Best Wrestlers Screwed By the Bussiness

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Who are some of the best wrestlers that were just completely screwed over by the bussiness? The two that come to my mind first would be...

 

Ted Dibiase: Already being over as one of the biggest heels the WWF feels no need to give him the World Title and instead keeps it on Hogan to further the Hulkamania movement. Often noted that both Hogan and Savage used their stroke backstage to keep the title away from Dibiase which led to the birth of The Million Dollar Title.

 

Mike Rotundo: Proved very early with his days in The Varsity Club that if given the ball he could run with it...so what happens? Dusty and Ollie Anderson make him a Boat Capt., turning him into a joke so they could push his friends. Rotundo goes over to the WWF and is given the gimmik of IRS where he steals stuff from notable faces and becomes the man they use to put people over. His most notable achievement would be becoming one half of the Tag Team Champions with the previously mentioned Ted Dibiase. However early on in WCW/NWA he could have made a great World Champion, even if for only a short time.

[JHawk 0]

The real reason DiBiase got screwed was because The Honky Tonk Man didn't want to job the IC Title to Savage at the first NBC prime time special. They had to promise Savage the World Title to keep him from shooting on Honky, and that cost DiBiase a planned World Title reign.

 

If Chris Benoit doesn't get the title at WrestleMania, I'd be willing to add him to this list.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Agreed, Hogan had nothing to do with screwing Dibiase out of WM IV. By the time Savage was going to drop the title, Dibiase had sizzled out a little and feuded with mid-carder Hercules. Damn HTM.

 

I'll add Mike Shaw to the game. A talented big man as Mahkan Singh in Stampede, he went to WCW, and thanks to Ole Anderson not liking him, was given TWO shit gimmicks. He left, went to WWE a little later and they gave him two SHITTIER Gimmicks.

 

The guy just couldn't catch a break in the states.

[WrestlingDeacon 0]

You forget that Mike Rotundo was in the WWF as one half of the US Express with Barry Windham and tag champions before he left for the WCW and joined the Varsity Club.

 

Honestly, I would have to add Lex Luger to the list. Flair never really had a problem dropping the title to people, but for some reason he refused to ever drop it to Luger and that really killed him. He was the next big thing in 1988 and honestly not a bad worker at that time, especially while in there with people like Flair and Windham. Dusty and Flair clashed over the Luger issue more than any other.

[caboose 0]

Sting and Steamboat come to mind. Both funnily enough by Hogan.

[Austin3164life 0]

The reason I can't stand Hulkamania is because DiBiase never got his deserved World Title reign(s), seeing as he was clearly the most over heel of that period, and a great worker. If DiBiase won the title at WM 4, to have a year long reign, it would've made the WM 5 buyrate that much larger, because people would've been dying for him to get beaten by Hogan.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Thing about Sting, Luger, and Steamboat is they all had World Title runs. Maybe they were screwed out of longer runs but they all had their runs with the title and numerous other titles. They were always in the title picture, so I don't count them.

 

Mike Shaw was a good big man wrestler and should have at least gotten an IC or TV Title run without an awful gimmik so good call on him.

 

If Benoit doesn't win the title today that'll be bullshit, but his career won't be over and he could always get another chance so its wait and see on him.

[snuffbox 0]

Dr D. David Schultz

[caboose 0]

Thing about Sting, Luger, and Steamboat is they all had World Title runs. Maybe they were screwed out of longer runs but they all had their runs with the title and numerous other titles. They were always in the title picture, so I don't count them.

Sting may have had title reigns, but explain Starrcade 97 to me.

[LivingLegendGaryColeman 0]

I'll add Mike Shaw to the game. A talented big man as Mahkan Singh in Stampede, he went to WCW, and thanks to Ole Anderson not liking him, was given TWO shit gimmicks. He left, went to WWE a little later and they gave him two SHITTIER Gimmicks.

I read a recent interview with him where he talked about how over Norman the Lunatic was and Ole refused to push him. The two top babyfaces Sting and Luger told Ole they should push him too, and even said to Ole that he was getting more reaction than them at most shows. I thought that was a pretty interesting thing.

 

I don't know if politics apply, but I would've loved to see Curt Henning get a World Title run.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Sting may have had title reigns, but explain Starrcade 97 to me.

I admit that was Hogan screwing him, but it doesn't take away from the fact that he had numerous World Title reigns.

 

As for Curt Hennig I'd agree except for the fact that he screwed himself out of stuff.

 

Hennig, Pillman, Hall, and Jake Roberts all screwed themselves out of various title reigns due to their constant substance abuse. Pillman ended his in-ring career and then his life due to his substance abuse problems. Now I know there have been alot of drug using Champions but the thing is the bussiness didn't care if they were doped up so long as they could perform. The previously mentioned four got so fucked up they couldn't at times, and Curt Hennig always instogated shit too when he was doped up. That's why I don't include them.

 

I should have made it clearer in the initial post but I mean wrestlers who gave everything to the bussiness no matter what was asked of them, were good wrestlers, and yet were still shat upon due to politics.

[caboose 0]

Sting may have had title reigns, but explain Starrcade 97 to me.

I admit that was Hogan screwing him, but it doesn't take away from the fact that he had numerous World Title reigns.

Up until that point, Starrcade 97 was the most built Main Event in wrestling's modern era. It had an 18 month build. It would be the defining moment of Sting's career as well as WCW's biggest PPV ever. Enter Hogan, and the rest is history.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

I think Sting's defining moment was beating Flair for the NWA title in 1990.

 

Starrcade 97 was suppose to be Bischoff's defining moment of booking but he fucked up, got the axe and they gave the book over to Nash

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Definitely Savage. There was always Hogan to come take the title away from him. Those 2 one day world title reigns in WCW in 98 and 99 were fucking bullshit.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Brian Pillman was fucked since birth. Didn't he have a type of throat cancer when he was two? And I thought he died from a disease, not from a drug over-dise.

 

 

And how is STING in this? He's main evented more WCW PPV's than anyone on the face side, is a 7x former world Champion, a former multi-time Tag Champ, US Champ, and TV Champ.

 

Barry Windham seemed to have never been pushed properly as a real main eventer, which is a shame because he was damn good in the 80s and early 90s. After watching his awesome matches with Flair from 1987, I'm shocked Flair wouldn't drop the title to him instead of RON FUCKIG GARVIN.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Definitely Savage. There was always Hogan to come take the title away from him. Those 2 one day world title reigns in WCW in 98 and 99 were fucking bullshit.

Savage had major title reigns in the WWF and was always in the main event spotlight. He was hardly screwed over.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

If rumors are true that Brad Armstrong was a really good wrestler on the Indy circut in the 80's, then him. The guy NEVER caught a break in WCW. Arachniman?! Candyman? A Fabulous Freebirds lacky?! A MIA lacky? Jesus...

[snuffbox 0]

Barry Windham seemed to have never been pushed properly as a real main eventer, which is a shame because he was damn good in the 80s and early 90s. After watching his awesome matches with Flair from 1987, I'm shocked Flair wouldn't drop the title to him instead of RON FUCKIG GARVIN.

Garvin got that lameduck reign because noone else wanted it. It was obvious that whoever got the belt than was just a transitional champ so Flair could regain at Starrcade. If my memorys accurate, I dont think Garvin ever defended the title on television.

[snuffbox 0]

If rumors are true that Brad Armstrong was a really good wrestler on the Indy circut in the 80's, then him. The guy NEVER caught a break in WCW. Arachniman?! Candyman? A Fabulous Freebirds lacky?! A MIA lacky? Jesus...

Id assume that had something to do with the 'Armstrong' name. None of the boys were ever given a good push, except RoadDogg who didnt use his last name in WWF. Bullet Bob, besides often putting himself over at the expense of his kids in his own promotions, probably pissed off the WCW bookers at some point. My guess anyway.

[WrestlingDeacon 0]

Barry Windham seemed to have never been pushed properly as a real main eventer, which is a shame because he was damn good in the 80s and early 90s. After watching his awesome matches with Flair from 1987, I'm shocked Flair wouldn't drop the title to him instead of RON FUCKIG GARVIN.

Garvin got the belt because he was the only one that would take it. Flair wanted to drop the belt to somebody, so he could win it back at Starrcade that year and boost hype for the show. Everyone knew it would be a token reign and didn't want to do it. Garvin realized that this was close as he would ever get to being a main eventer and knew he could cost on the brief title reign for the rest of his career. After Garvin did win, no one would put him over and he never defended the belt until he dropped it back to Flair.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Barry Windham seemed to have never been pushed properly as a real main eventer, which is a shame because he was damn good in the 80s and early 90s. After watching his awesome matches with Flair from 1987, I'm shocked Flair wouldn't drop the title to him instead of RON FUCKIG GARVIN.

Garvin got the belt because he was the only one that would take it. Flair wanted to drop the belt to somebody, so he could win it back at Starrcade that year and boost hype for the show. Everyone knew it would be a token reign and didn't want to do it. Garvin realized that this was close as he would ever get to being a main eventer and knew he could cost on the brief title reign for the rest of his career. After Garvin did win, no one would put him over and he never defended the belt until he dropped it back to Flair.

It was nice of Flair over the years to include Garvin's name whenever he would cite former World Champions. Usually, it'd go something like:

 

"Dusty Rhodes, Harley Race, Ron Garvin, Sting, Luger, WOOOOOOOO!!! We were all World Champions!!!"

[snuffbox 0]

Barry Windham seemed to have never been pushed properly as a real main eventer, which is a shame because he was damn good in the 80s and early 90s. After watching his awesome matches with Flair from 1987, I'm shocked Flair wouldn't drop the title to him instead of RON FUCKIG GARVIN.

Garvin got the belt because he was the only one that would take it. Flair wanted to drop the belt to somebody, so he could win it back at Starrcade that year and boost hype for the show. Everyone knew it would be a token reign and didn't want to do it. Garvin realized that this was close as he would ever get to being a main eventer and knew he could cost on the brief title reign for the rest of his career. After Garvin did win, no one would put him over and he never defended the belt until he dropped it back to Flair.

I beat you by a few minutes on that Deacon

[WrestlingDeacon 0]

Yeah, but I'm still better looking.

[snuffbox 0]

Yeah, but I'm still better looking.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Me >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> everyone else.

 

 

Back on the Armstrongs, they had one problem....no charisma, but good wrestling skills. Brian Armstrong was oddly the opposite, loaded with charisma, but sub-par in the ring.

[snuffbox 0]

I thought that with a decent push, Brad Armstrong could have been the face equivelant of a heel Barry Windham.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

I thought that with a decent push, Brad Armstrong could have been the face equivelant of a heel Barry Windham.

I think the only decent push he got was being a Freebird lacky. Pretty sad.

 

 

HE DID Pin Berlyn on PPV though

[Slayer 0]

Me >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> everyone else.

What the hell does that say about everyone else?

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

i'm better than all!

[Guest MikeSC]

I thought that with a decent push, Brad Armstrong could have been the face equivelant of a heel Barry Windham.

I think the only decent push he got was being a Freebird lacky. Pretty sad.

 

 

HE DID Pin Berlyn on PPV though

Armstrong seemed to be on the verge of unseating Tully Blanchard for the World TV Title back in 1987 --- but then he was just stuck in a tag team with his dad and his career died.

-=Mike