Fantasy Draft: Wrestlers In Their Prime

Inspired by a post on Scott’s Blog of Doom last year, The Wrestling Estate staff have been asked to fantasy draft four wrestlers in their prime, four in their rookie year and four in the tail end of their career.

Steven Jackson

Prime

Jonathan Gresham: The greatest wrestler in the world and 2020 proved that with his Pure Title win and forming The Foundation!

Kenta Kobashi: In 1993, Kobashi was on the greatest run of any wrestler in AJPW. His year was a highlight reel of amazement.

Samoa Joe: The “Samoan Submission Machine” was made in 2005 and his matches all over the globe set new standards for the generation to follow.

Rey Mysterio: In 1996, Rey Mysterio was a fireworks display being let off in WCW.

Rookie

Brock Lesnar: If you’re looking to create the perfect wrestler from scratch, Brock Lesnar in 2002 ticks all the boxes.

Charlotte Flair: Following in her father’s footsteps, Charlotte’s 2014 arrival brought her to the forefront of women’s wrestling.

Randy Savage: Although 1985 was not his debut year, it was the year when wrestling, more specifically WWE, got savage!

Zack Sabre Jr.: ZSJ left the U.K. prior to 2011, but that year was when, as a rookie, he really found his feet and started tearing it up in the U.S. and Japan

Tail End

Jazz: Jazz can still go! And her matches in 2021 have proved she has so much more left before hanging up her boots.

William Regal: 2013 didn’t start out as Regal’s final year because he was still bringing out the best from the young guns on NXT. Unfortunately, he was taken out of the ring and named general manager the next year.

Jushin “Thunder” Liger: Look it’s Jushin Liger and if you know me, you know I love me some Liger! He may have slowed down in 2019 before wrapping up in 2020, but he’s still the greatest junior heavyweight of all time.

Ultimo Guerrero: A lucha libre legend that still has the same fire in him that he had during the ‘90s.

Chad Gelfand

Prime

The Rock 2000: This was the year The Rock really put everything together at an elite level, carrying WWE in the absence of Stone Cold.

Bret Hart 1993: There have been few wrestlers that have had a connection with a crowd the way Bret has, and in 1993, his popularity was at its peak.

Stone Cold 1997: Pre-neck injury but still nailing his character work while having extra mobility in the ring.

Kurt Angle 2002: This is where he started to cut some of the comedy and upped his intensity in the ring.

Rookie

Brock Lesnar 2002: “The Next Big Thing” came in and was already ready to be a main eventer.

Randy Orton 2003: Sure, it’s technically his second year on the main roster, but that’s when he really started to break out as a personality.

Jade Cargill 2021: It’s very early in her career, but Jade is someone with tons of potential, a unique look and a presence about her that you want to invest in early.

Kurt Angle 1999: Angle makes it on the list twice because of how fast he got the pro wrestling business once he entered it, putting together the character work to go along with his accomplished amateur wrestling background.

Tail End

Shawn Michaels 2010: He could still put on great matches even up to his “retirement.”

Trish Stratus 2019: In her match with Charlotte at SummerSlam 2019, she showed she could still hang with the top star of today’s women division.

Sting 2021: He can still get the crowd going while having an occasional match and being a weekly presence on the show.

John Cena 2015: Cena still had a few more years full time after this, but this was the year he stepped back from the main event picture and put on some of the best matches of his career with a variety of opponents in his U.S Title Open Challenge.

John Corrigan

Prime

Ric Flair 1989: Obviously, the G.O.A.T. needs to be on my roster. In 1989, Ric Flair had his epic trilogy with Ricky Steamboat, as well as his equally epic war with Terry Funk. “The Nature Boy” proved he could do it all, beloved or despised. He’ll be the centerpiece of my company, defending against a variety of challengers just like back in the day.

“Superstar” Billy Graham 1977: Another legend who could work heel or face, even though he’s credited as the first villain on top of WWE for a sustained run. Unfortunately, that run was cut too short by Bob Backlund (and Vince McMahon Sr.), but “Superstar” will have plenty of time in the spotlight on my show. Imagine the war of words between him and Flair…Woooo, we’re just getting started!

Owen Hart 1994: Although “The Rocket” could be an exciting face, he was so much more fun as the whiny, selfish “King of Harts.” His peak was 1994, when he should have won the WWE Championship from his big brother (instead of Bob Backlund). Owen could work with anyone, but I’d especially love to see him bumping for Billy Graham and going an hour with Flair.

Asuka 2017: Unlike “The Great” Brian Last, I’ll be having a women’s division, albeit truncated for this exercise. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you how dominant Asuka was prior to Charlotte ending her streak at WrestleMania 34.

Rookie

Monty Brown 2002: The “Alpha Male” wouldn’t come into his own until 2004, when he was named Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Rookie of the Year, but he actually debuted in TNA in 2002. Even then, he demonstrated the raw power and natural charisma that endeared him to the wrestling world. I wouldn’t change anything about him, except I’d book him only against heels so he’d be a face from the get-go. Ultimately, Monty Brown would be the man to end Flair’s reign.

Steve Austin 1990: PWI’s Rookie of the Year at the dawn of the ‘90s, Steve Austin had all the tools to be a star from day one. I’ll take him with Jeanie Adams by his side, infuriating crowds and delivering show stealers. It’s inconceivable in retrospect, but I’d be interested in teaming him with Owen for a spell.

Jimmy Snuka 1977: Controversial choice, for sure. But this is pre-murder Jimmy Snuka, maybe even pre-drug addiction. Even today, any promotion would gladly have a real-life Tarzan to promote. He’s another who could work heel or face, and his high-flying ability would mesh with Owen’s.

Tammy Lynn Sytch 1993: Her arrival to the sport as the uptight feminist in Smoky Mountain Wrestling was actually her peak. Sure, she was super popular in WWE, but she didn’t really do anything! The future Sunny was more than just eye candy – she’ll be the top manager in my company. On the surface, she’d look great on Flair’s arm, but it would be interesting to see her chastise his womanizing ways and send challengers after him for vengeance.

Tail End

Brock Lesnar 2020: You knew Brock Lesnar would make my roster. Here’s why he’s so great – you could take any era of the “Beast Incarnate” and he’s still a top guy. It’s like beating the system!

LA Park 2019: The veteran luchador is much heavier these days, but I’m not looking for another high flyer. I’m looking for a brawler, a brute with a distinct look and marketability. After main eventing MLW’s first pay-per-view in 2019, I’m confident that LA Park has enough left in the tank to contribute to my roster. Perhaps Tammy would send him to dethrone Naitch.

Jazz 2021: Her recent run as NWA Women’s Champion showed that Jazz still belongs on TV. Thankfully, Impact scooped her up earlier this year, and now I want her to feud with Asuka over who exactly the baddest bitch is.

Brian Pillman 1997: Although Brian Pillman was a shell of his former self in the final year of his life, he was still a captivating presence. The “Loose Cannon” would inject some unpredictability into my promotion and that raspy voice could cut promos all day with the likes of Flair, Graham, Austin, Tammy, Owen and Monty.

Juan Bautista

Prime

Hayabusa 1998: He was one of the greatest high flyers in FMW before his in-ring accident.

Eddie Guerrero 1997-1998: The future “Latino Heat” had some of his best work before his car accident.

Mike Awesome 1998-1999: He was a freak of nature doing dives off the top rope and having brutal matches.

Andre The Giant (Japan): Andre is a completely different wrestler in the Land of the Rising Sun. Before injuries and ballooning weight took their toll, the “Eighth Wonder of the World” was running and jumping around.

Rookie

Randy Orton 2003-2004: “The Legend Killer” was young, brash and talented.

Shelton Benjamin (straight from OVW): It was thought to be that the sky is the limit for Shelton Benjamin. Although WWE never got the most out of him, his raw talent could have been better utilized elsewhere.

Billy Kidman 1996: The future Cruiserweight Champion could go an hour in the ring with the best in the business.

Kazuchika Okada 2004: The young lion just needs the opportunity to spread his wings.

Tail End

Rick Martel (WCW): When he made his surprising comeback in WCW in the late ‘90s, he still had value as a midcarder and some gas left in the tank.

Trevor Murdoch 2021: Trevor has been putting in some excellent work as a rough-around-the-edges wrestler for the NWA.

Chris Benoit 2004: When he lost the World Heavyweight Championship, that was the end of Chris Benoit’s run as a top guy. However, as he showed, he could still go at an elite level.

Curt Henning 2002: As a seasoned veteran, Curt still had something to offer and arguably something to prove after a lousy run in WCW.

Jack Goodwillie

Prime

Randy Savage 1989: We recently established that Randy Savage may be the greatest second-generation wrestler of all time. Although he wrestled Ricky Steamboat in 1987, Savage’s prime more likely than not extended for at least another two, three or maybe even four years, which is why I’m taking the Savage from 1989 that feuded with Hulk Hogan. There’s nothing he can’t do inside and outside the ring, and any in-ring product I try to put together needs to include some diversity in style amongst the talent.

Paige 2015: Speaking of diversity on the show, I’ll need a women’s program. The Paige that jumped onto Raw and captured everybody’s heart can work nicely as the A-side or B-side of that feud. Up to that point, I hadn’t really seen anybody like her. Nobody had, really, which is part of why she got over as fast as she did. The other reason? She had talent in droves, which should not be breaking news to anyone considering she had her first match when she was 12 or 13. Neck surgery and bad advice from Alberto El Patron, her boyfriend at the time (WTF), bankrupted her of that talent, but we’re picking primes here. Also considered 2013 AJ Lee here.

Bret Hart 1995: I’ve said it before, but if you’ve never seen Bret Hart go to work before and you put on any of his matches from 1995, prepare to be amazed. Bret truly had the gift of making anybody look great, and although you hear that all the time, I didn’t even fully understand what that meant before I sat down and watched some of his matches for the first time.

I suppose you could also go with 1996, the year he beat Stone Cold, or 1997, when he was in the midst of his big heel run. But I chose 1995 because although he was tasked to do a variety of different things despite being a focal point of the company, he showed incredible versatility that we had not seen up to that point with his feuds with Jerry Lawler and Jean-Pierre Lafitte.

Rob Van Dam 1999: I consider Rob Van Dam’s prime to have occurred between 1997 and 2004. That might be a tad generous depending on who you talk to, but that has nothing to do with how good Rob was in 2004 or even 2003. It has everything to do with how good he was by the end of his ECW run. He had low-key become one of the best heel promos on the show and his unorthodox style had finally met its match in Jerry Lynn. Both guys brought out the best in one another, with their feud considered to be the Flair-Steamboat of ECW. That’s why 1999 RVD is the pick, although if we’re to consider 2004 the end of his prime, remember, TNA doesn’t even get its hands on him until 2010, so it’s fun to think about the sneaky longevity RVD has had in wrestling.

Rookie

Kurt Angle 1999/2000: It’s been said many times – Kurt Angle had the best rookie year in the history of wrestling. Only maybe two or three others can come close to touching the accomplishments Kurt had upon arrival, so he’s just a no-brainer for this type of exercise. I’ve already got Macho Man, Bret Hart and Rob Van Dam under contract – all in their prime – so a young Kurt is going to be in good hands and well positioned for some dream matches, a word I don’t throw around lightly. Hart, for the record, is Angle’s dream opponent. Go check out The Kurt Angle Show if you haven’t already.

Ronda Rousey 2018: One of those two or three people who can rival Angle’s rookie accomplishments is Ronda Rousey, who picked wrestling up just as quickly as Angle did. It helped that she was such a big fan of wrestling before ever stepping foot in the ring, and she was also aided by the attitude that soured UFC fans on her.

Let’s face it: Rousey is a sore loser, an ungracious winner and someone with a bit of a mean streak. That sounds like a heel, but she never “technically” became a heel on WWE TV. Since she never embraced her bad guy persona and thought of herself as this wholesome, proud figure, it only made her more of a REAL heel, which may be a lesson to aspiring heels in wrestling. That’s why in my promotion, she’ll be an actual heel and a great foil for Paige.

Randy Orton 2001: Randy Orton’s rookie accomplishments may fall short of Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey, but his fundamentals have always been there, some say since Day 1. For that reason, it’d be foolish not give a young Randy a spot on my team. No, he’s not “The Viper,” but he will be surrounded by wrestlers who are only going to make him better through minutes spent in the ring. In reality, that’s all Randy ever needed to be successful in wrestling. His behavioral issues have been well documented, but a lot of that can be chalked up to immaturity. That tends to go away, especially when there’s a solid culture already in place.

The Giant 1996: When you look at the PWI Rookie of the Year Award winners, you get some prestigious names. However, I’m looking for a well-rounded wrestler who is as close to a finished product as possible. The correct answer here is really Brad Armstrong 1982, BUT I would have questioned his ability to cut a promo in spite of his in-ring versatility, as well as his ability to go heel if I ever needed him to since he would’ve been more of a mid-carder, anyway.

No, The Giant was not a finished product in 1996, far from it. But based on my current roster construction, we do know that he’s going to stick out like a sore thumb (which is good) and will really be able to learn a thing or two from working with guys like Bret and “Macho Man.” Plus, now Angle can have a travel buddy.

Tail End

Eddie Guerrero 2005: A lot of people who look at this exercise may want a prime Eddie Guerrero, maybe circa WCW 1998 or WWF 2002. However, I’ll happily take Eddie in his final years, even if this is a bit screwy because he happened to die young. It’s key to remember that Eddie’s years of living dangerously had begun to catch up with him physically. He was not the athlete he used to be to the point of it making him legitimately angry with himself, but he was at peak levels as a performer and entertainer. That’s more than enough for me, and he’ll still be able to have great matches, again, looking at the overall roster construction so far.

Minoru Suzuki 2021: Modern-day Minoru Suzuki an incredible fit on my team, but what’s funny is that I considered him old seven years ago since I can remember watching a video of him fighting Bas Rutten in Pancrase. He’s now 52 years old and still doing his thing. There’s a lot of bang for your buck to be had with having Minoru Suzuki on your roster, as the guy has the gift of being able to tell a story without having to say a single word. So much for the language barrier!

Edge 2021: It shouldn’t come as a surprise to see another 2021 name on this list, and I expect this to be the case with a lot of lists because of the nature of how wrestling is today. Advancements in modern medicine have prolonged the careers of some, and in Edge’s case given his career new life. If given a choice between 2007 Edge and this one, make no mistake I’m taking 2007 Edge, but 2021 Edge still adds a ton of value by way of experience, in-ring work and most notably, character work. He’s one of the best promos in WWE at the moment, and he’s in tremendous shape. I suppose Edge and Christian are interchangeable in this spot, and I almost went ahead and included Christian, too, reuniting the tag team. Almost…

Nick Bockwinkel 1986: The beauty of Nick Bockwinkel is he is one of those guys, kind of like Gordon Ramsay, where they look like they’ve been 50 years old their entire life. Well, Bockwinkel held the AWA World Heavyweight Championship well into his 50’s and delivered some of the best work of his career over that final run with Bobby Heenan in his corner. Bockwinkel, unlike some of today’s wrestlers over the age of 50, was not built like Ms. Trunchpool and instead kept himself in very good shape. He was also just a student of the game perhaps like nobody I’ve got currently on my roster.