Grimmas

Tamura goes up one spot from 2006. I don't see how the number of ballots means a massive increase in less deep dive voters than in 2006.

Bull dropping is the saddest one for me today. I'm looking forward to 2026 when 90's joshi is praised again.

Sorry. I haven't been able to get into shoot style this year. I think that is why he is low, but has such a great average. Lots of people are in that state.

61 - Bull Nakano 2006 Ranking: 43 Points: 3902 #1 Votes: 0 #2 Votes: 0 #3 Votes: 0 Top 10 Votes: 2 # of Ballots: 72 Average Vote: 46.81 High Vote: 9 (Bill Thompson) Low Vote: 98 Discussion Thread "The student became the master, as Bull continued Dump Matsumoto's legacy, with an even better persona and vastly better matches. Incredibly consistent in the ring, too." Jon Burr "A monster gaijin who was incredibly athletic as well." Dave Musgrave "Essentially, Bull was great. Within her gender, she's a Top 5 candidate, and surely Top 10. She debuted a tad younger than most, got good as quick as any of them (there's a lovely little match on one of the earlier Classics episodes with I want to say Ogura, maybe for the AJW Title, that's well laid out and it's from about late 85. It's nothing extraordinary, don't get me wrong, but it's the kind of match you see from someone really early in their career and know they're on their way to being rather damn good), and in terms of one person carrying a company in-ring she did a fucking remarkable job from 1990 through to early 92 when the others started picking up. For the same old reasons she has less notable stuff after that, but matches like vs. Masami, vs. Kandori, I wish the 1/94 vs. Toyota was in full... there's no way she's not on my ballot and I'd wager she's one of the AJW workers more likely to appeal to most people on here. Essentially, Bull was fucking great." MJH Recommended Matches: Bull Nakano vs Aja Kong (Cage, AJW, 11/14/1990) Bull Nakano (AJW, 1/23/1991) Bull Nakano vs Devil Masami (JWP, 4/18/1993)

62 - Kiyoshi Tamura 2006 Ranking: 63 Points: 3880 #1 Votes: 0 #2 Votes: 1 #3 Votes: 0 Top 10 Votes: 7 # of Ballots: 55 Average Vote: 31.11 High Vote: 2 Low Vote: 89 Discussion Thread "The best ever if not for the fact that he wrestled less than 130 matches in his career." Elliot "... the way Tamura works that sense of urgency into his matches is so impressive that I think it would be impossible for me not to rate him over Han. I know there are some who will say that what he did against Vader doesn't really matter much as it wasn't really an expression of him doing what made him great, but I strongly disagree with that. The way he worked his flurries, the tenacious nature of his attack, et. are all completely in keeping with what you would expect out of him if he were working v. a shootstyle master. More to the point I can't imagine Han having that match with Vader." Dylan Waco Recommended Matches: Kiyoshi Tamura vs Nobuhiko Takada (UWFI, 2/14/1993) Kiyoshi Tamura vs Volk Han (RINGS, 1/22/1997) Kiyoshi Tamura vs Tsuyoshi Kohsaka (RINGS, 6/27/1998)

63 - Giant Baba 2006 Ranking: 30 Points: 3768 #1 Votes: 0 #2 Votes: 1 #3 Votes: 0 Top 10 Votes: 0 # of Ballots: 80 Average Vote: 54.10 High Vote: 2 (jackwebb) Low Vote: 99 Discussion Thread "Just very likable. Loves what he is doing in a way I can connect with as a viewer. " jackwebb "One of the most important Japanese wrestlers ever. The founder and first top star of AJPW. He was a great thinking man's wrestler." stunning_grover "Giant Baba had good matches with major wrestlers from around the world in the '60s and '70s, and then had a second career as a fun tag wrestler." Moonsault Marvin "Baba may be the smartest worker of all-time. Not the best, and nowhere near the most athletic. But he was Andre with possibly even better smarts and better longevity even as his body was going through similar problems." PeteF3 Recommended Matches: Giant Baba vs The Destroyer (JWA, 3/5/1969) Giant Baba vs Billy Robinson (AJPW, 7/24/1976) Giant Baba vs Stan Hansen (AJPW, 2/4/1982)

64 - Sgt. Slaughter 2006 Ranking: 99 Points: 3768 #1 Votes: 0 #2 Votes: 0 #3 Votes: 0 Top 10 Votes: 0 # of Ballots: 87 Average Vote: 57.69 High Vote: 14 (Kelly Nelson) Low Vote: 96 Discussion Thread "Lunatic bump freak with some of my favorite feuds and big matches." Jon Burr "He was great in both singles and tags in the early 80's and was one of the best in the world at the time. His later days are underrated." Dave Musgrave "Tremendous bumper, tremendous brawler. Classics with Steamboat/Youngblood, all out wars with Backlund, Sheik, Patterson. He had some fun stuff with Hogan in 91 that doesn't get much love. He's still entertaining in the 2000's bumping around like a lunatic for guys half his age." The Chief Recommended Matches: Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle vs Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood (Cage, NWA Final Conflict, 3/12/1983) Sgt. Slaughter vs Iron Sheik (Boot Camp, WWF, 6/16/1984) Sgt. Slaughter & Crusher Blackwell vs Sheik Adnan Kaissey, King Tonga, & Masked Superstar (Cage, AWA, 4/21/1985)

90s NJPW has been watched by more people than Togo's post M-Pro.

65 - Shinjiro Ohtani 2006 Ranking: 27 Points: 3616 #1 Votes: 0 #2 Votes: 0 #3 Votes: 0 Top 10 Votes: 0 # of Ballots: 80 Average Vote: 55.80 High Vote: 21 (GOTNW & ???) Low Vote: 95 Discussion Thread "Ohtani's a tough one, because even his run as an elite jr. heavy was pretty short for a GOAT conversation. His SC placement looks even nuttier now. But God he was good at his best. I'd say his rivalry with Liger produced the best cruiser series in history, and that was just as much Ohtani as Liger." Childs "Ohtani has one of the best stretches a junior ever had from December 1995 to February 1997. I'd actually hear arguments that the Sammy match (1/21/96), the two Lyger matches and the Ultimo match (8/20/96) are the four best junior matches ever." Tim Livingston Recommended Matches: Shinjiro Ohtani vs El Samurai (NJPW, 1/21/1996) Shinjiro Ohtani vs Ultimo Dragon (NJPW, 8/4/1996) Shinjiro Ohtani vs Jushin Liger (NJPW, 2/9/1997)

Woof, I think a LOT of those matches are just beyound awful. For example, I really really hate that RR03 match with Benoit. Just a horrible match. I don't need to deep dive into Angle, I watched it live. I really liked him from 2000-2002ish. At some point it just all fell apart for him. Probably around the time he wasn't being lead through matches anymore and he was gaining enough cred to captain matches.

66 - "The Great Muta" Keiji Mutoh 2006 Ranking: 53 Points: 3535 #1 Votes: 0 #2 Votes: 0 #3 Votes: 0 Top 10 Votes: 2 # of Ballots: 74 Average Vote: 53.31 High Vote: 5 (Chris Powell) Low Vote: 99 Discussion Thread "He had some lows but his highs were so high that I can't help but rate him big." Dave Musgrave "I prefer him as the Great Muta, wandering around and acting weird. His output is very uneven, but he is great when at his best in either guise." Moonsault Marvin "He's the most polarizing guy in the field for me. When I was a kid, him and Lyger absolutely mystified me, and then later on, seeing him make his comeback in 2001 was the craziest thing ever. But man he was a part of some shit stuff, too. Really tough to judge." Tim Livingston Recommended Matches: Great Muta vs Sting (NWA Great American Bash, 7/23/1989) Great Muta vs Hiroshi Hase (NJPW, 12/14/1992) Keiji Mutoh vs Genichiro Tenryu (AJPW, 6/8/2001)

Harley Race is someone I just don't get. I don't see how anyone can watch him and think GREAT. I don't know why he is still left or why I am so far off the consensus with him. Harley goes over well with folks like me who 1) like their wrestling to have a more "serious" edge and 2) have an affinity for guys like Harley because we grew up in a small Midwestern town and knew several people who drank too much beer, drove their cars too fast, weren't chiseled muscleheads, but would fight you to the death at the drop of a hat, sometimes for no apparent reason. I do hate drunks, drunk drivers and douches who get into fights for no reason. So yeah...

Dick Togo. Jack Brisco. Those are the two I am most looking forward to diving into, now that the time crunch is over.

Harley Race is someone I just don't get. I don't see how anyone can watch him and think GREAT. I don't know why he is still left or why I am so far off the consensus with him.

67 - Jack Brisco 2006 Ranking: 48 Points: 3431 #1 Votes: 0 #2 Votes: 0 #3 Votes: 0 Top 10 Votes: 2 # of Ballots: 65 Average Vote: 48.28 High Vote: 6 (John Steffy) Low Vote: 99 Discussion Thread "His singles matches are a technical treat, but his heel work in tags is where he really catches my eye. " Jon Burr "I wish there was more footage but what we have is great." Dave Musgrave "Lack of footage and personal viewing gaps keeps him from being a top 10 contender from the looks of it." Elliott "He had such a classic wrestling look to go along with his skillfulness." Moonsault Marvin "My initial impressions are that Brisco is SAFELY in contention for "best wrestler of the 70s". He's silky smooth, very athletic, great high dropkicks, deep armdrags, fastest figure-four ever, big bumps, terrific at selling, good fire, good timing, great connection with the crowd. He just seems to be everything that you'd want a pro wrestler to be." Jerryvonkramer Recommended Matches: Jack Brisco vs Antonio Inoki (8/5/1971) Jack Brisco vs Jumbo Tsuruta (1/30/1974) Jack Brisco vs Giant Baba (12/5/1974)

1 more ballot for Panther, Angle had 1 more point overall. The average vote was within 0.41 of each other. The big difference is the two three place votes for Angle.

Shocked to see you not have the high vote on Angle. Shocked.

I just revealed the next name. Probably another guy off your list.

68 - Kurt Angle 2006 Ranking: 80 Points: 3398 #1 Votes: 0 #2 Votes: 0 #3 Votes: 2 Top 10 Votes: 4 # of Ballots: 64 Average Vote: 48.36 High Vote: 3 (Derek C & BackToBionic) Low Vote: 100 Discussion Thread "Has frustrating tendencies, but is so overwhelmingly talented that when he's on, he's really on and capable of so much greatness. Great bumper and stooger, great base, good in tags, can work main events or TV, and has that effortless legit quality to him." Jimmy Redman "I love Angle, and love the way he works. I don't remember if it was here or someplace else, so if i'm repeating myself i'm sorry, but his pace & style is exactly what I want out of his character. He's the high school bully jock who never knows when to turn it off, and spikes volleyballs into girls faces in gym class. He's the guy who makes everybody uneasy because you never know when he's going to randomly body check you into a locker or punch you in arm for no good reason. When I watch an Angle match, I want non stop action, I want people to get thrown on their heads, I want intensity, I want him to pull down his straps and scream like a lunatic, I want him to outwork whoever gets in his way, I want him to go go go go like a god damn machine. And that's exactly what he does." W2BTD Recommended Matches: Kurt Angle vs Steve Austin (WWF SummerSlam, 8/19/2001) Kurt Angle vs The Undertaker (WWE No Way Out, 2/19/2006) Kurt Angle vs Jeff Jarrett (TNA Slammiversary, 6/12/2011)

That is all well and good, but AJ is less over now then he was before the Jericho matches.

69 - Blue Panther 2006 Ranking: 32 Points: 3397 #1 Votes: 0 #2 Votes: 0 #3 Votes: 0 Top 10 Votes: 2 # of Ballots: 65 Average Vote: 48.77 High Vote: 7 Low Vote: 96 Discussion Thread "The man I think of when I think of lucha maestro's. I know Black Terry fits that for a lot of people but I have more exposure to Panther and prefer him." Dave Musgrave "The epitome of Lucha mat wrestling for me and really and truly my all time favorite wrestler. His longevity in great matches was what pushed him over the top for me, though I feel #9 might be a tad high to many. Unbelievable grappler and the honorable Blue Panther only needed more opportunities the last few years to move up even higher. " Dylan Harris "Where I've been especially impressed, however, is seeing him in different roles. He's tremendously effective when matched up with someone for a fiery/heated brawl, and almost amazingly so when he's there to do the comedy and shtick and character work, in that Fuerza role. I think he's also wrestled very well as an aged tecnico and transitioned strongly after losing the match to where he puts on strong performances with more emoting even if he's lost some of that mystique." Matt D Recommended Matches: Blue Panther vs Atlantis (CMLL, 8/9/1991) Blue Panther vs Villano V (CMLL, 9/19/2008) Blue Panther vs Solar (12/20/2015)

70 - Yuki Ishikawa 2006 Ranking: honourable mention (174) Points: 3287 #1 Votes: 0 #2 Votes: 0 #3 Votes: 0 Top 10 Votes: 4 # of Ballots: 54 Average Vote: 40.22 High Vote: 6 (A Stock) Low Vote: 98 Discussion Thread "This is possibly more difficult for me to elaborate on than the other candidates in my top 10. Ishikawa created a wrestling aesthetic as a wrestler and as a booker/promoter/trainer that perfectly captures what I want from pro wrestling. I am talking about Battlarts but Ishikawa's ranking is just as dependent on his work for that promotion as it is for his ideas. As the top star of Battlarts Ishikawa is the straight man against a mash-up of wrestling styles ranging from shoot-style to high flying to garbage wrestling. Ishikawa essentially portrays a classic New Japan style wrestler (with a little shoot style mixed in) toughing it out against a variety of opponents. Some of those wrestlers are great but Ishikawa also excels at carrying rookies, crowbars, and stiffs to great matches. He may not have the deep back catalog of other nominated wrestlers but almost every Ishikawa match is a gem worth watching if you can stomach the violent striking and appreciate good matwork." A Stock "For my money the greatest of all of the greatest promotion's stars, Ishikawa can be summed up with one word: Violence. His series with Ikeda is legendary and he had great matches against every other man he faced. He looked like the best of all time more than anyone I could see although variety in the greater sense isn't a strong suit. Is still amazing today on the rare occasions he mixes it up." Dylan Harris Recommended Matches: Yuki Ishikawa vs Daisuke Ikeda (BattlARTS, 9/1/1997) Yuki Ishikawa vs Alexander Otsuka (Big Mouth Loud, 9/11/2005) Yuki Ishikawa vs Carl Greco (BattlARTS, 6/9/2008)

Exactly. My process was make the best argument for each guy and then compare them. Whoever had the better argument went higher.

One is an egg dish and the other is...

Dick Togo is someone that I need to watch again. Outside of M-Pro I haven't seen anything.