OPINION: PART II OF THE TOP 5 MOST IMPORTANT AND MEMORABLE BIG MEN AND GIANTS IN PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

 

Welcome to Part 2 (Part 1 is here) of this article on the most memorable big men and giants that have left an indelible mark in the annals of pro wrestling. I would like to start with the one of the best villains in pro wrestling: 

4. ERNIE LADD

Ernie Ladd was one one of the biggest men to ever enter the wrestling ring at 6 foot 9 and 320 pounds. Ladd started his career in wrestling in the 60's after a successful NFL career with teams like the Chargers and the Oilers. The 60's was a time of racial turmoil in America and Ernie Ladd was one of the first black villains. He won many championships in the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) during the territory days while having great feuds with Andre The Giant, Dusty Rhodes, The Von Erichs, and The Junkyard Dog.

5. BROCK LESNAR

Brock Lesnar at 6 foot 3 and 287 pounds has been one of the most dominant and intimidating big men in professional wrestling for the last 20 years. He has had great feuds with The Rock, Kurt Angle, John Cena, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Bobby Lashley, and Cody Rhodes. Lesnar has won championships in WWE and UFC. He is widely considered as the most decorated athlete in combat sports. 

Professional wrestling has been filled with many big men and giants during the past 50 years. These five men have left an indelible mark in pro wrestling for not only their size but their impact on this business. I hope you enjoyed Part 2 of this article.

THE POP CULTURE PROFESSOR

OPINION: THE TOP 5 MOST IMPORTANT AND MEMORABLE BIG MEN AND GIANTS IN PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING PART 1

 

Throughout the history of Pro Wrestling there have been many big men and giants that have graced the squared circle. In this article, I'd like to look at five of the most memorable big men and giants that have left an indelible mark in the annals of pro wrestling. I would like to start with the greatest giant in the history of pro wrestling: 

1. ANDRE THE GIANT

Andre The Giant was one of the greatest attractions in pro wrestling. He began his career in 1964 and traveled the world wrestling in places like France and Canada. In 1966 he began a world tour wrestling in the UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, and Africa. In 1973, he entered the WWE (then known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation) and began a career that would make him a pop culture icon. In the 1970's it was the heyday of the territory system and the WWE kept Andre on the road visiting different places once a year so that people would come in droves to see him. This made Andre a national superstar while other wrestlers were confined to their respective regional promotions. While in WWE, Andre never lost a match so he was billed as being undefeated from 1973 to 1986. The first person to beat him on the main roster was Hulk Hogan in 1987 at Wrestlemania 3.

2. HULK HOGAN

When Hulk Hogan entered the WWE in 1983, he was marketed as a superhero. He defeated the Iron Sheik, an Iranian sympathizer in 1984 to become the World Champion. This was a time when fans still remembered the Iranian hostage crisis and Hulk Hogan was an American hero. At 6'7 and 300 pounds, Hulk Hogan had a superhero appeal to fans. WWE marketed him to the hilt having him face all the major villains of that era like Rowdy Roddy Piper and monsters like King Kong Bundy. Hogan would have his biggest win, literally and figuratively against Andre The Giant at Wrestlemania 3. With that win Hogan cemented his legacy as a superstar. In 1994, Hogan left WWE for World Championship Wrestling. His presence in WCW made the company into a national powerhouse. Hulk Hogan is the only wrestler that was apart of two companies that he helped become mainstream entities.

3. THE ROCK

Before he was the biggest star in Hollywood, he was the most electrifying man in sports and entertainment. Dwayne Johnson a.k.a.The Rock has held the WWE World title eight times during his illustrious career. He had amazing feuds with Triple H, The Undertaker, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, and Hulk Hogan. His biggest feud was against Stone Cold Steve Austin who was the champion of the working class. The Rock in sharp contrast was Vince McMahon's corporate champion. His feud with Austin would make him the biggest star in the wrestling business and give WWE global notoriety. The Rock left the WWE in 2003 but has made sporadic appearances since 2011. In 2012 and 2013 he appeared at Wrestlemania to square off against John Cena.

This concludes Part 1 of this opinion piece. I hope you enjoyed it. 

THE POP CULTURE PROFESSOR