DylanWaco Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 I was going to do a thread like this at PWO, but in honor of the DVDVR reboot, I think this the home of the Henry fetishists (myself included of course) deserves this discussion. As someone who is a big fan of the big man/monster/hoss/super heavyweights/whatever the fuck term you want to use for giant motherfuckers who kick the shit out of people wrestlers, I should note that the challenge here is not to name guys like Barry Windham who were tall or even guys like Stan Hansen who reside on the rough periphery of the equation, but don't quite feel like they belong in the category. I'm not really talking about Undertaker types either. For the purposes of this thread I'm talking about guys who would have had matches with Hulk Hogan or John Cena built around whether or not they could be body slammed. Using that scale I think you can make a reasonable argument for Henry as high as three behind only Vader and Crusher Blackwell. I think Henry v. Big Show is a close call and I know people will make arguments for Andre if this thread takes off that I'm prepared to listen to, though I'm not sure on the existing footage I would confidently put him ahead of Henry. I think Henry is safely ahead of guys like Gang, Kamala, Bigelow and others who I like to one degree or another. Am I forgetting obvious picks here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.Rex-n-effeckx Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 I assume if Akira Taue worked a mania match opposite Hogan they would do a bodyslam challenge spot. Brazo De Plata works large sections around dueling bodyslams (although he is super short vis a vis Hogan.How much Moose Cholak footage do we have? Cause everything I've seen has been choice.Would Fritz meet your definition?Would Baba?And well Abby has had a five plus decade career of not being slammed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DylanWaco Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share Posted July 18, 2013 Baba is not a monster. Fritz seems like a fringy guy, kind of like Hansen or in modern world Luke Gallows. Abby fits. Where are the good Moose Cholak matches? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Ray Von Erich Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Bam Bam Bigelow says hello. He might be one of the most dynamic big men ever, got over to a degree in ever promotion he was ever in, and had phenomenal matches with people from as diverse skillsets as Taz and Bret Hart. I would also argue that young Andre is one of the best ever. There is a match with Hansen where he seems at all times both lovable, ferocious. He also was foundational in creating the big man style to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 I was going to ask if Hansen counts. He seems to be literally right at that borderline for monster big man, too me. And, clearly, he's better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DylanWaco Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share Posted July 18, 2013 I think Henry is way better than Bam Bam. In fact I think Bam Bam is monumentally overrated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DylanWaco Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share Posted July 18, 2013 I was going to ask if Hansen counts. He seems to be literally right at that borderline for monster big man, too me. And, clearly, he's better. Hansen might be the best wrestler ever period. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Like I said, clearly, he's better than Henry. I'm just not positive he counts or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Rob Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Does his early stuff help or hinder his case? I can't remember anyone rating any of his matches pre-2002 but it might be that nobody has gone back and watched that stuff lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianS81177 Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Young Andre is easily better than Henry IMO. Looking up some of his older matches it amazes me how athletic he was. I started watching wrestling in about 86 so I always just knew him as big slow "Chokehold/Headbutt/Elbowdrop" Andre. I think John Studd was a pretty decent worker for a giant too, though I don't think I would place him above Henry. You also forgot to mention Giant Silva (KIDDING!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingus Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 His early stuff was mostly 3-minute Russo specials where still he rarely had enough movez to finish without having used a chinlock, so not really. He was mostly working in the shitty Attitude midcard without good opponents, too. I'd argue for Andre > Henry. Much more expressive face, a better promo even with his accent (that's the only time that French ever sounded menacing), worked better around larger limitations, covered better for his occasionally flimsy-looking offense (Henry all too often looks like he's afraid he's gonna break his opponent), and for my money a better seller as well. Andre had some of the best timing for psychology and pacing that I've ever seen anyone have, he knew EXAXTLY when to do what he needed to do in order to make the crowd go fuckin' ballistic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Ray Von Erich Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 I think Henry is way better than Bam Bam. In fact I think Bam Bam is monumentally overrated. Maybe his WCW run. But really? The RVD and Taz matches in ECW are really good, there's tons of New Era stuff that is good, and he and Vader had arguably the best big man team ever in Japan. I'm just not seeing it. To each their own, but Henry goes beneath Bammer on my list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DylanWaco Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share Posted July 18, 2013 You aren't going to sell me of all people on Bam Bam based on ECW. I watched all the ECW Bam Bam that exists - it was shocking how disappointing he was. Easily the most likely guy to phone it in of anyone on the roster. His best stuff there was really good, but it was few and far between. On Andre I can definitely buy the case for him in theory, because the best Andre is outstanding. But he wasn't a better promo than peak Henry. Peak Henry is one of the best talkers of the modern era Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Rob Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Dylan, how would you rate Big Show against Henry? They're both very similar in that they've had earlier WWE careers filled with little that's worth watching, but have since flourished and become great performers. Show is a pretty awesome promo himself, and probably has a match resume to rival Henry. He also has his WCW run, although I have to admit that I haven't seen a whole lot of that to know whether that helps his cause here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flex Maximo Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Hansen, and the likes of Gordy for that matter don't count here. Clearly we're looking at guys closer to 400 than 300. Although he slimmed down later on does Ray Traylor count in this discussion? And I will echo the Bam Bam disappointment. Other than RVD, Tazz and Bret are there any really good Bam Bam singles matches? Has there ever been a guy with his size, look and athleticism to disappoint so consistently? Plus Studd was a childhood favourite of mine but I'm shocked to see anyone call him good. Effective yes but good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clayton Jones Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 I'm still a big Bam Bam fan but I think Henry is comfortably ahead of him. Traylor too for that matter, who I also always look forward to watching. Aside from Vader I'd have a hard time definitively putting anyone ahead of Henry, although I'd also be curious to get more in depth in the Big Show comparison. Andre could very well be the best big man of all-time but I think the lack of prime footage will always leave that debate inconclusive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LooseCannon Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 For the purposes of this thread I'm talking about guys who would have had matches with Hulk Hogan or John Cena built around whether or not they could be body slammed.I really like this definition.A name that hasn't been mentioned is Yokozuna. If forced to examine their careers extensively, there's a strong chance I would have Yoko higher than Bam Bam but lower than Mark Henry in comparing their peaks. He's underrated by some fans (you know the type), but I think part of his problem was that he lacked what I guess could be called charisma. If he had been a somewhat smaller man, maybe his ideal role would have been oscillating between tag team wrestler and singles mid-carder who you feed to a guy about to challenge a monster at the top of the card or use to make a secondary title-holder seem legitimate because it seems like he gets praised by knowledgeable fans for his timing and selling.How close is the debate for peak Mark Henry vs peak Umaga? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Yoko in the 450-500 lbs range was quite good. Yoko in the 550+ lbs range wasn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qualia Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Bam Bam vs LT at Wrestlemania XI was the match that turned my wife from amused with my obsession to appreciative of the art. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victator Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Yoko still had really good timing at his heaviest. One Man Gang is really underrated and so is Earthquake, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Surprised no one mentioned King Kong Bundy. He had a unique aura (few big guys projected IMMOVABLE quite like him), yet he was pretty mobile for someone his size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.H. Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 Well there is always Vader... but on the flip side of that do we count Terry Gordy in the Big Man territory or is he just a big guy that doesn't give off the Super Heavyweight vibe? Also, we need to give some love to Ray Traylor/Boss Man. Great big guy and even when he lost weight and had that awesome run towards the end of his first WWF run still gave off Big Man vibe but as really fast and agile. James 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm29195 Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 No love for Big Daddy V? His run as that character from 2007-2008 was awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Rob Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 How close is the debate for peak Mark Henry vs peak Umaga?I'd totally spaced on Umaga, realistically I don't think Henry has had a match as good as the Last Man Standing match with Cena, but likely had a more consistant WWE run. I liked Jamal in All Japan, I seem to remember a really good match with Kawada, but I wouldn't have seen it since it first aired so my memory isn't to be solely relied on.Good call on Yoko too, whoever mentioned him. He really did fall to shit towards the end, but he had a lot of good stuff during the early years. I probably wouldn't rate him over Henry, mind you.Would Fatu count here? He's kind of borderline in terms of size, at least until he became Rikishi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flex Maximo Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 There is no way someone like Gordy should be in the discussion. I think The thread title is misleading people. It's super heavyweights. If Gordy or Hansen are in then you might as well add hogan. Batista, Brock and 500 other guys. We are talking giant fat dudes who do splashes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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