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Legends of Wrestlemania: Holes in the Roster

After months of speculation, the roster for THQ’s nostalgia-driven grappler, WWE Legends of Wrestlemania, was recently released. Here is the list of wrestlers in alphabetical order:

Wrestlers
Andre the Giant
Animal (Legion of Doom)
Bam Bam Bigelow
Big Boss Man
Big John Stud
Bret Hart
Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake
Dusty Rhodes
Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
Hacksaw Jim Duggan
Hawk (Legion of Doom)
Honky Tonk Man
Iron Sheik
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart
Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka
Junkyard Dog
Kamala
King Kong Bundy
Koko B. Ware
Michael Hayes
The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase
Mr. Perfect
Nikolai Volkoff
Ravishing Rick Rude
Ric Flair
The Rock
Rowdy Roddy Piper
Sgt. Slaughter
Shawn Michaels
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Triple H
Ultimate Warrior
Undertaker
Yokozuna

Managers
Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
Jimmy Hart
Mr. Fuji
Paul Bearer

Notable Omissions


Here is a discussion starter if there ever was one wrestling fans. What omissions from this roster really grind your gears? Here are a few of mine:

The Macho Man Randy Savage

Um, duh. Seriously, how can you have a game titled Legends of Wrestlemania when one of the true legends is absent?

Notable 'Mania matches for the Macho Man include Wrestlemania 5 against Hulk Hogan, Wrestlemania 7 vs. The Ultimate Warrior, Wrestlemania 8 vs. Ric Flair, and of course, Wrestlemania III vs. Ricky Steamboat -- a match regarded by some as one of the greatest matches of all time.

It is no secret that there is friction between Savage and Vince McMahon, although the actual cause of the conflict is often debated –- Google it sometime, you will have a laugh. I have picked up on some online chatter that Savage was originally slated to make the roster, and THQ had even built his character model before Mr. McMahon gave it the axe. It is truly a shame. Any other omission would be excusable if The Macho Man had made it into this game.

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat

Piggy-backing off of the Macho Man, Steamboat’s absence is really going to sting some of the old-school crowd. It makes sense, however, as his most notable Wrestlemania match was against another no-show. Still, though, it is rather ridiculous.

Nothing has really been said about unlockable characters, so perhaps we can still hope for Steamboat, especially when you consider the fact that he is being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on Wrestlemania Eve.

Mick Foley

OK, we all saw this one coming. While you cannot speak of the greats in WWE history without mentioning Foley, his jump to TNA was likely the nail in his coffin for this game.

While some of Foley’s most notable moments came at venues other than Wrestlemania, it still would have been nice to see him in the game. The Wrestlemania 22 match versus Edge would have been a dandy addition.

Razor Ramon

It is likely that Scott Hall wants nothing to do with the WWE these days (and it is also likely that he does not know who or where he is), but I would have really enjoyed a re-creation of the Shawn Michaels versus Razor Ramon ladder match from Wrestlemania X.

This was the first televised ladder match, which gave birth to a plethora of high-risk antics in the years to come. Without this match, we never would have had that insane Edge/Christian vs. Hardy Boyz vs. Dudley Boyz TLC match at Wrestlemania 2000. The brash ego of the Ramon character was always enjoyable, and he will be missed in this game.

Owen Hart

While other late-greats of the WWE have made the cut for this game, Owen Hart is notably absent.

Owen was a fantastic performer, and his match against his brother Bret at Wrestlemania X was a classic. Of all the most notable omissions from the main roster, I would tab Owen as the most likely to be an unlockable, but then again, that might be my high hopes shining through.


Ken Shamrock might go ballistic for being left out of Legends of Wrestlemania, old school style.

Other Absences

Ken Shamrock

Sure, Ken is more noteworthy for his UFC career and his role in Spike’s The Ultimate Fighter, but he did have an solid stint in the WWF as "The World’s Most Dangerous Man."

One of my favorite Shamrock matches occurred at Wrestlemania XIV against The Rock. In this match, Shamrock won via submission by his signature Ankle Lock (later pirated by Kurt Angle), only to have the decision reversed when he refused to release The Rock well after the bell had sounded. Shamrock went berserk, handing out belly-to-belly suplexes to anyone in his sight-line.

Edge/Christian, Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boyz

Not that any of these guys necessarily deserve to be in the same league as the likes of Hogan and Andre, but their TLC match at Wrestlemania 2000 was legendary. To this day, I still find it to be one the most enjoyable and most insane matches in pro wrestling history.

This match would be incredibly difficult to replicate in video-game form, so perhaps it is better that it was left alone.


I now give the floor to you all. Which WWE Superstars would you have liked to have seen in this game?


WWE Legends Of Wrestlemania Videos
Member Comments
# 1 areobee401 @ 03/10/09 04:23 PM
Do you mean "holes" or are we talking about hoes?
 
# 2 WazzuRC @ 03/10/09 04:25 PM
LOL at article title.
 
# 3 SPTO @ 03/10/09 04:29 PM
Hoes eh?

PIMPIN AINT EASY!
 
# 4 TimmeH @ 03/10/09 04:37 PM
LOL at the title.


As for the actual article, I agree for the most part. I heard Owen's family didn't want him in the game, which is why he's absent. It's too bad as Owen-Bret maybe my favorite Mania match of all time.

But some of the guys you mentioned aren't in the game because the roster was based off the first 15 Wrestlemanias, which was before Foley, Edge & Christian, the Hardyz, those Damn Dudleyz, etc ever made an impact.

Plus, with the ability to import your SVR09 roster into LOW, you can have Edge & the Hardyz on the roster anyways.

I'd like to throw Demolition in as inexcusable absences, especially when Arn Anderson is in the game when he never had any involvement in Wrestlemania.

Although, Savage, Steamboat, and Demolition are all RUMORED unlockables. Don't know if I really believe it though.
 
# 5 raidersbball20 @ 03/10/09 04:45 PM
I can't believe macho man isn't going to be in the game
 
# 6 Hooe @ 03/10/09 07:09 PM
Diesel is another guy that comes to mind. Kevin Nash's presence in TNA is an obvious reason why he's not in, though.
 
# 7 dansaint @ 03/11/09 07:01 PM
the rumored "beef" is that Savage had a "relationship" with one of the McMahon children when that child was underage. Hint...it wasn't Shane.

While it's never been 100% confirmed or denied by anyone...it's been floating out there for a while.
 
# 8 anotherdaydown @ 03/11/09 07:06 PM
Demolition not being in is inexcusable. The were the reigning champions for 478 days(Pre-Crush).

The Natural Disastors should be in.

Marty Jannetty should be in for the Rockers.

Powers of Pain.

I would rather have someone else in Hunter Hearst Helmsley's spot anyday. He was crap until the HHH gimmick came along.

We're missing alot of Tag Teams and Tag Teams actually meant something back then...
 
# 9 CoryHart @ 03/11/09 10:45 PM
Owen's wife doesn't want anything to do with wrestling, so she doesn't allow his likeness in ANYTHING.
 
# 10 Brianz1234 @ 03/11/09 10:56 PM
im hearing earthquake, mean gene okerlund and don muraco are 3 of a few unlockables...thats just about 95% sure. I have a source at thq. The demo plays well and the graphics look damn good.
 
# 11 anotherdaydown @ 03/12/09 12:48 AM
The THQ rep in this video says unlockables do not include wrestlers. As unfortunate as that news is...

http://gamingring.com/news/?p=3800
 
# 12 TimmeH @ 03/12/09 02:07 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by anotherdaydown
The THQ rep in this video says unlockables do not include wrestlers. As unfortunate as that news is...

http://gamingring.com/news/?p=3800
The problem is that THQ also said there's no custom music in this game, yet GamingRing has confirmed that there's custom music in their build of the game.

THQ has a horrible reputation of not knowing any of the details about their game. I'm not saying there are unlockable characters, but at the same time, I don't fully believe what THQ tells me lol
 
# 13 CubFan23 @ 03/12/09 01:00 PM
Hey, you left Hulk Hoagn off the list
 
# 14 gladiator1906 @ 03/12/09 03:43 PM
What about my man Sting?
 
# 15 sportznut02 @ 03/12/09 03:45 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by gladiator1906
What about my man Sting?
Why would sting be in Legends of WRESTLEMANIA?
 
# 16 Dr.J @ 03/12/09 07:02 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seymour Scagnetti
Same reason that Michael Hayes is in it.
Or arn anderson.
 
# 17 sportznut02 @ 03/12/09 07:12 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr.J
Or arn anderson.
well not that they deserve to be in it those two are probably there because they work for the E
 
# 18 vernond @ 03/12/09 07:24 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seymour Scagnetti
Same reason that Michael Hayes is in it.
Michael Hayes is in it because he's worked for the wwe for the past 14 years. Sting or any tna wrestler isn't going to be in the game, like Nash, Booker, Angle, or Foley.
 
# 19 JiggidyJames @ 03/12/09 09:18 PM
Steamboat didn't own his name or likeness until recently. DLC maybe?
 
# 20 Shadymamba @ 03/12/09 10:28 PM
yah they should of really put the tag teams in it...i mean now days they dont even care about the tag titles they might as well not even have them..so at least in a game about legends...how cool would it be the be demolition and have to fight 12 tag teams in some sort of story mode
 

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