The General Wrestling Thread

[dave]

I just read the recap of this event (I forgot it was even on LOL).
Not sure why they would hand Batista the belt. Just doesn't make sense.
CM Punk thing kinda weird too.

I like the Tommy Dreamer move though. He may not hold the belt for long, but the fans marked out and he deserved it.

Frankly, I don't think the WWE knows what it's doing anymore and is desperately trying anything to up its PPV/TV numbers.

It won't work. Only hardcore fans watch Raw/Smackdown with any consistency, PPVs are too expensive and too frequent (they should cut back to the big four) and no one in the general public knows anything about today's pro wrestling stars.

If I asked 10 random people who John Cena was - I suspect 8 or 9 wouldn't know.

Same couldn't be said in Hulk Hogan's era ... or Steve Austin's, for that matter.

Wrestling right now only matters to the very hardcore guys ... and those numbers continue to dwindle because of stupid booking, oh so predictable booking and McMahon trying to sell us stars we really don't care about.

Sadly, I think the most interesting guy in the WWE right now is Santino Marella.

[Kuzzy Powers]

Another one bites the dust!

Umangaaaaaaaaaa!

WWE just announced the following on their official website:

World Wrestling Entertainment has come to terms on the release of SmackDown Superstar Umaga as of today, June 8, 2009. WWE wishes Umaga the best in all future endeavors.

Umaga (real name Edward Fatu) had been with WWE since 2006 and is a two-time Intercontinental champion.

[Bigpapa42]

I just read the recap of this event (I forgot it was even on LOL).
Not sure why they would hand Batista the belt. Just doesn't make sense.
CM Punk thing kinda weird too.

I like the Tommy Dreamer move though. He may not hold the belt for long, but the fans marked out and he deserved it.

Frankly, I don't think the WWE knows what it's doing anymore and is desperately trying anything to up its PPV/TV numbers.

It won't work. Only hardcore fans watch Raw/Smackdown with any consistency, PPVs are too expensive and too frequent (they should cut back to the big four) and no one in the general public knows anything about today's pro wrestling stars.

If I asked 10 random people who John Cena was - I suspect 8 or 9 wouldn't know.

Same couldn't be said in Hulk Hogan's era ... or Steve Austin's, for that matter.

Wrestling right now only matters to the very hardcore guys ... and those numbers continue to dwindle because of stupid booking, oh so predictable booking and McMahon trying to sell us stars we really don't care about.

Sadly, I think the most interesting guy in the WWE right now is Santino Marella.

I've likely said this before, but the heavy degree of hot-shotting of titles that the WWE does now tells me they have zero idea of what they are doing creatively. There is no attempt at long-term booking anymore. The only logic for the way they move the belts around now are that they are looking for easy pops from the crowd when a new champion is crowned (hot-shotting) or they are just trying to pad guy's resumes. It reminds me of near the end of WCW, when they got desperate and starting moving the belts around rapidly out of desperation... but the WWE isn't (shouldn't be, at least) desperate...

I know times change. Wrestling changes. But it hasn't changed the point where fans demand a new champion every PPV.

As for names, I agree. I do think Cena does have a bit of recognition outside of wrestling, just because of movies and such.

[krulmichael]

LOL at Batista being out for at least 4 months now:

http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/articles/8763048/woundedanimal?cid=2009EP-00

I'm not a Batista fan at all (actually a huge Orton fan for the guys that don't know), but I was pissed when they gave him the belt at Extreme Rules. Looks like they had something planned the whole time. And with the return of Triple H yesterday, I see something like this happening next week on Raw's 3-For-All.

They'll have a tournament for the WWE Title and it'll end up being Randy Orton vs. Triple H for the title. Either that or they'll just straight up make the Trips vs. Orton match from the getgo.

[BigBiss]

I just read the recap of this event (I forgot it was even on LOL).
Not sure why they would hand Batista the belt. Just doesn't make sense.
CM Punk thing kinda weird too.

I like the Tommy Dreamer move though. He may not hold the belt for long, but the fans marked out and he deserved it.

Frankly, I don't think the WWE knows what it's doing anymore and is desperately trying anything to up its PPV/TV numbers.

It won't work. Only hardcore fans watch Raw/Smackdown with any consistency, PPVs are too expensive and too frequent (they should cut back to the big four) and no one in the general public knows anything about today's pro wrestling stars.

If I asked 10 random people who John Cena was - I suspect 8 or 9 wouldn't know.

Same couldn't be said in Hulk Hogan's era ... or Steve Austin's, for that matter.

Wrestling right now only matters to the very hardcore guys ... and those numbers continue to dwindle because of stupid booking, oh so predictable booking and McMahon trying to sell us stars we really don't care about.

Sadly, I think the most interesting guy in the WWE right now is Santino Marella.

Sucks this is so very ture and you can either dig deep for creative story telling, or just give up.

hell who on the indys really takes time to tell stories? I know we try at ACW IWA-TX but im kinda bais to that. PWG has droped off some and it almost that Chikara and IWC in Montreal are the only ones doing any thing worth a danm.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Wrestling just sucks right now.

No one really marketable enough to do anything with. No Austin, No Rock, No Goldberg, No Hogan, No Piper, No Andre, No Michaels in his prime, No hot idea like the nWo...Wrestling went 15 years in the past and is no longer entertaining. The only reason early 90's wrestling was entertaining (especially WWF) is because of nostalgia. At this point, there is no "fledgling" WCW that has incredibly underrated TV...no Rick Rude/Dustin Rhodes, no Hollywood Blondes, no Shane Douglas/Steamboat, no Ron Simmons beating Vader for the world title, no ridiculous uber human being Sting, nothing interesting on that level that made that era fun despite the mainstream being lame.

TNA has a chance to do something, but might be the worst fed i've seen on TV in a long time. Just unwatchable. RIDICULOUS talent...but they resemble the last years of WCW...but, what do I expect from a guy that was one of the players that took WCW to its grave.

The Indy's just don't do it for me like ECW did...but then again, I'm not in the trenches now like I was then, but still...nothing is around to captivate me...nothing.

I don't even watch anymore. Now need.I take 3 minutes of my time and read the reviews...thats it.

[BigBiss]

http://www.smartmarkvideo.com/IWA-Texas-ACW/

[JayDizzle]

Just got back from an FCW show (Florida Championship Wrestling - i.e., the territory used by Uncle Vince now that they've split ways with OVW a while back) about an hour ago...

The second time I've been out to a TV taping (actually, 3 tapings in one night as some wrestlers put on 2, sometimes 3, matches within 20 minutes of each other) and it was great.

Plenty of standard crowd reaction (clapping to get the babyface back into the match, booing the heel, cheering or cringing when a big move is hit) and an all-around good time...

Added plus(ses): "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes works for the company as part of its development and as a TV commentator for when they replay the tapes of each show from Thursday so... he happened to sit at the announce table about 15 feet away from me.

I also was privy to a World Title change tonight as the long-standing heel champ finally got beat by crowd favorite, "Tyler Reks" (think Ricky Ortiz's cousin as a surfer guy and you'll get an idea). The crowd again was electrified and when the match finally hit its last 10 minutes, there was a person sitting as everyone stood to cheer Reks on.

Also of note, I got to see Alicia Fox in action as the ring announcer (she's fucking gorgeous in person), Ricky Ortiz in action with D.J. Gabriel (AKA the European guy from ECW that danced constantly and had a mini feud with Tyson Kidd), and also...

...The Hart Family/Dynasty showed up to wrestle a quick match with said Ortiz/Gabriel.

One thing's for sure, D.H. Smith may not do it on live TV like ECW but the man throws a Superkick better than anyone I've seen and that's including Shawn "HBK" Micheals.

His partner though, Tyson Kidd, can do some things as well not to mention Natalya Neidhart too; the chick looks hot in person and would no doubt wipe the floor with all the jobbers from tonight.

...now all I need to do is develop the pics I took (about 27 on all on a disposable) and post them here :D

[Bigpapa42]

Sweet, Diz. So Galloway (aka McIntyre) dropped the belt? Wonder if that means they'll call him up. Hear they have some hopes for him.

You ever get a chance to see Joe Hennig work?

[JayDizzle]

Sweet, Diz. So Galloway (aka McIntyre) dropped the belt? Wonder if that means they'll call him up. Hear they have some hopes for him.

You ever get a chance to see Joe Hennig work?

Yeah.

I just started going to the shows (and probably more before I leave Tampa) right about mid-April.

McIntyre was still champ after beating a guy by the name of Eric Escobar (who can't get over with the crowd aside from a few scant ladies) and he made it a point to keep the belt by any means necessary.

Oddly enough, McIntyre reminded me of a younger HHH (2000 version, a little past his DX/Corporation days) with his mannerisms... brash, rough with his opponents, willing to cheat at a moments notice.

If he does get called up, I wouldn't know where he would fit aside from maybe ECW for the time being until he gets over with the TV audience; unfortunately, he's not a steroid monster like Batista or Steiner so he won't immediately get a shot at the Big Belt anytime soon.

As for Joe Henning, he got hurt before I got to Tampa and I just got to see him live and in person last night.

I wish I could have seen him wrestle but if all goes well, a heel-turn is in order if he wants his belt back (Henning lost the belt due to injury).

[Warner2BruceTD]

Mitsuhara Misawa dead. Unreal.

On a shock level, this rates just as high as Eddy or Benoit to me.

I'm glad I got a chance to see him work when he came to Philly & NYC for ROH last year. The matches weren't very good, due to his age, but that's not the point. You don't pass up the chance to see one of the biggest stars in the history of the business, and this is why.

Just shocking.

[BigBiss]

Yeah.

I just started going to the shows (and probably more before I leave Tampa) right about mid-April.

McIntyre was still champ after beating a guy by the name of Eric Escobar (who can't get over with the crowd aside from a few scant ladies) and he made it a point to keep the belt by any means necessary.

Oddly enough, McIntyre reminded me of a younger HHH (2000 version, a little past his DX/Corporation days) with his mannerisms... brash, rough with his opponents, willing to cheat at a moments notice.

If he does get called up, I wouldn't know where he would fit aside from maybe ECW for the time being until he gets over with the TV audience; unfortunately, he's not a steroid monster like Batista or Steiner so he won't immediately get a shot at the Big Belt anytime soon.

As for Joe Henning, he got hurt before I got to Tampa and I just got to see him live and in person last night.

I wish I could have seen him wrestle but if all goes well, a heel-turn is in order if he wants his belt back (Henning lost the belt due to injury).

Iv heard they run a pretty good show out there.

[JayDizzle]

Iv heard they run a pretty good show out there.

The one thing that is entertaining is the whole "Bourbon Street Mafia" cliq they have going on here.

Originally, the fed had run shows from a bar named (or at least themed) after Bourbon Street and now runs from a converted storehouse.

Apparently, the original crew that followed the fed moved their wares down to said storehouse and with them came the chants and loud antics.

Hell, one guy's got a dry-erase board with him to write up quick signs for all the guys who come out to wrestle.

Houselights, a spotlight/single camera/gorilla position set-up, director's control room to run and edit the show when it goes on air, etc... the place would be great if any indie fed needed a spot to run a show.

As for the show itself, they've improved immensely (my guess would be due to the supercard during the last time I went) and you can tell... plus or minus a few guys who do well with the crowd but may not do well on TV for Uncle Vince.

Case-in-point: Lance Hoyt, who just signed on and Eric Escobar who may be great as a jobber but nothing more as he can't even get the crowd to cheer for him as a face.

Other than that, it's great for anyone who'd perfer their wrestling live and cheap ($10 a show ain't bad and you can sit where you want).

[JayDizzle]

I found this to be interesting...

Chris Jericho Defends the WWE Women’s Title at House Show
Posted by Larry Csonka on 06.15.2009

Really…

At last night's WWE Smackdown house show event in Hershey, PA, Chris Jericho was not wearing the WWE Intercontinental Title to the ring as usual, instead he was hiding the belt. This is because he was carrying the WWE Women's Title to the ring, with some carefully placed electrical tape on the title.

Apparently, Jericho forgot the WWE Intercontinental Title at his hotel, forgetting to pack it when he left for the show. There is no heat on Jericho for the mistake, but he did take some ribbing from the guys that worked the show last night.

Credit: Pwinsider.com

Funniest shit I've heard so far... Dunno whether to congratulate Y2J on his ingenuity or rip him for doing something that dumb with all his years experience as a Pro Wrestler.

[JayDizzle]

Another reason why hotshotting the title is a bad idea:

Batista hurts arm > Batista beats Orton for title on PPV anyway > Batista "injured" on RAW > Title undecided due to HHH-ference > 4-way bout to determine new champion > Orton wins title on next RAW.

What's the point Vince? Buys?

No one believes Batista can sell a PPV by himself and he's a known choker when in comes to title/big-time matches (Edge and Taker OWN him)... so why strap the tile onto him for one night?