WWE Thread

[OrangeDW]

I just recently started watching a little bit and checking in/following somewhat so I’m lost on some things….

Where are Charlotte and Becky Lynch? And I thought HHH got Sasha Banks back in the fold - where is she?

 

[jordville]

I just recently started watching a little bit and checking in/following somewhat so I’m lost on some things….

Where are Charlotte and Becky Lynch? And I thought HHH got Sasha Banks back in the fold - where is she?

Sasha and Naomi are back on the WWE roster, so their return is coming. Charlotte had some time off for her marriage, etc. She'll be back. Becky separated her shoulder at Summer Slam. She'll be back too. Women's division will be getting a major boost and push imo.

 

[OrangeDW]

Sasha and Naomi are back on the WWE roster, so their return is coming. Charlotte had some time off for her marriage, etc. She'll be back. Becky separated her shoulder at Summer Slam. She'll be back too. Women's division will be getting a major boost and push imo.

I know it’s not popular on here, but Charlotte is easily the best total package woman wrestler and one of the best wrestlers they’ve had in recent years - period. She always delivers and much like Ric is WAY better as a heel but can pull of the occasional short term face run.

Sasha has never truly gotten the push to be the best, but if she did - she’d be even better than Charlotte IMO. In attitude era terms: Sasha is Jericho, Charlotte is HHH.

 

[OrangeDW]

Ok, trying to watch the most recent Mania….why are they so bad at camera work.

During the opening of the Austin-Owens match where they traded punches, they switched camera angles between 3 different angles after every single punch. Why? I don’t understand the purpose? I wasn’t even paying attention but it was so unnecessary and so distracting that I couldn’t help but notice.

Why does every single sport generally know how to film their games/matches, but WWE gives us this weirdo try hard crap?

I just watched Owens land 6-7 punches in a row on a kneeling Austin outside the ring and they rapidly switched between 3 angles during that brief sequence….it’s so stupid. WHY??!!

 

[KaiserUEO]

He is that good, especially considering his lack of experience. He's only 27.

However, he appears to have suffered a serious knee injury during the match:

Paul suffers serious knee injury during WWE bout

Logan Paul announced Saturday that he tore an MCL and meniscus, and potentially tore an ACL, in his WWE main event match with Roman Reigns earlier in Saudi Arabia.

www.espn.com

Well that sucks.

I’m in a rut and I need to stop getting behind wrestlers, every time I do, they get hurt.

Cody
Paul

I’m done with Riddle and Strowman now.

Although I don’t expect much out of Strowman, but my little guy likes him and he beat Omas. So that was good.

 

[OrangeDW]

Best heel. Think this one out:

Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase
Ravishing Rick Rude
Mr. Perfect
Jake The Snake Roberts

I’m leaning Dibiase. Because Rude’s pre match insults to the crowd were hilarious, Jake was such a sick weirdo that you had to be fascinated, and….I rooted for Perfect like he was the face in most of his feuds. That guy was amazing.

But Dibiase….that rich gimmick - I never once rooted for him even when I was old enough to appreciate what he was doing.

 

[KaiserUEO]

You guys see this?

Royal Rumble 2023 leak.

Don’t click, possible spoilers…

WWE Royal Rumble 2023 participants leaked: Is it real or fake?

The Royal Rumble 2023 is just a couple of months away, and the excitement for the Premium Live Event is building.

www.sportskeeda.com

 

[Symphony Steve]

You guys see this?

Royal Rumble 2023 leak.

Don’t click, possible spoilers…

WWE Royal Rumble 2023 participants leaked: Is it real or fake?

The Royal Rumble 2023 is just a couple of months away, and the excitement for the Premium Live Event is building.

www.sportskeeda.com

That may be a wish-list lineup, but they have no way of knowing whether certain injured stars will be ready, especially Orton and KO. Not to mention Jay White from New Japan seems unlikely. CM Punk's contract situation with AEW remains unresolved.

I think Cody as the winner has been the plan for some time, assuming he's healthy. He's the only plausible guy to defeat Reigns at Wrestlemania.

 

[KaiserUEO]

I look at it more of a framework for what to expect for the main, big guns to come in and how long they want them to be in the ring. Sure, some sideshow guys will change and injuries always happen, but take that and plug and play some other guys into it.

If Cody ia not the winner, I’ll not only be pissed…but surprised…and it better have been 2 hell of a match!!!

The Rumble remains my favorite.

 

[Symphony Steve]

I look at it more of a framework for what to expect for the main, big guns to come in and how long they want them to be in the ring. Sure, some sideshow guys will change and injuries always happen, but take that and plug and play some other guys into it.

If Cody ia not the winner, I’ll not only be pissed…but surprised…and it better have been 2 hell of a match!!!

The Rumble remains my favorite.

If he's not the winner--and I agree he should be--I think it will only be b/c he's not healthy enough to carry out a champion's schedule. After all, the fact that Roman Reigns is cutting back his schedule would call for a successor who can work a busier schedule.

 

[Vorony]

I think that list is fake. They’re usually finalizing the script for Raw and Smackdown just minutes before they go on air from week to week. No way they have the Rumble planned out like this 2 months in advance. I’m sure they have the winner identified (or a handful of potential winner ideas), but not structured enough to this level of detail yet.

 

[Symphony Steve]

I think that list is fake. They’re usually finalizing the script for Raw and Smackdown just minutes before they go on air from week to week. No way they have the Rumble planned out like this 2 months in advance. I’m sure they have the winner identified (or a handful of potential winner ideas), but not structured enough to this level of detail yet.

Probably. But, remember, Vince isn't in charge any more.

 

[OrangeDW]

Why the heck did Samoa Joe barely wrestle for WWE the last 5 years? Looks great in AEW.

 

[Knicks411]

Why the heck did Samoa Joe barely wrestle for WWE the last 5 years? Looks great in AEW.

I think he had some bad concussion issues? Had trouble getting cleared

 

[OrangeDW]

I think he had some bad concussion issues? Had trouble getting cleared

Right, that’s part of my point though? Why wouldn’t WWE clear him, but AEW has? And he’s been fine?

Could say the same for Danielson too in a way?

 

[Knicks411]

Right, that’s part of my point though? Why wouldn’t WWE clear him, but AEW has? And he’s been fine?

Could say the same for Danielson too in a way?

Some of it for sure is/was politics. Bryan and Edge didn't get cleared for a long time, then AEW pops up as an option, and Edge got cleared pretty quickly after they made him a big offer. (I know the timeline is different with Danielson).

Joe is weird. I seem to remember he won the NXT title and then had to give it up in very short order after that due to some physical issue. I also think part of it is WWE (Vince) just didn't see the guy as anything special, so there wasn't some huge push to try and get him cleared/force the issue/however you want to frame it.

 

[OrangeDW]

More random weird, “a decade too late” champion….SGT. Slaughter in 1991 or Bob Backlund in 1994?

Absolutely nuts that superstars like Dibiase, Perfect, Razor Ramon, Piper, Rude never held the title in the 90s or ever, but early-mid 1980s relics like Backlund and Slaughter got 1990’s reigns when they were terrible and like 7-10 years past their primes at the very least.

 

[Shawn91111]

More random weird, “a decade too late” champion….SGT. Slaughter in 1991 or Bob Backlund in 1994?

Absolutely nuts that superstars like Dibiase, Perfect, Razor Ramon, Piper, Rude never held the title in the 90s or ever, but early-mid 1980s relics like Backlund and Slaughter got 1990’s reigns when they were terrible and like 7-10 years past their primes at the very least.

I think some of those during the 80s with Piper and Dibiase if they had beat Hogan for the belt, the return match would have been that much more. I get they were making money hand over fist in that time, but even something like Savage beating Hogan at WrestleMania 5 would have prolonged the feud and made it that much better.

 

[OrangeDW]

I think some of those during the 80s with Piper and Dibiase if they had beat Hogan for the belt, the return match would have been that much more. I get they were making money hand over fist in that time, but even something like Savage beating Hogan at WrestleMania 5 would have prolonged the feud and made it that much better.

Agreed. I don’t think a heel won the Mania main event until 2000 when HHH retained the title. And that set up possibly the craziest crowd I’ve ever seen when Stone Cold returned and The Rock won the title at the next PPV.

 

[kirbivore]

Agreed. I don’t think a heel won the Mania main event until 2000 when HHH retained the title. And that set up possibly the craziest crowd I’ve ever seen when Stone Cold returned and The Rock won the title at the next PPV.

Later that year in October I went to the PPV in Albany. Kurt Angle won his first WWF title over the Rock. Stone Cold had his revenge match vs. Rikishi

 

[Knicks411]

I think some of those during the 80s with Piper and Dibiase if they had beat Hogan for the belt, the return match would have been that much more. I get they were making money hand over fist in that time, but even something like Savage beating Hogan at WrestleMania 5 would have prolonged the feud and made it that much better.

With the benefit of hindsight (and maybe you dont even need hindsight) that one seems like such an obvious call. But they were so in the mode of Hogan just always wins they just couldn't even conceive of that finish to Mania. Plus I guess they wanted to move onto Zeus?

Piper I get because he probably never agrees to drop it back

 

[jncuse]

More random weird, “a decade too late” champion….SGT. Slaughter in 1991 or Bob Backlund in 1994?

Absolutely nuts that superstars like Dibiase, Perfect, Razor Ramon, Piper, Rude never held the title in the 90s or ever, but early-mid 1980s relics like Backlund and Slaughter got 1990’s reigns when they were terrible and like 7-10 years past their primes at the very least.

Slaughter made sense as a transitory champ in 1991 (because they needed a really hated Heel at WM7_ - looking back it Rude may have also worked as that transition champ especially since he was feuding with Warrior in 1990. Per Bruce Pritchard the original guy they had targeted as the transition champ in 1991 was "Sheik" Tugboat which is insane.

Backlund winning the title in 1994 was wacked -- that being said I loved the wacky old man gimmick in 1994. Some of his interviews (saw him the other day were great), especially compared to what he did in his awful title reign in the late 70's - early 80;s. But he should have never held the title in 1994

Its not really nuts for any of those guys (that did not win) when you look back at the WWE how things went from 1984 to end of 1991. There was not much title flipping and heels never defended the title successfully and were just the odd transition champs. And its hard to question the model from 1984 to 1989 that resulted in one of the most prosperous times in any wrestling federation's history.

You have to remember that the WWF until early 1992, always went with the model of having a World Heavyweight Champion that was a fan favourite, with long title runs and having a heel, typically a monster that was chasing the champ that would fall to the champ after two house show matches. And it worked very well financially until fans started to tire of it around 1990.

I'll focus on 1984 on - but from 1984 to the end of 1991 (the period that was the peak of Dibiase, Rude, Piper, Perfect) there was never really a "Heel" Champion that defended the belt successfully.

Hogan held from 84 to 88. To transfer the title to Savage in 1988, they had Andre hold the title for a few minutes. To transfer the title to Hogan in 89, they had Savage turn heel for less than two months. They had Hogan transfer the title to Warrior in 1990 in a face vs face match. Then Warrior got the title in 1990, and that run was a disaster financially (some on Warrior, a lot on WWE model of a muscled hero champion not being alluring anymore). The WWE reacted by thinking it needed to go back to Hogan -- in retrospect neither Hogan or Warrior were the solution starting in 1991, people had grown tired of that model.

So they needed a transitory champion in early 1991 before WM7 -- of the guys you listed -- Piper was gone, Dibiase was way past peak of 1987/88 Ramon had yet arrived. Perfect was injured I believe but did not have the heat. Rude could have worked -- had hit beat Warrior in 1990 and then have him lose at WM7. But they wanted someone with massive heat that was "new" for Hogan to conquer and Slaughter's Iraqi gimmick (not as a wrestler) arguably was best for that. So Slaughter made a bit of sense - he had been away since 1984.

Hogan took it back in 1991 but the WWE realized Hogan had peaked and the WWE moved away from it. Taker was a 3 day transition champ.

Only once Flair took the title in 1992 did the WWE model really change. To more people holding the titles, of both stripes, shorter reigns and being good workers.

Of your list Piper was gone by 1992. Rude was gone by 1992. Dibiase was well past his prime by 1992. Perfect was hurt by early 1992 and didn't wrestle much WWE after 1991. That being said from 1992-1996 I thought Ramon would have made sense at least once -- he would have been better than Diesel in my view. Although neither would have been a strong champ, but that is more on the era.

That was a tough era for the WWE even if they had really good technical wrestlers delivering great matches like Bret and Shawn.

 

[jncuse]

Why the heck did Samoa Joe barely wrestle for WWE the last 5 years? Looks great in AEW.

He actually wrestled quite a bit for WWE from his arrival in 2015 until end of 2019 and some high profile stuff as well NXT Champ went it meant something, title matches early in his WWE career, two US title runs, and had two periods where he challenged for the titles.

He didn't do much his last few years in 2020 and 2021 -- he had concussion issues, was temporarily fired) and then when he was healthy again they WWE made the odd decision to use him in NXT again. His last 2 years in the WWE were very odd.

I think the WWE presentation and unwatchable content at times just makes it hard to remember or even notice somebody's highlights, Had to rely on Wiki for 2017 to 2019 because I forget most of it... I do remember the NXT stuff , and when he challenged for the title pretty much as soon as he arrived in RAW in 2017. I remember a 4-way for the title (Roman, Brock, Brawn, Joe) that is one of the highest star rated PPV matches between 2015-2019. Sort of remember a decent program with AJ Styles that was also for the WWE title.

 

[jncuse]

Some of it for sure is/was politics. Bryan and Edge didn't get cleared for a long time, then AEW pops up as an option, and Edge got cleared pretty quickly after they made him a big offer. (I know the timeline is different with Danielson).

Joe is weird. I seem to remember he won the NXT title and then had to give it up in very short order after that due to some physical issue. I also think part of it is WWE (Vince) just didn't see the guy as anything special, so there wasn't some huge push to try and get him cleared/force the issue/however you want to frame it.

None of it is political in my view. Remember the WWE, like many other leagues like the NHL and NFL, has concussion lawsuits from performers before 2010. It needs to demonstrate that it has processes and clearance processes that it adheres to with regards to concussions.. Also as a public corporation, with publicly disclosed policies it has to follow them.

Simply put AEW has much more lax policies in place and allows wrestlers to take on more risk. Basically they allow the performers to dictate how much risk they want to take. For example head shots with chairs are still permitted. Maybe its fine, maybe its irresponsible by AEW. I don't think its an issue with WWE.

Danielson was at his peak - do you not think they would have loved to bring him back earlier?

Edge was not a concussion issue. It was a neck issue that over 8 years of non work strengthend itself.

 

[jncuse]

With the benefit of hindsight (and maybe you dont even need hindsight) that one seems like such an obvious call. But they were so in the mode of Hogan just always wins they just couldn't even conceive of that finish to Mania. Plus I guess they wanted to move onto Zeus?

Piper I get because he probably never agrees to drop it back

Sorry for being the disagreeing sort today. But I just don't see this as obvious. Not saying no either. Looking back at it as a fan today, and even going back to watch it may have been better - that I agree with. But man wrestling in the 80's was a simpler time - so much **** on TV -- they gave away very little for free.

The model at the time was to build a "Dream Match" for WM several months in advance and build backwards. There was not monthly PPV's - the 3 other PPV's didn't even have title matches at this time. Where would Hogan have chased? I suppose they could have made a big deal of it for SummerSlam 1989, but they were eager to get Hogan back on the road as champion for financial reasons. Back then house shows meant so much more financially than PPV's.

Hogan drew so much more than Savage.
I went to a house show that Hogan vs One Man Gang in December 1987 in Montreal, with a crappy undercard and the old Montreal Forum was sold out with 18000 fans.

I went to a house show in May 1988 with Savage vs Dibiase (for the WWE title), Demolition vs Hart Foundation (Tag Title), Beefcake vs Honky (IC Title) and the place had around10,000 fans. Clearly a much better card -- of course I naively believed this "Night of Champions" billed card would have a title change.

That being said the Hogan run in 89 was also when he started to rapidly lose his appeal. Fans began to get tired of it, and Warrior was handed of a situation that was already declining.