Important Wrestlers-Affect on Soceity&Mainstream

[Guest Choken One]

After hearing another Tidbit about the ongoing Austin saga on the radio this afternoon, I got me thinking about how Someone such as Austin, whom took the Wrestling World to another level really damaged the already fragile personality of Professional Wrestling.

 

I started thinking about what Wrestlers have had a impact not just in Wrestling but Society and Mainstream America.

 

So, I thought of Wrestlers/Personas or figureheads that went beyond the sport. I came with a Ten List.

 

 

 

 

 

10. Kurt Angle

-The first true legit superstar of Wrestling. Wrestling was plauged by the reputation of "FAKE WRESTLERS" and Amatuer Wrestlers were considered to Vanilla to make in a Entertainment based organization. Enter Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle. The first time any Gold Medalist achieved any noreity after his amatuer wrestling career. He gives wrestling a little more credibility these days and certaintly will be viewed as a major catalyst in the future as more and more Amatuer wrestlers will find respectabilty in the Professional Wrestling and allow WWE to come closer to sheding that "Fake Wrestler" image.

 

9. Macho Man Randy Savage

-While not making any cultural impact as Others, Savage has and remains a Major name amongst the Media. Recently, starred in the biggest blockbuster of the year, SpiderMan. Randy Savage always played second fiddle to Hulk Hogan but under that light it allowed the charismatic wildman to shine in America.

 

8. Ted Turner

-Yes, He is not a wrestling personality by any means. However, Ted Turner played a hugely significant role in the evoultion of professional Wrestling. He took a failing company on the verge of excintness, and turned it into the biggest thing going. His heavy wallet allowed his WCW franchise to attract the biggest names in the company and thus creating the Monday Night Wars.

 

7. Ric Flair

-Not completly known to the media as Randy Savage or Hulk Hogan but still played in a huge part in Wrestling. Most of the media still protrays him as the Flamboyant Womanizer. His matches, never achieving the fame of Andre-Hogan or Rock-Austin...were considered the greatest material ever produced in the ring.

 

6. Andre The Giant

-Nowhere near the greatest performer but is easily the most reconigable big man in history, not just Wrestling but HISTORY. His legendary showdown at Pontaiac Silverdome was the greatest hour in wrestling.

 

5. Owen Hart

-The saddest story in Wrestling's constroversial history is no question, The death of Owen Hart. The first time Wrestling never got Headline news across the country came from such a tragic and crippling moment in it's history. The death of Owen Hart and it's circmastances placed WWF in it's darkest and most negative light. The constroversy of "Going on with the show" and it's tribute show, considered still by some, a mere ratings ploy. Yes, It was WWF's highest rated moment but it's lowest point.

However, while it cast the company in a negative light, it finally displayed the realism of the wrestlers, they aren't Warriors as we once percheived them, but merely Family Men working to support their family.

 

4. The Rock

-The man who finally showed the mainstream that Wrestlers are no longer redneck hicks with mullets. The most charismatic and electrifying man in the business ever. Finally, a respectable crossover superstar who does not embarass anyone, as huge as Hulk and Austin were, there was still that "White Hick" tag to them. Rock, the first minority to ever obtain the WWF title along with his witty and "cool" catchphases of "Know Your Role" "Just Bring It" "If Ya Smell..." "Finally..." "Jabronie" Etc. Etc. showed a funny and yet intimidating character. Rock looked normal...He wasn't jacked like Hogan or Spoke with a texan accent, he was flamboyant, intelligent, intense and The Future of Hollywood. Who would have fought that a Wrestler would be pegged as the Next Arnold or Stallone?

 

3. Steve Austin

-Wrestling was dead. First, Hulk Hogan was old news and his act was boring us. The U.S Government almost closed wrestling down for good. The aftermath of the Steroid Trial lingered for years. The big stars were gone or just old news. Nothing was fresh...Vince McMahon had his "New Generation" of superstars, Bret Hart, Undertaker, Diesel, Razor Ramon, Shawn Micheals, Yokozuna but while they were respectable among the hardcore fans, Mainstream America found them dull and boring. Hulk Hogan jarred the surface when he shocked the world by turning on his fans and created...New World Order. However, It wasn't Hogan that come out roses there...It was WWF midcarder Steve Austin. While Casual fans flipped to find Hulk Hogan and WCW Nitro...They had to flip past WWF on USA and they stoped. Steve Austin was so innovotive to mainstream america, it was no doubt he would be the next big thing. He coined "Austin 3:16" and that caught on with America. After his infamous face turn at WM13, there was no looking back now. America had gone STONE COLD CRAZY. Austin and Wrestling rode the biggest high of it's long history to the bank. Vince McMahon and WWF were raking in the dough. Then things turned wrong, while the wheels of Austinmaina were noticably slowing down in Early '02...he still remained a huge star dispite the rising stock of The Rock. However, Who'd expect the baddest man walking would take his walking shoes and leave the very company he helped rebuild? He was suspended but that wasn't the final nail in the coffin for the legancy of Steve Austin. Shortly after the already famous walkout, He was wanted for Domestic Abuse. He ran from the police but finally surrendered a few weeks later. The legancy of Austin was killled that night he left, he was no longer the hero but instead the coward.

 

2. Hulk Hogan

- The first and biggest star of Wrestling's history. The first to cross over. Appearing on National Magazines not even connected with his profession. He was bigger then the Beatles, bigger then anyone else in the world. Most reconizgable wrestler/actor. While his Motion Pictures such as "No Holds Barred" and "Mr. Nanny" were panned by critics and Mainstream alike, he still remained a huge pop icon. In Late 1991, Hulkamaina was dying. The people were tired of the same old song and dance. Hulkamaina was killed off. Two years went by, Hulk Hogan re-emerged in Ted Turner's revamped WCW franchise but just days before his WCW title match debut against Ric Flair, He was called to the stand to testify against Vince McMahon in the Steroid Trials...where it was revealed Hogan was using the dangerous and Illegal substances which severely crippled his character of "Take your Vitamins and Say your prayers". Hulk remain stagant in WCW, the fans were also sick of Hulkamaina and let it known. Hogan disapered for a short time and returned....on the wrong end. He made the biggest Heel turn ever known to wrestling, no moment save for the Montreal Constrovery would ever live up to it. Hogan created the NWO and thus put WCW on the map. It wasn't much longer that "HollyWood" would be old and stale and the fans let it known. Finally, in a moment still to this day covered with uncertainy, WCW Writer Vince Russo fired Hogan live on PPV. Hogan would never been seen in WCW again. 2 years later, WWF shocked the world when they annouce the hiring of Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Hulk Hogan, the founding fathers of NWO. Alot of people quickly assumed Hogan would no longer draw in the Attitude injected WWF. How wrong were they...WM18 came and the world witness the biggest match in WWF history since Hogan's legandary showdown with Andre in Detroit. Toronto enrupted for the return of Hulk Hogan and let it known that HULK STILL RULED. Nostaglia swept renamed WWE and the Red and Yellow returned to glory.

 

1. Vince McMahon

-Without this man, none of these men would be possible. He brougt his dying father's promotion and turned it from Shanty regional promotion and turned it into the Multi-Billion public company it is today. Battled by everything, The U.S Government, Steroid Trials, Multi-Billionare Ted Turner and the death of a superstar. He took the mom and pop company and turned it to SMUT central. He made wrestling, a late night/Early morning TV weekend show into a Twice a week, Primetime event. Wrestling owns everything good and bad to Vince McMahon.

 

 

Honorable Mentions: Bill Goldberg, Paul Heyman, Bret Hart, Shawn Micheals, Eric Bischoff, Mick Foley.