The Wrestling Thread's got...needs - Part 216

[Dr. Evil]

Styles, Nakamura, Anderson, Gallows, and possibly Tonga and Rocky Romero is a raid. That's six of the top ~20 or so guys in the company and 2 of the top 4 (Styles and Nakamura).

Note that I'm not saying WWE is bad or wrong for doing it. Just that it's going to decrease my enjoyment of pro wrestling because I don't believe those guys will be as entertaining in WWE as they have been elsewhere.

I think if Romero does go to WWE, it probably won't be as someone on NXT, but as a trainer, despite the reports saying he will do both. They need someone to replace Billy Gunn.

 

[famicommander]

all the teeth gnashing and hand wringing

if that was the case they would have grabbed Mike Bennett, ReDragon, and a couple others

They are booking shows in the same arenas and in the same markets as ROH shows. They are asking arenas not to book ROH any longer in exchange for WWE running shows in those same arenas.

In the last two years, they have signed:
AJ Styles (ROH/NJPW)
Samoa Joe (ROH)
Shinsuke Nakamura (NJPW)
Rocky Romero (ROH/NJPW)
Tama Tonga (NJPW)
Karl Anderson (NJPW)
Doc Gallows (NJPW)
Kevin Steen (PWG/ROH)
Kenta Kobayashi (NOAH/ROH)
Prince Devitt (NJPW)
El Generico (ROH/PWG/DG/Evolve)
Uhaa Nation (Dragon Gate)

Not to mention the guys they already released or guys they signed 2011-2012 like Sami Callihan, PAC, Jon Moxley, Brodie Lee, Ryan Drago, Claudio Castognoli, Octagon Jr, and former WWE guys they recently brough back from LU/TNA/ROH like Rhino, El Patron, Dreamer, the Dudleys, Sting, etc.

They're hoarding as much talent as they can to get people to subscribe to the Network, and so they can run more tours in 2016. They are aggressively signing talent away from all the notable indies and major Japanese/Mexican promotions.

The are viewing NJPW and ROH as a (minor) threat for the first time in a long time. ROH is running more shows and drawing more fans than they ever have before, and NJPW World is a direct competitor to WWE Network.

Who was the last real star that WWE developed internally? Randy Orton and Dave Batista? All the rest of the new stars since then (Punk, Danielson, Black, Moxley) came from the indies or Japan.

Again, I'm not saying this makes WWE the bad guy. But they're clearly attacking the major indies and international promotions now that TNA is basically irrelevant.

EDIT: and they have reportedly been interested in The Young Bucks, Moose, Jay Lethal, reDragon, the Briscoes, etc in the last few years for NXT.

 

[TheCommissioner]

Id love to see Moose in WWE, but they already have Uhaa Nation (Crews)

and I dont think they are attacking, they are establishing a pecking order here in the US

the WWE is the NFL, everyone else is college ball and there is enough room for both

 

[famicommander]

You don't try to muscle ROH out of arenas that are too small for most WWE shows anyway if you're not attacking them. You don't sign six of NJPW's best guys the day after their biggest show of the year if you're not attacking them.

ROH and NJPW are arguably the only two notable promotions in the world that have grown significantly the last few years. They aren't a threat to WWE yet, but they've grown enough for Vince to take notice of them.

 

[TheCommissioner]

theyll be fine, Im always hearing about how ROH attracts talent no matter what

 

[famicommander]

I'm not saying ROH and NJPW won't be fine. I'm saying WWE is attacking them, which they are.

 

[Wylie Times]

well its not a raid if these mens deals are up and they are electing to take a better offer

Seriously, AJ has said repeatedly that he'll go where he can make the most money.

Some people are acting as if WWE kidnapped a bunch of people in the middle of the night.

Instead of whining about the other feds losing talent, be happy that some very talented guys are going to get a chance to get paid VERY well and showcase their talents to a much bigger audience.

 

[TheCommissioner]

I disagree

as Eric Bischoff once said

one mans "talent raid" is anothers business acquisition

no one is holding guns to those talents heads

 

[TheCommissioner]

you say PoTAYto

I say PoTAHto

 

[Wylie Times]

I disagree

as Eric Bischoff once said

one mans "talent raid" is anothers business acquisition

no one is holding guns to those talents heads

Especially when you take into account the fact that a lot of great indy wrestlers have turned down WWE in the past or worked with the company only to decide to leave later.

One thing that can always be said about WWE is that their talent gets paid well and they get better opportunities than any other fed can offer.

 

[famicommander]

Nobody said WWE was holding a gun to anybody's head, and I didn't say there was anything wrong with what WWE is doing. Business is business.

But they've signed more indie/international guys in the last three years than they have at any point in the past. This is the largest string of acquisitions since WCW and ECW went down 15 years ago.

So don't call it a raid if you don't want to, but that's what it amounts to. WWE signing mass quantities of indie stars in a small timeframe.

 

[Dr. Evil]

I see what Famicommander is talking about. It's sort of like what happened to the NFL in 1986......that was the year where there was a mass acquisition of talented football players due to the folding of the USFL. Herschel Walker, Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Reggie White, Doug Flutie, Sam Mills all went to the NFL.

 

[cabel]

I feel like the word "Raid" implies that WWE stole (ie., convinced talents to go back on previously made commitments) with very little notice for the purpose of intentionally sabotaging a promotions ability to put on a show.

As far as I know, the talents in question had deals that were set to expire soon and were free to consider their options for whichever reasons they had (financial, personal, career, etc.).

Whatever dates affected by this development (again, as far as know) were done so with at least enough time for the promotions to change advertising, inform audiences, rearrange lineups, etc.

To me, a "raid" would be if Lethal, Elgin, the Briscoes, Cole, Strong, Moose, War Machine, Taven, reDragon, and The Addiction all left without prior warning on the day before, of, or after Best in the World, leaving ROH with nothing to put on except BJ Whitmer and Donovan Dijak.

Or the equivilent of the different exoduses that All Japan has endured.

 

[Dr. Evil]

All of the Indy/Japan guys could have stayed where they wanted to, they weren't forced to join WWE. It was their choice to go to the WWE. It's like the dream of every football player to play in the NFL or the dream of every baseball player to play in the Major Leagues.

Speaking of that, I think that the WWE is going to look at former UFC Fighters next. They already have Brock Lesnar, briefly flirted with Ronda Rousey and could sign Matt Riddle. They already have Seth Petruzelli as a striking coach. And do not be surprised if they go after one of Rousey's buddies in Shayna Baszler before 2016 is over. She's been trying the pro wrestling thing ever since her release from the UFC. Plus she appeared at Summerslam 2014 with Rousey. There was talk last year that the WWE could be interested in another one of Rousey's buddies in Jessamyn Duke if she ever gets released by UFC. Although he's never been in the UFC, new Smackdown voice Mauro Ranallo has done MMA. In fact, he did Strikeforce.

 

[Dr. Evil]

The fact that the WWE has been all over the rumors of the 4 NJPW stars all over social media means that they have been signed.

Again, they could have gone the Marvel Studios route and not commented.

 

[Wheels]

The only problem with WWE going after NJPW/ROH guys is the idea that WWE might just want bodies that are just there. The idea that it's better if WWE has these guys and possibly not doing much with them than other promotions benefiting from them.

I'm not knocking WWE or the guys who want the money and opportunity, but from a fan perspective I do wonder if we're going get a bunch of good talent not really doing much on the shows.

 

[TheCommissioner]

im thinking with the WWE wanting to make SmackDown mean something again, you need bodies to do that

 

[Benstamania]

My hope is that SmackDown becomes Triple H's show to run.. His cable network NXT. SmackDown at one time was my favorite wrestling show (when Heyman was lead writer) and I'm excited about it possibly being worth a **** again.

 

[SpideyVille]

Truth be told, WWE is hurting in the talent department, in terms of who is healthy. Seth's out, Cesaro's out, Bryan is still being withheld because of the concussion lawsuit and his issues.

It wouldn't hurt to bring in a few new guys and start some new rivalries and make things a little fresh.

 

[Incrediblejeff]

So I'm hearing Cena's injured.

 

[Bat Brain]

Damn. At this point Wrestlemania is gonna consist of Reigns wrestling himself.

 

[Incrediblejeff]

So many injuries this Wrestlemania season.John Cena,Seth Rollins,Cesaro,Daniel Bryan,Nikki Bella.This should be interesting to see how this all comes together.

 

[Benstamania]

Yep, Cena is out until after Mania. Shoulder surgery.

 

[Superark]

Man all of these injuries suck given the timing. Karma for all of WWE's terrible booking and failure to create true main event stars over the years.

If there was ever a time to try something fresh and new, this is it. Bring in AJ Styles and call up some the NXT guys and give them a chance against the few remaining stars they have actively wrestling on the roster.

 

[Wheels]

Jesus....