The Chasers.

[ToyfareMark]

I read on here awhile back how people think some wrestlers are better suited to always be chasing a title rather than holding it long term. It makes sense, some people are just more natural in that role. We've seen it plenty of times where someone will be mega hot while going after a title, but then once they get it the thrill is gone, and fans realize it was more fun watching the chase instead of the aftermath. Obviously some people are simply meant to champion for extended periods, but in a sense it could be better for someone who chases because they get to take people on the ride with them multiple times, even if they never win the big one, or only have it for a small amount of time.

So who in your opinion are people who are, or were much better suited to be chasers? I'm not gonna go into any details, but I'll just list some of my choices.

The Rock
Sting
Randy Orton
Daniel Bryan
Shawn Michaels
Chris Benoit (Not trying to be 2edgy, just how I saw him)
Ricky Steamboat
Dolph Ziggler
Batista

Thats really all I can think of at the moment. If you don't agree thats all fine, and dandy, just thought it would be a good topic.

[idislikeeverything]

The very idea of someone being a better chaser than champ is ludicrous to me.

If they can't be a good champ then they shouldn't be chasing in the first place.

Also not sure how we can judge Bryan as being a better chaser when he never got a real face run as champ. Also never nees to see him chase the belt again after last time.

[Mozenrath]

Mock him if you will, and rightly so in a lot of ways, but Tommy Dreamer in ECW was pretty much the ultimate example.

[Mozenrath]

Oct 3, 2015 4:46:33 GMT -5 idislikeeverything said:

The very idea of someone being a better chaser than champ is ludicrous to me.

If they can't be a good champ then they shouldn't be chasing in the first place.

Also not sure how we can judge Bryan as being a better chaser when he never got a real face run as champ. Also never nees to see him chase the belt again after last time.

That's missing the point of it. The idea of someone who chases the title is that they are a character who people can buy into the struggle of, so the fans care as they meet and try to overcome various challenges and obstacles. Not everyone does that well, but a good example would be Stone Cold. His character lent itself perfectly to feuding with Vince, Triple H, and others, while he rarely had extended runs with the title, due in part to injury but also because that wasn't seen as the draw of it. There's a reason Die Hard doesn't have John McClane save his wife 20 minutes into the film.

[idislikeeverything]

Oct 3, 2015 4:55:43 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Oct 3, 2015 4:46:33 GMT -5 idislikeeverything said:

The very idea of someone being a better chaser than champ is ludicrous to me.

If they can't be a good champ then they shouldn't be chasing in the first place.

Also not sure how we can judge Bryan as being a better chaser when he never got a real face run as champ. Also never nees to see him chase the belt again after last time.

That's missing the point of it. The idea of someone who chases the title is that they are a character who people can buy into the struggle of, so the fans care as they meet and try to overcome various challenges and obstacles. Not everyone does that well, but a good example would be Stone Cold. His character lent itself perfectly to feuding with Vince, Triple H, and others, while he rarely had extended runs with the title, due in part to injury but also because that wasn't seen as the draw of it. There's a reason Die Hard doesn't have John McClane save his wife 20 minutes into the film.

I guess that's why I find Die Hard boring, lol.

The chase is all well and good but all we ever do is chase nowadays. I am sick of the heel dominance.

[Mozenrath]

Oct 3, 2015 5:34:38 GMT -5 idislikeeverything said:

Oct 3, 2015 4:55:43 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

That's missing the point of it. The idea of someone who chases the title is that they are a character who people can buy into the struggle of, so the fans care as they meet and try to overcome various challenges and obstacles. Not everyone does that well, but a good example would be Stone Cold. His character lent itself perfectly to feuding with Vince, Triple H, and others, while he rarely had extended runs with the title, due in part to injury but also because that wasn't seen as the draw of it. There's a reason Die Hard doesn't have John McClane save his wife 20 minutes into the film.

I guess that's why I find Die Hard boring, lol.

The chase is all well and good but all we ever do is chase nowadays. I am sick of the heel dominance.

It is sometimes done the other way around, albeit less commonly. Hogan had a lot of people hounding him for his title, but maybe the most persistent would be DiBiase.

[Deleted]

Oct 3, 2015 4:55:43 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Oct 3, 2015 4:46:33 GMT -5 idislikeeverything said:

The very idea of someone being a better chaser than champ is ludicrous to me.

If they can't be a good champ then they shouldn't be chasing in the first place.

Also not sure how we can judge Bryan as being a better chaser when he never got a real face run as champ. Also never nees to see him chase the belt again after last time.

That's missing the point of it. The idea of someone who chases the title is that they are a character who people can buy into the struggle of, so the fans care as they meet and try to overcome various challenges and obstacles. Not everyone does that well, but a good example would be Stone Cold. His character lent itself perfectly to feuding with Vince, Triple H, and others, while he rarely had extended runs with the title, due in part to injury but also because that wasn't seen as the draw of it. There's a reason Die Hard doesn't have John McClane save his wife 20 minutes into the film.

I agree with the overall point, but I don't see Austin as a good example. It was a blast to see him with the title and fending off all the bullshit Vince was putting him through.

I think a lot of great chasers could also be great champs if they get the title early enough where there's still obstacles to be conquered. Like with Bryan, the chase was SO long and arduous that by the time he won it, I was personally sort of exhausted by the whole thing, and he didn't have any good challengers lined up because he had to beat everyone and their mom to win the belt in the first place.

[Mayonnaise]

Sami Zayn will be that guy when he returns. The struggle and break through he can pull off is second to none.

[Sam Punk]

Luger

[Deleted]

Oct 3, 2015 22:22:07 GMT -5 Mayonnaise said:

Sami Zayn will be that guy when he returns. The struggle and break through he can pull off is second to none.

I honestly can't see Zayn ever getting anywhere close to the main event scene. He seems like at best he might get the Intercontinental title for a couple of months or something. Just not someone I could ever see WWE having the slightest bit of interest in genuinely pushing.