The lower end of the top 10 legitimately shocked me. Like what has been mentioned, I feel like anyone that gets top ten votes has a strong case for the top. I was shocked that Danielson ranked so high as well as Rey. This list is epic.

Miz ? Kofi Kingston ? I'm already going through vintage TNA, no need for more spot monkeys and dull-ass cosplayers.

Bryan had a very good run indeed, Im sure his retirement helped cement his case as a bookend of a terrific career. Now its Misawa, Hansen, Funk, and Flair. Interested to see how it shakes out.

Booooooo!

 

Really wanted Bryan to win this. :-(

I would probably rank Misawa highest out of the All Japan guys. I see an unmatched level of thought in his approach to structuring matches. He expanded the boundaries of the artform and that counts for a lot to me, even if his longevity isn't as good as some of the others.

In a selfish fan way I wanted Bryan to win too.

 

I think this is a pretty appropriate top 4. Given the talk on the boards and hearing some of the lists on podcasts, it is tough to argue with or be surprised by this top four. You have a guy who made his case in Japan, a guy who made his case in America and two guys who made their case in both to varying degrees. All score pretty high on all of the major metrics and all (sans Funk, kinda) have bookended their careers and their case has been made for a while (no recency). Everyone has their detractors and their flaws and this could probably be said about all the top 10, but these are four of the harder guys to argue against as GREAT.

In a selfish fan way I wanted Bryan to win too.

 

I think this is a pretty appropriate top 4. Given the talk on the boards and hearing some of the lists on podcasts, it is tough to argue with or be surprised by this top four. You have a guy who made his case in Japan, a guy who made his case in America and two guys who made their case in both to varying degrees. All score pretty high on all of the major metrics and all (sans Funk, kinda) have bookended their careers and their case has been made for a while (no recency). Everyone has their detractors and their flaws and this could probably be said about all the top 10, but these are four of the harder guys to argue against as GREAT.

What is that Funk comment in regards to?

I guess that Funk is still technically active, while the others definitely aren't.

I guess that Funk is still technically active, while the others definitely aren't.

That

I read that as Funk not excelling in a certain major metric, sorry haha

In a selfish fan way I wanted Bryan to win too.

 

I think this is a pretty appropriate top 4. Given the talk on the boards and hearing some of the lists on podcasts, it is tough to argue with or be surprised by this top four. You have a guy who made his case in Japan, a guy who made his case in America and two guys who made their case in both to varying degrees. All score pretty high on all of the major metrics and all (sans Funk, kinda) have bookended their careers and their case has been made for a while (no recency). Everyone has their detractors and their flaws and this could probably be said about all the top 10, but these are four of the harder guys to argue against as GREAT.

I would say that Misawa didn't as clearly bookend his career because he was still active with no sign of retiring, within I'd say conservatively the next 5 years liberally 10, before his untimely passing so it could be contended that he would have done more to add to or detract from his case which leaves that little bit of open-endedness to his career that the other do not have even-weirdly, Funk who is still wrestling feels like his career is very much concluded because over the past few years it has become very obvious exactly what he can produce with his body completely broken down and it has in no way really effected his over all case.

 

A very odd nit to pick I know but reading your break down made me feel inspired this fine Friday morning

Part of it to me was that simply being Misawa, because of his credibility, added something to matches that Being Kawada or Being Kobashi just couldn't. If he was in a match, the stakes were higher just because he was there.

5 is a hell of a placement for Bryan but once we got into the top 10 I started rooting for him to go as far as possible. I'd have loved to see him in the top 3. He was my #2.

Question, should I reveal name number 3 today and let you debate the final two or should I reveal no more names today and let you debate all three till tomorrow?

Give us #3!

Give us #3!

Flair, Funk, or Hansen?

Funk

I was looking for the old Flair promo where he talked about how he had never worn cowboy boots a day in his life and hated Texas, because that seems appropriate. Couldn't find it.

Misawa's average vote is disgusting.

Number 3 today, please! Any wait longer than the absolute minimum is torture!

Chad, a 10.23 average isn't bad for the 4th greatest wrestler of all-time (which is where I had him as well). 😋

 

 

In a selfish fan way I wanted Bryan to win too.

 

I think this is a pretty appropriate top 4. Given the talk on the boards and hearing some of the lists on podcasts, it is tough to argue with or be surprised by this top four. You have a guy who made his case in Japan, a guy who made his case in America and two guys who made their case in both to varying degrees. All score pretty high on all of the major metrics and all (sans Funk, kinda) have bookended their careers and their case has been made for a while (no recency). Everyone has their detractors and their flaws and this could probably be said about all the top 10, but these are four of the harder guys to argue against as GREAT.

I would say that Misawa didn't as clearly bookend his career because he was still active with no sign of retiring, within I'd say conservatively the next 5 years liberally 10, before his untimely passing so it could be contended that he would have done more to add to or detract from his case which leaves that little bit of open-endedness to his career that the other do not have even-weirdly, Funk who is still wrestling feels like his career is very much concluded because over the past few years it has become very obvious exactly what he can produce with his body completely broken down and it has in no way really effected his over all case.

 

A very odd nit to pick I know but reading your break down made me feel inspired this fine Friday morning

Meltzer said Misawa was actually talking about doing a retirement tour soon in the months leading up to his death. Also just look at how he was moving in his last year. There is no way he could have wrestled 5 more years unless you just mean doing tags where he spends the match on the apron and only does a few elbows.

Misawa not only appeared on more ballots than Kobashi or Kawada; he whipped them on both top 10 and top 3 votes. That is not something I would have guessed coming in. But as I said on the podcast, he was the best I've ever seen on his best night. So no complaints.

Chad, a 10.23 average isn't bad for the 4th greatest wrestler of all-time (which is where I had him as well).

 

Sorry I meant disgusting in the sense that it is a really big jump from the others we have seen in the top 10 so far.

Actually, I think #3 will be Hansen.

 

 

Give us #3!

Flair, Funk, or Hansen?

 

Hansen.