East Vs West: Character Battle #7

People ask me, “Since you’re a wrestling fan, why not make one of these based off wrestling?” The reason is many reasons. For one, it would be incredibly one sided since many of the Wrestlers from Japan can easily trounce our American Wrestlers (and that includes TNA).

Another reason is that some wrestlers were trained in Japan. I know this usually isn’t a good excuse, but hear this. Before Tomko trained in Japan, he was just another big man with little to bring. When he came back from Japan, he was like a whole other person, better on the mike, in the ring, you name it! Pretty much anyone trained in Japan would become better.

And the final reason is that, Wrestling is a weird world. One minute, you’re cheering for an All American Hero, the next minute you’re booing the same guy because he’s an Iraqi Sympathizer. And then there are those who “Retire” from wrestling. They leave because of a career ending back injury, and a few years later they returned without loosing a step.

But this time, I have found two pair of wrestlers who are officially retired and have no interest in returning into the ring. One of them is from Japan and the other is from Canada. It’s the perfect example of East Vs West, and they’re both females!

Trish Stratus Vs Bull Nakano

Trish began her Wrestling career like other Blonds in Wrestling do, become a Manager to someone. She soon stepped into the ring and became WWF Women's Championship for the first time on Nov. 18, 2001. Her wrestling ability wasn’t that good in the beginning, but she eventually became one of the best female wrestlers of this generation, if not all time.

Her last match in the WWE was on Sept. 17, 2006 against Lita. It was considered (by me) the second farewell match in the history of Wrestling where not only she won the Women’s Title for the 7th Time, but also winning it in her home town, with the Sharpshooter of all moves (the trademark of Canada’s own Bret Hart)! Her seven year career saw her achieve many accomplishments except one; she didn’t defeat a “monster”.

Bull Nakano was a rarity in the world of wrestling, built for power but able to move with great speed! In her matches with Alundra Blayze (Medusa for those who know her outside her WWE career), she threw her around like a rag doll, spinning her 450 by the hair! You don’t see this stuff anymore (at least in American TV).

Her wrestling career began in 1983 and she retired in 1997. In between, she won numerous titles, including the WWWA Heavyweight title in Japan and the WWF Women’s Title in America. She even won the Japan Grand Prix Tournament in 1988. Now retired to play Golf, she lost a good portion of the weight that made her a tough competitor.

While it is possible that Trish could return to the ring, I doubt we’ll see these two wrestle against each other anytime within this lifetime. So this is the perfect opportunity to make this since the only way to see this match is in my dreams. Will Trish hit Bull with her Stratusfaction? Or will Nakano treat her like an Olympic Hammer?

Round One: Location

It could take place anywhere; it’ll always be in the same place, the wrestling ring. A simple 4 sided ring confined by three ropes surrounding it. Unless you never stepped inside it, no one has an advantage in this.

WINNER: Draw

Round Two: Experience

Trish Stratus was in the business for seven years for the WWE. Within those years, she wrestled various female wrestlers which includes the high flyer Lita, the powerhouse Jazz, and the psychotic (at the time) Victoria. She’s also faced an opponent who matched her move for move (Mickie James). She also won the Hardcore title once and has been in a few No DQ matches.

Bull Nakano had wrestled for 14 years, and unlike Stratus, for multiple organizations. Her matches with Medusa could translate well when facing Trish since they share a similar style and size. Her matches against many females, especially those against Aja Kong, also prove her ability to wrestle in grueling matches ranging from the basics to cages and weapons.

Quite frankly, Bull Nakano is a legend in wrestling. Heck, she’s in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Hall of Fame. So this is definitely going to Bull.

WINNER: Bull Nakano

Round Three: Abilities

Bull plays a power card but also displays speed and flying abilities you wouldn’t expect from her. She also has shown to know submission moves as well, though one tends to be a little illegal because it also uses hair pulling. And given the chance, Bull can be very brutal in the ring.

Trish Stratus is nimble and flexible so she can get out of some situations. She also is primarily a striker who uses her kicks to do damage to her opponents. She has shown to also use moves that rely on her legs like the StratusFear and Hurricanranas.

In Wikipedia, Trish has more moves, but in terms of “End the Match” moves, this has to go with Bull Nakano.

WINNER: Bull Nakano

Round Four: Related Opponents

As I mentioned above, Bull Nakano has faced someone with a similar build in Medusa (AKA Alundra Blayze) so she can pretty much expect someone like Trish. Miss Stratus, on the other hand, never fought anyone like Bull. As tough as Victoria, Melina and Mickie James are, they ain’t no Bull Nakano…

WINNER: Bull Nakano

Round Five: Drawing Power

Drawing Power, in terms of wrestling, means how popular you are. Internationally, Bull Nakano is very popular. In America, it’s pretty much the big time wrestling fans who still remember her, as outside TNA, it’s mostly beauty that gets hired to wrestle.

Trish, thanks to her stay in WWE, has become a big star in and out of America. So pretty much, Trish dominates Bull in this category…

WINNER: Trish Stratus

Round Six: Finishers

Each of these females has two finishing maneuvers. For Bull Nakano, it is the Bull's Poseidon, a back to belly piledriver, and a Diving Legdrop, sometimes with a summersault added to it. Trish Stratus’s finishers are the Stratusfaction, a springboard bulldog, and the Chick Kick, which is pretty much a roundhouse kick to the face.

While each of these move have ended matches, it’ll be decided by how easy it is to connect and to reverse. Bull has the advantage for her Bull’s Poseidon being also used as a counter of a powerbomb or piledriver type move. She also has a disadvantage for her Diving Legdrop being also the easiest to reverse since all you have to do is roll over to avoid it. So this will be a tie.

WINNER: Draw

Round Seven: Chances to get back into the Ring now…

With Wrestling, you can’t really look at retirement as a final saying. Sometimes you’ll see wrestlers return to the ring days, weeks, months, even years after their retirement. Trish Stratus may have some ring rust on her for all the time away from the ring, but it’s nothing a little training can’t handle.

Bull, on the other hand, needs a lot of work. Out of wrestling for 11 years made Nakano loose all the weight she had as a monster heel in wrestling. From a size 19 to 9 is impressive to do; going back to 19 would be bad health wise…

WINNER: Trish Stratus

Round Eight: Titles Won

Trish Stratus has won the WWE Woman’s Title Seven Different times, with her final one being her last match in WWE. She also won the WWF Hardcore Title once, but that is pretty much due to the fact the title was defended 24/7 so getting it was easy. So in total, she won eight titles.

Bull Nakano was WWF Woman’s Champion once, also CMLL World Women's Champion once. In All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling, she won their Regular Championship, their Junior Championship, WWWA World Heavyweight Champion, and WWWA World Tag Team Championship three different times with a different partner each time. In total, that is nine titles.

When it comes to bling, Bull has the Number and Variety on her side.

WINNER: Bull Nakano

Round Nine: Their Trainers

Trish Stratus’s trainers were Ron Hutchinson, who also helped in the training of Edge, Christian, and Gail Kim. She was also trained by Dave Finley, yes, that Finley.

Bull Nakano was trained by the very organization she competed in, All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling. That organization brought Aja Kong, one of Bull’s toughest opponents, and also Awesome Kong, the most dominate female in TNA. And if I remember correctly, Kong beat Kim…

WINNER: Bull Nakano

OVERAL: Bull Nakano: 5 - Trish Stratus: 2

Pretty much overall, Bull Nakano dominates over Trish in many categories, but would that how it play out if the event did happen? Since this is a Wrestling style East Vs West, it’ll be pretty much explained like a storyline…

Round Ten: The Story(line)

Trish would be out talking to the crowd, making them excited until Bull Nakano comes out and beats her up. The next taping will show Bull telling us the reasons for her attack. After that, Trish will come in and demand a match. Bull accepts it for the next PPV.

The PPV event happens, but due to the brawling that lead to the outside, with Bull dominating, no winner was decided. So the GM or McMahon decided that on the next PPV, the two will compete in a Fall Count Anywhere match.

Build up for that match will include them in tag team action against each other, Bull interfering in Trish’s matches, and Trish distracting Bull in hers. The final match happens and it lasts a good 20 minutes. Each one taking control over a match for a good while until one mistake led them to lose it.

In the final moments, Bull was about to use a chair against Trish. Trish looks dazed but was still able to dodge the swing in the last minute. As Bull turned around, Trish hits Bull with the Chick Kick. Bull still stands but drops the chair. Trish then hits the Stratusfaction and makes Bull’s head land on the chair. She gets the pin and the victory.

WINNER: Trish Stratus

That’s the thing with wrestling; whoever has drawing power has the better chance of winning. Trish Stratus was not only chosen as WWE Diva of the year multiple times, she was also chosen as WWE Diva of the Millennium. As much as I like to see Bull dominate, Trish is the most likely to win.

Like the outcome? Want to give your opinion of the events? Want to make suggestions? Then give a reply. The next one will be, well, whatever I feel like.