Mar 5, 2024 23:37:07 GMT Baker said:

Confession Time: I have never liked Ole Anderson. For as long as I can remember I just dismissed him as a fat old man from the Era Before Pants. And then when I got smartened up a little, he became a fat grumpy old man from the Era Before Pants. 

Love "The Era Before Pants" because it's such a beautifully simple demarcation of time of not only pants, but booking and wrestling style also just happened to change with the emergence of pants. Really seems like New Style slowly started to develop as more and more people started going to long trunks. Would love to go deeper on this topic. When were we at Peak Pants (1998?) because the aughts seemed to go back in a pantless direction that I do not abide. I am a product of my time. Give me pants or give me death.

Mar 5, 2024 23:51:17 GMT Kilgore said:

Mar 5, 2024 23:37:07 GMT Baker said:

Confession Time: I have never liked Ole Anderson. For as long as I can remember I just dismissed him as a fat old man from the Era Before Pants. And then when I got smartened up a little, he became a fat grumpy old man from the Era Before Pants. 

Love "The Era Before Pants" because it's such a beautifully simple demarcation of time of not only pants, but booking and wrestling style also just happened to change with the emergence of pants. Really seems like New Style slowly started to develop as more and more people started going to long trunks. Would love to go deeper on this topic. When were we at Peak Pants (1998?) because the aughts seemed to go back in a pantless direction that I do not abide. I am a product of my time. Give me pants or give me death.

Beautiful. Wish I could take credit for coining the Era Before Pants tagline because I love it as much as you do. Alas, I cannot. All I can do is promote the term invented by Bryan, my good friend from the early-mid 2000s. And he came up with the term when I brought over some old school NWA tapes one night. Ole Anderson: The ultimate Era Before Pants wrestler.

All those wrestling references on Cheers have me thinking one of the writers must have at least been a casual fan. Once or twice you could write it off as namedropping a popular trend like Sam's young girlfriend talking to Woody about John Cougar Mellencamp in that one episode. But 4 times? Nah. I'm thinking somebody there must have been a fan. 

Mar 5, 2024 23:51:17 GMT Kilgore said:

Love "The Era Before Pants" because it's such a beautifully simple demarcation of time of not only pants, but booking and wrestling style also just happened to change with the emergence of pants. Really seems like New Style slowly started to develop as more and more people started going to long trunks. Would love to go deeper on this topic. When were we at Peak Pants (1998?) because the aughts seemed to go back in a pantless direction that I do not abide. I am a product of my time. Give me pants or give me death.

I kind of no sold this yesterday but thought more about it today. I never really put much thought into when exactly the Era Before Pants existed. Since the term came about watching an NWA tape, I just always assumed it was more of an 80s thing. NWA/Territorial rather than WWF. The Turner purchase date being a good line of demarcation. But now Kilgore has me thinking about when the world of the pantsless transitioned into a world of the pantsed...

1998 quickie thoughts: HHH, Bradshaw, and Jericho are all 1998 pants wearers who would one day go to trunks- HHH in '99, Bradshaw going back to trunks in '04 (he just went to pants for the first time in late 98), and Jericho not until his 07 comeback. I personally feel like the Era Before Pants peaked long before 1998, but it's admittedly more feeling than fact at this early stage of the game.

While we're here in 1998, any of you guys notice Val Venis wearing real short shorts? I did not, but my brother (who barely watched 1998 wrestling btw) swore up and down this was the case. Val Venis: King of the Nuthuggers according to my brother. Also remember the Apter Mags claiming "Made In The USA" Lex Luger wore real short shorts as well. They went so far as to comparing his tiny, tiny trunks to those of Ricki Starr.  Again, I did not notice. 

Anyway, here is a list of pants wearers in Golden Age WWF partially combed from going through LJN figure pics and partially through my own memory.

Hillbilly Jim, JYD, Jake, Outback Jack, Studd, Bulldogs, Hart Foundation, Rockers, Powers of Pain (Warlord would later go to trunks), heel Rougeau Brothers, Conquistadors (tag teams weirdly big on pants), Steamboat, Kirchner, Slaughter, Sheik, Jesse, Beefcake, Koko, LOD, Bigelow, Rude, 'Taker, Gang/Akeem, Bossman, Virgil, and Savage would eventually pull a reverse Warlord. Oh, and IRS assuming the Golden Age extends to 1991. I'm sure there are even more.

That is a not insignificant number of wrestlers wearing pants. Bump it up to the New Gen and you can add even more names to the list.

Now let's look at pants wearers in 80s NWA...

Eaton, Rock & Roll Express, Road Warriors, Terry Funk, SST, Sting, Nu Freebirds, Muta, Gilbert. Still more than I would have guessed. But now that I think about it, a few of them came after the Turner buyout. Again, pants seem to be more of a tag team thing. Interesting...

Now I'm reminded of an ancient message board post (DVDVR?) that stirred up all sorts of discussion some 20 years ago. A poster once theorized Randy Orton got to the WWE/World Title before John Cena because he showed more skin. Pat Patterson's name was dropped. Of course, the next decade of Cena dominance pretty much killed this argument, but it was out there once upon a time. 

Doing a quick study on the subject and I need to know these are the proper rulings, open to be swayed:

Bicycle shorts (ala Bad Ass Billy Gun, Post-haircut Jeff Jarret) = No-pants
Singlet shorts (ala Owen or Mr. Perfect or Kurt Angle) = No-pants
Jorts (ala Raven or Justin Credible or John Cena) = No-pants
Ankle trunks (ala Taka Michinoku or Yokozuna) = Pants

The reason I need clarification is because when I think Era Before Pants, I'm thinking Harley Race style trunks, basically colored tighty whities style. Shorts never cross my mind on this subject, yet they are clearly not pants. So they still have to be counted as no-pants, correct?

A quick study of percentage of pants being worn at WrestleManias

WrestleMania 3

No-pants: Martel, Zenk, Orton, Muraco, Haynes, Hercules, King Kong Bundy, Haiti Kid, Little Beaver, Lord Littlebrook, Harley Race, Valentine, Jacques Rougeau, Raymond Rougeau, Piper, Adonis, Santana, Butch Reed, Savage, Iron Sheik, Volkoff, Brunzell, Blair, Hogan, Andre
Total: 25

Pants: Hilbilly Jim, Little Tokyo, JYD, Beefcake, Hart, Neidhart, Davis, Dynamite Kid, Davey Boy, Koko B. Ware, Steamboat, Honky Tonk Man, Jake Roberts
Total: 13

WM3 Stats
No-Pants: 65%
Pants: 35%


WrestleMania 6

No-Pants: Martel, Ax, Smash, Andre, Earthquake, Hercules, Perfect, Piper, Bad News, Volkoff, Zhukov, Barbarian, Tito, Dusty, Duggan, Dino, DIbiase, Snuka, Hogan, Warrior
Total: 20

Pants: Koko, Haku, Beefcake, Bret, Anvil, Macho, Sata, Tanaka, Shawn, Marty, Jake, Boss Man, Akee, Rude
Total:14

WM6 Stats
No-Pants: 58%
Pants: 42%


WrestleMania 10

No-Pants: Owen, Luger, Earthquake, Adam Bomb, Razor, Alundra
Total: 6

Pants: Bret, Bam Bam, Doink, Savage, Crush, Mabel, Moe, Jacques, Pierre, Yokozuna, HBK, Leilani Kai
Total: 12

WM10 Stats
No-Pants: 33%
Pants: 67%


WrestleMania 12

No-Pants: Owen, Ahmed, Austin, Warrior
Total: 4

Pants: Vader, Bulldog, Jake, Yokozuna, Piper, Goldust, Savio, HHH, Undertaker, Diesel, HBK, Bret
Total: 12

WM12 Stats
No-Pants: 25%
Pants: 75%


WrestleMania 14

No-Pants: Owen, Mero, The Rock, Shamrock, Billy Gunn, Austin
Total: 6

Pants: Taka, Aguila, HHH, Goldust, Cactus Jack, Chainsaw Charlie. Road Dogg, Undertaker, Kane, HBK
Total: 10

WM14 Stats
No Pants: 37%
Pants: 63%


WrestleMania 17

No-Pants: Regal, Raven, Big Show, Angle, Chyna, HHH, Austin, The Rock
Total: 8

Pants: Jericho, Tazz, Bradshaw, Farooq, Goodfather, Val, Bull Buchanan, Kane, Eddie Guerrero, Test, Benoit, Ivory, Shane McMahon, Vince McMahon, Edge, Christian, Bubba Ray, D-Von, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Undertaker
Total: 21

WM17 Stats
No-Pants: 27%
Pants: 73%

(The Gimmick Battle Royale was omitted as it being a representation of previous eras would have clouded the results of the study of contemporary habits)

Conclusion

As suspected, The Era of No Pants began its death, as many things did, as the '90s began. What the Peak Pants Point was, thus far, is inconclusive. As is the exact Pants Tipping Point Year, right now approximated at 1990. Would love to do this with Royal Rumble Entrants. Probably not tonight. I challenge someone to study the pants percentage of Ruthless Aggression Era, which is not my expertise. I suspect the pants percentage will decrease, though, and that Peak Pants Point was sometime during the Monday Night Wars. 

Kilgore putting in the work. You love to see it.

I too thought about the pants/not pants quandary earlier today. For me, like Kilgore, Era Before Pants denotes Harley Race/Horsemen style plain trunks. The vintage "NWA Look" in my mind. What Owen, Angle, Steiners, B. Gunn, etc. wore occupies a gray area. They're clearly not pants, but nor do they fit my mental image of Era Before Pants gear. I'd be ok with making a 3rd category for these inbetweeners.

Have a few other things I want to work on tonight, but as of now I plan on taking up the Ruthless Aggression Pants Challenge tomorrow.

I always correlated the pants movement with Macho Man becoming the Macho King which is when he switched to pants.

Going off memory 20 of the 30 participants in the 2003 Royal Rumble wore pants:

1 Shawn Michaels- p
2 Chris Jericho- p
3 Christopher Nowinski- np
4 Rey Mysterio- p
5 Edge- p
6 Christian- p
7 Chavo Guerrero- p
8 Tajiri- p
9 Bill DeMott- p
10 Tommy Dreamer- p
11 B-2- p
12 Rob Van Dam- np
13 Matt Hardy- p
14 Eddie Guerrero- p
15 Jeff Hardy- p
16 Rosey- p (?)
17 Test- p
18 John Cena- np
19 Charlie Haas- np
20 Rikishi- np
21 Jamal- p (?)
22 Kane- p
23 Shelton Benjamin- np
24 Booker T- np
25 A-Train- np (?)
26 Maven- p
27 Goldust- p
28 Batista- np
29 Brock Lesnar- np
30 The Undertaker- p

Hogan vs. Savage at Halloween Havoc '96, huge night for pants. Two former no-pants men adapted to the times. 

Hogan had pants when doing a lot of his promos in the 80's but switched to trunks for his matches.

Got to acknowledge Superstar Graham for being the trailblazer though. He's the only one I can think of who wore pants during that era. Later on Michael Hayes I think got the ball rolling even further. Tiger Mask I guess was an early pants practitioner as well.

Jesse The Body Ventura, very early Pants Man, too. Which makes sense as a Superstar Billy Graham disciple. 

Killer Kowalski, also an early pants man, sometimes. Although I have no idea when that really began. 

Fuji and Tanaka, The Wild Samoans in the ankle trunk style.

Updated WrestleMania Pants Percentages (Pants Tipping Point Year Figured Out)

WM1 Stats
No-Pants: 76%
Pants: 24%

WM2 Stats
No-Pants: 65%
Pants: 35%

WM3 Stats
No-Pants: 65%
Pants: 35%

WM5 Stats
No-Pants: 54%
Pants: 46%

WM6 Stats
No-Pants: 58%
Pants: 42%

WM7 Stats
No-Pants: 52%
Pants: 48%

WM8 Stats
No-Pants: 46%
Pants: 54%

WM9 Stats
No-Pants: 42%
Pants: 58%

WM10 Stats
No-Pants: 33%
Pants: 67%

More Details:

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}WrestleMania 1

No-Pants: Tito, Bundy, SD Jones, Matt Borne, David Sammartino, Valentine, Sheik, Volkoff, WIndham, Rotunda, Andre, Hogan, Orndorff, Piper, Richter, Kai
Total: 16

Pants: Executioner, Steamboat, Beefcake, JYD, Studd
Total: 5


WrestleMania 2*

No-Pants: Orndorff, Muraco, Savage, Mr. T, Piper, Moolah, Mcintyre, Volkoff, Valentine, Adonis, Elmer, Terry Funk, Dory Funk, Hercules, Tito, Bundy, Hogan
Total: 17

Pants: Animal Steele, Roberts, Wells, Kirchner, Dynamite, Davey, Beefcake, Steamboat, JYD
Total: 9

*Skipping the Battle Royal as there were too many non-wrestlers to mess with the data

Also skipped WrestleMania 4 because of the repetitive format

WrestleMania 5

No-Pants: Dibiase, Jacques, Raymond, Perfect, Dino, Garvin, Arn, Tully, Tito, Martel, Andre, Valentine, Warrior, Bad News, Duggan, Rooster, Hogan, Savage
Total: 18

Pants: Akeem, Boss Man, Shawn, Marty, Brutus, Luke, Butch, Blue Blazer, Warlord, Barbarian, Jake, Bret, Anvil, Honky, Rude,
Total: 15


WrestleMania 7

No-Pants: Barbarian, Kerry, Dino, Warlord, Martel, Snuka, Warrior, Ax, Smash, Tenryu, Perfect, Earthquake, Valentine, Roma, Hercules, Virgil, Dibiase, Tito, Hogan
Total: 19

Pants: Shawn, Marty, Haku, Davey, Sags, Knobbs, Bret, Anvil, Jake, Undertaker, Savage, Kitao, Boss Man, Animal, Hawk, Mountie, Slaughter
Total: 17


WrestleMania 8

No-Pants: Piper, Virgil, Duggan, Flair, Martel, Tatanka, Earthquake, Typhoon, Dibiase, Owen, Sid, Hogan
Total: 12

Pants: Shawn, Tito (Matdor change to pants), Undertaker, Jake, Bret, Boss Man, Slaughter, Mountie, KNobbs, Sags, Repo Man, Savage, IRS, Skinner
Total: 14


WrestleMania 9

No-Pants: Tatanka, Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner, Razor, Backlund, Dibiase, Luger, Perfect, Hogan
Total: 9

Pants: Shawn, Samu, Fatu, Doink, Crush, Beefcake, IRS, Undertaker, Giant Gonzalez, Yokozuna, Bret, Hogan
Total: 12

---

1992 seems to be the Pants Tipping Point Year in the WWF. Nirvana's 1991 release of Nevermind really did change everything. 

A beautiful oddity, I had to count Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 9 as both a No-Pants Wrestler (with Beefcake vs. Money Inc) and a Pants Wrestler (against Yokozuna), so another historic record for Hulkamania.

As you already know, No-pants data slightly inflated with shorts enthusiasts. 

Next, I will try to figure out the Peak Pants Point.

Want to commend you guys for going above and beyond the call of duty. This thread is beautiful. Posters providing pants analysis is what HoW is all about. Not gonna get this type of content on Reddit.

EDIT: Forgot to mention it in last night's Match Review, and it came decades after the period in question, but AJ Styles is another one who eventually made the transition from trunks to tights. Microsoft AI claims he made the change in 2006. That seems way too early, but I don't feel like investigating right now. Maybe later...

Search For The Peak Pants Point in the WWF

WrestleMania Stats

WM1
No-Pants: 76%
Pants: 24%

WM2
No-Pants: 65%
Pants: 35%

WM3
No-Pants: 65%
Pants: 35%

WM5
No-Pants: 54%
Pants: 46%

WM6
No-Pants: 58%
Pants: 42%

WM7
No-Pants: 52%
Pants: 48%

WM8
No-Pants: 46%
Pants: 54%

WM9
No-Pants: 42%
Pants: 58%

WM10
No-Pants: 33%
Pants: 67%

WM11
No-Pants: 44%
Pants: 56%

WM12
No-Pants: 25%
Pants: 75%

WM13
No-Pants: 42%
Pants: 58%

WM14
No Pants: 37%
Pants: 63%

WM15
No-Pants: 47%
Pants: 53%

WM2000
No-Pants: 37%
Pants: 63%

WM17
No-Pants: 27%
Pants: 73%

WM18
No-Pants: 50%
Pants: 50%

WrestleMania Details

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}WrestleMania 1

No-Pants: Tito, Bundy, SD Jones, Matt Borne, David Sammartino, Valentine, Sheik, Volkoff, Windham, Rotunda, Andre, Hogan, Orndorff, Piper, Richter, Kai
Total: 16

Pants: Executioner, Steamboat, Beefcake, JYD, Studd
Total: 5


WrestleMania 2*

No-Pants: Orndorff, Muraco, Savage, Mr. T, Piper, Moolah, Mcintyre, Volkoff, Valentine, Adonis, Elmer, Terry Funk, Dory Funk, Hercules, Tito, Bundy, Hogan
Total: 17

Pants: Animal Steele, Roberts, Wells, Kirchner, Dynamite, Davey, Beefcake, Steamboat, JYD
Total: 9

*Skipping the Battle Royal as there were too many non-wrestlers to mess with the data

Also skipped WrestleMania 4 because of the repetitive format

WrestleMania 3

No-pants: Martel, Zenk, Orton, Muraco, Haynes, Hercules, King Kong Bundy, Haiti Kid, Little Beaver, Lord Littlebrook, Harley Race, Valentine, Jacques Rougeau, Raymond Rougeau, Piper, Adonis, Santana, Butch Reed, Savage, Iron Sheik, Volkoff, Brunzell, Blair, Hogan, Andre
Total: 25

Pants: Hilbilly Jim, Little Tokyo, JYD, Beefcake, Hart, Neidhart, Davis, Dynamite Kid, Davey Boy, Koko B. Ware, Steamboat, Honky Tonk Man, Jake Roberts
Total: 13


WrestleMania 5

No-Pants: Dibiase, Jacques, Raymond, Perfect, Dino, Garvin, Arn, Tully, Tito, Martel, Andre, Valentine, Warrior, Bad News, Duggan, Rooster, Hogan, Savage
Total: 18

Pants: Akeem, Boss Man, Shawn, Marty, Brutus, Luke, Butch, Blue Blazer, Warlord, Barbarian, Jake, Bret, Anvil, Honky, Rude,
Total: 15


WrestleMania 6

No-Pants: Martel, Ax, Smash, Andre, Earthquake, Hercules, Perfect, Piper, Bad News, Volkoff, Zhukov, Barbarian, Tito, Dusty, Duggan, Dino, DIbiase, Snuka, Hogan, Warrior
Total: 20

Pants: Koko, Haku, Beefcake, Bret, Anvil, Macho, Sata, Tanaka, Shawn, Marty, Jake, Boss Man, Akee, Rude
Total:14


WrestleMania 7

No-Pants: Barbarian, Kerry, Dino, Warlord, Martel, Snuka, Warrior, Ax, Smash, Tenryu, Perfect, Earthquake, Valentine, Roma, Hercules, Virgil, Dibiase, Tito, Hogan
Total: 19

Pants: Shawn, Marty, Haku, Davey, Sags, Knobbs, Bret, Anvil, Jake, Undertaker, Savage, Kitao, Boss Man, Animal, Hawk, Mountie, Slaughter
Total: 17


WrestleMania 8

No-Pants: Piper, Virgil, Duggan, Flair, Martel, Tatanka, Earthquake, Typhoon, Dibiase, Owen, Sid, Hogan
Total: 12

Pants: Shawn, Tito (Matdor change to pants), Undertaker, Jake, Bret, Boss Man, Slaughter, Mountie, KNobbs, Sags, Repo Man, Savage, IRS, Skinner
Total: 14


WrestleMania 9

No-Pants: Tatanka, Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner, Razor, Backlund, Dibiase, Luger, Perfect, Hogan
Total: 9

Pants: Shawn, Samu, Fatu, Doink, Crush, Beefcake, IRS, Undertaker, Giant Gonzalez, Yokozuna, Bret, Hogan
Total: 12


WrestleMania 10

No-Pants: Owen, Luger, Earthquake, Adam Bomb, Razor, Alundra
Total: 6

Pants: Bret, Bam Bam, Doink, Savage, Crush, Mabel, Moe, Jacques, Pierre, Yokozuna, HBK, Leilani Kai
Total: 12


WrestleMania 11

No-Pants: Luger, Bulldog, Jacob Blu, Eli Blu, Razor, Bundy, Owen, Backlund
Total: 8

Pants: Double J, Undertaker, Yokozuna, Billy Gunn, Bart Gunn, Bret, Diesel, HBK, LT, Bam Bam
Total: 10


WrestleMania 12

No-Pants: Owen, Ahmed, Austin, Warrior
Total: 4

Pants: Vader, Bulldog, Jake, Yokozuna, Piper, Goldust, Savio, HHH, Undertaker, Diesel, HBK, Bret
Total: 12


WrestleMania 13

No-Pants: Mosh, Thrasher, Furnas, Bradshaw, Windham, Rocky, Owen, Bulldog, Austin, Ahmed, SId
Total: 11

Pants: Lafon, HOG, PIG, Sultan, HHH, Goldust, Mankind, Vader, Bret, Hawk, Animal, Farooq, Crush, Savio Vega, Undertaker
Total: 15


WrestleMania 14

No-Pants: Owen, Mero, The Rock, Shamrock, Billy Gunn, Austin
Total: 6

Pants: Taka, Aguila, HHH, Goldust, Cactus Jack, Chainsaw Charlie. Road Dogg, Undertaker, Kane, HBK
Total: 10


WrestleMania 15

No-Pants: Hardcore Holly, Billy Gunn, Al Snow, Owen, Big Show, Shamrock, Val, Sable, Tori, Austin, Rock
Total: 11

Pants: Double J, D'Lo, Test, Mankind, Road Dogg, Goldust, Kane, HHH, Shane, X Pac, Undertaker, Boss Man
Total: 12


WrestleMania 2000

No-Pants: Tazz, Funaki, Mosh, Thrasher, Hardcore Holly, Crash Holly, Al Snow, Terri, The Kat ,Chyna, Saturn, Malenko, Kurt Angle, Rikishi, HHH, Rock, Big Show
Total: 17

Pants: Viscera, Rodney, Joey Abs, Bradshaw, Farooq, Taka, Boss Man, Bull Buchanan, Godfather, D'Lo, Test, Albert, Blackman, Edge, Christian, Bubba Ray, D-Von, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Grand Master Sexay, Scotty 2 Hotty, Eddie Guerrero, Benoit, Jericho, Kane, X-Pac, Road Dogg, Foley
Total: 28


WrestleMania 17

No-Pants: Regal, Raven, Big Show, Angle, Chyna, HHH, Austin, The Rock
Total: 8

Pants: Jericho, Tazz, Bradshaw, Farooq, Goodfather, Val, Bull Buchanan, Kane, Eddie Guerrero, Test, Benoit, Ivory, Shane McMahon, Vince McMahon, Edge, Christian, Bubba Ray, D-Von, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Undertaker
Total: 21


WrestleMania 18

No-Pants: RVD, Regal, Christian, Maven, Angle, Flair, Booker, Austin, Hall, Billy, Chuck, The Rock, Jazz, Trish, HHH
Total: 15

Pants: DDP, Goldust, Spike, Kane, Undertaker, Edge, Farooq, Bradshaw, Bubba, D-Von, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Hogan, Lita, Jericho
Total: 15
---

I figured the second greatest decider on the status of pants in the WWF was to simply note every Royal Rumble participant.

Royal Rumble Match Stats

Royal Rumble 1988
No-Pants: 65%
Pants: 35%

Royal Rumble 1989
No-Pants: 57%
Pants: 43%

Royal Rumble 1990
No-Pants: 57%
Pants: 43%

Royal Rumble 1991
No-Pants: 57%
Pants: 43%

Royal Rumble 1992
No-Pants: 63%
Pants: 37%

Royal Rumble 1993
No-Pants: 53%
Pants: 47%

Royal Rumble 1994
No-Pants: 40%
Pants: 60%

Royal Rumble 1995
No-Pants: 47%
Pants: 53%

Royal Rumble 1996
No-Pants: 27%
Pants: 73%

Royal Rumble 1997
No-Pants: 30%
Pants: 70%

Royal Rumble 1998
No-Pants: 40%
Pants: 60%

Royal Rumble 1999
No-Pants: 47%
Pants: 53%

Royal Rumble 2000
No-Pants: 40%
Pants: 60%

Royal Rumble 2001
No-Pants: 37%
Pants: 63%

Royal Rumble 2002
No-Pants: 50%
Pants: 50%

Royal Rumble Details

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}Royal Rumble 1988

No-Pants: Tito, Butch Reed, Harley, Brunzell, Houston, Zhukov, Muraco, Volkoff, Duggan, Bass, Blair, Bravo, Warrior
Total: 13

Pants: Bret, Anvil, Jake, Dangerous Danny, Hillbilly Jim, OMG, JYD
Total: 7


Royal Rumble 1989

No-Pants: Ax, Smash, Andre, Perfect, Garvin, Valentine, Bass, Tito, Bad News, Macho, Arn, Tully, Hogan, Rooster, Hercules, Martel, Dibiase
Total: 17

Pants: Jake, Shawn, Marty, Bushwacker Butch, Bushwacker Luke, HTM, Koko, Warlord, Boss Man, Akeem, Brutus, Barbarian, Studd
Total: 13


Royal Rumble 1990

No-Pants: Dibiase, Piper, Bad News, Dusty, Andre, Rooster, Ax, Smash, Snuka, Dino, Earthquake, Warrior, Martel, Tito, Hogan, Hercules, Perfect
Total: 17

Pants: Koko, Marty, Jake, Macho, Warlord, Bret, Haku, Akeem, Anvil, HTM, Shawn, Barbarian, Rude
Total: 13



Royal Rumble 1991

No-Pants: Dino, Valentine, Roma, Kerry, Martel, Saba Simba, Hercules, Tito, Snuka, Smash, Shane Douglas, Crush, Duggan, Earthquake, Perfect, Hogan, Warlord
Total: 17

Pants: Bret, Bushwacker Butch, Bushwacker Luke, Jake, Undertaker, Bulldog, Hawk, Animal, Macho, Haku, Anvil, Knobbs, Tugboat
Total: 13



Royal Rumble 1992

No-Pants: Dibiase, Flair, Tito, Barbarian, Kerry, Valentine, Volkoff, Hercules, Piper, Duggan, Snuka, Berzerker, Virgil, Mustafa, Martel, Hogan, Slaughter, Sid, Warlord
Total: 19


Pants: Bulldog, Sags, Haku, Shawn, Repo, Boss Man, Jake, IRS, Undertaker, Macho, Skinner
Total: 11


Royal Rumble 1993

No-Pants: Flair, Backlund, Dibiase, Virgil, Genichiro Tenryu, Perfect, Berzerker, Terry Taylor, Damien Demento, Tatanka, Typhoon, Earthquake, Carlos Colon, Owen, Tito, Martel
Total: 16

Pants: Papa Shango, Knobs, Lawler, Max Moon, Skinner, Koko, Samu, Undertaker, IRS, Sags, Fatu, Yoko, Repo, Savage
Total: 14


Royal Rumble 1994

No-Pants: Steiner, Steiner, Owen, Backlund, Virgil, Valentine, Tatanka, Luger, Tenryu, Martel, Adam Bomb
Total: 12

Pants: Samu, Kwang, Bart Gunn, Diesel, Billy Gunn, Macho, Double J, Crush, Doink, Bam Bam, Mabel, Sparky Plugg, Shawn, Mo, Kabuki, Bret, Fatu, Marty
Total: 18



Royal Rumble 1995

No-Pants: Eli Blu, Jimmy Del Ray, Tom Prichard, Martel, Owen, TImothy Well, Jacob Blu, Bundy, Luger, Mantaur, Backlund, Dunn, Adam Bomb, Dick Murdoc
Total: 14

Pants: Shawn, Bulldog, Drose, Sione, Doink, Kwang, Bushwacker Luke, Mo, Mabel, Bushwacker Butch, Aldo, HOG, Billy Gunn, Bart Gunn, Fatu, Crush
Total: 16


Royal Rumble 1996

No-Pants: Backlund, Dory, Omori, Owen, Tatanka, Kama, Ringmaster, Horowitz
Total: 8

Pants: HHH, HOG, Lawler, Bob Holly, Mabel, Jake, Yoko, 123 Kid, Savio, Vader, Squat 1, Squat 2, Doug Gilbert, Shawn, Hakushi, Aldo, Diesel, Fatu, Yankem, Marty, Bulldog, Droese
Total: 22


Royal Rumble 1997

No-Pants: Ahmed, Fake Razor, Austin, Bulldog, Owen, Cybernetico, Mero, Latin Lover, Rocky
Total: 9

Pants: Crush, PIG, Bart Gunn, Jake , Pierroth, Sultan, Mil Mascaras, HHH, Goldust, Faarooq, Savio, Jesse James, Bret, Lawler, Fake Diesel, Funk, Mankind, Flash Funk, Vader, HOG, Undertaker0
Total: 21


Royal Rumble 1998

No-Pants: Brandi, Rock, Mosh, Bradshaw, Owen, Mero, Shamrock, Thrasher, Ahmed, Mark Henry, Kama, Austin
Total: 12

Pants: Cactus, Chainsaw, PIG, 8-Ball, Blackman, D'Lo, Kurrgan, Mankind, Goldust, Double J, HTM, Skull, HOG, Savio, Faarooq, Dude Love, Chainz, Vader
Total: 18


Royal Rumble 1999

No-Pants: Austin, Droz, Gillberg, Severn, SIngh, Meanie, Snow, Shamrock, Billy Gunn, Val, Mark Henry, Double J, Owen, Chyna
Total: 14

Pants: McMahon, Golga, Edge, Blackman, Mabel, Road Dogg, Gangrel, Kurrgan, Goldust, Godfather, Kane, Test, Boss Man, HHH, X-Pac, D'Lo
Total: 16


Royal Rumble 2000

No-Pants: Mosh, Rikishi, Backlund, Crash, Chyna, Al Snow, Val, Prince Albert, Hardcore Holly, Rock, Billy Gunn, Big Show
Total: 12

Pants: D'Lo, Sexay, Christian, Scotty 2 hotty, Blackman, Viscera, Boss Man, Test, Bulldog, Gangrel, Edge, Jericho, Faarooq, Road Dogg, Bradshaw, Kane, Godfather, X-Pac
Total: 18


Royal Rumble 2001

No-Pants: Raven, Al Snow, Saturn, Rock, Hardcore Holly, Regal, Big Show, Crash, Austin, Billy Gunn, Rikishi
Total: 11

Pants: Jeff Hardy, Bull Buchanan, Matt Hardy, Faarooq, Drew Carey, Albert, Kane, Blackman, Sexay, HTM, Goodfather, Tazz, Bradshaw , K-Kwik,Val, Test, Undertaker, Scotty 2 Hotty, Haku,
Total: 19


Royal Rumble 2002

No-Pants: Rikishi, Al Snow, Billy Gunn, Maven, Palumbo, Albert, Saturn, Austin, Val, HHH, Perfect, Angle, Big Show, RVD, Booker T
Total: 15

Pants: Goldust, Boss Man, Bradshaw, Lance Storm, Undertaker, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Scotty 2 Hotty, Christian, DDP, Godfather, Test, Hurricane, Faarooq, Kane
Total: 15
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Conclusion

By the numbers, 1996 is the Peak Pants Point (73% Royal Rumble/75% WrestleMania). I think both percentages are inflated by circumstances. Royal Rumble 1996 had many Luchadores to fill out the thin roster, who tend to be pants enthusiasts, while also not being true members of the WWF roster. And WrestleMania 12 had the least amount of wrestlers participating due to the 1 hour Iron Man Match (between two men who happen to be Pants Guys). This is the Juiced Ball Season of Pants in the WWF. 

That being said, Royal Rumble 1997 is 70% pants. That's holding strong from the previous year. Huge dip in WrestleMania pants, though, at 58%, so my skepticism is proved correct.

Besides 1996, there are four other years that have both the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania as 60% pants or above.

1994 (WM 67%/RR 60%)
1998 (WM 63%/RR 60%)
2000 (WM 63%/RR 60%)
2001 (WM 73%/RR 63%)

The Attitude Era really was where Pants peaked in the WWF. 1999 not showing up here is due to a poor Pants showing at the Royal Rumble (53%). That's a bit misleading with absolute scrubs like Gillberg, Blue Meanie, Tiger Ali Singh padding No-Pants stats, with an appearance from Chyna also mucking up the numbers.

1997 also sees the emergence of the bicycle shorts look, men too cowardly to fully commit to the No-Pants look, but I couldn't dare put in the Pants crowd either. But that's making up many of the No-Pants tallies during Peak Pants years, so truly a clothed time in wrestling history (for men). 

All that being said, I'm calling 2001 the Peak Pants Point. The culmination of the rising numbers of Pants during the Monday Night Wars, with signs the Pants Revolution was coming the entire previous decade. 

The Monday Night Wars end, 2002 begins and both the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania are 50/50 No-Pants/Pants. That's amazing symmetry, beautiful even, although a sad year for Pants. We knew the death of the Monday Night Wars (and ECW) ultimately had a horrifyingly negative impact on the wrestling business. Now we know that it also killed Wrestling Pants.

What category does Ryder fall into?

Leaning No-Pants for Ryder, the left side beating out the right side. Like if someone is wearing assless pants, sure, they might be called pants, but no one actually thinks they're pants. The assless portion overrules the pants portion. I argue this is the case of Ryder's No-Pants left side. Glad it's not my era, though. That's for someone else to decide.

I'd be interested in some long term research detailing how each pant leg produced a minimum star rating.

Mar 8, 2024 14:23:11 GMT Big Pete said:

What category does Ryder fall into?

I appreciate his valets' pants or lack thereof match his sides.

Are spandex tights really pants though?

I think a clear line needs be drawn in the sand. 

Biker Taker = pants. 

Kane = spandex tights, not pants. 

Beautiful can't believe just now seeing this. Also can't help but think of that one time Randy Couture randomly wore pants in Japan against Maurice Smith 1997 to hide any bruises from leg kicks he was anticipating, pretty smart strategy(that he never did again iirc)

Now I'm thinking about the stats for the early UFC's pants wearage, Pride FC, what the win/loss records were. Remember the one big huge guy that wore pants at UFC 8, Sam Adkins.

Recently saw a Randy Orton in OVW clip against my will (it popped up on Twitter) and Orton was wearing bike shorts instead of full blown no-pants, which looked strange, but was such a time capsule of that era. 1997 to 2002/3ish, that was the young guy look to at least start with, if not ride it for a long time. Orton, Cena, Brock, Shelton Benjamin, AJ, Low Ki, Joe, Paul London, Mark Jindrak, Sean O'Haire, among others I'm forgetting right now. Vets like Jeff Jarrett, Billy Gunn, Scott Steiner, X-Pac adopting the look. Bizarre era of indecision among the question: Pants or No Pants?

Very randomly thought to myself, "Hogan started out as a Pants Guy. How did I forget this?" Which makes sense, like Jesse the Body, a Superstar Billy Graham Wannabe. 

I didn't know/forgot Hogan started out wearing pants. Funnily enough, a video of young Hogan winning a squash in Alabama showed up in my feed earlier this week. He was wearing a singlet in that one.
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Just watched a Lawler/Hennig match and now I want to get some thoughts on Lawler's one strap singlet and tights with trunks worn over the tights look. The King had all his bases covered. I'm a fan but feel like I'm going to be in the minority here. What say you, PW?

I've always thought of King as a pants guy despite the unique combination. I liked his look as well, made him standout from others.

Mar 31, 2024 1:33:14 GMT Baker said:

I didn't know/forgot Hogan started out wearing pants. Funnily enough, a video of young Hogan winning a squash in Alabama showed up in my feed earlier this week. He was wearing a singlet in that one.
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Just watched a Lawler/Hennig match and now I want to get some thoughts on Lawler's one strap singlet and tights with trunks worn over the tights look. The King had all his bases covered. I'm a fan but feel like I'm going to be in the minority here. What say you, PW?

You definitely knew at one point because the George Napolitano Picture Book is how I knew, that famous pic of Hogan posing while rocking the mushroom cloud shaped chest hair.

Hate one strap singlets. Andre, the only one to ever truly rock that look. Lawler pulled it off, but I don't love it on him, for whatever reason. 

Trunks over tights, I like it. Not as much as tights on their own, but it's not a bad variation. Did Superman invent it? Regardless, there's something very professional wrestling about it. 

Mar 31, 2024 1:49:05 GMT Kilgore said:

You definitely knew at one point because the George Napolitano Picture Book is how I knew, that famous pic of Hogan posing while rocking the mushroom cloud shaped chest hair.

Love the Napolitano reference. Just pulled it out and you are correct. In my defense, I'd have been too busy marking out for the mushroom cloud chest hair to notice he was wearing pants rather than trunks.