Conversations in 20 yrs

[littleguns]

In 20 yrs what current wrestlers will we be talking about?

We all still talk about Hogan, Flair, Sting and a few others but who will we be telling our kids about??

Does anyone wrestling today really have the "it" factor??

[mass 04]

Cena. Love or hate him, he gets a reaction.

[Montague]

Cena. Love or hate him, he gets a reaction.

And, probably the oddest reaction of any wrestler in history.

[Captain Equipoise]

In 20 yrs what current wrestlers will we be talking about?

We all still talk about Hogan, Flair, Sting and a few others but who will we be telling our kids about??

Does anyone wrestling today really have the "it" factor??

Hahahah@ Sting, lol he hasn't done shit in 15+ years, once he saw the Crow it was all over, he even stopped training

[Playboy]

Cena. Love or hate him, he gets a reaction.

Until the Rock comes out, then he gets owned hard.   

[mass 04]

Until the Rock comes out, then he gets owned hard.  

haha. Well, he still gets a reaction. Usually the biggest pop or sometimes the most heat. Nothing is worse than no reaction at all. 20 years from now, the kids that are watching now will be talking about him like the kids that grew up in the 80's talk about Hogan. While the dudes that are in their 20's and 30's now will still hate him lol.

[Playboy]

haha. Well, he still gets a reaction. Usually the biggest pop or sometimes the most heat. Nothing is worse than no reaction at all. 20 years from now, the kids that are watching now will be talking about him like the kids that grew up in the 80's talk about Hogan. While the dudes that are in their 20's and 30's now will still hate him lol.

The thing with Hogan was that everyone loved him. Kids, adults, teens, movie stars, etc. Only kids and the occasional hottie at ringside like Cena. At the end of the day, he is their main guy right now. I just hope they start using him in a better capacity too. So far I enjoyed his fued with Edge from back in 2006, his fued with the Miz has been good thus far, his fued with Umaga back in the day was awesome.

[leaky_frog]

  I think part of Cena's appeal is his activities outside the ring- guy does a ton of charity work.  Whenever anyone badmouths the business or talks about how destructive it is, Cena comes off as clean, a lot like Sting in that respect.  I'm not a fan of the Cena character, but he's the biggest face at the moment when true faces and heels are rare.

  And I doubt Cena will ever get into the same universe as Hogan as far as lasting popularity.  I'm not sure who'd I'd compare him to from yesteryear.  Any ideas?

[mass 04]

I posted this a few years ago..the biggest draws in WWE history according to Meltzer based on gates/ratings as a main eventer. I bet Cena is close to top 10 by now


1. BRUNO SAMMARTINO

2. HULK HOGAN

3. BOB BACKLUND

4. ARGENTINA ROCCA

5. HHH

6. UNDERTAKER

7. STEVE AUSTIN (Undertaker and HHH have passed him in recent years since he finished his career in 2003. Had he not retired at the age of 38 due to injuries, as well as missed what probably would have been his biggest drawing year in 1999 with neck surgery, he would have been No. 2 on this list by now. Nobody ever in company history was a bigger drawing card or merchandise seller then he was at his peak.)

8. THE ROCK

9. PEDRO MORALES

10. SHAWN MICHAELS

11. SUPERSTAR BILLY GRAHAM


12. MIGUEL PEREZ

13. BRET HART

14. BUDDY ROGERS

15. RANDY SAVAGE

16. JOHN CENA

17. KURT ANGLE

18. MICK FOLEY aka CACTUS JACK, DUDE LOVE, MANKIND

19. ANDRE THE GIANT

20. DR. JERRY GRAHAM

(TIE) JOHNNY VALENTINE

22. RODDY PIPER

23. IVAN KOLOFF

24. ULTIMATE WARRIOR

(TIE) RANDY ORTON

(TIE) BATISTA

27. GREG VALENTINE

(TIE) YOKOZUNA

(TIE) SGT. SLAUGHTER

30. GEORGE STEELE

(TIE) CHRIS JERICHO

(TIE) KANE

(TIE) KEVIN NASH aka DIESEL

34. RIC FLAIR

(TIE) BIG SHOW aka PAUL WRIGHT

(TIE) STAN HANSEN

(TIE) GORILLA MONSOON

(TIE) KEN PATERA

39. FRED BLASSIE

(TIE) BOB ORTON SR. aka ROCKY FITZPATRICK

(TIE) BROCK LESNAR

42. EDDIE GRAHAM

(TIE) KILLER KOWALSKI

(TIE) PROFESSOR TORU TANAKA

(TIE) DON MURACO

(TIE) DAVEY BOY SMITH aka BRITISH BULLDOG

(TIE) EDGE

(TIE) CHRIS BENOIT

49. LARRY ZBYSZKO

(TIE) PAUL ORNDORFF

(TIE) IRON SHEIK aka GREAT HOSSEIN ARAB aka COL. MUSTAFA

(TIE) NIKOLAI VOLKOFF aka BEPO MONGOL

(TIE) WALDO VON ERICH

(TIE) BOOKER T aka KING BOOKER

[Montague]

I posted this a few years ago..the biggest draws in WWE history according to Meltzer based on gates/ratings as a main eventer. I bet Cena is close to top 10 by now

1. BRUNO SAMMARTINO

2. HULK HOGAN

I'm surprised that Bruno is ahead of Hulkster.
I know Bruno was in the driver's seat longer, but merchandising was so much bigger by the time Hogan came on the scene - not to mention that Hogan had the crossover of mainstream media coverage and outlets.

[Playboy]

I'm surprised that Bruno is ahead of Hulkster.
I know Bruno was in the driver's seat longer, but merchandising was so much bigger by the time Hogan came on the scene - not to mention that Hogan had the crossover of mainstream media coverage and outlets.

Not me. Bruno has been wrestling since the 50's and has carried the torch for Capital through the sixties and seventies selling out all n/e territory arenas.

[Montague]

Not me. Bruno has been wrestling since the 50's and has carried the torch for Capital through the sixties and seventies selling out all n/e territory arenas.

True.

[Playboy]

True.

On a side note...

I just watched the WM match between Brock Lesner & Kurt Angle from a few years ago. What a killer match. Bothers me to see that Vince let these two top tier talents go. 

[Playboy]

Jay Strongbow nicknamed Hogan, "The Golden Goose" and he did it for a reason. The WWF (then) prevailed and made all kinds of money with Hogan headling the show. From 1984-1992 when Hogan had his major run, the WWF was unstoppable.

[tu_holmes]

I think that AJ styles could be the guy... He's got everything going for him.

[Playboy]

I think that AJ styles could be the guy... He's got everything going for him.

He does but he is no superstar / drawing power type. But he IS a great wrestler. 

[tu_holmes]

He does but he is no superstar / drawing power type. But he IS a great wrestler. 

His downfall is marketing.

[Playboy]

His downfall is marketing.

Agreed. Very good point. Marketing has always been the NWA's (or TNA in this case) problem.

[tu_holmes]

Agreed. Very good point. Marketing has always been the NWA's (or TNA in this case) problem.

Yep... If someone could Package the Phenomenal one up properly, he would be gold.

Possibly the best wrestler in the business.

[Playboy]

Yep... If someone could Package the Phenomenal one up properly, he would be gold.

Possibly the best wrestler in the business.

I believe he was rated #1 by PWI back in 2005-2006.

[tu_holmes]

I believe he was rated #1 by PWI back in 2005-2006.

I do not doubt that what so ever.

[Playboy]

I do not doubt that what so ever.

Jerry Lynn was a good wrestler too. He and Styles had some realy good X-division title matches back when TNA first started.

[Montague]

Styles is also a legitimately good dude - at least he was the few times I met him backstage about six years ago.