Grimmas

HeadCheese said: The Big Dog, a great overdog that has a really interesting variety of wrestling. Really good presence. He is a wrestler I'm hoping look more into. Good at comedy, tag team wrestling, big singles, bloody wrestling, and more. Being the top champion for AJPW, BJW, DDT, and Kyushu Pro is very impressive. vs. Kazusada Higuchi (DDT, 9/25/2016) vs. HARASHIMA (DDT, 12/4/2016) vs. Suwama (AJPW, 7/17/2017) vs. Kento Miyahara (AJPW, 7/27/2017) w/ Suwama vs. Kento Miyahara & Yoshitatsu (AJPW, 12/12/17) w/ Suwama vs. Daisuke Sekimoto & Yuji Okabayashi (AJPW, 6/17/2023).

HowtobeaMark said: I can see this nomination getting a negative response and I do understand why. But honestly, I do think he warrants consideration. I think Dick showed he could be effective in a variety of roles whether it be bar room/every man brawler (w/ Bruno vs Ernie Ladd and Baron Von Raschke), a fun comedic worker (w/ The Crusher and Little Bruiser vs The Blackjacks & Bobby Heenan), a bumping and stooging heel (w/Karl Karlsson vs Verne Gagne and Wilbur Snyder) or a vicious heel (vs Giant Baba). I think he knew how to get the best out of what he had and was incredibly over with the fans and could evoke huge reactions. Was a master of super expressive big wrestling knew how to play to every seat in the house. Matches to Watch W/Karl Karlsson vs Verne Gagne & Wilbur Snyder – Chicago 17/7/59 Vs Giant Baba – JWA 28/2/68 w/The Crusher & Little Bruiser vs Bobby Heenan & The Blackjacks – WWA 16/9/72 w/Bruno Sammartino vs Ernie Ladd & Baron Von Raschke – WWA 25/8/73

club said: I find it quite hard to put into words what I love about Brian Maxine, but here goes. We all know someone who’s an arrogant prick right? Someone who is clearly talented, but also clearly not the genius they make themselves out to be? The type you’re just waiting to fall flat on his annoying face? Brian “Gold Belt” Maxine is the best wrestling personification of this type. Everything he does just screams so well with this, from his wrestling style, to his crown and robe, to his patronising handshake. The WoS environment is perfect for this type of heel to thrive. Maxine’s generally wrestling in front of an audience that views letting success go to your head as a cardinal sin. The whole thing is cartoonishly absurd yet completely relatable. Recommended matches: Brian Maxine vs Steve Wright, 2nd December 1972 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VOn44x3Oso Brian Maxine vs Ivan Penzecoff, 15th Feb 1975 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDwpfwLhhtA Brian Maxine vs Robby Barron, 5th March 1977 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecwJaLJDfAI

I've been going through ranking each year and using that to form my overall list. Hokuto is still number one. She's not a few year wonder, she's great from the late 80s still the early 2000s. Not just in one style, but brawling, technical, and exciting big move matches. She's the best offensive wrestler ever. She's the best on selling. She's on the most charismatic. She's one of the best big match wrestler ever. She's in the best feud and best match ever. She's in the best squash ever. Even later in her career, she'd be having great heel tag matches as a complete bad ass, even slowed down. She's a smart worker.

HenryHeadCheese Its Me (from discord): When thinking about pivotal wrestlers important in my fandom and wrestlers I just want to root for Chuck Taylor is pretty high up there. There's something so charming and earnest feeling about him. He's so cool. I am not sure if I make to independent wrestling without Chuck Taylor. He's one of those wrestlers that when he is on screen whose performers help you are near in the venue with him, hes so connectable. When he wins I win. He's quips in match quips are usually fun. He's also good in traditional settings too as brawler. Match recs vs. El Generico (PWG, 8/28/2009) vs. Arik Cannon vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Rich Swann (DGUSA, 10/29/2010) https://youtu.be/VMvDBTB-OGQ?si=TLuTwyWhkNOplyhl vs. UltraMantis Black (CHIKARA, 5/21/2011) vs. Fire Ant (CHIKARA, 11/12/2011) https://youtu.be/r3rdRMbn61c?si=mwJAznlvIbGR95-y vs. Archibald Peck (CHIKARA, 3/25/2012) w/ Johnny Gargano vs. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson (CHIKARA, 6/12/2012) vs. Jon Davis (EVOLVE, 6/1/2013) https://youtu.be/IapN3XEF1ZM?si=bTBQOT-Lq5DdLkSV as Mr. Azerbaijan vs. UltraMantis Black (CHIKARA, 4/3/2015) https://youtu.be/jVIQORVUHlU?si=RS5h8qy7oXbKenmD as Chuckie T w/ Beretta & Rocky Romero vs. Hangman Page, Matt Jackson, & Nick Jackson (ROH 5/14/2017, Aired 6/10/2017) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (PWG, 7/17/2017) w/ Trent vs. Ortiz & Santana (AEW, 9/10/2020) w/ Orange Cassidy vs. Kip Sabian & Miro (AEW, 3/25/2021)

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Kadaveri: The best pure babyface of her era and even just that doesn't quite do her justice. From very early on in her career she'd developed a distinct personality that she incorporated into her matches brilliantly. She's an over-energetic little pest who does things like screaming her opponent's face to throw them off. Done by almost anyone else her gimmick would just be annoying but she pulls it off and makes you think it's just her real personality. She's also an incredibly athletic cardio machine despite not looking like one and takes some incredible bumps. Her feud with Mayumi Ozaki in 2023-24 came closer than anyone to the visceral and emotional vibe of the Chigusa Nagayo vs. Dump Matsumoto feud. vs. Maruko Nagasaki - SEAdLINNNG 5/5/17 vs. Takumi Iroha - Marvelous 11/3/19 w/ Yumi Ohka vs. Hibiki & Sareee - WAVE 12/27/20 w/ Mei Hoshizuki & Rin Kadokura vs. Chihiro Hashimoto, DASH Chisako & Mika Iwata (Elimination) - GAEA 6/13/21 vs. Miyuki Takase vs. Sakura Hirota (Tomoe Battle Rules) - WAVE 6/29/21 vs. Chikayo Nagashima - Marvelous 5/3/23 vs. Mayumi Ozaki - Marvelous 8/7/23 vs. Mayumi Ozaki - Oz Academy 4/28/24

Kadaveri: Debuted in 2015, by 2017 had succeeded Meiko Satomura as the top star of Sendai Girls and still holds that position as of 2025. She has an amateur background and incorporates those skills into her pro-wrestling about as well as anyone in her era. She tremendous raw power/strength that makes her suplexes look especially damaging. In 2023-24 she's been out of the main title picture for a while, her tag team with Yuu (Team 200kg) is one of the best tag teams in the scene, and Chihiro is definitely the better of the two. vs. Meiko Satomura - Sendai Girls 9/24/17 vs. Sareee - Sendai Girls 6/8/19 vs. Mei Hoshizuki - Marvelous 8/20/21 vs. MIRAI - Stardom 2/4/23 w/ Yuu vs. Mio Momono & Yurika Oka - Sendai Girls 2/11/24

Microstatistics: One of the standout women wrestlers post-2015. She has an extensively diverse catalog of work, having worked in virtually all the main wrestling regions (Japan, USA, UK, Germany, Mexico), and hence has incorporated different stylistic elements into her arsenal. In the ring, she is generally reliable with decent fundamentals and an ability to work both serious notes as well as comedy spots. Her current "Timeless" run is probably her most compelling, dripping with eccentricity and charm, and the Mariah May feud is likely a career best, culminating in one of the best non-Joshi women's matches in history at Wembley. vs. Io Shirai (Stardom, 5/14/2017) vs. Meiko Satomura (WWE, 8/9/2018) vs. Mariah May (AEW, 8/25/2024)

club: God I love Sid Cooper. An ugly, mean spirited, caveman dunderhead in the best way. There’s a simple but great morality tale subtext to his matches; he’s a talented technical wrestler who cuts corners wherever he can. Thing is, this reliance on cheap shots never works. As Kent Walton’s reminds us, if he’d just stick to the technical wrestling he’d get somewhere. As it is he almost always loses. And we love seeing this idiot getting his comeuppance again and again. When he’s not cheating, he makes for a fantastic buffoon, trying to hang with a more athletic opponent and failing miserably. See his matches against Sammy Lee/Sayama for the best example of this. I very much get Les Dawson “it takes real talent to play a piano that badly” vibes from these performances. Not sure what an equivalent reference would be for anyone who isn’t a 40+ Brit. The Washington Generals perhaps? Recommended matches, all from World of Sport: Vs. Clive Myers, 1975 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgAu4Uh0qsA Vs. Kung Fu - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jno3tW9YZq4 Vs. Steve Grey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDEBM-Ki7aU&t=13s Vs. Dave Barrie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSXemeAyods Vs. Sammy Lee, 1980 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehRX4YvSx6c

HowtobeaMark: Premature? Probably. Since joining The Bullet Club, Kidd has become of the highlights of NJPW for me. In 2024 it has not become unusual for Kidd to have the best match on the show and his aggressive character has added an edge of unpredictablity and danger to the company. He may turn out to be a one year wonder but by nominating him here I am gambling that he won't be. Recommended matches: Vs Henare - 4 February 2024 With Alex Coughlin, Clark Connors, David Finlay and Drilla Maloney vs Will Ospreay, TJP, Henare, Jeff Cobb and Francisco Akira - 11 February 2024 Vs Shingo Takagi - 4 May 2024 Vs Kaito Kiyomiya - 16 June 2024

We are going to try to use the #GWE when discussing this project on social media, if you call could do that as well. Please.

Nanae Takahashi, it's 2024 and she's still having great matches 25 plus years into her career. I know a lot of her prime was in the dark ages of Joshi, but there is amazing performances through out that too if you dig. To me, when she's on, she's all time great. Sometimes she is just fine, but damn a great passion Nanae match is the best.

Watching some WCW ppvs from 97 and damn was he such a super over babyface. Kind of shocking to see. At his prime Dragon was freaking great, but I don't know if he had enough prime to make the list. I'm not against it though. He feels like a super under rated wrestler now, because people talk about him like he's Brutus Beefcake.

The idea that she just got good in AEW is not correct. Although she wasn't given the right role or push in NXT, she did have amazing moments. Also in SHIMMER, she was a beast and I've heard she had a great run in the indies outside that too. She's someone to consider.

UPDATED!

Grimmas: This is a candidate based on a very short run, but what a run. I had her as #2 WOTY for 2019 as almost a rookie. She only had a few years, but all those years she was elite. She is the best kicker in the history of wrestling, with such variety and speed. She was an amazing babyface and in such a short career had a great White Title run and an all-time feud with Tam Nakano vs Tam Nakano, Stardom on 2019-06-16 vs Jungle Kyona, Stardom on 2019-08-10 w/ Tam Nakano vs Jungle Kyona & Konami, Stardom on 2019-11-24

Grimmas: The ace of Stardom during the pandemic and someone who was great from their very first match. She's an amazing power wrestler, and although she is stoic, she rules in big matches. She also plays a great role in tag teams. Her series with Syuri are some of the best matches of the 2020s. Starting anew in Marigold after a few years of being downplayed in Stardom, she probably will get a lot more opportunities to add to her case now. vs Syuri, Stardom on 2021-12-29 vs Mayu Iwatani, Stardom on 2022-10-23 w/ Giulia vs Sareee & Bozila, Marigold on 2024-05-20

Microstatistics: Up there with Darby Allin as one of the best post-2015 debutantes. At first glance, he seems like purely a mic guy with limited chops in the ring. Until you actually watch the big matches, which deliver in spades. He does well to combine old-school psychology with hyper-modern offense. Charismatic, particularly as the heel, though his unshakable kayfabe bit could be over-the-top. His commitment to long-term limb selling is also admirable, even if not everyone is going to be a fan of that particular style of selling I suspect. vs. Darby Allin (AEW, 11/13/2021) vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW, 3/5/2023) vs. Jay White (AEW, 11/18/2023)

Microstatistics: Contender for best WWE/US women's wrestler. Very reliable worker who was effective both as a fighting, sympathetic underdog and a vicious, underhanded heel. Bought a lot of intensity and aggression to her matches, which was particularly impressive in an environment of sub-10 minute matches and cringy commentary. Even with the supposed revolution of 2014-15, the I Quit match vs. Beth Phoenix still might hold up as the best women's match in the history of the company. vs. Mickie James (WWE, 4/29/2007) vs. Beth Phoenix (WWE, 6/1/2008) vs. Michelle McCool (WWE, 7/26/2009)

GOTNW: Sonnenberg is someone who became one of my favourites almost instantaneously. Football player turned pro wrestler is a well known trope well alive to this day, and here is one of the first guys to have done it. Like many of his stylistic descendants, his special technique is something between a Running Tackle and a blast Double Leg. It's absolutely beautiful, I could watch him just tackle someone forever. But it's not just the execution. When you watch his matches, it's treated as a big deal - the threat of it is sold huge by his opponents, and the quick nature of it allows him to constantly threaten it, adding another dynamic of excitement to the matches. However, Sonnenberg isn't just a specimen of an explosive athlete - his matches are mostly built around intricate matwork of the time that are a pastiche of amateur style, catch and the creativity of the first workers. And he's really good at both working it and adding authentic intensity to it. For my money, his match vs Count George Zarynoff is the first wrestling classic we have on tape. [1929-03-15-Boston, MA] vs Joe Malcewicz [1930-04-24-Boston, MA] vs Count George Zarynoff [1938-08-03-Los Angeles, CA] vs Bronko Nagurski

highflyflow: Admittedly I'm not too familiar with her work pre-NXT, but she had great matches there with the likes of Asuka, then signed with AEW and became the centerpiece of Khan's ROH. She was one of the best wrestlers anywhere in the world last year; she was able to be a dominating heel, a sympathetic heel, a stooging heel, able to work straight matches, able to work plunder brawls, able to work long matches and absolutely killed it in squash matches. If she keeps up the pace she's been at, in 2026 I think her resume will undoubtedly be strong enough to merit consideration. vs. Mercedes Martinez (SHIMMER 3/17/12) as Ember Moon vs. Asuka (WWE 4/1/17) as Ember Moon vs. Asuka (WWE 8/19/17) vs. Willow Nightingale (ROH 3/9/23) vs. Willow Nightingale (ROH 7/21/23)

highflyflow: It's always been somewhat baffling to me that Dax Harwood is nominated but not his tag partner, so I'll seek to rectify that now. Cash Wheeler has been a part of one of the most popular tag teams in the world over the last decade, and arguably THE best tag team over the same timespan. Wheeler admittedly hasn't gotten the same singles opportunities as Harwood, but he's consistently brung it in their tag team epics, and input wise I think he may be the best member of the unit over the past couple years. as Dash Wilder w/ Scott Dawson vs. Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa (WWE 11/19/16) w/ Dax Harwood vs. Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe (ROH 4/1/22) w/ Dax Harwood vs. Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe (ROH 12/10/22)

I'm currently doing 2007 and haven't gotten to 'Taker yet, so I guess I'll find out. I remember the Bautista matches being good.

I'm having trouble finding a year Undertaker is even a top 25 wrestler, so that really hurts him in my algorithms.