Image: WWE
About This Quiz
Long before "Can you smell what The Rock is cooking?!" there was "Whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you?" And that's not the only difference between modern wrestling and what many call the "Golden Age" of wrestling. Oh, there are flashy nicknames, scary props (we're looking at you, Jake Roberts) and signature moves. The personalities were big, and the stardom, if possible, was even bigger.
Who could forget the flying elbow drop administered by Randy Savage from the ropes, or the imposing figure cut by the 7 feet, 6 inches tall Andre the Giant? What about the epic entrances by The Undertaker, some of which involved torch-bearing druids, fiendish figures and even a coffin? The showmanship was off the chart, and wrestling fans (like you!) ate it up.
Do you have the wrestling prowess to pair the '80s superstars with their names? Which wrestler was known for sporting a kilt? Whose nickname was "The Hitman"? Can you identify the wrestler known by a single word — Wooo? Trace these clues, peek at the photos, and time-travel back to the 1980s to identify these ring entertainers. Ready? Step into the ring! Wooooooo!
Hulk Hogan
One of Hulk Hogan's signature moves was ripping through the shirt he was wearing, and Hulkamaniacs ate it up. Hulk Hogan was undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the wrestling world in the 1980s.
Bobby Heenan
Ric Flair
Mr. Perfect
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Rick Rude
Randy Savage
Randy Savage may have passed away in 2011, but his bigger-than-life persona is hard to forget. Savage was the "Macho Man" during his wrestling days, with a famous catch phrase: "Oooh, yeah!"
Roddy Piper
Jerry Lawler
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Nick Bockwinkel
Ted DiBiase
Sting
The Ultimate Warrior
Don't tell anybody, but The Ultimate Warrior was our favorites as a child of the 1980s. His intense entrance to the ring, which involved a sprint in and a shaking off the rings, may only have been topped by his recognizable face paint.
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André the Giant
André the Giant cut an imposing figure at 7 feet, 4 inches tall, a trait attributed to gigantism, a condition that means above-average growth. It also made him the perfect candidate for the role of the giant, Fezzik, in the cult classic, "The Princess Bride."
Rocky Johnson
Ole Anderson
Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake
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Davey Boy Smith
Bret Hart
Bret Hart was also not too proud to refer to himself as "The Best There Is, the Best There Was, and the Best There Ever Will Be." Hart played up his "Hart" last name, too, wrestling frequently in pink-themed costumes.
Hillbilly Jim
David Von Erich
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Kevin Sullivan
Tommy Rich
Harley Race
Mr. Perfect
Curt Hennig was a force to be reckoned with in the 1980's wrestling scene, portraying himself as Mr. Perfect. As Mr. Perfect, Hennig played the role of an egomaniac who could do everything, well, perfectly.
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Roddy Piper
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper relied heavily on a kilt and bagpipe music during his entrance as part of his Scottish persona, but surprise! Roddy Piper was actually from Saskatchewan, Canada.
Iron Sheik
Dusty Rhodes
Bob Backlund
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Ric Flair
Ric Flair seems to have surged in popularity since his days in the ring, appearing on television shows and in rap lyrics by famous artists. Flair's signature phrase is said to have been inspired by the song, "Great Balls of Fire."
Ricky Steamboat
Harley Race
Sting
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Bam Bam Bigelow
Sgt. Slaughter
Sgt. Slaughter's signature finishing move was known as the Cobra Clutch, a type of cross-arm chokehold. In the 1980s, Slaughter also recorded an album, upon which he included — you guessed it — a song named "The Cobra Clutch."
The Undertaker
Hillbilly Jim
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Jake Roberts
Greg Valentine
Lex Luger
Ricky Steamboat
Ricky Steamboat, born Richard Blood, was given the Steamboat name because of a resemblance to a Hawaiian wrestler with the same last name. "The Dragon" was added in the mid-1980s, drawing upon Blood's Asian heritage.
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Ted DiBiase
Koko B. Ware
Hillbilly Jim
Perhaps perpetuating the "hillbilly" stereotype a BIT more than necessary, James Morris found himself playing the role of "Hillbilly Jim" in the ring, complete with overalls and Kentucky roots.
The Midnight Express
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Jesse Ventura
The Undertaker
In one of the creepier moments in wrestling, The Undertaker made his appearance in a coffin — not because he was dead, but just because he could. We always enjoyed Paul Bearer being by his side as well.
Dick Murdoch
George "The Animal" Steele
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Shawn Michaels
Ted DiBiase
Jesse Ventura
Believe it or not, before Jesse Ventura got into politics, he was an '80s wrestling icon who went by the nickname, "The Body." By the time the late 1990s rolled around, however, Ventura was using his celebrity to win the nomination to be Minnesota's 38th governor.
David Von Erich
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Shawn Michaels
It must be tough juggling all those names! Born Michael Shawn Hickenbottom, the wrestler who went by the nicknames "Mr. Wrestlemania" and "Heartbreak Kid" used Shawn Michaels as his "official" wrestling moniker.
Jimmy Snuka
Mr. Perfect
The Ultimate Warrior
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Bobby Heenan
Bob Backlund
Bruiser Brody
"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan always had a 2x4 on hand, just in case he needed to swat somebody with it. Duggan was also well-known for firing up wrestling crowds with the "U-S-A!" cheer while displaying his own patriotism.
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Greg Valentine
Mr. Perfect
Nikita Koloff
Nelson Scott Simpson (yes, that was really his given name) assumed the persona of Nikita Koloff in the wrestling world. Taking it a step further, promoters called Koloff the "Russian Nightmare." He was born in — get this — Minnesota.
Ricky Steamboat
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Eddie Gilbert
Tommy Rich
Bam Bam Bigelow
Rick Rude
"Ravishing" Rick Rude mostly went by his real name. We say mostly because he was born Richard Rood — same-sounding last name, so, close enough? Rude's persona was meant to be arrogant and boorish.
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Junkyard Dog
Carlos Colon
Sting
If you're a fan of modern wrestling, you may be surprised to learn that Sting's history dates back to the late 1980s. Sting still operates under a "Legends" contract with World Wrestling Entertainment.
Ivan Koloff
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Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes prided himself on his representation as the common working man, even attaching that persona to his nickname, "The American Dream." During his feud with Ric Flair, he famously said of him, "No respect, no honor."
Tommy Rich
Nick Bockwinkel
George "The Animal" Steele
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Koko B. Ware
Jake Roberts
True to his nickname, Jake "The Snake" Roberts didn't shy away from introducing snakes into the ring. In fact, he was noted for regularly showing up with a python draped around his neck. Eek!
Eddie Gilbert
David Von Erich
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Dick Murdoch
Greg Valentine
Jimmy Snuka
Brutus Beefcake
First known as Brutus Beefcake, the nickname "The Barber" was added to his title after giving Adrian Adonis a haircut. From that point on, Beefcake embraced his barber role, entering the ring with garden shears. (We'll pass on that kind of haircut!)
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Bobby Heenan
Lex Luger
Lex Luger's wrestling career began in the mid-1980s and has continued through the late 2000s, earning him spots in numerous wrestling halls of fame. Luger also played, for a time, in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers.
Ted DiBiase
Rocky Johnson
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Jerry Lawler
Greg Valentine
Don Muraco
Bobby Heenan
Bobby "The Brain" Heenan competed in the World Wrestling Federation (now known as the WWE) and World Championship Wrestling during his career. His "Brain" nickname was born in the late 1960s.
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The Honky Tonk Man
The Honky Tonk Man had the "ultimate" loss (get it?) to The Ultimate Warrior during SummerSlam in 1998, where he lost his intercontinental title after holding it for more than 60 weeks.
Iron Sheik
David Von Erich
Ivan Koloff
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Tito Santana
Ivan Koloff
The sports world wasn't immune from the political unrest between the U.S. and Russia in the 1980s, capitalizing with villainous wrestlers with Russian backstories. Ivan Koloff, known as "The Russian Bear," was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Bam Bam Bigelow
Nikita Koloff
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The Hardy Boyz
The Midnight Express
It all started with The Midnight Express, made up of Dennis Condrey, Randy Rose and Norvell Austin. Since then, there have been two new iterations with new members: The Original Midnight Express and The New Midnight Express.
The Usos
The New Age Outlaws
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Triple H
The Iron Sheik
Iranian wrestler Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, who competed under the nickname "The Iron Sheik," was known for his fiery temperament and filthy language. He remains the only Iranian world champion in WWE's history.
Bob Backlund
Harley Race
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Harley Race
David Von Erich
Tommy Rich
Bam Bam Bigelow
Scott Charles Bigelow was an imposing figure in his own right, with a giant flame tattoo across his bald head and a body that tipped the scales at nearly 400 pounds. His ring name was Bam Bam Bigelow.
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Jimmy Snuka
Born James Wiley Smith, Jimmy "Superfly Snuka" was renowned for introducing a more acrobatic style of wrestling into the wrestling world. Snuka once jumped from the top of a steel cage during a match at Madison Square Garden.
David Von Erich
George Steele
Jerry Lawler
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Nick Bockwinkel
Junkyard Dog
What would a junkyard dog be without a collar? That was the unusual jewelry worn by the wrestler whose given name was Sylvester Ritter. Ritter often went by, simply, JYD and wore trunks with the word "Thump" on them.
Ole Anderson
Ted DiBiase
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Carlos Colon
Eddie Gilbert
Jerry Lawler
Greg Valentine
Greg "The Hammer" Valentine comes from a wrestling lineage, the son of Johnny Valentine, who himself enjoyed a three-decades-long wrestling career. "The Hammer" earned more than 40 titles during his career.
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George "The Animal" Steele
The Midnight Express
Kevin Sullivan
Bob Backlund
Bob Backlund's title loss to The Iron Sheik helped propel Hulk Hogan to superstardom. Why? Because it allowed Hogan to capture the WWF title, and an entire world became smitten with Hulkamania.
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Don Muraco
Davey Boy Smith
Eddie Gilbert
Koko B. Ware
Koko B. Ware was a quirky star of the 1980s, arriving to matches with a macaw in tow and demonstrating his unusual dance moves before taking on his opponents. He often also went by "Birdman" because, well, you know.
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Davey Boy Smith
Ole Anderson
David Von Erich
Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler now has a reputation as an outspoken commentator for RAW, but in his professional wrestling days, Lawler was "The King." The nickname is appropriate for a man who held more championship titles than any other wrestler before him.
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Tito Santana
Tito Santana enjoyed a well-respected single wrestling career, as well as successful tag-team outings. His partnership with Ivan Putski gave him the World Tag Team Championship in 1979.
Carlos Colon
Bruiser Brody
Bret Hart
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George "The Animal" Steele
Kevin Sullivan
Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase was "The Million Dollar Man," and portrayed a flashy lifestyle to keep up with the persona. Rumor has it that the character was based on what wrestling guru Vince McMahon would be like as a wrestler.
Eddie Gilbert
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Dick Murdoch
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith, who really WAS born David Smith in Lancashire, England, fought under the nickname, "The British Bulldog." Smith even found himself in the ring going head-to-head with his brother-in-law and fellow wrestler, Bret Hart.
Lex Luger
Sting
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Nick Bockwinkel
Ric Flair
George Steele
When George Steele first began wrestling, he preserved his anonymity by wearing a mask and going by the nickname, "The Student." Later, he would embrace his wrestling list, operating under the name George "The Animal" Steele.
Jim Duggan
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Ivan Koloff
Dick Murdoch
He didn't come with a flashy nickname or any gimmicks, but Dick Murdoch was a star nonetheless. He enjoyed a successful solo career and was also well-known for his tag-team duties with "The American Dream," Dusty Rhodes.
Ivan Koloff
David Von Erich
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Randy Savage
Bob Backlund
The Midnight Express
Harley Race
When his career was just getting off the ground, he was known as "Handsome" Harley Race. He later changed his persona to "The King." One thing Harley Race wasn't short on was bravado.
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