Best and Worst Strikes

[SmartMark15]

AJ Styles isn't the best striker in the world. But I do think his strikes are quite underrated. He really makes them look and sound good without being over the top.

[peachchaos]

Reading through this thread I realized my own worked punching style came from Bret Hart. Interesting.

[Victator]

I talked to Doug Gilbert once. I asked him about throwing punches. His dad told him go try to punch the wall without really hitting it. When you can do that and make it look good, you can throw a good working punch.

[SmartMark15]

I talked to Doug Gilbert once. I asked him about throwing punches. His dad told him go try to punch the wall without really hitting it. When you can do that and make it look good, you can throw a good working punch.

 

Might have been in a separate thread where I read about Flair doing a similar practice technique with a string hanging from the ceiling. He had to punch it without making the string move.

[Edwin]

idk Tajiri is an obvious slapper but has some of the best kicks

Tajiri benefited from great camera work that didnt make it as obvious.

 

Michael Elgin on the other hand makes it blatant. Even for chops.

 

 

I talked to Doug Gilbert once. I asked him about throwing punches. His dad told him go try to punch the wall without really hitting it. When you can do that and make it look good, you can throw a good working punch.

 

Might have been in a separate thread where I read about Flair doing a similar practice technique with a string hanging from the ceiling. He had to punch it without making the string move.

That Flair story is on the 30 For 30 documentary.

[Edwin]

I always loved Bobby Eatons punches. So soft but looked stiff.

Jim Cornette praised him a lot for this. He also said he learned to throw his punches from Bobby. If you watch the matches between the Midnight Express and the Original Midnight Express, Cornette throws a few right hands and they are very similar to Bobbys.

[G. Badger]

Might have been in a separate thread where I read about Flair doing a similar practice technique with a string hanging from the ceiling. He had to punch it without making the string move.

I don't know about anyone else but, I want to try this just for the hell of it Go down in the basement, tie a string to the rafters, fake punch it for hours. Loved one comes home, and all of a sudden I'm in the psych ward for a week! Hahaha

[Boss Rock]

Could be wrong, but I thought I saw in one of Foley's books that Funk's punches were like actual strikes.

[Laz]

^Dead on. The story goes that Foley, who always wondered how Terry worked his punches, was surprised when Terry kept potatoing him in the forehead. When they talked after Funk just laughed and said something to the effect of "you thought I was working them?"

[G. Badger]

^Dead on. The story goes that Foley, who always wondered how Terry worked his punches, was surprised when Terry kept potatoing him in the forehead. When they talked after Funk just laughed and said something to the effect of "you thought I was working them?"

It's basically how the 3 Stooges worked too. That's serious. They got all kinds of injuries from the hits and falls they all took. They were a vaudeville act first and like the wrestling of the day, it had to look real because good, scarce money was being spent for entertainment.

 

Watch the Nagurski vs Londos match for instance

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/31725-jim-londos-vs-bronco-nagurski-111838/

 

Similarly, this is how the Funks were taught and I think a lot of the Texas guys or I should say football guys were taught too. Getting popped in the mouth or getting your bell rung is to be expected and not a big deal.

 

Neither Funk kills a guy but, once in awhile they'll lay a shot in when it matters most. They make it look like "that one" they were trying really kill their opponent. Kawada and Misawa are another good example of this. Sometimes, they'll be working light all match and Boom! It looks like a KO. Sets up a nice natural transition too.

 

I think that's where most guys go wrong. They go stiff all the time so, it never really means anything.

[Boss Rock]

Punching has seemingly become sort of a lost art. Not a ton of wrestlers today have good-looking punches. Mostly the territory folks back in the day. Dutch Mantell is another guy who stands out to me.

[peachchaos]

Loved the part in 30 for 30 where Flair says he hung up a string and kept punching at it until it didn't move.

[Boss Rock]

Watching CMLL and Negro Casas still has terrific kicks and chest slaps.

[Edwin]

Lawler.. .Dundee... Murdoch

Surprised this is the only mention of Dundee.

 

Talk about throwing great looking punches, his were some of the best imo.

 

Edit:

 

[G. Badger]

As far as worst strikes, that's a lot harder. I like Christopher Daniels but, dude has never impressed me with a great punch...let alone kick. I think there was a GIF where he airballs on a gut kick.

 

Kaz Hiyashi is a guy in the same boat but was OK as Shiryu. He never seemed to revert back once in AJPW. I guess a lot of the juniors during the last days of WCW were shit on the punches and kicks. Probably the same goes for TNA guys like Amazing Red, Petey Williams, and other guys I can't remember...

 

I think the lesson is that a good punch and kick are better than sick moves.

[SteveJRogers]

No opinion on MMA era Undertaker?

[dawho5]

I think the lesson is that a good punch and kick are better than sick moves.

 

For some of us, yeah. But I'd guess there are more fans out there who mark out far bigger for the sick moves.

[Microstatistics]

 

I think the lesson is that a good punch and kick are better than sick moves.

 

For some of us, yeah. But I'd guess there are more fans out there who mark out far bigger for the sick moves.

 

 

I like violent looking strikes as much as anyone but I don't think it's that simple. Context is important. Sometimes a dragon suplex on the apron is necessary over an elbow strike so in that situation, the sick move is better.

 

Also, I'm not a fan of stiffness for the sake of stiffness but I think the punches that actually land are usually better than worked punches. Not many people do worked punches well, the obvious exception being Lawler. Even Satanico (the GOAT puncher for me) punches seem like actual strikes to me based on the fact the you can actually hear the impact.

[dawho5]

I'm not saying HERE at the board. I'm saying as a population in general. I think more wrestling fans, especially western wrestling fans, will pop for a big suplex than a good punch or kick.

[Johnny Sorrow]

Jose Lothario's uppercut and all of his other punches look down on everyone else and say, "Go fuck yourself."

 

...in a heated promo.

[Boss Rock]

 

I think the lesson is that a good punch and kick are better than sick moves.

 

For some of us, yeah. But I'd guess there are more fans out there who mark out far bigger for the sick moves.

 

 

One of the reasons I love A.J. Styles. Can throw a good strike and still do all the cool moves.

[Boss Rock]

 

 

I think the lesson is that a good punch and kick are better than sick moves.

 

For some of us, yeah. But I'd guess there are more fans out there who mark out far bigger for the sick moves.

 

 

I like violent looking strikes as much as anyone but I don't think it's that simple. Context is important. Sometimes a dragon suplex on the apron is necessary over an elbow strike so in that situation, the sick move is better.

 

Also, I'm not a fan of stiffness for the sake of stiffness but I think the punches that actually land are usually better than worked punches. Not many people do worked punches well, the obvious exception being Lawler. Even Satanico (the GOAT puncher for me) punches seem like actual strikes to me based on the fact the you can actually hear the impact.

 

 

Great call on Satanico.

[G. Badger]

 

 

I think the lesson is that a good punch and kick are better than sick moves.

 

For some of us, yeah. But I'd guess there are more fans out there who mark out far bigger for the sick moves.

One of the reasons I love A.J. Styles. Can throw a good strike and still do all the cool moves.

Yeah, exactly who I was thinking of. There were a slew of dudes that could do flips, spins, etc. as well as AJ but, he made an effort to be a more complete wrestler. I remember seeing him on Wildside thinking 'ah here's another crazy dive guy' then seeing him years later in TNA. I was surprised how he evolved.

 

Cool moves will only get ya so far. I guess that's a better way to put it. No disrespect to Daniels or Kaz as I like them a bunch but, they were the examples I could think of for that era/style of wrestling. I'm sure they aren't the worst

 

How was Elix Skipper?

[Microstatistics]

Kicks - Kiyoshi Tamura, Shinya Hashimoto

Punches - El Satanico

Palm Strikes - Jushin Liger, Volk Han

Elbows/Forearm Strikes - Mitsuharu Misawa

Headbutts - Yoshiaki Fujiwara

Chops - Genichiro Tenryu, Kenta Kobashi

Stomps - Negro Casas, Jumbo Tsuruta

Knee Strikes - Jun Akiyama

 

Knee Lifts - Yoshihiro Takayama

European Uppercuts - Daniel Bryan, Cesaro

[EricR]

Whenever I watch late 90s WCW I think Kaz Hayashi looks like one of the best workers in the world for that time period.