First Round: Miami - Mick Foley vs. La Parka

[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.

Mick Foley

Vs.

La Parka

Voting is open for 4 days.

 

[D-Man]

I'm sure Foley will get votes because people don't know shit about La Parka, but that would be a travesty.

The way I look at it, this match has rules. Therefore, Foley is at an immediate disadvantage. He was only good in extreme rules, hardcore, and weapons-legal matches. Sure, he has a decent WWE championship run. But most of those matches were gimmick matches.

La Parka should be able to squeeze out a win here.

 

[a0161613]

Anything La Parka has done is negated by the fact that it is freaking Mick Foley! One of the best all rounders in history and a personal favourite. I don't see the lack of gimmick causing a problem here because he isn't facing any real main event quality.

 

[Shocky]

This match has rules, which means that La Parka is all but fucked. There is a reason he became known as the Chairman of WCW. Even if it were a gimmick match, what use would it be against a Man like Foley.

La Parka was just another cruiserweight, lost in the shuffle in WCW. He was a bottom tier cruiserweight at that, who only differentiated himself because of the chair and his goofy outfit. Mick Foley was a multi time world champion. The match seems pretty simple in this one.

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

Well.

Foley has been World Champion in two major organizations, arguably was the backbone of the WWF during its most popular era, and has a passion for performing second to none but perhaps HBK. He's willing to do whatever it takes to take home the W.

La Parka, on the other hand, has a sweet name, looks like Skeletor, and was reduced to a jobbing role during his prime time in the states.

I'll take Foley.

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

I'm sure Foley will get votes because people don't know shit about La Parka, but that would be a travesty.

The way I look at it, this match has rules. Therefore, Foley is at an immediate disadvantage. He was only good in extreme rules, hardcore, and weapons-legal matches. Sure, he has a decent WWE championship run. But most of those matches were gimmick matches.

La Parka should be able to squeeze out a win here.

Ah yes D-Man. I knew someone would make an argument for La Parka. The problem with pointing out the fact that most of Foley's wins are gimmick-related is that I'm not sure that La Parka has ever won a match of any kind. Literally...none come to mind. I think I might vaguely remember him pulling out a win against someone because of interference on a Nitro, but that is about it.

Vote Foley.

 

[Mr. Truth]

I'm trying to figure out why La Parka even made the tournament. Foley takes it here.

 

[D-Man]

I'm mostly voting because I hate Mick Foley. Good enough reason for me.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

I voted Foley for what he did throughout his WWE run before his first (of 138292820) retirement. Like D-Man, I've grown a hatred for Foley over the last 5 years or so. That being said, don't discount La Parka. Check out some of his Mexico stuff. He really is a hell of a wrestler who WCW pushed as a Cruiserweight because he was Mexican. The guy probably weighed 250 lbs.

 

[GenMe]

As much as I love La Parka's wrestling skills, My vote will be for Mick foley. Mick is a hardcore legend, He's know all over the world for his wrestling abilities. yeah he might be old, but he could still put on a great match. So like I said my vote here goes to Mick Foley.

 

[Theo Mays]

What we have here is a potentially great hardcore match. However this match has rules and it doesn't really favor either of the two. I do believe that it favors Foley moreso than it does La Parka. Foley can adapt to any style of wrestling and he should handle La Parka here. Foley will get a run for his money, but I still think La Parka falls victim to a double arm DDT or a piledriver and he'll be on a plane back to Mexico first thing in the morning.

 

[ABMorales787]

I'm voting for La Parka. I've seen him wrestle. He's great on the mat and of course a great high flyer. Unlike how he was presented in the WCW he is a top draw down in Mexico. If we put wrestling ability here over popularity, La Parka would wrestle circles around Foley. Foley matches well with WWE workers because they tell a story, so the match pace is typically slow. However if you match him with someone who is fast paced, he won't look good. His TNA matches have all been gimmick matches and/or against equally large men for said reason. La Parka does it for me.

 

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

Foley all the way here, even if this isn't a gimmick match Foley can take everything La Parka can through at him and smile about it afterward. Foley wins by way of the DDT.

 

[Mr. TM]

I'm sure Foley will get votes because people don't know shit about La Parka, but that would be a travesty.

The way I look at it, this match has rules. Therefore, Foley is at an immediate disadvantage. He was only good in extreme rules, hardcore, and weapons-legal matches. Sure, he has a decent WWE championship run. But most of those matches were gimmick matches.

La Parka should be able to squeeze out a win here.

That is a little silly. La Parka in the big times was pretty much a comedic weapon user. Socko can still be used in any match, so how does Foley come at this from a disadvantage? Three time WWE and TNA champion.

 

[JGlass]

I don't know shit about this LaParka character, but from what I'm hearing here it's probably good for him that I don't. Right now, it's my lack of insight into LaParka's career that is keeping me from voting Foley without batting an eye lash.

I'm gonna look up a few things about LaParka, maybe wait for some better arguments in his favor to develop, but it's not looking good for the guy in the Halloween costume.

 

[mrsavagelife23]

foley goes over in a squash match la parka was the worst luchadore in WCW and Mick fOLEY IS A MULTIPLE time world champ why would he lose to a jobber?

 

[ZeroVX]

I imagine some people won't be happy with the way this match will turn out. Yes, La Parka could easily outwrestle Foley. Foley hasn't had much in terms of five-star matches that weren't hardcore. The thing is, Foley was good at making people want to watch his matches. His promo skills and storytelling in the ring made people genuinely care about him and want to see him win. Look at his match with the Rock at Royal Rumble '99. Foley got a ton of sympathy while he was getting crushed by Rocky. Sure, La Parka could put on a good match, but you wouldn't really care if he won or not. Vote goes to Foley here.

 

[Hulkamaniac]

I'm voting for La Parka. I've seen him wrestle. He's great on the mat and of course a great high flyer. Unlike how he was presented in the WCW he is a top draw down in Mexico. If we put wrestling ability here over popularity, La Parka would wrestle circles around Foley. Foley matches well with WWE workers because they tell a story, so the match pace is typically slow. However if you match him with someone who is fast paced, he won't look good. His TNA matches have all been gimmick matches and/or against equally large men for said reason. La Parka does it for me.

So basically, since La Parka can't tell a story with his matches, he should go over? Yikes....

 

[Tastycles]

This thread is pretty indicative of the kinds of shit arguments tournament newcomers will come to get used to. Two refutations of this are as follows:

1) La Parka is 6'1" and about 18 stone, which makes him the same size of The Rock, who I don't think anyone would consider a cruiserweight. Some of his best moves are power moves.

2) I've watches a lot more lucha libre than most people on this site, and I can't think of a La Parka match that hasn't gone to a weapons based encounter eventually.

As for who would win, the answer is Foley. Foley pulls off wins against other hardcore wrestlers fairly regularly, and there is little doubt in my mind what the outcome would be here, in the USA. IT's a shame because the flip bomb thing that La Parka does is pretty fantastic, as are his skeleton pyjamas, but he wouldn't win this.

 

[jmt225]

Mick Foley's easily the 'Hardcore Legend' he's billed as, but La Parka is one of the most underrated wrestlers in the sport.

Regardless, my vote still has to go with Mick Foley.

The fact of the matter is, Mick Foley has put on more classic matches than a good 75% of the wrestlers throughout the history of the business. That right there is enough to vote for him over La Parka alone, but when you also add into the fact that Foley would absolutely DESTROY La Parka in a match were they ever to have one, it makes this a pretty simple choice.

La Parka doesn't get anywhere near the love he deserves, but unfortunately this is just a bad draw for him. Foley in a landslide.

 

[FromTheSouth]

La Parka may be the hardcore luchador, but Foley is the Hardcore legend. Without rules, Foley wins, but La Parka has just as much trouble in matches with rules, where chairs aren't allowed. Both are at a disadvantage, but Foley is a multiple time world champ with wins over several quality opponents.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

I am in the minority in saying Mick Foley is very overrated as a wrestler. Great worker, great heart, great charisma. But his ring skills are that of a drunkard in a bar. He's hardcore and all, but as a wrestler, he got by mainly in gimmick matches. It took help from Stone Cold to win his first WWF World Title over The Rock. So Foley won't be getting my vote unless he faces someone like La Parka.

Wait... he IS facing La Parka. Despite his superior ring skills overall, Foley manages a win from the Chairman of WCW.

 

[Muffin Top Merkley]

It's really no surprise that my vote goes to Foley.

Sure Foley is a hardcore legend, but he can hold his own during a standard match. He's passion, heart and work rate alone beat LA Parka. He might not be the most althetic, but the four time world champion should be able to walk into round 2.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

foley goes over in a squash match la parka was the worst luchadore in WCW and Mick fOLEY IS A MULTIPLE time world champ why would he lose to a jobber?

I have to honestly assume that you are about 7 years old, since if you were older and / or a wrestling fan the way I am, you would know that La Parka is hardly a jobber. I used one of my two automatic bids to get La Parka in this tournament because I've always felt strongly about him. He was solid in both Mexico and the US, didsome good work in WCW - he's hardly a jobber. Sure, he ddn't rise to the top of what was a VERY deep WCW Cruiserweight Division in the late 90's, but so few did, and the guys who did are in Hall of Fame discussions from time to time.

So to recap? Villano IV = Jobber. Hector Garza = US Jobber. La Parka = not a jobber. Career midcarder sure, but not a jobber.

 

[joejoe]

This could actually be an interesting matchup. Laparka obviously isn't the star that Foley is here in the states, however I think they can work a competitive match. LaParka would use a vicious chair shot while the ref was knocked down only to have Foley kick out at 2 1/2. Foley makes his comeback and wins with the Mandible Claw.

If this was in Mexico LaParka has a shot due to the home crowd advantage, but it's not So foley wins.