Ramsey Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Well here we go. This one for me is the battle between character work and in-ring work. AJ has been great in the ring. Asuka has been amazing as a character. Neither one of them need to speak to accomplish these feats. Now then, for me to decide, I had to flip the coin. Could AJ be captivating with squash matches and a handful of mostly non-verbal back stage bits? Could Asuka be magnetic all year with top of the crop in-ring work and a few interviews here or there? Using the metric I applied, Asuka wins in a walk.
Charlie M. Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 AJ's removed the absolute stink of TNA from his career by proving himself to be one of the best wrestlers of his generation. Some would argue he's the best. He's so good in the ring and so talented that he bypassed NXT and has already shown himself to be on another level than anyone currently not injured. They even took away his most protected move and it doesn't matter. Even if all you watch is WWE, Asuka hasn't done anything as good as the tag title match on RAW. I'd argue she hasn't done anything as good as the Miz matches.
JCM Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Even if all you watch is WWE, Asuka hasn't done anything as good as the tag title match on RAW. I'd argue she hasn't done anything as good as the Miz matches. Asuka/Emma is as good as anything AJ has done in WWE. It's not like Asuka is being given 15 minute matches with a multitude of capable opponents every week. She's just as good a wrestler(or better) than AJ plus she bring other things to the table with her unique charisma. This is a hard one for me. 1
Jrag Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Asuka doesn't have AJ beat in quality for the time period. That's what this one boils down to. AJ's WWE stuff is just the cherry on top. It's a testament to his skills that he was able to adjust so quickly. AJ/Jericho 2 is the best of his WWE work in the time period in my opinion. He is responsible for the New Day's best match too, but that was just a few weeks ago.
Jiji Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 This seems like a matter of match quality AND quantity vs. character work.
Craig H Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 I'm leaning towards Asuka, but there's no comparing what AJ had to work with and what Asuka had to work with. Asuka's year is like looking into a crystal ball and seeing the many bodies that will lie in her wake, but she just hasn't had the matches AJ had. Another tough choice.
EVA Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 This was AJ's best year ever, and at some point, Asuka's lack of a substantial body of high-end matches has to catch up to her. 1
Charlie M. Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 AJ had a damn good 20 minute match with Hanson. No offense to Hanson but it's not exactly like Styles was working Nakamura every night. His stuff teaming with the Young Bucks is so good that you'll enjoy it even if you hate the Young Bucks. Who was the last person to do what AJ did this year in terms of going to promotions literally all over the world, headlining and delivering great matches? I can't even come up with one without going way back.
Cristobal Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 In terms of what they bring to the table outside of the ring, Asuka's character work in NXT has been great, no doubt about it, but AJ has made Jericho's umpteenth return actually good, so let's not get too carried away there. I think next year will be better for Asuka, especially if she gets to be the monster heel the better MR Divas division could really do well with, but match quality and quantity give this to AJ for me.
Tromatagon Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 The two most successful wrestlers in history are bald they probably still had better hair than AJ though I don't know what I'm trying to say here
DreamBroken Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Figured AJ had this one won and no problem with that as I had him going to the final, so I gave a vote to my current favorite wrestler Asuka.
JCM Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 I went with AJ. I probably enjoy Asuka more, but AJ had a great year, and is performing at the top of his game. The best is definitely yet to come for Asuka in NXT.
Kyuubi Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 You know. Someone has got to convince me because while I did enjoy AJ in New Japan and his few matches in WWE, I have always been big on Kana/Asuka and I guess it is because I am in that phase where I actually watch Joshi and like it. This is kind of hard for me to choose and sure I could piss away a vote, but I at least put thought into them when I consider ring work. Asuka is probably the smallest woman if not person that has ever been in wrestling that has been booked as terrifying. And sure, it helps that she is a monster of a women's division in the WWE that before just recently has been a joke, but even knowing that her presence makes you think she is the most terrifying person ever. Asuka is a sadist who enjoys inflicting pain and will endure your bullshit because she knows that she will get you in the ring. Her offense is explosive as well impressive which delivers to the whole aura that you do not want to fuck with her. Sure, people say that she has not had competition of even lengthy matches, but tell me when have you seen squash matches that have been entertaining from people who have not either been super strong, large, or both? AJ's year can be summed up in one phrase: Where the fuck did this come from? In stint in TNA did him no wonders and when he went to New Japan, I did not think much of it. Then New Japan turned him heel and I was like, "AJ sucks as a heel, so they completely have no faith him in and just wanted to replace Finn Balor." I was wrong. Aj's year was been similar to Rey Mysterio's last incredible year of his career, 2009, where in almost every match, the Mystery King brought it. It was only not as impressive because Rey brought it every time he was on WWE TV while AJ did not have that many TV matches, but his matches were higher profile. AJ was supposed to be on the tail end of his career, but his finishing sequence with Okada was incredible and I am still mazed with i. His match with Nakamura was a classic to me, and he has been A-1 ever since he stepped in the WWE.
Niners Fan in CT Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 It wasn't in the time period but AJ Styles and Jericho v. New Day showed again how AJ is far and away the best wrestler in the world right now. He's had some many top tier performances over the time period. The only thing that holds Asuka back right now is that she hasn't had quite enough of the body of work that AJ did. I had to go with AJ but it was tough voting over Asuka.
Chicken Sandwich Carl Posted March 18, 2016 Posted March 18, 2016 AJ Styles hung out with Bad Luck Fale and Cody Hall. Asuka doesn't hang out with losers. Vote Asuka.
Kyuubi Posted March 18, 2016 Posted March 18, 2016 Normally, I try to look at the man for his work in the ring, but there are times when he opens his mouth that I just...blank out. And yeah.
Jrag Posted March 18, 2016 Posted March 18, 2016 LMAO. Is this the next evolution of MM? I didn't know we took personal or political stances into account when deciding which wrestler had a better year. Touche for finding something in the ring and in the time period though. That part is hilarious to me for some reason. I anticipate Rollins bouncing back next year when his relationship with a Nazi is no longer in the voting period. 1
Chicken Sandwich Carl Posted March 19, 2016 Posted March 19, 2016 LMAO. Is this the next evolution of MM? I didn't know we took personal or political stances into account when deciding which wrestler had a better year. Touche for finding something in the ring and in the time period though. That part is hilarious to me for some reason. I anticipate Rollins bouncing back next year when his relationship with a Nazi is no longer in the voting period. Things like this can effect opinion on a person. AJ called me a f*ggot a decade ago and I still can't get behind his work, no matter how good it is. I didn't really want to mention it because then I'd have to go into context and open up a can of worms about "heels" and such. Anyway, screw that guy.
odessasteps Posted March 19, 2016 Posted March 19, 2016 Everything has always fair game in MM: in ring, out of ring, style, personal preference, ...
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