Would they make it today? Tully Blanchard

[It's...Baylariat!]

I'm going to try to start a new series of posts about old school wrestlers and whether or not their characters or wrestling style would make it in today's wrestling world.

I'll start with a personal favorite of mine,

Tully Blanchard

Blanchard was a dreaded member of the Four Horsemen, one of the greatest factions in wrestling history. He was a multi-time NWA National Heavyweight Champion, United States Champion, and Television Champion as a singles wrestler, and a NWA Tag Team Champion and WWE Tag Champion with Arn Anderson. Thing is, Blanchard wasn't the stereotypical wrestler. He was billed as 5'9... which means he was more like 5'7... and to me, that wouldn't translate well with his style of wrestling, which was sound technical wrestling and occasional brawling.

Although he had the charisma and the promo skills to make it, can you see him feuding with someone like Miz or Cena or Mysterio? I think he may be able to pull it off and he'd have a steady career... but wouldn't make it past midcard in today's wrestling.

What say you?

 

[Dyno Kid]

Without a doubt Tully would make it ! Betweeen his cool look and great in ring ability, plus how good he was on the mic it's a no-brainer !

Tully had great charisma and was so cocky, he was very hateable in a natural way that he'd be a better version of either Edge or the Miz !

 

[GameOver]

What Dyno Kid said.
he along with Arn Anderson were cream of the crop.

Some of there in ring style and promo's wouldn't fly in today's PG world but as overall performers they could easily fit in.

 

[Nikeo]

No, they couldn't.

This is a great thread idea.....but the answer to the majority of the "would they make it today"s is no. They succeeded in their day because their skill set suited the time and place they were performing. If you cut a 70's or 80's wrestling promo today it wouldn't work.

Same goes for the "he's a great worker". In his day, yes I'm sure that's true but the style of wrestling has changed since that time.

You can't say "he's great, he'd definitely make it today". I'm sorry, he might not. Wrestling changes every three to four years and what worked previously may or may not work.

Unfortunately, I do not see Tully Blanchard fitting in on either the WWE or TNA roster. Great talent......for his time. However, when Flair cuts a barely coherent promo we roll our eyes these days. In the 80's, however, that promo would be hailed as amazing. Wrestling has just changed, it's different. You cannot make the old fit in with the new.

 

[arashikage20]

I agree with the other posts. He would easily make it in today's world. They are showing that in today's world, size doesn't matter as much anymore. He had the mic skills and very easily could get the crowd against him. What people seem to forget is that he was very successful before becoming part of the Horsemen. That is why he was selected for them. Try looking at his work pre-Horsemen. I think he was one of the more underrated guys in his generation.

But back to the question at hand, yes he would have been successful. I think he would even get a WWE or World Championship run if his prime was in today's era.

 

[flocker]

Way to leave some "wiggle room" in that poll, champ.

Could he have made it in todays wrestling world? Absolutely.

As a "main eventer", er, main eventer in the indies? Absolutely! Main eventer on TNA? Maybe, AJ isn't very tall, but he puts on a show.

Could he MAIN EVENT wwe? Probably not. Could he be part of a faction or stable that had a good run? Absolutely.

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

Tully Blanchard is billed by most as Professional Wrestling's first "Cool" bad guy. Blanchard constantly beat men like Dusty Rhodes and Magnum TA who dwarfed him. Tully was known as that little rat that you just wanted to stomp but when you tried he would step to the side and bite you. I have no doubt that if there was no Ric Flair that Tully would have been the NWA Champion for a long while. Tully could actually be the bad guy that professional wrestling needs these days, he would be what the Miz is trying and failing to be.

So yes Tully Blanchard would make it in the WWE and TNA, and win world championships.

 

[willhunter32]

Tully Blanchard was one of the hardest working wrestlers of his era. He had the mic skills, the look, the abilities and could sell a blindman a T.V. He could take those jobbers that were in the studio like Rocky King and Bill Mulkey and make it look like they actually had a chance in the ring with him. The wrestling style in the WWE right now is so fast paced and uninteresting that they can take someone like The Miz and make him a hit. He lacks skill, he doesn't sell moves very well and is decent on the mic. Tully may not be a WWE champion or World Heavyweight Champion contender all the time, but he wasn't back then either....but they had more titles and the WWE should bring back some of those titles because it draws the attention of fans. I think it would make the product more interesting and enjoyable to add the TV Title back into the mix....and also, what happened to the US Champ/IC Champ being the Number one contender to the titles??? Things change with no notice and no reason....that why its losing some steam.

 

[Mr_billy]

Of course he would make it, Benoit, Eddie, Jehricho, TAzz, al made it. He was solid in ring, and had great mic skills. Brian Danielson is even smaller than Tully, and he is the US title.

 

[Tech N9ne]

I am going to say yes. As a matter of fact, I think Tully would have had an even BETTER career.

He had a straight up beast of a career. Yet, does not get the respect and credit he deserves, to this day. He performed in a time when guys of his size and stature were not really given anything, or even really looked at as a serious competitor.

Now since the expectant size of performers has shrunk some, with Tully's skill set, he would undoubtedly be a top star in the business today!

 

[The Brain]

I think Tully could do pretty well today. I don’t think he would be world champion but then again he was never world champion back in his day either and was still quite successful. I think Tully would make a great US champion who could easily transition back and forth from mid card to main event. Kind of like Chris Jericho. One thing that would help Tully a lot in todays WWE is his confidence. There are a lot of mid card guys who look to have a lot of potential but they struggle a little in how they carry themselves. I like Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger but I don’t think they truly believe in themselves as a character which makes it hard for me to believe in them. When it came to Blanchard I could easily be convinced that the guy I saw on camera was the really Tully Blanchard. He always came off as super confident and that goes a long way.