Who Are the Legends of the Wrestling Industry?

[RonL21]

They're obviously guys like Rock, Austin, Hogan who are above and beyond legends in wrestling because even those who don't follow wrestling know who these people are. But to say guys like Sting, Bret Hart, Dusty Rhodes arent legends in the business is ridiculous. Any wrestling fan who knows a little bit of history should come to that conclusion

[Guest tom cody]

I'd say guys like Sting, Bret Hart, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold and Shawn Michaels are legends in the wrestling industry.

[reign]

I have to agree with those that say you don't need to be known by people who don't watch wrestling to be considered a legend. Those five guys can definately be considered the most popular figures in wrestling history but that does not mean people like Flair and Hart are not legends. Lawler from everything I've ever been told is a legend in Memphis.

 

Not to mention I doubt too many general public types even know that the Rock used to wrestle. To my parents he's just some new action star.

 

Anna Kournikova was by far the most famous womens and maybe all of tennis player when she played. Ton's of people knew who she was.

Anna Kournikova...not a tennis legend.

Argument over.

[Hunter's Torn Quad]

But to say guys like Sting, Bret Hart, Dusty Rhodes arent legends in the business is ridiculous. Any wrestling fan who knows a little bit of history should come to that conclusion

Nobody has said they aren't legends in the business. But when it comes to being known outside the business? They're just not well known enough to reach the level of Rock, Austin or Hogan.

 

Anna Kournikova was by far the most famous womens and maybe all of tennis player when she played. Ton's of people knew who she was.

Anna Kournikova...not a tennis legend.

Argument over.

 

Not really, because she's not considered that highly on tennis. It's more than fame on it's own. It's success in your own field as well. Which Kournikova lacks.

[Perfxion]

By the WWE legend status: Greg Valentine is on the level of Andre the Giant.

 

Level of Wrestlers who are not only bigger than the sport would be known by non fans in areas plus are true kings of the ring.

Ric Flair, Rock, Austin, Hogan, Andre, Ventura, Gouch, Thez

 

Level of Wrestlers who are mainstream within the circle of pro wrestling. Plus casual fans would know real well.

Sting, Warrior, Bret Hart, Dusty, Taker, LOD, Savage, Samartino, Piper, Race, Moolah, Michaels, Vern Gagne, ect.

 

Being famous and being good are not the same. The simple line in the sand to draw is this. People are legends in the business when they can put asses in the seat for a long time. Problem is that of the second group, Samartino, Vern, and Race are the only three to be draws as long as any of the major ones or as big. Since money is the main point of any business. No one can honestly say that Michaels, Hart, Sting, Warrior, LOD, Piper, and Taker combine to match the drawing power of Flair. Who is chump change next to the 4 biggest draws in wrestling of all time: Andre, Hogan, Austin, Rock.

 

Flair as a legend is no debate. Michaels is a debate because he was great in the ring, as was Steamboat. But both didn't draw the big matches unless paired with someone who could do those gangbuster numbers. Taker, Michaels, Bret all share a big burden when it comes to the legend label. They are well known and loved but in terms of business each only had one or two really good programs as draws. Rest of the time they were the king of a hill the size of a pitchers mound. Terms of Hall of Fame, they all deserve to get in. But terms of impact on its hall. Allowing Michaels in for his work is like allowing in Sosa for 600+ home runs. Both got alot of love, but for being the it guy, it was so short.

 

 

As for the Kournikova comment. She was loved for her looks. But the most famous female players of her time are the William sisters. They are the Rock and Austin to her Warrior(read: flash in the pan).

[The Truthiness]

Nobody has said they aren't legends in the business.

 

That is what you said, you only used the "casual fan" defense, when you seen USC and Hawk34 brought it up.

[The Buzz]

The Rock, Undertaker, Sting, Hogan, Austin, nWo, Goldberg, Macho Man, Warrior are the names non casual fans remember when I randomly ask who they like to see wrestle whenever they used to, or still catch it on tv. If I bring up Ric Flair they remember sometimes when I say the old guy who goes whoo and wears the robes.

 

I'd say the legend status goes in categories. I'd consider guys like Taz, Dreamer, Raven, legends but probably two-three notches below a guy like Hogan. While I'd place Sting, Dusty, Hart, Taker, etc. a notch below the Hogans, Austin, Rock. Guys like Goldberg and Ultimate Warrior I don't know where to put because people still talk about them that aren't major wrestling fans, and at a time were as hot as the biggest of names.

 

I'd probably just throw Sammartino and Thez up there on the top level because of how long they drew for.

[Neil-o-Mac]

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.

 

You'd also get plenty of mentions of the likes of Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks and maybe even Kendo Nagasaki in the UK, I reckon, due to how big the wrestling on World of Sport was back in the 70s/early 80s. Obviously more from folk in their thirties/forties, of course.

[Corey_Lazarus]

Uhhh...yeah, Michaels is a legend. A legend, at least my definition of it, is anybody whose contributions to their field are appreciated and/or felt for years to come. Michaels and Hart helped pave the way for smaller, more athletic workers to make it big on a national stage, and brought a more athletic feel to the way matches worked.

 

But then again, I'd consider half of the old ECW roster legends because they all helped changed the industry in the mid-to-late 90's, so what the fuck do I know, right?

[Black Lushus]

I'm not an ECW fan, but I have no problems calling Tommy Dreamer, Sandman, Sabu and RVD legends in their industry.

[King Kamala]

I'll put in my two cents here seeing how I indirectly helped start this topic. IMO, with any sport there are icons and legends. Legends are well regarded by the sports fans and recognized by even the most casual fans. Icons are known by virtually everyone regardless of whether they watch the sport or not. Again I'd say the icons of the sport are Hogan, Austin, The Rock, Vince, and Flair is borderline. There are very few Icons but there are a dozen or so perhaps even twenty legends.

[StrapFinlay]

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.

 

You'd also get plenty of mentions of the likes of Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks and maybe even Kendo Nagasaki in the UK, I reckon, due to how big the wrestling on World of Sport was back in the 70s/early 80s. Obviously more from folk in their thirties/forties, of course.

 

Yeah, I was thinking that as I typed it - probably get a few mentions of Les Kellett, too.

 

Though, even if this is off on a bit of a tangent, I'd go as far to say the name "Hulk Hogan" is more recognised here than any American footballer, ice hockey player, baseball player, etc.

[ryankeast]

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.

 

Once I read this, you have swayed my thinking.

 

Also gotta say Bagwell should not be in the next groups down. Maybe the next 4 groups down prehaps.

[foleyfanforever88]

The Undertaker is definitely a legend. I don't care if he was never a huge draw on his own, everyone knows who he is.

[ryankeast]

People have different interprations of the term "legend".

 

Ric Flair is without a doubt a legend in the wrestling industry - but is he as known outside the wrestling industry like Austin, Rock, Hogan and even The Ultimate Warrior is? I doubt it. Yet you can't escape that without a doubt Flair is of course a Legend.

 

I would call nearly all the guys in this thread mentioned a legend of the industry - apart from Bagwell.

 

Other legends - I would include are guys like Jake The Snake and Macho Man. It's just what your interprtation is of the term legend.

[haVoc]

OK, let me ask this. Most of us wouldn't list Randy Savage alone with Austin, Hogan, Rock etc, but there are tons of people who know who "The Macho Man" is even if it's from the old Slim Jim commercials. Does that make Savage an Icon since most remember him?

 

I'd be willing to bet there are more people who could point Randy Savage out of a line up then Steve Austin.

 

[foleyfanforever88]

I'd be willing to bet there are more people who could point Randy Savage out of a line up then Steve Austin.

 

Don't put up too much money.

 

[King Cucaracha]

I'd be willing to bet there are more people who could point Randy Savage out of a line up then Steve Austin.

 

Don't put up too much money.

 

I think it'd be pretty close to be honest.

 

Besides, how many times has Austin appeared on Family Guy, huh?

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Can I take El Santo for the win?

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

Roddy Piper and Jesse Ventura haven't been mentioned, but obviously those guys have huge mainstream exposure.

[King Kamala]

That's true. You know I think if we're going by quasi mainstream recognition and if we're counting non-wrestlers (Hell, I counted Vince) then Mean Gene might be a legend. He's notable enough to have been reference on MST3K and gotten a cameo in Repossessed!

[Guest Warriorfan]

I think the Icon vs legend distinction is the best perspective on this debate. I believe it would break down like this.

 

Icons: Tier 1

 

1. Hulk Hogan

2. Stone Cold Steve Austin

3. The Rock

4. Ric Flair

5. El Santo

6. Antonio Inoki

7. Andre The Giant

8. The Great Muta

9. Jumbo Tsuruta

10. Tiger Mask

 

Legends: Tier 2

 

1. Dusty Rhodes

2. Sting

3. Randy Savage

4. Jerry Lawler

5. Ricky Steamboat

6. Bret Hart

7. Shawn Michaels

8. The Ultimate Warrior

9. Superstar Billy Graham

10. Harley Race

11. Bruno Sammartino

12. Kerry Von Erich

13. Bruiser Brody

14. The Dynamite Kid

15. Giant Baba

16. Carlos Colon

17. Superfly Jimmy Snuka

18. Stan Hansen

19. Nick Bockwinkel

20. Goldberg

 

[Angle-plex]

Everyone *hearts* Flair now after the past few weeks, but non-fans don't really know him all that well. No way he deserves to be above Macho or Warrior in that sense.

[Warriorfan]

Everyone *hearts* Flair now after the past few weeks, but non-fans don't really know him all that well. No way he deserves to be above Macho or Warrior in that sense.

 

Respectfully, if you look at the eras that Flair was involved in during his career I think he edges out Savage and Warrior in terms of non-fan recognition. As the last touring NWA champion and also the last holder of that belt when it was the most prestigious in the world, Flair had more exposure than both Savage and Warrior despite their being hallmarks of the WWF's first boom period. His run at the tail end of the aforementioned WWF boom period also enhances his presence outside of the Mid-Atlantic and the South.