I think I'm totally original. I'm sure there are many people who see themselves in me, but that's to them. I'm me, basically, and that's how I like to be.
       - Freddie Mercury

This is how I see it: there have been three. Three names in professional wrestling who made such an impact, the tremors were felt throughout mainstream entertainment. Three men who, each for their own reasons, stood out in an industry filled with a very original kind of entertainer.

A few nights ago on Prime, a documentary aired about one of my all-time favourite entertainers: Freddie Mercury. I’ve loved Queen literally since I was born – my father is a fan so I grew up listening to them – and when Freddie died I felt the loss more keenly than the death of any other entertainer I’ve admired. My father, who is quite the homophobe, was the one who brought me the news, and we commiserated together… that’s how talented Freddie was. His music transcended any prejudices my Dad has. I’m sure, too, that Dad isn’t the only one. They don’t make them like Freddie anymore. Sadly, this may also be true of professional wrestling.

Watching the documentary the other night, while not revealing anything I didn’t already know, did get me thinking about standout performers. Professional wrestling has so many unique individuals; this freak show we all love by virtue of its very nature attracts a flamboyant sort. It means that in an industry full of standouts, it can be, well, difficult to stand out. Nevertheless, there are those that do. And many of them have come close, in my mind (whether I personally like them or not), to being that fourth mega-star, to crossing over into a different league. Ric Flair. The Undertaker. Sting. Bret Hart. Kurt Angle. Shawn Michaels. Chris Jericho. Triple H. John Cena. The Ultimate Warrior.

But, for whatever reason, none of them have been able to nudge their way up to the heights attained first by Hulk Hogan, followed by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and topped off by The Rock. And the big question for me is: will anyone ever make it to that level again? Will there actually BE a fourth?

In the early 1980’s Hulk Hogan, marketed and merchandised by Vince McMahon Jr., catapulted professional wrestling into mainstream entertainment. This new phenomenon, Hulkamania, brought the WWF into the world’s living rooms. Throughout that decade, Hogan sat atop a steadily cresting wave that saw professional wrestling attain a whole different level of popularity. One that would, eventually, smash kayfabe forever, but as the money rolled in I feel quite sure that “protecting the business” took on a whole new meaning for those in the WWF’s slipstream.

As the century slipped into the 90’s, and the WWF was struggling to weather the storm of the 1994 steroid scandal, a different kind of performer came to the fore. Smaller, but possibly even tougher and more resilient than their bulked-up brothers, with a more realistic in-ring style and absolutely oozing charisma. The Rockers, high-flying pretty boys popular with the female fan base, were split up and Shawn Michaels was pushed hard as a singles wrestler. At around the same time, The Hart Foundation were also disbanded and Bret Hart began his iconic rise to the top of the WWF. Along the way, he met a relative unknown fresh from WCW and a short stint in ECW – Steve Austin.

Austin’s debut as the Ringmaster was less than auspicious. But around the middle of 1996, the “Stone Cold” persona emerged with Austin taking out the King of the Ring title. Battling Bret Hart at WrestleMania XIII in one of the all-time legendary matches, Austin gave birth to the beloved heel; when it became cool to be bad. Defying authority (mostly, in the guise of Vince McMahon) at every turn, and doing it with a zeal that left fans wondering how much of it was real and how much of it was scripted, Austin played into exactly what fans were crying out to see. Combining this new kind of charisma with a solid in-ring repertoire and plenty of middle fingers and dry quips, Austin led the WWF out of the 1990’s.

Not long after Austin made his WWF debut however, a young half-black, half-Samoan third generation wrestler had also joined the roster. Dwayne Johnson, borrowing a half a name each from his father and grandfather, entered the fray as Rocky Maivia. And like Austin, the original incarnation of the eventual legendary character lacked a certain something. It wasn’t until Rocky broke free of the Nation of Domination that the persona of The Rock began to assert itself. Free to come up with lines he was able to deliver brilliantly, it wasn’t long before Rocky’s average in-ring ability went largely un-noticed. A solid, if not hugely talented athlete, the Rock’s real skill lay in his ring psychology, the ability to read a crowd, and most of all, in his talent on the microphone. Blessed also with outstanding good looks and a muscular – but not overdone – physique, wrestling fans were the first to see what the rest of the world is only now just becoming familiar with. That he is a success in Hollywood (with, undoubtedly, many more years and greater success still to come), is something that surprises no-one who followed his wrestling career. If ever a performer was destined to cross over, The Rock was the one who would – and did.

And he brought us to where we are now. Waiting. For the fourth. For the one to light up the late noughties.

Which brings me back to my original question – does that person actually exist? Or has wrestling moved on and evolved to such a level where that kind of mega-popularity is no longer possible?

I would argue that it has. Wrestling fans have seen so much, and the more we see, the more we expect. We are a notoriously difficult bunch to please, and those of us who are – ahem – slightly more developed in years, look back and remember clearly when wrestling in the mainstream – when the WWF first appeared – was fresh and different and there were seemingly untold avenues to be explored. Whole vistas of possibilities were opening up. There were so many directions to go in. And as a long time fan, having followed all those directions and watched them both succeed and fail, I have to wonder: what is left?

Has it all been done before? Is there anything unique left to tap into? Can anyone BE completely different, or will they always suffer from being compared to those who have come before them? Or does the kind of star I’m thinking of not need to rely on creating a completely unique persona – does it rely more on their “x-factor” – something Hogan, Austin and Rocky all had in spades? What do you think? I’d love to hear your opinions on this subject – even if you think there’s someone out there now with the talent and ability to capture that hallowed fourth spot, email me and let me know.

I do know that for me, there will never be another Freddie Mercury. I was discussing this very topic with Simon Sweetman only the other day; that the attempts of the remaining members of Queen to carry on the name and the legacy without him seems like sacrilege to me, and not something I approve of. But this is different; I’m not talking about replacing Hogan, Austin or The Rock, because the whole premise behind a wrestling mega-star is that they are totally distinctive.

What are your thoughts? Send them to me and we’ll have ourselves a wee discussion in my next Editorial.

Speaking of Editorials, you may have noticed a slight hiatus since Dion’s The hippies that stole my wrestling memories two weeks ago. Finding ourselves slightly bogged down, the Editorial took a short vacation. I’m back on deck now, and Dion tells me he’s set for next week as well.

That said, there’s been plenty to keep NZPWI readers busy over the last few weeks. We learned that WWE are returning in 2009, this time with the flagship brand: RAW. With one show only in Auckland’s Vector Arena on July 3, tickets will undoubtedly be selling fast. NZPWI will keep New Zealand fans informed with all the latest updates regarding RAW’s first tour of New Zealand.

Back here at home, tensions are rising as IPW’s Rival Turf draws near. In addition to keeping New Zealand fans informed of IPW events, Dayna Wall recently chatted with “The Deal” Dal Knox, who will be challenging the IPW Heavyweight Champion Jordan Invincible for the gold. Having lost the belt to Invincible at June’s Redemption, Knox has had only one thing on his mind: regaining the title and making Invincible pay. Make sure you check out the interview.

“The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase has a new book out, which Simon Sweetman has reviewed for us. Si assures me he’s got some new column material in mind, which I’m looking forward to… that is, if he’s not hunted down by rampaging heavy metal fans instead.

We had a double-whammy from Steve “Ost” Ogilvie this month; Katie, Bar The Door  brings us a profile on New Zealand’s own Hall of Famer, Abe Jacobs. The ever-popular Ask Ost is also back, answering the tough questions and is well worth checking out, as Ost tackles everything from Demolition to wrestling weddings.

Matt Sparnon’s The Sweet Spot takes an in-depth – and quite surprising – look at one of the mainstays of any live wrestling audience: ring rats. An oft-maligned but integral facet of professional wrestling, ring rats have long been part of the scene, and Matt offers a fresh perspective.

Having been knocked from her oh-so-elegant perch after Summerslam, Dayna regained her top spot in the NZPWI Roundtable at Unforgiven. And she tied with none other than yours truly. As for our colleagues, I have only this to say… fancy being beaten by a couple of girls.

Staying incredibly busy as usual, David Dunn continues to keep New Zealand fans up to date with RAW, SmackDown and ECW, and when he’s not doing that, he’s stretching himself between the rival Wellington promotions, bringing us news of KPW’s upcoming AfterBlaster 2 and NZWPW’s ongoing Invasion tour.

That wraps up this edition of the Editorial. Don’t forget to email me at with your thoughts on this week’s topic. It’s all yours Dion.

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