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40 of the Best Thugs (Bullies) in Professional Wrestling History

Posted: Oct 22nd 2011 By: mikeiles

They are big and bad and thought they ruled the wrestling world with their power and style.

They walked into the arena and fans knew there would be blood shed or a battle of mayhem.

These wrestlers were the thugs or bullies everyone loved to hate or loved to cheer for as big, bad faces who meant business in the ring.

Whether they were of the old school nature like Ole Anderson or of the new school of brutalizing their opponents, these men were feared by opponents when they got in the ring.

Some, like Bully Ray and Samoa Joe in today's modern wrestling, take pride in punishing their opponents like it was child's play.

But all of them had the same thing in common when it came to wrestling. Destroying the men they faced in their matches was all part of the mystique that either made them or makes them great.

The Andersons

Ole and Gene Anderson caused a great deal of pain in Georgia Championship Wrestling and the Mid Atlantic region of the country.

Known for going through their opponents, the Andersons would cut the ring in half, keep an opponent in their corner and work on an arm or a leg or brutalizing them into submission.

Their tactics were mostly legal, but they bullied their opponents more often than not.

Angelo Mosca

A big brute of a wrestler.

This Canadian football star and regional wrestler would just beat the hell out of his opponent until he scored the victory.

One of his crowning moments was when he told Ric Flair that if Flair lived past 30 years old, he was overstaying his welcome.

The Masked Assassin

Jody Hamilton was a bear of a man who won by whatever means possible.

He used foreign objects, chairs and at one point or two chloroform to knock an opponent out.

He feuded with the likes of the Briscos, Dusty Rhodes and Mike Graham in the early 1980s.

Awesome Kong/Karma

Our first female entry in this list.

Anyone who says she was not a bully in her time with TNA is missing the boat.

Awesome Kong moved to the WWE and became Karma, which proved to be short-lived.

Her power and strength just bruised many an opponent.

Bam Bam Bigelow

Like I have said before, anyone who has tattoos on their head like that is one bad man.

Bigelow run through and over his opponents in many wrestling organizations with strength, and just a mean and bullying mentality.

Just one rough and tough dude.

Big John Studd

The mighty John Studd was an imposing figure at 6'10" and over 300 pounds. And when he got in the ring, he beat down his opponents like it was child's play.

He was so large and so much bigger than most of his opponents, it was only a matter of time before he scored a victory.

The only time he ever looked "small" was in his battles with Andre the Giant.

Mad Dog Vachon

You do not get a nickname like "mad dog" for being a nice guy.

Maurice Vachon was a wrestler in the AWA and WWF where he would beat his opponents on a regular basis by whatever means necessary.

He was also an accomplished tag team wrestler and held numerous regional titles.

Dick the Bruiser

You could not have this list without Dick the Bruiser.

A man who was a great heel in the Midwest and ran his own wrestling operation the WWA.

Bruiser was also a tag team partner of Crusher in the AWA and feuded with the likes of Vern Gagne.

The Bruiser was the first to christen Bobby Heenan with the nickname of "The Weasel" during his run in the territory.

Bully Ray

Did you really think I would leave him off this list?

Bully Ray may be the best heel in the business today and certainly a thug if there ever was one.

He has proven he is equally adept at singles wrestling as he is in a tag team environment.

Either way, it means there is trouble for anyone who faces him.

Chyna

From the first time we saw her on the television screen, we knew she was trouble.

Big, powerful and a woman who could beat the crap out of men.

And she wrestled them, too!

Remind me never to piss her off.

Crusher

Like his "cousin" Dick the Bruiser, a real terror in the ring in his generation.

He and Bruiser beat up tag teams in the WWA and AWA.

He was think, strong and powerful and in most cases, victorious.

Doom

Butch Reed and Ron Simmons were two powerful heels who could wrestle, but as a tag team made their money beating others up.

The feuded with the Steiners and won WCW tag team gold, but they were mostly known for their bullying style and fierce nature.

Woman's look did not discourage their appeal, either.

Goldberg

Yes, he was a face. But he had two or three moves and ran through opponents.

He battered big men and small men, alike. He did not discriminate when it came to pain.

Stan Hansen

The big, bad Texan would bring a bull rope to the ring, hit you with his huge arms and soften you up for his running lariat.

And if the match was a little closer than he would like, he would use the bull rope or cow bell for good measure.

JBL

He was a lot like Stan Hansen.

A big, tall Texan who could wrestle and hit you with a variety of punishing blows.

But when it came down to it, he would win by whatever means necessary.

King Kong Bundy

He was definitely a character in the WWF circus.

Bundy was big, powerful and moved quite well for a man his size.

And he even beat the hell out of big opponents like Hulk Hogan.

He was powerful and a great heel, but I feel he could have been more.

Jos Leduc

If you look into those eyes, you might see a madman.

I saw LeDuc wrestle in Florida once. Make that beat the hell out of Sam Houston in Florida.

LeDuc was a French Canadian from the old school of brutal wrestling and very little science in the ring.

Brock Lesnar

The power and brutality that he brought from the college ranks to the professional circle cannot be denied.

Lesnar is one of those rare beasts who come along and just kick everyone's ass in his path.

And the sad thing is, they knew it was coming.

Luna Vachon

Another female wrestler makes our list.

Luna Vachon looked as mean as she was.

A strong competitor in the ring, just her look was enough to make other female wrestlers cower in fear. Maybe some men as well.

Mark Henry

He is proving right now what the true definition of a heel is in wrestling.

Henry is beating everyone in his wake. And he is doing in it convincing fashion.

Henry is so powerful he can handle the likes of Big Show and Kane and pulverize the likes of a Randy Orton.

Will there be someone to stop this man?

Dick Murdoch and Adrian Adonis

Two mean and nasty guys get together in the WWF and cause hell for other wrestlers.

Wow, like that NEVER happens.

Murdoch was a Texas hick who bullied everyone.

Adonis was a bruiser who took pride in punishing opponents.

Together they were pretty successful.

Natalya

She has the pedigree for this, you know.

Natalya has the ability to be the baddest women's wrestler in history. And that, is a good thing.

As a member of the famed Hart Family, she can really punish females in the ring and "wrestle".

Lately, she has done more abusing than anything else.

Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart

Like father like daughter.

Neidhart was part of the famed Hart Foundation and the Hart Family.

Big, strong powerful tough guy. He was the viciousness to Bret Hart's finesse in the ring.

Scott Norton

Former power lifter and arm wrestler was a success in Japan and came stateside and enjoyed moderate success.

A member of the NWO, he was a tag team specialist with Buff Bagwell.

A brute in the ring who just manhandled his opponents.

ODB

Let's focus on the fact she is one mean lady.

ODB terrorizes women like no other in TNA.

Big, strong and powerful. ODB battled the likes of Awesome Kong, Tara and Gail Kim, not to mention Velvet Sky.

You don't want to cross this women.

One Man Gang

Goofy looking dude with a tattoo on the side of his head.

He manhandled many an opponent. Played up his part in WCW and was a regional title holder in many promotions over the years.

A good mid card guy in the WWF in the mid 1980s.

Ox Baker

For some reason, I love the fact this cartoonish man beat people up.

Baker was a force in the 1970s and early 1980s and won by any means and in any situation.

When wrestlers got in the ring with him, they feared for their safety.

Beth Phoenix

She is the most powerful women in the WWE right now.

With Natalya as her teammate, they may be unstoppable.

She is quick, strong, beautiful and best of all, a diva that can wrestle.

What more could you ask for?

Road Warriors

Another two faces that lived on danger and intimidation.

You know how good they were and how bad they were in wrestling circles.

A great iconic tag tam.

Samoa Joe

I worried when he was losing all those matches a few months ago, but Samoa Joe is right back where he belongs amongst the best heels in the business.

Joe take pride in winning dirty and illegally and will break bones, beat people up and take names.

And if he feels like it, he will ask questions later.

Sid Vicious

He had a great look to him. And when wrestled he was outstanding. But there were two characters who played different roles in both the WWF and WCW.

When he was at his best, he was one of the meanest SOBs in wrestling. He literally walked through his opponents,

Dick Slater

They did not call him "Dirty" for nothing.

A regional star who rose in the ranks of the NWA.

Usually had a great deal of work in the southern states and the Carolinas.

Was one of those guys who just played the part of the bully and played it well.

Scott Steiner

Holler if you hear him.

We hear him loud and clear. Now shut the hell up.

Steiner has made a living the second half of his carrier being a thug and bully and rising to the top of the WCW food chain.

He has been a bit player in TNA, showing the end of his career as a muscle man is nearing the end.

Terry Gordy

He grew into his role.

Gordy was a wet behind the ears kid when he joined The Freebirds.

He was the big bad bully on the block.

He branched out to singles competition and dominated with a powerful style and brooding look.

He was an international success as well.

The APA

Bradshaw and Ron Simmons were both heels and faces in the WWF.

Two big strong bullies who were world tag team champions and ran through their opponents with power moves and raw skill.

Not a bad combination.

Vader

Everyone knew when Leon White got in the ring, it was Vader Time.

He was a bully who would beat his opponents with potato shots and big forearm smashes.

He also used the top rope every once in a while.

His brawls with Ric Flair were real fits of rage, according to Flair.