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[MM16] R1B: MICHAEL ELGIN vs. HIROSHI TANAHASHI


MM16: 1st RBB - MICHAEL ELGIN vs. HIROSHI TANAHASHI  

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I don't know. I remembered Tanahashi had the insane G1 Final vs Nakamura and was gonna use that as a tie-breaker but then I remembered Elgin-Ishii. I probably enjoyed Elgin in the G1 more than Tanahashi but then there's also Elgin's work literally anywhere else I don't care for one bit. Elgin tries harder than Tanahashi on most shows but considering how his results aren't particularly impressive that might just show how far ahead of him Tanahashi is. Tanahashi's lows are definitely lower, the worst Tanahashi matches make question why I even watch pro wrestling while I just react to Elgin's with apathy. But I do think Tanahashi is a more capable pro wrestling. Yet I also often dislike how he uses his abilities. I have to check the bracket and see who's facing the winner in the next round.

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Elgin is the tale of two countries.  Admittingly I don't see much PWG at all, but Elgin has done nothing for me in RoH, nothing.  But shift him across the Pacific, and it's a night-and-day difference.  NJPW Elgin is good in his role, and has had some great matches, and a very very good run in the G1.

 

I really don't like Tanahashi, but he seemed to have a fire lit under him all year with the culmination of the Ace storyline at WK and he brought it.  Tanahashi just had the better year than Elgin.  

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If those that hate Tanahashi so much could point out what they dislike in him, I would greatly appreciate it. He's flawed to be sure, but I can certainly live with those flaws. Here's what I see: his strikes are kind of shitty, but a lot of good wrestlers have disappointing strikes. Sometimes the reversals late in matches can be too fluid, like there isn't enough of a struggle and it looks more like a dance than a wrestling match. Lastly, he can drop selling in the final third of a match when he goes on offense but if he's guilty of that, then so is every tecnico and WWE babyface. He's far from perfect but for a guy that is constantly churning out good to great matches, I think he gets way too much stick.

 

I posted this in the 2015 MOTY youtube thread and only Dean commented. It's a hidden gem and a sleeper MOTYC for me. Tanahashi being the cocky prick outsider who thinks he's above these indy shitbums:

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3fyu2s_hiroshi-tanahashi-yohei-komatsu-vs-harashima-ken-ohka-ohkaempire-produce-muscle-mates-2015_sport

 

Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yohei Komatsu vs. HARASHIMA & Ken Ohka (#OhkaEmpire Produce Muscle Mates 2015)

 

The match also features nise/poor imitation Dean Ambrose. It rules! The match is about 22 minutes, so don't see the 35 minutes and think you've got a marathon to sit through.

 

Elgin simplifying his routine and sticking mostly to power spots in Japan has done him a world of good and I love it. He could be a pretty big deal there.

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If those that hate Tanahashi so much could point out what they dislike in him, I would greatly appreciate it.

He's just too frustrating for me. He is charismatic. He knows how to build a match. He isn't "objectively terrible" (if that is even possible in pro wrestling) or anything. But so much of what he does just doesn't interest me at all. His late match melodramatic selling is terrible, I wish I could find the GIF someone made but anyway it's Tanahashi and Okada waving their arms around late in the match and it's the stupidest thing I've ever seen. I could accept his offence if he knew how to work through it like Cena but he doesn't. While he does know how to build a match he doesn't deviate from his formula-ever-and it's not one I am high to begin with. I'm supposed to accept stuff like his Sliding Blade and Cloverleaf as serious moves but they look horrible and haven't won him anything since 2007 so why? He has to go through every single big move of his before the finish. And I often find his most ambitious work to be his worst. And all the filler in his matches....

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GOTNW, on 03 Mar 2016 - 12:46 PM, said:

 

I'm supposed to accept stuff like his Sliding Blade and Cloverleaf as serious moves but they look horrible and haven't won him anything since 2007 so why?.

 

What the hell are you even talking about.

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He works in a way that showcases his weaknesses. He doesn't have good strikes but you're almost guaranteed to get several big striking exchanges in any Tanahashi singles match. He works like he has a chip on his shoulder despite being the ace. The crowd reacts to him with respect but not true admiration. He doesn't FEEL as important as someone in his position should. And he'll do stuff like insert YANO into a formulaic 20 minute Tanahashi match. YANO. He worked the Naito G1 match refusing to put over his new character and going "look at me I can be bad too" insert of presenting himself as a foil to him. Actually now that I think about him that's when he has his best matches. His G1 matches vs. Yano and Ishii were great because he actually let the contrast in their characters shine. When he tries to have these melodramatic 30 minute matches that display his version of great wrestling I think he sucks. But when someone reels him in or he accepts the role he should play I think he can be quite good.

 

 

What the hell are you even talking about.

We've already established your opinion is wrong bye thanks.

 

(for the record my problem with the Sliding Blade is that it's simply sold too much. It doesn't look good enough to be sold as much as it is. I vastly prefer the way Pentagon Jr.s opponents sell it which is more similar to how you'd sell an Armdrag. His Cloverleaf just sucks.)

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