Official WWE/TNA Wrestling Thread

No way they cut Khali cause he is a HUGE money grab in the India market, supposedly he's huge (pun) there, and he sells a lot of merch from what I've heard. Truth and Otunga absolutely.

Fun fact: I took concussion training as I am head coaching a little league football team this year, and former WWE talent Chris Nowinski was the narrator. He has written a book about concussions, and was really well-spoken (duh he graduated from Harvard)

Thought that was cool, though.

 

I agree with the Usos/Wyatts. I don't understand why the WWE just doesn't put two mid card wrestlers in a random tag team and see if they can get over ala the New Aged Outlaws. Zack Ryder isn't doing anything, stick him in a tag team and see what happens.

And yes thankfully the singing Wyatt stuff is over, that just wasn't good.

 

About Khali, really? I mean the WWE would know better than I, or anyone, I just think he's totally useless now as he can barely walk.

Yeah I've heard Nowinski speak on numerous podcasts and he's really doing some great things with concussions.

 

DINGDINGDING! And we have a winner!

 

Spoiler alert they sing again at the Smackdown tapings. This blows my mind and annoys me, they're suppose to be heels but are playing to the crowd.

 

Especially with a program with Jericho....you don't need stupid parlor tricks, singing and bull**** to get over. Jericho will PUT YOU OVER...as a heel....just do the ****ing work. I am so sick of the signing and pandering to the crowd as heels. So stupid.

I get that they are trying to convert followers (kayfabe)....but do it by doing what you have been. "Follow the buzzards".....talk on the mic about the "children and women following you to the end".....you "need people to wake up, open your eyes"....etc

Singing this bullcrap song over and over again is ridiculous. They are already over. Them entering in darkness with cellphone lights shining like the Milky Way proves that.....don't over-do it.

 

FTR If you missed the amazing preview of "Monday night wars" that the network played (don't think it's on there anymore) you can find it elsewhere like r/squaredcircle on reddit and so on. It's worth the watch. 3 parts, about 18 mins per part. Amazing nalstalgia seeing WCW at mgm studios, WWF RAW with Macho Man on commentary. And a real surprising lean towards WCW (SO FAR) that makes this fun as hell to watch. Seeing Lex Luger come out on the first live episode of Nitro gave me chills. I was 8 or 9.....great times in wrestling everyone was on their "A" game every night.

And holy **** how I hated the Westminster dog show when it would cancel RAW.

 

I get that there's always going to be people that will cheer heels, whether those people just want to be different or because they appreciate the wrestler's work but it just seems like every heel nowadays wants to play the "super cool heel" instead of the typical jerky/cowardly heel.

It blows my mind even further that someone like Triple H, who's old school, allows this but Triple H himself does it in every other segment too.

The Wyatts should want to be boo'ed out of the building not having people sing along with them.

 

I didn't get a chance to see it but have heard really good things about it. Can't wait until the actual show launches which I think is anywhere between 10 to 20 episodes. I just hope it's somewhat of an honest look back and not just the WWE trying to rewrite history about how everything in WCW was crap and the WWE was being treated unfairly etc etc.

I love the nolstagia stuff, hence why I've been marking out when the Network released old Clashes and SNME recently. I really can't wait to watch some of those older Nitros, especially at MGM Studios.

The best stuff about the Monday Night Wars was things were unpredictible and you never knew which wrestler would jump to the other company. Plus because it was a war both companies had to really bring their A games each week. There was no better time to be a wrestling fan from 1996 to 2001.

I have been watching old RAWs every once and awhile and the earlier episodes are tough to watch, especially in mid to late 1994 when the WWF is running shows in 5,000 people arenas (if that).

 

By the way if you're not reading Scott Keith's weekly Sporting News articles on wrestling you're missing out.

http://www.sportingnews.com/sport/s...rollins-monday-night-raw-randy-orton-fandango

He absolutely nails this one.

 

So far this preview is mostly pro-WCW. I couldn't believe it. Lots of Ted Turner footage, Dusty Rhodes and Bischoff mentioning getting onto primetime, opening a blank check book to get stars from WWF etc. Showed the ratings and how Nitro was winning and/or matching every week. And even dabbled on Bischoff giving away pre-taped WWE results right as Nitro started to **** with them. Awesome stuff.

 

Hope it keeps it that way. I just want an honest approach to the program and not just hey the WWE is the best ever and WCW was never good. The old Monday Night Wars DVD, as well as the History of WCW, isn't favorable to WCW at all. Yes WCW did some stupid stuff, ok they did a lot of stupid stuff, but they did good stuff too and were the better drawing company from July 1996 to January 1998. Bischoff/WCW really changed the wrestling landscape by bringing in the crusierweights and turning wrestlers into real people and not cartoon characters, also the nWo brought a lot of realism into the "sport".

 

They havent even touched the outsiders yet, can't wait for that. And bash at the beach with the Hogan turn is always fun to watch.

 

Didn't realize Scott Keith was still around. It may be a decade since I have read anything by him.

Khali is a big draw in India. So much so that shows are edited to show him as a bigger superstar in his home country. Odd to think about, for sure. But Dalip is a friend of mine so I will always root for the big lug.

Not sure why anyone would have an issue with The Usos/Wyatt Family. Between those two teams and The Rhodes Brothers, they have a decent little tag division on their hands. Even Rybaxel is decent. I dig the matches.

Nowitski is heavy I to concussions. It is his life's work at this point. In fact, there was a great article a year or so back that followed the struggle she and a few other folks were in to secure Junior Seau's brain for research.

And the NWO celebrated its 18th birthday this past week. Hard to believe.

 

Yeah one of the all time great moments in wrestling ever. Still can't believe they got Hogan to turn heel and really wonder if the nWo would have been as big if Bret Hart or Sting ended up being that 3rd man instead. My guess is no way.

 

Yeah Scott Keith has his own blog now after he left 411mania.com. He's got the Sporting News gig and writes rants/reviews for his blog. I'm a big Keith fan and have been for 15 years now.

I think the issue is if they're not going to put the titles on the Wyatts the Usos should move on to a new feud as is just more of the same and while they put on great matches there's no storyline advances. I have to assume it will be a Rhodes/Usos match at Summer Slam for the titles.

The tag division isn't bad by any means but I would still like to see the WWE add new teams. Like I said before I think a team of Ziggler and Ryder would work really well and get super over with the crowd. Just take two guys that aren't doing anything and may be on the edge of being released and see what they can do. Hell that's how the WWE created the New Age Outlaws who made the company tons of money.

I still also don't understand why the WWE doesn't use some of their NXT wrestlers and put them in a tag team to start up, especially guys that can work but have limits/flaws they need to work on, being part of a tag team would really help and is an easy way to get their feet wet in the "big leagues".

 

I would have been so much more excited about a Taker vs Sting match 20 years ago, but I'll still watch it.

 

Agreed plus the match would probably suck now. I still want to see Sting wrestle at least once in the WWE just because but have no desire to see him as a full time performer.

Ditto for Kurt Angle too who obviously wants to resign with the WWE once his contract is up in September. Although I wonder if he would even pass the physical or if the WWE wants the risk.

 

I don't know why, but man I'd love to see Austin return and wrestle Sting. I'd do nasty things to see that happen.

 

Unrelated

 

Battleground was ok. Best match of the night was the tag team title match. The rest kind of felt like a really good episode of RAW. WWE is obviously holding back for Summer Slam hence no Rollins/Ambrose match. Surprised Jericho won though.

Super excited about IC Champ Miz though, can't wait for that Miz/Sheamus feud over Miz's face!

Also the Network had some freezing issues last night huh?

 

Yeah I thought the entire thing was a good RAW. No swerves, no turns, no championship changes except vacant title and of course lolcenawins.

You know I get Cena winning is best right now, with the eventual "super" match with Brock coming at SS.....but jesus...the guy is horrible. RKO, RKO, Spear, Superman punch 2 count 2 count 2 count.......weak *** AA lolcenawins.

Then he jumps up like he has all this energy, doesnt sell the entire match at all....even ****ing Rusev is limping all the way to the back, selling the ankle like a pro. It's super frustrating.

Jericho winning was a surprise, must be giving Wyatt the win over him at SS ? But man has Wyatt lost his mustard. Sucks.

The tag match was awesome. But boy were there a lot of botches last night in general? Plus I don't know why but I seemed to hear more moves called out, and guys were late to spots with guys stalling moves and pins waiting on distractions....just seemed like a 2nd tier ppv. Glad its free on the network.

Excited for RAW tonight in Miami. Over/Under 99% chance Sandow comes out in Lebron Cleveland jersey?

Brock expected back with Cena out filming a movie....Heyman tweeted hes going to pick up plan C. So thats interesting.

And jesus Cesaro has fallen from grace quickly. Miz pulling the lay outside all match and sneak in at the end thing is so ****ing tired. Hopefully Ziggler gets a feud for the IC title out of it.

 

Yeah both Wyatt and Cesaro have lost a lot of momentum. I'm assuming Wyatt will get his win back at SS too. Cesaro is strange because he was over huge at WM and the fans were cheering for him and for whatever reason the WWE put Heyman with him and the fans didn't know how to respond. Since then he's definitely taken a step backwards and now he's Heymanless for the time being and has no direction and seems like Vince has gotten bored with him again.

Yeah Cena is very frustrating, the guy is a pro and delivers in big matches but between his promos and selling and his sloppy STF and other moves it just makes you shake your head.

 

Not that I'm complaining because Ziggler got the win and Miz lost but Miz just wins the IC title and loses his first match after winning the belt? This is exactly why the titles are meaningless, all the champions do is lose.

 

I love Paige.

 

Wait Ziggler and Zack Ryder won matches tonight? Is this 2010? Who's booking this show and what the hell happened to Vince?

 

The New New Nation of Domination? Hey at least they're trying to do something/anything with Kofi and Big E again.

 

I love Brock. That dude just brings uber credibility with him every time he shows up.

HHH re-thinking his hasty rescue to the police station was hilarious. Really good timing with the lines there.

Paige is a natural heel. She has found her character niche.

The Dust Brothers are hypnotically entertaining. If I read these characters and that sketch on paper, I would cringe with uncomfortableness, but they pull it off WELL.

 

Awesome raw. Tons of character development. Great acting. Just a entertaining 3 hours.



Except for Flo rida.......


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Yup no doubt. Hopefully this continues heading into their 2nd biggest PPV of the year and into Night of Champions as they trying to get more people to subscribe to the Network and get people to resubscribe who already have it.

Heyman's ending promo was awesome, love the "and for all the people whose mommies don't tuck them into bed" comment.

I really think if the WWE doesn't screw it up Ambrose could be their biggest young star. Fans love him naturally and he's just different from everyone on the roster already.

 

Heymans promo re-doing the pledge of allegiance, and calling Cena the "Malpracticing doctor of thuganomics" was incredible.

HHH saying "ME and my friend mark won't watch anymore" was genius (mark = mark....get it?)

And Ambrose. Man....I havent "felt" this way about a performer in a long time. He has "it" for sure. Like big time. WWE can't screw this up....I mean they def. CAN....I just hope they don't!

The way he hit Cesaro with a chair, got disqualified and was just like "I don't ****ing care"....was genius! He just want's to fight. Feels like SCSA back in the day with the **** everyone attitude and killer in-ring game.

 

Yeah I absolutely get the very early 1996-1997ish Austin vibe from Ambrose right now. I truly hope the WWE doesn't screw him up but I honestly don't have any confidence in them building new stars unless it's Roman Reigns.

Speaking of Reigns, I read a really good article last week (sorry I can't find the link) but it compared Roman Reigns and Ambrose to the 1994-1995 verisons of Diesel and Shawn Michaels, where the WWE pushed Diesel (Reigns) hard but the fans ultimately turned Michaels (Ambrose) into the bigger star.

 

Damn awesome comparison. And with this era of punk and Bryan being over, Ambrose has an even better opportunity


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It all depends on how the front office views Ambrose and whether or not they will back him 100% and give him the "Reigns push".

I truly think if the WWE just lets Ambrose be himself and backs him on his push (unlike what they did was Cesaro or anyone else with their 50/50 booking for example), he has a good chance to be a bigger star than Reigns. It all depends on whether or not Vince gets bored of Ambrose or not.

I do worry that they will drop the ball with him though because the WWE hasn't given me any reason to think otherwise. Most of the guys that became stars in the last 15 to 20 years have done so on their own or it's happened by accident. Very few have been picked as the choosen one and have been booked well from the start.

Most people forget the WWE's most "popular" superstar since 2004ish or so, John Cena, was close to being cut because he was viewed as being boring and creative had nothing for him. If it wasn't for him rapping on a bus during one of the WWE's european tours to kill time/having fun he never would have been given the Vanilla Ice gimmick, which ultimately turned into what we see today. But hey sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.

 

Good thing is Ambrose is more along the lines of the lucky ones and not the pushed ones (reigns). Honestly Ambrose was #3 in the pecking order when the shield broke up. And now it's arguable his more over than reigns. The crowd popping to Ambrose returning to the MITB was truly gigantic. His mic skills are incredible and he's a ****ing awesome worker. He literally needs no polishing unlike reigns. Hence, IMO why we're seeing him so popular already.

They would have to give him a **** tag partner or new gimmick to wreck him at this point. I honestly think if he keeps his wifebeater/jeans no ****s given attitude he will be huge for a long time.


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And all this is as a face. He's already proven and been pigeon-holes as a heel. But he's this hot as a face. No ceiling for how far he can go honestly.


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I think the fans would eventually start to cheer him even if he was a heel because of the way he carries himself and acts. He's a modern day mix of Austin, Pillman, Terry Funk, Raven and Jake Roberts right now. He's just so different from anyone else they have that I think he'd get cheered no matter what ala Bray Wyatt.

The jeans attire just adds to his crazy character too, I love it. Side note, I hate Rollins' and Reigns' new ring gear, just kind of lazy and boring.

 

Whats even more amazing is the fact its translating to the younger level like my boy. He said he doesnt want to wear his cena gear anymore. He really wants to "look like Ambrose." He is still hooked in on the Reigns push and loves him too. And I kind of see that as the divide. Reigns can be the next cena if done right. Ambrose can be the next stone cold/jake the snake. If done right. But whats great with the boy again...is on his game and with his conplete roster figures Dean is his champion.

 

That's awesome. Reminds me of when I stopped wanting to root for Hulk Hogan and moved onto Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Hopefully more kids start thinking like yours.

 

My son is the exact same man! He's 6 and boo'ed when Cena won Sunday at Battleground. He will randomly superman punch me (kayfabe of course) while I am walking out of the kitchen......then Ill turn around and hes in jeans, with his hair soaked and hes making some face trying to emulate Ambrose in the mirror.

Finkle I was thinking the same thing....it's like when I fell in love with Hart and HBK and moved on from Macho Man and Hogan....it's like you got into it with the big god-like superstars, but stayed for the talent, skills, entertainment and heart the smaller/more character driven guys had.