10 Wrestlers Who Looked Better Over 40 Than In Their Prime
5. Nick Bockwinkel
It's a shame that Nick Bockwinkel's name isn't brought up in more 'greatest of all time' debates, as on his day, there was no one better than the long-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion.
Bock amassed 2,990 days across four reigns with the promotion's top prize. He was, at times, untouchable. His series with Curt Hennig is the stuff of legend, and one of a handful of territorial era feuds that still stands up today, and his work with Jerry Lawler, Rick Martel, and Wahoo McDaniel wasn't far behind. A masterful technician, he excelled at delivering a different kind of bout every time he stepped in the ring, and his character work was just as superlative.
While Ric Flair screamed at the top of his lungs, Bockwinkel's promos were calm, composed, and cutting. Coupled with his impressive vocabulary, this assured cadence marked him as one of the sport's greatest talkers.
What's most astonishing about Bock's success, however, is his age. He didn't even join the AWA until he was 36 years old, and even in 1987, when he was 53, he was still having great matches with Hennig and co. We'll never see another like him.