Top draws per decade by attendance (Meltzer)

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>Meltzer

>>1814990
>In looking at the biggest drawing cards in pro wrestling history, we decided to look at things on a decade-by-decade level. In the past we've done this looking at total shows drawing more than 10,000 on top during a decade (or added points for each multiple of 10,000). And while every system has flaws, this one can reward someone who may have had one great feud, or was a huge draw but not over a long period of time, over someone who was more consistently drawing.

In addition, a lot changes in society over a ten year period and that affects wrestling. There are ups and downs, based on economy, technology and other factors. By awarding ten points for the leading draw during a year, nine for second, etc., it rewards consistency at the top level. It takes out mitigating factors in the sense whoever was the big draw of a year where things weren't as good due to economic patterns, or over the last 60 years, based on how television has changed things, will somewhat be evened out.

The big flaw in this system is it rewards people whose prime years fit better within the framework of a decade. For example, if you were a big star from 1970 to 1979, you'll do well in that decade. But if you were a big star who hit your stride in 1976, through 1983, you'll not fare as well in either decade. But this system isn't looking at negating people who don't perfectly fit in as much as noting where people stood who did. We've already compiled all-time lists for wrestling history. When it comes to consistently drawing over a long period of time, the all-time top ten are Jim Londos, Bruno Sammartino, Lou Thesz, Wild Bill Longson, Hulk Hogan, Ed Strangler Lewis, Argentina Rocca, Ric Flair, Buddy Rogers and Joe Stecher. While Steve Austin at his peak was the biggest drawing card in pro wrestling history, his number of years at that peak were far shorter than those ranked above him.

He's the one who did the research, so yeah.

Not indicitave of anything. His overall list is better.

>1900 - 1909: 1. Frank Gotch
This stupid kiddos today don't know who was the real GOAT hell

>le meltz

>>1814986
>Konnan
>Shinya Hashimoto
>Perro Aguayo
>Keiji Muto
>Nobuhiko Takada
Who?
Anyway, I call bullshit whenever in a sentence there are words "90's" and "wrestling" but no "Steve Austin".

>>1815004
100+

>>1815008
Austin was a big draw for all of three to four years. Konnan dominated the mexican scene for the entirety of the 90s. The three musketeers dominated the entire Japanese scene of the 90s.

>>1814986
>3. Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair

How does this work? Flair:

>Couldn't cut it in WWF, house show crowds were more interested in Hogan vs Sid than him
>Went back to WCW, nobody cared
>Hogan shows up, immediately the main man
>Hogan turns heel, catalyst for the start of WCWs dominance.
>1997s moneymaker is Hogan/nWo vs Sting. Flair no where to be found
>1998 the biggest draws were Goldberg and Hollywood Hogan. Flair again no where to be found

1999 was the first time Flair was on an equal level with Hogan again, and guess what? WCW never caught back up

Why is everyone obsessed with who drew how much

>>1815025
Because Dave is biased

>>1815032
Because wrestling is a business.

>>1815003
The overall list is based in money while this one takes into account actual people.

>>1815025
Those early 90s years of WCW were good on Flair. It's not like nobody didn't care for him. Often it's not the best moments of someone that makes them popular, it's AFTER those have happened then people start talking about those moments. 89-92 WCW Flair did some amazing shit which caused people to check out WCW. Hogan's transition went in a reverse direction where in the early 90s people were getting sick of him but then later he really started pulling in a lot of crowds.

>>1814986
Hackenschmidtetty fans on suicide watch. Based Gotch.

>>1815042
>89-92 WCW Flair did some amazing shit which caused people to check out WCW

He was in WWF in 91, not sure what you're talking about there

>It's not like nobody didn't care for him.

Compared to Hogan? He was an ant

>Hogan's transition went in a reverse direction where in the early 90s people were getting sick of him but then later he really started pulling in a lot of crowds.

He was the main draw for WM6, 7, and 8 among others which Flair couldn't compare to. Even his last PPV for WWF (King Of The Ring 1993) did 245k buys which was the record until 1998.

I can't buy any argument for Flair drawing more than Hogan. Hogan was always on a higher level than him when they were in the same company until the 1999 feud, and WWF were running away from WCW at that point

>>1815053
>Flair drawing more

*on an equal level to

>>1815053
Again, you are underestimating WCW that was still that NWA/WCW type thing. Those shows used to bring A LOT of people attendance wise, and consistently did so. You are looking at Flair's drawing ability more from a TV/PPV perspective where he has never excelled; he has always been more of a territory style draw. Due to emphasis on attendance, he definitely comes out near the top.

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>>1814986
>Le Meltzer

>>1815073
The only times Flair and Hogan weren't in the same company together were a year and a half from 1990-91 and another year and a half from 93-94. Are you arguing that Flair brought in such big crowds from that point that he's on the same level as Hogan?

They spent most of the 90s in the same company, and Flair was never the main draw over Hogan when they were together. Flair missed 6 months of 1998 because of the heat him and Bischoff had and I'm pretty sure that was WCWs record year for business. I can buy him being so high in the 80s because like you said, territory draw. But the 90s? I can't

>>1815045
kek

>>1815040
Not like you're making any money from it

>>1814986
>Konnan
excuse me? The NWo B-team member is the biggest draw?

>>1814990
Meltzer is the greatest wrestling historian their is, prove me wrong.

You can legit see where wrestling began to die. The early 1900's had skilled wrestlers that could legit beat down people much like Bork, steadily they get progressively more phased out and by the time you hit 2000 you have Japanese Midgets, manlets and politicians around. No wonder shit does not sell anymore.

>>1815092
He was huge in Mexico and also in the Wolfpac

>>1814986
meltzer himself has admitted this format isn't the best way to present this information as there's guys like austin who have relatively short runs near the end/beginning of a decade but draw more than anyone

>>1814986

>le meltz

This guy is a clown, it's painfully obvious he has a bias against american wrestling. You can go anywhere in the world and there is a chance they would know who hulk hogan and SCSA are, these nipland """wrestlers""" don't even compete.

>Frank Botch
>George HackenShit
>Draws

Pick One, Le Meltz UTTERLY Blew himself the fuck out

>>1814986
How popular was Konnan in Mexico i mean god damn

>>1815032
The only people who care are:
The people that need to be told who they should like and why they should like them.
>Anyone who doesnt work for the WWE who actually cares about who draws are fans that watch way too many hasbeens and neverwas' shoot interviews

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GOAT

Biggest fucking draw of the 00s

Cena BTFO
Dwayne BTFO

>>1815412
not that big, he's just Meltzer's pal

>>1815412
He was the biggest lucha star of the early to mid 90s. Massive basically

>>1815426
B A S E D
A
S
E
D

>>1815527
>Konnan
>friends

>>1814986
> Flair
> Gaytch
The state of le meltz, he is fucking shameless

>>1814986
Everetty Marshalletty BTFO'd how will he ever recover? Thank you Based Big Dog Jim Londos. Big Dog working the smarks and antismarks and BTFO'ing Marshalletty

>>1815008
You have to be over 18 to post here.

>>1815319
Americucks on pooicide watch

>>1815111
>Inoki
>Mutoh
>Takada
>Kobashi

>midgets

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>2000 - 2009: 2. Mistico; 5. Perro Aguayo Jr.; 7. Ultimo Guerrero; 9. Kenta Kobashi
Literally fucking who?

>>1816553
>one of them was in WWE not even 3 years ago

...5+

>>1816557
Litwrally which one?

>>1816593
Pretty sure 5 is the guy Rey Mysterio killed in the ring.

Kobashi is the jap guy who is really stiff and has a mega finisher

Mistico was the OG Sin cara

>>1816593
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-AHcAzBSfo

>>1815384
Kek

>>1814986
Wait just a fucking minute here. So Chris Benoit really was a draw then? The revelation of this amazes me. He's always been one of my favorites. To see that he actually drew this well compared to so many other names amazes me.

Seeing who draws for 2010-2019 is going to be very interesting.

>>1815412
Make sure you take into account OP's post here >>1814999 (nice trips btw)

>>1815016

He was over from 97-02, wasn't he? Plus, what about The Rock in the 2000-2009 list? He's high as hell despite only really being active in the first half of the decade.

>>1816820
Austin wasn't THE man until 1998, absent for most of 2000 and wasn't really a top guy in 2002.

>>1816828
>Austin wasn't THE man until 1998,

Sure, but he seemed more over than everyone else on roster around mid 97 despite Undertaker being the champion. Both Bret and Austin seemed hotter than the champ at the time.

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>>1814986
>konnan

Lost

I'm surprised none of you guys have pointed out that the Road Warriors are the only tag team here listed.

>>1814986
>2000 - 2009: 1. HHH; 2. Mistico; 3. John Cena; 4. The Rock; 5. Perro Aguayo Jr.; 6. Kurt Angle; 7. Ultimo Guerrero; 8. Randy Orton; 9. Kenta Kobashi and Chris Benoit

>Not even Brock Lesnar or Batista

>1990 - 1999: 7. Undertaker; 8. Bret Hart; 9. Steve Austin

>The Undertaker and Bret Hart better than Stone Cold Steve Austin

Yeah... sure.

>>1816867
Lesnar was in the WWE for literally 2 years in the 2000s.

Austin was a top guy for only 2-3 years in the 90s.

2000-2009

Not Undertaker in top 10.

Really?

>>1815042
Also Flair had problems with management. Jim Herd and Eric Bischoff for example.

>>1816860

>Road Warriors selling tickets

Based Animal, cos we all know Hawk didn't sell shit.

>>1816888
He didn't headline that many events.

If it's based on attendance in totals then it makes sense. HHH headlined a shit ton of events from 2000-2009 while Cena only started headlining since 2005.