Danielson was, until he lost the title to KENTA, the NOAH Jr. Heavyweight Champion. McGuinness is at this point a heavyweight. and Mysterio (I refuse to call him Misterio because he and the force of nature who he resembles are not the same person.) is at this point too at least in terms of style and opponent choice. However Matt Hardy is already a third-division champion by virtue of being the ECW champ. What more damage could you do by making ECW the Cruiserweight show?

Go is also not a Jr. Heavyweight, and Masato bulked up to be the Z-1 champ. It’s not sad that Lyger won’t reach the IWGP. I think he is honestly happy where he is.

Jericho, Misterio, Punk, Morrison, Hardys et al are in or have been in each WWE brand’s title picture. They don’t need to be relegated to a secondary division. Same with Styles. Same with Danielson and McGuinness.

Even overseas, you have Go Shiozaki as NOAH’s future. You have Masato Tanaka as Z-1′s heavyweight champ. If anything, it is kind of sad that Lyger is highly unlikely to reach the IWGP.

Goodnight.

But don’t come on here crying when people make comments about what you chose to write about. Any real writer who is the “slightest bit qualified” — and how aptly your own phrase describes you — knows that once something is published or posted, the audience reaction is what it is, and there is no law granting writers the benefit of civility, fairness, or anything of the kind. If you choose to write about a topic that serious people treat ludicrously, then you get what’s coming to you. This isn’t Canada, where men like Dean Steacy can haul you into court for lampooning someone’s beliefs. We’re free to rip writers here, and writers are meant to thicken their skins and deal with it.

If you’re susceptible to losing your temper because I criticized your subject matter, then maybe you’re already self-conscious of your own poor choice in entertainment vehicles. Anger is as much a sign of a problem with the angry person as it is a proof of effectiveness of the stimulous leading to anger.

And if memory serves, you requested the chance to post here. Be careful what you wish for…..

The Rey Mysterio that you see now is less innovative by virtue of the knee surgeries but is more of a classic American-style wrestler as a result, which leads to the praise by Bret Hart (who holds no place in his heart for Lucha Libre with his “everything had to look like a real fight” idea.) He’s a top-10 wrestler in WWE right now, and as a result is in the top 30 in the world. But I’d be lying to you if I said that he wasn’t a shell of what he used to be when he was tearing up Mexico and Japan.

Re Mistico: Yes I have seen some of his work, not a lot, but enough to form an opinion. I can see where Rey’s coming from because he’s got some of the same basic skills. The difference is that, by the time Rey was 22, he had 4 years under his belt, was booked in Japan and wrestled in a major tournament, and was in ECW. Mistico who is 22 has not left Mexico yet. Mistico still has a lot of impressing to do.

What do you think of Rey Mysterio’s place in history as a light heavyweight or a wrestler in general? He’s been called one of the best by names such as Bret Hart and that carries a lot of weight.

And have you seen this guy Mistico from Mexico? Rey Mysterio has said that Mistico (who is only 22 I believe) is better than he was at that age…..those are big words…

I’m sorry that you seem to think that if it’s not something you want to read about that no one else should enjoy it.

I set out to give every writer a chance–like others have given me–and will continue to do so.

I questioned Okori why I should publish this and his response was sufficient.

Nowadays when people think of Pro Wrestling, past your insipid idea that it is a feeble-minded form of entertainment, two people’s names come up: Chris Benoit and Vince McMahon. Benoit because he killed his wife and kids, and then killed himself, in an act that if it was done by anyone else in any other sport or artistic field would be leading the news for 12 months. Not just Sports Center, the NEWS for 1 whole year. And Vince McMahon because his is the only figure of authority that anyone can name. And normally that is what people stop at thinking, because they haven’t allowed their brains to go beyond that basic and simplistic line of thinking. I’m not going to let anyone else do that.

The truth is this: In Pro Wrestling, a sport that is treated with respect in Japan and reverence as a national religion in Mexico, Liger and what he has done, and the spirit of achievement he represents, is far more up to the spirit of Pro Wrestling than Benoit or McMahon. Hell… Liger came back off of a brain tumor and one of the worst broken ankles that I have ever seen to continue to do what he loves, and to do it at a exceedingly high level. If that’s not something to respect then I guess I no longer know the meaning of the word.

But if you don’t want to read it, if the idea of a wrestling post on TSF offends you to such a degree, than I’m sorry. Because it was important to me to write it and it was important to me to have it be published here on TSF.

The fact that the name ‘Triple H’ even got mentioned on this site just dragged this forum back about 30 years, pre-Internet. I stopped reading after the phrase ‘To understand the brilliance of Liger…’ Brilliance? Please. Picasso was brilliant. W.E.B. DuBois and Frederick Douglas were brilliant. Beethoven, Shakespeare and Newton were brilliant. (And yes, there is a hierarchy of aesthetics, art, and beauty, and professional wrasslin’ falls WAY out of the pool. It is a source of entertainment for the feeble-minded. It ranks right down there with day-time TV and info-mercials.)

It’s a little early for April Fool’s Day, but this HAD to be a joke.

This post was intended to be an antithesis to the idea that pro-=wrestling, and sports in general, has to be about racism. It can be, and is in a lot of places, about brilliance. Pure can’t look-into-the-eyes-of-the-sun brilliance, the kind that is of Liger’s or Vick’s in a lot of ways.