2011 Pro Wrestling Thread

The girl was in the last video and possibly the one before it, but she was in the background for split-seconds at a time. This was the first time she had focus.

 

Yeah, I think she was in all but the first but was barely in the first one she popped up in and was in just a little bit more in the others. Last night was the first time she was the focus.

I'm wondering if the red hair and sweater are supposed to be clues somehow since they're the only real vibrant colors in the promos.

 

Which is why I said "May" instead of "Will".

And I think the match will stand for itself, rather than as part of a major storyline. Some matches remain memorable for a variety of reasons, like RVD beating Cena in Hammerstein, even though RVD fucked everything up with his arrest a couple of weeks later.

 

The problem is, I think when you're labeling something the "Match of the Decade", it has to be a match that fundamentally changed the wrestling landscape both in the immediate aftermath and long-term.

Something like Savage vs. Steamboat at WM3, for instance, was thought of as a "Great match" when it happened and even received "Match of the Year" honors but it wasn't until the long-term ramifications of that match were seen--such as the way it influenced a generation of wrestlers--where you could really label it something as dramatic as a "Match of the Decade".

To me, that was "The" match of the 80s. Match of the 90s, IMO, would have to go to either Hart vs. Austin at WM13, Hart vs. Michaels at WM12 or Michaels vs. Ramon at WM10. Match of the 2000s? Much tougher to pick but I'd side with Michaels vs. Taker at WM25 just because of what it symbolized and (IMO) the fact that future generations are going to point to that bout the way they point to Savage vs. Steamboat now.

For this decade? We're a heck of a while away from knowing for sure but unless Punk vs. Cena leads to Phillip becoming a game-changing superstar ala Austin or Rock, it's hard for me to see it earning that kind of distinction.

No doubt it was the match of 2011. Nothing else is even close but I think it's the kind of bout that is ultimately going to be remembered as a great match but not a match that transcends the industry, not the type of bout that changes the landscape of the sport.

Of course, maybe I'm just an optimist and am holding out hope that we get Jericho vs. Punk and WM28, which could, IMO, top Cena-Punk both in storytelling and wrestling execution.

Hard to imagine anyone tops that crowd atmosphere in Chicago though. Man, that was amazing.

 

Just getting mentally pumped for a mic battle between Jericho and Punk.

Damn, that would be freaking awesome.

 

I don't know what would be better, the mic battle or the match itself. Two of the best in-ring performers in varying stages of their primes (Punk slightly before it, Jericho slightly after it) used to the big-match stage.

 

I tell you what, it wouldn't surprise me. You know what else wouldn't surprise me? If someone like Cody Rhodes is involved (at least in the discussion) as well. To me, Rhode is a promising newcomer who, with proper seasoning, can develop into a real stud in the future. He's incredibly underrated and a real gem. The same, I think, can be said about Ziggler in the ring, even if they are promoting the hell out of the 'showoff" concept.

 

Agreed. As far as in-ring work and memorable matches, I think we're closing in fast on an era we'll remember for a long, long time.
Ziggler, Rhodes and Bryan are on the brink of breaking big if they're handled right.
Punk, Orton and Cena (who needs to freshen up his move set, but can put on a great match) are all in their prime right now.
Miz isn't as good as those guys in the ring, but is capable enough and can carry a feud on the mic.
The old hands like Big Show, Kane and Mark Henry have been doing good work and are always reliable, at least in the mid-card.
The next few years have the potential to be very exciting and memorable. WWE has done a good job restocking the cupboard after losing half its top-shelf talent (Edge, Jericho, Batista, HBK and Triple H) to retirement or inactivity in a short period of time. Now it's almost time to reap the benefits. Let's just hope they don't screw it up.

 

Maybe it's just me, but I love Ziggler's character -- minus Vicky, of course. He reminds some of Brian Pillman when he first broke in.

 

I always think back to the Ziggler vs. Daniel Bryan match at Bragging Rights I believe it was. That was one of the best pure technical matches, IMO, since Kurt Angle vs. He Who Shall Not Be Named at the 2001 Royal Rumble.

 

We differ slightly on this. I'd say it depends on what you're looking for in a Match of a Decade. To some, the Match of the 80s might have been the first WM main event, or Hulk/Andre, because those had a major impact on the industry. Yet, the workrate wasn't really that great.

To me, a Match of the Decade, or something similiar to that, should be a match that stands the test of time. While Steamboat-Savage was definitely a precursor to today's fast style, they weren't the really the first to use that style. Check out the Dynamite Kid/Tiger Mask matches from around 1982-83. They were at least 10 years ahead of their time. They just happened to take place in Japan (except for one MSG match where the crowd was so used to seeing punches, kicks, bearhugs and Backlund's chicken wing that they went absolutely nuts for some spots), while Steamboat/Savage took place in front of 92,000 people on the biggest stage.

The same with the Flair-Steamboat trilogy and the Flair-Funk "I Quit" match. They're well-loved by fans, but they didn't benefit from the WWF machine, so there were plenty of fans who missed out on it.

I'd also would put the first two Hell in the Cell matches as top matches of the 90s, especially Foley/Taker, in terms of the Match of the Decade, because it showed the huge risks that these guys were taking, which led to fans complaining at every Hell match that someone wasn't getting thrown off a cage. Those two matches, like the ones you listed, stand the test of time for me as well.

You're right in terms of the 2000s, because the workrate has gone up so much, it's hard for a match to stand out. I know there's still plenty of time left in this decade, but I feel Punk/Cena will be one of those matches that people remember 20 years from now, both for the storyline (which actually stood out amid the usual stuff) and the crowd.

 

In terms of wrestling style, absolutely. I was just thinking about Pillman the other day. The funny thing is that, to me, personality-wise, Pillman was really a precursor to Punk, in terms of walking that line between reality and acting. I couldn't help but think how incredible a healthy Pillman would have been once the Attitude Era got in full swing. As is, he showed a few precursors (the gun incident) before he passed away.