The General Wrestling Thread

[Warner2BruceTD]

My only qualm with this little program...when Bryan was finally locked in a cage with Wyatt, he should have smiled or done something to show this was the plan ALL ALONG, to finally get Wyatt alone in the cage. As is, it just looked like Bryan legitimately joined his group only to quickly grow tired of it and turned back. The whole plan should have been for Bryan to turn on Wyatt after he got him alone in a cage.

I'm basically bitching about acting in a wrestling show...but jess sayin.

I'm pretty sure that was the idea.

He had a crisis of faith, the dude was frustrated. He bought what Bray was selling. They fans "willed" him back.

My only minor gripe was it only lasted two weeks or whatever. I would have teased it more and made people salivate for it. Have Bryan slowly show signs of coming around before snapping.

(this conversation is super nerdy, even by wrestling standards)

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

I'm pretty sure that was the idea.

He had a crisis of faith, the dude was frustrated. He bought what Bray was selling. They fans "willed" him back.

My only minor gripe was it only lasted two weeks or whatever. I would have teased it more and made people salivate for it. Have Bryan slowly show signs of coming around before snapping.

(this conversation is super nerdy, even by wrestling standards)

I think that was the idea as well...if so...it was fucking dumb to me...but whatever, the moment where he was doing the slow YES chant before the big knee was pretty awesome and worth it.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

At the end of the day, he got one of the best reactions i've ever seen, so yeah it was definitely worth it.

They need to show some guts and have this guy baisuke knee Undertaker center of the ring in New Orleans. He'd blow right by Cena.

 

[FedEx227]

Yeah, I thought they should've let it go on for longer but hell you can't argue with the results. That's a moment and a video clip that should be shown for years to come. We'll see.

I thought it was fitting that Orton no more than an hour earlier absolutely killed the crowd dead with his "METHODICAL" style and Bryan just comes in, doesn't do a lot but has the crowd reacting to his every move. He controlled that crowd in a way that none of the current crop of guys (even Cena) can do.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Stone Cold, before he was given the belt, had a similar level of crowd buzz and the WWE was very hesitant to give him the ball fully...it was until they had no choice did they.

I wonder when that "point of no return" is for Bryan where they absolutely have to give him the ball.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

The other thing about Stone Cold, is there is a ton of history rewriting with his push. A lot of people think it was "Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your ass" and the rest was history, but like larry eludes to it took them like 7 months to truly push him hard after that, and still longer to to firmly become a draw.

Crowds don't lie, but it takes a while to translate to business. One of Vince's golden rules was always that the house shows are the true pulse of where you stand, in terms of how house shows draw and also in terms of who is over. Bryan is over and nothing is going to change that. The three months of bad PPV numbers don't mean much to me because these things take time. Pops don't always equal money but in his case I do believe he's going to draw and it's only a matter of time.

 

[FedEx227]

FWIW, Dave said that in the new house show split which is essentially Punk/Bryan versus Cena, Cena has been killing them.

That's predictable at this point and not necessarily speculative IMO. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy until you actually give those guys the ball.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

RAW ratings also dropped as soon as Cena left, and rose back up when he returned.

Cena is the top star, and people just have to accept it.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

FWIW, Dave said that in the new house show split which is essentially Punk/Bryan versus Cena, Cena has been killing them.

That's predictable at this point and not necessarily speculative IMO. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy until you actually give those guys the ball.

This "split" reminds me of the Hogan versus Savage/Tito split. Savage and Tito could draw a little bit on their own on the B-circuit (a shit load more than say, Paul Orndorff or George Steele). But Hulk just made everyone else look like bums.

 

[s@ppisgod]

They'd never let Bryan beat UT at WM30. They view UT, and to a lesser extent The Rock, as the only two guys who can help the already unreal buyrate at WM. They view Bryan as a guy who can't make money by himself yet. They (read: Vince and Trips) wouldn't give up their draw at WM in the streak to try and help a guy that they view as not a money guy. Won't happen unless things drastically change before WM. Which is a shame, because Bryan ending the streak with an incredible match would make him the biggest thing in a long, long time...

 

[Bigpapa42]

The other thing about Stone Cold, is there is a ton of history rewriting with his push. A lot of people think it was "Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your ass" and the rest was history, but like larry eludes to it took them like 7 months to truly push him hard after that, and still longer to to firmly become a draw.

Absolutely this. I have to admit that I always thought of it as faster until going back and watching through a lot of Attitude Era stuff. The "Austin 3:16" moment was at King of the Ring in June 1996. He won the Royal Rumble 1997, then lost the four-way at the next PPV. Turned babyface at WM against Bret Hart. He was headlining PPVs the next month but wouldn't actually win the title for another year. That's almost a year of build to him headlining - and this was when the E needed some stars - and almost another year after that to get the belt. So Larry is right - it wasn't quick. At all.

 

[SuperKevin]

Looks like Tough Enough is coming back. I hope Bill DeMott brings his gun

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Observer Radio was free today.

Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer returns today to talk all the news in wrestling and mixed martial arts including tons of thoughts on Raw Monday, the Daniel Bryan babyface turn after two whole weeks as a heel, where they could go with him and what the original plans were, what's going on with Chris Jericho, UFC's upcoming Wednesday afternoon show, line-up for April on FOX, plus tons of questions including more on the Network. Best of all this show is completely FREE, so please post the link or file elsewhere and help spread the word about wrestlingobserver.com! If you like what you hear, sign up for a subscription as we produce anywhere from 12-15 new radio shows every week, plus members have full access to over 6,000 archived audio shows dating back to 2005, plus hundreds of new and archived Wrestling Observer and Figure Four Weekly online newsletters. It's a steal, so sign up and join the fun!

http://www.f4wonline.com/component/...including-additional-network-details-and-more

EDIT - first five minutes is NSAC talk.

 

[Leftwich]

Looks like Tough Enough is coming back. I hope Bill DeMott brings his gun

I love tough enough.... pardon my pun but i cant get enough.

hehe

 

[FedEx227]

Joe and I return with a monster podcast wrapping up the Voices of Wrestling Match of the Year poll including our top 10, biggest surprises, biggest disappointments and more. We also discuss the latest with Daniel Bryan, our thoughts on the WWE Network and much more!

http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2014/01/1...beginning-more/

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I lose my shit on that pod and go crazy on annoying Daniel Bryan narratives.

Also Berzerker talk. So obviously highly recommended.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Richards and Edwards could appear on Impact as soon as tomorrow. TNA finally bringing in some indie talent, but too little too late I think.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

I lose my shit on that pod and go crazy on annoying Daniel Bryan narratives.

Also Berzerker talk. So obviously highly recommended.

You best practice what you preach...you've been chirping some really awful narratives about him as well that you've since decided to move the goal post on.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

You best practice what you preach...you've been chirping some really awful narratives about him as well that you've since decided to move the goal post on.

Sorry pal, everything i've been saying is turning out to be right.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Sorry pal, everything i've been saying is turning out to be right.

LOL...no.

You couldn't have been more incorrect

You claimed his feud with Randy Orton and The Authority would make him a BIGGER STAR.

That never happened.

Some awful buyrates and they've now moved him on to another feud.

In the interim, you've attempted to qualify this by moving the goal post by saying Bryan would be winning the Rumble, then winning the strap at Mania...none of which are being projected right now.