Just wondering. Which wrestlers were hardcore before ECW made hardcore wrestling famous?
I know the original Sheik, Abdullah The Butcher, the Vachon Brothers, Blackjack Mulligan, and the Funk's are largely considered this (because of how bloody most of their matches were) but is there anyone else anybody here can think of that would fit?
"Life ain't nothin' but bitches and money" - Ice Cube
Just wondering. Which wrestlers were hardcore before ECW made hardcore wrestling famous?
I know the original Sheik, Abdullah The Butcher, the Vachon Brothers, Blackjack Mulligan, and the Funk's are largely considered this (because of how bloody most of their matches were) but is there anyone else anybody here can think of that would fit?
it really depends on what you're thinking of when you say "hardcore."
Randy Savage piledrove Ricky Morton through a table in 1985. early hardcore? that's four years before Funk did it to Flair, and Flair didn't even go through the table when Funk did it.
Killer Kowalski kneedropped Yukon Eric in the 60's and ripped his ear off. pretty hardcore. . .
Vader in Japan and especially his first two years in WCW.
Great Kabuki and his "son" Muta (props to SoM).
Atsushi Onita and his FMW pretty much developed the style that ECW later adopted.
It really does depend on what you're really calling hardcore. How about Greg 'the Hammer' Valentine and Piper's dog collar match? That was pretty bloody and used a chain as a weapon. There were plenty of old school gimmick matches that might be considered hardcore. One Texas promotion had scaffold matches. I think Foley even talks about it in his first book.
whomod said: I generally don't like it when people decide to play by the rules against people who don't play by the rules. It tends to put you immediately at a disadvantage and IMO is a sign of true weakness. This is true both in politics and on the internet."
It really does depend on what you're really calling hardcore. How about Greg 'the Hammer' Valentine and Piper's dog collar match? That was pretty bloody and used a chain as a weapon. There were plenty of old school gimmick matches that might be considered hardcore. One Texas promotion had scaffold matches. I think Foley even talks about it in his first book.
You, SoM, and Grimm pretty much summed up what I was thinking of. The gimmick matches, really bloody matches and the names most synonymous with them.
Thanks for the info provided so far. I only got to see some of the northeastern promotions around my area growing up as a kid and was wondering about the wrestlers from promotions outside of my area and abroad (like in Japan and Mexico) I didn't know of.
"Life ain't nothin' but bitches and money" - Ice Cube
If I remember correctly, Junkyard Dog did some dog collar and street fight matches when he was with Mid-South. The famous Flair/Harley Race cage match at the first Starcade is pretty bloody too.
whomod said: I generally don't like it when people decide to play by the rules against people who don't play by the rules. It tends to put you immediately at a disadvantage and IMO is a sign of true weakness. This is true both in politics and on the internet."
Sikk doesn't seem to understand that WWF wasn't the only game in town in the 80's. The territory system was still well in place.
whomod said: I generally don't like it when people decide to play by the rules against people who don't play by the rules. It tends to put you immediately at a disadvantage and IMO is a sign of true weakness. This is true both in politics and on the internet."
Anyone who grew up in the 80's (like myself) knows that. Heck, my Dad used to drive me out to Detroit and Buffalo to catch some matches when some of his favourites were performing.
We also had Grand Prix and Maple Leaf Wrestling here locally around Toronto, too.
"Life ain't nothin' but bitches and money" - Ice Cube
It really does depend on what you're really calling hardcore. How about Greg 'the Hammer' Valentine and Piper's dog collar match? That was pretty bloody and used a chain as a weapon.
Valentine permanently damaged Piper's hearing in one of his ears.
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There were plenty of old school gimmick matches that might be considered hardcore. One Texas promotion had scaffold matches. I think Foley even talks about it in his first book.
those were the last days of World Class, Fritz Von Erich's promotion, right before they joined up with Lawler to create the USWA, which ran both in Memphis and in Texas for a while, before becoming Memphis only and finally dying off in the mid'90's.
Dusty did a lot of violent matches that could fall into hardcore territory, including the first blood matches with Tully.
Most people(myself included) think of the fat tub of guts Dusty. Vince really ruined his image with the polka dot thing. Even when he returned to WCW his image in my mind and most really never recovered.
Pre-polka dot he was an ass kicker. Lots of ultra violent matches.
Most people(myself included) think of the fat tub of guts Dusty. Vince really ruined his image with the polka dot thing. Even when he returned to WCW his image in my mind and most really never recovered.
Pre-polka dot he was an ass kicker. Lots of ultra violent matches.
I get what you are saying, but I disagree. His stint in the WWF was pretty much the end of his run as a full time wrestler so I think that being his swansong (more or less) leaves us feeling sour about it more than anything. Personally, I feel his WWF run was great in that it proved the point that Vince couldn't bury Dusty as easily as he thought he could. It was a shit gimmick, but Dusty ran with it and got it over.
Most people(myself included) think of the fat tub of guts Dusty. Vince really ruined his image with the polka dot thing. Even when he returned to WCW his image in my mind and most really never recovered.
Pre-polka dot he was an ass kicker. Lots of ultra violent matches.
I get what you are saying, but I disagree. His stint in the WWF was pretty much the end of his run as a full time wrestler so I think that being his swansong (more or less) leaves us feeling sour about it more than anything. Personally, I feel his WWF run was great in that it proved the point that Vince couldn't bury Dusty as easily as he thought he could. It was a shit gimmick, but Dusty ran with it and got it over.
Dusty was over with it for sure. He did run with it, but it wasn't with the image of the ass kicker he used to be. I'll guarantee he is more remembered by the masses as that guy and not the boot and jeans ass whipper.
I don't know, man. I think it all depends on where you lived. I know a lot of the fans in the South still remembered and loved Dusty from his times in Florida and Georgia, despite the polka dots.
I remember a WWF house show in late 89 in Pensacola where Dusty and Boss Man headlined (and this was on a show where Hogan defended the belt!) and Dusty got the loudest pop of the night. there was an old woman sitting behind me who came alive when Dusty's music hit, she was jumping up and down and screaming his name. you could tell she'd been a fan for years.
I remember a WWF house show in late 89 in Pensacola where Dusty and Boss Man headlined (and this was on a show where Hogan defended the belt!) and Dusty got the loudest pop of the night. there was an old woman sitting behind me who came alive when Dusty's music hit, she was jumping up and down and screaming his name. you could tell she'd been a fan for years.
I was in Pensacola in '88. I couldn't believe all the endorsement deals Dusty had down there he was on car dealership commercials, credit unions and I think he was appearing at a restaurant opening too.
I remember a WWF house show in late 89 in Pensacola where Dusty and Boss Man headlined (and this was on a show where Hogan defended the belt!) and Dusty got the loudest pop of the night. there was an old woman sitting behind me who came alive when Dusty's music hit, she was jumping up and down and screaming his name. you could tell she'd been a fan for years.
I was in Pensacola in '88. I couldn't believe all the endorsement deals Dusty had down there he was on car dealership commercials, credit unions and I think he was appearing at a restaurant opening too.
HUGE in florida! (and everywhere else! heyooo!!!!!)
