Does any other wrestler have an argument they belong on the Austin/Hogan/Rock tier?

[Lurk Angle]

Flair and Cena are the only names that come to mind...
...for non wrestling reasons though

Flair got a second wind with internet meme culture.

Cena has movies, Tv, Rap and Reality TV.

The difference is Rock, Hogan and Austin had way bigger wrestling careers

U can add batista with cena in terms of crossover success

 

[CM_Burns]

Cenas longevity is impressive and gives him an argument, but he's not touching those 3s peaks

 

[CBoz]

Roman in a tier of his own above them all

 

[Hitman's Shades]

Dark Horse Candidate: Goldberg. In his prime, he rivaled Austin. He was on TV Guide covers, on all the toys, cups, hell I have a PS1 Memory Card with his mold on it. He's popular to this day because of wrestling, and not really anything he did outside of it, and everyone knows who he is.

 

[The Prince of All Saiyans]

Bruno, buddy rogers, superstar billy, dusty, gorgeous George. That’s who I’d add.


Flair was champ when 28 territories went under.

Gorgeous George? Randy’s ring rat wasn’t that appealing

 

[T’Challa’s Heir]

Surprised no one has said Andre the giant yet.

 

[Hey_zeus]

Macho Man gotta be close.

 

[Silkk]

Surprised no one has said Andre the giant yet.

I was going to but he not up there

 

[NOSaintsFan02]

Everyone I named counts. Y’all just think anything only matters after 1980 or some shyt. Gorgeus George was on tv in like the 50s getting like 40-50 million viewers a match.

Bruno had the northeast on SMASH.

I bet most people still know dusty but he was HUGE nationally in the 70s.

that's fine and dandy but Dusty Rhodes comes out in the 90s and he ain't getting a pop the way Austin and Rock still getting pops 20+ years after their career is over. It's levels.

 

[NOSaintsFan02]

Dark Horse Candidate: Goldberg. In his prime, he rivaled Austin. He was on TV Guide covers, on all the toys, cups, hell I have a PS1 Memory Card with his mold on it. He's popular to this day because of wrestling, and not really anything he did outside of it, and everyone knows who he is.

This is true but Goldberg comes out now and he's not getting the pop Austin and Rock get. Like I said, it's levels. That's why I respect the highs Goldberg, Cena, Nash, Taker, Flair, etc had...but it's a very thin line between ELITE popularity/reverence and great popularity/reverence.

Cena was getting booed half the time during his reign on top @Silkk. Hell if they had bought Cena out for this segment that night at WM30 half the Superdome would have booed him. But I get your argument for him, I really do. His longevity definitely helped him as far as reverence.

 

[Hey_zeus]

Everyone I named counts. Y’all just think anything only matters after 1980 or some shyt. Gorgeus George was on tv in like the 50s getting like 40-50 million viewers a match.

Bruno had the northeast on SMASH.

I bet most people still know dusty but he was HUGE nationally in the 70s.

George and Bruno are the proto templates for heels and faces in rasslin. They were extremely important in pushing the business forward. They belong but people don't know the history...

 

[Silkk]

This is true but Goldberg comes out now and he's not getting the pop Austin and Rock get. Like I said, it's levels. That's why I respect the highs Goldberg, Cena, Nash, Taker, Flair, etc had...but it's a very thin line between ELITE popularity/reverence and great popularity/reverence.

Cena was getting booed half the time during his reign on top @Silkk. Hell if they had bought Cena out for this segment that night at WM30 half the Superdome would have booed him. But I get your argument for him, I really do. His longevity definitely helped him as far as reverence.

We’re talking about peaks though. You can’t switch it up to now because if fits the argument.

 

[TL15]

It’s Cena.

All of those guys are Uber famous because they transcended wrestling.

Wrestling is athletic entertainment:

Hogan crossed over
Stone Cold crossed over (mostly due to the edginess of the time and never had the success as the others)
Rock crossed over
Cena crossed over

 

[Huda2daf]

I thought this was another la night thread I’m so tired of hearing about this dude

 

[Dipsey Doo]

It's Cena - longevity, box office, merchandise, being "the guy". The ultimate franchise player.

It's not his fault his run came at a time right after the company was at it's hottest. No where to go but down from the Attitude era peak.