Big Boss Man

[Grimmas]

Discuss here.

[Grimmas]

From a previous Wrestler Snapshot:

"In conclusion, The Big Boss Man is one of those interesting wrestlers that can go from a monster heel to an underdog babyface. His punches and selling are top notch. He knows how to put a match together and can produce fear or gain sympathy from the crowd, depending on this situation. It’s unreal to see a man that big play an underdog babyface. There is even a match at MSG where Ted DiBiase puts Boss Man into a bearhug and the crowd gets behind him.

His series with Vader is one of the top rivalries of the 1990s and everybody should check out those matches (the Spring Stampde 1994 match I have at ****¼). Actually a lot of his matches need to be checked out as he is very unheralded. He may not always have a top notch match, but he always looks good in the ring himself and plays his role to perfection."

[Timbo Slice]

Don't think he has enough to make the cut, but he does have some great high points.

[BillThompson]

I think I have him just a little below you Steve, which is to say I found him to always be an impressive bumper and a very solid worker. I don't think he's a top 100 guy though, because in his later years when the bumping was toned down I think his inability to be more than that shone too bright for him to overcome.

[Loss]

How does Boss Man compare to these names overall?

 

- Lex Luger

- Diamond Dallas Page

- Hulk Hogan

- Haku

[BillThompson]

I'd say they're all roughly around the same level, but I would give the edge to Luger over all of them just for how great he was in 1989-1992.

[goodhelmet]

I think Luger ' s best work is better than all of the other names listed. However, I don't think any of them will make the Top 100. There is some prime names for a top 200.

[Matt D]

I think I have him just a little below you Steve, which is to say I found him to always be an impressive bumper and a very solid worker. I don't think he's a top 100 guy though, because in his later years when the bumping was toned down I think his inability to be more than that shone too bright for him to overcome.

 

I'll have some matches I want you to take a look at later, Bill. Not necessarily to say he makes my 100, but I think Bossman was actually a king of the 3 minute WWF/E C show match, and you'd be curious to see it.

[BillThompson]

 

I think I have him just a little below you Steve, which is to say I found him to always be an impressive bumper and a very solid worker. I don't think he's a top 100 guy though, because in his later years when the bumping was toned down I think his inability to be more than that shone too bright for him to overcome.

 

I'll have some matches I want you to take a look at later, Bill. Not necessarily to say he makes my 100, but I think Bossman was actually a king of the 3 minute WWF/E C show match, and you'd be curious to see it.

 

 

Will gladly do when the time comes.

[PeteF3]

My favorite 3-minute WWF B/C-show match involving the Boss Man is the Doink match from the syndies (his last match before leaving, in fact). Borne is awesome in it, but Boss Man is just as good, getting tossed around and manhandled by Doink and making him look like a million bucks.

 

I've always been impressed by the amount of growth and learning that Traylor underwent through his career. He was brought up as a silent bodyguard who never talked or sold. Eventually he turned into a very good, underrated talker and became one of the all-time best at projecting sympathy and vulnerability considering how much bigger he tended to be than his opponents. I know Bix loves to cite the MSG match where DiBiase works a bearhug on him and they actually make it look believable. The Doink match is another example, as is his stuff with the Mountie. I wouldn't say it's enough to build a Top 100 case, but as big-man workers I'd probably have him even at worst with Bam Bam.

 

It doesn't affect the working ability argument, really, but I also have to have respect for him for being one of the few Attitude Era wrestlers completely unafraid to be a total unlikable slimeball heel. The matches themselves were bad but Boss Man was fully committed to not being remotely "cool." I love the story from Foley's second book about how Mankind cut a promo at an amusement park card about BBM getting sick on a kiddie ride. Boss Man, instead of refuting this story, got on the mic and angrily explained that he had a stomach-ache BEFORE getting on the ride. That's commitment to a role right there.

[Lee Casebolt]

My enduring Bossman memory is him taking a cage-top superplex from Hogan on SNME. That's an insane bump to take, let alone for men of that size, let alone in '89 WWF, let alone involving Hulk Hogan. Bossman might have been the best Hogan running mate, all things considered. I don't know how many points that gets him towards all time top 100, but it's enough to be worth a look.

[shoe]

The superplex bump from the cage I believe was something he did around the loop. I know he did it on a televised MSG card. I know he did it in the Houston Summitt on an un televised card I saw in 89.

[ohtani's jacket]

I love the Boss Man, and no matter what Parv tries to tell people he was better than Dibiase in the WWF, but from memory I liked Orndorff and Race as Hogan opponents more than the Big Boss Man.

[Lee Casebolt]

Orndorff is Bossman's major competition for that title in my mind. Hogan/Race never really clicked for me, though I haven't gone back to watch it in years.

[Tim Cooke]

Watching the 1998 Yearbook, I am way more excited for the Bossman vs Austin match at Survivor Series than I ever should be for a post-1994 Bossman match. Could be a 95-100 guy but he likely falls off in the final ballot for me.

[Grimmas]

Decided my 90-100 spots will be a lot of my favourites that should realistically be ranked 100-150. Boss Man is just a wrestler I love in every situation. Played many roles well.

[Grimmas]

My #94 in 2016, and based on my notes it was favouritism.

Boss Man has a case to legit make the list, so that sounds silly now. What great punches he has! One thing I find amazing about him, is how he uses his size. As a heel he can look like a monster, beating people down. As a babyface he can look tiny, working from underneath. His career is littered with change too, from a bad ass monster, to a underdog underneath fighter, to a gate keeper, to a top star babyface, to a henchman, to a underneath hardcore worker and comedy guy. A very impressive arc.

He's ALWAYS in the right place too and makes everyone he works look better. Plus had a better series of matches with Vader than Sting did.

[elliott]

Another thing worth mentioning about Bossman is he was a good performer really quickly into his career. The Starrcade 86 match against Ron Garvin is from his  rookie year and is a heck of a rookie year performance. The point about him being able to play big & small is a good one. Bossman is really underrated as an all around performer 

[BigBadMick]

On 5/8/2021 at 2:27 AM, Grimmas said:

Plus had a better series of matches with Vader than Sting did.

Come on now -the best boss man-vader match at Spring stampede was very good, and I will listen to an argument that it's better than Great American Bash 92. But Starrcade 92 and Superbrawl 3 are classics.

[Grimmas]

1 hour ago, BigBadMick said:

Come on now -the best boss man-vader match at Spring stampede was very good, and I will listen to an argument that it's better than Great American Bash 92. But Starrcade 92 and Superbrawl 3 are classics.

Better series not better individual matches, although I think those two (matches you listed) are over rated. I think a more accurate statement is, Boss Man was a better opponent and worked better with Vader. They clicked better.

[KB8]

I absolutely love the Spring Stampede match. Like, top 20 match in WCW history love. And I could watch those two smash each other to bits for days. But even I wouldn't be going to bat for Bossman being a better Vader opponent than Sting. 

Bossman was really good, though. I wonder if anyone's done a comparison with DiBiase. 

[strobogo]

I will forever maintain that if Boss Man in the Attitude Era could have worked like he did in 1988-1993, he'd have been the greatest heel of all time