Bryan Danielson vs AJ Styles; Ric Flair vs Mitsuharu Misawa; Bret Hart vs Ricky Steamboat

[yesdanielbryan]

Hi people, I opened the third poll "Who is a better in ring performer?"

I decided to make comparisons between wrestlers considered the ability as in ring performers, that include workrate, in ring psychology, storytelling, selling, cleaning in the execution of the moves, quality of matches.

You should try to vote not your favourite wrestlers, but you should vote the wrestler that you think is a better in ring performer.

In few words you should try to be as objective as possible.

However if you think that the wrestlers are great in ring performers in the same way, and it's impossible to choose who is better than the other, you should vote the option number 3, please.

Then if you didn't watch enough body of work of a wrestler you should vote the option number 4, please.

The comparisons are:
1)Bryan Danielson vs AJ Styles

2)Ric Flair vs Mitsuharu Misawa

3)Bret Hart vs Ricky Steamboat

Thank you very much

[C.S.]

My votes:

Bryan vs. AJ: Both are infinitely gifted in-ring performers. For me, it came down to charisma and connection to the fans. Bryan has both in ways AJ's never had and never will.

 

Flair vs. Misawa: I abstained. I haven't seen enough of Misawa.

 

Bret vs. Steamboat: It might be a generational thing, but I voted for Bret. As incredible as both of them were in-ring, Bret had more memorable feuds and connected with the fans on a deeper level. About the only advantage Steamboat had was being able to wrestle much better matches with Ric Flair - all of Bret's were stinkers and style-clashes from what I've heard (I never caught their WCW matches because they were pointless by then). Steamboat might have been a slightly better babyface, but Bret was a great baby and a great heel - something Steamboat never had the chance to be. Also, Bret got to be "the guy" in a way Steamboat never was - and I'd argue never could be.

[Microstatistics]

Finally, a Bryan vs. Styles comparison. The best two wrestlers of this generation, not many people will argue against that I think. I suspect Bryan is going to win but it might be closer than expected considering how much AJ's stock has skyrocketed.

[BrianB]

I really wanted to vote Bryan over Styles, but I honestly haven't seen enough TNA to go that route.

 

If we're just talking in-ring, I'd err toward Misawa, but my sample size might not be big enough and I always bluster some at just including between the ropes when there's so much more that goes into being a great pro...

 

Bret vs. Steamboat. I think Bret's work bears itself out over time. Steamboat will be an interesting figure to note the next time there's a GWE project because I think some people he was ranked above, e.g. Bockwinkel, have clearly established their superiority when you really evaluate hings.

[yesdanielbryan]

I really wanted to vote Bryan over Styles, but I honestly haven't seen enough TNA to go that route.

 

 

Do you think that Bryan was better than Styles, considering their stint in ROH/NOAH/WWE/other indies (Bryan) and NJPW/WWE/other indies (Styles)?

[shodate]

Dragon v s Aj Dragon by far

 

Misawa vs flair Misawa thye had around the same peak while misawa has short active time in decline and plus misawa has more consitsat match quilty fomr how i judge a match none of his main event matches form 1992-2003 were carry jobs[ i never rate carry jobs highly cause i use a bit of real sports logic i expect all main event t be saku vs graice style twp people of the same skill level witch carry jobs are never like that.

 

steamboat vs Bret this is a toss up for me bret had more carry jobs witch im sorry i have never liked and for the reason mentioned above it kills the realism with brakes my SoD of the work or better worded like this using real sport |Logic that should be key ot wrestling booking alot of bret opponents if it was boxing, for example, he would be accused of cherry-picking them cuase there so far below his level in that ring that is another SoD killer for me

 

more direct way of saying it is this they to display there good in that ring to make them a believable champion or otherwise main eventers on his level in the ring and minus Backlund and owen and the bulldogs to some extent in the tag team days [ roids had killed both davey and DK's ability by then ] no one in wwf was on his level.

[Laz]

Bryan over AJ

There's certain intangibles Bryan carries with ease that AJ isn't as adept in. Ring psychology being the biggest, but this one's going to come down to personal taste.

 

Flair over Misawa

Misawa is like Led Zeppelin to me: undeniably great and important, but I can always think of other contemporaries whose work I find more interesting. Flair is Flair, and when I think of what American pro wrestling constitutes? I think Flair. I don't feel the same about Misawa when it comes to puro.

 

Bret over Steamboat

This might as well be a coin toss, but Bret has the "it" factor when it comes to carrying oneself as a wrestler. Ricky is legendary but I struggle to think of work that stands out beyond Flair or Savage. Bret also had a massive hand in getting one of the all-time greats over the top whereas Steamboat doesn't really have that. (And yes, I know they both worked with Austin, but Austin/Bret is better than Austin/Steamboat.)

[G. Badger]

I am on the fence about AJ vs Danielson because not only are they contemporaries but, wrestled each other quite a bit. That comparison can't be made with the others.

 

So, it's a more detailed compare and contrast. Their early pre ROH stuff, 2002-2005 ROH, their stuff in Japan etc. The defining differences are AJ's time in TNA and NJPW vs Danielson in WWE.

 

I get the feeling that AJ's TNA stuff hadn't been seen as much as Bryan's WWE and that's working against him from an in ring standpoint.

 

I guess what I'm getting it is that I thought it'd be more even given the circumstances.

[BrianB]

 

I really wanted to vote Bryan over Styles, but I honestly haven't seen enough TNA to go that route.

 

 

Do you think that Bryan was better than Styles, considering their stint in ROH/NOAH/WWE/other indies (Bryan) and NJPW/WWE/other indies (Styles)?

 

 

Yes, I liked his psychology more. AJ has helped his versatility case, especially in WWE, but Bryan seemed more adept at playing a variety of roles well.

[Laz]

The defining differences are AJ's time in TNA and NJPW vs Danielson in WWE.

 

I get the feeling that AJ's TNA stuff hadn't been seen as much as Bryan's WWE and that's working against him from an in ring standpoint.

 

If we're being honest, my vote would switch if it were exclusively TNA/WWE taken into account. AJ was having multiple standout matches a year in TNA whereas Bryan in WWE has had a few great matches but spread out.