What Kinda Wrestling Thread You Runnin' Here?

[ShadowBoxer]

Cameron, David Otunga (still on the payroll), Byron Saxton, Eden, Sasha Banks, Jason Jordan from NXT, Uhaa Nation (on his way to NXT after he finishes his indie commitments), arguably Layla...I think that's it. Agreed... this must be the largest number of people of African descent that Vince has employed (on screen).

I forgot about Naomi and Sasha Banks. Didn't know Otunga was still in the WWE. I thought he got released a while back.

 

[Dr. Evil]

Cameron, David Otunga (still on the payroll), Byron Saxton, Eden, Sasha Banks, Jason Jordan from NXT, Uhaa Nation (on his way to NXT after he finishes his indie commitments), arguably Layla...I think that's it. Agreed... this must be the largest number of people of African descent that Vince has employed (on screen).

That if you exclude White South Africans Adam Rose and Justin Gabriel....although neither of whom are Afrikaners.

 

[OnTheAir]

It won't be long before the decision is going to be out of WWE's hands. Cena has been wrestling full-time for 14 years, 10 of which he's been a main eventer with a brutal travel schedule. He'll be 38 this year, and he's sustained several major injuries. The inherent risks of the wrestling business have been well-documented. WWE either needs to drastically lighten Cena's work load, or be prepared for the inevitable day when he sustains a severe injury.

Agreed. They need to find someone else. To groom someone else. But in this era of 50/50 booking, the only guys who have gotten over with the audience enough to even begin to approach Cena-levels (Punk, Bryan) don't have the look or demeanor that Vince wants as "The Face Of WWE." It speaks to why they want Reigns to be that guy so badly.

 

[OnTheAir]

I forgot about Naomi and Sasha Banks. Didn't know Otunga was still in the WWE. I thought he got released a while back.

He returned to doing house shows earlier this month. I heard he was doing some legal work for them as well, but I'm not sure how accurate that is.

 

[Lantern Venom]

It's true Vince and Co need to start building up other talent because Cena is only getting older and can't do this forever. I mean he is 38 this year and he only needs one bad injury/ botched move and he is done for good. Not wishing anything bad on the guy but it's the nature of the business. Then WWE would be scrambling around for talent to fill the void.

Agreed. They need to find someone else. To groom someone else. But in this era of 50/50 booking, the only guys who have gotten over with the audience enough to even begin to approach Cena-levels (Punk, Bryan) don't have the look or demeanor that Vince wants as "The Face Of WWE." It speaks to why they want Reigns to be that guy so badly.

Hogan once said that his original plan was to retire from pro wrestling in 1992 due to the strain the biz had put on his mind and body. He said that by the time he reached that point in his career (a similar age as Cena), he was working injured almost every night. I know it's difficult to believe much of what Hogan says, but that seems plausible. He was forced back into the ring full time when his acting career fizzled at the same time his wife was mismanaging their funds. He really started to do damage to his body by constantly taking bumps in his 40s.

WWE can still promote Cena and have him work a part-time/special attraction schedule, but they can't keep riding him like they do. Whether on not someone likes the John Cena character (I never have) is irrelevant. Like you guys, I don't want to see the man behind the persona debilitated as he tries to keep the company afloat.

 

[bullets]

I forgot about Naomi and Sasha Banks. Didn't know Otunga was still in the WWE. I thought he got released a while back.

Otunga does promotional work behind the scenes. He's become a bigger asset to them off screen.

 

[Slushy]

Let me just say after you were distorting...the belt to proclaiming the real world champion, I’m going to tell you all...with a tear...in my eye, this is the greatest moment in my life. When you walk around this world and you tell everybody you’re number one, the only way you get to stay number one, is to be number one! And this is the only...title in the wrestling world that makes you number one. When you are the king of the WWF, you rule the world! Think about it like that, Mr. Perfect, The Brain. Woo! It's the greatest moment of my life. I want to jump. I want to party, but I got to tell you like this, for the Hulk Hogan’s and the Macho Man’s, and the Piper’s and the Sid’s, now it’s Ric Flair and you all pay homage to The Man! WOO! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! I love it. I...LOVE IT! I...LOVE IT!

WWE WrestleMania 32 will be held in Arlington, Texas at AT&T Stadium on April 3, 2016!

Wow, I guess McMahon wasn't confident they could sell out Cowboy Stadium. What a bummer.

Spoiler

 

[cabel]

Complete cards for New Begining:

NJPW “THE NEW BEGINNING IN OSAKA”, 11.02.2015 (NJPW World)
Osaka BODYMAKER COLOSSEUM
1. Sho Tanaka vs. Yohei Komatsu
2. Satoshi Kojima, Tiger Mask & Mascara Dorada vs. Manabu Nakanishi, Captain New Japan & Jay White
3. Special Tag Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Rob Conway & Chase Owens
4. Tomoaki Honma vs. Kota Ibushi
5. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title, 3 Way Match: Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish (c) vs. KUSHIDA & Alex Shelley vs. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson
6. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Kenny Omega (c) vs. Ryusuke Taguchi
7. Special Six Man Tag Match: Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi & Tama Tonga
8.Special Six Man Tag Match: Yuji Nagata, Togi Makabe & Tetsuya Naito vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI
9. IWGP Tag Team Title: Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. AJ Styles

NJPW “THE NEW BEGINNING IN SENDAI”, 14.02.2015 (NJPW World)
Sendai Sun Plaza Hall
1. Satoshi Kojima, Tomoaki Honma & Yohei Komatsu vs. Manabu Nakanishi, Captain New Japan & Sho Tanaka
2. Tiger Mask & Mascara Dorada vs Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish
3. Ryusuke Taguchi, KUSHIDA & Alex Shelley vs. Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson
4. NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Title: Jushin Thunder Liger (c) vs. Chase Owens
5. NWA World Heavyweight Title: Rob Conway (c) vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
6. Tetsuya Naito & Kota Ibushi vs. Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba
7. Special Tag Match: Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi
8. Special Six Man Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows & Tama Tonga
9. NEVER Openweight Title: Togi Makabe (c) vs. Tomohiro Ishii
10. IWGP Intercontinental Title: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Yuji Nagata

 

[nite-owl]

 

[runawayboulder]

Remember when Seth Rollins was supposed to be the forgotten Shield member?

Right here, guilty as charged. I admit I was one of the ones (yeah, there are more of you here) that hated that Rollins was the heel turn guy and not Ambrose. I thought it was a mistake, boy was I 100% wrong. That guy is owning the company's top heel spot right now.

.

Ugh, Jesus Christ. I don't care if I sound like a d**k but this is exactly what is holding back the product right now, catering to these little brats.

 

[Docker2.0]

Th-th-this isn't true..... is it?

According to a some people backstage, there is smoke.

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpdtb6VwcO4

Evidently word got out.

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kuz7r1HDKs

Not that it matters but again, that was the rumor back in the day. He's still a great wrestler and I loved his finishing move but maybe him being promoted is how he got the name of "sweet chin music."

 

[Docker2.0]

Who is that girl?

 

[Lobo]

Stephanie

 

[Hunter Rider]

According to a some people backstage, there is smoke.

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpdtb6VwcO4

Evidently word got out.

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kuz7r1HDKs

Not that it matters but again, that was the rumor back in the day. He's still a great wrestler and I loved his finishing move but maybe him being promoted is how he got the name of "sweet chin music."

Coming from Bret when he was still bitter I think would contextualize that comment, and the Shawn is gay chant came from the gear he wore to the ring at the time, he even fueled it one night by kissing Triple H t incite them.

 

[LOBO3315a]

.

I wonder if Vince will flip his lid and bury Hunter for a year?

 

[Docker2.0]

Coming from Bret when he was still bitter I think would contextualize that comment, and the Shawn is gay chant came from the gear he wore to the ring at the time, he even fueled it one night by kissing Triple H t incite them.

And you just happen to remember this? I thought I was a wrestling fanatic! As far as Shawn dressed back then, looking back at it now, it was kind of Village People like. But still, I was a fan of his wish that he'd come back part time.

 

[Pink Ranger]

And you just happen to remember this? I thought I was a wrestling fanatic! As far as Shawn dressed back then, looking back at it now, it was kind of Village People like. But still, I was a fan of his wish that he'd come back part time.

Even more than that, do you remember what it looked like when HBK and Diesel were together as a tag team? That and the heart-shaped bed?

 

[Tacit Ronin]

They need to find someone else.

They have already found him. Belee Dat.

 

[Bat Brain]

 

[X Knight]

so does Paige have the nickname Queen of Ravens or something?

cuz I see she has that nickname in the Immortals mobile game as well as having raven themed attacks.

which, of course, is totally awesome!!

 

[Docker2.0]

Even more than that, do you remember what it looked like when HBK and Diesel were together as a tag team? That and the heart-shaped bed?

x 100!!

 

[E-Man]

This. Folks can complain about Cena all they want, but as long as he is making Vince money, he's not going anywhere. Yes, his act is stale. Yes, he's been doing the same thing for 10 years. Yes, he could benefit from a Hollywood Hogan-style heel turn. But women love him, children adore him, and he still moves an insane amount of merchandise for WWE.

Until Vince can find someone who:

1) has Cena's all-American clean cut look
2) is well-spoken
3) carries himself well and won't get into trouble in this TMZ age
4) will become a total company man who will project a positive image of himself and WWE on talk shows and Make-A-Wish appearances
5) sells an obscene amount of t-shirts, baseball caps, wristbands, headbands, dvds, etc.

then you can expect to see plenty more of Mr. Hustle/Loyalty/Respect.

Your list is sound, but the problem with someone achieving those objectives means that they'd get sabotaged if they got too close. Punk blew up big, and apparently he outsold Cena since the Pipe Bomb promo up until they made him turn heel to drop the title to The Rock. While he doesn't have Cena's cleat cut look he probably would have been a good spokesperson for WWE because the guy is straight edge. The drug use and steroid abuse that has led to many premature pro wrestler deaths has been a big black eye on wrestling for a while, and having a well spoken guy like CM Punk that is straight edge could have worked wonders for them. The guy has the ability to connect to the crowd in a way that WWE sorely needed, but they screwed it up because they want to keep Cena at the top at all costs to try and make the fans love the guy the way Vince does. Imaginary brass rings indeed.

What's probably best for their future is to drop the idea of one guy carrying the company. You'd think that they'd learn from their biggest booming period that multiple main event talents getting pushed well sells more than just one guy that carries the whole thing. Despite what some revisionist smarks would tell you, the Attitude Era didn't live and die on Stone Cold's shoulders. He was the anointed one, but they still continued to have record levels of success even when he was out for a long while with the neck surgery. We all missed him back then, but there was still a ton of other talent to enjoy. If Cena gets hurt again they'd be up **** creek because they haven't positioned anyone to be at that top spot besides him. With all the young talent they've got they should spend time making them all look great like they did back in the Attitude Era because one guy isn't going to bring them out of the decade long slump they've been in.

 

[Warhammer]

And you just happen to remember this? I thought I was a wrestling fanatic! As far as Shawn dressed back then, looking back at it now, it was kind of Village People like. But still, I was a fan of his wish that he'd come back part time.

Hurricane Helms also said Shawn Michaels was gay but he may have just been salty.

 

[Warhammer]

Your list is sound, but the problem with someone achieving those objectives means that they'd get sabotaged if they got too close. Punk blew up big, and apparently he outsold Cena since the Pipe Bomb promo up until they made him turn heel to drop the title to The Rock. While he doesn't have Cena's cleat cut look he probably would have been a good spokesperson for WWE because the guy is straight edge. The drug use and steroid abuse that has led to many premature pro wrestler deaths has been a big black eye on wrestling for a while, and having a well spoken guy like CM Punk that is straight edge could have worked wonders for them. The guy has the ability to connect to the crowd in a way that WWE sorely needed, but they screwed it up because they want to keep Cena at the top at all costs to try and make the fans love the guy the way Vince does. Imaginary brass rings indeed.

What's probably best for their future is to drop the idea of one guy carrying the company. You'd think that they'd learn from their biggest booming period that multiple main event talents getting pushed well sells more than just one guy that carries the whole thing. Despite what some revisionist smarks would tell you, the Attitude Era didn't live and die on Stone Cold's shoulders. He was the anointed one, but they still continued to have record levels of success even when he was out for a long while with the neck surgery. We all missed him back then, but there was still a ton of other talent to enjoy. If Cena gets hurt again they'd be up **** creek because they haven't positioned anyone to be at that top spot besides him. With all the young talent they've got they should spend time making them all look great like they did back in the Attitude Era because one guy isn't going to bring them out of the decade long slump they've been in.

The sad thing is that it's possible. We could have another Attitude era sort of speak with all the booming talent. Hell, the 'E has enough talent to make a 3 hour show have not one boring second whatsoever.

 

[Hunter Rider]