First Round: Miami - Arn Anderson vs. The Iron Sheik

[klunderbunker]

This is a first round matchup in the Miami Subregion. The ring and arena are universal throughout the first round and the organization is not a factor. There is a 20 minute time limit. Vote using any criteria you like. Most votes in the poll at the end of the time period wins. In the case of a tie we will go off of the number of written votes. In the case of a second tie, both are eliminated.

Location: American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida.

Arn Anderson

Vs.

The Iron Sheik

Voting is open for 4 days.

 

[D-Man]

I loves me some Iron Shiek, but this is ARN FUCKING ANDERSON we're talking about here. One of the four horsemen. He was part of two of the greatest tag teams of all time. He was Ric Flair's right hand man and the Enforcer of the Horsemen.

Sorry, but pointy shoes could never defeat that perfect spinebuster.

Anderson wins.

 

[INDYjon22]

I feel as though Arn Anderson is one the most underrated wrestlers of all time. The man had terrific skills but never was able to win a world title for whatever reason. Injuries definitely affected him but he was still one of the best around. I think he is stronger than The Iron Sheik would over power him. Sure the Sheik is dirty but AA can be dirty as well. This match would be pretty competitive but Arn Anderson would win in the end.

 

[Ferbian]

Everything D-man said is what needs to be said about this guy.

I must admit I've always liked the enforcer style that AA played, I believe his enforcer role really set the standards for the future, I don't believe Batista would've been an enforcer type if it hadn't been for AA, so just for the impact this guy had on the business, it's quite obvious it goes to him, instead of Shiek, while I won't deny he did something for the business, also being a transactional champion for Hogan, but it's just not enough cause really if being a transactional champion was all you had to say about him, you'd think of him as a jobber, you wouldn't do that about AA.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Arn Anderson would break The Iron Sheik's back and make him humble with numerous spinebusters. Although Sheiky's amateur wrestling background skills could play a factor here, I think Anderson would just overpower him and beat him into oblivion. Needless to say, this would be a fun match to watch, and Anderson would come out on top.

 

[Mr. Truth]

I loves me some Iron Shiek, but this is ARN FUCKING ANDERSON we're talking about here. One of the four horsemen. He was part of two of the greatest tag teams of all time. He was Ric Flair's right hand man and the Enforcer of the Horsemen.

Sorry, but pointy shoes could never defeat that perfect spinebuster.

Anderson wins.

Everything I wanted to say, but put in better words. Going with Double A.

 

[Theo Mays]

Double A is awesome (and look at that beard) and lets not discredit Iron Sheik for what he has done (plus he has a kick ass mustache). It kills me that a man with such great facial hair will be bowing out in round one. Iron Sheik has more glitz and fame, but I think Anderson would take him in the squared circle. It would certainly be a good match with some good chain wrestling and so major heat for Iron Sheik. I see AA ending this with a spinebuster after a missed clothesline from Iron Sheik.

 

[Mr. TM]

IndyJon said Anderson is one of the most underrated wrestlers ever, I actually think hes overrated. The guy doesnt get anything but praise, so not sure how that is underrated. Glorified tag wrestler really against a guy who ended Backlund's two year title reign. Got to give Iron Sheik, the master or the coked out promo some love.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Arn Anderson can do it all. He can wrestle, he can cut a promo, he cna do it all. Sheik is a former World Champion but andersohn deserved to be a champion. Arn has everything a wrestler needs but could never quite get out from under Flair's shadow. As a a tag wrestler he was a well oiled machine whether it be with his brother or with Tully, he always could get it done and was just as effective as a singles wrestler.

 

[Shocky]

Arn Anderson was a victim of his time. Anderson could have made a run with a world title, but he played the role of wingman to Ric Flair throughout his entire career. So what happens now, Double A gets lumped into the category of greats that never won the world title. Prior to the Attitude Era, this actually meant something. You see, there was a time where the world titles didn't go onto the flavor of the week for a cheap title reign that in the long run means nothing. Instead, a guy like Double A establishes the NWA tag titles as something legit, oh and made the TV title a respectable title.


Enter the Iron Sheik, the king of the transitional title reign. Oh sure, he beat Bob Backlund, only to drop the title to Hulk Hogan a month later. Other then that, was has the Iron Sheik done. Cheap heat tag foreign tag team, check. Cheap heat heel manager for the Iraqi sympathizer, check. Ranting like a crazed old man, check.

 

[JGlass]

Doesn't Arn Anderson seem like the type of guy who'd just stand up while he's locked in the camel clutch and drop Sheik like a huge sack of Iranian Potatoes?

The way I'd foresee this match going is Arn starting things off in firm control, having his way with Sheik. After a referee distraction, Sheik would gain the advantage by using a low blow. He'd hit a few big moves like a suplex and a body slam, and then he'd take his flag and lock Double A into the camel clutch with it. This is when Arn Anderson would say, "Fuck this shit," stand up, and drop Sheik. He'd rip the flag in half, throw it into the audience, and as Sheik is getting up, he'd hit the spinebuster. Game over, winner Arn Anderson, who's next?

And if that wasn't enough for you, here are other reasons to vote Arn Anderson
A) He has a rocking beard
B) He was the voice of The Shockmaster
C) He, unlike The Iron Sheik, still seems to have all his marbles.

 

[mrsavagelife23]

Arn isnt losing to the sheik its just not going to happen he was one of the most underated wrestlers ever and now that i think of it one of the top 5 to never win a world title the man deserves his respect by going over in the first round

 

[GenMe]

Arn Anderson played a good enforcer role in the horsemen. He was great in the ring with an awesome finisher. Iron sheik was a good heel with a lot of heat reaction for the crowd, and he also used to cut the best promos back in the days. But unfortunately I like Arn Anderson more than the Iron Sheik. So I'll vote for Double AA.

 

[Hulkamaniac]

I love Arn. I really do. But I can't logically vote for him over the guy who ended Backlund's reign, and was chosen as the perfect transition to Hogan. Arn maybe SHOULD have been a bigger star, but the fact is that he WASN'T.

AA appears to me to be getting the Benoit/Danielson treatment. "He's so underrated, he's really better then these guys who were bigger stars then him". Sorry, AA, voting for Sheiky.

 

[Tenta]

IndyJon said Anderson is one of the most underrated wrestlers ever, I actually think hes overrated.

I think he's neither. He's rated at where he should be; a great wrestler who can make anyone look good, and actually has wins to his credit that The Sheik can't even jerk off to.

Let's take, for example, this little golden nugget I found. Do you notice the guy that Arn Anderson is fighting?

[YOUTUBE]4HPAb6bvZvI[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]41s-voSxzRM&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]​

Remind me, how did fighting Hogan go for Sheik baby?

The guy doesnt get anything but praise, so not sure how that is underrated.

Again, no disputing that, but he's every bit more talented than Sheik is, both from wrestling standpoint and promo standpoint. That, plus his work in WCW trumps anything Sheik has done. Yes, yes, we'll get to the title win soon enough, you mention it just like everyone else that votes for Sheik.

Glorified tag wrestler really against a guy who ended Backlund's two year title reign. Got to give Iron Sheik, the master or the coked out promo some love.

And there you go.

First I'll give you the kayfabe problem with your argument, in that Backlund never gae up. His manger threw in the towel for him; Backlund never gave up to the Sheik.

Second, in the real world, Vince needed a heel to job to Hogan, and Backlund wasn't going to turn heel. Sheik took the belt for about three weeks, and then Hogan beat him for the belt, and defined exactly where Iron Sheik stood in wrestling; as a footstool for Hulk Hogan.

Vote Anderson, guys. Seriously.

 

[Hulkamaniac]

....after reading tenta's argument, I would switch my opinion. Tenta swayed me. Maybe it's because I already wanted to vote for Double A.

 

[Razor]

Arn Anderson was a victim of his time. Anderson could have made a run with a world title, but he played the role of wingman to Ric Flair throughout his entire career. So what happens now, Double A gets lumped into the category of greats that never won the world title. Prior to the Attitude Era, this actually meant something. You see, there was a time where the world titles didn't go onto the flavor of the week for a cheap title reign that in the long run means nothing. Instead, a guy like Double A establishes the NWA tag titles as something legit, oh and made the TV title a respectable title.

^^^^

Arn Anderson was the man for the Four Horsemen. He was Flair's enforcer, and his style exemplified that. Whoever would voluntarily get into the ring with that man is beyond me. He would tear me apart, then break my back with that spinebuster.

To hold his lack of world championships against him is unfair, as Shockster pointed out. Arn Anderson was not getting any world titles while Flair was anywhere near him. The fact that he brought something to the NWA Tag Titles is something to admire, not admonish.

Enter the Iron Sheik, the king of the transitional title reign. Oh sure, he beat Bob Backlund, only to drop the title to Hulk Hogan a month later. Other then that, was has the Iron Sheik done. Cheap heat tag foreign tag team, check. Cheap heat heel manager for the Iraqi sympathizer, check. Ranting like a crazed old man, check.

Shockenstein has it. The Iron Sheik got his world title reign because....well, probably because they wanted to play out The American Immortal Hulk Hogan defeating the Iron Sheik Foreign Heel for the title. If nothing else, they wanted to get the title back on Hogan and couldn't have him beating a face Backlund for the title.

When you get a title simply to drop it a month later to Hulk Hogan, it doesn't count when compared to a man such as Arn Anderson. That man was the enforcement behind the Four Horsemen.

 

[ZeroVX]

Easy win for Anderson. Sheik is a decent wrestler for his time, but his promos weren't anything special. And I don't count his goofy, radio show rants promos. Those were more along the lines of shoots than anything else. And outside of one short world title reign, he was mainly a tag team wrestler. Since Anderson was mainly a tag wrestler, then they're about even. If you don't take into account that Anderson cut better promos, wrestled better matches, and just looked better. Anderson looked like a legit badass, whereas Sheik looked....goofy. Have to vote for Double A here.

 

[FromTheSouth]

Arn Anderson wins. Titles mean nothing here. He selflessly gave himself to The Horsemen. The titles were for Flair, the beatdowns, that's what Arn wanted.

No matter how you look at it, Arn wins. For one, if it gets hairy, The Horsemen will bail him out. I know that this is a one on one traditional match, but that never stopped The Horsemen from cheating. This match would be no different.

 

[Tastycles]

Arn Anderson is someone that I'm suprised they never went futher with. They quite easily could have had him "stand up" to Flair, but they never went down that road, for whatever reason. What can be stated though is that Sheik is defined by one win, which wasn't really a win and spent the rest of his career being foreign and getting beaten down. While I applaud a man who gets an erection during a wrestling match and pisses himself in public and still retains face, one must doubt the fact that he's got anything other than the odd suprise win here and there. Anderson is a far more interesting wrestler, and in akayfabe environment, he'd absolutely go over.

 

[jmt225]

Arn Anderson, easily.

The only big win in The Iron Sheik's career was against Bob Backlund. That's literally the only person he ever defeated worth a damn.

Arn Anderson, on the other hand, deservedly is recognized as one of the greatest workers who ever lived to never win a World Championship. The fact that someone like The Iron Sheik won a World Title in his career, but yet someone like Arn Anderson was never given the opportunity, is flat out ridiculous.

The fact of the matter is, Arn Anderson has way more classic matches under his belt, and he was a complete wrestler. He could talk, and work both in singles AND tag matches. The guy is simply a gem and a half. The Iron Sheik? He'll only be remembered for losing to Hulk Hogan, and for the escapades he's pulled the past few years in shoot interviews. Someone like that does not deserve to advance past Arn Anderson in a tournament like this. Bottom line.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

IndyJon said Anderson is one of the most underrated wrestlers ever, I actually think hes overrated. The guy doesnt get anything but praise, so not sure how that is underrated. Glorified tag wrestler really against a guy who ended Backlund's two year title reign. Got to give Iron Sheik, the master or the coked out promo some love.

Well, something tells me that me and you are going to have it out a few times on here due to comments like that.

Was AA a better Tag wrestler? I'd say yes, because he did have more overall title wins and success, but to say he's isn't capable of beating the Iron Sheik is unfounded. Sheik is vastly overrated. He caught Backlund on an off night and techinically didn't submit Backlund. Arnold Skaaland, Backlund's manager threw in a towel for him.

Wouldn't be needed with AA. Anderson is as tough as they come and could deal a ton of punishment to Sheiky. Sheiky's also slow and would tire out way before Anderson would. Not to mention Anderson never ever submitting in his entire career. He doesn't quit and he also doesn't let himself get into predicaments to be submitted. You don't earn the nickname 'Enforcer' by pussyfooting around the ring. He earned it by beating people up, focusing on one body part and nearly destroying it to win.

Anderson wins rather handily. Vote AA.

 

[Mr. TM]

Not sure what you mean by overrated. Think those words get thrown around a lot. Iron Sheik is pretty mcuh underrated, many people who watch now just know hes the guy who yells bigot phrases during shoots. I hardly consider that to be overrated.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

Not sure what you mean by overrated. Think those words get thrown around a lot. Iron Sheik is pretty mcuh underrated, many people who watch now just know hes the guy who yells bigot phrases during shoots. I hardly consider that to be overrated.

He was an Olympian for Iran, but he was slow, lethargic, and someone who was bested by many great wrestlers. Arn Anderson would have no trouble dispatching the Iron Sheik.

Why do you think Sheiky is underrated?

 

[Muffin Top Merkley]

Double A wins with two back-to-back spinebusters.

Yes, Arn Anderson was never a world champion. However, in my mind, the Iron Sheik was only a world champion to Hulk Hogan could take it from a very hated heel to increase his popularity among fans and become the face of the WWF.