WrestleRant
  • Home
  • Columnist Corner
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • WRR
  • Audio
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • About
    • Contact

Columnist Corner

RJ's Two Cents - 5 Wrestlers I Wish I Were Able to Watch in Their Prime

11/17/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
By RJ Marceau

I started watching wrestling in February of 2002 and have been really lucky that I got to see some great wrestlers over the years and see amazing bouts. I saw the end of The Rock's main run, Stone Cold Steve Austin last few years and got to watch Eddie Guerrero's best run in the company.

​Throughout the years, through video games and video archives on the WWE Network, I have developed a few wrestlers I wish I were fan of at the time of their main run in the WWE.

Picture
5. DX (Attitude Era)

​In late 2002, WWE reformed DX for two weeks just to break them up and have HHH and Shawn Michaels feud. These men had an amazing feud so I wasn’t upset with the break up. In 2006, Shawn Michaels and HHH reformed the group, which saw them feud with Mr. McMahon and Rated RKO (Edge and Randy Orton). The group had a great run for a year but once HHH got injured Shawn went back to wearing his old HBK wrestling attire. These guys were hilarious for the one year they reunited but DX in the Attitude Era was way more outrageous and edgy.

​DX in the Attitude Era had zero filter and did whatever they want. Shawn Michaels, HHH and Chyna were hilarious. Edgy nudity and disrespect to talent, Sgt. Slaughter in particular made the group over and must-see TV. The group didn’t lose any appeal when Michaels left but adding The New Age Outlaws and X Pac gave them a new dynamic as a faction. With 5 members in DX it allowed them to feud with The Corporation and The Nation of Domination. DX helped make the Attitude Era entertaining but were great in every installment so I’m glad I could see them live in general.

Picture
4. Stone Cold Steve Austin (Attitude Era)

I was able to see the last year of Stone Cold Steve Austin as an in-ring competitor I wasn’t able to see him in his prime. Stone Cold was still a great ass kicker in 2002-2003 as a wrestler and Co-General Manager of Raw but he is known for raising hell in the Attitude Era. Austin had great matches with Bret Hart, HHH, The Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels and The Rock throughout the 1990s.

​His feud with Mr. McMahon was a catalyst to the Attitude Era and is one of if not the biggest feud in WWE history. I am grateful to witness Stone Cold’s last year as a fulltime wrestler but I wish I were able to see him raise hell throughout the 1990s.

Picture
3. Mick Foley (Attitude Era)

​This list has a pattern because I was lucky enough to see these guys wrestle but it was limited of after their prime. Mick Foley is a wrestler who had a few runs in the middle to late 2000s but besides his feud with Edge and Randy Orton it was nothing special. Mick Foley made his name by taking amazing punishment through matches and had a no quit attitude. As Mankind, Cactus Jack and Mick Foley he was in hellacious matches specifically his Hell in a Cell matches with Undertaker and HHH.

​He also had a sense of humor when he and The Rock paired as the Rock N Sock connection. The Rock: This is Your Life segment is still one of my favorites and was executed perfectly. Mick Foley was a great entertainer by being able to be funny and turn into the hardcore legend overnight. It was great to see Foley in his feuds with Orton and Edge but seeing him in the Attitude Era would’ve been great.

Picture
2. Goldberg (WCW)

Goldberg was around in 2003-2004 and had decent bouts/feuds but the money in Goldberg was in WCW’s peak in the late 1990s. Goldberg was your quintessential ass kicker and didn’t speak. He let his actions do his talking and raised hell in WCW. He was able to win the World Heavyweight Championship from Hollywood Hulk Hogan and went on to feud with The NWO.

​After losing to Kevin Nash at Starrcade 1998 he lost his mystique since he was undefeated for a whole year. Goldberg got injured multiple times after his loss and never was able to gain the notoriety he once had. WWE failed to bring him in during the whole Invasion angle, which would’ve helped make the Invasion more appealing/legit.

Picture
1. Bret Hart (WWE Career)

Out of any WWE performer of all time I wish I was able to see Bret Hart wrestle in his prime. The King of Harts had it all: the mic work, charisma, a technician and a great character. Hart was able to be a great heel and babyface and had classic bouts with his brother Owen, Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin. Never was a big fan of his feud with Yokozuna but was able to win his 2nd WWE Championship but felt like his 1st since he won his first title on a house show.

​Bret eventually formed the Hart Foundation and feuded with D-Generation X and the Nation of Domination. The Montreal Screwjob may have overshadowed Bret’s career but he is easily my favorite superstar I never got to see wrestle and no I don’t count WrestleMania 26 match vs. Mr. McMahon as an actual Bret Hart match.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.


    Categories

    All
    #AskGSM
    Battle Of The Belts
    Cruiserweight Classic
    Halftime Heat
    Hidden Gems
    Lists/Rankings
    Mae Young Classic
    Mixed Match Challenge
    News
    NJPW
    NWA Shockwave
    Opinion
    Previews
    Retro Reviews
    Reviews
    RJ's Two Cents
    Satire
    SummerSlam Recall
    The Deadly Draw
    Tribute To The Troops
    Women's Eliminator
    Worlds Collide
    WrestleMania Recall
    WWE Draft
    WWE Starrcade


    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010

    RSS Feed

©2023 WrestleRant. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • Columnist Corner
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • WRR
  • Audio
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • About
    • Contact