The General Wrestling Thread

[Warner2BruceTD]

Lookie what I just found...

[youtube]a6vP7ud836k[/youtube]

I know the bigger Wrestling Heads have already seen this but it never hurts to watch.

This is a fantastic show.

Same for 1995. Legendary stuff.

[Warner2BruceTD]

I don't know why everyone's so down on Brodus. I like his act ... and you don't have to be a perfect wrestler to draw money (see Honky Tonk Man). I agree the girls help Brodus ... which was acknowledged with the tweaked theme music, but Brodus isn't that bad.
The whole Brock Lesnar thing is just kinda weird. Loved Paul Heyman showing up, though.
I also like Lord Tensai, but he will never get over in the WWE. They just see hairy-backed Albert.

The point is, if Brodus Clay is the first name that pops into HHH's head when talking about the success of WWE developmental, it's time to reevaluate the system.

[krulmichael]

The point is, if Brodus Clay is the first name that pops into HHH's head when talking about the success of WWE developmental, it's time to reevaluate the system.

I'm relatively sure Sheamus came from that system as well. Brodus is just more recent.

[Warner2BruceTD]

I'm relatively sure Sheamus came from that system as well. Brodus is just more recent.

Yeah, he did, but the WWE has this weird thing where they consider you an outsider if you came from somewhere else first. Sheamus wrestled in Europe for many years, but he was pretty bad iirc. So yeah, to me he is the best example of what has been churned out at Florida.

OVW blew away FCW in terms of producing talent, but that's what happens when smart people like Jim Ross, Heyman, and Cornette are involved.

[EmpireWF]

Guys considered home grown
Sheamus
Cody Rhodes
Santino
Alex Riley
Brodus
Damien Sandow
Darren Young
Dave Otunga
Dolph Ziggler (he's been with them forever so he'd be part of the group that came up through OVW)
Drew McIntyre
Ezekiel
Heath Slater
Jack Swagger
The Uso's
Johnny Curtis
JTG
Justin Gabriel
Kofi Kingston
Mason Ryan
Mike McGillicutty Hennig
The Miz
Ryback
Ted Dibiase Jr
Titus O'Neil
Trent Baretta
Wade Barrett
Zach Ryder

Guys off the indy's
CM Punk
Daniel Bryan
Evan Bourne
Tyson Kidd

Guys from international promotions
Alberto Del Rio
The Colon's (even though they were young when signed)
Hunico (don't know his story)
Sin Cara
Yoshi Tatsu

Misc
Khali
Hornswoggle
Jinder Mahal (?)

Veterans
Christian (homegrown)
Cena (homegrown)
Mark Henry (homegrown)
Orton (homegrown)
R-Truth
Mysterio
Big Show
Booker T
Kane
HHH
Taker
Regal

[Warner2BruceTD]

-Hunico was indy luchadore Incognito. He could fit into indy or international.

-Not sure if I would call Sheamus, McIntyre, Gabriel, Barrett, or Dibiase home grown, but it's debatable and a minor gripe. They all wrestled for years internationally.

-Christian was an indy guy many moons ago, he came from the Canadian indy scene.

-Khali came from Japan. Hornswoggle was an indy guy. Jinder Mahal came from Calgary around the same time as Harry Smith, Tyson Kidd, etc.

[krulmichael]

Speaking of Barrett, he has to be close to coming back from that injury. It's been what, 3-4 months already?

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

At what point are we considering guys "WWE made"? I mean, sure, Christian was an Indy geek at some point early on, but I'd consider him a WWE-made guy...

[dave]

The point is, if Brodus Clay is the first name that pops into HHH's head when talking about the success of WWE developmental, it's time to reevaluate the system.

Whose name would you use? Not being sarcastic, just curious.

[IamMedellin]

Whose name would you use? Not being sarcastic, just curious.

ZIGGY!!

[Warner2BruceTD]

Whose name would you use? Not being sarcastic, just curious.

If he was strictly talking about Florida, it would have to be Sheamus, right?

Maybe even The Miz. But he's been around for so long now, i'm not even sure if he was Florida or OVW, tbh.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

If he was strictly talking about Florida, it would have to be Sheamus, right?

Maybe even The Miz. But he's been around for so long now, i'm not even sure if he was Florida or OVW, tbh.

H's was talking about recent success, under his watch...

Miz and Sheamus are guys that were in developmental years ago. Miz was on Tough Enough EIGHT years ago lol. And, with the E, he actually started off in Deep South. Nick Nemeth has been around a little longer than the Miz. I remember that dude wrestling when Paul Birchall was the OVW champ. Damn.

[Warner2BruceTD]

H's was talking about recent success, under his watch...

Miz and Sheamus are guys that were in developmental years ago. Miz was on Tough Enough EIGHT years ago lol. And, with the E, he actually started off in Deep South. Nick Nemeth has been around a little longer than the Miz. I remember that dude wrestling when Paul Birchall was the OVW champ. Damn.

Yeah, which is kind of scary.

To be fair, Triple H signed two world class veterans that were thought to be can't miss (Kharma, Sin Cara) that just haven't worked out, and on his watch FCW is now loaded with the cream of the crop of indy talent (Chris Hero, Claudio, Steamboat, Tyler Black, Brodie Lee just started up, Ambrose, etc).

Totally whiffing on the last Tough Enough is a huge negative mark. There were no future stars on that show, but there were plenty of potential solid mid card workers like Matt Cross, Martin, that cocky kid whose name escapes me that should have won, & the hillbilly that went back to MMA and just lost on Bellator a few weeks ago. Instead, they kept the women, who were terrible.

[krulmichael]

Yeah, which is kind of scary.

To be fair, Triple H signed two world class veterans that were thought to be can't miss (Kharma, Sin Cara) that just haven't worked out, and on his watch FCW is now loaded with the cream of the crop of indy talent (Chris Hero, Claudio, Steamboat, Tyler Black, Brodie Lee just started up, Ambrose, etc).

Totally whiffing on the last Tough Enough is a huge negative mark. There were no future stars on that show, but there were plenty of potential solid mid card workers like Matt Cross, Martin, that cocky kid whose name escapes me that should have won, & the hillbilly that went back to MMA and just lost on Bellator a few weeks ago. Instead, they kept the women, who were terrible.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Yeah, which is kind of scary.

To be fair, Triple H signed two world class veterans that were thought to be can't miss (Kharma, Sin Cara) that just haven't worked out, and on his watch FCW is now loaded with the cream of the crop of indy talent (Chris Hero, Claudio, Steamboat, Tyler Black, Brodie Lee just started up, Ambrose, etc).

Totally whiffing on the last Tough Enough is a huge negative mark. There were no future stars on that show, but there were plenty of potential solid mid card workers like Matt Cross, Martin, that cocky kid whose name escapes me that should have won, & the hillbilly that went back to MMA and just lost on Bellator a few weeks ago. Instead, they kept the women, who were terrible.

FCW is pretty loaded.

But yeah, his big signings, Kong and Mistico...so far...busts. Kong got preggers right as she was really becoming a star as a female and Mistico sucks in the first place.

I do think H's realized early on though, they need to bring in the Indy guys...they are the most ready to go and don't need much, if any at all work in FCW. Maybe to work hard camera and to develop a character, but really...Hero, Claudio, Moxley...those boys are ready to go.