Who do you think are the 10 most important Gaijins in Japan's history?

[Vastardikai]

I am a little drunk, so forgive me.

But related to the Japanese Wrestler thread, name the most important foreign workers in Japan. For me again no particular order except #1

1. Stan Hansen
2. Bruiser Brody
3. Abdullah the Butcher
4. Hulk Hogan
5. Big Van Vader
6. Prince Devitt/Finn Valor
7. Chris Benoit
8. Scott Norton
9. Terry Funk
10. Road Warriors

This one ashould be as challenging as the original.

[Bad News Gertner]

1. Stan Hansen
2. Karl Gotch
3. Bruiser Brody
4. Vader
5. Road Warriors
6. Terry Gordy
7. Dr. Death Steve Williams
8. Abdullah the Butcher
9. Hulk Hogan
10. Terry Funk

[Volare]

Surprised Andre isn't on those....I mean I don't know THAT much about foreiners to Japan but just figured he's be as huge if not bigger in Japan than the US.

[RP]

1. Adrian Adonis
2. Dino Bravo
3. Nancy Argentino
4. Sid Bream
5. King Kong Bundy
6. Lord Zoltan
7. Dr. D David Schultz
8. Chief Jay Strongbow
9. Mr. Saito
10. Stephon Marbury

[Fignuts]

God damn it Vas I just wrote a god damn noid size post in the other one. Don't do this to me.

[Fignuts]

Ok, this isn't going to be as in depth as my last one but I'll at least give some explanation.

10. Dynamite Kid
Matches with Tiger Mask are legendary and inspired wrestlers for decades to come. Might be the biggest asshole in the history of the business.

9. Dr. Death Steve Williams
Like Hansen, williams is one of the most successful foreigners of all time. Great tag team with terry gordy, and his matches as a main eventer in ajpw are classics. A shame the wwf fucked up with him.

8. Billy Robinson
Throughout the late 70's and early 80's this guy put on mat wrestling CLINICS with everyone he stepped in the ring with. If you like technical wrestling, you need to get on robinsons matches. A true master, even if he was a massive dickhead behind the scenes.

7. Vader
Do I really even need to say anything here? Even a casual fan knows how big Vader was in japan. From njpw to ajpw to noah, his body of work in japan far surpasses his work in the states. Plus, HES FUCKING VADER MAN.

6. Bruiser Brody
There has never been anyone quite like Brody, and fans in japan knew it. He brought the unorthodox brawling style to japan, and got over huge with it.

5. Funk Brothers
While Terry's work in Japanese deathmatches is probably more well kbown to most fans, their biggest impact was during the 70's when they wrestled as a tag team as well as Dory defending the NWA title. They were huge in that era.

4. Karl Gotch
Gotch pretty much set the tone for njpw for decades to come. It's focus on submissions and mat wrestling is directly due to the influence Gotch had on Inoki.

3.Stan Hansen
Easily the most important abd successful foreigner of the 80's and 90's. Big rough texan who didn't give a shit how hard he was hitting his opponent. He fit right in. So many classics both in njpw and ajpw.

2. The Destroyer
Lot of people probably haven't seen his work, but anyone wanting to be a wrestler needs to watch Dick Beyer's work, because he was one of the earliest masters of ring psychology and story telling. You hear guys like regal say things like "everything you do should mean something" The Destroyers entire body of work is a perfect example of that. Milking holds, teasing spots and paying them off later. The guy was an absolute master. It's a shame there isn't more of his work available to watch.

1. Lou Thesz
So a big part of why I didn't rate Rikidozan higher in the last list, is because I feel Lou Thesz did more to make wrestling a sensation in japan. He was the first NWA champion to defend the title in Japan, and actually petitioned hard to drop the title there, though he was eventually turned down by the board. Regardless, he let Rikidozan pin him clean which was huge back then. Rikidozan may have been jaoans first big star, but Lou Thesz nade him.

[Bad News Gertner]

Fack I missed a few. My knowledge of Japanesse wrestling history is not that great

[Fignuts]

Gary Albright deserves a mention as well.

[Tom Guycott]

Why is Vast the only person who listed Scott Norton?

I mean, I realize it is kind of a running gag around here, but at the same time, he's STILL a pretty big fucking deal in Japan, even though he was *barely* midcard in WCW.

[Vastardikai]

He was the second foreign IWGP Heavyweight Champion. The first was Vader.

And the only reason why he was *barely* midcard was because business in Japan was so good to him. If he was exclusively WCW, he would have easily been given a top spot. He was getting huge pops near the end of his NWO run.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I fucking love Scott Norton for some reason.

[Bad News Gertner]

His power bomb was amazing

[Anybody Thrilla]

I was a huge mark for Vicious and Delicious in WCW.

[Destor]

His power bomb was amazing

His powerbomb was the goat

[Vastardikai]

Dude looks like he could fold you up and stick you in his pocket.

[Fignuts]

I love scott norton.But as great as he is, his impact wasn't as big, or felt as long as others.

[drave]

This is a pretty big impact which that other dude probably felt for YEARS.

http://i.imgur.com/VXSMJA8.gif

[Vastardikai]

This is a pretty big impact which that other dude probably felt for YEARS.

http://i.imgur.com/VXSMJA8.gif

I'm pretty sure I felt that impact for YEARS, and I just watched it.

[Bad News Gertner]

Lol was that Chavo?

[drave]

Yea, lol. Fucking killed him with that. Always hated the jackknife powerbomb because it looks really dumb just "letting go" of the guy and letting him fall.