Ok, a big question when it comes to wrestling in the 80's is, who really was the greatest? The main two subjects of that argument are always Hulk Hogan or Ric Flair. So who was really better? I'll save my comments for later...

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- Roemello
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I've said it before, I truly believe Ric Flair is not that good. Maybe its because I was younger and really hated the way he won his matches. Maybe I thought the other guy deserved to win more than he did. I dunno. But when Flair was supposedly at his prime, more often than not, he won a title using a foreign object. If he was the titleholder, he would purposely cause a dq to keep from losing the belt.

As for Hogan, in his prime he was my hero. He was everyone's hero! Yes, he is the most recognizable wrestler ever. Does that make him the greatest wrestler ever? In a sense, yes. At least an argument can be made of it. As far as actual wrestling skill, probably not. There are many less popular wrestlers who are probably better "mat technicians".

If these are the only 2 choices, hands down it is Hulk Hogan.

I do have to give Ric Flair his kudos. I can't think of any wrestler who has wreslted as long as he has. And thank you for the 4 horseman. They made the Atlanta wrestling on TBS really worth watching in the 80's. It seems to me that there is an obvious link between the horsemen of old and the NWO. Everyone knows the NWO, that's what really got wrestling going in the 90's.

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These aren't the only two choices, they're just the most common names thrown out when talking about the greatest of all time (or in just in the 80's in this instance).

I basically put it this way...Ric Flair was hands down the better wrestler, while Hogan was the best entertainer. Anyone in the wrestling world that knows the business well will tell ya, Hogan is no technical wrestler by any extent. A good case can be made for Hogan though....held the world title for nearly 4 years ('84-'88), 11 time champ between the two major feds, and an icon to say the least.

Good case could be made for Flair as well. He was in a plane crash in '77 which was supposed to end his career. What did he do? Came back and had one of the greatest careers in wrestling history. He also defeated much more stiffer competition than Hogan did, defeating the likes of Harley Race, Dusty Rhodes, Terry Funk, etc. Though he did cheat a lot, I remember him defeating each of the above mentioned legitimatally at least once.

Anyone else you'd consider in the best of the 80's category? I'll throw one out in the air....Bret Hart.

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- Roemello
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Now, I do like Bret Hart. Ricky Steamboat is another great technical wrestler. One of my favorites was Kerry von Erich, though his brother Kevin was probably a better mat wrestler. Unfortunately, Kerry's life was over before he really got started. But, for me, the ultimate wrestler in the 80's was Andre the Giant.
Throw a mat technician at him, throw a big guy at him (Big John Studd), throw 2 or 3 at him, he'd still win! I mean if that man got you down and sat on you, you weren't moving until he got off of you! Every once in a while, I'll come across an old WWF video and rent it. I still can't get enough of Andre!!

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My vote goes for the Macho Man Randy Savage. I never liked Ric Flair and Hogan had a boring finishing move (the big leg). I loved watching the Flying Elbow from the top turnbuckle by Savage. Plus when he won the title, it was during the Wrestlemania tournament. He had to win 4 matches (even if Hogan helped him against the Million Dollar Man). And finally Elizabeth was the finest woman in wrestling, so HOT!! In addition, Savage was a great all-around athlete. He was drafted to play baseball and I think played in the minor leagues with the Yankees as Randy Poffo (yes he is the brother of Leaping Lanny Poffo).

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"And when you spit you better mean it, you gotta make them all believe it"

I agree with Don, Savage!

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Ty, we would get along great. We're always agreeing with each other.

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"And when you spit you better mean it, you gotta make them all believe it"

Great minds think alike... actully you're okay... but see Rome just freaks me out on how much we have in common... there should be laws against stuff like that! Just kidding Rome! http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/cool.gif

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yeah, I know, ya love me...lol http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Savage was definitely a top notch performer...and yes, he did play baseball before his wrestling days. Randy's bro wrestled in the WWF for a stint as "The Genius"...blah! Lovely Liz is still a hotty! His most entertaining feud would have to be the one with George "the animal" Steele...Beauty and the Beast http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smile.gif

Kerry Von Erich...I got into him when he came in as the Texas Tornado...all those Von Erichs were great...too bad what happened to 'em all http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/frown.gif

Andre...if Hogan never existed, Andre would have more than likely been the longest reigning champion in a long time. He was damn near indestructable! The Big Show's a lot like Andre in his "Giant Machine" days...he had a thinner physique then, much like the Show.

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- Roemello
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Well I hate wrestling now but it was huge in Memphis in the 70's and 80's and I used to go see it at the Mid South Coliseum all the time. Loved it back then. I tell you one of the great in the 80's was WWF announcer Jerry Lawler. He knew how to work the mike and was a great wrestler. I remember him whipping Hulk Hogan at the Coliseum and he beat Ric Flair one time too. He was the AWA World champion for awhile as well.

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I always thought Rowdy Roddy Piper was adorable. I enjoyed those wrestling bad boys like the Iron Sheik and of course, the recently deceased Gorilla Monsoon. Those were the days!



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WEll, let me tell you something, Jerry Lawler was THE man in Memphis. When I first started watching wrestling, he was the baddest man around. His fueds with Bill Dundee were fabulous.

But, all things considered, I would have to say the best ever wrestler was Ric Flair. He could place the face, or the heel. He beat them all, just like Lawler did, but Lawler only beat them in Memphis. Flair was WORLD WIDE BABY! He beat the hell out of my one of my FAVORITE (but not the "best") Dusty Rhodes. He broke his leg, and in turn put together THE definitive heel group of all time, the FOUR HORSEMEN!


Flair wins hands down. Hogan was just a human cartoon, no skill, nothing. If he had never been in Rocky III he would be nothing.

Second best ever, RICKY STEAMBOAT. That man was a work machine. He could wrestle a hour match and not even look tired.

Ron

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My morals are beyond reproach and I will brutally murder anybody who says different.

Ricky Steamboat...yes...that man could definitely go. That match he had with Randy Savage at WrestleMania III was classic. He had another great one with Ric Flair...I forget the actual event and venue. Ric Flair could go for a long time too. I remember his match with Sting in the first Clash of the Champions lasted nearly an hour.

You're right about Hogan....he never had any actual technical skill, but he was a hell of a performer non the less.

Roddy Piper...that guy was a riot! He's the originator of good humor in the wrestling world http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smile.gif

Lawler...now he's the best and funniest color man in the announcing business. In his day, he definitely was a top performer. Another feud he had was with Rocky Johnson...the father of THE ROCK! Not only has he beaten Flair and Hogan, but also Randy Savage and Terry Funk. Of course his claim to fame was the Andy Kaufman deal http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/biggrin.gif And to top it all off, his girlfriend Stacy is HOT! you know her best as The Kat!


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- Roemello
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Of course I luv ya Rome!

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I need a blushing smilie http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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- Roemello
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Hehehehehe... yeah... and a kissing one too!

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Here's a blush smilie Roem <IMG SRC="http://members.aol.com/blaziegrl/blush.gif" border=0>

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~~~ 80's ROCK STARS ~~~ (http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/rap/1087/index.html)

Old Chinese Proverb
War doesn't determine who is right, war determines who is left.

Hehehehehe... yeah!

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~*~*~Tydestra~*~*~
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hahaha....cute! I might make a new one anyway...got a busy weekend ahead of me, so maybe next week.

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- Roemello
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Was the Ultimate Warrior late 80's or early 90's? I forget....but if he was late 80's then he gets my vote for "the man".

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Yup! The Ultimate Warrior was late 80's/early 90's. He was always great to watch in his heyday. The running at full speed up the runway...shaking the ropes like a maniac http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smile.gif I remember when he beat the Honky Tonk Man in like 5 seconds to win the Intercontinental title. He didn't go over as a top performer until '92 when he beat Hogan for the world title.

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- Roemello
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Originally posted by Roemello:
He didn't go over as a top performer until '92 when he beat Hogan for the world title.

That was 1990. (Wrestlemania VI)

The best wrestler of the 80's imo is Ric Flair. Just watch some of his matches against Ricky Steamboat, Terry Funk, Harley Race, Magnum T.A. and Kerry Von Erich. They are all classics. Somebody said Hogan was more entertaining....I totally disagree. Flair cut better promos and had a much faster, more graceful style in the ring.

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Oops...thanks for the correction. Even the People's moderator makes mistakes here and there /ubb/smilies/smile.gif April 1, 1990...Toronto, Ontario. I think mixed up my titles /ubb/smilies/tongue.gif

Ric Flair as I've said many times is without a shadow of a doubt the best wrestler there's ever been. No one can ever deny that guy's charismatic presence in and out of the ring....second to none. And he beat a lot stiffer competition and can honestly say he earned every title he ever held.

However...Hogan was the best in his arena...sports entertainment. The NWA wasn't a place of high drama and pagantry as the WWF was and still is to this day, that's why I say Hogan was a better entertainer...from the perspective of sports entertainment. He was definitely no entertaining wrestler...I think he knew all of 4 moves. Punch, bodyslam, big boot, leg drop. But the fact remains, he owned the 80's popularity-wise and sold out a lot more arenas and thus, the title of better entertainer.

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<FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size="4">- Roemello</FONT s></FONT f>
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http://roemello.80sxchange.com
"The only true knowledge exists in knowing, that you know nothing"

Well, saying Ric Flair is not as good a "sports entertainer" as Hogan is iffy at best. Flair gave FAR better interviews, was able to work as face or heel, and could actually tell a story in the ring, not just get beat up, HULK up and hit the 4 moves of doom. Hogan did sell out more venues, but Flair will ALWAYS be the man.

Ron

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My morals are beyond reproach and I will brutally murder anybody who says different.

And this is why this has been a highly contested debate for ages... /ubb/smilies/laugh.gif

I'm not a mark for either really, but IMO, Flair is and has always been better than Hogan. I try to be as unbiased as possible however and state the opposing argument as well. Cases can be made either way. Here's a thought...what would have happened if the roles were reversed? Flair coming up in the WWF and Hogan coming up in the NWA? Personally, I think if Flair got that high powered marketing machine that is the WWF in his prime, we may have never heard of Hulk Hogan...either that or he'd be working the mid-card. One thing to remember about the Hulkster...when he first entered the business, no one was impressed at all. It took Rocky III and the McMahon touch to bring him to greatness. Although, once he was given the ball, he ran with it which isn't something just anyone can do. Flair on the other hand came up through the territories and learned from the veterans and eventually took over by force. For a guy that got in a plane crash in '77 and told he'd never wrestle again, he had a hell of a run /ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif

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<FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size="4">- Roemello</FONT s></FONT f>
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"The only true knowledge exists in knowing, that you know nothing"