The Wrestling Thread was, is, and always will be a Hunter Rider Guy! - - Part 181

[H.U.S.T.L.E.]

Since this conversation about the Divas division coincides with the NXT buzz on the Network, I've been giving something a lot of thought. With the promotion of NXT Takeover on Raw, I felt that it was the best job WWE has done in promoting Network content since its launch. NXT is one of the flagship shows for the Network and from a cursory glance across message boards and other social media outlets, it's a big reason why some fans have maintain their subscriptions. Along those lines... since Main Event is a Network exclusive show, I think they could be doing much more with with it. Right now, they're using it for filler matches to continue storylines and giving away big announcements on a platform where a lot people will miss it. Instead, how about you structure it as another niche program like NXT?

I think it's time that they experiment, and I propose that they dedicate Main Event to the Divas division. With a core group of 12 or so like we outlined earlier, you could build a fairly compelling hour long show with the ladies on the main roster. In any given episode of NXT, you aren't seeing many more characters than that anyway, so with a more limited roster and steady screen time I think it would be very effective in fleshing out characters. In proposing this, I don't mean that we should never see a woman appear on Raw or Smackdown. I understand that part of their obligation to Total Divas will be promoting on their flagship show, and that's fine as long as it's kept to short doses. But Main Event would give a consistent platform to ALL the main roster women, which is a big problem with the way they're currently handled.

Then, to promote the show I would do several things: a 3-5 minute "Last week on Main Event" recap that shows viewers these women aren't invisible and actually involved in storylines, build to big matches on Raw and not always for PPV, and have main roster guys do color commentary with Renee on a guest basis. Make it niche and Network exclusive, promote it on your platforms and see how it goes. As of right now, nobody is thinking "Oh Main Event is on the Network? I gotta subscribe to see that!" I also think there'd be an added benefit to creating a hour-long show solely for the women. Right now, Main Event is purely an afterthought and an unnecessary burden on the creative team. Give one writer control of the Divas show like they do for NXT, which is a nice focused product. I just want to see them think outside the box for once, and they have a nice start with NXT. Provide a niche product and it can get people talking if the quality is there, we've seen that. There's plenty of talented women, so give them a chance to let them loose and perform!

 

[Specter313]

Doh! I forgot about Naomi. I feel like it's been forever since she had any spotlight though, maybe that's why?

She needed to have something else done to deal with that eye injury she had, that's why we haven't seen her much.

 

[MMMMM...Pancakes]

Takeover was great start to finish. Great main event, very we'll done fatal 4-way. One of my least favorite match types, but they put on one helluva match.

Enzo is so damn entertaining.

Happy for Kalisto-Cara, really like the duo. Cool to find out Kalisto is from the Chicago-land area.

Nice debut for Kenta.

Was pulling for Bayley, but solid match.

Bull f'n Dempsy with a nice squash on that idiot.

 

[DarkSentinel]

Guess who got WWE Network today?

 

[Slushy]

I helped raise funds for a documentary on "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff. We reached our goal on Kickstarter. The DVD is set for a February 2015 release date.

Its from the same guy who made Rock-N-Roll Never Dies: The Story of the Rock-N-Roll Express and Harley Race: The Greatest Wrestler On God's Green Earth.

 

[NDX]

Bull Dempsey is getting better every time I see him. It's great. Hope he can weather NXT and make a name for himself. Want to see him in WWE's midcard tossing jobbers around.

 

[DarkSentinel]

I can't help but think of a can of Rockstar every time I see Cody in that ****ing bodysuit.

 

[DarkSentinel]

He's full of Bo****.

 

[chamber-music]

Now that the WWE have some Lucha's that are over can they please release Rey from the prison they are holding him in.

When he was talking about CJ Parker:

Renee: Why'd you call him treasure?
Regal: Because he has a sunken chest!

I loved that line t:

William Regal is one slick gentleman

Baron Corbin is already over and he looks convincing as an imposing badass too

He got a 'thank you Baron' for squashing CJ Parker

Made me happy to see Mojo get squashed

I like Bull Dempsey but I will cheer anyone who squashes Mojo Rawley.

It's mind boggling how superior the NXT women's division is to the main roster women's division.

NXT actaully emphasis on the wrestling while the main WWE shows seem more interested in promoting Total Divas or some awful storyline.

I loved this. Kenta basically saying this is my ring now b*****s.

Speaking of something have any of you warmed up to Sami Zayn's current entrance and theme? At first I questioned it because of how much I liked his original theme but it grew on me because of how well it just fits him.

Like everything about the Sami Zayn character has pretty much become organic and that's really going to help him when he gets to the main roster.

I don't like Zayn's current theme. Like Adrian Neville I'm not a fan of that third wave American ska stuff.

They need to clean house of all the Divas except AJ, Paige, Emma and Natalya. Summer Rae can stay too because I want to see what she truly can do against the best first.

The rest can go. I really want to see the division succeed because I think there is a massive amount of potential there.

Naomi can stay the rest can GTFO.

 

[The Sage]

- JoJo Offerman of Total Divas season 1 fame did the ring announcing for all of the NXT TV tapings on Friday night and Thursday’s Takeover event. She also sang the National Anthem before both events began.

- It was interesting to see how the NXT referees “directed” the post-match segments and tapes. While a wrestler was making his exit up the ramp after the match, the referee would be standing behind the camera man and instructing the talent with hand signals on how long to keep playing to the crowd and when to wrap it up and head to the back.

- Hideo Itami, the former Kenta, will have his first match on next Thursdays episode. He will wrestle Justin Gabriel. Itami was used on every episode that was taped this week. It appears he will be using the diving double foot stomp as one of his finishers.

http://dailywrestlingnews.com/plans-hideo-itami-wwe-nxt-referees-directing-wrestlers-jojo/

 

[sweetre15]

I have some ideas for how WWE could change their product in an interesting contemporary way:

1.More "Grounded" video packages/interview segments

As I've noticed this has been effective for NXT, UFC, and WWE's Cena/Lesnar feud because the guys are given leeway to be more relaxed and comfortable in their own skin while talking. These type of packages could even benefit guys whom aren't the best talkers such as Cesaro, Roman Reigns etc and at the same time give viewers the impression that they really are getting to know these characters. To an extent, this even worked for the HBK/Bret feud for Mania 12.

2. Having different Championship belts headline the PPVs

If handled right, I think this can not only make ALL the titles seem prestigious again but can create more top draws in different areas of the card. Not only that but this can give WWE what they've been considering as well, a chance to give certain talents offseason to recharge much like the UFC does. Not to mention, there was a time when lesser titles could draw well headlining events and house shows etc in both NWA and WWF/E. A serious Divas, IC, Tag or US title feud can not only become front and center but get much deserved promo and ring time due to this.

The big exception to this rule would be for the two biggest PPVs of the year, Mania and Summerslam because now that you've treated every belt as special but having them get a chance to headline, them all being defended on one card will now be a big deal because it won't be as frequent and all the belts will have equal spotlight. With the network making PPV more moot, risks like these can be taken with less ramifications under the right circumstances.

3. Make the title feuds more about the titles

While some may argue that the "soap opera" approach is more "compelling for TV"(it isn't lol), the more "You got this belt I want it" type feuds produce a big fight atmosphere and SHOW how important those belts are to the wrestlers. This has been the case for feuds like Rock/Stone at WM17, Shawn/ Bret at WM12, any NXT title feud, or all UFC title defenses

Anyway, I've been thinking about this a lot and I know that this wouldn't be a plan to kick off tomorrow or next month even but something that SHOULD and could be planned for the long haul. How do you guys feel about this and what would you do differently or similar?

 

[NDX]

Can't miss NXT now. I think Kenta should just go by Itami. No first name to go with the fact that he's only used one name the last decade.

 

[Lunar_Wolf]

Finally caught up with Raw.

Seth almost getting stabbed by the spike…

The Jerry Springer segment was dog****, except for JBL's commentary. GOLD!

Randy trying to one up Seth/Kane's beating failed. Boo Randy!

Enjoyed the Miz/Dolph segment as well as Cena/Paul's.

 

[chamber-music]

I also want to say Triple H has done an excellent job making all three NXT titles feel relevant in such a short amount of time.

The titles don't feel like stop gaps to the main roster but something with actual prestige that every person on the NXT roster wants and values.

 

[Slushy]

Hulk Hogan and Montreal have a love story that started almost 35 years ago and peaked in 2002 when the fans gave him a huge standing ovation. This weekend he's back for the Montreal Comic Con and talked about some of his highlights in town.

August of 1980. For many sports fans it meant the closing of the controversial Moscow Olympic Games, boycotted by many countries, including the United States and Canada. But for wrestling fans, that month meant a memorable show in New York City.

Dubbed "Showdown at Shea", the event attracted more than 35,000 fans to the Mets' stadium to see the main event between Bruno Sammartino and Larry Zbyszko. Third from the top was a match between worldwide attraction Andre the Giant and a then-heel Hulk Hogan. A week later, the rematch was held in Montreal for the newly formed Varoussac Promotions, owned by Gino Brito, Frank Valois and Andre Roussimoff himself.

The match drew the group's first sell-out at Paul-Sauve Arena. Of course, these two matches weren't the most famous between the two, as they would wrestle seven years later in a jam-packed Pontiac Silverdome for WrestleMania III.

But Hogan has just as fond memories of the early bouts as the the big ones.


"I remember Jean Ferre -- Andre the Giant -- being very young and fast. Just very good memories of the old Paul-Sauve," Hogan told SLAM! Wrestling. "In 1980 Andre was faster, very healthy and very aggressive. Seven years later he had gained a lot of weight, he had some back problems, some back issues. He was a different person in the ring, he was not as fast, he was a lot bigger, he felt a lot stronger at Wrestlemania III. So the difference was speed compared to him being stronger in the later days because, I think, of his size. He was way overweight, though."

In the build-up for the match, the promoters sent Hogan on a crusade against other Frenchmen. Gino Brito, Jackie Wiecz and, believe it or not, the legendary Edouard Carpentier, all lost to him.



"I remember how nice of a person Carpentier was. Very kind, very nice guy. It was a great great honour to wrestle him," remembered the former six-time WWE champion.

At about the same time, Hogan was also working in Minneapolis and he met a young man from Quebec City with whom he became very good friend, Rick Martel. The story doesn't say if Martel helped Hogan wrestling-wise, but he sure did help him in some other ways.

"I met Rick when I lived in Minnesota and he was great. I was wrestling for Verne Gagne and the AWA and at the time I was not married, I was a single guy. So Rick Martel came in and we've became friends instantly. I told him I had a two-bedroom apartment and if he wanted he could hang out with me. It was the smartest move I've ever did! Because Rick Martel was so good-looking, we would go out to the bars and all the beautiful ladies would come to Rick and I would be there to get some of the girls Rick would attract. So it was a very good business move. I was the wing man, which was okay" laughed Hogan.

Fast forward to April 1997, and Hogan had one of the last great non-WWE main events in Montreal.

Not agreeing with Vince McMahon about doing a huge show at the Olympic Stadium, Jacques Rougeau Jr. unretired and signed with WCW, alongside tag team partner Pierre-Carl Ouellet. In April of 1997, they -- and not WCW -- co-promoted a show where Rougeau was going to wrestle Hogan in the main event. If this is not a news story itself, the fact that Rougeau beat Hogan 1-2-3 in the middle of the ring when the latter was WCW World champion and the leader of the nWo certainly is. Many rumours have it that Rougeau had paid Hogan to lose, but the truth of the matter is that it was Hogan's idea.

"It was business and it was the right thing to do," he said. "Jacques was working very very hard for wrestling in Montreal. And on top of that, Jacques is a great man, a good wrestler and I know he would've done the same thing for me. Me and him had a little bit of an argument about it because he disagreed with me [about the ending of the match]. But I won at the end!"

Going back to Atlanta, the powers-that-be weren't very happy with that, even if WCW had never ran a show in Montreal and didn't intend to in the future. But it didn't really matter to Hogan.

"I got a ton of heat, but I didn't care. Those guys were all a bunch of marks back in the day anyway, so I didn't care."

With Jake "The Snake" Roberts battling health issues, he was dropped from the Montreal Comic Con. Jacques Rougeau Jr. was announced as a guest for this weekend's event, meaning it will be the first time that Hogan and Rougeau will be together in Montreal in 17 years.



After WCW was bought by WWE, Hogan came back "home" to wrestle The Rock at Wrestlemania X8 in Toronto's SkyDome. The next night, Monday Night Raw was in Montreal and even though Hogan was a good guy again and teamed with The Rock, he was still wearing his nWo colours. Therefore it's only a few weeks later in May of 2002, when he came back in red and yellow, the same colours most fans grew up with, that they showed their appreciation. When he came to the ring, he received a standing ovation that lasted near 10 minutes, something unheard of. Plain and simple, Montreal made Hulk Hogan cry that night.

"I didn't know there was that much love and that much respect for Hulk Hogan in Montreal. I remembered that they cheered and they cheered and they wouldn't sit down. It almost ruined the show because they cheered for so long I couldn't get them to shut up. They were so respectful and they give me so much love," recalled The Hulkster.

"That's why I'm excited about coming to Comic Con, because I haven't had a chance to sit down with the fans and tell them thank you, shake their hands, look at them in the eyes. It's really important to me. So it's a big day for me because Montreal is my favourite city," he added.

Hogan loves Montreal so much that he even likes its weather. Well, kind of!

"I told my wife Jennifer that when we leave Florida I want a house in Montreal, because it's more beautiful in Montreal during the summer than it is in Florida. I've also been to Montreal during the winter and it's beautiful. But it's brutal! Some days I would be in my hotel and there was so much snow I couldn't see the building across the street. So it's beautiful but it can get brutal!"

On top of the usual autographs and photos, fans in attendance Friday night have a chance to be part of the Hulk Hogan: Uncut. Who better than the man himself to explain what the fans can expect from that special event?

"It's pretty raw. I mean, we come out, we just play a little bit of video of my career, Jimmy Hart introduces himself to the crowd, says hello to everybody and then brings me out. And when I come on stage Jimmy Hart goes down in the crowd with a microphone. And basically, I say, 'Okay guys, what do you wanna know? What questions have you always wanted to ask?' Most of the people are very respectful, very gracious. There are very interesting questions, very cutting edge questions. Most of the fans don't care about my personal stuff. They want to know about wrestling. What's Verne Gagne like? What's Eric Bischoff like? What's Vince McMahon like? It's a lot of fun."

Credit: SLAM! Wrestling

Of course, Hogan putting over The Mountie for free is complete BS, but him staying with Martel is a true story. The Model confirmed it in his shoot interview. While it wasn't a single match, it was cool to see Hogan Vs. Martel at Survivor Series 1990.

 

[S. Grundy]

I kinda really want to see WWE stick Kenta with Paul Heyman, that pairing could be gold. But since they apparently only want Heyman with Lesner and no one else, it will never happen.

 

[sweetre15]

I have some ideas for how WWE could change their product in an interesting contemporary way:

1.More "Grounded" video packages/interview segments

As I've noticed this has been effective for NXT, UFC, and WWE's Cena/Lesnar feud because the guys are given leeway to be more relaxed and comfortable in their own skin while talking. These type of packages could even benefit guys whom aren't the best talkers such as Cesaro, Roman Reigns etc and at the same time give viewers the impression that they really are getting to know these characters. To an extent, this even worked for the HBK/Bret feud for Mania 12.

2. Having different Championship belts headline the PPVs

If handled right, I think this can not only make ALL the titles seem prestigious again but can create more top draws in different areas of the card. Not only that but this can give WWE what they've been considering as well, a chance to give certain talents offseason to recharge much like the UFC does. Not to mention, there was a time when lesser titles could draw well headlining events and house shows etc in both NWA and WWF/E. A serious Divas, IC, Tag or US title feud can not only become front and center but get much deserved promo and ring time due to this.

The big exception to this rule would be for the two biggest PPVs of the year, Mania and Summerslam because now that you've treated every belt as special but having them get a chance to headline, them all being defended on one card will now be a big deal because it won't be as frequent and all the belts will have equal spotlight. With the network making PPV more moot, risks like these can be taken with less ramifications under the right circumstances.

3. Make the title feuds more about the titles

While some may argue that the "soap opera" approach is more "compelling for TV"(it isn't lol), the more "You got this belt I want it" type feuds produce a big fight atmosphere and SHOW how important those belts are to the wrestlers. This has been the case for feuds like Rock/Stone at WM17, Shawn/ Bret at WM12, any NXT title feud, or all UFC title defenses

Anyway, I've been thinking about this a lot and I know that this wouldn't be a plan to kick off tomorrow or next month even but something that SHOULD and could be planned for the long haul. How do you guys feel about this and what would you do differently or similar?

As an extension of this, I feel these things must be required:

1. At LEAST 5 months of consistentt booking of Raw and Smackdown as well as PPVs while using #1 and #3 in tandem together.

2. Cutting out the bums in each division and replacing them with NXT talents:

Diva "bums" that need to go...away from the division:

"Cameron, Nikki Bella, Brie Bella, Rosa Mendes, Eva Marie, and I like Layla but her time is running out.

Diva division should focus on:

AJ, Paige, Natalya, Emma, Naomi, Alicia Fox, Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Bayley, Summer Rae, and Alexa Bliss over time.

Hell they could even have someone retire the belt and bring back the "Women's title".

IC/US title picture "bums" that need go:

Great Khali, Adam Rose(just the gimmick), R-truth, Jack Swagger

Focuses of talent in those divisions:

Dolph Ziggler, Sheamus, Justin Gabriel, Tyson Kiddd, Sami Zayn, Adrian Neville, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Antonio Cesaro, Rusev, Big E, Bray Wyatt, Damien Sandow, Wade Barrett

Tag team division "bums" that need to go:

Rybaxel, Slator Gator, Los Matadores(just repackage them is all I ask)

Teams that should be focused on:

Usos, Wyatts, The Mechanics, The Ascension, Vaudevillains, Lucha Dragons, The Rhodes Bros, the Legionnaires, and The Realest Guys in the Room.

3. It would also require a memorable segment to execute change #2 and get people excited for the belts all having separate PPVs because it's not Something that can be broken in overnight or without in-universe explanation.

Thoughts on all this guys?

 

[OnTheAir]

Just left a WWE house show in Springfield, MA @ the MassMutual Center:

• Sin Cara d. Heath Slater...Slater demands an opportunity for redemption, which leads to:

• The Great Khali d. Heath Slater

• Mark Henry d. Cesaro

• Paige d. Natalya in a submission match to retain the Diva's championship

• The Uso's & the Big Show d. the Wyatt Family (Show pins Harper)

• Adrian Neville d. Tyler Breeze to retain the NXT championship

• Goldust and Stardust d. Kofi Kingston and Big E (with Xavier Woods; Cody pins Kofi..."the New Nation" performed as faces)

• John Cena d. Kane in a no disqualification match

 

[PyroChamber]

 

[Dr. Evil]

Would Kurt Angle go to GFW?

 

[NDX]

Catching up on SmackDown, R-Ziggler better stick around a few weeks.

 

[MMMMM...Pancakes]

Catching up on SmackDown, R-Ziggler better stick around a few weeks.

I enjoyed it too, but it makes me miss the days where we'd see miniature versions of the wrestlers.

 

[Lobo]

Flair, Dusty and Murdoch

 

[NDX]

I enjoyed it too, but it makes me miss the days where we'd see miniature versions of the wrestlers.

[YT]_3gNyz2j_ts[/YT]

 

[sweetre15]

Vince is a moron.......Nuff said:

While Paul Levesque, famously known as Triple H, may be gaining in influence and gearing up to take over WWE from father-in-law Vince McMahon one day, the passing of the torch has yet to officially happen.

Vince is still "in charge," as it were, even if you would assume his influence is decreasing as Triple H takes over. This odd power-sharing situation is causing increasing confusion, with certain wrestlers being pushed, then falling down the card suddenly. Some of these frustrating 'Start-and-Stop' pushes can be attributed to Triple H and Vince's differing views on wrestlers.

Cesaro has been subject to those 'Start-and-Stop' pushes as much as anyone. Triple H is a big booster and gets his way to push him every few months, but then Vince sours on him and begins to bury him again. The cycle continues.

In addition to finding him boring, as has been reported in the past, it is now said that Vince doesn't believe he's aggressive enough or a "tough guy." This comes down to personal taste, with Vince possibly seeing him as "too hoity-toity," "European," and "too book smart."

Vince sees some potential in Cesaro, but doesn't "get" him, as is the case with a lot of guys. His standpoint often comes down to whether he make money off a wrestler or he at least falls in line with his personal taste. If a wrestler doesn't fit either bill, he won't truly be accepted by him.

The backstage sentiment on Cesaro is much more positive; he is "universally loved" by his peers. He's regarded as a great worker and a really, really nice guy. It is said that "with the exception of some pieces of garbage, everyone is rooting for him."

Source: PWPIX