The PS 50 2012 - Is Tanahashi really that good?

[Keith]

I ask because for the second year in a row New Japan's Hiroshi Tanahashi has come top in Power Slam magazines Top 50 wrestlers of the year list.

The full list:

1. Hiroshi Tanahashi (New Japan)
2. Austin Aries (TNA)
3. CM Punk (WWE)
4. Kazuchika Okada (New Japan)
5. Prince Devitt (New Japan)
6. Daniel Bryan (WWE)
7. CIMA (Dragon Gate)
8. Tetsuya Naito (New Japan)
9. Kevin Steen (ROH)
10. A.J. Styles (TNA)
11. Shingo Takagi (Dragon Gate)
12. Low Ki (New Japan)
13. Akira Tozawa (Dragon Gate)
14. Kurt Angle (TNA)
15. Davey Richards (ROH)
16. Christopher Daniels (TNA)
17. Shinsuke Nakamura (New Japan)
18. Jun Akiyama (NOAH)
19. Bobby Roode (TNA)
20. Hirooki Goto (New Japan)
21. El Generico (Independent)
22. Dolp Ziggler (WWE)
23. Sheamus (WWE)
24. Adrian Neville (aka Pac) (WWE)
25. Kenny Omega (DDT)
26. Yamato (Dragon Gate)
27. Randy Orton (WWE)
28. Samoa Joe (TNA)
29. Ryusuke Taguchi (New Japan)
30. Kota Ibushi (DDT)
31. Suwama (All Japan)
32. Jeff Hardy (TNA)
33. Naomichi Marufuji (NOAH)
34. Karl Anderson (New Japan)
35. Masaaki Mochizuki (Dragon Gate)
36. Ricochet (Dragon Gate)
37. Alberto Del Rio (WWE)
38. Kazarian (TNA)
39. Michael Elgin (ROH)
40. Matt Jackson (Independent)
41. Eddie Edwards (ROH)
42. Kenta (NOAH)
43. Nick Jackson (Independent)
44. Minoru Suzuki
45. James Storm (TNA)
46. Rockstar Spud (Independent)
47. Noam Dar (Independent)
48. Bully Ray (TNA)
49. El Ligero (Independent)
50. Kofi Kingston (WWE)

This is a must read every year for me reguardless of if I agree or not. The high praceings for the likes of Aries, Punk and Bryan I go along with, althrough I think the likes of Ziggler and Ray needed to be higher. It would have been nice for some indie talent outside of Japan to be featured but I am happy with the incluison of RockStar Spud and Noam Dar. Thoughts?

 

[Gimmick]

Pretty good list. I don't know most of the Japanese talent so I really can't comment on them, but the rest I agree with for the most part.

The people I'd move down the list would be Angle, AJ and Randy Orton. Although I don't watch TNA I don't recall either Angle or AJ doing anything special to warrant a top 15 place. No denying how good they are, but there hasn't been that much of a buzz for either man this year. As for Orton, while he put on some good matches I don't didn't he was able to keep up his impressive run from 2011.

In terms of people I'd move up, I'd like to have seen Sheamus and El Generico move up a bit higher. Sheamus was constantly good in 2012 putting on great matches against the likes of Bryan and Big Show. And El Generico tore it up on the Indie circuit by putting on some great matches in PWG and Dragon Gate/Evolve especially.

 

[The Cork]

It's a hipster magazine and the editor (Fin Martin) is a bitter old cunt who hates anything the WWE do.

No Ryback mention tells you everything you need to know. Guy has just popped "smark favourites" into Google and noted down the results.

 

[Crippler]

Ryback the guy only became relevant a couple of month ago and has basely been in squash matches all year.

I have to admit that list is a mess in places.

 

[The Cork]

Ryback the guy whos seen by millions of people each week.

Nobody cares who these irrelevant japs are, it just smacks of cool kids making obscure references to try and seem intelligent. Rockstar Spud worked a small rock club in front of 20 ppl max in my hometown last month, is that really worthy of being above the headliner of the biggest companys last 3 PPV's?

 

[Crippler]

Who the fuck is Rockstar Spud?

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

Have to remember these aren't just some Japs competing in promotions nobody's ever heard of. Millions of people watch wrestling in Japan, just because its not on USATV with Vinnie Mac making people kiss his ass or HHH forcing his workout buddy down our throats doesn't mean nobody see's it.

 

[The Cork]

The magazine is solely sold in the UK, none of those Jap promotions have a TV deal here.

You see what I'm getting at?

Oh and Rockstar Spud is some Brian Kendrick wannabe jobber on the UK indy scene currently on that TNA british bootcamp who Powerslam see fit to rank #48, at least two places above 99% of the WWE roster.

 

[Crippler]

We use to get those Japs and other wrestling companies on the Wrestling Channel, GOOD TIMES.

 

[The Cork]

We use to get those Japs and other wrestling companies on the Wrestling Channel, GOOD TIMES.

No wonder the channel went bust : :

Have you seen WRESTLETALK TV on Challenge? Most low budget show on all TV rofl.

 

[Crippler]

The wrestling channel was different cause all it would show was all different wrestling from all over the world. And i did see like 5 minutes of that show on challenge and your right it is a fuckin' mess some of the worse attempts of jokes and terrible writing.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

The wrestling channel was different cause all it would show was all different wrestling from all over the world. And i did see like 5 minutes of that show on challenge and your right it is a fuckin' mess some of the worse attempts of jokes and terrible writing.

Sounds like WWE.

 

[Keith]

The magazine is solely sold in the UK, none of those Jap promotions have a TV deal here.

You see what I'm getting at?

Oh and Rockstar Spud is some Brian Kendrick wannabe jobber on the UK indy scene currently on that TNA british bootcamp who Powerslam see fit to rank #48, at least two places above 99% of the WWE roster.

Because the list is based on who they consider the best wrestlers in the world not who may or may not be the most popluar. Rockstar Spud is a very talented heel who has done well to get a terrible character over.

That you think Ryback should be on the list is a joke, just because WWE have put him in three straight ppv main events does not mean he deserves it. His talent and drawing power still remains to be proven. Maybe he will be worth a place this year.

 

[The Cork]

If you are the best wrestler in the world, you'd be in the biggest promotion in the world.

Also if the list isn't about whos the most popular (obviously, because the editor is a fucking dumb hipster) then why did you bring up Ryback's drawing power? And since when is he a no talent bum? He's way more watchable than anyone on this shit list of no marks.

 

[Slim]

I'm curious what their criteria is for "best wrestler"