Courtesy of WWE
THE TOP 10 MUSTACHES IN WRESTLING HISTORY
- Mike Mueller, Senior Editor
Photos Courtesy of WWE / Photos Courtesy of AEW
Has any single men’s grooming trend ever exuded such manliness (and creepiness) quite like the mustache? It can be slick or smarmy, bushy or barely there, powerful or perverse. Yes, the lip rug can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and today we are going to honor ten of the very best mustaches in wrestling history.
Honorable Mentions:
Scott Hall - Let’s be clear: Scott Hall’s mustache was absolutely divine. It would make Tom Selleck jealous. The only reason it’s not on the main list is because it came during perhaps the least memorable run of Hall’s illustrious career. By the time Hall got to WWF in 1992, the power stache from Hall’s AWA days was long gone, but its impact will remain forever.
10. ADAM PAGE
The newest mustache to the list comes from AEW’s Adam Page. Page is entering his first heel run with the company, and what better way to get heat than with a crumb catcher! Looking like someone who wants to challenge Wyatt Earp to a duel at high noon, the Hangman is doing all he can to make sure the crowd wants to boo him. And if they don’t want to boo him, at least they’ll boo his mustache.
9. BIG BULLY BUSICK
You’re probably thinking “who?” and that is indeed the correct reaction to hearing this jobber’s name. He was only in the WWE for a hot minute during 1991, and while his in-ring ability or storylines (a short lived feud with the Brooklyn Brawler) were far from memorable, his mustache was not to be forgotten.
8. CODY RHODES
Perhaps the “creepiest” mustache on the list, the sparse dirt squirrel first made its appearance on Cody’s face in late 2011, and it didn’t last long. However, his mustache was more over than Rhodes Scholars (his tag team with Damien Sandow) and “Cody’s Mustache” was being chanted by the WWE Universe during every one of his matches during that time. When your mustache gets its own chant, it has earned a spot on this list.
7. THE IRON SHEIK
The only flavor saver on this list to hold the WWE World Heavyweight Championship comes from Sheiky Baby himself. The Iron Sheik was known for 3 things more than anything else: pointy boots, hating Hulk Hogan, and that glorious wax-tipped mustache. Google “Iron Sheik no mustache” the pictures exist but they are truly frightening. Consider yourself warned, bubba!
6. STAN HANSEN
Perhaps the only thing more devastating than Stan Hansen’s lariat was his mustache. One look at that mouth brow and you knew everything you needed to know about Hanson. Double tough and as rugged as the state of Texas itself!
5. "MEAN" GENE OKERLUND
Who says you need to take a bump to be a G.O.A.T. in the sport of wrestling? The fact that Mean Gene had more hair on his upper lip than on the top of his head makes him the stuff of legend. Another disturbing google search will show you a clean shaven Okerlund, who looks more like John Mulaney than the greatest wrestling interviewer of all time.
4. JAKE "THE SNAKE" ROBERTS
There’s a strong case for giving Jake the number one spot on this list, but the fact that he’s perhaps best known for his mic skills or his in-ring psychology works against Jake here. The top 3 spots need to be reserved for people who are so associated with their mustache, almost everything else about them seems secondary. Take it as a compliment Jake, I’d never insult you. Trust me.
3. BLACK JACK MULLIGAN
The dude literally inspired his peers and protige’s alike to adopt his facial hair (I’m looking at you, JBL). A true trendsetter, Blackjack Mulligan rocked that super thick, super black mustache for three decades. The sheer volume of it alone gives it a top 3 spot on this list.
2. MAGNUM TA
Magnum T.A. is undoubtedly on the Mount Rushmore of “what could have been?” Posed as the NWA’s answer to Hulk Hogan, Magnum had it all: his charisma was off the charts, he was a solid mic worker, he was white hot with the fans, and the man just oozed sex appeal. The definition of “women want him, and men want to be him.” His career was cut short, but that face lace will live on forever.
1. "RAVISHING" RICK RUDE
What I’d like to have right now, is for all of you clean-shaven, baby-faced, pre-pubescent punks to keep the noise down while I show you the sexiest mustache in the history of wrestling. Rude’s mustache was as sleazy as the character himself, and that’s why it has earned the top spot on this list. That Ravishing Mustache was just as big of a part of Rude’s character as his ripped abs, swiveling hips, and airbrushed tights. Later, Rude would shave his iconic mustache, and in doing so, lost about 70% of his appeal. Rick Rude without the mustache is like the wrestling ice cream bars without the chocolate backing. Sure, they’re still good, but they don’t make you break down the door to catch up to the ice cream truck.