The 1990s were an odd time for wrestling. It began with WWE, WCW and various indies still stuck in the cartoonish antics of the ‘80s. Indeed, WWE was packed with gimmicks based on various occupations as if that somehow instantly equated stardom and WCW wasn’t much better. Things changed in the late ‘90s with the rise of the New World Order forcing WWE to turn into the Attitude Era. This was a time much more realistic and wild but still the odd character about. With both those companies (and ECW) pushing new stuff, it was easy for guys to bounce around promotions and often get some great fame. Many of them are still around in the business, either as stars or at least the indies but others have pretty much faded away.
Indeed, it’s astounding how quickly some of these guys dropped out of sight as soon as their wrestling days were done. A few sadly hit the skids badly with drugs or even jail time. Others have managed to find good lives for themselves and happier. It’s amazing how some folks are so quiet, maybe the occasional popping up in a video or such but otherwise pretty much out of the spotlight and forgotten. Here are 15 random wrestlers from that decade who pretty much vanished from sight of fans and how fame can be fleeting no matter what kind of star you were then.
15 15. Maxx Payne/Man Mountain Rock
Both WCW and WWE tried to make this “wild rocker” work and neither could do it. A good college wrestler, Darryl Peterson underwent training and was accepted into WCW in 1993. He was given the gimmick of Maxx Payne, a heavy metal guitarist with a wild armor suit, challenging US champ Dustin Rhodes and a nutty feud with Johnny B. Badd that cost Maxx his guitar. He and Cactus Jack formed a team to feud with The Nasty Boys where Maxx wasn’t happy with their stiff manner and after injuring Brian Knobbs in one bout, Maxx was fired.
Turning to WWE, he was given the even dumber gimmick of Man Mountain Rock, more upbeat with a goofier outfit and bigger guitar. He was nothing but a jobber that soon faded aside from suing the makers of the hit “Max Payne” video games for ripping off his names (it went nowhere). Today, Maxx is a part-time teacher and talking to students, remembered just as a bad gimmick that faded faster than most rock stars.
14 14. Sid Vicious
It seems bizarre a guy like Sid could possibly vanish from the scene so much. From the start, he was pushed as the next Hulk Hogan, tall, large and a fantastic charisma that sold him as a true monster. Sadly, that was undermined by his lack of ring skills and his often horrible promos. He was pushed hard by WCW but came up short against Sting. In WWE, he and Hulk Hogan faced off with Sid the loser and he soon left amid some money issues. He returned in 1995 and this time, finally got his shot, winning the title twice before leaving after injuries.
In WCW, he had more runs as champion, and then suffered one of the worst on-air injuries ever seen, breaking his ankle on a PPV. While he’s popped up in a variety of shoot interviews, Sid has kept a surprisingly low profile the last few years, aside from the occasional shoot interview. It just seems strange for Sid to have dropped out so much given his huge stardom and being so outspoken.
13 13 Bull Nakano
It’s not as total vanishing as others on this list. But it’s also a case of someone transforming so much, they’re unrecognizable. In the 1990s, Bull Nakano broke out as a fantastic female worker. She was a great presence, putting up with the harsh training in Japan and notable for her appearance of wild makeup and what looked like a three-foot high spike hairdo. WWE actually took notice, pitting her against Alundra Blayze for the Women’s title and holding it for a few months. A plan was to have her get another push but then Nakano was arrested for drug possession and cut. She and Madusa restarted their feud in WCW but injuries forced Nakano to retire in 1996.
After a long time away, she resurfaced on the professional golf circuit and shocked everyone by having lost weight, done away with the hair and makeup and looking like a true knockout. While Nia Jax famously wanted her at the RAW 25th anniversary show, Nakano is satisfied being out of the business and vanishing well from the public eye.
12 12. Steve Blackman
A bodybuilder, Steve Blackman was given a martial arts gimmick when he joined WWE in 1997, pushed as “The Lethal Weapon.” With MMA rising, he was connected to that as a tough worker and did show some great strength in the ring. This included multiple reigns as Hardcore Champion, an epic feud with Ken Shamrock and even a tag team with Al Snow called “Head Cheese.”
While his hard persona made for boring promos, Blackman had drive and looked the part to get fans going and held his own well during a pretty packed period for WWE. He left in 2002, making a brief return in a special gimmick battle royal in 2007. Today, he has a couple of MMA schools and also working as a bail bondsman in Pennsylvania to prove he still has a tough image out of the ring.
11 11. Ernest Miller
In the dying days of WCW, true entertainment was few and far between. Thankfully, Ernest “the Cat” Miller was there to provide some. While a good worker, Miller was known for a great sense of humor and knowing he was destined to be a lower-card guy but determined to still stand out. He soon had the gimmick of dancing around to James Brown music, leading to the inevitable “dance-off” with the real Brown at a PPV. He had feuds with Disco Inferno and Buff Bagwell, often coming out the loser yet still boasting of his greatness which won fans over.
He achieved better fame as WCW Commissioner, trying to keep order and some fun promos (a famous one of him threatening to send Goldberg and Nash to jail if they acted up as “If I send you home, the office will just pay you!”) After WCW folded, Miller spent some time in WWE before leaving in 2004. He achieved fame for a big role in “The Wrestler” but otherwise faded away despite making WCW watchable.
10 10. Duke Droese
Nothing sums up the mid-1990s WWE like this. Back then, they were just under the impression you could slap an occupational gimmick on any guy to make him a star. Such a case was Duke “The Dumpster” Droese, a wrestling garbage man. He came to the ring in the outfit and even a garbage can with him that surprisingly he wouldn’t use in matches. He had feuds with Jerry Lawler, Triple H and others but really, the entire act was so dumb, it’s no surprise it didn’t take off too well.
He left in 1996 after various injuries and drifted around, making a brief return in the gimmick battle royal at WrestleMania X-7. After retirement, Droese at first seemed okay teaching special ed. But in 2013, he was arrested and indicted for buying drugs from an undercover police officer. Sadly, a guy playing a garbage man had his life end up in the dumps.
9 9. Nicole Bass
Nicole Bass didn't last long in the wrestling business, but her presence still leaves a lasting image with fans today. She began her career in ECW where she was aligned with Justin Credible, Chastity and Jason.
Bass was brought in to WWE at a time when the WWE was trying anything new. Plans for Bass at first seemed to make sense, as she was cast as a bodyguard for the newly turned heel Sable. However, when Sable unexpectedly left the company in mid 1999, Bass was suddenly left without a fitting role. Bass would then leave the WWE abruptly in 1999, and even brought a lawsuit to WWE, accusing backstage agent Steve Lombardi of sexual assault.
The lawsuit was dismissed in 2003 and while Bass did some independent bookings and worked as a personal trainer, wrestling fans generally didn't hear much about her. Bass passed away last year after suffering a stroke.
8 8. Glacier
Few times has a guy been given such a big pre-entrance promo push only to be revealed as horribly lame. Throughout 1995, WCW TV shows ran promos with the line “Blood Runs Cold.” Shown was Raymond Lloyd, a skilled martial artist in a blue costume obviously based on Sub-Zero from the “Mortal Kombat” games. He finally made his debut with blue lighting and smoke, some fancy moves…and it turned out he was terrible as a wrestler. He was all style, no substance and WCW soon moved him from next megastar to jobber. Feuds with Mortis and Perry Saturn went nowhere and Lloyd’s injuries also hurt him badly. He was given a makeover as Coach Buzz Stern but that went nowhere before his release.
While he makes the occasional indie appearance (including a surprise at Ring of Honor in 2017), Lloyd prefers working with charity stuff in Orlando and radio shows while his wrestling career cooled fast.
7 7. Van Hammer
Wrestling and “rock” gimmicks rarely go together very well. WCW learned that lesson with Van Hammer. He was named “Heavy Metal” with a wild rocker style of long hair, coming out with a guitar and a great rock theme. It suffered from the start due to how it was blatantly obvious that he had no idea how to play that guitar or even hold it right. Amazingly, Hammer was given a big push, winning 42 straight matches on TV and house shows before losing to Cactus Jack. But after coming up short against TV champ Steve Austin, Hammer slowly slid down the ranks to jobber status and his various issues.
He was later part of Raven’s Flock and some singles matches but never really clicked at all. Joining the Misfits in Action, he was part of one of those “only in wrestling” stories as he was to be named “Private” Stash but insisted on being a Major instead. He retired in 2003 and kicked back to a quieter life, sparing us more of his lame attempts to “play.”
6 6. Mantaur
WWE themselves don’t hold back calling this one of the absolute stupidest characters they ever put on the air. Mike Halac was a beefy guy who may have had some promise as a monster worker with the right gimmick. Instead, WWE saddled him with the name of Mantaur, coming out with a massive bull head disguise and roaring about like a bull in the ring. It was horrible, his only PPV appearance being 10 minutes in the 1995 Royal Rumble and fans loathing the act completely.
After leaving WWE, Halac bounced around the indies for a few years and retired in 2001. But he was bitten by the bug to come out as the “Turkish Terror” in 2015 and win the American Heritage Wrestling championship. He lost it fast and is now better known by WWE Network putting him on “what were they thinking?” segments than anything he did in his prime.
5 5. Marc Mero
For a time, Marc Mero was a popular face in wrestling. A former boxer, he moved to the squared circle and had some good promise as a fine worker. WCW decided to give him the gimmick of Johnny B. Badd, with makeup to look like Little Richard and a very flamboyant manner, complete with boas and putting plastic lips on beaten opponents. But Mero made it work, winning over fans, tougher in the ring than expected and reigns as TV champion to prove himself. That won him a ridiculously huge contract with WWE where the “Wildman” won the IC title. However, he wasn’t as popular and a leg injury would force him to take on a tougher image. Really, his biggest contribution was introducing wife Rena who, as Sable, who became a huge star.
After brief stints in WCW and TNA, Mero hung it up in 2006. He’s since been doing speaking tours about the dangers of drugs and bullying and running a charity organization, yet fans can remember his “Badd” days.
4 4. Damien Demento
Historically, he has a place in WWE lore as he was in the main event of the very first Monday Night RAW, losing to the Undertaker. Phil Teis had bounced around the indies for a bit before coming to WWE and pushed as a wildman type. Claiming to be “From the outer reaches of your mind,” Damien showed up in outlandish armor and nutty antics that sold him as a crazy guy. But he was soon relegated to jobber status in his bouts, clashing with management and not helped by a rough attitude.
He left WWE after just a year for the indies, working brief appearances until 2014. He spent time as an artist and sculptor and WWE Magazine once noted how “he tried to host a children’s TV show. God help us.” He’s happy with his infamy but he's probably best off being out of the business now.
3 3. Alex Wright
“Das Wunkerdind” was meant to be a big deal for WCW but never quite worked out. He was handsome and some good high-flying skills to win folks over. But then WCW insisted he work some nutty “dancing” into his ring entrance that soon made him one of the most annoying wrestlers on the block. Presenting him as a clean babyface against that hate wasn’t exactly a great thing to win fans to his side. So turning him heel worked out a bit better as he won the Cruiserweight and TV titles although still rather annoying. In 1999, he was repackaged as Berlyn, a slick European heel which had potential. But then Buff Bagwell refused to job to him and that kicked off ugly messes with bad pushes that drove him down.
He retired after WCW went under, figuring he was tired of the politics and while he runs a promotion in Germany, he stays out of the ring himself, sparing fans the sight of his dancing.
2 2. The Patriot
A throwback to the classic patriotic good guys, Del Wilkes was a promising football player who moved to wrestling after an injury cut things short. After a stint as the police-themed Trooper, he took on a mask as the Patriot and becoming the star of the Global Wrestling Federation. He was shown as so clean-cut that after discovering he pinned a guy in a title match when his foot was on the rope, he gave the belt back and then won it cleanly later. When Global went under, Wilkes moved to WCW where he won the tag titles twice with Marcus Bagwell. He achieved some fame in 1997 in WWE, even facing Bret Hart for the title.
However, Wilkes had drug issues and the mask made it all too easy to be replaced (as he was by Steve Blackman in 1998 after an injury). He hung it up in 1999 and had a brief prison stint. Thankfully, he’s cleaned up his act, now a car salesman in South Carolina and seems happier being freed of that mask.
1 1. Ahmed Johnson
It looked like Ahmed Johnson was going to be a serious deal for WWE. A beefy specimen, he had a good vibe and not too bad on the mic while clicking with fans. His debut in 1995 was huge as he bodyslammed the huge Yokozuna and got a big push. He hit his height in 1996 as he defeated Goldust for the Intercontinental title and the promise of a huge push, maybe even to the main event. But then he suffered a brutal leg injury and was forced to vacate the title. When he came back, Johnson wasn’t quite the same, put in a long feud with the Nation of Domination that did little to push him back up. He slipped further, eventually let go and a brief run at WCW that was terrible. He stuck to indies before retiring in 2003 and earned a degree in criminology. He pops up in the occasional shoot interview but otherwise dropped out, an astounding move for a guy who was once such a big deal.