Wrestling Thread Vol. 3

[moreblack]

On 9/29/2016 at 1:31 PM, username said:

Is anybody else starting to feel the WWE-overload? With RAW on Monday, Smackdown on Tuesday, NXT on Wednesday AND much more freaquent PPV's I'm just getting overloaded. Some things going on in WWE now that I really like, but still. 

Try all that, and some folks also religiously follow ROH, Lucha, NJPW and the occasional AAA/CMLL/PWG not to mention the related PPVs

And all the podcasts and WhatCulture videos on top of that.

Edited September 30, 2016 by moreblack

[AtariLegend]

Curious how WWE are going to try and sell 65K tickets for the Royal Rumble on short notice when they can't sell out RAW each week.

20 years ago they used AAA stars to boost ticket sales (a few years after AAA broke from CMLL and had the stars). They don't have it this time and it wouldn't matter anyway. 

I think it's safe to assume Steve Austin isn't coming out of retirement for this show to face Lesnar. 

Then think about the last several Rumbles. It's always a mess. People get hyped out of tradition, but think about that 40 Man Rumble, the one where Batista won, the one where Reigns won, the Sheamus one, the one where everyone knew Cena was winning yet again and last year. Basically every one this decade has been a fiasco.

Edited October 2, 2016 by AtariLegend

[username]

11 hours ago, AtariLegend said:

Curious how WWE are going to try and sell 65K tickets for the Royal Rumble on short notice when they can't sell out RAW each week.

20 years ago they used AAA stars to boost ticket sales (a few years after AAA broke from CMLL and had the stars). They don't have it this time and it wouldn't matter anyway. 

I think it's safe to assume Steve Austin isn't coming out of retirement for this show to face Lesnar. 

Then think about the last several Rumbles. It's always a mess. People get hyped out of tradition, but think about that 40 Man Rumble, the one where Batista won, the one where Reigns won, the Sheamus one, the one where everyone knew Cena was winning yet again and last year. Basically every one this decade has been a fiasco.

I can't imagine Austin risking permanent neck or back damage and possibly paralysis by getting back in the ring. Especially against a fairly unsafe worker like Brock. 

I expect Austin to be there in some capacity. But definitely not a match. Same goes for HBK by the way.

But given the venue they must be planning something big. Either that or they're delirious. Which also sounds quite plausible. 

[axlslash]

TNA will have an "internal meeting" tonight before BFG. The PPV is reportedly going full steam ahead, as are this week's tapings (thank the lord - it would be a shame to miss out on the Cody vs Miracle program that they'll be taping), with the bill being footed by some outside party that isn't Billy or Vince. Both Billy and WWE have reportedly been negotiating aggressively all week, and will continue into the week ahead. A decision still appears imminent to a degree, though it's totally unclear what will happen.

[Gunner55]

I was unfamiliar with venue they announced for the Rumble and immediately checked out the 97 Rumble to see it. Immediately thought no way they fill that with the current state of their product. But then again they did Wrestlemania 32. Inflated number, but they still did it. 

[AtariLegend]

That's Wrestlemania with a years notice. Tickets weren't on sale from the start, but people could book hotels ect. well in advance. Their's an expectation for Wrestlemania (for stops to be pulled out), keep in mind they don't do stadium shows for SummerSlam.

Oh and they gave away alot of tickets for free in 97 and sold others at big discounts.

Ignoring the fiasco that the event has been this decade, keep in mind too that before the brand extension era ended last time that the winner of the Rumble 2 years in a row ended up in a meaningless opening match. Including Sheamus squashing Bryan in 18 seconds. 

They've devalued everything.

[Gunner55]

Lmao I totally forgot about the sheamus fiasco. God damn, he won the rumble? Can't even remember.  That was during the time I kinda fell off of wrestling 

[Gunner55]

Bye bye TNA. Wrestlezone reporting that Vince bought the tape library while the company itself was sold to Corgan who will rebrand it under another name. 

WWE spends years on end pretending TNA doesn't exist. Now TNA will be all over the network and probably be mentioned as often as possible. I can hear Cole now. 

[axlslash]

5 hours ago, Gunner55 said:

Bye bye TNA. Wrestlezone reporting that Vince bought the tape library while the company itself was sold to Corgan who will rebrand it under another name. 

WWE spends years on end pretending TNA doesn't exist. Now TNA will be all over the network and probably be mentioned as often as possible. I can hear Cole now. 

I remember the first time I stumbled into an episode of iMPACT, after high school on a Friday afternoon. I stopped to watch because DDP was on and he was an old childhood favorite. Then I got hooked by guys like AJ, Joe, the Fallen Angel... I've always had a huge softspot for TNA, and it's weird to imagine it finally actually being gone after so many close calls. 

Glad that WWE can finally give some of the classic TNA matches the attention and audience they've always deserved. I'll be curious to see where Billy takes whatever company TNA morphs into. By all accounts he wrecked Revolucion while he was at the helm, but I've enjoyed his influence on TNA so far. For Cody and Aaron Stevens' sales as much as anyone, I hope this works out. 

[Gunner55]

Still waiting slash wondering when either sides will announce this. Thinking WWE fronted the money to get them through the ppv and TV tapings to end it. I think I've read the TV tapings should take them through to the end of the year. 

[AtariLegend]

They have tappings until sometime in November at which point they'd need money or be on the brink again.

WWE would gain nothing from funding TNA tappings. They're only interested in the tape library, which if sold means TNA is done anyway. Corgan was supposedly the only one interested in keeping the company going if he acquired it. 

It's worth pointing out that neither the Observer or say the Torch are the sources for this. This weeks Observer though is about to come out and today's midweek WOR. This is what the Torch said;

http://www.pwtorch.com/site/2016/10/05/tna-ownership-update-pushback-high-profile-report-tna-library-sold-wwe-wkellers-analysis/ 

Cody btw only had a short team deal, he'll be working ROH from next month. So if you're expecting him to win the title and be the face of TNA it's not going to happen unless he's silly enough to sign an actual deal with them.

Edited October 6, 2016 by AtariLegend

[axlslash]

2 hours ago, AtariLegend said:

They have tappings until sometime in November at which point they'd need money or be on the brink again.

WWE would gain nothing from funding TNA tappings. They're only interested in the tape library, which if sold means TNA is done anyway. Corgan was supposedly the only one interested in keeping the company going if he acquired it. 

It's worth pointing out that neither the Observer or say the Torch are the sources for this. This weeks Observer though is about to come out and today's midweek WOR. This is what the Torch said;

http://www.pwtorch.com/site/2016/10/05/tna-ownership-update-pushback-high-profile-report-tna-library-sold-wwe-wkellers-analysis/ 

Cody btw only had a short team deal, he'll be working ROH from next month. So if you're expecting him to win the title and be the face of TNA it's not going to happen unless he's silly enough to sign an actual deal with them.

I don't think anyone expects that. Miracle was on Cody's wishlist. He is there for one reason and one reason only: to work a program with Mike Bennett. Word is it likely won't even carry out of this week's tapings. It'll be a month or two of non-title feuding, with some highlight reel matches for the two of them. I expect a mixed tag match or two, and a handful of one-on-ones. They have it teed up perfectly.

I finally caught up on BFG after a busy few days, and boy could WWE learn a thing or two. I absolutely loved it. Not every match was as good as I had hoped - the Great War couldn't decide if it was Delete or Decay 2 or a normal match, and would have been much better served if was a touch more consistently booked - but the way they handled the storylines was wonderful. DJZ getting built, Stone Cold Eli Drake getting a push, the obvious conclusion to the Grand Championship (sans half of the storyline), storybook night for Gail Kim, all going to shit for the Bennetts in the best possible way, the Broken Hardys on top of the world, and hot fuckin' damn that main event. More heat on Lashley, more shine on EC3, ending the night with the only surprising finish on the card, and just an all around great match between two incredibly athletic "big men." Everything I had hoped for in the PPV. Just hope it and Billy are enough to keep the company moving forward under its new name.

[username]

15 hours ago, axlslash said:

I remember the first time I stumbled into an episode of iMPACT, after high school on a Friday afternoon. I stopped to watch because DDP was on and he was an old childhood favorite. Then I got hooked by guys like AJ, Joe, the Fallen Angel... I've always had a huge softspot for TNA, and it's weird to imagine it finally actually being gone after so many close calls. 

Glad that WWE can finally give some of the classic TNA matches the attention and audience they've always deserved. I'll be curious to see where Billy takes whatever company TNA morphs into. By all accounts he wrecked Revolucion while he was at the helm, but I've enjoyed his influence on TNA so far. For Cody and Aaron Stevens' sales as much as anyone, I hope this works out. 

I can relate to this. The pre-Hogan TNA reminded me of WCW Nitro in the mid-nineties in a good way. I first started watching it around '95. I was 12 or something. TNA managed to get the same feel I wad back then. I started watching for guys like Sting, Angle and Nash. But much like you I was really impressed with AJ, Joe, Daniels, Beer Money etc. Plus guys like Homicide, Jay Lethal, Matt Morgan, Hernandez etc could really put on a good show. The X-division reminded me of when WCW was really pushing the cruiserweights/luchadors. Loved that too. Decent women division as well at the time. Especially compared to WWE. 

Too bad it pretty much turned to crap the day they brought Hogan and Bischoff in. 

Edited October 6, 2016 by username

[axlslash]

2 hours ago, username said:

I can relate to this. The pre-Hogan TNA reminded me of WCW Nitro in the mid-nineties in a good way. I first started watching it around '95. I was 12 or something. TNA managed to get the same feel I wad back then. I started watching for guys like Sting, Angle and Nash. But much like you I was really impressed with AJ, Joe, Daniels, Beer Money etc. Plus guys like Homicide, Jay Lethal, Matt Morgan, Hernandez etc could really put on a good show. The X-division reminded me of when WCW was really pushing the cruiserweights/luchadors. Loved that too. Decent women division as well at the time. Especially compared to WWE. 

Too bad it pretty much turned to crap the day they brought Hogan and Bischoff in. 

My wrestling fandom has come and gone, and I missed the Bischoff era entirely. Just came back to it fully post-Final Deletion and, other than Lucha, it's almost always my favorite of the major wrestling shows in a given week. I like their characters better, the technical work is often better, the ring psychology is more linear, and they rarely ever forget to pay off a story the way WWE does. I don't like their gimmick of taking every person WWE releases and immediately putting them in the title picture (or just making up a whole new belt for them, like Sandow), but other than that, I really don't see why anyone wouldn't like the show if they like basic, meat and potatoes pro wrestling. 

[AtariLegend]

Um. I'm curious, can I ask you guys what the best match you've seen so far this year was from any promotion? I'm curious for the responses.

 

 

[moreblack]

15 minutes ago, AtariLegend said:

Um. I'm curious, can I ask you guys what the best match you've seen so far this year was from any promotion? I'm curious for the responses.

There's 2 that come to mind for me, both from this year's Wrestle Kingdom, Tanahashi vs Okada, and AJ Styles vs Nakamura. 

[AtariLegend]

1 hour ago, moreblack said:

There's 2 that come to mind for me, both from this year's Wrestle Kingdom, Tanahashi vs Okada, and AJ Styles vs Nakamura. 

I prefer this over Nak/A.J. 

Tana/Okada though, not sure. 

[axlslash]

The last AJ/Cena match is probably tops for me. Zayn/Nakamura is up there too. EC3 vs Miracle in the BFG playoff finals was pretty excellent. And there are a couple of matches that I've had spoiled from Ultima Tres that I know will be up there too.

[moreblack]

4 hours ago, AtariLegend said:

I prefer this over Nak/A.J. 

Tana/Okada though, not sure. 

Forgot about Shibata/Ishii, so stiff. 

[AtariLegend]

Some news that's a bit interesting;

 

[axlslash]

WWE has leaked a pretty big spoiler for tonight in its Smackdown preview description for cable providers this week...

From San Jose. A recap of No Mercy, including the three-way battle for world champion; and a look at Dolph Ziggler’s exit from WWE."

Rumor is he'll be transitioning into a behind-the-scenes role and is, in fact, ending his in-ring career tonight. Too bad he never got the real push he deserves.

[AtariLegend]

He signed a 3 year contract several months ago. If he losses, he just takes a break. Considering it's WWE, it probably wouldn't even be that long. The last two retirement stips in WWE that I remember lasted 1 month and 1 week retrospectively. 

Probably the most overrated wrestler of his generation by the casual Internet types that only started watching wrestling in the past several years. The only time he looked like a star was during that Survivor Series match. I was just struggling to remember the great matches he had, so I checked. 

It all just blends together; http://www.profightdb.com/wrestler-star-ratings/dolph-ziggler-450.html?res=2000

Edited October 9, 2016 by AtariLegend

[luciusfunk]

What's even more shocking is the triple threat for the WWE World Title is the first match of the night.

[Gunner55]

1 hour ago, luciusfunk said:

What's even more shocking is the triple threat for the WWE World Title is the first match of the night.

Yeah wtf is up with that? There's no bigger match on the card. Just doesn't make sense. 

[axlslash]

22 minutes ago, Gunner55 said:

Yeah wtf is up with that? There's no bigger match on the card. Just doesn't make sense. 

If people are gonna bail for the debate, maybe they think putting the big gun up front will pull viewers in early? More likely, they want to showcase Miz vs Ziggles and put over the "end of Dolph's career" (even if it's only the end of his in-ring career). Not a bigger match, but Folph/Miz will likely be the best match tonight. 

Curious to see how they deal with the Lynch injury tonight. Kinda embarrassing for SDL that their first two exclusive PPVs have had big matches built and canceled at the last minute.