relentless1
G.O.A.T.
So watching RAW tonight I got the idea from the networks countdown show, anyways who do you think is the best trash talker of all time in WWF, WCW, whatever...Top spot for me goes to the Rock...
Best trash talker of all time
- Thread starter relentless1
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AegonTargaryen
Championship Contender
I don't know how you'd define "trash-talker". If you mean one who uses the most amount of trashy words in a single promo, I suppose The Rock did that all the time. He would begin and end with poop, ass, and what not. Austin in contrast seemed moderate because alongwith the "kick your ass" and other trashy phrases, he'd utilize all his Texan stuff such as "I ain't afraid of nobody son" and all.
But if by trash-talking, you refer to the ability of one wrestler to disparage and totally decimate the opponent verbally, kayfabe or not, I will go with CM Punk. CM Punk's facial expressions and intonation during his Anti-HHH and Anti-McMahon promos themselves revealed a whole lot of actual acrimony rather than kayfabe and the way he'd go on trashing and antagonizing made it seem that much real. Punk wouldn't just spew out age-old catchphrases and twitter BS and the sort of stuff he would say must make HHH from the attitude era rip his T-shirt off and at once become warlike.
Hence, I'm going with CM Punk. But if you mean who uses trashy words like ass and monkey poop and all that, The Rock is the trashiest talker, uh oh, the greatest trash-talker, of all time.
But if by trash-talking, you refer to the ability of one wrestler to disparage and totally decimate the opponent verbally, kayfabe or not, I will go with CM Punk. CM Punk's facial expressions and intonation during his Anti-HHH and Anti-McMahon promos themselves revealed a whole lot of actual acrimony rather than kayfabe and the way he'd go on trashing and antagonizing made it seem that much real. Punk wouldn't just spew out age-old catchphrases and twitter BS and the sort of stuff he would say must make HHH from the attitude era rip his T-shirt off and at once become warlike.
Hence, I'm going with CM Punk. But if you mean who uses trashy words like ass and monkey poop and all that, The Rock is the trashiest talker, uh oh, the greatest trash-talker, of all time.
TootsieBear
Pre-Show Stalwart
Two talents that come to mind are: Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. During the Attitude area these talents were the best in the ring and on the mic. You couldn't do any better than them.
Let's not forget Paul Heyman. One of the greatest on the mic. Period! Can make people laugh, hush up, and go "WTF!" Paul is truly one of a kind.
Let's not forget Paul Heyman. One of the greatest on the mic. Period! Can make people laugh, hush up, and go "WTF!" Paul is truly one of a kind.
KingJoe316
Dark Match Jobber
The Rock is the greatest trash talker period. Stone Cold and CM Punk are right behind him,but no one could keep going and berate a talent quite like The Rock.
Mustang Sally
Sells seashells by the seashore
Yes, Roddy Piper. While the Rock was terrific and I enjoyed his rants, they concerned only who's candy ass he was about to kick. It was funny, mindless stuff.
Piper walked alone through WWE during his heel phase (which lasted a long time) and we never knew what was going to come out of his mouth next. In Piper's Pit, his flow of insults and running commentary as to his interview subject's wrestling ability, place in the company and even his family left these guys with no alternative than to take a poke at Roddy since they had no way of out-talking him.
The body wears out as it gets older and the performer can no longer bring it in the ring, but Roddy's mind is as sharp as ever and he can still stir up trouble on the mic, which is why I wish he could manage someone in WWE. Let him take on a wrestler who is weak on the mic (preferably someone of Scottish extraction?) and have Roddy be the guy's mouthpiece. Watch the fur fly.
As a trash talker, Roddy would make Zeb Colter pale in comparison.
Jerry Lawler and Roddy Piper are near the top of the list. They didn't repeat the same one liners over and over again like The Rock, and didn't cut a promo that was scripted. They both had a razor's wit that is severely lacking in today's wrestling.
As for others who could talk smack, you've got Cornette & Heyman & Heenan who were all managers that had the ability to zing opponents and the audience like no one else.
As for others who could talk smack, you've got Cornette & Heyman & Heenan who were all managers that had the ability to zing opponents and the audience like no one else.
For me it's between Austin and Rock. Nobody got a pop like those two when they talked trash, but between the two I would give it to Austin. He was just natural on the mic while Rock had to be creative and always use one liners and talk about candy asses. Austin didn't always use fancy catchphrases and threaten to kick someone's ass to talk some great smack - for example, his ECW stuff and one of my favourite insults, "why do you call yourself the Nature Boy? Is it because you like nature? Is it because you like boys?".
Lawler's a great pick too. His Stu Hart jokes were comedy gold.
Lawler's a great pick too. His Stu Hart jokes were comedy gold.
MWRedskins
Mid-Card Championship Winner
oh there's alot i like here, from Jericho to Rock to Stone Cold to CM Punk. all 4 of those guys are my top 4. i think Rock wins here with Stone Cold 2nd, Punk 3rd and Jericho 4th. Punk's pipebombs really got alot of the crowd saying "ooh" and the Rock knew how to get a reaction with his promos. Stone Cold was usually just short and sweet while Jericho also came up with great insults like calling wrestlers the wrong name. i think Rock wins though, he was/is unique with his trash talking.
What no love for Piper?? The original badass of his time and for all time at that.. The ROck was great no doubt,so was SCSA. But Piper would cause Riots because of his skills on the mic.. While not a mat technician by any stretch Piper would mentally defeat his opponents on the mic..
No one could out talk him,he would come up with stuff on the fly.. No offense to the OP,but you must not be old enough to remember Piper which is a shame if thats the case. Pipers Pit,was the holy grail back in the day.. Its the yardstick which performers should be judged on,their mic skills.. No one comes close to Hot Rod
No one could out talk him,he would come up with stuff on the fly.. No offense to the OP,but you must not be old enough to remember Piper which is a shame if thats the case. Pipers Pit,was the holy grail back in the day.. Its the yardstick which performers should be judged on,their mic skills.. No one comes close to Hot Rod
relentless1
G.O.A.T.
lol, I had a list of names in my head before I wrote the poll down and I forgot a few of them, it won't let me edit the poll now, Jericho, Heyman and Piper would be on the list as well if I could edit.
FlairFan2003
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Flair - the "training bra" for Ricky Morton was vintage, as was the skit where he brought a manequin on screen dressed as Prescious, the wife/manager of his top rival "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin, and proceeded to undress & molest the manequin, showing Garvin what was going to happen to his wife after Flair beat him in their upcoming cage match. The "She Was Mine Before She Was Yours...She's Damaged Goods" promos leading into WrestleMania VIII were legendary, and the "This One's On Randy" promos (using Randy Savage's credit cards to pay for his extravagance after he & Liz joined forces in 1996) along with his catered ringside buffets were nearly as good. Flair was one of the all time masters at the over the top trash talk promo & skits.
Anti-IWC-Marks
Occasional Pre-Show
The thing is, this is a WWE poll about "all time wrestling".
I defy anyone to go watch Buh-Buh Ray Dudley in ECW run down the Philly and New York crowds. It was AMAZING that the man wasn't shot.
However, if we're going to acknowledge that this is JUST WWE.. "trash-talking" insinuates dissing or dogging your opponent.
Steve Austin and Rock are clearly the top two there. I'd say the Rock probably beats Steve overall. IWC mark favs like Jericho and Punk are certainly in contention, but should probably be in the lower top 10.
I defy anyone to go watch Buh-Buh Ray Dudley in ECW run down the Philly and New York crowds. It was AMAZING that the man wasn't shot.
However, if we're going to acknowledge that this is JUST WWE.. "trash-talking" insinuates dissing or dogging your opponent.
Steve Austin and Rock are clearly the top two there. I'd say the Rock probably beats Steve overall. IWC mark favs like Jericho and Punk are certainly in contention, but should probably be in the lower top 10.
Hollywood Naitch
The current reigning and defending
I went for The Rock, I think he is without equal in talking trash to his opponent. Personally I'd class Flair/Piper right up there with Rocky when it comes to mic skills and cutting promos but "talking trash" to me is insulting/mocking your opponent, and is different from just being good on the mic. It's slightly different. I think the way The Rock was, with his style of insults was more of a trash-talker than anyone else.
Trill Co$by
Believes in The Shield!
William Regal... Seriously, why WWE has never given him the proper respect he deserves is beyond me. This guy is currently at a broadcast table in developmental, and the sad part is... HE'S STILL PEEKING. This guy still continues to mold his craft on a daily basis, because he believes in this industry. And his mic work is no different. I'm willing to bet that if given the likes of Ric Flair, The Rock, Stone Cold, or anybody and given proper time to speak; William would blow those overrated fucks out of the water... apologies to the Nature Boy.
Well, this is a no-brainer. Dwayne Johnson, in his prime, before the PG rating effectively sliced his bag of tricks in half, had trash-talking down to a science - there was no fucking with him back in the day.
It's almost become cliched to praise Rock's mic skills at this point but then he did derail Billy Gunn's WWE career with a single promo, so...
It's almost become cliched to praise Rock's mic skills at this point but then he did derail Billy Gunn's WWE career with a single promo, so...
THTRobtaylor
Once & Future Wrestlezone Columnist
The Rock is the winner on sheer number of zingers but the actual best trash talk moment ever up is on no one's posts... Brian Pillman.
5 little words that changed the business forever based on genuine hatred of the system he was working in, his opponent and convention...5 little words that set Pillman up to be the man Austin became until he decided NOT to call a cab home.
5 little words that created what we now call "Attitude" and completely changed how fans saw the business...
"I Respect You Booker Man"... If anyone can truly say a moment is better, state your case... but you will lose...that defines trash talking.
5 little words that changed the business forever based on genuine hatred of the system he was working in, his opponent and convention...5 little words that set Pillman up to be the man Austin became until he decided NOT to call a cab home.
5 little words that created what we now call "Attitude" and completely changed how fans saw the business...
"I Respect You Booker Man"... If anyone can truly say a moment is better, state your case... but you will lose...that defines trash talking.
It has to be either The Rock or Punk. The Rock was the greatest but he also relied on catchphrases and one liners whereas Punk could decimate people on the mic without them.
If non-wrestlers can be included then Jim Cornette has to be one of the greatest trash talkers ever. Watch his shoot interviews on Youtube.
If non-wrestlers can be included then Jim Cornette has to be one of the greatest trash talkers ever. Watch his shoot interviews on Youtube.
Jack-Hammer
YOU WILL RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH!!!!
When it comes to "trash talk", the only guy in all of sports or entertainment that I can think of who matches up with The Rock was Muhammad Ali. In all honesty, a good deal of The Rock's promo style was heavily influenced by Ali and you'd have to be completely blind not to be able to see it.
Just like Ali, The Rock would string his catchphrases together in ways that were memorable, sometimes in ways that rhyme and in ways that were often pretty funny. Also, again like Ali, sometimes The Rock's taunts and trash talk was something pretty juvenile and irritating, even if you liked him. Exactly how much of Ali's public behavior was actually who he was is anybody's guess, though I'm pretty sure a lot of it was hype, and we know the same for The Rock.
Like Ali in public, The Rock had a MASSIVE ego in character. If you're not a small child, mentally handicapped or The Hulk, you'd have to be a world class tool to refer to yourself in the third person. As with Ali, even if you were a fan of The Rock, you sometimes wanted to see him get his ass kicked because, sometimes, The Rock in character does come off as an egotistical bully.
Just like Ali, The Rock would string his catchphrases together in ways that were memorable, sometimes in ways that rhyme and in ways that were often pretty funny. Also, again like Ali, sometimes The Rock's taunts and trash talk was something pretty juvenile and irritating, even if you liked him. Exactly how much of Ali's public behavior was actually who he was is anybody's guess, though I'm pretty sure a lot of it was hype, and we know the same for The Rock.
Like Ali in public, The Rock had a MASSIVE ego in character. If you're not a small child, mentally handicapped or The Hulk, you'd have to be a world class tool to refer to yourself in the third person. As with Ali, even if you were a fan of The Rock, you sometimes wanted to see him get his ass kicked because, sometimes, The Rock in character does come off as an egotistical bully.