The 1980s was a much different time for the entire world. Professional wrestling was no different as the first half of the decade was still dominated by the classic territory system. Even as WWE and WCW (or Jim Crockett Promotions, then) began growing in power, guys could view their trade in other promotions and coverage was different in the pre-internet era. That meant that some guys could pull stuff that would never, ever work in today's world.

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Much of that was simply the different times with things accepted then that wouldn't be today. The changes in the business have cut down on how much a wrestler could get away with. Here are ten things wrestlers in the 1980s could never do today, as a reminder of how wrestling, like the world, has adapted to different tones today.

The Use Of Steroids Was Rampant

Everyone Was Doing Steroids

• Promoters are much stricter and do not approve of steroid use.
• The Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan both took steroids.
• It caused a lot of bad press for WWE in later years.

Yes, they might still pop up today, but nowhere near the levels they were in the past. It cannot be denied steroids were practically a requisite for wrestlers in the 1980s. The massive physiques prove that thanks to the musclemen around WWE and the future WCW.

Even the lower-rung guys felt the pressure to bulk up a bit, regardless of the costs. While they can still be used today, promoters have come down much harder on steroids and other "supplements" thanks to the dangers and bad press. Maybe they can be used, but not at the level as in the 1980s.

Carrying Around Weapons All Over

Many Wrestlers Were Armed With Whatever They Could Find

• Wrestlers carried weapons in case fans attacked them.
• It is extremely rare and uncommon for a wrestler to have a weapon on them at all times now.
• Wrestlers only use weapons for the camera now.

This may sound nutty, but according to tales, even as late as the 1990s, it was common for wrestlers to carry weapons around. The old days were filled with stories of a guy having himself armed just in case a fan took it too seriously to attack him.

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There was also how wrestlers had to be careful when driving in rough areas in a time when robberies on the road were more common. Now, a guy packing any sort of weapon not meant for an angle would be fired fast, and it's too dangerous to have them anyway. The only time a wrestler has some weapon today is for the cameras, not for real.

Keeping Up Kayfabe Was Important

They Were Not Allowed To Break Character

• Wrestlers would go to extreme lengths to not expose the business.
• Some wrestlers would lie to their families.
• Kayfabe does not exist nowadays.

For decades, kayfabe was kept sacred to the point wrestlers would lie to their own families about the business being real. A famous case is Tim Woods being in a plane crash but insisting on wrestling with a broken back, so fans didn't know he was traveling with hated rival Johnny Valentine.

That wasn't the only case of guys going to extremes to hide that it was all pre-determined, but thanks to the Internet, there's no way this can work. Fans today know it's a show and the truth behind events, so wrestlers acting like it's all for real won't fly in today's world. Kayfabe was fine in the old days, but not in today's wrestling world.

Real-Life Brawls Are A Rarity Now

It Is Looked Poorly Upon

• Numerous backstage fights have taken place over the years in WWE.
• Some wrestlers wanted to show how tough they were.
• Some wrestlers even fought with fans.

While tempers flare in wrestling a lot, having guys fight for real is frowned upon. That's a far cry from the olden days, where guys could get into real brawls. In fact, some guys enjoyed showing their actual toughness with these fights and supposedly a sign of respect if they won.

There were also guys fighting with fans outside the ring, which was a way to keep up kayfabe. Any wrestler doing that today would be fired on the spot, and promoters aren't fond of guys settling things with their fists. Things can still get heated, but most wrestlers today won't be fighting backstage, but rather save it for the ring.

The Ribs Went Too Far

Some Of Them Were Criminal Acts

• The British Bulldogs used to rib a lot of wrestlers.
• The Dynamite Kid got into a fight with Jacques Rougeau.
• Most promoters would not be ok with ribs today.

Pranks on guys is as old as wrestling itself. They continue today and a little practical joke is good for laughs. But some of the stuff wrestlers did in the 1980s could qualify as criminal acts. The British Bulldogs were infamous for drugging guy's drinks right before a long road trip.

There was also crazy antics involving tricking guys into thinking they were being attacked by someone with a gun or other wild tales. A joke is fine, but stuff that would get someone arrested today isn't going to pass muster with promoters now.

Using Animals In Segments

It Was Not Ok To Put Them In Danger

• A few wrestlers used to bring out animals to the ring.
• Jake Roberts used snakes, The British Bulldogs had a bulldog, and Koko B. Ware had a bird.
• It would not be passable to bring animals to the ring now.

Looking back, its surprising wrestling got away with animal antics as long as they did. The most famous case is Jake Roberts and his snakes, with stories of them acting up on the road. Guys had dogs, birds and other creatures, often used in the ring or in angles, putting them in danger. Even then, animal rights groups could get upset about that, but today, it would not be acceptable at all to bring live animals ringside where they could be hurt.

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Some Notable Insults

The Things People Said Were Unacceptable

• Many wrestlers used offensive language in promos.
• These promos would not be allowed to happen today.

Times have changed in society, and while some can argue as to the reasons, it's pretty clear wrestlers could not get away with some of the insults they spewed even 20 years ago. Insults based on someone's ethnicity, or background or alluding them to swing a certain way would never pass muster on today's TV.

Jim Cornette learned that the hard way when a crack on NWA TV that would have been funny in the 1980s earned a huge backlash. While wrestlers can make some snide remarks today, they can't be insulting people the same way as they did back then.

The Fast Times On The Road

Wrestlers Were Doing A Lot Of Crazy Things

• Wrestlers used to have heavy drug and alcohol abuse problems.
• Some got into trouble with the law.
• There was some damage done to property.

There are so many things that happened on the road with wrestlers in the 1980s that would never pass muster today. Books are filled with legendary tales of guys getting into antics, from wild parties to exploits with women that put any fictional erotic tale to shame.

That includes hard drinking, tearing up hotels and even a few run-ins with the cops. Today, promoters are wary of the bad press such stories can get online and so have to be harsher on wrestlers living it up too much on the road.

Drug Use Was Sadly Too Common

Things Have Changed For The Better

• Many wrestlers have tragically passed away due to drug abuse.
• Many used them to party or deal with personal issues.
• The views on cocaine and other drugs has changed greatly in professional wrestling.

The attitude toward drugs in the 1980s was a lot different than today. Back then, the dangers were not as widely accepted as guys saw cocaine and other stuff as just a way to handle the tough times on the road or a "pick me up" before a match. That led to several promising stars losing themselves to addictions, often to a fatal degree.

That attitude has thankfully changed so while some guys can still indulge today, companies come down much harder on a failed test. It's a good thing the days of guys taking drugs like they were vitamin pills are in the past.

Wrestling While Injured

No Match Is Greater Than Good Health

• Companies must take immediate action if there is an injury.
• There are far stricter protocols in place in many companies.

Today, WWE and other companies take immediate action when a guy is injured in a match. Referees are told to be sure to stop fast at the first sign of a bad injury and not trust a wrestler who thinks he can continue. That's a far cry from days when guys could be bloody messes and even have a few broken bones but insisted on going on.

There are tales of guys refusing to take time off even with a serious injury and keeping it quiet to keep up kayfabe. That would never be allowed today, as promoters much prefer a guy getting healthy to wrestling through the pain.