King of The Mid-Card

[Pay Per Ghost]

Simple enough question here, who do you think has been the most impressive mid-card wrestler over the years in the WWE?

Here's my vote. Chris Jericho.

He has the IC record to his name and over the years had some of the best mid-card matches especially from 2003 to 2005. His match with the likes of HBK, Christian, RVD, Benjamin were the epitome of someone who has mastered the art of stellar match-performance.

I'd throw in RVD and Eddie in there as well but Y2J is the king.

Your choices now.

 

[klunderbunker]

I wouldn't go with any of those guys due to them being in the main event at some point. If you want to go with people that never made it that high, the first name that comes to my mind is Razor Ramon.

The guy had a total of one PPV world title match ever. He was never in the Royal Rumble because he was either in that one world title match or in an IC Title match. When he left the WWF he held the record for most IC Title held with 4. He had a bunch of great matches including two classic ladder matches with Shawn. And in all that time: he had a total of one world title match? I don't know who else places higher on a list of career midcarders than he does, at least not in the WWF.

 

[aboynameddirt]

Hm...to say any of those 3 wrestlers, especially Jericho, are soley mid carders is certainly missing something.

All 3 have been in the main event picture and have won multiple world titles. Y2J was the first ever WWE Undisputed Champion, amongst other WWE/World Heavyweight Championship reigns. Sure, he is a 9 time IC champion, not to mentioned a handfull of other mid-card championship reigns, but it all seems a bit overshadowed by his definite main event status.

Moving on, a few obvious choices would be Mr. Perfect or Razor Ramon. William Regal, Sean Waltman, and Goldust are also several notable, dedicated guys who have never taken that next step to the top in their career. Whether the latter 3 are deserving or not is debatable.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

I'd say Jericho is the most under utilized talent ever. He had much more potential than ever achieved but the way WCW handled him played into that and then the WWE a little as well.

RVD had had some high points but has always been held back by his refusal to politic backstage and play games to get him to the top, but he has had too many main event achievements to be the guy here.

One guy said Razor and thats a good pick.

I'll go back a bit further and say Roddy Piper. He was never the world champion but he did win a couple titles, he put on solid matches, had his talk segment, had some feuds with top guys that he usually came out the loser in, did a couple movies, and still makes appearances today. Seems a good pick to me

 

[Steve-O-Matt]

Yeah, I agree, guys like RVD and Punk where pretty sucessful in the midcards, but looking at today I'd say the best are Kingston and Morrison. Sadly neither have been bumped up yet and it's unlikely that Morrison will return. It's odd isn't it? On the face of the magazine "Tomorrow's Champions" both these guys were on there.

When it comes to climbing fast, again modernly, Miz seemed to fit a three year midcard career into one year and shoot up the ladder, LOL. If you told me when he was the so called "host" of SmackDown! That he would become WWE Champion and main event WrestleMania, I'd be saying "Get out my house before I called the police".

The overall king I'd say would be between RVD and Morrison.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

I said this before and from 2003-05, Jericho had some fantsastic mid card matches, and a lot of them were for the IC title.

I could've made this about wrestlers who haven't won the big one, puting Piper in the mis-card is incredulous. The man was one of the biggest heels and was the marquee names of his time. I'd say at that time the World Title meant a lot less and it was more about being in much publicized matches and Piper certainly had a fair share of those. He then much later went for the IC strap.

 

[relentless1]

id say scott hall for sure but mr perfect even moreso, the man oozed charisma, just wrog place wrong time to be in the main even picture... btw @ KB,sorry to nitpick but scott hall was in a few world title matches in WCW as well, but i get your point...

 

[20-1 Taker]

Well Jericho has been in many main events before... So I wouldn't include him in this... Currently the best mid carder is Christian... But the best mid carder ever is ROWDY RODDY PIPER... He is definitely the greatest WWE superstar to never Win a world championship... But the second best mid carder ever is RANDY SAVAGE...
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R.I.P. MACHO MAN

 

[Tattooed Jesus]

Razor Ramon aka Scott I don't even think had a match for the WWF World Title so I definitely think he should be near the top or on top of this list.

Mr. Perfect as well, although Curt Hennig was the AWA World Champion he never got past the IC title in the WWF, and only occasionally had matches for the WWF World Title.

My choice though would be Arn Anderson. He is the King of Tag Team wrestling as far as I am concerned because no matter who he teamed with he always made them look better. However Arn always played second fiddle to one Nature Boy Ric Flair. Holding many a mid card title but and basically carrying the Horsemen for years but never ever getting a chance to grab that World title shot anywhere.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

As the term midcard is being used, I'll discount guys who broke through the glass ceiling to recognized World Champion status.

My favorite WWF midcard guy was Ted DiBiase because despite the fact that he may have been involved in many headline storylines (including an unrecognized WWF Title reign when he purchased the belt from Andre), he never actually held a major singles belt, not even the IC belt. That the guy is still remembered so fondly shows how good he was.

Likewise in WCW, Arn Anderson never rose above TV Title runs (the lower midcard belt) in the singles ranks but was never regarded as anything other than a viable contender everytime that he stepped into the ring.

Honorable mentions to guys like Roddy Piper, Davey Boy Smith, Mr Perfect, Razor Ramon, Barry Windham, Rick Rude, Dustin Rhodes / Goldust, Fit Finlay, Steve / William Regal, Jake Roberts, Lance Storm and Owen Hart.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

Is it really necessary that if someone wins the world title there should be no reason to recognize his mid-card achievement?

I speak of Jericho after his undisputed reign. His feud and match with HBK at WM19, his matches with RVD, Benjamin in 2003 were great.

I'd like it even more if people mention Austin or HBK during their IC days. Especially Shawn who had some tremendous matches with Sid, Razor and the likes.

Let's not just limit this to people who didn't win the big one.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

Is it really necessary that if someone wins the world title there should be no reason to recognize his mid-card achievement?

I speak of Jericho after his undisputed reign. His feud and match with HBK at WM19, his matches with RVD, Benjamin in 2003 were great.

I'd like it even more if people mention Austin or HBK during their IC days. Especially Shawn who had some tremendous matches with Sid, Razor and the likes.

Let's not just limit this to people who didn't win the big one.

Agreed, many guys who went onto bigger things had excellent midcard runs. In fact, some have moved between the top and mid ranks as necessitated.

However, for me, as these guys get plenty of props for their time at the top of the card, I wanted to give the recognition to the guys who never reached the same heady heights as a Y2J, Austin or HBK.

 

[ECW Dan Selby]

I'd say Jericho is the most under utilized talent ever. He had much more potential than ever achieved but the way WCW handled him played into that and then the WWE a little as well.

He was the first Undisputed WWE Champion over the Rock and Austin, if I remember rightly.

That's not half bad..

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

However, for me, as these guys get plenty of props for their time at the top of the card, I wanted to give the recognition to the guys who never reached the same heady heights as a Y2J, Austin or HBK.

It's just difficult to overlook Shawn's ladder matches or the Austin/Rock, Hunter/Rock matches for the IC title.

I get your props for those who deserved the brass ring, but didn't. If anyone did, it was Goddamn Piper, but it's about great mid-card match performers.

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

I'd go with the other Chris as my choice. Benoit took to the midcard like a fish takes to water. He started out in the midcard in the WWF, had a World Title run and went back to the midcard after it as if nothing had ever happened. In his first run he had great feuds with Jericho, Guerrero and Angle and in his second run as a midcard guy he elevated the likes of Benjamin and MVP. He seemed to be content honing his craft in the midcard. The quality of his matches in the midcard have been greater than that of Jericho, Ramon, RVD or any other contender.

Benoit was the ideal midcard guy in the sense that he could get a classic match out of an up and comer and pretty much make his career. Due to his lack of mic skills it was always a given that he would fall back to the midcard. That was something that actually made him indispensible rather than unsuccessful in my book. A roster needs every type of performer and a veteran midcarder is one of them and as I said earlier Benoit seemed content in being one.

 

[The HEEL JuiceLee]

What about Kane? I know he held the belt 2 times.1 for only about 23 hours, and 1 good stent last year.Fact being that after his 1st fued,whitch was extremly high profile against TAKER, But the day that fued ended(which i might be wrong here but was not even main event) besides maybe some Raw main events, he has spent his WWE life in the mid-card. Hell even as the dentist he was in the mid card. His last title reighn i think he and taker only went on last at the PPV's 1 time.

Plain & simple i vote for Kane... 2nd goes to jAKE THE sNAKE

 

[MrAsmith97]

I'll say Christian (Before World title reign) yes he is no longer a "mid carder" but his WHOLE career in WWE (aside with teaming with Edge) he was a mid carder and did a pretty good job keeping it interesting with his feuds with Booker T, Jericho, Edge, and i think even RVD at one point, whether you like him or not, Christian always keeps me entertained

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

I'd go with the other Chris as my choice. Benoit took to the midcard like a fish takes to water. He started out in the midcard in the WWF, had a World Title run and went back to the midcard after it as if nothing had ever happened. In his first run he had great feuds with Jericho, Guerrero and Angle and in his second run as a midcard guy he elevated the likes of Benjamin and MVP. He seemed to be content honing his craft in the midcard. The quality of his matches in the midcard have been greater than that of Jericho, Ramon, RVD or any other contender.

Benoit was the ideal midcard guy in the sense that he could get a classic match out of an up and comer and pretty much make his career. Due to his lack of mic skills it was always a given that he would fall back to the midcard. That was something that actually made him indispensible rather than unsuccessful in my book. A roster needs every type of performer and a veteran midcarder is one of them and as I said earlier Benoit seemed content in being one.

Ah, yes. Benoit was so consistently getting into great matches with the like of Angle, Eddie, Edge etc.

Recently saw his match with Angle at Unforgiven '02 and my god, was that great. The whole match was packaged to make both look so good, and have these two ever had an ok match? This is my 2nd favorite match between the two, the 1st being their RR '03 match of course.

 

[MrMojoRisin]

Well Jericho has been in many main events before... So I wouldn't include him in this... Currently the best mid carder is Christian... But the best mid carder ever is ROWDY RODDY PIPER... He is definitely the greatest WWE superstar to never Win a world championship... But the second best mid carder ever is RANDY SAVAGE...
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R.I.P. MACHO MAN

Piper and Savage were mid carders?

In what alternate universe did this happen?

Sorry to single you out, but just reading this thread it seems like not too many people understand what a mid carder is... or really understands how the card was structured back in the 80's.

It does not matter one bit that Piper was never the champ. He fought at the top of the card. When he didn't fight, Pipers Pit was the big attraction. I'd say the last time he was a mid carder was in the 70's in Los Angeles.

Savage? About the only time you could make an argument that he was just a mid carder in the WWF was during his Macho King faze, and that would be a huge stretch. When he wasn't fighting Hogan in the main event of the A shows... he was headlining the B shows as IC champ. Even near the end of his WWF run when he was being fazed out in the ring, he was still an attraction. Calling him a mid carder at that point would be like calling Triple H one today. Seriously, the guy main evented multiple Wrestlemania's! How much more do you want from him?

People have mentioned Perfect as a mid carder? Was he in the AWA when he was the champ there? Was he in the WWF because he just rose as high as the IC title (probably the 3rd biggest title in the world excluding Japan at the time)? Was he when he was working an extended program with Hogan?

No, including any of these three guys in a list of mid carders is stating that there was a microscopic main event scene. True the World title scene was Hogan and whomever Hogan was working with at the time (usually a monster, but occasionally a technician), but don't forget that Hogan also didn't work a lot, and that the WWF ran multiple shows nightly at the time. Most nights, the IC champ was the main attraction. Some nights, there wasn't even a champ on the top of the card. That's why back then, you could have guys like Piper never hold titles but still be main event attractions. Plus don't forget that back in these guys time, TV was far different than it is today. In the days of guys like Perfect, Savage and Piper, TV was used to set up the angles for the house shows, and the house show tour would be back in the same city every 4-6 weeks. PPV would be the blowoff to the biggest angles. Because of all this, the main event scene wasn't as simple as who held the World title.

Someone mentioned Waltman in this thread, and I think he's the perfect answer to the OP's question. He was never on the top of the card, but was always involved in good programs. He was an incredible worker, and could always be counted on to have a strong match. You never went to the matches because of Sean Waltman, but he still made sure you got your moneys worth anyways. That to me is a great mid carder.