Is the Main Event scene missing a technical wrestler?

[Ferbian]

I've been thinking, seeing as it seems a lot of people on this forum obviously likes to see a great technical wrestling match, something along the lines of Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 21, a personal favorite when it comes to a great wrestling match based on holds and otherwise simple moves that isn't flashy, but effective and something that seems otherwise impressive to watch, which Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle really was.

So I was thinking, WWE hasn't really had anybody in the upper mid-card / Main Event scene who has been able to put on a technical wrestling match in the forms of what Kurt Angle can put on, Chris Benoit could, Eddie Guerrero could and Shawn Michaels could, certainly you could argue that we've had Shawn up until now, but not in the same technical form as he could have, at least if you ask me, Shawn was able to put on amazing matches as the two Wrestlemania matches with Undertaker, but they weren't technical mat wrestling matches.

As I mentioned above, Kurt Angle really is the last person I could name in WWE's main event scene that has been able to put on a great technical match, still can, but.. well quite obviously it's not in WWE he's putting them on.

We got the slowly rising Daniel Bryan in the NXT roster which I know could put on some great mat wrestling matches, and could definitely also put on some good catch wrestling matches (catch wrestling being the style Shawn Michaels was known far as far as I know, at least that's what the commentator's said at Wrestlemania 21.. Kurt Angle arguably the best mat wrestler and Shawn arguably the best catch wrestler) but he's not in the main event scene right now, hopefully he will get there one day, or in the upper mid-card as this thread also takes into consideration.

Personally I must admit I kinda miss a proper technical wrestler, and certainly you could say "But we got Chris Jericho" yes we got Jericho, and yes we also have Jack Swagger who's technically in a main event scene right now holding onto a world title, although I don't believe we've had the proper chance to see Jack Swagger shine in a WWE ring, at least not of my knowledge to a proper extent, I know he has the potential to be a great mat wrestler, but he hasn't shown that quite yet.

So I ask you people, is WWE just perfectly fine in it's current position? or would a great technical wrestler be a brilliant acquisition to WWE?

 

[eezy1]

Excellent point. And yes there is a shortage of technical wrestlers. Currently the best technical wrestler has to be Desmond Wolfe. His first matches in TNA were poetry in motion, but hes since not been allowed to shine, in the ring anyway.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I would like to see a main event scene have a technical wrestler but I don't think it is that necessary due to the era the WWE is in. Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, and Kurt Angle in my opinion helped put the focus back on wrestling during the Attitude Era instead of on shock and violence. You saw less of the latter when those three wrestlers were out there entertaining the crowd with their in-ring work mainly. The crowd wouldn't be really bored with having a technical wrestler out there now but I would consider Jericho still a technical wrestler. The problem is these days is that we criticize Cena, Batista, and others for not displaying a technical style to their wrestling. They have a defined style which works best for them so why do they need to go out of their comfort zone. Wrestlers display technical styles if need be so it's always an added bonus. Someone like a Kurt Angle or Brock Lesnar would still be successful today in my opinion but technical wrestling hasn't really been a focal point as of late and they have been plenty of great matches so it is not that much of a necessity.

 

[Ferbian]

Excellent point. And yes there is a shortage of technical wrestlers. Currently the best technical wrestler has to be Desmond Wolfe. His first matches in TNA were poetry in motion, but hes since not been allowed to shine, in the ring anyway.

I think you missed the whole point of it, this is the WWE section, and I'm talking about the shortage of WWE's technical wrestlers, TNA has Kurt Angle to put on amazing matches

And LJL: I agree WWE still has Chris Jericho, but he isn't exactly what I would define a technical mat wrestler, Jericho may be one of the great catch wrestlers as I mentioned, and he definitely can put on a great hold for hold match, but he's not the definition of Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit when it comes to hold for hold wrestling, at least not if you ask me.

 

[Scotty]

I definitely feel that there is void in the main event scene where a technical wrestler could excel. I do think that some people could argue that Jericho is a technical wrester, but Jericho could really be argued for a small bit of everything. He has showed that he could be a technician, a brawler, a high flyer, hardcore, or just about anything you can think of Jericho can do.

Daniel Bryan certainly has the ability to wrestle a 5 star technical match, but he is missing a key component that almost all of WWE's prime time technicians have had, size. When you look at people like Angle and Swagger (both with collegiate backgrounds) and Chris Benoit, they legitimately look like the could just manhandle you. Daniel Bryan doesn't have that look. He may be technical, but compared to the other's he is tiny. The others look like they could impose their will on you, while he looks like the type of wrestler who picks and chooses their spot.

 

[eezy1]

Sorry for mentioning a TNA wrestler. Yes the WWE is missing a technical wrestler/technical wrestling matches. Its a dying/almost dead art. The emphasis theses days seems to be on power moves/high flying and striking which can be very entertaining when done by the right guys with the technical ability. The technical wrestling you talk about has its place in both technical and non-technical matches and makes a huge difference to the way a match goes. It isnt tidy anymore and the works sloppy for the most part. I think its just down to the guys not being trained properly and learning the craft like they used too.

 

[Bobbywoodhogan]

I think WWE misses Kurt Angle who in my opnion is the best technical wrestler today. He can have good matches with anybody. WWE really needs this caliber of wrestler for me. It would make the main event scene alot more exciting. I often wonder if Kurt Angle would ever come back.

Also might not be a technical wrestler as such but WWE should poach AJ Styles this guy is amazing, he could have some great matches with the main eventers of WWE for sure. I'm just not sure Vince with his love for big guys would use him properly though.

But on the subject and not stealing TNA's talent I think WWE definitely needs a Main event caliber technical wrestler to lighten up the main event, someone who can take an average wrestler and make him look like a million dollars.

 

[Razor]

Well then, good thing technical wrestling isn't absolutely necessary to enjoy the main event scene, huh?

As LJL said before, it's not at all necessary for the main event right now. We have a main event filled with people who can get a reaction from a crowd and keep them coming to buy merch and tickets and PPVs and be entertained, so I don't see the problem. Jack Swagga will fill one of the spots once we get him a feud with Edge and he gets a chance to run with the title. Hopefully, at least.

Don't get me wrong. A technical wrestler wouldn't hurt anything. In fact, he might serve as an anchor if he's a really good wrestler and can always give a good match (HBK on days that end with -Mania, for instance.). They can be seen as the guy that is the undisputed "Need a great match? Throw him in" dude.

However, throwing a technical wrestler into the main event scene just to say "Look guys! A technical wrestler!" doesn't make sense, and isn't needed. The main event is doing just fine without one.

 

[Ferbian]

However, throwing a technical wrestler into the main event scene just to say "Look guys! A technical wrestler!" doesn't make sense, and isn't needed. The main event is doing just fine without one.

Of course it doesn't make sense, but the thing is that it's probably the only place there's a real lacking of a proper technical wrestler, cause looking at it the mid-card has Rey Mysterio and CM Punk as two great examples to put on an amazing match of hold for hold wrestling, high flying, everything really, and the lower mid-card has some good ones too, Chavo Guerrero for one, yes he's not given the chance to shine properly, but he can put on some great matches, if you youtube his match against Bryan Danielson in the dark match on RAW.
And then of the rookies there is Daniel Bryan quite so obviously, which I've said will probably go on to become one of the guys to fill that technical spot on the card, but even though he is a great technical wrestler, something tells me he won't just yet be able to put on that "wow" match that Shawn Michaels or Kurt Angle could put forth at Wrestlemania's or normal television matches (Kurt in specific when it comes to the television matches)

And I'm not telling WWE to just throw a technical wrestler into the main event for the sake of throwing one in there, only person that could possibly do that anyway would be a returning Kurt Angle, cause if you have followed wrestling for just a bit of a while, you'd know it'd be absolutely ridiculous to put Kurt Angle anywhere lower than the main event since it's where he left off at.

Edit: And if they were to put Kurt Angle below the main event, it'd scream "you're being punished for going to a rival promotion" and then we would all know why Christian is still not world champion.

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

WWE is missing Chris Benoit. In my opinion, Chris Benoit was and is a better technical wrestler than Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Eddie Guerrero, Daniel Bryan... basically everyone but Bret Hart (and maybe Mr. Perfect). While Benoit really wasn't in the main event as long as he should have, he was the purest definition of a technical wrestler. He was given many great ppv matches in the past, but as far as main event-wise, he was only there when he was World Heavyweight Champion.

Jack Swagger, on the other hand, can reach a really high status as a technically sound wrestler. His amateur wrestling background could help him do that, which also brings me to Shelton Benjamin. He's a great technical wrestler as well. Just like Swagger, he also has an amateur wrestling background. I can see many similiarities between the in-ring abilities of both Shawn Michaels and Shelton Benjamin. Not to mention, that The Undertaker can also have a very technical match when he wants to.

So, as far as where I'm getting with my post, I'd say... WWE doesn't really have a shortage of technical wrestlers in the company. However, when you say the main event scene, I see exactly what you mean. If WWE really thought they needed more technical wrestlers in the main event, they'd push them to the main event. If they aren't... I guess they must think they're doing okay without it.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

You're absolutely right; technical wrestlers are missing in the Main Event scene, but there are plenty of up-and-comers from the mid-card that are slowly pushing towards the Main Event status.

I am talking about guys like John Morrison. Yes I wouldn't call him an actual "technical wrestler" given his style isn't like stars like Angle, Benoit, or Guerrero. But he is still mixing it up and eventually he will be on top if WWE uses him right.


And there are the somewhat-techies like CM Punk and Rey Mysterio. When CM Punk first popped into ECW he was very technical, with an influenced brawler style. But now the technical bit has been watered-down but he still mixes it up. And Mysterio has the same thing goin for him, albeit he is more of the high-flyer we know him for.


Technical wrestlers of WWE are a rare breed, and they have been for a long time, even in the days of Benoit and Eddie. Today's style doesn't really call for a thousand different moves (exaggerating of course) and that's why techies are a small breed.

Maybe one day they will make Christian or Swagger more technically sound.