Paid Members Linus Posted January 24, 2018 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 24, 2018 No. 3 - "The Kiwi Buzzsaw" Travis Banks Twitter: @Travis_BanksPW Total 1st place votes in 2017: 1 UKFF 50 History: 12th in 2016 Regular promotions during period: PROGRESS in London (and nationwide)... WCPW nationwide... RevPro in London (and the South Coast)... Lucha Forever nationwide... Fight Club: PRO in Wolverhampton (and nationwide)... ATTACK! in the South West... Southside in the East of England The current PROGRESS champion, the Travis Banks story is incredible. Finished 2016 by winning the Infinity tournament at Fight Club: PRO, he went on to beat Pete Dunne for their title and defend it on their biggest show to date against Will Ospreay. Banks was also the inaugural Lucha Forever champion, and held the revPro tag-team titles with Chris Brookes. Head trainer at the Fight Club Dojo, and a magnet for all manner of ace overseas talent, Banks even had an outing for WWE over WrestleMania weekend. UKFF says: "The best wrestler to wrestle full time on our shores this year and he's not even British. Consistently in the best match every month in his home promotion, Fight Club Pro, despite their perplexing decision to take the belt off him early in the year. He’s been great everywhere else he’s been, anchoring the first Lucha Forever shows and now being the top man in Progress. His highlight of the year has to be the Super Strong Style weekend, where he had an incredible series of matches, culminating in one of the matches of the year with Tyler Bate. His eventual title win was disappointing, however he’s been a breath of fresh air at the top of Progress shows as defending champion." "It's no coincidence that Soner Dursun's hot streak in 2017 started after a pair of matches with the Kiwi Buzzsaw. In short, Banks has been worth his weight in gold everywhere he's been. Absolute blinders in PROGRESS, Fight Club:PRO and elsewhere against a wide array of opponents. Seeing him getting a chance to show his wares in Orlando over 'Mania weekend was a joy. If the 205 Live experiment continues he's probably a shoe in and if there's a second CWC he should be front and centre." Linus says: "Travis very, very rarely has anything other than a great match, and is a versatile everyman that you can't help but get behind. His work at the Dojo has begun to transform BritWres, and he's definitely worth his top 3 ranking, and frankly would come an easy first in many other years." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted January 25, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted January 25, 2018 I was actually expecting Banks to take this one - don't think many people have had a better year than him. I like Jimmy Havoc a lot, though I suspect he made it this high through reputation as much as anything. He's just someone that comes to mind quite readily when you think "who's a big deal in British wrestling?", so could see him slipping into a few people's lists just through that. Plus, for those into the deathmatch stuff, that Fight Club Pro match was a big deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snitsky's back acne Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 So who do we reckon is number one then - Tyler Bate or Pete Dunne? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Kid Mark Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 1 minute ago, Snitsky's back acne said: So who do we reckon is number one then - Tyler Bate or Pete Dunne? It's a coin toss for me. I saw both for the first time in 2015 (I think) and I wasn't blown away by either of them. I thought Tyler had potential to be a good mid card comedy baby face and I thought Dunne was a bit bland. Then at the end of 2016 and start of 2017 was their massive break out for me. It's rare nowadays where I attend a show where either one of them doesn't have the best match of the night. Dunne's main event run in Progress was perfect, he really knew how to make a match feel big time and Tyler's run in the WWE UK championship and Progress Super Strong Style 16 this year was superb. They are incredibly crisp in the ring and either one of them deserves to be called the number 1 wrestler in the UK right now. I get excited watching them wrestle and would rather see them wrestle live than a big name ex WWE import. It's only a matter of time before they both become full time with the WWE which will be a big loss to these shores but I am more than happy to see them wrestle every week on TV whether it be Raw, NXT or Smackdown. Oh and I've also probably re-watched Tyler vs Dunne in Chicago about 5 times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheffbag Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Whats interesting is that outside the top 2 only 5 people voted anyone else as their No.1 pick. Its normally a lot wider spread than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Benno Posted January 25, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted January 25, 2018 Yeah, I appear to be the loan voter for Travis at number one and I stand by that, but I can't argue too much with Dunne if it's him. Bate, had a really notable year too but outside of the WWE stuff, he's spent most of the year in tags and 6 man's so will he surprised if he got a lot of number 1 votes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Linus Posted January 25, 2018 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 25, 2018 When I was doing my 15 there were at least 4 contenders for number one, it's just that one of them had a MASSIVE year. In any other year the other 3 could easily have been number one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon-Carr_92 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I knew all 3 of British Strong Style would get in the Top 5. As I've mentioned before, I mainly base mine on those I've seen wrestle in the past year so I can get a good range of people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I think Pete has had the better individual year. He was the one everyone talked about after the Ukct and then since he has had the belt defended more and in more high profile matches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cousin Jim Bob Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 It's probably Pete Dunne. He had the better year overall. In their two big WWE/NXT matches I thought Tyler looked like the bigger star though. Some of his babyface comeback moments reminded me of young Daniel Bryan. Just insane talent beyond his years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I class Tyler as the slightly better wrestler from match to match and Pete as the much more complete character. Given that I value character value above all else, Pete was my #1 pick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobra_gordo Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 I'd say Dunne just pips Bate for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Linus Posted January 26, 2018 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 26, 2018 No. 2 - Tyler Bate Twitter: @Tyler_Bate Total 1st place votes in 2017: 1 UKFF 50 History: 24th in 2016... top 40 in 2015... 28th in 2014 Regular promotions during period: WWE nationwoide... PROGRESS in London (and nationwide)... Fight Club: PRO in Wolverhampton (and nationwide)... ATTACK! in the South West... OTT in Dublin... RevPro in London (and the South East) Began the year by winning the WWE-UK Championship in Blackpool, holding the title until dethroned on a MOTYC at NXT Takeover: Chicago. Also appeared for WWE at house shows in the Spring and Autumn, and on several NXT tapings and house shows through the year. Kept busy on the indie scene, with tag-team title reigns in PROGRESS & RevPro with Trent Seven, and they also teamed with Pete Dunne to win CHIKARA's King of Trios in September. Not yet 21, the bastard. UKFF says: "Has an WWE action figure whilst still free to work the indies. Everything I’ve seen this year has been great or better in WWE, OTT, Progress, FCP. Being able to work for RevPro again should throw up some interesting matches in “Andy Q’s Dream Factory” in 2018." "The 1b to Pete Dunne’s 1a as far being the flagship star of British Wrestling. A natural talent who was the ideal pick to win WWE’s UK Tournament and send everyone home happy. He spent the year mostly in touring British Strong Style and Moustache Mountain tags that didn’t always deliver, but has a feel-good factor and a natural babyface charisma that’s a rare commodity and when afforded the chance, such as at Progress Super Strong Style tournament this year, he has delivered in high level singles matches. Hopefully we see more of that in 2018." "At the absolute cutting edge of British wrestling and has been setting the world alight opposite and in conjunction with Pete Dunne. Never fails to deliver in a big match scenario." Linus says: "Although Tyler had a quiet, unassuming confidence prior to his WWE-UK tournament win, he's really grown as a performer and a genuine star this year, without sacrificing any of the charm that brought him to the dance. Just so much fun to watch, it's lovely to see such a natural babyface back on the side of the good guys in his highest profile UK gig, too!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Linus Posted January 26, 2018 Author Paid Members Share Posted January 26, 2018 No. 1 - "The Bruiserweight" Pete Dunne Twitter: @PeteDunneYxB Total 1st place votes in 2017: 21 UKFF 50 History: 3rd in 2016... top 40 in 2015... 20th in 2014... 47th in 2013... 40th in 2012 Regular promotions during period: WWE nationwoide... PROGRESS in London (and nationwide)... Fight Club: PRO in Wolverhampton (and nationwide)... Lucha Forever nationwide... ATTACK! in the South West... OTT in Dublin... RevPro in London (and the South East)... ICW in Glasgow (and nationwide)... IPW in the South East A blockbuster year for the Bruiserweight, following up stealing the show at the WWE-UK tournament in Blackpool in January by taking the title from Tyler Bate at NXT Takeover: Chicago in probably the best WWE match of the year. Has worked WWE house shows all over the UK, as well as NXT tapings and tours in the US, and has defended the WWE-UK title up and down the country. Started the year as champion in PROGRESS and Fight Club: PRO, and got involved in feuds with Travis Banks that saw him eventually drop both titles to the Kiwi. Made up for that with title runs in OTT & FutureShock, and has also held the ATTACK! 24/7 title for almost 8 months, the longest reign since his own 10-month reign in 2015. A genuine star who shifts tickets, Dunne has kept a full schedule in the UK - with occasional trips tp the US - and NEVER has a bad match. UKFF says: "The best in the world at the moment possibly? Pips Tyler to first based on the range of opponents and style of matches (a brutal match against Jimmy Havoc for Progress in Manchester stands out). Everything he does has a big time feel to it." "The flagship wrestler of the Brit Wres boom, his greatest match was possibly the years best worldwide, with Tyler Bate at NXT Takeover and although none of his UK singles matches come close to that level, his consistency across the board and his perfection and dedication to his character has made him a highlight everywhere he’s been." "About as confident a performer UK has ever produced. has everything. entertains with same enthusiasm for his job in a scout hall in Govan as in front of arenas in WWE." Linus says: "A runaway winner and deservedly so. In any other year, there would have been 3 or 4 contenders for the number one spot, but Dunne blew them all out of the water with an assured 12 months of great in-ring performances and the BEST handle of a character of any wrestler anywhere. There are always wrestlers who you think will pop a crowd and deliver a star performance, but with Dunne you KNOW he will. Catch him while you can." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awards Moderator HarmonicGenerator Posted January 26, 2018 Awards Moderator Share Posted January 26, 2018 A worthy winner! Thanks for doing this Linus, it's been a good read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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