The 1980s were a high point for pro wrestling. While WWE was rising up, Jim Crockett Promotions was consolidating power en route to becoming WCW. But there were scores of promotions around like the AWA, World Class, and the numerous territories to keep fans intrigued. That meant a lot of wrestlers who may not have been household names but were pretty famous for their time and areas.
Yet a few wrestlers have become better known for fans, not for lengthy careers boasting numerous great moments but rather for a single big storyline. Often, it's in connection to another big star, other times it can be circumstances ensuring this is pretty much their legacy. These are ten wrestlers of the 1980s only remembered for one storyline, even though for many, that's enough.
10 Wendi Richter
It's a bit sad, but the fact remains Wendi Richter is better known today for her fast rise and fall in WWE than her success. She made history in 1984, ending the Fabulous Moolah's decades-long run as women's champion and seemed set for longer stardom.
She lost the belt to Leilani Kai and regained it at the first WrestleMania. Richter then got into a beef with Vince McMahon and so was gypped out of the title by a masked Moolah to leave the promotion. It's too bad Richter's claim to fame is this poor ending.
9 Killer Khan
Anyone who can take it to Andre the Giant should be well remembered. Killer Khan was pushed off his build and his sinister appearance in a 1981 feud with Andre. In a stunning moment, Khan supposedly broke Andre's leg, bringing the Giant down like no one had before.
Andre returned in a vicious match, beating Khan into a pulp and capping off a brilliant angle. Khan drifted around for years off the fame of that moment as he never quite reached such "giant" success after this star-making turn against Andre.
8 Jay Youngblood
His too-early passing at only 30 is a good reason wrestling fans often forget Jay Youngblood. But Ricky Steamboat has long cited the man as the best tag team partner he ever had. The pair worked well together in the Mid-Atlantic region and were soon put into a brilliantly done feud against Sgt. Slaughter and Don Kernodle for the tag titles.
They had just wrapped it up when they had another great feud with the Briscoes that ended with regaining the belts at the first Starrcade. Youngblood died in 1985, but he did boast a sensational tag team program to his accolades.
7 Eric Embry
Normally, World Class Championship Wrestling was Von Erich territory, but in 1989, Eric Embry emerged as its biggest star. Turning babyface, Embry began a war against General Skandor Akbar and his army, fighting hard against all odds and the fans on his side.
It culminated in a cage match where Embry "won" ownership of WCCW, leading to it being transformed into the USWA. Embry kept up in Texas for several more years but not at any level of success yet is an important figure in World Class ending its long run.
6 Buddy Rose & Doug Somers
Never quite good workers, "Playboy" Buddy Rose and Doug Somers somehow ended up winning the AWA tag team titles on an odd countout rule. With Sherri Martel at their side, the reign seemed lackluster…until they faced the Midnight Rockers.
Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty were boosted to stardom by this feud, which included a bloody cage match. Finally, after months of chasing, the Rockers got the titles. Rose and Somers didn't have much success later, but at least they got to be part of this epic feud.
5 Powers Of Pain
Among the many Road Warrior copies going around in the 1980s, Warlord and Barbarian feuded with the actual Legion of Doom in the NWA. They jumped to WWE, where they were first presented as faces. That didn't quite suit them while Demolition was becoming more popular.
So at the Survivor Series, WWE pulled off a great double turn that made Demolition faces while the Powers were paired with Mr. Fuji. The resulting feud wasn't that memorable, but that great double turn was the reason the Powers are remembered for helping Demolition take off even better.
4 Austin Idol
With a career stretching to the 1970s, Austin Idol had some fun pushes in the indies. But to many, the high point of his career would be when he and Tommy Rich feuded with Jerry Lawler in 1987. Idol beat Lawler in a match for the Southern title, with Lawler having his head shaved before a crowd that almost literally rioted.
The feud went on with some wild battles, culminating in a scaffold match. While Idol kept wrestling into the 1990s, he never hit such fame again as that feud with Lawler was easily the high point of a long career.
3 Ronnie Garvin
Ronnie Garvin was a tough worker but never seen as more than a midcard guy. He was among the many challenging Ric Flair for the NWA World title and some decent chases. In September of 1987, Garvin upset Flair for the belt and it was meant to be a huge moment.
The reality was Garvin was a lame-duck champion from the start with the plan to drop the belt to Flair at Starrcade. Garvin's reign was a mess and Flair was cheered when he won the belt back. It's odd how becoming World champion ended up being the only memorable thing in Garvin's career.
2 Chris Adams
"The Gentleman" was a top star for World Class Championship Wrestling, long a popular face. In 1985, he turned heel on the Von Erichs for some good stuff. Adams hit his height when he and Gino Hernandez partnered up, the pair reigning as tag team champions and the most hated men in Texas.
It built to a breakup angle with Hernandez "blinding" Adams with oil and Adams even going around in public with bandaged eyes. This was to set up a bigger feud, but Hernandez died suddenly. Adams did "recover" to be WCCW champion but most still associate him with this aborted storyline.
1 Danny Davis
For a long while, Danny Davis was just another ref in WWE. In late 1986, he began a storyline of being blatantly biased toward the heels, from fast counts on faces to ignoring cheating right in front of him. The final straw was his bad officiating costing the British Bulldogs the tag titles to the Hart Foundation.
WWE president Jack Tunney suspended Davis "for life," with Jimmy Hart making him a wrestler. He didn't work out well there and before long was back at his ref job to mark one of the odder heels of this era.