The Wrestling Thread Mustache You a Question

[Hunter Rider]

 

[Anno_Domini]

The only question is how big of an ass kicking will Punk take, that's about it. The main event is useless to someone like me, no doubt the casuals will love it whether it's good or not. Rock nor Cena have done anything to make me want to see it. Triple H and Lesnar is match that will be a good brawl I imagine but it doesn't mean jack to me.

Something huge has to happen that shocks everyone at WrestleMania 29, because this is paint by numbers stuff right now.

What if Punk ends up beating Undertaker?

 

[Pink Ranger]

What if Punk ends up beating Undertaker?

Even though Taker is the odds-on favorite, I would not summarily dismiss the idea of a Punk victory. Of anybody on the current roster right now, part-timers included, only he and Cena would be the ones in any position to break the streak.

 

[Nell2ThaIzzay]

The stipulation is all wrong because it'll make Brock Lesnar look weak by getting pinned or submitted.

BTW, there is a 0% chance that Lesnar wins. The WWE is not smart enough to allow that to happen nor will Triple H allow it to happen.

Should have made it Last Man Standing. That way, Triple H can still win the match and yet Lesnar would not look weak and Lesnar would then claim that Triple H has never pinned him.

This doesn't even make sense.

Taking a pin is "damaging", but being beaten so badly that you can't even stand is "protection"???



I'd say that having the claim that you beat someone so badly that they couldn't stand (especially for a beast like Lesnar) is a much bigger accomplishment than pinning someone's shoulders to a mat for 3 seconds, especially since the pin is the basic objective of even amateur wrestling.

 

[Van Petrol]

Was that him that sounded a bit...girly? That or it sounded like a banshee. Lol.

Lol, that was all Brock, I believe.

 

[Wheels]

What if Punk ends up beating Undertaker?

Punk winning or Cena turning heel. WWE has done a horrible job building this WrestleMania . It feels like there is no mystery to it at all.

 

[TheFuture]

This doesn't even make sense.

Taking a pin is "damaging", but being beaten so badly that you can't even stand is "protection"???



I'd say that having the claim that you beat someone so badly that they couldn't stand (especially for a beast like Lesnar) is a much bigger accomplishment than pinning someone's shoulders to a mat for 3 seconds, especially since the pin is the basic objective of even amateur wrestling.

There's ways around protecting people in Last Man Standing matches. The most recent one for example, where Show's feet were taped to the ropes. He wasn't "badly beaten"; just out smarted.

A Last Man Standing match between Brock and Hunter would have been perfect as they could have let Brock destroy him for much of the match, only for Hunter to beat him with an incredible feat (think how Cena beat Batista in their I Quit match when I mean feat). You could have Lesnar just *barely* fail to make it to his feet too before the count of 10.

No-one comes out of that scenario looking weak.

Funnily enough, you've hit it on the head in regards to why Hunter shouldn't get a pin on Lesnar: it's the purest form of beating another wrestler. It's de facto, rather than being a grey area where no-one really wins.

 

[Donnie Darko]

There's ways around protecting people in Last Man Standing matches. The most recent one for example, where Show's feet were taped to the ropes. He wasn't "badly beaten"; just out smarted.

Didn't Cena do something similar to Umaga a few years back? Like tied his neck up in the ropes or something?

 

[bullets]

Jericho needs a title, he has put on great matches, is way over with the crowd and is a good character.
While its good he is jobbing to put people over, in the long run it might hurt his overall status, WHC or IC run would be great.

Y2J and Christian in a feud would be nice.

I think Jericho working with Fandango at Mania is beneath him. It's one thing to have a match with anybody on RAW , but Jericho deserved better than this. I'd rather him face Barret or Cesaro. It's a shame he isn't wrestling Ziggler. They could of stole the show.

I can't wait for Christian to return. There's a lot of possible feuds that could happen.

What if Punk ends up beating Undertaker?

If they really want to exploit cheap heat and make Punk the biggest heel in wrestling it could happen. It would be kind of a disappointment when Takers last few matches were about respect. However I'm not expecting any surprises unless Taker gets his urn back before Wrestlemania.

Exactly, AntMan. I don't see why some people can't see this or are trying to play it off like its not true. We get more Rock on Raw in movie trailers than the actual man on Raw.

Sadly that's not even an exaggeration. At least there was some intensity the last time Rock and Cena faced off. This feels like two people who don't want to face each other and Rock's absence should be felt by the entire WWE universe this time.

Are the IC and US titles looking like getting defended?

It looks like Wade Barret vs Miz or Jericho or both in another triple threat.

Unfortunately Cesaro doesn't have a match yet.

 

[bullets]

This doesn't even make sense.

Taking a pin is "damaging", but being beaten so badly that you can't even stand is "protection"???



I'd say that having the claim that you beat someone so badly that they couldn't stand (especially for a beast like Lesnar) is a much bigger accomplishment than pinning someone's shoulders to a mat for 3 seconds, especially since the pin is the basic objective of even amateur wrestling.

In a strange way it does work. Remember when Austin passed out in Bret's sharpshooter at WM 13. He came out of that match looking like a badass. If you can take a massive beating and not be pinned or submit it makes you look tougher.

 

[TheFuture]

Didn't Cena do something similar to Umaga a few years back? Like tied his neck up in the ropes or something?

I'm not sure, but Cena actually did something similar to Batista in their LSM; he taped his feet to the ring posts with duct tape.

 

[Donnie Darko]

Fair enough, but my thinking is that, maybe unlike the male wrestlers, female wrestling and female MMA are much more different skill sets, and each one would attract a different sort of female athlete.

For example, take the uber-diva Trish Stratus. Even if MMA was more legitimate back then, I wouldn't see her gravitating to that sport, or at least being very good at it. She and Molly Holly came from competitive fitness backgrounds: the most successful wrestling divas tend to be more gymnastic-like (smaller, more compact frames) whereas most of the successful female MMA fighters I've seen tend to be rangier for their size and basically would have competed in martial arts of some sort from an early age.

I agree with you here. Female wrestlers tend to be fitness models with some athletic background. Not many female mixed martial artists are very attractive, which is usually a prerequisite to become a WWE Diva. I could be very wrong in assuming they don't, but do any Divas come from a wrestling or martial arts background, such as high level judo or jiu jitsu?

 

[Nell2ThaIzzay]

There's ways around protecting people in Last Man Standing matches. The most recent one for example, where Show's feet were taped to the ropes. He wasn't "badly beaten"; just out smarted.

A Last Man Standing match between Brock and Hunter would have been perfect as they could have let Brock destroy him for much of the match, only for Hunter to beat him with an incredible feat (think how Cena beat Batista in their I Quit match when I mean feat). You could have Lesnar just *barely* fail to make it to his feet too before the count of 10.

No-one comes out of that scenario looking weak.

Funnily enough, you've hit it on the head in regards to why Hunter shouldn't get a pin on Lesnar: it's the purest form of beating another wrestler. It's de facto, rather than being a grey area where no-one really wins.

I think a Last Man Standing match is appropriate for these 2 because it tells a good story between 2 absolute monsters in the ring who have throughout their careers shown an absolute disregard for the well being of their opponents, who absolutely despise each other on a personal level and want nothing more than to beat the ever living hell out of each other. THAT's why a Last Man Standing match would be appropriate. Not because somehow one guy is "protected".

And that's the level that I can't get to when watching wrestling. I just don't see how someone can enjoy it when all you're doing is nitpicking over how someone wins or loses a match, and who got "protected".

Someone has to win. Someone has to lose. One way or another, someone is getting the final laugh.

 

[Nell2ThaIzzay]

In a strange way it does work. Remember when Austin passed out in Bret's sharpshooter at WM 13. He came out of that match looking like a badass. If you can take a massive beating and not be pinned or submit it makes you look tougher.

I mean, sure, you look tough in the "never give up under any circumstances" aspect, and that's a cool character building tool, but you also got your ass handed to you to the point that you were unconscious.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I agree with you here. Female wrestlers tend to be fitness models with some athletic background. Not many female mixed martial artists are very attractive, which is usually a prerequisite to become a WWE Diva. I could be very wrong in assuming they don't, but do any Divas come from a wrestling or martial arts background, such as high level judo or jiu jitsu?

Eve Torres is a Gracie-trained jujitsu blue belt, but has not competed in the sport, to my knowledge.

I'm sure most of the divas have had at least some martial arts or greco-roman training at some point in their lives, but not to the level you need to even think about an MMA career.

 

[OnTheAir]

Fandango probably has the best entrance, visually, in wrestling today.

But nothing will beat MNM.

This! Dat Melina! t:

 

[Metallo]

Originally Posted by Slushy
While Punk is stuck being Undertaker's job boy, I used to hate it, but now I don't mind it as he's doing a great job to get heat plus its nice that The Best In The World is getting into The Phenom's head by toying with his emotions!

The main reason Wrestlemania was a success (aside from celebrity involvement) was because Roddy Piper was such a sh** talking assh*le, people paid good money to see Hulk Hogan try to kick his ass. Punk is simply continuing a time honored tradition.

While I'm getting what I've always wanted with Rock and Cena fighting for the title, Punk will give Undertaker the best match of the night and his best WM match since Michaels at 25. Fair trade.

A difference is Piper was smart enough to not let himself be totally chewed up by the Hogan hype machine or get fed to him in clean losses. It kept the heat going for much longer than it would have otherwise. Punk hasn't really had that option of protecting himself as much. He's already lost to Rock twice and I can't see his loss to Taker being a questionable one. Not with the ante being upped. The match should be good but I think everyone already expected that.

Originally Posted by NDX
Anyone else hearing the Harlem Globetrotters theme here?

Dammit I am now! Someone put this footage to the Globetrotters theme ASAP! Man...it would be even better if we got a Globetrotters cameo in the WWE/Scooby Doo movie.

Originally Posted by Hunter Rider
This looks incredibly goofy to me, like something from the mid 90's, not at all what I was hoping for and it makes you wonder what the plan was if Paul Bearer had not died. At this rate I just hope they go the whole hog and make it a casket match

If we think its bad now I can only imagine the stuff they have Punk do in poor taste when he has an actual casket to work with. He might wheel a casket out with Paul Bearers picture on it or something. This whole thing seemes so...forced. So artificial...even by wrestling standards. Its hard for me to describe. You probably know what I mean.

Originally Posted by Dr. Evil
The stipulation is all wrong because it'll make Brock Lesnar look weak by getting pinned or submitted.

BTW, there is a 0% chance that Lesnar wins. The WWE is not smart enough to allow that to happen nor will Triple H allow it to happen.

Should have made it Last Man Standing. That way, Triple H can still win the match and yet Lesnar would not look weak and Lesnar would then claim that Triple H has never pinned him.

I agree. The stipulations are kinda lame. At least with LMS Triple H could hit Brock with a sledge or something and Brock cold be protected in a loss. No holds barred works to make Triple H look better than Lesnar in this instance. Brock will probably do every dirty underhanded thing to beat Trips but Triple H will still come out on top. And the worst part is the stips guarentee Triple H is winning this. It removes most doubt. IF Lesnar does win there's no way Triple H is really going to retire. Everyone knows this. And he's not going to go for a best of three/blowoff match later so there would be no point in Triple H losing again only to come back and face Lesnar one last time. Why? Would Brock even agree? Mania is the last match and the win that will matter more so of course Triple H will go over.

Originally Posted by Hunter Rider
According to WZ's Josh Isenberg, who is in attendance for Raw tonight, during the commercial break right before Alberto Del Rio's entrance, WWE ran a video on the TitanTron with Ricardo Rodriguez challenging the fans to chant Del Rio's name as loud and long as they can.

As we reported earlier today, WWE is not pleased with the lack of connection Del Rio is making with the live crowd as a babyface, so it appears the Rodriguez video is an attempt to make his pop appear as big as possible on TV.

Its pretty sad that they have to work this hard to generate an artificial babyface response for Del Rio. They're trying to force it. If they want him to be over as a babyface the kind of babyface role they are forcing him to play is a terrible choice. Its not a natural fit for him and not all that appealing.

The audience isn't always as easy to manipulate as Vince thinks. Not when you don't have something compelling to manipulate them with.

Originally Posted by UnionJack
Jericho needs a title, he has put on great matches, is way over with the crowd and is a good character.

While its good he is jobbing to put people over, in the long run it might hurt his overall status, WHC or IC run would be great.

Yeah I agree. A title run would make Jericho look stronger and he could make the belt look stronger. It needs it. He and Rey did a lot for the IC title. Him dropping the belt to a deserving younger talent would be a bigger deal than most others doing it on every front. Barrett beating Jericho for the IC title would mean more than beating say...Kofi no matter who is champion. Thats why I was kind of hoping Jericho won the WHC at some point only for Dolph to cash in on him. It would have been more of a win-win for a number of people than only watching Swagger face Del Rio.

Originally Posted by Pink Ranger
Interesting, but why do you say that? Is there because you think there might be a lot of lost talent, of legit female fighters going over to the UFC rather than pro wrestling?

Not so sure about how much talent crossover there will be, in my own opinion. When I think back to the "golden age" of women's wrestling in the WWE, basically 2000-2005, I can't think of too many of those divas that would have been suitable for an MMA career. Take the athletic ones--Trish Stratus, Molly Holly, Ivory, Lita--not sure if any of them would have started an MMA career had the option been more attractive. Lita maybe, but I get the impression she got the wrestling bug for the time she was there.

I think Dr Evil means in terms of his hopes that WWE rebuilds the womens division with some real athletes and talented, more tough female wrestlers instead of more models. It really depends on which women you look at and which era. The girls you mentioned probably wouldn't have chosen MMA over wrestling but take someone like Eve: An athlete with a love of MMA and some training in it. WWE DID push her pretty heavily as one of their top divas. Probably right behind K2 for the last few years. She was as close to a total package as anyone in WWE today. But if WWE considered hiring more girls like her some of them might consider MMA over wrestling. If Eve had the choice now who knows if she would have made the same one.

Originally Posted by Hunter Rider

Mmmm...yum. So hard to choose which one I like best. I'd have to take them both. But...dear lord...Mickie.

Originally Posted by Dr. Evil

Spoiler

- Aces and 8's introduce Ivelisse Velez as their Knockout representative. Velez defeated Mickie James.

I must see this match. The TNA One Night Only [BLACKOUT]Tag Team Tournament[/BLACKOUT] sounds really good too.

Originally Posted by Anno_Domini
What if Punk ends up beating Undertaker?

That would be shocking and generate massive heat with this angle. The problem is the way this angle has been played out. Even if Bearer and Taker are ok with it I can't imagine Vince allowing this to end, AND the streak to end, with Paul Bearers memory being allowed to be disrespected. I just can't see what is essentially his last WWE angle ending like that when they look back on this feud years from now.

I still think Punk has a chance of winning but its a slim one. Really REALLY slim. The realist in me says more than ever that Taker goes over because of the personal stake he now has in avenging the memory of Paul Bearer. In a company thats run the Rock vs Cena angle for three years I can't see them doing something as risky or outside of the box (no pun intended) as Punk breaking the streak in this set of circumstances even though he IS the best option to do it under normal circumstances.

 

[Donnie Darko]

Eve Torres is a Gracie-trained jujitsu blue belt, but has not competed in the sport, to my knowledge.

Ah yes, I remember hearing something like that before.

 

[TX85]

If Jericho faces Fandango at WM AND puts him over..I'll pissed&depressed for Jericho,It'd be such a crime!

 

[Wheels]

Brock is probably not going to be hurt losing to Triple H, because he's a guy I feel can recover from anything. I mean he had a pretty lame record in UFC, and was positioned as a main eventer because he's Brock Lesnar, and yet he was still the top draw in UFC.

He's still a freak of nature no matter what happens. People always pay to see him even when they shouldn't . He's one of the most overrated UFC fighters ever and he's still the top PPV draw.

 

[OnTheAir]

Couldn't watch Raw live last night...had to work. And while at work, I was much more interested in my Celtics vs. the Heat than Raw.

Recorded it, though, and watched it early this morning. Quick thoughts:

I'm sorry, but Titus cracked me up. I don't want to see him do this regularly, but if he pulls it out every now and then, I'm fine with it.

Some of us may want Punk to be a face, but dude is absolutely glorious as an antagonizing heel. Dropping the urn was such a "punk" move...loved it!

I'm thrilled for Booker T...very much deserved. This is one hell of a class!

I really don't like Jericho as a face...he thrives as a heel. But, the "wait...I didn't get my movie tickets" line was gold!

I'm not a fan of Barrett or Miz in the ring, but that was a very good triple threat.

I love Heyman.

And, uh...that's about it. Lackluster show overall, to put it kindly. This feels like "the road to Over The Limit" as opposed to "the road to Wrestlemania."

 

[Pink Ranger]

If Jericho faces Fandango at WM AND puts him over..I'll pissed&depressed for Jericho,It'd be such a crime!

I suspect Fandango's first match will be a loss for him via walkaway countout.

 

[TX85]

I suspect Fandango's first match will be a loss for him via walkaway countout.

Which will waste Jericho's role&time even more at WM

 

[venom892]

I don't think what makes this Wrestlemania lackluster is its predictability as much as the fact that there is no reason to get emotionally invested in any of the matches. I remember when a main event at wrestlemania was teased and built for months.Even the undercard got weeks of build up. It seems WWE is really confident in the drawing power of Cena/Rock II, so much so that they have put no effort in building any other matches. The Paul Bearer stuff should have been the focus of one promo, not the entire fued. Ziggler deserves more than a tag match and Jericho deserves way more than Fandago. I would have loved a Ziggler/Jericho match up for the briefcase. Aw this mania is going to blow.

 

[Metallo]

Brock is probably not going to be hurt losing to Triple H, because he's a guy I feel can recover from anything. I mean he had a pretty lame record in UFC, and was positioned as a main eventer because he's Brock Lesnar, and yet he was still the top draw in UFC.

He's still a freak of nature no matter what happens. People always pay to see him even when they shouldn't . He's one of the most overrated UFC fighters ever and he's still the top PPV draw.

A lot of Lesnars drawing power in UFC came from the combo of the crosssover of some wrestling fans, MMA fans that liked him, and MMA purists that didn't respect him and payed just to see him beated/embarresed. There was a bit of old scool wrestling heeling and promotion with him in UFC. He and white were smart enough to make money off that.

He's always going to be a big deal but he'd be even bigger if they kept him looking strong and saved a more potent unbeatable image instead of letting him lose to Triple H. Its a case of using that image sparringly and at the best time possible to benefit WWE most instead of wasting some of that aura on HHH. Like I said he'll always draw but theres "draw" and "even bigger draw" if theres still that image of not being beaten as much.