Fantasy Feuds Vol. I

 

Every Friday on The Talkin' Suplexes instagram page, I do fantasy matchup polls via instagram stories. The matchups often spark a lot of conversation with fellow wrestling fans about what matches would be a must see, show stealer, or damn this is a hard one. Taking that concept I decided to look back at some of the match ups I've done, and look at them from a different perspective.

Instead of matchups, what about whole feuds. Encompassing gimmicks, mic skills and other tangibles that would make a feud between two wrestlers enjoyable.

LA Knight vs Taz

Imagine LA Knight the brash trash talking heel against the always stoic Taz. LA Knight is a good personality and honestly a decent wrestler. While good his in-ring abilities do not stand out at all. How he has a presence about him.

Taz wasn't called the "Human Suplex Machine" for nothing. I could see him constantly getting agitated by a cowardly LA Knight, who constantly one ups him. Until he would finally snap and get him to shut up, by slapping his tazmission move on him.

Brutus Beefcake vs Chuck Palumbo 

Every promotion needs some quality undercard feuds, this are the appetizers to the main dish that is the primary angle in promotions. What better midcard feud than one over hair?

Brutus The Barber Beefcake lost a title contender match to Chuck Palumbo. In his hasty frustration he begins to target Palumbo every chance he gets. With the sole purpose of cutting Chuck's hair.

The two could go back and forth for a month or two. Every time Brutus thinks he has a shot at cutting off Chuck's hair, Chuck would get the upper hand. Until he no longer does, and Brutus finally cuts his hair. The over the topness would make this a solid storyline.

Team Eck vs The New Day

During The Attitude era  Edge & Christian and Kurt Angle teamed up as a trio named Team ECK. Angle's aloof overachieving do-gooder was a good comedic foil against the two surfer dude personas of Edge and Christian. The trio made for very entertaining segments.

About 15 years later the Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, and Big E. came together as The New Day. It took them a while to find their footing, but since then the New Day train hasn't stopped. They too have had plenty of entertaining segments over the years. All six men are very talented in-ring competitors and entertainers. 

A feud between the two groups featuring several skits roasting the others, or speaking on their failures as competitors. Would probably have fans in the arena and home in tears. 

Carlito vs Scorpio Sky

Another solid undercard feud that would keep fans interested, especially if a championship title is involved. Carlito at one time was poised to be one of the center piece roster members during the Ruthless Agression era. Scorpio Sky hasn't been able to crack that glass ceiling in AEW quite yet, but he should be a center piece talent.

Carlito especially arrogant Caribbean Cool Carlito against a always sure of himself Scorpio would be a good mid-card feud. Carlito would win with the promos, but matches would be even never truly knowing who wins a particular match.

Brian Pillman vs Matt Hardy

Two very brilliant minds in the world of wrestling. Brian Pillman really may have been a little unhinged, and if he wasn't he did a damn good job of convincing people he was. He really blurred that line between fiction and reality in his promos and character work.

Matt Hardy was always in the shadow of his brother Jeff who had more flashy moves. He is always able to reinvent himself though, whether it's version 1 Matt (probably my favorite), Big Money Matt, or Broken Matt Hardy. He's mic skills are just as solid too, so this two in-ring and on the microphone along with a willingness to put their bodies on the line. A deeply personal, relatable feud could go on for 6 months or more with these two.

Bianca Bel Air vs Sadie Gibbs

Two very athletic females in the world of wrestling in a best of seven style feud would be money in my book. Bianca Belair is a freak of nature with her pure strength, speed and charisma in the ring. Sadie Gibbs I honestly have never seen a promo of hers, but her in-ring ability is top-notch. She's very athletic, just about as strong as Belair and has some lucha inspired moves.

While Bianca has the edge on the microphone, both women have a undeniable presence about them. These two head to head, I think would entertain fans every time.

Moose vs Batista 

Similar in size, build, and move repertoire  The Animal Batista vs The Wrestling God Moose. This feud would really be a battle of Alpha Males. Especially 2005-2007 era Batista vs Moose from 2020 to present, both men would talk so much trash. Sneak attack one another every chance they get, and do whatever it takes to show who's the better overall wrestler.

This could be another feud over a world championship that carries for a solid 3-5 months. 

FTR vs The Dudley Bpyz

FTR is arguably the best and most cohesive tag team in professional wrestling today. Their grittiness and straight forwardness always puts fans in the mind of old-school tag teams. The Dudley Boyz are in the conversation as one of the greatest tag teams of all time, world champions in every promotion they wrestled in. They were influencers and a standard-bearer of what tag teams aspired to be.

A feud with these two teams, straight up pinfall matches or a tables match. Come on! each and every match would have fans on the edge of their seats. The Dudley's would agitate FTR with their promos and make fans despise them. While FTR would let their wrestling do the talking for them in this feud.

 If a feud happened between these two in a alternate timeline, fans would be the winners.

Bob Backlund vs Gunther

Bob Backlund is a special kind of guy. He could be a technical wizard in the ring, a guy who is a little "off". He's a guy that is relentless in his pursuit. He can be a comedy act. Gunther isn't called the "ring general" for nothing. He's to the point, holds himself in high regard and a technical beast.

A feud between these two would be a technical masterclass. Backlund would be the "character" in this feud with his shenanigans. While Gunther would be the straight man who beats him relentlessly, until Backlund fights back "unhinged". Would Backlund prevail with the chicken wing crossface or Gunther would prevail with his chops?

Bret Hart vs Cody Rhodes

The Excellence of Execution vs The American Nightmare. The Hitman who in-ring work was so crisp and precise, against Cody Rhodes who in-ring work thrives when emotion is involved. Cody could go after Hitman simply for needing to prove he is the best, or The Hitman could be the aggressor because fans assume the Rhodes family name is more prestigious than The Hart name in wrestling.

Bret Hart would be Bret Hart, surly in every promo. Cody would be Cody, invoking emotion and inspiration in every promo on why he needs to defeat Bret Hart. In-ring the two would stand toe to toe with either man likely to win. A feud between these two based on who is the better wrestler would be a delight for fans to watch.

Booker T. vs Seth Rollins

A match up between Booker T. and Seth Rollins would be one for the books in any regard, but a feud lasting a couple months between the incarnations of King Booker and The Visionary Seth Rollins would be an absolute riot. Not only in-ring but from a purely entertainment aspect, as both characters are quite over the top.

They would attempt to out do one another in every sense of the way possible. Until one would get serious after continually losing to the other. Eventually leaving the over the top act in the rear view and getting to business.