10 Wrestling Sons Who Never Quite Measured Up To Their Fathers

[@talonthehand]

Got another - son of a legend, was in bullet club, still didn’t take off. Cody Hall.

[@calum2324]

Son of?

[@ChickenNuggetHM]

@@calum2324 who else has the last name Hall 🤔

[@singaporesammy]

@@ChickenNuggetHM Jillian?

[@calum2324]

@@singaporesammy exactly

[@calum2324]

@TheDreamSmasher of coarse I'm so stupid my bad

[@fattiger6957]

Richie Steamboat was one of the biggest what-ifs in modern wrestling. But, just like his dad, his career was cut dramatically short by a back injury. It's really a shame as I've heard the guy was amazing in the ring.

[@Beavie]

I completely agree. Imagine how good he would have got if he wasn't injured? He had a good look and a great ability in the ring and the only thing he was missing was charisma, but I think, with some guidance, he would have found that sizzle.

[@challen117]

He had some great matches in FCW. Gotta check em out.

[@Thecallmemisterajp]

A shame about Ted Jr. The team with Cody was one of the highlights of Raw for me in 08 before they turned them into lackeys for Orton.

[@Biffo316]

I definitely thought Ted Jr was gonna be a star. He had the charisma and the look to make it but after Legacy split up he disappeared

[@egpmh2891]

kind of means he also didn't measure up to his grandfather Iron Mike DiBiase as well

[@egpmh2891]

@Zane Thind That is true he did hold a tag title and his dad's title; truly the only major disappoint in wrestling is David Sammartino. Bo Dallas was a NXT champ and one of the longest reigning, David Flair held several titles (US, Hardcore, TV, and Tag), Curtis Axel is a multi-time tag champ and former IC champ, Bray Wyatt is a multi time world champ and a multi time tag champ under the free bird rule, do not need to go into any of the Samoan nor Hart family members as they are all born great, and D-Von Dudley's sons has wrestled pretty much everywhere.

[@egpmh2891]

@Zane Thind I do feel bad for him and his dad after what his brother did too.

[@NathanJakobMichaelThomas]

Crazy enough, I 1000% thought he was the next Randy Orton or Shawn Michaels. He had the look, charisma, I thought he was pretty talented. Guess I was right that a Legacy member would revolutionize wrestling, I just guessed the wrong one.

[@jeremywilliams5141]

1. Garett Bischoff (Yes, his father Eric was not a wrestler technically, but still terrible) 2. Wes Brisco 3. Manu 4. Cody Hall

[@joebaumgart1146]

Garrett Bischoff was only a kayfabe son.

[@jeremywilliams5141]

@@joebaumgart1146 No he is legitimately Eric's son. Check Wikipedia if you don't believe it.

[@joebaumgart1146]

@@jeremywilliams5141 never believe everything you read on Wikipedia. I got my info from Eric Bischoff's podcast.

[@jeremywilliams5141]

@@joebaumgart1146 Oh ok.

[@charlottestreet3301]

​@@joebaumgart1146 garret is eric son

[@killingragethrowback]

You mentioned the Rock and Randy as positive examples... there's also Eddie Guererro. Cody and Dustin are arguable. Charlotte is getting up there too.

[@shock_n_Aweful]

Are you suggesting that Charlotte is even remotely close to her father's success?

[@killingragethrowback]

@@shock_n_Aweful Nope, but she does great work nonetheless. I doubt there will be another Ric Flair, it was a different. time

[@AnotherCupper]

Didn't know Charlotte had a sex change. 😂

[@talonthehand]

@@AnotherCupper You're focusing on the wrong part of this project

[@shock_n_Aweful]

@Zane Thind I am not saying she isn't good but Ric Flare's success can only be compared to people like Hogan or Stone Cold

[@bubbafontleroy]

At the very least, David Flair gave us one of my favourite wrestling memes : the David Flair style entrance video.

[@TonyExists]

We need a Dominik Mysterio variant of the David Flair titantron

[@chihollywood9379]

That ass whipping Taker gave David os pretty memorable also

[@Zigzagalltheway]

Hornswoggle MacMahon.

[@aron7766]

Sad to say but at the moment I think Daichi Hashimoto is a good fit for this list. He's a solid wrestler but being the son of an all time great and turning your wheels in the Big Japan midcard isn't a great sign.

[@uainjansun]

Tbh i disagree since he's doing something his father almost never did but only once did. Plus he became world champion of the other division in the company

[@TheForeverRanger]

Could have put Hector Guerrero or Chavo Sr. Hector is most well-known for being the OG Gobbely Gooker. Gory was a legend in Mexico and was a key player in the early days of Lucha Libre.

[@joemomma3208]

David Flair was by far the worst & unfortunately we will not know what Reid Flair would have done.

[@thetruecish]

I agree that David Flair was the worst but, hot take, Charlotte is overrated.

[@alexknight81]

@@thetruecish woah what a hot take. Super controversial

[@thetruecish]

@@alexknight81 I know, right?

[@Rattys]

We know what he would have done. Meth.

[@uainjansun]

Well reid is actually a better performer than him apparently....

[@kodychesire]

Always felt bad for Curtis Axel. Dude gave it his all but it never clicked unfortunately

[@drinfernodds]

Especially since he didn't have much of anything that you could point to that was anything near what his father could do.

[@brianbenoit6883]

well...never clicked with Vince anyways, clicked big time with the fans though, especially with the 'B-Team'

[@Quartzquiz333]

So many Honorable Mentions: Greg Gagne, Jake Carter (Big Van Vader's son), Manu among others.

[@joeboggio4002]

@TheDreamSmasher just googled him and wow. Lol, you are absolutely right.

[@Quartzquiz333]

@@joeboggio4002 During a match on NXT Jim Ross said "Thank God he got his mother's looks!"

[@andreinamartinez528]

Richie Steamboat's dreams were dramatically cut, so are Noelle Foley and the late Reid Flair (Ric Flair's youngest son from his 2nd and final marriage). 😔

[@thebestcentaur]

I guess you could say Stasiak's potential...hit a wall

[@challen117]

Or a milk truck

[@tyrone5969]

Miracle Violence Connection is still the best tag team name ever.

[@jtp2007]

I see your Miracle Violence Connection and raise you Vicious and Delicious

[@ezrabarkley2574]

The best tag team ever was The Road Warriors

[@Justin_North]

I don't think it's fair to include Steamboat on this list. There's a big difference between not living up to expectations and choosing to walk away while he still could. Especially given how talented he obviously was. Just imagine if he could have continued and was the pure babyface against the Head of the Table version of Roman.

[@Sunprism]

Something special about hearing "Grand Master Sexay" in a british accent

[@kevincorcoran7632]

Pairing David Sammartino with Bruno was the KISS OF DEATH for David, when it became Instantly OBVIOUS that Bruno, despite being in his 50s, was still better than David could or would ever be!!!

[@dankrolikowski9271]

Geez.... Take everything you said about Watts...and multiply it x2, and you have Greg Gagne. I can't believe he's not on this list.

[@stevencooney761]

Yes this. He’s a pretty good used car salesman though.

[@DragonHeart613]

I hugely disagree with Richie Steamboat being on this list. Unlike everyone else on the list who never lived up to the legacies of their famous fathers, Richie's career was derailed due to injury. By all accounts he had all the tools needed to make a major impact in WWE had he not gotten hurt. It's unfair to label him as a guy who failed to live up to his legendary father's legacy when his promising young career was taken away from him. Instead of Richie Steamboat, you should've added the likes of either Cody Hall or Scott Putski or Greg Gagne to this list instead of Richie. Another name I think should have been added to this list is Garrett Bischoff, Eric Bischoff's son. Eric Bischoff was not a wrestler but he was for a long time one of the most powerful & influential figures in Pro Wrestling first as the head of WCW during The Monday Night Wars and than as one of WWE's most famous & popular on-screen authority figures. When Eric went to work at TNA, his son Garrett who had very little training & zero experience got his dad to put him on TV in a blatant act of nepotism. Garrett worked briefly as a ref before he was placed in the not so great Aces & 8s stable alongside the legendary Dudley Boys & former WWE standout Mr Kennedy just because he was Eric Bischoff's son. Garrett though never made any kind of an impact whatsoever & was rarely ever noticed, ultimately fading away once Aces & 8s mercifully disbanded.

[@uainjansun]

No offense Greg gagne is actually good. Hell less of a douche than his father about politics backstage

[@jbali101]

Wow I hope axel heads to the nwa

[@FormChecks-sy3rl]

Rest in Peace, Grandmaster Sexay!

[@DJDoubleCee]

For years I’ve been wondering what happened to David Flair.

[@thetruecish]

The Undertaker beat him senseless and he disappeared forever.

[@thetruecish]

Hanging out with Manu. 😂

[@fattiger6957]

WWE put him in developmental when they bought WCW. I think the only time he was on WWE TV was when Taker beat the hell out of him during his feud with Ric. I think I read that David did become a cop.

[@uainjansun]

@@thetruecish he appeared in my hometown in 2006 the last time I saw him...

[@NightLight9595]

It isn't fair for the son/daughter of a legend to have so much pressure put on them just because of who there parents were. This is why I am a little worried when it comes to Dominic Mysterio, he can wrestle but I feel he needs to carve his own name at some point, maybe even take on his father at some point to prove he can do it.

[@joedesiderio5085]

mr,perfect and brett hart where two of the best ever

[@josephmiller9424]

The WWF should've had MR.PERFECT son as THE PERFECT SON as his character and he is just like his father.

[@dxc12345]

Future member of this list: Dominik Mysterio

[@marcoantino2920]

Probably especially with the awful booking they have right now

[@RockazENTExtra]

Ted Debiase jr was one of my favorites to succeed. Sadly it didn't work out

[@wolvie667]

Is it me or does Richie Steamboat look a lott like Adam COle BB?? And am I the only one surprised Bo Dallas isn't mentioned??

[@DFloyd84]

I hope -1 ISN'T on this list when we revisit it in twenty years.

[@xeviousstevenson8579]

Charlotte is not “on her way” to being one of the best ever. She is. She’s it.

[@LeDameMarciana]

gawd, i was SUCH a ted jr stan in his WWE heyday. For whatever reason, i really, legitimately thought he was gonna go far.

[@MytrekFleetwood]

The premise for this video is -brutal-

[@bruhnt5063]

9:52 Adam Cole face swapped with Ricky Steamboat

[@jamesreece9502]

At least David is #1 at something.

[@Rattys]

You forgot Davey Boy Smith Jr., Kendall Windham, and Dominic Mysterio.

[@stevegallo8483]

@@aztecwrrior1997 True, but Rey's legacy will be a tough one for Dominic to live up to.

[@Rebelheart1985]

Davey Boy Smith Jr did a lot better outside of WWE and Dominic Mysterio career is still pretty new

[@stevegallo8483]

It was really unfair to expect David Flair to live up to Ric Flair's legacy or Curtis Axel to live up to Mr. Perfect's legacy.

[@guillermosierracuellar9812]

If I’m correct axel won the tittle because fandango got injured, ucky he was because it was Father’s Day

[@timothytitan952]

It would be nearly impossible to live up to Rey. He is a legit Legend.

[@DisturbedDynamo]

You guys have probably already thought of/started working on this but next you should do 10 wrestlers who outshone their fathers

[@marcoantino2920]

Jake the Snake Roberts Randy Orton

[@roberdink]

Angelo Mosca Jr is another example.

[@patrickdepew4976]

Conspicuously absent from this list is Mike Graham. He didn't break a thousand guitars, but he sure as hell never drew a dime either.

[@FFA441]

Curtis axel deserved so much more

[@robchuk4136]

I know many of these sons want to carve out their names and downplay their legacies, but for some of these, knowing who their famous dads were really would have helped, because I had no idea

[@boxdryer6973]

I like curtis axel it's a danm shame he was wasted

[@freshparkfilms]

I guess Scott Hall's kid is #11 and want even good enough to make the list 😆 🤣 😂

[@perceivedvelocity9914]

Did Brian Christopher reach his father's level of success? Nope. Did he fave a successful WWE run? Yes! The guys gimmick popped the crowd. Most wrestlers never experience that at all.

[@jbj7599]

He had a better run in WWE, sure Jerry main evented some ppvs but he was really known more for being an announcer.

[@Noah-up3yf]

Wwe don't care about the sons or daughter of passed legends they always treat them like shit

[@fattiger6957]

Unless their name is Randy.

[@joeboggio4002]

Unless you're tall and blonde like what VKM likes in Charlotte. Or the Rock, or Randy

[@Noah-up3yf]

@@joeboggio4002 get out

[@sabrecrusher]

George Gulas is an easy number one for me. Honourable mentions for Scott and Steve Armstrong, Jamie Dundee, Barry O and all of Bret and Owen Hart's brothers.

[@andrewdrennan9436]

Barry O was the Lanny Poffo to Bob’s Randy Savage. Could have been a great main event heel like his brother, but saying to to Uncle Pat back then was not helpful to your career. There were probably a lot of people like that back then.

[@Rebelheart1985]

Isn’t Scott Armstrong a referee?

[@rahamanroberson4333]

Mr. Perfect was so great, unfair to expect his son to live up to that

[@marcoantino2920]

Also not great booking

[@chickfinnegan8969]

I worked a show with Steamboat Jr. He was a nice guy.

[@alexa5675]

1:41 = Mojo? Bo though? No go? I couldn't make out what you said.

[@youngdolo8]

He says "Though Joe...." and continues his sentence.

[@alexa5675]

@@youngdolo8 took me x5 times... Thanks. How we're just disregarding kayfabe 😂

[@andrewdrennan9436]

A slight honorable mention to Nick Kiniski.

[@madmartian1175]

I’m not even going to watch this list. It’s not fair to compare sons to their fathers, especially if they are considered “one of the greats”.

[@Rysofly]

Ted DiBiase Jr is my favorite person on this list

[@OutsiderLXIX]

What about Jason Jordan not living up to Kurt Angle? Lmao

[@Gloryosky]

Tiger Ali Singh. Pre-debut he's heavily hyped, then he's on WWF programming for a cup of coffee every two-plus years, and his career there essentially ends with concussions in Puerto Rico.

[@The1AndOnlyGoldenboy]

Richie Steamboat was a fucking tragedy. It's still sad to me that he didn't get a real shot, he was so talented.

[@megaultrasuperko4601]

I feel like Curtis Axel being on this list is true but unfair. He was never given a chance to shine. Same treatment with Bo Dallas.

[@stingrey1571]

greg gagne, scott putski, shaul guerrero, mike graham, and the von erich grandchildren.

[@MrGuggisberg]

Benoit's son never got that chance.

[@joebaumgart1146]

Bruce Hart, and Teddy Hart

[@martinrubio9412]

Rip curt Henning

[@tmwfte81]

Shane McMahon, Hornswoggle, Cody Rhodes

[@TheForeverRanger]

Cody? Former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, one of the best IC champions in recent memory, co-founder, and EVP of AEW. If any of Dusty's kids belong on this list it is Dustin (he doesn't).

[@superrobz]

Subjective opinion but I still believe Joe Hennig had potential to be something, it was just typical bad wwe booking

[@marcoantino2920]

Agree most of them were imo Just like now God awful booking

[@jamielynch8267]

Scott putski I was sure he as going t be in there !

[@kennycai8695]

Don't even get started on the Hulkster's children. Brooke was brought in to TNA by her father, but it's very clear the apple fell very far from the tree. Brooke's not a wrestler, and had none of her father's charisma or acting ability (which was already minimal, honestly). Her stay in TNA was short, lasting only 2 years, and wouldn't you have guessed it, she left at the exact same time her father left.

[@mrdethbuzzard4885]

You should have mentioned Brett & Mike DiBiase as well.

[@manchuriancandybar864]

@Miguel Baltazar Amen.

[@manmythmothman]

Not gonna watch this one. Bit crap to compare them. Joe Hennig was always one of my faves, be he McGillicutty or Axel. I think he has potential to do well somewhere else if he chooses to do so.

[@still-standingrunner810]

I don't think that it's fair to say Richie wasn't able to live up to his dad's legacy since he wasn't able to be in the business long enough to really test the waters

[@lilpoetat]

thanks!

[@syko2695]

I know it's a midcard comedy gimmick at best but I genuinely don't think I'd look back at the attitude era as fondly as I do if it didn't have Stasiak twatting into something having just flown straight past his target

[@randalljackson4372]

Me personally I don't disagree with Bill watts' old time methodology. It would be a great change of pace compared to today. Just my opinion.

[@seand7042]

Damn David Daffney and Kanyon are all gone now

[@Rebelheart1985]

Huh? David Flair isn’t dead

[@tomwwfc_7008]

do an inversed one with who were better then their fathers

[@NookTommy]

David Hart Smith was never as the same level as his dad the British Bulldog

[@TheForeverRanger]

In WWE maybe not but he was on a tear in MLW alongside Teddy Hart (biggest waste of talent ever) and Pillman.

[@Rebelheart1985]

@@criminalmindsgirl2936 I still wish

[@Rebelheart1985]

He teared up in Japan and MLW

[@stevenpagnani7005]

David left sometime after wrestlemania 2

[@kevinalford]

Am I crazy for thinking Ted D wasn't that good in the ring and his value was all on the microphone?

[@phillipwattsjr.4714]

You rightfully give Erik Watts a segment on the list...but you didn't show THE "DROPKICK". You guys are slipping.

[@poolshark121]

Do one where the son was better than the father. IRS and The Fiend

[@marvelsProtege]

The King's son passing away is sad because its believed he ended it all

[@hxctalent]

the daphney/david pic

[@generalkhan5569]

It's not so much that these guys can't be successful....its just they fathers were so iconic and bigger than life that when they come into the business they already have big shoes to fill and they automatically get compared to their fathers. That's why some of those guys choose not to use the same last names as their dads so they can carve their own niche and attain a level a success. And a big part of that is bc ppl won't compare them and put them in that box.

[@qjo5158]

Hennings son was screwed by WWE, he could have been huge with proper booking and constant mentorship from Dutch Mantell.

[@eastbro]

Some of it is not fair as anyone can see in the WWE, they have big rosters but the writers wouldn't have storylines for the few mentioned here.

[@brihev4355]

Angelo Mosca Jr., or BlackJack Mulligan's other son Kendall.

[@mattamick1163]

Commendable? Curt hennig was as good as I ever seen . That perfect plex, that was excellence.....just my opinion on him being the best

[@R8DRBeagle]

Brock Anderson

[@paolojcruz]

Too early to decide, but he certainly didn't leave a positive first impression.

[@TrinityMartin1]

Ehhh, some of these, I dunno if I agree with. We can play semantics, but saying "never measured up" carries the implication they weren't successful, and in the case of a couple, that's not true. Brian Christopher was BIG TIME in 2 Cool. Anyone that remembers that time knows what I'm saying. Their appearance was a staple in the WWE shows every week, and not many can say that. And Richie Steamboat got HURT. The others on the list, yea, they didn't have success. But that's not the case with Brian and Ritchie. My two cents.

[@badblight]

I'd have to think Curtis Axel got buried by creative. Why take so long to recognize he was the kid of Mr Perfect?

[@penguinpop8]

Lacey Von Erich.

[@manchuriancandybar864]

Don't forget Polish Power Ivan Putski and his son Scott.

[@nathanwanner..44]

Why is Kurt on this list he was fantastic he didn't have to live up to his dad he forged his own path

[@dadvastator967]

Its no shame not to outshine ones father. Huh, but i have never concerned myself with such matters.

[@CJCrump]

I see Charlotte following in Ric's footsteps as a 16 time world champion.

[@beastmode_bryan8]

Cant blame the wrestler sometimes blame back booking and storyline decisions.

[@jedediahcoulbourne1791]

I know Jessie and Festus were a dumb gimmick but as a kid from a rural area I thought they were entertaining as hell

[@Nbflowers1989]

Nice!

[@taveydarealest3871]

I ain't know Mr perfect son was Curtis axel