It’s been a long time since I’ve graced the Cheap-Heat Universe with my presence, so allow me to reintroduce myself—MY NAME IS MARK ADAM HAGGERTY. I’m happy to report that this has been an insanely busy year thus far, with my podcasting network, B Plus Player Radio, reaching more wrestling fans than ever before. One of my colleagues is the IWF Heavyweight Champion “Simply Ravishing” Shawn Donavan. Shawn’s been hard at work turning his weekly 5-minute iTunes segment into a full-fledged hour-long podcast, and we couldn’t be more excited! I decided to celebrate Shawn’s new show by counting down some other Ravishing Wrestlers. No, sadly you won’t find Rick Rude on this list. Today we’re “Styling and Profiling,” and counting down the “10 Best Dressed Wrestlers” in history.
Rockstar Spud
Cracking the top ten is Dixie Carter’s former lapdog, and the winner of British Bootcamp Season One, Rockstar Spud. Rockstar Spud might be a bit smaller than your average professional wrestler, but his iconic taste in fashion allows him to stand taller than even the largest superheavyweight. From the unmistakable Union Jack flag, to Ethan Carter’s face—Spud’s suits are always adorned with recognizable patterns that are memorable to say the least!
“The Doctor of Style” Slick
The World Wrestling Federation of the late 1980s was a very colorful place. Some Superstars wore red, others wore blue, another might wear yellow, a fourth could wear green. But one man wore them all! It’s no coincidence that Slick was nicknamed the “Doctor of Style,” when he was without question the best dressed person during one of the most visible periods in wrestling history.
Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho has said before that he didn’t “get it”—meaning the wrestling business—until he returned from a 2 ½ year absence in 2007. By 2008, Jericho adopted a slow, methodical way of speaking, and began wearing double breasted suits whenever he wasn’t in action. Chris has since gravitated toward the far more casual wardrobe of a rock star, but still carries himself with a fashionable air of sophistication.
Triple H
While Evolution might be a mystery, the bigger question is—“Where did those guys buy their suits?” In 2003, Triple H amassed his own group of Horsemen, comprised of past and future world champions Randy Orton, Dave Bautista, and Ric Flair. It was during this period that the “Game” ceased wearing denim and leather at all times, and began wearing tailored Italian suits. The COO of World Wrestling Entertainment continues the trend today, wherein the only difference is the length of his hair.
Finn Balor
The NXT Universe is far more familiar with the Demon, than they are with the refined style of a man once called “Prince Devitt.” Before he became Finn Balor, Devitt was a model and spokesperson for Armani Exchange in Japan! In addition to outfitting the former Junior Heavyweight Champion with stylish suits and skinny ties, the global style conglomerate helped fashion Devitt’s iconic “Rock n Rolla” light jacket.
“Gorgeous” George Wagner
It’s both easy and difficult to call “Gorgeous George” the best dressed wrestler of his era. While the former world champion was without question a stylish individual, he existed in time where everyone wore suits all the time. But George took it a step further, taking great pride in coordinating his clothes, and harmonizing his suits with colorful accessories and trinkets.
Dave Bautista
Even before he entered the fast-paced world of Hollywood filmmaking, Dave Bautista has been a fashionista with a penchant for color-matching and unconventional patterns. It was a rarity, in fact, seeing Batista in anything other than a tailored suit, custom designed to fit his inordinate proportions. His increasing presence on the silver screen has brought with it a further heightened sense of style, to the point where Dave Bautista is popping up in main stream fashion publications on a semi-regular basis.
Antonio Cesaro
The most stylish person on today’s main roster is—without question—the Swiss Superman Cesaro. Cesaro already carries himself like a world champion, and can almost always be spotted sporting a sleek and stylish sports coat, or even a three piece suit with top coat and cufflinks. Some might poke fun at Cesaro for dressing like the world champion, but you know what they say? “Dress for the job you want.”
Nick Bockwinkel
I have never seen Nick Bockwinkel in casual attire. During the heyday of his career, Nick would wear colorful-yet-conservative suits—by ‘70s standards—during each of his interviews. Whenever the former AWA Champion was not in the ring, he could almost always be spotted in a jacket and tie. Later on in life, Nick was instrumental in shaping the Cauliflower Alley Club, and—once again—was never seen in anything other than a brand new suit.
The Four Horsemen
When it comes to “Styling and Profiling,” nobody does it better than the Nature Boy Ric Flair and his merry band of bandits. The Four Horsemen are remembered for being one of the most dominant stables in professional wrestling history, as well as one of the best dressed. In addition to the world’s champion, Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson, Barry Windham and JJ Dillon all took great pride in their attire, and aimed to “never appear on TV wearing the same thing twice.”
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