Paul London vs. Evan Bourne

[Mr. Nerfect]

This is something that has been on my mind for a while. Which guy do you think is the better overall talent?

Both men are very similar in a lot of ways. Both are indy darlings who got signed to the WWE despite their size disadvantage and not traditionally being the kind of worker the WWE generally looks for, both have a really good Shooting Star Press, and both have achieved (or are achieving) more success in the company than many would have anticipated.

They're very comparable wrestlers, but I'm curious as to see just who people would back if it came down with picking one guy over the other.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Forgot to include a poll. Fuck it, it's late.

[Krimzon7]

fap fap fap fap,

I'm sorry Noid, I couldn't hear you over that weird noise emminating from your IP address.

Seriously I prefer Bourne over London, only because We've harldy seen London go.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I much prefer Paul London. Maybe I haven't seen enough of Evan Bourne, but from what I have seen, London seems to be ahead in every category. He's the better technical guy, can fly better (I truthfully believe London Calling trumps Air Bourne), he's got a better look, and I feel he cuts better promos. Of course, you can't judge most of that from his WWE run.

[Chavo Classic]

I've seen the best of Bourne when he was Sydal, and that was mind-blowing. So I'm gonna have to to side with him.

[Mooияakeя™]

Forgot to include a poll. Fuck it, it's late.

IIRC, you can add it through "thread tools" at the top.

[4 knuckles up]

I much prefer Paul London. Maybe I haven't seen enough of Evan Bourne, but from what I have seen, London seems to be ahead in every category. He's the better technical guy, can fly better (I truthfully believe London Calling trumps Air Bourne), he's got a better look, and I feel he cuts better promos. Of course, you can't judge most of that from his WWE run.


London has been around for longer, and I think I need to see a little more of Evan Bourne to fully commit to my answer.

At the moment, I think I'd put London over Bourne, but I think in a few months thats going to change.

London is a better technical wrestler than Bourne. He's always been good at that. I think the moves he pulled out in his matches with Akio showed how good he is in that aspect. He was truely under-rated as a technician.

In the air, London is more of a risk taker than Bourne, but that doesn't mean he's any better. London has made alot more botches/mistakes than Evan Bourne. Any top rope / flying moves done by Bourne have a real crispness to them. Things like hurricanranas and drop kicks look by-the-book, but with London, they could be a bit messy at times.

In terms of who has the better look, I'd go with Bourne. London always looked a little "backyard wrestler" in the baggy shorts he wore when he tagged with Kendrick. Bourne's attire suits him fine.

I've not seen enough promo's from London or Bourne to comment on mic skills. Evan does have a weird little voice, and the only London promo I can recall would be him reacting to Chavo (I think) stealing the cruiserweight belt off him. That was an average promo at best. There is a good interview with London and Kendrick after they won the fatal four-way ladder match, which looked alot more natural.

Air Bourne is what a shooting star press hsould look like. The one against Matt Striker was perfect. The one legged SSP against Burchill was ridiculous. I'm a massive London mark, but Evan Bourne's SSP is better. Not by much, mind.

The real crime is that we never got to see a London / Bourne feud.

[Chavo Classic]

Any top rope / flying moves done by Bourne have a real crispness to them. Things like hurricanranas and drop kicks look by-the-book, but with London, they could be a bit messy at times.


This is a great point. Bourne's arsenal of moves are always executed with such grace and effortlessness that it's difficult not to be in awe. Anyone watching Bourne would be forgiven for reasoning that if a 5'5'' guy can pull off some of the things he does, then we all could.

I found out the hard way that I can't :nono:

[GD]

I appreciate the idea Noid but it's too late.

Munda Fact: I can drive overseas.

[Mr. Nerfect]

London has been around for longer, and I think I need to see a little more of Evan Bourne to fully commit to my answer.

At the moment, I think I'd put London over Bourne, but I think in a few months thats going to change.

London is a better technical wrestler than Bourne. He's always been good at that. I think the moves he pulled out in his matches with Akio showed how good he is in that aspect. He was truely under-rated as a technician.

In the air, London is more of a risk taker than Bourne, but that doesn't mean he's any better. London has made alot more botches/mistakes than Evan Bourne. Any top rope / flying moves done by Bourne have a real crispness to them. Things like hurricanranas and drop kicks look by-the-book, but with London, they could be a bit messy at times.

In terms of who has the better look, I'd go with Bourne. London always looked a little "backyard wrestler" in the baggy shorts he wore when he tagged with Kendrick. Bourne's attire suits him fine.

I've not seen enough promo's from London or Bourne to comment on mic skills. Evan does have a weird little voice, and the only London promo I can recall would be him reacting to Chavo (I think) stealing the cruiserweight belt off him. That was an average promo at best. There is a good interview with London and Kendrick after they won the fatal four-way ladder match, which looked alot more natural.

Air Bourne is what a shooting star press hsould look like. The one against Matt Striker was perfect. The one legged SSP against Burchill was ridiculous. I'm a massive London mark, but Evan Bourne's SSP is better. Not by much, mind.

The real crime is that we never got to see a London / Bourne feud.

Interesting analysis. London's flying on the independent circuit was just as crisp, and even more fluid than what he showed in the WWE. I won't make too many excuses for the guy, to keep things clean, but Bourne seems encouraged to fly, whereas London's matches in general seemed a lot more rushed and thrown together.

A very fair point, though.

London's WWE attire was weird -- I personally liked it, but I was talking more about how each guy actually looks. London has a fair bit more size to him. In the promo department, London has a weird sense of humour, and can actually talk. I may not have been the best of Bourne, so I won't judge him, but from what I have seen, he's an actions man.

I personally prefer the London Calling over Bourne's Shooting Star Press. London just seems to get more height, distance and the way he cannonballs the on the flip is pretty awesome.

[Jeritron]

Why don't you let Better Wrestler do it's thing and stick to 1,000 word posts?

[Mooияakeя™]

IIRC, you can add it through "thread tools" at the top.

Yes noid, that's thank you :foc:

[Ruien]

Evan Bourne with ease.

Jeritron, chances of you doing this match up are one in a million. So why does it bother you he made a poll?

[mike adamle]

Saw Bourne and London in the Indy's. Bourne, he's much better.

[Destor]

Why don't you let Better Wrestler do it's thing and stick to 1,000 word posts?

[Anybody Thrilla]

I've only seen a couple matches from each outside of the WWE. Based on the WWE work alone, I'd not only say Bourne is better, but I'd say he is much better. I hear London's a real stud on the indy circuit, but I just haven't had the pleasure, I guess.

[#1-norm-fan]

I prefer Bourne in the ring.

Also, London seems to be a bit of a douchebag. Points docked...

[Mercury Bullet]

Bourne definitely.

[DAMN iNATOR]

Bourne could do more with his pinky than London could achieve in his entire career.

[Rammsteinmad]

Bourne. Though I'm only judging both men from their WWE runs and very little other stuff. London is great no doubt about it, and had some fantastic matches in ROH (I saw a triple threat with AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels that blew my mind), but Evan Bourne seems to be getting a nice push that is allowing me to see more of him, and he has some pretty unique, innovation moves.

London's run with Brian Kendrick was great fun though, but after that you knew there was no hope for him.

[screech]

I love Paul London, but I think Bourne is better. Bourne just seems crisper than London, as some of his big moves were a bit sloppy at times.

The fact that London continues to screw himself out of work hurts him as well.

[Rammsteinmad]

Why? What's Paul London up to/doing wrong these days?

[screech]

He was set to debut in TNA, but didn't tell officials that he was dealing with a back injury so they pulled him. And I think I read he was asking for more money than they were willing to give.

[Fox]

So, is it a monkey with spots, or a monkey that does backflips and flies? Somebody tell me.

[St. Jimmy]

or.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Yes noid, that's thank you :foc:

I tried to add rep to you, but I had to spread it around first. Be grateful yourself. :p

[Mr. Nerfect]

Better Wrestler can suck my dick, Jeritron. Sorry, I love you, I'm not going to wait for the stars to align and present us with this match there. I'm asking now.

For those that are saying Bourne, are you only judging by their WWE work?

[dronepool]

^ I am.

I like Evan more.

Evan Bourne is the man. I hope he goes far in the WWE.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I don't think it's a contest when it comes to WWE work. I'd like to hear more from people who have seen their work on the independent circuit.

[Destor]

Neither Bourne or London are spot monkies and by called them such you have either a gross misunderstanding of the word or are abusing it.

k thnx bai

[Mr. Nerfect]

Gotta agree with Destor. Especially considering how great Evan Bourne's match with John Morrison was. That didn't rely on spots. They didn't work your traditional WWE style, but it told a story pretty perfectly.

Paul London is someone that I definitely could not class as a spot monkey. His independent stuff was great, and I still consider his match with Billy Kidman from No Mercy 2004 to be top quality stuff.

[#1-norm-fan]

What the hell???

19-1 in favor of Bourne???

Like I said, I prefer Bourne but I would have NEVER guessed a blow-out in this poll. I thought London had his fans here.

[screech]

I wanted to vote for London, but as I said the fact that he's screwing himself out of work kinda ruins it for me.

[Mooияakeя™]

I tried to add rep to you, but I had to spread it around first. Be grateful yourself. :p

Bless, I did indeed receive some green from you. But I can't read yo mind player.

[The Fonz]

I wanted to vote for London, but as I said the fact that he's screwing himself out of work kinda ruins it for me.

This.

[What Would Kevin Do?]

Bourne. This is based on pretty much all the work of both I've seen, which includes indy work. Bourne is just better.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Yeah, can't believe that London is losing by so much. Especially considering I truly believe that he's the better worker based purely on ability.

Where was this awesome work that Matt Sydal did?

[Mr. JL]

I wanted to vote for London, but as I said the fact that he's screwing himself out of work kinda ruins it for me.

[What Would Kevin Do?]

Matt Sydal has been solid for a LONG time. Pretty much from mid-ROH run w/ Gen NExt, to his dragon gate run, to now, and he's been consistently improving. London is good, and can have awesome matches, but Sydal/Bourne has been consistently good for a long time. Granted London was in WWE for the past several years and restricted, Bourne is in his spot now, and doing great, which speaks to WWE's faith in him.

[thecc]

London/Styles was one of the first matches that got me into indy wrestling so I'm a bit biased here.