Wrestler of the Decade: 1980's

[Ruthless-RKO]

I think this decade was good, some great wrestlers were born and quite a lot to choose from as well, you had both WWF/E and NWA wrestlers and nearly everyone was at the top of their game! Now the decade is from the years 1980 to 1989..

Who would you have to say was the Wrestler of 1980's???

Please vote in the poll and Verify your Answers!!


P.S. Please keep this on topic and don't judge on who should be in the poll and who shouldn't, if the wrestler you pick is not on the poll, then tick 'other'..I warn you now so the Moderators don't have to and start handing out infractions...thank-you..

 

[Tattooed Jesus]

Easiest question I ever answered.

Hulk Hogan, beyond a shadow of a doubt. He put wrestling on the main stream map during the early 80's, and wrestling may not even be around now had it not been for Vince McMahon pushing Hulkamania the way he did throughout the 80's.

Hogan changed wrestling in the 80's, the way it was viewed, who viewed it, how it was promoted, everything. He held the WWF title for the better part of the decade and even when he didn't have it, he was still a main event attraction.

Hulk Hogan was 80's wrestling period.

 

[Richard]

I agree with Redneck, easiest question.

In the 1980's, Hulk Hogan WAS professional wrestling, he was undoubtedly THE professional wrestler that majority of people tuned into see. Back then, he was John Cena times 20.

A lot of wrestlers say they were inspired and were Hulkamaniacs growing up and it could be said he's one of the wrestlers who helped create this mainstream attention for pro wrestling allowing these guys to do their jobs on the global scale.

Not to mention create moments in WWE history that people remember and tell everyone about, slamming Andre, 4 year title run, etc.

 

[The Suplexer Perfecter]

Hulk Hogan by far.

To compare him to Flair, who I'm sure others would pick since he was a better wrestler or whatever.

Hogan had a cartoon, Flair didn't.

Hogan was on Saturday Night Live, Flair wasn't.

Hogan was on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Flair wasn't.

Hogan performed in front of bigger crowds.

Hogan won his first title in 84 and in 3 years was in front of the crowd at WM 3.

Flair won his first title in 81 and in 3 years wasn't in front of any crowd near that size, nor 3 years after his Starrcade win against Race.

 

[nwocongo]

I picked Hogan the fellows above pretty much covered why in detail no need to explain it any furthur than that. Only guys I really thought were close were Flair and Harley, but yea Hogan pretty much runs away with this one.

 

[Lucha-Libre is wrestling]

How do we define the wrestler of the 80's?
1. AWA & NJPW 1980-1983
2. WWF 1983-1993
3. Best Baby Face 1982-1991
4. two match of the year 1985 & 1988
5. 2 times WWF Champion 1st reign 1984-1988 won it again in 1989
6. He even found time to be in two movies Rocky 3 ( 1982) No Holds Barred ( 1989 )
7. Had his own cartoon series from 1985-1986 (26) episodes
So your wrestler of the decade must be The Immortal Hulk Hogan

 

[RATED R CHAMPION]

WRESTLER OF THE 80'S THAT'S A NO BRAINER, RIC FLAIR!

HELD NWA TITLE FOR MOST OF IT, DOMINATED WRESTLING, HAD THE FOUR HORSEMEN, AND HEADLINED MOST OF THE STARRCADES, TRAVELED THE WORLD, PUT MORE PEOPLE OVER THAN HOGAN, AND BETTER WRESTLER NO DOUBT.

 

[DaGURUofWRESTLING]

Hogan did do all that and more and I agree is the one who put our sport on the map. But the question was who is the best WRESTLER, And I say NAITCH cause Hogan is not a wrestler he is a performer Naitch was both.

 

[Lucha-Libre is wrestling]

WRESTLER OF THE 80'S THAT'S A NO BRAINER, RIC FLAIR!

HELD NWA TITLE FOR MOST OF IT, DOMINATED WRESTLING, HAD THE FOUR HORSEMEN, AND HEADLINED MOST OF THE STARRCADES, TRAVELED THE WORLD, PUT MORE PEOPLE OVER THAN HOGAN, AND BETTER WRESTLER NO DOUBT.

Dude Hogan is the Babe Ruth & Michael Jordan of Wrestling. Ric Flair is TY Cobb & Larry Bird. Flair has always been a top player but not bigger than Hogan. Even now Flair is playing second fiddle to Hogan in TNA.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Wrestler of the 80's is not as cut and dried as Hogan...

Was it Andre The Giant, who equally had a place in popular culture, spawning several of his own unique memes... Posse/Obey, the Princess Bride?

Was it Ted DiBiase? The man who summed up the avarice of the 80's in a gimmick AND was one of the best wrestlers?

Was it Sgt. Slaughter? Who got his own GI Joe figure for gods sake...

Was it Roddy Piper? Who actually made Rock 'N Wrestling a viable proposition for MTV by being edgy...

Was it Jerry Lawler? Going onto Letterman and feuding with a internationally recognised actor?

Any of these guys have a legit claim as well as Flair or Hogan...

 

[KnowBuddy]

i voted for others, person is Arn Anderson. He was great. His spinebuster is imitated by so many. never selfish, even offered his own spot to mr. perfect when he retired. wrestled his butt off even for ric flair and the horsemen. made his opponents look so good. his desire and passion for the sport. i appreciate all his work, one of my all time favorites. 2nd person to beat hulk hogan and ric flair. with the brain busters, became the 1st tag team to win wwf/nwa titles. man is a legend.

 

[OlderFan]

If I absolutely had to choose someone it would have to be Hogan, just on the influence factor alone. However, my personal favorite - and a simple way to say it - is the entire 80s talent roster was the best even if particular matches may be a little before 1980 or a little after 1989, Each individual contributed in a memorable way. Hogan was at the top of the heap but who can forget George the Animal's crush on Elizabeth and the s/l with Savage over that? How about Savage/Steamboat with the bell across the throat? Or Savage and Warrior at WM7 with Elizabeth tossing Shari out of the ring? How many Piper's Pit memorable moments have there been not to mention Hot Rod's ring work. Bret Hart, the Von Erichs, the women's division that actually was a women's division with Moolah, Medusa, Wendy Richter, etc. That time period produced a better product and generated enough interest to get it on Saturday Night's Main Event on network TV (NBC) on a regular basis.

 

[owen8472]

wow no brett hart or jake the snake roberts or hot stuff eddie guilbert !!!

brett hart did alot for wresling he showed you can be cool and tecnical !!

jake the snake roberts was the most loved and the most dispised wresler of all time the inavator of the DDT bring snakes to the ring that was awsome

eddie guilbert youngest world champion ever great to watch to bad he did to early in life

and noone even mention the ICON Sting or HBK witch also did alot during the late 80s and early nintys.

 

[OlderFan]

I did say the entire 1980s roster. I also admit I misunderstood and thought it was just WWE people. If this was meant to include any promotion completely that Sting most definitely belongs. In a non-wrestling way, Sting has left a bigger mark than anyone else because, whether we agree with him or we don't, when Sting decided he couldn't be comfortable with how he would be used, he stuck to his guns and refused to work for VKM.

 

[steinerscrewdriver]

I voted for Flair, being from NWA country I never was a fan of Hogan and always prefered the less gimmicky and more serious style of wrestling. In the 80's Flair could have had a 4 star match with a mop and bucket. While I completely understand why people voted for Hogan and have no problem if that was your selection I just am gonna side with the nature boy this time.

....The world really missed out on the Magnum T.A/Flair Fued. That had the potential to be the best fued of the 80's and we may have a different answers for this poll.

 

[The Crock]

It's Hulk Hogan. Undoubtedly, unequivocally, Hulk Hogan. He WAS professional wrestling in the 80s, he carried the product. Hogan was, not only, an excellent wrestler, but he was also a main stream celebrity. Hogan was a superstar, he led a cultural phenomenon. Although a guy like Flair was far superior to Hogan in the ring, he was nowhere near his level in terms of "fan-dom" and he truly wasn't close to being "the man." For most of the 80s, the wrestling world revolved around Hulk Hogan, he had legendary matches, legendary moments, and did quite a bit for the business. Not only is he the best the 80s had to offer, but he is the greatest EVER.

 

[Dyno Kid]

Gonna go with Ric Flair easily. Won the NWA title in 1981 and held it for the majority of th decade and defended it all over the country and the world. He was still on top of his game by 1989, it may have been his best year inside the ring !

Fantastic promo's and classic matches against the likes of Dusty, Magnum, Race, Wahoo, Funk, Morton, Nikita, the Von Erich's, Steamboat, Windham, Luger, Slater, Piper, Valentine, Snuka, Brisco, the list goes on and on !

Never a Hogan fan nor the cartoonish version of the WWF that Vince put out after he took over for his dad. I much more prefered the NWA style even though I live in WWF country here in NYC.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Easiest question I ever answered.

Hulk Hogan, beyond a shadow of a doubt. He put wrestling on the main stream map during the early 80's, and wrestling may not even be around now had it not been for Vince McMahon pushing Hulkamania the way he did throughout the 80's.

Hogan changed wrestling in the 80's, the way it was viewed, who viewed it, how it was promoted, everything. He held the WWF title for the better part of the decade and even when he didn't have it, he was still a main event attraction.

Hulk Hogan was 80's wrestling period.

Spot on 100%

Hulk Hogan revolutionised wrestling, end of.

Ric Flair may have been the BEST wrestler in the world throughout the 80s, putting on classic matches night after night and was far better in the ring than Hogan. However, Flair was not performing on the biggest stage which was the WWE, where Vince McMahon and Hogan were changing wrestling forever.

The impact Hogan had on society as a whole, becoming known worldwide- and not just to wrestling fans- shows his impact

The answer to this is obviously Hulk Hogan, he changed the business in the 1980s. Not even Naitch can deny that