Understandably, most consider Brock Lesnar the toughest man on the planet. No one can be as tough as LeBell was rumored to be. As a result of his ignorance, the Warrior found himself running into one of Andres massive fists and nearly knocked himself out in the process. Asuka was pushed instantly in NXT, winning the NXT Womens Championship from Bayley and having an undefeated streak last throughout her entire run. For all his work with Andre the Giant and trying to be the "true giant in the business," John Studd was an accomplished singles and tag team performer. Strength and raw power aided them well in their quest to win the world title in multiple promotions 23 times. The matches of Shirai have been impressive since the day she debuted. Angle's wrestling credentials speak for themselves. And when he and Crusher teamed together, there were few who could stop them. When a man is confident enough to legally change his name to Warrior, one would expect him to be as tough as his onscreen persona from the late 1980s and 1990s. Meng (aka Haku, akaTonga Fifita) once bit a man's nose off in a fight for having the temerity to suggest wrestling wasn't real. If you see on last year's list we saw Shingo Takagi join New Japan as a part of Los Ingobernables de Japon, Naomichi Marufuji won All Japan's Champion Carnival and Katsuhiko Nakajima went through an entire personality overhaul with a couple GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Title reigns. Women's professional wrestling figure 4 headlock. After making his professional wrestling debut, Brock Lesnar dominated all the competition, eventually winning the Undisputed WWE Championship. Updated on August 12, 2021, by Shawn S. Lealos: When it comes to wrestling resolve, it isnt always about what a fan sees on TV. 1:28. The second incident happened over an argument with Sin Cara about who should be using the stretching mat. While the anti-hero was a fan favorite, it was something everyone could identify with. Combined with solid standup, Funaki was one of early MMA's most accomplished and dangerous fighters. Wrestling wasn't quite as wild and wooly as it had been in the 1920s, but that ability still meant something and says plenty about Thesz's standing as a tough guy. NEXT: 10 Wrestlers Who Had Lackluster Careers In The States But Became Stars In Japan. Norton was part of the NWO on a smaller scale. (While training at Rileys gym, Gotch lived above a launderette in Wigan.) They were a bad knockoff of the. Only Kimura was able to beat him at his own game. In judo circles they say, "No one before Kimura, no one after." The recent success of Io Shirai has seen her become the face of NXT womens division. Or doing a Moonsault off the top rope and landing on another human takes some major stones (and a ton of Tylenol). He and Buff Bagwell formed "Vicious and Delicious" and were tag team champions. Competing mostly out of Oklahoma and the Mid South region, he was one of professional wrestling's most durable and enduring stars. There are two memorable moments for me showing how tough of a man Inoki is; first is his infamous match against a man named The Great Antonio. And no one wanted to get in their way. Latest videos: IPL 2022, Coronavirus, Movies, Recipes. In 1990, Vader stepped into the ring to take on Stan Hansen for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Io improved even more after adding an edge to her character. Joe has feuded with Abyss, Matt Morgan, Kurt Angle and practically every major player in TNA Impact Wrestling. We do know this: The conglomerate of promoters who made up the National Wrestling Alliance trusted that Thesz, if push came to shove, could fend off anyone who challenged him in the ring. Lesnar, however, struggled after battling diverticulitis and was never the same. Kushida has good matches whenever hes in a position to succeed, but WWE is already dropping the ball with him due tohot and cold booking. In 1987, Akira Hokuto won AJW's top tag team belt with Yumiko Hotta. Although both parties lost a lot of blood, it served as a testament to Arn Andersons believability as a legitimate tough guy. He gave it his all in all of his matches. Any dude who has his skills tattooed is one bad ass! Weaknesses: On the small side, having wrestled at 191 pounds. However, there were times where other wrestlers needed to knock some reality into the Warrior in both matches and backstage. Lesnar also returned to the UFC for a one-off in a controversial fight against Mark Hunt. WWE has made Japan a bigger priority when it comes to recruiting new talents in the hiring process. JBL often played the role of a big rough and violent Texan. Another infamous incident was when Shawn was beaten up by several marines in a bar, but rumor has it that he was actually beaten up by 9 female soldiers because he annoyed them by being obnoxious and making advances towards one of them. WWE eventually placed him on 205 Live as part of the cruiserweight division after a few more injuries ended the companys confidence in him. And they haven't gotten in the ring with her yet. Apparently, Sheamus continually used their protein blenders without washing them afterward. There's a reason college wrestling's version of the Heisman Trophy is named after Hodge. After tearing up the Knockout's Division in TNA, Kharma signed with the WWE but had to take a leave of absence for maternity reasons. Of course, the pair bragged that they beat up the legendary UFC fighter until he caught up with them at an airport. After suffering an injury, he would regularly use super glue to help remedy the situation. He wasn't afraid to bend rules to the breaking point and beyond, often utilizing dirty tactics like eye gouges or even punches and kicks to win a match. Weaknesses: Pesek was a small man. Even Andre the Giant wouldn't screw with him. But his Northern Irish blood just keeps him determined to beat his opponents. Owens and Balor became top stars, but injuries slowed down Itamis push. Though Bull Nakano and Matsumoto are billed at the same weight of 200lbs, it's clear to the naked eye that the latter was larger despite her smaller stature. Weaknesses: Angle doesn't have an intricate knowledge of submission technique. 10. He had skills, but he was never really developed properly in the WWF. Hes also one of the most legitimately tough guys in the wrestling industry. Hennig used his size and massive strength to wear opponents down. This determination would get him a silver medal in his weight class in the 1956 . More than is healthy. Strengths: One of the most physically imposing wrestlers of all time, Williams could manhandle even the biggest men. He beat Hulk Hogan to win the WCW World Title and in doing so, created a culture that being "next" was really a good thing. The level of athleticism it takes to become a wrestler is incredibly under-appreciated, as is the amount of toughness each wrestler possesses. Dick the Bruiser helped build the Midwest and Great Lakes and teamed with Vern Gagne to make wrestling in those areas fresh and new. An NCAA champion, Lesnar trained with catch wrestling expert Erik Paulsen to add submissions to his arsenal. He moved to the NWA and tore up the competition, especially in the Mid-Atlantic region. And every tag team feared them. WWE, AEW, and NJPW present men touted as the toughest wrestlers in the world, but just because someone looks like a worldbeater in the ring doesnt always mean it translates over to the real world. One standout occasion was when Hulk was the headliner for the WWE back in the 80s. 1:07. There are stories of him getting involved in altercations where he left several men seriously injured after removing teeth, and even biting them. Answer (1 of 6): There's quite a few wrestlers who were real life tough guys outside of the wrestling ring. The expectations were high since Kushida was considered an all-time great junior heavyweight in NJPW's history. Long before Brock Lesnar bridged the gap between wrestling for sports entertainment to legitimate fighting in the Ultimate Fight Championships, Ken Shamrock, one of the most decorated and legendary mixed martial artists of all time, had successfully crossed over from the UFC to the WWE many years before. Yet, despite all these stories of how tough he is, every single wrestler maintains that Haku is one of the nicest guys you could ever meet,who happilyput over many main event stars, but he's never someone you would want to cross. Weaknesses: Hodge didn't have years of submission training under his belt. When the two of them were on the road in Japan, they tore down the house as partners or enemies. He could more than hold his own on the mat. Every decade featured some legendary brawlers of this sort, men who were undeniably rugged and strong but lacked the legitimate credentials to make a list like this. Kia Stevens (her real name) is just as powerful and sinister as most smaller male wrestlers in the business. And he was a former WCW Champion. 14 Soft: Lex Luger Although Lex Luger was never a technical wrestler like Bret Hart, he was a powerhouse that was on several occasions expected to be the next megastar to carry both the WWE and WCW back in the day. Based solely on his physical appearance, The Beast From The East always exuded toughness. He took a lot of crazy bumps in the ring and worked a believable style. By all accounts Ed Strangler Lewis was one tough hombre. Slam! The hype for Ibushi was there, but WWE chose to have him lose due to not signing a contract moving forward. On a side note: Harley Race also overcame polio as a child. There are some individuals that not only have these attributes, but they also exude them. Wrestling matches became more and more bombastic. Masters smashed the tree through a window, saved his mother, and led her to safety. 1. MMA has supplanted wrestling as the sport of choice for enterprising tough guys. Terry Gerin is one of the toughest around. The Minnesota Wrecking Crew beat the hell out of their opponents. The sexy redhead is physically dominating and although engaging, she'll challenge you mentally, with both her attitude and her smarts! Keep in mind this was during the midst of Hulkamania, and you'll understand why that level of dedication needed to be rewarded. He went on to become an independent wrestler, mostly wrestling in the Northeast US. Before finding success as a singles wrestler he made his name in teams like The New Blackjacks and the APA. Videos of female wrestling, mixed and catfight available in various formats. A more skilled grappler could get the better of him. Still, Snitsky was a pretty good heel. Strengths: Unparalleled skill on the wrestling mat. Like Danny Hodge, Jenkins was a tough wrestler and also a competent boxer. But these guys just went about (or go about) their business of being tough and rugged. 10 Toughest WWE Wrestlers (Who Were Under 6 Foot) 2. Brock Lesner. He was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1995. Many of these matches attracted huge crowds thanks to their colossal size. He was remarkably agile for a man his size. He could have been used in other capacities, and he could have been great. He once told Ric Flair that if Flair lived past his 30th birthday, he would be staying well past his time. On a bus trip, it was alleged that Andre t. The Crippler was one of the toughest around. In May 1989, Steve Blackman was days away from beginning his career with WWE. Only pro wrestlers who made the transition to fighting are eligible for this list. That was shocking to sports fans in the early 1990s but would have been old news to fans in the late 1800s and early 1900s. After earning his stripes in NXT, and New Japan Professional Wrestling, the charismatic and mesmerizing Shinsuke Nakamura is one of the fastest rising stars in WWE today. Harley Race showed his true strength, determination, and overall toughness by making his triumphant return to the ring two years later. WWE superstars work year-round, so unlike other organized sports, they dont have an offseason. Knobbs ran away at the sight of him and after a few choice words from Shamrock, the terrified Saggs threatened to get Shamrock arrested, losing a lot of credibility amongst his co-workers in the process. Arm lock, arm breaker submission wrestling female. Video: YouTube. He never spoke andhis scowl was fearful. Mostly sizzle and not enough steak is a good combination for one to be future endeavored. These wrestlers often rely on their mental and physical toughness to get through a match. With such a rich history, here is a look at the 10 best Japanese wrestlers of all-time. Unfortunately for him, just like all bullies, JBL was nowhere near as tough as he pretended to be. WWE tried their light heavyweight division in the 90s as an answer to WCWs thriving cruiserweight division. But after a stint in the WWE, where he battered his body and fought the pain of his chosen profession with drugs, Shamrock was never again the same fighter. Because of his stocky build and low center of gravity, he was hard to hold down and was a terror when it came to dishing out punishment. Angle was able to take down fellow NCAA champion Brock Lesnar when the two went at it behind the scenes when both were with WWE. Japanese wrestlers have had mixed results throughout WWE history. With that said, there are plenty of wrestlers both old school and new who practice what they preach in real life, showing that they are exactly what the company they work for portrays them to be. 5 Best Japanese Wrestlers In WWE History (& 5 That Should Have Been Bigger Stars), The 10 Best Japanese Wrestlers of the Decade, New Japan: 10 Wrestlers Vince Had No Idea What To Do With, 10 Wrestlers Who Had Lackluster Careers In The States But Became Stars In Japan, 10 Forgotten WWE Gimmicks That Didn't Last Long, 10 Best NJPW Wrestlers Born Outside Of Japan. 2:29. Molly Holly Molly Holly is one of the most overlooked superstars of the early 2000s and undeservingly so. Gracie fought many capable opponents, including the catch wrestler Wladek Zbyszko. Akira Hokuto is the only woman to make this list, but she is definitely one of the toughest wrestlers of all time. View Gallery. They had seen the power of "catch as catch can wrestling" with their own eyes. There was the time in St. Louis when Meng, Rick Steiner, Kurt Henning, and Rick Rude were in a club and they beat the crap out of 13 Marines. Japanese Wrestling Legend Bull Nakano (Real Name: Keiko Nakano) showed up on World Wrestling Federation TV in 1994, feuding with fellow bodybuilder woman Alundra Blayze, before getting fired for possession of cocaine. He only had one eye, so a boxing mishap could have been disastrous. He also suffered from mental illness, and nerves may have gotten the best of him in a serious fight. Hodge was the longtime light heavyweight wrestling champion of the world. 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