The Golden Era of WWE was a brilliant time for the company as it led to a huge rise in popularity for the business, with many great wrestlers stepping up and becoming iconic names. At that time it was all about larger-than-life characters who brought big personalities more than a focus on the in-ring work.
There were certainly many talented wrestlers as well that would fit into the current world of wrestling, but because the business has evolved so much there are some that unfortunately wouldn't fit in anymore. Because of that, they likely wouldn't get signed today by WWE, despite what they achieved in their careers.
10 Repo Man
Repo Man is a great example of a character that was iconic at the time and was over the top, bringing in a lot of comedy. It was never one that was taken seriously, and while there is still room for fun in wrestling today, this gimmick would simply be over the top.
If this character was to appear today it would be laughed out of the building, as fans simply wouldn't buy into it at all. With that in mind, there is no way WWE would sign Repo Man in the modern world of wrestling, as the gimmick couldn't connect.
9 Virgil
Virgil was around regularly at this period, but he was at his best when working alongside Ted DiBiase, with the Million Dollar Man being the person who put him over because his act was so strong. However, Virgil himself was a character that never excited the fans at that time, which is likely why he wouldn't be signed today.
While Virgil had a good physique, that is no longer a crucial factor in professional wrestling as it once was. Then inside the ring, he wasn't one of the strongest workers either, which is an important factor in today's climate.
8 Brutus Beefcake
Brutus Beefcake was popular during the Golden Era due to how big of a personality he had and his association with Hulk Hogan, which served him well from a backstage politics perspective. His gimmick is one that likely wouldn't be taken seriously nowadays, which would likely cause him problems.
Plus, inside the ring is an area of concern for him as a performer, as he was never one of the most talented wrestlers at that time. He would struggle to make a mark in today's era, and he would likely not be brought onto the roster in the first place.
7 Big John Studd
Big John Studd was a dominant big man during his time in WWE, and wrestlers of that size with that much power are always wanted by WWE. However, the classic big man in professional wrestling has adapted over the years, and now there is a need for them to be much more athletic.
Braun Strowman is the type of performer that WWE tries to sign nowadays for wrestlers of a certain size, and that is not a category that Studd fits into, and that is ultimately why he might not be signed nowadays.
6 Brooklyn Brawler
The Brooklyn Brawler is iconic in wrestling, but mainly for being someone that used to put other people over regularly. The role of a jobber is something that does still exist, but with so much 50/50 booking nowadays they are far less common to see as specific characters.
Because of that, he is somebody that likely wouldn't be brought onto the roster right now because there simply isn't a need for the role that he fulfilled during that time. On top of that, the specific character that was so focused on one area of the world is also very limited and likely wouldn't last.
5 The Bushwhackers
The Bushwhackers might have put together a Hall Of Fame career during the Golden Era, but it is hard to imagine where they would fit in during the modern era. They were an entertaining team, but that was through the comedy that they pushed a lot with their entrance and how they acted inside the ring.
That type of team doesn't exist on the main roster of WWE anymore, because even those that can make people laugh such as The Alpha Academy can also deliver the highest quality of matches when the bell rings.
4 Big Boss Man
Big Boss Man was a talented wrestler and somebody who often gets overlooked when it comes to the era that he worked in. When it comes to his in-ring talent, he certainly has more than enough to work right now, and he would be capable of putting on some great matches.
However, it is the gimmick itself that wouldn't fit in anymore, no matter how fondly people remember it. Characters based purely around jobs used to be commonplace, but things have moved on since that point, which is why this would feel a little too old school.
3 Hillbilly Jim
Hillbilly Jim is another character that was entertaining for a specific time but isn't something that he was able to develop overall in a long period. He was fairly effective as a big man, but his matches weren't the most compelling for him to be brought on the roster today.
The gimmick was pushed at certain points in time, but it wasn't something that lasted in the long term. That is why WWE wouldn't sign him today, as the character simply wasn't interesting enough to appeal today.
2 The Ultimate Warrior
The Ultimate Warrior is one of the most iconic wrestlers of all time, but even though he was involved in some great moments it is hard to imagine his character charging to the ring on Monday Night Raw nowadays. That type of cartoonish gimmick wouldn't connect overall.
It was all about energy, which is always a good thing, but there was no further depth. Gimmicks like that simply don't last anymore, on top of that he isn't someone who could put a main event level match on with this generation, which would be a problem.
1 Zeus
Zeus was brought in from the movie world, which is something that does still happen to this day, arguably more than it ever has. However, the celebrities that join WWE now have great in-ring abilities such as Bad Bunny and Logan Paul, or they fully commit to the character like Johnny Knoxville.
That is what Zeus lacked, and despite his impressive physique, he is not someone that fans would accept wrestling now. He'd be booed heavily once the bell rang, which is never ideal for celebrity involvement.