Many mean Texas cowboys have populated the world of professional wrestling.  Chances are fans of the WWF of the late 80’s, may remember “The Outlaw” Ron Bass who was one of the few heels in the large promotion to go without a manager at a time when even the best heel talkers were accompanied to the ring by somebody.  Bass played the ornery cowboy gimmick perfectly and with solid wrestling skills, a thick frame and a vicious snarl he didn’t need anyone doing his talking for him.  Like other “cowboys” on this list, Bass may find himself well behind others who wore the same “hat” that he did.

As one of the kayfabe members of the Graham family, “Crazy” Luke Graham parlayed his bleached blonde locks and wild eyes to a multitude of championships across the United States.  One of those titles was the WWWF World Tag Team strap, of which he is one half of the first recognized co-holders of.  Graham did the wild man gimmick very well, but his wrestling ability was not exactly masked and he could do whatever was required of him in the ring.

How did Scott Norton never work for the WWE?  With his size and power, he would have seemed like he would have fit in brilliantly with some of the other power based wrestlers that Vince had.  Don’t weep for Scott Norton though…although he was not pushed to the extent of his abilities in WCW, he reached the highest level in New Japan Pro Wrestling winning the World Title there and becoming one of the top American draws for that company.  Still, would Norton have been one of those many wrestlers that the WWE would make into a huge American star, or would he have been in the lot that saw the WWE turn a brilliant performer into a laughable cartoon?  Looks like Scott Norton feared the latter, as he never got a paycheck from Stamford.

“Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig is justifiably in the WWE Hall of Fame.  Curt’s father, Larry “The Ax” Hennig had quite the career himself predominantly in his home state of Minnesota.  In the 1960’s, Hennig was one half of the AWA World Tag Team Champions, three of which he held with the legendary Harley Race.  He would however suffer a severe knee injury, and though he did come back his mobility would never be the same.  Hennig continued to wrestle thorough out the country; though he always found himself back in the AWA.   Late in his career, he would have the honor of teaming with his son late in his career.