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Dropoffs from the 2006 SmarksChoice Top 100


DR Ackermann

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I'd put Taker's peak between 2007-2008. But his career is a weird case because I'm not sure anyone else has so many peaks and valleys. He's really good in 96/97 and then not so good until 2002 when has the awesome matches with Lesnar. American Bad Ass Taker was good as a heel, not so much as a babyface and the return to the Deadman didn't really lead to anything good until 2007 when he suddenly had an awesome feud with Batista that no one saw coming.

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I have no idea because I wasn't watching Japanese wrestling in 2007 and would not go back to watch it now. He was definitely one of the best guys in WWE in 2007.

 

I'm not making a case for Undertaker though. Just pointing out how you get very upset when people bring up Flair's bad stuff like it somehow should not count while trying to handwave away anything good Taker did only to focus on the negative.

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My point was to emphasise the sheer volume of shockingly shit or forgettable stuff he was involved with at every stage and in every era of his lengthy run.I waive post-peak stuff as being periferal at best to cases. Taker didn't have a peak, so it is all fair game. I am angered by the charge of hypocrisy, genuinely angered, because I've been ridiculously consistent in applying criteria.

 

Anyway, if "Being the best guy in WWE for a while in 2007" and a handful of good matches on prominent PPVs is enough to make someone a top 100 worker of all time, so be it. The voters have spoken.

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Well, I said I thought his peak was 02-10. So for me it's more than "a few good matches in 2007." For what it's worth, I think the Flair-Dusty matches aren't any good during Flair's peak. It's not the best comparison for "shit" during a peak because I don't like the stupid Dudley's stuff in 04 either but it's more to show Flair has stuff I don't like much at all in his peak too. Also, Taker finished in my 80s. I have Flair in my top 15.

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The amount of shit Taker has gotten in this thread amuses me. I didn't vote for him and didn't consider him THAT strongly, but he doesn't even rate as a "laughable" pick by any metric I would take seriously.

 

I also don't think it's wrong to point out the inconsistency of cherry picking Taker's low points, when arguing that they don't matter for Flair or anyone else for that matter. Even with the debate about whether or not he has a real peak, it just feels like a "different rules, for different people" thing and triggers my "this is an injustice!" gene. I'd probably be more sympathetic to Parv's point if I thought Taker was consistently terrible, or if I thought Flair's run as an average or worse wrestler was really short, but I don't.

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I was relentlessly fair to Taker, he finished just outside my #100 and had the same score as Magnum TA and The Iron Sheik. Magnum got the spot due to tiebreaker rules:

 

Undertaker

 

Basic (offense, selling, psychology) 1/3 2/3 1/3 = 4

Intangibles 9

Great matches 5

Length of Peak [never one of best in world] = 0

 

+1 ability to work heel

+1 ability to work tags

+1 ability to work gimmick matches

 

 

Ability to work different styles / roles = 3

 

1. Hulk Hogan, 2. Shawn Michaels, 3. Mankind, 4. Jeff Hardy, 5. Kurt Angle / Rock, 6. Brock, 7. Randy Orton, 8. Batista, 9. Edge, 10. Big Show, 11. HHH, 12. CM Punk, 13. Vince, 14. Kane, 15. Austin, 16. Diesel, 17. Bret Hart

 

 

Variety = 17 opponents = 7

 

28

 

--------

 

I was really just having a bit of fun in this thread, apologies if I offended or hurt the feelings of any Undertaker fans. I did thank him for the memories.

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I love that Flair/Foley promo from TNA. The best thing Foley did in that promotion by far, not even close. Flair/Lethal promo exchange would be number one for Flair in TNA. Flair gets to kiss Becky, I am jealous. Great heel tactic and Becky got her receipt. Flair eating the Rock's offense only to have Rock mock the strut in the most awesome possible fashion is winning. So yep, Ric Flair is still The Man!

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Sorry Matt but I have to repeat you accomplished absolutely nothing. Taue's been a highly pimped wrestler for decades. A breakthrough would be if someone ranked him #1 or ranked him top ten without ranking any other All Japan guys or something like that. What you'll get in most lists is Taue ranking anywhere from top ten to top half behind at least one other 90s All Japan guy.

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