RIPPA Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 SAMI ZAYN http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2rdyuw_wr-nxt-kevin-owens-vs-sami-zayn-nxt-championship-nxt-takeover-unstoppable_sport vs. Kevin Owens FINN BALOR http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x38cfts_samoa-joe-finn-balor-vs-lucha-dragons-nxt-09-09-2015_sport w/ Samoa Joe vs. Lucha Dragons
AxB Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 I already gave Balor the sympathy vote, because I didn't think it would be fair if this was a shut-out. I wanted to express solidarity with my neighbours across the Irish sea... but I don't see too many people besides me voting for him, because they've got common opponents who Sami had better matches with. Sorry Finn.
Chicken Sandwich Carl Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Going with Balor's quantity over Sami's quality. Balor vs Zayn at Green Bay was awesome, but Finn had subtle heel Bullet Club Devitt mannerisms that made it really standout. I dunno if the match would've been as good with the roles reversed. But yeah, when Sami goes through I won't be heartbroken.
JCM Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Zayn is the better wrestler, but I think Balor had a good enough year where I can't vote a guy that missed over half the voting period ahead of him. 1
GOTNW Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 I don't think Sami's done anything great since he returned (well. not anything great THAT'S AIRED at least) and I picked Balor in the pick 'em but then I remembered how boring Prince Devitt is and the terrible match they had in Japan and how he really works like that all the time and Sami has at least some stuff I liked a lot before he got injured so. Zayn wins.
Matt D Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 The sad thing about Balor is that I think Sami could even do Bayley's entrance better than he could. 3
MoeCristyV.1.6 Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Balor didn't injure himself while cheering, so... he wins. 3
Andy Stowell Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Zayne was injured over 80% of the voting time period. Balor had a great year and a great feud with Kevin Owens. 1
RIPPA Posted March 9, 2016 Author Posted March 9, 2016 Zayne was injured over 80% of the voting time period. Zayn wrestled in March, April, May, Dec, Jan and Feb So 6 months = 50% 1
Charlie M. Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Balor's stuff with Bayley is probably the best work he's done and the most likable he's been in NXT. I did really like like ladder match more than most people. That being said, Sami was involved in stuff that I cared about. 1
RIPPA Posted March 9, 2016 Author Posted March 9, 2016 Fair enough, 50% of the time. Well I mean there is a big difference between 50% and 80% Now if you are still punishing Sami for that - that's totally fine but I hope you are penalizing Cesaro for that (and did Cena and Rollins for that matter) Or heck - Brock for that matter 1
The Man Known as Dan Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 . Balor had a great year and a great feud with Kevin Owens. Explain. The Owens feud was generally underwhelming, and most of the last half of last year could be classified as "Samoa Joe does the work to keep Finn from looking blah." 1
Dolfan in NYC Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 . Balor had a great year and a great feud with Kevin Owens. Explain. The Owens feud was generally underwhelming, and most of the last half of last year could be classified as "Samoa Joe does the work to keep Finn from looking blah." The answer to this is: Balor-Owens Tokyo and Balor-Owens Brooklyn. Zayn did nothing this year to match those two. 1
The Man Known as Dan Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 I'm still waiting for something that wasn't underwhelming. Like I wouldn't put those among Owens best matches from the time period, and I thought Owens had a blah year.
Jrag Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 I hate the quantity over quality argument and I'm still voting for Balor here. Zayn has not produced at a higher level since his return. His best match in the voting period was the 2nd Owens match and that was clearly the lesser of their 2 NXT matches. Balor has been improving over the year and I would take his high-end stuff (Owens matches, Dusty Classic tags) over Sami's high-end stuff from the voting period. I consider the Dusty Classic final where Balor is working with a "bad leg" and is subtly doing heelish stuff to set up the Joe turn (tagging himself in etc.) to be his best performance. Some might argue for the Cena match, but I would imagine plugging Balor into Cena's formula would produce a similar result. Zayn is a better wrestler, he just hasn't produced up to that level since his return. His best stuff from the calendar year was clearly before the voting period. I anticipate this Joe match tonight being legit awesome and negating some of these talking points, but it's not in the voting period. 1
Andy Stowell Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Well one of the big reasons I picked Balor is that I went to two of the NXT house shows here in Pittsburgh, and Balor headlined both shows and had great matches, getting over huge with the audience and had some real star power. Zayne was on the second show and had a great match, and the fans were really into him, but it wasn't the same reaction. I don't go see live wrestling very often [this past summer was the first WWE show I went to since 2005] but a lot of my thoughts about both guys is based on how I saw them in live matches, and from those experiences, Balor was the better wrestler.
The Man Known as Dan Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Okay, last note before I leave, and get hate mail for this comment in 7 hours. I'd vote Dolph Ziggler over Finn on the last 12 months on just ring work. And now I run.
Tromatagon Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 that's so fucking mean dude What did Finn do to you? He's not THUNDER or something, fuck 1
Sublime Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Voted for Finn even though I like Sami better as a performer, but Finn had some really good stuff this year that Sami hasn't matched this year, partly due to being injured yes but it is what it is. Finn's matches with Owens and his work in the Dusty Classic were really good, he has regressed a but since then and I doubt I'd vote the same way in a years time when Sami gets back to speed and Finn continues along the path he's been on. Also I would vote for a lot of people agaisnt Finn but Sami's year has been a little less than Finn's.
EVA Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 The main think I remember from the Balor/Owens feud is how much everyone wished it was Joe/Owens at the time. 2
NikoBaltimore Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 Jrag brings up good points. If we're going solely on the voting period then this wasn't Sami's best year. If he had quality matches similar to past years then it'd be an easy vote. This time around he's been really good, but he still is working on getting the momentum he had. I'm a huge fan of Balor's gimmick and all that it entails. The slow burn heel turn that's going on has been great and his matches are at least good enough where he hasn't had anything close to a bad match. I'll gladly vote Sami next year, but Finn gets my vote.
Matt D Posted March 9, 2016 Posted March 9, 2016 I try to take it easy on Finn because he feels like someone whose feelings might get hurt easily.
Recommended Posts