WAS KENDO NAGASAKI OVER RATED?

> it was the opponents ... that made him look good. Just to squash this myth - there is a certaiin limited amount one can do to make an opponent look good - take impressive looking bumps from them, sell convincingly for them, occasionally devise the odd spot for them to make themselves look good and make damn sure they remember it properly.

You CANNOT quickly fill their head with a vast repertoire of counterholds or give them the grace to be able to execute their attacking moves smoothly and skillfully. These things the opponent himself/herself has to bring to the table and Naggers possessed these quantities in not just spades but mechanical digger shovel-loads.

Otherwise, as I stated above, any number of sacks of excrement could have been turned into scientific wrestling wizards by their opponents.

Clearly an airline pilot or a spy.

Have fun, enjoy work, and keep in touch with the forum.

Hear, Hear Hack.

This site is for us to have friendly debate and friendly banter. I understand that we can all get a little wound up at times, but let's keep it civil.

"...Saxonwolf's Travels...."

Did I mention I am off to Germany, the USA and Canada in the next few weeks Hack?.........

Look fellas, you both know we are not a site that comes down heavy on posts we don't like. To be honest it is rarely needed because we are a civilised bunch here. All of us. A lively site amongst friends means we get diversions from time to time, be it Chris Newman's music, Saxonwolf's Travels, Powelock's knees, The Avengers or even an occasional Hollands Pie. None of it matters that much because we all enjoy ourselves and like talking about the wrestling. The one thing we don't accept are personal comments. So take a step back fellas. It was a fair question posed and there are some interesting points in this topic. So let's stay on topic.

matey dave , while I respect that you have an opinion. There are ways of making your point without being disrespective to other peoples opinions, and attempting to belittle those opinions that are opposed to yours. Dignity goes a long way.

And as usual the points being made sail right over his head … Nobody is disputing there was a script. Nobody is disputing the fact that it takes two wrestlers to sell a match, one to be the winner and the other guy to play his role as the fall guy. But to claim Kendo was only so good because the powers that be decided to make him that way, and the other wrestlers just played along is just stupid to the extreme and shows a clear lacking in understanding. I would explain it to you in more detail but trying to explain something to a man who thinks its clever to post pictures of pies to a wrestling forum would be like trying to nail jelly to the ceiling. I can see now why you've fallen out with so many on here.

my children, please remember that if an oppenent went off scripture he would not get any more work from the holy promotors

Well there's one thing this topic does polarise opinion. I do agree with the point made about each wrestler relies on his "opponent" to create a match, again there's always exception to that rule as we know. But to get the atmosphere and the pure theatre of wrestling depends on cooperation from all concerned. Unless it turns into a shoot then everything else goes out of the window.

Absolutely true but it was Nagasaki who made Nagasaki great not his opponents. It was him who invented and perfected the character. He was in a league of his own, the ultimate wrestler who had great ring presence, stong as an Ox, skilful wrestling and the ability to work the crowd like no other and all the time he would also look after his opponents and give them a fair bit of the bout. He was the complete wrestler with or without a good opponent. Wrestling without Kendo would have been like my mate Adrian without his posters ...

And who were Nagasaki's opponents to make Nagasaki look credible? Nagasaki needed the Marinos and Tibors, he needed them totally. Nagasaki had a mask; Marino his tiltles; Tibor his trophies; Viedor "had it all"; Bruno had a beard and leotard ... these guys did the rounds together and that's the way wrestling worked. All of the above sold Nagasaki's gimmick for him.

No wrestler was anything without a compliant opponent.

As an outsider can I offer an opinion of a wrestling fan. Marino no doubt a clever technician and skilful, but I found his bouts pedestrian at times. Where as Kendo just entering the ring brought out the emotions of the crowd, so the atmosphere in the hall was electric, everybody there was hoping he'd be beaten and unmasked, or just unmasked while wrestling. As for being skilled and a technician to play that role, as in comedic wrestlers they have to be the ultimate wrestler to pull their gimmick off.

Kendo Nagasaki with George Gillette,billed here as Lord Sloan,in Canada...Body Press mag.

Thanks Ron, I feel sure I have seen Kendo give Big D the KC.

Daddy wasn't his later, huge 24 stone self, probably around the 20 stone mark (?), it was impressive.

I also remember Kendo body slamming Big D, which again, would have been impressive for a young lad to see.

It could be my mind playing tricks on me (even though I am a youngster on here!)

I was there Main Mask when Kendo returned from Canada and it was at Winsford that Kendo met Crabtree and it was on T.V.

I assure you.....No Crash........Kendo knocked Crabtree out with his knee. Shirley came off the ropes running low and Kendo just got his knee up in time to Shirley's temple. It was a K.O.

Did Kendo give Big D the Kamikaze Crash on TV?, during Big D's early days?

I seem to remember this happening, and was amazed at Kendo's strength, but if it wasn't on TV, then I saw it live (but don't actually recall attending an event when the two faced each other).

Kendo Nagasaki was not over rated in my opinion.He was "Top Of The Bill" for many years.He pulled in the crowds,and gave them a great nights entertainment.Also he defeated Big Shirley/Daddy every time they met in singles match ups.After all we all know that Daddy was the greatest wrestler in the world,and unbeatable by any .................oops I was dreaming there.

Sadly didn't see Kendo live until the mid seventies and he was just incredible every single time. Totally agree RE Rocco and Kendo being legends. You had one on one with Kendo? tell me more!!

Oh, and I too have done the stadium tour with Charlie (another legend) and what a great guy he was!. If someone had told me back in 1971 that one day I'd be walking down the tunnel next to Charlie George I'd have laughed in their face!

Apologies to everyone else on here for going off topic but as far as I'm aware Kendo never played for Arsenal. although he might have had a fight with Charlie George ...

Adrian, I see you share my pain supporting Arsenal Football club!

Kendo was pretty much the complete wrestler, he had it all. Amazing ring persona, not scarred to mix it with anyone, great 'gimmick', a genuine ability to wrestle, a great finishing move with his Kamikaze crush, and he really knew how to work a crowd. His only mistake was that silly bout where he hypnotized Robbie Brookside … Oh and unmasking, I would have preferred to have seen him stay masked until the end. Kendo was a wrestling legend who did more for the sport than anyone.

Why does Matey Dave have a vendetta against Kendo? Whassup Dave?

The only thing predictable is the intent of this topic and the person who started it.

I will say I feel Kendo's name is rattled off by a lot of people without much thought to what made him so memorable. I'm not talking about this forum, but elsewhere. Looking back to the time, i'd say I was surprised to see he received less coverage in the media than I had presumed.

I think if you put yourself out there as a sportsman/woman then its inevitable that people are going to judge you and question your credibility and that's fair enough. Who was the greatest ever boxer? Ali? Marciano? Tyson? Who was the best ever football team? Barcelona in the 90s? Liverpool in the 80s? Arsenal's invincible's Those questions have been asked as long as I can remember, with a thousand different points of view. With wrestling (OK I know it wasn't real) I'd defend Kendo's credibility as a both a wrestler and an entertainer to the hilt as he was a master at both, that's not an opinion its a fact. On the other hand Mike was different. I think we'd all agree there was something incredibly likeable about him as a person, and while I always enjoyed watching him wrestle I knew he wasn't right at the top of the tree. Over rated as a wrestler? I'd say No. Over rated as a world mid-heavyweight champion? Maybe, and if you're going to put yourself out there as a long term world champion then people are going to question it. Nobody is insulting Mike Marino the man personally, just asking if he justifies the status he held and that's a fair question which made for an interesting discussion.

Now ask me if Big Daddy was over rated ...