|
Post by Clash, Never a Meter Maid on Aug 29, 2022 11:36:07 GMT -5
I’ll come out of left field and say much of the 2000s OVW class would have run roughshod in the 80’s.
Lesnar could be a Bruiser Brody type anywhere he went, and Batista would be a massive draw as heel or face. Cena has basic all-American appeal and can work with a variety of opponent types so he’d be money chasing a Ric Flair or Bockwinkel. Orton is tailor made for NWA style wrestling. Especially the later years crazier Randy. Miz would be a Gino Hernandez-ish heat magnet.
|
|
|
Post by government mule on Aug 29, 2022 14:18:05 GMT -5
Vader
|
|
lucas_lee
Hank Scorpio
Heel turn is finished, now stripping away my personality
Posts: 6,707
|
Post by lucas_lee on Aug 29, 2022 14:31:28 GMT -5
Scott Hall/ Razor Ramon he was a masterclass in charisma and showcased that when he was in ECW for a second.
SID Vicious/ Justice was just stupidly over for destroying people.
WALTER would make it as a bruising brawler in any era. Him vs Snuka wouldve been interesting.
Mick Foley is someone who could've been in the 80s and stuck it iut.
|
|
krozor
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,361
|
Post by krozor on Aug 29, 2022 14:55:45 GMT -5
Hard agree on Cena as a star in any era. Obviously he could have been a pre-national expansion beloved face, but also could have played the arrogant heel of that era, too. I also could easily see someone asking young Cena to play an evil Russian heel and him just owning it. Young heel Cena would have been over in the Attitude era that he just missed, too.
Orndorff is a good one. I don't know about Attitude Era for him, but any other era and he'd be way over today.
I'd argue that even physically diminished Austin is a star in any era. If he's healthy, it's not a question, but Austin grew up watching and loving babyface wrestlers as a kid and, if you give him his hair, at least, would totally know how to work smartly as a powerful face type that sold out arenas from Bruno up through Hogan, but could and did basically work as a Flair type as well, and he'd be insanely over today even only being able to work his post-neck style.
Foley would have been over as a monster heel at any time in wrestling history, and would be a big star today as his heel or face characters or switching freely among them.
Jake Roberts, if he's clean, gets over in any era, face or heel, ideally face who slowly turns heel. Plug a young, clean (in theory) Jake Roberts into AEW or WWE today and he's instantly a guy everyone wants to be the top guy.
Dax Harwood gets a job at any point in wrestling history. Keith Lee in the rock 'n wrestling era would have been huge.
|
|
|
Post by David-Arquette was in WCW 2000 on Aug 29, 2022 17:12:19 GMT -5
Mike Awesome. The guy's size and style worked throughout the 90s, would have easily worked earlier. Like, he'd have been an absolute monster in 80s NWA. I think he'd carve out a pretty good career in contemporary times too, despite other guys with the 'heavyweight but agile like a cruiserweight' style.
|
|
XIII
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Posts: 18,532
Member is Online
|
Post by XIII on Aug 29, 2022 17:23:55 GMT -5
Scott Steiner. Back in the day he could have played up his all American wrestling skills at Michigan, Poppa Pump for more modern times.
|
|
|
Post by canceled4truth on Aug 29, 2022 17:25:33 GMT -5
Basically any athletic big man. Samoa Joe, Lashley, Vader, Brock Lesnar, Umaga, Keith Lee, Bam Bam, WALTER/Gunther; I can't think of an era where any of those guys wouldn't have at least been an upper-midcarder.
|
|
|
Post by Mighty Attack Tribble on Sept 1, 2022 2:06:31 GMT -5
Others you would think might be slam dunks, but I'd argue aren't. Austin and Rock both definitely know how to work, but they're entertainers first and wrestlers second, if that makes any sense. Austin maybe wasn't before his neck injury, but definitely was after it. They were perfect for their time, but if they were debuting today I can't see them reaching the vaunted status they have now. I don't think there's any era where Rock wouldn't be able to talk people into any arena in the world. While no ring general, he could hang with the best of his era when required to, and if his less-charismatic and only negligibly-better worker cousin can be the top star in the business today I don't see any reason why Rock couldn't.
|
|
JoDaNa1281
Crow T. Robot
Jackie Daytona, Regular Human Bartender. #BLM
Posts: 40,357
|
Post by JoDaNa1281 on Sept 1, 2022 2:35:17 GMT -5
Joe Doering, the big bruising cowboy, who just wrecks people.
|
|
Sam Punk
Hank Scorpio
Own Nothing, Be Happy
Posts: 6,304
|
Post by Sam Punk on Sept 1, 2022 2:37:02 GMT -5
Randy Savage
|
|
|
Post by TOK Hehe'd Around & Found Out on Sept 1, 2022 3:25:44 GMT -5
"Steve Austin wasn't really a wrestler and was a product of his time and wouldn't get over otherwise" is nonsense, ESPECIALLY when you factor in the neck injury. This is a dude who was putting on clinics in 1991-1992 WCW with Steamboat and Eaton when he was only in the business for 3 years and was tagged as a can't-miss prospect, then he had a run at the top of ECW while making Mikey Whipwreck's career despite only being in the promotion for a few months, and then having one of the best fueds of all time both in and out of the ring with Best Hart, and then adjusting his style to the kick/punch brawling style (both due to his neck issues and that being what was over) while becoming the most over performer in the business, and then reinventing himself post-neck surgery to having classic matches with everyone from HHH to Jericho to Angle to Benoit
A 6'3", 230 pound college athlete who could talk his ass off and wrestle multiple styles excellently is exactly who would be a megastar in any situation
|
|
|
Post by Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) on Sept 1, 2022 10:09:56 GMT -5
Randy Orton- For a long time JBL would say if you built a wrestler from the ground up that’s what he would look like
Tall, lean, has a good look and when he’s interested can wrestle with damn near everyone. He wouldn’t look out of place with the big muscle head guys but he could also wrestle with guys smaller than him
|
|
thehottag
Don Corleone
We're here for one reason only: fame, fortune, & the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions!
Posts: 1,668
|
Post by thehottag on Sept 1, 2022 10:21:56 GMT -5
Brock Lesnar feels like the obvious answer.
|
|
XIII
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Posts: 18,532
Member is Online
|
Post by XIII on Sept 1, 2022 15:09:19 GMT -5
Ricky Steamboat. Dude might be even more well regarded if he was in his prime the last ten years or so.
|
|
Mozenrath
FANatic
Foppery and Whim
Speedy Speed Boy
Posts: 121,079
|
Post by Mozenrath on Sept 1, 2022 16:34:10 GMT -5
Brock Lesnar feels like the obvious answer. Basically, with I guess when the schedules got real insane in the '80s, given how much he hates travel, but that's more on him than anything about him not being a booker's dream, otherwise. The look, the size, plus he also is legitimately a grappler, so him getting shot on was not terribly likely.
|
|
Fundertaker
El Dandy
Hideo Kojima should direct every ending ever!
Posts: 8,927
|
Post by Fundertaker on Sept 1, 2022 16:37:55 GMT -5
Stan Hansen. Because he only needed 5 seconds to prove he was the baddest guy on the planet with the hardest hits.
|
|
|
Post by sportatorium on Sept 1, 2022 17:50:26 GMT -5
Bruiser Brody Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert Bret & Owen Hart Steve Austin CM Punk Kenny Omega Brock Lesnar Don Muraco Randy Orton Edge Sting (He has worked across multiple eras) Roman Reigns Chris Jericho
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2022 18:31:25 GMT -5
Cena would've worked in the 80s as a Superhero face like Hogan, in the Attitude Era as a more edgy Rapper/Thug character and obviously he excelled in the RA and PG eras.
|
|
bob
Salacious Crumb
The "other" Bob. FOC COURSE!
started the Madness Wars, Proudly the #1 Nana Hater on FAN
Posts: 78,362
|
Post by bob on Sept 1, 2022 18:39:50 GMT -5
The Undertaker, Jake Roberts, William Regal, Bam Bam Bigelow, Sting, Terry Funk, Ric Flair, Brock Lesnar, Batista, Andre the Giant, Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, The Million Dollar Man, The Rock, FTR, The Hardyz
|
|