Mr Butternut Squash

I'm loving touchy, grouchy Hogan.

Mr Anderson can die a slow death though fuckin hell.

That wasn't a particularly bad crowd compared to usual, but they're usually pretty rubbish to be honest. The show's too long and the mid-card's shit and stagnant. Impact was a blast this week, great crowd. I hope they make the most of the markets wwe miss.

I'd probably go for Windham, Arn Anderson, Dick Murdoch, Ricky Morton and Stan Hansen above him too.

All great picks. Windham was untouchable for a period of the late 80's. I've never seen Arn (or my Tully), Morton and Hansen in anything less than very good. Murdoch I've seen too little of.

Rey/Eddy are up there too.

Edit: brilliant post as always by Ian which kind of reminds you that this sort of discussion is fun but a bit pointless.

We all know Flair is the best ever anyway.

It's odd that a Bret fan is putting Shawn over and the Shawn fan (me) thinks Bret just edges it in terms of quality work.

Lawler? Lawler was still doing elite level work a year or so ago, and had been doing elite level work for 30-35 years before that. The hair matches, The Funk matches, the stuff with Von Erich, the huge amount of class stuff with Bill Dundee.

 

I remember on another forum, I can't remember which but I'm guessing PWO, the list of 100 wrestlers who were better than HBK. And going through them and watching footage of them, a lot of the time they were dead right. HBK is nowhere near the GOAT, and shouldn't come into the conversation.

That's a bit harsh I reckon. Still I think Lawler, Funk and Flair smoke him in terms of US wrestlers. They're plenty of others I could be convinced with too.

That's fair enough, though I disagree (don't think any of those matches are 'great' with the exception of the Action Zone one and their were guys in WCW/ECW who were equal, if not stronger week to week on tv) but whatever, I'll stop cos I don't want to sound like I'm anti-Shawn or whatever. I bloody love the guy.

In simplest terms, I consider that Michaels had the biggest number of outstanding (readily available to view) matches across a sustained length of time with a wide variety of opponents in an unbelievably varied different type of matches with different stories told, even compared to Flair. I balked when I saw that WWE's "50 greatest Superstars ever" had neither Flair nor Hogan in the top 5, but with Shawn as number 1, I could not fault. And as a Bret Hart fanatic, that's hard for me to type.

 

Yes, I believe Shawn Michaels was the best in-ring performer we have ever seen.

I said I preferred Rockers Shawn because you could pull out any Rockers match and it's guaranteed class. Solo Shawn from 91-95 was all over the place. Yes, he delivered on the 'big stage' (vs Razor) but all his matches with the greats of the period - Flair, Savage, Hennig, Bret, Tito, Martel etc. - were underwhelming. 96- 97 is where he peaked for me (him v Jarret is an unheralded gem). Post-comback he was way more consistent but he never had that bite, and he and his offence looked like shit.

Bringing up the impact he's had in terms of match firsts and who he's wrestled is fine and is what put him in these discussions in the first place. But my original argument was of match quality only. And there's plenty of guys on a similar level in that respect.

What I love about Savage is his constant intensity and the relentlessness of his attack. Him and Warrior used to bet on how many coffees ( + pick your poison) they could neck before going out for a match. It shows and it's awesome.

I was thinking this the other day, that Miss Elizabeth reunion at WM7 might have been the greatest angle ever. At least the greatest WWF ever did. They were together for a few years on screen, then they had this huge storyline where Liz and Randy split up, then Savage turned heel and went with Sherri and on the night he retired he got back together with his first love. Fat lasses and lads with specs on were in-fucking-floods of tears. You just dont get shit like that. Even then you didn't. Amazing looking at it.

I've actively avoided this since Savage's death. I just know I would crumble

The Savage/Warrior match is one of the best ever too.

Does anybody truly believe HBK's the greatest of all time? I know it's a matter of opinion and all that but I mean in terms of number of great matches. It seems he's put up there thanks to the WWE hype machine. He was at his best in the Rockers I think.

The Rougeaus were brilliant. Probably my fave WWF tag team behind the Rockers. One of the greatest matches I've ever seen was that one against the Rockers in London(?) where they're stooging and show boating for like ten minutes but the Rockers just wind them up and make them look like mugs every time. PCO is underrated too, I need to check out his post wwf stuff.

I see they've put the Chris Masters story up on WWE.com. Finger crossed something comes of it.

It's a bit ridiculous that this is by far WWE's best show at the moment. A nice concise show where everybody has a story and is doing something. I even watch the diva's matches. Luke Harper v Pac was fun. I'm predicting Harper to do well on the main roster.

Chest, your stuff's top, going through it now. Keep it up bro.

About a year ago I bought a jazz album in the record store because it looked pretty cool. It was Blacknuss by Rahsaan Roland Kirk. I didn't know anything about the guy at the time.

Rip, Rig And Panic might be my favourite jazz record of all. It strikes the perfect balance of being head noddingly accessible and a head fuck.

Anyway DIRTY plug for my band Bad Little Kittens. Bit rock n roll this track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=playe...;v=iCmqnG9Zd-g#!

Found this match on the DVDR board. 'Lonesome' (love the moniker) Jay Bradley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=playe...p;v=z4sXMa103yc

Bradley is brilliant in this. Very convincing as the Angry Man. I think it's something that was discussed on here but I feel they're missing a trick not putting him in the Ace's and 8s.

I Like To Hurt People (1985) has just shown up on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RKQE5ZKF-c

Basically a kayfabe-tastic film shot in the 70's based around Shiek and his Detroit territory. A great snapshot of the ways of the 70's scene featuring a young Dusty, Funks, Andre, Abby etc, some fab promos, awful acting and a classic rock soundtrack.

Off topic but how good is this match? never seen it before.

 

Bloody hell, I'd forgotten how fat Bully was.

I can't be arsed typing a massive reply to you as you probably haven't watched or payed attention to the show. But basically..

 

They got a massive victory in London against Sting and Bully after they took out Hogan, they've took out Jeff Hardy and countless others. The team has a nice set of faces and is hiding many of the wrestlers weaknesses. They look cool as fuck, tough as fuck and add an interesting dynamic to the show. During the UK tapings they came across as a legitimate threat. Last weeks Impact was great as they were not overly used and the parts that they were in were good.

Why are you making assumptions about how much I watch?

They've got a good look and great entrance music, I'll give them that. The response they got from the UK shows seemed like textbook 'go away' heat with the whats and the you can't wrestles and WHO ARE YA chants. Doesn't make your invading faction seem all that feared or respected. Is that win over Sting and Bully the only match they've ever won? They took some guys out that time it was seven on one and they had weapons, cos any other odds sees them running for the hills. They're bloody pathetic.

They're destroying TNA and not in the way they're suppose to be.

I really enjoyed Impact this week and felt the whole show was strong throughout. Everything that happened had a purpose and nothing felt like "we need to fill 15 minutes". There was a cracking Hernandez/Aries match and Hernandez is back with his Supermex attire which looked much better than his past one. Austin Aries mocking Hernandez at the end of the match was brilliant, he really is great. The Aces and Eights angle at the moment is still strong and I hope they can capitalize on this at Lockdown. Robbie E looked great but Bigger Rob just doesn't look like a natural at all. Angle finding the Clubhouse was a good segment until they had him reveal the leader which was just shit. I can't help but think D'Lo is playing the bloke at the moment but when they decide to reveal the leader they will bring in the the actual person (similar to how they did with Devon). Talking about Devon, he really is the man at the moment, he looks like a right badass and really has impressed me since joining The Aces and Eights.

 

With all this praise about Aces and Eights I may aswell buy a bandana and look like as cool as Garrett.

What exactly about the Aces and 8s has been strong? I'm genuinely interested in knowing what somebody who is enjoying this angle sees in it. To me it's got to the point where Bully joining them would only weaken him.

The x division title switch was just weird. How fucking underwhelming.

That AJ Styles video was brilliant though weren't it? If WWE had put this sort of effort into Cena's 'shit year' , Mania might have been a bit intriguing.

Titus O'Neill on Main Event was bloody brilliant. I'd love to see him get a proper singles push.

Was this the match where he spent the entire match shit talking that Fred Durst idiot you get in the front row?

He is quality. For the life of me I don't understand why someone with that size and personality is getting pinned by Justin Gabriel.

Leo Kruger's proper growing on me. WWE's in need of a camp Austin Power's style super villain.

They probably will stick with the match (provided Dutch wants to stick around) but there's a good chance he may have been going over I reckon. Maybe Del Rio just wins convincingly now and it opens the show. And you can have Ziggler cash in and go over instead and it immediately shifts the focus for post-Mania.

Weird you think that, I'd thought there'd be zero chance the racist would be going over the new Mexican hero. But, yeah, WWE.

Unfortunately I can't see them dropping him now it's all set out, they pick and chose who to stick with and he's getting the Mania shot (unless Colter is uncomfortable with it). He'll be gone after mania though.

Calm down, its just a troll. Surely.

That's what they said about you.

Bless you, glad to be noticed.