He only lost because Ichigo's hollow empowered Zangetsu during their final clash, too.I got into Bleach last fall, and now I am hooked. I have recently got updated with the anime, and I can't wait for more. The next episode airs tonight, a few hours after Lost. ^_^
I would pick Zaraki, because I think he could take on Byakuya with ease. Byakuya is stuck up, and he doesn't seem to put it all out in battle. Zaraki, on the other hand, has had some good fights thus far. Even his loss wasn't that much of a loss.
And yeah, welcome A17. I look forward to meeting you IRL when you get back to Ottawa. =x