Haggar VS Zangief

Haggar VS Zangief is the fifth episode of Death Battle. It was sponsored by Netflix. This episode pits two of Capcom's iconic wrestlers against each other, Mike Haggar of Final Fight, and Zangief of Street Fighter.

Screwattack
''Episode 5 - Final Fight VS Street Fighter! Capcom's greatest rivals finally meet!''

YouTube
''Episode 5 - Final Fight VS Street Fighter! Capcom's greatest rivals finally meet! Final Fight's Mike Haggar battles Street Fighter's Zangief, Russia's Red Cyclone, in a brutal fight to the death! Which Double Lariat and Spinning Pile Driver will reign supreme?''

Interlude
(*Cues: Invader - Jim Johnston*)

Wiz: Capcom has produced hundreds of deadly warriors, but few can best these two hulking leviathans.

Boomstick: '''Haggar, the mayor elect of Whoop ass... '''

Wiz: ...and Zangief, Russia's red Cyclone.

Boomstick: '''These two wrestlers have never met in person but their rivalry is legendary and it's about time they duked it out! '''

Wiz: I'm Wizard and he's Boomstick and it's our job to analyse their weapons armour and skills to find out who would win a Death Battle.

Haggar
(*Cues: Muscle Bomber/Saturday Night Slam Masters - Mike Haggar (Original CPS1 Arcade Version*)

Boomstick: '''Standing 6 foot - 7 and weighing 266 pounds, 30 of which is probably in his manly mustache, it's Mike Haggar! '''

Wiz: For many years, Haggar was a champion wrestler of Slam Masters until being elected mayor of Metro city, a metropolis overrun with street gangs.

Boomstick: '''Too bad there aren't more badasses in office. Most mayors would just put up laws against crime or increase the police force but Mike takes matters into his own hands. '''

Wiz: Haggar is a former pro American wrestler, specializing in grabs, holds and quick strikes. He's of Scottish ancestry and proud of it, even having a scottish flag on his gym. It's likely he has also trained in Scottish backhold wrestling, which involves bearhugging an opponent and keeping your balance while overpowering theirs.

Boomstick: '''Haggar's got a devastating moveset ranging from Suplexes, Body Splashes and his own invention, Spinning clothesline double lariat, which Zangief stole for his own use. To even the score, Haggar copied Gief's spinning piledriver. When Haggar isn't overpowering people with his pure manliness, his weapon of choice is a blunt pipe. Hey, he's a mayor that kicks ass and recycles. '''

(*Cues: Unknown Theme*)

Wiz: Even after his victorious election, Haggar continued his vigorous training.

Boomstick: '''By Piledriving Sharks! '''

Wiz: It appears Haggar wrestles Bull Sharks, one of the deadliest sharks on Earth. These can grow up to 11 feet long and weigh up to 500 pounds. Wrestling these proves Haggar's proficiency in the Scottish backhold, as he keeps his balance against the thrashing sharks until he can piledrive them into the beach.

Boomstick: '''Next "Jaws" movie needs more Haggar! '''

Wiz: Unfortunately, during his time as mayor, Haggar was undoubtedly forced to prioritize politics over training. It's likely he didn't have much time to learn new techniques or train against many other wrestlers. As a result, he uses moves and skills from an older era.

Boomstick: '''They seem to work pretty damn well! '''

Wiz: He certainly hasn't lost his touch.

Announcer: "Mike Haggar, the candidate who puts people first." Haggar growls and kills a Bald Eagle who has perched on his arm.

Zangief
(*Cues: Zangief Theme (Atomic Fusion Remix) - Street Fighter II*)

Wiz: Zangief stands 7 feet tall at 350 pounds, weighing in as one of the strongest on the Street Fighting circuit.

Boomstick: '''And as a testament to his manliness, check out that wicked shin hair! '''

Wiz: Zangief is a champion wrestler in Russia, using push and pull techniques to throw his opponents off balance. He also specialises in Sambo, a combination of wrestling and martial arts. He's not skilled in leglocks and chokeholds but his grappling, submissions and groundwork are second to none.

Boomstick: '''Zangief's best moves include his double Lariat, Atomic Suplex, flying Power bomb and a wicked backhand called the Banishing Flat, a move Zangief learned specifically to counter projectiles! Zangief... Hates... Projectiles! '''

Wiz: His signature move is the Spinning Piledriver, which he learned after getting caught in a cyclone while piledriving a bear.

Boomstick: '''That's the most awesome thing I've ever heard! '''

Wiz: Actually, wrestling bears has been Zangief's favourite training exercise since he was a kid. Supposedly, he wrestles Grizzly bears, but these are not native to Russia. It's far more likely he wrestles Ussuri Brown Bears, which can weigh up to 1500 pounds, well over twice the size of a full grown Grizzly.

Boomstick: '''Holy shit! He piledrived one of those into a Tornado!? '''

Wiz: Battling such a massive beast corresponds with his Russian wrestling training perfectly, forcing the bears to lose their balance and knocking them out cold! Zangief is a loyal Russian through and through, always fighting for his country rather than personal gain. He is often employed by the Russian President as the country's official fighting representative. That said, Zangief is pretty dimwitted, more a follower than a leader. He fights with instinct rather than reason.

Boomstick: All the more reason to get out of his way!

Zangief: (Attacks the Duck Hunt Dog and piledrives it) Mmmmhhh! Me Zangief broke you!

Death Battle
(*Cues: Intro Theme - Saturday Night Slam Masters*)

Zangief and Haggar stand in a deserted street. Haggar stretches his muscles and rips his shirt while Zangief removes his cape, points upwards and laughs, and drinks a bottle of beer before crushing the bottle.

FIGHT!

(*Cues: Lobby Screen - Street Fighter IV*)

Haggar and Zangief both grab each other and look each other in the eyes before Zangief throws Haggar behind him. He tries to attack Haggar with a flying kick, only to get blocked. He tries to punch him, but his punches get blocked too.

(*Cues: Unknown Theme*)

After dodging Zangief's lariat, Haggar suplexes him, attacks him with a lariat and kicks him. Zangief suplexes Haggar twice and piledrives him before throwing him across the street.

As Zangief advances, Haggar kicks him and attacks him with a steel pipe but Zangief counters with the Banishing flat, knocking him into a building, which Zangief enters to finish the duel. As they fight, they also go upstairs. A couch, a globe, Princess Peach, a Dragon ball, Big the Cat and Pedobear get thrown out the building.

(*Cues: Historic Distillery Stern - Street Fighter IV*)

Haggar and Zangief's fists hit each other and Haggar tries and fails to hit Zangief but Zangief suplexes Haggar near a window and, after a few blocked punches, throws himself at Haggar, sending them both out the window.

Zangief tries to pile drive Haggar into the pavement, but then Haggar begins to turn the tides and tries to piledrive Zangief, then Zangief tries to piledrive Haggar, then Haggar tries to piledrive Zangief. This goes on for a while until they both hit the pavement. As the dust clears, Haggar and Zangief are both seen lying down on the pavement. But Haggar has blood around his head, indicating his death, then, Zangief stands up, points both arms upward and laughs triumphantly.

K.O.!

Results
(*Cues: Ultra Street Fighter IV - The Next Door: Indestructible (Instrumental)*)

'''Boomstick: Aahh.. a great man has fallen today... '''

Wiz: Haggar and Zangief's similar moveset appeared evenly matched, anticipating each other's moves and countering with their signature attack.

Boomstick: H'''e's led a long productive life, kicking ass, ruling Metro City and keeping the beaches safe from rogue sharks... '''

Wiz: Not only is Zangief almost 100 pounds larger than Haggar, he's also 13 years younger and been training all his life.

'''Boomstick: I'm gonna miss that wonderful mustache! '''

Wiz: Zangief's youth and lack of political agenda were enough to give him a slight edge.

'''Boomstick: Poor Haggar. He may piledrive sharks, but Zangief's bears were three times larger and probably twice as dangerous! Sure Haggar can grapple a half ton shark without falling over, but if Zangief can push around 1500 pound bears as a hobby, Haggar didn't stand a chance. '''

Wiz: He definately put up a great fight though.

'''Boomstick: That, he did. He just found his window of opportunity. '''

Wiz: The winner is Zangief.

Trivia

 * Haggar and Zangief are incredibly buff, manly fighters who are often thought to be rivals by fans due to their similar moveset and physique.
 * This is the second Death Battle episode to have 2 or more characters from their respective company to be pitted against each other, the first one was Goomba VS Koopa, and the last five being the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Battle Royale, Starscream VS Rainbow Dash, Zelda VS Peach, the Pokémon Battle Royale, Ragna VS Sol Badguy, Beast VS Goliath, Darth Vader VS Doctor Doom and Bowser VS Ganon.
 * Both at the end of the episode and in the first Q&A when asked "Is there an episode where your prefered character lost?", Boomstick states he was saddened by Haggar's defeat.
 * Haggar's sprite is from Mugen, making this episode the first Death Battle to use fanmade sprites. It is also an altered version of the Hulk's sprite from the Marvel vs Capcom series. Zangief's is from Street Fighter Alpha.
 * This is the first Death Battle where the opponents are rivals, the other 34 being Zitz VS Leonardo, Mario VS Sonic, Chun-Li VS Mai Shiranui, Link VS Cloud, Goku VS Superman, Shao Kahn VS M. Bison, Terminator VS RoboCop, Luigi VS Tails, Godzilla VS Gamera, Ryu VS Scorpion, Deadpool VS Deathstroke, Ragna VS Sol Badguy, Iron Man VS Lex Luthor, Solid Snake VS Sam Fisher, Goku VS Superman 2, Donkey Kong VS Knuckles, Hercule Satan VS Dan Hibiki, Mega Man VS Astro Boy, Green Arrow VS Hawkeye, Pokémon VS Digimon, Dante VS Bayonetta, Ratchet & Clank VS Jak & Daxter, Flash VS Quicksilver, Cammy VS Sonya, Tracer VS Scout, Ken VS Terry, Hulk VS Doomsday, Zoro VS Erza, Lara Croft VS Nathan Drake, Venom VS Bane, Power Rangers VS Voltron, Natsu VS Ace, and Lucario VS Renamon.