Round 1, Day 3, Winnipeg, MB

[IrishCanadian25]

I voted for Bob Backlund here, and I stand by it. Don't get me wrong, I loved Hassan's character and his dismissal was a sad case of censorship. Backlund, on the other hand, may have been bland and boring, but damn if he wasn't consistent. He wrestled long matches with other legends, and the Arnold Skaaland Towel Throw is a HUGE moment in wrestling history - one that has been replicated but never with the same impact.

Backlund has always been (and still is) in fantastic shape, and is a fantastic technical wrestler. I loved watching him work over an opponent's shoulder before clamping on the Crossface Chickenwing.

Once again, I CAN NOT give Hassan the nod in the match because he was booked well. I give it to the guy I think will win.

Final note - as far as Backlund being "boring," Jake, are you saying you were not the least bit interested by the Backlund redeux in the 90's as the "elder statesman" who flipped out on magazine writers, Jim Ross, etc? The match with Bret Hart was pretty strong as well, even if it only served to further the Bret vs Owen feud.

 

[Capt. Charisma]

don't dismiss Stone Colds ring ability completely after the Hart incident. Almost any Gimmick match he was involved him was very very entertaining, Austin/HHH at NWO '01, and Angle/Austin at SS and Unforgiven '01 were great matches. Remember stone Cold was a brawler and after his surgery in '99 he put on some classic matches, just a pity about the complications which put a stop to that in 2002.

 

[Capt. Charisma]

If we are going purely on in ring ability then I would prehaps suprisingly say Young. Young may be a comedy charater but at least I know what his gimmick is. The thing with Kennedy his mic work is limited, he doesn't have a gimmick, his matches don't exactly steal the show, and I am just not convinced that he is good enough to even be in WWE, let alone deserving of a push. As Jake eluded to had a really good push in 2006, but post injury has been a huge let-down, I'm going with Young with an upset.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Final note - as far as Backlund being "boring," Jake, are you saying you were not the least bit interested by the Backlund redeux in the 90's as the "elder statesman" who flipped out on magazine writers, Jim Ross, etc? The match with Bret Hart was pretty strong as well, even if it only served to further the Bret vs Owen feud.

Yeah I was entertained immensely by that. But by then he was a mid card wrestler. If only he had displayed that sort of personality, if any personality when he was world champion. I actually think it would have been great if he'd got a proper title run in the 90's. He was entertaining then, and he could work. He also couldn't have been any worse than Nash.

 

[conman]

This is a no brainer, Backlund was a world champion for years back when the main belt meant something. He even came back and one the big one in his 50's. Backlund of the 90s in 7-8 minutes, and backlund of the 70s-80s in a squash.

 

[Shocky]

Murdoch has potential, unfortunately that potential won't be int he WWE. He doesn't have the look that Vince likes, so he is etiher going to be repackaged, or apply his trade elsewhere. Jericho is over rated as a one seed, but he certainly has enough to take down Murdoch without breakign a sweat.

 

[Shocky]

I'm going to go with the non IWC choice and pick Rikishi. Rikishi was bad ass and mobile when he was apart of the Headshrinkers. Kaz has done nothing. Rikishi used to be pretty damn athletic, just think Umaga minus the face paint. I mark out fairly easily for Samoans.

 

[Shocky]

Got to go with Alex Shelley. He just seems to have a ton of upside, and if he can break out of some shitty gimmicks, the guy probably will shine. Candido really never did much. I wasn't a fan of him in the ring or in ECW. He was always the link weak of the Triple Threat in my opinion. He was semi-comical, but he was known more for taking back his wife after she ran through the entire WWE locker room.

 

[Shocky]

Wow, Tommy Dreamer is going to make it to the second round two years in a row. There is no way in hell Dreamer loses to a guy like Meanie with Extreme rules, or any rules for that matter. I like the Meanie, but Dreamer does have talent. Comedy voting, why bother.

 

[Shocky]

King Kong Bundy, I'm not afraid to say it, I like the guy. He does what he's supposed to be. Pound on people and be an intimidating heel. He does the basic job of a heel super heavyweight.

But Billington is awesome, and I love technical wrestling over power wrestling any day of the week. I have been watching a ton of Billington's stampede stuff, and the guy never gets old. Bret Hart says he is the best, Benoit modeled himself after him, you have to give Dynamite the nod.

 

[Capt. Charisma]

The Blue Meanie, wtf how is this guy even considered a major part of ECW? He was just a fat guy they used to take shots at WCW. Zero wrestling ability, Dreamer well at least he can cut himself quite well I spose.

 

[Shocky]

This is another one of those first round matches that sucks having to choose between the two. I'm a big Lashley fan. He is able to ground and pound, and the sheer strength of this guy is amazing. He's green though, about as green as the legal mist that Tajiri can spit into his eyes. Tajiri is damn good, and Lashley won't have the benefit of WWE booking CW's to look inferior. Tajiri takes htis one.

 

[Capt. Charisma]

I would have said Rikishi before Kaz's ladder match with Cage last year, but it was a great match. And the guy is still green, so I am going with him. Rikishi was a monster heel back in the day though. A bit like JBL really.

 

[Shocky]

I tried to do some research on Mushiking, and quite frankly, there isn't a whole bunch of stuff to be found. He seems interesting, and worth a follow through to be certain, but he's going up against the Million Dollar Man. While DiBiase wasn't the greatest in the ring, the overall character of the Millionaire and his greediness was great. The character worked so well with his style of wrestling. I have to lean with Dibiase.

 

[Shocky]

Cabana. The only thing that would be a worry with this match is the sheer size and strenght of Volkoff. The guy had a 65 inch chest. He's a damn grizzly bear. If Cabana, hell anyone, got locked up by Volkoff, it could be dangerous. I think Volkoff is too one dimensional, and Cabana should have enough to advance to round 2.

 

[Shocky]

Really, a vote for Mosh. Comedy voting is funny, but not with this match. Stone Cold destroys Mosh before he gets the BMF vest off. Austin may not have been the greatest in the ring after the injury, but he certainly has enough to take care of the headbanger.

 

[Shocky]

See, I was a fan of the cruiserweights in WCW, but all I ever saw of Juventud was a rip off of Psicosis. I thought he had a few good matches with Rey, but who didn't at the time. While Norton never did anythign outstanding in WCW, he was impressive enough to at least give him the vote in the match. No point in arguing though, neither of them will get 5% of the vote against Austin.

 

[Shocky]

Like Jake said, Kennedy had a terrible 2007, one year that he hopes to forget. But let's not forget the guy had a pretty damn good 2006 and has had some good matches with the Undertaker and Craptista. Kennedy is on the rise, much like Eric Young, but Young, come on really, what has he done. He's gotten fired and rehired and was a part of Team Canada, and...?

 

[Shocky]

I think Hayabusa sis good, and damn good potentially inside of a six sided ring, but he's going against one of my all time favorites, and easily one of the most under valued guy in the WWE, William Regal. The guy was a beast in WCW and his early WWE career (sans the Real Man's Man). I got to see the Regal vs. Benoit Pillman match, and that was easily one of the best matches I have ever watched. Regal has enough to stretch Hayabusa.

 

[Buya7]

Norton easy. I would expect a squash. Juvi is to cocky to be a little scared and cautious. Norton isnt cocky, just a monster without fear when standing in the ring with a wanna-be entertainer.

 

[Shocky]

I'm also in the boat as to why O'Haire never got a monster push, but here we are watching Chuck Palumbo as a bad Village Person in another rehashed Biker gimmick. Piper wasn't great in the ring, but he's done enough to get by the big guy.

 

[Shocky]

I think Backlund was a victim of timing. He was the last champion picked by Vince Sr. and he was picked to be an amateur quiet guy. Vince Sr. tried to the Hogan thing with Graham, and he didn't like it, so he went back to the wrestler with Backlund. Backlund though is a phenomenal in ring talent. He might be boring, but that's the style he is asked and performs best. Hassan, I really never thought the guy was good at all, and I thought his mic work was quite abismal to be perfectly honest.

 

[Shocky]

Wow, I'm quite surprised that this thread and match has stayed dead. I figured people would at least be in here to praise how amazing of an athlete and wrestler Mr. Perfect was. I really think that Hennig takes this before he spits his gum and nails some little kid in teh crowd with it.

 

[Shocky]

I never was much of a fan of Kidman. I thought the other cruiserweights in WCW made him look terrible. Outside of a pretty shooting star press, the guy has never impressed me. Saturn has always been impressive, and outside of a stupid "Moppy" gimmick and dress gimmick, the guy was alright in the ring. I take the technician over the lucha.

 

[Shadowmancer]

Results are here

Billington is the best pound for pound wrestler ever. That is using Bret Harts exact words there. Best Vs. a good Superheavyweight. The Dynamite Kid has put on Clinics for what to do in the ring for a great match. Benoit is almost a clone of Billington, it is a shame he came too early and was so ahead of his time.