Eddie Gilbert

"[7.5] I haven't watched any of Eddie Gilbert's matches on WCW and ECW since I was a kid, but in retrospect, he was way ahead of its time. Just watched the Dark Side Of the Ring episode on "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert. He could've have a promising career if any of the territories like Smokey Mountain Wrestling or Bill Watt's UWF would be still alive today. It's sad that it's been 30 years since his unfortunate passing. 33 is way too young and too soon. There's been lots of stories to the question: What If? What If Eddie Gilbert became a World Champion and would've stayed longer without the car accident he suffered and the personal struggles that deteriorating his career?"

[5.0] "My ratings will almost never be about things unseen by a camera, so toss his booking mind right out the window for this. This write up is 100% based upon his on screen character. He could talk, man what a great talker! One of THE talkers. Too bad all credibility was left to the vultures once you saw how tiny he was. -->Should have just been a manager<-- Great chemistry with The Fantastics but against anyone else: all you see is this little man you can not believe in. I did like his look, the tights and jackets were always changing and looking super cool. I wanted to like him, he talked me into interest. There are all sorts of good solid tag team matches he was in. I liked what he brought to Memphis and Global but there again - his mic work was always vastly overshadowing the bell to bell material. "but his pacing, his psychology" - *scoffs*. Big mouth, small results. 4.5"

[8.0] "Wish he had a longer run in JCP, he was so great against Flair and Barry, I get he was small, but watching him fire up and the instant chemistry with the Horsemen and Steamboat(tag) was great. Im told he had a very creative mind, and I love his Memphis run, in the ring, on the mic, and making something feel real and intense, those are two words that can describe how I feel about this great underrated star."

[6.0] "Gone too soon. Eddie Gilbert had the rotten luck of being born about 20 years too early. He did great in the territories and the NWA/WCW era but I don't think he was quite cut out for the WWF of the 90's. He would have done much better in this era. A bad car accident and an addiction to pain killers related to the accident ended his life at just 33 years old."

[9.0] "Hotstuff is the epitome of a wrestler active in the wrong era. Don't get me wrong he was a great worker, skilled on the mic and could work either heel or babyface. Had he been in his prime in this decade he'd be on top of the wrestling world."

[8.0] "Eddie Gilbert was a really special talent that was lost way too young. A good all around wrestler who also possesed a very strong mind for the busniess. He was a legit top guy in Memphis and had a great run in the Bill Watts UWF. It would have been nice to see what he would have potentially gotten up to in ECW as they grew as he would have fit in perfectly there."

[7.0] "Eddie Gilbert was a good worker, a great talker, and a creative if sometimes overrated booker, who just couldn't escape his demons."

[10.0] "I can't believe that is guy is an average 6 rating. He is amazing in the ring and had excellent in ring psychology. Even though he had a neck injury that almost ended his career due to a piledriver from Masked Superstar. He managed to beat the odds. He was excellent as a heel and played it with well. Especially for a guy who was small in his day before crusierweights were in the wrestling. He was a pioneer for hardcore wrestling and perfected it well very. The matches he had with Terry Funk in early ECW days. WOW! Who knows what would have happened if he had not died so young and where would he have gone. He would have been a great wrestler for the attitude era. RIP Eddie Gilbert!"

[8.0] "One of my favorites of all time. He had a cocky, arrogant attitude but could back it up when the bell rang. Plus he managed to marry both Missy Hyatt and Madusa Micelli(Alundra Blaze)"

"in a modern day indy setting he would be your cm punk type internet darling... a maverick but with a super respected mind for the business. couldnt stay in one spot long enough in the territory days to get his due... didnt have the size wwe wanted... couldnt play the right politics for crockett... died too young"

[8.0] "Gilbert was a genius booker and a great talent. It's sad how he died way before he should've because he could still be contributing to wrestling if he had taken care of himself."