MM17 FINAL 4: AJ STYLES vs. MIZ

[RIPPA 27,119]

They wrestled each other

[Red is Dead 786]

So performance in the ring, versus performance on the microphone. 

This will be very interesting to see. 

[Stevie Ray Von Erich 281]

People forget how much AJ carried the Cena fued on the mic. He quickly became not only a good promo, but one of the better promo guys in the company consistently given the time to do so.

[JonnyLaw 2,334]

Yeah, Miz's edge over AJ on the mic is not big, while the gap between AJ and Miz in the ring is considerable.  AJ is arguably a top 3 Talking Smack guest.  (Miz, then either Alexa, AJ, or Baron round out the top 3 IMO.)

[The Comedian 1,147]

Dammit this should've been the finals...

Anyway, I still voted Miz. He's the single most entertaining thing in wrestling to me right now. AJ is undoubtedly great, but I don't think anyone grabbed the Brand Split by the throats and used it to their advantage like Miz. AJ has an edge on in- ring work, Miz on promos, the deciding factor for me is only one did something All-Time Great this year, and that was Miz. Miz's "Why don't you quit?" promo is one of the greatest promos in the history of the medium of professional wrestling. It's right up there with "Hard times", "Take the damn money", "You! Abuse of power!" and any other all-time great promo you can think of. 

"My show! My show!" He was right. He's the main reason I watch Smackdown.

[Beech27 2,454]

It was a brilliant bit of truth telling/commentary on pro wrestling as a whole--what it is, what it should be. But I still think there's something fundamentally lacking, given that it built to nothing, really, except more Talking Smack arguments. Bryan didn't wrestle, and won't. No one acted as his surrogate. And Miz--this was basically my argument in the Omega thread--didn't really benefit, ultimately. He's in the same spot on the card, saying the same things, as he was before the brand split. The promo was an incredible bright spot--but it was a match struck, with no kindling to carry the flame. 

[Ramsey 1,713]

On the mic, Miz is somewhat better. In the ring, A.J. is one fo the top 10 in the world right now.

A.J. wins this one for me in a walk.

[bink_winkleman 721]

AJ has been great heeling it up on the mic. And he's been amazing in the ring.

I don't like the Miz at all in the ring and think his schtick got played out months ago, but even if I felt differently, I can't think of anyone at all I'd vote over AJ this year.

[NikoBaltimore 2,641]

I love Miz but AJ's had too good of a year to vote against him.  Looking at the DIY/Revival matchup I'm feeling certain AJ will not only get my vote in the finals but win the whole damn thing.  And considering how he's been that's how it should be.

[caley 2,741]

3 hours ago, The Comedian said:

Dammit this should've been the finals...

 

I agree!

[zev 2,497]

For those of you who can't decide, and are secretly willing to consider outside the timeline factors:

Miz survived The Real World and several of its Challenges.

AJ survived years of TNA.

Which one's the bigger stigma to hurdle over?

 

[Marcel 19]

Miz is a great, great heel.  He's had a very good year on the mic and running with the chance he's been given.

But I still don't ever want to see him wrestle an actual match.  AJ in a walk.

[J.T. 7,778]

Okay, so which one of my awesome sons of whom both make me proud do I love the most?

This poll can eat a bag of goat dicks.

[Charlie M. 1,849]

AJ stepped up on the mic in WWE to a degree that I don't think anyone could have predicted. He had that great appearance on the Stone Cold Podcast and basically channeled it into his wrestling character.

[Brysynner 950]

6 hours ago, Beech27 said:

It was a brilliant bit of truth telling/commentary on pro wrestling as a whole--what it is, what it should be. But I still think there's something fundamentally lacking, given that it built to nothing, really, except more Talking Smack arguments. Bryan didn't wrestle, and won't. No one acted as his surrogate. And Miz--this was basically my argument in the Omega thread--didn't really benefit, ultimately. He's in the same spot on the card, saying the same things, as he was before the brand split. The promo was an incredible bright spot--but it was a match struck, with no kindling to carry the flame. 

I think this year the Miz went from a skippable wrestler to a must-watch wrestler. He made Dolph Ziggler seem important and had Ziggler over as a face when Ziggler was just going through the motions. He got over a mini-feud with Dean Ambrose and there's still time for the Bryan thing to payoff eventually. AJ Styles was in a feud with Ambrose and Cena since the brand split. AJ had the much easier workload to get his feuds over compared to the Miz. That said, AJ Styles has had a (pun intended) phenominal year but I think AJ had a much easier road to get everything over than Miz did and both exceeded expectations. The fact that the Miz's work is close to the level of AJ's shows what a tremendous year Miz had.

[Eivion 1,975]

Went with Miz since I figure AJ will win anyways. Honestly, I enjoy watching the Miz more promo wise by a decent margin. I don't think the difference is massive, but I do think its bigger than some admit. Wrestling wise AJ was just too damn good with better feuds and opponents though I do think the Ziggler series matches up well with most of AJ's great matches in the time frame. AJ just had so many. Its a shame Sami or another good face wasn't on SDL during this period for Miz to work with.

[JonnyLaw 2,334]

I'm too lazy to look it up, but this has to be one of the more lopsided final four matchups we've had.

[CSC 2,214]

It was said many times in the earlier rounds - but eventually you have to have the in-ring work to justify the votes and we hit that point.