8 Wrestling Game-Changers Who Became JOBBERS!

5. Junkyard Dog

When Vince McMahon set about offering the moon on a stick to every territory star in the mid-1980s, he had Hulk Hogan's global domination as the template for how high those wrestlers could fly. Or, at very least, spots on box office-smashing cards main evented by 'The Hulkster' that guaranteed some extremely healthy paydays. Of course, McMahon only provided small actual downsides while topping it up with endless slabs of "opportunity", but from hearing wrestlers tell stories to this day of the money they made working Hogan towns during the Hulkamania era, the former chairman wasn't quite at his snake oil worst. 

In this respect, the late Sylvester Ritter's story is no different to that of many others that signed on the with the market leader. He'd been a monster hit for Mid-South, still had enough about him to pop crowds in the midcard, get heels over enough for Hogan to beat, and even sometimes headline shows himself. But, per just about every credible voice at the time, he was very nearly the man McMahon went with to lead the whole charge. Depending on which account you believe, 'JYD' was on a superstar shortlist with Hogan and Kerry Von Erich, and was at very least first reserve backup if Hulk wasn't interested in the Titan move. History ultimately played out as it did and Hogan was a roaring success in the spot, but Ritter brought the "Thump" to the World Wrestling Federation anyway, landing in 1984 and wrestling a mammoth 730+ matches for the company before his exit in 1988.

The gruelling schedule took its toll, and Junkyard's aura diminished along the way. "Grab Them Cakes" was an iconic in-house sequel to his Another One Bites The Dust theme, and his natural charisma carried the load longer than many others would have managed, but the bright lights were only there for him to examine from his position flat on the mat as his run wound down. The man that would be king in the mid-80s was bowing to Harley Race's take on the regal role by WrestleMania III, and thus began of putting over any and every new body through the doors. Ron Bass, Haku, One Man Gang, Bad News Brown, Rick Rude and even The Red Rooster were given wins over him during his extended decline, and his final appearance for the market leader made for the most makeshift of exits; he teamed with B. Brian Blair to lose to Race and the retooled Akeem in just four minutes.