Who Are the Legends of the Wrestling Industry?

[The Truthiness 0]

This topic was split out from discussion going on in the WWE Folder about the HBK/Hogan match from SummerSlam a couple of years ago. HTQ stated during one of his posts that Hogan was a legend and Shawn Michaels was not. -Dandy

 

Shawn Michaels isn't a legend? What? I don't care for the guy, but to say he isn't a legend is kind of naive.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Shawn Michaels isn't a legend? What? I don't care for the guy, but to say he isn't a legend is kind of naive.

Not naive, just stating a fact. Hogan, Austin, Flair and Rock are legends. Shawn, for all his talent, just doesn't fit in that group.

[The Truthiness 0]

Shawn Michaels isn't a legend? What? I don't care for the guy, but to say he isn't a legend is kind of naive.

Not naive, just stating a fact. Hogan, Austin, Flair and Rock are legends. Shawn, for all his talent, just doesn't fit in that group.

 

No, he doesn't fit in that goup, but neither does Jerry Lawler. That doesn't mean they aren't legends. It just mean he isn't as big of an legend as those particular guys. So it isn't really a "fact" at all.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

To a casual fan, Jerry Lawler is not a legend.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

To a casual fan, Jerry Lawler is not a legend.

 

But Shawn Michaels is...

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Debatable. I'd say he's pushed like one, but the problem is his major peak was in a time where most everyone was watching Hogan and Flair in WCW. Then once Shawn "retired", people switched over to WWF to watch the Rock and Austin.

[The Truthiness 0]

To a casual fan, Jerry Lawler is not a legend.

 

If we're going off "casual fans", Dusty Rhodes probably isn't a legend either. So that really isn't a stong defense.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

To a casual fan, Jerry Lawler is not a legend.

 

If we're going off "casual fans", Dusty Rhodes probably isn't a legend either. So that really isn't a stong defense.

 

Dusty is in fact not a legend either.

[The Truthiness 0]

Debatable. I'd say he's pushed like one, but the problem is his major peak was in a time where most everyone was watching Hogan and Flair in WCW. Then once Shawn "retired", people switched over to WWF to watch the Rock and Austin.

 

People switched over to watch WCW, because they had a better product, they switched back to WWE because WWE started having a better product. Hogan was there 2 years before people stated switching to WCW, when Hogan turned heel it gave them something new, but Nash and Hall had a lot to do with that also. WWE took back over, because Austin pushed the envelope further and also gave the fans something new. They didn't just switch back because Michaels left WWE.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

No. That's not my contention. My contention is at the peak of wrestling fandom, when most fans were watching, Shawn was either wrestling for the competition or not even wrestling at all. So the exposure Shawn had was minimal at best.

 

Before people attack me, I am merely making the point that I believe HTQ's point is Shawn, and Lawler/Rhodes/etc are not legends in terms of being household names. Which they aren't. Only Flair, Rock, Austin and Hogan can claim to be. Well Vince too.

[The Truthiness 0]

To a casual fan, Jerry Lawler is not a legend.

 

If we're going off "casual fans", Dusty Rhodes probably isn't a legend either. So that really isn't a stong defense.

 

Dusty is in fact not a legend either.

 

Yes he is. There are more than 3 legends in wrestling, the fact that they aren't bigger than Austin, The Rock, and Hogan doesn't mean they aren't legends. Cena does big business and is known more than a lot of stars from the 80's, that doesn't mean the guys aren't legends.

 

[Hawk 34 0]

You have to include Andre with the true legends group. Right below those guys are the likes of Sting, Michaels, Rhodes, 'Taker, Foley, Bagwell, Cena, Hunter, Goldberg, Lawler and Warrior.

[The Truthiness 0]

No. That's not my contention. My contention is at the peak of wrestling fandom, when most fans were watching, Shawn was either wrestling for the competition or not even wrestling at all. So the exposure Shawn had was minimal at best.

 

Before people attack me, I am merely making the point that I believe HTQ's point is Shawn, and Lawler/Rhodes/etc are not legends in terms of being household names. Which they aren't. Only Flair, Rock, Austin and Hogan can claim to be. Well Vince too.

Taker could be thrown in the househould name category also, as could Triple H and Cena. That doesn't mean stars like Piper, Lawler, Rhodes, doesn't have a legendary status. They were all household names before aswell, things just change. Wrestling isn't like most pop culture, people stop watching and guys retire. That doesn't mean their contribution should be downplayed, because 3 guys are recognized more than thousands of other performers, to "casual fans".

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Hawk 34 gets it. Thank you.

[The Truthiness 0]

Bagwell?

 

I just find it kind of humorous, that anybody would say that there is only 5 legends in wrestling, because they were bigger draws than everybody else.

[King Kamala 0]

Truthiness, what everybody is trying to say (I think) is that Flair, Rock, Hogan, Andre, and Austin are the only true legends- meaning that they are known by a good deal of casual fans and non-fans.

[The Truthiness 0]

I understand that.

[Hawk 34 0]

In fact, those five guys are known outside of the wrestling world. People that never seen one minute of professional wrestling have heard of those 5 guys. You'd have to seen some wrestling in your life to know the name of Shawn Michaels, a wrestler named Sting, or Dusty Rhodes.

[Dandy 0]

To me, I see good arguments from both sides as it is pretty much personal opinion on whether or not some of those guys are legends or not. The only thing that made me do a double take was the mention of Bagwell on Sting, Taker, and HBK's level. What?

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

In fact, those five guys are known outside of the wrestling world. People that never seen one minute of professional wrestling have heard of those 5 guys.

Which to me is a qualification to being considered a real legend. People who aren't fans of your sport knowing who you are because you transcend that sport. People who don't know a thing about wrestling know who those guys are in the same way that people who don't know a thing about boxing know who Muhammad Ali is.

[BUTT 0]

You have to include Andre with the true legends group. Right below those guys are the likes of Sting, Michaels, Rhodes, 'Taker, Foley, Bagwell, Cena, Hunter, Goldberg, Lawler and Warrior.

A fitting tribute to the recently retired Nature Boy.

[StrapFinlay 0]

We could argue for hours about what makes a legend, but I would add that Hogan remains on a level of his own.

 

Walk up to a non-wrestling fan in the UK and ask them to name a wrestler and I'd suggest the majority would name Hogan.

 

In terms of being known among the general public, I have to say that Flair is a long, long way behind Rock and Austin here, too.

[Hawk 34 0]

To me, I see good arguments from both sides as it is pretty much personal opinion on whether or not some of those guys are legends or not. The only thing that made me do a double take was the mention of Bagwell on Sting, Taker, and HBK's level. What?

 

Did you miss every Flair promo in the dying days of WCW?

[The Truthiness 0]

We could argue for hours about what makes a legend, but I would add that Hogan remains on a level of his own.

 

Walk up to a non-wrestling fan in the UK and ask them to name a wrestler and I'd suggest the majority would name Hogan.

 

In terms of being known among the general public, I have to say that Flair is a long, long way behind Rock and Austin here, too.

 

Exactly, which would mean he isn't much of a legend, if I went with "Legends are only guys casual fans know" line of thinking.

[Dandy 0]

Did you miss every Flair promo in the dying days of WCW?

No, that just totally went over my head until someone else commented that it was a nod to Flair. I thought you had lost your mind.

[The Truthiness 0]

To me, I see good arguments from both sides as it is pretty much personal opinion on whether or not some of those guys are legends or not. The only thing that made me do a double take was the mention of Bagwell on Sting, Taker, and HBK's level. What?

 

Did you miss every Flair promo in the dying days of WCW?

 

Yeah, I remember thinking how random it was when he did it on the last Nitro.

[King Kamala 0]

INDUCT THIS MAN INTO THE HALL OF FAME, VINCE! (Preferably with Scott Norton giving the induction speech...)

 

 

[haVoc 0]

This is the dumbest thread I've seen in a while so allow me to dumb it down a little more. Fuck casual fans. Why should a legends status be dictated by people who don't even watch?

 

What's the point of debating who's more legendary? What's the outcome? What does the business gain from it?

[Mystery Eskimo 0]

This is the dumbest thread I've seen in a while so allow me to dumb it down a little more. Fuck casual fans. Why should a legends status be dictated by people who don't even watch?

 

Yep. Its a ridiculous way to assess wrestlers, or any category of performer. As a British person, I could name maybe 2 or 3 famous baseball players. Does that mean there are only 2 or 3 baseball legends?

 

 

[RHR 0]

Here's the way I look at it...I announce/help run a verrrrry small wrestling group up in Seattle. A while back, one of our guys did a SPOT ON Dusty Rhodes impersonation during the show, and about 1/5 of the crowd of about 250 got it. The rest had not idea what was going on. They didn't know who Dusty Rhodes was/is.

 

If I got up on stage, and said, "Hey...The Rock is here!" The crowd would get it.

 

 

So, much like the wrestling fandom has two groups: Smarks and Marks, the legends are divided, too.

 

Only, their is an ELITE that gets love from both.

 

If you are a HARDCORE wrestling fan, despite their flaws, you mark when/if you see Rock, Austin, Hogan, Flair, and Andre. You do the same even if you are a "casual" viewer.

 

Marks will talk about Macho Man, Warrior, the British Bulldogs, etc because they know who those guys are. Mention Dean Malenko to them and they go cross-eyed.

 

Anyway...we all know there is only one true legend.

 

 

You guessed it...