Official WWE/TNA Wrestling Thread

Best guess is because it would have left Triple H with nothing to do for WrestleMania.

I'd be shocked if the Orton/Batista match was the main event at WM. I think either Bryan/Triple H or Brock/Undertaker closes the show.

They're not dumb, they're just stubborn. They know Bryan is red hot and the fans are crapping all over the Batista/Orton match but again the WWE will tell the fans what they want to see, not the other way around.

 

Which is why I stopped watching again. The last sentence.

They could have run with a Bryan-Punk fued for a LONG time. Instead they are doing nothing productive with Bryan and Punk is in his own world.

I hate how WWE starts fueds and ends them so quickly. What hapoened to two guys just NEVER liking eachother and ALWAYS starting **** like Rock/HHH.

 

Punk and Bryan did have a 3 month feud in 2012. Since then their really hasn't been an oppportunity for them to feud, which I can't fault the WWE for since they were both locked up in other storylines and were faces at the same time etc.

I disagree about doing nothing productive with Bryan. Yeah he's not the WWE champion or in the championship match but he has been a main part of the company since the summer and has been positioned as a top guy and will be in a very important spot in the WM card. It's not like they aren't using him at all like a Dolph Ziggler. He's just not being used in a way the fans want.

And yeah I agree the WWE does do a nice job building storylines/feuds and ends them quickly because Vince gets bored. There is no real long term builds. For example the original plan at WM was to have Cody face Goldust, who would turn on him, but that's been put on the back burner and they have seemingly been forgotten about in general since Novemberish which makes no sense considering how over they had gotten.

 

Maybe nothing productive is a bit overboard. I just mean having him face HHH is so uninspiring. Who wants to bet HHH wins?

They did have a nice fued but that is my point. Why kill it? Why not develop it. Two guys can be fan favorites and still fued.

Call them face/heel whatever but I feel its closed minded by people. Rock and Austin were both fan favorites going into their last WM match and it was great IMO.

 

I agree with you about the Triple H match. While it makes complete sense for the two to have a match based on everything that has happened since Summer Slam I don't think there's really anyone that wants to see the two wrestle. And you'd have to be a sucker to bet against Triple H, although it would be incredibly dumb to put Triple H over the hottest babyface in the company and that's never happened before right?

Regarding the Punk/Bryan feud, they had a 3 month feud and had 3 PPV title matches against each other, not sure what else the WWE could have done differently or what else you'd want them to do. If you give them even more time you run the risk of people getting burnt out seeing them wrestle each other and the matches lose appeal. They put on 3 really good matches against each other and moved on to other storylines, it was plenty developed especially since the start of the feud was traced back to 3 months earlier when Bryan turned heel due to Punk.

You can get away with a face/face or a heel/heel match every once and awhile but you can't run a long program with it or the fans will end up turning on one of them naturally. In fact going into their WM17 match, which is the one you must be talking about since Rock was heel at WM 15 & WM19, The Rock was the one that got booed in that program with Austin by the fans at the event and leading up to it at the TV tapings, which is why the Austin heel turn at WM17 made no sense because no one wanted that to happen and the event was in his home state and it pretty much marked the beginning of the end of his character's run.

 

http://www.uproxx.com/sports/2014/03/best-worst-wwe-raw-3314-hijackbestandworst/2/

NAILED IT!

I am getting a little sick of the Smarks.

In case you haven't noticed.....they are really MAD at the "terrible bosses" that are "screwing up the WWE" and are really determined to boo them at every turn. Kinda like how...you boo.....Heels? Meanwhile....we are gonna make sure that we put 85k in the Superdome and BOO the bad guys that are ruining the wwe as loud as possible!

The Smarks have become Marks for themselves.

 

Fair enough on Rock/Austin.

On Bryan-Punk I don't mean they need to be full time fueding for a long time. I'm saying what happened to the days where you just felt two guys didn't like eachother? Where you just knew "Yeah those two guys are going to have a long term rivalry going".

I grew up in the attitude era so I'm jaded maybe. I just feel like if you mske them both the faces of the company and have them keep crissing paths at diffeeent piints you have something special.

 

http://youtu.be/xg0uEVzknxE

Delicious.

 

I'm sure if Punk decided to stick around there would have been another big Bryan/Punk feud somewhere down the road.

As far as long term rivalry, Cena and Orton certainly fits into that. But yeah there's not really those long term rivalries anymore.

Yeah growing up during the Attitude Era has a lot of people jaded but don't forget there wasn't a lot of long term planning then either. They used to book RAWs on cocktail napkins hence why there was tons of title changes and random story lines starting and stopping. The main difference between the Attitude Era and the "PG Era" is that the talent just isn't there at the top in terms of big stars and there is no competition between organizations so the WWE and the wrestlers don't take the same risks anymore because there's no fall back plan. Plus while it's nice the WWE has a development center, it's also bad because the wrestlers are basically just learning the "WWE style" instead of being on the road and learning different styles etc. And there also was plenty of crap on WWE TV during that time, but the good stuff overweight the bad.

 

Nice assessment there actually.

 

Nice assessment there actually.

Is TNA still in business? There was a time they were actually getting really entertaining to watch. Then it went downhill.

 

The crowd certainly has gone into business for itself. Personally, I am okay with it since it does lead to a better presentation of the product on TV. It beats the alternative of them just sitting there...watching guys in their underwear. It is up to WWE to adapt to this new reality, however long or short term it is.

Having Heyman do what he did last night was a great idea. Take the current of the fans, and morph it into what you are trying to build for your program. It was a masterful stroke.

I also disagree a ton about HHH/Bryan. Look at EVERY. SINGLE. CROWD since they have put Bryan into the Main Event slot (and trust me, he is in the main event slot). They are engaged and booing at what the WWE wants them to boo at, chanting when they want them to chant and helping create a mini superstar in Bryan. Just because Bryan doesn't have the title, doesn't mean they aren't manufacturing something great. The money is in Daniel's chase, not the capture.

And I also disagree about the WWE not listening to fans and forcing certain things down the fans throats. If that was the case, then Batista wouldn't be a heel already. They recognized that he wasn't clicking as a face, and changed him accordingly.

My biggest gripe is that RAW is just too damn long. Two hours is perfect. As it stands now, RAW is longer than the PPVs. There is something wrong with that, even in a new era where PPVs are devalued.

 

Agreed. Especially when they have Smackdown as a "B" program for another 2 hours. If they are gunna keep raw 3 hours they should split the rosters again. No way they are gunna keep things relevant and push guys with 5 total hours a week of tv time. It's too much. If raw was 2 hours last night and they cut the 2nd hour it would've been one of the best raws of the last decade


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

http://www.sbnation.com/2014/3/4/5468468/wwe-pro-wrestling-stories-creative

Another article that sort of aligns with what I was saying above. With regards to fans hijacking segments and going into business for themselves, the WWE, or even TNA, doesn't truly care. They just see people in the stands, on social media and in the world, talking about their product.

As a former performer, and as someone who now does stand-up, you prefer any sort of noise in the crowd as opposed to silence. If someone is booing you, even better (well, at least in wrestling. It can work in comedy but that is a REALLY tough sled to pull). Even a boring chant isn't the worst thing to happen while being in the ring. Because if they are chanting boring, that means they are watching, and even better...engaging. A good performer will recognize that and work with it.

And say what you will about Vince McMahon, but he has always had the bigger vision when it comes to this business. He understands that EVERYONE that is involved, is part of the act. From the announcers, to the refs and own to the time keepers, security agents and camera folks. They all have a role to play in his universe (pun sort of intended), whereas most promoters and the overwhelming majority of fans, only take the wrestlers into account as performers.

Vince has never seen it that way, and it is that bigger, overall vision that has ultimately made him the king. He doesn't care about fans being upset, necessarily. He cares that they care enough to get upset. And if he can invoke that emotion, then he can make money with it. Hence where we are with Daniel Bryan right now.

 

As of today TNA is still in business but it's not viewed as a threat to the WWE and is having major financial problems and could fold at any point.

It's too bad there isn't another major US company to rival the WWE like WCW did in the Attitude Era.

 

Yeah, the WWE LOVES the fans being so loud and vocal because it shows they care and that they are watching which means the WWE is getting their money and making money. And it does make for great TV with the crowds being so into it. The only problem I have with the crowds is doing stupid chants during good matches, i.e. 2 weeks ago during The Shield/Wyatts match chanting for Punk, then Savage, then Cole/Lawler etc.

One of the reasons why the WWE won't change the Orton/Batista match is because they know it's going to be a very fan vocal match and know people will still watch it to see what the crowd does etc. The worst thing in the world would be to be silent when Batista or Orton come out or like I said if the fans stood up and left or turned their backs to the ring.

 

Theres gotta be a pay off for Bryan eventually though, or else people will not care as much for the next guy. The "Yes" chants will silence more and more...and the crowds WONT get into it as much. I get they are dragging it on, it makes sense. But if there is no payoff, at Wrestlemania or otherwise....they'll say "who cares" next time the bosses "keep someone down".

 

Exactly right. The money is in the chase but if you wait too long then fans will start to think winning the belt will never happen and the wrestler will lose all the momentum he's been building. I think the pay off should be at WM but if not then the WWE has to put the belt on him by Extreme Rules or I think it will kill a lot of his heat. And like you said it will be harder for the fans to root on the next guy because "why get involved with someone when there's no pay off".

 

Yes, there should be a payoff at some point. If there isn't, THEN I would be willing to call WWE out for making a huge mistake. But I am thinking that the payoff will be closer to Summerslam than Wrestlemania. Now, that's five months away and the crowd may be over it by then, but that is just my educated guess of a timeline.

 

Really Bryan is the only main event face right now. Batista and Orton are the big heels. Cesaro is working his way up, and is really close to disbanding with Swagger. I'd like to see a program with Cesaro/Bryan leading to a possible title opportunity between them at Summer slam. Cena of course will be there, but other than that....Shameus is what he is....Punk is gone...Shield may break up and have Reigns be a face. But Bryan is the most over face right now, hes been **** on to end a show for the better part of a year, stripped 30 seconds after winning the title.....17 second loss at wrestlemania, etc......he has to get the upper hand soon.

Beating HHH at WM would be that payoff........in 2008......but now its just....meh. Eventhough it makes sense story-wise, and would end it. The dude needs a title run. 2 Heels in WM main event for title is asking for disaster.

Has that ever happened before BTW ?

 

That would be incredibly dumb for the WWE to wait that long. I think if they did Bryan would lose way too much momentum and fans would have given up on him at that point.

 

Nope never happened before but I don't believe Batista/Orton goes on last.

 

Pretty sad when the world title match isnt main event.

 

http://thebiglead.com/2014/02/11/su...nnouncers-purported-disdain-for-cm-punk-fans/

Saw this?

 

I agree but the WWE Title just hasn't meant the same. Of course the WWE title match hasn't been the main event of WM in 2 of the last 4 WMs. WM28 was The Rock vs. Cena and WM 26 with Undertaker vs. HBK, kind of hard to argue with those choices as the main event.

 

Big E vs. Cesario vs. Jack Swagger for the IC title is a match now being considered for WM.

 

I like it!

 

Dave Meltzer is reporting that both John Cena and Daniel Bryan will be getting big pushes after WM. Which seems a bit strange to me because when hasn't Cena gotten a push? Sounds like maybe he's going to lay down for Bray at WM, which is probably the smart long term move.

Meltzer also said the original WM plan for Bryan, if Punk never left, was going to be to face Sheamus. Now Christian is going to be booked with him. So that's one thing to be thankful for Punk leaving.

 

Sheamus and Bryan actually have really good chemistry together and them having a third WM match (one was a pre-show, the other was 17 seconds) that showed off what each can do with each other would have been kind of a cool story to tell where they were then and now.

Plus, it probably would mean Sheamus is a heel where he is infinitely more interesting.

 

I think it would be kind of a waste and let down of having one of the top faces in the company in a meaningless match with Sheamus though. I mean would anyone really want to see that match, especially since it would be their 3rd at WM?

I suspect if Punk never left Bryan probably would have eventually moved into the WWE title match in a Triple Threat match.

 

Meltzer also reported 100%-ish Punk was back Monday.......

 

/my bi-monthly contribution to this thread.

 

Meltzer's actual "report" and I put report in quotes because he said it on a Podcast was that he had heard from a top ranking WWE employee that Punk would be back but Meltzer also stated right after that he didn't think Punk would actually be back.

Meltzer is probably the best in the business with reporting things but even the best get false info. I think it's pretty clear that info was floated to Meltzer on purpose by the WWE. I mean even the best sports reporters get bad/false information or are used by the team to leak things on purpose for whatever reason.

 

I agree with that. But it's also fair to say the Bryan/Shameus plan might have been dirt sheets from months ago, and never truly a in-stone plan. Regardless, it worked out better for the fans IMO

 

It's certainly possible it was never set in stone but it's certainly a believable as if Punk never leaves Bryan is left really with nothing to do.

 

Not sure if it's been posted yet, but this is the funniest thing you'll experience today:

[video=youtube;f1DnQl-_0z4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1DnQl-_0z4[/video]

 

Grantland article about the WWE Network:

http://grantland.com/features/welcome-to-the-wwe-network/

 

Undertaker and Hogan with announcements tonight. Hearing Taker may announce last match.....or his match with Brock is a casket match.

Hogan may be announcing Warrior is being inducted by Linda Mcmahon who he just tweeted about (warrior)

 

Man I really hope the Taker/Lesnar match isn't a casket match as those type of matches are always lame due to the gimmick. I'd be pretty surprised if Taker announced this would be his last match (whether it was true or not) without the WWE running a Taker/Cena WM match with that one being announced as Taker's last match because due to the streak and drama of facing Cena, fans would legit have no idea who would win and it's the WWE last real "dream" match they can run. But you never know. If Taker does announce it, you can bet that's your WM main event then.

I'm really not sure what Hogan's announcement will be but I'm guessing it will be something like making the Triple H vs. Bryan match official.

I saw the Warrior tweet. I guess it makes sense because most people hate the Warrior or he hates them so the potential list of people that would intro him or he'd want them to intro him is probably extremely small.