Editor's Notes: You may have noticed that there are multiple columns up on the website about the rumored return of Degeration-X. If you read a column (ANY column) and decide to send in feedback, PLEASE be sure to indicate which column you are responding to by typing the TITLE of the column in the subject line. Also, DO NOT FORGET to sign your name. Thanks!

Hi everybody........Miss me" Just when you thought it was safe to start writing articles again, the "King of Controversy" returns to claim his throne. If you are newbies to this site and don't know why or what I am ranting about, I was the one who wrote the "Warrior" article that generated the most responses this site has ever gotten. Although I seem to be a magnet to this sort of thing, I think that I will focus my attention on another subject. A few weeks ago I read an article by an individual that was about some of the greatest performers in this business never to hold the WWF/WWE or the WCW/World Heavyweight Title. Although I agree with some of the wrestlers he mentioned, and some I find ridiculous, I thought I should add my own opinion to this particular subject. So without further ado...............

The first choice on whom, im my opinion, is by far the greatest wrestler never to hold a major World Championship, is the PERFECT choice. Yes, I am referring to the late, great, "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig. I used the term "major", because although he was AWA World Champion, the AWA was on it's way to becoming defunct at the time. For all you old-schoolers out there, you have got to agree with me on this one. There are VERY few wrestlers that possessed the combination of athleticism, microphone skills, and dedication to this business that he did. The guy could "sell" moves like nobody before him, and I'll even go so far as to say better than anybody in the business today. Plus, the guy was funny as hell. Who can forget all the promos of him hitting half-court shots, playing run-and-toss (to himself mind you) with NFL greats, and hitting hole-in-ones" It is sad that his career was cut short by his back injuries, as well as the fact that he died well before his time. He could have easily had an impact on this business nowadays playing a GM role or even managing full-time. Remember how instrumental he was as a manager for Ric Flair's second (yes, "second", look in archives for my first article if you wanna dispute that) WWF/WWE run" He had a following, whether heel or face, which would have made it easy for him to be a more than credible champion, if not a "perfect" one. Besides of his "cut-too-short" feud with Hulk Hogan, I don't remember him getting any more title shots. I even think that him taking the title off of Hogan at the time would have been good for the business. But as we all know that would have never happened. It's sad if you think about it though, how much this man's potential and unmistakable talent was overlooked.

The second person that comes to mind is the "Original Phenom", "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka. Going back to the comment that I made about Curt Hennig having un-paralled athleticism, the only person in that era that could possibly match that level is THIS man. It's not easy to compare the two, seeing how they wrestled completely different from one another, but these two men were tops in their respective styles. All I have to do, is say is "Steel Cage", or "Don Muraco", and every long-time fan gets the same picture in their head that is flashing through mine right now. What bothers me the most about the Fly being shafted in the WWF/WWE is that he was never even Intercontinental Champion or Tag Team Champion. Add that to the fact that I can't remember him even getting any title shots (If anybody remembers differently, feel free to correct me). Then there is the fact that he constantly jobbed to wrestlers what weren't fit to lace his boots, if he had ever wore them. His microphone skills were unique and definitely unorthodox, but they were catchy, and the fans ate up everything this man did, whether it be him jumping off the top rope, the twitches he did whenever talking, which made him appear to be so full of adrenaline that he could explode at any moment, or the famous "I love you" hand gestures to the much appreciative crowd. Anybody else remember that he did the whole "invincible thing" WAY before Hogan did"

Although I could go on with this subject forever, I will only mention one more person. This one is guaranteed to get a mixed reaction, but trust me, I will stick by this one: "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff. The unique thing about this situation, is that WCW offered him the title, and the opportunity to be the top guy in 1993 but he refused, due to the schedule. I also read that at the time he was dealing with the beginning of the back injury that would eventually cause his retirement from the business. But in his prime, he was the definition of "Unstoppable Wrestler". Way before the "Ultimate Hypocrites", Bill Goldbergs, and Brock Lesnars, Nikita Koloff was the epitome of this statement. He had the total package: power, speed, and undeniable charisma, Add that to the fact that he was portraying a Russian, considering the fact that he was/is about as Russian as I am, and that he was able to take this character to an unbelievable height. Don't forget either, that this was around the middle of the Cold War. Think of all of the vignettes during the mid 80's where you saw people market off of the idea of a "Russian Super Villian", (Think Rocky IV) and that up north Nikolai Volkoff was at his most hated as well, but this guy was able to make this character into a beloved one in a time when it seemed impossible.

Like I said before, I can think of many other wrestlers who weren't given the accolades they so deserved, but fortunately, this subject deserves a lot of discussion, and hopefully I just jogged the mind of the next person to tackle the subject. Until next time, folks.

by John Austin ..