7 WWE Wrestlers Who Doesn't Enough Credit From WWE in 2018
7. IVORY – A PIONEER THAT WWE HARDLY MENTIONS
In the annals of WWE history,
its stars like Trish Stratus and Lita
who are seen as the original pioneers of the women’s revolution.
Both Superstars have no doubt earned their Hall of Fame status,
with the duo being part of the first female main event in RAW history
However, it is obvious that Ivory,
who has never been showcased by the company as
much as Trish and Lita, deserves the spotlight just as much.
Debuting in 1999,
Ivory started as just another Diva in the Locker room,
before reaching her peak in the Right to Censor.
As part of the group, she became the
opposite of what fans wanted from her,
promoting abstinence at a time where the company were focussed on sex appeal.
Establishing herself as their top female heel,
Ivory backed up her bravado,
becoming the best female wrestler of the time,
even when she was sadly overlooked.
In an era where blonde hair was far more important
than actual wrestling skill,
Ivory stood out as a veteran talent
who could both talk and grapple,
leading to three turns as WWE Women’s Champion.
Despite being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018,
it is a real shame that such a pioneering woman is often overlooked,
and while others pushed to give Divas a Chance in 2015,
it was Ivory who aimed to give WOMEN a chance.
6. BEARCAT WRIGHT – THE FIRST OFFICIAL AFRICAN AMERICAN WORLD CHAMPION
It is a sad truth that most wrestling fans have never heard of Bearcat Wright, despite the Jamaican breaking boundaries when it came to race in wrestling.
While Ron Simmons is regarded as the first African American world Champion, winning the WCW title in 1992,
some give the credit to Bobo Brazil, who won the NWA Championship 30 years prior, though his reign is unrecognised.
However, the actual honour belongs to Bearcat, who defeated Classy Freddie Blassie in 1962 for the WWA Championship.
Even before he held the gold, Bearcat became a hero of the black community in wrestling, refusing to compete at segregated shows,
, a bold act that led to Wright being temporarily suspended by the Indiana State Athletic Commission.
Things got worse for him after winning the WWA Title, as Wright was quickly deemed unprofessional, which severely hurt his reputation in the industry,
as his incredible achievement quickly became forgotten about, even after his death in 1982.
Though the Jamaican did get some recompense upon being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, his induction into the oft-overlooked Legacy wing means his career still flies under history’s radar,
despite Wright being the trailblazer for future African-American stars like Booker T, Bobby Lashley and the New Day.
5.BUDDY ROGERS – THE REAL NATURE BOY
When you hear the name ‘Nature Boy’, you probably think of the incredible career of Ric Flair, who’s extravagant lifestyle and in-ring ability turned him into one of the greatest Superstars ever.
But before Flair was racking up World Championships and Hall of fame rings, it was Buddy Rogers who held the Nature Boy moniker, and rightly so.
A precursor to Flair, the original Nature Boy Buddy Rogers was an intensely charismatic performer, and perhaps one of the first wrestlers in history to value style over substance.
That’s not to say Rogers didn’t have the skills, as he became well known for his hard-fought main events against any and every opponent who dared to challenge him.
A huge star already in the NWA, Rogers made the jump to what would become the WWE
After hanging up his boots, the OG Nature Boy continued to give to the company, hosting talk show segments, and was rightly inducted posthumously into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1994
While he may have lost the Nature Boy title to Flair, Rogers did cement his legacy in a way no-one else can match
becoming the first ever WWE Champion, an act that is proof that Buddy Rogers truly was, one of the greats.
4.BULL NAKANO – A FORGOTTEN TALENT
In 2018, the WWE continues to promote equality over their roster,
with the women of the company hosting their own revolution in recent years.
But long before the WWE’s women’s revolution,
something similar had already happened in Japan,
where many all-female promotions were being praised,
and with Bull Nakano leading the way.
Winning her first championship aged ‘just’ 15,
Nakano showed her determination to be a global star,
leaving her spotlight in Japan to wrestle in the US for the WWE.
Alongside Alundra Blayze,
who is appropriately respected by the company as a legend,
Nakano wrestled some of the first truly great matches
contested over the Women’s Championship
throughout the winter of 1994.
Granted, Nakano wasn’t the first Japanese woman to go state-side,
with the Jumping Bomb Angels making their presence known in the 1980s,
though they too have been forgotten,
as it has been decades since the company cared about Women’s tag wrestling.
As a former champion, who helped give fans
their first glimpse of great female wrestling,
Nakano could at least get a mention for the Hall of Fame,
yet the company continues to never acknowledge her at all,
despite it being obvious that Nakano paved the way to bring the Japanese style to America.
3.BILLY KIDMAN – A GREAT CONTRIBUTOR BEHIND THE SCENES
As a wrestler, Billy Kidman gets pretty much the exact amount of credit he deserves
Joining WCW in 1996,
Kidman remained loyal to the company during the Monday Night Wars,
feuding with everyone from Perry Saturn to Hulk Hogan,
with Kidman defeating the Hulkster in 2000,
in what he claimed to be the true death of Hulkamania.
Spoilers: it wasn’t.
After the company folded in 2001,
Kidman joined the WWE, capturing the Cruiserweight championship multiple times,
before transitioning to a backstage role as a road agent and producer.
While the company has dozens of former Superstars in similar positions to Kidman,
it is clear he has one of the toughest jobs in all of - live Television.
Even though WWE works under the role of “anything can happen”
the company does have to answer to networks,
who have very strict rules
on when the action needs to stop.
Shockingly, it is Kidman’s role to work out the timing backstage,
a crucial position as even a few seconds too long
turn an intense stare down into an awkward moment.
Performing the same role the legendary Gerald Brisco once did,
it is sorry that Kidman hasn’t received even half the same amount of respect,
despite proving himself to be a true pro, in and out of the ring.
2.GOLDUST HELPED USHER IN A NEW ATTITUDE
A member of the legendary Rhodes Dynasty,
Dustin Rhodes never reached the same highs as his father Dusty,
with his brother Cody becoming one of the hottest stars in recent years.
But the bizarre One deserves more credit than he’s ever given,
as whether fans realise it or not,
this Grandson of a plumber helped WWF
reached its most successful time.
In 1995, it was clear that the cartoonish,
wacky characters of the New Generation weren’t working,
with stars like Mantaur and Aldo Montoya
failing to compete with the ever-growing presence of WCW.
Enter Goldust, decked head to toe in gold,
spouting movie quotes and pushing the envelope of what was allowed on TV.
The character became an overnight sensation,
with fans, and opponents constantly confused by what this strange man would do next.
The original envelope pusher, it wasn’t long before Goldust
was overshadowed by bigger stars who also pushed the limits
of what was allowed on TV,
with the company’s new Attitude Era becoming arguably
their most successful period in history.
After he established himself,
it wasn’t long before Mankind came along,
and took the idea of a crazy wrestler giving long speeches
to what he believes was an intelligent audience even further.
Outside of the Attitude Era,
Rhodes has continued to give to the company,
working for the WWE for around 20 years,
and while some angles have been better than others,
no-one can argue that Goldust helped shape the company into what it is today.
1.TOOTS MONDT , THE FATHER OF SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT
If you believe Vince McMahon, his father pretty much created the WWE Universe by himself, ruling the show in the exact same way his son does today.
The truth however, is that the Vince Sr was not as ruthless as his son, gathering aides and allies, and wasn’t afraid to ask for help.
Chief amongst these allies, was Toots Mondt, who invented what we call sports entertainment, long before the McMahon f amily entered the picture.
Way back in the 1920s, Mondt developed ‘slam bang western style wrestling’, which focused on heroes and villains in charismatic encounters,
rather than the hour-long slow-paced slogs that originally defined pro wrestling.
Instantly, Mondt faced trouble, with many collaborators seeing this new tone as disrespectful to the sport, though Vince Sr was one of the few who trusted his vision.
He was right to do so, as together, Mondt and McMahon former the World-Wide Wrestling Federation, though it wasn’t long before Mondt was ousted by his partner
with Vince’s son eventually buying his father out and become the Chairman in 1982.
Mondt was eventually inducted into the WWE Legacy Hall of Fame in 2017, though the integral contributions he made to the WWE
, and pro-wrestling as a whole continues to be downplayed, leaving Mondt tragically unknown to most fans.
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