Greenlawler

When I was a kid I always marked out for the guys in mask. I think the first one I ever saw wrestle was Dick Beyer...but not as the "Intelligent" Super Destroyer but as Mr. X.

From then on I was hooked. So who were your favorite masked men in the States? When I was younger before the internet there were hundreds of great masked men who were not luchadors. I HATE that if a guy dons a mask these days he is considered a cruiserweight...that pisses me off.

For me a top five would be...

1. Mr Wrestling 2
2. The Masked Superstar
3. The Grappler (Len Denton)
4, The Spoiler
5. The Tennessee Carpet Bager (Angelo Poffo...Randy Savage's dad)

I just wish Vince would allow for another old time masked wreslter.

Dusty Roids

how about the Patriot?

That Guy

Mr. America

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Clique

Greenlawler those men are certainly pioneers for mask wrestlers in the United States (non luchadors as a mentioned). My favorite masked wrestlers came much after that era. My all time favorite is indeed a luchador but he applied that Mexican tradition arguably better than anyone to US worked matches and that man is Rey Mysterio. The man was an innovator in the WCW Cruiserweight Division in the 1990s. Then there's the dominate WCW World Heavyweight Champion Vader who was one the most physically gifted big men to ever step foot in a ring. His punches were so vicious and he brought the intimating presence you want from a monster heel champion in the early 90s. The deranged Mankind character was played to perfection by Mick Foley. When he first attacked Undertaker in his WWF debut he gained instant credibility and heat. I love the Taker/Mankind feud and matches from '96-'98 that made the character legendary as well as him funny partnership with The Rock. Those are a few for now.

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P H E N O M

Phil_Mc_90

Mankind or Vader for me

Mankind was just an amazing character and Foley played to perfection and then evolved it beautifully into a great underdog babyface

Vader was badass, one of the best big men in the history of the business and should have had far more success than he did

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Sho'nuff

Who was the 1 masked guy that would put "international objects" and headbutt opponents? Can't remember if he was a wrestler or manager but I remember seeing him in WCW/NWA as a kid.

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just1988

I really thought the Patriot was incredible when I was 9 years old, so I'd vote for him for the nostalgia factor.

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BruiserKC

Dusty Rhodes or Cowboy Bill Watts as the Midnight Rider...gotta give this a mention.

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The original heel commentators

Greenlawler

I cannot recall who you are refering to in WCW/NWA.....I do remember Thunderfoot 1 and 2 but they placed the objects in their boots. I wish I could remember.

Greenlawler

Yeah I really liked the Patriot. Too bad he could not stay healthy and had to sell his gimmick to Sal Sincerly. Sincerly used it for a while but gave it up.

Del Wilkes the original Patriot was also cool as The Trooper. I thought that was a great underated AWA gimmick.


That was a great gimmick.....it may not have been the first of these wreslters loosing loser leaves town matches and coming back under hoods, but it was so high profile that it gave birth to other great copycat runs like Barry Whindham as the Yellow Dog, Jimmy Valient as Charlie Brown, Austin Idol as the CWA version of Midnight Rider, Koko Ware as Stagger Lee, Dutch Mantell as Texas Dirt, Andre and freinds as The Machines, and of course one not so great ones like Tommy Rich as Mr. R, and Mr. America.

Thanks for remindeing me of this I had forgotten