Your Current Fav Five

[concrete1992]

Fave 5

1.Blue Panther-What a glorious bastard. Old you say? STOP THAT!

 

2.Eddie Kingston-After going through the 12 Large Summit again he is just so damn good. Sad thing about Chikara closing is that that's where he had most of his awesome performances.

 

3.Too Cold Scorpio-He's a guy that's usually #1 in my heart but right now I'm just going through some random matches he's had. Him vs Owen on RAW in a KOTR qualifier was short(TV so yeah) but so much fun.

 

4.Dean Allmark-Allmark in 2013 is a joyful thing. Him with Brown and Dynamite are probably the most consistently fun things I've experienced this year.

 

5.Yoshihito Sasaki-Not the best of the Strong BJ bunch but every match he's in I know there will be something so crazy stiff I'll want to crawl into a corner and die a little.

[Grimmas]

1. Goldust - loved his stuff in the Orton match. Need to really finish part 2 of the Dustin set.

A thousand times yes, please!

[Coffey]

Current Fav Five (as in, from current stuff, not anything I've watched from any era)

 

- Hiroshi Tanahashi

- Katsuyori Shibata

- Kazuchika Okada

- Roman Reigns (The Shield as a whole have been great, especially Reigns/Rollins in the tag scene but if I'm just picking one, it's Reigns)

- Antonio Cesaro

 

 

I want to mention Summer Rae & A.J. Lee is some fashion too because I think they're doing good things in WWE & NXT respectively for the ladies. Also, some of my favorite in WWE, like Brock Lesnar or Mark Henry haven't been around for awhile. The Rhodes brothers have also been awesome, as have The Usos. The tag stuff in WWE lately has been golden.

[Jimmy Redman]

My fave five for 2013:

 

Daniel Bryan

Antonio Cesaro

The Shield

 

If there was a way to vote for The Shield as a group as Most Outstanding Wrestler, I would. What a phenomenally good first year on telly.

[Mr. Lacelle]

I recently did a top 30 list for guys who I enjoy. My top 5.

 

5. Rick Rude

4. Steve Austin

3. Stan Hansen

2. Randy Savage

1. Bret Hart

[Matt D]

Mocho Cota is totally on my list, whatever it is.

[Mando]

Fave Five as of right now:

 

#1 - "Rowdy" Roddy Piper

#2 - "Loose Canon" Brian Pillman

#3 - Too Cold Scorpio

#4 - Low Ki

#5 - Viscera

 

I'll be at the iMPACT! tapings on 11/7 and thought about making an "I'm A Viscera Guy" sign.

[Matt D]

Have you seen the 1979-80 Portland stuff from Piper? It's really a revelation.

[Mando]

Have you seen the 1979-80 Portland stuff from Piper? It's really a revelation.

No but I'd love to! I know he gets dinged a bit historically for his in-ring stuff but his personality, charisma, mic skills, etc. are just so off the chart. One of the best.

[Dylan Waco]

I think the evidence strongly suggests that Piper was a very good worker at minimum for most of his career.

[PeteF3]

A mostly, but not entirely, Yearbook-centric list:

 

#1. Genichiro Tenryu. This NJPW/WAR stuff is about the greatest shit ever. I'm still clinging to my "AJPW was better" mantra but this is the kind of thing they could never have pulled off again once Choshu & co. left.

 

#2. Barry Windham. Possibly Best in the World for the first quarter (at least) of '93.

 

#3. The Rhodes Family. Token modern representatives. If Cody develops as a sympathetic babyface--the only lacking part of that Raw tag--then he could develop into that Bryan/Punk class of worker.

 

#4. Doink the Clown. Even if some of his promos were more or less lifted verbatim from the Burton Batman, it's still fun to watch Borne completely nail this role. And the Yearbook hasn't even gotten to his matches yet.

 

#5. The Scorpion. Three Yearbooks ago, but still one of the great lost workers of all-time. I find her story, or lack thereof, oddly compelling.

[Zenjo]

Mocha Cota - Fingers are overrated.

 

Perro Aguayo Sr - Fluffy boots are underrated.

 

Hiroshi Hase - In honour of Movember.

 

Brazo de Plata - Perhaps I used to be slightly repulsed, but now I have fallen for Super Porky's charms.

 

Shinya Hashimoto - He did it his way.

[tim]

Sangre Chicana - Super charismatic, some of the best punches in wrestling and is Jerry Lawler-level making big moments in the match as dramatic as possible.

 

Super Astro - Dude can go on the mat and is one of the most spectacular fliers of all time. There needs to be way, way, way more prime Astro footage out there.

 

Mocho Cota - Another guy who needs way more footage. I want to see him in a bloody apuestas.

 

Goldust - How many tag wrestlers are better than him after this run?

 

Rey Escorpion - Viciously beats up fat old men like few others.

[Matt D]

We should start some sort of Mocho Cota fan club.

[Kevin Ridge]

Based off on my current viewing projects and in no particular order.

 

Bob Backlund

 

I loved his 94 heel run in WWF but have been really enjoying his initial title reign from late 70's on. He wasn't much of a promo which does make his 94 run really seem more impressive as he nailed the crazy middle aged guy perfectly. I enjoy him as a face though in his earlier run and really mark out for his great feats of strength segments during his matches.

 

Dominic Denucci

 

Had one of the most out of nowhere breakout matches against Iron Sheik that had me jumping out of my seat. This dude was crazy! I can understand now why Mick Foley almost paralyzed himself after being trained by Dominic

 

Bret Hart

 

His 1997 run is one of my top years for a guy in the ring and on the mic. Some great matches with Austin early on and his promos on Raw were must see and very captivating. The 20 minute promo to open Raw became way overdone as the years past on but Bret's was must see TV. And his run in the King of the Ring tournament is probably my favorite for a tournament.

 

Doink the Clown

 

I know lots of folks are big on Borne's run in WWF. But really you watch this guy and he's the perfect over the top character while being a real good wrestler in WWF. I don't know what legs the character would have had long term but I wish Borne had got a bigger push up the card.

 

Jim Duggan

 

1993 might have been his best year in WWF with his feud/promos with Yokozuna to his matches with Shawn. Combine this with his stuff from Mid South I've been watching and it really feels like WWF could have done more with the guy during his run.

[FLIK]

Doink the Clown

 

I know lots of folks are big on Borne's run in WWF. But really you watch this guy and he's the perfect over the top character while being a real good wrestler in WWF. I don't know what legs the character would have had long term but I wish Borne had got a bigger push up the card.

Loved the story on Austin's podcast that Bruce Pritchard tells about how Doink came about because Borne showed up to a WWF show looking miserable so Road Warrior Hawk started calling him Krusty the Clown then pitched the idea to Vince...

[cheapshot]

Doink the Clown

 

I know lots of folks are big on Borne's run in WWF. But really you watch this guy and he's the perfect over the top character while being a real good wrestler in WWF. I don't know what legs the character would have had long term but I wish Borne had got a bigger push up the card.

Loved the story on Austin's podcast that Bruce Pritchard tells about how Doink came about because Borne showed up to a WWF show looking miserable so Road Warrior Hawk started calling him Krusty the Clown then pitched the idea to Vince...

 

I had never heard that story as well FLIK until I heard Bruce Prichard tell it on Austin's podcast. Out of interest *IF* Hawk did indeed see Bourne looking Krusty-Esque I don't think it would be for WWF as Doink's debut was in October 12th 1992 on a Superstars taping, when he was shown in the crowd. Bourne did not work the WWF in 1992 before this. Earlier in the year Bourne was in WCW as Big Josh until August 10, 1992.

 

In 1992 Hawk did not appear for WCW when Bourne was working as Josh so I am unsure where there paths would of crossed for Hawk to see Bourne backstage slumped look miserable.

 

Edit: I asked Bruce via Twitter and his response was: "WWF in Hamilton Ontario 92 or 93". I checked again and Hawk didn't work Hamilton at all in 1992 for WWF.

[Alucard]

Doink the Clown

 

I know lots of folks are big on Borne's run in WWF. But really you watch this guy and he's the perfect over the top character while being a real good wrestler in WWF. I don't know what legs the character would have had long term but I wish Borne had got a bigger push up the card.

Loved the story on Austin's podcast that Bruce Pritchard tells about how Doink came about because Borne showed up to a WWF show looking miserable so Road Warrior Hawk started calling him Krusty the Clown then pitched the idea to Vince...

 

I had never heard that story as well FLIK until I heard Bruce Prichard tell it on Austin's podcast. Out of interest *IF* Hawk did indeed see Bourne looking Krusty-Esque I don't think it would be for WWF as Doink's debut was in October 12th 1992 on a Superstars taping, when he was shown in the crowd. Bourne did not work the WWF in 1992 before this. Earlier in the year Bourne was in WCW as Big Josh until August 10, 1992.

 

In 1992 Hawk did not appear for WCW when Bourne was working as Josh so I am unsure where there paths would of crossed for Hawk to see Bourne backstage slumped look miserable.

 

Edit: I asked Bruce via Twitter and his response was: "WWF in Hamilton Ontario 92 or 93". I checked again and Hawk didn't work Hamilton at all in 1992 for WWF.

 

 

Found these two:

 

 

WWF @ Hamilton, Ontario - Copps Coliseum - January 12, 1992

WWF IC Champion Bret Hart & WWF Tag Team Champions the Legion of Doom defeated the Jacques Rougeau & the Natural Disasters when Bret pinned Rougeau

 

WWF @ Hamilton, Ontario - Copps Coliseum - June 1, 1992 (9,000)

WWF Superstars taping:

The Legion of Doom defeated Bobby Starr & Bob Knight

[cheapshot]

Doink the Clown

 

I know lots of folks are big on Borne's run in WWF. But really you watch this guy and he's the perfect over the top character while being a real good wrestler in WWF. I don't know what legs the character would have had long term but I wish Borne had got a bigger push up the card.

Loved the story on Austin's podcast that Bruce Pritchard tells about how Doink came about because Borne showed up to a WWF show looking miserable so Road Warrior Hawk started calling him Krusty the Clown then pitched the idea to Vince...

 

I had never heard that story as well FLIK until I heard Bruce Prichard tell it on Austin's podcast. Out of interest *IF* Hawk did indeed see Bourne looking Krusty-Esque I don't think it would be for WWF as Doink's debut was in October 12th 1992 on a Superstars taping, when he was shown in the crowd. Bourne did not work the WWF in 1992 before this. Earlier in the year Bourne was in WCW as Big Josh until August 10, 1992.

 

In 1992 Hawk did not appear for WCW when Bourne was working as Josh so I am unsure where there paths would of crossed for Hawk to see Bourne backstage slumped look miserable.

 

Edit: I asked Bruce via Twitter and his response was: "WWF in Hamilton Ontario 92 or 93". I checked again and Hawk didn't work Hamilton at all in 1992 for WWF.

 

 

Found these two:

 

 

WWF @ Hamilton, Ontario - Copps Coliseum - January 12, 1992

WWF IC Champion Bret Hart & WWF Tag Team Champions the Legion of Doom defeated the Jacques Rougeau & the Natural Disasters when Bret pinned Rougeau

 

WWF @ Hamilton, Ontario - Copps Coliseum - June 1, 1992 (9,000)

WWF Superstars taping:

The Legion of Doom defeated Bobby Starr & Bob Knight

 

Thanks for this, the only way Bourne would of crossed paths with Hawk would of been for one or the other being backstage and at the others shows. I am slightly dubious of this story, that's all.

[Mr. B.B. Rogers]

Lately, the current WWE product has been so shit that I've essentially sworn it off entirely. I'm still occasionally checking out Shield-Wyatt-Punk-Bryan stuff, but otherwise, I don't care.

 

Never really been a WWE guy anyway; I have a long-standing personal theory that Vince hates wrestling.

 

Anyway, my current 5 in no particular order:

 

Barry Windham. I'm been slowly working thru Will's Dangerous Alliance comp, and just started the set on Barry. He's just so smooth and fluid with virtually everything he does. Great superplex, lariat always looks great and I just can't help but LOVE his floating-style DDT.

 

Arn Anderson. He's just been fantastic on the DA set. Really felt like "The Enforcer" was in full swing, albeit with Eaton by his side. Just always fun, especially in the matches against Sting's buddies.

 

Buddy Rose. In addition to the DA & BW stuff, I'm slowly working on some Portland stuff, and I'm really loving Buddy. Just saw his hair vs. hair match with Steve Pardee and he made the kid look like a million bucks while cutting a fun-as-all-hell post-match promo!

 

Midnight Express (Eaton/Lane). I just watch their Starrcade 88 matchup with the "original MX" and it was fantastic. I've also dug up some early Eaton and Lane from Memphis and had fun with that too. It's been so great that I just ordered the MX comp from Will.

 

Lastly, Eddie Gilbert. Got some of his Memphis stuff and the matches are ok to good, but the promos are FANTASTIC! The way he just treats Lance Russell like garbage is hilarious and he just oozes slimy, hate-me-like-you-mean-it heel. Awesome stuff.

[soup23]

Feels like an appropriate time for me to bump this thread:

 

1. Tomohiro Ishii - I don't know how long this guy can sustain what he is doing at the pace of his matches but I get more invested in him than any other wrestler at this point. He has the ability to be a big guy that looks vulnerable and throws/takes a vicious amount of punishment. He has worked with a variety of guys and every match has been interesting to watch. I am really intrigued to see what he gets out of Yujiro and hopefully Okada/Nakamura/Shibata down the line.

 

2. Barbaro Cavernario - Holy crap has this guy snuck up on me the past week or so to become a contender in my WOTY rankings. A great brawler with a chaotic style that is not afraid to take some brutal bumps. Him mixing it up with Cachorro & Hechicero has been a treat.

 

3. AJ Styles - If this was three months ago, I would have called you nuts for thinking I would have AJ at #3 on this list. Yet, here we are. AJ has been able to reign in some of his spottier aspects of his overall performances and mixed in electric offense and selling. I have thoroughly enjoyed his series with Okada and the Hero ROH match.

 

4. Ricochet - Still my favorite of the US indy workers that works in Dragon Gate. I liked the Yoshino match more than most and the Yamato match worse than most but thought those were both good to really good matches. His stuff in the six mans opposite Flamita has been great acrobatic spot work. I'm hopeful he has a deep BOSJ run.

 

5. Shawn Michaels - Still the most fascinating guy to watch in my 1997 viewing. No one is able to conjurer up more raw emotions inside many wrestling viewers than Shawn around this time. Montreal is almost upon us in my viewing.

[(BP)]

I find Shawn's '97 incredible. I don't know if anybody else ever developed a successful character by turning into a physical and emotional train wreck in real life, but that's what he managed to do during the initial DX run.

[BillThompson]

My list changes all the time, especially based on what I'm watching at the given point in time. Lately I've been knee deep in 1995-1997 WWF and WCW PPVs, so this list reflects that,

 

1) Owen Hart - He only has a handful of matches where I would say the complete package of the match is memorable. However, in every match of his I've seen Owen does neat stuff and works his tail off. He's always way over with the crowd, and is easily one of the best heels I've come across, super funny on commentary to boot.

 

2) Bret Hart - I feel like I've shortchanged Bret for years, and I thought he was great before. He's able to do great things with such a wide variety of wrestlers, and his transition from face to heel is something to watch. Also, and I'm probably in the minority here, but he's the real star of 90s WWF, not Shawn Michaels. Bret could do his own thing, and wrestle interesting matches with interesting people, and often limited people. I've found that Shawn needs a strong gimmick or a great worker to have matches that are worthwhile.

 

3) Ultimo Dragon - Not sure how I missed the boat on him years ago, but I love his move variety and his pure dick nature as a heel. The way he just stomps guys down is a pleasure to see, and when the time comes he can certainly hang with anyone in their era as far as kicking it into second gear goes.

 

4) Mankind - Foley's initial run as Mankind is really interesting to watch unfold. He manages to get over the psychology of him being a guy who doesn't feel pain and works that into all of his matches nicely. More than anything Mankind is a breath of fresh air in the WWF, a guy who is unhinged, talented, and a threat to anyone on any night. He manages to get some great stuff out of a really lazy Undertaker, and when he's given his time against the more "technical" wrestlers he melds his style with theirs to produce great results.

 

5) Steve Austin - Oh, how I miss the Steve Austin from 1996-1997. Before the neck injury changed him into a pure brawler, he had the ability to go with anyone. His feud with Bret is edging towards being possibly the best feud I've ever seen unfold. Austin is able to get over the idea that he's tougher than anyone and that he wins almost in spite of his skill. The talent is there, but it's secondary to his drive and desire to win and the fact that he wants to show he doesn't need respect. Just about everything Austin is doing at this time is electric, and that damn neck injury had to come and screw it all up.

[tholzerman]

My list right now is exclusively modern wrestling, concentrated in America, because that's where my habits are.

 

1. ACH - if ACH is on a card, I'm probably gonna check it out. He's not just a high-flier, but his acrobatics are so awesome that I need to see everything just to believe it.

2. Kyle Matthews - Dylan got me into watching more Southern wrestling, where I discovered Matthews. The next bad match he participates in will be his first.

3. Akira Tozawa - He rarely wrestles in America, and when he does, it's for goddamn Gabe, but he's the most expressive dude in the ring I've ever seen.

4. Daniel Bryan - Obviously he wasn't going to stay on my must-watch list forever because as he's more valuable to WWE, the less he wrestles. Plus all his stuff is pretty much available now, right? Still, if Bryan's wrestling on Main Event or Smackdown, I'm going out of my way to make sure I watch those shows.

5. Athena - She's always been one of the better competitors on a given SHIMMER weekend, but she's been on a warpath since she got back from injury. Great brawling, good technical skills, super fire.

[Coffey]

If I were answering today from the people that I have been entertained by in the last couple of weeks (which includes pretty much just RAW, WWE PPV, NXT & the ROH/NJPW War of the Worlds iPPV):

 

1. Seth Rollins

2. Luke Harper

3. Cesaro

4. Wade Barrett

5. Alicia Fox

 

I know if we were doing a bottom five, Rob Van Dam would be in it.