Which Wrestler Would You Like To See In His Prime One Last Time and why?

[Tenta]

I think the title of my thread says it all. If you had a choice to allow your favorite old-timer to go back to his prime days, and watch him in a match with a current star of today, who would you have?

Mine took a little thought, but quite frankly, I would love to see Andre the Giant one last time in person. I never got a chance to see Andre ever in person. All I have to go by his work is some of his matches in Japan, and a couple of his WWF matches from Wrestlemania 3 on up. I know he isn't the most technical of wrestlers, but I would just love to see Andre wrestle one more time in person. It'd be something to watch this giant man go against the stars of today, in my opinion. I know, some of you will say, "you can have that in Smackdown V.S. Raw", or that "He was never that good". I'm not going into the match expecting a 5 star matchup. I would simply enjoy the novelty of watching Andre work one last time in his prime, not the Andre that was having back issues and needed serious help before Wrestlemania 3. I would love to see an Andre that showed up in NWA in the 70s, or the Andre that went sixty minutes with Harley Race.

As for his opponent... It's too tempting for me not to say this guy... . Can you just imagine this dream match? Again, you won't see too many suplexes, but I'll tell you one thing: This match will be just as entertaining as these two could possibly make it.


So, give me a wrestler (obviously either dead or alive), put him in the Back-To-Your-Prime Machine (No, not a time machine), slap him an opponent, and watch the ideas flow.

 

[klunderbunker]

If it can be a one off feud and I can get promos as well, no doubt Ric Flair. It would do the fans of today a world of good to see Flair so jacked up on coke that he can barely see straight going insane on someone with the title around his waist and bouncing off the walls in some of the greatest promos of all time. After 5-6 weeks of running the guy down to have a 45 minute classic with them would be something I'd love to see, if nothing else so people can see what a legend is.

 

[Lee]

For me it would have to be one of three people. The first has already been mentioned in Andre the Giant, one of my first wrestling memories were finding out he had died, I had no idea who the guy was, but realised it was a sad occasion.

Another has already been said as well in the Naitch himself. Ric Flair in his late 50s could wrestle like anything, and really good promos, imagine seeing him in his prime?

The last seems an odd pick, but I will go with Bob Backlund. I remember his feud with Bret Hart and was very much into it as a kid, but then as I grew older I found his best work was some 20 years beforehand. This I would very much like to see, Bob Backlund in his prime.

 

[klunderbunker]

Mod Note-This isn't a spam zone. Listing off matches isn't sufficient here and there needs to be reasons given, even relatively short ones as to why you're choosing these. You don't need to write a book but saying that a match would be awesome isn't enough.

 

[Blade]

Easy, Bret Hart...
Just so we could see Hart vs Angle.

Who wouldn't wanna see that? Instant classic worthy of headlining Wrestlemania, even if they had no build up to it. It's a technical wrestling fan's dream match.

 

[Starchild]

If we are talking about in their prime, there are a few wrestlers/matches I would absolutely love to see with both guys in their primes.

Randy Savage was one of my favorites for years and had some incredible storylines and matches with the likes of Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Ricky Steamboat, and Flair. I wouldn't necessarily have a preference as to who I'd want to see him face but he could put on a great match against anyone. I think he and Edge could have an interesting program, but having a match with Flair might catch some of that old magic they had in the ring together.

Hogan vs Austin
C'mon now, everyone wants to see this..and if they did it now it would draw but it's many years too late as both are very out of shape to put on anything that could be considered a classic. But arguably the two most popular guys in the history of professional wrestling and definitely the two that have led the biggest eras. A match with these two would have been classic, especially in their primes. Look what Rock and Hogan did towards the very end of Hogan's career...a true unbelievable Wrestlemania moment. There is no doubt that these two could do the same thing. It would be the most technical masterpiece of a match, but to see these two legends squaring off would be worth triple the price of admission alone.

Bret Hart vs Kurt Angle
This would be the technical match that the above could not..and maybe the best ever with arguably the two best technical wrestlers ever. This too is a match that could only take place at Wrestlemania because it would just be an incredible matchup..to see the counters and counters to those of the dozens of submissions these two would try would be fun to watch.

Honestly, all these guys in their prime...I don't know who would go over in any. You can make a great case for all of them, but not a legit case against any.

 

[simpsons_fanatic742]

I would like to see Bret Hart and Randy Savage back in their prime. I experienced Bret Hart, but not as much as I could now. I never really saw Savage wrestler other than on tape so I would love to see him wrestle once more. I really think that Hart vs. Savage would be a great match. They worked very well in the ring and I just feel that some great in-ring chemistry would take place between them.

 

[650ballinwhiteboy]

I don't though if this counts as in his prime but I wanna see The Rock come back
maybe even for one apperance
his apperance itself would raise ratings by at least a million if they made a big deal out of it
I know this thread is supposed to be about older wrestlers coming back for a match but I see it as anyone I would like to see one more time

If he can have a promo with Randy Orton it would be epic maybe even taking an RKO in the end putting Orton over big

 

[gunslinger72]

I am probably much older than most of you, but I SAW Flair in his prime and by God I wish I could again! He was so increadible in the ring, on the mic and everywhere in between. You loved to hate him and he gave you 110% every single match. It wasn't Hulk Hogan having the same 10 minute match every night...Flair went out there and made sure you left happy.

My second choice may suprise some of you, but The Enforcer Arn Anerderson. This man is the most under rated wrestler in history. Without equal on the mic (Rock could have learned from this man). He made you BELIEVE this was all real. There was no doubt in your mind because there was not doubt in his. In the ring he was brilliant. He could sell like mad and scare the hell out of you at the same time. A tragically short career. God I miss those days...thankfully Youtube exists!

 

[Mr. TM]

I would love again to see Bret Hart wrestle in his prime. He is the entire reason I watch wrestling today, twofold. My parents, thought they watched little wrestling, watched Bret Hart from his Stampede Days. From their I was introduced. But the reason that I still watch Wrestling was Bret Hart, and his matches that got me addicted to the entertainment form. Watching Bret Hart now seems like a decent dreams. Makes me sad that the only Bret Hart matches I can see, I have for the most part. I would actually be enthused for it. Whenever I watch his matches now, I know we will never get to see his artform again. Now I am a little saddened.

 

[kizzyturtl]

I would like to see some of the international legends of old: Antonio Anoki, El Santo, Tiger Mask, and Blue Demon. Even though not an international legend, Lou Thesz.

I also would like to be able to see Mae Young against the Fabulous Moolah - two, maybe the ony two true legends of womens wrestling.

From a more current era, Bam Bam Bigelow vs Big Van Vader - probably the two most atheletic big men ever in the business.

Shane Douglas vs Dean Malenko - Douglas had the mic skills and was a phenominal heel that was very much above average in the ring. If Malenko would have been 6'3" 250 lbs+ and had the same ring skills, could have been one of the absolute greatest and would have gotten over hugely in the big feds like WWE/WCW.

 

[Stormwind]

Without question, Bret Hart. He was one of the few who made wrestling look believable and he mastered both psychology and selling. All of which are lost arts today. Bret didn't do much high flying nor strong man moves. His wrestling was technical and precise, Stuff you could imagine he could do in a real fight. Now wrestling looks so phoney, Just because it is fake doesn't mean it needs to look fake. Bret was never the greatest promo guy, his mic schools were a tad lacking, but that didn't matter to me. Bret was a joy to watch in the ring where it mattered the most. He wasn't fancy, and that was the appeal. He was professional, precise and convincing.

Another one would be Randy Savage, again, not big but you believed he was tough. And a master of both psychology and selling. Makes a great babyface AND heel. And he has my favourite finishing move of all time. Also excellent promos and mic skills. Though not as technical as Bret Hart, he still was a joy to watch. Made every match interesting and noteworthy. Also a good old pro.

 

[rolstan2]

How about Magnum TA ? Well I know a lot of you younger folks in here won't remember seeing him. But some of you I know do. I remember his matches with Kamala and Nikita especially. He had the look, gave a good interview, and could work in the ring. Kinda had a Double A kind of interview style. Didn't rant and rave like an idiot, just told you how it was. I always wondered how some of the other guys careers would have developed had he not gotten hurt, mainly Stinger and Nikita.

 

[Pbenglish]

I'm fortunate in that I've seen quite a few of my wrestling heroes in their prime. From people like Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan (not actually one of my favorites, but he does deserve to be mentioned), , Andre the Giant, Roddy Piper and Randy Savage, I've seen a few of them live (Ahh, growing up in Toronto and being able to go to Maple Leaf Gardens for a wrestling show...the memories of that blue ramp down to the ring...sorry, off topic there).
So, if I were able to see anyone live and in their primes, I would love to see the following people.

1). Ric Flair. Now, I've seen Ric Flair live. But this was in 2003. Not exactly in his prime. Sure he was amazing on the mic, but this was NOT the Ric Flair I watched on tape from the '70's-90's. Far from it.
2). "Superstar" Billy Graham. I would have loved to have been at a live show and hear him rip one of his famous promos. That man could talk!
3). Dynamite Kid. Pound for pound, one of the best wrestlers of all time. I had seen him wrestle with the British Bulldog in Toronto, but I would have died to see him wrestle as he did in Stampede and in Japan.

Now for the one match up I wish I could have seen live. I would have to say Ric Flair VS Harley Race, circa 1982-1983. Those two put on some amazing matches and while Race wasn't the flashiest of wrestlers, he is one of the all time greats. Can't go wrong with that match.

 

[ztwhite]

I know it's been stated several times already, but just imagine Bret Hart versus Kurt Angle. When I read the question, this was immediately the first thought that went into my head.

No one had the technical wrestling skills that Bret had... until Angle came along. The two are / were simply outstanding when it comes to mat wrestling. It's a shame that Bret's career ended the way it did and an even bigger shame that we have to watch Angle suffer through the twilight of his career in that joke of an organization.

Additionally, I would love to see Macho Man Randy Savage lace them up one last time against either Edge or Orton. Not specifically for their mat skills or high flying abilities, but for the type of promos these guys could spit out for weeks, if not months, leading up to a blowout.

Of course, who wouldn't want to see Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat go at it one last time. I know we had a chance to see them both in their primes in what I believe are some of the best matches EVER... but one more go around could be sold on pay-per-view as a stand alone and I bet a couple thousand people would buy.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Definitely Bret Hart for me as well. First off because his career was unnecessarily cut short anyway, and secondly, because there are quite a few technically apt wrestlers out there who could definitely put on an awesome match with the "Excellence of Execution", Kurt Angle vs Bret Hart being only one of them. But this match would definitely be legendary. Angle vs HBK was already a tremendous match; I believe Hart vs Angle would be a bit different - of course with less high flying action on part of the Hitman, but with more "pure" wrestling instead - but they could definitely turn this one into a classic. Both have leg submission finishing moves, Angle can also go high flying if need be; and as said, hardly anyone was ever as crisp inside the squared circle as the Hitman was. Should have been a match for the ages.

If Rock vs Hogan was billed the match between the "best ever" in terms of popularity and showmanship; Hart vs Angle could easily be the match between the "best ever" in terms of pure wrestling.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

I would want to see Bruiser Brody. However, I am torn as to what capacity I would have liked to see him perform in. On one hand, I would have loved to see him perform in AJPW as a tag team competitor with Stan Hansen, as Hansen is also one of my all-time favorites. On the other hand, I would have loved to see Bruiser Brody either wrestle Abdullah the Butcher or Carlos Colon in WWC in Puerto Rico, as I am huge fan of Abdullah the Butcher and because no crowd is as hot as a crowd in Puerto Rico.

In the end, I would have to go with Brody wrestling against either Abdullah the Butcher or Carlos Colon in Puerto Rico. Even though I would be more likely to get harmed in Puerto Rico than I would in Japan, I would have a much more enjoyable and interactive experience.

 

[PsychoWard]

I would love to go back and see the Ultimate Warrior at the Skydome, but his opponent would be Goldberg.

Both had such great intensity in and around the ring that lite the arenas on fire, this would be the Ultimate challenge! Goldbergs streak of 173-0 wins vs The Warriors feel no pain cracked out intensity! Golberg trying jackhammer after jackhammer and warrior just getting up like each one was a shot of adrenline!... Untill he delivered a couple slashes and a gorilla press drop to finally defeat Goldberg

Thanks for the message klunderbunker... so here is my 4th total post!

 

[The Catacomb]

Ric Flair and Sting against Austin and Rowdy Roddy Piper in the ultimate tag team championship match. All guys in their physical and mental prime. And there would have to be at least a half year build up for the match with them doing constant promos against each other. I'll buy that for a dollar!!

 

[Gelgarin]

Ed Lewis.

Wrestling in his prime in a time prior to the TV camera, there are no artifacts of how great this man was. Lou Thesz called him the greatest in ring performer of all time... which as compliments go is roughly equal to God praising your world creating prowess.

Given that Lewis is probably the most important character in the entire history of professional wrestling, I think it's sad that he's been all but forgotten by those within and outside of the business alike, and I'd relish the opportunity to see him in action one last time, just so that he could get the send off he so truly deserves.

 

[thewrestlinghero]

well i have one i would love to see in her prime would be victoria she was awsome during back in 2003 and in 2004 i remeber he matches with lita and victoria they were good but i would also like to see her face awsome kong in her prime i think that could be womens match of the year

 

[Davey McBoy]

Would love to back and see Bulldog in his prime. Even just for his damn entrance music. No one cut a promo like Davey Boy back in the day.

"**unrecognisable shouting** TITLE! **unrecognisable shouting** SECRET PARTNER! **unrecognisable shouting** ROYAL RUMBLE! **unrecognisable shouting** BECAUSE I'M BIZARRE!"

Now that is how a promo is cut. Take note.