Wrestling With The Past returns from the abyss as Charles is joined by Childs Walker to discuss the Greatest Wrestler Ever project. Listen to their 9-hour, 3-part epic as they reveal and compare their ballots, starting with #100 and counting all the way down to #1.

 

http://placetobenation.com/wrestling-with-the-past-greatest-wrestler-ever-top-100/

I've so far only listened to part 1 and it's fantastic. I told Charles this privately, but I might as well say it again, for me, him and Childs is probably my dream pairing to do one of these shows and I'm so happy they managed to get this out. Everything I hoped it would be so far.

 

That said, obligatory gifs.

 

Upon hearing the reveals for #61:

 

Charles:

 

And then Charles on Childs's pick:

 

 

I'll just remind you that you had Jericho on your list and not that 61 pick!

 

I also felt that Gordy got a bit of short shrift here. I'm not the biggest Gordy fan so I'm an odd person to defend him, but his output is better than you gave credit for

 

Vs. Khan in Texas

Vs. Williams in Houston

With Hansen Vs. Funks 83 (5-star in my view)

With Hansen Vs. Tenryu / Kawada 88 (5-star in my view)

 

The signature AJ stuff for Gordy is tagging with Hansen not Doc. And his Mid-South / Houston stuff definitely adds to his case.

Oh holy shit balls!!!

Beyond stoked for this and going to jump on it as soon as I get in the car. The podcast backlog I'll have from all of this a week from now is daunting, but hey, GWE.

"GWE FOREVER! GWE FOREVER!"

I'm looking forward to this, and I say that as someone who hadn't even listened to a single podcast in its entirety before the two Parv/Chad GWE podcasts in the last couple weeks. Maybe that's what I learned about my fandom from this project - that I like podcasts now.

Can we have a courtesy well-being check in for MattD after Charles' #96?

Barring further msihap, I plan on listening to the beginning tonight. I may or may not have words with our good friend Loss after that.

Haha, well, I did give Matt a personal heads up on that one.

If you want to experience it as we did, start at 10 pm tonight and listen right on through 'til Tuesday morning. Maybe the last part will sound coherent if you do it that way

That stream of consciousness in one sitting is something i am excited to explore the deeper I get into the podcast. I remember a very deep conversation about wwe booking me and Loss had on the eve of Rumble 2015 that was after we recorded the Top 100 Matches you Should See before you die podcast that was really strong at the time but it was so late in the night, it feels like a hazy memory now.

I'M SO EXCITED! I JUST CANT HIDE IT!

If you want to experience it as we did, start at 10 pm tonight and listen right on through 'til Tuesday morning. Maybe the last part will sound coherent if you do it that way

 

Ha! There are definitely a few times I am in the middle of making a point and completely lose my way for sure. I'm sure you had similar momentary lapses. Still, we kept just soldiering on. When it comes to wrestling, that's love, right?

Legit shocked that Loss didn't rank Nakano and Childs did after their joshi debates on the 1990 and 1991 recap shows.

Nakamura's transformation happened in 2009 when he turned heel and formed CHAOS. 2011 is when I think when he started doing Michael Jackson tribute stuff or whatever but he was already super great in 2009 and had the character down, it was just a slightly different character.

 

Modern New Japan rise really happened in 2012 with the big Okada push and them doing Ustream IPPVs but Tanahashi's long IWGP title run in 2011 also got a lot of recognition.

Thanks for that explanation.

 

Which came first -- Dave getting back to covering it more, or hardcore fan types showing interest in it and really liking it?

I don't think there was much disparity. I think Dave was reluctant to jump on the bandwagon in 2011 when his readers voted Tanahashi WOTY but he was already on it in 2012.

I think Okada winning in 2012 along with easier access to the PPV's meant more eyes on the product and a really easy jumping in point similar to Misawa and Co rise in 2012. Dave started watching and really praising the second half of the shows as being littered with **** matches. The ripple effect took off from there.

Charles in Charge is a great theme.

Thanks for that explanation.

 

Which came first -- Dave getting back to covering it more, or hardcore fan types showing interest in it and really liking it?

 

I think it depends on your definition of 'hardcore fan.' Folks like Mike Sempervive and Adam Summers who stayed through the dark Inokism eras along with a younger Alan4L were beginning to pimp that "hey, New Japan is actually really good again and booking well" really beginning in late '08 / early '09.

Sick fucks.

Thanks for that explanation.

 

Which came first -- Dave getting back to covering it more, or hardcore fan types showing interest in it and really liking it?

 

From someone looking from the outside (of puro fandom) I think it was Dave's coverage that lead to people beyond hardcore puro/NJ fans getting into it. Not in the sense of people being sheep and rating things because he does (although that too) but simply because Dave's coverage just lead to greater awareness of what was going on and pushing the idea that it's something people should watch.

I'm only about half an hour in, but this is already everything I hoped it would be.

 

Loss not ranking Childs' #98 at all was surprising to me, though. I should've voted him top 30 to make up for such deplorable behaviour.

I love this pairing and wish it was 10 hours longer, only half kidding. Charles is so convincing in his opinions that he could and might diss Bret and I'd thank him for it instead of getting mad

Charles is a true friend, and as my friend, my only feelings towards him are those of gladness that he will be able to experience the joy of the matches in question for the first time.

 

That is all.