DylanWaco
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Everything posted by DylanWaco
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I figured Jimmy would lose here, which is a shame because I really wanted to compare him head to head with Kevin Owens. I was going to write some lengthy thing about Rave's year since I've been his biggest advocate online but it hardly seems worth my time when he's already down 20. I don't want to bury Fenix because I have liked him in LU, I just don't see him as particularly great. There are probably 50-75 people I'd take over him, where I wouldn't take anyone over Rave from 2015, and possibly no one from March-to-March (that's always a little harder to say until you sit down and look at particulars). Jimmy had something like 16 of my top 50 Southern indie matches last year, and would have had at least one more but the match was released after I wrote up the list for the Cubed Circle Newsletter. I want to say that half of those were in the top twenty. He had three matches in my overall top 10 for 2015. There were times where he was both the top heel and the top babyface in the state of Georgia working for two completely different types of feds. In the relevant time period he's had good matches v. Anthony Henry, Matt Develine, Cedric Alexander, Kyle Matthews, Spi-ral, AJ Styles, Sal Rinauro, David Starr, Ryan Vega, AR Fox, Chris Crunk, Tyson Dean, Geter, Johnny Gargano, Davey Vega, Isais Velasquez, Chip Day, Gunner, Gunner Miller, Kongo Kong, Corey Hollis, Romeo, Fry Daddy, and probably some others I'm forgetting. That's a pretty glorious hodge podge of talent of varying shapes, sizes, qualities, and star power. I tend to think he adapts better to opponent and setting than anyone else going today, and is a true master psychologist, and I'm more excited to see one of his matches pop up online than anyone else. LU is the hot product along with NXT and Fenix is a good wrestler. Probably the worst thing I could say about him is I thought the Chikara KOT Finals was shockingly bad for a match with that many talented guys, but yeah. He's a good talent. I just don't think he's in the same universe as Jimmy Rave.
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Will third Jimmy Rave who I think was the best wrestler in the World last year and already has had four really good matches this year, three of which have been online in some form for the world to watch. Would also nominate Chip Day who is the Johnny Lawrence to Mike Bailey's Daniel. Total shit bag heel, who has the matches to boot. Kongo Kong deserves to be nominated just for being an absolutely tremendous big man. Also feel like Fred Yehi deserves to get a look. Top tier guy so far this year and he put together some really strong performances last year as well.
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[MM15] FINALS: SHINSUKE NAKAMURA vs. RUSEV
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
This poll may be an indicator of the value of Jim Ross. -
[MM15] SEMI #2: CAVERNARIO vs. RUSEV
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
To me this is the real final, as you have my favorite overall act in U.S. wrestling (sans MAYBE The Briscoes) v. the guy who I thought was the best - and was certainly my favorite - in ring performer in the World. I also think there are interesting parallels regarding their pushes and presentation that a smarter person might want to examine. That said I voted for Cavernario. I simply can't vote against the guy who I thought was the best worker in the world in this tournament, especially when the guy is basically a kid. I don't care if Rusev wins because I can see why he would. But Cavernario has a freshness and dynamism to him that so few wrestlers in the world have, and there is no one I enjoy watching more on a match-to-match basis. -
[MM15] SEMI #1: SHINSUKE NAKAMURA vs. SAMI ZAYN
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
Voted for Nakamura, but I can see the case for Sami and I think it's really close. What hurts Sami here to me is that Nakamura is someone who I thought was the best overall performer in the World last year in the sense of charisma, presence, work and drawing power combined. Now I have no problem at all with someone saying they are uninterested in factoring in the last of those things in a tournament like this, but it is really hard for me to vote the top babyface of a developmental league over arguably the top drawing wrestler in the World last year when I see little difference in terms of quality of work. Some might say "well you voted for Harper over Nakamura," but I think Harper was the better worker by a relatively small, but clear margin during the time period. I'm not entirely sure I think Zayn was better than Nak during the time period. -
[MM15] R4: SETH ROLLINS vs. CAVERNARIO
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
I would argue that this the most underrated Cavernario performance of the year: Not a top five match of his or anything, but an extremely exciting sprint, on a show a lot of people didn't see. -
[MM15] R4: SHINSUKE NAKAMURA vs. LUKE HARPER
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
The best argument for Nak is that he's a star like few others in wrestling currently are, and that is something Harper will almost assuredly never be. The best argument for Harper is that he is a consistently great worker, regardless of setting, match type, style or opponent. And sadly that consistency is something I don't think we will ever get out of Nak. -
[MM15] R4: KAZUCHIKA OKADA vs. RUSEV
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
Imagine if Rusev was brought into New Japan as a modern day Zangiev? Now imagine Okada went "wild and young" and was brought in to NXT to be the worst possible combination of Yoshi Tatsu and Randy Orton? None of that is a particularly good reasons to vote one way or the other, but yeah. Rusev is awesome and Okada is...well I don't like watching Okada wrestle. -
[MM15] WELCOME TO MARCH MADNESS 2015~!
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
Does anyone else feel like all the hard votes are over? With the random bracketing most of the tough, heartbreaking decisions had to be made really early. Not sure there is any match up that could happen at this point where my choice wouldn't be virtually immediate. -
[MM15] R4: JOHN CENA vs. SAMI ZAYN
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
This is where the consistency of Zayn, and lack thereof for Cena, makes Sami the choice in my eyes. -
[MM15] R4: SHINSUKE NAKAMURA vs. LUKE HARPER
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
Nak's highs were better for sure, but if he doesn't have the 1/4 Dome match I'm not even sure I would have thought about this for ten seconds. That's not a knock on him either. Both guys will do well on my WKO100 ballot, there probably won't be more than ten spaces between them tops. -
[MM15] R4: SHINSUKE NAKAMURA vs. LUKE HARPER
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
Of the matches in this round this is the only one I had to think about for more than two seconds. I took about ten and decided to vote for Harper. I get the arguments for Nak and won't be upset when he wins, but he's way, way, way too inconsistent for me to vote for him at this stage, especially over a guy who was probably one of the five most consistently good workers in the time period covered by the voting. -
[MM15] R4: SETH ROLLINS vs. CAVERNARIO
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
The best wrestler in the World last year v. the first guy since HHH's Evolution-era Reign of Terror to get me to change the channel just by virtue of his presence. Quicker finish to this than a Rousey fight. -
[MM15] R3: SETH ROLLINS vs. ADRIAN NEVILLE
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
My Rollins hate stems from the fact that I think as a heel he is a poor offensive worker, and I absolutely hated him on the mic for months. I've softened on him some recently. Kinda. I still don't think he's any good really, but I don't change the channel when he talks anymore -
[MM15] R3: AJ STYLES vs. CAVERNARIO
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
No problem with someone shitting on AJ the person for being a bigot/moron. Also have no problem with someone letting that effect how they view him as a performer as well...as long as they are consistent. In other words if you are all "fuck AJ cause he's a backwards jackass hatemonger," I better not see you praising the artistic genius of Dick Murdoch. -
[MM15] R3: AJ STYLES vs. CAVERNARIO
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
The likes of Rollins or Neville defeating Cavernario...I...I just don't want to even consider that right now. -
Stigma match is disappointing. I liked the other two, though I think the Lee match is somewhat overrated. That said I've long thought Virus is the best trios match worker in Mexico and last year has done nothing to change that opinion. His performance in the 5/23 trios was awesome.
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[MM15] R3: RUSEV vs. TOMOAKI HONMA
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
I think I have made really strong arguments for both of these guys in previous match ups. I have no clue how close this vote will be, but this is one where I want to be swayed by the best arguments of others. Rusev is my favorite overall act in wrestler barring maybe The Briscoes. But Honma is not far off, and he might be my favorite in ring performer. I'll post more on this later i'm sure, but I want to hear what other people have got on these two -
I agree with Matt that Virus was better last year, but I don't think he was miles and miles better. And his best match last year was not in the voting period (v. Titan 1/28). That said, I'm not sure you can argue Virus has been better this year. In fact I'd say he almost certainly hasn't though that's not really his fault. This is really close. I could, and probably should, take time to think on it. But I am going with Virus because I'd like to see some lucha represented in the final eight,
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[MM15] R3: JOHN CENA vs. MINORU SUZUKI
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
Kind of feels like they have had similar years in some ways. Both guys were on cruise control for a while and/or underdelivered at times. Both guys had really high peaks that rank with the best stuff in the World from the time period in question. Both guys currently being used to elevate secondary title/act. Holding off on this for now. Suzuki is the ultimate "guy I want to vote for, but not sure I can justify it." -
[MM15] R3: DREW GULAK vs. SAMI ZAYN
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
Voting for the cause lost but not forgotten. -
[MM15] R3: SHINSUKE NAKAMURA vs. DEAN AMBROSE
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
Voted for Nakamura, but honestly these guys are very similar in a lot of ways. If New Japan workers were on t.v. every week, and held to the same standards as WWE guys are, it's possible Nak would come out looking like Ambrose (in both good and bad ways). -
[MM15] R3: SETH ROLLINS vs. ADRIAN NEVILLE
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
Battle of HHH favorite NXT talent v. HHH clone. What's an anti-HHH activist to do? -
[MM15] R3: AJ STYLES vs. CAVERNARIO
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
I actually have no problem who wins this. Styles has been better so far this year largely due to the chances he's been given, and where I thought Cavernario was better last year I do think it was reasonably close and would listen to an argument for Styles. I'll vote for Cavernario, but I don't care if Styles wins. -
[MM15] R3: KAZUCHIKA OKADA vs. DREW GALLOWAY
DylanWaco replied to RIPPA's topic in 2015 MARCH MADNESS (Archive)
Neither guy deserves to be in the final eight, but the idea of Galloway being there annoys me less than the idea of Okada being there.