So, I figured I’d try and put together a list of wrestlers from the 70s and 80s. Sounded like a bit of fun, you know, a quick trip down memory lane. I thought, how hard could it be? You just jot down the big names, right?
I started off, easy peasy. Hulk Hogan, of course. Then Andre the Giant, Randy “Macho Man” Savage, Ric Flair. The usual suspects. Felt like I’d knock this out in an hour, tops. But then, my brain started ticking. Wait a minute. What about the tag teams? The Road Warriors, The Hart Foundation, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express. And then it hit me – this wasn’t just about the WWF, or WWE as they call it now. You had the NWA, AWA, all those territories. Japanese guys who came over. Suddenly, this “quick list” started looking like a monster.
This Whole Thing Blew Up
You know, it reminded me of something that happened a while back. I was clearing out my garage, found this old box of my kid’s school projects. Just a dusty old cardboard box. Thought I’d just glance through it, toss most of it, maybe keep one or two cute things. An hour’s job, I figured. Well, let me tell you. I opened that thing up, and it was like a time capsule exploded. Report cards I forgot existed, weird clay sculptures, stories written in crayon that made no sense but were somehow hilarious. Then I found another box tucked behind it, and another. What I thought was a quick tidy-up turned into a whole weekend affair. I was knee-deep in glitter and dried pasta art, getting all sentimental and sidetracked. It was a bigger job than I bargained for, and frankly, a bit overwhelming trying to decide what to keep. Nothing was organized, just a jumble.
And that’s exactly what this wrestler list started feeling like. It wasn’t just one neat category. It was this sprawling universe of characters, promotions, and eras all bleeding into each other. Trying to remember everyone, and where they fit, it felt like trying to sort that mess in the garage. You pull one name out, and it reminds you of three others, and then a feud, and then a manager, and suddenly you’re down a rabbit hole.
Getting Down to Brass Tacks
So, I had to get a bit more methodical. I grabbed a notepad – yeah, actual paper – and started trying to make some sense of it. I figured I had to break it down, or I’d be here forever.
- First, I jotted down the WWF main eventers and prominent mid-card guys from both decades. That was still a hefty list.
- Then, I moved onto the NWA/Jim Crockett Promotions guys. Flair, Dusty, the Horsemen, all those cats.
- Couldn’t forget the AWA. So many legends came through there, guys like Verne Gagne himself, Nick Bockwinkel, Curt Hennig.
- Tag Teams needed their own section. Man, the 80s were the golden age for tag teams.
- And you absolutely have to include the managers! Bobby Heenan, Jimmy Hart, Lou Albano, Grand Wizard – these guys were as big as the wrestlers sometimes.
- I even tried to remember some of the key international stars who made an impact in the US, or were huge in their own right, like some of the Japanese legends.
It turned into a real project. I was wracking my brain, trying to picture old TV guides and magazine covers. It’s funny what you remember and what you forget. Some names popped right out, others took some serious digging in the mental archives. I probably still missed a bunch. Someone’s always gonna say, “Hey, you forgot about this guy!” And they’re probably right.
But it was a pretty cool exercise. The list got way longer than I first imagined. It really makes you appreciate how much talent was around back then. It wasn’t just a handful of top guys; the rosters were deep. A different time, for sure.
