Rock n Roll Express

[sbattsjr]

Over time we hear about numerous tag teams as being some of the greatest teams ever but you never hear about the Rock n roll express. Growing up they were my favorite tag team. Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson battled legends like the Minnesota wrecking crew(the andersons), the midnight express, the Russians and many more. They were who the rockers bit off of from ring attire to in ring moves. They were multiple time tag champs and was one of the hottest baby face teams behind the road warriors. So what do you guys think of the Rock n roll express:

 

[BloodworkKP]

They were an ok team for the 80's good babyface team descent move set created the face in peril gimmick now used in just about all tag matches now hate to say it but Robert gibson's lazy eye bugged me the thing with the r n r express was they had no mic skills they were dull as dishwater on the mic and good ring skills but if you gave them some newer moves now they could still be over now I mean not all the best talents were great on the mic maIenko would be an example one of the best In the ring but bad on the mic it was the only thing I think that kept Vince from trying to get the express in the 80's and by the time they came in for smw angle and again with the nwa angle they were past prime physically

 

[BloodworkKP]

Caught a spelling mistake on malenko but I'm not trying to knock the r n r but because look at who is getting in the wwe hof the warrior wasn't the most talented in either mic skills and skill set but neither here nor there I do believe that then r n r express will be in the hof I do think that the midnight express (Eaton and lane) get in before same with demolition but they will obviously not for the 90's stuff but their 80's stuff

 

[justtxyank]

They were an ok team for the 80's good babyface team descent move set created the face in peril gimmick now used in just about all tag matches now hate to say it but Robert gibson's lazy eye bugged me the thing with the r n r express was they had no mic skills they were dull as dishwater on the mic and good ring skills but if you gave them some newer moves now they could still be over now I mean not all the best talents were great on the mic maIenko would be an example one of the best In the ring but bad on the mic it was the only thing I think that kept Vince from trying to get the express in the 80's and by the time they came in for smw angle and again with the nwa angle they were past prime physically

Missing bloody periods, Batman!

Anyway, I agree with this distorted post mostly. They were a good tag team that relied heavily on the heel team they were facing to make them look great. Matches between the Express and a good heel tag team were always good because the Express could sell with the best of them. They were not stars though and had a very southern indy wrestling look about them.

When the WWF brought the RnR Express in during the 90s they were basically a total flop because they looked ridiculous.

 

[sbattsjr]

The rockers looked the same way and had just about the same move set but people give them credit!!

 

[justtxyank]

The rockers looked the same way and had just about the same move set but people give them credit!!

Except they were good looking guys. Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson were ugly. Once TV got a hold of them and people could see them, they looked more like something out deliverance than they did like teen idols. Also, Gibson and Morton were never the workers that Marty and Shawn were. Morton was a good seller and Gibson did the the hot tag well, but their matches were incredibly formulaic. Jannetty and HBK were significantly better and thus explains why they both were more successful as individuals, with HBK going on to be an all time great.

The push of Ricky Morton as a singles star was a total bust.

 

[sbattsjr]

I agree with Morton singles run as a bust but that was because of booking. Jannety sucked as a singles competitor as well. Shawn went to stardom yes but as a tag team they stole all of the rnr express moves. Also the rnr express faced better and tougher competition. YouTube Ricky Morton vs ric flair, Morton was pretty good in the ring

 

[FlairFan2003]

1st: The success of the R&R Express vs Midnight Express feud was so big Vince McMahon copied it when he created the British Bulldogs vs Hart Foundation feud.

2nd: The Rockers were a carbon copy in look, moves, even name, the AWA attempt to re create the phenomenal popularity of R&R.

3rd: R&R were excellent in ring performers, they were fast enough with enough high flying moves to compare to modern day cruiserweights but legitimately matched up well and were convincing going over much larger, more physical teams like The Russians & The Andersons

4th: Morton sold out arenas as a singles wrestler for his main event run vs Flair in 1986, fans clearly heavily invested in his character.

R&R was easily one of the Top 5 Teams of the 80s, alongside Road Warriors, Midnite Express, The Freebirds, and Hart Foundation. They were infinitely more successfull than their carbon copy rip off The Rockers, not even close. They were a perfect team for the decade and the promotional style in the industry, easily among the most popular acts in the industry in the decade as well.

R&R career highlights include...Hugely popular and long running feud vs Midnite Express, Brutal, bloody, violent matches vs The Russians, Feuded with 3 different combinations of Horsemen teams (brutal, physical matches vs Ole & Arn Anderson, excellent fast paced matches combining technical, high flying, and brawling vs Blanchard & Arn, plus Morton's singles matches vs Flair were as good as Flair's classics with Whyndam & Steamboat).

On a side note, the vignette where The Horsemen attacked R&R in the locker room, beating Morton so bad they broke his nose (rubbing his face in the concrete as Flair delivered multiple knee drops) is without a doubt one of the all time best bad guy beatdowns in wrestling history, easily among the most violent, and a huge reason for the credibility The H-men had as super heels.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

As much as I liked the RnR Express back in the day, I gotta agree with justtxyank: They were as good as their opponents were. When you're facing the Midnight Express and The Andersons night in and night out, you're gonna look really damn good. That said, I think the Rockers, who were initially considered a carbon copy of the RnR Express, put on much better quality matches, and had equally good opponents in the Hart Foundation and The Rougeaus. What the Rockers didn't have was the push, and consequently, the same level of drama in their matches. In the end, the RnR's were good for their limited time span in the mid-80s. By even the end of that decade, they were reaching their expiration date.

 

[sbattsjr]

The hart foundation and the rougeaus were better than the Andersons, you may need to go YouTube the Andersons a little more. The only reason people talk about the hart foundation was only because of Bret's later stardom. The rnr express made a lot if teams look good and they were luchadors before luchadors became famous. The rockers couldn't have a legit push because they were not ready yet. If Shawn didn't hit stardom they would be just another team. Look at the teams that were in the NWA compared to WWF, there was no comparison to how great NWA teams were and WWF teams were average.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

The hart foundation and the rougeaus were better than the Andersons, you may need to go YouTube the Andersons a little more. The only reason people talk about the hart foundation was only because of Bret's later stardom. The rnr express made a lot if teams look good and they were luchadors before luchadors became famous. The rockers couldn't have a legit push because they were not ready yet. If Shawn didn't hit stardom they would be just another team. Look at the teams that were in the NWA compared to WWF, there was no comparison to how great NWA teams were and WWF teams were average.

If you really want to compare the teams in the WWF Vs. NWA during that time:

NWA Rock N' Roll Express Feuds: Midnight Express (Eaton/Condrey and Eaton/Lane), Ivan and Nikita Koloff, Arn and Ole Anderson, Rick Rude and Manny Fernandez, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard

WWF Rockers Feuds: The Hart Foundation, The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers, Demolition, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, The Orient Express

As for the WWF Vs NWA comparison, I think you're underestimating the quality of the teams in the WWF. Demolition was one of the greats, and The Rougeaus were a dramatically underrated team. The Hart Foundation were obviously one of the all time best, and of course, Arn and Tully had their stint in the WWF as well. Further, I think if you go back to watch The Rock N' Roll Express Vs. Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, and then watch a The Rockers Vs. The Brain Busters match, you'll be very surprised at which is the better match.

As for whether the Rockers were "ready" yet, ready for what? They were AWA Tag Team Champions before. They were in a very busy tag team scene in the WWF. They were very nearly the champions except for some political back stage maneuvering.

I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

[sbattsjr]

The teams you said were greats for wwf lost to the top teams from Nwa when the Nwa guys jumped ship. Demolition was a rip off of the road warriors and we all saw what happened when they went head to head. Hart foundation stardom was all because of Bret later success, now granted it they were pretty good but they loss to Nwa teams when they jumped ship. LOD, Steiners, horsemen were just a few teams that jumped ship and won gold from the wwf teams

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

The teams you said were greats for wwf lost to the top teams from Nwa when the Nwa guys jumped ship. Demolition was a rip off of the road warriors and we all saw what happened when they went head to head. Hart foundation stardom was all because of Bret later success, now granted it they were pretty good but they loss to Nwa teams when they jumped ship. LOD, Steiners, horsemen were just a few teams that jumped ship and won gold from the wwf teams

Okay, going to start off with this: "Wrestling isn't real". So you can dispense with these guys beat up those guys because they're better stuff.

No, Bret's later success didn't make the Hart Foundation bigger. They were pretty big and popular prior to that. If anything, Bret got over as a singles guy because of the strength of the Hart Foundation.

LOD and The Steiners never wrestled either the Rockers or the Rock N' Roll Express, so they're irrelevant to the discussion.

As for NWA teams going to the WWF and winning...do you think that might be because most teams went only in one direction because one promotion was a lot more successful than the other? Again...wrestling...not real, dude. Scripted. Pre-determined results.

If you want to talk about match quality and ability in the ring, let me know.