Freder
09-16-2010, 08:31 PM
I was wondering what everyone's opinions are on the 5 most influential people in the history of wrestling. Use your own interpretation of influential, but give reasons. My opinions are likely different from anyone else's as I am a wrestling historian but I will explain them. I am very curious to see what people without my background think on this topic.
1. Toots Mondt. Who? He was involved in wrestling from the age of 15 in 1909 until his death in 1976, a 67 year span. In his early years he trained with some of the legends of the 19th century. He was involved with most of the top wrestlers of the 1920s. He completely changed wrestling. He turned matches from shoots to works, he invented the concept of a wrestling company travelling together and having a set of wrestlers work together to tell a story rather than hire random guys for 1 shot matches. Before him, wrestlers would go to a carnival challenge locals to last 5 minutes for a cash prize, then have a 3 hour shoot match. After him, most of wrestling as we know it today. But that was just the beginning as he was involved with legends like Jim Londos and Lou Thesz. Without him WWE would never have existed (he helped Vince Senior transform Capitol Wrestling to WWWF the forerunner companies of the WWF and WWE). Finally he convinced Vince Sr. to make Bruno Sammartino champion when Vince thought of him as a midcarder, and he turned into possibly the greatest champion in history.
2. Gorgeous George. Few people are aware of just how important he was to wrestling, and he is unquestionably the most important wrestler outside of wrestling (the Rock's movies not withstanding). He took a barely developed concept of showmanship and perfected it. He brought more female fans into wrestling than anyone ever. Some of his influences: because of him heels began dying their hair blond. Buddy Rogers (and later Ric Flair) would have likely been far less popular without their borrowing a lot of his tricks. He was very talented in the ring and still transformed things so that promos and showmanship dominated. Every heel since him owes their career to him. He was the first to really brag. Athlete's in other sports who show off and have advertising deals owe it all to him. Bragging was considered poor sportsmanship, and things such as the football spikes after a TD probably wouldn't exist without him. He changed music. Although not a musician, he inspired everyone from Liberace to James Brown. Brown claimed most of his stage act was inspired by George's matches. Bob Dylan said he inspired him to pursue music. Probably later gender-bending musicians such as David Bowie and Boy George wouldn't have existed as they did. He met a very young Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) and Ali said he learned most of what he did from him. Without him there would never have been a Ric Flair or Hulk Hogan. He changed pro wrestling, other sports, music, and possibly people's perceptions of what is and isn't acceptable.
3. Vincent K. McMahon. Vince Jr. is just ridiculously important in history. He changed wrestling from a regional to an international scene, removed most of the technical wrestling, and made storylines dominant. Was responsible for both the 2nd and 3rd largest periods in wrestling's history (the Hulkamania era and the Monday Night Wars, only the early 1950s was bigger). Made and broke dozens of wrestlers careers.
4. Hulk Hogan. He was the poster boy of Vince's Wrestlemania and going national, and was a major player in the NWO days of WCW. We all know just how incredibly important he is to wrestling history, and the power he has used behind the scenes as well for decades. Love him or hate him, he is definitely influential. In fact, it just shows how amazing the top 3 are that he couldn't finish higher.
5. This is where things get tougher, there are so many choices to consider, Verne Gagne, Lou Thesz, Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, Steve Austin, the Rock, but I am going with Rikidozan. Without him there probably wouldn't have been Japanese wrestling as it is today.
What are your choices?
1. Toots Mondt. Who? He was involved in wrestling from the age of 15 in 1909 until his death in 1976, a 67 year span. In his early years he trained with some of the legends of the 19th century. He was involved with most of the top wrestlers of the 1920s. He completely changed wrestling. He turned matches from shoots to works, he invented the concept of a wrestling company travelling together and having a set of wrestlers work together to tell a story rather than hire random guys for 1 shot matches. Before him, wrestlers would go to a carnival challenge locals to last 5 minutes for a cash prize, then have a 3 hour shoot match. After him, most of wrestling as we know it today. But that was just the beginning as he was involved with legends like Jim Londos and Lou Thesz. Without him WWE would never have existed (he helped Vince Senior transform Capitol Wrestling to WWWF the forerunner companies of the WWF and WWE). Finally he convinced Vince Sr. to make Bruno Sammartino champion when Vince thought of him as a midcarder, and he turned into possibly the greatest champion in history.
2. Gorgeous George. Few people are aware of just how important he was to wrestling, and he is unquestionably the most important wrestler outside of wrestling (the Rock's movies not withstanding). He took a barely developed concept of showmanship and perfected it. He brought more female fans into wrestling than anyone ever. Some of his influences: because of him heels began dying their hair blond. Buddy Rogers (and later Ric Flair) would have likely been far less popular without their borrowing a lot of his tricks. He was very talented in the ring and still transformed things so that promos and showmanship dominated. Every heel since him owes their career to him. He was the first to really brag. Athlete's in other sports who show off and have advertising deals owe it all to him. Bragging was considered poor sportsmanship, and things such as the football spikes after a TD probably wouldn't exist without him. He changed music. Although not a musician, he inspired everyone from Liberace to James Brown. Brown claimed most of his stage act was inspired by George's matches. Bob Dylan said he inspired him to pursue music. Probably later gender-bending musicians such as David Bowie and Boy George wouldn't have existed as they did. He met a very young Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) and Ali said he learned most of what he did from him. Without him there would never have been a Ric Flair or Hulk Hogan. He changed pro wrestling, other sports, music, and possibly people's perceptions of what is and isn't acceptable.
3. Vincent K. McMahon. Vince Jr. is just ridiculously important in history. He changed wrestling from a regional to an international scene, removed most of the technical wrestling, and made storylines dominant. Was responsible for both the 2nd and 3rd largest periods in wrestling's history (the Hulkamania era and the Monday Night Wars, only the early 1950s was bigger). Made and broke dozens of wrestlers careers.
4. Hulk Hogan. He was the poster boy of Vince's Wrestlemania and going national, and was a major player in the NWO days of WCW. We all know just how incredibly important he is to wrestling history, and the power he has used behind the scenes as well for decades. Love him or hate him, he is definitely influential. In fact, it just shows how amazing the top 3 are that he couldn't finish higher.
5. This is where things get tougher, there are so many choices to consider, Verne Gagne, Lou Thesz, Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, Steve Austin, the Rock, but I am going with Rikidozan. Without him there probably wouldn't have been Japanese wrestling as it is today.
What are your choices?