What you loved:
- Titles - At one point, he had 10 titles!
- Elite - His in-ring mechanics were as smooth as anyone around. He could both work technical or high-flying matches.
- WCW - A gem (and champion) in the Cruiserweight division, had some classics with Mysterio, Guerrero, and Jericho.
- Moves - He had a great moveset that included: Asai Moonsault, Running Sit-Out Power Bomb, and the Dragon Sleeper.
Best comment comes via Phil X:
"In a perfect world we'd be able to have a Dragon Fatal Four Way. Pluck each dragon from their prime and have them go at it: Tatsumi Fujinami, Ricky Steamboat, Ultimo Dragon, and Bryan Danielson."
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What you loathed:
- WWE Run - Terribly booked, never got any traction with the company. He also had one too many botches that probably hurt him backstage. For the legend that he was, he was never treated so in the WWE.
- Size - Coming in a 5'8"/185 lbs. Ultimo's size probably held him back in the big leagues.
Best comment comes via Mr. Deeds:
"I’m nitpicking here, but I don’t think there was really anywhere for him to go by the time he got to WWE, even though everyone calls it a 'burial.' He was already 37, and WWE just couldn’t recapture the magic of the Cruiserweight Division that WCW had. He had a couple botches that didn’t help. The Dragon needs slow burning feuds that focuses on his and his opponents in ring work, and WWE had been going with more fast paced story lines that didn’t fit his persona."
On to the poll! With 169 votes, Ultimo Dragon's average score is 4.2
Thanks, Cagesiders! Tomorrow's pick is one of the best on the indy scene.
Until then!