Grimmas Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Discuss here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBadMick Posted September 18, 2014 Report Share Posted September 18, 2014 Best of luck, Parv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W2BTD Posted September 18, 2014 Report Share Posted September 18, 2014 This is a guy whose stock has plummeted with me thanks to The Network. I've rewatched a lot of 1988, 1989 WCW, and Rotunda is a guy who always kills the card dead. I remember really liking The Varsity Club at the time, but 25 years later I hate almost everything I've seen from the entire group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted September 18, 2014 Report Share Posted September 18, 2014 No way in hell is he making my ballot. About as pedestrian as a wrestler as they come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditch Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 Wow someone actually voted for him in the SC poll? *looks up results* FOUR people?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 Wow someone actually voted for him in the SC poll? *looks up results* FOUR people?!?! Pretty cool that Bray Wyatt, Blackjack Mulligan, Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda voted last time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superstar Sleeze Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 Wow someone actually voted for him in the SC poll? *looks up results* FOUR people?!?! Pretty cool that Bray Wyatt, Blackjack Mulligan, Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda voted last time. Mike Rotunda does not Bolieve! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbo Slice Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 No chance. Never did enough to keep me interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Casebolt Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 I like Mike Rotunda more than most people, but top 100? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSR Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 IRS was probably the most tedious, uninspiring, unappealing wrestler ever in my eyes. Wasn't particularly enamored by the Varsity Club when I rewatched the 1989 NWA shows a couple of years back outside a few interviews. I thought his TV title loss to Sting on the 4/1 WCW show was a good match but that's about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted September 23, 2014 Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 No, he's not awful, but I find him as bland as can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 DISCLAIMER, I'm not pushing Rotunda for top 100. But ... Poor Rotunda getting shit on from every angle. He had some very good performances in that feud with Rick Steiner right thought 1989. I don't get it with Brad. I wouldn't say he sucks and I might have him above Rotunda (big surprise there) but he is not someone I see as making my list as I have never came out of a Brad Armstrong match exhilarated and feeling super high on him. His Badstreet run was fine and his Cursed gimmick was sort of neat given the self deprecating culture of the late 90's, but I don't know if he has ever had a **** match and he was someone that did get a decent amount of chances. Would you agree at least that Rotunda has **** matches to his name? Mike Rotunda vs. Doug Somers 04/28/1986 AWAMike Rotunda vs. Rick Steiner 12/26/88 (Starrcade) Mike Rotunda vs. Rick Steiner 02/30/89 (Chi-town Rumble) Mike Rotunda vs. Sting 04/01/89 (World Championship Wrestling) The Varisty Club vs. The Steiner Brothers 06/14/89 (Clash 7)The Varisty Club vs. The Steiner Brothers 07/23/89 (GAB) I enjoyed all those matches and reckon there's at least three **** affairs in there. Also, I continue to think he was perfectly cast as IRS: Listen to how nerdy and whiny his voice is and think about how perfectly it fits the character. (ASIDE: just look at Ted's kickass suit there!!) His character work -- outside of the ring -- is underrated. I'll never understand how Rotunda inspires the hatred he does while guys who have nothing fun at all to their names like Brad Armstrong get praise. Why? Why am I the only Rotunda defender on the entire board? Madness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 Parv you're stretching if you consider those 4 star affairs. I'll give you 3 stars to 3 1/2*. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 Well, okay, I really like the Somers match and actually went ****1/2 on it. And I go about the same on the match with Rick Steiner from Chi-Town Rumble, which I think is Rotunda's career-best match. Maybe the others are lower. Although I probably like those two matches more than most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo-Yo's Roomie Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 I pretty much love Varsity Club Rotunda (Varsity Club in general, actually), and I thought he carried Money Inc. in the ring (though carried them to what, I'm not sure). Not a top 100-er, but I consider myself a bit of a fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 DISCLAIMER, I'm not pushing Rotunda for top 100. But ... Poor Rotunda getting shit on from every angle. He had some very good performances in that feud with Rick Steiner right thought 1989. I don't get it with Brad. I wouldn't say he sucks and I might have him above Rotunda (big surprise there) but he is not someone I see as making my list as I have never came out of a Brad Armstrong match exhilarated and feeling super high on him. His Badstreet run was fine and his Cursed gimmick was sort of neat given the self deprecating culture of the late 90's, but I don't know if he has ever had a **** match and he was someone that did get a decent amount of chances. Would you agree at least that Rotunda has **** matches to his name? Mike Rotunda vs. Doug Somers 04/28/1986 AWA Mike Rotunda vs. Rick Steiner 12/26/88 (Starrcade) Mike Rotunda vs. Rick Steiner 02/30/89 (Chi-town Rumble) Mike Rotunda vs. Sting 04/01/89 (World Championship Wrestling) The Varisty Club vs. The Steiner Brothers 06/14/89 (Clash 7) The Varisty Club vs. The Steiner Brothers 07/23/89 (GAB) I enjoyed all those matches and reckon there's at least three **** affairs in there. Also, I continue to think he was perfectly cast as IRS: Listen to how nerdy and whiny his voice is and think about how perfectly it fits the character. (ASIDE: just look at Ted's kickass suit there!!) His character work -- outside of the ring -- is underrated. I'll never understand how Rotunda inspires the hatred he does while guys who have nothing fun at all to their names like Brad Armstrong get praise. Why? Why am I the only Rotunda defender on the entire board? Madness. I liked the Somers match but ranked it at #68 and would have it around ***1/2 I was really disappointed in the Steiner series as I had memories of the awesome moment from Starrcade of Rick winning and thought the match was really blah. I don't even know if the Starrcade match would reach *** for me. Chi-Town probably slight above. I would say the GAB match vs. Steiners is his best hope as that was a wild crazy brawl but still one five minute edging on **** match is not top 100 material. I am still waiting for that performance where IRS really does something that makes me really invested in his work. He probably came closest in that Somers match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 How about the Money Inc match with the Steiners from the TV BEFORE the cage match? Ummm IRS vs. 1-2-3 Kid at Summerslam 93? He really takes Waltman's head off with that clothesline ("The Write-off Check!") The Razor Ramon matches in 94? I'm reaching at this point, but what does Rotunda do that's so unengaging do you think? Is it the endless abdominal stretches and chin locks? He had decent heat. IRWIIINNN, IRWWWINNNN. I like the schtick of not having any entrance music and coming out by cutting a promo on the way to the ring. I'll admit that Rotunda has basically no top 100 ammunition. But I thought if guys like The Mountie are getting a thread, then ol VK Wallstreet can have one. Still think his 1989 is underrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 I think Sting might be his all time best opponent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted October 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Mike Rotundo is essential an under pushed Randy Orton from today. Neither of them will find my list and I have seen a fair amount of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckScumm Posted February 9, 2016 Report Share Posted February 9, 2016 I liked his team with Norman. Then again, I thought Norman carried the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB8 Posted February 9, 2016 Report Share Posted February 9, 2016 That Somers match is really damn good and there's a Money Inc./Steiners match from Superstars (made the 1993 yearbook) in which I think Rotunda does one of the best drop toe holds I've ever seen. Or maybe it was DiBiase that did it. The match was also good, IIRC. I don't think I've seen any of the Rick Steiner stuff in WCW, but he's really bland in all of the other WCW stuff I've seen. Those Razor matches in 1994 WWF are not good at all. There's a match against Randy Savage on an episode of RAW that year that's pretty fun, but I thought that was mostly because of Savage being motivated to do something after Vince let him work on TV for a change. Other IRS matches that year are mostly plodding and riddled with long, sweaty chinlocks and abdominal stretches where he loosely grabs the ropes for "leverage." Granted, he wasn't working with all star talent regularly (the Waltman match was probably okay considering Waltman was pretty awesome in '94), but even within those matches he rarely did anything of note. That Somers match is REAL good, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted February 9, 2016 Report Share Posted February 9, 2016 I made an imaginary "Best of Mike Rotunda" comp once, let me see if I can dig it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted February 9, 2016 Report Share Posted February 9, 2016 Don't ask why or how, but this is my hypothetical 1-disc "Best of Mike Rotunda" comp. 1. US Express vs. Dream Team 08/10/1985 WWF MSG 2. Mike Rotunda vs. Doug Somers 04/28/1986 AWA 3. Mike Rotunda vs. Rick Steiner 12/26/1988 Starrcade NWA 4. The Varisty Club vs. The Steiner Brothers 07/23/1989 GAB NWA 5. Captain Mike Rotunda vs. Iron Sheik 07/071990 GAB NWA 6. IRS & The Natural Disasters vs. The Big Boss Man & The Legion Of Doom 11/27/1991 Survivor Series WWF 7. Money Inc vs. Natural Disasters 10/13/1992 Challenge WWF 8. Money Inc vs. The Beverly Brothers 04/12/1993 RAW WWF 9. Money Inc vs. The Steiner Brothers 08/16/1993 SummerSlam Spectacular WWF 10. IRS vs. 123 Kid 08/30/1993 Summerslam WWF EXTRAS: - IRS decks Beefacke with a briefcase - Tax tips with IRS #1 - Tax tips with IRS #2 - Tax tips with IRS #3 - IRS wins Battle Royale on RAW and then Ted pays him off Are there any really obviously better Rotunda matches that I've left off? If so, what? I think the aforementioned Superstars match vs. The Steiners is missing. But otherwise, still think this is his best stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted February 9, 2016 Report Share Posted February 9, 2016 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xczqpa_hart-foundation-vs-u-s-express_shortfilms I love the finish on that match. Nothing really to do with Rotunda, mind you, but hey, he's in the match! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotJayTabb Posted February 9, 2016 Report Share Posted February 9, 2016 There's a match against Randy Savage on an episode of RAW that year that's pretty fun, but I thought that was mostly because of Savage being motivated to do something after Vince let him work on TV for a change. It's a fun match, but even then IRS slows it down in the middle for a lengthy abdominal stretch session or two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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