LogFAQs > #941505203

41 (tie). Jerry Lawler
Score: 42
# of Lists: 3

If you want to argue there is a better promo in wrestling history than Jerry Lawler, you're gonna have to DM me with rigorous evidence. It's my belief that he has no superior, and his peers are exceedingly rare (even in his day, never mind today). People will be most familiar with his WWF run - and, while he never achieved world title level success there, he still manages some fine mic work. As the host of the King's Court he was one of the driving forces of the early years of Raw, providing a foil for many babyfaces but most notably Bret Hart, who he feuds with right up until Bret's heel turn in 97. After this point Lawler's role in WWF would mostly be as a commentator, where his unique talent for saying the most ridiculous things possible made him an entertaining partner for McMahon and later one half of the most famous announce team in wrestling with JR through the Attitude Era.

But, frankly, that's all bullshit compared to what came before. Even symbolically - Lawler is the most decorated champion to ever have a WWE contract, with over 140 championship reigns. Not one is in WWE. While he had a 'nice little run' there, before he ever got to WWE he was a certified legend.

His legend probably begins with his feud with comedian Andy Kaufman - the angle between the two on the Letterman Show captured the imagination of the country at the time, making the front page of the New York Times - no small feat for the Memphis territory of 1982. He'd been the 'King of Memphis' since defeating his mentor Jackie Fargo for the AWA Southern Heavyweight Title and the "King of Memphis" title in 1974, but with the Kaufman angle became famous across the country.

While it's more attractive to talk about the promos and the angles for Lawler, that doesn't mean he isn't also phenomenal in the ring. The part of his game he's best known for is probably his punches - known as the best in wrestling history, an accolade I know I'd agree with. Many of his matches may not have consisted of much more than punches and piledrivers - but they rarely needed to. Lawler's matches were so heated, whether he was the babyface King of the territory or the hated heel, the Mid South Coliseum was always in the palm of Lawler's hand, and the mix of crowd heat and violence is something that never wears thin in wrestling.

As an aside, Jerry Lawler might be one of the worst people in the wrestling business, at least of those who remain. I thought of laying the facts of that out here as well, but I don't think it's necessary. But it definitely made him one of the harder people to reflect on in the current state of the wrestling business. All that said, wrapping the positives and negatives together, Lawler is a true microcosm of the wrestling business.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxPtNUKptag; Jerry Lawler and Andy Kaufman on Letterman, July 28 1982
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28WhhxH7DrM; Jerry Lawler vs. Terry Funk, March 23 1981
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1XQv9ugWf0; Jerry Lawler/Bill Dundee Loser Leaves Town go home show

41 (tie). Aja Kong
Score: 42
# of Lists: 3

(Guest writeup: sephsblade)
Aja Kong is that most perfect of combinations: the hoss who can actually wrestle. And wrestle she has- for WWE (well, okay, F), AJW, AEW, her own promotion (which she quit mid match because fuck you shes Aja Kong), CHIKARA, Gaea Japan, Shimmer, and most importantly of all, some japanese prank show where she wrestled Kota Ibushi in the middle of a street for some reason?(????).

Her AJW stint is probably her peak- encredible david-goliath matches with Toyota, and a brutal cage match with Nakano stand out- but theres gold almost everywhere. While shes slowed down noticeably in her older age, she put out a good match with Hikaru Shida a couple of years back at the age of 47; especially amusing because the original AJW mandatory retirement age was 26. They also told her Youre black, so you should feel this hatred towards the Japanese people and crush them, so maybe, uh, dont listen to late 80s AJW management. And, yes, Aja Kong is probably the most prominent black japanese wrestler, which is notable because holy shit did you just read that quote jesus christ AJW.

While she doesnt have as much range as some other wrestlers on this list- shes the monster heel, through and through- she is very, very good at what she does. Which apparently includes ambushing Kota Ibushi in the middle of the street? I dont fucking know anymore. Watch Aja Kong matches!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wANjnGYUdvo; Aja Kong vs. Manami Toyota, November 20 1994

40. Becky Lynch
Score: 43
# of Lists: 4

One of WWE's infamous 4 Horsewomen who led the so called "Women's Revolution" (that revolutionary moment where WWE simply stopped booking the women like complete jokes one day), she is the only member of that group to make this list. As I write this in June 2020 we're right around 2 years from the last point where Becky was, to the majority of fans, the 4th out of those 4. That all changed with the feud with Charlotte in Summer 2018 - a story which, despite WWE's best efforts in the other direction, turned Becky Lynch into the biggest star in the company for a year.

Having just left to have a baby, there's every chance that we've seen Becky Lynch's entire in ring career already. Even if we haven't, I think it's unlikely we ever see her reach the heights of late 2018 again - especially without a Ronda who the audience hates for her to really play off of. So while Becky's argument isn't going to be in longevity, it will be in how hot she burned for her peak - a peak that saw her as the first woman to win the Wrestlemania main event. No matter what else you think, Becky Lynch for a few months was the hottest star in all of wrestling, and as far as I know was the first woman you could ever say that for. That earns her spot on this list

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2qwjo3; Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks, May 20 2015

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"Hope is allowed to be stupid, unwise, and naive." ~Sir Chris