soup23 Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 With a slow work day, I filtered all the candidates and took a stab at my first list. Here is what came up: Misawa Kobashi Flair Jumbo Satanico Tenryu Funk Casas Daniel Bryan Liger Kawada Lawler Tamura Hashimoto Rey Mysterio Jr. El Hijo Del Santo Aja Kong Bock Steamboat Buddy Rose Jim Breaks Chris Benoit Billy Robinson El Dandy Bull Nakano Volk Han Jun Akiyama Rick Martel Ricky Morton Bobby Eaton Tatsumi Fujinami Vader Fujiwara Arn Anderson Tully Blanchard Jack Brisco Giant Baba Eddie Guerrero Shawn Michaels Bret Hart Jaguar Yokota Atlantis Akira Taue Randy Savage Riki Choshu Sangre Chicano Sgt. Slaughter Steve Regal Virus Barry Windham Yuki Ishikawa Blue Panther Pirata Morgan Ron Garvin Chigusa Nagayo Onita The Destroyer Akira Hokuto Greg Valentine Bill Dundee Naoki Sano John Cena Ted Dibiase Devil Masami Perro Aguayo Tsuyoshi Kohsaka Fit Finlay Dick Murdoch Masa Saito Manami Toyota Chris Hero Meiko Satomura Tito Santana Yatsu Tanahashi Emilio Charles jr La Fiera Ohtani Nakamura Terry Gordy MS-1 Hiroshi Hase Dynamite Kansai Dick Togo Takyama Steve Austin Sinobu Kandori CM Punk Black Terry Dump Matsummoto Daisuke Ikea Tajiri Super Dragon Toshiyo Yamada Larry Zbyszko Ricky Fuyuki Yoshihisa Yamamoto Tracy Smothers Lex Luger Hulk Hogan I found the bottom 30 or so guys to be really tough to decipher. Anyway, I thought it would be fun if monthly, I updated this with who is rising up/down my rankings and why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Kobashi Flair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted August 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Parv, #62 and #63 are just for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Where's Stan Hansen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 I might have Satanico that high too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Besides missing Hansen, this list is pretty good. I'd also ask about Hero being so above Punk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Waco Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 It's gonna be really funny when I have Tracy Smothers in my top 25. Also Chad going all in on Tanahashi is tragic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 It's gonna be really funny when I have Tracy Smothers in my top 25. Also Chad going all in on Tanahashi is tragic. And Mr. Electricity Steve Regal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Proud that you put Valentine over Ted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 A lot of trolling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted August 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 No clue how Hansen was omitted. He is Yellow on my excel sheet which is a top 10 contender. Right now I would have him at #5. Tanahashi is the one that I kept creeping up as I formed the list on the back half. It became a war of attrition where I had to keep asking myself if someone like Fuyuki is better than Tanahashi, etc. I also am in post G-1 glaze from him so he may be dropping as we go along. Before forming the list, I had initially at #100. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 No clue how Hansen was omitted. He is Yellow on my excel sheet which is a top 10 contender. Right now I would have him at #5. Tanahashi is the one that I kept creeping up as I formed the list on the back half. It became a war of attrition where I had to keep asking myself if someone like Fuyuki is better than Tanahashi, etc. I also am in post G-1 glaze from him so he may be dropping as we go along. Before forming the list, I had initially at #100. I hope he drops off completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 It's gonna be really funny when I have Tracy Smothers in my top 25. Also Chad going all in on Tanahashi is tragic. We'll see how high Waltman and Tajiri get on my list too. Personal favourites are going to be fun to watch to see where they get placed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Is Michael Hayes someone you would consider? Also, what about Dr. Death? I'm just curious where you think they stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted August 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Hero above Punk is fairly easy for me but I have never been that into Punk as others. Indy Scene: Hero had the Ian 2002 match and Mark Wolf 2003 series which is great. Also, MIchael Todd Stratton and Danny Daniels Feuds. 2004 has the Joe vs. Punk matches but the Hero vs. Punk match is also great and he was already having some very good stuff with Claudio. 2005 shows him branch out even more with the Arik Cannon feud and him turning full rudo there and in Chikara. Punk is in OVW and WWE which is honestly a down period for him in my eyes from a performance perspective. Fast forward to where Punk really shines in 2010-2012 and he is ahead of Hero but Hero was still really good with the KOW stuff and again working with a variety of guys. I have been critical of Punk in 2013 and think he was pretty inconsistent overall. Hero in 2014-2015 has been pretty great whether he is fat or not and worked a variety of styles with Thatcher, Bailey, Kongo Kong, AJ STyles that have all produced very good results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted August 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Is Michael Hayes someone you would consider? Also, what about Dr. Death? I'm just curious where you think they stand. Michael Hayes is someone I like a bunch and think for sure most everyone that has watched a chunk of his work is on board with dismissing the "he was good only on the mic" claim, but I don't see him rising on a list like this. Luger is really the only person I would call a fanboy selection and with Hansen omitted, he probably won't make it. I would lump Hayes with DDP in that they are my favorites and I would like to find a spot for them but can't see them as better workers above Adrian Street, Sean Waltman, Minoru Suzuki, etc. Dr. Death is really hindered by his U.S. run. He feels more inconsistent to me than almost any wrestler I can think of as they are very few performers that I can claim he is a legit WOTYC in one year (1994) whereas three years before, I thought he adequate at best on the footage I have seen and three years later produced the same result. Doc's window of greatness was too short for consideration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Hero above Punk is fairly easy for me but I have never been that into Punk as others. Indy Scene: Hero had the Ian 2002 match and Mark Wolf 2003 series which is great. Also, MIchael Todd Stratton and Danny Daniels Feuds. 2004 has the Joe vs. Punk matches but the Hero vs. Punk match is also great and he was already having some very good stuff with Claudio. 2005 shows him branch out even more with the Arik Cannon feud and him turning full rudo there and in Chikara. Punk is in OVW and WWE which is honestly a down period for him in my eyes from a performance perspective. Fast forward to where Punk really shines in 2010-2012 and he is ahead of Hero but Hero was still really good with the KOW stuff and again working with a variety of guys. I have been critical of Punk in 2013 and think he was pretty inconsistent overall. Hero in 2014-2015 has been pretty great whether he is fat or not and worked a variety of styles with Thatcher, Bailey, Kongo Kong, AJ STyles that have all produced very good results. Good analysis. I prefer Punk basically from the start until late 2013-14, then Hero over takes from there. It's close at points, but I can see it. Just a surprise to see how much higher he got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 I would also infer from your list that you see the two best workers of the last 15 years as Danielson and Rey, which in many ways just *feels* right and probably is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 So Kobashi above Flair is a shock for me Chad. What brought this on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted August 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 That is one that I have been formulating for a while, essentially since I started going through the All Japan 80's and yearbook sets. Kobashi was very good early on for me as evidenced by his 7/15/89 role and his stuff in 90-91. By 92-93, I think you can make a strong claim to him being top 10 in the world where he would be throughout 1997. 1998 he is neck and neck with Tamura for my WOTY and in 1999, he is a strong contender for WOTY 7 months in and at worst, top 3. The one thing I want to watch is his 2000's NOAH run. I did Ditch's 2004 run through and thought Kobashi was fabulous thorughout that year and I liked the 2008-2009 stuff in real time when I started watching footage in the same critical landscape I do now. if his 2000, 2002-2007 can be at that level, then I see Kobashi having 20 strong years of amazing output. My top 5 overall will be something I mull over until I submit my final ballot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryvonKramer Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Interesting Chad, because the ways things are going, he's probably going to end up above Kawada for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 No love for big Dusty? or little Dustin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 I could see having as many as 6-7 of your top 10 in mine, and very possibly the same top 2 (order not withstanding). Top of the board will be a tough one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted August 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 No love for big Dusty? or little Dustin? Dusty will be a no. Great charisma but only above average at points in ring and my criteria is strictly between the ropes. Dustin is tougher and one of the last cuts I made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Interesting. I think junior is a lock on mine but haven't fleshed it out. Big Dusty is absolutely making it, though where remains to be seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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