Does the age of a wrestler matter to you?

[Guest Downhome]

We have Ric Flair apparently starting to work more and more in the ring, and putting out some pretty good matches lately with The Hurricane and HHH, and more than likely will pull out a pretty good one with HBK at the next PPV. My question is this...

 

...does the age of a Pro. Wrestler matter to you at all, as long as they can still go out there and either work or be totally entertaining?

 

Not even so much for a guy who was in the business when he was young and is still around. Would you care if a guy came in at age 40+ just starting out as long as he could perform in the ring?

 

I just hear so many complain about age, and I don't get it some time. Now, obviously if they fucking can't hardly work or the such then it's time to call it quits, just like Rowdy Roddy Piper (it looks his time ended at the last PPV to me however). Is it just age PERIOD for some of you, or do you not really care when it's all said and done? I'm sure you know how I feel about this, that being I could give a shit how old someone is as long as they can still perform/entertain me, and that's that.

 

I've just had many tell me that they don't think ANYONE over a certain age should ever be wrestling, regardless of what they can do in the ring, and was currious what the majority thought of this here.

 

Sincerely,

...Downhome...

[Adam 0]

Well, just look at how over Flair was last week. Granted he was in Flair country, but he was still over. I hate to point it out, but the crowd goes psycho every time Hogan comes out, as much as I hate to admit it. I think it matters if it is preventing them from being a good wrestler, but if you are just a mark, you dont care because you have nostalgia on your side.

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

I'm less likely to stalk older wrestlers and give them gifts from "Your secret admirer" than I am the 19-25 group.

 

Uh... Nevermind that. Never happened officer, I swear.

 

In reality, I don't care about pre-existing gusy really. I think 35 should be the cutoff date for bringing in new talent though. If, to use your example, a guy 40+ were just starting out, I don't think it'd be a very good idea. At that age, you need enough experience in the ring to know how to bump and do stuff without hurting yourself. That comes only with experience, and injuries just seem to take even nastier tolls on older guys than younger guys.

[Guest ViciousFish]

The age of a wrestler doesn't matter to me at all as long as they can go out and deliver. Jeff Hardy is only 23-24 years old but he couldn't do it anymore and I wanted him off my TV. Ric Flair had a tremendous match with HHH last week. Hulk Hogan should give up and fucking retire while he can pretend to be on top. DDP stared wrestling when he was 35 and entertained me constantly until he got fucked around in the WWF. Piper sucked a nut last month at Judgment Day while Mick Foley left while he could still claim to be a great performer.

[Guest JHawk]

Ric Flair was putting on great matches in 1993-94, and he was in his 40s, so no problems there.

 

Test is putting shitty matches on now and he just turned 28.

 

Age doesn't matter to me at all.

[Guest Downhome]

Ric Flair was putting on great matches in 1993-94, and he was in his 40s, so no problems there.

 

Test is putting shitty matches on now and he just turned 28.

 

Age doesn't matter to me at all.

That's a pretty damn good way to sum this up for me also.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

The Older People get, the harder it is for them to recover from injuries and the easier it is for them to get injuries. Why invest time into a wrestler who's odds are greater than everyone elses to suffer a career-threatening injury.

 

... And there is realism issues. Young = Strong. Old = Weak.

[Guest AndrewTS]

...does the age of a Pro. Wrestler matter to you at all, as long as they can still go out there and either work or be totally entertaining?

 

No, doesn't matter.

 

Examples: Rico, Booker T.

 

However, Vince pushes old guys who are VERY old and often immobile (Nash).

[Guest HollywoodSpikeJenkins]

Wrestlers in their prime put on better matches! Benoit is out of his prime, so he sucks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God, I hate that guy.

[Guest OnlyMe]

However, Vince pushes old guys who are VERY old and often immobile (Nash).

 

The problem is withe "immobile", rather than "old" though.

 

No, age doesn't matter, but it can be a mitigating circumstance.

[Garth 0]

I'm cool with older wrestlers as long as their not stinking up the ring, if they can still oput on a good match and be entertaining,there's not allot more i can ask for.

[Guest Hulkamania Fan]

The fans love the old school wrestlers. Thats why Vince has got so many back.

If someone like Bret Hart came back the fans would go nuts.

Fans love old school wrestlers and it dont matter if there way past their prime because fans still cheer them and it brings back memorys.

 

Age dont matter.

[Guest jester]

As long as the entertain me, I don't care how old they are. That being said, if they arthritically limp across the ring like Hogan, they are probably not going to entertain me.

 

Then again, Hogan has never entertained me.

[Guest Hulkamania Fan]

jester Hogan may have never entertained you but he did entertain millions and millions of fans when he came back. Just look at some of the matches Hulk Hogan had and the watch the fans go nuts and also Hulk Hogan some of Hogans promos and watch the fans go nuts.

The fans just luv Hulk Hogan & some other old school stars.

[Guest jester]

jester Hogan may have never entertained you but he did entertain millions and millions of fans when he came back. Just look at some of the matches Hulk Hogan had and the watch the fans go nuts and also Hulk Hogan some of Hogans promos and watch the fans go nuts.

The fans just luv Hulk Hogan & some other old school stars.

Yes. And in his prime he made the company millions and millions of dollars. And today he is still probably one of the two wrestlers that everybody has heard of. You'd have to be crazy to deny this.

 

And I still hate him.

 

The question was about what mattered to me.

[Guest Goodear]

Yes, age should play a part in who gets pushed. Because by jobbing out the younger set to a bunch of guys that look old enough to be the younger guy's fathers you weaken the new crop considerably in the eyes of the fan. The retro jersey thinking is just what killed the AWA back in the day and it's not going to make WWE last any longer either. Flair, Hogan, or Piper winning against any body higher on the card than lower middle should be dismissed.

[Guest AndrewTS]

The fans love the old school wrestlers. Thats why Vince has got so many back.

If someone like Bret Hart came back the fans would go nuts.

Fans love old school wrestlers and it dont matter if there way past their prime because fans still cheer them and it brings back memorys.

 

Age dont matter.

Hogan as undisputed champ turned away a lot of fans.

[Guest hydroapple]

>Wrestlers in their prime put on better matches! Benoit is out of his prime, so he sucks!

 

Hey its Lkdg32 (the preacher of prime) again under a random user name. And no, I NEVER said that. 33+ you DECLINE, you don't automatically turn to crap. Chris Benoit is 36 years old, 4 years past his prime (28-32 is prime, 33+ you decline). He was better in 1999 than he is in 2003, but however he is still very good now.

[Guest OnlyMe]

[cheap plug]

 

I address this very issue in my latest column at thesmartmarks.com, coming this Friday

 

Nik

[Guest hydroapple]

>...does the age of a Pro. Wrestler matter to you at all, as long as they can still go out there and either work or be totally entertaining?

 

No, doesn't matter.

 

Examples: Rico, Booker T.

 

Rico is FAR past his prime (40+), hasn't had any great matches, and isn't that good of a wrestler. I don't find him entertaining, but some smarks do find him entertaining in a managerial role. Booker T is 38 and is just good in the ring, hasn't had any great matches in his WWE tenure (was better in the ring in WCW when he wasn't as old), I guess he entertains the smarks in his SUCKAs and his spinaroonis, so the smarks like Booker in a markish way.

[Guest evilhomer]

I'm kind of torn on the subject. I am entertained when an older wrestler puts on a good match, such as Flair's last week, and I do enjoy the nostalgia factor, such as Hogan or Piper. On the other hand, when I look at these guys and see flabs of wrinkled skin, I can't help but go "what the fuck is he doing in the ring?"

[Guest El Satanico]

As I answered countless times during my years as a WCW fan.

 

Age doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is if the guy still has ability in the ring or is still able to entertain. Sadly Hogan has neither of those abilities and is still major over with WWe crowds...somehow.

[Guest BDC]

To be fair to Rico, when has he had a chance to put on a good match? It's hard to do that with only three minutes, no pun intended.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

I don't think age matters at all. Terry Funk.......that's all I gotta say about that!!!!!!

[Guest hosserific]

no. if their good it doesnt matter how old they are. it just so happens that most old wrestlers suck

[Guest Austin3164life]

When a person reaches an age and a physical crosspoint in which he knows he's over the hill, he shouldn't wrestle anymore. If there's a 40 year old who is a good worker and works hard, then I won't mind. If there's a 40 year old who can't even jog to the ring (coughNASHcough), then I mind. I like how Flair and HBK are pacing themselves by not working a regular schedule, because that way they can still put on a good match, while preserving their well-being without a hectic schedule. I also think it's fitting how Austin came back, put the Rock over in a good match, and now he realizes he doesn't have it anymore, so he focuses his talents elswhere, and turned a shitty GM role into something entertaining. I admire that in an established veteran. Being able to put effort into whatever they know they can do (Booker T, Flair, HBK, Austin).

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

I don't like the fact that all the old guys are working a lighter schedule. If anything, their on-air roles should be shortened and their off-air roles increased. In other words, WORK HOUSE SHOWS! That's where the WWE needs the shot-in-the-arm the most.

[Guest OnlyMe]

When a person reaches an age and a physical crosspoint in which he knows he's over the hill, he shouldn't wrestle anymore. If there's a 40 year old who is a good worker and works hard, then I won't mind. If there's a 40 year old who can't even jog to the ring (coughNASHcough), then I mind.

 

So it's nothing to do with age, just to do with physical ability.

[LooseCannon25 0]

It all depends on how quickly theiir skills deteriorate. For example, guys like Hogan, Nash and Piper can barely even move anymore and its pathetic watching them in the ring....on the other hand you got guys like Ric Flair, and shawn Michaels (who's only like 38) that pace themselves and can still do what they used to well. Flair can tell a good story and HBK can still go with the high impact stuff.