Rafael Nadal is the Shawn Michaels of Tennis.
- Thread starter MichaelNadal
- Start date
the green god
Professional
Riding in cars together, giving each other massages.
That would be Gavin Rossdale
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
No fan of Bryan?
the green god
Professional
I'm not even a fan of Michaels, but he has to be one of the 5 biggest draws in history, not to mention one of the best athlete's/workers ever.
"The Heartbreak Kid can keep it up all night!!!!"
90's Clay
Banned
What?? Shawn was one of the WORST drawing world champs ever. Check WWE's ratings from 1996 when he was world champ
Cesc Fabregas
Legend
Yeah HBK and Bret couldn't draw flies with sh1t. Took Austin to save the company. HBK/Bret nowhere near Hogan, Austin and Rocky when it comes to drawing power.
Disgruntled Worker
Professional
I mean, I'd like some evidence to support this. Maybe some revenue figures from Wrestlemanias 12-20. But I pretty much agree. The guy made Vince a bunch of money in the '80s and '90s BEFORE the Attitude Era. And he continued being a showstopper even after his back surgery.
Cesc Fabregas
Legend
1.Hogan
2.Austin
3.Rock
4.Andre
5.Bruno
6.Flair
7.Savage
8.Cena
9.Taker
10.HHH
2.Austin
3.Rock
4.Andre
5.Bruno
6.Flair
7.Savage
8.Cena
9.Taker
10.HHH
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
Maybe in fantasyland. It's almost universally accepted that Shawn is one of the best wrestlers of all time. By wrestlers, fans, and everyone in-between.
I wasn't until the past year. Around team hell-no time and when he started growing his hair and really getting the fans behind him more than ever. He's definitely the best worker they have right now. I did catch that 11 on 3 handicap match and the end just solidified how big he is right now. Gotta love GOATface :lol:
Pretty much
NO ONE was going to draw against Hulk Hogan turning heel. You can't blame Shawn for what was going on in WCW at the time. The NWO was a game-changer and the WWF product at the time didn't have as many stars as it needed, even though the match quality in 96 was superb.
TERRASTAR18
Hall of Fame
i see it but i could also see nadal as a scsa or a jeff hardy. like capri pants nadal was a jeff enigma hardy.
fed is like a brett, hogan, cm punk, dean malenko combo with a little bit of john cena.
Disgruntled Worker
Professional
This is a reasonable list if you're talking money generators. But what defines "best" in wrestling is WAY MORE subjective than something like tennis. The most talented guys often never have an opportunity to showcase their stuff simply because they're not marketable enough for the mainstream audience. Chris Benoit, Bret Hart, Eddie Guerrero - these guys mulled in obscurity for years and years before getting their big break.
But in my view, "best" in the context of wrestling is a guy that generates money WITHOUT resorting to cheap gimmicks. Hulk Hogan had FIVE moves his entire career. He isn't even in the same stratosphere as Bret Hart or Kurt Angle when it comes to ability. But the guy single-handedly put wrestling on the map in the '80s.
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TERRASTAR18
Hall of Fame
your list isn't bad but andre should be 1 and everyone else pushed down a spot. also hbk in the 11th spot over hhh. but with hhh getting so much pushes i could see your reasoning.
the green god
Professional
Hogan couldn't wrestle his way out of a phone booth. Plus, you can't have the list without Muta. More to wrestling than WWF.
Cesc Fabregas
Legend
HHH was a bigger draw than HBK.
Cesc Fabregas
Legend
I'm talking about drawing money. In ring ability doesn't matter in pro wrestling, it's about character.
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
I can see Nadal being Jeff. Speaking of, have you seen the way Jeff's facepaint looks lately? I haven't been watching but I googled him last night to see how old he was now and when I saw the new facepaint-style I was like whoa
pretty cool how he paints his eyelids to make it look like his eyes are always open. 
TERRASTAR18
Hall of Fame
Definitely not Austin, he can't wrestle well enough.
rock is my alltime fave, but scsa was a better in ring wrestler than rock. rock was better overall though and had more star power.
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
Why do you care about who draws though? That's only 1 of many factors of what makes a wrestler great. Shawn is more talented than most of that list eeeeeasily.
the green god
Professional
Easy to do when you marry the boss's daughter.
Cesc Fabregas
Legend
In the ring yes but on the mic HBK was average imo.
Anti-Fedal
Professional
Cena and HHH have no place in any top ten list they're just failed bodybuilders turned wrestlers who are average workers.
TheF1Bob
Banned
the green god
Professional
Hogan couldn't cut a decent promo to save his life, a notch above Ken Patera.
Say your prayers, eat your vitamins, and end every sentence with brotha. Go to ring, hit some front double bis. Bell rings, get beat down, crowd cheers, shake fists, body slam and then the leg drop. Throw in some most musculars and send them home happy. Thank god for DMX
the green god
Professional
That's what she said.
Omega_7000
Legend
This .
The Dark Knight
Legend
Yes, The Showstopper, the Icon, the Main Event.... Rafael Nadal.
I was just thinking about this yesterday.... I realize large portions of you don't know who Shawn is, but those that do will totally see the connection and appreciate the comparison. Just like Shawn, Nadal doesn't have the most championships, but many consider him to be the greatest of all time. Just like Shawn, his greatest rival was older, and had a very aesthetically pleasing style that many felt was the epitome of excellence. Just like Shawn, Nadal came and challenged this great rival at a young age and his popularity skyrocketed, along with his success.
Just like Shawn, Nadal has been injured in his prime and forced to miss long periods of time when he was arguably on his best run. Both these guys were able to come back and not miss a beat and even maybe be better than before and return to the pinnacle of their profession. Both are polarizing and either loved or hated by the fans with really no in-between. Lastly, both have arguably been involved in the most important, epic, career-defining, big-match moments than anyone else and come back from the brink of defeat numerous times to win the match in a tight moment that no one will ever forget. Both are legends. Both have even lost a bit of hair on the top :lol: Both will put their bodies on the line to give the crowd something to cheer for and that's why their names will never be forgotten. Bamos. #TeamRafaaaaa
More like Nadal is the new Laver.
Emerson had more slams than Laver .....but everyone considers Laver greater than Emerson.
TERRASTAR18
Hall of Fame
he didn't do it alone- dx, the mcmahon connection and rivalries with rock and cena helped him.
TERRASTAR18
Hall of Fame
I can see Nadal being Jeff. Speaking of, have you seen the way Jeff's facepaint looks lately? I haven't been watching but I googled him last night to see how old he was now and when I saw the new facepaint-style I was like whoa
when nadal first came out with the muscle tees and capris. plus his ecclectic game as compared to the traditional fed. it's just like this current fed. not to mention the outsider persona.
TERRASTAR18
Hall of Fame
they are two of the biggest draws. hulk is the biggest wrestler after andre of all time.
the green god
Professional
Oh god, here we go. Another thread ruined and derailed. Are you too dense to realize this isn't about Rafa anymore?
Disgruntled Worker
Professional
He's the Vince Russo of Talk Tennis.
Cesc Fabregas
Legend
That's a compliment because Russo is a legend.
the green god
Professional
Disgruntled Worker
Professional
Good lord...I hope you're trolling
the green god
Professional
In his own mind.
batz
G.O.A.T.
I had no idea that Agassi and Frank were also wrestlers.
the green god
Professional
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
More like the Eric Bischoff :lol: Btw this thread turned out great, thanks guys
Actually, Nadal could be Macho Man too...
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MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
I agree with this. He did have his moments though.
oscar_2424
Legend
Hulk Hogan
Andre the Giant
Ultimate Warrior
Macho MAn
Bret Hart
Doink the clown
Andre the Giant
Ultimate Warrior
Macho MAn
Bret Hart
Doink the clown
Crose
Professional
How exactly is Nadal an egomaniac?
And if anyone is full of BS, it's the guy both Gulbis and Janowicz have criticized for being phony.
Cesc Fabregas
Legend
He's in my avatar so not I'm not trolling. Was the head writer in the greatest period in pro wrestling history...
winstonplum
Hall of Fame
I love this thread. I have no idea who Shawn Michaels is and I don't know anything about wrestling, but I like what the OP wrote.
the green god
Professional
More like the Eric Bischoff :lol: Btw this thread turned out great, thanks guys
What? Have fun on the Talk Tennis forum? We all must be knuckle dragging neanderthals who just barely learned our reedin, ritin, and rithmatic
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The_Order
G.O.A.T.
I don't watch wrestling anymore, but I was watching when Shawn was around.
He was the type of arrogant attention seeker that would sh*t stir half the locker room because he knew he could get away with it.
When he returned he was a born again Christian and tbh much more likeable, his character was more humble and he was having great matches.
I honestly don't get the comparison. Nadal's never been an arrogant, attention seeking clown, nor is he a hypocritical God lover who kills animals for sport.
If I could compare him to a wrestler, I would go with Chris Benoit (and no I'm not saying he's a cold blooded killer that's going to murder his family).
Benoit as a wrestler only, I think fits Nadal the best. He would relentlessy beat opponents into submission and he was never a great talker.
He was the type of arrogant attention seeker that would sh*t stir half the locker room because he knew he could get away with it.
When he returned he was a born again Christian and tbh much more likeable, his character was more humble and he was having great matches.
I honestly don't get the comparison. Nadal's never been an arrogant, attention seeking clown, nor is he a hypocritical God lover who kills animals for sport.
If I could compare him to a wrestler, I would go with Chris Benoit (and no I'm not saying he's a cold blooded killer that's going to murder his family).
Benoit as a wrestler only, I think fits Nadal the best. He would relentlessy beat opponents into submission and he was never a great talker.
Russeljones
Talk Tennis Guru
You conveniently left out the part about Shawn being the second dirtiest wrestler of all time
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
And some Nadal fans had the nerve to say I was insulting Rafa.
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