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

[S. Grundy]

Knowing WWE's head in the sand policy, the commentators will probably act like they don't know who AJ is when he debuts.

I think him showing up after the Rumble is over is more likely to happen than him actually competing. First match will probably be at Fastlane.

They might mention his time NJPW, but everything else will be refereed to as the "indies."

 

[Keyser Soze]

I love Jordan and Gable's promo style. Less like a scripted promo than a freewheeling conversation with one another, complete with weird tangents and asides.

 

[Wylie Times]

Based off crowd and fan reaction they need to change how they do things. Remember the old "Anything can happen it the WWF"...? Maybe it's time to bring that back for the new generation and for the sanity of the old generation.

We all know Roman isn't winning Sunday. The WWE is telegraphing the Rumble's ending terribly. Reigns is going to make it from #1 all the way through to the end and get eliminated/screwed in heartbreaking fashion to HHH, Sheamus, Lesnar, some other LoN member or even possibly Vince himself, all the while commentary will *********e furiously over Reigns heart and resiliency ect ect to get "us" all behind him when he, in true Cena like fashion, overcomes the odds gets loopholed into the WM main event and gets his WM moment.

Why not put the belt on AJ? We all know he's gonna be there. Give us the biggest shock since the streak ended. Go outside your comfort zone. Vince is gonna put the title on Roman on the grandest stage of them all whether we like it or not, does it matter who he goes over against? I'd rather see something unique like Styles vs Roman than anything else they could offer. Like I've said before, parlay that into the Bullet Club angle I mentioned before.

The problem with putting the belt on AJ that soon is that the majority of WWE's audience has NO IDEA who AJ Styles is.

We know because we're "hardcore" wrestling fans that watch stuff outside of WWE, but most of WWE's audience doesn't venture out to try anything else. At it's peak TNA was barely pulling in a fraction of WWE's audience, ROH's audience is even smaller and even people who watch both of those promotions don't always follow stuff in Japan.

The Royal Rumble is the perfect place to introduce AJ to the WWE universe, but you can't put the belt on a guy during that introduction, that's just setting someone up to fail.

 

[TX85]

Agreed

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

AJ's first match shouldn't be at the Rumble. From a business standpoint, it's better to build up his first match, not to have it unannounced underneath the big story line of Roman vs everyone else. They did it right with Sting; big debut, then a promo every week and then saving the first match for Wrestlemania. It gets hype, interest, and eager anticipation. Don't blow your load in 5 seconds; it's cheap. This is a huge moment in wrestling history and AJ's first match deserves the necessary time for the right build up.

 

[Warhammer]

I am now outrageously excited to watch the Royal Rumble now. Damn it, after months and months of disinterest, the WWE is actually getting me aboard the Road to Wrestlemania this year.

 

[cabel]

AJ winning the rumble could work if executed well. Granted that's a very big "could" and "if."

One of the few things TNA did right early on was establishing AJ as a guy to watch. One of my favorite matches is the double elimination four way to crown the first X division champion. The story of the match was all about making AJ. He starts off strong, giving Low Ki and Psicosis their first eliminations, only for the fresh Jerry Lynn to give AJ his own first elimination. Lynn dominates the rest of the match until it's down to him and AJ, and AJ has to beat him twice in a row to win.

If AJ were to win the Rumble, the best way to go about it would be to give him something similar the Flair '92 treatment. Have him enter relatively early (3-6), make a strong first impression. He doesn't need to dominate, but have enough stand out spots spaced out during the middle portion. As it gets down to the heavy hitters in the final ten or less, have him hold his own and look like he belongs. Even if he doesn't win and just makes it to the final four or three, that's still at least 30-40 minutes of ring time. Plenty of time to introduce and establish him for a potential big WM match. Provided his elimination isn't ultra lame.

 

[Wylie Times]

AJ winning the rumble could work if executed well. Granted that's a very big "could" and "if."

One of the few things TNA did right early on was establishing AJ as a guy to watch. One of my favorite matches is the double elimination four way to crown the first X division champion. The story of the match was all about making AJ. He starts off strong, giving Low Ki and Psicosis their first eliminations, only for the fresh Jerry Lynn to give AJ his own first elimination. Lynn dominates the rest of the match until it's down to him and AJ, and AJ has to beat him twice in a row to win.

If AJ were to win the Rumble, the best way to go about it would be to give him something similar the Flair '92 treatment. Have him enter relatively early (3-6), make a strong first impression. He doesn't need to dominate, but have enough stand out spots spaced out during the middle portion. As it gets down to the heavy hitters in the final ten or less, have him hold his own and look like he belongs. Even if he doesn't win and just makes it to the final four or three, that's still at least 30-40 minutes of ring time. Plenty of time to introduce and establish him for a potential big WM match. Provided his elimination isn't ultra lame.

The Flair comparison doesn't really work because he was one of the biggest draws of his era, and his era afforded him the chance to be seen by way more people than AJ has to date thanks to regional promotions having a more consistent presence in television and WWE not being as dominant as it is today.

I think some of you guys are really overestimating how many casual fans know A.J. Styles even exists. The "smark" crowd would go nuts over AJ entering and winning the rumble, but WWE only fans (which is most WWE fans) won't be that moved unless they make it a point to showcase AJ for the bulk of the rumble match.

 

[nite-owl]

 

[cabel]

I realize the Flair comparison was loose as best, hence why I said something similar. Even if you took out the regional tv, Flair still had at least a couple months of WWE TV getting in Hogan's business with the "real worlds champion." The fact that the 92 Rumble had so many established names didn't hurt either.

I'm trying very hard not to over or under estimate the casual fans knowledge of AJ. I'm trying to think of it from the storytelling perspective of how do I introduce a new character, make him appear credible in a short amount of time, without making seem to gimmicky or unbelievable. AJ doesn't have Lesnars look or Takers presence or the flashier mannerisms that Hogan, Savage, or Warrior used. So he doesn't have the "holy ***t!" at first glance factor going for him. IMO having him hold his own against the best WWE has to offer for thirty to sixty minutes would do a lot more to legitimize him to Joe-WWE Viewer than any lame briefcase cash in (Del Rio) or winning a table match out of nowhere (Sheamus). And in this case all the injuries could work to their advantage because when they do come back, they'll be totally fresh matches for Styles, and their first interactions won't be wasted as random encounters in the rumble.

 

[Superark]

I do think people are overestimating the casual knowledge of AJ but I think he'll get a great reaction nonetheless, especially since they're in Florida.

I think this is part of the reason WWE has been openinglying mentioning Styles on social media. I think they hope people are curious and look him up.

 

[javonstokess]

I still think they should put the WWE Heavyweight title on Bray Wyatt.

It's his time.

 

[TheCommissioner]

I love Jordan and Gable's promo style. Less like a scripted promo than a freewheeling conversation with one another, complete with weird tangents and asides.

when I first saw Jordan, I felt lots of talent but no personality

and the search for a tag partner and him pairing with Gable has bought the personality out

 

[Pink Ranger]

when I first saw Jordan, I felt lots of talent but no personality

and the search for a tag partner and him pairing with Gable has bought the personality out

Jordan is the classic straight man looking for a goofball to play off of. He's the Abbott to Gable's Costello.

 

[TheCommissioner]

so ive been ensnared by Total Divas, im not proud of it

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

I still think they should put the WWE Heavyweight title on Bray Wyatt.

It's his time.

I'd love to see Bray as champion, but he's gotta start consistently winning and move up the card before he's a serious world title contender. He's (sadly) a mid card 50-50 guy. I'm a big fan of him and I've still got hope that one day he'll reach the promised land.

 

[SpideyVille]

Bray is no different than Dolph in my eyes, in terms of wins and losses. He gets wins but only when they mean nothing.

 

[SpideyVille]

Here's the Undertaker working out.

[YT]0oZZ1ASMINc[/YT]

He kinda looks a little stiff there, really making me think that he needs to hang it up after this year's Mania.

 

[javonstokess]

Bray is no different than Dolph in my eyes, in terms of wins and losses. He gets wins but only when they mean nothing.

I disagree. I think if he were to win the Rumble and the title, then hold it THROUGH Wrestlemania, you're already establishing him as a Main Eventer.

Similar to how they pushed Seth Rollins, except this time, he keeps a DOMINANT group behind him.

 

[SpideyVille]

I disagree. I think if he were to win the Rumble and the title, then hold it THROUGH Wrestlemania, you're already establishing him as a Main Eventer.

Similar to how they pushed Seth Rollins, except this time, he keeps a DOMINANT group behind him.

But that's just my point, they could do the same with Dolph and you'd get the same result.

My point is right now, they are on the same level with how they're booked. Heck, the same can be said about many other guys who should be stars.

 

[SpideyVille]

I don't know if this has been discussed, but WhatCulture is claiming to have an exclusive on who else is being inducted in the Hall of Fame this year. The others are:

JBL
Jacqueline
The Fabulous Freebirds,
The Godfather
Regis Philbin

[YT]TkbznhReHVI[/YT]

 

[Warhammer]

I don't know if this has been discussed, but WhatCulture is claiming to have an exclusive on who else is being inducted in the Hall of Fame this year. The others are:

JBL
Jacqueline
The Fabulous Freebirds,
The Godfather
Regis Philbin

[YT]TkbznhReHVI[/YT]

If true, then it's cool to see another member of the Bone Street Krew get inducted since Rikishi and Yokozuna are already in there. And we know Taker is in the year after he retires.

 

[Wheels]

Jacqueline is an interesting choice.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Jacqueline is an interesting choice.

I think she was the first woman to hold a men's title in a major American promotion, and the first and only woman to hold two different men's titles in a major American promotion.

EDIT: My mistake, for some reason I have this hazy memory of her winning the WCW Television Title for some reason, but I think I'm mistaken about that.

 

[SpideyVille]

I only remember her as the Lita to Sable's Trish Stratus.