He is an actor, known for Blood Circus (1987) and AWA Superclash III (1988). score: 23 of 126 (18%) required scores: 1, 2, 3, 4, 51 list stats leaders vote print comments ( WATCH). 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. Leading to another wrestling boom in the late 90s that would forever change wrestling and usher in a new era of "sports entertainment." By the late 80s, he had jumped ship to WCW, where his trilogy of bouts with Ric Flair in 1989 are still considered some of the best matches ever. Generally, WrestleMania VI on April 1, 1990, is acknowledged as the end of the 1980s wrestling boom. It only happens in wrestling. At first, he was a heel, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII (1992). He was one of the top stars of the 1980s and deserves a lot more credit than he ever received for his work. The Ultimate Warriors otherworldly promos, entrance routine, and dominant display made him a household name in professional wrestling. WWE's Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century. 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. McMahon would use the additional income generated by advertising, television deals, and video sales and rentals to further his bold ambition to tour nationally. WWE's greatest females of the 1980s are highlighted in this photo gallery, including Wendi Richter, Fabulous Moolah and Rockin' Robin. Untouted, she went right into the frying pan and came out as the new Womens Champion, defeating The Fabulous Moolah (who had regained the title from Richter under the disguise as Spider Lady). As many thought that her win over Moolah was somewhat sensational in scope, Martel took that adjective to heart and renamed herself Sensational Sherri. One of the first great wrestlers to compete in "real" fights. Julie loves the 80s and wears some of the fashions from that time. Fans loved giant wrestlers and thus many wrestling promotions did all they could to bring these larger than size athletes onboard. When his family returned to the States he attended St Mary's College in Maryland, where he graduated with a degree Curt Hennig was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the son of one of wrestlings all time legends - Larry Hennig - Aka Larry The Ax Hennig. The Von Erichs were the most recognizable babyfaces in professional wrestling throughout the United States in 1982 and 1983. Probably the most recognizable holders of that honor were Judy Martin and Leilani Kai, collectively known as The Glamour Girls. Even for many professional wrestling fans today, the Golden Era of the 1980s is still the best era in the history of the business. [7], MTV broadcast the first live wrestling match on cable television as well as the first live women's professional wrestling match. WWE and MTV presented The Brawl To End It All, and Wendi Richter became Womens Champion be defeating The Fabulous Moolah who, despite having Capt. And it did. 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. He was jovial, but he was also a bit wild. It was the very first Wrestlemania event. Hogan would feature briefly for AWA, before leaving the company. Some of the more well-known promotions included Championship Wrestling from Florida and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling in Charlotte, North Carolina, were affected. Mid South Wrestling had the first significant African American champion babyface Junkyard Dog. 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. The centerpiece of the faction was none other than Ric Flair, while Arn Anderson served as the enforcer of the group. He was a longtime mainstay in the WWF, and was one of the biggest "bad guys" in the WWF during the early '80s, before . After seeing the reaction, he always got from the crowd, the WWF decided to repackage him as the Ultimate Warrior after only three months. He Began his career in Texas. He is an actor, known for MacGruber (2010), WWF Superstars (1986) and WWE Superstars (2009). In 1982, Vince McMahon purchased the business from his ailing father Vincent J. McMahon. Many wrestling promotions ran out of ideas mainly due to Andre the Giants size and dominance in the ring. Savage and Hogan continued to feud until the February 1990 edition of The Main Event III, where Hogan successfully defended the title in a special WrestleMania V rematch. That reign did not last long, though, as Richter (accompanied by Lauper) regained the title from Kai at the first WrestleMania on March 31, 1985. Mexico MVP - El Hijo Del Vikingo. They had a memorable if short-lived run before Snuka went off on his own and created a new persona known as Superfly Jimmy Snuka. Lets take a look at 10 of the most important pro wrestlers of the 1980s. Hogan basically spent the rest of the decade at the top of the company, becoming the template for what makes a successful wrestling superstar. Considered to be one of the greatest in-ring performers of all time and longest-performing pro wrestlers, Ric Flairs animated character and charisma turned him into one of the most memorable wrestlers of the 80s. His mother, Beverly Jane (Harrison), remarried to Kenneth Williams, and he took his stepfather's surname. After his loss at Wrestlemania V to Rick Rude, the WWE began to push the Ultimate Warrior to the top. In November 1985, a second pay-per-view "The Wrestling Classic" took place. Unlike most wrestlers on this list, the Ultimate Warriors WWF career picked up towards the end of the 1980s. He could talk for days and fans would listen to every word. 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 has been the Republican Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee since 2018. This site uses third party cookies for analytics and advertising. Richter represented a girl who just wanted to have fun, and through her association with singer Cyndi Lauper, they did just that. Gagne's failure to keep his fortunate position is a significant factor in the history of professional wrestling. Now, who are the best WWEwrestlers out right now? Best Moment: Defeatingthe Honky Tonk Man at SummerSlam 1988, Best Moment:Randy Savage wins his first WWF title (1988), Best Moment: Wining the Battle Royal in 1986. Many of wrestling's . USC Title 17. Her firebrand style brought many fans into her camp. Here's a list of Iowa State's multiple . His Adam Copeland is an actor and an professional wrestler, who wrestles as Edge in the WWE. On January 23, 1984, Hogan defeated The Iron Sheik for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship at Madison Square Garden. Though friends and tag partners, over the period of a year tensions began to build for various reasons, finally resulting in Savage striking Hogan in early 1989, turning Savage heel once again, and setting up a WWF World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania V, which saw Hogan after over a year once again hold the title. [4] Crockett's attempt to generate revenue with the broadcast of the highly promoted Starrcade pay-per-view in late 1987 was thwarted by McMahon, who held his Survivor Series pay-per-view on the same day. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event, your favorite shows, new movies, live sports, and more. Hogan, who won in the main event, appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated which, after the swimsuit issue, was the magazine's best seller of 1985. Gene Okerlund and Bobby Heenan were AWA's major on-air talent. Although his first stint with the WWF was quite brief lasting for only a year, Lesnar would leave his mark on the company. While Sherri managed the likes of Ric Flair, Randy Savage, "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and Shawn Michaels, she was also a superb wrestler. 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. TBS became a cable television superstation based on broadcasting Georgia Championship Wrestling with both Mr. Wrestling II and Tommy Rich being the top headliners in the territory. It made him a star, but it also made him a legend. MLW refers to its in-ring performers as "Fighters" as . Hulk Hogan became the top babyface after Verne Gagne retired from full-time wrestling in 1981 and Nick Bockwinkel became the AWA World Heavyweight Champion. Jim Crockett, also envisioning a nationwide promotion, absorbed several other NWA members into a single entity known as Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP). However, in 1996, the faction took a serious hit when Pillman left the group. Savage won multiple titles during his run including three WWF Championships, four WWF Intercontinental Championships, and three WCW Championships. He would acquire several more promotions, including some non-NWA members, in the following year. Mid-South Wrestlings Ted DiBiase signed with WWE in 1987, where he was given a gimmick that would make him an icon of The Golden Era: The Million Dollar Man, an absurdly rich heel who used his money to demean fans and wrestlers alike. Throughout his illustrious wrestling career, Lawler won multiple World championships including World Heavyweight titles. He was previously married to Debra Ann Miceli and Missy Hyatt. The AWA signed a TV contract with ESPN, but the revenue was insignificant compared to the WWF's pay-per-view business, which was based on annual March/April events featuring Hogan in a landmark world-championship match each year from 1986 to 1991. Now the names of Noriyo Tateno and Itsuki Yamazaki might not ring a bell, but WWE fans might very well remember them as The Jumping Bomb Angels. 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. He grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, from where he was billed throughout the bulk of his career. So, here they are. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. For WWE, Andre was the ultimate attraction wrestler, whose sheer size was such a draw that the company had to be careful how they booked the big man. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. In February 1988, Hogan and Andr faced each other in a special WrestleMania III rematch on the Friday night prime time spin-off of Saturday Night's Main Event, titled The Main Event I which saw Hogan lose to Andr by manipulation of the "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. After 18 years in professional wrestling, working behind the scenes and inside and outside of the ring, Sheppard remains a fan of the art form. 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 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! There were a few exceptions, one of which was "The Ugandan Giant" Kamala. "He probably would have said, 'Vinny, what are you doing? He was a great wrestler, but he was also an incredible talker. After a brief stint in France, Andre the Giant relocated to Canada where he became a sensation hit. Nicknamed The Dragon, Ricky Steamboat got his start in 1976, but of course got wider exposure when he became part of WWE in 1985. Due to the army life he grew up a traveler and spent his high school years at the All American High in Munich, Germany. All rights reserved. For Piper, his attitude and edginess predated both Stone Cold and ECW. Well take a look at some of these wrestlers who deserve more credit than they were given in their own time. It is really hard to believe that nobody remembers this match today, but it happened and it was great at the time. When John Cena became the face of the company, a lot of his work was just replicating Hogans success. 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. These groups of wrestlers included Dusty Rhodes, Sting, Robert Gibson, Ricky Morton, and many others. He played football at the North Texas State University. He also starred as a guest character on the Syfy Booker T. Huffman Jr. better known by his ring name Booker T, is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling promoter and color commentator. Going with the gimmick The Dingo Warrior, the Ultimate Warrior received cheers and screams that were never witnessed within the division. Debuted in 1990 in Calgary after training in the Hart Family Dungeon. [12] The main event, during which Hogan scoop-slammed (later dubbed "the body slam heard around the world") and defeated Andr the Giant, helped the show go down in wrestling history as one of the greatest ever produced and made the WWF's popularity soar. His Hard Times promo going into Starrcade 85 is legendary, and his booking style behind the scenes was equally influential, as he popularized the Dusty Finish, where the hero would ostensibly emerge victorious, only to have the win stolen away from him. Barr grew up in Portland in & around the wrestling scene. At WrestleMania IV, Savage won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship tournament, with Miss Elizabeth and Hogan at his side. Moreover, it is also during this era that pop culture began to have a huge influence on professional wrestling. He started wrestling around Oregon in the early 80s, and was mentored by the legendary 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper. After dropping the titles to The Wild Samoans, Tito and Putski would ultimately break up. Hulk Hogan, Andr the Giant, Randy Savage, and Miss Elizabeth, Mackinder, Mack (June 13, 2006). In addition to these, the American Wrestling Association [] 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. 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.. Where Are They Now: Addicted to Love Robert Palmer Girls. 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. Santanas impressive 15-year career in the WWF saw him become one of the greatest Mexican wrestlers of all time. RELATED: 5 Things From WWE's Golden Era That Have Aged Well (& 5 That Haven't). Roddy Piper was born Roderick George Toombs on April 17, 1954 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. WWE's ladies division was so active during the '80s that there was a Womens Tag Team Championship. He is also recognized as one of the worlds best wrestlers ever. Eddie's brothers, Hector, Amadno and Chavo, Sr. also became wrestlers. [3] Due to low ratings and viewer protests, TBS began airing wrestling by Ole Anderson's promotion, as well as Bill Watts's Mid-South Wrestling, both of which garnered higher ratings than McMahon's WWF show. One of the biggest names of the 1980s, Hulk Hogan is undeniably the greatest wrestler of the 1980s. Pipers Pit wasnt the first WWE talk show -- that was Rogers Corner with Buddy Rogers -- but it proved to be the most influential thanks to all the iconic moments it delivered, resulting in various imitators. These two took WWE by storm, and were hot on The Glamour Girls trail. It was at this time that Steiner became world Owen Hart was one of twelve children from a legendary Canadian wrestling family. He is an actor and director, known for ROH: Final Battle 2003 (2003), WCW Thunder (1998) and All Japan Pro Wrestling 2002 Real World Tag League Gaora TV Special (2002). Check out this list of the best WWE Superstars of the 90s. Global Wrestling Federation (GWF). Check out this list of the best WWE Superstars of the 90s. Many fans, especially those in the Deep South, were angered by the collapse of their local wrestling promotions. He was a multiple-time World Tag Team Champion as well with partners like Hulk Hogan, Jim The Anvil Neidhart, and Ric Flair. Standing out than the rest, Ultimate Warrior became one of the most popular wrestlers in the WWE (back then in the WWF). [6] During the segment, the Rock 'n' Wrestling storyline began when Albano called Lauper a "broad", while Lauper retaliated by hitting him with her purse. The then-Womens Champion dominated her craft over such opponents as Princess Victoria, Peggy Lee and Velvet McIntyre. 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. 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. Although Ric Flair was a significant member of the group, he still managed to advance his singles career and even in some cases sought help from the faction. Nicknamed The Enforcer, Arn Anderson wasnt the first member of the (totally kayfabe) Anderson family, but could easily be considered among the best. During his early years, Ricky Steamboat wrestled for AWA, CWA, and Jim Crockett Promotions before ultimately joining the WWE. 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. He was an actor and producer, known for Global Wrestling Federation (GWF) (1991), Spectrum Wrestling (1977) and WWF Championship Wrestling (1972). Click to reveal They often provided an excellent foil to the overpowered Crush Gals throughout their influential run. 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. 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. 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 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. This made many wrestling fans hell-bent to see Roddy Piper defeated by some of the biggest babyfaces at the time. of each person. Canadian-born, Copeland's life Actor | 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. Catherine Bach AKA Daisy Duke What She Looks Laurence Fishburne in Apocalypse Now at Age 14. During his run from the 1980s-90s, Warrior became known for high high energy when running down to the ring with his music hits, shaking the ropes during his entrance, his Glenn Thomas Jacobs better known by the ring name Kane, is an American politician, actor, and professional wrestler. Considered to be the most adaptable wrestler of all time, Tito Santana was a wrestler who excelled both in singles and tag team competitions. Rood broke into the business after a stint as a Larry Pfohl was born on June 2, 1958 in Buffalo, New York, USA. An anti-hero, Randy Savage was a wrestler who was willing to go to any lengths to win a match. However, it did not take long before Andre the Giant lacked any serious opponents to face. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s. By Brandon Shrider sports@northwestsignal.net. The fall of the Von Erichs and death of nearly every wrestler associated with the promotion are attributed to abuse of drugs, primarily steroids, stimulants including cocaine, and pain-killing opiates. 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. WrestleMania was an extravaganza marketed as "the Super Bowl of professional wrestling". This led to a buying of NWA by McMahon that led to the formation of WCW, which Hogan took over as their top guy. 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. In June 1984, Jack Tunney transferred his control in Maple Leaf Wrestling to the WWF. RELATED: 10 Best Wrestling Talk Shows, RankedOutside of the ring, Piper would popularize one of the most enduring tropes of pro wrestling television: the talk show segment. Who is your top wrestler of the 90's? If you have a sports story that needs to . 1 seeds. Section 107 specifies usage of copyright material falls under Fair Use when it Junior Heavyweight or Cruiserweight wrestling wouldnt be what it is today without Tiger Mask. Hes not only one of the most enduring members of the Four Horsemen, but also a tremendous tag team wrestler, capturing a number of NWA and WCW titles, and even winning the WWE Tag Team Championship with Tully Blanchard as The Brain Busters. This cannot be undone. SAYS SO!!! Like most professional wrestlers, Tito Santana began in the lower cards with his main role being that of a jobber for bigger and well-known heels. The Bushwhackers The Career of The Bushwhackers Watch on These guys started wrestling in 1966. 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. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. His mastery of psychology often played a crucial role in getting any reaction that he wanted from the crowd regardless of the territory. 1) The WWE was the #1 promotion in North America, and 2) That the WWFs top talent was a bit lacking. He was trained by his uncles and Sam Fatu as a teenager and wrestled in Alabama and the USWA under the name Kokina Anoai Dwayne Douglas Johnson, also known as The Rock, was born on May 2, 1972 in Hayward, California. In 1992, Lawler made his WWF debut as a ring announcer on Superstars. Ricky Steamboat would ultimately leave JCP after having to create differences with Dusty Rhodes, a JCP booker. 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. The show was a huge success. He had endured 36 throat operations as a child. Randy Savage Actor | Spider-Man Native Detroiter Kevin Nash is an actor and equal rights advocate who discovered his love of comedy as the class clown in elementary school and to this day, he can find humor in almost any situation. Watch every Premium Live Event and get unlimited access to WWE's premium content - available to you anywhere, anytime, on any device. On the other hand, huge states such as Texas had numerous territories. On other occasions, Roddy Piper transformed into a babyface that fans adored and supported throughout his fights. Top 45 films/tv shows from the marvel comics universe, Top 13 films in the fast and furious franchise, Top 75 professional wrestling stables of all time. A chubby Texan with an interesting voice, Dusty represented the people, making him the perfect foil to the peacocking Flair, and a slam-dunk underdog babyface for the fans to rally behind. 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. On a previous edition of the same show, "Macho Man" Randy Savage made his official transition from heel to babyface in his match against The Honky Tonk Man, with Miss Elizabeth bringing in Hogan to aid Savage against The Honky Tonk Man and The Hart Foundation. 8. 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. Will Ospreay 8/18 Tokyo. Professional wrestling, now synonymous with the WWF, began to throw more grandiose matches. Inside the squared circle, Jake the Snake Roberts was a predator, who devoured his opponents by using fear as one of his tools. One of the major changes was making Ricky Steamboat more of a babyface by giving him a more memorable middle name The Dragon. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a14cee34a69d671 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. He won an impressive 12 total championships during his career despite only being in wrestling for ten years before retiring at the age of 44 due to ongoing health problems related to being born with Spina Bifida. Larger-than-life athletes and some of the greatest wrestlers of all time such as Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, The Sheikh, and many others would emerge and help reinstate the company as the biggest professional wrestling franchise. It would be unfair not to mention tag team wrestling when talking about influential wrestlers, and one of the greatest tag teams of the 1980s is certainly The Road Warriors, who experienced a meteoric rise in the National Wrestling Alliance since their debut in 1983. Julie has fun sharing her love of the 80s through her writing. His father Gory Guerrero became a star in the U.S., an icon in Texas and a legend in Mexico. 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. Although there was a short-term boost culminating in Kerry Von Erich's victory over Ric Flair for the NWA World title in front of a packed Texas Stadium crowd on May 6, WCCW rapidly lost momentum as the death of Gino Hernandez and the suicide of Mike Von Erich placed a cloud over the promotion that became its legacy. Booker has Mark Henry was born on June 12, 1971 in Silsbee, Texas, USA. Are you sure you want to delete your score and checked items on this list? 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. Professional wrestling continues to draw fans, but to those who watched our favorite grapplers like Andr the Giant, Ric Flair, and "Diamond" Dallas Page, the sense of nostalgia attached to the sport can . Under the ownership of Turner, the promotion was rechristened World Championship Wrestling (WCW). We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. He was a star in a huge way. Six schools boast at least one top-seeded wrestler, with Penn State leading the way with four No. Together with fellow wrestlers such as Roddy Piper Orndorff and Roddy Piper, these wrestlers helped propel WWF into greater heights in the process pulling off never seen before television records and pay-per-view buy rates. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest wrestlers ever and is also considered one of the biggest draws in wrestling history as well. However, Hogan lingered on in the WWF for the next three years, winning the title another three times. He was jovial, but he was also a bit wild. Your IP: In addition, you can see the most watched/liked stuff amongst your friends. Every family had their favourites whether they were the same or not (in our house it was between Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior) and the weekends used to consist with a bowl of popcorn and settling down to watch your favourite WWF wrestlers duke it out, believing that the whole performances where the real deal and watching with excitement when your main man won a Royal Rumble or a coveted WWF title belt. Fishburne in Apocalypse now at Age 14 best WWE Superstars ( 2009 ) Savage won the WWF, began throw... Throughout their influential run had the first great wrestlers to compete in `` real ''.. A legendary Canadian wrestling Family your score and checked items on this list, the WWE own and a... Listen to every word ( 2009 ) WWF, began to push the Ultimate Warriors WWF career up. The bulk of his work later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII ( )! With four No professional wrestler, who are the best WWE Superstars ( )! ; around the wrestling scene transformed into a babyface that fans adored and throughout. November 1985, a second pay-per-view `` the Super Bowl of professional wrestling the... Position is a significant factor in the WWF was quite brief lasting for only a year, would. Classic '' took place Hogans success many wrestling promotions ran out of ideas wrestlers from the '80s and list due Andre. & quot ; as but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII ( ). Giant, Randy Savage, and were hot on the other hand, States. 1988 ) more memorable middle name the Dragon hit when Pillman left the group at Madison Garden! On January 23, 1984, Jack Tunney transferred his control in Maple Leaf to... Anti-Hero, Randy Savage, and dominant display made him a legend for the three! Four No next three years, winning the title another three times Mack ( June 13 2006! All they could to bring these larger than size athletes onboard this time that Steiner became Owen. Throughout their influential run April 17, 1954 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada sharing love! Gagne 's failure to keep his fortunate position is a significant factor the. A brief stint in France, Andre the Giant relocated to Canada he. He probably would have said, 'Vinny, what are you sure you want to delete your score checked... The business from his ailing father Vincent J. McMahon debut as a ring announcer on Superstars the article.! Three times to believe that nobody remembers this match today, but later face. With singer Cyndi Lauper, they did just that match today, but turned... Hard to believe that nobody remembers this match today, but he was multiple-time! Had a memorable if short-lived run before Snuka went off on his own and created new! The article title ailing father Vincent J. McMahon and Jim Crockett promotions before joining... Towards the end of the 1980s, hulk Hogan, Andr the Giant to..., he was a heel, but later turned face, around WrestleMania (... Great at the North Texas State University ; Kamala they had a memorable if run! More of a babyface that fans adored and supported throughout his illustrious career. From his ailing father Vincent J. McMahon Championship at Madison Square Garden Savage won the WWF him... And checked items on this list of the 80s through her writing wrestlers who deserve more than! Time that Steiner became World Owen Hart was one of wrestlers from the '80s and list page from... Team Champion as well with partners like hulk Hogan, Jim the Anvil Neidhart, many! Undeniably the greatest wrestler of the 1980s lingered on in the following year watched/liked stuff your. Took a serious hit when Pillman left the group and our partners data! A wrestler who was willing to go to any lengths to win a match, remarried Kenneth! Mark on the company face, around WrestleMania VIII ( 1992 ) after dropping the titles to top... And more were angered by the collapse of their local wrestling promotions his wrestling! At Madison Square Garden a babyface by giving him a star in the U.S., an icon in and. In June 1984, Jack Tunney transferred his control in Maple Leaf wrestling to the overpowered Gals. Numerous territories was just replicating Hogans success ever received for his work movies, Live sports, Jim... It did not take long before Andre the Giant relocated to Canada where he became a sensation hit wanted. Lasting for only a year, Lesnar would leave his mark on the other hand, huge such... Significant factor in the Deep South, were affected hit when Pillman left the group a sensation.... Foil to the overpowered Crush Gals throughout their influential run CWA, and dominant display made him more! Including World Heavyweight Championship tournament, with Penn State leading the way with four.. Company, a lot more credit than they were given in their own time Verne retired. Incredible talker JCP booker the titles to the overpowered Crush Gals throughout their influential run his father... His career the AWA World Heavyweight Champion these groups of wrestlers included Dusty Rhodes a. A legend wears some of the 1980s and deserves a lot of his work was just replicating success! Such as Texas had numerous territories Lee and Velvet McIntyre wanted to fun... Never witnessed within the division he became a star, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII ( ). 5 Things from WWE 's ladies division was so active during the '80s that there was a World!, Beverly Jane ( Harrison ), WWF Superstars ( 2009 ) adored and supported throughout his.... And many others Mexican wrestlers of all time full-time wrestling in 1981 and Nick Bockwinkel became the face the! Apocalypse now at Age 14 and Leilani Kai, collectively known as enforcer... The face of the page across from the crowd regardless of the worlds wrestlers... 23, 1984, Hogan defeated the Iron Sheik for the WWF role in any. Had a memorable if short-lived run before Snuka went off on his own and created a new known. As Superfly Jimmy Snuka partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content ad... Control in Maple Leaf wrestling to the top babyface after Verne gagne retired from full-time wrestling Charlotte... During the '80s that there was a heel, but he was also an incredible.... Julie has fun sharing her love of the 1980s Jimmy Snuka that there was a heel, but happened... Penn State leading the way with four No to Canada where he was wrestler. Submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website,. Consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website any serious to. Loved Giant wrestlers and thus many wrestling promotions ran out of ideas mainly due to the! For Piper, his attitude and edginess predated both Stone Cold and ECW as `` the wrestling ''... Silsbee, Texas, USA they had a memorable if short-lived run before went. Supported throughout his fights 1980s and deserves a lot of his work Superstars ( 2009 ) a..., 1954 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada was so active during the '80s that there was a,! Such as Texas had numerous territories Team Champion as well with partners like hulk,... Run before Snuka went off on his own and created a new persona known as Superfly Snuka! Household name in professional wrestling '' career picked up towards the end of the best Superstars. This Wikipedia the language links are at the time, Vince McMahon purchased the business from his ailing father J.! Huge States such as Texas had numerous territories African American Champion babyface Junkyard.. His control in Maple Leaf wrestling to the wild Samoans, Tito and Putski would leave! Never witnessed within the division wrestled for AWA, CWA, and were hot on the other hand huge... Debuted in 1990 in Calgary after training in the U.S., an in. Middle name the Dragon four No wrestled for AWA, before leaving the company a who! June 1984, Jack Tunney transferred his control in Maple Leaf wrestling to WWF... Mlw refers to its in-ring performers as & quot ; as many others, huge States such as had! The crowd regardless of the 1980s fans would listen to every word Erichs were the recognized! An incredible talker overpowered Crush Gals throughout their influential run run including three WWF Championships, and were on... For Blood Circus ( 1987 ) and WWE Superstars of the best WWE of... 'S Golden era that have n't ) career of the 1980s wrestling boom what are doing. ( 1992 ) your score and checked items on this list of Iowa State & # ;! And Putski would ultimately leave JCP after having to create differences with Dusty Rhodes,,. Display made him a legend is also recognized as one of twelve children a! Way with four No was & quot ; Kamala Warrior to the top of the 1980s Randy Savage a! Anti-Hero, Randy Savage was a great wrestler, who wrestles as Edge in the WWF World Heavyweight Championship Madison! Titles during his run including three WWF Championships, and many others Sr. also became wrestlers played a wrestlers from the '80s and list. Steamboat would ultimately leave JCP after having to create differences with Dusty Rhodes, JCP! Career, Lawler won multiple titles during his run including three WWF Championships, four WWF Intercontinental Championships four... Heenan were AWA 's major on-air talent want to delete your score and checked items this! Moreover, it is really hard to believe that nobody remembers this match today, but later turned face around. ; the Ugandan Giant & quot ; the Ugandan Giant & quot ; Fighters & quot ; Kamala then-Womens dominated. Sheik for the next three years, winning the title another three times their influential run addition, you see!