"Stiff," is a carny term that is used to describe a wrestler whose offense is considered to be particular heavy on actual contact. If your fellow wrestlers describe you as stiff, it generally means that you are viewed as being somewhat dangerous. WCW is long gone, of course, but during its heyday, the locker room consisted of many old time veterans. There's been a long-standing philosophy amongst the stalwarts of wrestling known as "protecting the business," which can inspire certain wrestlers to take themselves very seriously. Here are 10 WCW wrestlers who were notorious for working stiff.
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10 Ron Simmons
Ron Simmons was known for being a hard nosed football player in college, and later in the NFL. His wrestling style was quite physical, and "smashmouth," as they say. Therefore, it's not so much that Simmons was deliberately stiff, but he was so strong and physically powerful that his offense was inevitably full contact. Steve Austin once remarked that when Simmons would get a "hot tag," it was both awesome and terrifying at once, as he would operate at an almost inhuman speed. There was absolutely no denying Ron Simmon's talent between the ropes, though, as he would eventually make history by becoming the first African American World Champion in WCW.
9 Stan Hansen
Stan Hansen was a brute who had a wild and reckless working style in the same vein as guys such as Dick Murdoch and Dick Slater. Hansen only wrestled under the WCW banner for a short time, as he spent the bulk of his career working in Japan. The Texas native once had a match with fellow WCW peer, Vader, in Japan that resulted in the latter almost losing his eye completely. In some ways, Stan Hansen was tailor made for the early days of WCW. He was old school, and protected his character and the business at all costs.
8 Steven Regal
Though he is known to this generation as the diplomatic and honorable General Manager of NXT, Regal was once a feared and savvy heel in WCW. Wrestling under the name Steven in the company, Regal employed a traditional European style that is rather notorious for being stiff and believable. He once physically neutralized Bill Goldberg of all people, leaving no question as to his capabilities and toughness. Because he would go on to show such massive range as a performer, it's easy to forget just how imposing Regal could be. Not only was he a master technician in his day, but Regal was as fearsome as they came.
7 Finlay
Much like his European counterpart, Steven Regal, Finlay worked the style that he was trained to work, to often brutal results. It's not that he would take any liberties with his opponents, but he wasn't shy about exerting himself physically, if needed. There was one particular match, at WCW Uncensored in 1996, between Finlay and Regal, that showcased the European style in all of its stiff glory. It was a match that featured no stipulation, but was as violent and unflinching as anything else on the card. Ironically enough, Finlay would go on to become well documented for his stellar work in establishing WWE's now celebrated women's division.
6 Animal
One half of the fearsome duo, The Road Warriors, Animal was the bigger and more physically imposing of the two. With his trademark mohawk and facepaint, Animal was an intimidating sight. The Road Warriors ran roughshod over WCW, and all of the territories they worked prior, in order to establish themsleves as virtually unbeatable. Their approach worked masterfully as many opponents generally balked at facing the Warriors. Animal was known as a man who could do whatever he wanted to you in the ring, regardless of size or power.
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5 Hawk
The other half of the legendary Road Warriors tag team, Hawk, was the more charismatic of the two. He was also known as being somewhat unhinged at times. Hawk was said to be the most feared of the Warriors, because of his sometimes violent and unpredictable temper. His reputation also carried over, outside the ring, as he had well documented run ins with the likes of Too Cold Scorpio and Randy Savage. Hawk was known for having a particularly stiff clothesline, including the one he would deliver in the team's signature move, the doomsday device.
4 Goldberg
One of the biggest WCW stars in history, Goldberg is an interesting case study. In many ways, he would be the original protoype for the current WWE or NXT star. He didn't have the advantage of working his way up through the independents and honing his craft. Therefore, Goldberg fell back on his pro football mentality of essentially destroying whatever or whoever was in front of him. Even to the untrained eye, it's clear to see just how staunch and unforgiving Goldberg's signature offense could be.
3 Rick Steiner
The "Dog Faced Gremlin," Rick Steiner was the first of the Steiner Brothers to appear on Turner Television. Rick boasted an amateur background that when coupled with his unparralleled strength, could make for some scary sights. He could sometimes be seen suplexing enhancement wrestlers of the time in a most dangerous and reckless way. His clothesline was also nothing to scoff at, either, as for years it was he and his brother's primary finishing move. The father of current NXT standout, Bron Breakker, Rick's fearsome legacy lives on in modern day wrestling.
2 Scott Steiner
Perhaps the most awesome physical specimen in Wrestling History, Scott Steiner could have a reputation for being an uncontrollable beast. Like his brother and tag partner, Rick, Scott Steiner boasted an amateur background that only served to make him even more dangerous. After the breakup of their tag team, Scott would go on to become one of WCW's main eventers. Scott wasn't known for injuring his opponents, but it was plain to see just how long of a night, his opponents would be in for, when wrestling him. Because of his freakish strength, everything Scott Steiner did to you, likely felt just a little more painful.
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1 Vader
There is virtually only one name that could have topped this list, and that is of course, The Man They Call, Vader. Vader's entire reputation, was based around his stiff style. As aforemntioned, Vader could take it as well as he dished it out, nearly losing his eye in match with Stan Hansen. From breaking the nose of Mick Foley, and striking fear in the hearts of nearly everyone he faced, Vader was the most intimidating big man in WCW history. Because of his ultra physical style, Vader is viewed as one of the most legitimate champions, WCW ever saw.
