GPWT Round 1: Ricky Steamboat (8) -vs- The Rock (9)

[straight_edge76]

LOL on another forum I ran a best wrestler contest/debate, the final four were HBK, Flair, Savage and I'm wanting to say Malenko, but I'm not sure.

On the topic of Steamboat/Rocky, I'll admit I haven't seen extensive amounts of Dragon (not to be confused with Danielson who's best work from what I've heard I am just getting into as we speak) I will say he was/is a all time great. No doubt about it. But, if you ask me his best matches (that I've seen) were with Flair, and he could make anyone look great. This however is not taking anything away from Steamboat, he has had many good/great matches, but like previously stated, it takes more than awesome matches to be considered great.

Rocky was and still is a one of a kind talent. There will be another Dwayne Johnson in any of our lifetimes. I was never the biggest Rocky fan (I was always a Austin mark and will be till the day I die) but he had the gift of gab if you will, his promos were something that'd never been done before. He may have mastered the art of the catchphrase and he connected with the people in a way never seen before/after him. His matches were solid, he was never known for his domiance in the squared circle he delivered, just look at his three Mania matches with Austin, his ironman and ladder matches with HHH, the matches with Foley and he had a very good match with the Undertaker back before the Undertaker really came into his own as a in-ring worker, next to Austin and Hogan I feel he was the most important name in the WWE's history.

 

[Veritas]

This poll is closed, Rock advances.

It's the only "upset" of the first round, though I guess you really wouldn't call it that.

 

[straight_edge76]

When will the 2nd round start? I kind of want to give my views on this thing from here on out.

 

[Veritas]

It's already started. Please keep questions about the tournament as a whole in the Master Thread. Thanks.

 

[Candido316]

The rock is ahead in two areas and that is it.

Wrestling Ability: The Rock is so far behind Steamboat it is almost an insult to call Rock a Professiona WRESTLER compared to Steamboat.

Along with several others, Steamboat is so far ahead of Rock it isnt even funny. Shame that he lost 8 to 0, a simple fact that proves 99% of the fans out today have no real understanding of this business.

I would dare say the are much closer in the Draw Ability than most would think. Steamboat wrestled 300+ days a week, without cable, PPV, etc and helped draw 20K fans all the time and he did it for 20 years. That is easily on par with The Rock drawing 40-50K 2-3 times a week for less than 10 years! I dont know about you, but I would rather make 200K a year for 25 years than make 750K for 5 years. Longevity = quality and quality is always better than quanitity.

Oh well, it is what it is.

 

[Lady Redfield]

No votes for Steamboat? Wow, fuck all of you.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

Steamboat just doesn't equate to the Rock. Steamboat beats guys like Sanmartino and Hennig imo, if it's of any consolation.

 

[bigfloridapimp]

I would have voted for Steamboat. "draw" does not do much for me because I am not someone making money off the draw nor do I follow what other want to see. Don't get me wrong some of my favorite memories in wrestling is the Corporate Champ, but I just honestly hold wrestling ability to a much higher standard. I realize that the contest takes everything in to account and Rock beats everyone ever when it comes to charisma and mic skills, but being a great wrestler just means more to me personally. I also think Steamboat was a great storyteller in the ring and worked a great psychology too. But it doesn't matter, I was too late to the dance to vote. LoL.

 

[Dylanfsd]

Can't compare their success. The Rock all the way.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

And seriously, the only reason Ricky was champ was because Tully, Dusty, and Arn were in the WWF, Magnum TA was out of wrestling and Sting was injured and Flair flat out refused to put Luger over. He was just a transition champ at that too. And I can make a case that Ricky fuckin Morton was a better true baby face and was more over for a longer period of time and he also drew more than Steamer ever did.

 

[bigfloridapimp]

But how can draw factor in to what you care about? Draw has to be the most overrated thing people bring up when they talk about mediocre wrestlers, because it is usually the only thing they have. Positives on Hogan, Rock, Orton, thew drew/draw. What else? Not much really.

 

[Hometown Kid]

Ricky Morton not only was more over and a better babyface, he innovated and laid the blueprint for tag team wrestling, and playing a face-in-peril with Robert Gibson that has still held true for over 25 years! I've met the man and can attest to him being a cool guy in his old age, even trying to get through his dreaded "ex-wife" troubles as I understand it. He's by far one of the most underrated babyfaces of all time in my opinion, and i've always thought the RNR/Midnight Express rivalry paved the way for all future incarnations of tag wrestling in any promotion, as well as the Von Erich/Freebird rivalry in WCCW. The point is, The Rock N' Roll Express was awesome, and Ricky Morton's a true legend of Professional Wrestling.

 

[1chiban]

Morton was the absolute best at building up a hot tag in a tag match. The best I've seen anyway.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

But how can draw factor in to what you care about? Draw has to be the most overrated thing people bring up when they talk about mediocre wrestlers, because it is usually the only thing they have. Positives on Hogan, Rock, Orton, thew drew/draw. What else? Not much really.

Except for the countless memories they left behind for the ages and helped make millions lifetime fans. There have been far more excellent workers than actual draws. People remember Bullet Bob Armstrong, a reasonable draw and a fantastic worker, but no one remembers his son Brad, who was an excellent worker, but they remember his son Road Dogg who never used his fathers name but got a million times more over than his infinitely more talented-in-the-ring brother Brad. But Dogg had what Brad never had and what makes a truly memorable wrestler memorable; charisma. I can name a thousand superior talents in ring to Hogan and Rock that no one can remember or even knows they've watched. Steamer had almost zero charisma, he had an extreme work ethic and a clean baby face look, and the fact that he is even in this tournament speaks volumes of his talent, but in the grand scheme of things, Steamer just doesn't stack to the Rocks, Hogans and Austins just because he had good matches.

Being a draw usually encases being charismatic, good on the stick and just overall memorable. What's memorable about Steamer except his matches? Not a knock on Steamer, but in the grand scheme of things wrestling, fake wrestling ability isn't the same as having real wrestling ability like in the days of Thesz. Alot of people remember Ricky Steamboat, but not nearly have been impacted by him as they have the Rocks, Hogans and Austins of the world. Being a wrestler goes so much further than actual in ring talent, especially the last 60 years of the industry. We're not debating actual atheltes, we're debating entertainers. If this were actual in ring talent only, Steamer gets in there but is killed by HBK, Flair and the Japs, but this canvasses all aspects of being a pro wrestler and a guy who is only superior in one aspect doesn't even get past the guys who made larger impacts than him.

R.e: Ricky Fuckin Morton: You fucking right. There's a reason he's Ricky Fuckin Morton. He could have been a Sting for Crockett but he had something that cost him dearly, loyalty to Robert Gibson. He was a legitimate MAN in a cut throat business and his refusal to throw his partner behind him cost him his chance as a singles legend. Ricky is the fuckin man and was going to be the man for Crockett but he put principles before him. People want to know about wrestling's greatest "what if's", but what if Morton had gone on his own? Perhaps no Sting. Imagine if Magnum TA had never retired from the sport due to his accident. Crockett has two phenomenally over faces that could have combated Vince and Hogan.

And HTK, Von Erichs-FreeBirds was about 4 years before the real MXE-R&R feud and drew far more money than R&R-MXE did.

 

[Airfixx]

But how can draw factor in to what you care about? Draw has to be the most overrated thing people bring up when they talk about mediocre wrestlers, because it is usually the only thing they have. Positives on Hogan, Rock, Orton, thew drew/draw. What else? Not much really.

We're not talking favourites here:

http://forum.impactwrestling.com/sh...ofessional-Wrestler-of-All-Time-Master-Thread

And HTK, Von Erichs-FreeBirds was about 4 years before the real MXE-R&R feud and drew far more money than R&R-MXE did.

Really? ...Watching some pannel shoot thingy last night and ME/RRE (Dennis & Bobby were on said pannel) were getting props for both out-drawing and pre-dating the Birds/VonErich fued.

Can't remember who said it now, but non-one contradicted them.