Chad's Big Board of Brainstorming

[Zoo Enthusiast]

I am probably going upper-half with Dustin at this point. Quite possibly much higher.

[cheapshot]

Upset at the lack of Terry Rudge love here Chad.

[soup23]

Rudge, Cortez, Grey, JOhnny Saint are all in my "need to see more" pile.

[GSR]

Rudge, Cortez, Grey, JOhnny Saint are all in my "need to see more" pile.

 

Nice to hear. I was looking at your list and was a bit taken a back that Breaks was the only WOS guy you had on the list and was thinking how could you have him and not some of the others? Grey especially should have a shot if you watch more of his matches (I had him above Breaks when I was actively watching stuff for this before deciding to drop out). Cortez also would've made it for me.

 

[JazeUSA]

what about Rick Rude?

[soup23]

Rude had too short a time of quality output for me to consider him. A guy that oozes charisma but for a point of comparison, Hennig had the years from 84-87 that was stronger than anything Rude did except 1992 and I also like Hennigs 1993 better than Rudes as an easy comparison of one year between the two.

[JazeUSA]

Thats heartbreaking lol, I love seeing Tracy Smothers tho, I think he is a lock for my ballot somewhere in the bottom 25

[Grimmas]

Ok, tried to do what Chad did. It's difficult, but here it is:

 

1. Stan Hansen

2. Terry Funk

3. Toshiaki Kawada

4. Jerry Lawler

5. Jushin Liger

6. Negro Casas

7. Jumbo Tsuruta

8. Ric Flair

9. Mitsuharu Misawa

10. Rey Mysterio Jr.

11. Daniel Bryan

12. Bret Hart

13. Kenta Kobashi

14. Bull Nakano

15. Greg Valentine

16. Eddie Guerrero

17. Dustin Rhdoes

18. Genichiro Tenryu

19. El Satanico

20. Randy Savage

21. Rick Martel

22. El Hijo del Santo

23. Nick Bockwinkel

24. Steven Regal

25. LA Park

26. Akira Taue

27. Vader

28. Ricky Steamboat

29. Aja Kong

30. Sgt. Slaughter

31. Arn Anderson

32. Fit Finlay

33. Brock Lesnar

34. Jaguar Yokota

35. Akira Hotkuo

36. Jun Akiyama

37. Tito Santana

38. Barry Windham

39. Shinya Hashimoto

40. Steve Austin

41. Ricky Morton

42. Tully Blanchard

43. CM Punk

44. Buddy Rose

45. El Dandy

46. Bill Dundee

47. Wahoo McDaniel

48. Riki Choshu

49. Andre the Giant

50. Villano III

51. Blue Panther

52. Lioness Asuka

53. Tatsumi Fujinami

54. John Cena

55. Rick Rude

56. Atsushi Ontia

57. Ted DiBiase

58. Larry Zbyszko

59. Sean Waltman

60. Bobby Eaton

61. Yoshihiro Tajiri

62. Too Cold Scorpio

63. Manami Toyota

64. Mick Foley

65. Masa Saito

66. Dynamite Kansai

67. Ron Garvin

68. Chigusa Nagayo

69. Chris Hero

70. Koji Kanemoto

71. Abdullah the Butcher

72. Terry Gordy

73. Masa Fuchi

74. Dick Murdoch

75. Christian

76. AJ Styles

77. Atlantis

78. Hulk Hogan

79. Curt Hennig

80. Mascarita Dorada

81. Lex Luger

82. Butch Reed

83. Kerry Von Erich

84. Masked Superstar

85. Jerry Blackwell

86. Billy Robinson

87. Mascarita Sagrada

88. Killer Khan

89. Psicosis

90. Carlos Colon

91. Owen Hart

92. Low Ki

93. The Rock

94. Koko Ware

95. Combat Toyoda

96. Dusty Rhodes

97. Super Porky

98. Don Muraco

99. Dutch Mantell

100. Sabu

 

There will be lots of changes, but it's nice to have an initial list to work upon. There are a bunch of guys I need to watch more, so this list will be massively different in the end.

[Matt D]

Right now, with no Japanese wrestlers save for Mr. Saito, I have 78 guys that I feel I could make a list with today.

 

I have another 50 or so that I feel could easily make it with some more watching.

[JerryvonKramer]

I'm really surprised to see Abby in people's lists.

[Exposer]

Abby's someone who I love to watch. I enjoy almost all of the matches I've seen of his. That doesn't mean they're great matches of course. It just means he's one of my favorite wrestlers to watch and I wanted to find a spot for him on my list.

[JerryvonKramer]

Lack of DiBiase upsetting to me, of course.

 

Dustin rating very high.

[JazeUSA]

I'm really surprised to see Abby in people's lists.

Agree'd, I do not think Abby will make my list, but I am currently watching a lot of old AJPW so my feelings may change, but I doubt it

[JerryvonKramer]

I have seen a ton of Abby recently. He's just way way too limited imo.

 

I'd have The Sheik above him.

[Matt D]

Lack of DiBiase upsetting to me, of course.

 

Dustin rating very high.

 

I will have Dustin over Dibiase but Dibiase will still rate somewhere.

[JerryvonKramer]

If I was forced to submit tonight:

 

1. Jumbo Tsuruta

2. Ric Flair

3. Stan Hansen

4. Terry Funk

5. Misawa

6. Nick Bockwinkel

7. Kobashi

8. Kawada

9. Tenryu

10. Arn Anderson

11. Jim Breaks

12. Fujinami

13. Billy Robinson

14. Ted DiBiase

15. Rick Martel

16. Ricky Steamboat

17. Bobby Eaton

18. Tully Blanchard

19. Vader

20. Jack Brisco

21. Giant Baba

22. Barry Windham

23. Brock Lesnar

24. Eddie Guerrero

25. Taue

26. Bret Hart

27. Sgt. Slaughter

28. Randy Savage

29. Lord Steven Regal

30. Chris Benoit

31. John Cena

32. Harley Race

33. Bill Dundee

34. Ron Garvin

35. Greg Valentine

36. Yatsu

37. Pat Patterson

38. Jerry Blackwell

39. Ricky Morton

40. Choshu

41. Dory Funk Jr.

42. Rick Rude

43. Mr Saito

44. Wahoo McDaniel

45. Bob Backlund

46. Buddy Rose

47. Brian Pillman

48. Curt Hennig

49. Lex Luger

50. Masa Fuchi

51. Andre the Giant

52. Dick Slater

53. Tommy Rogers

54. Kerry Von Erich

55. Jushin Liger

56. Mocho Cota

57. Daniel Bryan

58. Hulk Hogan

59. Jerry Lawler

60. Larry Zbyszko

61. Bob Orton Jr.

62. Butch Reed

63. Ken Patera

64. The Destroyer

65. Shawn Michaels

66. Steve Austin

67. Dick Murdoch

68. Stan Lane

69. Dustin Rhodes

70. Terry Gordy

71. Sting

72. Chris Jericho

73. Owen Hart

74. Kurt Angle

75. Steve Williams

76. Bruno Sammartino

77. Negro Casas

78. 2 Cold Scorpio

79. Dennis Condrey

80. Chavo Gurrerro

81. Onita

82. Buzz Sawyer

83. Triple H

84. Johnny Saint

85. Magnum TA

86. Michael Hayes

87. The Iron Sheik

88. CM Punk

89. Carlos Colon

90. The Great Muta

91. Kikuchi

92. Ivan Koloff

93. Kevin Von Erich

94. Jose Lothario

95. Bobby Fulton

96. Bobby Heenan

97. Victor Zangiev

98. Ernie Ladd

99. Scott Steiner

100. The Sheik

[Matt D]

You're going to have to bite the bullet and do the chronological Buddy Rose deep dive at some point.

 

Wait, you're really that high on Cena? I get the impression you practically hate Cena from your write ups.

[WingedEagle]

AA in the top 10 and Brock in the top 25. Can't see any chance I rate the enforcah that high, could see Brock anywhere from 10-15 spots higher or lower, but I love it all. ARN ANDUHSUN!

[Matt D]

As of now Arn is in my top ten, though Dylan tried to convince me to trade him for Regal.

[Exposer]

I'm disappointed in the lack of love for Fujiwara. I thought he was absolutely incredible on the New Japan set putting out amazing performance after amazing performance. The additional stuff from the shoot style promotions I've seen from him have been great too. I hope he gets more love as the time gets closer to submit ballots.

[JerryvonKramer]

There are a number of people who might still make it before final submission. New Japan in general is to come. I hope to complete 80s and 90s highlights before submission. Memphis also. World of Sports top workers also. Lucha not so much. Bryan and AJ Styles also priorities.

 

I think I have really watched a lot of the 70s guys now to know where I stand on those guys. Although, Terry Funk is one or two great matches away from moving up to 3.

 

I do have reasons for all of these placements. Ted is not 14 for example just because he's a personal fave, I do genuinely believe he's one of the very best working heels in U.S. wrestling history, if not the best: bumping, selling, feeding, timing, character work, execution, etc. I genuinely haven't seen many who do that sort of thing better, he's a text book working heel to the same extent Martel and Steamboat are textbook faces. I put a lot of stock in that.

 

With a guy like Cena, I am not predisposed to like him (same is actually true of Dory, Backlund, Shawn, HHH) but too many great performances and matches to ignore.

 

There is a mixture of criteria going on. Baba is there for his psychology, Brock Lesnar is there for sheer fucking kick assery. Mr. Saito is there because I get excited every time his name on a match list. Scott Steiner is there because I've legitimately given at least 6 Steiners tags ****1/2. The Sheik is there because he can generate heat in front of any crowd, including sit-on-their-hands 70s Japanese crowds. Bob Orton Jr. Is there because I fucking love suplexes. Ivan Koloff is there because he is tremendous at working 10 minute TV studio matches against scrubs. Bruno Sammatino is there because I've never seen a babyface connect with a crowd as amazingly as he does. Onita is there because he's a crazy son of a bitch. Wahoo and Garvin are there because I love big chops.

 

It's actually quite difficult to make a list I've realised. So many different reasons and criteria floating around.

[Grimmas]

Martel above Steamboat, Parv? Last time we talked about this you said you had to put Steamboat higher.

[ohtani's jacket]

Breaks at 11 is really high considering you haven't fully dived into his work.

[benjaminkicks]

New Japan in general is to come. I hope to complete 80s and 90s highlights before submission.

I assume Shinya Hashimoto will be under consideration after you do this then. Was shocked to not see him on your list before I read that. He seems like a guy you might enjoy.

[soup23]

I'm disappointed in the lack of love for Fujiwara. I thought he was absolutely incredible on the New Japan set putting out amazing performance after amazing performance. The additional stuff from the shoot style promotions I've seen from him have been great too. I hope he gets more love as the time gets closer to submit ballots.

 

I really enjoy Fujiwara and see him in the top half, but have also never gotten the top ten all time hype that was bestowed upon him from many going through the NJ set. As a result, I was initially disappointed. Fujiwara has some great strikes, submissions, and charisma but in a lot of ways I still see him as a limited performer and in the vein of a more athletic Onita.