Professional Wrestling: 28 of the Greatest Cheaters of All Time

In an ideal world, professional wrestling is built on the Dusty Rhodes/Ric Flair philosophy.

The idea is that a wrestling organization is made up of several great faces and several great heels, but in the end, there is one true hero that conquers all and one true villain that gets his ass kicked from time to time—one who, in the middle of all the confrontations, lies, cheats and steals his way to victory.

It was also believed in the time of small-time television and the era of territories, that the villain won on television and the fans would be lured to the arenas or carnivals or school gyms to see their heroes will back a title or keep their winning streak in tact.

All wrestlers at some time or another cheat to get a win. Even the most "honest" and real of wrestlers take a shortcut, using a chair or object that helps them score the win. And with the lines between face and heel blurred so much today in wrestling brands, the idea that there is a true face and true heel is skewed.

These wrestlers were or are best at using tactics to score wins in an unconventional manner. In other words, they were some of the best cheaters wrestling has ever known.

There is no order to this list—just wrestlers who cheated with the best of them.

Ken Patera

The former Olympian was a fan favorite in the WWF until he turned heel.

My first recollection of him was when I was 14—when I saw him on television, he looked right in the camera and told kids across the country that if they wanted to get anywhere in the world, they needed to cheat to do it.

What a way to be a role model.

Sgt. Slaughter

In the NWA, Slaughter was aided by his "Privates" Nelson and Kernoodle, who helped him win and keep his Mid Atlantic Heavyweight Title.

It was an ongoing theme.

When Slaughter and Kernoodle were chased by Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood for the World Tag Team Titles the match was held in a steel cage to make sure the outside influences could not help Slaughter cheat his way to a victory.

Roddy Piper

Back in the early 1980s, there was a match in the Carolinas between hero Jack Brisco and favorite heel Roddy Piper.

This was an ongoing feud between two of the best wrestlers in the territory.

At one point in the match, Piper hit Brisco with a role of washers, knocking Brisco out and allowing Piper to score the pin.

Yes, he was that devious.

Gino Hernandex and Chris Adams

Before they both passed away years ago, Hernandez and Adams formed a pretty success heel tag team in World Class Championship Wrestling and feuded with the Von Erichs.

Everytime they were in the ring they were cheaters and helped each other in singles matches.

They were a big deal in Texas back then, but would have been mid carders today.

Terry Funk

As a heel and someone who spent his latter career as a Hardcore wrestler, Funk took the high road many a time and used objects, tactics and any method possible to score a pin fall.

When he was a champion in the 1970s and 1980s, Funk was considered to be one of the better heels in the "sport."

Triple H

It's all about the Game and how you play it.

And Triple H may play it better than any ever have.

Whether he uses a sledgehammer or other object to score the victory, he has been doing the same thing for years.

And when it IS time to play the game, he usually uses these objects to score the win.

Scott Steiner

When he was "face" and wrestled with his brother Rick, they were the best tag team around world wide.

When Steiner went his own way and changed his stripes, he became the rule breaker and cheater we know him to be today.

And whether his muscles overpower his opponent or some chair or chain or other object, Steiner always finds a way to win.

Mr. Fuji

Fuji was a great tag team wrestler in the 1970s and the early 1980s before he became a manager.

When he was in the ring, he was famous for throwing salt in the eyes of his opponents to help blind them and score a win.

Honky Tonk Man

Wayne Ferris was a former Intercontinental Champion and played the "Elvis" role pretty well for many years in the wrestling business.

And when things got tough for Ferris, he just decided to use his guitar to help "turn the tide" of a match.

In most cases, that meant a win.

The Freebirds

All bad things come in threes in wrestling.

The Freebirds were a classic three-man tag team of heels that fought their way to victories in anywhere they knew how.

The fought in Texas with the Von Erichs and in WCW with Buddy Roberts being replaced by Jimmy Garvin.

They also cheating in singles matches in any way they saw fit.

The fact is nothing stood in their way of winning, no matter who was on their team.

Chyna

Never has a woman been so respected and revered at the same time in wrestling.

Chyna fought men, and WON!

Chyna was also the Intercontinental Champion on two occasions.

And when she need to do so, a low blow or two helped her on her way to victory.

Abdullah the Butcher

There was never a man in the ring or out of it that caused more damage to his opponents than the Butcher.

He battled the likes of Carlos Colon and Bruiser Brody in epic matches where he used the outside of the ring to his advantage.

A true danger in the business who thrived on blood and gore.

The Outsiders

Kevin Nash and Scott Hall just flat out were the best heels in wrestling during the Monday Night War.

The Outsiders beat up their opponents and cheated to do it at times.

The nWo just ruled the planet in terms of cheaters who were cool and the fans showed they did not mind blurring the lines of heel and face as long as the story line was great.

Ted DiBiase

The best thing about DiBiase was he knew everyone had a price.

He bought his way to win after win and also tried to buy the WWE Title.

And he almost got away with it.

DiBiase was a great in ring performer, great on the mic and one of he best heels of all time.

Edge and Christian

When they were a tag team, they were as dominating a team that could be formed.

And some of their tactics were just down right low. The cheated on many night to earn the victory of some of the best tag teams in the WWE.

Dirty Dick Slater

He never knew how to win clean.

A regional heel in the NWA and WCW.

Slater always found a way to join forces with other heels to cause havoc.

He was a regional title holder and one of the dirtiest cheaters in the business.

Ric Flair

The Dirtiest Player in the Game.

Need I say more?

The Russians

Ivan and Nikita Koloff caused havoc for everyone when they wrestled together before Nikita turned face,

Whether it was the chain Ivan carried around or Nikita doing the bidding for the team, they just caused mayhem.

Randy Savage

We loved him and we hated him.

He cheated and stole many a victory and crushing Ricky Steamboats throat with the ring bell was one of his finest hours as a cheater.

The subsequent match between them at Wrestlemania IV is still one of the greatest ever.

Iron Mike Sharpe

He was a successful mid card wrestler in the WWF and in the NWA and was a regional champion.

Always wore a brace on his forearm because of an "injury" but it always aided him in scoring wins.

Cowboy Bob Orton

In the NWA he spent time as a face and a heel. As a member of the WWF, Randy Orton's dad was a heel and involved in ushering in Wrestlemania.

And you know his arm wasn't broken all that time.

Hollywood Hulk Hogan

There is no one meaner in wrestling. even today, his words speak volumes.

Hogan was the face of wrestling, then became the heel of the business.

When wrestling needed a change, he was the one to make the biggest statement and when he needed to cheat to keep the WCW World Title, he did what he had to do.