Posted April 8Apr 8 comment_6028822 Here's the list of 1991 rookies I was able to verify using https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Category:1991_debuts and https://ainsworthsports.com/pro_wrestling_athlete_rankings_by_rookie_year_1991.htm. Like last time, I cross-checked this list with Wikipedia, Cagematch, Wrestling Data, and various other biographical sources. In some cases, like the Dudleys, their biographies are insistent on their careers starting in 1991, although sources like Cagematch don't list their matches from that year. I assume they got their start in very small local promotions and records of those matches were hard to track down. I'm sure I missed a few, so feel free to add names once you can verify that they are eligible. Ace Steel Douglas “Adam Flash” Becker Alex Wright Bart Gunn Bubba Ray Dudley Buck Quartermain Chad Silvenski Chaz Warrington Chris Michaels Chubby Dudley Colin McKay D-Von Dudley Frank Andersson Glenn “Disco Inferno” Gilbertti Gregory “The Hurricane” Helms James “Nunzio” Maritato Jeff “Metal Maniac” Miller Jeff Farmer Jim Steele John “Horace the Psycopath” Devine John Saxon Kelly Wolfe Mark “Van Hammer” Hildreth Michael Manna Michael Maverick Michael Modest Pat “Simon Diamond” Kenney Randy “Swoll” Thornton Rick Michaels Robert “Mo” Horne Robert Thompson Rock Stevens Ross Greenberg Scott Ashworth Sean “Val Venis” Morley Steve “Navajo Warrior” Islas Steve Bradley
April 8Apr 8 comment_6028823 From GROK Bubba Ray Dudley (Mark LoMonaco) - Debuted in 1991, later becoming one-half of the famous Dudley Boyz tag team in ECW, WWE, and other promotions. D-Von Dudley (Devon Hughes) - Also debuted in 1991, joining Bubba Ray later to form the Dudley Boyz, known for their hardcore wrestling style. Diamond Dallas Page (Page Falkenburg) - Began his in-ring wrestling career in 1991 after starting as a manager in the AWA and WCW, eventually becoming a major star in WCW. Vampiro (Ian Hodgkinson) - Debuted in 1991 in Mexico, gaining fame in CMLL and later WCW for his unique gothic persona. The Hurricane (Gregory Helms) - Started his wrestling career in 1991, though he became widely known in WWE as The Hurricane in the early 2000s. Val Venis (Sean Morley) - Entered professional wrestling in 1991, later achieving fame in WWE with his adult film star gimmick. Alex Wright - Debuted in 1991 in Germany, later joining WCW where he was known as "Das Wunderkind." Bart Gunn (Mike Polchlopek) - Began wrestling in 1991, later joining WWE as one-half of The Smoking Gunns tag team. Billy Gunn (Monty Sopp) - Debuted in 1991, also later part of The Smoking Gunns and a key figure in WWE's Attitude Era as part of D-Generation X. Chikako Shiratori - Debuted in 1991 in Japan’s All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling (AJW). Kumiko Maekawa - Another AJW wrestler who started her career in 1991. Rie Tamada - Debuted in 1991 in AJW, contributing to the strong women’s wrestling scene in Japan at the time. Ace Darling (Michael Maraldo) - Began his career in 1991, known for his work on the independent circuit and in ECW. Chad Slivenski - Debuted in 1991, wrestling primarily in the independents. Chris Michaels - Started in 1991, known for his work in regional promotions and later Smoky Mountain Wrestling. Dick Togo - Debuted in 1991 in Japan, later becoming a notable junior heavyweight wrestler in promotions like Michinoku Pro. Jeff Farmer - Began wrestling in 1991, later known for portraying Sting impostors in WCW (e.g., nWo Sting). Adam Flash (Douglas Becker) - Debuted in 1991, known for his hardcore wrestling in the Northeast independents. Bobby Hayes - Began in 1991, active in the Southern U.S. independent scene. Brandon Baxter - Debuted in 1991, wrestling in Arkansas and Tennessee independents. Buck Quartermain (Jason Seguine) - Started in 1991, known for Florida independents and brief WWE appearances. Chaz Warrington (Mosh of The Headbangers) - Debuted in 1991, later joining WWE as part of the tag team The Headbangers. Dan Dubiel - Began in 1991, wrestling in Midwest independents. Metal Maniac (Jeff Miller) - Debuted in 1991, active in New Jersey and Pennsylvania independents.
April 8Apr 8 comment_6028825 Michael Manna AKA Stevie Richards debuted in November 1991, according to Wikipedia. Also Robert Thompson. PS Thanks to both of you for getting the ball rolling with this.
April 8Apr 8 comment_6028830 Seeing some Japanese workers on the lists, Jinsei Shizaki/Hakushi did debut in 1991.
April 9Apr 9 Author comment_6028837 4 hours ago, rainmakerrtv said: Seeing some Japanese workers on the lists, Jinsei Shizaki/Hakushi did debut in 1991. I didn't list any Japan/Mexico workers as they would not be eligible to be drafted
April 9Apr 9 comment_6028852 Makes sense. Thanks for the comprehensive list. BTW Billy Gunn is already in the game and would not be available for draft.
April 9Apr 9 comment_6028855 Billy Gunn and DDP would be two names to drop from a master list. Anyone else hiding in there?
April 28Apr 28 comment_6029560 Hayabusa debuts in 1991... would he be eligible for an excursion? When could we expect the draft order?
April 28Apr 28 comment_6029561 He only wrestled in the US briefly in 1995, so I think he would only be eligible for temporary Foreign Exemption.
April 29Apr 29 comment_6029567 Using a number generator, I just did the draft order for the 1991 Rookie Draft. These picks can be traded. Anyone who joins going forward will be put at the end of the draft. The order is: 1. AWA: traded to WCC 2. PCW 3. WCW: Traded to PCW 4. USWA (Memphis) 5. WWF 6 SMW
April 29Apr 29 comment_6029591 After looking back at the 1989 rookie list, Isn’t this 1991 draft the one where Rey Mysterio Junior gets added back in?
April 29Apr 29 Author comment_6029598 3 hours ago, LowBlowPodcast said: After looking back at the 1989 rookie list, Isn’t this 1991 draft the one where Rey Mysterio Junior gets added back in? Rey Mysterio was 14 in he debuted in 1989, but he didn't start wrestling on a regular basis until late 1991/1992
April 29Apr 29 comment_6029601 I think this gives enough evidence he wrestled enough in 1991 to be on the list
April 29Apr 29 Author comment_6029603 42 minutes ago, LowBlowPodcast said: I think this gives enough evidence he wrestled enough in 1991 to be on the list The problem is that he didn't start doing regular US dates until 1993-ish
April 29Apr 29 comment_6029604 I suppose now would be a good time to announce that WCW has traded the 3rd pick to pcw as part of a trade also, AWA has traded its 1st overall pick to WCW as part of a previous deal
May 12May 12 comment_6029954 Just found out that Gregory/Shane Helms' partner in the Serial Thrillaz, Mike Maverick, was already active a few years by now, so perhaps he could be added into this year's draft.
May 12May 12 comment_6029973 My inclination would be no. Rey was 17 in 1991 and wouldn't be in AAA until 1992. I certainly have had some teenagers on my roster, but they have generally been North American, which would be at least slightly within the realm of credulity. Having a small young teenage luchador who IRL was working in Mexican indies be signed to an American circuit would push even our flexible standards of realism. I think we need to let the paint on this dry for a year or so more. Just my 2 cents.
May 12May 12 comment_6029974 For what it is worth, In my case - as the person who has the number one pick... this would be the 2nd time in which Rey Jr was possibly up for grabs that he was taken out and thus I would presumably lose out on the opportunity to grab him and have rights to him. (I had the number 2 pick in 1989 in which Steve Austin was going number 1 without question - I then moved that pick in due part to his removal. I think I've proven my ability to keep with realism - outside of El Gigante/Giant Gonzalez wrestling Andre the Giant @ SummerSlam 1989 - But if I were to have the rights to him - I can promise he wouldn't be in the main event right away, and I have shown the ability to play the long game. I know I've made moves to get in this position and it would suck to have him taken away again. Additionally, we're a fantasy wrestling game - PWI is the roadmap for all the greatness that is to fantasy wrestling - with Rey being most improved in 1991 - he was on the map, clearly, and that should be its own merit. 1 hour ago, rainmakerrtv said: My inclination would be no. Rey was 17 in 1991 and wouldn't be in AAA until 1992. I certainly have had some teenagers on my roster, but they have generally been North American, which would be at least slightly within the realm of credulity. Having a small young teenage luchador who IRL was working in Mexican indies be signed to an American circuit would push even our flexible standards of realism. I think we need to let the paint on this dry for a year or so more. Just my 2 cents. I’d be open to discussing the nuances of our approach to realism if this is the boundary we’re setting, if my case for his development isn't seen as realistic.
May 12May 12 comment_6029975 I may well not be the best one for claims of "realism", just my opinion (no more than that) is that he is perhaps a bit young for somebody to pick up from another country. Of course, he is American born, and I was unaware of the PWI mention, which would, as you say, put him on the radar.
May 12May 12 comment_6029978 According to our rules, Wrestler Eligibility: Wrestlers must wrestle a minimum of 10 matches in a year in either the United States or Canada according to wrestlingdata.com. or cagematch.com. Wrestlers who do not meet that requirement in the year we are currently in or any future year will be considered retired. Rookies will be eligible in the year they debut. So until a wrestler wresltes in the U.S. or Canada they are not eligible for our promotions. So I would say no.
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