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1. The Maniac Kid
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Jan 10, 2022 23:47
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My tastes are very specific. 1 - Katsuhiko Nakajima (NOAH) Kicks people, good hair. 2 - Kenoh (NOAH) Kicks people, good hair. 3 - Bryan Danielson (AEW) Kicks people, bad hair. 4 - Eddie Kingston (AEW) Fights people, depressed. 5 - Miro (AEW) Hates God, fucks wife 6 - Hyper Misao (TJPW) Wile E. Coyote 7 - Cody Rhodes (AEW) Loves God and America, pro freakin rasslin 8 - John Wayne Murdoch (US Indies) The loving Duke. 9 - Justin Kyle (US Indies) Has the body type of a cop and does not have a cagematch profile. The ideal professional wrestler. 10 - Keiji Mutoh (NOAH) Sometimes I'm not in the mood for a good match. It's funny when he rolls around on the mat for twenty minutes and he sells by going "ah gently caress. ahhh gently caress" over and over. Sticky Nate fucked around with this message at 00:17 on Jan 11, 2022 |
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Jan 11, 2022 00:11
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It's really cool too see everyone's lists. Most of them are like "Yeah, I'd rank these high too" while some just give me a window into promotions I've lapsed on. While some people are completely unfamiliar to me.
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Jan 11, 2022 00:14
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Only watch AEW so: 1. Bryan Danielson, GOAT 2. Kenny Omega 3. Hangman Adam Page 4. PAC 5. K-Stat 6. Dante Martin 7. Jungle Boy 8. Eddie Kingston 9. STING 10. Thunder Rosa HM: HOOK, can't wait to see what he does this year. Barreft fucked around with this message at 00:22 on Jan 11, 2022 |
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Jan 11, 2022 00:15
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1. Tomohiro Ishii - Is beef, is good 2. YOUR ANIKI AND MINE, RYO MIZUNAMI - Also beef, is good 3. Eddie Kingson - Angry at god AND people who don't take mental health seriously, is good 4. Brandon Cutler, counts as an active wrestler I think, is also dragon, is good 5. Kris Statlander - Is alien, is strong, is good 6. WALTER - Threatened to chop me into the future if I didn't put him on this list, is good 7. Adam Page - Just a sad and good boy, is sad, is good 8. Malakai Black - Does good kicks, is good 9. Yuka Sakazaki - AYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYA, is AYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYA 10. Miyu Yamashita - Also does good kicks, is good
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Jan 11, 2022 00:21
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1. Eddie Kingston- Realest guy in wrestling. Best talker around. Finally starting to get what he's earned. 2. Pentagon- Badass skeleton ninja. Coolest guy in wrestling. Powered up by brotherly love. 3. Bryan Danielson- Had a better 3-4 months in AEW than most wrestlers have in a year. An undeniable talent. 4. Hangman Adam Page- Star of the most relatable and satisfying angle in ages. Throws big lariats. Thought he stunk in Bullet Club, but now he rules. 5. Adam Cole- Great talent, great gimmick, important defection in the new wrestling wars. 6. Nyla Rose- Does cool moves, looks like a badass. Pretty good at posting. 7. Fenix- Indestructible. Not as cool as his brother, but none are. 8. Chuck Taylor- Hasn't done too much this year, but he's my favorite wrestler so I must acknowledge him. 9. Daniel Garcia- My favorite new guy. Nasty little gremlin, one of my favorite types of wrestlers. 10. Ricky Starks- Cool as hell. Cool theme. Cool spear. I hope he gets up in the mix more this year. Many many HMs, Stat, OC, PAC, Black, Martin, Rosa, Shida, Butcher, Uno, Hook, Omega, Mox, so many just in AEW Beef Jerky Robot fucked around with this message at 00:28 on Jan 11, 2022 |
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Jan 11, 2022 00:26
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I can already tell I'm putting way too much effort into my list 
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Jan 11, 2022 00:28
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I like watching all of these people the most: 1. ASUKA / VENY (Freelance) 2. Katsuhiko Nakajima (NOAH) 3. Miyu Yamashita (TJPW) 4. Deonna Purrazzo (Impact) 5. Malakai Black (AEW) 6. Josh Alexander (Impact) 7. Hikari Noa (TJPW) 8. Takeshi Sugiura (NOAH) 9. Riho (AEW) 10. Chihiro Hashimoto (Sendai Girls)
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Jan 11, 2022 00:31
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Dimebags Brain posted:1. Shun Skywalker (25, Dragon Gate)
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Jan 11, 2022 00:36
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1. Eddie Kingston (AEW, 40) 2. Hangman Adam Page (AEW, 30) 3. Jamie Hayter (AEW, 26) 4. Hikaru Shida (AEW, 32) 5. Malaki Black (AEW, 36) 6. CM Punk (AEW, 43) 7. Serena Deeb (AEW, 35) 8. Bryan Danielson (AEW, 40) 9. Adam Cole (AEW, 32) 10. Ricky Starks (??, AEW)
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Jan 11, 2022 01:36
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10) The Acclaimed, top of the Chain (Specifically Anthony Bowens for this list's purposes). (31, AEW) While Caster is someone who I see a lot of potential in, Anthony Bowens is going to be a mega star, and I will be on the edge of my seat waiting for that to happen. 9) Chie Koishikawa (ChocoPro, 23)  Alt imageMVChie is the highlight of ChocoPro every time she wrestles. She's at the very start of her career, but she's already a very promising talent, and if she keeps up with it, I could see her hitting much higher on this list in a few years. 8) Hyper Misao (TJPW, She's announced she's no longer going to use her true age, so I can only assume she's 19)  My #1 wrestler of the year last year has dropped, due not to anything she did, but because I got more into TJPW this year, and thus got to see more of all of them. Hyper Misao is Professional Wrestling's very own Wile E. Coyote. She's great, and probably one of my favorite Comedy Wrestlers. The reason she's not higher is that she ended the year the same as she started it. 7) Lulupencil (ChocoPro, can't find her age)  The Lulupencil vs Chris Brookes feud was the wrestling feud of the year. The past few years, really, and Lulupencil was the heart and soul of that feud. While she is still not good at wrestling, she, in her heart, truly understands the industry, and I call her one of my favorite wrestlers with zero irony in my heart. 6) Yuki Arai (TJPW, 23)  I genuinely am shocked that I'm placing her this high, but she's been improving at an alarming rate, to the point where I'm still having trouble believing she's only been at this for eight months, as a HOBBY! She's a full time idol! If she continues improving at the rate she got the basics down, I wholeheartedly believe that she could be a star. 5) Maki Itoh (TJPW, 26)  While Maki spent her free time during the pandemic in 2020 getting good at wrestling, she didn't stop her improvement after TJPW started doing shows again. She's one of the top names in TJPW now, and deservedly so. While I have 4 wrestlers I like more than her, Maki Itoh has been a standout this year. 4) Mei Suruga (ChocoPro, 22) https://twitter.com/Mei_gtmv/status/1476408369011638272 Mei Suruga has spent 2021 expanding her horizons, and has been shining in every role she has played, be it in AEW as Emi's flunky, or as the tag champ with her best bro, Akki. Mei continues my trend of being a big fan of wrestlers with all the potential in the world (the first event she saw was Dominion 2017!), and I'm excited to see the heights she can reach. 3) Chris Brookes (DDT, ChocoPro, 30)  Chris Brookes is on here for two reasons, and the combination of both are why he's so high. In addition to being an excellent wrestler, Chris Brookes is integral to the western expansion of Wrestle Universe, from running english language self-produced shows, to getting his friend Akki a job commentating the bigger shows in TJPW. Chris Brookes is one of my favorites. 2) ]Miyu Yamashita (TJPW, 26)  The coolest professional wrestler in the world. The top wrestler in my favorite wrestling company. If not for a technicality, she would be my #1 this year, and barring that exact same technicality, she will be #1 next year too. 1) Kagetsu (29)  To quote the person running this list: Jerusalem posted:There is a kind of quiet relief to be taken from knowing that it doesn't matter how hard I might try or work at it or try to finesse things.... I will never, ever, EVER be as effortlessly loving cool as Kagetsu. Kagetsu is my favorite wrestler. Period. Any time she is eligible for this list, she is going to be my number one. She came out of retirement for the Mata Ne Hana Kimura memorial event, and hasn't missed a step, wrestling two back to back PSP-approved MOTYCs. Back when I first got into non-WWE wrestling, Kagetsu was the person who caught my eye and her title reign in STARDOM was a large part of why I started watching STARDOM, until I stopped watching when she retired. Much like Foochs would vote Mox during his worst professional year, I'd vote Kagetsu if her two matches this year were voted WMOTY. 0) Hailey Carmichael (RRW, 21)  Hailey Carmichael was unfairly retired by the company going bottom up. Sure, her father's loss of his company, and subsequently his private fight island left the company without a place to wrestle, but how is this HAILEY's problem? Hailey was supposed to win the RRW title this year, not lose everything! this is a joke nomination don't count it
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Jan 11, 2022 01:55
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1. Kenny Omega 2. The young bucks 4. Finn Balor 5. Hangman 6. Chuck Taylor 7. Shingo 8. Naito 9.. el generico 10. Big kev owens
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Jan 11, 2022 03:09
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Best? Favorite? Favorite. 10. Daniel Garcia — the future 9. Ishii — the thing is his matches are all pretty similar but never dull, how does he do that? 8. Shingo Takagi — consistently excellent and probably the best in the world in 2022 7. Okada — consistently excellent and probably the best in the world in 2022 6. Hiromu Takahashi — crown prince of NJPW 5. Eddie Kingston — great talker, great brawler, rips out my heart on the regular 4. Thunder Rosa — brutal and great 3. Rey Fenix — the flippy guy who transcends flippy 2. Bryan Danielson — I have liked him for a very long time 1. Zack Sabre Jr. — took a leap this summer by bulking up, lost it when he went back to being face in peril in tags, still the best Second ten is El Desperado, Penta, Serena Deeb, Orange Cassidy, Nick Wayne, Taichi, Naito, Malakai Black, Allie Katch, and Minoru Suzuki.
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Jan 11, 2022 06:56
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sticklefifer posted:
He’s so good. He’d probably be on my 11-20 list if I’d seen more of his matches.
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Jan 11, 2022 07:02
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Having a blast reading all these lists, thanks everybody who has taken part so far, especially those of you taking the time to write up a little bit more about why you chose who you did:Rarity posted:I can already tell I'm putting way too much effort into my list Nonsense! Impossible! Anyway, some stats from the first day of rankings:
Thanks again for all the great lists so far!  Edit: Updated to include Thanlis' list Jerusalem fucked around with this message at 07:18 on Jan 11, 2022 |
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Jan 11, 2022 07:10
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Oh I've got the oldest and youngest wrestlers on my list haha
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Jan 11, 2022 07:15
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Jerusalem posted:[*] Do NOT denigrate the choices of anybody else, these lists are subjective and will provide a generalized consensus but not a definitive one.  Thankfully noone has felt the need to push this particular button yet
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Jan 11, 2022 07:17
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Every time somebody goes to write a defense of Dieno, your avatar swims into place in front of their eyes.
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Jan 11, 2022 07:19
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10. Rich Swann (Impact Wrestling, 30) Despite his slide down the card, Swann is still a fun guy to watch wrestle. Dude can sell like no other. 9. Jordynne Grace (Impact Wrestling, 25) A fellow Austinite! There needs to be more beef in women's wrestling, and Grace works to that strength. 8. Karl Anderson (Impact Wrestling, 41) The better half of the Good Brothers, mainly on the skill of his work in singles matches. 7. Ace Austin (Impact Wrestling, 24) He's a future world champion, in my estimation. Maybe not in 2022, but soon enough. 6. Moose (Impact Wrestling, 37) I remember telling people in the NJPW thread that Moose was a good wrestler, but nobody believed me. A great Mean Guy. 5. Kenny Omega (AEW, 38) Blah blah blah. 4. Chris Bey (Impact Wrestling, 25) The total package in terms of wrestling ability and charisma. Could use a title belt around his waist, but so could a lot of guys. 3. Chris Sabin (Impact Wrestling, 39) I went back-and-forth between Bey and Sabin, and then I saw Sabin's match with Jonathan Gresham. The fact that he can still put on a match of that quality put him in my 3 spot. 2. Deonna Purrazzo (Impact Wrestling, 27) I had Purrazzo as my favorite last year, and the only reason she moved down is because of what #1 managed to do. She's still, in my mind, the best American female pro wrestler today. 1. Josh Alexander (Impact Wrestling, 34) At this time last year, Alexander was a good wrestler in my eyes. By virtue of putting on excellent match after excellent match in 2021, he's become my favorite, overtaking Purrazzo.
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Jan 11, 2022 08:08
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I really liked Zack Sabre Jr. when he was in that WWE tournament years ago, and I always wanted to see more of his stuff, I need to look up some of his matches.
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Jan 11, 2022 09:09
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Oasx posted:I really liked Zack Sabre Jr. when he was in that WWE tournament years ago, and I always wanted to see more of his stuff, I need to look up some of his matches. I'd recommend his most recent G1, especially the Naito, Shingo and O-Khan matches
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Jan 11, 2022 09:17
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If you don't mind going back a bit as well, ZSJ had a fantastic run back around 2018 where he was submitting everybody and it culminated in a feud with Okada where he had almost everybody convinced that if he could just get a submission hold on Okada he could win the title from him. Okada pulling out old Lucha submissions he learned while on excursion in Mexico because he knew ZSJ wasn't as familiar with those was such a beautiful touch.
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Jan 11, 2022 09:24
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Hi I wrote way too much, I’m sorry Wrestling in Review: 2021 If there’s one thing you can say about wrestling in 2021 it’s that it’s real drat good. There’s more options for your viewing pleasure than ever before meaning you can easily follow even the obscurest of indie promotions not to mention being able to leap abroad for a wide variety of puro, lucha and joshi. While I have no interest in the industry leader WWE I still have hope that Finn Balor, Sami Zayn, Asuka and Bianca Belair will find their way to freedom at some point. NXT 2.0 has been a catastrophic failure but I do have a soft spot for Tony D’Angelo, fugeddabboutit! Meanwhile Ilja Dragunov is so cool that I would actually consider watching NXT UK if it really existed. This was the year where my interest in New Japan waned in the face of too many repetitive Korukuen shows, a ton of general unimaginative booking, the clap crowds and every single bit of House of Torture bullshit. It was a delight though to catch Minoru Suzuki in his few AEW appearances and I still consider myself a Suzuki-gun homer. Taichi and Zack Sabre Jr. deserve so much more than they get, El Desperado is being treated well but it sucks it’s all during COVID times and DOUKI has come on leaps and bounds in the last couple of years. Elsewhere I have to acknowledge that Shingo Takagi has been exceptional every time I’ve seen him this year and Hiroshi Tanahashi has proved he’s still got a lot in the tank. And of course the return of Katsuyori Shibata has been the one bright star in a very murky year for New Japan. With a gap in my schedule I’ve been able to start checking out TJPW thanks to the allure of Maki Itoh. While I was originally just there for her I’ve really come to know and love the roster. In particular the coolest woman on the planet Miyu Yamashita, the oh so elegant and sophisticated Sakisama, the 110% energy L-O-V-E super strong Miu Watanabe and my chosen rookie Yuki Arai who takes beatings like an absolute champ. Moving away from specific promotions I’m always happy when I check out a VENY match and I am counting the days until Keith Lee and Athena’s no-compete clauses run out. So that was wrestling in 2021. It’s real good! And apart from the promotions I have been watching I would love to check out some of DDT, Dragon Gate, NOAH, GLEAT, STARDOM, FMW-E, AAA, GCW, Beyond and so much more but I just don’t have the time. My wrestling availability is limited so I mostly just watch AEW. This is where I will be using to source all my picks. Also I’m doing a top 20 cause there’s too many awesome people for me to not write about them. ======== 2020 Top 10 for reference 10. PAC 9. El Desperado 8. Riho 7. Sammy Guevara 6. Eddie Kingston 5. Minoru Suzuki 4. Hangman Page 3. Zack Sabre Jr. 2. Taichi 1. SANADA ========  “The argument is what makes us who we are.” 20. CODY RHODES All of us are out here watching wrestling in 2022 while Cody’s living it in 3022. While the rest of us are preoccupied with such base concepts as faces, heels and the mythological tweener, Cody has divested himself of all mortal desires and transcended to a new state of being. Cody is not a face. Cody is not a heel. Cody’s not even a tweener, he is merely Cody Rhodes. Whether it’s cladding himself in the colours of America, big leaguing young talent as he puts them over or stealing the spotlight from your beloved heroes (on Christmas loving Day!) he always gets the reaction he wants from you without you even realising he wants it. He’s a magician who’s every move is layered behind three deft sleights of hand. One day he will hit the Pedigree and we will blow the roof off. Best Matches: vs. Malakai Black, 04/08 vs. Andrade el Idolo, 01/12 vs. Sammy Guevara, 22/12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itv6QmajDHA ========  19. HOOK ”Send HOOK!” We were not prepared. Even after a year of anticipation we were still not prepared for the arrival of HOOK. Always HOOK, by the way, never Hook. It’s kinda like SANADA – but I digress. Even after a year of scowling in the background of Team Taz segments and occasionally throwing the odd suplex on Dark we still could never have anticipated that this dude would blow up as huge as he did. Sure, we all knew after waiting so long to see him do something that it would have to be good but we didn’t realise it would be that good. Then HOOK walked out for his debut to the beats of Action Johnson, abs cut like he was made out of glass, not having a single poo poo to give the world and he was instantly a megastar. I’ve not even mentioned the hair yet – oh god the hair! HOOK is so over that even his match announcements get bigger pops than most wrestlers. Bold prediction time: in 2022’s poll HOOK is going to be in the overall top 10. I know for a fact he’s got a great shot at being in mine. Best Matches: vs. Fuego Del Sol, 08/12 vs. Bear Bronson, 22/12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw7IIX66sgU ========  18. DANTE MARTIN “He is perpetual motion personified!” When Darius Martin tore his MCL to shreds at the start of the year it seemed like his brother Dante would have a quiet 2021 punching his timesheet in Dark squashes. Top Flight had only shown in AEW a few months prior and at 19 years old Dante was still very much one for the future. And for a few months that was exactly how things played out. Then something quite unexpected happened. Dante got himself over. An electric Dark match with Matt Sydal got enough buzz to earn a do-over on television which went down well enough to forge a long-term association between the two. Not long after Dante was sharing ringtime with the likes of Kenny Omega, FTR and Malakai Black, all the while building a reputation as a prodigy. With flips that defy gravity and hops so big it seems he’s hacked the laws of physics Dante has proven that he’s not just one for the future, he’s one for the now. And he’s got a brother who might well be just as good! Best Matches: vs. Matt Sydal, 04/06 w/ The Sydals vs. The Elite, 11/08 vs. Malakai Black, 16/10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0N61QVJPgI ========  17. MAX CASTER “I’m a star, you can see me on the big screen” Man, I know that Platinum Max is an acquired taste but goddam if that poo poo don’t go down like salted caramel ice cream to me. And I do mean salted, considering how het up a lot of otherwise rational people get about Max. Now I’m not going to defend that one real awful rap and neither I’m going to pretend Max doesn’t love to find the line and dance all over it while licking it sensuously because he definitely does. What it comes down to for me is of how much of Platinum Max the AEW star is kayfabed and how much of it is him being a legit douchebag and well, everything I’ve seen of him away from the ring has been really positive. He’s been very frank about his mental health struggles, he’s supported the Abolish ICE movement, he’s repped Tegan and Sara and been a queer ally. Everything I’ve seen makes me believe he’s a good dude who’s great at playing the kind of douchebag he himself hates. Maybe time will prove me wrong on that. Until then I’m gonna keep respecting his ability to command a crowd and undeniable star quality. Best Matches: Face of the Revolution Ladder Match, 07/03 vs. Hangman Page, 07/04 w/ Anthony Bowens vs. Lio Rush/Dante Martin, 17/11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFrB9hw8lW4 ========  16. RICKY STARKS “Where I’m from the ‘W’ stands for wife” Between being sidelined for months from a nasty neck injury and getting stuck in the ‘interminably long feud with Brian Cage’ zone Ricky’s kind of gone under the radar in 2021. When Ricky has been given the chance to take the spotlight he’s always shined but those moments have been all to rare this year. Even so he’s still blessed with an inordinate level of charisma that is pretty much unparalleled while also finding time to be the Best Dressed Man in AEW and also being a welcome presence on the Rampage announce booth. Luckily he’s finished the year strong with an interesting feud with Dante while benefiting from the increased interest in Team Taz with HOOK’s debut meaning the FTW champion should be building his profile well in the months ahead. Best Matches: w/ Brian Cage vs. Darby Allin/Sting, 07/03 vs. Hangman Page, 21/04 vs. Brian Cage, 14/07 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnqPenndsa8 =========  15. CHRISTIAN CAGE “Out. Work. Everyone.” I’m just gonna stake my colours to the mast here, I’ve always been a Peep. Even when WWE tried to sell the myth that Edge was the superior ‘brother’, the real wrestling connoisseurs always knew that the Creepy Little Bastard’s exemplary character work and grounded psychology said otherwise. For twenty years Christian has been battling the narrative that he’s not a star, a story laid down by a man who couldn’t look past the blue dot in front of his face. In 2021 he finally proved it for the lie that it was. Sure, many were doubtful and underwhelmed when he was revealed as AEW’s big mystery signing at Revolution but right from the bat he proved that seven years away from the ring meant jack and poo poo as he immediately start putting on matches that belied his 47 years. Since then he’s been involved in headline feuds and paid tribute to the past while setting up AEW’s future. He may be taking a back seat to Jungle Boy just for the moment but it’s safe to say there’s still life in the old dog yet. Key Matches: vs. Frankie Kazarian, 25/03 vs. Kenny Omega, 13/08 w/ Jurassic Express vs. The SuperKliq, 13/11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnHJ2SXCvqc ========  14. CM PUNK “I’m back for you and hell, I’m back for me too.” If you call yourself a wrestling fan then I challenge you to go back to the opening moments of Rampage the First Dance and not get misty eyed. There’s no need to rehash the story here, the important thing is that Punk is back on our TV screens and back in front of adoring fans every single week. And maybe the lovefests have worn a little weary as the year drew on but Punk artfully drew on that and has slowly been tweaking his character since he reverts to the cynical, antisocial butthole we all remember. His feud with Eddie Kingston was a particular highlight featuring as much reality in a story as wrestling will ever allow. But even if all Punk did in 2021 was that first return promo I’d still find a space for him in my top 20. Be honest, when was the last time you felt so much buzz around a pro-wrestling event? When was the last time you experienced such catharsis as when you watched Punk stare out at the Chicago faithful as the years of toil and bullshit washed away? I saw CM Punk fall back in love with pro wrestling, and in the process I fell back in love with wrestling too. Key Matches: vs. Darby Allin, 05/09 vs. Daniel Garcia, 06/10 vs. Eddie Kingston, 13/11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4v7RUBF8CQ ========  13. BRYAN DANIELSON “I’m gonna kick their loving heads in” I would love nothing more than to put Bryan into my top 10 this year, I really would. Unfortunately there are two big factors standing against him. Firstly I started working out my ranking for this year at some time in the summer so by the time he showed up in AEW I’d already got attached to a bunch of the names in my top 10. The other issue that for the last couple of months he has been heeling it up. And don’t get me wrong, he’s done a fantastic job as the big time name with no respect for the young champ but he’s been so mean when all I want to do is cheer him and I’ve been sad that I can’t. Those two barriers aside, there is no denying that Bryan’s AEW run to date has been loving phenomenal. Almost every single week he has gone out and put on the kind of match that you would see once in a decade in WWE. Now that the leash has been cast off he has been allowed to be the dominating technical master he always should have been, a sheer force of nature. With the Hangman feud fully in the rearview mirror I have no idea what he’s going to be next but whatever it is I know it’s going to be awesome. Key Matches: vs. Kenny Omega, 22/09 vs. Minoru Suzuki, 15/10 vs. Hangman Page, 15/12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnXJzHQgmQA ========  12. MIRO “I forgive you.” While some complained when Miro arrived in AEW only to spend six months pissing about playing video games with Kip Sabien, attentive viewers could already tell it was only a matter of time until the wheels came off the train. For all he tried to hide it underneath the Gucci fits and Twitch streams it was clear that this was a man coming apart at the seams, ready to explode with a hairpin trigger. When things fell apart at Arcade Anarchy and his friendship with Kip was ended in brutal fashion Miro’s transformation into a raging psycho was far from unexpected. However what was unexpected was his sudden devotion to the God that gave him strength and the hot wife that gave him pleasure. The Redeemer is one of the most fascinating gimmicks in my memory, equal parts charismatic and horrifying, and playing that role has allowed Miro to unlock new levels both on the mic and in the ring. This is the same Miro that WWE believed could never be more than a Jobber to the Stars. His TNT title run proved how wrong they were. It breaks my heart that I can’t find space for him in my top 10, not least because I fear in retaliation he will hunt me down and break my spine. Key Matches: w/ Kip Sabien vs. Chuck Taylor/Orange Cassidy, 25/03 vs. Darby Allin, 12/05 vs. Eddie Kingston, 05/09 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZMlq_MdmR0 ========  11. LIO RUSH “I’m a businessman, so let’s talk business” For months it seemed like Lio’s time in AEW would amount to no more than confirmation of the men’s Casino Battle Royale Joker curse. While his debut was a nice surprise he received no more than a warm welcome from the crowd and an injury swiftly put paid to any hopes of further appearances as he announced his retirement from the industry. Except it can be harder to make that break than you expect and later in the year Lio returned to AEW. Branding himself the Man of the Hour he was a big-talking, big-earning, big-spending businessman who quickly developed an unsavoury interest in child prodigy Dante Martin. Then something happened that derailed everyone’s plans. What is it, you ask? What happened is that Lio Rush is loving awesome. In the course of one match Lio proved to have electric chemistry with Dante, quickly winning the crowd over and forcing a complete shift in gears as he was turned face. Seriously, the dude is so good he gave us no choice but to cheer him. His storyline with Dante and Team Taz is now one of the most interesting things in AEW and with Darius Martin close to a return the dynamics are only going to get more intriguing. But as good as all that is it’s still not quite worth such a high position in my list. What gets Lio bumped up a few extra spots is who he is away from the ring. He’s a hard worker who’s succeeding in multiple industries, he’s an advocate for racial activism and labour rights, he’s outspoken on mental health issues and he is not afraid to call out bullshit wherever he sees it, no matter what reprisal may come his way. He’s not just a great wrestler but a great man. 2022 looks like it’s going to be his breakout year and I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more. Key Matches: Casino Battle Royal, 30/05 w/ Dante Martin vs. Lee Moriarty/Matt Sydal, 10/11 w/ Dante Martin vs. The Acclaimed, 17/11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJilX5fANOw
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Jan 11, 2022 23:00
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Ok J-Ru here’s where the actual points start ========  10. SERENA DEEB “Do you think there’s any woman on this roster on my level?” A lot of people were unimpressed when Serena was first booked on Dynamite. Without even having a deal on Dynamite she was brought in to give Thunder Rosa some shine on her own debut. The naysayers claimed that giving TV time to two women unaffiliated with the company was a waste. I wonder what those naysayers are saying now because a year and change on Serena has proven herself to be a vital part of AEW. However it’s not always been this way for Serena, who’s spent the majority of her career away from the cameras as a trainer for WWE. Sadly (or happily) she was cut as part of the big pandemic clearout and parleyed her one appearance on Dynamite into a contract and for the first few months Serena was the best kept secret in AEW. In 2021 people started paying attention because in truth, it’s ridiculous that WWE could have ever kept her hidden away. It only takes a few minutes of watching Serena for one thing to become readily apparent. She is a technical marvel. Not just by whatever standards you choose to diminish women’s wrestling by but against all qualifiers. Whether it’s Zack Sabre Jr., Bryan Danielson, Bret Hart or Dean Malenko who’s nickname she has been blessed with Serena is every bit their equal. After years of helping others step into the spotlight she has finally been granted the opportunity to take it herself and with a future AEW title run surely in her future she’s only going up from here. Key Matches: vs. Red Velvet, 13/05 vs. Riho, 30/05 vs. Hikaru Shida, 27/10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtEkaGA2vtc ========  9. ANDRADE EL IDOLO “Name your price for this little kid” One of the best pieces of wrestling news in 2021 came the day that it was revealed WWE had granted Andrade his release. When I came back to wrestling in 2017 and discovered NXT it didn’t take long for Andrade to become one of my absolute faves, helped in large part by an unexpected NXT title win and an amazing title defence against Johnny Gargano. WWE’s failure to capitalise on a genuine Latinx megastar was one of the main reasons I stopped caring about the company and for the last couple of years I’ve been waiting for the day they’d let him walk free. When that day arrived I knew I’d follow Andrade wherever he went. Luckily he came where I already was. And sure, his debut in AEW was a little lacklustre but I never lost my faith and it didn’t take long for that faith to be rewarded. Now that he’s tweaked out the wrinkles in his gimmick and settled into a rhythm he’s become one of AEW’s most reliable performers, delivering bangers every single time he steps in the ring. In a promotion full of stars he still stands out as one of their best. Plus, that theme song is a loving beat. Key Matches: vs. Kenny Omega, 14/08 vs. PAC, 16/10 vs. Cody Rhodes, 01/12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVXfofCZ2jI ========  8. MALAKAI BLACK “The House always wins” Welcome to the other half of my ‘2017 NXT was really loving cool’ post. When I first started watching there was one immediate standout and his name was Key Matches: vs. Cody Rhodes, 04/08 vs. Dante Martin, 16/10 vs. Buddy Matthews, 27/11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a1pNdkcNcc ========  7. PAC “Come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough” I swear, every time I try to convince myself that PAC isn’t one of my faves he shows up on Dynamite for a couple of weeks, reminds me that he’s loving awesome and then fucks off again. Every time I think that somebody else might deserve this spot more I picture a snarling angry goblin and realise that no, nobody does. gently caress, if COVID could lift enough for him to be around every week he’d be a lock for my top 5. He’s arguably the best British wrestler around today and when the other names in the conversation are Zack Sabre Jr. and Billy Bad Tweets it’s saying a lot that he still might come out on top. Every single bit of offence is delivered with such snap and intensity, every single promo is laced with such venom and hatred for whichever wanker had the temerity to piss him off by committing the crime of existing in his presence. Not just an amazing singles wrestler along with Penta and Fenix he acts as one third of Death Triangle, pound for pound the best faction in wrestling history. Now that the holiday season is over we will hopefully be seeing PAC on our screens once more as he wreaks bloody vengeance on everyone who has wronged him and starts the journey that by all rights should lead him to the AEW title. Key Matches: w/ Rey Fenix vs. The Young Bucks, 08/04 vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Kenny Omega, 30/05 vs. Andrade el Idolo, 16/10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uihws-b1hBY ========  6. SAMMY GUEVARA “So gimme the views” In my list last year I talked about feeling a certain level of uncertainty in my love for Sammy, understandably so in light of his comments about Sasha Banks. Fortunately in 2021 Sammy focused on doing the work in the ring and was rewarded with a legitimate breakout year. While he still occasionally finds himself mired in Inner Circle bullshit he’s also been given a number of big highlights including his initial break from the faction, his star performance at Stadium Stampede and his year-closing TNT title run. While there are those in AEW with flippier flips or higher heights no one can match Sammy for the reckless abandon with which he hurls his body through the air which somehow has not yet bit him on the rear end. And hopefully it stays that way because as one of the Four Pillars of AEW he’s going to be a major feature in the company for years to come. Last year I has trepidation but this time round I’m very happy to say that Sammy is one of my top 10 favourite wrestlers for the year. Key Matches: vs. MJF, 30/06 vs. Miro, 29/09 vs. Jay Lethal, 17/11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMVLWdEYKYU ========  5. REY FENIX “LUCHA BROS! MEXI KINGS! ZERO MIEDO, MEET US IN THE RING!” What the gently caress was that?! How is that even possible?! Human bodies don’t work that way! These are just a few of the things you’ll find me yelling during the average Rey Fenix match. And I do mean average because it seems no matter what he’s doing or who he’s facing Fenix will still find a way to show off some cool move you’ve never seen before. He’s a constant innovator who’s always finding new ways to jump off ropes and flip off turnbuckles and as a one-time kid who’s first real taste in wrestling was Rey Mysterio working undercard matches for WCW in 1999 he is exactly my type of poo poo. I’ve also got to give a special shoutout to his bones of rubber which allow him to walk away from the kind of injuries that would leave other wrestlers sidelined for a year. Now that the Lucha Bros have had their tag team reign it’s going to be interesting to see the direction Fenix takes once he’s back from his latest absence. Whether it’s tags, singles or even the much mythologised trios competition he’s sure to be one of the most electric performers on the show. Key Matches: vs. Kenny Omega, 06/01 w/ Penta el Zero Miedo vs. Jurassic Express, 25/08 w/ Penta el Zero Miedo vs. The Young Bucks, 05/09 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coMRDLZFpjk ========  4. TAY CONTI “No rear end britch!” When occasional NXT jobber Taynara Conti was caught up in the big pandemic releases of 2020 no one raised a second thought. Not when the likes of Kurt Angle, Rusev and the Good Brothers had also been let go. But a year moved on and Tay has proven herself to be one of the most important losses of the batch. Everyone will have jumped on board the Tay train at a different time but for me it was earlier than most. When she was announced as an entrant in AEW Women’s Tag Team Cup I saw her cut a promo on her Instagram and I was immediately struck that she had so much more personality than WWE had ever let her show and she’s been one of my picks ever since. I was touched by the budding genuine friendship she built with Anna Jay over the course of the tournament, I was moved when she walked out in tears to face Nyla Rose on Dynamite mere hours after signing her contract, I was delighted watching her crush jobbers on Dark, I was excited as she started to put her game together in high profile title shots and I was astounded as she closed out the year with that brutal street fight. At this point the evidence is clear, WWE had no idea what to do with a legitimate martial artist who’s biggest touchpoints for wrestling are Minoru Suzuki and Katsuyori Shibata. With the space to discover herself Tay has developed into a stiff striker and grappler who is incredibly wholesome right up until the point the bell rings and she kicks your face off. She may not be the best female wrestler in AEW but she is my favourite and she’s going to be the best. And I’ll have been there every single step of the way. Key Matches: vs. Hikaru Shida, 21/04 vs. Britt Baker, 13/11 w/ Anna Jay vs. The Bunny/Penelope Ford, 31/12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RaUCiik0IE ========  3. HANGMAN PAGE “We’re proud of you.” What is there left to say about Hangman Page at this point? More words have been written about the Hanger’s journey over the last couple of years than anything else in wrestling, many of those words by actual sports journalists! There’s very little left to say at this point. All I can really add is that the bravery and vulnerability that Adam Page has shown to portray his own demons on screen is commendable. In an industry where the lines between character and performer are incredibly blurred he has put himself out in front of the world for all to judge. With his frank experiences around anxiety and self-loathing there’s no man in wrestling I can relate to more. His final victory to claim the AEW title was the purest moment of catharsis I’ve experienced in wrestling since WM30 all crystallised in the instant he threw an offered beer aside in favour of embracing his friends. Since then he’s proven he’s got more than one story in him with a pair of classics against Bryan Danielson and with those now behind him I can’t wait to see who gets brought to him next. Key Matches: Casino Ladder Match, 06/10 vs. Kenny Omega, 13/11 vs. Bryan Danielson, 15/12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM0ilkux9_M So Hangman is the most relatable man in wrestling but he’s still not my #1. That’s because there is one man out there who can beat him... ========  2. EDDIE KINGSTON “That whole locker room’s afraid to say it, not me” I can’t believe I managed to go through twenty years of Eddie Kingston’s career without so much as taking a passing interest. From the moment he walked out for the TNT open challenge with a live mic he won my heart and ever since my love has only been intensifying. Hell, I think it would take a heart of stone not to be moved by Eddie’s story. Here is someone who has worked and grinded for every single inch of his victories and has plucked success from the jaws of failure. But it’s all that hustle over the years that is paying off now as over the course of those twenty years on the indies Eddie laid down roots and built bonds with so many that he is firmly rooted in the foundations of pro wrestling. It’s impossible to imagine AEW without Eddie Kingston because it’s impossible to imagine pro wrestling without Eddie Kingston. In a mere few months Eddie transformed himself into the heart and soul of AEW becoming the kind of locker room leader both on and off screen that he would hate to ever admit he was. But that’s the true joy in Eddie’s story because as much as he wants to believe himself a loner who doesn’t need anyone’s help the truth is that he is loved and respected by thousands who would follow him into war if he asked them to. And I’d be right there with them. Key Matches: w/ Jon Moxley vs. The Young Bucks, 30/05 vs. Bryan Danielson, 27/10 vs. CM Punk, 13/11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRtv1efE2Gs But hang on, if Hangman is the most relatable man in wrestling and there’s only one man who can beat him and that’s Eddie Kingston then who the gently caress is my #1? ========  1. MAKI ITOH “Who’s the cutest in the world? Itoh-chan!” gently caress you, I lied. Look, I’m just going to keep this simple. There is something about someone who is so insecure in their own worth that they need constant reassurance about how much everyone loves them even though they fail over and over and over and over again that speaks to me as a person. I love and support Maki Itoh no matter what because if she makes it then maybe one day that means I can make it too. Also she’s legit really loving good now. Key Matches: vs. Mizuki, 14/08 vs. Shoko Nakajima, 15/08 vs. Miyu Yamashita, 09/10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F6gu4z2jB0 ======== I did a top 20 and I still didn’t find room for Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, Jungle Boy or Adam Cole! There are too many good wrestlers!
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Jan 11, 2022 23:00
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1. Hangman Adam Page - this current arc is maybe my favorite in wrestling history 2. Sami Zayn - i'm Syrian too 3. Rey Fenix - haven't felt this way about a guy's ringwork since Rey Mysterio as a kid 4. Nick Jackson - tied with Fenix for greatest lil brother in history 5. Kenny Omega - king of gamers, have to respect that 6. John Silver - best sketch actor since prime Farley/Charlie Murphy 7. Bryan Danielson - probably the GOAT. I joined the swarm and never looked back 8. Rey Mysterio - see number 3 9. Britt Baker - 412 10. Shelton Benjamin - he was my favorite wrestler when i was 13. I owe him a vote
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Jan 11, 2022 23:13
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Magnificent write-up, Rarity, goddamn. Loved the gifs and the quotes, especially Andrade's 
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Jan 11, 2022 23:29
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rarity those two posts are super good and i really enjoyed reading them! thank you!
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Jan 11, 2022 23:48
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1) Bryan Danielson (AEW, 40) 2&3) Best Bros - Baliyan Akki and Mei Suruga (ChocoPro, 26 and 22 respectively) 4) Lulupencil (ChocoPro, age unknown) 5)Eddie Kingston (AEW, 40) 6) Rey Fenix (AEW, 31) 7) Kenny Omega (AEW, 38) 8) VENY (Freelance, 23) 9) Yunamon (Yuna Mizumori) (ChocoPro, 32) 10) Darby Allin (AEW, 29) Honorable Mentions: Hangman Page Kirihara Tokiko Chris Brookes Thunder Rosa MJF Shinno Hagane I watched exactly 0 minutes of NJPW this year, or else guys like shingo, ishii, ZSJ and Okada would for sure be on the list. I’m sure they’re still awesome, but I need the space for the wrestlers I’ve actually watched. E: gently caress, forgot one! Hope this edit isn’t too late Double edit: added promotions and ages Insertnamehere31 fucked around with this message at 00:09 on Jan 12, 2022 |
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Jan 11, 2022 23:50
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1. Trent Beretta (34 - AEW) 2. PAC (35 - AEW) 3. Shingo Takagi (39 - NJPW) 4. Bryan Danielson (40 - AEW) 5. Eddie Kingston (40 - AEW) 6. Kazuchika Okada (34 - NJPW) 7. Rey Fenix (31 - AEW) 8. Mio Momono (23 - Pro Wrestling Wave, Sendai Girls, Ice Ribbon) 9. Ricky Starks (31 - AEW) 10. Jamie Hayter (26 - AEW) danny garcia next year probably. lots of wrestlers who don't get enough character work or show up in my drat life to have a chance of usurping ppl on the list. shibata misses the list because of only having a grappling match in 2021 and i don't wanna add if/then stuff. don't care Cavauro fucked around with this message at 23:57 on Jan 11, 2022 |
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Jan 11, 2022 23:54
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Jerusalem posted:Magnificent write-up, Rarity, goddamn. Loved the gifs and the quotes, especially Andrade's Listing is serious business 
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Jan 11, 2022 23:57
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I feel like I failed as a writer of lists of favorite wrestlers now.
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Jan 12, 2022 00:06
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i didn't look at anyone else's list and no one looked at mine or yours, IGgy IGsen. that's why you did the right thing. if somebody tries to lie and say otherwise just think about it for a second. they're actively attempting to bring you down. make you feel bad. why? do you trust that kind of person?
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Jan 12, 2022 00:18
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Cavauro posted:i didn't look at anyone else's list and no one looked at mine or yours, IGgy IGsen. that's why you did the right thing. if somebody tries to lie and say otherwise just think about it for a second. they're actively attempting to bring you down. make you feel bad. why? do you trust that kind of person? I looked at both of yours and liked them.
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Jan 12, 2022 00:27
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uh oh
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Jan 12, 2022 00:45
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nice list rarity. poor SANADA though  here's my list. not really based on their 2021 accomplishments, just on how much i like watching them. 1. Kenny Omega 2. Bryan Danielson 3. Riho 4. Tomohiro Ishii 5. Okada 6. Thunder Rosa 7. Shingo Takagi 8. Will Ospreay 9. Jay White 10. Jon Moxley
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Jan 12, 2022 01:18
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Insertnamehere31 posted:E: gently caress, forgot one! Hope this edit isn’t too late Didn't see your list or add up any points till after you made your edit so you're all good
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Jan 12, 2022 02:02
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Pure, in-the-moment gut 1) Shingo Takagi 2) Kenny Omega 3) Bryan Danielson 4) Miyu Yamashita 5) Miro 6) Mizuki 7) Eddie Kingston 8) Kenoh 9) Chris Brooks 10) Serena Deeb there's some folks that should probably be there but ain't. Ishii is a big one but that WK match just sucked so bad and i know it ain't fair to him but is what it is. Hikaru Shida is kinda fighting Deeb for that 10 spot but I could only get one of them by the time i got there and I wasn't removing anyone else.
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Jan 12, 2022 03:43
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Thank you for doing this and for everyone who shared. I don’t have a lot to say but here are my favorites to watch. 1) Bryan Danielson 2) Taichi 3) Tomohiro Ishii 4) Zack Sabre Jr 5) Fenix 6) PAC 7) El Desperado 8) Shingo Takagi 9) Kenny Omega 10) Miro
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Jan 12, 2022 04:16
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1) Rey Fenix 2) Bryan Danielson 3) Kenny Omega 4) PAC 5) Penta El Zero M 6) Kris Statlander 7) Thunder Rosa 8) Miro 9) Hangman Adam Page 10) Tay Conti Coming to this list next year: HOOK
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Jan 12, 2022 06:48
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| # ? May 5, 2024 05:39 |
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AEW-only babby here so no disrespect intended to people from other promotions. It was hard enough just picking out my 10 favorite there 1. Jamie Hayter - I have completely fallen in love with her work to the point her presence as a lackey is starting to undermine Britt's reign for me a little bit. Gets across a ton of character despite rarely getting to talk, has a big and cool moveset, and is absolutely god-tier at selling and makes her opponents look incredible while still never compromising her own air of toughness. Absolute star material, and I hope she breaks with Britt and gets a belt on her sooner than later 2. Adam Page - Incredible wrestler and, cliche as it probably is at this point, his whole arc really resonated with me and got me back into watching wrestling after having not followed it since I was a teenager in the Attitude Era. First live show I've ever gone to was this year's WIC and screaming COWBOY poo poo until my throat got hoarse for an hour was the best experience I've had in since covid hit. Will never not root for this man 3. Eddie Kingston - Similar to Hangman, though it's Eddie's real life narrative that resonated with me and it's wild that someone with Eddie's skill was barely scraping by on the indies for so many years and almost quit. It fills me with a large number of powerful emotions to see him finally get to shine like he is now. Most engaging promo guy I've ever seen 4. Bryan Danielson - I don't have any prior WWE nostalgia for him or else he might be #1. Dude is just insanely good and everything he's touched in AEW so far has been gold. I joked about it in the thread afterward but when he got busted open during his rematch with Hangman, I texted my brother "oh of course Danielson's even top-tier at bleeding." I don't watch enough other promotions to confidently declare him the best in the world, but he's certainly the best I've ever seen. I legitimately wonder what WWE was thinking letting this guy walk 5. Malakai Black - He's so cool. I love his moveset, I love his spooky presence and presentation, I love how loving extra he is with his weird lore. It's wild that his finisher is just a spin kick but it looks so loving cool it makes me think the other guy's head ought to come off when he lands it 6. Thunder Rosa - It's Thunder Rosa, I shouldn't have to explain why she owns 7. Kris Statlander - Similar to Jamie in that she's big and strong but also has a comically wide variety of moves and I expect her to do something that wows me every time she steps in the ring. Her gimmick could be stupid on someone else but she gives it an endearing wholesomeness that only underlines the weird cool poo poo she does in the ring. Could easily rank her higher in a year if she gets into some interesting programs 8. Lio Rush - His character stuff has been all over the place since he joined AEW, but man every time he gets in the ring, he's been the definition of electric. He has a way of moving that fucks with my expectations for what normal wrestling motion consists of and feels like he's somehow breaking physics 9. Dante Martin - Frequently does things I can't believe a human can do and he's not even old enough to drink. Feels like he could become an all-time great in the future if the rest of his skills end up developing to be like, 2/3rds as good as his flying 10. Cody Rhodes - Genius
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Jan 12, 2022 07:00
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