Offense (9.0): Lynn has spent a good portion of his
time in Japan, and that is evident in his offense. Swinging DDTs and dragon-screw legwhips
are routine maneuvers to him. Opponents never know whether Lynn is going for their arms,
legs, or heads. Unpredictability is his greatest asset. (9.0): Lynn has spent a good portion of his
time in Japan, and that is evident in his offense. Swinging DDTs and dragon-screw legwhips
are routine maneuvers to him. Opponents never know whether Lynn is going for their arms,
legs, or heads. Unpredictability is his greatest asset.
Defense (10.0): He represents the latest generation
of pro wrestlers. His countermoves are often more sophisticated than the maneuvers he is
countering. Faced with a foe rebounding from the ropes, most wrestlers would duck out of
the way. Lynn is likely to hit his foe with a power bomb. (10.0): He represents the latest generation
of pro wrestlers. His countermoves are often more sophisticated than the maneuvers he is
countering. Faced with a foe rebounding from the ropes, most wrestlers would duck out of
the way. Lynn is likely to hit his foe with a power bomb.
Experience (9.0): Lynn’s resume is odd, to say
the least. He gained a reputation as one of the finest wrestlers in Japan, yet has spent
most of his U.S. career headlining obscure independent cards. As the masked Mr. J.L., he
had moderate success in WCW.
Conditioning (7.5): His conditioning is adequate by
ECW standards, but would be subpar in the Big Two. He would benefit greatly from
undergoing more weight training. His 185-pound frame remains insufficient, although
cruiserweight wrestling is mounting a comeback. (7.5): His conditioning is adequate by
ECW standards, but would be subpar in the Big Two. He would benefit greatly from
undergoing more weight training. His 185-pound frame remains insufficient, although
cruiserweight wrestling is mounting a comeback.
Science (9.5): In the tradition of Chris Benoit and
Dean Malenko, Lynn is as comfortable on the mat as he is in the air. He uses half-crabs,
leglocks, and chinlocks when possible, but goes to the air when opponents try to step up
the tempo. (9.5): In the tradition of Chris Benoit and
Dean Malenko, Lynn is as comfortable on the mat as he is in the air. He uses half-crabs,
leglocks, and chinlocks when possible, but goes to the air when opponents try to step up
the tempo.
Stamina (10.0): Anyone questioning Lynn’s
stamina should watch a tape of this year’s Living Dangerously pay-per-view. He
wrestled to a 20-minute draw with ECW TV champion Rob Van Dam, flustering "Mr.
PPV" at every turn, Lynn demanded overtime but was flattened by a Van Dam frog
splash.
Power (7.0): Too bad ECW doesn’t have a
cruiserweight division. That would have been a great tribute to stars like Lynn, Mikey
Whipwreck, Nova, and Sabu. Lynn simply isn’t strong enough to defeat stars like Shane
Douglas or Tommy Dreamer on a regular basis.
Speed (10.0): Lynn’s ability to dodge and
outmaneuver opponents is quite remarkable. Now that Mikey Whipwreck has left for WCW, Lynn
might be the quickest man in ECW. His bouts against GWF light heavyweight champ The
Lightning Kid (X-Pac) in 1991 were fast-paced classics.
Ability to Absorb Punishment (7.5): This is
Lynn’s ultimate flaw. He isn’t a quitter, but it’s relatively easy for
heavier opponents to knock the breath out of Lynn or drop him with a finisher before he
realizes it. Injuries and ECW’s brawling style have also worked against him.
Quality Of Opposition (8.0): Lynn is on the verge of
entering ECW’s top tier. A TV Title reign is a realistic goal, and don’t be
surprised if Lynn wins that title soon. Is he tough enough to beat Taz? Probably not.
Lynn’s mean streak doesn’t run that wide.
Repertoire: Lucha Libre has proliferated American
wrestling to the point at which it’s no longer a novelty. Huracanranas and baseball
slides are almost as common as headlocks and suplexes. The Japanese style, however, is
still a relatively unknown commodity in the States. That gives Lynn an edge against U.S.
opponents ... and it’s a style that’s very exciting to watch.
Strengths: The longer a match lasts, the more likely
Lynn is to win it. Heavyweights are able to down Lynn quickly with power bombs or
Michinoku drivers, maneuvers from which he cannot recover. If Lynn is still alive at the
10-minute mark, odds are that he has his opponent right where he wants him ... and is
staying close enough to avoid surprise finishers.: The longer a match lasts, the more likely
Lynn is to win it. Heavyweights are able to down Lynn quickly with power bombs or
Michinoku drivers, maneuvers from which he cannot recover. If Lynn is still alive at the
10-minute mark, odds are that he has his opponent right where he wants him ... and is
staying close enough to avoid surprise finishers.
Weaknesses: He’s too light to make a big impact
in the Big Two, other than in cruiserweight divisions. Wrestlers, on average, are lighter
in ECW, and that has contributed to his current success, but he still hasn’t mastered
the art of using the mass of heavyweight wrestlers against them. Rey Misterio Jr., Billy
Kidman and X-Pac have done that.
Defining Career Moment: His victory over The
Lightning Kid on December 27, 1991, was the culmination of a bitter six-month feud. The
Kid had stopped Lynn on every occasion by relying on blatant cheap shots, foreign objects
and outside interference. Lynn seemed to have every wrestling fan in Dallas behind him
when he finally defeated his arch-rival.: His victory over The
Lightning Kid on December 27, 1991, was the culmination of a bitter six-month feud. The
Kid had stopped Lynn on every occasion by relying on blatant cheap shots, foreign objects
and outside interference. Lynn seemed to have every wrestling fan in Dallas behind him
when he finally defeated his arch-rival.
Future: Lynn’s strong performance against Rob
Van Dam on March 21 proved that he had the potential to be a TV champ. If Lynn can
continue to avoid time-consuming feuds, he should be an ECW crowd-pleaser for many years.
