[Ghost Lantern]

I am certain this has been done before but every once in a while I will post one of these and you guys can debate.

Two questions....Who had the better career? Who did you like the best?

So for the first one I thought I would take the three main faces under Hogan after Slaughter left in 1984.

Not sure how many responses this will get, I should have started with something from the AE

 

[Simpsons Modern Life]

Tito Santana!!!!!! All these guys had great careers, Jimmy Snuka's famous cage jump and the coconut to the head etc.. but for me I'd say Tito Santana, he was the best wrestler out of the three, very quick, agile and could really work a match, he always made talent look fantastic!!!!!

Tito, definitely!!!!!!

 

[SpocksEvilClone]

I'm going to go with Tito.
He's the only one of the three that won any titles - Intercontinental 2x, Tag team 2x & 1 King of the Ring. He also had the longest career in the WWF compared to JYD & Superfly.

And out of the three, he had in-ring ability & he was okay on the mic. Not great, but passable.
JYD had mic skills but was crap in the ring. Superfly was great in the ring, but horrible on the mic.

 

[Ghost Lantern]

My favorite was JYD

Probably IMO Snuka had the best career.

Remember Snuka was a contender for the WWF title and his heel run was amazing. Snuka also had great runs outside the WWF.

Tito was mid card talent before there was such a thing. He was solid no doubt, and talented, but he never quite could make the leap into the main event, unlike the other two, who main evented all over the country.

 

[ByTor]

Tito for me because he was the best wrestler of the three and won more titles...at least in WWF. I didn't care for him much as a kid, but he really grew on me once I became a crotchety old wrestling fan.

Snuka's prime was before my time. Probably 95% of the Snuka I've seen is old, washed up late 80s-early 90s Snuka. Getting online in 1998 and reading about how Snuka was some sort of 'legend' was a real wtf moment. I didn't really start to get it until I read Foley's book. I guess he was kind of like the Sabu of his day? But that day was a few years before my time and there are a whole lot of wrestlers from the 80s I have more interest in watching than Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka.

Junkyard Dog sucked. Yeah, he had charisma, but he was one of the most god-awful wrestlers I ever saw. That includes his supposedly good Mid South run. Bobby Eaton's best performance isn't one of his great matches with the Fantastics, Rock 'N Roll Express or whoever. Nope. It's Bobby Eaton literally bodyslamming himself and selling shitty JYD (and Bill Watts) punches and headbutts like they're gunshots in this one MX vs. Watts/JYD match. JYD didn't even like to MOVE, let alone bump. I rag on current wrestling a lot, but at least they don't push turds like JYD and Hacksaw Jim Duggan anymore. He also dragged Flair to arguably the worst match of Naitch's career. Flair could still have a 3-star match with a broomstick in 90 or 91. Too bad JYD wasn't quite as good as a broomstick. And then there's all that dancing and prancing and the fact that he was far more protected in Mid South than John Cena has ever been (Hell, maybe even more than Hogan!) and it all adds up to JYD being one of my least favorite wrestlers of all time.

 

[Mifune Jackson]

I agree with Snuka. He had a great career in the WWF and a few memorable moments, and by the end of it when he was doing guest spots, was treated like a hero. He also has historical relevance to today being Undertaker's first streak victim. Not to mention the dive off the cage and memorable feuds he had in the early WWF. Santana lasted longer into the modern era, but Snuka's early 80's WWF run made an impact and brought him to the first WrestleMania main event.

Tito had the best "settling in the middle and living comfortably" career. Hopefully he saved his money and all that. He was on the main WWF roster for quite some time and was even given some meaningful feuds (Martel, ??) and matches (making it to the main event of Survivor Series '90 comes to mind). But still, he was never a major player and was repackaged once or twice, and often jobbed to get bigger stars over. Tito did deserve better for his career, like another IC Title run, but really has nothing to complain about.

JYD also had a great run if you factor in his indy/territory career. He was beloved and was given prominence in the Hogan era as a supporting player.

 

[Simpsons Modern Life]

Tito had the best "settling in the middle and living comfortably" career. Hopefully he saved his money and all that. He was on the main WWF roster for quite some time and was even given some meaningful feuds (Martel, ??) and matches (making it to the main event of Survivor Series '90 comes to mind). But still, he was never a major player and was repackaged once or twice, and often jobbed to get bigger stars over. Tito did deserve better for his career, like another IC Title run, but really has nothing to complain about.

Tito and Martel had quite a few matches against each other but they could have developed more of a storyline between the two if they wanted to, and although they did have a little bit of rivalry after the split of Strike Force, I don't really think it was pushed as far as it could have been, here is a couple of little bits from that.

And there is an in screen Tito promo here during the match.

I personally feel they could have done more with this, however they did have a fair few amount of matches between them.

Tito also did really well during and after the business, the rest of the wrestlers would often say they wanted 'The Tito thing'.. because he was known to be incredibly balanced with his lifestyle, where a lot of wrestlers failed in (watch his Hall Of Fame induction) ... he also teaches at a school, and has his own hair salon in New Jersey ... both Martel and Tito have done incredibly well, Martel now having shares in Real Estate (watch Martel's shoot on Youtube for this).

Here is Tito's Hall Of Fame, which is a good watch!!!

Tito was and is an immense talent .... he really carried a lot of talent in matches, such as Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 8, he had amazing agility and speed and one of the best flying forearms I've ever seen!

 

[SpocksEvilClone]

...and one of the best flying forearms I've ever seen!

The Flying Burrito!
The Flying Jalapeno!

 

[tducey]

Tito Santana
Snuka
JYD

 

[Ghost Lantern]

Tito for me because he was the best wrestler of the three and won more titles...at least in WWF. I didn't care for him much as a kid, but he really grew on me once I became a crotchety old wrestling fan.

Snuka's prime was before my time. Probably 95% of the Snuka I've seen is old, washed up late 80s-early 90s Snuka. Getting online in 1998 and reading about how Snuka was some sort of 'legend' was a real wtf moment. I didn't really start to get it until I read Foley's book. I guess he was kind of like the Sabu of his day? But that day was a few years before my time and there are a whole lot of wrestlers from the 80s I have more interest in watching than Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka.

Junkyard Dog sucked. Yeah, he had charisma, but he was one of the most god-awful wrestlers I ever saw. That includes his supposedly good Mid South run. Bobby Eaton's best performance isn't one of his great matches with the Fantastics, Rock 'N Roll Express or whoever. Nope. It's Bobby Eaton literally bodyslamming himself and selling shitty JYD (and Bill Watts) punches and headbutts like they're gunshots in this one MX vs. Watts/JYD match. JYD didn't even like to MOVE, let alone bump. I rag on current wrestling a lot, but at least they don't push turds like JYD and Hacksaw Jim Duggan anymore. He also dragged Flair to arguably the worst match of Naitch's career. Flair could still have a 3-star match with a broomstick in 90 or 91. Too bad JYD wasn't quite as good as a broomstick. And then there's all that dancing and prancing and the fact that he was far more protected in Mid South than John Cena has ever been (Hell, maybe even more than Hogan!) and it all adds up to JYD being one of my least favorite wrestlers of all time.

By-Tor just like you don't understand the Fabulous Ones thing, I cannot understand all the Tito love. I respect him but he will always be a mid card guy to me. I cannot really remember a fued except for maybe Greg Valentine where he came out on top.

His biggest fueds in the WWF were with Muraco, Butch Reed, and Valentine. From what I remember both Muraco and Reed got the lions share of wins, but I maybe wrong.

 

[HBK4LIFE]

Tito Santana

 

[bradu]

To me it's a no-brainer, Snuka. I wish I knew why...never really liked Tito, even though he was IC champ when I first started watching. And I liked JYD, but don't necessarily have any specific memories or reasons why. But Snuka had more of a mystique about him than the others, you just knew he was totally badass whenever you got to see him. Maybe because he was one of the early high flyers?

 

[Simpsons Modern Life]

To me it's a no-brainer, Snuka. I wish I knew why...never really liked Tito, even though he was IC champ when I first started watching. And I liked JYD, but don't necessarily have any specific memories or reasons why. But Snuka had more of a mystique about him than the others, you just knew he was totally badass whenever you got to see him. Maybe because he was one of the early high flyers?

Tito's appeal to me was that he was just a true solid and bloody good wrestler, he had a technical ability about him that was unique and he always kept matches going at a good fast paced flow, when he hit that flying forearm out of nowhere was just a 'wow' moment every single time.

For me, Tito Santana is one of the greatest talents to step into the ring, guy was mad talented, his match with Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania VIII is well underrated, he carries that match also, which is no diss to Shawn in any way, but you can see this clearly.

Tito Santana was awesome!

 

[Nicole Queen]

Tito's appeal to me was that he was just a true solid and bloody good wrestler, he had a technical ability about him that was unique and he always kept matches going at a good fast paced flow, when he hit that flying forearm out of nowhere was just a 'wow' moment every single time.

For me, Tito Santana is one of the greatest talents to step into the ring, guy was mad talented, his match with Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania VIII is well underrated, he carries that match also, which is no diss to Shawn in any way, but you can see this clearly.

Tito Santana was awesome!

Agreed.

Also I think it's quite telling that people like him and Ricky Steamboat, who ended up losing the IC title and were always in the mid-card (as the IC title is supposed to be step up to the WHC), always had great fan reactions because they loved their pure wrestling ability.

ARRIBA!

 

[Simpsons Modern Life]

Agreed.

Also I think it's quite telling that people like him and Ricky Steamboat, who ended up losing the IC title and were always in the mid-card (as the IC title is supposed to be step up to the WHC), always had great fan reactions because they loved their pure wrestling ability.

ARRIBA!

Absolutely! It's often hindsight too when you see these things, I mean one that comes to mind for me also, which I never actually took notice of at the time as such (when it comes to wrestling and in ring skill) was Bam Bam Bigelow, when I look back on him now I can't believe the agility that guy had for his size, when you're a kid you don't really see these things but when you look back or catch up on old school wrestling, you don't half see the difference and notice these things, another one that comes to mind for me in this sense also is Vader, Big Boss Man also to a degree and Akeem too.

But yeah, Tito is definitely one of the best talents to step into the ring, nothing against Jimmy Snuka of course, the guy was a true talent but there was something about Tito that, for me personally, blows these guys out of the water really, the guy was an absolute talent!

 

[Nicole Queen]

Absolutely! It's often hindsight too when you see these things, I mean one that comes to mind for me also, which I never actually took notice of at the time as such (when it comes to wrestling and in ring skill) was Bam Bam Bigelow, when I look back on him now I can't believe the agility that guy had for his size, when you're a kid you don't really see these things but when you look back or catch up on old school wrestling, you don't half see the difference and notice these things, another one that comes to mind for me in this sense also is Vader, Big Boss Man also to a degree and Akeem too.

But yeah, Tito is definitely one of the best talents to step into the ring, nothing against Jimmy Snuka of course, the guy was a true talent but there was something about Tito that, for me personally, blows these guys out of the water really, the guy was an absolute talent!

I'm currently watching some old school wrestling and while I've never seen much of them (mostly Santana vs Savage actually), JYD has never been talent in the ring but the crowds loved him and he was always over; Snuka I haven't seen wrestling but he is much more known for his high flying than technique. Santana on the other hand has always been one of the finest wrestlers on the roster and people were into him regardless of what position on the card he was on. IMO Santana was the superior user of the Figure Four :mark:

Shame that they dropped the ball with him like that - El Matador? Vince you deserve to be :buried

 

[Simpsons Modern Life]

I'm currently watching some old school wrestling and while I've never seen much of them (mostly Santana vs Savage actually), JYD has never been talent in the ring but the crowds loved him and he was always over; Snuka I haven't seen wrestling but he is much more known for his high flying than technique. Santana on the other hand has always been one of the finest wrestlers on the roster and people were into him regardless of what position on the card he was on. IMO Santana was the superior user of the Figure Four :mark:

Shame that they dropped the ball with him like that - El Matador? Vince you deserve to be :buried

Haha yeah, I don't think he was a big fan of the El Matador gimmick either, it worked I suppose but I don't think he was big on it ... but at least it wasn't The Red Rooster or something like that lol

El Matador Vs The Bad Guy!! ... look at his speed and agility ... he's beauty!!!!!!

 

[Nicole Queen]

Haha yeah, I don't think he was a big fan of the El Matador gimmick either, it worked I suppose but I don't think he was big on it ... but at least it wasn't The Red Rooster or something like that lol

El Matador Vs The Bad Guy!! ... look at his speed and agility ... he's beauty!!!!!!

Awful gimmick, but at least he had talent to put into it.

 

[Simpsons Modern Life]

Awful gimmick, but at least he had talent to put into it.

Exactly, things like what titles they held, gimmicks they had and all stuff like that, doesn't really mean much to me in regards to when I feel a wrestler is deservedly credited, it's what they do in the ring and how much I love their wrestling talent and style really, I always have love for the agile, speedy and technical wrestlers that also can tell good story's within their matches as that's my absolute preference.

I don't think I've ever seen Tito have a bad match with anyone .... ever.

 

[The Gorgeous One]

Best career? Snuka, easily.

Personal favourite? JYD. Always thought he was great, had an awesome charisma about him that a lot of other guys didn't have. His best years were in mid south though.

Always thought Tito was a good mid card guy and also was a fan of Strike Force, he was a good utility guy but was never good enough to be a top guy like JYD or Snuka imho.