Top Ten Most Popular Pro Wrestlers of the 1980s
Terry Gene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American professional wrestler, actor, television personality, entrepreneur and rock bassist. How great and popular was Hogan in the 80s? Hogan fought great wrestlers at Wrestling's biggest event WrestleMania. and while his body slam and victory over Andre The Giant at WrestleMania was news worthy, I chose the previous WrestleMania against King Kong Bundy in the only steel cage Main Event in WrestleMania History. Playing hurt with those ribs and his popularity second to none and with guest ring announcer Tommy Lasorda watching, Hogan showed the heart of a champion by power slamming Bundy, escaping the cage and into wrestling lore, that's the stuff of legends.
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Richard Morgan "Ric" Fliehr, better known by his ring name Ric Flair, is a professional wrestling manager and American retired professional wrestler currently signed to the WWE under a legends appearance contract.
André René Roussimoff, known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. André He most famously feuded with Hulk Hogan, culminating at WrestleMania III, and his best-remembered film role was that of Fezzik, the giant in The Princess Bride. His size was a result of gigantism caused by excess growth hormone, which later resulted in acromegaly. It also led to him being called "The Eighth Wonder of the World". In 2014, he was named the ninth tallest professional wrestler in history. ...read more. Before they we're the Big Show, there was him Andre the Giant. Before 1987, Andre was larger than life. He was so important that Sports Illustrated did an article on him in December, 1981. It was at the time, the longest article for an athlete in Sports Illustrated history. Andre fought against the likes of King Kong Bundy, Black Jack Mulligan, and the biggest of them all Big John Studd and this rivalry of the giants would feature the $15,000 slam match in which Andre won the match and cash. True giant.
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Randy Mario Poffo, better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler and color commentator best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation and later the World Championship Wrestling.
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr., better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, was an American professional wrestler, booker, and trainer who most notably worked for the National Wrestling Alliance, Jim Crockett Promotions, and the World Wrestling Federation, later known as the WWE. Dusty, one name that pro wrestling fans will never forget this decade. a 3-time Pro Wrestling Illustrated Most Popular Wrestler of the Year including 1 from 1987, a 1980 best babyface award from Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Dusty cemented his popularity with his famed HARD TIMES promo from the October 1985 episode of Mid atlantic Wrestling. His feud with Ric Flair throughout the 80s also put Dusty on top of the all time great wrestlers. The American Dream
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Warrior was an American professional wrestler, who most famously wrestled under the ring name The Ultimate Warrior for the World Wrestling Federation from 1987 to 1991 and again in 1992 and 1996. During his 1998 stint in World Championship Wrestling, he was known as The Warrior. Sure he was the Ultimate Maniac As Jesse "The Body" Ventura said, but you can't deny his place in wrestling history. From the time he debut in the W W E in June, 1987, we knew we we're watching a star rising as he blew by the likes of The Brooklyn Brawler, Barry Horowitz, Iron Mike Sharpe and so many others. Then he beat the real big boys like Hercules, Dino Bravo and then it was Summer Slam 1988 where he beat The Honky Tonk Man to become the Intercontinental champion, an honor he would do it again at Summer Slam 1989, and became a legend.
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Roderick George "Roddy" Toombs, better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, was a Canadian professional wrestler and actor.
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase Sr. is an American former professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. Yes Ted was a hated man throughout this decade, BUT Ted was also popular. In Georgia Championship Wrestling. he overcame injuries to fight like a warrior, and even in Bill Watts' UWF he was a popular figure and a great student of the game and a great commentator too. Today Ted is a popular figure as a Christian Minister. Ted truly a family man and a legend.
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Richard Henry Blood Sr., better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is an American retired professional wrestler. What made Steamboat a wrestling legend is that he NEVER in his career turn his back on his fans.He let the matches do the talking and what matches they we're. One of which took place in front of 93,173 fans at WrestleMania III in which he pinned Randy "Macho Man" Savage to win the Intercontinental Championship in what Pro Wrestling Illustrated called it the Match of the Year in 1987, he made the Match of the Year again in 1989, when he took on Ric Flair at WresleWar '89. Steamboat, a pure wrestling legend.
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Not only a popular superstar that decade, but the most athletic member of the Von Erichs. The saddest about his wrestling career is very simple What If?
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Harley Leland Race (April 11, 1943 – August 1, 2019) was an American professional wrestler, promoter, and trainer.
Kerry Gene Adkisson was an American professional wrestler under the ring names Kerry Von Erich, The Modern Day Warrior and The Texas Tornado. No doubt about the Modern Day Warrior. But what I remember about him. The day Pro wrestling got together at the home of the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Stadium. May 6, 1984 at the event called the David Von Erich Memorial parade of Champions before what that announcer Marc Lowrance calls the largest wrestling attendance in pro wrestling history (50,123). The main event was for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship with Kerry as the challenger and Ric Flair as the Champion. After 11 minutes and 24 seconds of action, it was Kerry that won the Championship and did it for his fallen brother David Von Erich.
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Merced Solis is a Mexican-American semi-retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Tito Santana. Jesse Ventura may call him CHICO, but wrestlers know who Tito is, a champion and a goodwill ambassador to the WWE and heck he was a cartoon character in Hulk Hogan's Rock N Wrestling. ARRIBA!
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Robert Remus, better known by his ring name of Sgt. Slaughter, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler currently signed with the WWE in the ambassador program. Who would you think in your wildest dreams back in 1980 that Sgt. Slaughter would be a popular star. Fast forward to 1984 he became part of America, and part of us. When the AWA was beginning to fade, Slaughter joined that Wrestling league and did his best to face against the WWE. But Slaughter did acheive greatness in both the WWE and the AWA (American Wrestling Association) beating Col. Debeers and The Iron Sheik in legendary boot camp matches to become a legend.
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He overcame racism and color to become a wrestling legend, he shined in Mid South Wrestling and feuded with Ted Dibiase and he even donned the mask and became Stagger Lee. He was known for his big head butt and upper body strength enough power to body slam King Kong Bundy, The One Man Gang and even Kamala. He drew large crowds in the South including the New Orleans Saints' home in the Super Dome. He won the Mid South North American Heavyweight Title 4 times and then shined in the World Wrestling Federation.
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One of the reasons I love about Hacksaw Jim Duggan is that he's a blue collar American Hero who happened to come at the right place at the right time, a time when the Berlin Wall came tumbling down, Duggan delivered American fans with his never say die approach and brought fans on their feet and his rivalry with Nikolai Volkoff was one of the hottest during the Spring and early Summer of 1987, he came also at a time when Hulkamania was slowly starting to fade, and Duggan took advance and became one of Pro Wrestling's best superstars, HOOOOO!
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Pedro Antonio Morales was a Puerto Rican retired professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances in the United States with Worldwide Wrestling Associates and the World Wide Wrestling Federation.
Robert Louis Backlund is an American retired professional wrestler with an in-ring career spanning over 30 years, best known for his tenures in the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation, where he is a two-time WWWF/WWF Heavyweight Champion/WWF World Heavyweight Champion, as well as being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.
William James "Jim" Myers, better known by his ring name George "The Animal" Steele, was a former American professional wrestler, author and actor.
