Favorite Wrestler....

[Broken_Hero]

Poll question: Favorite Wrestler....

As in WWE, WWF, ECW, WCW...or whatever sub organization. I grew up on the Hulkster, Ricky the Steam Boat Dragon, Andre the Giant....

But my favorite of all time, is Hulk Hogan...:) And currently my fave participating wrestler is Kane...

So, the question is, who is yours?

[Blue-Jay]

1. Bobo Brazil

[zonkers]

13. Classic.

[Rambis]

54. Bulldog Bob Brown

Harley Race, Mike George, Rufus R Jones
Haystack Calhoun, Ringo!

The Interns Dr. Ken Ramey I hated those guys

[catmandu57]

63. Jeebus christ man where are you?

I was just thinking about these guys, they used to wrestle on Friday nights at an auditorium here along with a big ole mutha called Black Angus.

[Rambis]

74. Grew up Ames IA

We used to watch this crap every saturday. Black Angus was another one I remember. We even went to Vets auditorium Des Moines in high school the mad hungarian called us dirt farmers the entire time. It was great 80 year old grandmothers throwing beer it was nuts.

[catmandu57]

75. That's just north of us

So it's no wonder you know these guys. Do you remember Percival R. Faith Black Angus's manager he used to jump in the ring and hit the opponents over the head with his briefcase?
My Grandmother hated him, she'd go nuts about wrestlers, watched them up until she died.

[Rambis]

76. Yep

The Interns always had a ball point pen to stick in somebody's eye curtsy of Dr. Ken. It used to drive me nuts!

[Hand]

2. Shohei (Big) Baba

1931-1999 :toast:

[Ekirh]

59. I"m all for the Baba Love

Man I love seeing pro wrestling topics on DU . . something I enjoy and can discuss.

[Redstone]

3. Mrs R. She's got a Liplock that I can NEVER work my way out of.

Not that I try very hard.

Redstone

[ghostsofgiants]

4. Shawn Michaels was, back in the day.

Especially the original DX, that stuff was hilarious. Raven, also. (I was a big ECW fan.)

Haven't watched wrestling in a few years though.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

5. Doink the Clown

He lives in my town and his daughter went to school with my sister. Somewhere I have autographed photos of him, because his used to visit my elementary & middle schools and sign pictures for us.

[Broken_Hero]

6. Damn

I haven't thought of Doink the Clown in years...last I saw him he was running around with a bunch of little Doink midget clowns..:)

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

8. Yeah, his midget clown is called Dink.

And yes, I'm serious.

[Broken_Hero]

9. They did the same with another

old wrestler...like Old Hillybilly Jim or something akin to that..he always wore overalls, and a flannel, and looked like a hilly billy. Later in his career he would travel around with a bunch of little midgets who looked just like him, it was a riot...:)

[Hawkeye-X]

7. Abdullah The Butcher

What else would you still see the guy stab himself with a fork on his head and blade daily?

[Dukkha]

60. That guy was freaking nuts!

Larry Shreve was way extreme before the ECW!

he ownes a restaurant now called Abdullah the Butcher's House of Ribs & Chinese Food.

[Hawkeye-X]

78. in Atlanta, right?

I gotta check it out when I visit there one day.

[BrotherBuzz]

10. Haystack Calhoun

Haystack Calhoun was a professional wrestler from about 1955 to 1975. He was an enormous man - 6'4" and 600 pounds. He had shaggy, wavy black hair and a full black beard. All of his opponents looked like midgets next to him. He did not wrestle in the traditional trunks that other wrestlers wore; he fought wearing blue-denim, farmers coveralls.

[zonkers]

15. I didnt see your post!

[BrotherBuzz]

16. As Reverend Al Sharpton would say...

"It's all good!"

(I like the photo you posted)

[zonkers]

17. Also fondly remember Thunderbolt Patterson, Dick the Bulldog Brower, Erik

the Red(and his pet bone)
Black Jack Mulligan (always accused of having a foriegn object in his glove butit was never found)

Professor Fuji Tanaka and Ivan Koloff.... and then my interest waned when I started noticing girls.

[Va Lefty]

18. Blackjack Mulligan

Late 70's he was a "babyface" in Mid-Atlantic area. He could really work a crowd!

[BrotherBuzz]

21. Hoot, (Professor) Toru Tanaka and Haystack were enemies

or so I remember from watching B&W television on Saturday afternoons back in the sixties. I too, soon discover girls.;)

[mitchum]

82. Fantastic! He also appeared in the classic "Requiem For A Heavyweight"

[Mr. Blonde]

11. I would love to see him do WWE People would love him

But thankfully he is currently wrestling for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. And Hopefully he will be leading them to a 5th national title in a row.



Johny Hendricks

[Broken_Hero]

12. I like watching the Big 12

wrestling tourneys...every now and then I catch them on Fox Sports Net. Now, these guys are in extremely great shape. Tougher than I'll ever be, thats for sure...:)

[Mr. Blonde]

66. Its fun to watch on TV, but if you live close to a school with it

I would recommend going to watch a dual. It really can't be beat, and the National Tournament is incredible. Especically as a Cowboy fan and I imagine a Cowboy wrestler. About 3000 Cowboy fans trying to out scream the other 15000 people there.

Especially for Johny who said well I guess I would rather hear boos than cheers because if I hear cheering I probably lost.

[zonkers]

14. Haystacks Calhoun, "the one of a kind country boy" delighted this

young fan.

[derby378]

19. Kevin Von Erich

Eldest son of the Von Erich clan in the Texas circuit, the progeny of Papa Fritz. Kevin always seemed like a class act, the last of a dying breed.

[flvegan]

20. Kerry Von Erich

Modern Day Warrior...

a tragic end to a legacy. I spent many, many hours and dollars following him. When he won the NWA title from Ric Flair in David Von Erich's name, was a highlight.

[TK421]

22. There are too many, but here's a few....and most of them were tag-teams

Arn Anderson
I've always been partial to Sting
The Original Four Horseman ( Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, Tully Blanchard ). Those guys were the shit....
The Road Warriors
Barry Windham ( Whatever happened to THIS guy )?
Hollywood John Tatum
Hot-Shot Eddie Gilbert
The Fabulous Freebirds ( Michael P.S Hayes, Jimmy Garvin, Bam-Bam Terry Gordy )
Magnum T.A- The ultimate bad-ass back in his day!
Jake the Snake Roberts.....ah, fuck it...I'm getting all teary-eyed here!

[zonkers]

26. How could I have forgotten about the Road Warriors, Hawk and Animal.

This sport was way cooler when it was super regional and small time.

[Ekirh]

58. Magnum T.A

Is making an appearance here at an UWF-TNA show next week. Will be cool to see him. Haven't watched too many of his matches but his I Quit match with Blanchard is always a fantastic viewing.

[driver8]

64. I saw Jake the Snake at the Syracuse airport once. I was waiting for my

ride, and I saw all of these huge guys waiting for rental cars. I thought they were football players until I saw Jake the Snake. It was funny to see these guys all pile into rental cars together knowing that in a few hours, they would be beating each other up.

[doc03]

23. Bruno Sanmartino

[driver8]

65. One of my favorites, too. I also liked Tony Roco. n/t

[SaveElmer]

24. Always liked Verne Gagne when I was growing up...nt

[Fountain79]

25. Hulk Hogan...when I was a boy.

When I didn't understand that this was all scripted and choreographed I used to get so nervous and excited when I watched Hulk Hogan wrestle. I remember getting so excited when he did his "pump up" look that was indicating that nothing was going to phase him anymore. I use to love that. I can't help but think about it now and get a little grin on my face.

[lildreamer316]

27. Edge.

GOrgeous gorgeous gorgeous. MEOW.

[enigmatic]

28. The One And Only

The Sheik



w/ Honorable Mention to Goldust

[Rowdyboy]

29. I saw Bill Dundee in his prime inTupelo Mississippi against Jerry Lawler

Much fun

[pinniped]

30. Candice Michelle!

I just saw her beat Lita on RAW.

[njdemocrat106]

31. Ric Flair

The Nature Boy's a great entertainer. I don't like the fact that he's a Republican, but it's always a treat to see him in the ring.

[underpants]

38. You may not like but you better learn to love it

'cause it's the best thing going today baby!!!


LOVE Flair.

I didn't know that he was a Republican (not surprising-he probably thinks that someday he won't have to pay taxes) but I've been told that he is really a great guy in person.

[Ekirh]

57. My Mom once ate

ice cream with him (For the record the Iron Fricken Shiek bought her the ice cream) . . and said he was a nice guy.

[Fox Mulder]

55. I think it's about time for Ric Flair to retire.

Yeah.

[sakabatou]

32. Bill Goldberg

[Guava Jelly]

33. in the 80's there was a masked wrestler called "Mr.Wrestling"

he was my favorite
and good morning Petersond

[William Bloode]

46. That was Mr Wrestling II.

Just to clarify ;)

[Ekirh]

34. Jushin Thunder Liger!!!!

Just look at the sig people :)

Ahh yes. . . I think I'll watch his 94 J-Cup match with Great Sasuke when I come back from work

[Fox Mulder]

35. Kurt Angle.

Steve Austin was another one of my favorites. As well as the Undertaker.

Also, I like Triple H and HBK...but they're not really wrestlers.

I miss Chris Jericho.

I can't freaking stand John Cena. He makes me want to vomit. Damn poseur.

[DancingBear]

36. For all the old folks out there

Bobo Brazil

Argentina Apollo ("the wild man of the pampas")

"The Unpredictable" Johnny Radz

"The Golden Boy" Arnold Skoland

Dr. Bill Miller

Baron Mikel Scicluna

Crazy Luke Graham

Bruno Sammartino

Pedro Morales


Now, if you're REALLY old you remember that wrestling on Saturdays was brought to you by..... Saladmaster!!!

[terrya]

37. The Rock

Not because I like wrestling, but...

"drool" What a hunk. :-)

[madinmaryland]

39. Other - Andy Kaufman

[peekaloo]

44. Sweet!

:bounce:

[cemaphonic]

50. Yeah, he was great.

As a dilletante and outsider, he still managed to generate the kind of genuine heat that most heel wrestlers would give their left arm for. Those Memphis crowds in "I'm from Hollywood" wanted his blood.

[One_Life_To_Give]

40. Andre' The Giant

Though I also liked Bob Backland before his first retirement. And if for nothing more than comic releif, George the animal Steele.

[LSK]

41. Hall and Nash from the early NWO days

From your list I'd vote the Rock.

Current favorite is John Cena.

[swag]

42. Rowdy Roddy Piper.

Gotta go with the local asshole.

[dr.strangelove]

49. Ditto

I loved the Hot Rod growing up.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

43. Kurt Angle is me Olympic hero.

The ornery cuss's th’ one with th’ gold medals.

[William Bloode]

45. I'll have to vote for myself!

Nah, seriously lol! My favorite was my trainer Nelson Royal. Great guy and holder of the secret knowledge known as catch wrestling(old school submission style).

Of your list, i'd say Rick Flair. Not only is Rick great on the mic, he can actually wrestle, unlike the Huckster who does not know a wrist lock from a wrist watch. Steamboat was great to, he always gave it his all, and then some.

I always hated the Huckster, due to his overly large ego, and unwillingness to put others over. It shows he only cares about himself. Not to mention he had a total move set of about 5. He did sell a ton of seats though, and helped put WWE wrestling on top.

In todays group, i know too few. I actually worked with many of the older guys in orgs. like USWA, UWF, and Smokey Mountain so i actually know many of these guys on some personal level. In more recent years i have moved from Pro Wrasslin' to MMA. MMA i can see the real thing, not to mention i train a lot of guys in catch style wrestling these days due to MMA, which is a source of great pride for me.

[datasuspect]

47. one man gang

[Fountain79]

71. Oh I remeber him....

He had a mohawk right?

[datasuspect]

72. the only thing i remember

was part of his schtick was saying he was from "halsted street in chicago."

the idea of a one man gang is very inspiring to me.

[Crabby Appleton]

48. Hey! where's Gorgeous George

Dusty Rhodes, the American Dream
Cowboy Bill Watts
Nature Boy Buddy Rodgers

[Hand]

68. Gad! Who could forget him!

"Gorgeous George is truly the original showman of professional wrestling, and his flamboyant theatrics have unquestionably forever changed the "sport" of professional wrestling. During his heyday (which began in the late 1940's and lasted through to the early 1960's, a more famous or controversial entertainment figure could not be found. It has been said that during his prime, George was even more well known than the President. He influenced generations of future wrestlers -- from Buddy Rogers to Adrian Street, "Superstar" Billy Graham to Ric Flair, "Adorable" Adrian Adonis to Goldust...even Mohammed Ali, Little Richard, Liberace, and numerous other figures in both sports and entertainment. One is hard pressed to think of a more influential public figure, let alone a professional wrestler...


Gorgeous George was born George Wagner in Seward, Nebraska and began his wrestling career during his teens. He competed for over a decade simply as George Wagner, with very little success. Physically unimposing at just 5'9 and weighing only 215 pounds, Wagner was a plain, less than average wrestler. But that would change as the resourceful Wagner, who contemplated giving up on trying to make it as a wrestler, developed the gimmick that would forever change both him and the "sport."

Hmm, I passed through Seward, Nebraska last summer; nice little town, but they didn't mention that it was his brthplace. Who'da thunk it?

[Ekirh]

51. I must say

I already answer Jushin Liger . . .

but I also have a slight fascination with Kendo Nagasaki from Old British Wrestling Matches I've watched.

[IChing]

52. Paul Wellstone and Howard Dean

[bigwillq]

53. The Rock

Goldberg

Those were my two faves

[izzybeans]

56. Jimmy Superfly Snuka

[Strawman]

61. JYD - Grab them Cakes

[retread]

62. Bobby Heenan. He could light a crowd up like very few. The only reason

his talents as a wrestler aren't recognized as much as they should be was because his talent as a "manager" overshadows them. Try to find some tapes of his Chicago AWA days and watch the way he works the audience. Today's wrestlers could learn a great deal from him.

[mitchum]

83. Fantastic wrestler and manager

[Hand]

67. Then there was always Cynara...

Not exactly a pro, but her apartment wrestling sagas used to appear in Sports Review Wrestling back in the 1980s. Probably kept the rag's circulation going.

[Kingofalldems]

69. For the real old timers

Ricky Starr--who was a former ballet dancer who would dance around the ring just before he pinned his opponent.

[JackDragna]

70. "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels

A testament to what a wrestler can be when they're not up to their eyeballs in steroids and painkillers. Great mic skills, incredible mat skills and presence.

[Kat45]

73. George "The Animal" Steele

That guy was a classic.

[Cathyclysmic]

77. Mick Foley, aka Cactus Jack, Mankind, Dude Love

He's probably better known for the matches he's lost than the ones he's won.

[Hawkeye-X]

79. I met Mick once

When he came to my college to lecture (and to promote one of his many books). He was very, very painfully shy around people, but he was super nice to let us take photographs with him, but he would NOT shake hands (he's kinda OCD about germs)

Hawkeye-X

[Ravenseye]

80. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat

'cause he smacked down the Macho Man like the little bitch he was at WM3 and made the Hulk Hogan's match with Andre the Giant look like child's play.

Special shout out to runner up "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. Best straight up cinematic fight scene ever (in They Live).

[mitchum]

81. JOHNNY VALENTINE