Post by Dante, The Voc on Jan 23, 2014 20:31:19 GMT -5
The question is often posed and often vigorously debated. If wrestling ran the country and you were in charge of deciding the four competitors who go on sports-entertainment's Mount Rushmore, who would you select? He/she can be from any era, promotion, etc. For me, in chronological order:
1.) Hulk Hogan - almost single-handedly popularized pro wrestling; easily recognizable; greatly contributed to the success of the sport overall.
2.) The Undertaker - probably most controversial pick, but he defined the gimmicky, "kayfabe" side of wrestling while still becoming a polarizing figure in the landscape of the business; his longevity has also defined a legendary legacy that has brought a lot to the wrestling table.
3.) Stone Cold - figurehead of wrestling's hottest period; made wrestling popular and relatable (hating his boss to the point where physical torment must be implemented); him and Hogan are my two "no-brainer" picks on this list.
4.) John Cena - face of 21st century wrestling; arguably a household name, regardless of knowledge of wrestling; has been "the guy" in the business for nearly a decade; continues the legacy of wrestling by leading it toward the future. Keep in mind if Brock stuck around he'd be here in place of John.
There were a few difficult exclusions on this list. I'd love to put The Rock here for his recognizable identity alone, but I never felt he was "the guy" in his runs, I always thought he played second fiddle to either Austin or whoever he chased for the belt. Same with Triple H, never was the #1 draw. Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart could both possibly be on there, but their names aren't generally recognized outside the wrestling world (from my experiences) and thus did not majorly contribute to the popularity of the sport, or not as much as the four above. I also think that Randy Orton, Kurt Angle, Ric Flair, or Batista could have been on, but weren't because a.) like Michaels and Hart, not majorly recognizable, and b.) couldn't possibly bump any of those four off. Also, Vince McMahon Jr. should be up there if I was including anyone involved in the business (he'd be in place of The Undertaker in that case), but I was only doing wrestlers and besides the squash matches he's involved in I don't particularly consider Vince a wrestler.
Who's your quartet of wrestling greatness? Fight nicely!
1.) Hulk Hogan - almost single-handedly popularized pro wrestling; easily recognizable; greatly contributed to the success of the sport overall.
2.) The Undertaker - probably most controversial pick, but he defined the gimmicky, "kayfabe" side of wrestling while still becoming a polarizing figure in the landscape of the business; his longevity has also defined a legendary legacy that has brought a lot to the wrestling table.
3.) Stone Cold - figurehead of wrestling's hottest period; made wrestling popular and relatable (hating his boss to the point where physical torment must be implemented); him and Hogan are my two "no-brainer" picks on this list.
4.) John Cena - face of 21st century wrestling; arguably a household name, regardless of knowledge of wrestling; has been "the guy" in the business for nearly a decade; continues the legacy of wrestling by leading it toward the future. Keep in mind if Brock stuck around he'd be here in place of John.
There were a few difficult exclusions on this list. I'd love to put The Rock here for his recognizable identity alone, but I never felt he was "the guy" in his runs, I always thought he played second fiddle to either Austin or whoever he chased for the belt. Same with Triple H, never was the #1 draw. Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart could both possibly be on there, but their names aren't generally recognized outside the wrestling world (from my experiences) and thus did not majorly contribute to the popularity of the sport, or not as much as the four above. I also think that Randy Orton, Kurt Angle, Ric Flair, or Batista could have been on, but weren't because a.) like Michaels and Hart, not majorly recognizable, and b.) couldn't possibly bump any of those four off. Also, Vince McMahon Jr. should be up there if I was including anyone involved in the business (he'd be in place of The Undertaker in that case), but I was only doing wrestlers and besides the squash matches he's involved in I don't particularly consider Vince a wrestler.
Who's your quartet of wrestling greatness? Fight nicely!