The Hitman Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 It seems that in today's wrestling landscape being "Best in the World" is the boast du jour that every wrestler makes. We have Punk emblazoning his shirts with it, Jericho being the best at what he does, the likes of Meltzer throwing the term at Hiroshi Tanahashi and Daniel Bryan used to have it chanted at him during his indie days. But who do you rate as actually being the best wrestler in the world? Â Now this read is totally subjective, I'm not going to offer much in the way of criteria as I want this to be about personal choice. If a non-fan came up to you, knowing you liked wrestling and asked you to name the best wrestler in the world at this moment, who would you plump for and why? Who sums up what you believe wrestling to be better than anyone else? Â My personal choice is one of the ones I've mentioned previously, Daniel Bryan. Ironically at the time in his career when everyone was chanting that at him, I probably wouldn't have chose him as the best in the world. He's always been able to have the sort of long, near-fall laden workrate matches that earnt him the unofficial nickname in the first place, but I think its his multi-faceted nature that he's exhibited since joining WWE that makes him the best. Â Not only can he contest long, technically complicated match but he can go into the ring with almost any opponent and have an exciting match. See his scraps with the likes of Kane, Mark Henry, Batista and Ryback for example. He is also one of the most engaging characters in all of wrestling. Whether he is the jealous ex-boyfriend, the psychotic No-man or the beloved Yes-man he seems to connect with every crowd he is in front of. His popularity has transcended smarkdom and he is an accepted part of mainstream WWE, and for this reason I think Daniel Bryan is the best in the world. Â It seems like a simple question, and the sort of thing a first-day forumer would post but I think its so simple that it bears asking. Who is the best in the word? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daily Buzzard Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Gran Naniwa is dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killjoy_Gee Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 I will admit, bar a few TNA events, I'm exclusively a fan of WWE, so I will be very biased in my assessment of 'Best in the World.'I will say that I agree wholeheartedly with you about Daniel Bryan. He is perhaps the most consistent performer in WWE and has succeeded where, in all fairness, he should have failed. After that 18 second loss, it should have been the end of him, but there is something about his style that draws the viewer in. He truly gives his all regardless of the situation or gimmick, how can you not respect and appreciate that? And as you say, it seems impossible for him to have a bad match. He brings out the best in anyone he works with; Ryback, Batista, Kane. There is noone more reliable on the roster than Daniel Bryan.CM Punk is another who seems like he was set up to fail in WWE, and has proven everyone wrong. When he debuted in ECW, did anyone think WWE would push this 'indy' talent to the longest WWE Championship reign in modern history? That he would be one of 4 wrestlers The Rock would face off against in his return matches? He never should have reached this level of stardom in the current WWE Machine; he just had to much going against him, and yet, here we are. His promos are top notch and his matches are incredible. One thing I can see people saying against him is his physique, but, though I'm sure some of the UKFF will disagree, you cant have everyone built like a brickhouse. Screw anyone who says 'It's not believable pitting CM Punk against Brock Lesnar'. Punk has the ability to make you believe. It's all about suspension of disbelief. Bryan shouldn't stand a chance against Ryback, yet he makes you believe. Punk is the same. He has a tenacious ability to him.I realise this doesn't make a cohesive argument at times. I should be working, and keep getting distracted, but hey ho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Southside crew Posted June 20, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted June 20, 2013 Davey Richards , Sami Callihan , El Genericho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted June 20, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted June 20, 2013 Gran Naniwa is dead.I thought Happ Hazzard was banned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killjoy_Gee Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Davey Richards , Sami Callihan , El Genericho All I've seen of El Generico is his NXT 'Sami Zayn' matches, and thus far, I'm very impressed. I keep meaning to check out his independent matches. Any particular bouts to check out first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Arch Stanton Posted June 20, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted June 20, 2013 Without wishing to derail the thread, I hate this notion that CM Punk 'had too much going against him' and that he has defied all the odds in his rise to the top. It's a story that he pushes himself, as it helps to get over his outsider image, but it just isn't true at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Southside crew Posted June 20, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted June 20, 2013 Davey Richards , Sami Callihan , El Genericho All I've seen of El Generico is his NXT 'Sami Zayn' matches, and thus far, I'm very impressed. I keep meaning to check out his independent matches. Any particular bouts to check out first?I'll link you some matches later buddy , one with Samuray Del Sol on you tube is impressive. For me the match with Kevin Steen at Final Battle late last year was amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killjoy_Gee Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Davey Richards , Sami Callihan , El Genericho All I've seen of El Generico is his NXT 'Sami Zayn' matches, and thus far, I'm very impressed. I keep meaning to check out his independent matches. Any particular bouts to check out first?I'll link you some matches later buddy , one with Samuray Del Sol on you tube is impressive. For me the match with Kevin Steen at Final Battle late last year was amazing.Many thanks. I never know where to start with the indys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Butternut Squash Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 It's Daniel Bryan. The only people that come close are Cesaro and maybe Sheamus, two I'd rate a lot higher with better character work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Paul's Bin Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 It's got to be Jericho for me. The bloke has done it all pretty much and worked for all the major promotions. He's trained across the world and his books really proved this (Anyone know the progress of his 3rd book?). Jericho has it all for me; the look, the charisma, the in ring work and style of wrestling. He can be a main eventer when he wants to be and can wrestle like a cruiserweight when he wants to. Jericho has learnt his craft from the best and it shows. It took a while for the WWE to have faith in him but when they made him Undisputed Champion in 2001 that shows they had faith in him. Especially considering the roster at the time. Although it wasn't a good reign by any means but you get what I'm saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Southside crew Posted June 20, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted June 20, 2013 It's got to be Jericho for me. The bloke has done it all pretty much and worked for all the major promotions. He's trained across the world and his books really proved this (Anyone know the progress of his 3rd book?). Jericho has it all for me; the look, the charisma, the in ring work and style of wrestling. He can be a main eventer when he wants to be and can wrestle like a cruiserweight when he wants to. Jericho has learnt his craft from the best and it shows. It took a while for the WWE to have faith in him but when they made him Undisputed Champion in 2001 that shows they had faith in him. Especially considering the roster at the time. Although it wasn't a good reign by any means but you get what I'm saying.Can't argue with any of that , I do wonder how far WWE would push him if he was full time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members IANdrewDiceClay Posted June 20, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted June 20, 2013 My analysis of Jericho would be: occasionally sloppy as fuck and has long periods of inconsistency, only blinded in 2013 by exclusively working with the likes of Punk, Ziggler and Daniel Bryan.Tanahashi, Devitt or Bryan for me. Devitt and Tanahashi would fit so well into WWE's roster its not even funny. Can't argue with any of that , I do wonder how far WWE would push him if he was full time.He was a full timer for a decade. The fact he's now a part timer, over 40 and they dont give him the legends badge says a lot about their opinion of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Up Chuck Posted June 20, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted June 20, 2013 Yep. Bryan. Everything he's done in WWE has been played to perfection. Brilliant at playing the out-of-his-depth indy darling on NXT, brilliant as the babyface underdog, brilliant as the smarmy lucky-winning champion, brilliant with Kane. Capable of turning it on and going red-hot at the drop of a hat, just like he has with The Shield for the past month or so. He can do, and has done, anything, and to my mind is the only workable prospect for a surprise Royal Rumble win and underdog title chase. He can have a quality match with anyone, and has the crowd eating out of his hand to the point where he never looks out of place in a WWE ring, as so many (even me, who loved the guy back then) thought he might. He's the best. And one of the best ever. Certainly the most consistent TV wrestler out of anyone with a comparable schedule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Scott Malbranque Posted June 20, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted June 20, 2013 At the moment, personally, nobody captivates me / makes me take notice of what he's doing in the ring more than Daniel Bryan. He's unbelievably likeable, funny, good on the stick, can flip between heel and face and back again in one segment with ridiculous ease, and is phenomenal to watch in the ring. Jericho's chest is awful looking these days. He's got the old saggy Rock n Roll Express looking titties with a dent that could give him a hand when he's run out of room in his shopping basket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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