Most Underrated Worker

[Jordan]

With this years HOF we have the opprotunity once again to reflect on the careers of those inducted. To me there is one guy who is getting his due, but the shame of it is that he is not here to enjoy the final glory.

This thread is to discuss wrestlers who work was generally underrated by the promoter, the fans, or yourself.

<iframe frameborder="0" width="480" height="270" src="//www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/x49dtw" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x49dtw_hulk-hogan-vs-big-bossman-msg-04-18_videogames" target="_blank">Hulk Hogan vs. Big Bossman MSG 04.18...</a> <i>by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/swantom-bomb" target="_blank">swantom-bomb</a></i>

Big Bossman was such a great worker for his size and his name should always be mentioned with the likes of Bam Bam Bigelow and Vader. He sold like a boss (no pun intended) and his work was snug and looked legit. He could also take a bump like a motherfucker for a guy with his build. His promo's were strong and to the point, but he had a great voice and realistic intensity.

I undervalued Bossman as a kid and now see just how good he was when looking back.

Cheers Bossman, Cheers.

[Jordan]

Talk about Bossman or workers you undervalued as a kid, or think were undervalued by their company.

[Bad News Gertner]

Been watching a lot of Smokey Mountain lately and man were Tracy Smothers and the Dirty White Boy ever great. DWB was T.L Hopper and Uncle Cletus and Smothers was Freddie Joy Floyd in the WWF. What a waste. Both were such a great promo and awesome in the ring. Dirty White Boy reminded me of Robert Fuller on the mic.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Love the love those guys are getting. :y:

[Mr. Nerfect]

This isn't an "all-time" pick or anything like that, but Primo/Diego of Los Matadores is such an awesome worker. Even though he doesn't really matter, he manages to get himself over with the quality of his work.

[Jordan]

I've drank with Dirty White Boy in a bar once. I was driving through New Market TN when I saw a wrestling ring set up and a battle royal happening on the side of the road. It was hilarious. So I pulled in just in time to see Dirty White Boy clean house and fire up and throw out like 4 guys. After, I talked to him and reminded him of when he at the turd at Summerslam in the pool and he laughed and invited me and my friend to The Full Moon for some beers. I bought him 3 beers. He was already drunk when I got there and he ruled the fucking roost, everyone calling him champ, and everyone called him "Dirty White Boy". Like, "Hey Dirty White Boy you doing okay", or "Isn't that right Dirty White Boy". Fucking hilarious. I drank with TL Hopper.

[Bad News Gertner]

Haha awesome

[Mr. Nerfect]

Legendary

[Nicky Fives]

Billy Kidman. Not the highest of high-flyers from WCW's Cruiserweight division when competing with the likes of Rey Mysterio, Juventud, etc. but could definitely hold his own against them, as well as technically against the Malenko's, Benoit's, Raven's he competed against....

And he was pretty over for a decent period of time....

[Hanso Amore]

You mean the human botch machine

[Hanso Amore]

Hopper probably made 20 bucks on the show and squeezed free beers out of you fucking marks

[Jordan]

Yeah that is exactly right, if you wouldn't pay 20 bucks to drink with DIRTY WHITE BOY then you ain't no rasslin fan.

The best part honesty.... driving down highway in redneckville TN, and there's a fucking wrestling ring set up and a battle royal happening ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD lmao... goddamn. This was just before smart phones so I don't think my phone had a camera, or I didn't think to use it if it did. I wish the whole evening was documented.

[Jordan]

Billy Kidman. Not the highest of high-flyers from WCW's Cruiserweight division when competing with the likes of Rey Mysterio, Juventud, etc. but could definitely hold his own against them, as well as technically against the Malenko's, Benoit's, Raven's he competed against....

And he was pretty over for a decent period of time....

I'm not sure I agree. I do agree that Billy was really awesome... but I think most people knew that, thus not making him underrated. But I could be wrong, if you think so there has to be some value to it.

Honestly my favorite Kidman program was with Hogan. I really enjoyed that and I remember feeling WCW was getting pretty fresh around that time. There was some interesting changes happening, I think that was during the Russo/Bischoff team era. I might be wrong. I liked the night Russo restarted WCW, I was so excited for a complete reboot.... but it just got worse and worse

[Jordan]

Okay my next mention could be controversial to an extent. But nobody thinks this was a bad team by any means... I just think they should be front level Hall of Famer's but I never read them mentioned for consideration anywhere...

<iframe frameborder="0" width="480" height="270" src="//www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/x2nh2j" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2nh2j_sting-luger-vs-the-steiner-brothers_sport" target="_blank">Sting/Luger vs The Steiner Brothers</a> <i>by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/mrbling" target="_blank">mrbling</a></i>

The Steiner Brothers were so innovative to today style of working. No tag team before them that I can name utilized such a pro-am strong style in such an awesome way. There are matches where you will see a level of sloppiness but to that I think comes a level of reality that so many of us like. I hope the Steiner go into WWE HOF while they are both still alive.

[Big Vic]

Cesaro?

[Bad News Gertner]

I wouldn't call the Steiners and Cesaro under-rated workers. Steiners are probably a top 5 of all tine tag team and Cesaro is pretty highly thought of as well.

[Jordan]

I think they are underrated in the WWE universe. Need to be first ballot HOF.

[Bad News Gertner]

Koko B Ware was highly under-rated.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Lex Luger

[Fignuts]

Koko B Ware was highly under-rated.

This.

Every time I hear someone talk shit about his hof induction, I cringe.

[Fignuts]

Also, Kidman was garbage compared to his peers. Sloppy as fuck. Worst shooting star ever.

[Bad News Gertner]

This.

Every time I hear someone talk shit about his hof induction, I cringe.

Cornette mentioned that Koko B Ware and Bobby Eaton's tag team in Memphis was the best tag team he's ever seen.

[The Condor]

I think Val Venis was a pretty damn good mechanic that was always overshadowed by his gimmick, be it the pornstar, Right to Censor and even as Bischoff's chief of staff. By the time he could have been legit in 2003-04, there was no coming back and he was just a JTTS. But the dude could always work a good match.

[harmsway]

Norman smiley in his hardcore phase. That was good stuff

[KIRA]

I honestly feel like Sheamus does not get the credit he deserves.

[#1-norm-fan]

Johnny Curtis is the most underrated wrestler in the history of our sport.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Jacques Rougeau.

[harmsway]

Rougeau was tough with a roll of quarters

[Jari]

Even by myself until NXT London, it has to be the Revival (Dash & Dawson)

In my mind they were just placeholders until Jordan & Gable had been built up sufficiently to become Tag Team Champions. As it turns out they're both excellent in the ring and they carry that old school gimmick so well. Can definitely see them on the main roster now.

[Nicky Fives]

I think Val Venis was a pretty damn good mechanic that was always overshadowed by his gimmick, be it the pornstar, Right to Censor and even as Bischoff's chief of staff. By the time he could have been legit in 2003-04, there was no coming back and he was just a JTTS. But the dude could always work a good match.

Very good answer.

[Jordan]

I thought of Val as well. I will always remember his match with Rikishi in a Cage, I think it was Fully Loaded 99. Too bad he got saddled with the porn star gimmick, while it did get him over, it wasn't a main player role.

[thekrow]

Jacques Rougeau.

Speaking of Jacques Rougeau, his student, (Jacques Rougeau trained Swede Savard) Triple S, aka Swede Savard is definitely underrated. Swede puts on great match after match in CHW but no one ever calls him a legend or a staple of CHW like they do to stars like Matt Rage or Miniak.

[Bad News Gertner]

I wouldn't call Swede under-rated. He held the CHW title for a long time

[weather vane]

The Rougeau Brothers

[Bad News Gertner]

Leaping Lanny Poffo was a hell of a worker. He was busting.out Swantons/Hurracanrana/moonsaults in 1986 WWF was most workers didn't leave their feet.

[Maluco]

Ken Shamrock? We have seen how hard it was to transition to wrestling for legit guys like Severn and Tank Abbott. Even Brock, the version we have now, is stiff and just seems to smack people and toss them around (not that it isn't entertaining)

But Shamrock just appeared to "get" professional wrestling. He was smooth, he looked safe, he had quite a few good matches with the company and he was really over. Guys like him and Val were important in attitude era, holding up the midcard and supporting the top guys, but they are often not acknowledged for it

[Bad News Gertner]

Shamrock used to wrestle in the late 80's/early 90's.

[Swiss Ultimate]

Chris Benoit. You know why.

[weather vane]

Rick Martel

[The Condor]

The Rougeau Brothers

Absolutely. I feel like Raymond's early retirement never allowed as many people to dig him as they did with Jaques.

[The Condor]

Ken Shamrock?

I agree with everything you stated, but I don't know that Shammy was ever underrated. I always looked at him as one of the best workers of the attitude era, and I think most fans did as well. The dude's motor was unbelievable.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Speaking of Jacques Rougeau, his student, (Jacques Rougeau trained Swede Savard) Triple S, aka Swede Savard is definitely underrated. Swede puts on great match after match in CHW but no one ever calls him a legend or a staple of CHW like they do to stars like Matt Rage or Miniak.

I want video proof of Jacques Rougeau saying he trained Swede Savard. Or it didn't happen and any time you bring it up it's a neg rep.

[Maluco]

I agree with everything you stated, but I don't know that Shammy was ever underrated. I always looked at him as one of the best workers of the attitude era, and I think most fans did as well. The dude's motor was unbelievable.

Possibly, I got the impression though that he was taken for granted because there were so many stars at the time. He never gets a mention on WWE programming that I am aware of either and doesn't seem to have the same affection that other stars of the era have today...

[The Condor]

I think there is a reason guys like Shamrock and others from the era are almost wiped from history, and according to Shamrock himself, it sounds like HHH takes things much more personally or seriously than Vince's forgive-everyone-but-Savage MO.

[Shisen Kopf]

These guys worked very hard

http://s2.dmcdn.net/yvzu/193x108-D8x.jpg

[Mr. Nerfect]

Val Venis is a good answer. I was late to the party with him (but when I arrived I came hard). His shit on Sunday Night fucking Heat was fucking tremendous. Like not ***** Budoken Hall sort of stuff, but his psychology, how he moved, how good he made his shit look, how good he made other guys' shit look...go back and watch him if you get time.

It actually sounds like he developed some heat with the company over some of Linda's political platforms. I hope it dies down in the future and he can come back as a middle rank Hall of Fame inductee one day. Why the fuck not?

[Mr. Nerfect]

Big Boss Man is overlooked by a lot of people. Not one of my favorites, but everybody in the industry seems to cream their pants over him. Jim Cornette says he can work, and he knows more about rassling than me.

[Mr. Nerfect]

In the current age: Sin Cara/Hunico

That man is a gem. So fluid for a guy his age.

[Bad News Gertner]

Wow, did not know Hunico is turning 39 this year.

[#1-norm-fan]

I want video proof of Jacques Rougeau saying he trained Swede Savard. Or it didn't happen and any time you bring it up it's a neg rep.

lol This post

[Bad News Gertner]

Yeah, that's one of Slicky's best

[Shisen Kopf]

Everyone knows that Mr. Rougeau fabulously trained the great Swede Savard. Duh!

[Shisen Kopf]

Again, Jacques Rougeau trained Swede Savard. IT'S A FACT.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Wow, did not know Hunico is turning 39 this year.

For a guy his age, he still moves tremendously well. Still, I don't know if I'd be putting him in two Ladder Matches within a six month period, with an injury occurring to him between them.

I'd have liked it if they had matured his persona to the point where he didn't need to do flippy shit to stand out.

[Bad News Gertner]

I think there is a reason guys like Shamrock and others from the era are almost wiped from history, and according to Shamrock himself, it sounds like HHH takes things much more personally or seriously than Vince's forgive-everyone-but-Savage MO.

Fun fact: WCW REALLY wanted Shamrock in 1997. They wanted someone with an MMA style and feel. When they couldn't get Shamrock, they gave the MMA style gimmick to.......Goldberg.

[Droford]

Then they brought in Tank Abbott

[Bad News Gertner]

Tank Sinatra was gold.