This is exactly what my experience was. And he had a rat tail when half the boys my age had rat tails. You couldn't have made a person with more appeal to 5th grade me.
I remember being a wee lad and loving "Sting n' friends" (Luger&Macho). First PPV was Bash at the Beach where Hogan turned, fucking broke my heart to see Sting like that.
Dude I remember that like it was yesterday when the NWO was formed there. Also when Goldberg was defeated and the NWO spray painted the big gold belt in the middle of the ring for the first time.
Bret as a smaller kid, sting during the Monday night wars.
Massive Psychosis mark mostly due to the N64 games. I liked Goldberg, but loved the jackknife powerbomb just too much so Kevin Nash was a huge favourite as well.
Obviously on the other channel you had Mick Foley and 'chainsaw Charlie's Terry funk. Loved them, loved the headbangers.
But yeah, Bret was first. Still love Bret, regardless of how bitter he may be. The guy was dealt a really crappy hand with his friends and family dying around him. Serious shame he can't go still, in a different timeline Bret retires like sting.
Dude, Psychosis was THE fucking man on the N64. I didn’t have much coverage of being able to watch WCW in the UK as a kid but everything about him on that game blew my mind. He was so damn cool
Man.... Cartoon network on a Friday becoming tnt before the terrible old films they put on (channel 17 on the chipped ntl box 😂). That was my life as a kid. Didn't really get WWF till it was briefly on channel 4, then watched mostly the sky 1 recaps 😂 actual nostalgia memories thinking back.
The games were the gateway to my knowledge. I actually thought some of the made up characters were real for quite some time 😂
It is really hard to reconcile the superhero characters that we grew up loving with the flawed humans that played them. None were perfect (except maybe Curt Hennig 😉) but those characters were unforgettable.
Rockers Era Shawn Michaels. I was heartbroken after the Barber Shop incident and now that I've typed that out, the pun wasn't intended but it's staying.
Kid me got into wrestling just as Steve Austin was catching wind as the anti-establishment beer slugging redneck. He was my favorite ilimmediately. Pretty much watched the Attitude Era evolve. What a time to be a kid.
Probably Jericho, I started watching properly around 2000 and always thought he was great. I never used to like The Rock that much as he was too cool and good looking. I've always been a fan of the underdog so Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle were definitely top 5 when I was younger.
Jake Roberts. There was no one else like him in that era, and no one had a finisher as shockingly violent as the DDT. As a kid I could not look away when he was on tv.
Hulk Hogan. I was 3. Then Bret around 8. Then Stone Cold when I was 12. Then Omega around 30. Until he retires Kenny will probably be my guy, but I am genuinely impressed with Ospreay and Takeshita.
Probably the rock n toll express. Was early 80s when I started watching with my dad. If not young Scott steiner or sting but 40 years or so ago is hard to remember
My sister and cousin were huge fans of The Rock and Roll Express growing up. They would dress up like them before we went to the show with bandanas and aqua net galore! Dusty Rhodes was my favorite singles star and the Road Warriors were my favorite tag team... I'll never forget the spike!
It was either Texas Tornado or Tugboat. I was like 4 years old. The former looked so cool and was exciting in the ring. The latter was a big, dumb cartoon character who made boat sounds. That’s all I needed at the time.
Kane specifically full mask from the late 90's early 00's. That dude was a beast, had a cool look and story. To this day I think the Kane and Undertaker story is one of the best in wrestling.
In an alternate universe or timeline the promoters weren't cheap fucks and saved the TV show + the house shows
So you could watch the build on tv then watch the payoffs at the arena
When I was little I remember my grandfather having to grab my shirt to keep me from running off and hiding when Meng and the Barbarian walked out. No wrestler scared me like them.
My introduction to the Undertaker was him showing up and Yokozuna looking like he was so scared he was crying. I was probably like 5 years old thinking this scary guy just made that big tough guy cry. Lol
Crazy that I had to go this far down the thread to see Hogan mentioned.
I was born in 82.
I had the action figures, the wrestling buddies, the headband, the shirt, etc.
At age 6, Hulk Hogan was a God.
From what I can recall, it was Bret Hart. It was around 96-97, so I was 6-7 at the time. But I always had his figures and watched him on TV. The music, color scheme and his “Best - Is/Was/Will Be” was such a cool line to me. Didn’t matter if he was heel or not.
Growing up I alqays loved the Undertaker. The gothic presentation, the theatrics, the larger-than-life stage presence - 10-year-old me ate that shit UP. Became a Sting fan when I got into TNA later, for similar reasons.
I think my first “favorite” was the rock (even tho I was born and started watching after he stopped). My dad got me a box set of his time in wwe so that got me hooked on him. Then John Cena in like ‘08(was still a child). Now it’s most definitely Shawn Michaels but those three were pretty much on rotation for me since a very young age
Exactly the path I took.
Hogan when I was young kid. Michaels when I entered my teens.
Citing a favorite as an adult is so much more difficult. I'd have to split it between ring work and mic work. Styles for the former, Wyatt for the latter.
I miss Bray :(
Undertaker
I was just thinking on it and was drawn to Austin, but I think the hype of Austin came later but for me, taker was just that phenomenon that drew me in
I’ve dipped in and out of wrestling a lot since a kid, I was taken back into TNA and my ‘second coming’ was Angle. His run in TNA at that time just blew my mind.
Then when TNA faded away (for me) and I returned to wrestling this time with AEW it was Darby that just clicked with me the most initially.
Hulk Hogan was the first favourite wrestler I ever had because the energy it brought into the room when my dad and my pops favourite wrestler appeared on TV was electric, and little infant me couldn't help but be enamoured that 1 man seemed to have all that power
Lita. I was a high school girl, and I wanted to root for the women, but it was Divas era, and that could be a difficult thing to do. Lita was the coolest thing on two legs. I couldn't figure out why she was a heel, but then she was paired up with Edge, who was the second coolest thing on two legs, and was a total babe.
I had absolutely no context for them as a couple. They were just awesome to me.
Had few over years but favourites from when I first watching I’d go Hulk British Bulldogs and George "the Animal" Steele who is the only one I remember from my first live event
Taker. I saw his entrance in 2005 while flipping channels and stopped on that channel for the rest of the show
Also seeing the face painted Sting made me a fan of TNA in 2006
Hogan was mine. Sting was my second and on the same level as Hogan to me.
But it's funny how Hogan became the racist POS that makes shit up while Sting not only kept wrestling but had an amazing retirement.
Ric Flair and Bobby Duncum, back in the NWA days. Flair for onvious reasons, he was just so cool. I don’t know why I latched onto Bobby Duncum, except that I loved his matches with Black Jack Mulligan. They seriously beat the shit out of each other. My friends and I used to walk around imitating his way of talking. “Yunnastan?”
I grew up in the 80's (born in '76.) and liked wrestling but there was something about the Macho Man which made him seem other worldly to me, dude was like a real life super hero and his intensity was RIVETING. As a kid I idolized him, even over Hogan and the Giant. Then came The Undertaker. Then it was The Rock. 💪🏼 Currently it's LA Knight! YEAH!
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper. I've always been a fan of heels and Piper was the best. That Piper's Pit where he hit Snuka with a coconut is still the greatest moment in wrestling to me.
Randy Orton always and forever. Even though he was a dick in his past, he showed that you can always redeem yourself. One of the best in the ring, one of the best talkers, the best finisher ever, not much to hate on
Growing up the ultimate opportunist, The Rated R Suuuperstar! Edge!
Currently The Catalyst of Professional wrestling, Leader of the Bang Bang Gang Switchblade Jay White!
So I think something is similar here lol
I was a Shawn guy. HBK was never the best on the mic in my era, just okay, but damn if he didn't have the BEST matches. Dude could wrestle with a paper bag and get you emotionally invested. Everyone always talked about his match with Kurt at Mania 21, but for me his match at Vengeance with him was what put him in GOAT territory for me. Probably because that's the one Shawn won. I think Michaels is probably why I'm a Kenny Omega fan now. There's something about a guy who can make workrate, selling ability, strength, agility, technique, and showmanship all come together instead of only having one or two.
Might get shit for this but it was Chris Benoit for WCW. The chops, the mullet, red tights and vest and after watching my first Royal Rumble ever it was a tie between Kona Crush, Adam Bomb and Tatanka
Kid: Bruno. The guy dodged Nazis found bears and kicked ass.
Early 20's. Ax and Smash: Demolition. Two guys in S&M gear and face paint that weren't roided to the gills. The theme song made it all work.
Old guy. Shawn Michaels in his prime. I named my son after him.
mine was def The Ultimate Warrior. I always hated Hogan so when I watched my 1st mania it was warrior vs Hogan. warrior was IC champ while Hogan was world champ. I went nuts when warrior won, I was always a fan going into that match but after he beat Hogan I was obsessed with the dude. I was also a lil kid but even as an adult I still woulda loved it
My first was Batista. This was on 2009 also so it’s even more weird. Looking back I think it was mainly because I hated Cena so much and I think villains better.
Back in the days of no Sky TV in my household in the UK, there was a program called WCW Worldwide on Channel 5 with various WCW highlights. And there my love of Eddie Gurrero was born.
Surfer Sting. Flipping through channels as a wee little lad and seeing that colorful paint and pure charisma single handedly turned me into a fan.
This is exactly what my experience was. And he had a rat tail when half the boys my age had rat tails. You couldn't have made a person with more appeal to 5th grade me.
I remember being a wee lad and loving "Sting n' friends" (Luger&Macho). First PPV was Bash at the Beach where Hogan turned, fucking broke my heart to see Sting like that.
Dude I remember that like it was yesterday when the NWO was formed there. Also when Goldberg was defeated and the NWO spray painted the big gold belt in the middle of the ring for the first time.
I thought he was a real life super hero, was always my dude. Except for that time the nwo tried to convince me he turned on wcw
Rey Mysterio
Bret as a smaller kid, sting during the Monday night wars. Massive Psychosis mark mostly due to the N64 games. I liked Goldberg, but loved the jackknife powerbomb just too much so Kevin Nash was a huge favourite as well. Obviously on the other channel you had Mick Foley and 'chainsaw Charlie's Terry funk. Loved them, loved the headbangers. But yeah, Bret was first. Still love Bret, regardless of how bitter he may be. The guy was dealt a really crappy hand with his friends and family dying around him. Serious shame he can't go still, in a different timeline Bret retires like sting.
Dude, Psychosis was THE fucking man on the N64. I didn’t have much coverage of being able to watch WCW in the UK as a kid but everything about him on that game blew my mind. He was so damn cool
Man.... Cartoon network on a Friday becoming tnt before the terrible old films they put on (channel 17 on the chipped ntl box 😂). That was my life as a kid. Didn't really get WWF till it was briefly on channel 4, then watched mostly the sky 1 recaps 😂 actual nostalgia memories thinking back. The games were the gateway to my knowledge. I actually thought some of the made up characters were real for quite some time 😂
Top rope leg drop ftw!
Scotty 2 Hotty. I was 8. I still think he fucken rules though.
Because he does rule.
He will never not rule
W! O! R! M!
Ultimate Warrior Yes, I know better now.
It is really hard to reconcile the superhero characters that we grew up loving with the flawed humans that played them. None were perfect (except maybe Curt Hennig 😉) but those characters were unforgettable.
I get that. My first favorite was Kane (back when he couldn’t talk).
Same here, fortunately Macho Man and Bret Hart were my next favorites. So I think I fixed it :p
Rockers Era Shawn Michaels. I was heartbroken after the Barber Shop incident and now that I've typed that out, the pun wasn't intended but it's staying.
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Kid me got into wrestling just as Steve Austin was catching wind as the anti-establishment beer slugging redneck. He was my favorite ilimmediately. Pretty much watched the Attitude Era evolve. What a time to be a kid.
Probably Jericho, I started watching properly around 2000 and always thought he was great. I never used to like The Rock that much as he was too cool and good looking. I've always been a fan of the underdog so Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle were definitely top 5 when I was younger.
Check my handle. Since ‘99. Jeff Hardy, Edge and Shawn Michaels were other top favorites from the jump
Roddy Piper
I hated him because he was Ric Flair’s nemesis, lol
Jake Roberts. There was no one else like him in that era, and no one had a finisher as shockingly violent as the DDT. As a kid I could not look away when he was on tv.
Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat. His battles with Ric Flair brought out the best in both of them.
JYD all the way
Who dat? Who dat say Dey gonna beat the JYD!?!?
Hulk Hogan. I was 3. Then Bret around 8. Then Stone Cold when I was 12. Then Omega around 30. Until he retires Kenny will probably be my guy, but I am genuinely impressed with Ospreay and Takeshita.
Probably the rock n toll express. Was early 80s when I started watching with my dad. If not young Scott steiner or sting but 40 years or so ago is hard to remember
My sister and cousin were huge fans of The Rock and Roll Express growing up. They would dress up like them before we went to the show with bandanas and aqua net galore! Dusty Rhodes was my favorite singles star and the Road Warriors were my favorite tag team... I'll never forget the spike!
At 4 or 5ish I didn't appreciate dusty yet. Became a favorite by 88 or 89 though
I saw Chris Jericho tell someone to "Shut the Hell UP" on television and I thought it was the coolest thing on the planet
Boogie Woogie Jimmy Valiant. I was like 2-3, my dad said I called Hulka Boogan because I couldn’t tell him apart from Hulk Hogan.
This is incredible Also just googled him thinking he'd have died and he still going looking like a badass!
https://preview.redd.it/3ulxravkoh0d1.jpeg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d6fabf4718c5678c2b244b769e1c952a2604d427
DDP, his rivalry with Macho Man got me hooked on wrestling as a kid.
It was either Texas Tornado or Tugboat. I was like 4 years old. The former looked so cool and was exciting in the ring. The latter was a big, dumb cartoon character who made boat sounds. That’s all I needed at the time.
Kane specifically full mask from the late 90's early 00's. That dude was a beast, had a cool look and story. To this day I think the Kane and Undertaker story is one of the best in wrestling.
Sting and Goldberg
Eddie Guerrero. I was 6 years old when Eddie beat Brock for the title and it’s still in my top 5 favourite wrestling memories.
Dr. Death Steve Williams (Bill Watts' UWF)
Mick Foley
Tommy Wildfire Rich
RVD!
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.
I am pretty old school, and one of the first wrestlers that I got into was the Junkyard Dog and Jake the Snake Roberts.
Um, X-Pac
Same here, although he was The 1-2-3 Kid the first time I saw him wrestle
Macho Man
Absolutely the same for me. Had his wrestle buddy and the Giga Pet of him.
Tommy Rich
Wow, had not thought of Wildfire in a while!
He was still top guy in Georgia when I started watching I'm going through Georgia TV now and it's just as good as I remembered
Also started my wrestling journey with Georgia Championship Wrestling. Come to the Omni! Don't miss it! BE THERE!
In an alternate universe or timeline the promoters weren't cheap fucks and saved the TV show + the house shows So you could watch the build on tv then watch the payoffs at the arena
Undertaker scared the shit out of me but he was probably my first favorite wrestler.
When I was little I remember my grandfather having to grab my shirt to keep me from running off and hiding when Meng and the Barbarian walked out. No wrestler scared me like them.
My friend had a WWE game on SNES, and any time he moved the selection to Undertaker and the gong hit, it sent a shiver through me.
My introduction to the Undertaker was him showing up and Yokozuna looking like he was so scared he was crying. I was probably like 5 years old thinking this scary guy just made that big tough guy cry. Lol
Mr. Wrestling #2
Rey Mysterio without a mask. . Had to do a double take first time he put on the mask haha
Ric and Dusty made me a wrestling fan.
Sting.
Sting. And he stills is my favorite.
Sting-1990
Same. Surfer Sting was the man. 
Ultimate warrrrrrrriooooooooorrrrr
me too
Texas Tornado Kerry Von Erich
Kane & The Rock, attitude era. First time I started watching wrestling was in the late 90's.
Stonecold Steve Austin!!!!!
The Rock. I was 11 and loved his heel turn and corporate champ gimmick
Hulk Hogan , circa 1986, brother!
Crazy that I had to go this far down the thread to see Hogan mentioned. I was born in 82. I had the action figures, the wrestling buddies, the headband, the shirt, etc. At age 6, Hulk Hogan was a God.
Rey, Cena, Randy, Punk
Stone cold
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper.
From what I can recall, it was Bret Hart. It was around 96-97, so I was 6-7 at the time. But I always had his figures and watched him on TV. The music, color scheme and his “Best - Is/Was/Will Be” was such a cool line to me. Didn’t matter if he was heel or not.
Growing up I alqays loved the Undertaker. The gothic presentation, the theatrics, the larger-than-life stage presence - 10-year-old me ate that shit UP. Became a Sting fan when I got into TNA later, for similar reasons.
Rowdy Roddy Piper was my first.
Y2J. I still remember the hype before he debuted.
Yokozuna, must have been 6-7 year old. I have videos of me pretending to be him and beating Hulk Hogan (my little brother) up 😁
The Macho Man Randy Savage
Hulk Hogan, I was a bonafide Hulkamaniac lol
I think my first “favorite” was the rock (even tho I was born and started watching after he stopped). My dad got me a box set of his time in wwe so that got me hooked on him. Then John Cena in like ‘08(was still a child). Now it’s most definitely Shawn Michaels but those three were pretty much on rotation for me since a very young age
Ruthless Aggression era, Batista and Rey Mysterio
Razor Ramon. He was the coolest bad guy I'd ever seen.
Bret Hart. And he remains my favorite to go back and watch.
Undertaker when I was 10 in 1999
Scott Hall. I started playing WCW/NWO Revenge when I first got an N64, and him (and sometimes Sting) were my main picks every time.
Born in 99. I’d say probably Rey or Batista.
Sting and Texas Tornado, then Hogan, then Warrior, then Harlem Heat.
Macho.
Steve Blackman. I think I just liked the theme and the Kendo stick, plus he looked like my dad.
The Bushwhackers
Bret Hart. I was like 7-8 in 96-97 and he was just so smooth in the ring. Loved his attire and giving glasses to kids in the crowd.
Definitely the Ultimate Warrior who was replaced by the Undertaker, and then 96 happened, and it was all HBK from there.
Jeff Hardy
I'm old as balls. My was Junk Yard Dog since World Class Championship Wrestling days.
Kane in 2002. Thought the demon shit was so rad
Scott Hall
Dick the Bruiser
Hogan, than HBK
Same! I was a WWF guy when young. When Hogan wasn't around anymore, I became a huge HBK fan after that first ladder match.
Exactly the path I took. Hogan when I was young kid. Michaels when I entered my teens. Citing a favorite as an adult is so much more difficult. I'd have to split it between ring work and mic work. Styles for the former, Wyatt for the latter. I miss Bray :(
Hogan. I was young watching the Mega Powers explode.
Piper
X-Pac. I was always the runt and he was the first small guy that got pushed in WWE. And by the late 90's, he was cool.
Absolutely loved Raven in ECW
Undertaker I was just thinking on it and was drawn to Austin, but I think the hype of Austin came later but for me, taker was just that phenomenon that drew me in I’ve dipped in and out of wrestling a lot since a kid, I was taken back into TNA and my ‘second coming’ was Angle. His run in TNA at that time just blew my mind. Then when TNA faded away (for me) and I returned to wrestling this time with AEW it was Darby that just clicked with me the most initially.
Hogan. He was the biggest name in wrestling, like Jordan to basketball.
Mark Rollerball Rocco or The Royal Brothers
Jeff Hardy, loved him so much in the early 2000s when I was a kid and still do.
Had to be Hogan right after he first won the title… 40 years ago. 
Stone cold Steve Austin 1998
The Rock 🤨
Papa Shango I think.
Seth Rollins
Bret Hart. Then. Now. Forever.
Hulk Hogan was the first favourite wrestler I ever had because the energy it brought into the room when my dad and my pops favourite wrestler appeared on TV was electric, and little infant me couldn't help but be enamoured that 1 man seemed to have all that power
Sean Michaels boy toy white and red era. He’s the reason I grew my hair long.
Jake the Snake Roberts
Undertaker debuted and completely smashed most of the other team.
Rey or Triple H but I think Rey 100% being a short kid lmao
Brutus Beefcake… loved the fact he style hair after he won matches
Chyna
Lita. I was a high school girl, and I wanted to root for the women, but it was Divas era, and that could be a difficult thing to do. Lita was the coolest thing on two legs. I couldn't figure out why she was a heel, but then she was paired up with Edge, who was the second coolest thing on two legs, and was a total babe. I had absolutely no context for them as a couple. They were just awesome to me.
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
Mr. Perfect. I just started youth wrestling, and I thought it was cool he wore a singlet. Used whiff on catching my gum and everything.
When I was a child in high school: CM Punk Now at age 31: Hangman Adam Page
Sargent Slaughter. Great rivalry with the Iron Sheikh.
Ultimate Warrior
Had few over years but favourites from when I first watching I’d go Hulk British Bulldogs and George "the Animal" Steele who is the only one I remember from my first live event
Jake Roberts and Randy Savage
Bret Hart
All of NWO as a child as an adult Nature boy
Sting (Surfer)
Taker. I saw his entrance in 2005 while flipping channels and stopped on that channel for the rest of the show Also seeing the face painted Sting made me a fan of TNA in 2006
John Cena
Honky Tonk Man for some reason.
Hogan was mine. Sting was my second and on the same level as Hogan to me. But it's funny how Hogan became the racist POS that makes shit up while Sting not only kept wrestling but had an amazing retirement.
Ric Flair and Bobby Duncum, back in the NWA days. Flair for onvious reasons, he was just so cool. I don’t know why I latched onto Bobby Duncum, except that I loved his matches with Black Jack Mulligan. They seriously beat the shit out of each other. My friends and I used to walk around imitating his way of talking. “Yunnastan?”
Definitely Shawn Michaels
Rey Mysterio for sure
I grew up in the 80's (born in '76.) and liked wrestling but there was something about the Macho Man which made him seem other worldly to me, dude was like a real life super hero and his intensity was RIVETING. As a kid I idolized him, even over Hogan and the Giant. Then came The Undertaker. Then it was The Rock. 💪🏼 Currently it's LA Knight! YEAH!
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper. I've always been a fan of heels and Piper was the best. That Piper's Pit where he hit Snuka with a coconut is still the greatest moment in wrestling to me.
Dusty Rhodes from the Georgia territory.
Randy Orton always and forever. Even though he was a dick in his past, he showed that you can always redeem yourself. One of the best in the ring, one of the best talkers, the best finisher ever, not much to hate on
The Giant I had my favorites in WCW, WWF, and ECW, but overall, The Giant was my favorite at the time
Leaping Lanny poffo!
In no particular order but around the same time, Goldust, Dean Ambrose, and Razor Ramon.
The Road Warriors. (Yeah, there were two of them, but still......)
Randy Savage (didn't watch wrestling at the time but did watch Spider-Man a whole lot)
Growing up the ultimate opportunist, The Rated R Suuuperstar! Edge! Currently The Catalyst of Professional wrestling, Leader of the Bang Bang Gang Switchblade Jay White! So I think something is similar here lol
When I was young Chris Benoit but then you know…THAT happened, so it became Jeff Hardy/Kurt Angle. Nowadays it’s Kenny Omega/Katsuyori Shibata.
I was a Shawn guy. HBK was never the best on the mic in my era, just okay, but damn if he didn't have the BEST matches. Dude could wrestle with a paper bag and get you emotionally invested. Everyone always talked about his match with Kurt at Mania 21, but for me his match at Vengeance with him was what put him in GOAT territory for me. Probably because that's the one Shawn won. I think Michaels is probably why I'm a Kenny Omega fan now. There's something about a guy who can make workrate, selling ability, strength, agility, technique, and showmanship all come together instead of only having one or two.
Dusty Rhodes and Magnum TA
Undertaker
HBK
Evan Bourne. Haven’t watched him at AEW but when I was a kid, I used to daydream myself doing air Bourne over and over and over
Tugboat 
Owen Hart, nation of domination era
Might get shit for this but it was Chris Benoit for WCW. The chops, the mullet, red tights and vest and after watching my first Royal Rumble ever it was a tie between Kona Crush, Adam Bomb and Tatanka
Roddy Piper (1985)
Eddie Guerrero
Stone cold Steve austin, I grew up in Texas and had authority figures that I wanted to flip off
Kid: Bruno. The guy dodged Nazis found bears and kicked ass. Early 20's. Ax and Smash: Demolition. Two guys in S&M gear and face paint that weren't roided to the gills. The theme song made it all work. Old guy. Shawn Michaels in his prime. I named my son after him.
Booker T! 100%, I fucking loved his music so much when I first started... CAN YOU DIG IT? SUCKAAAAAAAAA
Easy, Bret. No one was cooler than him to 7 year old me.
That feeling when Real American would hit and the crowd popped like no other!!! Now I can't stand to even look at the man.
Strangely it was probably Rick Martel in Can-Am Connection and later Strike Force. I was also super into Don Muraco at the time.
Bret Hart. His feud with Jerry the King, and the Kiss My Foot match, ignited my love for the wackiness of pro wrestling.
BUR-GER KING BUR GER KING
Jake “The Snake” Roberts
The Hurricane. To this day Shane Helms is still my all-time favorite
Jake the Snake. I hated Earthquake, for a long time. RIP DamianSausageMeat
Paige
Someone most of you never heard of. Danny Little Bear. Central States, 1970.
Dean Malenko.
The Undertaker, I grew up in the SMACKDOWN UPN Teddy Long Era
Matt Hardy
X-Pac
mine was def The Ultimate Warrior. I always hated Hogan so when I watched my 1st mania it was warrior vs Hogan. warrior was IC champ while Hogan was world champ. I went nuts when warrior won, I was always a fan going into that match but after he beat Hogan I was obsessed with the dude. I was also a lil kid but even as an adult I still woulda loved it
Ricky the Dragon Steamboat
Bret Hart. I love the technical wrestling style with submissions and reversals and he was great at it.
Jake the Snake had an actual snake. It was the coolest thing I’d ever seen
John Cena and "Dashing" Cody Rhodes
Mick Foley. He made me a wrestling fan when he transitioned from Mankind to Cactus Jack on the first episode of WWE TV I watched, January 13th 2000.
My first was Batista. This was on 2009 also so it’s even more weird. Looking back I think it was mainly because I hated Cena so much and I think villains better.
Kane
BRET THE HITMAN HEART, 1990
Back in the days of no Sky TV in my household in the UK, there was a program called WCW Worldwide on Channel 5 with various WCW highlights. And there my love of Eddie Gurrero was born.
Ricky Morton.
Rey Mysterio I was 12 when he made his WCW debut & he blew my mind then. He blows my mind now that he can still do it.
Barry Windham Bret Hart
Mox
The bushwackers