In the decidedly-uncool world of 1980s WWE, über-goober Hulk Hogan needed a proper foil - and that foil was none other than "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. Piper was always original and a little bit alternative - even when wrestling in main events for the biggest company in the world. Whether working as a heel or a babyface, Roddy Piper was the same man - determined, willing to step on toes, and quick to erupt into a frenzy. Still, he could elicit a reaction with barely any effort at all - just watch his entrance at the inaugural WrestleMania for proof. Even in his older years, when his physique had departed and his athleticism had failed him, Piper maintained an air of gritty realness that made his matches and (especially) his promos stunningly visceral. Like Hulk Hogan, Piper made some movies in the 80s and 90s, and like Hogan, some of his script selections were questionable. However, Piper's lead role in John Carpenter's They Live! undoes all the rest and cements "The Rowdy One" as a counterculture icon. It's the perfect addition to his career as one of the coolest wrestlers ever.
Scott Fried is a Slammy Award-winning* writer living and working in New York City. He has been following/writing about professional wrestling for many years and is a graduate of Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottfried.
*Best Crowd of the Year, 2013
