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OT---Favorite Professional wrestlers. List your top five !! Top announcers !

BodiTheGreat

BodiTheGreat

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Nov 18, 2018
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Here are my top five.

1. George "The animal" Steele
2. King Kong Bundy.
3. Rowdy Roddy Piper.
4. Randy "Macho man" Savage.
5. Andy Kaufman.

Top announcers

1. Mean Jene Okerland
2. Jesse "The body" Ventura
3. Gorilla Monsoon

***I was scared of George "the animal" Steele as a child. I actually had nightmares about him.
I was conflicted when Randy Savage assaulted him after George was giving Miss Elizabeth flowers. Who knew
George had human feelings?

*** One of my favorite moments in professional wrestling was when King Kong Bundy jumped from the top rope to pancake the midget wrestler "Little Tokyo" in a tag team exhibition.
One of my least favorite moments was when Hulk Hogan defeated King Kong Bundy. I was super pissed.

*** There could never ever be another Rowdy Roddy Piper. His humor would not fly today. People take everything to serious .
Same thing with Ventura. The funniest moment in WWF history was when Jesse Ventura's described something Roddy Piper was doing to Mr. T in a tag team match.

*** Gorilla Monsoon would described wrestlers anatomy like a dr. would. That was really funny.

*** I have Andy Kaufman in there because he proved that woman don't belong in the ring.
 
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Haystack Calhoun
Feddie Blassie
mr fujji
Andre The Giant
jack Garfano

Showing my age here. Jack Garfano was my high school football coach and biology teacher. He wrestled against all the big names, nearly always lost, but he bled easily, and was in high demand. I recall him telling us he was paid $75 per match and usually wrestled twice a week.
 
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Telx1 said:
Haystack Calhoun
Feddie Blassie
mr fujji
Andre The Giant
jack Garfano

Showing my age here. Jack Garfano was my high school football coach and biology teacher. He wrestled against all the big names, nearly always lost, but he bled easily, and was in high demand. I recall him telling us he was paid $75 per match and usually wrestled twice a week.
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$150 a week was nothing to sneeze at back then. Haystack Calhoun preceded Hill Billy Jim and Uncle Elmer. Big country boys !
 
BodiTheGreat said:
$150 a week was nothing to sneeze at back then. Haystack Calhoun preceded Hill Billy Jim and Uncle Elmer. Big country boys !
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It was. The going rate was $50 and he got $75 because he bled a lot. Our team went to one of his matches and his forehead was bleeding all over the place, the fans were going crazy, and he won. Today they would halt the match and he would be barred from wrestling. He saved his wrestling money and built a pizza parlor and quit teaching and Coaching. As for announcers, Dick Lane is the only one I remember, the original pencil neck geek!
 
Frankl Reynolds AKA the TRASHMAN.... and its not even a close 2nd....
Frank-Reynolds-Trash-Man-1200x900.png
 
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1. Bruiser Brody
2. Stan Hansen
3. Shawn Michaels
4. Kevin Von Erich
5. The fabulous freebirds

Announcers:

Jim Ross, Larry nelson

Color commentators

Michael ps Hayes (mid south uwf days)
Jesse Ventura

Awa mid eighties the midnight rockers vs buddy rose and Doug Somers made me a wrestling fan...even though the awa sucked and I lived in Ric flair country (nc)

Bruiser Brody was a force of nature

Stan Hansen was a total dick and just beat people up was awesome

Shawn Michaels had the best matches of the 90s
 
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BodiTheGreat said:
Here are my top five.

1. George "The animal" Steele
2. King Kong Bundy.
3. Rowdy Roddy Piper.
4. Randy "Macho man" Savage.
5. Andy Kaufman.

Top announcers

1. Mean Jene Okerland
2. Jesse "The body" Ventura
3. Gorilla Monsoon

***I was scared of George "the animal" Steele as a child. I actually had nightmares about him.
I was conflicted when Randy Savage assaulted him after George was giving Miss Elizabeth flowers. Who knew
George had human feelings?

*** One of my favorite moments in professional wrestling was when King Kong Bundy jumped from the top rope to pancake the midget wrestler "Little Tokyo" in a tag team exhibition.
One of my least favorite moments was when Hulk Hogan defeated King Kong Bundy. I was super pissed.

*** There could never ever be another Rowdy Roddy Piper. His humor would not fly today. People take everything to serious .
Same thing with Ventura. The funniest moment in WWF history was when Jesse Ventura's described something Roddy Piper was doing to Mr. T in a tag team match.

*** Gorilla Monsoon would described wrestlers anatomy like a dr. would. That was really funny.

*** I have Andy Kaufman in there because he proved that woman don't belong in the ring.
Click to expand...
Dan Gable
Jordan Burroughs
Cael Sanderson
John Smith
Kyle Dake

professional wrestling is stupid and not a sport.
 
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Being from Memphis I like Tojo Yamamoto, Phil Hickerson, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Gorgeous Gary and Blackjack.
 
1. The Destroyer
2. Rowdy Roddy piper
3. Ultimate warrior
4. Brian Pillman
5. Stone Cold Steve Austin

Dick lane
Bobby Heenun
 
My most favorite wrestlers are: Fritz Von Eric, Awesome Bruiser Brodie, Incredible Hulk Hogan before turning bad, Rowdy Roddy Piper Andre the Giant. I also liked Dick the Bruser and The Kentucky Hillbillies.
I always enjoyed Vince Mcmahon doing the matches. My most memorable moment was in the Cotton Bowl. It was Fritz's retirement match against King Kong Bundy. Fritz body slammed him in the end zone to win the match and the championship. He never wrestled again. He got his enemy turned friend Brusier Brody to watch his boys grow into outstanding wrestlers. The only wrestling match I ever saw in person.

 
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1. Rock
2. Scott Hall
3. Stone Cold
4. Eddie Guererro
5. Ric Flair

Top Announcers
1. Jim Ross
2. Bobby Heenan
3. Paul Heyman

Attitude Era was the best era
 
ND4Real said:
1. Rock
2. Scott Hall
3. Stone Cold
4. Eddie Guererro
5. Ric Flair

Top Announcers
1. Jim Ross
2. Bobby Heenan
3. Paul Heyman

Attitude Era was the best era
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It's kinda like asking "when were you 19?" as most men aren't still watching wrestling in their mid 30s. I couldn't name a current star unless John Cena is still going.

Best Mic'd Up
Ivory
Hulk Hogan
Chris Jericho
Disco Inferno
Eddie Guerrero

Plain Wrestling
Ultimo Dragon
Rey Mysterio Jr
Bret Hart
The Rock
Sting (as The Crow)
Jimmy Superfly Snuka

Announcers
Jim Ross
King Lawler
Bobby Hennan
 
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Bruno Sammartino is definitely top 5 all time, but most of his career is before my time. He is also an all time powerlifting icon well before the sport developed guidelines. His powerlifting numbers were freakish for his era.
 
I remember one Sunday afternoon my brother said he wanted to try a hold on me he saw Saturday night on TV. It was the first time the Kentucky Hillbillies wrestled on TV. Yes my brother used the possum stomp on me and it made me dizzier that a drunk dog. Everything in my world spun like a spinning top. Dad wasn't happy with my brother or me! Mom saved us both that day, my brother for doing it and me for being so dumb. We were saved from the belt and given ice cream by mom. I really miss my dad and sweet mom! Happy Mother's Day Mom.
 
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I got to s
BodiTheGreat said:
$150 a week was nothing to sneeze at back then. Haystack Calhoun preceded Hill Billy Jim and Uncle Elmer. Big country boys !
Click to expand...

sluggo69 said:
Moose Cholak

His parents had a bar on East Side of Chicago. My grandma and his mom were fast friends. Sluggo was allowed in there as a youngster to sample Croatian brandy.
Click to expand...

I got to see him wrestle on TV several times. He was fun to watch!
 
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1. The Ultimate Warrior
2. Jesse “ the body” Ventura
3. Honky Tonk Man
4. Randy “macho man” Savage
5. Davey Boy Smith “ the British bulldog

Mean Jean Okerland ( best announcer)
 
1. Nick Bockwinkel (by a wide margin)
2. Gorilla Monsoon
3. Bobby Heenan
4. Killer Kowalski
5. Billy Robinson
 
What amazes me is that some of you are failed to reference wrestlers from the Golden Age of wrestling back in the late 50s early 60s and maybe the early 70s. The list is definitely age-related to some extent.

When you look at top wrestlers, it's not Hulk Hogan or Randy Savage or those guys. Think of wrestlers like Bruno Sammartino, the living legend. I saw him wrestle several times, at Madison Square Garden. He was a headliner for multiple years, and had sell outs more than any other wrestler including Hulk Hogan Etc. When the chant of Bruno Bruno Bruno started echoing in the Garden and the feet were stomping, it was like an earthquake.

Other wrestlers from that era include Ivan Koloff the Russian bear, Bobo Brazil, from Benton Harbor Michigan, Hans Mortier, Andre the Giant, Buddy Rogers, Killer Kowalski not related to Scott Kowalski who played at Notre Dame, Lou Thez, Shohaio Baba, Dr. Jerry Graham, Gorilla Monsoon especially when his manager wouldn't let him talk English. Tag team wrestlers included the Fabulous Hangaroos, the Tolos Brothers to name a few.

In terms of managers, Wild Red Berry, Bobby Davis, Classy Freddie Blassie, and ring announces well, and I couldn't care less who they were. Wrestling today honestly is a joke. There's no question that a lot of these wrestlers are very athletic. But they put too much sex into the script today, and quite frankly it really takes away from the Golden Age. I would definitely recommend going on YouTube, and watch some of the old time wrestlers. They actually wrestle. If you get a chance, watch hilarious the bisco turned on Bruno Sammartino, and then the interview that Larry Zbyszko gave about how he and Bruno came up with the idea. Is also a very interesting to our interview with Bruno Sammartino that talked about his life in prewar Germany, during the war, how he came to United States, and how he got blackballed from wrestling the United States but made a name for himself in Canada then came back to United States and be Buddy Rogers. The rest is history. To the OP great idea
 
TheSodFather said:
Bruno Sammartino is definitely top 5 all time, but most of his career is before my time. He is also an all time powerlifting icon well before the sport developed guidelines. His powerlifting numbers were freakish for his era.
Click to expand...
Very correct. I grew up watching Bruno wrestle many times in person. He bench press over five hundred pounds, I think 560 without the use of a bodysuit. And I believe he was steroid-free at the time. Good pickup
 
shabak said:
What amazes me is that some of you are failed to reference wrestlers from the Golden Age of wrestling back in the late 50s early 60s and maybe the early 70s. The list is definitely age-related to some extent.

When you look at top wrestlers, it's not Hulk Hogan or Randy Savage or those guys. Think of wrestlers like Bruno Sammartino, the living legend. I saw him wrestle several times, at Madison Square Garden. He was a headliner for multiple years, and had sell outs more than any other wrestler including Hulk Hogan Etc. When the chant of Bruno Bruno Bruno started echoing in the Garden and the feet were stomping, it was like an earthquake.

Other wrestlers from that era include Ivan Koloff the Russian bear, Bobo Brazil, from Benton Harbor Michigan, Hans Mortier, Andre the Giant, Buddy Rogers, Killer Kowalski not related to Scott Kowalski who played at Notre Dame, Lou Thez, Shohaio Baba, Dr. Jerry Graham, Gorilla Monsoon especially when his manager wouldn't let him talk English. Tag team wrestlers included the Fabulous Hangaroos, the Tolos Brothers to name a few.

In terms of managers, Wild Red Berry, Bobby Davis, Classy Freddie Blassie, and ring announces well, and I couldn't care less who they were. Wrestling today honestly is a joke. There's no question that a lot of these wrestlers are very athletic. But they put too much sex into the script today, and quite frankly it really takes away from the Golden Age. I would definitely recommend going on YouTube, and watch some of the old time wrestlers. They actually wrestle. If you get a chance, watch hilarious the bisco turned on Bruno Sammartino, and then the interview that Larry Zbyszko gave about how he and Bruno came up with the idea. Is also a very interesting to our interview with Bruno Sammartino that talked about his life in prewar Germany, during the war, how he came to United States, and how he got blackballed from wrestling the United States but made a name for himself in Canada then came back to United States and be Buddy Rogers. The rest is history. To the OP great idea
Click to expand...
The so called Golden Age of wrestling was because of the advent of television. They may have “wrestled” more in those days, but it was still scripted entertainment, not sport.
 
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Baron von Raschke, Vern Gagne, Moose Cholak, Dick the Bruiser, Jimmy “Super Fly” Snuka
 
The Golden Era of wrestling was the 80s. No one talks about Bob Backlund or Larry Zabysko but you still have people talking about Hogan , Savage. Piper and Flair. ESPN does docs on those guys. Don't see too many ESPN 30 for 30s on Bruno Sammartino. The best era was Attitude era hands down. I'm talking 97 WCW 98 WWE more specifically.
 
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shabak said:
What amazes me is that some of you are failed to reference wrestlers from the Golden Age of wrestling back in the late 50s early 60s and maybe the early 70s. The list is definitely age-related to some extent.

When you look at top wrestlers, it's not Hulk Hogan or Randy Savage or those guys. Think of wrestlers like Bruno Sammartino, the living legend. I saw him wrestle several times, at Madison Square Garden. He was a headliner for multiple years, and had sell outs more than any other wrestler including Hulk Hogan Etc. When the chant of Bruno Bruno Bruno started echoing in the Garden and the feet were stomping, it was like an earthquake.

Other wrestlers from that era include Ivan Koloff the Russian bear, Bobo Brazil, from Benton Harbor Michigan, Hans Mortier, Andre the Giant, Buddy Rogers, Killer Kowalski not related to Scott Kowalski who played at Notre Dame, Lou Thez, Shohaio Baba, Dr. Jerry Graham, Gorilla Monsoon especially when his manager wouldn't let him talk English. Tag team wrestlers included the Fabulous Hangaroos, the Tolos Brothers to name a few.

In terms of managers, Wild Red Berry, Bobby Davis, Classy Freddie Blassie, and ring announces well, and I couldn't care less who they were. Wrestling today honestly is a joke. There's no question that a lot of these wrestlers are very athletic. But they put too much sex into the script today, and quite frankly it really takes away from the Golden Age. I would definitely recommend going on YouTube, and watch some of the old time wrestlers. They actually wrestle. If you get a chance, watch hilarious the bisco turned on Bruno Sammartino, and then the interview that Larry Zbyszko gave about how he and Bruno came up with the idea. Is also a very interesting to our interview with Bruno Sammartino that talked about his life in prewar Germany, during the war, how he came to United States, and how he got blackballed from wrestling the United States but made a name for himself in Canada then came back to United States and be Buddy Rogers. The rest is history. To the OP great idea
Click to expand...
Never a Bruno fan. If you were outside of the northeast Bruno was a nothing burger.
 
ND4Real said:
The Golden Era of wrestling was the 80s. No one talks about Bob Backlund or Larry Zabysko but you still have people talking about Hogan , Savage. Piper and Flair. ESPN does docs on those guys. Don't see too many ESPN 30 for 30s on Bruno Sammartino. The best era was Attitude era hands down. I'm talking 97 WCW 98 WWE more specifically.
Click to expand...
I have to agree. Nationwide television of name vs name started in the 90s. Before that you were lucky if the local broadcast channel televised 1 hour of Bob Jones vs the Barber. Also the athleticism increased exponentially with Lucha Libre and borderline stunt men.

OTOH in the Bruno Samartino era it did look something like wrestling.
 
I think the golden age of wrestling was the 50's through the 70's. My dad and brothers watched it every Saturday afternoon and late night Saturday night too. He never let me watch it because it might give me ideas to use against my sisters. I failed to mention one of the truly bad guys of wrestling, Tojo Yamamoto. My dad despised him. I won't repeat what he said about Tojo.
 
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BodiTheGreat said:
Here are my top five.

1. George "The animal" Steele
2. King Kong Bundy.
3. Rowdy Roddy Piper.
4. Randy "Macho man" Savage.
5. Andy Kaufman.

Top announcers

1. Mean Jene Okerland
2. Jesse "The body" Ventura
3. Gorilla Monsoon

***I was scared of George "the animal" Steele as a child. I actually had nightmares about him.
I was conflicted when Randy Savage assaulted him after George was giving Miss Elizabeth flowers. Who knew
George had human feelings?

*** One of my favorite moments in professional wrestling was when King Kong Bundy jumped from the top rope to pancake the midget wrestler "Little Tokyo" in a tag team exhibition.
One of my least favorite moments was when Hulk Hogan defeated King Kong Bundy. I was super pissed.

*** There could never ever be another Rowdy Roddy Piper. His humor would not fly today. People take everything to serious .
Same thing with Ventura. The funniest moment in WWF history was when Jesse Ventura's described something Roddy Piper was doing to Mr. T in a tag team match.

*** Gorilla Monsoon would described wrestlers anatomy like a dr. would. That was really funny.

*** I have Andy Kaufman in there because he proved that woman don't belong in the ring.
Click to expand...
I preferred the CWA wrestlers that were in E'ville as part of their circuit when I was a kid.

Bill Dundee, Jerry Lawler, Jesse Ventura, Randy Savage and Tojo Yamamoto were my favs.

And how can someone not love the Fabulous Ones and their music vids? Crack me up.



Dundee and Lawler would have epic fights. And, I loved when Ventura would taunt Scott Studwell, a Vikings LB and E'ville native.

More recently there wan't much better than The Rock and Triple H. Google "The Rock's funniest moments." Absolutely LOL.
 
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Triple HHH and Chyna lived down the street from me for a very brief period of time. No one in town has any stories as they were always on the road.
 
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