WWE Region, Memphis Subregion, First Round: (4) Ricky Steamboat vs. (29) Ken Shamrock

[klunderbunker]

This is a first round match in the WWE Region, Memphis Subregion. It is a standard one on one match held under WWE Rules. It will be held at the Fed Ex Forum in Memphis, Tennessee.

#4. Ricky Steamboat

Vs.

#29. Ken Shamrock

​

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.

 

[The Brain]

Ken Shamrock was ok for what he was but his career lasted about two years. Steamboat wrestled nearly 20 years, won numerous titles, main evented big shows, had several classic matches against a variety of opponents, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest in ring performers of all time. I think I'll take the Dragon over someone that's whole career lasted two years.

 

[Brewski]

I love Ken Shamrock, I really do. But The Dragon is just too damn phenomenal. Too many legendary matches to count and his longevity for his style of wrestling is incredible. Ricky wins a quick one.

 

[6timehitta]

I don't understand how Shamrock made the cut, let alone how on God's Green Earth he could ever go up against Ricky.

This is easily the easiest choice for me so far. Ricky Steamboat and it's not even close.

 

[8thwotwATG]

If this were an UFC bout I might go with Shamrock, but since it's a professional wrestling bout, the superior resume' of Steamboat in virtually every single category of the wrestling business over Shamrock gives him an easy victory here. Classic feuds with Flair, multiple runs with midcard titles, ring longevity, great skillset and workrate....well, you get the picture. Steamboat goes on to round 2.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

This would be a much tougher match for Steamboat than most of you are letting on.

Shamrock, even as a pro wrestler, was a feared guy. He kicked the holy shit out of a lot of top guys. Steamboat didn't dominate people, that wasn't his style.

I still think Steamboat wins, but overlooking Shamrock shows how little newer fans know of his wrestling career. He was always competitive, even when he lost... which happened a lot.

 

[Jaffa]

If this were an UFC bout I might go with Shamrock, but since it's a professional wrestling bout, the superior resume' of Steamboat in virtually every single category of the wrestling business over Shamrock gives him an easy victory here. Classic feuds with Flair, multiple runs with midcard titles, ring longevity, great skillset and workrate....well, you get the picture. Steamboat goes on to round 2.

I agree with what your mostly saying but how in the blue hell would you consider only maybe consider Shamrock over Steamboat in a UFC fight

Yes Steamboat was a great wrestler and in his pain was one of if not the top babyface of the NWA in the late 80's. Shamrock was a great wrestler but I wouldn't say he was better than Steamboat he just lacked a a large moveset although the moves he did do were done quite well

 

[Jack-Hammer]

This isn't the UFC, so I see no legit way that Shamrock goes over here.

Both these wrestlers suffered from a deficient personality, but Steamboat is a legend in the industry while Shamrock is more of a footnote than anything else.

Steamboat was a massive star in the Mid-Atlantic territory, which would go onto become WCW of course. Shamrock was one of the first big MMA stars in America and did see some success in WWE during the Attitude Era. Both men are former NWA World Heavyweight Champions, though the title actually meant something when Steamboat won it from Ric Flair. Steamboat was smooth as a prom queen's thighs in the ring and could have a great match with just about anyone. The most memorable thing about Shamrock, to me, was the fact that he refereed the WM match between Bret Hart & Stone Cold Steve Austin.

I don't think Steamboat would just plow through Shamrock. Shamrock did have legit mat capability and the guy was freaky strong. However, Steamboat went up against and beat guys who were a lot better. Steamboat picks up the win in 10 minutes.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

Steamboat would win this but it wouldn't be an easy victory. I don't recall anyone ever beating Shamrock easy and he was a lot better than a lot of people are letting on.

Steamboat was hands down a bigger name, unlike Shamrock was a main eventer and a world champion not to mention he had big angles everywhere he went. In short Steamboat was awesome and the ultimate babyface.

I think Shamrock would give Steamboat a run for his money but Steamboats unmatched skills would overwhelm Shamrock and he would ultimately lose to a cross body. Steamboat wins this.

 

[Teddy Irving]

Steamboat will win this one but I am surprised that some people don't even give Shamrock a fighting chance. He was never viewed as a walkover during his time in pro wrestling and as such Steamboat wouldn't be going over easy here. It would be hard fought but in the end steamboat will walk away as the winner.

Also 'If this were an UFC bout I might go with Shamrock'

I got a huge laugh out of this. If this was a UFC bout Shamrock would walk this match. Hell I would say in his prime Shamrock would nearly cakewalk this tournament if the same people were in it and it was based on UFC.

 

[Master JM]

I could see Steamboat going into this as an underdog (despite being the much bigger star) and probably getting his ass kicked by Shamrock for the majority of the match. Despite the man's uneventful career, he was booked as a badass in the ring. Still, it comes down to their star power, and Steamboat's 5-star match with Savage alone is enough to put him over Shamrock who's pretty much accomplished very little in his career.

Shamrock controls a large portion of the match and has the Ankle Lock hooked, but Steamboat sends him into the corner and catches him with a crossbody for the win.

 

[deem]

Yh i echo what everyone else has said. Shamrock would dominate the match, Steamer would get the win.

I ADORE Ricky Steamboat. He might be my favourite ever. The guy just has it and I've never seen him in a poor match. I also like Ken Shamrock too and think he was quite unlucky to not break into the main event scene. I would go as far as to say I think he'd make a good transitional champion. One of the guys that it never fell quite right, despite being better than upper midcard. Maybe I'm OTT here, I just saw him as a serious contender throughout his time at WWE.

The fact remains, he never broke into the upper echelons. Steamboat did, smashed them to pieces and wrote the book on how to be a babyface. He's just too great to be midcard. What Benoit and Steamboat did is remarkable - it's SOOO HARD to reach main event everywhere without being incredibly charismatic and able to work a mic. They are just too good to not book strongly.

He's beaten plenty of strong guys too, it's not like he only goes over the Flair type. Rick Rude, Lex Luger, Steve Austin etc. Him getting the better of Flair over the years shows he is more than capable of hanging with a submission guy too. I just don't know how you can make a case for Shamrock here

 

[Tastycles]

As good and entertaining as he was, Steamboat is vastly overrated by the IWC. Ken Shamrock was a bit of a flash in the pan, but there are few wrestlers who only wrestle for two years and achieve what he did. In the end though, you have to base this on the facts, and the fact is Steamboat has been a world champion and perhaps more importantly he was able to sustain his time in the limelight, so I'm going with him.

 

[SSJPhenom]

Steamboat goes over here, but I agree with a lot of other posters in saying that this wouldn't be as cut and dry as some might think.

Shamrock was actually a very good technical wrestler during his short time in the business and he beat the hell out of a lot of top guys in the business. Remember when the man would "snap" and destroy whatever was in front of him? Steamboat would have his work cut out for him in this match.

I'd even go so far as to say that this match would be an excellent one to watch. Steamboat's best matches always came from guys that were good technicians in the ring. I think that Steamboat could take Shamrock to a very good, maybe even great match. I'd watch it.

Vote Steamboat.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

I try to balance what I go for an make up an all-round picture. If Ken Shamrock's career had been anywhere close to as long as Steamboat's was, I might be voting for him. But Steamboat did provide us with a variety of <yawn> classic matches I suppose, and he certainly had longevity on his side and could work well for a long time. He never did much for me personally but I feel like I can appreciate his work, and maybe yeah he did have a higher quality of work. So that guy, fine, reluctantly.

 

[D-Man]

This is one of the easiest no-brainers of the first round.

Ricky Steamboat has done more for professional wrestling than many have dreamed. He's won world championships, had classic matches, and has a career full of success and longevity.

Ken Shamrock is the epitome of a flash-in-the-pan. He did next to nothing during his entire 2-3 stint in the WWE. Wrestling was more of a 2nd choice career for Shamrock since MMA was his #1 passion. He wrestled in the WWE to pass some time and make some quick money.

Steamboat all the way.

 

[supernatural1981]

Easy one to pick and im going with Ricky Steamboat. As many have stated Shamrock was a guy who lasted 2-3 years in WWF and didnt touch Steamboat's legacy. However the match itself would have Shamrock dominate for a long time before Ricky gets the win around 18 mins

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Damn, Kenny doesnt have a chance in this one.

I always loved Shamrock in the ring, and its a shame that his WWE career didn't last longer. I would have loved to have seen Ken get a world title run, but with the calibre of main eventers around at that time, with guys like Austin and Rock on the scene, Shamrock didn't get the break he deserved.

However, Steamboat is an absolute legend. His matches against the likes of Flair and Savage speak for themselves and there is nothing that Shamrock did in his career that could compete with them. Shamrock was good. Steamboat was great.

End of. And I hate voting against Shamrock...but I have to.

Winner = Ricky Steamboat

 

[HBsam31]

I was never a fan of Shamrock the wrestler. Shamrock in UFC is something totally different and I loved watching him. This is wrestling though and Shamrock's career was very short. Steamboat wrestled for decades and had some of the best matches ever with Flair and Savage. Steamboat no contest here.