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1. Day 513 - Best "Talkers" Of The Last 30 Years

2. Day 514 - Best Technical Wrestlers Of The Last 30 Years

2.5 Day 515 - Raw Running Diary

4. Day 516 - Best High-Fliers Of The Last 30 Years

5. Day 517 - I guess my plans have changed..

Day 513
That's just scary strong.

As promised, today is the start of my search for who is the best all-around worker of the past 30 years using the highly-scientific method of ranking people on my own criteria. I'll be looking at..

- The best "talkers" & most charismatic workers
- The best technical wrestlers
- The best high-fliers
- The best "power game" workers

From there, I'll look at my rankings, calculate things, formulate my flows and I'll come up with who I feel is the best, so I can finally have an answer for people whenever they ask me the question. I've grown tired of the same "I don't know who is the best, but my favorite is.." answer that I've given through the years. Let's get it started with who I feel are the ten best "talkers" and most charismatic workers of the past 30 years. Shall I proceed? (Yes, indeed.) Less dew eet!!

10. Arn Anderson: This spot was tough for me. I had a few other names that were here at one point.. Kevin Nash, Michael Hayes, Jake Roberts, Chris Jericho, Triple H and Diamond Dallas Page, but when it all came down to it, I had to go with the man who wasn't as flashy as the other choices, but always delivered quality promos, and carried an incredible aura around him. He doesn't seem like he'd be the most charismatic guy on the block, but that was part of what made him so great.. he didn't stand out because he wasn't flashy or cartoony, but he just had a presence about him that made you pay attention, and that's exactly what we did.

9. Shawn Michaels: Even before he became a singles star in the business, you could tell there was something special about Michaels. Even back before his days with the World Wrestling Federation, he just had a cocky confidence about him and he carried himself like a star. As the years went by, and he was able to get more time on the mic, his charisma was able to really shine through. As far as pure mic skills go, Michaels improved tremendously through the years, but was never at the head of the class. His charisma far outweighed his mic skills. Don't get me wrong.. he was never bad on the mic. In fact, he was never even average. He was always able to use that charisma to grab people's attention, and was then able to use what he said to keep their attention.

8. Steve Austin: I can't explain to you how much I love Austin as the host of Tough Enough. The "promos" he gets to cut during the elimination portion of each episode are off-the-charts fantastic. I'd go so far as to say they're the best "promos" he's ever cut in his life. He's another person that is on this list much more for his charisma than anything else. He just carries the ability to control an entire arena, and he knows how to get a reaction out of the fans, whether it's making them cheer, making them laugh, or getting them to boo him. His mic skills are an interesting area of conversation. He has never been bad or anything, but his lasting gift to the world of promos is the "What?!?" chant that haunts us all to this very day. He should be penalized for that, but I'm a nice guy, so I'll just leave it at that.

7. Hulk Hogan: Hogan is arguably the most charismatic wrestler that ever lived. When you compare him to the other top names of all-time, as far as charisma is concerned, you see that he's done more with less than any of those names. By that, I mean that Hogan has never been a great promo guy. His initial promo after joining the nWo is probably the best he's ever done, and even that is remembered far more for the shock of the entire thing than the promo being particularly great. Far too many "brothers" and "dudes" to be a great talker, but he was basically born to be a star. As soon as he came into the business, there was something special about him. He's been larger-than-life, even before Hulkamania was born, and just has a huge "superstar" glow around him. He's got the worst mic skills of anyone on this list, but you're a fool if you don't include him here, anyway, based on that charisma alone.

6. Roddy Piper: The most charismatic person in wrestling history to never hold a major World Title during his career, which is a shame, because he could always deliver, both in the ring and on the mic. I have no idea why he was never able to be "the man". Perhaps it had to do with his "loose cannon" status on the mic. The guy seemingly had no filter, and because of that, you just never knew what to expect when he was talking. It's also because of that very fact that people loved Roddy Piper, whether they loved or hated him, if you know what I mean. It didn't matter if you were a fan of "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair or Bret "The Hitman" Hart.. when Roddy Piper was talking, he made sure he was the focal point and what you were paying your attention to.

5. Randy Savage: Intense. That's the word that most people like to use to describe everything Randy Savage did, and I'd agree with that. Whether it was his in-ring work, his promos, or simply his presence.. there was just a clear intensity with all of it. He always seemed like he was one step away from snapping and going crazy on someone or something. Those promos, though.. wow. As a kid, I didn't really "get" most of what he was saying, but as I got older, I began to really appreciate the different aspect he brought to the promo game. His use of "props" was top notch, whether it was a broom, a garbage can, a packet of cream, or a coffee cup. All seemingly random objects, but he was able to use them all cleverly and make them fit in with what he said. That's not as easy as it sounds, folks. It's still hard to believe he's no longer with us.

4. Ric Flair: Ric Flair brought such a sense of confidence to his promos that it was almost unfair. When he spoke about being the best, it was believable because he was telling the truth. He really felt that way. Every single word he said.. about the women he was with, about the money he was making, about the people he could beat.. all of it was based in the truth, but even if it wasn't, he had such a way with words that you had to believe him. His nickname of "Slick Ric" fits well. He's a mix of a con artist and a used car salesman. The confidence he had in himself, in all aspects of life, really showed through. He just seemed so natural out there with his custom-made suits and Rolex watches on, and that's because, again, it was all the truth. He wasn't portraying a character. The passion that he brought to everything he did was merely the icing on a very expensive cake.

2.5 Dusty Rhodes: Look at Dusty Rhodes. No, seriously.. take a look at Dusty Rhodes. Do you see a tremendous physical specimen? Do you see a body chiseled from granite? Do you even see an average-looking body? The answer to those questions is, without a doubt, "no". That means Dusty's best chance to succeed in wrestling was his charisma and his ability to talk, and damnit, that's exactly what he used to become a Hall Of Famer. He was able, perhaps better than anyone else, to relate to the "common man", which eventually became his gimmick. We, as wrestling fans, loved Dusty because he was one of us. The way he looked, the way he acted, his line of thinking.. he really was your average, white-collar guy. The only difference is that he could talk his ass off. He was able to rally thousands of people behind him with every word he said.. even if a lot of those people didn't understand those words. Dusty was able to make gibberish sound almost cool. He was able to make speaking with a lisp almost cool. That takes a special level of ability, because it's not like you or I could walk into a room full of people, speaking nonsense with a lisp, and get them to care. They'd probably just call the cops. I shouldn't say it like none of Dusty's promos made sense, as that is far from the case. It's just that he sure had his own special way of speaking, but you know what? It worked for him, and it worked very well.

2. The Rock: I've said this before, I'm going to say it here, and I'm sure I'll say it again in the future.. Rock doesn't reach the top spot in my promo rankings because he's almost always been about humor. He has a very one-dimensional promo style, although that one dimension is insanely entertaining. However, whether he was a face or a heel, his promos were all funny. As "The People's Champion", "The Corporate Champion", or that "Hollywood" heel.. his promos were all in the same style. He never really branched out, which is a shame, because if he did, he'd be an easy choice for the top spot here. When he first came up as Rocky Maivia, something just seemed off, and almost manufactured. It wasn't until he finally became The Rock that we would learn it was manufactured, and once he was allowed to be himself, he took the ball and ran with it. Sure, I'd like it if he wasn't using the exact same catchphrases and promos now that he was using a decade ago, but he's still otherworldly charismatic, and it's no surprise that he has gone on to become a big star in Hollywood.

1. Mick Foley: If you've paid attention to my columns in the past, this should come as no surprise to you. Foley gets the nod here simply because of how diverse he was on the mic. I haven't seen anyone that was able to cut a promo one week that could make you laugh hysterically, followed by cutting a promo the following week that could scare the hell out of you, and to be able to do them so well. He was able to make you love him, and he was able to make you hate him. What is even more impressive is just how much of his promos he was able to cut completely on his own, with no "script" to follow. In many cases, he even ad-libbed his promos, which blows my mind. He was able to tap into a level of realism with all of his promos, no matter how "out there" they were, and it's something the wrestling business had never seen before, and unfortunately, will probably never see again.

What do you think of today's rankings? How close am I to your own rankings? Holla at ya boy and let me know what's on your mind.

The HiPE Playlist: "The Real Is Back" by Young Jeezy.. "How U Want It" by Young Jeezy.. "Snow Go" by Young Jeezy & Slick Pulla.. "Flexin" by Young Jeezy, Fabolous & Yo Gotti.. "Ballin" by Young Jeezy & Lil Wayne.. "Rollin" by Young Jeezy & Fabolous.. "Talk About It" by Young Jeezy, Boo & Scrilla.. "Run DMC" by Young Jeezy & Freddie Gibbs.. "Count It On The Floor" by Young Jeezy.. "I Ball, I Stunt" by Young Jeezy & Scrilla.. "Do It For You" by Young Jeezy & Freddie Gibbs.. "Be The One" by Lloyd, Trey Songz & Young Jeezy.. "Birthday (Remix)" by Flo Rida, Rick Ross & Brisco.. "Don't Mess Around" by Fiend.. "Come On" by E-40 & B-Legit

I once took a pair of binoculars and stared at the sun for over an hour.

Why would you do that?

Curiousity, I guess. Heck, I'm curious like a cat. I have a couple of friends that call me "Whiskers".

Hustle
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-Team Sleep--------------------------Day 514

I love how passionate my readers are.

When I posted last night's column, I knew it would stir up some reactions from people, but I'm actually surprised that damn near all of the reaction was about one particular name not being included on my list of the ten best "talkers" and most charismatic workers of the last 30 years.. Chris Jericho. Folks, Jericho not being ranked last night simply means it was an incredibly tough group of people to beat to make it into the top ten. It doesn't mean that I hate him, that I think he sucks, or anything along those lines. In the end, however, only ten names can be chosen, and there are going to be some very deserving names left out because of that fact. That's just how these lists work.

I was thinking of doing something in last night's column, but ended up choosing not to at the last minute. As I was crafting tonight's list, though, I realized that I'm going to be having all new names on this list. People that weren't on last night's list. That makes trying to find the best wrestler of the last 30 years a little more difficult. Because of that, I'm going to start posting Top 20 lists, although #11-#20 don't get any comments. To start it off, here's the rest of last night's list..

20. Scott Hall
19. Kurt Angle
18. Diamond Dallas Page
17. Terry Funk
16. Eddie Guerrero
15. Triple H
14. Jake Roberts
13. Michael Hayes
12. Kevin Nash
11. Chris Jericho

Tonight's topic is the best technical wrestlers of the last 30 years. I don't want to waste any more time, so, uh.. shall I proceed? (Yes, indeed.) Less dew eet!!

20. Arn Anderson
19. Scott Steiner
18. Lance Storm
17. Barry Windham
16. Shawn Michaels
15. Randy Savage
14. Owen Hart
13. Greg Valentine
12. Finlay
11. Ric Flair
10. Bryan Danielson/Daniel Bryan: I can see the controversy brewing already. You're not reading it incorrectly. I dare someone to argue that Bryaniel Daniyan isn't one of the ten best technical wrestlers of the last 30 years. There isn't a single style of wrestling that he doesn't know or isn't practiced in, but it's the technical/submission style that he really shines in. The biggest shame of the entire thing is that his stint with World Wrestling Entertainment hasn't allowed him to truly showcase his abilities. Sure, he gets to work, but there's a difference between working regular 30-40 minute matches in RoH and working 3-4 minute matches in WWE. Hopefully that changes one day soon, because there's still a lot of you that are getting it twisted.

9. Chris Jericho: Hey, I included Jericho in a Top 10 list! Jericho is another wrestler that has used a variety of styles during his career, and while it was his high-flying ability that really caught people's attention, his technical ability is not to be ignored. If you come into wrestling training under the Hart family, you're going to be doing something right. All of his work in Japan only made him even better. Perhaps the best part of his most recent heel run is that he gave up a lot of the high-flying stuff and focused more on the technical work, which is something he should have done years earlier. If you remember back to his early WWF days, there were quite a few botches on his behalf because of that high-flying work, and partly because of those lifts he has on his wrstling boots to help him come across as a six-footer. His best WWE in-ring work, by a mile, came when he was focused on the technical aspect of his in-ring game than anything else. That's not a coincidence.

8. Eddie Guerrero: I don't think there has been anyone in the history of the business that was more crisp and precise with just about everything he did than Eddie Guerrero. You hear the term "no wasted movement" a lot, but in described Eddie's in-ring work perfectly. He's yet another worker that has worked many styles, being born into the Lucha Libre scene, but also having worked extensively in Japan, as well. That crispness, though, is what really gets him ranked at this point. He's another name that shifted his style from the high-flying to the mat wrestling as the years went by. It's a smart decision, obviously. The older you get, the less likely you are to be able to fly around like you did 10-15 years earlier. It also introduced a new "version" of Eddie Guerrero to a new set of fans.

7. Kurt Angle: Chances are, if you're an Olympic Gold Medalist in Freestyle Wrestling, as well as a Gold Medalist in the Freestyle Wrestling World Championships, as well as a State Wrestling Champion in high school, as well as a two-time NCAA D-1 Wrestling Champion, as well as a three-time NCAA D-1 All-American.. well, that probably means you have yourself a pretty good technical background. If he were to use more of that background in his pro matches, he'd be the top pick here, easily. That isn't a knock on him or anything. He just picked up the pro style very quickly, and spent a lot of his time using that particular style, moving away from his amateur background. He was still crazy good, though. He still has moments where he shines these days, but he's focusing a lot more on taking big bumps these days, which is a real shame. People see the current TNA version of Angle, and they forget how good he was, and how good he really could have been.

6. Curt Hennig/Mr Perfect: Hennig, like Eddie Guerrero, was just surgeon-like with his precision. You don't get the name of "Mr. Perfect" if you're sloppy in the ring, after all. Hennig has a legit argument for being the single greatest wrestler to never win the WWF or WCW World Title, and it's all because of that in-ring work of his. The thing that really prevents Hennig from being ranked higher on this list is how short a "peak" he really had. From the debut of the Mr. Perfect gimmick to his first retirement from wrestling due to a serious back injury, you aren't even looking at three whole years. When he did return to in-ring action, in WCW almost six years later, he was still really good, but it was clear that his injury had taken a toll on his work. One of the bigger "What if?" scenarios involves Curt Hennig, as people wonder just what type of career he could have had if he didn't get injured.

5. Bret Hart: Remember earlier, when I said that you're doing something right if you come into wrestling training with the Hart family? Well, that's especially so if you're born into the Hart family, and therefore, have been training with them for your entire life. Bret was able to ride a lack of mic skills (he'd be the first one to admit it) all the way to 17 total title reigns in the WWF and WCW alone, as well as two King Of The Ring crowns. He was just a master technician when he stepped in between those ropes. Again with mentioning nicknames, but you don't get to be "The Excellence Of Execution" if you're a no-talent, sloppy bastard, after all.

4. Ricky Steamboat: This man really could wrestle his ass off. It's something simple and not used anywhere near as often as it used to be, but Steamboat's arm drags are a thing of absolute beauty. They're so much cleaner, and he locks them in so much deeper, than anyone else in the history of the business. He makes them look like they'd actually hurt to receive them. Steamboat's whole in-ring style was so ahead of its time, and he was so innovative that you just have to mention him in this type of discussion.

2.5 Dean Malenko: Another mention of a wrestler's nickname.. Malenko was known as "The Man Of A Thousand Holds" for a very good reason. If you watched him wrestle, it really did seem like he knew a thousand holds. You could watch match after match after match that he had, and they'd all look different. That's a sign of a great in-ring technician. As an added bonus, Malenko was also deceptively strong for his size, which means he was able to use a lot of that strength in his matches, making his technical moves seem even more effective. Had Malenko been born at over six-feet-tall, and had any semblance of a real personality, he possibly could have gone on to become a World Champion, but that's how life works sometimes.

2. Chris Benoit: He was just so fluid with everything he did in the ring. Benoit was one of the best counter wrestlers we've ever seen, able to reverse just about everything people could throw at him. Add that to the fact that.. surprise, surprise.. he trained under the Hart family, as well as the ridiculous amount of intensity that he brought to his work, and you have yourself a fantastic worker. He was like a machine when he got into the ring, and he took his work very seriously, which is why everyone who knew him, worked with him or watched him perform respected the hell out of him as a performer, and still do, regardless of how they feel about the final weekend of his life, which is a different subject altogether, but it something that always gets brought up when his name comes into a conversation.

1. William Regal: There's just an aspect of realism in William Regal's matches that you don't get with anyone else. His technical ability, his European style, his striking.. everything he did in the ring seemed like he was legitimately out there to hurt his opponent. That's how good he was. It's a shame that I have to refer to his work in the past tense, though. He's still every bit as good, to this day, as he was a few years ago, etc, but the WWE Creative Team just doesn't have a whole lot for him to do, apparently. Either way, everything he did during all of his matches showcased his technical prowess, from bell to bell, and that type of dedication to the craft deserves eternal respect.

Before anyone mentions it, I know that names like Dynamite Kid and Bob Backlund deserve mention on this list, but for the same reason that people like Billy Graham wasn't listed in the "talkers" category, he isn't named. It's because most of their "peak" fell outside of the "30 years" time frame, or came at the very, very beginning of it. Dynamite, for example, was really setting the wrestling world on fire in the late-70s and the very start of the 80s. Backlund was winning titles in the mid-70s. If the category truly were to be broadened to "of all-time" instead of "of the last 30 years", Dynamite and Backlund would definitely be ranked, and "Superstar" Billy Graham would certainly be ranked in yesterday's list.

The HiPE Playlist: "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana.. "In Bloom" by Nirvana.. "Come As You Are" by Nirvana.. "Lithium" by Nirvana.. "Heart Shaped Box" by Nirvana.. "All Apologies" by Nirvana.. "Gone Away" by The Offspring.. "Want You Bad" by The Offspring.. "Sell Out" by Reel Big Fish.. "Take On Me" by Reel Big Fish

Would you please put some pants on? I feel weird having to ask you twice.

-------------------------Day 515

8:50pm: First and foremost, I would like to take this time to thank each and every one of my readers who is connected to the United States Armed Forces in any way, for everything you've done, are doing, and will do in the future. To those that have given the ultimate sacrifice, you will never be forgotten. Thank you all.

9:00pm: Here we go.

9:02pm: The 1990s called, Truth, and they would appreciate it if you left the word "sike" with them and not used it in your promos during 2011. They then said they would appreciate it if I gave them their joke back, as well.

9:04pm: I think the TV-PG setting is what's really hurting Truth's heel character right now. He sounds so phony when he's ranting and raving and has to scream out things like "BE QUIET!" to the fans. I'm not saying he should be out there saying "fuck" every other word, but if you've listened to him speak outside of his television character, you know this isn't authentic at all. Perhaps that's why I'm not appreciating his new character like I could/should be.

9:11pm: Rascal Flatts, indeed, Mr. Cena. Rascal Flatts, indeed.

9:13pm: All that was so we could finally get a John Cena VS R-Truth match for tonight. Alright then.

9:17pm: Damn, Vickie Guerrero's looking good in that red dress. She's working the hell out of it. Oh, and Dolph Ziggler is here, too. Kofi Kingston VS Dolph Ziggler in a non-title match? Let's see which midcarder gets the confusing booking this week.

9:21pm: In typical awful announcing form, Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler are spending more time talking about whether or not Vickie Guerrero is attractive than actually calling the fucking match that's going on. It does nothing but make the matches seem secondary and not worth our time, and the company wonders why people are tuning out in droves with each passing year?

9:26pm: This match has actually been pretty good so far. Lots of nice back-and-forth action so far.

9:29pm: Ziggler wins. Very nice final few minutes. Props to both Dolph and Kofi, and now that Dolph has defeated Kofi in a non-title match, look for him to get a Tag Team Title shot next week. That's just how things work these days.

9:34pm: Does anyone know if Randy Orton has gone to the papers yet?

9:36pm: Although it was a bad color, that Audi R8 that Alberto Del Rrrrrio was driving is a mighty fine piece of automobilia.

9:38pm: Hey, we get to relive the ridiculously bad "Big Show gets run over" storyline from last week. Oh, joy. Oh, bliss.

9:41pm: All that, just so ADR could say it was Big Show's fault that he was in an accident last week. Another waste of time segment tonight. It's beginning to seem like the Raw writers are all mentally deficient. There isn't a single person on the Raw roster that they know how to book properly. It's sad.

9:46pm: Kelly Kelly & Eve VS The Bella Twins. Shoot me.

9:48pm: I think I just heard someone in the crowd burp. That actually makes me feel better, because it means there's at least one survivor, as the rest of the crowd died immediately once the Bellas music came on. Their graves were then pissed on once Kelly's music hit.

9:50pm: That guy in the fifth row has the Black Eyed Peas as his cell phone ringtone.

9:50pm: Nothing says "we want to be taken seriously as the athletes we are" like Kelly gently rubbing her ass in the face of whichever Bella twin that was.

9:51pm: The "Loser" insult, complete with the finger "L" on their forehead? Are these bitches five-years-old?!?

9:55pm: Well, here's the incredibly important follow-up for Alex Riley. This isn't hyperbole at all when I say that what happens here could legitimately make or break A-Ri for the future. They have a potential new star in the making here.

10:00pm: According to Cole, Miz was like a father to Riley, and thought of Riley like a brother. What's next, Cole? Great Aunt? Fourth Cousin? Grandmother? Nephew?

10:02pm: You know what's really annoying about this "new" version of Cole? He goes back-and-forth between being a "normal" commentator and his heel gimmick 50 fucking times an episode. DOES ANYONE ON THIS FUCKING SHOW KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING ANYMORE?!?

10:04pm: Miz looks like a butch lesbian with his haircut and his hot pink dress shirt.

10:05pm: Once again, Miz is having his ass handed to him on a platter, and is now literally running away through the crowd. Does anyone still take him seriously? If so.. you clearly aren't watching the programming, and are only reading my Running Diary to keep up with what you're missing. On the bright side, though, the follow-up for Riley was successful. The crowd is really behind him at this point.

10:13pm: Rey Mysterio VS CM Punk. Hmm.. will the roller coaster booking for CM Punk continue? He's as likely to win this match in under a minute as he is to be punched in the face by Rey and start crying like a little girl.

10:15pm: Rey's wearing black and yellow (no Wiz Khalifa) attire tonight. ZOMG its foreshadowing~! Rey's the new member of the NexSES!!!

10:24pm: You know, that was a little disappointing compared to what we know Mysterio and Punk are capable of when they're in the ring together, but Punk picks up a big victory here, which is nice. God knows he needs some momentum.

10:31pm: Lawdamercy, here we go with Kharma speaking about last week's breakdown.

10:34pm: They're actually letting her mention, on television, that she's pregnant. To be perfectly honest with you, I'm surprised a bit by that. I figured they'd give it some lame storyline excuse.

10:35pm: "We here at World Wrestling Entertainment would like you to take a stand to bullying. It's just not right, and doesn't belong in today's society. Now, let's go to the ring where two skinny women are going to make fun of a pregnant woman by calling her 'fat' and making fun of Tubby McLardass for a few minutes."

10:36pm: I GUARANTEE you that somewhere in the world this week, some pregnant high schooler is going to be pushed towards snapping on someone when they make fun of her because of this segment.

10:38pm: Wonderful. More of these lame fake press conferences with President Obama.

10:43pm: These "beach" skits that they keep showing are all lame as fuck. Damnit, this show is putting me in a bad mood. We're looking at an "F" right now.

10:45pm: Evan Bourne VS Jack Swagger again? Over/under for the match length here is three-and-a-half minutes. I'm taking the under.

10:48pm: Hey, I was right. Again. Call me Hustradamus. This shit is way too predictable. I just want it to be over already. I'm going to go out on a wild and crazy limb and say that Cena VS Truth isn't going to be anywhere near a five-star classic, which is damn near what this episode needs to save it right now.

10:58pm: John Cena is coming out for the main event now. It's damn near 11pm already, as you can tell by the convenient time stamp that I tag every entry with. This match isn't going to last very long. Fantastic. Just what this show needs. A far-too-brief main event.

11:04pm: Oh, son of a bitch.. less than a minute of in-ring action, and close to four minutes of Truth walking around at ringside. Fuck you, Raw writers. I get that you want to save the oh-so-important Cena/Truth match for the pay-per-view, but that's the bullshit bait-and-switch type of main event that WCW was known for. Raw is a fucking mess these days.

#ThankYouRandySavage: Kofi Kingston VS Dolph Ziggler.. Alex Riley as a star-in-the-making.. Kharma not being completely ruined by being "humanized"

#FuckYouMattHardy: Everything else

Grade: F

The HiPE Playlist: Raw.

Sign my yearbook?

Hold my balls.

-------------------------Day 516

Alright, so we've looked at the "talkers", and we've looked at the in-ring technicians, but in tonight's list, it's time to take a look at those that have defied any laws of gravity and have wow'ed millions of people with their aerial tactics. I had to expand the field for this one a bit. Because a lot of non-American talents were brought to this country to work simply because of their high-flying ability, I'm allowing Japanese and Mexican workers to be included here, but only if they spent a nice chunk of time working in America and becoming famous here. For example, someone like Hayabusa was always a favorite of mine, but he did his shining in Japan, while his fellow countryman, Ultimo Dragon, spent a few years in WCW and then another year-plus with WWE. Therefore, Hayabusa isn't eligible for these rankings, but Ultimo Dragon is. Enough talk. Let's get on with it. Shall I proceed? (Yes, indeed.) Less dew eet!!

20. Evan Bourne
19. Super Crazy
18. Rob Van Dam
17. Billy Kidman
16. Juventud Guerrera
15. Sean Waltman/1-2-3 Kid/X-Pac
14. Bobby Eaton
13. 2 Cold Scorpio
12. Randy Savage
11. Shawn Michaels
10. The Great Muta: Muta is an interesting choice here, because some people don't immediately think of him as a high-flier. However, not only did he have a uber-swank Moonsault as a finisher, but there's also the Space Rolling Elbow (no, it wasn't from the top rope or anything, but if you're doing cartwheels and flips, you're eligible here), the top rope Frankensteiners, etc. When he came to WCW and was doing his thing, it was like watching an alien that landed on our planet with language and technology from several centuries in the future. Most people were seeing him for the very first time (and were seeing the Japanese style of wrestling for the first time), and he would make jaws drop every single time he was in the ring.

9. Chris Jericho: As the years went by, he changed his in-ring style a lot, but even after switching to more of a mat-based style, he always made sure to keep things like the Lionsault in his arsenal. When he was using more of the high-flying, he was fun to watch, even though, as I mentioned before, he did have his fair share of botches because of those ridiculous lifts in his wrestling boots. His work in Japan, followed by his work in ECW, followed by his work in WCW, followed by his earlier work in WWE, though.. great work.

8. Eddie Guerrero: Like I mentioned when I listed him with the in-ring technicians, everything he did was so precise and so crisp, and his aerial work was certainly no exception. If Rob Van Dam's Frog Splash is five stars, Eddie's version of the move should be at least six. When you're able to put things together so fluidly, you're basically a walking piece of art, and that's just what Eddie was when he wrestled.

7. Owen Hart: While he was definitely in the shadow of Bret Hart (fairly or unfairly), it wasn't difficult to figure out that, while Bret's arsenal focused more on mat work, Owen's arsenal was much more aerial based. He didn't use it as a finisher once he moved up in the ranks, but the Missile Dropkick that he used in the beginning of his career was fantastic. However, when you look at his WWF career, you'll notice something of a pattern that is also evident with a lot of names that worked for Vince McMahon through the years. There are a lot of names that used high-flying early in their career as midcarders, and once they changed styles, they were pushed towards the main event, and in some cases, even won World Titles. The previous two names on this list have that in common with Owen, and the same can be argued for others, as well. Perhaps Vince isn't as fond of high-flying as most of us are?

6. Ricky Steamboat: It's really incredible when you stop and think about Steamboat's in-ring work. Easily one of the most technically sound workers we've ever seen, but at the same time, one of the best and most influential high-fliers, as well. When this generation of wrestlers watched Steamboat jumping off the top rope in the late-80s, they wanted to be just like him. I can't say I blame them for feeling that way. To be honest, there wasn't anything that Steamboat didn't succeed in doing as a wrestler. He was so good that he was able to wrestle in 2009, a whopping 15 years after he retired, and still impress the hell out of people across the globe. 56 years old.. a decade-and-a-half of inactivity.. still flying around, and still able to outwork half the current roster. Incredible.

5. Ultimo Dragon: When you have a Moonsault variation named after you (Asai Moonsault, named after Dragon's real name, Yoshihiro Asai), you belong in this conversation. He was able to really pick up on the high-flying when he went to work for CMLL in Mexico, and was bouncing back and forth between Mexico and Japan. He's one of the most accomplished Light Heavyweights in the history of the business, thanks to the J-Crown tournament in Japan. The British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Title. The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title. The NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title. The NWA World Welterweight Title. The UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Title. The WAR International Junior Heavyweight Title. The WWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Title. The WWF Light Heavyweight Title. The WCW World Cruiserweight Title. The NWA Middleweight Title. He held all of them. Pretty cool, right? Oh.. I forgot to mention that he held all ten titles at the same time. That's probably something that will never, ever, ever be accomplished again.

4. Jimmy Snuka: He barely makes the cutoff and eligibility "rules" for this, and I'm glad he did because it would be a shame if he wasn't included. He influenced an entire generation of high-fliers, folks. Hell, he even influenced guys who weren't high-fliers (Mick Foley has made no secret just how much he loved the Snuka VS Don Muraco Cage Match when he was growing up). There wasn't a whole lot of people wrestling with that style back in Snuka's day, so when he came along and was taking to the sky time and time again, he really stood out and is remembered, to this day, for it.

2.5 Brian Pillman: His nickname was "Flyin Brian" for a reason. Well, two reasons, actually. It did rhyme, after all. Pillman was very instrumental in the WCW Light Heavyweight (which would later become the WCW Cruiserweight division) succeeding in its initial year of existence, until the company decided to move in a different direction before bringing the belt back, renamed, four years later. He was definitely one of the first American workers to start bringing the Lucha Libre style to his work, that's for sure, and should be recognized for that alone. The amazing part about Pillman's career is just how great he was in such a short amount of time. He became known worldwide in 1989, and was seriously injured in a car accident in 1996. He was never the same worker as he was pre-accident, because his ankle was completely shattered and needed to be fused together. A year-and-a-half after the accident, he was dead due to an undetected heart condition. I legitimately feel that if that car accident never happened, and had he lived beyond a mere 35 years of age, he would have went down as the single greatest high-flier on this list.

2. Jushin Liger: Shooting Star Press? Liger's move. That alone puts him in this discussion. However, it can be argued that Liger is partly responsible for the Cruiserweight/Light Heavyweight wrestling style becoming as insanely popular in the last 20 years as it has. When he came to WCW in late-1991 and began feuding with Brian Pillman, it really helped the Light Heavyweight Division take off. Liger's international success helped to legitimize the title, and everyone in the division he worked with. In recent years, he's had to change his style up a lot, as well, but that is more due to the injuries he's suffered and the toll they've taken on his body than anything else.

1. Rey Mysterio: It really and truly amazes me that, in conversations I've had with people about this very subject, people already forget about Rey's aerial history. Yes, he's changed his style up a bit through the years because of injuries and bulking his frame up a bit, but people act as though he's turned into a brawler now or something. He's still flying around in his matches. He just doesn't do it as often. In his prime, though, there's no denying just what he could do in the ring. He was just a blur to watch, flying here, jumping from there, flipping here and landing there. His name has basically become synonymous with high-flying in the wrestling business at this point, and for good reason.

The HiPE Playlist: "Place In This World" by Michael W. Smith.. "Rock On" by Michael Damian.. "Ordinary World" by Duran Duran.. "All I Want" by Toad The Wet Sprocket.. "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam.. "Hunger Strike" by Temple Of The Dog.. "Silent Lucidity" by Queensryche.. "Two Princes" by Spin Doctors.. "Give It Away" by Red Hot Chili Peppers.. "Under The Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers.. "Man In The Box" by Alice In Chains.. "Sober" by Tool.. "Glory Box" by Portishead.. "Numb" by Portishead.. "Mysterons" by Portishead

MA, THE MEATLOAF!!! FUCK!!!

-------------------------Day 517
Sad to see you go, Shaq. Thank you for everything you've done for my Los Angeles Lakers, and for the NBA, in general.

We have a bit of a problem, ladies and gentlemen.

Actually, we have two problems.

The bigger problem is how my rankings have looked to this point. I'm not changing anything, but looking at any potential new categories to rank, they'd all be pointless because the overall numbers won't change at the top. Unless I found a category that featured either Eddie Guerrero or Ricky Steamboat in the Top 2, but also didn't feature Chris Jericho anywhere on the list at all, then Jericho is going to "win" this entire thing. I have no problem with Chris Jericho or anything, but in no way, shape or form would I have expected him to be my selection as the best professional wrestler of the last 30 years. That isn't a knock on him or his ability. It's just that, if you asked me to make predictions in the beginning of this "experiment", I probably would have had at least a half-dozen names listed ahead of Jericho. Does this mean I have failed? I believe it does. The reason I have failed is that I have wasted my time in writing my columns this week. The calculations just don't add up, because it's pretty clear John Cena is the best pro wrestler of the last 30 years.

I shall commit seppuku later, out of shame for my offenses in these last few days.

My other problem is that I'm running short on time tonight, and some of that time has already been spent with what I've typed out so far, so I should probably get back to my "normal" columns. This one's going to be short, but let's not make it too short. Shall I proceed? (Yes, indeed.) Less dew eet!!

*By Request*

Kharma's pregnant, and will be out for a year. That much we know. However, what we saw on Raw was both surprisingly good and surprisingly bad, all at the same time.

The biggest fear, going into the show, was that Kharma would be "humanized" and that it would "ruin" her character. There was already too many problems that people had with her "emotional breakdown" the previous week, but, of course, most of that came before anyone heard the rumor of her pregnancy. People were just worried about her journey from being a silent monster that destroyed damn near everything in her path to someone that was actually cutting promos and crying in the middle of the ring.

What we got was Kharma being "humanized", yes, but it wasn't anywhere near as bad as people thought it would be. She didn't cut a fantastic promo or anything, but she showed legit emotion and feeling behind her words, and she didn't seem nervous speaking in front of the largest audience she's ever spoken in front of. It built up sympathy for her. The crowd was behind her and seemed appreciative of her candor.

When the Bella Twins interrupted her promo, that's when things began to roll downhill quickly. I understand that heels are supposed to.. well.. heel it up. I also understand that the Bellas mocking Kharma's size and weight were probably done with Kharma's blessing beforehand, much like the comments by Michael Cole about Jerry Lawler's recently deceased mother were probably okay'ed by Lawler himself beforehand. All that is fine and all, but there needs to be some sort of line that isn't crossed these days. You can't cater your program towards a younger generation of viewers, and run an anti-bullying campaign, if you're going to have that juvenile garbage on television. Nobody gains anything by the "hahaha you're fat" angles, because guess what happens? The "fat" people are still "fat" at the end of the day, no matter what goes on in the storylines. Unless Kharma gives birth to a baby, takes some extra time off and loses 150 pounds, this isn't going to matter much. Kids and impressionable viewers are still getting the idea that it's funny to make fun of people who are "different" than they are, and this is even worse because Kharma isn't going to be there to defend herself for an entire year. It isn't like the Mickie James angle from before she left WWE, where she was made fun of for her size. At least she was there, week in and week out, to fight back, either verbally or physically. This is going to be an angle that isn't even mentioned, more than likely. They booked John Cena VS The Rock for a year in advance, and they don't even mention that on television very often. What makes anyone think they'll continue to mention a Kharma VS Bellas feud on television? Hell, it might take longer than a year for her to come back. Nobody knows. At least we know the exact date that Cena and Rock will finally face each other. There's a ridiculous amount of things that could happen to push Kharma's return back a few extra months.

It's just another dumb decision that the company (Vince McMahon, probably) has made in recent years to target any woman that doesn't fit into a certain box, looks-wise. If you're not some super-skinny blonde, you're going to get made fun of. It's irresponsible, and it goes back to what I said before about the writing in WWE.. it's lazy, predictable, and too dependent on the same old shit that we've always been given. Some creativity would be nice.

Told you I was running short on time.

The HiPE Playlist: Nothing tonight.

Our offense is like the Pythagorean Theorem. There is no answer.

Source: lordsofpain.net