TNA Semi-Final: Ultimate X: Chris Jericho vs. Bam Bam Bigelow

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

1. In the first ever Survivor Series, Bigelow was on Hulk Hogan's team, where he was the final member of his team, as Hogan had been eliminated. With Bigelow alone, he was facing One Man Gang, King King Bundy, and Andre the Giant. Bigelow single handedly defeated both ONG and Bundy (a world title contender at Wrestlemania 2) before finally losing to a fresh Andre.

King Kong Bundy had main evented (kind of... WrestleMania II was a clusterfuck.) WM a year and a half prior to Survivor Series. At WrestleMania III, however, Bigelow bodyslammed a midget.

2. Won the prestigious IWGP Tag Team Titles with Big Van Vader.

And Jericho is the first ever WWE Undisputed Champion, defeating the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin in one night. Jericho's accomplishments > Bigelows.

3. Pinned Big Bossman at Royal Rumble 1993 in roughly 6 minutes.

And Chris Jericho defeated Roddy Piper, Ricky Steamboat, and Jimmy Snuka in a 3 vs 1 handicap match. If you can boast about a victory over a man jumping ship, I can boast about a victory over 3 men past their primes.

4. Narrowly lost to Bret Hart in the finals of the 1993 King of the Ring.

He lost.

5. Won the 1994 Survivor Series (along side Bundy) against Lex Luger's team.

Wonderful. Chris Jericho's team defeated a team containing Triple H, Batista, and Edge at Survivor Series.

6. Main evented Wrestlemania 11, putting Lawrence Taylor over.

Bam Bam Bigelow, the man you tout as one of the greatest super heavyweights of all time, lost the biggest match of his career to a football player.

7. Along side Diesel, defeated Psycho Sid and Tatanka at King of the Ring 1995.

Three of ten of his greatest accomplishments are in teams?

8. Won the ECW World and TV Titles in 1997, wrestling classics with Taz, Sandman, and Shane Douglas.

Chris Jericho won the WHC and Intercontinental Championship in the WWE in 2008, wrestling classics against Shawn Michaels and John Cena.

9. Feuded with Goldberg over the WCW World Title in late 1998 before winning the WCW Hardcore Title and WCW Tag Team Titles twice. Jersey Triad FTW!

He was Goldberg's whooping boy, won a hardcore championship (one of the biggest jokes in wrestling.), and had further tag-team success.

There's some knowledge, freshly dropped on ya!

Was I supposed to be impressed with his career? Because I wasn't.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

There is no way in hell Bigelow wins this. It's sad that his magical run ends here, but Jericho is quicker, lighter, and can clime the Ultimate X without snapping the ropes in half and breaking his neck like Bigelow would.

Bigelow couldn't have gotten a worse draw for the semi finals. It's a shame, too. The man took out Flair, which says a lot because Flair is better than nearly anyone in the tournament.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

PYT, before you take time out of your busy bar room schedule to rebut my posts, try to make sure you understand what you are rebutting, because you basically reacted to a point I never made.

My post wasn't a list of reasons Bigelow should go over Jericho. I've already said in this thread - twice, actually - that Jericho is getting my vote in this match. I am assuming you didn't take the moments needed to read those posts.

No, PYT, my pro-Bigelow posts were in response to Big Sexy claiming that he sucks and should have lost in round 1 or 2, which is ludicrous. Unlike Big Sexy, however, you are not an ethnocentric wrestling fan with a wrestling fan scope of 10 years. Which is why your going on the offense came as a surprise to me. But you never cease to amaze / disappoint.

King Kong Bundy had main evented (kind of... WrestleMania II was a clusterfuck.) WM a year and a half prior to Survivor Series. At WrestleMania III, however, Bigelow bodyslammed a midget..

Yep, and at Wrestlemania 10 he spalshed a midget. Doesn't diminish his career at all.

And Jericho is the first ever WWE Undisputed Champion, defeating the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin in one night. Jericho's accomplishments > Bigelows.

Yep, one of the many reasons I'm voting Jericho. Again, go back and read my posts.

And Chris Jericho defeated Roddy Piper, Ricky Steamboat, and Jimmy Snuka in a 3 vs 1 handicap match. If you can boast about a victory over a man jumping ship, I can boast about a victory over 3 men past their primes.

Yep, one of the many reasons I'm voting Jericho. Again, go back and read my posts.

Oh, and I call bullshit on everyone saying that Bam Bam defeated a guy who was "on his way out." So we're going to totally disqualify Shawn Michaels then for beating Bret Hart and Davey Boy Smith to win his 2nd World and 1st IC Titles, as both of those men were also leaving?

He lost.

He sure did. Better to lose in the Main Event than to win on the undercard. My point was simply that unlike many other HOF'ers and legends, Bigelow DID, in fact, headline Wrestlemania.

Jericho has also headlined one Wrestlemania. He lost. You fail to mention that. Then again, you also failed to read my prior posts where I stated clearly I was voting for Jericho.

Wonderful. Chris Jericho's team defeated a team containing Triple H, Batista, and Edge at Survivor Series.

Yep, one of the many reasons I'm voting Jericho. Again, go back and read my posts.

Bam Bam Bigelow, the man you tout as one of the greatest super heavyweights of all time, lost the biggest match of his career to a football player.

In the Main Event of Wrestlemania, because he was the only guy Vince trusted to allow Taylor to work with. This match, though looked upon poorly by hardcore wrestling fans, also gave Vince evidence that mainstream sports stars could be inserted into Wrestlemania matches and draw mainstream media coverage. Had someone less seasoned than Bigelow worked with Taylor and injured him, it would have been a disaster on par with the XFL.

Three of ten of his greatest accomplishments are in teams?

Possibly, sure. What's wrong with that?

Chris Jericho won the WHC and Intercontinental Championship in the WWE in 2008, wrestling classics against Shawn Michaels and John Cena.

Yep, one of the many reasons I'm voting Jericho. Again, go back and read my posts.

He was Goldberg's whooping boy, won a hardcore championship (one of the biggest jokes in wrestling.), and had further tag-team success.

At least Goldberg faced Bigelow. And there was damn sure a time (albeit short lived) that the WCW Hardcore Title had more credibility than the WWE version.

Was I supposed to be impressed with his career? Because I wasn't.

I'm sure that will make a huge difference. Was I supposed to be impressed by your inability to read my prior posts? Because I wasn't.

Just to make it easier, I'll spoon feed you my prior posts:

Bigelow is FAR from overrated. You couldn't be more wrong. In fact, this year's tournament is the first time Scott has gotten a smidge of the credit he truly deserves from anyone other than me or <gasp> Justin.

Bigelow, in fact, would have probably the best shot in a match like this than any other SHW. The man was a consuumate athlete on two continents. He moved around the ring like a man half his size would. He seemlessly hit drop kicks and flew from the top rope. He was intense, and above all, he was a safe guy to work with who called a solid match. His KOTR finals against Bret Hart is one of the best and most under rated WWF matches of all time, and it wasn't just because of Hart - Bigelow played a damn solid part in it.

That being said, I called it before that the gimmick would decide the victor, and it does. Jericho's main objective is to use the cables to ESCAPE Bigelow. In Jericho, you've got a guy who defeated Kane in a Last Man Standing, Benoit in a ladder match, and pushed Shawn Michaels to his limit - twice - before winning his 3rd World Title.

I'll take Jericho, and the voting won't be close, but that's not a reflection on Bigelow as a pro wrestler - it's just a reflection on how well Jericho's athleticism matches up with the gimmick.

If RVD or Jericho get Ultimate X, they've got an easy win. Savage is agile, sure, but RVD and Jericho are far more adaptable to the 6-sided ring and the heights. Savage didn't participate in many high gimmick matches with ladder and such. van Dam and Jericho have THRIVED in those situations.

Jericho vs Bigelow

if Monsters Ball, Bigelow wins easily.
if Ultimate X, Jericho wins easily.

Good talk, PYT, hope you learned from this experience.

 

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

I read your post. I knew that you were voting Jericho. I still think Bigelow is trash, though. Every single big match he's had in his career, he's lost. His greatest success came in tag-team/team wrestling, relying on a partner better than himself. I don't see how you rank him as one of the greatest big men of all time. I'll take a five-time world champion (Show) over The Beast from the East any day of the week. I also don't understand how he's made it this far. He should have lost to Flair, but that's over and done with.

Anyway, Jericho wins this match. He's too quick and Bam Bam is too fat and what not..

 

[RVDgurl]

I'm still going with Jericho on this one, but it's not as cut and dry as it may look upon first glance. Bam Bam is probably the most agile super heavyweight to ever work in this business. I think he would hold his own in an Ultimate X match. But when it comes down to it, Ultimate X is about finesse, quickness and athletic ability. All of which Jericho possesses more of.

 

[Shocky]

Well, the miracle run for Bam Bam Bigelow ends here. Not to shabby to go out in this round, in a match where he is pretty much outmatched. A lesser athlete, then I'd be tempted to vote for Bam Bam, but Chris Jericho is just one of those amazing wrestlers that I would argue now is just coming into his prime (loaded statement, I know).

Chris Jericho has managed fairly well with bigger guys. He was able to beat Kane in 2000 (when Jericho was far from his prime, and Kane was arguably still in his) in a Last Man Standing match. Kane was still coming at Jericho, but Jericho was able to knock over a stack of barrels on him.

Bam Bam is going to make it close, but I'd imagine if he gets on top of a ladder, Jericho is going to do some insanse jumping drop kick that makes the Big Man land ackward, and allows Jericho to pick up the W.

 

[Big Sexy]

No, PYT, my pro-Bigelow posts were in response to Big Sexy claiming that he sucks and should have lost in round 1 or 2, which is ludicrous. Unlike Big Sexy, however, you are not an ethnocentric wrestling fan with a wrestling fan scope of 10 years. Which is why your going on the offense came as a surprise to me. But you never cease to amaze / disappoint.

Once again I never said Bigelow sucks. I only claimed that he was never really a main event talent which is the truth. I was actually fine with how far Bigelow made it in the tournament until he took out Ric Flair. And don't let my age fool you. I have seen every WWE and NWA/WCW pay per view going back to the mid 80's. I have been watching wrestling all my life and as a kid I would always rent the older pay per views, so my knowledge on the WWE and WCW goes back much further then my age would indicate.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

Wow.. just wow. I guess sometimes it might help to look at the voting tally before logging in your vote. Sometimes sympathy votes aren't such a bad thing to give.

I voted Jericho for all the reasons that have been addressed. I think I'd be beating a dead horse by now in saying all of everything else once again. So instead, I'm gonna give some Pro's to what could help Bigelow if this match weren't as one sided.

Who Says You Have To Retrieve The 'X'?

I seem to recall an Ultimate X match, where Petey Williams won based off the 'X', literally, falling into his lap. Why can't that happen here? Bam Bam is strong enough, and powerful enough, to almost practically hoist Jericho up into the air, causing Jericho's body to hit the X, dropping it into Bigelow's chest and waiting airs. Might not sound perfect - but it's also not impossible, especially since a falling X has given someone a victory before.

Big Men Can Fly, Too!

Just because Bigelow is bigger, doesn't mean he's this fat blob of.. uhm.. blob. He's actually one of the better "big men, high fliers" there ever has been. He lived on going to the air, and finishing people off that way. So who's to say he couldn't easily dispatch of Chris Jericho, then merely take to the air - slower, yes - but still.

The true question is whether or not Bigelow can more or less climb across the rungs to the X, if its not just going to fall to him. I can't say he could, or couldn't, because he's never been put into a situation where he'd have to try. But just knowing he has the agility to fly through the air, similar to a guy weighing a buck eighty, I wouldn't be shocked if he could also scale across the rung/cable, and capture the victory.

Alas.. all things must come to an end.. Bigelow's 66-5 blow-out right now is terrible, and honestly a disgrace. Even in losing, it shouldn't be this bad. Jericho wins a couple ladder matches, and suddenly the guy's a pro at high wire stunts? I doubt it.