Oct 14, 1986: The day that changed wrestling history. Magnum TA was being groomed for an NWA world championship, many say he could have been as big as Hulk Hogan or Ric Flair.
don't know if he'd have been that big. he definitely would have gotten the CHANCE to though. I at the time saw a short to medium term title reign of a few months and then back to flair!!! don't forget with the possible exception of Bruno in the 70's most of your big money matches were going to be with a babyface CHASING the title not being the champ!!
he would have been at least as big as Flair. Hogan,maybe not so much since neither was Flair (generally speaking anyhow) Flair was big in wrestling but not much more. Hogan was over with the public that didnt even watch wrestling. I dont see Magnum getting to those heights but definitely as big as Flair.
He wasn't as polished as those guys but was still a promising work in progress. I would have loved to see him over take Flair, who for me was a snore to watch with his same shtick by the 90s.
Watching Barry over all the years, all the different characters/tag teams, good guy, heel, damn good wrestler, and a good long career! Never heard a bad word said about this man in or out of the ring, says a lot about a person! And Magnum, what a horrible end to what I believe was gonna be one of those really special wrestling careers, he had a really good run though, and nice to hear Barry speak so respectfully of Magnum, sooooo hard it was 32 years ago going on 33, wow!
Vince McMahon has been known to call WCW/NWA a "Clown circus". Vince McMahon has no room to talk! Now look at what they've got going on. Their Ratings are right around 0.50 or so, and it's not getting any better. Plus he loves to call WWE "Sports Entertainment". Who's the Clown now, Vince McMahon? You are!!!!!
The thing I've learned about wrestling low these many years is, it's like so many pro sports, you're only one devastating injury away from being a use to was. But in all reality, there has always been a passing of the generational torch as time marches on.
We didn't get much if any NWA up here in Canada at the time..you really had to search for it ..you could order the tapes in the magazines , angelo mosca tried to co-promote a local show and ended up getting a local spot on TV during crocketts second last year, or you could try to watch it on the snowy buffalo TV with an ariel ..I followed all the angles religiously through the PWI mags . Actually had this issue of the Wrestler.
RoddericK ITS TRUE... HE HAS A MASSIVE 11 INCH PENIS WITH A GIANT 6.390 INCH MUSHROOM HEAD.... THERES STORIES THATS HES MAIMED AND OBLITERATED VAGINAS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY... HES A REAL HERO TO ME
I think the lineage of the top face went something like this ...Steamboat/Windham then Magnum then Sting ..I do know Magnum was brought in when Wyndham left and Sting obviously really started getting his push after Magnums accident.
Can u imagine the matches TA would have had. Mag vs sting. Mag vs lex lugar steel cage. Mag vs Barry. Mag vs Bret hart steel cage. mag vs steamboat. Mag vs flair. For tittle. Mag vs Dusty on a heel turn. Etc etc etc
Yeah, but he was so young his mic skills would've improved, just like Shawn Michaels. His mic skills were so-so early on, and then he became a great talker, so no reason to think Magnum couldn't have become good on the stick.
Magnum had an intensity, a certain realness that I think compensated. I'm not sure if you necessarily need to be a great talker. For example, Brett Hart wasn't that great of a talker but he he was good enough.
Biz ProQuo I agree, he wasn't as animated on the mic as Flair but he could wrestle and he had the support of the fans. There's a good video of Flair wrestling Sam Houston where Magnum is with the announcers calling the action and Flair seems more concerned about him than he is with Houston. Turned out to be a good match to watch.
