So here we are with a continuation of the fantastic greatest wrestlers list. If you missed numbers 25-21 you can see that here. Here are numbers 20-16:
20. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat
Joe: One of the greatest performers in the history of the business, Steamboat’s legacy is weakened by just two things: he was incapable of being a heel, and his ability to cut promos was lacking. In the ring however, there have been few athletes as great as the Dragon. At WrestleMania III in 1987 Steamboat worked one of the all-time great matches with Randy Savage, and two years later in WCW had an epic feud with Ric Flar that gave way to several amazing matches, including the 2-out-of-3 falls match in which Steamboat drops 15 straight elbows to Flair’s knee. At WrestleMania XXV he looked impressive in a gauntlet match against Chris Jericho and the two had a match at the next pay per view because of it.
Jimmy: I remember him from when he had to dress as a Gila monster in the early 1990s and had a run in the midcard of the WWF, but during the 80s he was probably the best worker in the business. Probably coulda made a great run at the top of the card if he had a modicum of personality, but his feud and series of matches with Flair are legendary regardless.
19. Jake “The Snake” Roberts
Jimmy: Set the template for basically every sinister/cool heel to come after him - there is no Raven or Steve Austin without him. He also popularized the DDT, the finishing move for every wrestler in ECW history. His promos were the best and were far more complex than anything anyone else was doing at the time and if it hadn’t been the 80s, he could have main evented regularly.
Joe: Jake was one of the most over superstars in the entire WWF during that late 80s/early 90s period. Jake is yet another guy who wasn’t able to be WWF Champion because of Hogan. Snake Man’s career can be be summed up with one anecdote: On Jake’s interview segment, The Snake Pit, he was supposed to start a feud with Hulk Hogan. He gave Hogan the DDT and the plan was for the crowd to cheer for the Hulkster to rise and whoop Jake’s ass, but the crowd started chanting “DDT! DDT! DDT!” Jake, being the brilliant wrestling mind he was, knew immediately they had to back away from the angle. Hogan of course covers his ass and says he told Vince they just didn't have the chemistry in the ring, but really everybody knew Jake was the man.
18. Triple H
Jimmy: He kind of makes it this high by default for having such a long, successful career despite never being the best worker or best talker or most charismatic performer at any moment during his long run at the top of the card. The amount of time he spent at the top is a testament to both his hard work and backstage politicking prowess. I can’t think of him having any legendary, career defining feuds or promos that set him apart from other people or weren’t due in large part to Mick Foley killing himself to get him over, but he has always been dependable and can be counted on to run with the title and not fuck it up.
Joe: Aitches makes it by default since he’s been World Champion 13 times. While he is one of my favorites, I will remember HHH more as the guy who used his relationship with the boss’s daughter to hold people down rather than as a great worker. Trips can hold his own with good people though. He has had Motorhead record three manly theme songs for him, making him the man in my book. His triple threat match against Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit at WrestleMania XX is often talked about as being the greatest triple threat match of all time, with Trips actually doing the job and making Benoit look good. Sadly, WWE will overrate his work since he’s the heir to Vince McMahon’s throne.
17. “Superstar” Billy Graham
Joe: The image of the jacked, blonde, super charismatic star emerged with Billy Graham in the 70s. Guys like Hulk Hogan, Scott Steiner, Jesse Ventura, and Triple H would never exist without the Superstar. The whole referring to the arms as “pythons” that Hulk Hogan did came from Billy Graham. Superstar was a bad guy but people loved him, something that - as his WWE DVD title points out - was 20 years too soon. Steroid abuse has destroyed his body, leaving him with numerous hip and ankle replacements, and he is currently dying of Hepatitis C-. He was a star at a time when the world wasn’t ready for a character like his and he sold out Madison Square Garden as a headliner 19 of 20 times. He paved the way for Hulkamania and ultimately the growth of the business.
Jimmy: The man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be sour Superstar Billy Graham was the heel template from the 1970s that was used to make Hulkamania happen. He had the look, swagger and charisma. He wasn’t a great worker, but he could cut a mean promo and he set the example for how a wrestling star was expected to look. There is no Hogan, Scott Steiner, Triple H, Lex Luger or a lot of others without him. If his run wasn’t so short and he didn’t ruin himself on roids and drugs, he could have been top 5 in the history of the sport.
16. Terry Funk
Jimmy: Terry Funk has been an instrumental force over like 5 decades in pro wrestling, from a grappling based pro in the 70s and 80s to a hardcore legend in ECW from the 90s to his status today as an icon. The Funker had a great feud with Flair in NWA and his bloodsoaked displays of brutality with Mick Foley are gruesome by any standard of measurement. His promos were great and his ability to entertain even as he has turned into an elderly cripple are to be commended.
Joe: The Funker has had a strange career. He was a terrific wrestler for years and years, working great matches with guys like Ric Flair. Their “I Quit” match is a classic As he got older, he changed it up from regular wrestling to brutal, hardcore wrestling. He did amazing work in ECW, winning their world championship on their first pay per view. He also worked one of the most grotesque matches in history in a barbed wire rope match with Sabu. While in Japan, he fought Mick Foley in an exploding ring, C4 explosive, barbed wire match as well. In 2006 Funk and Foley reprised their feud to build up the ECW One Night Stand pay per view and it was easily the best thing in wrestling that year.
That’s it for now. Tomorrow there hopefully will be another instalment.
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