Wrestlers born in the wrong era

B.A._Baracus

As in wrestlers who should have / perhaps would have done more should they have been born later (or even earlier if it calls for it)

One example for me is Jody Fleisch. He is currently 39 and debuted in 1996. A very hot indy star at one point. But up until 2007 the WWE was in the steroid era (pre-benoit 2007 thing) and being of small stature wasn't going to get you to the dance.
There are exceptions, WWE did have cruiserweights but can't help but feel if Fleish was 10 years younger he would be in NXT right now. Personally, even at 39 he'd still have a lot to give in NXT UK. But that's my opinion.

He wrestled in TNA for a bit but never really made a big name for himself.

Have any others?

RocketRaccoon

I remember seeing Jody Fleisch a lot on the old TWC on Sky in the early 00's and couldn't fathom why he wasn't in the wwf, he was just incredible to watch.

The Usos are a team I think came around a few years too late, obviously they have been successful but tag team wrestling nowadays is dead compared to how it was years ago.

Low Ki is someone I'd love to have seen be successful in wwe too. I was always a huge fan but he just wasn't around at the right time. His Kaval run was an embarrassment to what he had done before.

B.A._Baracus

Low Ki was a weird one.
He had those classic matches on WWF tv with Essa Rios. So they were aware of him even back in the day (Around 2000)

While a known indy name he never got a money run. It's mental to think he is only 40. But back 19 years ago was on WWE's radar.

I have heard that he has a bit of an ego... maybe his reputation hindered him. The same could be said about Teddy Hart. Great talented wrestler but his drug issues stopped him from making it to the dance.

RocketRaccoon

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Low Ki was a weird one.
He had those classic matches on WWF tv with Essa Rios. So they were aware of him even back in the day (Around 2000)

While a known indy name he never got a money run. It's mental to think he is only 40. But back 19 years ago was on WWE's radar.

I have heard that he has a bit of an ego... maybe his reputation hindered him. The same could be said about Teddy Hart. Great talented wrestler but his drug issues stopped him from making it to the dance.

I just couldn't understand the lack of love for Low Ki. He had the look, the gimmick, the ability, he was the entire package but just never got a fair crack. Maybe it was his TNA history that went against him, I just don't know.

Ken Shamrock would be another guy in this discussion, if he was a young man nowadays you'd have to think he would be top of the card considering how big MMA is now. Dan Severn not so much.

the eternal struggler

Definitely think Low Ki was before his time, that's a good shout.

Jody Fleisch was the first name I thought of when I saw the topic. Absolutely criminal that he's not been signed ever. Incredible wrestler and athlete.

In a kind of reverse I'd have to say The Revival. If they were around in the 80s they'd be legit "top guys".

To an extent Christopher Daniels was way before his time as well. Considering he was talked about as being "The higher power" for the Ministry, meaning he was around WWF in 1999, that's insane. But was obviously considered too small by Vince to get that spot, wouldn't be an issue today.

RocketRaccoon

Big Show would be another. While obviously he has made enough money to never be in financial trouble, if he was around in the 70s/80s he would have been a huge draw in the territories, possibly more so than Andre?

Cm Punk in 90s ECW? Money, just money.

Rick Rude in the attitude era.

Brian Pillman if he had just got his **** together and came into the business 5 years later.

Great idea for a thread BTW.

Agent Coulson

Bam Bam Bigelow & Vader in their prime today would be must see.

Jody Fleisch was amazing I saw him live a number of times and my jaw hit the floor every time.



Christopher Daniels is another good shout the Fallen Angel gimmick now would have been great.

The White Wolf

Rusev.......CRUSH.

RollieFingers

Hakushi/Jinsei Shinzaki would be my shout. Great wrestler and did go on to success, but that programme with Bret in WWE was so far ahead of it's time and different to anything else that was happening.

The match at In Your House would not look out of place today, nor would the angle where he displayed Brets severed head.

B.A._Baracus

Dynamite Kid has to be one.
His style and matches with Tiger Mask were 20 years ahead of their time. If it was modern era he would have been world champion and would have ended his career with a good amount of money in the bank instead of living in a council flat.

That said... he really wasn't a nice bloke as many said. So fu*k him. Can't really have a lot of sympathy for a man who sticks a shotgun to his wife.

Itssoeasy

The revival while clearly good would have been money in the 1970's and 80's.

riffmongous

Another vote for Christopher Daniels

LibSuperstar

Itssoeasy wrote:

The revival while clearly good would have been money in the 1970's and 80's.

Especially in the NWA territories.

brianregan09

Braun Strowman would have been gold in the early 90's late 80s' aswell

Daniel Bryan I think would have fitted in any era aswell being honest

Hammer of the Clods

Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Hass (The Worlds Greatest Tag Team). I think they would hae shone in nxt, especially shelton benjamin. I dont think the tag division was great while they were in WWE for the most part.

PTH2009

Imagine someone like Zac Gowan in wwe today

They would really milk his condition

Crazy looking at this and the way Cena was such a prick

https://youtu.be/C5hCEZuKrAA

thebostoncrab

Owen Hart today would have been world champion , probably more than once. While I was rated him higher than Bret, he would have clicked ten times more with today’s wrestlers and it would have been impossible to deny him a main event run.

Gail Kim is someone also that would have been huge today. You can argue that if she wasn’t wrestling in TNA we may not have had today’s revolution, but if she was in WWE today she wouldn’t have been treated poorly, this stayed with the company and would be the top rival for Becky.

sky88

I was thinking about this topic but matches that happened not so much in the wrong era but just a bit late/early . So for example the bucks vs the hardys was great in ROH but can you imagine how good it would have been with younger Matt/Jeff

the eternal struggler

thebostoncrab wrote: »

Owen Hart today would have been world champion , probably more than once. While I was rated him higher than Bret, he would have clicked ten times more with today’s wrestlers and it would have been impossible to deny him a main event run.

Gail Kim is someone also that would have been huge today. You can argue that if she wasn’t wrestling in TNA we may not have had today’s revolution, but if she was in WWE today she wouldn’t have been treated poorly, this stayed with the company and would be the top rival for Becky.

Both excellent shouts.

B.A._Baracus

thebostoncrab wrote: »

Owen Hart today would have been world champion , probably more than once. While I was rated him higher than Bret, he would have clicked ten times more with today’s wrestlers and it would have been impossible to deny him a main event run.

Read something messed up about Owen Hart.
Forget the wrestler who said it, am pretty sure it was Val Venis tho but on that faithful day back in 1999 not only was he nervous about being lowered from the ceiling.... he only did so because he didn't want to lose his spot. Which we have heard many many wrestlers say over the years.

But think about it. Owen Hart, in the company years at the point, a good solid upper mid-carder couldn't say "No" at that point. Just goes to show you what WWE is like.

Omackeral

Always thought Mr Kennedy's schtik would've went down perfectly in the Attitude Era. Likewise Thuganomics Cena.

2ndcoming

Trevor Murdoch in Georgia Championship Wrestling circa 1980 would have been a good fit.

gerrybbadd

PTH2009 wrote: »

Imagine someone like Zac Gowan in wwe today

They would really milk his condition

Crazy looking at this and the way Cena was such a prick

https://youtu.be/C5hCEZuKrAA

And they didn't milk it back then? Really?

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Read something messed up about Owen Hart.
Forget the wrestler who said it, am pretty sure it was Val Venis tho but on that faithful day back in 1999 not only was he nervous about being lowered from the ceiling.... he only did so because he didn't want to lose his spot. Which we have heard many many wrestlers say over the years.

But think about it. Owen Hart, in the company years at the point, a good solid upper mid-carder couldn't say "No" at that point. Just goes to show you what WWE is like.

The story has been discussed a few times on Conrad's podcasts. Basically, Owen was asked to do an affair storyline with Debra (I think it was), and he refused. After this refusal, he wa afraid to refuse anything a second time, so close to the first, so felt kinda shoehorned into the position he was in.

B.A._Baracus

gerrybbadd wrote: »

The story has been discussed a few times on Conrad's podcasts. Basically, Owen was asked to do an affair storyline with Debra (I think it was), and he refused. After this refusal, he wa afraid to refuse anything a second time, so close to the first, so felt kinda shoehorned into the position he was in.

I did not know that

Itssoeasy

2ndcoming wrote: »

Trevor Murdoch in Georgia Championship Wrestling circa 1980 would have been a good fit.

Trevor murdoch is going to be a part of the new NWA power show and given the feel they are going for he will fit in perfectly.

B.A._Baracus

Omackeral wrote: »

Always thought Mr Kennedy's schtik would've went down perfectly in the Attitude Era. Likewise Thuganomics Cena.

Kennedy is a weird one. He had the WWE by the balls but messed it up.
Seems like the best era for him was when he was around. Just for him saying and doing the wrong things put an end to things.

Like saying he was not on steroids to it getting leaked he was shortly there after (in fairness, he was just doing right by the company) to accordingly p*ssing off Orton and others.

Blue_Dabadee

I would say Awesome Kong during her WWE run. Even though her initial storyline was cut short due to her pregnancy, I felt she did not fit into current landscape of divas division when they were only given 5 minute matches on TV/PPV and still had that butterfly design belt.

2ndcoming

2ndcoming wrote: »

Trevor Murdoch in Georgia Championship Wrestling circa 1980 would have been a good fit.

Didn't realise he's on the new NWA Power roster... should be able to see just how good a fit this is soon.