Official WWE Smackdown Thread

[BenGerman]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

PG. If they won't hit people in the head with chairs, I highly doubt they'd have him kicking someone in the head.

I remember Orton putting the McMahon family in the hospital with his punts, while the show was PG. I don't think it has anything to do with that.

[Streets]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

Orton is damn good in brawls. The match type does a good job covering up his weaknesses as a wrestler. Tonight's match with Barrett was great. I too was hoping he'd wedge Barrett's head in the chair and punt him.

I was a huge fan of Barrett's last theme... hate this one to pieces.

I was so confused by the selling of Sheamus' new finisher by the announcers. The announcers acted like it was a brand new innovative move, when it was Finlay's finisher (yeah yeah, three months). Also, I'm pretty sure Sheamus has done it before.

Cody is so awesome. In the ring, on the mic, everything. Future world champion right there, and I hope he fulfills his Ultimate Warrior prediction. He continues to battle with The Miz for title of my favorite wrestler.

The counter into the backstabber was awesome. I hope that's how the move is hit from now on.

Soooo.... Nattie farts now? I was confused, grossed out, and couldn't help but wonder why the Diva's division continues to be looked at as bathroom break material (pun intended) with high-quality programming like that.

Interesting choice keeping Henry out of the Chamber. I'm sure it's so he can heal up. By the way, was it me, or was Henry getting some huge face pops? I credit this more to Daniel Bryan being that over as a heel (and people wanting to see a title match at the event they paid money for), but yeah, I was shocked.

I HATE the whole vegan angle DB has. For one, it seems like he's ripping off everything Punk already did. I'm straight edge, which means I'm better, I'm going to preach, I'm going to save you, blah blah. I mean it's a formula that works, but Bryan was doing SO WELL as a heel without it and has been getting insane heat by just being that cocky twerp that everyone hates. I don't think he needs the Punk handbook to succeed. Oh well.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

Yeah, Bryan can go **** himself with the vegan thing.

Rhodes and Sheamus are so damn impressive.

[Streets]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

Yeah, Bryan can go **** himself with the vegan thing.

Rhodes and Sheamus are so damn impressive.

Rhodes, absolutely. Sheamus, I don't get. As far as faces go, he's good I guess (I prefer Punk, Ryder, Brodus, Truth, and Orton). In the ring, he's amazing... especially for a big. But his whole smiley, "what's the crack, fella?" folktales just don't do it for me. I think Sheamus is naturally likeable and thus makes a great face, but he gets a little too repetitive for my tastes and his character lacks any depth or motivation. Maybe with something to do and this push, they'll utilize him better.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

Sheamus needs to be a heel but I generally enjoy the folksy Irish everyman role. I'd like to see them add some depth to him too if he's gonna be a good guy for a while.

[rangerrick012]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

Rhodes, absolutely. Sheamus, I don't get. As far as faces go, he's good I guess (I prefer Punk, Ryder, Brodus, Truth, and Orton). In the ring, he's amazing... especially for a big. But his whole smiley, "what's the crack, fella?" folktales just don't do it for me. I think Sheamus is naturally likeable and thus makes a great face, but he gets a little too repetitive for my tastes and his character lacks any depth or motivation. Maybe with something to do and this push, they'll utilize him better.

Christian getting hurt has left him floating, that was likely supposed to be his feud for the last part of 2011. That would have been great as Christian's a great chicken **** heel and Sheamus would have done well bouncing off of him, literally and figuratively.

As is, I still expect big things from Sheamus. The crowd loves the guy, though I do think he should bring back the mean streak a bit more frequently on the mic. A Sheamus/Bryan feud or even Sheamus/Bryan/Orton for the title at WM would be great IMO.

[GnarlyKing]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

Yeah, I hate the whole vegan thing. Unless it gives him superpowers, he needs to just shut up about it because it's way too much like the straight edge thing.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

And yet, it's nothing like the straight edge thing, especially as a gimmick. Straight Edge used as a gimmick to show that he's better than you because he doesn't give in to vices, yeah well...meat isn't a vice. So Daniel Bryan should shut the **** up because who cares if he's a pretentious vegan. It doesn't work for wrestling. Nobody cares and it doesn't do anything for him as a persona.

[Mercury112491]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

And yet, it's nothing like the straight edge thing, especially as a gimmick. Straight Edge used as a gimmick to show that he's better than you because he doesn't give in to vices, yeah well...meat isn't a vice. So Daniel Bryan should shut the **** up because who cares if he's a pretentious vegan. It doesn't work for wrestling. Nobody cares and it doesn't do anything for him as a persona.

Everybody hates those vergitarians who give everyone else crap about eating meat. Who stare at you while you enjoy a hamburger and then ask you if you know where the meat came from. Constantly preaching about cruelty to animals. It's no different than when religious extremists push their beliefs on you. If he really dives into he could absolutely draw incredible legit heat for it. He just has to be commited to it. It can work as a wrestling gimmick as long as he pushes it far enough. If he just mentions is once in awhile it won't work.

[rangerrick012]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

I don't like the vegan thing either but I can easily see how it could get heat. Just because straight edge was already done by Punk doesn't mean that Bryan shouldn't do the vegan thing. Most of wrestling is just rehashing of old things anyways, I know the straight edge thing is fairly recent to be rehashing already. I can see both sides of it, but ultimately I'm willing to let it play out and see where they go with it before I completely bury it.

[Streets]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

I don't like the vegan thing either but I can easily see how it could get heat. Just because straight edge was already done by Punk doesn't mean that Bryan shouldn't do the vegan thing. Most of wrestling is just rehashing of old things anyways, I know the straight edge thing is fairly recent to be rehashing already. I can see both sides of it, but ultimately I'm willing to let it play out and see where they go with it before I completely bury it.

I think that's my beef (get it? beef... ha). Punk was doing that exact same thing very recently, and saying the same things almost verbatim (replacing vegan with straight edge). I do agree that there's nothing new under the sun in wrestling. Sometimes we even crave a good re-hash (like an updated reformation of The Corporation). However, I just feel that Bryan doesn't really need it and it seems like a crutch. I feel he's more creative when he doesn't come out and say the same thing every week. When he says "I'm a vegan! I'm healthier than all of you!", yes it draws heat, but it seems scripted, forced, and repetitive (even more-so on the heels of Punk).

He is MUCH more clever as a heel when he strays away from it (His interactions with AJ, the over-the top celebrations, the cockiness, how he casts himself in the victim role, etc.). He's subtle but still gets heat. I think the vegan thing is a cool crutch he can rely on when he needs cheap heat, but I hope he continues to focus on all the other things that make him great because they give him depth.

[55]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

Everybody hates those vergitarians

[BenGerman]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

I'm really liking Cody Rhodes on the mic.

[Qb]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

Just to show you how environmentally conscious we are, we're leaving this arena in a Prius.

What a role model.

[BenGerman]

Re: Official WWE Smackdown Thread 2012

What a role model.

That quote was hilarious. I know the WWE has already used this angle with Punk (or at least a similar one), but Bryan pulls it off well enough that I just don't really care.

On a side note, WWE is 0/2 this week in my book. Way too many promos, 10 minute commercials, and almost no wrestling. They need to add to Smackdowns lineup, because that Ted Dibiase feud has been awful IMO.