The General Wrestling Thread

[dave]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

The WWE formula of the 80s worked because main event matches were rare and kept for special events.

The stars were built up with jobber matches which showed off their unique skills.

Today, every WWE TV show is a main event thing.

Why pay $50 to see a PPV when you can watch two a week for free?

I understand why RAW had to do this when WCW was in its prime ... but now the WWE has no TV competition. 99/100 people on the street wouldn't even know TNA or ROH exist.

IMO, it's time for the WWE to go back to jobber matches, heavy promos, leading up to important PPVs.

Just looking at Dolph Ziggler as an example. An absolutely great worker, but they continually make him look weak with every TV show. In the old days, he exhibits his impressive skills against Iron Mike Sharpe, Koko B. Ware, etc... and you're excited about his upcoming PPV match with Chris Jericho.

[JimLeavy59]

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Hogan always says George Foreman stole his idea for the grill.

I always thought the story was that he declined the offer to market the grill.

[JimLeavy59]

Wasn't Hogan going to be in Metallica?

[Warner2BruceTD]

I always thought the story was that he declined the offer to market the grill.

no no man, remember, he said he was on a grueling 4,567 straight day tour, wrestling three shows per day, and when he got home, he had a thousand messages on his answering machine from the grill people, who were literally begging him to put his name on it, but since they hadn't heard back from him, they settled for Foreman

Hogan says this shit to save face, because after the Foreman Grill took off, a bunch of knockoffs hit the market, including...

 

An early version of the thing got recalled because it was burning people left & right lol.

Basically, the Hogan Grill was about as successful as this:

 

[JimLeavy59]

F4Wonline.com is reporting they believe a big angle will unfold with CM Punk this week on Raw in his hometown of Chicago

Well that's bit of a tease. Odds are he's going to turn on them, be the bad guy and Captain Cena will come in and win for the underdog! That's right, the 10 time WWE Champion and 12 time world champion will win for all those 9 time world champions who were told they couldn't make it to 10!


Saw this on another site.

- We received an e-mail from a fan who says WWE made his son cover his t-shirt up for last week’s Saturday Morning Slam match that was taped with Brodus Clay vs. Curt Hawkins, airing this coming Saturday. Reader Kyle Bailey sent the following:
“We had really just sat down and started eating when one of the guys came over and said my 10 year old sons shirt wasn’t appropriate for a kids television show. My son rides dirtbikes in his spare time and his shirt said “SHUT UP AND RIDE.” I tried to argue with the guy but he handed us a Rey Mysterio t-shirt and said that they were filming a lot of crowd footage with kids tonight. We had him put on the Mysterio t-shirt but weren’t happy about the whole situation and how it was handled in front of the people we were sitting next to.”

[Guest]

Well that's bit of a tease. Odds are he's going to turn on them, be the bad guy and Captain Cena will come in and win for the underdog! That's right, the 10 time WWE Champion and 12 time world champion will win for all those 9 time world champions who were told they couldn't make it to 10!

And they will still cheer for him and boo Cena. For as much as WWE wants to portray the kids in the crowd on live TV, it does not seem that there are many kids overall in the crowd (correct me if I am wrong, as I've never attended a WWE event.) Those attending the event probably don't care, and will be in Punk's corner, so unless they are pumping crowd noise, this will fail.

Because lets face it, you aren't going to turn one of your most popular wrestlers into a successful heel in the PG era. It needs something a whole lot more than what they are doing.

[EmpireWF]

And they will still cheer for him and boo Cena. For as much as WWE wants to portray the kids in the crowd on live TV, it does not seem that there are many kids overall in the crowd (correct me if I am wrong, as I've never attended a WWE event.) Those attending the event probably don't care, and will be in Punk's corner, so unless they are pumping crowd noise, this will fail.

Because lets face it, you aren't going to turn one of your most popular wrestlers into a successful heel in the PG era. It needs something a whole lot more than what they are doing.

Kids fill up arenas at house shows...not sure about PPVs.

[JimLeavy59]

Kids fill up arenas at house shows...not sure about PPVs.

I don't recall seeing too many kids at the Elimination Chamber PPV this past year.

[JimLeavy59]

“You can get a big push in WWE…if you’re a heel. No one else will ever be pushed as the No. 1 babyface as long as Cena’s there. Punk understands that. It’s why he was so willing to turn.” – anonymous WWE superstar.

I never thought about that. But it’s true. Damn true.

Why?

Does John Cena have such a death grip on kids, merchandising and what WWE wants to portray in a babyface that he can NEVER lose that spot? Does Cena motivate turns (to some degree) out of performer frustration?

Let’s note that Punk (or whoever) can’t just ELECT to turn heel. That’s VKM’s call.

But in terms of backstage discontent with Cena’s nailed-on status, that only figures to grow between now and WrestleMania.

Undertaker-Lesnar seems obvious for Mania. The streak meets reality. By that time, Brock’s transition back into fake wrestler should be complete, thus making Taker’s win a bit more believable. (But maybe not. Did you see Taker at Raw #1,000? Did he look like a feasible threat to Lesnar?)

The other rumored main event at Mania: Rock-Cena II. Rock loses the title to Cena because WWE booking is all about stars trading wins. Everyone ends up at .500.

It should be Punk-Rock. (With John Lydon as guest referee.) Punk has spent ages cultivating a rivalry with Rock. He turned heel on Rock. He used the Rock Bottom on Jerry Lawler. At least, I think he did. The announcers failed to mention it.

Punk will wrestle Rock at Royal Rumble or some lesser PPV by way of dropping the strap to set up Rock-Cena II at Mania. Punk-Rock at Royal Rumble won’t have the pomp, or the gravitas, and it certainly won’t have a Mania-level payoff for Punk.

It doesn’t seem right. Then again, this isn’t about what anybody DESERVES. It’s about what’s BEST FOR BUSINESS.

I’m not knocking Cena. He’s very good, and has maintained and developed his character under some very difficult live circumstances.

But unless it involves Taker and his Mania win streak, everything of true significance in WWE must go through Cena. The dedication thereof is reminiscent of Hogan or Sammartino. Is Cena really that good? Is he really THAT OVER?

I’d feel sorry for Punk, but I’m no mark and neither is he. Punk makes good coin, he’s a featured performer and has lots of control over what he does.

I’m not saying any babyfaces should be featured over Cena.

But the stifling style in which Cena is kept at WWE’s pinnacle seems to put an artificial ceiling on advancement and creativity. That can’t be good for the locker room, and it might not even be good for business.

Speaking of good for business, here’s one way WWE’s social media obsession affects booking: I’m told several WWE performers have been told to not necessarily be babyface or heel, but to just go out there, play their character, and “let the fans decide.” Via the great barometer of Twitter, of course.

Hey, if I’m booking, I want paid.

[BigBiss]

Id rather watch Eric Young fish then wrestle

[JayDizzle]

Danielson and Kane... now Bros.

This is both the best and worst thing ever.

Also, if Punk wrestles in jeans (STREETFIGHT! DO IT MOTHERFUCKER!), I will feel better than I do now.

[Guest]

Danielson and Kane... now Bros.

This is both the best and worst thing ever.

Also, if Punk wrestles in jeans (STREETFIGHT! DO IT MOTHERFUCKER!), I will feel better than I do now.

If they actually form a tag team from Kane and Danielson, Kane will actually be involved in decent matches now.

[JayDizzle]

If they actually form a tag team from Kane and Danielson, Kane will actually be involved in decent matches now.

As long as they just lose their shit on whoever they face (I want the Cattle Mutilation to come back), I'm fine with it.

Also, as the last two active big men that have been in the company for a long ass time, I'd rather see Kane than a schlub like Big Show.

[JayDizzle]

Remember when Jack Swagger was a credible opponent?

Neither do I.