[NWA Bracket] Round 2 Match 1: Antonio Inoki Vs 'Nature Boy' Ric Flair

[Hyorinmaru]

Antonio Inoki

A true Legend of Japanese wrestling. He has won So many titles in Japan in NJPW, AJPW and JWA. He trained under his opponent Rikidōzan and trained with another person in this tournament Giant Baba. In 2007 he started his own wrestling company called the Inoki Genome Federation (IGF).



Nature Boy Ric Flair

I can't say much about Ric Flair that you guys don't already know. He's a 16 time World Champion holding the top titles in the NWA, WCW and WWE. He has held Tag Team Titles and other singles titles. he is one of the most charismatic Superstarts in the history of Wrestling.
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[Shocky]

Inoki. Inoki is god in Japan, you can't say that about Ric Flair and the United States. Sure, if you go south of the Mason-Dixon line, and particularly in South Carolina, most will tell you other wise, but in the great grand scheme of things, Ric Flair was a beneficiary of the dying regional territories, where Inoki took a nation by storm.

Sure Ric Flair has the golden credentials, but Inoki can match all of that up with Ric Flair. I respect Ric Flair, but int he ring Inoki could go legit on him and beat him, and by pure popularity globally, Inoki wins.

 

[klunderbunker]

I'll actually take Inoki as well. Here in America, we're "sheltered" from Japanese wrestling as if it's something evil. We're taught to believe that it's spotfests and nothing but TNA on crack. I'll ask you this: how many people here have actually watched Japanese wrestling outside of maybe a single match with an American in it? I'd wager the number is low. Inoki is second to one in Japan, and that's Rikidozan, his mentor. Here in America, you could argue that a lot of names are bigger than Flair, starting with Hogan and Austin. Flair was never close to his legendary period after the 80s, even though he still got way up there. Many of his title reigns were simply because there was no one left to give it to. Flair drew tens of thousands, Inoki drew hundreds of thousands. If this were in America, it's not close. Inoki is bigger worldwide though, so he wins by inches.

 

[Gelgarin]

Inoki.

If we developed a form of complex gene grafting to fuse Vince McMahon and Rick Flair together, then I might consider voting for him/them, but by current standers, it's not even close.

Inoki, it can be argued, has done more of Japanese pro wrestling than any one man has done for the sport in the US. He was fundamentally the founder of New Japan and it's very saddening for the Japanese industry that his influence has all but abated. Let us hope that, when the wrestling bubble rises in Japan again, that IGF is able to ride it to the top.

Anyway, there is very little to say about Rick Flair other than that 'he was a very good in ring performer', and in a tournament of legends that doesn't cut it. It's the same reason guys like Bret Hard or Stone Cold shouldn't go far in this thing. Bonus points can be added to the nature boy on account of how respected he is within the wrestling profession, but at the end of the day, people still bow when Inoki enters a room.