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Post by Danny Powers on Apr 10, 2012 17:31:49 GMT -5
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Post by yaknow on Apr 10, 2012 17:37:57 GMT -5
Lance Storm included as an option is very odd.
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Post by Jay Hunter on Apr 10, 2012 17:43:30 GMT -5
If it's raw technical ability to have the best constantly enjoyable in-ring match, then Kurt Angle. He works a smooth, relentless, crisp, dramatic spectacular style; but if you take working the crowd up into a frenzy with high-stakes emotion, it's Shawn Michaels. He involves the crowd more. So overall even though i'd rather stick on a Kurt Angle match, Shawn Michaels is the true embodiment of the highest pinnacle of pro-wrestling, in my opinion.
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Post by Patrick McFadden on Apr 10, 2012 18:07:33 GMT -5
Ability in the ring means a lot of different things to me. Technical ability? How sound is their tool belt, what can they do once the bell rings?
Athletic ability? How convincing are they as a performer?
Theatrical ability? How well can they draw the spectators in to what's going on in the ring?
Overall a wrestling match is a story except instead of using words they're using their bodies. The best in ring performer is the individual who's best able to combine those three attributes and, by doing so, is able to tell the most captivating story in the ring.
So just as an example I'd credit Bobby Heenan as an extremely capable in-ring performer. Within a few moments of coming out to the ring he'd have an audience eating out of the palm of his hand. His role as the heel manager meant that, ultimately, there would be a number of nights where the end result would be him getting his ass handed to him by the babyface, that was the end of the story. The crowd would leave the event satisfied having seen Heenan get his comeuppance and that's something nobody did any better.
But we're looking for best overall and for that I'd have to hand it to Flair. He wasn't necessarily the best at any one thing but he had the best balance by far of any wrestler I've ever seen.
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Post by Danny Powers on Apr 10, 2012 18:08:18 GMT -5
If it's raw technical ability to have the best constantly enjoyable in-ring match, then Kurt Angle. He works a smooth, relentless, crisp, dramatic spectacular style; but if you take working the crowd up into a frenzy with high-stakes emotion, it's Shawn Michaels. He involves the crowd more. So overall even though i'd rather stick on a Kurt Angle match, Shawn Michaels is the true embodiment of the highest pinnacle of pro-wrestling, in my opinion. Good points. My vote goes to Shawn Michaels as well.
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Post by yaknow on Apr 10, 2012 18:19:19 GMT -5
I would have picked Lawler as one of my 5 if he were available. He still throws the best punches in wrestling. Right Ted Jr?
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Post by Danny Powers on Apr 10, 2012 18:20:27 GMT -5
Lance Storm included as an option is very odd. Anyone at his size, steroid free apparently, who could vault to the top of the rope and possessed his kind of athleticism is an impressive performer. Lance is a great technical wrestler, very underrated, and also had the best dropkick I've ever seen.
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Post by yaknow on Apr 10, 2012 18:24:30 GMT -5
Lance Storm included as an option is very odd. Anyone at his size, steroid free apparently, who could vault to the top of the rope and possessed his kind of athleticism is an impressive performer. Lance is a great technical wrestler, very underrated, and also had the best dropkick I've ever seen. You said don't take charisma into account but I do take in ring charisma into account. By that I mean good selling or when as a baby face having a good fiery comeback. He was totally lacking in those areas. Just a guy doing moves. I know everyone has their own opinion and I am cool with that and not everyone agrees with Meltzer's tastes, I certainly don't, but Storm never had a single match of 4 stars or higher by Meltzers ratings. Nor mine. To me he optimizes average.
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Post by Danny Powers on Apr 10, 2012 18:28:21 GMT -5
Anyone at his size, steroid free apparently, who could vault to the top of the rope and possessed his kind of athleticism is an impressive performer. Lance is a great technical wrestler, very underrated, and also had the best dropkick I've ever seen. You said don't take charisma into account but I do take in ring charisma into account. By that I mean good selling or when as a baby face having a good fiery comeback. He was totally lacking in those areas. Just a guy doing moves. I know everyone has their own opinion and I am cool with that and not everyone agrees with Meltzer's tastes, I certainly don't, but Storm never had a single match of 4 stars or higher by Meltzers ratings. Nor mine. Yeah, that's cool. I could only include 35 wrestlers as options, I'm sure there are a few wrestlers I've included who are debatable and a few I may have missed like Jerry Lawler (best punch ever).
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Post by Jay Hunter on Apr 10, 2012 18:29:20 GMT -5
Don't discount Maven or Baldcore Holly in the "best dropkick in the biz" debate
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Post by yaknow on Apr 10, 2012 18:35:13 GMT -5
Remember this classic oversell by Cole?
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Post by dombag85 on Apr 10, 2012 18:40:00 GMT -5
Why is everyone having such a hard time with this, the title explicitly says 'technical wrestler' not promo, not total package(or lex luger)... that said, My top 5 gotta be Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa(don't forget his more athletic stuff as tiger mask II), Bret Hart, Chris Benoit, Shawn Michaels... not in that specific order necessarily
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Post by yaknow on Apr 10, 2012 18:45:02 GMT -5
I went with Misawa, Kobashi, Bret Hart, Ric Flair and Rey Mysterio.
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Post by Patrick McFadden on Apr 10, 2012 18:46:43 GMT -5
Why is everyone having such a hard time with this, the title explicitly says 'technical wrestler' not promo, not total package(or lex luger)... that said, My top 5 gotta be Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa(don't forget his more athletic stuff as tiger mask II), Bret Hart, Chris Benoit, Shawn Michaels... not in that specific order necessarily It's best technical wrestler or in ring performer.
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Post by dombag85 on Apr 10, 2012 18:48:35 GMT -5
Why is everyone having such a hard time with this, the title explicitly says 'technical wrestler' not promo, not total package(or lex luger)... that said, My top 5 gotta be Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa(don't forget his more athletic stuff as tiger mask II), Bret Hart, Chris Benoit, Shawn Michaels... not in that specific order necessarily It's best technical wrestler or in ring performer. well, shit... i neglected or in ring performer, either way i stand by my rankings, next time i'll try to read better
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