Fantastic Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 So, Cesaro took the most underrated gong in the WON awards this year. This got me thinking, as to the most underrated wrestler of all time, specifically somebody who was brilliant in ring, had the look, the mic skills, the total package, etc, but for whatever bizarre reason, never broke the glass ceiling. I'm really struggling to think of anybody who fits this criteria to a tee. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 It's criminal that El Torito didn't place for most underrated. What a waste of such a talent. As for someone who should had been a main eventer, but was screwed by management I would look at La Parka in WCW. Sure he did it in Mexico, but in America he could had been huge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stomperspc Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 Dustin Rhodes, maybe? Between 1992 and 1995 (give or take) in WCW, he had the look, was over enough, and had the in-ring ability to be WCW Champion or at least be positioned as a top guy and he never really was. I watch that era of WCW now and it is sort of hard to believe that he was stuck in the same mid card role for that entire period. When he went to WWF, he was stuck as a mid-level guy the entire time and given a difficult gimmick to pull off on top of that. He was pushed in the WWF but not at all utilized to his full potential. Post-1999 he was so up and down that he might have ceased being underrated, but he definitely has a strong case for the 1992 – 1999 period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 It's criminal that El Torito didn't place for most underrated. What a waste of such a talent. As for someone who should had been a main eventer, but was screwed by management I would look at La Parka in WCW. Sure he did it in Mexico, but in America he could had been huge. There's an alternate reality where La Parka was brought in to WWF and had a crazy series of violent street fights with Undertaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.S. Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 I always go with Stevie Richards in these types of threads. Very solid in the ring and was able to seamlessly transition into so many different character types: goofy sidekick (Raven's Nest/Flock), comedy stable leader (bWo), plucky underdog babyface (before ECW's first PPV), believable HBK-type main eventer (Barely Legal push), and intense conservative "cult" leader (RTC). That's range, which most wrestlers don't have - and he was believable and credible in every incarnation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR Ackermann Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 Brian Pillman in the early 90s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 I'm tempted to say Gustavo Mendoza based solely on that long-ish match he had on the Mid South set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamthedoctor Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Dustin Rhodes, maybe? Between 1992 and 1995 (give or take) in WCW, he had the look, was over enough, and had the in-ring ability to be WCW Champion or at least be positioned as a top guy and he never really was. I watch that era of WCW now and it is sort of hard to believe that he was stuck in the same mid card role for that entire period. When he went to WWF, he was stuck as a mid-level guy the entire time and given a difficult gimmick to pull off on top of that. He was pushed in the WWF but not at all utilized to his full potential. Post-1999 he was so up and down that he might have ceased being underrated, but he definitely has a strong case for the 1992 – 1999 period. Im quite suprised after his run with the US belt he didnt get a run with the world belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parties Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Looking this not as “I really like Alan Sarjeant and Clay Thomson, wish they'd done more”, but as an answer in the spirit of the question for people who really looked and worked like stars: Kengo Kimura Gilbert Cesca “Mr. Condor” Romano Garcia Kantaro Hoshino Alexander Otsuka Terry Rudge Naoki Sano Jerry Stubbs Tibor Szakacs Tatsuo Nakano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Hiromi Yagi. People who watched JWP in the mid 90's know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Hiromi Yagi. People who watched JWP in the mid 90's know... I didn't watch JWP in the mid 90s, but saw a few matches with her that were recommended and thereafter wondered why I never previously heard the name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 I took this thread to me underrated by the promotion and not the fans. I don't think Yagi was underrated by her promotion. What more could she have achieved? Tibor wasn't underrated by Dale Martin as he won the Royal Albert Hall trophy more than any other man. Rudge was underrated to an extent, but he preferred to make more money in Germany and Japan so wasn't on TV a lot. With British wrestlers it's harder to define what "underrated' means. Is it not holding a major championship or not appearing on TV a lot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El-P Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 By the promotion ? Ok. Yumi Fukawa then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantastic Posted January 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Brian Pillman in the early 90s Great pick. Pillman never crossed my mind. His work in WCW was incredibly underrated, as not just a tag team wrestler but as a singles guy as well, he excelled in both roles, which is something of a rarity. WCW were never going to give him a push as a serious heavyweight though, I think that's what the biggest problem in that company was. The glass ceiling was firmly intact above his head with Bischoff and company. Still, even in his WWF run, I think had he been in good health (and not died as a result), they may have eventually had cause to push him as a main event talent. Certainly, Pillman would have been right at home during the Attitude era. Who knows, maybe he would have been so popular that he would have supplanted The Rock as Austin's career rival? Then again, you have to consider whether or not he would have left the WWF following the Montreal Screw Job, out of loyalty to the Hart Family (as a close friend and student of Stu's)? Would WCW even take him back? Probably, given the time frame and desire to pinch as many WWF names as they could, but then, he'd probably never amount to anything more than what Bulldog and Anvil did in WCW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkdoc Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 pillman was a legitimate #1 pick in a wrestler death pool by the time he came to the WWF. his early WCW career definitely fits this though! alex wright is an intriguing one, as i think the berlyn gimmick was actually pretty timely. his look made people think of american history x, just without the blatant neo-nazism. he seemed to get screwed by other wrestlers more than the promotion though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamthedoctor Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Brian Pillman in the early 90s Great pick. Pillman never crossed my mind. His work in WCW was incredibly underrated, as not just a tag team wrestler but as a singles guy as well, he excelled in both roles, which is something of a rarity. WCW were never going to give him a push as a serious heavyweight though, I think that's what the biggest problem in that company was. The glass ceiling was firmly intact above his head with Bischoff and company. Still, even in his WWF run, I think had he been in good health (and not died as a result), they may have eventually had cause to push him as a main event talent. Certainly, Pillman would have been right at home during the Attitude era. Who knows, maybe he would have been so popular that he would have supplanted The Rock as Austin's career rival? Then again, you have to consider whether or not he would have left the WWF following the Montreal Screw Job, out of loyalty to the Hart Family (as a close friend and student of Stu's)? Would WCW even take him back? Probably, given the time frame and desire to pinch as many WWF names as they could, but then, he'd probably never amount to anything more than what Bulldog and Anvil did in WCW. Would the WCW fans have even bought a lightweight wrestler holding a World title? You had plenty of guys in the main event scene and I dont think there was room for Pillman as a serious contender to the crown. It wasent a bad thing who had the belt then, dont know why fans say thats what the biggest problem in WCW was as it was fine who it was holding the title. The final year of WCW yeah id agree with but before that nope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efrim Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Brian Pillman in the early 90s Great pick. Pillman never crossed my mind. His work in WCW was incredibly underrated, as not just a tag team wrestler but as a singles guy as well, he excelled in both roles, which is something of a rarity. WCW were never going to give him a push as a serious heavyweight though, I think that's what the biggest problem in that company was. The glass ceiling was firmly intact above his head with Bischoff and company. Still, even in his WWF run, I think had he been in good health (and not died as a result), they may have eventually had cause to push him as a main event talent. Certainly, Pillman would have been right at home during the Attitude era. Who knows, maybe he would have been so popular that he would have supplanted The Rock as Austin's career rival? Then again, you have to consider whether or not he would have left the WWF following the Montreal Screw Job, out of loyalty to the Hart Family (as a close friend and student of Stu's)? Would WCW even take him back? Probably, given the time frame and desire to pinch as many WWF names as they could, but then, he'd probably never amount to anything more than what Bulldog and Anvil did in WCW. Would the WCW fans have even bought a lightweight wrestler holding a World title? You had plenty of guys in the main event scene and I dont think there was room for Pillman as a serious contender to the crown. It wasent a bad thing who had the belt then, dont know why fans say thats what the biggest problem in WCW was as it was fine who it was holding the title. The final year of WCW yeah id agree with but before that nope. With Pillman's football background, I think you could have sold it to the audience. Built in story of the big time underdog having to once again get to the top in the land of giants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Ross certainly wouldn't shut up about the football thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 Going from the perspective of "underutilized by their promotion." Mark Henry has to be way up there. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe he drew very impressively every time he was put into a position to do so. The only "black mark" could be the low buyrate for his title match at NOC 2011 but that show was built around the abomination that was the Trips/Punk/Nash angle. How many guys in the last 10 years have a record of being individual draws like Henry does? He draws, he works his style perfectly, he has loads of charisma and is great on the mic. He should've been one of the absolute top stars of the last 10 years, even with his tendency toward injury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyonthewall2983 Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 Dustin Rhodes, maybe? Between 1992 and 1995 (give or take) in WCW, he had the look, was over enough, and had the in-ring ability to be WCW Champion or at least be positioned as a top guy and he never really was. I watch that era of WCW now and it is sort of hard to believe that he was stuck in the same mid card role for that entire period. When he went to WWF, he was stuck as a mid-level guy the entire time and given a difficult gimmick to pull off on top of that. He was pushed in the WWF but not at all utilized to his full potential. Post-1999 he was so up and down that he might have ceased being underrated, but he definitely has a strong case for the 1992 – 1999 period. Had he never been fired (for something as stupid as he was fired for btw) he could have become a huge draw. Imagine how useful and effective he could have been for the WCW side during the NWO angle. It's almost sad if you think about the great matches he had with Austin and Rude, and the hot angle he had going with Fuller and his stable of guys (until Hulkamania ran afoot that is), and then just a few years later seeing him do the gay heel act to Ahmed Johnson and The Ultimate Warrior. It's a small consolation now that he's doing so well with his brother, and from what I've seen some of that old fire he had is still there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamthedoctor Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 If Dustin hadent got fired and Hogan not brought in 94 I reckon Dustin would be a great choice to feud with Flair considering how Rude was out of action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye12 Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 I would guess Dustin would've been right alongside Sting, Savage, and Hogan at the top of the babyface food chain in the early Nitro era. He was already teaming with Savage and Sting against the Stud Stable guys when he got fired, so who knows. Dustin vs. Sullivan and the Dungeon of Doom seems like a natural fit with the Dusty-Sullivan history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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