WWE Thread

[Knicks411]

Im seeing nothing to change my mind that pumpfaking on both Sami and Cody were the wrong moves.

They could still be telling this implosion of the Bloodline story without the title.

If it all ends with Cody winning the title at NEXT Wrestlemania…..that’s a long time to drag it out, and for what? He could’ve just won it in the first place.

This is kind of where I am at. It's hard for me to fault them too much for doing what they did because their business is basically hotter than its been in nearly 25 years, but even so. We are reaching the point where the bloodline stuff may be running a bit dry just because I don't see how anyone can believe Roman was going to drop the title to Jey, or Jimmy or Solo if he ends up facing them. You could still do the bloodline stuff without the title, and if anything, it could work even better (there's no way Roman drops the title to Jey, but if he's already lost the title, could he lose the tribal chief title to him?).

Meanwhile you could still be doing the Cody-Brock stuff with the title, and Cody would probably be even hotter as a character. And you could still do Cody-Roman at mania next year, but I think with Roman in the challenger role it might even be hotter.

 

[jncuse]

Well I'm going to agree and yet disagree with the above takes.

I think they have proved they could have really went either direction (Roman champ or Cody Champ) up to SummerSlam and this current direction worked fine from an entertainment perspective. The Roman vs Jay stuffed worked well, and the match was well anticipated even if the ultimate victor outcome was known. Cody has probably strengthened himself with the Brock feud and gained more momentum which was hard to envision.

But there is a reason I bolded "up to". The difficult thing though will be continuing entertaining stuff for Roman as champ for another 6 months, and building Cody as challenger for another 5 months. That's a lot of time to pass before getting to the Rumble and then to WM. We also saw the first real possible crack in the Bloodline story (but perhaps not). ]

I still think the WWE has a hard time developing good championship runs with faces -- things are always booked better or more entertaining when they are in the chase. So even if Cody had become champ back in April 2023, I'm concerned with how his reign would be holding up (the same issue will exist in April 2024). Of course there are no rules against flip flopping title runs, but it seems the WWE is now going for long runs instead of the way they did things not too long ago.

Best thing to do might be to do something big (title change) before WM, but that is not something they typically do.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[jncuse]

While his breaking the norm characters became divisive at times amongst fans later in his career (some who really liked it, others who did not) you can't take away Bray Wyatt's creative urge which may have never been matched. What a creative mind.

This was when he was first introduced to NXT. Great stuff and he got to the mid-level / top level of WWE very quickly shortly thereafter.

 

[OrangeDW]

Wait, Terry Funk passed away too? Didnt even know.

That’s a major legend, and one of the biggest stars of the last decade passing within days? Weird.

He had some classics with Flair and did a ton for ECW in his late career, but I also loved Funk’s Chainsaw Charlie run, teaming with Foley and feuding with the New Age Outlaws.

 

[ScrabbCuse]

Wait, Terry Funk passed away too? Didnt even know.

That’s a major legend, and one of the biggest stars of the last decade passing within days? Weird.

He had some classics with Flair and did a ton for ECW in his late career, but I also loved Funk’s Chainsaw Charlie run, teaming with Foley and feuding with the New Age Outlaws.

He was 79. Which means he was well into his fifties doing the stuff with Foley. Pretty incredible run.

 

[OrangeDW]

Punk got fired again. Wow.

Posting it here because I got threadbanned in the AEW thread, after that idiot Vooh followed me in there and picked a fight with me. Brilliant moderating right there.

But anyway, is Punk done? Can’t imagine he could go back to WWE at this point. Would he ever go to Japan?

They’ve got a PPV in Chicago soon? Will that crowd turn on everything?

 

[jordville]

With the WWE.. never say never... but with Punk it has to be so close to never.

I saw this of a Wrestlemania week interview pop up today...

 

[OrangeDW]

With the WWE.. never say never... but with Punk it has to be so close to never.

I saw this of a Wrestlemania week interview pop up today...

Hmmm. Seems kinda “in character” to me.

 

[OrangeDW]

Is Kevin Nash or Shawn Michaels right about NXT?

I know this is over a year ago, but I’m just seeing it now and it goes with what I’ve frequently talked about in terms of the matches they put on.

I’m 100% agreeing with Nash here. These spot fests have really run their course with me.

As for Michaels’ comment about a “test of strength” being something that would lose the fans…..ok. Fair. But the options don’t have to be limited to like 1986 wrestling or what they’ve been doing in recent years.

I think there’s a “sweet spot” of really great and entertaining wrestling that moves faster and has better athleticism than the 1980s, and has better psychology and makes more sense than the absurd spot fests we get now.

I think both the “New Generation” mid 90s era and that 2002-2004ish era produced some really great wrestling that should be the standard.

 

[OrangeDW]

Also, the only reason I even care is because AEW is hard to support at the moment.

The Elite: they lack integrity and I hate them all, and I’m not interested in watching them. Jericho is finally washed. And they don’t even push Britt Baker anymore, which is too dumb for words.

 

[jncuse]

Also, the only reason I even care is because AEW is hard to support at the moment.

The Elite: they lack integrity and I hate them all, and I’m not interested in watching them. Jericho is finally washed. And they don’t even push Britt Baker anymore, which is too dumb for words.

Jericho was heading downward, but apparently his match vs Will Osprey was great. So he can still go if the match is done right.

I think part of the problem with him right now is he was in a bit of a stale storyline and now his positioning is a bit confusing.

 

[djcon57]

Is Kevin Nash or Shawn Michaels right about NXT?

I know this is over a year ago, but I’m just seeing it now and it goes with what I’ve frequently talked about in terms of the matches they put on.

I’m 100% agreeing with Nash here. These spot fests have really run their course with me.

As for Michaels’ comment about a “test of strength” being something that would lose the fans…..ok. Fair. But the options don’t have to be limited to like 1986 wrestling or what they’ve been doing in recent years.

I think there’s a “sweet spot” of really great and entertaining wrestling that moves faster and has better athleticism than the 1980s, and has better psychology and makes more sense than the absurd spot fests we get now.

I think both the “New Generation” mid 90s era and that 2002-2004ish era produced some really great wrestling that should be the standard.

Yep, there's a total sweet spot. No one wants to watch test of strengths spots, agree. But...and I say this as someone who's prime wrestling fandom was trading AJPW and NJPW tapes...the forearm strike fighting sprit battle is a joke now and equally as bad. Its every match, not like Kawada and Misawa killing each other in a championship match. In the middle of a nothing match to get a BOO/YAY spot. Obviously it has it's place in like a Eddie Kingston/Moxley battle or something, but enough...

And as far as spotfest overkill, the prime example is the Lucha Bros (Penta specifically), who I loved when I first saw them...and now? It's like...yeah I get it. They still get the wow spots in and are never boring, but it comes off more like a routine than a fight.

I don't want to sounds like old guy yelling at clouds. That Omega/Ospreay match at Forbidden Door was my personal sweet spot, so I dont know if the 90s Bret Hart era would do it for me these days. If I care about the character enough though, I'm sure it would though.

 

[OrangeDW]

Yep, there's a total sweet spot. No one wants to watch test of strengths spots, agree. But...and I say this as someone who's prime wrestling fandom was trading AJPW and NJPW tapes...the forearm strike fighting sprit battle is a joke now and equally as bad. Its every match, not like Kawada and Misawa killing each other in a championship match. In the middle of a nothing match to get a BOO/YAY spot. Obviously it has it's place in like a Eddie Kingston/Moxley battle or something, but enough...

And as far as spotfest overkill, the prime example is the Lucha Bros (Penta specifically), who I loved when I first saw them...and now? It's like...yeah I get it. They still get the wow spots in and are never boring, but it comes off more like a routine than a fight.

I don't want to sounds like old guy yelling at clouds. That Omega/Ospreay match at Forbidden Door was my personal sweet spot, so I dont know if the 90s Bret Hart era would do it for me these days. If I care about the character enough though, I'm sure it would though.

Coming off more like a routine than a fight is a good way to sum it up. And I really hate the way that finishers are meaningless. Nobody’s finisher actually finishes a PPV match unless they hit it 3-4 times, like it’s a video game.

90s Bret Hart, 00’s Kurt Angle would be my sweet spot. Benoit, Jericho, Guerrero, Michaels, Regal, Hennig….I wish the more athletic guys now would work matches more in the styles that those guys did.

 

[OrangeDW]

Been watching old stuff - hard to believe WWF screwed up Ricky Steamboat in the early 90s and dropped the ball on Rick Rude.

Both guys went to WCW and just killed it for the next 3-4 years.

Imagine throwing those 2 in there against Bret Hart in his first title reign?

Steamboat - Michaels for the IC title?

Rude - Razor Ramon?

They could’ve both been in the headliner mix, and really given those early 90s WWF shows a heck of a lot more depth.

 

[Knicks411]

Been watching old stuff - hard to believe WWF screwed up Ricky Steamboat in the early 90s and dropped the ball on Rick Rude.

Both guys went to WCW and just killed it for the next 3-4 years.

Imagine throwing those 2 in there against Bret Hart in his first title reign?

Steamboat - Michaels for the IC title?

Rude - Razor Ramon?

They could’ve both been in the headliner mix, and really given those early 90s WWF shows a heck of a lot more depth.

I think Vince turned on Steamboat after he won the IC title at Mania 3 and then asked for time off because his kid was born. When he eventually came back in 90/91 he was just the Dragon and they didnt seem to want to push him at all.

Steamboat vs Shawn Michaels would have been awesome. According to cagematch they never appeared in the same match.

 

[jordville]

Rock made a surprise return to Smackdown on Friday... huge pop. He said it was a top 5 pop for him personally.

Cena was also on the show. He has already agreed to be on Smackdown and some PLE all the way through October.

Rock is in talks to do more. Writer's strike plays into WWE's favor.

 

[jordville]

New bosses took over and more WWE releases... headlined by Dolph Ziggler and Shelton Benjamin.

 

[OrangeDW]

New bosses took over and more WWE releases... headlined by Dolph Ziggler and Shelton Benjamin.

Shelton is one of my all time favorites.

 

[jordville]

Matt Riddle was released today. Talented guy. Couldn't stay out of his own way. Maybe time away will get him straight...

Not to mention once this merger with UFC went through.. he was on borrowed time if Dana White has any say there.

 

[OrangeDW]

The number of screens in that arena at Crown Jewel makes it feel like the COVID era with virtual fans.

I hate it. I want to forget that time ever happened.

 

[two3zone]

This is the most funny thing I’ve ever heard in my life.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Survivor Series should be interesting. It's also in Chicago...

 

[jncuse]

Absolutely nuts that the NWA (Billy Corgan's promotion) decided to run a spot with multiple talent using Cocaine during a PPV, especially when they were on the verge of finalizing a TV deal with the CW. Apparently it may have cost them their contract they had just signed or were close to finalizing. (NXT just finalized a deal with the CW).

 

[NineOneSeven]

Survivor Series should be interesting. It's also in Chicago...

PUNK