The General Wrestling Thread

[Warner2BruceTD]

Can they still sell Punk merch Warner? And if so does Punk see any of the money.

Yes, he gets royalties forever.

What they usually do is liquidate the merch, but DVD royalties are something that never stop. As a guy who's been around for like 9 years, mostly on top, he is going to get fairly large checks for a long time.

HOWEVER..

Nobody know how royalties will work with the network yet. They had a meeting planned with talent to explain, but then cancelled it. Eventually the DVD business will be phased out, just like PPV. At that point, nobody has a clue how the talent will be cut in.

[EmpireWF]

With PPV dying off, if the E doesn't cut the talent into some kind of cut of the upcoming major TV deal...lots of guys are going to be pissed.

[MrBill]

The whole Punk thing could end up being one of the biggest works ever. Rener Gracie was giving an interview to Fox Sports yesterday and the topic of whether or not Punk could survive in MMA was brought up. During the interview, Gracie receives a text message from Punk saying that he wants to come see him and that he will be in town (LA) in a couple of weeks. RAW is in LA on Monday 2/10....coincidence?

[FedEx227]

Yes.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Not a work, that m'fer quit. He spoke to Vince a half hour before RAW started, the conversation didn't go the way he wanted it to, and he walked out.

That doesn't mean he can't come back, but if he does that also doesn't mean it was a work.

WWE gains nothing by working this as some sort of angle. What do they gain by taking Punk off of Elimination Chamber & the house shows? Just to set up some surprise return, which won't mean a ton anyway since he won't be gone long enough for it to mean anything (have to figure he'd be back by Mania)?

There was no time to set up some elaborate work, as Vince was in meetings rewriting RAW all day until literally 30 minutes before airtime. Punk waited around all day for his sit down. And I find it hard to believe Vince is working his own people, who are now scrambling to re book Mania without Punk. Had this been some plan, they never would have booked Mania with him to begin with. Or if he's coming back before then, there is no need to change anything.

Dude quit. That's that.

[FedEx227]

We're vocal when WWE creative is lacking, boring, uninspiring or may not make sense but they never, ever do anything unless it serves some purpose.

If this was Russo-era 2000 WCW, yeah, it's probably some elaborate work because Russo is a mark for "people talking about his product". WWE doesn't care about that, nor should they. As Warner said, if this was a work is accomplishes absolutely nothing. It gets people talking but could potentially hurt house shows, Elimination Chamber, merchandising, etc. It's the same reason they haven't turned Cena heel. It would be cool and people may talk about it but the financial risk is too heavy. Same deal here.

It's not a work.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Corey Graves vs Camacho on NXT this week was one of the biggest pieces of shit i've ever seen.

Graves used a side head lock for like 40 seconds (which is forever in real time), they did one sloppy transition, and then he used his leglock finisher. Match was around 1:00.

Graves is such shit.

I'd like to say, that I was in on the ground floor of this movement.

He's the drizzling shits in all aspects.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

They continually ignore Daniel Bryan's ability to draw money ... what makes AJ Lee that special?

Right now, Daniel Bryan doesn't draw money...they tried...it bombed. Yes, these things take some time, but he isn't a draw (yet).

And, AJ Lee is actually pretty good in the ring for a chick...dave must be too busy fappin.

[Warner2BruceTD]

dave was clearly drunk last night

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

LOL @ this Punk thing being a work.

He is a moody guy...he is probably telling little fish heads to get the fuck off his lawn as we speak...the whole story falls in line with who the guy is and what he is all about.

Not sure why this story is just an outtanowhere, Keyser Soze, poof gone moment, when if I could have predicted Punk leaving the WWE, the leader in the clubhouse for reasons would have been "took his ball and went home."

[Warner2BruceTD]

mookie did the ratings gainers/losers from post SummerSlam onward and Bryan was near the top for non overruns and number one when overruns were included. So he's following the pattern of live reactions, TV, house shows, then PPV. The problem, is we will never know about the PPV because it's about to be history, just as he would theoretically be evolving into a PPV draw.

I find it amusing that people inside the company first blamed his TV segments that weren't anything special as ratings movers (but not losers, mind you), then moved on to his house shows doing worse than Cena's as reasons to maybe not go all the way with him. Yet Roman Reigns is a worse TV draw than Bryan (and in fact slightly worse than Seth Rollins, although that's a fluke of sorts, but still), and Reigns actually was the main event of most of those Bryan house shows (vs Punk) that people knock Bryan for. Not to mention live reactions Bryan vs Reigns aren't even close.

It just goes to show, it's whatever fits the narrative. Nothing will derail Reigns, because they won't go out of their way to look for reasons he can't draw like they do Bryan. I'm not even saying they shouldn't push Reigns. That's not the point. The point is the same metrics used to bash Bryan work even less for Reigns. But he's tall & good looking, so...

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

mookie did the ratings gainers/losers from post SummerSlam onward and Bryan was near the top for non overruns and number one when overruns were included. So he's following the pattern of live reactions, TV, house shows, then PPV. The problem, is we will never know about the PPV because it's about to be history, just as he would theoretically be evolving into a PPV draw.

I find it amusing that people inside the company first blamed his TV segments that weren't anything special as ratings movers (but not losers, mind you), then moved on to his house shows doing worse than Cena's as reasons to maybe not go all the way with him. Yet Roman Reigns is a worse TV draw than Bryan (and in fact slightly worse than Seth Rollins, although that's a fluke of sorts, but still), and Reigns actually was the main event of most of those Bryan house shows (vs Punk) that people knock Bryan for. Not to mention live reactions Bryan vs Reigns aren't even close.

It just goes to show, it's whatever fits the narrative. Nothing will derail Reigns, because they won't go out of their way to look for reasons he can't draw like they do Bryan. I'm not even saying they shouldn't push Reigns. That's not the point. The point is the same metrics used to bash Bryan work even less for Reigns. But he's tall & good looking, so...

Reigns shouldn't be pushed to that level yet either, IMO.

He should be the guy that beats Ambrose for the US Belt and then we see what he can do as the US Champ, on that Big E level, while they elevate Ambrose up the card.

[Warner2BruceTD]

And the thing about Reigns, is he is protected in the booking more than anybody in the company right now. He dominated Survivor Series, dominated the Rumble, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS gets the shine in his matches with The Shield, never takes a pin, and is always put over strong by the "announcers" (Vince in the headset).

And Bryan still does better in the ratings.

[Kuzzy Powers]

A spoiler probably isnt necessary but...

 

Former WWE Superstar MVP made his TNA debut at today's Impact Wrestling tapings in Glasgow, Scotland. MVP was revealed as the mystery investor.

It was mentioned that MVP is "the man to change Impact Wrestling." He came out in a suit with Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards at the end of the show, which will air on tonight's Impact Wrestling.

[FedEx227]

TNA always does the late-WCW deal with bringing in guys or having their guys say they are going to "bring them back" or "get them back on top" or "beat the guys up north", etc.

It's just so dumb. I don't expect them to go out and say "we are the top wrestling company in the world" but if you constantly tell us you're second and you suck now but are TRYING to bring it back how do you expect fans to buy-in?!