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Top 50 Draws In WWE History

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09-18-2018 , 02:09 AM

LibSuperstar

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Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 92

Have you guys ever seen this list? Dave Meltzer compiled it in 2008 based on historian Matt Farmer's research of wrestlers headlining cards with an attendance of 10K or more. Some people are surprising (especially given the positioning). I imagine that Meltzer might have to update it one day but it's interesting to look at.

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1. BRUNO SAMMARTINO
2. HULK HOGAN
3. BOB BACKLUND
4. ARGENTINA ROCCA
5. HHH
6. UNDERTAKER
7. STEVE AUSTIN
8. THE ROCK
9. PEDRO MORALES
10. SHAWN MICHAELS
11. SUPERSTAR BILLY GRAHAM
12. MIGUEL PEREZ
13. BRET HART
14. BUDDY ROGERS
15. RANDY SAVAGE
16. JOHN CENA
17. KURT ANGLE
18. MICK FOLEY AKA CACTUS JACK, DUDE LOVE, MANKIND
19. ANDRE THE GIANT
20. DR. JERRY GRAHAM
(TIE) JOHNNY VALENTINE
22. RODDY PIPER
23. IVAN KOLOFF
24. ULTIMATE WARRIOR
(TIE) RANDY ORTON
(TIE) BATISTA
27. GREG VALENTINE
(TIE) YOKOZUNA
(TIE) SGT. SLAUGHTER
30. GEORGE STEELE
(TIE) CHRIS JERICHO
(TIE) KANE
(TIE) KEVIN NASH AKA DIESEL
34. RIC FLAIR
(TIE) BIG SHOW AKA PAUL WRIGHT
(TIE) STAN HANSEN
(TIE) GORILLA MONSOON
(TIE) KEN PATERA
39. FRED BLASSIE
(TIE) BOB ORTON SR. AKA ROCKY FITZPATRICK
(TIE) BROCK LESNAR
42. EDDIE GRAHAM
(TIE) KILLER KOWALSKI
(TIE) PROFESSOR TORU TANAKA
(TIE) DON MURACO
(TIE) DAVEY BOY SMITH AKA BRITISH BULLDOG
(TIE) EDGE
(TIE) CHRIS BENOIT
49. LARRY ZBYSZKO
(TIE) PAUL ORNDORFF
(TIE) IRON SHEIK AKA GREAT HOSSEIN ARAB AKA COL. MUSTAFA
(TIE) NIKOLAI VOLKOFF AKA BEPO MONGOL
(TIE) WALDO VON ERICH
(TIE) BOOKER T AKA KING BOOKER

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09-18-2018 , 03:02 AM

Dynasty

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I assume people aren't surprised to see Bruno Sammartino as #1. He was WWWF champion for a combined eleven years over two title reigns. That's a lot of main eventing in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington D.C., Baltimore, and Pittsburgh.

#4 Antonino Rocca was the Italian-American hero in the northeast before Bruno was. That's why he's at #4. Rocca was big enough to make a cover of the Superman comic.

http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Superman_Vol_1_155

Hogan and Backlund are #2 and #3 on the list and in combined WWF title reigns (separated by just 47 days). The nature of the WWF touring the northeast big arenas, especially during Backlund's reign, means they would accumulate big numbers.

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09-18-2018 , 05:55 PM

wheatrich

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No way HHH is ahead of the next three on that list even for 2008 much less around the next twenty below him. Obviously bork has to move way up. Surprised flair/andre are that low. Suppose flair is because he drew southeast when northeast was a bigger hotbed at the time. Obviously flair tied with big show and behind kane makes no logical sense in drawing power.

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09-18-2018 , 06:41 PM

True North

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Andre rarely main evented, he was always booked as a special attraction in his heyday.

Flair was hardly ever with WWF/E while he was on top. Pretty much his run in 92 and that’s it. If it wasn’t WWE only, obviously Flair would be way farther up the list.

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09-18-2018 , 06:45 PM

Dynasty

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Originally Posted by wheatrich

Surprised flair/andre are that low. Suppose flair is because he drew southeast when northeast was a bigger hotbed at the time.

I assume this is WWWF/WWF/WWE only. So, all of Flair's sellouts in the NWA and WCW aren't being counted. Flair was only at the top of the card in the WWF for a brief period of time (Autumn of 1991 to Autumn of 1992).

As for Andre, he was not often in WW(W)F main events so he's not getting credit on this list. Or should I not be reading "headlining" as "main eventing"?

Main events were for the world champion. Andre was an additional attraction in addition to the main event.

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09-18-2018 , 07:43 PM

LibSuperstar

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Andre usually headlined the B house shows. The name that stood out to me most was Bob Orton Sr. I knew he was major in other territories but didn't know if he worked NY. He and Buddy Rogers teamed together and headlined on occasions in the Capitol days. Plus he had an Irish cowboy gimmick and challenged Sammartino for the title.

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09-19-2018 , 10:26 AM

Poncharello

journeyman

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 371

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Originally Posted by wheatrich

I think that HHH is way ahead of those next three using the criteria that they did. HHH was on top a hell of a lot longer than any of them and rightly or wrongly gets the credit for drawing the houses.

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09-19-2018 , 10:49 AM

.isolated

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Originally Posted by Poncharello

This is correct. List is very flawed. But it's something?

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09-19-2018 , 11:32 AM

OneOut

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This looks like he picked names out of a random generator.

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09-19-2018 , 02:26 PM

#10

sixfour

should be called sevenfour

Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 75,509

I was assuming this was the best fifty matches that ended as a draw

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09-19-2018 , 09:06 PM

#11

Mat the Gambler

adept

Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 1,170

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Originally Posted by sixfour

I was assuming this was the best fifty matches that ended as a draw

#1: BRAUN VS. ROMAN IN A CELL

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09-20-2018 , 12:08 AM

#12

antidan444

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I mean it's tough to come up with better criteria I guess, but Steve Austin at 7 is lolololol. Criteria leans too heavily on longevity over peak IMO.

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09-20-2018 , 02:06 AM

#13

LibSuperstar

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Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 92

Quote:

Originally Posted by antidan444

I mean it's tough to come up with better criteria I guess, but Steve Austin at 7 is lolololol. Criteria leans too heavily on longevity over peak IMO.

Fair! Longevity is probably favored b/c it shows a pattern of drawing power as opposed to peak might only involve one big drawing program. What data I'd love to see is how often a wrestler spiked ticket sales.

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09-26-2018 , 10:16 AM

#14

EddyB66

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Snuka and Tito Santana are two names that I think are missing from that list. Tito had long runs with WWF/E, plus had some great battles with Valentine and Savage.

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09-28-2018 , 02:29 PM

#15

antidan444

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I don't know if Santana was ever really in a "drawing" spot, but Snuka is possibly a good call.

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09-28-2018 , 04:24 PM

#16

LibSuperstar

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Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 92

Quote:

Originally Posted by antidan444

I don't know if Santana was ever really in a "drawing" spot, but Snuka is possibly a good call.

Snuka headlined against Backlund and Stevens. Santana headlined against Valentine during their IC Title feud.

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09-28-2018 , 04:54 PM

#17

EddyB66

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Quote:

Originally Posted by LibSuperstar

Snuka headlined against Backlund and Stevens. Santana headlined against Valentine during their IC Title feud.

Was Snuka headlining with Muraco?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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