The Cerebral Assassin

[Ferbian]

Now before you start - This is not a Triple H thread. It might revolve around him but ultimately it is not.

Triple H was given this nickname by Jim Ross. What I would consider the definition of a cerebral assassin is the fact that Triple H decimated his opponents. More specifically he targeted body parts. He still does. going for what seems "injured".

The same goes for the fact that Triple H, and the definition of a cerebral assassin is someone I would assume is very calculating. He knows what to do next. Triple H has always out of kayfabe been regarded as a ring general. A guy who's 2-3 steps in front of his opponent at all given time. He knows what's about to come. As well as he knows what to do next. He's ever knowing so to say.

Now I'm certain there's other wrestlers around the WWE roster that are about as. If not more calculating and with the ability to truly dissect a body part. A guy like Chris Jericho works on specific spots very well. The same goes for Randy Orton.

Even past superstars could have gotten the cerebral assassin moniker on them. A guy like Shawn Michaels was great at picking a body part as a heel and going after it. He still did it as a face. But I feel he did it much better as a heel. He knew what his opponent was gonna be doing (on a kayfabe manner mind you).

The list could truly go on about current WWE superstars as well as former WWE superstars / Hall of Fame legends.

So I ask you - If you had to choose someone, who do you feel fits the Cerebral Assassin moniker the most. Perhaps more than Triple H?

 

[Hawkeye]

Honestly,I think that nickname fits Hunter to a T. It always seemed like whether in the ring or out,he always knew how to breakdown his opponents.He always had some dastardly scheme to keep his rivals in check,whilst he claimed whatever he desired. His in ring style fits the name well too,because he can always make it look like he's several steps ahead of his opponent,and reacts with perfect timing.But that probably just comes from experience.

But if I had to choose someone,it would be Benoit.No matter who his opponent was,he always attacked the head and shoulders,knowing that he was gonna end the match with the Crossface. He never had to change his style,yet he always locked it in at the perfect moment and caught his enemies off guard.

 

[1_2_3 Kid]

Great thread ..

HHH is definitly deserving of that moniker. He is by far one of the best @ playing the "game" in he ring and always having the upper hand on an opponet.

But I would say 'Taker would be a great fit to that name as well. He has been in the game torturing souls for the better part of 20 years. Nobody has played mind games more than The Undertaker has, (even had an in your house named after that).

I can remember him popping up on the titantron @ the perfect time during a match and totally freaking an opponet out. Or how bout the druids. When they come out whit them pitchforks, you know its bout to go down.

And as for in the ring, Taker was just notches above people, measuring with every strike, and tweaking body parts. He's by far the fastest big guy to ever grace the ring and was so cold when he preformed. But didn't have a problem putting someone else over. He knew how to take a bump and was and is just an all around pro in that ring.

When he stalks you, you run. That's pretty much the order in which the steps go.

Another guy that I would "don" that name upon would be Ric Flair...

Now I'm not taking it in terms of dealing punishment, Flair just KNOWS the game. Probly taught it to half these youngsters. "The dirtiest player in the game" and a 16 time world champion for a god damn reason. He's smart as hell. And that's what being cerebral. Is all about. Out thinking and out maneuvreing your opponet. Flair is that man @ goating someone in and playing possum... "The Man" is "cerebral" personofied ..

 

[Money Inc.]

If Daniel Bryan were to return, the easy choice would be him. Bryan has a handful of over submission holds that actually look realistic to the point where a tap would be legitimate. Bryan has been a top mat wrestler for the past 5 years and has always had great ring psych.

Now, If Bryan were not to come back:

Chris Masters:

Not necessarily considered the most popular pick for this thread, but I think Chris could do a wonderful job with this gimmick. He's got the ability and the look to get it over, also you mix that in with the fact that his face gimmick is getting some what stale at the moment.. we now have a cocktail.

I've always enjoyed Master work and I almost wonder if his latest run with the company is almost a punishment for the 2-3 strike rule. (not positive if Masters was repeat offender or a double repeat)

Edit: I was going the "if you were giving this push to someone" route. After posting I reread the thread and realized the question was who fits it better. Of course like mentioned before me.. If were going the route of who fits it best, I'd select Flair for sure.

 

[Decarow]

If I had to pick somebody else to give the nickname to, I'd give it to Edge. He's the Ultimate Opportunist and even picks body parts to attack. The nickname Cerebral Assassin is can mean that the person is clever, calculating, and plays mind games. That's Edge for ya. He might not play mind games that much, but he can. "Spear, spear, spear!" is a great example in March.

 

[hurleyworld4]

The Cerebral Assassin moniker defines a competitor who is calculating, cunning, and crafty. The name implies, to me, a person well versed in the art of mind games. I would have to choose The Undertaker. The Deadman is one of the best when it comes to psyching out his opponents.

I remember the video packages hyping his return in the fall of 2007. Mark Henry put him on the shelf after his title loss to Edge, and Taker was determined to take down the Silverback. Every time a vignette would play, I would get chills.

More recently, the promo war between HBK and Big Evil culminating with their WM25 match serves as a prime example of The Undertaker's ability to intimidate his opposition, even Shawn Michaels. The lights would go off, and Shawn would jump. Taker ripping thru the ring after HBK's promo (borderline sermon [loved that]) and sub sequentially choke slamming him. The Undertaker is truly one of the greatest at playing the game.

 

[Remix]

I'm going to say someone different. I'm going to say Wade Barrett. Sure he's not a veterain like everybody else mentioned in this thread, but he does fit the moniker. In the ring he absolutely destroys the back and capitalises on the mistakes/weaknesses off his opponents. this is exemplified in the threeway dance of NXT's finale. He made both pinfalls (which he didn't need to do) and breaking from tradition he worked over Gabriel's front (which would be hurting from the 450 he did to Otunga earlier) and defeated him by perfectly countering the move which had defeated him twise before.

Right now Barrett is still perfecting his craft, but I feel that by the time he reaches HHH's level of experience he will be more than fitting of Hunter's moniker.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Triple H wasn't given the nickname "cerebral assassin" because of his ability to own the ring. His command of the ring and ability to dissect body parts is all a part of it, but he was given the name because he gets in the head of his opponents. Much like the Undertaker, Triple H plays a very mental ring game. He's viscous for sure, and definitely dominating, but nobody wanted to step in the ring with him because he could psych you out before the match even started. He was smart, always had the upper hand, and could spot your moves before you even thought about using them. So, partially you were correct, but the name is about so much more. As for people I think are like him in that aspect, the Undertaker is an obvious choice. Just his legacy alone is enough to scare you out of competing with him. If I were ever to get myself into a title match with him, I would probably just vacate the belt and run for the hills. Randy Orton is another guy who gets in your head during the match. He targets body parts and his whole viper thing scares the hell out of his opponents.

John Cena is an example of a guy who doesn't use a mental game...at all. He's a brawler. He gets in the ring and beats the hell out of his opponents. I think most of the guys who have been around the ring their entire life develop the "cerebral" aspect to wrestling. Guys like Ric Flair, Triple H, HBK, etc. have been around for a long time, and they understand the mental aspect of a match just as much as the physical aspect. If they can get in their opponents heads, it shows in the ring...or at least it should if the opponent is a decent enough ring actor.

I think it all comes down to the "I can't beat him...so what the hell do I do?" thought process of the opponent. I guess John Cena should be developing this, because nobody beats him. But nobody gets scared of Cena. Everybody just wants to get in the ring and beat the hell out of him.

 

[billm75]

I think it fits Triple H pretty well, but I'd like to nominate guys who talk alot of trash.

Chris Jericho
Edge
The Miz
Sheamus

Why these guys? Well let's see, they're not all physically gifted like Triple H (Sheamus being the true exception), they're not all power wrestlers, though they try from time to time.

They THINK. They talk and try to get in your head. They try to get you thinking about what they said, not what they're about to do to you. And with Sheamus (again, he's sort of the exception to most of what I'm saying), you have this monstrous man just destroying people right and left, AND he'll tell you he's going to do it before he does it. If that doesn't play on your mind as a competitor, I don't know what does.

Miz and Jericho talk shit from the time they suit up until the time they shower up. That's going to get your head out of the match. Then they take every cheap shot and opportunity they can to beat you without having to endure too much physicality whatsoever.

Edge....he's about half-psychotic sometimes and he'll talk. He'll tell you things about you that you didn't even realize were true. He'll get in your psyche, put you off your game and then as the ultimate opportunist will do, he'll strike when you're the most vulnerable.

So yeah, Triple H deserves the name, he's definitely in the mold of what that title implies, but there are others who could just as easily fit that description.

 

[Viola Moonlight]

Unless the WWE took the time to take a page out of WCW's books and employ somebody to have the gimmick of an actual assassin and call them "Cerebral," then I don't think there is anyone else besides Triple H would fits the bill quite perfectly. The guy has the moveset of an assassin and works in the ring like an assassin. He uses his psychology to find weak spots in his opponents and targets an area that is easily exposed. It doesn't take him long to find it and he is very dangerous at this point. He is deceptively fast to start picking apart your body and knows a plethora of submissions to make quick work of those areas.

Everyone else in the WWE that can be considered to have been given the moniker already had their own gimmicks. Randy Orton is known as the Viper, a person who slithers and stalks you before delivering the lethal dose. He's got the psychology and the body picking... but he took his time, more than an actual assassin should. The Undertaker is a perfect fit here, but he's had much better gimmicks that it would've been a waste. The only person that I've seen who could have had it has got to be Daniel Bryan, but he'd have to be around to get it. The man wants to lock you into Cattle Mutilation and make you tap... and the ways he can get around to locking it in makes you scared. He knows how to work the body and has good psychology. An easy fit.

Reality though, Triple H is probably the best person for the job. He hasn't had much in terms of gimmicks or persona's and it worked wonders for him.

 

[Da Prophet]

Well If I had to choose someone who could fit the nickname, I would pick Orton.But before I tell you why I do think that nobody fits it better than Triple H.He targets body parts like a "shark that smells blodd in the water".He can use submission like the cross-face and the figure four leg lock.

But if you look at Randy you see that his move set would fit it perfectly.His punt kick is like an Assassin making hits final strike and finishing off the job.His RKO can strike at anytime, just like an Assassin.Also like Hunter he targets wounds of others, his look in his eyes show he will do anything to get the job done.So that is why I think Orton would fit the job.

 

[Hazardous]

HHH was given that name a long time ago, and it works. you look at guys like orton, batista, they learnt from him. (yes you could say HHH learnt from flair, but he's been doin it since before he knew Ric) but if we have to pick one person who could fit that role? im going to say Y2J. Jericho usually tagets the lower back, or the legs, just for the Walls of Jericho. and mind games? look at the Jericho/Mysterio feud, or even Y2J/HBK one. there's mind games for you. Jericho/ 'Taker was another good example, because he sat there saying how 'takers crap was all fake and pretty much destroyed all those little kids illusion of the Undertaker haha, it was priceless.

 

[Dudebuster420]

I like the choices and reasoning of the people thus far but I am pretty surprised no one has mentioned my number one pick already. If you want to talk about a Cerebral Assassin I think no one in the WWE embodies that more so than (Drum Roll Please).........................

C.M. Punk.

Really, could anyone else be more fit for that moniker besides C.M. Punk or the rightful bearer Triple H ??? The way he came at Rey Mysterio in their feud was just insane. His whole SES gimmick plays right into it as it's kind of a mind game he is playing on Serena and Festus(that's who he is, I don't care) and the other people he has brought into the SES on TV. I really didn't care for C.M. Punk before this heel turn, but he makes one of the best heels I have ever seen. He can be genuinely creepy and out there really getting in peoples heads, and then in the ring he is as good as anyone else you'd care to mention.

 

[Tenta]

Gonna go with Sheamus here. It seems that, in the past three weeks, Sheamus has really gone out of his way to work on his ring psychology. He's learned how to pick his wars, and is learning the calculative ways to dismantle somebody. True, he's also picking on the weaker individuals at times, but he still is learning very well how to attack one part of the body, and harp on it well. Note how he did it to Mark Henry and his shoulder a couple weeks ago. Or attacking Evan Bourne last Monday. He even reacts to the Nexus fittingly. Granted, you don't like to see your champion run like a girl, but it makes sense for him to pick his battles the way he has. And that's ultimately what Sheamus is really doing; he's picking his fights, and choosing to attack people at the right time.

That right there is a Cerebral Assasin. So I have to go with Sheamus