Austin Region, Tokyo Subregion, First Round: (8) Antonio Inoki vs. (25) Barry Windham

[klunderbunker]

This is a first round match in the Austin Region, Tokyo Subregion. It is a standard one on one match. It will be held at Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

#8. Antonio Inoki

Vs.

#25. Barry Windham

​

Polls will be open for three days following a one day period for discussion. Voting will be based on who you feel is the greater of the two competitors. Post your reasons for why your pick should win below. Remember that this is non-spam and the most votes in the poll win. Any ties will be broken by the amount of posts of support for each candidate, with one vote per poster.

Also remember that this is a non-spam forum. If you post a response without giving a reason for your selection, it will be penalized for spam and deleted.

 

[sikkbones]

Barry Windham is DDP?

Kinda makes sense.

 

[Papa Pillman]

In his prime Windham was unable to defeat aging Japanese legends like Mutoh or Tsuruta in singles competition(in fact the Jumbo match was in the same building as this match). As a result, there is no reason to believe that he would defeat a prime Inoki. That seems reasoning enough for me to put a check for Inoki and move on.

 

[Tastycles]

Middling wrestler from the US goes to Japan, loses to big star, goes home. This has been seen a thousand times and it's always the same. Inoki wins.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I always liked Windham and thought he had a ton of untapped potential, but he's not making it out of the first round in the tourney this year.

Antonio Inoki, one of the most beloved figures in Japanese culture, and that's not overstating things, founder of New Japan Pro Wrestling is going up against Barry Windham, all around very solid wrestler who spent the prime of his career as either a mid-card or tag team wrestler before finally winning the NWA World Heavyweight Championship long after his career had peaked, in Tokyo, Japan. Yeah, it's just way too much star power for Windham to overcome anytime really, let alone in Inoki's own backyard.

 

[Bernkastel]

Barry Windham doesn't even have a proper picture of himself. Lulz. Barry Windham was a former NWA champion, but when he won it the alliance was mostly Jim Crockett affiliates. He wasn't the kind of touring champion that Thesz, Kiniski, Race, Brisco, Funk, and Flair were. Inoki was able to become one of the biggest and most profitable wrestling stars in Japan despite not actually being an NWA affiliate. His NJPW promotion gained membership, but Inoki never actually did. Instead Inoki had a partnership with McMahon and WWE during the 70's and 80's, which proved to be lucrative for both promotions. Inoki's a former WWE champion, even if reign was never recognized, and found international success. In Japan he was nearly impossible to defeat. His list of conquered foes reads like a who's who of wrestling legends from the 50's - 80's. And Barry Windham wouldn't be any different.

Inoki might even be able to upset Austin and blow this tournament wide open, if the home field advantage is to mean anything.