A wrestling monster

[Axis]

Bundy was great. Yokozuna was really fun. But my favorite has got to be Big Van Vader. THOSE were monsters.

Even when people bring up Brock Lesnar, I don't think he played the same role as those guys. Monetsers aren't SUPPOSED to have FANCY MOOOVES~ or MAT RASTLIN~ abilities. They're supposed to be fucking brick walls that can snap you in half. Umaga does that in matches with smaller guys like Jeff Hardy, but against Triple H or Bobby Lashley he's nothing.

Vader was great in that he sold just enough that you thought that he might be beaten, but at the same time he wouldn't bump for somebody like Rey Mysterio. He'd fucking rip Mysterio's head off.

Edit: I want to add that Khali was doing good, but the SMARKS~ shat on him because he "can't wrestle." I hate him as a babyface, comedic character, and I feel like he can no longer be a monster badass now that he has kissed Mae Young.

 

[NewHBK]

Maybe the WWE should hire Abyss. He could be a monster who (with the right build-up) could main event Wrestlemania one day, maybe in a singles match versus Undertaker.

 

[Axis]

Maybe the WWE should hire Abyss. He could be a monster who (with the right build-up) could main event Wrestlemania one day, maybe in a singles match versus Undertaker.

That's an awful idea. Stop.

 

[Soulpower]

I can't believe Axis is the only one that mentioned this man... VADER.

That's how a monster heel should be. He could hold his own on the mic, and he was just a beast in the ring. He would sell for the smaller guys, without forgetting that he's supposed to throw them around the ring like ragdolls.

He had a great look (Particularly with that awesome elephant mask he used in his entrance), and there was no mat wrestling when it came to him. Just a big guy throwing bombs left and right until his opponent couldn't get up.

He was great in WCW (Having great matches with Flair, Hogan, Sting, Cactus Jack, Steamboat among others), and although his WWF run wasn't as good as it could have been, he still did ok while he was there... I won't even talk about his excellent run in Japan during the 90's.

Simply put, Vader is the greatest monster heel of all time, and as of right now, I see no one that can come close to him.

 

[Montana]

Well....the thread was originally saying wwe. Not to discredit Vader, but he really didn't have the same sucess in the WWE as many other monsters. In fact, i think Vader's wwe run hurt his career.

As far as sucess in the wrestling business, I still think Yokozuna had the greatest run. Vader never main evented Wrestlemania, I don't believe Vader beat the legends that Yokozuna did.

I'd rank Vader #2 all time, but he just didn't do it on the big stage. I really did like Vader back in the day. He gave a match that big time feel. He was one of the guys carrying WCW in the early 90's.

 

[Seventh Reason]

Remove the mic and titantron from Vladimir Kozlov and that's the closest one might get to a wrestling monster among the current stock.

He shouldn't be paraded as a commercialised WWE identity. It hurts the relatively unknown, icy persona of Kozlov. Survivor Series ME, NWO poster boy and video clips of his training regime have turned him into J-A-W (just another wrestler).

 

[Nancy Di Loreto]

The problem with monsters is that they can be 400 lb and 6ft 8in, run through the entire roster, hold the world title for 6 months, but once they take the clean pin, that's it, the believability is gone. That was the problem with WCW and WWF before Vader, and heck, WWE never really got the formula right until Diesel, screwing up the likes of Yokozuna and othrs.

 

[The Rated R CMStar]

Kozlov is not as close as we get to the type of monster I am talking about. Just picture this, if Kozlov cut a promo saying he was going to main event WM, would you believe him?

 

[CT Styles]

Kozlov, I'd believe more than others.

 

[Moonlight Drive]

Umaga was a fantastic monster when he debuted. He beat the shit out of Ric Flair and continued to do that to everybody afterwards, even held his own against Cena. Sadly ever since his feud with Triple H (coincidence >_>) he hasn't been booked nearly as strongly. Hopefully on his return he'll get that ME spot he deserves.

Vader was amazing though.

 

[The Rated R CMStar]

You can go and blame Triple H all you want, but he it was Jeff Hardy who totally buried the guy

 

[Airfixx]

The problem with monsters is that they can be 400 lb and 6ft 8in, run through the entire roster, hold the world title for 6 months, but once they take the clean pin, that's it, the believability is gone. That was the problem with WCW and WWF before Vader, and heck, WWE never really got the formula right until Diesel, screwing up the likes of Yokozuna and othrs.

Please go on... Looked like you were about to make an interesting point...?

What did WWE do with Diesel that they failed to do with Yoko and those before him?



With specific regard to Yoko It even looked like he'd seen of Taker before he eventually dropped the title to Bret (which was his second title defense of the night)... Even after he dropped the title he was still credible... Even when Taker returned and buried his ass in a cofin @ SSerie94 he was only really beaten by Takers mind games and all that shit... He STILL looked credible...

He then became part of a virtually unbeatable tagteam with Owen as his health issues started to get the better of him....

Yoko (and his booking) was fucking ace!


My fave super-heavyweight's/monsters...

Bam Bam Bigelow
Yokozuna
Vader

Warm-hearted mention for Earthquake too. Hell, even Hogan didn't get a clean win over him!


IMO the Koslovs, Brocks.... And Batistas of this world are a 'tier' below what I'd deem to be the quintessential monster heel.



Edit: Big up Big Show for managing to do the dangle from the top rope to avoid elimination from the RR this year!!! LOL

 

[noumenon]

As of right now WWE's best chance at another dominant monster heel is Umaga. They've dropped the ball on him a few times already...having him job to Black Lesnar and what not. However, he's fresh off a return, on a new show. There is a lot Smackdown can do with guy to make up for the absolute horrible build and fail of Kozlov. Will they? Probably not. I'm sure we'll see Umaga crush jobbers and mid carders for a few months and then go as high as about the U.S. title....only to drop it to a mid carder they need to put over.
On the RAW end....Mike fuckin Knox. I love this guy, hopefully WWE does something great with him.

 

[Hardcastle]

I don't think Knox can be the monster we want, and as CMstar said, I would'nt take it seriously if he says " I'm going for the WWE Championship", it's early, but a monster to be effective must be built as one since his debut.Just like they did with Yokozuna or Kane
I don't think Umaga is the classic monster neither, something missing I think.
Undertaker when he debuted was that monster too, but he sucked big time in the ring..
Maybe the officials don't want "monsters" to show wrestling abilities, they just want brutality..

 

[noumenon]

Yeah, they spoiled Umaga too quickly by feeding him to just about everyone on the roster. Most noteably his feud with Lashley who left about two fucking weeks later..lol.
I still think Knox has some potential. He's a big man and damn if the guy can't fuckin move in there. He's pretty damn impressive in the ring and if nothing else the guy will make an amazing semi-monster in the IC title division. I really can see him and Punk bringing out the best in each other. And who knows... maybe this guy has a lot more untapped potential we don't know about.
The problem with a lot of these guys like Lesnar and Lashley...is that since they are extremely athletic big guys they almost don't feel challenged in a pre-determined sport and usually have bigger ultimate goals.

As I said in a few other threads though. If they do open up Umaga's character a bit and perhaps reveal he speaks English, who knows...maybe he can be in the main event. Hell....IMO both him and Knox are 10 times better than Kozlov.