Biggest Name To Never Wrestle At Mania?

[Stormtrooper]

Looking at Pillman/Douglas, is it really fair to include him? Pillman was only in WWE for a couple years, and was injured for a good part of it. In fact he wrestled for WWE from May 1997 until his death in October of that year (obviously not in time for a Mania), and last wrestled in WCW in February of 1996. It's not like he had ample opportunity to have a match. Similarly, Shane Douglas never was with WWE during a WrestleMania, so he can't be considered eligible.

Lance Storm is easily #2 behind Lawler. He was active for years (hell, he was a champion for at least one of the Manias), and he never wrestled on the PPV (he had a dark match or Sunday Night Heat match).

 

[The Brain]

You're right Trooper. Those were just two big names who were with WWE during a mania that never wrestled there. Pillman was injured for WM13 and Douglas was a nobody during WM7. He might have even been out of WWE by then. At least they were better answers than AJ Styles or Lou Thesz. I didn't think anyone would top my original answer of Storm but there's always a chance I forgot somebody.

EDIT: Come to think of it Pillman was with WWE for over a year. He just happened to be injured at mania time. I think he's worth a mention.

 

[ABMorales787]

You're right Trooper. Those were just two big names who were with WWE during a mania that never wrestled there. Pillman was injured for WM13 and Douglas was a nobody during WM7. He might have even been out of WWE by then. At least they were better answers than AJ Styles or Lou Thesz. I didn't think anyone would top my original answer of Storm but there's always a chance I forgot somebody.

EDIT: Come to think of it Pillman was with WWE for over a year. He just happened to be injured at mania time. I think he's worth a mention.

 

[The Brain]

Sorry Killjoy but Styles and Thesz don't meet the criteria.

 

[daddyJ_t]

even though he was only a ref in his last appearance in the ring for a starcade match featuring sting, the baddest man around has never been to a wrestlemania. Dick The Bruiser. he passed away in 1991, but he retired in the late 80s and was a backstage talent guy in wcw, wouldve been nice to see him at wrestlemania and maybe even make the hof

 

[Pepe Silvia]

Santino

Santina doesn't count

 

[The Brain]

I think Santina does count. He technically won that battle royal.

 

[Sparky]

No Silly, that was his sister.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Sting

Or was Harley Race ever at Mania?

or Misawa?

Surely gotta be one of those guys?

 

[Stormtrooper]

Who is the biggest name that has wrestled for WWE during the WrestleMania years that has not wrestled at mania besides Jerry Lawler?

I feel the need to quote this post so that it's fresh in peoples mind. The OP was asking for the biggest name THAT WRESTLED IN WWE DURING THE WRESLEMANIA YEARS.

Obviously guys like Sting, Dick the Bruiser, AJ Styles, Lou Thesz, and Misawa are not part of the equation since they never wrestled in WWE.

Harley Race had 2 Mania Matches. He beat JYD at Mania III and was in the WMIV Battle Royal.

 

[Vega]

If you just count singles matches, I'd say it's Pedro Morales.

If you count injured wrestlers, it's Billy Graham I think.

Mil Mascaras wrestled a WWF match in late february 1985, I don't know if he could've competed at WrestleMania. And I can't exactly say if Dan Severn was a part of WWF during the Mania timeframe (1998 or 1999).

Pat Patterson or Gerald Brisco? Okay, they were old and more like comedy characters.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

Apparently D Lo Brown never turned up at mania, although how big a star he was questionnable, same with Gangrel.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

D'Lo was at Mania 16 with Godfather vs. Boss Man/Buchanan. They were sung to the ring by Ice-T as a matter of fact.

I suppose I'd say Scott Steiner as a singles wrestler. He's quite different as a solo star than he was as a tag wrestler.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

Right you are, I think Gangrel stands though, and he was part of the ministry at one point.....

 

[Stormtrooper]

If you just count singles matches, I'd say it's Pedro Morales.

why are we just counting singles matches? It's competing, not competing in singles matches.

If you count injured wrestlers, it's Billy Graham I think.

He was in NWA from pre-Mania until sometime in 1986, only wrestling 2 matches in August and October 1987, before having to retire for good. He never really was in the company for Mania.

Mil Mascaras wrestled a WWF match in late february 1985, I don't know if he could've competed at WrestleMania. And I can't exactly say if Dan Severn was a part of WWF during the Mania timeframe (1998 or 1999).

Mil Mascaras was in a grand total of 5 WWE matches. 4 in 1981, and the 1997 Rumble.

Severn made his first WWE appearance 8 days after Mania XIV (1998), and had his last match in February of 1999, a month before Mania XV. Hence he was never in the company for Mania.

Pat Patterson or Gerald Brisco? Okay, they were old and more like comedy characters.

Comedy Characters, part-time wrestlers. They are even lower on the card then jobbers.

Right you are, I think Gangrel stands though, and he was part of the ministry at one point.....

And Lance Storm was part of the Invasion, part of the UnAmericans, and was an Intercontinental Champion, as well as a multi-time Tag Champion, INCLUDING being 1/2 of the Tag Champs for WrestleMania XIX.

Gangrel was nothing more then a midcard jobber, never holding a championship. Lance Storm was a solid midcard champion wrestler who could have likely been pushed further then they did.

Again, this is EASILY Lance Storm. The guy was a CHAMPION DURING a Wrestlemania, and was a healthy scratch (ok, he actually wrestled the Sunday Night Heat match before the show, but it wasn't Mania).

 

[The Brain]

Again, this is EASILY Lance Storm. The guy was a CHAMPION DURING a Wrestlemania, and was a healthy scratch (ok, he actually wrestled the Sunday Night Heat match before the show, but it wasn't Mania).

It is easily Lance Storm. At this point I'm just interested in hearing other names because no one is going to top Storm. I don't think there are any more notable names but I'll be curious to see if there are any more.

 

[Daniel]

When did Buddy Rogers leave the WWF in the 1980s when he was a manager/part-time wrestler? Very tenuous but it could be him.

 

[Vega]

He was in NWA from pre-Mania until sometime in 1986, only wrestling 2 matches in August and October 1987, before having to retire for good. He never really was in the company for Mania.

In a time without written contracts it's indeed rather hard to tell who's part of a company and when exactly. He wrestled in September 86 and his next match in July 87, both for WWF. I read that he was injured during that timeframe, so I counted him as a wrestler who was part of the company, but injured during Mania time.

Mil Mascaras was in a grand total of 5 WWE matches. 4 in 1981, and the 1997 Rumble.

Plus 17 in 1977, 27 in 1978, 7 in 1983, 40 in 1984, one in 1987. And one a month before WrestleMania I. But I don't know if they could've booked him for that event and what criteria must be exactly met to be "part of the company".

Comedy Characters, part-time wrestlers. They are even lower on the card then jobbers.

As I mentioned, I agree. But the question was for the "biggest name", and I'd consider Pat Patterson to be a bigger name than Lance Storm. That being said, if you look for the hottest star by the time of Mania where he didn't compete, Lance Storm is probably the guy to go. And Gangrel has a hard time making it into a "top 500 ever"-list, thus eliminating him I'd say.

 

[The Brain]

I don't know when he left but he wasn't wrestling for them during the mania years.

 

[The Crock]

EASILY.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

I still find it weird that they left RVD/Kane vs. Storm/Morley off of Mania 19. Storm/Morley were over as heels and Kane & RVD were the opposing team for Christ sake.

 

[The Crock]

Key word Morley, FunKay. Chief FUCKING Morley.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

It would've been Regal but he had a heart condition. Still, they were pretty hated and would it have killed them to stick this on instead of the Miller Catfight shit they had?

 

[Stormtrooper]

In a time without written contracts it's indeed rather hard to tell who's part of a company and when exactly. He wrestled in September 86 and his next match in July 87, both for WWF. I read that he was injured during that timeframe, so I counted him as a wrestler who was part of the company, but injured during Mania time.

So a guy is never able to compete in a time of WrestleMania, how can he be counted at all? And they had written contracts in the Mania era, as that's how most of the guys decided to come to WWE over from the AWA (WWE gave written contracts worth more money, AWA didn't).

Plus 17 in 1977, 27 in 1978, 7 in 1983, 40 in 1984, one in 1987. And one a month before WrestleMania I. But I don't know if they could've booked him for that event and what criteria must be exactly met to be "part of the company".

I'd say a written contract would be something that would make him "part of the company". I highly doubt he ever had a written contract, based on the fact that he was never really exclusive to WWE, he would just be brought in sparingly as a cross-promotional endeavor, or on a per-appearance deal.

As I mentioned, I agree. But the question was for the "biggest name", and I'd consider Pat Patterson to be a bigger name than Lance Storm. That being said, if you look for the hottest star by the time of Mania where he didn't compete, Lance Storm is probably the guy to go. And Gangrel has a hard time making it into a "top 500 ever"-list, thus eliminating him I'd say.

I would NEVER consider 1990's Pat Patterson/Gerry Brisco bigger stars then 2000's Lance Storm. Never in my wildest dreams. Yes, in his heyday MAYBE Patterson is a bigger star (wrestling was a bit different then), but we're not talking heyday, we're talking while they were they were employed as in-ring performers by WWE during the Mania era.

And someone brought up Gangrel, so I had to fight them off. Although I would put Gangrel in the top 500 gimmicks of all time. I actually liked the gimmick.

 

[Lee]

Hmm, Hector Guerrero?

Aside from you know WM 17