The Road Warriors: Overrated or Underrated?

[It's...Baylariat!]

I figured this had to be included in the over/under series. It's one of the hottest topics in the Tag Team tourney and I'm making this to be sort of a case by case on why the Road Warriors were overrated or underrated.

For what it's worth, I feel LOD was a bit overrated for their time. They were one dimensional with a great look, and great ability to draw heat or pops from the crowd. They were dangerous, looked like bad asses and were bad asses. They lifted a lot of weights and used a deadly move as their finisher. BUT... this team wasn't as unbeatable as people think. They were outsmarted quite a bit and once their age started creeping up on the team, their power was negated and they were an ordinary tag team. Based on that, their longevity wasn't that great. The Midnight Express look old as hell, but they still wrestle the same match they did 25 years ago.

So... are the Road Warriors OVERRATED or UNDERRATED?

 

[dman1373]

You think their overrated because they put younger teams over when they got older. WOW. Just because they actually cared about the wrestling buisness and wanted to keep it going good and strong. Just wow.

 

[matt_hud]

This question is very close to my heart… To be perfectly honest I will have to watch what I say here because I do not want to get another disciplinary point for insulting another poster… So to be honest I will let my opinion of Hawk & Animal speak for me when it comes to what the poster said…

You say these things about the Road Warriors “They were one dimensional? They were outsmarted quite a bit? once their age started creeping up on the team, their power was negated and they were an ordinary tag team”

Man do you even research what you say before you write this garbage??? They were not 1 dimensional at all… Yes they were a power team, but watch there matches they could actually wrestle almost as well as they brawled… Even today very few wrestlers are capable of doing that

They were outsmarted quite a bit!!! I will agree with that statement, but they were not designed to be intelligent or geniuses… They were supposed to be monsters and the meanest, most intimidating men you could meet… That was why they had Paul Ellering so he could do their thinking!!! Even your beloved Midnight Express had Jim Cornett to do their thinking for them… Does that mean that they were also outsmarted quite a bit also???

Everyone loses skills, size, & strength with age, it is how the human body reacts to growing older, but even at the time of Hawks death they were by no means ordinary… They were still stronger physically then 90% of wrestlers in the world today, and in their prime I would go as far to say that they were stronger then 98.9% of wrestlers then or now…

As for overrated, look at history yet again… These men were the first & only men to win the AWA, WWF, NWA, IWGP, & All Japan world titles… The only world titles they didn’t achieve were the TNA & ECW titles… That is simply because at the time Hawk & Animal appeared in those up and coming companies they were trying to give back and put over young guys & teams so wrestling could have a future… Had ECW & TNA been around 5 & 10 years sooner you can dam sure bet Hawk & Animal would have had those on their reseme as well…

Now on to another legacy they left behind… It can be said in 1 word… which is Style!!! To prove this look at Stone Cold Steve Austin, Brock Lesner, DX, Kevin Nash, Somoa Joe, The Rock, Scott Steiner… All of these men have a don’t give a shit attitude, the I am whipping your ass mentality, they evolved from the prototype of big, mean, strong, and take no shit and just beat your ass attitude… That was something created by The Road Warriors the leather & spikes just help bring that out a little more…

Plus listen to The Warriors promos, very few men were as entertaining on the mic as Hawk…

So were the Road Warriors overated??? Hell NO, in fact I personally want to thank them for taking wrestling and evolving it from plain guys like Lou Thesz, Bob Backland, Bruno Sanmartino or flamboyant types such as Adrian Adonis, Gorgeous George, Ric Flair, and even Billy Graham… They took wrestling from those 2 basic styles and created the pure bad ass gimmick… There influence is seen throught wrestling today… Anyone wish to challenge me and debate that??? Then bring it on… Ahhh What A Rush!!!!

 

[axle124]

Road warriors are considered the standard bearers for the tag team division, and by this definition they are over rated. Are they one of the best tag teams of all time, yes, but the very best, heck no. I would put them in the top eight maybe even top 5. Off the top of my head i would rank midnight express(stan and bobby), hardy's, hart foundation, british buldogs, and maybe even the rock n roll express(very underated) ahead of them. So if you consider them the best then they are over rated, but if you just have them in group of the best then they are probably ranked where they are supposed to be.

 

[Dre Guevara]

IMO, the Road Warriors were neither overrated nor underrated, no disrespect 2 Lex Luger, but these cats were THE total package, from the muscles, the face paint as well as the spikes. they pretty much laid the foundation 4 tag team wrestling as we knew it, B4 Vince McMahon decided 2 try 2 phase it out. without the LOD, there would'nt be teams like Demolition or The Powers of Pain, hell even the Dudley Boys 4 that matter, there will never be another team like them. I just don't understand Y they only had ONE reign as Tag Champions in the NWA.

if U want 2 talk about an overrated tag team, just let me know when the Rock & Roll Express is the topic of discussion, but I'll save that until then.

 

[Dre Guevara]

one more thing, no thanks 2 VKM, their legend was slightly tarnished with that "Rocco" gimmick, that's a period that I do my best 2 4get about when it comes 2 the Road Warriors.

 

[Rip]

I think you should add a "rated just right" option because they won titles everywhere they went, which shows that those promotions saw their obvious talent. They were deserving of those titles and should be in the top 3 of anyone's "Best tag teams of all time" list. Not overrated, not underrated... they deserve the legacy and list of accolades that they have.

 

[smalltownfan]

To say that the Road Warriors are overrated is ridiculous. They are, in my mind, the greatest tag team to ever lace up a pair of boots. They dominated wherever they went and they will be the WWE HOF sooner than later.

 

[Rich]

The Road Warriors were/are THE best Tag Team EVER in WWE.. Team 3D/Dudleys claim THEY'RE the best, but in reality they aren't fit to lick the Legion of Doom's shoelaces.

 

[hbk71]

i couldnt agree more smalltown fan,the road warriors was the best tagteam to ever walk into an arena,or where ever they wrestled,they won every belt they came in contact with...........THEY ARE THE BEST OF ALL TIME!!!!!!!!

 

[byrnside]

I'd say they are rated properly. The Road Warriors were always extremely over with the fans, and they won every major tag team title in their day. They had a great look, and as a kid they were probably my second favorite tag team, behind Demolition, who ironically were marketed to be the WWF's version of the Road Warriors before Hawk and Animal joined the company. Granted they aren't the most talented mat technicians, but who cares? They came into the ring, kicked ass, took names, and that was the end of it. The only way to beat these guys was to outsmart them. All that being said, I'd say they're rated just right.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

This question is very close to my heart… To be perfectly honest I will have to watch what I say here because I do not want to get another disciplinary point for insulting another poster… So to be honest I will let my opinion of Hawk & Animal speak for me when it comes to what the poster said…

Didn't know I lit that big of fire under your ass.

You say these things about the Road Warriors “They were one dimensional? They were outsmarted quite a bit? once their age started creeping up on the team, their power was negated and they were an ordinary tag team”

Yes. Glad you know how to quote someone. And all of this is true.

Man do you even research what you say before you write this garbage???

I don't post anything unless I can back it up. The Road Warriors were known for one thing and one thing only...POWER! Not speed, not agility, not brains, not their promo's (although they're good). They're known for shoulder tackles, press slams, and the occasional drop kick.

They were not 1 dimensional at all… Yes they were a power team, but watch there matches they could actually wrestle almost as well as they brawled… Even today very few wrestlers are capable of doing that

They could wrestle with anyone because they had the POWER to match anyone. And NO they could not wrestle as good as they brawled. Their finisher was sitting a dude on Animal's shoulder while Hawk clotheslined them from the top rope. Not exactly a complicated move. LOD were brawlers and nothing more.

They were outsmarted quite a bit!!! I will agree with that statement, but they were not designed to be intelligent or geniuses… They were supposed to be monsters and the meanest, most intimidating men you could meet… That was why they had Paul Ellering so he could do their thinking!!! Even your beloved Midnight Express had Jim Cornett to do their thinking for them… Does that mean that they were also outsmarted quite a bit also???

Yes it does. The Midnight Express were known as finesse and wrestling. They had to depend on other attributes and Jim Cornette to be successful. LOD depended on power. Paul Ellering was just there to make sure someone like Cornette didn't interfere. However, the Midnights out thought a LOT of their opponents when they wrestled, something LOD never did.

Everyone loses skills, size, & strength with age, it is how the human body reacts to growing older, but even at the time of Hawks death they were by no means ordinary… They were still stronger physically then 90% of wrestlers in the world today, and in their prime I would go as far to say that they were stronger then 98.9% of wrestlers then or now…

In their prime, they'd be formidable against any tag team in any era power wise. But as far as overall tag teams. They're top ten. Maybe. And age is a BIG detriment when talking about power. Age catches up with all of us, but it's what we have left that makes us who we are. And once LOD started aging and their power became nearly moot, they were a very beatable tag team.

As for overrated, look at history yet again… These men were the first & only men to win the AWA, WWF, NWA, IWGP, & All Japan world titles… The only world titles they didn’t achieve were the TNA & ECW titles… That is simply because at the time Hawk & Animal appeared in those up and coming companies they were trying to give back and put over young guys & teams so wrestling could have a future… Had ECW & TNA been around 5 & 10 years sooner you can dam sure bet Hawk & Animal would have had those on their reseme as well…

They were successful. I'm not saying they weren't a success. They won numerous titles. They beat some solid tag teams. But they also lost to some great teams and some teams that weren't as good. Their titles are all well and good, but it doesn't change the fact that they were one dimensional and were overrated by a lot of the fans simply because of their look and power.

Now on to another legacy they left behind… It can be said in 1 word… which is Style!!! To prove this look at Stone Cold Steve Austin, Brock Lesner, DX, Kevin Nash, Somoa Joe, The Rock, Scott Steiner… All of these men have a don’t give a shit attitude, the I am whipping your ass mentality, they evolved from the prototype of big, mean, strong, and take no shit and just beat your ass attitude… That was something created by The Road Warriors the leather & spikes just help bring that out a little more…

The Road Warriors did invent this mentality, but weren't able to execute it as much as they liked. The Road Warriors played that game because it's the ONLY game they were any good at. Stone Cold could out wrestle you. So could Lesnar, The Rock, members of DX, and Samoa Joe. Nash was very clever and didn't depend solely on his power.

Plus listen to The Warriors promos, very few men were as entertaining on the mic as Hawk…

You mean being belligerent and yelling 'WEEEEEELLLLLLL!!!' was entertaining to you? It was funny the first one or two times I heard it. After a while, it got old. Sure they were funny and hearing Animal rant like a lunatic was all good, but they were average on the mics.

So were the Road Warriors overated??? Hell NO, in fact I personally want to thank them for taking wrestling and evolving it from plain guys like Lou Thesz, Bob Backland, Bruno Sanmartino or flamboyant types such as Adrian Adonis, Gorgeous George, Ric Flair, and even Billy Graham… They took wrestling from those 2 basic styles and created the pure bad ass gimmick… There influence is seen throught wrestling today… Anyone wish to challenge me and debate that??? Then bring it on… Ahhh What A Rush!!!!

So you want to debate whether the Road Warriors influences are still around today? I'll take that on. Because there's very little to NO influence going on today with ANY of the modern tag teams. Period. Their attitude has had some influence on a few wrestlers, but to say that a wrestler will thank the Road Warriors for their ability to cut a promo or wrestle is funny. And saying guys like Lou Thesz, Backlund, Flair, Sammartino are 'plain' is just plain foolish. Seriously.

Road Warriors. Overrated.

 

[PEP3]

First of all, I'm not sure how anyone could actually vote "Under-Rated" on this. Considering some wrestling scholars and many more wrestling fanatics rank this team the "Best Ever," I don't think it's even possible that they are "Under-Rated." If someone can explain how it's possible for a team that is generally considered among the best -- if not the best -- in history to be "Under-Rated," I'd really appreciate it.

Now, that I've said that . . .

Having lived and watched pro wrestling throughout the entirety of the Road Warriors' career, not just the WWF portion (which was, technically speaking, pretty much the end), I think they were over-rated as a team. And, to be honest, I think this fact actually kept them from achieving even greater success than they already did.

First of all, let me start off by saying that I know they were a massively successful duo. Not only am I aware they won tag titles around the world, I also witnessed them do it in every single American league in which they competed. As I pointed out, I was alive and watching pro wrestling by the time they won their first set of titles in the old Georgia/Mid-Atlantic region in 1983.

During that period, they were considered monsters but still "beatable." Though they were considered "nearly unstoppable" at the time, they hadn't yet developed that reputation for being "indestructible." That came later, and it truly DID hurt their career in the long run, I think. I'll try my best to explain.

Unlike other teams at the time which were considered wildly talented, highly capable and tremendous threats to any title they might go after -- Road Warrior contemporaries like The Freebirds, The Midnight Express, The Fabulous Ones, etc. -- the L.O.D. gained a reputation for being "unstoppable forces." While this made them an exciting team to watch in the ring, it also made booking them effectively somewhat problematic.

The Road Warriors gained a reputation for being so "indestructible," finding appropriate competition for them proved very difficult. Even worse, once a company put the straps on Hawk & Animal, watching them decimate their opposition in title defenses just became boring. Not to mention, getting the belts back off of them proved even more difficult. It required finding a way to believably make another team which was generally perceived as not being in the same league as the L.O.D. go over the Road Warriors.

As a result of this perceived "super-human" status, most federations, though willing to put the straps on the Warriors for while (but not too long), preferred to have them on the chase. After all, audiences were much more willing to pay to see Hawk & Animal try to take the titles from teams like The Midnight Express, Tully & Arn, Ivan & Nikita Koloff, etc., than they were to watch the Road Warriors defend their belts.

As a result, during the Warriors' extended stay in NWA, they were contented mostly with the company's 6-Man Tag titles (which could see Dusty Rhodes get pinned, leaving the L.O.D. unscathed) while other more "human" teams like the Rock 'n Roll Express held the tag titles over-and-over again. What the R'nR had that the RW didn't is the ability to be pinned without losing some element of being "indestructible."

In other words, the Road Warriors had to be booked to live up to their own hype. If they were actually as "unbeatable" as they were built up to seem, then booking was left with very few options. Were they that incredible, they should easily have won and held onto every single belt they ever went after. Instead, they spent much of their career winning major matches by disqualification to allow their opposition to leave the ring with their belts while keeping the legendary RW won-loss record intact as well.

My suspicion is this also accounts for why the Road Warriors bounced from one promotion to another so often during their career. To keep what is basically built up as a practically "undefeated streak" (even though they DID lose, they were always "cheated out of" titles, etc.), Hawk & Animal had to keep moving. Otherwise, the booking options would have become incredibly stale.

I know all of this is taking into account the kayfabe status of pro wrestling during the Road Warriors' career, but it's almost impossible to view this pairing without those things. After all, it was through the kayfabe that they became so "indestructable" to begin with...just like other, similarly "unbeatable" archetypes of that generation such as Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior.

Anyway, I'm not entirely convinced I presented this case as I'd have liked. What I can say that is actually irrefutable is that, having lived through the era where the Road Warriors were at the peak of their "unbeatable" phase (about 1985-1990), I just found the pairing to be rather one-dimensional and not as entertaining as other teams which provided the belief that, on any given night, any opposition might be able to pull out the win. With the Road Warriors, you knew it would be a rarity that a team might get the win, and that just doesn't do much to inspire the imagination.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

About 5 or 6 years ago, PWI ranked The Road Warriors as the greatest tag team of all time and Hulk Hogan as the greatest singles wrestler of all time.

Now, I don't usually put much stock in PWI awards or rankings or any of that shit but, when you factor in everything about the LOD, I'd probably have to agree with PWI. The LOD weren't "tag team specialists" or fantastic in-ring performers but they had that X-factor that made them stand out from every other team. They had a phenomenal look, great charisma, generated an aura of raw power and intensity and they drew like a son of a bitch. No matter what company they worked for, which territory they wrestled in, they were at the top of the tag team mountain whether or not they had titles around their waists or not.

Were there better workers than the LOD? Of course there were. But, LOD had the kind of chemistry that tag teams dream of and, while they relied mostly on power, it just worked. They looked the part, they talked the part and people believed it. The LOD sometimes did get outsmarted by other teams, but seeing as how they were built up by other promotions, that was really the only way to beat them. Heel teams had to be smarter, they had to use all the tricks they could think of. To me, LOD losing didn't make them any less of a great and exciting team to watch, it just kept them interesting. Making someone unbeatable, for me, doesn't really kindle my interest.

If you were to ask most people that've been old enough to watch wrestling over the past 25 years or so, LOD would probably be at or near the top of their list for the best tag teams in wrestling history.