Int'l Region, Las Vegas Subregion, First Round: (12) Frank Gotch vs. (21) Jeff Hardy

[klunderbunker]

This is a first round match in the International Region, Las Vegas Subregion. It is a standard one on one match held under International Rules. It will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

#12. Frank Gotch

Vs.

#21. Jeff Hardy

​

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.

 

[Loveless]

It's over in 30 seconds and the rest of the time is filled by Jeff Hardy's funeral. Gotch wouldn't stand for the technicolour punks flippy nonsense. He would rip Hardy's arms off and make him tap out with them.

 

[Bernkastel]

Frank Gotch reached a level of popularity that I don't think any other wrestler has ever matched. From the modern era or the NWA era. He would be as revered and as popular as Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Jimmy Johnson, Derek Jeter, Tiger Woods, and Muhammad Ali are today. Jeff Hardy was popular because could jump off high shit. Gotch could do that if he wanted, but he didn't have to because he could outdraw the heavyweight boxing champion of the world.

In fact when Jack Johnson and James Jeffries had their epic showdown, one of the most high profile and heavily promoted boxing matches of all time. Senators, dignitaries, pop stars, and sports stars attended this match. And guess who was announced before the bout and received a standing ovation just by being there: Frank Gotch. You think when Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather have their epic showdown in May if Hardy attends do you think anyone's going to care? Nope.

On top of being the most popular sports star in the world, Gotch was a successful and charismatic vaudeville star whom was primarily responsible for making pro wrestling big time all over the world. He has statues erected in his honor and a state park named after him.

Iowans revere him as much as Olympic gold medalist Dan Gable.

http://whotv.com/2015/02/16/iowa-icon-gotch-up-there-with-feller-warner-gable/

Seriously. Vote Gotch. Or shame on you.

 

[Tastycles]

Frank Gotch shouldn't be in this tournament. He was a legitimate fighter who actually had to train and prepare for his matches rather than just turn up and fake it like the other guys here. He wrestled significantly fewer matches in his entire career than people like Dolph Ziggler do in a year. Gotch was a pioneer, but in the same way association football players from the 1860s are pioneers of rugby and NFL, you wouldn't say they were playing the same sport. Hardy wins by default.

 

[Bernkastel]

Frank Gotch shouldn't be in this tournament. He was a legitimate fighter who actually had to train and prepare for his matches rather than just turn up and fake it like the other guys here. He wrestled significantly fewer matches in his entire career than people like Dolph Ziggler do in a year. Gotch was a pioneer, but in the same way association football players from the 1860s are pioneers of rugby and NFL, you wouldn't say they were playing the same sport. Hardy wins by default.

Gotch was a legit fighter who participated in his fair share of worked matches. If he were truly legit 100% of the time then he wouldn't be called a pro wrestler. He'd be like William Muldoon or Alex Aberg who were Greco-Roman fighters 100% of the time. And when he worked matches they had to appear like the real deal. That's how workers "worked" back in that era and the eras to come. I'm sure some of the matches even had choreography. Especially if they were lasting several hours.

Both Gotch and Hardy participated in the working of audiences, but Gotch was much better at it. So we should vote for him.

 

[Alex]

I have respect for Frank Gotch for helping wrestling become what it is. Sure he was a pioneer and all that doesn't mean I have to vote for him.

I like my crazy attire and crazy moves and I'm more entertained by high flyers than I am by straight up grapplers.

I'm voting Hardy because honestly I find him entertaining and for me that's one of the key things.

 

[Bernkastel]

I have respect for Frank Gotch for helping wrestling become what it is. Sure he was a pioneer and all that doesn't mean I have to vote for him.

I like my crazy attire and crazy moves and I'm more entertained by high flyers than I am by straight up grapplers.

I'm voting Hardy because honestly I find him entertaining and for me that's one of the key things.

And I have found Khali to be largely more entertaining than CM Punk. Doesn't mean I would vote him over Punk.

Gotch was the most popular sports star in America at one point. Revered decades after his death. And despite some slander from people that do not understand the era, he was just as much a pro wrestler as Hardy.

Vote Gotch.

 

[Lee]

At 210lbs and 5'11 Gotch is supposedly this huge heavyweight. At 6'2 and 225lbs Jeff Hardy is not big enough to be seen as a legitimate threat.

Considering Gotch died before WW1 finished, no one really can give a proper opinion on him.

I'm voting Jeff.

 

[Bockwinkel's Class]

And I have found Khali to be largely more entertaining than CM Punk. Doesn't mean I would vote him over Punk.

Gotch was the most popular sports star in America at one point. Revered decades after his death. And despite some slander from people that do not understand the era, he was just as much a pro wrestler as Hardy.

Vote Gotch.

Gotch was an extremely dominant champion who could legitimately go in the ring. Was Hardy EVER booked dominant? 'Nuff said!

 

[Alex]

Gotch was an extremely dominant champion who could legitimately go in the ring. Was Hardy EVER booked dominant? 'Nuff said!

No he was booked as the underdog who would find a way to overcome the more dominant guy

 

[Uncle Sam]

No he was booked as the underdog who would find a way to overcome the more dominant guy

Um, not really. Jeff Hardy was booked as the underdog who would always ultimately lose to the more dominant guy. Sorry, not ultimately - always. He would always lose. He lost to The Undertaker - their ladder match is famous because Hardy was incredibly resilient against a guy who kicked the piss out of him, not because Hardy won. He lost to Triple H, repeatedly - he won the WWE title from Triple H after scavenging a pin from Edge in a triple threat match. He lost to Edge clean, which is something few men can say. He lost to his brother Matt, which is something even fewer man can say. He's 1-4 against a CM Punk who got squashed by The Undertaker (in fact, he got banished from the WWE after he lost their fifth match).

That was Jeff Hardy's prime.

Whereas, say, John Cena thrives when the odds are against him, Hardy will show some fight and then lose. Frankly, I'd say that makes Hardy the more sympathetic character, but it doesn't really make a compelling argument in a tournament setting against a bloke who would genuinely beat his opponent up.