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[Data West]

I don't know if I'll have a ten matches or anything, but here's my 10 favorite wrestlers of 2015


10. Nick Gage
9.Yuji Okabayashi
8. Dr. Wagner Jr
7. Hiroshi Tanahashi
6. Kamaitachi
5. Takashi Sugiura
4. La Sombra
3. Go Shiozaki
2. Mil Muertes
1.

Lots of people just barely missed it, but something put these ten over the others. Nick Gage didn't have too many great matches, but following his story and his return was the most interesting shit CZW has ever done. I loved the guy's promos and I loved that carny ass reality he brought with him. Wagner and Tanahashi bumped themselves up this year by doing different things and showing their range, Wagner working rudo with Sombra and now Fantasma and Tanahashi's Yano feud and his DDT feud were pure money. Sugiura wins a spot purely by busting his ass in every promotion in Japan and having as good of a build up to his feud(through his own doing and not the bookers) as Takayama with Suzuki but finishing it with an even better match. Okabayashi might have the highest percentage of great fucking matches in 2015 of anyone in this roster which puts him ahead of my personal favorite, Yuji Hino. But it did feel like he lacked a really good storyline or feud this year but man, he might be one of the best performers out there right now. Similarly, Go Shiozaki put AJPW on his fucking shoulders and killed it this year with every god damn opponent he had, even guys like Zeus and Kengo. Kamaitachi is one of the most promising heels/rudos out there right now and he's had the fortune of not being horribly booked to a point of it being unrepairable. Let's hope it stays that way when he goes back home to NJPW... La Sombra has just had arguably the best year of anyone on this list in terms of quality matches, storylines and wins despite some shitty bookings. I feel like his international portfolio grew tenfold in 2015 and that was before the WWE signed him on. He really shined this year and stole that spotlight. Ricky Banderas was somehow able to become the big bad of pro wrestling in 2015 and steal it away from Brock. Partially booking, but Muertes did his part. He's an intimidating mountain of muscle and power and the way he exerts the power in the ring from his spear to his punch to his chokeslam are awe inspiring at times. Anyone who even survives Mil Muertes looks like a god damn hero. Number one is ya boy, the Naito train like always. While some have fallen off, Naito-kun has done the impossible and gotten even better.


Some people have fallen off due to my own lack of watching or just not following up their booking. Yuji Hino could have done much more, but he rarely got the showcases he did last year(like working Kobashi's Fortune card) and he suffered for it. Similarly, Kenou and Harada suffered that same fate. Suzuki had an amazing in-ring year but his quality suffers from being associated with this agonizing, never ending Suzuki-gun angle. Zack Sabre Jr fell off my viewing habits though he did have some amazing matches at the start of the year, ZSJ vs Nakajima is still one of my favorite matches of the year. Fantasma/Cuerno is a stellar performer and I think he could be at the top of the list in 2016, but the wheel's just not quite rolling to match his performances. But the future of Lucha Underground and AAA are looking very good for the chocolate champion. Shibata fell off due to NJPW's shitty booking. 11, 12, 13, and 14 can be a four way fight between Pentagon Jr, Fenix, Chris Hero, and Akebono.

 

[Menome]

If you were going to actually be a pro wrassler, what would your persona be? I know we had a member who actually participated in a league, but sadly I can't recall which person it was offhand.

Added clause: you need a character or a gimmick. You can't just be you with some NXT-style name.

I'll go with what I misheard Sandow's name as the first time I heard it: Man Down

Work as a corporate security heel in an update of the Bossman character, my catchphrase being "Man Down" into a walkie-talkie when I won a match.

First few fights would be beating down the babyface hero, then eventually they get one over on me, pin me, then take my walkie-talkie to go "Man Down" and receive a pop from the crowd.

 

[funkystudent]

If you were going to actually be a pro wrassler, what would your persona be? I know we had a member who actually participated in a league, but sadly I can't recall which person it was offhand.

Added clause: you need a character or a gimmick. You can't just be you with some NXT-style name.

I am Irish so my gimmick is automatically predetermined to be someone who loves to fight. Loves to drink and have a back story about growing up bare knuckle boxing on the mean streets of (hometown).


I would want to wear a lucha mask though. Masks are cool.

 

[Aiii]

WWE 2k16 is the 12-days-of-christmas-deal in Europe right now, so hey, I figure I would check it out...

Every other game so far has been 35 at most, but not these carny fucks no, apparently the game is 50% off, so it's 84,- normally, gtfo WWE.

 

[Bluekaveli]

WWE 2k16 is the 12-days-of-christmas-deal in Europe right now, so hey, I figure I would check it out...

Every other game so far has been 35 at most, but not these carny fucks no, apparently the game is 50% off, so it's 84,- normally, gtfo WWE.

So glad I got it for 30 bucks. I'm enjoying it.

 

[FlammableD]

...

What the fuck have I done

Spoiler

and how did i make it through the night

 

[Deleted member 47027]

I really like your write up, Data. Written out like that, it should encourage a lot of people to actually check out the names they see in here a bunch. Makes it more accessible.

 

[Browny]

...

What the fuck have I done

Spoiler

and how did i make it through the night

You would do well to repent, brother...

Spoiler

You need to post more in Fancy Poster GAF...

 

[FlammableD]

You would do well to repent, brother...

I'll ask for forgiveness.

Spoiler

You need to post more in Fancy Poster GAF...

I can't buy anymore! I've got piles of stuff I need to get on a wall first!

 

[Deleted member 47027]

I'm really enjoying all this Lucha talk. I don't get to keep up as much as I'd like, due to time, so it's nice to see.

 

[Bluekaveli]

In hindsight, Vince was nuts for making Nash his guy. The one he should have pushed to the top was Razor Ramon, who had a better name, more charisma, was a better wrestler, and was in his prime. You have Shawn beat Razor for the IC belt in the fall of 1994, THEN have RAZOR beat Backlund for the title, then you do champ vs. champ at WrestleMania, so Shawn can cash in the “I beat the champ once, I can do it again” saga. Instead, there’s reserved Kevin Nash shoehorned into being Biker Hogan. Does anyone have the financials for 1995 handy? I need a good laugh.

So true

 

[reptilescorpio]

Morning Wrasslegaf... Is it safe to say - it's a New Day?

I feel like I've regressed a few years - playing Watch Dogs and waiting for a baby to appear is taking up most of my time. What's this I hear about Del Rio?

What a coincidence, I've been finishing up the AC Syndicate plat and waiting for a baby to appear!

(also for Lucha Underground to appear, I'll pop in for the PPV's/Takeover though)

 

[Menome]

So true

Sounds like you'd like to listen to this week's Squared Circle Gazette:

http://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/e/scg-radio-64-fixing-the-wwf-in-1995/

 

[Deleted member 47027]

What a coincidence, I've been finishing up the AC Syndicate plat and waiting for a baby to appear!

(also for Lucha Underground to appear, I'll pop in for the PPV's/Takeover though)

Enjoy the last time you have waiting for anything. You're going to lose this "time" thing so bad. Get some sleep if you can.

 

[Bluekaveli]

Sounds like you'd like to listen to this week's Squared Circle Gazette:

http://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/e/scg-radio-64-fixing-the-wwf-in-1995/

Hmmm, how long is this

 

[31GhostsIV]

WWE 2k16 is the 12-days-of-christmas-deal in Europe right now, so hey, I figure I would check it out...

Every other game so far has been 35 at most, but not these carny fucks no, apparently the game is 50% off, so it's 84,- normally, gtfo WWE.

When you can walk into Game, the carniest of UK high street shops, and buy the game for cheaper than this 'special' offer (£29 new) something is very wrong.

 

[reptilescorpio]

If you were going to actually be a pro wrassler, what would your persona be? I know we had a member who actually participated in a league, but sadly I can't recall which person it was offhand.

Added clause: you need a character or a gimmick. You can't just be you with some NXT-style name.

Aussie Battler!

Basically look like young Scott Hall, mustache and all, crossed with Saxton Hale.
Go around wrestling people/things for the sport of it. Happy go lucky attitude, always cracking a beer and having a laugh. Heavy accent and slang usage to quickly find a dumb catch phrase for the crowds to latch onto.
Baby face guy just in it for the thrill of the battle.
Heel turn could possibly come from some nationalistic pride thing. Maybe people keep spilling my beer and won't try my kangaroo burgers. Maybe a merc for hire angle at some point? I dunno.

I like the more theatrical parts of wrestling, outside of the ring work. More fun stuff like this would keep me entertained. Peak pro wrestling is a giant theatre piece with the physicality in the ring the most powerful storytelling possible.

WWE 2k16 is the 12-days-of-christmas-deal in Europe right now, so hey, I figure I would check it out...

Every other game so far has been 35 at most, but not these carny fucks no, apparently the game is 50% off, so it's 84,- normally, gtfo WWE.

Jeez even we get it slightly cheaper (fuck paying that price though).

Game prices here have actually been really damn good, can't complain too much. Retail falling over themselves to price games sometimes half the price of PSN/XBL at launch. So good.

 

[Browny]

Enjoy the last time you have waiting for anything. You're going to lose this "time" thing so bad.

That's an exaggeration. You'll get a good hour a night for free time. Just don't use it up on wrasslin'.

Get some sleep if you can.

.

 

[Jamie OD]

I'm really enjoying all this Lucha talk. I don't get to keep up as much as I'd like, due to time, so it's nice to see.

If you can you should make a habit of reading the Luchablog every now and then. Even the backstage stuff is kind of entertaining with the amount of no shows and abandoned storylines that happen every month. He also posts the latest Lucha matches on Youtube and Dailymotion every Tuesday.

 

[reptilescorpio]

Enjoy the last time you have waiting for anything. You're going to lose this "time" thing so bad. Get some sleep if you can.

Ha, second child! I'm already well and truly used to sleep depredation and a complete lack of time (especially since I'm the man at work now). Been lucky enough to smash out AC Syndicate tonight with an empty house. Feels strange as fuck!

I actually have time to waste on a stupidly long podcast for once which is weird. I'd dropped all of them over the years, especially since I don't commute. Will grab a choice looking SCSA one.

EDIT: Yeah in terms of the free time block wrestling has been diminished, especially with the popularity of Netflix. X-Files episode a night usually!

 

[Deleted member 47027]

If you can you should make a habit of reading the Luchablog every now and then. Even the backstage stuff is kind of entertaining with the amount of no shows and abandoned storylines that happen every month. He also posts the latest Lucha matches on Youtube and Dailymotion every Tuesday.

Appreciate it. I'd end up there sometimes to read about a specific thing, but I really should make it more of a habit.

 

[Exodust]

So true

If there's one guy I always wanted to see as World Champion it would be Hall. Wasted by others but not as much as he wasted himself.

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

I'm pretty sure Sweeney Tom has me on ignore for daring to suggest that that stuff with Charlotte wasn't a big deal, but I'd like to know just where all these "homophobic and transphobic" insults are in this thread, because I'd not post in here if we weren't pretty good about calling people out on that shit. When that guy made the George Zimmerman joke, he was gone within like 3 minutes. I'd also like to know why occasional jokes about appearance in a thread dedicated to a pastime in which people roll around in their underwear multiple times per week on national television is somehow inappropriate, given it's been well-established for a long time within said pastime that appearance is a major contributing factor to long-term success and that people who enjoy said pastime typically have very strong, very specific preferences about what "look" they enjoy. Unless you're of the bent that ANY jokes about appearance is "sizeist", or that ANY sexualization is necessarily misogynistic objectification (and not, y'know, typical human behavior that many of the performers willingly play into for their own profit), or other such notions, I don't really see where the thread is erring on that stuff.

 

[FlammableD]

Unless you're of the bent that ANY sexualization is necessarily misogynistic objectification (and not, y'know, typical human behavior that many of the performers willingly play into for their own profit), or other such notions, I don't really see where the thread is erring on that stuff.

I mean, this thread is apparently 100% fine for female creepshots, but I'm on my best behaviour now so I'll leave it at that.

 

[Menome]

Hmmm, how long is this

1h45m - The podcast as a whole never goes over 2 hours per episode.

 

[klonere]

Don't close the thread guys

I tried talking a bunch of my friends into watching NXT Takeover London with me and even when we were all very inebriated they all wanted to watch the real fighting the next day instead. I need to have some people to talk to about fake fighting with a guy who paints himself and acts like he's a demon and a girl who is targeted to appeal to 10 year olds.

Don't go WrassleGAF.

 

[Menome]

Don't close the thread guys

I tried talking a bunch of my friends into watching NXT Takeover London with me and even when we were all very inebriated they all wanted to watch the real fighting the next day instead. I need to have some people to talk to about fake fighting with a guy who paints himself and acts like he's a demon and a girl who is targeted to appeal to 10 year olds.

Don't go WrassleGAF.

What's the rules against us just creating a "Further Adventures of Becky Lynch & What's Going On Where She Came From" thread?

 

[Aiii]

What's the rules against us just creating a "Further Adventures of Becky Lynch & What's Going On Where She Came From" thread?

If it keeps Becky Lynch related chatter from this thread? By all means, please go for it.

I beg you, please.

 

[klonere]

What's the rules against us just creating a "Further Adventures of Becky Lynch & What's Going On Where She Came From" thread?

Becky Lynch fact: At 19 she emigrated to Vancouver and became the inaugural ECCW Women's Champion and held it for 301 days. This title went on to be held by among others, Nattie, Emma and Ivory! We could definitely keep a thread going on such incredible facts alone.

Spoiler

I also emigrated to Canada at 19 from Ireland. Funny that.

 

[Aiii]

Instead of WWE 2K16, I ordered a LEGO Poe Dameron X-Wing to play with.

This movie better deliver so I'm not stuck with a shitty character's fake space fighter-jet, goddammit.

 

[Zach]

I don't know if I'll have a ten matches or anything, but here's my 10 favorite wrestlers of 2015


10. Nick Gage
9.Yuji Okabayashi
8. Dr. Wagner Jr
7. Hiroshi Tanahashi
6. Kamaitachi
5. Takashi Sugiura
4. La Sombra
3. Go Shiozaki
2. Mil Muertes
1.

Lots of people just barely missed it, but something put these ten over the others. Nick Gage didn't have too many great matches, but following his story and his return was the most interesting shit CZW has ever done. I loved the guy's promos and I loved that carny ass reality he brought with him. Wagner and Tanahashi bumped themselves up this year by doing different things and showing their range, Wagner working rudo with Sombra and now Fantasma and Tanahashi's Yano feud and his DDT feud were pure money. Sugiura wins a spot purely by busting his ass in every promotion in Japan and having as good of a build up to his feud(through his own doing and not the bookers) as Takayama with Suzuki but finishing it with an even better match. Okabayashi might have the highest percentage of great fucking matches in 2015 of anyone in this roster which puts him ahead of my personal favorite, Yuji Hino. But it did feel like he lacked a really good storyline or feud this year but man, he might be one of the best performers out there right now. Similarly, Go Shiozaki put AJPW on his fucking shoulders and killed it this year with every god damn opponent he had, even guys like Zeus and Kengo. Kamaitachi is one of the most promising heels/rudos out there right now and he's had the fortune of not being horribly booked to a point of it being unrepairable. Let's hope it stays that way when he goes back home to NJPW... La Sombra has just had arguably the best year of anyone on this list in terms of quality matches, storylines and wins despite some shitty bookings. I feel like his international portfolio grew tenfold in 2015 and that was before the WWE signed him on. He really shined this year and stole that spotlight. Ricky Banderas was somehow able to become the big bad of pro wrestling in 2015 and steal it away from Brock. Partially booking, but Muertes did his part. He's an intimidating mountain of muscle and power and the way he exerts the power in the ring from his spear to his punch to his chokeslam are awe inspiring at times. Anyone who even survives Mil Muertes looks like a god damn hero. Number one is ya boy, the Naito train like always. While some have fallen off, Naito-kun has done the impossible and gotten even better.


Some people have fallen off due to my own lack of watching or just not following up their booking. Yuji Hino could have done much more, but he rarely got the showcases he did last year(like working Kobashi's Fortune card) and he suffered for it. Similarly, Kenou and Harada suffered that same fate. Suzuki had an amazing in-ring year but his quality suffers from being associated with this agonizing, never ending Suzuki-gun angle. Zack Sabre Jr fell off my viewing habits though he did have some amazing matches at the start of the year, ZSJ vs Nakajima is still one of my favorite matches of the year. Fantasma/Cuerno is a stellar performer and I think he could be at the top of the list in 2016, but the wheel's just not quite rolling to match his performances. But the future of Lucha Underground and AAA are looking very good for the chocolate champion. Shibata fell off due to NJPW's shitty booking. 11, 12, 13, and 14 can be a four way fight between Pentagon Jr, Fenix, Chris Hero, and Akebono.

Someone's desperate to pass the time before Yakuza...

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

If Becky Lynch was heel she could dye her hair green and have matching attire and go around as Becky Grynch for December and steal the WWE's Christmas.

 

[Menome]

Spoiler

I also emigrated to Canada at 19 from Ireland. Funny that.

Are you in fact Becky herself, working imbask and Aiii into shoots every time you post?

 

[FlammableD]

I don't know if I'll have a ten matches or anything, but here's my 10 favorite wrestlers of 2015


10. Nick Gage

Fuck Nick Gage

 

[FlammableD]

 

[Kornflayx]

Is it established at this point that Becky Lynch is Aiii's batsignal?

 

[klonere]

Are you in fact Becky herself, working imbask and Aiii into shoots every time you post?

 

[jmdajr]

It's Monday!

 

[Aiii]

Is it established at this point that Becky Lynch is Aiii's batsignal?

She's everywhere.

 

[JavyOO7]

I wish Becky would go back to NXT. Charlotte and Sasha had great characters in NXT but I felt that Becky needed more time to develop the personality she was showing us in her title match against Sasha.

 

[klonere]

I wish Becky would go back to NXT. Charlotte and Sasha had great characters in NXT but I felt that Becky needed more time to develop the personality she was showing us in her title match against Sasha.

If I had one wrestling genie wish, I'd have a really hard time deciding whether to make Big E WHC by the end of 2016 or sending Becky back to NXT for feuds with Asuka, Bayley and Alexa.

 

[31GhostsIV]

Fave five obvious moves the WWE was either too petty or too inept to make in 2015

1) Turn Reigns at Survivor Series
2) End the authority angle for good
3) End the US title open challenge with an Owens win
4) Let Rollins use the thai knee to the face as a finisher after the Cena botch OR let him keep the curb stomp.
5) Give Bubba a decent singles run

What do you folks think?

 

[slightconfuse]

Damn Steve Corino had a Tyson kidd level injury

 

[imBask]

it's monday! it's Bob Ross night on twitch folks!

 

[slightconfuse]

My contribution to # luchatalk is more Rey Horus

 

[Menome]

it's monday! it's Bob Ross night on twitch folks!

imbask: The World's Bobbest Man.

 

[imBask]

imbask: The World's Bobbest Man.

Reigns is just a happy little mistake friend

 

[Kaladin]

If anyone is interested, the tickets for the next NXT taping at Full Sail go on sale today at 10am EST. It is January 7th. Prices are $15 and $10.

Last time tickets sold out in 2 minutes.

https://nxttickets.ticketforce.com/

Wish I could go again, but I don't have the money or time off to do anything for the next few months before I get married.

 

[slightconfuse]

What are the chances of Sandman showing up tonight?

Id Mark out

 

[FlammableD]

If only Raven wasn't looking like death these days.