Wrestlers you never realized were around so long.

[747]

It's kind of difficult to explain what I'm looking for in this thread. I suppose it's listing guys who were around in a promotion for a longer amount of time than you would otherwise associate with them. For example, the Bushwhackers lasted until 1996 in the WWF, but that's probably something many people forget. Another example, is Curt Henning lasting in the WWF (albeit out of the ring) until late 1995 or early 1996.

It might be a little confusing so I'll try to explain a little better if anyone has any questions.

[Deleted]

Not really the same type of thing, but it was weird to find out that Al Snow has been wrestling since 1982. He just never got a real break until 1995.

[Junkenstein]

I always forget that Vader stuck around so long in the WWF, till like October of '98. The last thing I remember him doing was the infamous "I'm a big fat piece of shit" promo, for all the wrong reasons.

[A damn road sign]

Rikishi coming out at the 2000(?) Royal Rumble and JR saying something like "Rikishi's been in more Royal Rumble's than anybody else in this match, he's been in 8." At the time I was like "Whaaaaaaa?", as I never knew of Fatu and all that came before Rikishi came to be.

[Steveweiser]

Was surprised to see Bruno Sammartino wrestling in the WWF well into the late 80s.

[sawcesome]

I'm always surprised by just how long Christopher Daniels has been around.

[Mr. Medium Shot]

D-Lo Brown lasting until 2003 in WWE surprises me. As does Billy Gunn sticking around until late 2004. Steve Blackman was off TV by mid-2001, but was under contract until October 2002.

[BlackoutCreature]

Most younger fans know of Dick "The Destroyer" Beyer as that old guy in a mask who the WWE interviews when they talk about Gorgeous George. He of course started in the early 1950's and peaked in the 60's. It shocked me when I recently discovered he had worked matches for the WWF during the early Hulkamania days when he would've been in his mid-50's. Not only would I have expected him to long since be retired by then, but he must've seemed so out of place then and there as well.

[skulldouggory]

Jan 7, 2012 18:35:35 GMT -5 A damn road sign said:

Rikishi coming out at the 2000(?) Royal Rumble and JR saying something like "Rikishi's been in more Royal Rumble's than anybody else in this match, he's been in 8." At the time I was like "Whaaaaaaa?", as I never knew of Fatu and all that came before Rikishi came to be.

The thing about that that is suprising is that he was still under contract but not on tv from 97-late 99, so anybody would of thought he was released.

[Evilution E5150]

for me it was finding out about Shane Douglas' early WWF run

that certainly confused me because i though Dean Douglas was his only WWF stint which lead to all the bitterness

["Playboy" Don Douglas]

A little different, but when Bunkhouse Buck and Col. Robert Parker showed up in WCW, I was thinking, "Here's a couple of new guys," and my dad says, "Ah hell, that's Jimmy Golden and Robert Fuller. I used to go to shows around here and watch them wrestle all the time. That was before you were born."

[Hassan bin Sober]

First let me state that I was one of these people who believed the Ultimate Warrior had died.

When Warrior showed up in WCW I just assumed it was a different guy from the original that WCW had come up with. Later I stumbled upon a copy of WWF In Your House for the PS1. I was shocked to see that the Warrior had been in the WWF so recently as I thought of him as an 80s guy even though he didn't really hit his stride until the 90s..

[bitteroldman]

Greg valentine broke into the business back in 1970 (as a kayfabe Fargo brother) and then bounced between the NWA/WCW and WWF until his last regular appearance in 1994 at the Royal Rumble. He then returned to the independent circuit while doing occasional shots with WCW and was a part of the "Heroes of Wrestling" debacle. He cut back on apperances after 2000 but still did an occasional show including a 2007 appearance at Juggalo Championship Wrestling where he re united with Brutus Beefcake to re form the Dream team.

Thats amazing to me, because Greg always looked like he was 40+ years old, even back in the '80's.

[johnnytightlips]

Sting

[baronmordo]

Greg was actually billed as his father Johnny's younger brother at one point early in his career, strangely enough.

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

Jan 7, 2012 18:53:54 GMT -5 sawcesome said:

I'm always surprised by just how long Christopher Daniels has been around.

[wildojinx]

Mr Fuji was in the WWF from the early 70s up until 1996.

[BlackoutCreature]

Jan 8, 2012 17:08:34 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

Mr Fuji was in the WWF from the early 70s up until 1996.

I remember him continuing to manage Yokozuna after he turned face up until shortly after WM12. You could always see him in the background of Yoko's matches (waving the American flag ), but they would almost never have the camera focus on him directly and commentary would barely acknowledge him being there.

[the Black Snow]

Jan 7, 2012 18:28:59 GMT -5 @kudohdriver said:

Not really the same type of thing, but it was weird to find out that Al Snow has been wrestling since 1982. He just never got a real break until 1995.

Wow that man has aged gracefully.

[zeez]

Jan 7, 2012 20:08:22 GMT -5 Evilution E5150 said:

for me it was finding out about Shane Douglas' early WWF run

that certainly confused me because i though Dean Douglas was his only WWF stint which lead to all the bitterness

I was watching the 1991 Royal Rumble the other day and when he showed up I was like "He was in the WWF back then?" It was cool to see though.