Wyld Samurai

I haven't followed Japan in 15 years... do they even do three way or or fatal four way matches?

He was on a wrestling contract? I would think they would have released him from that then out him on a Legends type contract.

Austin didn't even need to have a match over 10 minutes. He was a talking head that would kick punch suplex mudhole kick stunner pin. He was Hogan. You just wanted to get off your ass when you hear the glass and watch him chug beers and flip the bird. Much along the lines as you sang along to Real American and posed along with The Hulkster after he vanquished the freak du jour

Austin even as a brawler was extremely limited. He wasnt Stan Hansen.. more like Ronnie Garvin out there. He was great because of his character. His aura drove the match - not his ability.

He should be retirement age, no? According to his wiki he's 55.. and surprisingly studied biochemistry in college.

It's an absolute fact that Austin had to change his style after his injury. It wasn't so much from a character driven standpoint because he was on fire leading up to it and stealing the show everytime he hit the ring. He could barely turn his head without moving his shoulders. Towards the later years when he became bionic (oh the irony!) He really regressed to just being a caricature. Cena is good and dedicated to his craft. I don't think he's on the level of Austin ring wise, but instead has always reminded me more of a modern day Sting.

I was watching Spring Stampede 94 last night and I forgot how bad ass Bunkhouse Buck was.

I absolutely forgot about his work with Angle.

Did you guys watch Austin during his WCW years? His work with The Dangerous Alliance, The Hollywood Blondes or his US Championship run / feud with Steamboat? Austin lost his performance aura after his injury. There is nothing truly rewatchable after Calgary Stampede. Cena is a guy who I wonder what he could really do if he wasn't held back.

Brisco County Jr was still the superior show to Walker!

Don't forget Austin vs HBK at KOTR 97. 100x better than the crippled WM match.

Hence why he's a "poor man's". It is a different style today. That hurts the artform a ton for the WWE. But look back at how Austin wrestled before the injury and tell me he wasn't infinitely a better ring performer than most of the guys on the current roster who just do over exaggerated done to death spots. Cena had it called out on him back at ONS 06. Even look back at the lower card guys back theN their matches made sense and their offense made sense. Not like Apollo Crews who needs his opponent to flip over after the gorilla press slam so he can do a standing moonsault for a pinfall attempt. That's absolutely horseshit by anyone's standards. All Apollo has to do is invert the Press slam so he automatically falls on their back. Guys like Regal, Orndorff, Double A and Larry Zybisco sucked? It's not nostalgia for their characters... it's nostalgia for the fact that their shit look good, made sense, and could get the crowd involved without shortening their careers or looking like morons with blatant assists to their opponents offense like Kalisto needs.

I don't get nostalgia for the characters... I get nostalgia for the ability. Foley, Austin and HBK could go. Ziggler can go but he's a cross between a poor man's HBK and poor man's Curt Hennig.

That would mean that Ric Flair is the Harley Race of this era. Crazy former wrestler/champion that just speaks borderline craziness. I'll never forget Harley Race talking down to Ron Simmons leading up to Simmons vs Vader. So incredibly racist.

Not only that, but it's a punk album called BOCKWINKEL.

I don't think E wears a cup...

I've never been big on Barrett as I found everything about him to be just gangly.

Those guys ain't family. In all seriousness - one of the worst things to come from the WWE being the only game in town is that acts can't keep their characters fresh nor can mature as a performer. Letting them go to work the indy and Japan circuit is only beneficial to their own growth.

If there's anyone on the roster that I'd want them to be released for their own good it's Bo Dallas. He needs to get to Japan for a year or two. It would do him a lot of good growth wise when he returns.

You knos... I'm calling shenanigans on the Chumps tain Challenge.

When did Eric Young become a strung out veteran suffering from PTSD?

You got me there... though he still gets a definitive pop.

It's that long build to get over that keeps you over. Which is why Roman Reigns will be a footnote.

I absolutely agree with Ryback on that. It is up to the individual to get themselves over.

The logical way I see it playing out is Anderson & Gallows turn on AJ when Finn arrives. That takes AJ out of the Main Event picture and you have Finn vs AJ for Summerslam while you set in motion a potential Survivor Series match between Bullet/Balor Club vs AJ/Whomever.