Pro Wrestling Discussion Thread **Spoilers Possible**

[JonInMiddleGA]

On this day I see clearly
Everything has come to life
A bitter place and a broken dream
And leave it all behind
On this day, it's so real to me
Everything has come to life
Another chance to chase a dream
'Nother chance to feel
Chance to feel alive

[Neon_Chaos]

That was one of the better-paced rumble matches I'd seen. The first half definitely lent itself to not have as much clutter as usual, and the second half was pretty good with the storylines interwoven.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

On this day I see clearly
Everything has come to life
A bitter place and a broken dream
And leave it all behind
On this day, it's so real to me
Everything has come to life
Another chance to chase a dream
'Nother chance to feel
Chance to feel alive

How does a production staff miss his first spear in 9 years?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

How does a production staff miss his first spear in 9 years?

That ought to get somebody fired honestly.

[Mota]

What did you guys think? I was frankly surprised that so little new blood was part of the rumble, it was mostly retreads and guys that have been there for 10 years or more.

Lesnar dominating was a huge sign of the WWE's problems. The guy who appears once every 3 months makes all of the regular wrestlers look like complete buffoons.

In the end they sacrificed a lot of wrestlers to make Drew McIntyre look good. So I guess it could be worth it depending on how they do with him.

I also really enjoyed seeing Edge back. He looked great! My son commented on how old he looked. We were there in the 5th row in his retirement show in 2011, so it really has been a long time since he has wrestled. He obviously has taken a lot of time in the past year going to the gym.

[RainMaker]

I really enjoyed the Rumble, but I don't follow WWE too closely and stopped caring about the long term storylines.


- Lesnar run was a lot of fun. He's a great monster heel. Thought how they booked guys like Kofi, Rey, and Lee around him.


- Edge return was great. He is in incredible shape. I had no idea he was coming back so it was a great surprise.


- Drew seems like a good guy to push. Has all the tools. Needs a better theme!


Honestly the only thing I hated was the production. They miss so much so they can get dumb crowd shots. Missed the huge Edge spear, missed a major elimination, and the constant camera cuts make me dizzy (especially at the end with Rollins crew).



Reminds me that when AJ returned the production botched that and were focused on Reigns instead of the titantron showing AJ's name. For real WWE, enough with the endless crowd shots, get someone talented into your company to do this shit.

[RainMaker]

This is just horrific production. Most of the focus is on the crowd and not the guy coming back who is practically in tears on the entrance ramp. Then they miss him spearing the crap out of Dolph for a crowd shot.

I just don't understand how you go into this moment and think "well the focus here is the crowd".

[RainMaker]

Also it would be cool if WWE would release a cut of just his entrance. They had to do that with AJ and hopefully the footage exists. He genuinely seems overcome with emotion for a second. Just a great shot if they had kept it.

[RainMaker]

Guess I'm not the only one who was pissed about that. Imagine having a billion dollar company that is mainly focused on TV production and have to ask your fans for cell phone footage to show one of the biggest wrestling moments in years.

people make mistakes, we all do & I have made tons. That being said; a very special moment was inexplicably missed. anyone got cell phone footage?

— Nic Nemeth (@HEELZiggler) January 27, 2020



Some of the replies have video of the spear. I know Dolph has some issues, but that man knows how to take a bump.


[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Reminds me that when AJ returned the production botched that and were focused on Reigns instead of the titantron showing AJ's name.

I was actually okay with that though, given the situation.

The idea, since Reigns had time to wait for the next entrant, was to show him not recognizing the music and being surprised along with everyone else. (He even squints at the Titantron to try to figure it out when the unfamiliar music hit).

So the idea wasn't terrible.

The execution, however, was lacking, as the camera didn't cut in time to synch to the audience reaction of Styles appearing from backstage. THAT hurt the moment, but the idea wasn't awful.

[RainMaker]

Picture in picture would work great for some of those shots. Get a shot of the entrance ramp and the reaction in the ring.

Another fuck up is right as Edge raises his hands during the entrance, they cut to an arena shot of the pyro with no context instead of just staying with the guy and giving us a classic Edge entrance.

It has to be a recent thing because here's an old Edge entrance and they don't get a crowd shot at all. Did they not have a single person in the company who remembered how his entrance went?

[Maple Leafs]

They've been doing the crowd shot thing for a few years now, and it's awful. They've missed big moments before, and half the time it's so they can show us some fan staring at his phone or looking bored. It's ridiculous, and something you never see in any kind of real sport, but obviously somebody high up the chain likes it and they're going to keep doing it.

[RainMaker]

ESPN baseball started doing it recently. Guy rips a liner into the gap and they cut to a guy in the crowd cheering instead of what's happening on the basepaths.

[PilotMan]

Betcha Hunter gets his entrances shown in full.

[Mota]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I really enjoyed the Rumble, but I don't follow WWE too closely and stopped caring about the long term storylines.

Don't worry, so has the WWE.

[Neon_Chaos]

WWE has released their "unseen footage" version.

Unseen footage of Edge’s Royal Rumble return on WWE Network - YouTube

Can't they just make this the norm? It's miles better than what we got in the live show.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Marty Scurll shows up in Raleigh for the NJPW house show, challenges (the absent) Jay White for an upcoming ROH show in the spring.

That's the third company he's appeared for in the past week, at this rate I figured he'll be at Wrestlemania too.

He's becoming the Mike Portnoy of wrestling.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Neon_Chaos

WWE has released their "unseen footage" version.

Unseen footage of Edge’s Royal Rumble return on WWE Network - YouTube

Can't they just make this the norm? It's miles better than what we got in the live show.

His theme is so good.

When Orton puts in the effort, he's the best heel in the business. I hope they use that to keep Edge off TV for awhile. Make the WM match special.

[RainMaker]

WWE stock tanking hard after hours for some reason.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

WWE stock tanking hard after hours for some reason.

The release of the co-Presidents (George Barrios and Michelle Wilson). Investors rarely like instability.

[RainMaker]

Some rumors floating around that they will drop below to 1.35 million network subscribers worldwide. Also that USA is not paying for NXT.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Dear. Lord.

Bad Boy Joey Janela on Twitter: "Let this video speak..... @GCWrestling_

https://t.co/kV7l4SVnjB… "

[RainMaker]

That strap segment was really good. MJF with the nut kick at the end and running off was such a perfect heel move.

[RainMaker]

NXT is still good but I'm getting bored with it. Another Gargano-Ciampa feud. Same matches where everyone kicks out of 10 finishers. Feels like it needs a major shakeup.

[RainMaker]

Interesting strategy to build up The Fiend for a year as an unstoppable force and give the rub to Goldberg at a Thursday afternoon PPV no one cares about.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Interesting strategy to build up The Fiend for a year as an unstoppable force and give the rub to Goldberg at a Thursday afternoon PPV no one cares about.

The best course for the WWE would seem to be to simply treat the Saudi shows the same way as they did house shows for years: as though they didn't happen.

They could give the paying crowd the fan service they want while not disrupting the storylines at all.

Still, even with that, I'm not sure that anyone other than the IWC is going to be particularly bothered by this. The average remaining viewer is going to be a lot more nonplussed I suspect.

[RainMaker]

The Fiend character was fine but I thought they backed themselves in a corner by giving him the title. Wasn't a big fan of the gimmick after awhile and I think they wasted the build on Goldberg. That's a guy you use to get Keith Lee or Matt Riddle over someday.

[RainMaker]

So Jon, what do you think of WWE selling Wrestlemania off to a network? Lot of rumors about it, although probably not this year.

Still contend the network was a good idea but they should have built it like UFC did. Use it for the library and smaller events. Sell your major PPVs the traditional way (or through services like ESPN+, DAZN, etc).

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

So Jon, what do you think of WWE selling Wrestlemania off to a network? Lot of rumors about it, although probably not this year.

Still contend the network was a good idea but they should have built it like UFC did. Use it for the library and smaller events. Sell your major PPVs the traditional way (or through services like ESPN+, DAZN, etc).

I think they sank that ship honestly. The odds of anyone ever coming up with a single event people (in similar numbers) would ever pay $60 to watch again feel slim to me. I can't entirely blame them if ESPN (or whomever) is dumb enough to pay crazy money for it, but I don't think it does anything except hurt the product/company in every way except the bottom line.

[Mota]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

The Fiend character was fine but I thought they backed themselves in a corner by giving him the title. Wasn't a big fan of the gimmick after awhile and I think they wasted the build on Goldberg. That's a guy you use to get Keith Lee or Matt Riddle over someday.

Why guys like Keith Lee or Matt Riddle when you can feed them to Goldberg and Brock Lesnar instead?

[RainMaker]

We need to talk about Cody's tattoo.

[Toddzilla]

Brandi already buried him over it, so that horse is D.E.A.D.

[molson]

When I just Googled "Cody Rhodes", "tattoo" auto-filled immediately, so that's never a good sign.

[General Mike]

I'm so done with WWE in general. I can't quit watching, but man they need to re-evaluate their life choices.

I am very excited about AEW doing a War Games style match at the show I am going to in 3 weeks. It will be interesting to see which way they go with the teams for the match, but I'm sure it will make more sense than WWE's annual Hell in a Cell show.

[RainMaker]

Jake the Snake back and cutting a pretty damn good promo on Cody. Wonder if he'll be managing Luke Harper (or whatever his name will be).

"A wise man once told me never ever turn your back on somebody you respect or are afraid of” and then turning his back on Cody and leaving was pretty damn good.

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Jake the Snake back and cutting a pretty damn good promo on Cody. Wonder if he'll be managing Luke Harper (or whatever his name will be).

"A wise man once told me never ever turn your back on somebody you respect or are afraid of” and then turning his back on Cody and leaving was pretty damn good.

Lance Archer is the current favorite

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

Lance Archer is the current favorite

Forgot he was coming to AEW. Looks like Matt Hardy is too. Women's division is garbage but the men's division is shaping up real well.

[Neon_Chaos]

This tag-team Elimination Chamber match has been quite entertaining so far. Good mixture of storyline and high spots!

[Neon_Chaos]

dola, I'm just watching the VOD on the Network.

[Toddzilla]

Wow, the crowd shit all over that main event. If Vince wasn't happy with Baszler before he probably hates her now. Just brutal.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Forgot he was coming to AEW. Looks like Matt Hardy is too. Women's division is garbage but the men's division is shaping up real well.

Best tag division in wrestling

[RainMaker]

Sounds like there is maybe a chance Wrestlemania gets cancelled? I guess you can always reschedule it down the road but that would be a huge blow. Not just for the WWE but all the small promotions that have shows there too.

[molson]

That's starting to feel like an inevitability - apparently the Tampa local government is meeting on it shortly.

I could see it being postponed and the WWE doing some network special Mania weekend in a small venue with only wrestlers and staff present. First ever Vince McMahon's living room Royal Rumble match - where wrestlers are eliminated by being thrown over one of four large sofas positioned around the room perimeter. (Or maybe just something from the performance center).

[RainMaker]

I guess it's a bad idea to have people converge to one spot from around the world. The audience for Wrestlemania seems global.

Wrestling adapts so I don't see why they couldn't just delay it for a couple months and hold it in some arena in June. Massive revenue loss, and not great for storylines, but it's scripted so you can do whatever you want.

[molson]

Smackdown will air Friday from the WWE performance center.

[molson]

Smackdown without fans was an extraordinary show. Just like after 9/11, the WWE will no doubt be the last ones willing to shut down, and will be the first ones back to normal when that time comes. Being forced into crazy circumstances is really when they're at their best.

[Racer]

Wrestlemania 36 has officially been moved to the performance center without fans. The date has not changed.

WWE statement regarding WrestleMania 36 | WWE

Considering nothing else is going on sports related, I wonder what the chances this ends up broadcasting on Fox or NBC? It'd be nice if they made it a two day event since they insist on making it so long.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Racer

Wrestlemania 36 has officially been moved to the performance center without fans. The date has not changed.

WWE statement regarding WrestleMania 36 | WWE

Considering nothing else is going on sports related, I wonder what the chances this ends up broadcasting on Fox or NBC? It'd be nice if they made it a two day event since they insist on making it so long.

I cant imagine how terrible it is going to be with no fans. I think Vince needs to think this over and postpone.

[RainMaker]

Not sure I understand the thought process behind this. I get putting on a show. Call it whatever you want. But it's not Wrestlemania.

There is nothing stopping the company from renting out an arena in 6 months and hosting a Wrestlemania.

[thesloppy]

They should have just one, single fan there and mic 'em up for his/her reactions to all the over-the-top shenanigans & intros.