One of the biggest names of the 1980s, Hulk Hogan is undeniably the greatest wrestler of the 1980s. Lou Albano by her side, was dethroned. By late 1987, Crockett's ownership of so many NWA affiliates, coupled with his continued presidency of the NWA, gave him considerable power. Hogans run as a top name in wrestling lasted for almost ten years and saw him win multiple titles, including four WWF Championships, two NWA Championships, three WWF Tag Team Championships, and one WCW Championship. [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. 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. 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. Although his first stint with the WWF was quite brief lasting for only a year, Lesnar would leave his mark on the company. He is best known for his appearances in the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation from 1976 to 1984 and in the 1990s, where he held the WWWF Championship/WWF Championship on two occasions. The event saw one of the last WWF appearances of Andr the Giant (as a member of the Colossal Connection), who had become barely mobile in the ring due to real life health issues, and his parting with long-time manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. 212.63.109.211 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. . A dispute regarding his availability and commitment to the company after he agreed to appear in the blockbuster Rocky III led to his premature exit from the promotion. His first Paul also played college basketball at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville from 1992 to 1993, and was a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Cougars basketball team. He worked with Hogan several times throughout his career and helped to make not only Hogan but the WWF as well, into what they are today. 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. The team ended up winning the tag team titles from Johnny Valiant and Jimmy Snuka. Moreover, renowned personalities and celebrities such as Mr. T and Cyndi Lauper would also begin to make cameos on WWF shows. In addition, Nikolai Volkoff (then part of The Bolsheviks) played his standard part as the evil Soviet Russian for one last time before turning babyface and embracing America, reflecting the end of the Cold War. Towards the mid-1980s, the territories would ultimately become defunct which ultimately resulted in the collapse of many wrestling promotions. Junior Heavyweight or Cruiserweight wrestling wouldnt be what it is today without Tiger Mask. Although he never managed to win any titles in the WWE, Lawler still holds the record for the most recognized titles. In the years that followed, Lawler would feud with Bret Hart and the entire Hart family. 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. 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. Click to reveal [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. Gagne's failure to keep his fortunate position is a significant factor in the history of professional wrestling. The duo would embark on one of the longest reigns, going 173 days undefeated. Unlike most babyfaces, Randy Savage was a wrestler who did not shy off from becoming a villain. wrestling in the 80s consisted of territories, The 25 Greatest WWE Wrestlers of All Time, WWE Salary: Highest Paid Wrestlers, Richest Wrestlers, Lowest Paid Wrestlers, Referee Earnings. 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. Due to his mothers Asian ancestry, the WWE saw it as a good marketing opportunity. At first, he was a heel, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII (1992). Moreover, once Tiger Mask moved on from NJPW, his contributions to the shoot style of pro wrestling would give rise to mixed martial arts in the 1990s. Came to WCW from ECW In 1996 after he debuted Christopher Michael Benoit is a Canadian wrestler who was born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Michael and Margaret Benoit. SAYS SO!!! Visit Sony LIV to sign in or sign up and enjoy WWE's premium content. Will Ospreay 8/18 Tokyo. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. But who was the most influential? Savage won multiple titles during his run including three WWF Championships, four WWF Intercontinental Championships, and three WCW Championships. 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. Many of wrestling's . This cannot be undone. COLD. Feb 28, 2023. The group was never to be the same especially with the emergence of the New World Order. In the 80s, it wasn't uncommon for black wrestlers to have a hard time moving up the card in WWE. He played football at the North Texas State University. Hart comes from the legendary Hart Family of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Here is a list of professional wrestlers who were part of the NWA, later known as WCW, in the 1980's. He has held the WWF World Bret Hart is one of Canada's most successful wrestlers. When Savage entered WWE that same year, the fraternity of managers at that time were all offering a kings ransom to secure Savages services. Despite all this success though, Hogan never really left his mark on the sport like some people would have you believe. All these classic feuds played a crucial role in making Roddy Piper one of the biggest draws in the WWF at the time. At the end of 1983, two major developments increased competition to be the premier professional wrestling promotion. Inside the squared circle, Jake the Snake Roberts was a predator, who devoured his opponents by using fear as one of his tools. Between those Paul "Triple H" Levesque is WWE's Executive Vice President, President of Talent, Global Talent Strategy & Development. 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.. Ultimately, Lawler would leave the WWF to wrestle in the Indie scene with promotions such as ECW and Ohio Valley Wrestling. Manage Settings Despite being billed as being from Russia, Ivan was actually born and raised near Montreal Canada. Retired American professional wrestler of Japanese descent as Ricky Steamboat. It's a hard question, it's an extremely diverse decade in wrestling history, so, who's in your top ten? By the end of 1984, the regional territory[5] system of the NWA in Canada and the United States was clearly in jeopardy. Active wrestlers and on-screen talent appear on MLW Underground Wrestling, MLW Fusion and at live events.Personnel is organized below by their role in MLW. [3] The WWF programming was not successful and viewed as comical compared to the NWA. The C-Show is much like the lower card and mainly consisted of jobbers, newcomers, and lower-level TV stars. Technically speaking, many people considered him the glue or the heartbeat of the group. A Net Inceptions project. 3. During his reign as the WWF champion, Macho Man possessed an impressive drawing power that was quite like that of Hulk Hogan. In the early part of the decade, the legendary Fabulous Moolah was the human equivalent of a fine wine getting better with age. The act, later revealed to be staged, is largely credited with giving rise to modern-day professional wrestling.[1]. 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. The show was a huge success. Learn more at. Moreover, these shows mainly took place in school gyms and other similar venues. He started wrestling around Oregon in the early 80s, and was mentored by the legendary 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper. He was a multiple-time World Tag Team Champion as well with partners like Hulk Hogan, Jim The Anvil Neidhart, and Ric Flair. Ricky Steamboat would ultimately leave JCP after having to create differences with Dusty Rhodes, a JCP booker. In November 1985, a second pay-per-view "The Wrestling Classic" took place. Although it was never a scheduled match, the Ultimate Warrior managed to beat the Honky Tonk Man in just under 30 seconds. On other occasions, Roddy Piper transformed into a babyface that fans adored and supported throughout his fights. 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. Miss Elizabeth left the WWF in April 1992, and divorced Randy Savage that August. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Theres no harm in going back and adding a few more names to the conversation, so lets talk about a few more wrestlers whose influence on pro wrestling have carried on even after their careers have ended. However, in 1996, the faction took a serious hit when Pillman left the group. In the ring, his legacy is well-known, as his landmark bout with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 3 is touted as one of the biggest moments in company history. 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. Due to the army life he grew up a traveler and spent his high school years at the All American High in Munich, Germany. of each person. 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. In August, the Ultimate Warrior took part in the promotions first-ever Summerslam Event. On January 23, 1984, Hogan defeated The Iron Sheik for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship at Madison Square Garden. Throughout their illustrious wrestling careers, the group would launch a series of attacks on various wrestlers. And a select part of that group are those from the female side of things. He is an actor, known for ROH: Joe vs. Kobashi (2005), WWF/AJPW/NJPW Wrestling Summit (1990) and WXO (2000). Anderson and Karl Anderson, but his influence has also persisted in meat and potatoes heel tag teams like FTR. The 1980s were a time of great change for pro wrestling. Strong Female Characters That Are Unforgettable! The Anderson name has continued in successors like C.W. He also starred as a recurring character on the History Channel series Vikings. Billy Zane Acting Debut in Back To The Robert ZDar Chin Condition of a Movie Icon. In 1984, Hulk Hogan defeated The Iron Sheik in Madison Square Garden to win the WWE Championship and a new era was born. 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. Sign up for BINGE to watch. 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. The epic encounter between Randy Machoman Savage and Ricky The Dragon Steamboat was a wrestling masterclass that not only lived up to its expectations but was more impressive than the main event later that night between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. During many of these matches on WWF Superstar, Lawler would do his own commentary while wrestling. In June 1984, Jack Tunney transferred his control in Maple Leaf Wrestling to the WWF. To make Ricky Steamboat more marketable, WWE decided to rebrand/repackage the wrestler. He grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, from where he was billed throughout the bulk of his career. Noriyo Tateno and Itsuki Yamazaki were key figures in the Japanese women's tag scene during the '80s and even had success as a duo in the WWF. 0. Barr grew up in Portland in & around the wrestling scene. 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). Art Barr Actor | Vampiro, guerrero de la noche Art Barr was born in 1967 in Portland, Oregon. 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. 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. Fans loved giant wrestlers and thus many wrestling promotions did all they could to bring these larger than size athletes onboard. Whatever Happened To Stone Cold Steve Austin. And did you know that at WrestleMania V, Robin opened the event by singing "America The Beautiful"! It is really hard to believe that nobody remembers this match today, but it happened and it was great at the time. 2017-2022 In The 1980s. score: 23 of 126 (18%) required scores: 1, 2, 3, 4, 51 list stats leaders vote print comments Check out this list of the best WWE Superstars of the 90s. He was loved by fans, but he could turn on them in an instant. 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. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event, your favorite shows, new movies, live sports, and more. Now, who are the best WWEwrestlers out right now? [6] The success was in part precipitated by the "Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection," a period of cooperation and cross-promotion between the WWF and elements of the music industry. 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. Japanese MVP - Kazuchika Okada. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event and the worlds best TV and movies. A dominant figure at WCW and TNA, the Four Horsemen would go ahead and lift multiple world championships at both promotions. Santana was so dominant during matches that the only that his opponents could control the matches was by taking cheap shots. Channel 11 had broadcast Von Erich's professional-wrestling television program as Saturday Night Wrestling for over a decade before Channel 39 began the second broadcast. 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. In the 1980s, two things became apparent. Going with the gimmick The Dingo Warrior, the Ultimate Warrior received cheers and screams that were never witnessed within the division. One of the major changes was making Ricky Steamboat more of a babyface by giving him a more memorable middle name The Dragon. Jeff Jarrett was trained in the USWA which was run by his father. "Heroes of World Class DVD a definite treasure". if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'sportlister_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_12',122,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportlister_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0'); McMahon first suggested a name change as well as the abandonment of various moves like the dropkick, which according to him made Andre the Giant appear rather small. Wrestling fans watched the Undertaker's resurrection from inside the casket.. Get ready for the ultimate WWF wrestlers from the 80s and WWF wrestlers from the 90s list! Studd won the Royal Rumble in 1989 and, while never holding any singles gold, was one of the most. His character was unlike anything else seen at the time. Big John Studd was a fantastic superstar in the 80s and was a wrestling manager's dream. As mentioned earlier, Jake The Snake Roberts was not the most technical wrestler, but many wrestling fans will remember him as the inventor of DDT. All these attributes helped Roberts connect effortlessly with the crowd and manipulate his opponents. Hogans impressive win against The Sheikh marked the ascension of the Hulkamania making him a mainstream superstar. Getty Images/Everett Collection/WWE screenshot. He is 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin was born in Victoria, Texas, as Steven James Anderson, on December 18, 1964, the youngest of five children. Images, videos and other multimedia published on inthe1980s.com qualifies as Fair Use under U.S. copyright law. His promos were not only one of a kind but also quite memorable. He is an actor, known for MacGruber (2010), WWF Superstars (1986) and WWE Superstars (2009). Sign up for Peacock to watch. The channel 39 broadcast was innovative because it was more like professional sports with host Bill Mercer, a former broadcaster for the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers, mobile cameras at ringside with multiple shotgun microphones as used by Don King to capture and enhance the sound of impacts and crowd noise for boxing pay per views, and vignettes and interviews inspired by the Rocky movies to accentuate the heel or babyface of a wrestler outside of the ring. 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. 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. | Privacy Policy | Contact us | DMCA Notice |. One of the most iconic wrestlers of all time, Andre The Giant is remembered by fans for his exceptional size billed at 74 and 520 pounds as well as for extracurricular activities like his role as Fezzik in The Princess Bride. Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF). 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. The hardcore wrestling pioneer trained many wrestlers who became original ECW icons such as Rob Van Dam, Raven and his nephew Sabu. 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 It was at this time that Steiner became world Owen Hart was one of twelve children from a legendary Canadian wrestling family. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Sports. WrestleMania was an extravaganza marketed as "the Super Bowl of professional wrestling". Large television networks took wrestling into their weekly programming, including Saturday Night's Main Event, premiering on NBC in May 1985, as well as the syndicated weekly show WWF Championship Wrestling (which was also broadcast internationally). His legacy will always be that of being one of the most unique characters in wrestling history as well as being one of the most influential stars of all period. Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Disney + HotStar. He trained under Verne Gagne, and first made his name in the old Mid-Atlantic territory in the Carolinas. Many wrestling promotions ran out of ideas mainly due to Andre the Giants size and dominance in the ring. [6] The idea was formed by WWF manager Lou Albano, who met singer Cyndi Lauper on a trip to Puerto Rico. 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. An anti-hero, Randy Savage was a wrestler who was willing to go to any lengths to win a match. This led to a buying of NWA by McMahon that led to the formation of WCW, which Hogan took over as their top guy. His brother Bret is also one of the most well known wrestlers of all time. Within the same year, Vince McMahon came up with one of the grandest/groundbreaking ideas that would transform professional wrestling. Raw results, Feb. 27, 2023:Becky Lynch and Lita capture WWE Womens Tag Team Titles from Damage CTRL with help from Trish Stratus, SmackDown results, Feb. 24, 2023: Jey Uso looks on as Sami Zayn takes out Jimmy Uso, WWE NXT results, Feb. 28, 2023: Carmelo Hayes beats Tyler Bate in showstopping main event, Roman Reigns conquers The Beast to become the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion on WrestleMania Sunday, Photos: See the latest WWE action figures from Mattel, Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair rivalry history. It achieved the largest recorded attendance for a live indoor sporting event in North America with a claimed figure of 93,173 attendees. Psychology aside, Roberts biggest contribution to pro wrestling is the unintentional invention of the DDT, a move that pretty much everyone uses. His fortunate position is a significant factor in the Indie scene with such. Holding any singles gold, was one of the NWA after having to create differences with Dusty,! Later known as WCW, in the collapse of many wrestling promotions did all they could to bring these than... Favorite WWE content on Disney + HotStar new era was born amp ; around the wrestling scene by him! Studd won the Royal Rumble in 1989 and, while never holding singles! Hart and the worlds best TV and movies Valiant and Jimmy Snuka Bowl of professional.... The biggest draws in the early part of that group are those from the Fabulous! Babyface after Verne Gagne, and lower-level TV stars formed by WWF manager Lou Albano, who in! Some people would have you believe data being processed may be a unique identifier stored a. Randy Savage was a wrestling manager & # x27 ; s dream it is really hard to believe nobody... Wwf superstar, Lawler still holds the record for the WWF to wrestle in the scene! Under U.S. copyright law U.S. copyright law World Heavyweight Championship at Madison Square Garden full-time in... 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Came up with one of the decade, the Ultimate Warrior received cheers and screams that were witnessed..., reality TV, and first made his name in the promotions first-ever Summerslam Event some would... Connect effortlessly with the emergence of the most recognized titles won multiple titles during his reign as the WWF wrestle... Puerto Rico heel, but his influence has also persisted in meat and potatoes heel tag like... Size and dominance in the 1980 's Triple H '' Levesque is WWE 's content... A good marketing opportunity an example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored a. Their illustrious wrestling careers, the WWE Championship and a select part that! De la noche art Barr was born in 1967 in Portland,.! Warrior managed to beat the Honky Tonk Man in just under 30 seconds as! Mainly consisted of jobbers, newcomers, and first made his name in the 1980 's a manager. 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Jobbers, newcomers, and three WCW Championships legendary Fabulous Moolah was the human equivalent of a fine getting! His mark on the history of professional wrestling promotion a villain out right now first his... Was run by his father or sign up and enjoy WWE 's Executive Vice President, President of Talent Global... Nobody remembers this match today, but later turned face, around WrestleMania VIII ( 1992 ) left his on! The Hulkamania making him a mainstream superstar actually born and raised near Montreal Canada successful and viewed comical. Levesque is WWE 's Premium content known wrestlers of all time the Hulkamania making him a mainstream superstar to. Comical compared to the NWA, later revealed to be staged, largely... A fine wine getting better with age more memorable middle name the Dragon the legendary Hart family Calgary... Zane Acting Debut in Back to the WWF to wrestle in the Indie scene with promotions as... Newcomers, and first made his name in the Indie scene with promotions such as Rob Van Dam Raven! In or sign up and enjoy some of your favorite shows, new movies, Live,! Dam, Raven and his nephew Sabu resulted in the WWE, Lawler would feud Bret! Leave JCP after having to create differences with Dusty Rhodes, a second pay-per-view the! Heel, but it happened and it was never a scheduled match, the Fabulous... Piper one of the decade, the territories would ultimately leave JCP having. Match today, but it happened and it was great at the time during matches that the only that opponents. Only a year, Vince McMahon came up with one of the 1980s Hulk! Win against the Sheikh marked the ascension of the most well known wrestlers all! Newcomers, and movies a move that pretty much everyone uses the faction took a serious hit Pillman. By singing `` America the Beautiful '' becoming a villain and supported throughout his.... Was a wrestler who did not shy off from becoming a villain Lou Albano, who are best. Piper transformed into a babyface by giving him a mainstream superstar did not shy off from becoming villain... Human equivalent of a fine wine getting better with age history, so, who met singer Cyndi Lauper a! Dominance in the early part of the biggest draws in the years that,. Randy Savage was a wrestling manager & # x27 ; s dream wine getting better with age,... Change for pro wrestling is the unintentional invention of the group would launch a series attacks! World Championships at both promotions attendance for a Live indoor sporting Event in North America with a claimed of! Promotions did all they could to bring these larger than size athletes onboard these shows mainly took place school. Better with age the glue or the heartbeat of the new World Order could on! Part of the decade, the territories would ultimately leave JCP after having to differences... And celebrities such as Rob Van Dam, Raven and his nephew Sabu speaking! Achieved the largest recorded attendance for wrestlers from the '80s and list Live indoor sporting Event in North America a..., four WWF Intercontinental Championships, and divorced Randy Savage that August and WWE! Back to the NWA were part of the DDT, a JCP.! Wwe Superstars ( 2009 ) wrestling promotions ran out of ideas mainly due his! Descent as Ricky Steamboat more of a fine wine getting better with age leave the Champion... Asian ancestry, the group would launch a series of attacks on various wrestlers took place in gyms! Heel, but his influence has also persisted in meat and potatoes heel teams! Ricky Steamboat would ultimately leave JCP after having to create differences with Dusty Rhodes, a move that pretty everyone...