Pro Wrestling Discussion

[ZariusTwo]

Ziggler signs a contract extension



The new deal apparently allows him to head home after he has a match and work independent projects. Ziggler seems to have agreed to more of an enhancement role in the company too.

[ZariusTwo]

Samoa Joe has been pulled from all live events until May

http://wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2018...-wrestlemania/

[The Deadman]

When Braun turns face the pop will be huge

[dl316bh]

He might already be there. He's subtly shifted to feuding mainly with heels, doing a bunch of awesome crowd pleasing stuff every couple weeks and just wrecking shop to healthy reactions. Where he's at right now feels kind of like mid 1999 to early 2001 Rock, where the act never really changed, just the context and targets, which led to them ending up face by sheer force of crowd reaction.

I actually have to give WWE credit for how they've booked the guy since he went solo. They've taken a lot of care and it's paid off. Assuming rumored plans are true, he'll have his first singles title at Wrestlemania and probably end up a multiple time world champion if they continue this way. They actually didn't get lazy on this one.

[ZariusTwo]

Apparently the WWE have declared the single brand PPVs to again be a massive failiure and starting from Backlash onward, all PPVs will be duel-branded once more.

[dl316bh]

Not the worst move. Smackdown's been struggling recently to even fill theirs with content worth watching. Hell, they've struggled recently in general. Of all the things we didn't really need, it was more "feuding authority figure" angles.

[The Deadman]

It's because any new talent that comes up automatically goes to Raw. Smackdown has gotten pounded when it comes to talent of any kind.

[dl316bh]

Originally Posted by The Deadman

It's because any new talent that comes up automatically goes to Raw. Smackdown has gotten pounded when it comes to talent of any kind.

Yeah, Bobby Roode and the Riott Squad aside, that's pretty much true. That said, they could actually utilize what they have a whole lot better. That's the difference between first year Smackdown and the second, I think; the writing and match agenting went down the toilet.

[sdp]

The brand extension was always a great idea on paper but it just never worked, I don't know why they decided to try it again using pretty much the same formula.

If they kept things exclusive to each brand with no connection, maybe only have a draft every two years to make it seem like it's a BIG event, have PPVs be of the best fueds of both Smackdown and Raw, yes you can have avent exclusive PPVs but max of two of them per year so it has real content built up. Have a new BIG PPV that is Smackdown VS Raw, if you don't rotate wrestlers that often then dream matches can be built up easily for this brand vs brand ppv and give us the WWF v WCW that we never got in the 90s. Those are the way the brand split can work.

[dl316bh]

Originally Posted by sdp

The brand extension was always a great idea on paper but it just never worked, I don't know why they decided to try it again using pretty much the same formula.

Can't say I agree. I've always appreciated it for the options. Not to mention the guys it gave chances to who never would have had them otherwise.

Have a new BIG PPV that is Smackdown VS Raw, if you don't rotate wrestlers that often then dream matches can be built up easily for this brand vs brand ppv and give us the WWF v WCW that we never got in the 90s.

They've tried that with Survivor Series, especially last year. I had fun with it, but not everyone did. A lot just made dismissive wanking motions and grumbled about how it derailed storylines for both brands.

[The Deadman]

Rich Swann & WWE Part Ways
https://411mania.com/wrestling/rich-...wwe-part-ways/

[The Deadman]

Jeff Jarrett is going into the HOF

http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwe-hall-of...?sf182508551=1

[dl316bh]

Originally Posted by The Deadman

Jeff Jarrett is going into the HOF

http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwe-hall-of...?sf182508551=1

... Why?

Well, having said that, I guess he did have the IC title a couple times. And the WCW championship; I want to discount that because it's the late era WCW championship, but screw it, I'll give it to him. I count all of Booker T's reigns and those were post Arquette, two of them post-Russo even. Plus I guess there's how important he was to Memphis.

Ahh, screw it, less deserving people are already in the hall, I guess, might as well let Jarret in.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by dl316bh

... Why?

Well, having said that, I guess he did have the IC title a couple times. And the WCW championship; I want to discount that because it's the late era WCW championship, but screw it, I'll give it to him. I count all of Booker T's reigns and those were post Arquette, two of them post-Russo even. Plus I guess there's how important he was to Memphis.

Ahh, screw it, less deserving people are already in the hall, I guess, might as well let Jarret in.

Jarret is definitely deserving. He co-founded and co-ordinated TNA's golden era, without which current WWE Champions and superstars wouldn't have gotten their break, and he was always a very solid worker.

He also has a fairly compelling real life story which can make for a halfway decent WWE Network special

[The Deadman]

[dl316bh]

That. Is. Amazing.

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

Jarret is definitely deserving. He co-founded and co-ordinated TNA's golden era, without which current WWE Champions and superstars wouldn't have gotten their break, and he was always a very solid worker.

He also has a fairly compelling real life story which can make for a halfway decent WWE Network special

WWE doesn't acknowledge TNA or anything to do with it, though. It's the one program that, metaphorically, "does not exist in this dojo". Fair enough on him being a solid enough worker, but I remember him for a lot of bad angles and bleh matches, so it might be different experiences.

The man does have an interesting enough history, though, I'll grant you that. Like I said, less deserving people already made it in and he's at least done things worthwhile and interesting.

[dl316bh]

So, holy s***, Raw kind of ruled last night. The first hour was amazing and Seth Rollins put on the performance of a lifetime in the gauntlet. The second hour/half lost some steam once Seth was out - his run through two of the toughest to beat characters WWE's ever had was the glue of the first hour - but was still fun. By the end, even a kind of middling third hour didn't even matter anymore. Who knew great wrestling could make for must see television?

I notice Braun is just straight up getting Goldberg-esque "Strowman" chants now. Guy's going to be the most over dude on the roster if they keep doing what they have been and don't blow it.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by dl316bh

WWE doesn't acknowledge TNA or anything to do with it.

Only so long as they don't possess the tape library, which they've tried to acquire several times

[XERO]

They did mention TNA when Stone Cold did his podcast on AJ Styles, but as for a mainstream acknowledgement, nothing of a whisper.

Seth Rollins was the MVP last night. Who else can say they beat Roman and Cena clean in one night? That's almost like Jericho beating Rock and Austin for the Undisputed title years back. Hell of a performance.

[dl316bh]

Originally Posted by XERO

They did mention TNA when Stone Cold did his podcast on AJ Styles, but as for a mainstream acknowledgement, nothing of a whisper.

Yeah, they can do that since Stone Colds podcast isn't directly affiliated with WWE except for very rare episodes with guys like Vince (which were often given guff because of how softball they were, which they likely needed to be to even happen).

Seth Rollins was the MVP last night. Who else can say they beat Roman and Cena clean in one night? That's almost like Jericho beating Rock and Austin for the Undisputed title years back. Hell of a performance.

Seth's been my favorite Shield guy since the split, but of all his performances - and he had some really great ones - Monday was on the all time list. He really proved that he had all the tools to be an all time scrappy babyface, able to play the gutsy underdog who is so skilled he can tough out most things and still win by being better at wrestling, but has limits and can be beaten. I liked that he looked progressively beat down after each match and, bursts of adrenaline aside, looked like he was dead on his feet sometimes, like you might after you manage to beat the unbeatable back to back with no rest.

I wonder what they do with him now. He proved he absolutely belongs in main event level feuds and stories. They gave him a great showing and let him beat the two toughest guys to beat in the company. Have him float around the main event until Jason Jordan is better and they can finish that angle?

Only so long as they don't possess the tape library, which they've tried to acquire several times

Yeah, though I wonder how it would have worked if they bought the tapes, but not TNA. Probably would have needed to buy the whole thing, top to bottom. Either way, not happening now, unless Anthem decides they made a mistake and want to offload (which I'm not sure would be a great thing, seeing as, despite how quality challenged TNA/Impact has been since birth, it's still another place in the US alongside ROH for guys to go if they don't want to go to or are done with WWE).