Awards Moderator HarmonicGenerator Posted July 29, 2020 Awards Moderator Share Posted July 29, 2020 (edited) Who are the wrestlers that lift your interest levels these days if you’re watching Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite, Impact or whatever it may be? Who are the people you look forward to appearing on a show, or that you’re actually happy to see when they do, as opposed to that general feeling of disinterest and disengagement that goes with watching wrestling in 2020? I’ve been thinking about it and I reckon Jungle Boy might be my favourite at the moment. I always pay more attention to AEW when he or Jurassic Express are on, he’s consistently entertaining in his matches, and there’s a proper sense they’re getting behind him as a babyface putting him against experienced hands like Cody and Jericho. He’s also one of the few people on the roster JR actually seems properly invested in. I think he’s great. Beyond that, I struggle to think of many people who, if I’m watching, I want to see in a “Tonight!” graphic. Before lockdown it’d have been PAC without question but who knows how long it’ll be before he can wrestle on TV again. I measure WWE favourites by how often I watch the YouTube highlights of them, but I really struggle to think of WWE wrestlers I’m actively interested in right now. And that goes hand in hand with my interest levels in WWE as a whole. Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair both had some real momentum at the start of the year, but the empty arena never felt emptier than during Ripley-Flair at WrestleMania, and I can barely remember if Bianca’s been on Raw since Mania let alone done anything worth me watching a highlight clip of. I guess maybe Imperium, but it’s been ages since they’ve been on TV too. Who are your favourites right now? Edited July 29, 2020 by HarmonicGenerator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members FLips Posted July 29, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted July 29, 2020 Great shout on JR with Jungle Boy. JR calling him "Jungle Jack" or "Jungle Jack Perry" is a million times better than Jungle Boy. He sounds excited to watch him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 Kevin Nash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Chris B Posted July 29, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted July 29, 2020 (edited) What's not to love about this big handsome bastard? He's likable, he's funny, and he can go. He's also able to actually carry and sell the emotional aspect of what's happening. Big fan of the anxious millennial cowboy. Just waiting to see how the white wrist tape goes for him. Edited July 29, 2020 by Chris B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Butternut Squash Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 Before the pandemic, Kyle O' Reilly, Zack Gibson, and Cameron Grimes were just about my favourite things in wrestling and people who I'll always pay attention to. I guess I just love unashamedly goofy midcard heels that can work and show a mean streak. There's nobody in AEW I'm particularly excited over, which is probably why I've been lower on it than everyone else lately. Orange Cassidy and Lance Archer were definitely there at one point but that's been undone quite a bit. Page has lost a lot of spark without crowds and story momentum. Cody's spinning his wheels. All the other characters are green and undeveloped for me. Hopefully MJF will kick things off again tonight by getting in Moxley's business. Or they sign Eddie Kingston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grecian Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 Kyle O'Reilly is always great to watch, Murphy when he's allowed to do his in-ring thing. I still love watching Daniel Bryan and the New Day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members I Bent My Wookie Posted July 29, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted July 29, 2020 I'm absolutely in love with Britt Baker. She's had an outstanding year since turning heel and the fact that she's been great while out injured is a testament to how good her character development has gone. I'm finding people like Ace Austin and the Rascalz great in Impact and I'll usually find whatever match they're part of that week and have a watch. A bit of a left field one as not a wrestler but Tony Schiavone is a large reason I still watch AEW as religiously as I do. He just sounds interested and excited in everything that's happening and his work with certain members of the roster has been great as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_3165 Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 Shingo Takagi. He is just so brilliant. His matches in last years tournaments were fantastic and he never seems to put in a half job. Easy future iwgp champion material but he is getting on a bit I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRooster Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 For me there's no looking past Hangman Page. He seems like the coolest fucker around both inside and outside of the ring, and I am massively invested in the guy eventually winning the AEW title. I've seen a lot less of her since the pandemic, but Thunder Rosa is undoubtedly my favourite female wrestler right now. As much as it would hurt the NWA, I'd love to see her sign with AEW. She'd give their Women's Division an enormous boost. From a heel perspective, I really enjoy Nick Aldis. The pandemic has derailed the tremendous run he was on, but I think the guy is massively underrated. He's a fantastic promo, and his ring work is far better than he's given credit for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members garynysmon Posted July 29, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted July 29, 2020 (edited) For AEW, in all honesty (like @Shy Dad) its the classic announce team that attracts me more than most of the actual wrestlers. I'm such a nostalgia nerd that hearing Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone on the call fills me with so much joy, no matter how past their best they may or may not be. While the big name free agents on the market may not have been there when the company was established, they managed to get voices that everyone knew and loved on the broadcasts. That said, how could you not love Dustin Rhodes? Hangman Page is also money and Jericho is having the second best run of his career (behind heel WCW) while approaching 50. Couldn't really care less about the 'Elite' though. For Impact I think that Willie Mack is a great wrestler and will happily watch anything he's involved in. I can't believe the stuff he can do in the ring considering his size. Storyline wise, Johnny Swinger is genuinely one of the best characters in wrestling right now and I really wish more people were exposed to Impact and his work. Taya Valkyrie is also criminally underrated on the women's side. Edited July 29, 2020 by garynysmon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members FLips Posted July 29, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted July 29, 2020 Ricky Starks. Loved him in NWA so was chuffed to see him show up in a prominent position in AEW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshmallo Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 Style and class personified Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRooster Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 2 hours ago, garynysmon said: That said, how could you not love Dustin Rhodes? This might belong in the unpopular opinions thread, but I’ve come to dread seeing him. His tag team with QT Marshall is both atrocious and pointless, and AEW haven’t done particularly well at presenting him as the veteran who is enjoying one final golden run. Cody match aside, he’s just been presented like any other wrestler when his story should set him apart from pretty much everyone else on that young-skewing roster. It’s not that I dislike Dustin, it’s just that he should mean so much more than he does. There’s definitely a great story to tell, they just need to get round to telling it and outline what motivates him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awards Moderator Frankie Crisp Posted July 29, 2020 Awards Moderator Share Posted July 29, 2020 (edited) 7 hours ago, HarmonicGenerator said: Who are the wrestlers that lift your interest levels these days if you’re watching Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite, Impact or whatever it may be? Who are the people you look forward to appearing on a show, or that you’re actually happy to see when they do, as opposed to that general feeling of disinterest and disengagement that goes with watching wrestling in 2020? Honestly, a little as I watch the product these days, R Truth is the first name that came into my head when I read this opening paragraph. When I look at the YouTube thumbnails the day after a show, any featuring him will always get a click. It may be to do with the complete disinterest in actual matches, or it might be because he’s just a brilliant, consistent dose of fun no matter how he features. Edited July 29, 2020 by Frankie Crisp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Coconut Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 Shooter Stevens would batter all of your suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.