Intl. Region, Minneapolis Subregion, First Round: (14) Rikidozan vs. (19) Animal

[klunderbunker]

This is a first round match in the International Region, Minneapolis Subregion. It is a standard one on one match held under standard wrestling rules. It will be held at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

#14. Rikidozan

Vs.

#19. Animal

​

Polls will be open for four days following a one day period for discussion. Voting will be based on who you feel is the greater of the two competitors. Post your reasons for why your pick should win below. Remember that this is non-spam and the most votes in the poll win. Any ties will be broken by the amount of posts of support for each candidate, with one vote per poster.

Also remember that this is a non-spam forum. If you post a response without giving a reason for your selection, it will be penalized for spam and deleted.

 

[The Brain]

Should we give Animal the vote because of home field advantage? Nah. I don't know a lot about Rikidozan. I know he's a Japanese wrestling legend because people that post in this tournament every year tell me so. I'll give the legend the vote over Animal because Animal is better in tag competition than singles but I'm sure to piss someone off later when I vote against Rikidozan in favor of someone they might view as inferior due to lack of knowledge.

 

[Tastycles]

Rikidozan's stock is falling in this tournament as the years go on, but he's up against a tag team specialist here, and I think by virtue of the fact that he was viewed as an equal to the biggest names of the 1940s and 50s by American promotions, it is unlikely that he'd lose to a tag wrestler. Rikidozan wins.

 

[Bythedockofthebay]

Rikidozan was a monster for his time. He beat Lou Thesz for the International title in LA and only lost it because he died. He was also the Japanese champion for something like four years. Animal really doesn't stand a chance here even though I loved the Road Warriors.

Winner: Rikidozan after a piledriver

 

[nightmare]

Legion of Doom is one of the best tag teams to ever compete. Dominant is an understatement.


Problem is, that Animal is not as effective without Hawk & this is a singles tournament. In a singles match, Animal has not proven to be dominant as he is in a tag setting. He simply does not have enough to gain a victory over a Japanese wrestling icon.


Rikidozan moves on here.

 

[HBsam31]

Animal seems to be pretty highly ranked in this tournament, and honestly wasn't sure that Animal was the Animal I thought he was until I saw the picture. I don't know much about Rikidozan other than he is a Japanese legend, but that is enough for him to get past the tag team specialist Animal. Rikidozan to the second round.

 

[ocekit]

As a Minneapolis native and big fan of the LoD, it pains me to vote against Animal. However, Hawk and Animal were always pretty rough in singles action and Animal's up against one of the best Japanese wrestlers ever. Sorry Animal, but you're leaving the tournament early.

 

[LSN80]

As others have said, Rikidozian remains one of the biggest names in professional wrestling history in Japan, and that success translated into the NWA, where he beat Lou Thesz twice. What he accomplished, he did so as a single's wrestler. He's seeded far too low here once again, but he'ld dispatch a tag team specialist such as Animal with ease. Hawk won't be here to have Animal's back, and even if he did, I'm fairly certain Rikidozian would be able to get past it.

Had Rikidozian not died so young, I'm fairly certain he'ld be held in much higher regard, with an appropriate seeding as well. But that doesn't matter here, as he moves on with ease.

 

[Papa Pillman]

Rikidozan is the godfather of Japanese wrestling. Without him Puroresu may never have existed.

When he came to the US before the sport was established in his home country he was main eventing territories like San Francisco within a couple of weeks of showing up. When he went back to Japan he immediately made the sport a huge deal there, eventually bringing Thesz over for his first match in Japan and battled him to a 60-minute draw for the NWA title.

As great a tag wrestler as Animal was, no tag specialist should be taking out Rikidozan in the first round.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Animal suffers from the same setbacks as Hawk in that he didn't accomplish squat as a singles wrestler. The Road Warriors are, arguably, the greatest tag team in wrestling history who dominated wherever they went, but they're just shit outta luck because this isn't a tag team tournament.