This article will take a look back at the most groundbreaking decade in the history of professional wrestling while placing those who stunk it up at the forefront. In fact, this article calls for a quote that will suit the theme of our story:
“I’m worst at what I do best and for this gift I feel blessed.” – Kurt Cobain
These are the 10 worst wrestlers of the ’80s:
The next three are probably going to fire up some classic wrestling fans, but those fans will all have to get over it. Long before he was close to becoming the "Franchise" and the face of WCW, Sting was a smiling babyface who looked like a combination of a bodybuilder and a California surfer. While he undeniably had promise early on in his career, it was working with "Nature Boy" Ric Flair that helped Sting take the next step and become a true star. Without that program with Flair, it is possible that Sting never would have made it in WCW or in the business.
Ultimate Warrior may very well be the most energetic performer in the history of the WWF/WWE. With that now out of the way, we are not going to pretend that he was a good pro wrestler in the 80s or at any other time of his career just because he tragically passed away days after he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014. While he should be praised for getting over in the WWF as a babyface, Warrior was bad both in the ring and on the microphone, and that he was pushed instead of Rick Rude is another reminder that life is not fair.
We are not, when mentioning Andre the Giant as one of the worst wrestlers of the 80s, referencing the legend of the industry who was able to draw crowds to arenas. Even before Andre faced off with Hulk Hogan for that iconic WrestleMania III encounter, it was clear to all watching that the Giant was having trouble moving in the ring. It was, in fact, sad watching Andre during the final years of his career. The matches were terrible, and he was barely able to do much of anything other than walk and maybe chop an opponent. It's a shame that some fans grew up seeing only that Andre.
It does have to be said that Junkyard Dog did well to get over with fans as a babyface worker. If only JYD would have put in the work to improve in the ring. His personality made him a favorite among younger audiences, and his popularity allowed him to find work in companies such as the WWF and WCW. There were, however, good reasons that Junkyard Dog was largely limited to punches and powerslams during his matches. Anybody who tries to convince you that Hulk Hogan could not work during the 80s should be directed to some JYD matches from the time.
It is, in some ways, nothing short of a miracle that WCW managed to make it through 1989 and the mid 90s before Eric Bischoff and company presented Nitro and the New World Order storyline that would change the face of North American pro wrestling. The Ding-Dongs were a WCW tag team that wore orange jumpsuits and that had bells taped to their legs, and the idea, apparently, was that younger audiences would want to cheer for this act. The idea was awful, and so were the wrestlers. This gimmick didn't get over with fans, and it wasn't long before it was removed from TV and from the company. Just another banner moment for WCW.
It has been well documented over the years that, unlike other members of his wrestling family, Mike Von Erich did not want to be an in-ring worker. He was interested in the business, however, and Mike was eventually thrust into a wrestling career even though he was not a naturally gifted athlete. Von Erich was not very good in the ring, and he was even worse on the microphone. Von Erich's wrestling career ended early because of injuries, and he struggled with the pressure that came with being part of his famous family. Mike took his own life in April 1987.
Even as a little kid, it would have been easy to have been a little confused about the Big John Studd character. Studd was absolutely bigger than some of the smaller jobbers one would see on weekend television, but he also was not, in storyline, nearly as big as wrestlers such as Andre the Giant. Casual fans probably remember Studd for his feud with Andre, a feud that does not live up three decades after it first occurred in the WWF. Studd was a fine "Hoss" for his time, but that is more a reflection on pro wrestling in the 80s. We wouldn't recommend going back and watching any of his matches.
Any list of the worst wrestlers of the 80s has to include the Brooklyn Brawler. Whether he competed as Steve Lombardi (his real name), as the Brawler or as some other horrible character, the gimmick with Lombardi was that he was, in fact, a bad wrestler who couldn't win any matches. Lombardi was a fine jobber to the stars, and there is something impressive about the fact that he was able to hang around and make a living in the business for as long he did. Not everybody can be a superstar and world champion, after all, but Lombardi was a mainstay on WWF programming for years.
Adrian Adonis was a talented performer who was, in some ways, ahead of his time. Adonis' flamboyant personality made him an entertaining fixture on television programs, and he could produce solid matches. Adonis makes this list, though, as he let himself go and gained a ton of weight during the second half of the 80s. He reportedly tipped the scales at around 350 pounds while with the WWF. While Adonis was still agile enough for a man of that size, he likely could have been a good worker with the company through the end of the 80s if he had only made different choices.
Jim Powers is a fascinating example when looking at the worst wrestlers of the 80s, as he seemingly failed to improve all that much after first arriving on the national scene. Powers, like Roma, had an ideal look for either a heel or a babyface, but he was beyond bland inside of the ring. Powers' failure to be a singles star in either the WWF or WCW was not for a lack of effort from either company. You may even remember WCW once teasing that Powers could have some sort of feud with the New World Order. Fortunately for all of us, that didn't happen.
