What stars from the past could make it today and..

[Guest Downhome]

Would Steambot be huge today? Would Rocky had been huge back many years ago?

 

Who do you feel would actually have made it, if they were in a different era of Pro. Wrestling?

 

I only WISH that The Dynamite Kid was around today, can you just imagine the matches he could have with Chris Beniot, or how much of a GREAT tag team they would be!?

[Guest Some Guy]

Steamboat lacked the personality to be huge today.  Dynamite would be just like Benoit, held down because of size.  Guys like Rock, Austin, Flair, and Savage would be huge at any time.

[Guest Dark Lotus]

Steamboat's style, both in ring and out, might be a little boring to current audiences.  Rocky?  I think promoters might be scared of him and blackball him quickly.

 

Dynamite Kid was WAY ahead of his time.  If he had been around today, everyone would be accusing Benoit of biting his style.

 

But then, if DK hadn't been around then, would we *have* a Benoit?

[Guest FakeRazor]

Steamboat's style is a little too old school both in the ring and outside the ring to get over with today's casual fans.  I think he'd bore them.

 

The Rock's gimmick wouldn't work in the 80's or early 90's.  He'd be completly out of place.  His stupid catchphrases would probably be seen for what they are.... Stupid Catchphrases.  Too over the top for back then...  The Rock is just too different... maybe he'd get over as a heel though.  He's too "Hollywood" for that era.

 

Benoit would get over back in the day just on his ring work, much like today, ditto for Dynamite Kid.  Outstanding ring work translates well through the generations.

[Guest Brooding Genius]

Brian Pillman, in his prime and as the "loose cannon," would've been the biggest thing in wrestling today.

[Guest Tony149]

Rick Rude (R.I.P.) would be over huge if he were still around. Steamboat wouldn't be over. He would get booed like Kurt Angle did for being a "good guy". I think The Rock could be big back in the day. Steve Austin would probably be over huge as a heel against an 1980s babyface Hogan. Kurt Angle would be a big face and probably a friend of Hogan's for being a "Real American".

[Guest Downhome]

But then, if DK hadn't been around then, would we *have* a Benoit?

Yeah, I think we would still have a Benoit, but I don't think it would be the SAME Benoit. He did indeed get a lot of his move set and image from that of The Dynamite Kid, and even Benoit himself said he set out to be like him...

 

...but Benoit had other guys he looked up to. Had TDK not have been around, Benoit would simply be "different" today, from move set, the way he bumps, his look, etc...

 

Anyone who has seen TDK can OBVIOUSLY see they are almost mirror images of one another. :-)

[Guest Some Guy]

Rude would certainly get over now, so would the Funker from mid 80's, as the "middle-aged and crazy" bastard who doesn't give a shit.

[Guest The Masked Yodeler]

Angle would be over and any point in time in history. Angle v. Farmer Burns, Angle v. Ed "Strangler" Lewis, Angle v. Thesz, Angle v. Gorgeous George, Angle v. Buddy Rodgers, Angle v. Bruno, Angle v. Andre, Angle v. Flair, he would draw in any era, against anyone.  Even back in the early days of wrestling, Angle would have been huge because he was a legitimate wrestler, hell, Lou Thesz loves Angle.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

Hulk Hogan couldn't work today...

[Guest The Vanilla Midget]

i dont know about the old guys, but im willing to bet that angle and benoit would definitely make it at any time, and austin (pre neck) would probably as well.

[Guest Big Poppa Popick]

I'd place my bet for an oldie still being a goodie being Jimmy Snuka

 

The man obviously had some charisma, and without him, we would never had seen Mick Foley.

 

That's enough for me

[Guest mastermind]

Okay, I think some are forgetting that the wwf would make the wrestlers fit the era and the fans. The example is Kurt Angle. In the 1980's Kurt Angle would be over as a face. Today he is more suited to be over as a heel. Kurt Angle would be on the same lines with Sgt. Slaughter and Ken Patera(1987 and 1988). Would Sgt. Slaughter and Ken Patera make it today?

 

I think they would, but in the form of how Angle is being promoted as a heel. Sgt. Slaughter would probably be an over zealous former drill instructor out to "discipline" the "degenerates of the new generation". You see that charcter would be over today. His ringstyle would be old school, but it wouldn't clash too much with the new guys. Contrasting styles usually make solid matches.

 

As for Ken Patera I could see him with the exact role as Kurt Angle. Throw in the storyline he had when he returned in 1987 and I think he would have got tremondous heel heat for trying to be a role model, but a hypocrite. His style wouldn't clash too uch either. I think these two guys would be much more over than say Edge and William Regal are now.

 

Now about Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. It's crazy to think he wouldn't be over. That's like saying Ric Flair wouldn't be over today. I think Steamboat has this genuine aura to him where the fans would buy his good guy image. However, I think he would have an edge to him like he did when he returned after his "larynx injury". He would be unique and wouldn't be a Steve Blackman. He's an all-time great and would know how to adapt to this era.

 

Dynamite Kid would be like RVD. Even back then fans thought he was ahead of his time with his high flying moves. Chris Benoit would have fit the 80's, but he would get treated bad because of his size.

 

Rick Rude would be monster over today. Hell, do you think he would have been the perfect foil for the current storyline with Steph/HHH? He might have got face pops as well for being a "playa". Val Venis is just a cheap imitation and doesn't have the mic skills.

 

Demolition would run roughshod over the tag team scene today. Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka would also be over because his mic skills were so out there and different.

 

Would Hulk Hogan work today? Someone said that he wouldn't, but I think he would. Here is why. Hogan's mic skills are so outrageous that it makes him different. The reason why people got sick of Hogan was that he became over-exposed. Have Hulk Hogan in his hey day of 1985-1987 and he would be over. He's an all-time performer. No one else did the "Hulking up" as Hogan did. He has about the same amount of moves as Triple H(the current one and 1999 version) and Rock do.

 

Would Rock be over back in the day as Rocky Maivia? YES! Would Rock be over in his current incarnation? YES!, but he would be tremondously booed. The guy insults everyone and is an egomaniac who dresses to the nines. I say Ric Flair today would be cheered like crazy. Randy Savage would probably be the most over in the top 3 stars of the 80's simply because I think he's like Stone Cold with a high flying aspect.

 

Stone Cold would have been an AWESOME heel back in the day. Imagine Hogan vs. Austin at WrestleMania 2 instead of Hogan/Bundy? Actually just think of Hogan/Savage WM 5.

[Guest Haku]

Muta and Kabuki and Tenyruu could have made it today if used right

[Guest EI Cubano]

I think that old school tag teams like The Steiner Brothers (1992), The Road Warriors (1987), Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson (1989), the Midnight Express (89) and the SkyScrapers would have absolutely no problem getting over today.

 

As far as heels, I could seed definately see Rick Rude being the most prone to be insanely overthese days based on his timeless schtick and overall charisma. Jake Roberts (1991) and Randy Savage (1989) would probably do ok for themselves as well.

Faces in general just don't seem like they would cross generations very well. Sting (1989) would probably be ok but I think it would be an uphill battle for just about everyone else.

[Guest Big Poppa Popick]

who are the other two?

 

I don't know Japanese wrestling

and if you mean make it, do you mean in Japan or US

and what's booked right? is it like very specific?

[Guest Dark Lotus]

Kabuki was a World Class mainstay, pretty much.  Tenryu showed up every now and then when the WWF needed a "notable Japanese superstar", although most puroheads wouldn't put him in the same category as Muta, Misawa, or even Baba and Inoki.

 

Kabuki and Tenryu's only notable WWF angle came when they were Fuji's hitmen at Rumble 94, helping put Taker into the casket, and attempting to knock Luger out of the Rumble.

 

I'm not sure if that's a troll post or not, but I'm taking it seriously I guess.

[Guest mastermind]

The tag teams as El Cubano said would have no problem getting over. Add British Bulldogs and Hart Foundation to the list. I think the question is more about which STARS and not which characters would get over today and vice versa. As you said I think the 1989/90 face Sting might have problems, but for the star himself he would get over. I mean he got over during the monday night war era which isn't too much off from this current product. Actually I forgot about Jake "the Snake". He would be over. I mean I still haven't seen anyone do the DDT as the man.

 

How about Outback Jack or Red Rooster?? LOL

[Guest mastermind]

Oh, there is also someone else we haven't talked about. How about Ultimate Warrior? I have my doubts about it. He would be over because he would be different from everyone else, but not much past 1 or 2 years at the most. He flopped pretty big in wcw. If he stayed retired(which he should now) I think his legend would have grown to bigger heights.

[Guest Dark Lotus]

Someone (Bower?  I dunno) compared Woyah to Goldberg, and it's a great comparison.  Over as a monster, just obliterating everyone in his path, but once the cracks began to show, his popularity waned quickly.  The chase is more fun than actually having it.

 

His character *might* get over as it was back then, although I think even the ordinary marks are smart enough to see past the gibberish he spouted.  He'd almost have to turn heel to stay fresh, at least for a while.

 

I agree though, if he hadn't come back and embarrassed himself and WCW, he might be a bit more highly regarded than he is today.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

Steve Austin would have been over huge as a heel in the 80s.  Much like Mr. Perfect.

[Guest Haku]

No troll post Lotus but I really liked those japaneese guys and the japaneese warrior gimmick kabuki had in the NWA was great all three would do very well in the main events if not pushed to fast. All three have been main eventers back in the day, Tenyru- Japan Kabuki- Japan and NWA and Muta NWA/WCW/JAPAN

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

Demolition would be over huge today because they are badasses and today's crowd loves badasses.

 

Savage would be over today. But like someone said above people like Austin and Savage will always be over.

 

I however think Rock would be a monster heel back in the 80's. Just because of how arrogant he is and how much he insults everyone.

[Guest Anglesault]

Test would be over back then! No, actually he still wouldn't be over.

[Guest Tony149]

Test would get the "Sid push". He's big and bookers would push him even if he sucks.

[Guest dreamer420]

At least Sid was over.

[Guest KanadianKrusty]

i think Piper would be over today with his mid-80's heel gimmick... he was

a REAL badass so i think it would work today...

[Guest dreamer420]

Piper is hilarious too and sometimes that is all you need to get over with the fans.

[Guest Tony149]

Yeah, Sid was over. I'm just saying Test would get pushed because of his size with or without heat.

[Guest John Dub]

I think that Lance Storm would be a killer heel back in the mid 80's, and perhaps early 90's. For the 80's, he'd definately need a new gimmick, but he's got that old school mentality and wrestling style, and I could definately see him as one of Dibiase's million dollar men, or as a member of Jimmy Hart's first family.