, and feuded with wrestlings biggest star, Hulk Hogan. With that in mind, weve created an alternate pantheon of both iconic wrestling legends and lesser-known heroes who many would consider underappreciated compared to the more ubiquitous and deeply obvious wrestling celebrities of that decade. Eddie's brothers, Hector, Amadno and Chavo, Sr. also became wrestlers. 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. He died on May 18, 2002 in Invermere, British Columbia, Canada. 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. Meltzer has previously described her as the most popular womens wrestler of all time.. He was also an NWA performer who won regional titles in Florida and other promotions. The Brain is now unrecognizable and, sadly, left unable to speak. Widely known as the inventor of the DDT, Jake Roberts often arrived to fights toting his signature reptilian friend. Despite all of this, he still finds the time to kill it in the gym, perhaps preparing for one more match. And when he came to WWF, Piper's Pit and his feud with Jimmy Snuka was vintage Piper. He traveled back to WCW to help the NWO and their posse take over wrestling. Sting, like most wrestlers at the time, started as a bodybuilder before becoming a professional wrestler. 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. He is considered royalty and his bouts with Butcher and others are stuff of legend. After his time in the navy, Ventura started lifting weights and soon entered the world of pro wrestling becoming known as Jesse The Body Ventura. All the personal troubles and wheelin and dealin" seem to have taken its toll on the "Nature Boy" who, at 68, looks almost unrecognizable compared to his pretty boy good looks of his youth. While other '80s wrestlers are known as much for their bombastic personalities as for their actual fighting ability, its the latter quality that continues to endear industry insiders to Hart. Big Dick Dudley - Dead at 34. 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). Her garish fashion statements have since inspired a new generation of sartorial outsiders. Hogan made wrestling a national phenomenon in the mid-1980s. Erick Rowan with Hair. WATCH: Scott Dawson (then known as K.C. He always said he would raise his arm in his sleep if he heard someone count to two. Twitter. When he got to the WWF, The King was a mid-carder who was a hit but could never capture world gold. Often imitated, they never had a peer in the entire time they were on the scene. Wonderful, to Mr. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. 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. At age 67, Mr. In fact, it was the Crush Gals that catalyzed All Japan Pro Wrestlings international following. The Russian Nightmare. 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. 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. 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. He feuded with everyone and was the lead face while Ric Flair was the lead heel. Rick Rude. 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.. Held numerous tag titles in the NWA and WCW and was United States and National Heavyweight title champion as well. In retrospect, its actually shocking that he only had one heavyweight title run during his stint in WWF. The Wrestlers: Land of a Thousand Dances. Demolition is one of the most iconic tag teams in history, and their first title reign is the second longest in WWE history. That is high praise from anyone. The Hart Foundation Members: Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart WWE Debut: 1985 Manager: Jimmy Hart Tag Team Titles Won: Two (1987, 1990) Finishing Move: Hart Attack (Running Clothesline) Quick! Brother-in-law of former tag team partner Barry Windham. He and Tully Blanchard formed a great tag team and is also known for his tag team partnering with Ole Anderson. He had many legendary matches and feuds with Ric Flair, culminating in their epic "Holy Trilogy" of matches at WCW Sidney Raymond Eudy is an American former professional wrestler. And that's probably why this list exists. Whatever price he paid to keep time in check appears to have been worth it. He was previously married to Diana Hart. Eventually he became apart of the ring crew, helping set up for matches. Rhodes went to the WWF and was summarily used as a mid card wrestler. Although he was often relegated to WWFs midcard, he garnered immense popularity as a working mans hero. Ax and Smash reunite outside of the WWE, but legal battles have soured their relationship with WWE. The feud between Orndorff and Hogan was one of the longest and most memorable feuds of the 80s. Breaking down the best wrestlers by federation, belt, decade, and more. Scott Simpson was an American from Minnesota who loved his Russian persona so much, he changed his name legally and wrestled as a bad ass. He appeared at many of the WWF's major Pay-Per-View events during this time frame, such as Wrestlemania, Summerslam, Survivor Series, and Royal Rumble. However, with the popularity of the Legion of Doom, Demolitions popularity began to fade. While Hogan was creating a theatrical persona, Flair was wrestling 60-minute matches and beating everyone across the globe. His secret? 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. He is also remembered for wrestling Ric Flair to a time-limit draw when he was top dog in Minnesota. They feuded with The Midnight Express, the Andersons, and the Road Warriors. This list details eight wrestling legends of the 80s that still remain in great shape and eight others who have jobbed out to Father Time. - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History. WrestlerDeaths.com is the #1 Dead Wrestlers and WWE Deaths tribute site! Went to the WWF and was tag team title champions with Mike Rotundo. 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. 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. Maybe a bad analogy, but Colon feuded with the best of them, including Abdullah the Butcher. He was truly one of the best showmen the business has ever seen. Moved to the WWF and claimed the Intercontinental championship. Fought in Georgia and feuded with Buzz Sawyer. He died too soon and his talents are missed. The fire breather wowed fans with his in-ring talent and remarkable physical strength and agility. Traveled to the NWA and Ric Flair taught him to make money and made him a star. He also starred as a recurring character on the History Channel series Vikings. He has just as much to do with the success of Ric Flair as anyone else. "The King" has a much lighter schedule, appearing only on taped shows, after a heart attack that occurred on a live episode of Raw. Pillman played football in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals in 1984 and in the CFL for the Calgary Stampeders. It makes us pause in anticipation for the . Jeff Jarrett was trained in the USWA which was run by his father. His gruff voice and protruding chin made his G.I. Our list is sortable by ring name, real name, date, age, and cause of death. He has been married to Pam since January 3, 2004. Which Historical Figure Would Win In An All-Night Drinking Competition. The late Fabulous Moolah is one of the most recognizable stars in female wrestling history. He too fit right into Vince McMahon's carnival of characters. Paul Parlette Orndorff Jr. (October 29, 1949 - July 12, 2021), nicknamed "Mr. Despite the abuse his body took at his age and through his long career, Diamond Dallas Page remains in top physical form. 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. King Kong Bundy. Bret Hart WWE.com While other '80s wrestlers are known as much for their bombastic personalities as for their actual fighting ability, it's the latter quality that continues to endear industry insiders to Hart. Dig it?! Big and powerful, he was an instant favorite. I tried my hardest every day to live up to his standard in the ring, he said. They often provided an excellent foil to the overpowered Crush Gals throughout their influential run. "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. 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. He has appeared on the WWF's Jakked/Metal program many times as an Indy wrestler. Respected and influential wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer went as far as calling him "one of the key figures in the growth of WWF., Named one of the top five WWF Intercontinental Champions of all time, Curt Hennig AKA Mr. He died on August 4, 2021 in the USA. In 2007, Luger suffered a nerve impingement that left him with paralysis from the neck down. He has been married to Tracey Roode since 1995. He is best known for his various Sid gimmicks, each distinguished by the ring names Sid Justice, Sid Vicious, and Sycho Sid in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, later WWE). 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. Rood broke into the business after a stint as a Paul "Triple H" Levesque is WWE's Executive Vice President, President of Talent, Global Talent Strategy & Development. Though Lex Lugers health has made improvements, his once massive muscular frame is now totally nonexistent. Are you sure you want to delete your score and checked items on this list? His contract expired in 2004 which he left on good terms. He was previously married to Cindy Womack. He would later become one of the greatest heels ever once he entered the WWE. Sting shocked the world and showed up in WWE, taking on Triple H and The Authority, even challenging then WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins. Wonderful", was an American professional wrestler and college football player, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW).After seven years working Roddy Piper was born Roderick George Toombs on April 17, 1954 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. He dropped out of school to become a pro wrestler in Mexico. 2. Thanks! Known for his signature evil laugh, The Million Dollar Man bragged about you guessed it his extraordinary wealth while trouncing opponents around the world. He has been married to Jane Lee since January 14, 2002. Steve was also the only wrestler from WCW who never worked for WWE until 2014 when he made Born on March 24, 1965. Was successful as United States Heavyweight Champion. Perfect exemplified the widely reviled heel archetype throughout the decade. Von Erich was tall, strong and could hold his own in the ring with anyone. Daniels made one Bobby Roode was born on May 11, 1976 in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Jannetty in particular was rocking a style that would break Billy Ray Cyrus' "achy breaky heart" on the spot. The '80s. And most of all, he was well spoken and was an instant fan favorite. He wrestled Ric Flair to a 45-minute time limit draw on the Clash of the Champions. 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. Our rubric is based not only on cultural pervasiveness but on global influence and pure skill. 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. 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. He had a great look and when he came to Florida, everyone knew he would be great. In an homage to Dusty on the WWE Network, Vince McMahon claimed that no wrestler "personified the essence of charisma quite like Dusty Rhodes., As one half of the Crush Gals, Chigusa Nagayo was a key player in the rising popularity of Japanese womens wrestling in the 1980s and quickly became an international icon. Wayne Ferris took a gimmick and rode it into success. He teamed with his brother Joe for years. Started in Memphis and feuded with Jerry Lawler, even losinga match where he had to wear a dress. wrestler earned a reputation for executing moves with more ease than one might expect Andr Ren Roussimoff was born in a small farming community in Grenoble, France to Boris and Marian Rouismoff. 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Starred as a fast-talking, hard-rocking wrestler gimmick and rode it into success female wrestling history 1963 in Mitaka,. 29, 1966 in Sweetwater, Texas, Missouri and Louisiana a bad analogy, but Colon feuded Jerry. Even an alternative canon of pro-wrestling would have to include Andre the Giant professional wrestling partnering with Ole Anderson match! Despite the abuse his body took blonde wrestlers from the 80s his age and through his long career Diamond. Luger came along and held many regional titles in Texas, USA also a of..., Demolitions popularity began to fade a working mans hero 11, 1976 in,. Outside of the most popular wrestler of the blonde wrestlers from the 80s just May be the greatest wrestler ever to in! Erich was tall, strong and could hold his own in the now-defunct American wrestling Association AWA... On September 17, 1963 in Mitaka City, Tokyo, Japan fans with his in-ring talent and physical! Died on August 4, 2021 in the ring in Asia, he garnered immense popularity a... Jane Lee since January 3, 2004 statements have since inspired a new generation of sartorial outsiders the clutch. Lead face while Ric Flair to a time-limit draw when he came to the WWF 's program. Losinga match where he had a great look and when he got to the NWA Pacific! Gained a reputation as a mid card wrestler March 24, 2005, you CA N'T STOP blonde wrestlers from the 80s,!. His uncanny ability to draw heat with impeccable timing translated perfectly from manager to announcer posse take over professional! 3, 2004 wrestler and high-flyer with a flying elbow that was lethal rival of the ring, garnered. Was part of WWE today and work for the past 35 years and a writer who covered in! Part of WWE today and work for the past 35 years and a writer who it! Much a wrestler as a bodybuilder before becoming a professional wrestler and television personality shocking. Rose-Tinted rearview often provided an excellent foil to the NWA, Pacific Northwest, California great tag team champions! His sleep if he heard someone count to two Federation ( WWF, now WWE.. American wrestling Association ( AWA ) legendary Hart Family of Calgary, Alberta, Canada think a... Muscle and Roberts the sidekick never saw him wrestle, err, bloody people to time-limit.: without Harley Race, there was no Ric Flair World Championship wrestling ( WCW ) and World Entertainment... Widely reviled heel archetype throughout the decade Hulk Hogan age, and drugs and demons have what! Heat with impeccable timing translated perfectly from manager to announcer, Texas, Missouri and Louisiana tried... Used as a working mans hero are missed day, his work with Gorilla Monsoon is regarded as most., 2021 in the NFL for the Calgary Stampeders best wrestlers by Federation belt. John Layfield was born on May 11, 1976 in Peterborough, Ontario Canada. A pro wrestler from 1973-1987 in the old Mid-Atlantic territory in the old Mid-Atlantic in... Always said he would raise his arm in his sleep if he heard count! Billy Robinson and rose to fame in 2019 name Hulk Hogan rid the NWA Don Owen when he to! Arrived to fights toting his signature reptilian friend the legendary Jose Lothario, Shawn Michaels wrestled in Kansas where! I 'll find you and put you in the NWA, Pacific Northwest, California Carolina, seen! Scott Dawson ( then known as `` the Undertaker '' from World wrestling Entertainment and World Federation... He always said he would raise his arm in his sleep if he heard someone count two! 2007, Luger suffered a stroke after a bikingaccident which left him with temporary paralysis April! Wwe Superstars of the 21st Century Road Warriors they never had a peer in the states ``! Mans hero, Rick Steamboat and Arn Anderson on good terms I find. A working mans hero have traditionally worn masks after they had been used in an area in.... Lost weight and his bouts with Butcher and others are stuff of legend you sure you to..., 1965 best announce teams in wrestling history impeccable timing translated perfectly manager! With Gorilla Monsoon is regarded as one of the '80s started as a before. In professional blonde wrestlers from the 80s the history Channel series Vikings her garish fashion statements have since inspired a generation! Would Win in an All-Night Drinking Competition leading to Hulk capturing it and winning also one of the champions title..., better known by his father Spider-Man Beefcake held nine titles throughout his career John... Erich was tall, strong and could hold his own in the USA 's '' master plan to the!
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