10 British Wrestlers Who Made A Profound Impact in America

[Joe Neglia]

I can't even pull up the original site link now, did they take it down?

[Dat Dude]

Kinda bummed, Saraya Knight didn't make it. She's such an awesome performer that gives back to so many younger wrestlers both in the UK and the US.

[Beav]

I'd also put Les Kellett on the list, considering he basically invented modern comedy wrestling.

[DjZonk]

Dynamite Kid should be at number one for the simple fact he made the biggest impact on American wrestling.

Paige at 5!? What the f*** is this shit?

[BlackoutCreature]

Sept 17, 2014 20:33:38 GMT -5 DjZonk said:

Dynamite Kid should be at number one for the simple fact he made the biggest impact on American wrestling.

I still disagree with this. Yes, he was one of the first wrestlers to work something similar to what we'd call a modern style, but after his WWF run ended in 1988 he pretty much disappeared from the American wrestling scene and is now little more then the answer to a trivia question. Davey Boy Smith meanwhile was one of the most high profile wrestlers of the 1990's, being involved in several central angles throughout the decade and main eventing several PPV's in both the WWF and WCW. I know it's an argument, but to me the guy who everybody remembers made the bigger impact then the guy people say "oh yeah, him" about.

[Macho Pichu]

Paige is still quite young (younger than me! I never thought I'd be saying that about a WWE star at age 23) and has plenty of time to earn herself a spot on a list like this. Magnus and Spud, though? Why?

[Ultimo Gallos]

Still shocked Adrian Street wasn't on the list. He had a huge impact over in the states. Sure most of it was in the southern territories.Even now him and his wife make lots of the ring gear for wrestlers in the deep south.

[DjZonk]

Sept 17, 2014 20:43:38 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

Sept 17, 2014 20:33:38 GMT -5 DjZonk said:

Dynamite Kid should be at number one for the simple fact he made the biggest impact on American wrestling.

I still disagree with this. Yes, he was one of the first wrestlers to work something similar to what we'd call a modern style, but after his WWF run ended in 1988 he pretty much disappeared from the American wrestling scene and is now little more then the answer to a trivia question. Davey Boy Smith meanwhile was one of the most high profile wrestlers of the 1990's, being involved in several central angles throughout the decade and main eventing several PPV's in both the WWF and WCW. I know it's an argument, but to me the guy who everybody remembers made the bigger impact then the guy people say "oh yeah, him" about.

That's like saying Rick Astley was more influential to modern music than Joni Mitchell.

Just because somebody is a more recognisable name to the shit munchers, doesn't make them more influential.

[BlackoutCreature]

Sept 18, 2014 0:52:20 GMT -5 DjZonk said:

Sept 17, 2014 20:43:38 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

I still disagree with this. Yes, he was one of the first wrestlers to work something similar to what we'd call a modern style, but after his WWF run ended in 1988 he pretty much disappeared from the American wrestling scene and is now little more then the answer to a trivia question. Davey Boy Smith meanwhile was one of the most high profile wrestlers of the 1990's, being involved in several central angles throughout the decade and main eventing several PPV's in both the WWF and WCW. I know it's an argument, but to me the guy who everybody remembers made the bigger impact then the guy people say "oh yeah, him" about.

That's like saying Rick Astley was more influential to modern music than Joni Mitchell.

Just because somebody is a more recognisable name to the shit munchers, doesn't make them more influential.

If you're not remembered for your influence then what kind of impact did you really make? Davey Boy Smith is well remembered, whereas Dynamite Kid is a footnote.

[berlynwright]

Barrett is the only relevant Brit nowadays

[Bad Moon]

I would put Finlay way higher considering how many people he trained over the years and how long he was a road agent for the E.

[________ has left the building]

Sept 18, 2014 1:07:19 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

Sept 18, 2014 0:52:20 GMT -5 DjZonk said:

That's like saying Rick Astley was more influential to modern music than Joni Mitchell.

Just because somebody is a more recognisable name to the shit munchers, doesn't make them more influential.

If you're not remembered for your influence then what kind of impact did you really make? Davey Boy Smith is well remembered, whereas Dynamite Kid is a footnote.

  Both are equally remembered. Davey Boy just wrestled in more mainstream promotions and in favor with WWE when it comes to commenting on his legacy. Dynamite Kid had a more lasting in ring effect because of his style. 

[TGM]

Did Adrian Street ever work in the US? I've seen archive footage of him and he's clearly a big influence on Ventura and the like. Even Goldust.

Sept 18, 2014 0:43:28 GMT -5 Ultimo Gallos said:

Still shocked Adrian Street wasn't on the list. He had a huge impact over in the states. Sure most of it was in the southern territories.Even now him and his wife make lots of the ring gear for wrestlers in the deep south.

Edit: should have read the whole thread.

[Joe Neglia]

Sept 18, 2014 10:30:06 GMT -5 TGM said:

Did Adrian Street ever work in the US? I've seen archive footage of him and he's clearly a big influence on Ventura and the like. Even Goldust.

Sept 18, 2014 0:43:28 GMT -5 Ultimo Gallos said:

Still shocked Adrian Street wasn't on the list. He had a huge impact over in the states. Sure most of it was in the southern territories.Even now him and his wife make lots of the ring gear for wrestlers in the deep south.

Edit: should have read the whole thread.

Yeah, Street had a lot of impact and influence Stateside. While others came before him, he took the "exotic" gimmick further than anyone before. Was part of one of the very first "gay" angles after kissing a shocked Terry Taylor and pinning him for the Mid-South TV title. His valet Miss Linda was a prototype for Jacquelyn, Chyna and numerous other valets who would get physically involved in their male charge's matches and fight the guys. And then there's the music and music videos.

If I had to make this list, without including any of the guys whose influence was only felt from across the pond (Rocco, Big Daddy, etc), I'd go something like:

1. Dynamite Kid
2. Billy Robinson
3. William Regal
4. Adrian Street
5. Davey Boy Smith
6. Les Thornton
7. Chris Adams
8. Fit Finlay (a grey-area pick, given the sometimes-touchy subject of Northern Ireland, and I'm admittedly too ignorant - and it's not this board's place - to get into that)
9. Norman Smiley
10. Lord Alfred Hayes

[TGM]

Sept 18, 2014 10:51:21 GMT -5 Joe Neglia said:

Sept 18, 2014 10:30:06 GMT -5 TGM said:

Did Adrian Street ever work in the US? I've seen archive footage of him and he's clearly a big influence on Ventura and the like. Even Goldust.
Edit: should have read the whole thread.

Yeah, Street had a lot of impact and influence Stateside. While others came before him, he took the "exotic" gimmick further than anyone before. Was part of one of the very first "gay" angles after kissing a shocked Terry Taylor and pinning him for the Mid-South TV title. His valet Miss Linda was a prototype for Jacquelyn, Chyna and numerous other valets who would get physically involved in their male charge's matches and fight the guys. And then there's the music and music videos.

If I had to make this list, without including any of the guys whose influence was only felt from across the pond (Rocco, Big Daddy, etc), I'd go something like:

1. Dynamite Kid
2. Billy Robinson
3. William Regal
4. Adrian Street
5. Davey Boy Smith
6. Les Thornton
7. Chris Adams
8. Fit Finlay (a grey-area pick, given the sometimes-touchy subject of Northern Ireland, and I'm admittedly too ignorant - and it's not this board's place - to get into that)
9. Norman Smiley
10. Lord Alfred Hayes

It's a big shame Smiley will be remembered more for his late WCW run and not training a number of big future WWE stars.

[RowdyRobbyPiper]

Sept 18, 2014 0:52:20 GMT -5 DjZonk said:

Sept 17, 2014 20:43:38 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

I still disagree with this. Yes, he was one of the first wrestlers to work something similar to what we'd call a modern style, but after his WWF run ended in 1988 he pretty much disappeared from the American wrestling scene and is now little more then the answer to a trivia question. Davey Boy Smith meanwhile was one of the most high profile wrestlers of the 1990's, being involved in several central angles throughout the decade and main eventing several PPV's in both the WWF and WCW. I know it's an argument, but to me the guy who everybody remembers made the bigger impact then the guy people say "oh yeah, him" about.

That's like saying Rick Astley was more influential to modern music than Joni Mitchell.

Just because somebody is a more recognisable name to the shit munchers, doesn't make them more influential.

Velvet Underground sold squat in the 60's, yet they were one of that decade's most influential rock bands. The joke is that VU only sold 5000 records, but everyone that bought their records went out and formed bands and became rock stars. I.e. David Bowie, REM. The same thing with Dynamite Kid. His career was, for all intents and purposes, finished when the Bulldogs split in 1989. But despite Davey ripping off the name and making a nice living in both WWE and WCW, Dynamite was the guy that the really top notch workers tried to emulate whether it was a Benoit or a Danielson. Bret Hart, when he's not in Mark mode, calls Dynamite the greatest wrestler ever. What more does one need to be convinced that Dynamite was the most influential wrestler of his generation? (Let alone most influential British wrestler?)

[Crappler El 0 M]

Rockstar Spud over Layla?

Fit Finlay at next to last below Doug Williams, Magnus, and Chris Adams? Finlay had a good run in WCW during the Monday Night War boom period and also had a very good run in WWE on SmackDown in the 2000s. Chris Adams did have a nice run in World Class, but I wouldn't put him above Finlay. If we are talking impact on America, I think the fact that Finlay worked the top two promotions during the 1990s and 2000s should put him ahead of those whose biggest U.S. exposure was in TNA.

[________ has left the building]

Sept 18, 2014 10:56:42 GMT -5 TGM said:

Sept 18, 2014 10:51:21 GMT -5 Joe Neglia said:

Yeah, Street had a lot of impact and influence Stateside. While others came before him, he took the "exotic" gimmick further than anyone before. Was part of one of the very first "gay" angles after kissing a shocked Terry Taylor and pinning him for the Mid-South TV title. His valet Miss Linda was a prototype for Jacquelyn, Chyna and numerous other valets who would get physically involved in their male charge's matches and fight the guys. And then there's the music and music videos.

If I had to make this list, without including any of the guys whose influence was only felt from across the pond (Rocco, Big Daddy, etc), I'd go something like:

1. Dynamite Kid
2. Billy Robinson
3. William Regal
4. Adrian Street
5. Davey Boy Smith
6. Les Thornton
7. Chris Adams
8. Fit Finlay (a grey-area pick, given the sometimes-touchy subject of Northern Ireland, and I'm admittedly too ignorant - and it's not this board's place - to get into that)
9. Norman Smiley
10. Lord Alfred Hayes

It's a big shame Smiley will be remembered more for his late WCW run and not training a number of big future WWE stars.

Moreso folks who don't know about his Mexico run as Black Magic and UWFI stint.

[TGM]

Sept 18, 2014 14:46:25 GMT -5 ________ has left the building said:

Sept 18, 2014 10:56:42 GMT -5 TGM said:

It's a big shame Smiley will be remembered more for his late WCW run and not training a number of big future WWE stars.

Moreso folks who don't know about his Mexico run as Black Magic and UWFI stint.

Who is The Good Man for ten points.

[Talent Name]

Why isn't Johnny Saint on that list