Houston Region, Boston Subregion: First Round: (16) Raven vs. (17) Jerry Lawler

[klunderbunker]

The following contest is a first round match in the Houston Region.

This match takes place in the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

#16 Raven

Vs.

#17 Jerry Lawler

This contest is one fall with a 20 minute time limit. The match will take place in a 16 x 16 ring with no ramp leading to it. Any traditional managers for either competitor will be allowed at ringside.

As for voting, vote for who you think would win this match based on the criteria you choose. Some suggestions would be (not limited to): in ring ability, overall skill, their level of influence at the highest point in their career, ability to connect with the crowd, experience in major matches or simply personal preference etc.

The most votes in the voting period wins and in the case of a tie, the most written votes wins. There is one written vote per user, meaning if a poster make ten posts saying Bret should win that will count as a single vote. In the event of a second tie, both men are ELIMINATED, no questions asked. Only winners advance.

Voting is open for four days and all posts must be non-spam.​

 

[gd]

Lawler wins on the basis of what he's done recently. Some of the only entertaining stuff in the WWE for awhile and an upcoming Wrestlemania match where he will throttle Michael Cole. That's just fantastic.

Raven, on the other hand, has been in and out of TNA 43 times within the last few years and has looked progressively worse each time. Also, if we are looking at back when they guys were actually "good" I don't see why Lawler doesn't win. I mean, Memphis wrestling and whatnot. That should be good enough for you.

Vote for Jerry or risk offending his dead mother.

 

[JGlass]

I see no reason to vote Raven over Lawler. Raven has had a very good wrestling career, but Lawler has had one of the all time best. He has held over a hundred different belts, he has wrestled all over the world, and he's considered a god in his hometown of Memphis, much like how Bret is considered a god in Canada.

And proof that Lawler is better than Raven? Lawler has looked great in his 60s and has wrestled in some pretty legitimate matches over the past few months. Raven, on the other hand, has looked like crap and has become nothing more than a side show. Lawler is still a draw and he's a few years, or perhaps months, on getting his AARP card. Raven isn't exactly a spring chicken, but his expiration date has long since passed.

 

[6timehitta]

I'm so torn against these two. I sided with Raven, he has to be one of the smartest men in wrestling history, and EXTREMELY UNDERRATED. I have and always will respect Jerry Lawler, but Raven takes this in my first tough vote in the tournament.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Lawler. His recent exposure on TV will more than likely help boost his profile here, but he deserves the win anyway. Lawler had one of the most impressive careers of the 80's, holding a hell of a lot of championship gold. Lawler was a God in Memphis, and is one of the few wrestlers in history to become accepted into popular culture. People don't seem to recall it very well, but Lawler and Andy Kaufman's spot on the Late Night with David Letterman is a fantastic moment and is a great example of wrestling trying to break into the mainstream. Raven was good at what he did, but he's no King.

 

[The Holy One]

This was a hard one to decide. Raven is without a doubt one of my favorite wresling characters of all time. Guys who have used the dark, brooding heel character such as Orton and Hardy could never touch the levels of which Mr. Levy did it. While Jerry has had more sucess from various points of his career that Raven could ever dream of. In the end, I got to go with the guy who has actually had mainstream focus on him and has aged quite well (seriously somebody should take tests on Lawler to figure out his secret). I see Lawler winning this after 14 minutes with the fist drop from the top rope.

 

[Ace Sleeper]

I love Raven. Honestly, I do. His hardcore matches (no not his Raven's Child Molesting Playhouse Of Fun ones in TNA or whatever), but his classic ones. He was a great hardcore champion in WWF, and a great ECW wrestler. But honestly that's all he ever was.

Jerry is a legend, and rightfully deserves to win this match. I clicked voted for Raven just off preference but I realize the mistake. I think Jerry wins this one easily and should advance. It doesn't look like he's going to have much problem doing so though.

Go Raven and Jerry Lawler. There.

 

[Jason Scene]

"The King" Jerry Lawler is a legend. Made a mainstream reputation for himself by slapping Andy Kaufman, has held the most Champions in wrestling history. Made Memphis Wrestling, has been one of the few legends within the WWE to never hold a WWE Championship, but the truth is he doesn't need it.

He's a legend nonetheless.

Raven was a great Champion and performer in ECW. When he came back to TNA last year I saw him do one good thing and it was cut a promo, after that Raven has detirorated into nothing, but a few memories.

Quote to Jason, Jerry Lawler.

 

[Tastycles]

Raven's a good character wrestler, but he's never really hit the ground running outside the hardcore division in a major company. I won't pretend to have seen a thousand Lawler matches, but his feud with Andy Kaufman alone makes him more significant than Raven. The fact he won so many regional titles, and is still more likely to appear at WrestleMania than Raven, means he should go over here.

 

[Bernkastel]

Unfortunatley, most of Lawler's prime happened during the 70's before the age of modern wrestling entertainment in the States, which means that many of Lawler's best matches and feuds weren't televised. I know that Lawler liked to work a traditional style, and did not take very many unecessary risks. However, he was an innovative heel, and like Ric Flair, liked to capitalize on his opponents mistakes.

Raven was many things, and unfortunately was also a man of many mistakes. His love for innovative, risky offense involving hardcore weaponry led to him developing a poor sense of ring awareness nearly everywhere he went, which [from a booking standpoint looking at kayfabe] led to the loss of many matches.

 

[Nate DaMac]

Raven has always been a personal favorite of mine and I find Lawler extremely boring. However, Lawler easily goes over here. There. No one can call me biased.

I've always thought Raven was an under rated and an extremely underutilized performer. I'm not even talking about his stint in that ECW shitfest, I'm talking about his WCW run and to a much lesser extent his WWE run. He had very memorable moments and matches during this time and just never got to make anything of it.

Having said that, at his best Raven doesn't go over Lawler in his prime. He probably wouldn't go over him now for that matter. Raven wouldn't be wrestling for the World title in the WWE at 61. He couldn't have at 31.

Overall, pretty pointless post, but I just wanted to to talk Raven while he was still here.

 

[The Chosen One of WZ]

Since it is just a normal match Lawer would take this no doubt...

Buuttt Raven is a legend in hardcore wrestling and one of the best gimicks of all time.

If it wasent for the fact Jerry Lawer hasent been a heavyweight champ over 100 times then i'd pick Raven but Lawer is just better then him in a normal wrestling match.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

Raven has done something Jerry Lawler hasn't.. won the ECW Heavyweight Championship. Alright, but still - it's true.

Lawler is (especially at this point) running away with this, and my guess is the majority of why is likely more because of Lawler's recent run in the WWE than anything he's done in his past. Which, is a shame considering Lawler has had a very impressive career everywhere else.

Raven can't really win beyond the hardcore realm, and unfortunately the closest thing I have to show video wise would be this..

[youtube]kxQ8lwZ0PQM[/youtube]

Lawler had the match won in under 2 minutes. Now, I get a lot went into that type of shit-fest, and Raven IS better than that.. but Lawler wasn't in his prime in that match, either. So who's to say in a battle of "primes" the length of the match, under the same set of rules, wouldn't continue to go the same distance with a very similar outcome.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

A big Fuck You to all the people to voted Lawler over Raven lol

I am always going to give my vote to Scott Levy in this one, as much as I respect the King. Lawler owned his own territory, so that explains his incredible number of title wins in Memphis, although he is a very accomplished wrestler and is probably better in the ring in his 60s than Raven is in his 40s.

However, the Raven character is my all-time favourite gimmick in the business, and the mic skills, in-ring attire and even the Raven Effect DDT is awesome. Raven deserved so much better in WWE and even WCW, he can captivate a crowd like few others just by talking. In the ring, neither man is spectacular but after a brutal brawl in which Raven defends the honour of ECW against Lawler, one of its biggest critics, Raven wins with the DDT on a steel chair

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I think that Lawler takes this and it's not really even close. It's true that Jerrry Lawler has never been an innovative guy inside the ring. Truth is, he's downright unimaginative at times. While Memphis was where he was strongest, Lawler was a star in any promotion he ever wrestled for. The fact that he had some 140+ championship reigns over the course of his career is proof enough of that.

Raven is someone I was just never able to latch onto. Take him out of a hardcore setting as far as a match goes and he just never struck me as someone ever able to really get off the ground.

Neither of these men are in their prime but Raven is someone that just seems to look worse and worse each time I see him pop up on television. I'd be willing to bet that Lawler is close to being in as good of physical condition now as he was 30 years ago and can probably still do everything.

 

[D-Man]

I hate Raven. I mean, I REALLY hate Raven. I see nothing interesting about him, nor have I ever. He held championships and was a big star in ECW and WCW, but this guy cannot TOUCH Jerry Lawler's resume. He can crucify wrestlers until he's blue in the face; Jerry Lawler is one of the greatest of ALL TIME. I don't care about what fanboys think... Raven is, was, and always will be overrated and total shit.

Jerry Lawler didn't need his recent push in the WWE for anyone to realize that he's the real deal. He should go over here and it's not even close.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

I like both guys, actually. Raven was always a fun heel, but Lawler was better.

Jerry Lawler, at 61 years of age, just main evented a WWE PPV, and made The Miz look pretty damn good. On the other hand, you have Raven, who never main evented a WCW or WWF/E PPV, even in his prime. Main eventing ECW is nice and all, but far from important. Not to mention Raven, at 46, looks and moves more like my grandmother than a professional wrestler.

Lawler piledrives Raven back to Philly.

 

[Tech N9ne]

I think in passed years, Raven's cult following might pull him through this match. But, based on what Lawler has been able to do recently puts him in mind more for a lot of younger fans. Some people might even vote for Lawler because he is such a well known announcer, though.

I vote for Lawler for a combination of everything. In my head, this seems like a landslide on Lawler's part. Yet, Raven is ranked ahead of him. Raven had a great career, so to speak. But, some guys just mean more, and are better. Lawler wasn't a technical genius but neither was Raven in any stretch of the imagination. Most of the negatives that can be said about Lawler, can be said about Raven.

I think the fact that Lawler remains more relevant even now, also plays a factor here. At no time in Raven's career was he as over as Lawler was and still basically is.

 

[Sparky]

Jerry wins this by a country mile and it has nothing to do with his recent push. I have always been a Lawler fan and the guy has done alot for this business. What exactly has Raven done that will have him remembered for the next 10 - 20 years down the track. Compared to the King, Raven is a nobody.

 

[Megadeth]

I really want to vote for Raven, as I think he ridiculously underrated , but I just cant justify it against the King. Almost anyone else in the same rankings I would have gone with Raven easily, but given the Kings accomplishments and the fact he can still go and draw, I have to go with Lawler.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

I have written a few posts and threads on how bad ass Jerry 'the King' Lawler has been during his nearly 40 years in the ring. He was given the King nickname by Jackie Fargo, who was one of top stars in the country during his time. And Lawler beat Fargo to become the "King of Memphis Wrestling". And Lawler was unbeatable in Memphis... and in a match against Raven, who I think is rated slightly high on the forums... Lawler would pick him apart.

Lawler also hated ECW and this would only fuel his fire and help him piledrive Raven into an oblivion.

Lawler wins with a piledriver and a fireball to the face after the match for good measure.

 

[Peoples_Champ]

Lawler hands down. He was *the man* back in the day, while Raven was an ECW also-ran. Sure Raven won a bit, but Lawler is a living legend. Yep, The King is in Flair, Hogan, Michaels, Hart territory.

Lawler by piledriver.

 

[ABMorales787]

Lawler is capable of working full matches in his 60's. Raven probably won't make it to his 60's.

I know thyroid problems and stuff have really been a detriment to Raven, but he was never a marvel outside of his mic skills. He knew how to work a feud and work the mic but he could never work a match right. Lawler on the other hand had Memphis eating out of his hand and as of today, WWE. Lawlers TLC match with The Miz was probably better than most Raven matches.

 

[hatehabsforever]

To late to have cast my vote in this one, but if I had, my vote would have gone to Jerry Lawler. Lawler has amassed championships everywhere at an amazing rate. Granted most of these titles could be classified as being somewhat irrelevant, but even still, he has been. A fixture in the business for what seems like forever, and his ring work and mic work have always been excellent. Considering his age, his in ring skill level is still pretty damn impressive, and of course we know he still can talk as we near him pretty much every week on RAW.

Raven has always been pretty good, both in the ring and on the mic. He has appeared in different organizations, and has managed to occupy a position of relevance wherever he has been. In the end, though, he simply cannot measure up to the King, and as such, goes down to defeat to Lawler in an entertaining and competitive battle.