Best wrestler to never have a big money run

[joeg]

So who would you guys say is the best wrestler to never have that big career defining run? Every wrestler who did well in the PWO GWE had at least 1 run where they drew huge crowds, won titles, made themselves synomous with a promotion, territory, or region. Who are some guys who we consider all time greats but never really drew money or had that big title run one would associate with being an all time great.

[Jetlag]

Takeshi Ono. Indy till the very end.

 

Masakazu Fukuda, altough he's not considered an all time great. He was a really good indy guy with limited tape and not even a big run of indy main events. Then he died.

[Dylan Waco]

So who would you guys say is the best wrestler to never have that big career defining run? Every wrestler who did well in the PWO GWE had at least 1 run where they drew huge crowds, won titles, made themselves synomous with a promotion, territory, or region. Who are some guys who we consider all time greats but never really drew money or had that big title run one would associate with being an all time great.

Regal finished 21 in GWE and I'm not sure he fits what you are describing above

[Microstatistics]

Alexander Otsuka, if he counts. Otherwise, probably one of the lower ranked shoot style guys like Yoji Anjoh or Masakatsu Funaki.

[Rah]

William Regal and Virus (CMLL).

[elliott]

Dick Togo came to mind as someone who might fit

[iamthedoctor]

WWF side im tempted to say Jake Roberts.

[Jetlag]

Dick Togo came to mind as someone who might fit

 

He got a big run of singles matches and title matches for his retirement run.

 

Virus also has certainly been privileged compared most other guys on the CMLL roster, getting more long title matches than almost anyone else on the roster in the last couple of years.

[gordi]

Asian Cooger.

[MoS]

Does Christian count? He was the ace for WWECW for a year and had a cup of coffee with their secondary world title a couple of times, but apart from that he never had a big singles run as a top star.

[El-P]

Mariko Yoshida.

[iamthedoctor]

Does Christian count? He was the ace for WWECW for a year and had a cup of coffee with their secondary world title a couple of times, but apart from that he never had a big singles run as a top star.

 

I couldnt stand Christian during his initial push when he split from Edge and had Tomko but I quickly became a fan when he went to ECW and won the belt. Its a shame he was never given a fair run with a world title because Vince McMahon doesnt see him as a main eventer and he was only given the title because Edge retired and Vince did this as a favour to Edge (according to the Dirtsheets).

[GOTNW]

Alexander Otsuka, if he counts. Otherwise, probably one of the lower ranked shoot style guys like Yoji Anjoh or Masakatsu Funaki.

Terrible example, Funaki was the ace of Pancrase and a Triple Crown champion at a time All Japan still regularly ran Sumo Hall. He was also all but "lower ranked" in PWFG and was clearly positioned as a future star in UWF.

[Shrike02]

Owen Hart.

[The Chief]

Phil Hickerson

[sek69]

Owen Hart.

 

 

This. It's so frustrating to see how they had it on a silver platter to make him a superstar after Montreal, and actually were going to do it, but it got thwarted because HBK wouldn't play ball.

[C.S.]

Does Barry Windham count? He certainly got title shots and main event feuds, but I'm not sure he ever really had a "big money run." Heck, he never won a legitimate World Title (I refuse to count the bastardized WCW NWA/International/Big Gold title from 1993 as a real World Title).

[Memphis Mark]

Leo Burke

[Cap]

William Regal would be my pick.

[...TG]

Does Owen Hart really count? Bret v Owen was pretty consistently the headline feud in 1994 from WrestleMania through SummerSlam. It wasn't a super draw but the whole industry was down so it's not 100% Owen's fault.

[Mr. Lacelle]

I second the Leo mention.

[iamthedoctor]

Does Owen Hart really count? Bret v Owen was pretty consistently the headline feud in 1994 from WrestleMania through SummerSlam. It wasn't a super draw but the whole industry was down so it's not 100% Owen's fault.

 

I was thinking a big money run meant you had the Heavyweight title.