Dave Meltzer's Top 100 Workers

[Guest Astro]

Summer 1983 Ratings

 

Judging from this month’s mail, the most looked-forward to feature we’ve done will be these ratings. I did my absolute best to be fair, but a few notes must precede the rankings. 1) These ratings are based on in-ring performance, that is wrestling ability and work rate, wins and losses are not taken into consideration; 2) Wrestlers are rated by their performance only since January, except in a few exceptions where I haven’t seen the wrestler this year -- long-term reputation or performance is not a factor; 3) A few wrestlers I haven’t seen who belong in these ratings like Leo Burke, David Schultz, possibly Wayne Bridges out in England and I'm sure there are many others -- I did not include anyone I haven’t seen enough to fairly judge.

 

1. Ric Flair (all-around he’s the greatest champion I’ve ever seen)

2. Bruiser Brody (not only the best brawler but the best big athlete in the game)

3. Adrian Adonis (more wrestling ability then any big man -- deceptive agility)

4. Stan Hansen (if you’ve ever seen the action he creates in Japan, an obvious pick)

5. Tiger Mask (pound-for-pound, nobody comes close)

6. Riki Choshu (great moves, never stops working, he’s got it all)

7. Dynamite Kid (hardest worker in the game, incredible guts, superior stamina)

8. Sgt. Slaughter (he’s been involved in so many memorable bouts)

9. Paul Orndorff (never out of position in the ring, incredibly conditioned stud)

10. Terry Funk (despite bad knees one of the all-time great workers)

11. Steve Wright (best scientific wrestler since Karl Gotch’s retirement)

12. Buzz Sawyer (being ruined in Ga., but has shown his stuff enough to deserve the spot)

13. The Superstar (based more on Japan where he shows it)

14. Greg Valentine (very solid basic wrestler, no recognizable flaws)

15. Jimmy Snuka (an incredibly gifted athlete and can work -- being in WWF hurts)

16. Ricky Steamboat (well-coordinated, well conditioned, involved in many super feuds)

17. Ken Patera (has been hurt by bad partners)

18. Masa Saito (I saw him for 13 years and never knew how good he was)

19. Dick Slater (may have reached his peak, but is almost always very good)

20. Tatsumi Fujinami (quick, strong, fantastic wrestler)

21. Bob Orton Jr. (some sensational moves, a little bit slow)

22. Andre the Giant (only as a villain in Japan, in fact he may deserve higher)

23. Killer Khan (tremendous movement for a big man when he’s allowed to)

24. Harley Race (slow, but tremendous moves and able to make the slow bouts exciting)

25. Jumbo Tsuruta (good scientific wrestler, best AJPW has)

26. Ted DiBiase (if he switched styles would be in the top 10)

27. Abdullah the Butcher (for 4 minutes, nobody’s better, only in the 5th min. he drops dead)

28. Chavo Guerrero (best scientific star in U.S.)

29. Dos Caras (everything Mil Mascaras was in his prime, somehow never got out of his shadow)

30. Bruce Reed (super strength, good agility, no persona)

31. Dory Funk Jr. (has slowed a little, but the best wrestling champ of the era)

32. Roddy Piper (good brawler, great worker, a little weak on the skills)

33. Terry Gordy (good agility for a big man, great tag wrestler, great brawler)

34. Hulk Hogan (super strength, good worker, limited in ability but gives good matches)

35. Jerry Blackwell (simply incredible a slob can be so good)

36. Super Destroyer (has the talent, but hasn’t been given a break he deserves)

37. Animal Hamaguchi (good worker, fast, a few great moves)

38. Black Tiger (his matches are, as a rule, damn good)

39. Kevin Von Erich (very inconsistent, but when he’s on, he’s great)

40. Mr. Olympia (unlike DiBiase, the villain style has improved him)

41. Nick Bockwinkel (still a solid wrestler, although the decline may get noticeable)

42. Ivan Koloff (always a good worker, gives you plenty of action)

43. Bobby Eaton (takes some bumps few others would take, very underrated)

44. Playboy Buddy Rose (the man is good, the body just fools you)

45. El Gran Hamada (sensational, but only 5-foot-4 and maybe 160)

46. Ricky Morton (vastly underrated, as good as almost anyone)

47. Jim Duggan (makes a poor-man’s Bruiser Brody, but very effective)

48. Jimmy Garvin (great personality, in the ring he’s a genuine star)

49. Pat Patterson (no great physical skills, when he’s on, the match is unreal)

50. David Von Erich (good brawler, decent skills)

51. Jerry Lawler (not very skilled, can brawl well, involved in some of the best bouts ever seen)

52. Dick Murdoch (can still do the job)

53. Hector Guerrero (a truly incredible wrestler that nobody knows about)

54. Matt Borne (if personal problems don’t stop him, he’ll be a superstar)

55. Kuniaki Kobayashi (improved immensely the past six months)

56. Jay Youngblood (moves very well, excels as Steamboat’s partner)

57. Dutch Mantell (pound-for-pound among the best brawlers)

58. Jack Brisco (still smooth as silk, but something is missing lately)

59. Bret Hart (pretty well unknown outside of Calgary, but very good)

60. Curt Hennig (may be one of the big stars of the 80s, incredible recent improvement)

61. Chris Adams (another very good and much underrated wrestler possibly most improved this year)

62. Sweet Brown Sugar Skip Young

63. Yoshiaki Yatsu (when he’s allowed to show his stuff, great skills)

64. Don Muraco (dropped 50 spots as he’s eaten his way out of superstardom)

65. Allan Coage (excellent brawler with good judo skills – actually excellent judo skills)

66. Steve Keirn (was better in the pre-Fab days)

67. Tiger Jeet Singh (a certifiable lunatic in Japan)

68. Jos Leduc (great strength, gets in good brawls)

69. El Santo Negro (hard to rate a guy who never wins, but the guy is great)

70. Tully Blanchard (good “reactor” when he’s got a top opponent against him)

71. Terry Taylor (really smooth, undoubtedly a future superstar)

72. Great Kabuki (good with the martial arts, effective in the role)

73. Tito Santana (tremendous tag wrestler, often good in singles)

74. Jake Roberts (really improved since hitting Florida, very good wrestler)

75. Greg Gagne (very good wrestler, horrible in tv matches)

76. El Canek (sometimes very good, but no competition for him in Mexico)

77. Jerry Brisco (I’ve always enjoyed Jerry show the basic amateur moves)

78. Grappler #1 (Len Deton is quite good a tag team wrestler)

79. Blackman (similar to El Santo Negro, in fact, probably should be rated higher)

80. Gino Hernandez (good when he wants to be, but we’ll never have to worry anymore)

81. Jim Brunzell (best timed drop kicks in the business)

82. Villano III (World’s Light Heavyweight champion and a skilled acrobat)

83. Stan Lane (also was better in the pre-Fab days, but a good wrestler)

84. Perro Aguayo (tremendous worker, some agility but gets by more on dedication)

85. Jimmy Valiant (really does a good job as a brawler, much to my dismay)

86. Dennis Condrey (solid worker)

87. Don Kernodle (excellent tag wrestler, being misused at the present)

88. Kintaro Hoshino (Tiger’s tag partner, and doesn’t let him down often)

89. Sweet Brown Sugar Koko Ware (great dropkicks, not a lot of wrestling skill)

90. Akira Maeda (a few sensational moves, still doesn’t have it all together)

91. Scott McGhee (a good little wrestler)

92. Jacques Rogeau (another future superstar, sensational dropkick)

93. Hacksaw Sawyer (another good little wrestler, uses his body well)

94. Atsushi Onita (we may never see him against after his broken leg)

95. Michael Hayes (great “reactor” in many first rate bouts)

96. Antonio Inoki (a very good wrestler, but beats too many better than him)

97. Rocky Johnson (a great agile strong athlete, little wrestling knowledge)

98. Mil Mascaras (kind of a remnant from a once unique wrestler)

99. Manny Fernandez (good, kind of a bleeder type)

100. Goege Welles (a very good athlete, hope he hits it big this time)

 

Best of the Rest: Fishman, Alexis Smirnoff, Ashura Hara, Jose Estrada, Bob Sweetan, Pete Roberts, Negro Navarro, Barry Windham, Rick Martel, Bill Irwin, Isamu Terasnishi, Iron Sheik, Steve Regal, Mike Rotundo, Mike Georege, Tim Horner, Jim Nelson, Dino Bravo, Abdullah Tamba, Mighty Inoue, Seiji Sakaguchi, Chic Donovan, Takahashi Ishikawa, Billy Robinson, Randy Rose, Buddy Roberts, Johnny Rodz, Mark Lewin, Kevin Sullivan, The Destroyer, Ultra Seven, Kazuo Sakurada, Les Thorton, El Flacon, King Kong Bundy, Mike Graham, Scott Casey, Ed Wiskowski, Spike Huber, Brian Blair, Kerry Von Erich, Magic Dragon, Kim Duk, Goro Tsurumi, Robert Gibson, Tony Charles, Robert Fuller, Grappler #2, Ultraman.

 

-Dave Meltzer, 1983 Wrestling Observer Newsletter

 

Thoughts?

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

"66. Steve Keirn (was better in the pre-Fab days)" - SKINNER~!~!

 

"71. Terry Taylor (really smooth, undoubtedly a future superstar)" - boy was he wrong...

[Guest Astro]

"66. Steve Keirn (was better in the pre-Fab days)" - SKINNER~!~!

 

"71. Terry Taylor (really smooth, undoubtedly a future superstar)" - boy was he wrong...

Have you seen Taylor's match from 1985(ish) vs Flair **** 40 mins +

 

Had the UWF buyout went differently, then Taylor might've been seen as a legit threat in the NWA/UWF for years

 

Kiern still wrestles indies as Doink I read

[Guest Astro]

Terry Funk (despite bad knees one of the all-time great workers)

 

 

To think he still wrestles is amazing

 

 

Abdullah the Butcher (for 4 minutes, nobody’s better, only in the 5th min. he drops dead

 

Ditto

 

and Abby the 27th best holy cow!

[Guest ToddRoyal]

10. Terry Funk (despite bad knees one of the all-time great workers)

 

And 21 years later, he's still carting around on those knees...

 

54. Matt Borne (if personal problems don’t stop him, he’ll be a superstar)

 

Well, Doink is close...

 

59. Bret Hart (pretty well unknown outside of Calgary, but very good)

 

Indeed.

 

Some of the low workers are a little odd. He names guys like Koko, Michael Hayes & Rocky Johnson near the end, not exactly selling their wrestling skills, but doesn't rank- among others:

Barry Windham, Mike Rotundo, Rick Martel & Robert Gibson.

[Beast 0]

Does Meltzer still do these lists? Ive never read the Observer.

[Guest Astro]

Who's Fishman?

[cawthon777 0]

Interesting how Bret and Hennig were listed next to one another.

[Guest Indikator]

94. Atsushi Onita (we may never see him against after his broken leg)

[JHawk 0]

15. Jimmy Snuka (an incredibly gifted athlete and can work -- being in WWF hurts)

 

And the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same.

[Slingshot Suplex 0]

Some of the low workers are a little odd. He names guys like Koko, Michael Hayes & Rocky Johnson near the end, not exactly selling their wrestling skills, but doesn't rank- among others:

Barry Windham, Mike Rotundo, Rick Martel & Robert Gibson.

To be fair, Windham,Rotundo and Martel, I believe, were only two or three years as pros at that point. No,wait,when were Martel and Tony Garea WWF Tag champs? '78?

 

Interesting list though.

[nl5xsk1 0]

Two questions:

 

43. Bobby Eaton (takes some bumps few others would take, very underrated) ... what the hell bumps were they taking then? That was back when a chairshot put you on a stretcher, and a piledriver was "career threatening"?

 

80. Gino Hernandez (good when he wants to be, but we’ll never have to worry anymore) ... what was up with Gino? He lasted another 4 years before OD'ing, so unless his problems were already well known, I can't figure out why we wouldn't have to worry.

[Mole 0]

34. Hulk Hogan (super strength, good worker, limited in ability but gives good matches)

 

SUPER STRENGTH!!!

[OldSchoolWrestling 0]

35. Jerry Blackwell (simply incredible a slob can be so good)

 

Gold!!

[Guest Astro]

Two questions:

 

43. Bobby Eaton (takes some bumps few others would take, very underrated) ... what the hell bumps were they taking then? That was back when a chairshot put you on a stretcher, and a piledriver was "career threatening"?

 

80. Gino Hernandez (good when he wants to be, but we’ll never have to worry anymore) ... what was up with Gino? He lasted another 4 years before OD'ing, so unless his problems were already well known, I can't figure out why we wouldn't have to worry.

Gino disappeared from SWCW in 83 right after splitting with Tully. He was AWOL until He showed up in WCCW in 84. No one (Kayfabe memories experts included) knows what happened to him.

[Guest Astro]

I take it # 13 refers to masked Super Star?

[nl5xsk1 0]

Two questions:

 

43. Bobby Eaton (takes some bumps few others would take, very underrated) ... what the hell bumps were they taking then?  That was back when a chairshot put you on a stretcher, and a piledriver was "career threatening"?

 

80. Gino Hernandez (good when he wants to be, but we’ll never have to worry anymore) ... what was up with Gino?  He lasted another 4 years before OD'ing, so unless his problems were already well known, I can't figure out why we wouldn't have to worry.

Gino disappeared from SWCW in 83 right after splitting with Tully. He was AWOL until He showed up in WCCW in 84. No one (Kayfabe memories experts included) knows what happened to him.

Hey, thanks, Astro. I just presumed that the question would go unanswered, so I'm happily surprised to have found out the answer.

 

Thanks.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Who's Fishman?

Fishman was a lucha/puro star for the most part.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Sgt. Slaughter was actually a good worker?

[Guest Sturgis]

75. Greg Gagne (very good wrestler, horrible in tv matches)

 

 

WHAT?!?!?!

[Guest Frank_Nabbit]

Sgt. Slaughter was actually a good worker?

Somebody named Verne Gagne should know that Sarge was awesome from 1980-88 ish

 

 

See his matches w/ Pat Patterson, Bob Backlund, Stan Hansen etc for evidence

 

He put on a bunch of weight by 89-91

[Guest Frank_Nabbit]

75. Greg Gagne (very good wrestler, horrible in tv matches)

 

 

WHAT?!?!?!

I think that means Greg can weave a wonderful story in a 20 min house show match, but his offense is unconvincing in a 4 mins TV special

[Vern Gagne 0]

Gagne never showed anything inside the ring. So he could do the basic stuff, but so could most ham 'n eggers in the AWA.

 

Another one suprisingly high is Adrian Adonis. I knew he was good in the AWA. Just never knew he was that good.

[Guest Frank_Nabbit]

Gagne never showed anything inside the ring. So he could do the basic stuff, but so could most ham 'n eggers in the AWA.

 

Another one suprisingly high is Adrian Adonis. I knew he was good in the AWA. Just never knew he was that good.

Please Stop...I'm losing respect for you by the second

[JHawk 0]

Gagne never showed anything inside the ring. So he could do the basic stuff, but so could most ham 'n eggers in the AWA.

 

Another one suprisingly high is Adrian Adonis. I knew he was good in the AWA. Just never knew he was that good.

Please Stop...I'm losing respect for you by the second

Dude, before Adonis' let his weight get completely out of control, he could freaking go. Find some Adonis matches circa 1982 or 83. Good stuff.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Gagne never showed anything inside the ring. So he could do the basic stuff, but so could most ham 'n eggers in the AWA.

 

Another one suprisingly high is Adrian Adonis. I knew he was good in the AWA. Just never knew he was that good.

Please Stop...I'm losing respect for you by the second

What are you talking about?

[IWD 0]

Who's Fishman?

Fishman was a lucha/puro star for the most part.

Former WWF light-heavyweight champion (from the pre-TAKA days) - held the title twice, including one reign of over 2 years. Unclear how much it was defended though.

 

Good to see some recognition for Steve Wright - his matches against Tiger Mask I were top stuff.

 

Cool.

[Guest Frank_Nabbit]

Still a good list to look back upon

[Mole 0]

Doesn't Meltzer hate Flair?

[Guest Frank_Nabbit]

If by Hate you mean blindly love forever