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The 7 - Pro Wrestling - best wrestlers of the 90's
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HarleM HeAt
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#1 Posted on 25.3.02 1631.26
Reposted on: 25.3.09 1632.09
Based on entertainment of matches who wer the top 3 names of the 1990's. Catorgy going by main event level(World championship matches), midcard level(I-c, us title holders)
and tagteams. Base pinons on what you want but this thread is based purely on WRESTLING matches. Telling the story without words. For myslef personally i have to go with

Bret Hart-Stone cold tie-Austin is one of the best ever and reveloutionized the buisness later (0's but noone had four**** matches like bret hart. wither it be with owen, Micheals, Perfect, hell even his matches with diesel i rember being quite good. He might not have hit world mainsteam level of the likes of a HOgan, Rock or even Austin, but dammit he could have good match with anyone. Too bad half of his heyday was cartoonish wwf. To often he fough the Papa Shango's and Henrey Godwins.

Chirs Benoit_ Ever since ive seen wild Pegauses for japan to his wcw days(93) to ecw and beyond this man i smy all time favorite to watch. he mmay not have even reached midcard till later in the 90's but personally for me it doesnt matter.

Stiener Bros.(pre wwf)_watching Scott stiener betwween late 89 to 91 was a thing of beuty. Just the was his sty;le was. As JIm Ross would say unorithdox.
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EastCoastAvenger
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#2 Posted on 25.3.02 1651.05
Reposted on: 25.3.09 1651.22
Based on the matches that entertained me most:

1:Jushin Lyger-Still the world's greatest cruiserweight. His WAR with The Great Muta was not only great, but led eventually to the "Battle Lyger"/"Black Lyger" personas which were SCARY good. He flies, has an airtight ground game and is charismatic as anyone over here in the states. It's a crime he was never allowed to shine over here.

2:The Great Muta/Keiji Mutoh-the man was just amazing. So great in fact that even xenophobic WCW had to give the man his props and place him in their top card for a while. Then he went home to Japan and was bigger than Hogan was in America. His matches with Sting were always great, and his performance in BattleBowl kept me glued to the screen. When he won, I went nuts! As for his matches in Japan, his style changed (mostly as a result of retiring the Great Muta gimmick) to a more technical/shoot style and he got even better. Also, he made my favorite finisher of all time, the Shining Wizard!

3: The Undertaker-even when he was thrown in the ring with stiffs like Giant Gonzalez, he brought his best and pulled an okay match out of them. A decade of destruction. He's changed his offense up now from the dead guy outta control flier, to the shootfighting biker offense, but I still dig every match he's in.



You had already mentioned a pre-roid Scott Steiner and Chris Benoit, so I had to think of others, though those two are some faves too!
odessasteps
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#3 Posted on 25.3.02 1654.55
Reposted on: 25.3.09 1655.32

To shameless pimp, I wrote an article on just such a thing in the first issue of our magazine (still available - just email :>).

1. Misawa
2. Liger
3. Manami Toyota
4. micahels/hart
5. Mutoh

honorable mention -- mick, vader, benoit, austin, misterio
TheBucsFan
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#4 Posted on 25.3.02 1701.09
Reposted on: 25.3.09 1702.07
Bret Hart
Undertaker
Shawn Michaels
Steve Austin
Ric Flair


Also some guys who never hit it big who I think should have:
Owen Hart
Chris Benoit (in the 1990's remember)
Mr. Perfect/Curt Hennig
A Fan
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#5 Posted on 25.3.02 1751.48
Reposted on: 25.3.09 1756.48
Damn, this is a tough call. I have to factor who has been the most combative in the last ten years and who has done the most for wrestling.

1. Ric Flair. WOOOOOOOOOO!! I say this, because while Hogan was still boring in the early 90s, Ric has been on fire for an entire decade straight. Even after the way Bischoff pissed all over his legacy, Flair was able to entertain both inside and outside of the ring. He was the man you wanted to see beat, but you knew it had to be someone special to do it. He was/is the man. I have always said that Hogan made wrestling, but Flair made it legitimate.

2. Undertaker. Some would say the gimmic is what made Taker such a great wrestler. I agree. I also agree that Mark Callow made the character more interesting and intense than it had any right to be. He has put on solid matches since the day he arrived in the WWF. If it wasn't Taker, there would be no Kane, Austin, Foley and others. Taker has made these men famous, because he could click with just about anyone and make it a three star match. He maybe not what he was now, but he is still something to behold.

3. HBK/Bret Hart. Like Ying/Yang, they will always be together. They made most of the WWF in the 90s watchable for different reasons. Bret was the technical wrestler who like Flair made wrestling look real. Shawn put on a number of inovative matches and created the idea that small guys can hold the belt. Bret was great as champion, but he was about as exciting as water. HBK was a good wrestler, but he was a brillant performer. They carried the WWF on their backs during their dark days. Ironically, their last match together is still remembered today as the day, the WWF changed from New Generation to Attitude. That match alone will be remebered in the 90s more than any other match.

4. Stone Cold Steve Austin. Stunning Steve Ausin should have been stuck in mid-card hell for the rest of his life, but something happened. HHH's involvement at the MSG incident led to someone getting the King of the Ring. That person was Austin. Steve was a good performer in WCW, unfortuantly, Bischoff once again screwed that up. So, when he jumped to ECW, he found his niche. Austin put on great matches and even better shoot segments. Austin remade his character overnight and this took Vince's notice. Austin created the persona as the cool bad guy, someone you may hate, but respect and fear. HHH would use this gimmick as would many other heels years to come, because it doesn't get rid of a wrestler's heat. In fact, it gets you over. Austin had a ton of great matches in the WWF and when he got the WWF, he put on even better matches. Austin led the WWF Attitude to the forefront and helped destroy WCW and ECW. Without Austin, the WWF would still be in second place. While many would argue, Austin did not do it alone, DX, Foley, Taker, Kane and the amazing matches helped, it was Austin's character more people identified with and cared about.
5. Hollywood Hogan. I hate Hogan. I hate Hogan for a variety of reasons, but thats because despite all of the evil he has done to WCW and the fans, he is still someone we care about. Hogan made turning a mega face into a mega heel, cool. He put on some good matches with people, he was a customed to and made WCW money. Granted, his workrate sucked during this time, he was still entertaining and important.

A Fan- Still, really tough choices.
odessasteps
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#6 Posted on 25.3.02 1847.08
Reposted on: 25.3.09 1853.38

I love Flair, but the 1990s were not Flair's decade.

Apart from the Rumble win, Starrcade 93 and the Greenville Nitro, there was not a lot of great Flair moments. He was injured for long stretches of the decade and buried by Bischoff and Russo in WCW.

A decade really is a long time, consider Steve Austin:

-- Began in World Class, in the great Chris Adams feud
-- Dangerous Alliance in WCW
-- Hollywood Blonds in WCW
-- Superstar Steve Austin in ECW
-- The Ringmaster
-- Stone Cold

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#7 Posted on 25.3.02 1852.30
Reposted on: 25.3.09 1854.42
Most of who I would have picked have already been taken, but does that stop me from posting? Nah.

Steve Austin - Really picked it up towards the end of the decade (obviously), but was solid thoughout.

Jushin Liger - This guy just rocks, and was my favorite cruiserweight for a long time.

Shawn Michaels/Bret Hart - As A Fan pointed out, these two will always be thought of together. I would put Hart slightly ahead based on the fact that I found his tag team(s) more enjoyable.

Ric Flair - What can I say about him that hasn't already been said?

Mick Foley - King of the brawl. Loved him in WCW, haven't seen much of his Japan work, loved him in ECW, and rose to new heightsin the WWF.

The Undertaker - Like others have said, a good wrestler, with an (at times) silly gimmick, but usually entertaining.

Chris Benoit/Eddie Guerrero/Dean Malenko - From Japan to ECW to WCW, these guys entertained. I haven't seen any of their Mexican work, so I can't comment on that.

I also really liked Rick Rude, but he didn't wrestle the entire decade, so he doesn't make the list of the top 10. But then, you only asked for 3 anyway, so whatever.
Saruman
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#8 Posted on 25.3.02 1935.03
Reposted on: 25.3.09 1941.16
I'll chime in with:
1. Bret Hart.
2. Steve Austin.
3. Ric Flair. #3 for his being buried and age catching up to him at the end.
GodEatGod
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#9 Posted on 25.3.02 1936.24
Reposted on: 25.3.09 1942.28
God, I love listing...

Bret Hart/HBK - Wrestling's odd couple. The guys who hate each other and we love every second of it. As others said before, they are eternally linked.

Rey Misterio Jr. - Really doesn't get the credit he deserves for popularizing cruiserweights, highspots and lucha in WCW, bringing them into the mainstream and jumpstarting the only truly successful U.S. lightweight division there's ever been.

Benoit - Just Mr. Consistency. Guaranteed to have at least a good match, always, with no ego or crap to worry about.

Undertaker - Probably will go down as the best known, most dominant big man ever outside of Andre.

Sting/Vader - Carried early 90's WCW the way HBK/Bret carried mid-90's WWF.

Sean
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#10 Posted on 27.3.02 1352.08
Reposted on: 27.3.09 1359.04
Jumbo Tsuruta, Nobuhiko Takada, Jyushin Lyger, Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Vader, Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, Kenta Kobashi, Steve Austin, Ultimo Dragon, Chris Benoit, Juventud Guerrera, Terry Gordy

These are in no order, and do not include women.
SKLOKAZOID
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#11 Posted on 27.3.02 1440.44
Reposted on: 27.3.09 1442.12
1. Bret Hart - Without a doubt, the wrestler of the 90s. He was consistently great (until WCW ruined him) and was a great foundation for the WWF to build around till Steve Austin came around. Bret Hart had so many classic matches throughout this decade (Perfect, DBS, HBK, Austin, Owen) that it's really hard not to put him at the top.

2. Steve Austin - The 1990s can be summed up with the career of Steve Austin. He started off as "Stunning Steve" Austin and had classics with Ricky Steamboat and even Dustin Rhodes on WCW undercards, as well as became part of the greatest (yet short-lived) tag team of the 90s, the Hollywood Blondes. When he went to the WWF, though, all hell broke loose and he really made up for that period in 1995 where he did nothing.

3. Ric Flair - Despite being written like crap, Flair made the most out of WCW & the WWF in the 1990s and had a number great matches with Sting, Steamboat, Savage, and anyone else not named Hogan.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Shawn Michaels - Yeah, he's probably the best all-around exciting wrestler of the 90s, but he rubbed his ass in Vince's face and had stupid ugly 14-year-old girls wearing stupid berets, which caused much resentment from me. Plus, his babyface persona really sucked.

Sting - Sting summed up WCW in the 90s (the good aspects) and put on a number of matches that helped the WCW main event scene not totally suck. And, when he was pummeled down to the midcard, he put on some even better ones. Most notably teaming with Booker T against the Road Warriors in a really fun match at Uncensored '96.

Mick Foley had his fair share of good matches as well.

(edited by SKLOKAZOID on 27.3.02 1243)
DMC
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#12 Posted on 27.3.02 1521.32
Reposted on: 27.3.09 1521.36
"3. Ric Flair - Despite being written like crap, Flair made the most out of WCW & the WWF in the 1990s and had a number great matches with Sting, Steamboat, Savage, and anyone else not named Hogan."

Hey come on Hogan-vs. Flair (with Woman) was one of the best early 90s WCW fueds, IMHO. It was the classic WWF Giant of the 80s vs. the NWA Giant of the 80s. I went crazy for that career match in a cage.

I would have to be heretical with my pick for the best of the 90s and say Goldberg. Yes he was only around a couple of years and only during the late 90s, but as far as pure excitement, no one had him beat. I'm surprised no one at least mentioned him so far.

DMC


HarleM HeAt
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#13 Posted on 27.3.02 1529.05
Reposted on: 27.3.09 1529.08
Shawn Michaels - Yeah, he's probably the best all-around exciting wrestler of the 90s, but he rubbed his ass in Vince's face and had stupid ugly 14-year-old girls wearing stupid berets, which caused much resentment from me. Plus, his babyface persona really sucked






HBk as a face was shit but Heartbreak as a heel ruled the world.
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#14 Posted on 29.3.02 1308.07
Reposted on: 29.3.09 1320.22
Sting-Say what you will. You can bring up the names Steamboat, Flair, Hogan, Goldberg, The Steiners, Brian Pillman, The Outsiders, Vader, Steve Austin, Christ Benoit, Booker T, and even Rick Rude. Sting WAS WCW. Sting was the guy who helped build and define WCW. Sting was also the only guy to stick with WCW from the begginning, until the very bitter end. Maybe that wasn't always a smart move. Sting tried to endure in the high points and low points(mostly low points) of the WCW product, and getting constantly tossed around the card while punks like Hogan, Nash, and Russo were causing havoc. I always think Sting got the short end of the stick in WCW, and had to go through as much bullshit as anyone else there with all the new creative directions they went through. Anyone notice how WWF seems to be going in a new direction every couple of months? That remind you of anything?
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#15 Posted on 30.3.02 1210.25
Reposted on: 30.3.09 1216.40
Except when he had to go make movies for years at a time. ;-)
EastCoastAvenger
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#16 Posted on 30.3.02 1317.17
Reposted on: 30.3.09 1319.39
Hey, it's not as if they were planning on doing anything important with him! They had plans for the nWo, Sid and others, but Sting, one of the few guys who could actually get the crowd pumped was either told to stay home or would come in to find they had nothing more planned for him than a single skit or something lame like that. With that going on, he had every right to do whatever the hell he wanted. Basically, he only went off to do the movie thing well after WCW turnd its back on him.
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#17 Posted on 30.3.02 1405.55
Reposted on: 30.3.09 1408.43

    Originally posted by HarleM HeAt
    this thread is based purely on WRESTLING matches. Telling the story without words.


In my opinion nobody is better at telling a story in matches than Raven.
Freeway
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#18 Posted on 30.3.02 1827.58
Reposted on: 30.3.09 1829.03
Ignoring all boundries...he're my faves...

"Hollywood" Hulk Hogan
D'Lo Brown
The Rock
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair
Sting
The Giant
Razor Ramon
Diesel
Shawn Michaels
Bret Hart
Chris Benoit
Chris Jericho
Goldberg (Streak-Era Only)
Raven
Diamond Dallas Page
The Dudley Boys (ECW-Era Especially)
Rob Van Dam
Tommy Dreamer
Jerry Lynn
Masato Tanaka
Yoshihiro Tajiri
Ultimo Dragon
Kento Kobashi
The Great Muta
Barry Horowitz (Jobber-Era Only)
Taz
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#19 Posted on 30.3.02 1835.03
Reposted on: 30.3.09 1837.20
I honestly enjoyed every match (ECW and WCW, their WWF matches were too short) between Eddy Guerrero and Dean Malenko. They may not have had the best promos but they made up with it with their classics.

Also Jerry Lynn and RVD matches from ECW. Those matches always impressed me simply because it was one impressive move after another. I honestly think that no one has brought out the best of RVD in his career than Jerry Lynn.

Ahh if only Art Barr was alive, I think I would be talking about him in the same sentence as Guerrero and Malenko.
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