Paid Members BomberPat Posted July 11, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted July 11, 2018 All-time favourite wrestler? I really struggle with this. Could give a valid argument for quite a few, and on a different day I might give you a different answer, but I'm going to say Roddy Piper. He features in several of my favourite matches, was one of my favourite promos, and just had an aura about him that drew me to him and made me think, on some level, that he was legit even if everything around him wasn't. Like a lot of the guys from that era, it's almost impossible to see where the real person stops and Roddy Piper begins, and you can't imagine him being anything other than Rowdy Roddy Piper. All-time favourite match? Roddy Piper vs. Bret Hart, Wrestlemania 8. Just one of those favourite matches I mentioned for Piper (the Dog Collar Match with Greg Valentine being not far behind). To me, it's everything wrestling should be - it's taking two characters, and using the audience's perceptions of them to flesh out the story; brawler vs. technician, can the brawler hold his own against someone that's a better wrestler, or will he fall back on old habits and risk ending a lifelong friendship by resorting to dirty tactics? The ring bell spot is the most perfect visual of any wrestling match, but the whole match builds to and from it perfectly. Both men at their best. What most people will - rightly - celebrate about Hart/Austin, I think this match had all of that too, and in an even purer form. Favourite non-WWE match (if applicable)? Going to sound like a broken record here, as I was trying to think of some big Japanese or US indie matches that would fit the bill, but I'm going to have to go with the Piper/Valentine Dog Collar match. Favourite Tag Team? The Midnight Express. Favourite Promo? William Regal's before his final match with Cesaro. Best show ever attended live? Both have a recency bias, but it's a toss-up between CHIKARA's King of Trios 2017, and EVE's She-1. Moment you loved wrestling the most? Eddie Guerrero winning the WWE Title - probably the first time I can remember "marking out", losing all the cynicism and smug "IWC" opinions of the time, and just jumping out of my seat and cheering, having not expected him to win the thing. More recently, the aftermath of King of Trios, She-1 and Wrestle Queendom, just being buzzing with energy and surrounded by friends, all freaking out about how great wrestling can be. Moment you hated wrestling the most? Misawa's death. The best WrestleMania is... 17. Most hated wrestling personality? If Benoit counts, then yeah. More recently, Enzo. Thing you'd most like to change about wrestling in 2018? I'd change the production and presentation of WWE; scrap the awful "cutting backstage to a GM standing in their office waiting for someone to walk in, without ever acknowledging why there's a camera there" skits, and replace them with more naturalistic backstage angles that feel more plausible and natural. Generally just stop WWE looking like it's the same old shit week after week and year after year. (In one word) Wrestling is... Theatre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosler28 Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 16 hours ago, tiger_rick said: Been a while since we did one of these. So in the interests of getting to know each other / seeing how people have changed, give this a crack. Bit of explanation will make it more interesting. All-time favourite wrestler? ULTIMATE WARRIOR 16 hours ago, tiger_rick said: All-time favourite match? SHAWN MICHAELS VS UNDERTAKER WM 25 Favourite non-WWE match (if applicable)? MY OWN..... Favourite Tag Team? STEINER BROS Favourite Promo? DUSTY RHODES DINING LIKE KINGS AND QUEENS Best show ever attended live? WM 30 Moment you loved wrestling the most? 1993 Moment you hated wrestling the most? NOW The best WrestleMania is... WM31 Most hated wrestling personality? ANYONE THE IWC LIKES Thing you'd most like to change about wrestling in 2018? OPINIONS (In one word) Wrestling is... ENTERTAINMENT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted July 11, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted July 11, 2018 Cracking thread, this. All-time favourite wrestler? Bret Hart. He was on top when I first got into it and his stuff more than anyone else's holds up brilliantly with age. I know he got a lot of flack for taking everything so seriously but I think that's why everything he ever did comes across as so authentic. The Canada vs. USA feud still remains some of the best stuff they ever did, filled with great moments like the Canadian Stampede Ten-Man Tag and the fantastic finish to the Undertaker vs. Bret SummerSlam 97 match. Twenty years later and I still marvel at how clever that was. Fuck that dog shit Bret vs. Vince feud from 2010 though. Almost undid everything good Bret had ever done. All-time favourite match? Bret vs. Austin at Wrestlemania 13. Again, it's the authenticity that shines through. Watching it, you've got no doubt in your mind that these two guys fucking hate each other. It feels like an intense fight rather than guys doing moves. Maybe more than any other match I can think of. Incredible match, incredible drama, incredible finish, and likely the catalyst for everything Stone Cold became. I watched it recently and was shocked at how loud the crowd were when Ken Shamrock squares up to Bret at the end. Amazing stuff. Special mention to Cena vs. Punk at Money in the Bank . What a match, what an atmosphere, what a finish and what a cliff-hanger. So, so perfect. Honestly, if they'd just closed WWE forever after Punk left with the belt that would've been the greatest, most satisfying season finale of all time. Favourite non-WWE match (if applicable)? The first Okada vs. Omega match from Wrestle Kingdom. I finally got into New Japan in January thanks to Jericho's involvement, subscribing to New Japan World, and when I went back to see what all the fuss was about with these Okada vs. Omega matches I was absolutely blown away. My interest in pro-wrestling was at an all time low, so discovering that non-WWE guys were having these type of state-of-the-art matches elsewhere blew my mind and reignited my passion ten-fold. I realised what a fool I'd been for not following anything but WWE all these years, assuming it was all hand-shaking, spotty nonsense. I didn't realise guys were doing actual angles and characters and stuff, whilst having some of the greatest matches of all time. It's been an absolute joy getting back into wrestling this past year and exploring all the different stuff that's out there. Favourite Tag Team? Edge and Christian. I came from the TLC era and these guys stood out as being able to do it all. Some of the best comedy the WWE have ever done and cracking matches throughout. I loved Edge right up until his retirement. He was great. Favourite Promo? I never would have suggested it before reading this thread and watching it back but that, "This is my yard now," promo is fucking brilliant. They were off to the races with that. Had they turned Roman heel there and then he'd likely be the most successful guy since Cena by now. The crowd would have eventually turned him face naturally and he'd be made for life. I'm also not sure if it's really my favourite promo, but something I've been thinking about loads recently is that Austin/Rock/Jim Ross sit-down interview from just before Wrestlemania 17. It popped into my head whilst watching these dreadful Roman vs. Lashley promos filled with shitty pseudo-shoot remarks that make both of them look like snide pricks. Somewhere along the way too many writers watched too much Vince Russo stuff and forgot how babyfaces are supposed to talk to one another. They aren't supposed to be bitchy and try and bury each other for mic-dropping, "oooohs~!" from the crowd. That doesn't sell a match at all. Just compare all the recent Lashley and Roman shit to this: The whole thing is great but in particular everything in those last two minutes is pure money. "I will give you every drop of sweat, every drop of blood, every ounce of energy I have. Win, lose or draw, you are gonna get the absolute best of The Rock at Wrestlemania..." "I need to beat you Rock. I need it more than anything that you could ever imagine." Fuck me, Austin was intense. It's only going back with modern eyes that you truly appreciate it. Also, I know, "promo," means an interview, but I'm a sucker for a video package so I've got to mention the best one they ever produced: Best show ever attended live? As a kid, Rebellion 2001 was great. As an adult, that New Japan show in Manchester last week might be it. Pure quality up and down the card, great action, drama, no sense of the guys taking it easy because it was a house show, awesome atmosphere, no wasted time between matches and I'm home by 10pm. Lovely. Moment you loved wrestling the most? Probably the Attitude Era. I was the perfect age for that at the time. I have vivid memories of watching Raw on Friday night, then jumping onto my PlayStation to play Metal Gear Solid all night before going out with my mates on Saturday and endlessly chatting about what we'd seen the night before because everyone was watching it at the time. I went from being a dorky loser in 1997 for liking pro-wrestling to suddenly practically running my own VHS rental service in 1998. Good times. A shout out to nowadays though. I don't think it's ever been easier to see good stuff and I don't think there's ever been as much good stuff out there. That's what always gets me about people ragging on Meltzer for giving people six or seven stars. At heart, he's just a fan like the rest of us who's having the time of his life watching all this incredible stuff that's so easily accessible. I don't know why you'd ever be annoyed with someone geeking out about it. This is a real golden era. Moment you hated wrestling the most? Besides the obvious Benoit stuff, I think the last few years since the CM Punk and Daniel Bryan angles gave the fans this weird arrogance and sense of entitlement. As much as I loved both angles, they created such a horrible monster. I can't fucking stand the, "You Deserve It!" and, "This is Wrestling!" chants. All that shit does my head in more than it probably should. It feels like it's died down a bit recently but for a good while there it felt like the wanky crowds were going to kill my enjoyment dead. You couldn't even enjoy a great match or a title change for hearing those dickheads doing their shit chants. Same goes for the Raw after Wrestlemania. That used to be so much fun but now it's a platform for virgins to make themselves feel like they're hilarious and cool when they're the least funny, least cool people who've ever lived. It's like being stuck in a student pub when you've grown out of that phase. The best WrestleMania is... Ironically, since it created the wanky fans I've just mentioned, Wrestlemania 30 is easily the best of all time. Bell-to-bell the obvious answer is Wrestlemania 17 but I've never been a bell-to-bell guy. I want spectacle, storylines and drama as well, and nothing comes close to Wrestlemania 30 in that sense. IT nails everything perfectly, whilst also being the last Wrestlemania before they became longer than life itself and impossible to enjoy in one sitting. The brilliant Daniel Bryan storyline throughout, Austin/Hogan/Rock being so fucking great that they turned the Superdome botch into a tone-perfect bit, loads of fun, over-the-top entrances, fantastic video packages and, of course, the greatest shittest match of all time in Brock vs. Undertaker. I've harped on about it forever but that remains the most amazing, dramatic finish I'll likely see in my lifetime. I've never ever felt a jolt through my body like I did when that ref's hand hit three. I can't even think of a film or TV show that's made me feel that way. Over twenty years of story-telling that paid off in this one incredible, beautiful moment. I'm always reminded of that great Wrestling Isn't Wrestling special Max Landis did. The monologue at the end sums it up best. "Don't get me wrong, a lot of wrestling sucks, but when it's good it's FUCKING GREAT." This is one of those examples. When it hits correctly there's nothing that can rival pro-wrestling and I don't think it's ever hit so perfectly as it did here. Between Taker losing and then Daniel Bryan winning, there's never been a more perfect example in one show of what drama pro-wrestling can create. Shame Max Landis eventually got exposed as a sexual misconduct baddo. Just because I love them so much, here's the video packages I was talking about from Mania 30: Most hated wrestling personality? Wanky, smarky fans. Anyone who's ever planned to, "take over," a show. Anyone who's ever told me Roman or Cena, "can't wrestle." Fuck off. Thing you'd most like to change about wrestling in 2018? I don't want to sound like one of those, "Kevin Dunn sucks, fuck PG~!" melts, but honestly, I'd love see what could be done with that main roster if it wasn't being written by the current crop. The talent they have is insane. They should be firing on all cylinders. Roman should be a superstar. They've written themselves into such a hole and they've become so patterned that until Vince dies I don't think anything will change but I'd love to see an overhaul in how everything and everyone is presented by those in charge on the main roster. There's no real reason why NXT should be nailing it so perfectly, with guys constantly rising through the cracks, when Raw and Smackdown are such aimless messes where everyone goes to cool down. Fuck, even Brock, who they've protected more than anyone, feels absolutely ice cold at the moment. It's unbelievable. (In one word) Wrestling is...(FUCKING) GREAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members bbabba Posted July 11, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted July 11, 2018 All-time favourite wrestler? AJ Styles. Amazing standard of top level matches for 16 years. All-time favourite match? Undertaker V HBK, Wrestlemania 25. Unbeatable combination of drama and workrate. Favourite non-WWE match (if applicable)? AJ V Joe V Daniels, TNA Unbreakable 2005. TNA was on fire in 2005, this was the peak. Favourite Tag Team? LAX (Homicide and Hernandez with Konnan. That mid 00's era of TNA again. Amazing matches, moves, and mouthpiece. Favourite Promo? Cena and Bryan pre Summerslam 2013. "I'd love to slap you in the face, but I can't because you're not a wrestler, and you don't deserve it." Best show ever attended live? MEW, The Northern Bash, 2005 (Newcastle). The first ever MEW show, match quality, past and future stars, fan interaction, surprises. Moment you loved wrestling the most? Hogan's entrance and crowd reaction at Wrestlemania 18. Always been a Hulkamanic, was so happy to hear so many other people still were too. Moment you hated wrestling the most? Shane McMahon beating up all of Legacy by himself, Raw January 2009. Kills all suspension of disbelief when Shane gets physically involved. The best WrestleMania is... 17. The grand finale of the attitude era showing it at its best. Most hated wrestling personality? Stephanie McMahon. Got where she is because of who she is, but so smug about it and her philanthropy. Terrible on screen booking where she comes out strong against faces. Thing you'd most like to change about wrestling in 2018? There to be a super over babyface. Think Austin 1998/99, Rock 2000, Goldberg 1998, Bryan 2013/14 (In one word) Wrestling is...Entertainment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members air_raid Posted July 12, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted July 12, 2018 All-time favourite wrestler? It's Bret, and there's no question. Nothing to do with match quality or any of that nonsense that would matter to me later, it's as simple as that he was my first hero and favourite as a child and stayed my favourite until he retired. I believed in him, I never stopped supporting him, even when people deserted him for that cheating coward Steve Austin. All-time favourite match? Is it cheating/too easy to say the Rumble 92? If so.... Angle v Benoit from Rumble 2003 probably. Goes back to emotion. Benoit was my favourite but we all knew it was Angle/Lesnar at Mania. They fooled me. I got swept away, and in the last Crossface in spite of "knowing" it was Angle/Lesnar, I was convinced it was over. Wrestling is best when it makes you feel something. Favourite non-WWE match (if applicable)? Easily Misawa v Kobashi from 2003. Hardcore Kings Road loyalists will tell me other matches they had were "better" but this is the one with the feeling for me. The history and the fact Kobashi has never beaten Mitsy in a singles title match, the fact you kinda know this will be their last singles main event together, and my favourite finish ever. Lariat..... 2 count. Brainbuster..... 2 count. The fucking Burning Hammer - kick out if that, MOTHERFUCKER. Favourite Tag Team? Really tough one. Could have taken one from any number of promotions from several different decades but.... it's got to be Tully & Arn. Favourite Promo? Basically anything Ric Flair ever said comes into the conversation but the return on Nitro was something absolutely incredible. Best show ever attended live? Easy. Penultimate night of G1 2013 at Ryogoku. The styles clash of Minoru Suzuki v Kota Ibushi, the FIGHT that was Togi Makabe v Tomohiro Iishi, the unbelievable heat of Tetsuya Naito v Shinsuke Nakamura and THE match in New Japan of the day going on last, Hiroshi Tanahashi v Kazuchika Okada - predictably 30 min broadway, equally predictably excellent. Only injury to Goto prevented his match with Shibata going on third to last which would have made it even more batshit. Moment you loved wrestling the most? Probably leaving the Birmingham Academy last July after CCK losing to British Strong Style left me CRUSHED ... and I realized how delighted I was that wrestling still made me care that much. Moment you hated wrestling the most? When Lio Rush no sold that piledriver off a ladder through a table. I'm trying to pretend it's a battle, dont throw such a ridiculous overt reminder that THIS ISNT REAL into a proper match, you cunt. Or any time Papa Raid walked in on Divas doing anything in the Attitude Era. The best WrestleMania is... 17. C'mon. Most hated wrestling personality? Michael Cole. What he's become is probably bigger than any other factor in my no longer enjoying their product on TV. Thing you'd most like to change about wrestling in 2018? Fans arguing with other fans or Meltzer, passionately, about the subjective opinions of matches, promotions or talent, as if a) it matters and b) as if these things were factual or quantifiable. Fuck off. Well, that or the sexpesting. (In one word) Wrestling is... Escapism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Gus Mears Posted July 12, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted July 12, 2018 9 hours ago, BomberPat said: I mentioned for Piper (the Dog Collar Match with Greg Valentine being not far behind). That match holds up as well as anything from the early 80's. it's so incredibly physical. Up there with Patterson vs Slaughter from the Garden in 1981 as my favourite match where two guys with great mannerisms and psychology just leather each other for 15 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members tiger_rick Posted July 12, 2018 Author Paid Members Share Posted July 12, 2018 Better answer myself. I did mean to in OP bu ran out of time yesterday morning. All-time favourite wrestler? Bret Hart. One of those questions I could overthink but if anyone asks me, Bret is still my immediate answer. A combination of him being a brilliant wrestler anywhere, being part of all of my favourite periods of wrestling and being a guy I watched "develop" from a tag team wrestler to a World champion and always felt part of the journey. All-time favourite match? Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage - WM7. Not to be blasphemous but this is the greatest story ever told. Favourite non-WWE match (if applicable)? That awesome Steiner/Goldberg scrap from Fall Brawl or Sting/Dangerous Alliance WarGames which is incredible. Favourite Tag Team? Hart Foundation, of course! See above. Favourite Promo? Bret Hart's empassioned tail of woe the night after WM13 where he pours out his heart in a way few can or Ric Flair's "put that cigarette out" promo after the Rumble win. Both incredible. Best show ever attended live? NXT at Sheffield. I'm not huge on live wrestling. Will do Mania one day, I swear. Moment you loved wrestling the most? The main event of Canadian Stampede. One of the most epic battles and atmosphere's I've ever seen in the midst of my favourite year of fandom when I was utterly immersed. Moment you hated wrestling the most? The night Eddie Guerrero died. Utterly tragic. The best WrestleMania is... LIVE FROM CAESER'S PALACE! Most hated wrestling personality? Despite that Benoit fella ruining things somewhat, it's still Steph. Thing you'd most like to change about wrestling in 2018? The lack of any realism in "fights", promos and sketches. (In one word) Wrestling is... ...emotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 All-time favourite wrestler? I'll let 15-year-old Zeb, circa 1997, answer this one: A day in the life of the Heartbreak Kid Is a roller coaster ride; Beaten around from pillar to post And taking it in your stride. When Sweet Chin Music's not enough Against the only Man in Black, Or when seven-foot monsters grab a chair And plant it in your back; Who can you trust to see you through Every match at every show, When every friend you've had before Has told you where to go? What do you do when it's four-on-one, And there's nowhere left to hide? When your chances of winning are slimmer than slim 'Cause there's no one by your side? Why, you FIGHT, of course, you take 'em on! Just do what you do best! Throw a rock into the lion's den, Shake the hornets' nest! 'Cause HBK, you've got it all: The brains, the skill, the brawn. A billion thank yous from all your fans, Just for being Shawn. All-time favourite match? Triple H vs The Undertaker, Hell in a Cell. This is largely down to the aforementioned thrower of rocks and shaker of nests, most specifically his reaction to the Dead Man getting his shoulder up at two after Michaels had laid his cards on the table with that partisan superkick. If you're the guest referee and you're going to pick sides against The Undertaker, you'd better make sure it ends the match and opens the cell door for you to get out of there. And it didn't. And he knew in that moment he'd fucked up bigger than he ever had in his life. Favourite non-WWE match (if applicable)? Kevin Nash vs Hollywood Hogan, WCW Nitro at the Georgia Dome. Go ahead and downvote me, motherfuckers. Oh, that's right - y'can't... Favourite Tag Team? The New Age Outlaws. Two bottom rung midcarders going nowhere and fast were put together as a team and immediately became one of the hottest acts in the company. Entertaining in all the right ways for the time, they helped define the Attitude Era. And ever since, whenever a random pair of guys have been thrown together for something to do, I've always hoped they would miraculously click the way Jesse James and Rockabilly did. But it hasn't happened yet. Favourite Promo? If video packages counted I'd plump (amongst other actions) for "Running Up That Hill." I'd also shortlist a previous nomination for Paul Heyman's pre-Survivor Series telling of Vincent Kennedy McMahon, when an invasion angle that had swiftly lost all meaning, and certainly wouldn't find it again on the final pay-per-view, suddenly carried more emotion in just a few minutes when it mattered most than in the preceding seven months combined. But the pinnacle has to be HBK in Montreal. The white meat Born Again Christian finally letting loose on a hostile crowd in a way we thought he'd forgotten, holding them in the palm of his hand like he hadn't missed a beat. It was the only real chance he'd have to revisit the screwjob (unless Bret ever did return), and he made the most of leveraging it into potential buys for SummerSlam. Best show ever attended live? I'm struggling with this one, to be honest. I've been to a fair few shows over the years, from a handful of British indies to WWE, WCW, and TNA, but the memories that stand out are all for reasons of personal sentiment (Grabbing Taker's arm! Seeing Jacqueline's knockers!) rather than objective quality. I remember being impressed by the first NOAH show in the UK, I just don't recall anything about it to tell you why. Moment you loved wrestling the most? Several of the WWE 24 documentaries have warmed my blackened heart, and a good few Hall of Fame speeches. Any sincere reminder of how much this crazy, incomparable business means to someone, whether a performer in the ring or a young fan in the crowd, has the damnedest ability to increase the amount of dust in the air wherever I happen to be watching. Moment you hated wrestling the most? While it's the McMahon/Trump photo that made me switch off, I'm not going to judge wrestling as a whole for that. So it really has to come back to Benoit. Not for what he did, per se, but for the environment that may have cultivated the likelihood of such an atrocity. I think it called for a great deal of challenging introspection for all wrestling fans, forcing us to ask ourselves what we were willing to turn a blind eye to for the sake of our own entertainment. For the most part, I think our consciences took refuge in the assumption, or perhaps the hope, that the business, while imperfect still, was at least heading in the right direction, and that problems caused by excesses of one kind or another were on course for virtual extinction, if we could just ride out the difficult aftershocks of a bygone age. It's as if suspension of disbelief comes naturally to us all. The best WrestleMania is... 19, probably. That or X-Seven. Or perhaps X. But for certain, they all blend into one after XX. Most hated wrestling personality? Linda McMahon. Thing you'd most like to change about wrestling in 2018? The whole extended McMahon family to catch sight of that Oval Office picture on the wall while watching the news one day (not Fox, obviously), and have a fucking word with themselves. (In one word) Wrestling is... complicated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted July 12, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted July 12, 2018 12 hours ago, Gus Mears said: That match holds up as well as anything from the early 80's. it's so incredibly physical. Up there with Patterson vs Slaughter from the Garden in 1981 as my favourite match where two guys with great mannerisms and psychology just leather each other for 15 minutes. There's another Piper/Valentine match on the Network's hidden gems collection, that while it's nowhere near as good as the Dog Collar match, is still absolutely brilliant - really feels like a genuine fight more than a wrestling match, just two guys that are completely believable and at the top of their game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted July 12, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted July 12, 2018 On 7/11/2018 at 7:56 AM, tiger_rick said: Been a while since we did one of these. So in the interests of getting to know each other / seeing how people have changed, give this a crack. Bit of explanation will make it more interesting. All-time favourite wrestler? Big Van Vader All-time favourite match? Razor Ramon vs The Kid, Monday Night Raw Favourite non-WWE match (if applicable)? Raven vs Goldberg (US Title match), Monday Nitro Favourite Tag Team? The Steiner Brothers Favourite Promo? Mark Henry 'retires' Best show ever attended live? Never been Moment you loved wrestling the most? Canadian Stampede main event Moment you hated wrestling the most? Trish Stratus barking like a dog for Vince McMahon The best WrestleMania is... - I don't know, I can never remember the numbers Most hated wrestling personality? Jack Evans Thing you'd most like to change about wrestling in 2018? I don't know, I barely watch it anymore (In one word) Wrestling is... fixed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_3165 Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 All-time favourite wrestler? Bret Hart All-time favourite match? Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat (Wrestle-Mania III) Favourite non-WWE match (if applicable)? Omega vs Okada (Dominion 2018) Favourite Tag Team? Moustache Mountain Favourite Promo? Flair's Nitro promo on Bischoff (screaming, pulling off clothes, red bulging eyes!) Best show ever attended live? Dragon Gate UK Shingo vs Yokosuka III Moment you loved wrestling the most? Mankind's 1st WWF Title win - Austin storms the ring Moment you hated wrestling the most? David Arquette winning the WCW title. WCW deserved to die after that bullshit. Total mockery of the business. The best WrestleMania is... 19... Loved it. Angle vs Lesnar, Austin vs Rock, Michaels vs Jericho were all good to great with HHH vs Booker T and Hogan vs McMahon being fun Most hated wrestling personality? Will Ospreay. I know he is a brilliant talent but his flippy dippy shit, the shrieking and the no-selling is beyond irritating. Thing you'd most like to change about wrestling in 2018? Scale back the kick outs of finishers. Every match follows the same formula. Plus get old school heat! (In one word) Wrestling is... dead (I love classic WCW/NWA and WWF, no longer do people care about characters and angles - there is no more 'heat' its all sanitised). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamTH17 Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 All-time favourite wrestler? Kazuchika Okada. Disgustingly good in-ring ability, matched with a genuine superstar aura. Responsible for some of my all-time favorite matches and he's still only 30. All-time favourite match? Okada vs Omega IV from Dominion. I never thought they'd be able to top their previous hour long draw from the following year, but they somehow managed to exceed it. Wrestling achieved with perfection. The immense blend of story telling, athleticism, selling, emotion and crowd investment. One of those incredibly rare occasions where wrestling is genuinely phenomenal. Favourite non-WWE match (if applicable)? Okada/Omega IV takes this for me, but because I don't much fancy repeating answers, I'll go and say Kobashi vs Joe from the aptly named "Kobashi vs Joe" ROH show in 2005. So good. Favourite Tag Team? El Generico and Kevin Steen, Hart Foundation, British Bulldogs, Time Splitters, Golden Lovers. Was too tricky to narrow it down to just the one. Favourite Promo? Best show ever attended live? SSS:16 Day Three in 2017. Banks/ZSJ, Bate/Riddle and then the incredible culmination of Bate/Banks to top off my favorite ever weekend of live wrestling. Moment you loved wrestling the most? Daniel Bryan winning the title at Wrestlemania 30. Probably one of the only times I've ever been completely immersed in WWE. His match against Triple H was fantastic, the underlying story of him still fighting as the underdog and the chaotic main event. Easily the happiest I've been at a result. Moment you hated wrestling the most? The Reigns/Cena psuedo-shoot promo bollocks. Utterly horrific. The best WrestleMania is... 30, followed closely by 17. Most hated wrestling personality? Dynamite Kid. Thing you'd most like to change about wrestling in 2018? Less over-exposure. It's difficult for a wrestler to feel special when they're wrestling the same crazy match style against the same indie "dream matches" 3/4 times a week. (In one word) Wrestling is... Cracking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Teedy Kay Posted July 14, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted July 14, 2018 All-time favourite wrestler? Dynamite Kid. Yeah the guy is an absolute cunt outside the ring, but there are only a select handful of guys that can say they helped revolutionise the business, Billington definitely played a part in changing the face of wrestling somewhat. Those matches with Tigermask are out of this world and I still watch them over and over again. All-time favourite match? Austin Vs Bret Wrestlemania 13. It's perfection. Favourite non-WWE match (if applicable)? Wargames at Wrestlewar 92. Fucking hell it's great with the good guys putting their shit to one side and the bad guys ending up having shit get between them. Love it. Outside the top two, it's the four-way from ROH Crowning a Champion. That match has seemingly slipped under the radar, but it was an hour of greatness that got me hooked on ROH till it's pretentiousness took hold and PWG appeared. Favourite Tag Team? Road Warriors, should have held those belts in WWF for longer, at the time they were there, Vince decided to get a hard on for Money Inc and The Natural Disasters when he had the greatest tag team of all time on his roster. Favourite Promo? Heyman during the Invasion, promos mean more when there's that element of truth lingering over them, Punk's promo on the ramp is similar but Heyman's delivery is way better, and he hurls that element of truth like a breeze block at Vince. Best show ever attended live? Summerslam 92, goes without saying. Moment you loved wrestling the most? Bulldog beating Bret at Summerslam 92. However I should add that I always have and seemingly always do get that fuzzy feeling strangely everytime I see Bubba Day shove Dvon and shout 'Get the Tables!' and I don't know why. moment you hated wrestling the most? Not one moment, but these last few years have just been the biggest dross of all time to the point I don't watch, Wrestlemanias have been turgid for Christ's sake, it's starting to make me wonder if at 37 running straight at 38 I'm maybe too old for it!? The best WrestleMania is... 3 is a belter, but for me, for the emotions I get just by thinking about it, Wrestlemania 6 is the best one. Most hated wrestling personality? As a work? The Mountie, couldn't stand the cunty Canadian prick. In real life? I can not stand Stephanie McMahon, she doesn't get wrestling at all. WCW fucked up because it kept rinsing and repeating NWO, it got boring. Steph not only recycles the Mr McMahon evil boss character, but she gives nothing back to anyone. As someone who grew up around the business, sat on Andre's knee and all that bollocks, you'd think she'd get 'it' wouldn't you!? Andre would fucking loath Steph now. Thing you'd most like to change about wrestling in 2018? A big money company, who doesn't want to run anyone out of business, or copy anyone, starts up and competes. Wrestling NEEDS the alternative on the big scale of things. (In one word) Wrestling is...Art Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members tiger_rick Posted July 17, 2018 Author Paid Members Share Posted July 17, 2018 Really enjoyed reading the responses to this. Really interesting to get all the different perspectives on things - and see the commonalities. Some wrong 'un hates Bret Hart though and it's not even the King of Pity City trolling for a change - Whatsupwiththat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awards Moderator Onyx2 Posted July 17, 2018 Awards Moderator Share Posted July 17, 2018 3 hours ago, tiger_rick said: Some wrong 'un hates Bret Hart though and it's not even the King of Pity City trolling for a change - Whatsupwiththat? I've hated Bret Hart forever. Shawn Michaels nearly as much. So 1995 was an absolute car crash for me as I couldn't stand the two guys on top. I like my wrestling quite big and cartoony, superheroic, larger than life. Bret definitely isn't those things - in fact that's why people like him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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