A New Era for the Wrestling Thread

[DarthSkywalker]

TNA Impact has many chances to fill the void left by WCW, but they blew it with management and financial problems that escalated in 2016. Since then most of their problems have been cleared as they had to rebuild their image last year.

As for a Hulk Hogan-type buzz, the only one who could do that is Hulk Hogan himself.

They never had that chance. AEW won't have that chance. The WWE's exposure is far too big. WWE is wrestling to the vast majority of the world. People need to stop thinking about it as challenging the WWE.

 

[Dr. Evil]

They never had that chance. AEW won't have that chance. The WWE's exposure is far too big. WWE is wrestling to the vast majority of the world. People need to stop thinking about it as challenging the WWE.

AEW is not going to go after the mainstream audience, because if they were, they are going to have a hard time finding that guy who can promote their product to Extra, Access Hollywood, The Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live etc. WWE has that in John Cena, the Rock and to a certain degree Dave Bautista. I believe AEW is going after the All In audience. They will probably have Arrow star Steven Amell, but he's not Cena or the Rock in terms of mainstream appeal. they know that they are never getting John or Dwayne to jump.

Speaking of mainstream, I wonder which mainstream media publication will break the news of the Rock going into the WWE Hall of Fame when that time comes? Will it be Variety? The Hollywood Reporter? Deadline? USA Today? All of them? or neither?

 

[JabarR]

 

[chamber-music]

AEW is not going to go after the mainstream audience, because if they were, they are going to have a hard time finding that guy who can promote their product to Extra, Access Hollywood, The Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live etc. WWE has that in John Cena, the Rock and to a certain degree Dave Bautista. I believe AEW is going after the All In audience. They will probably have Arrow star Steven Amell, but he's not Cena or the Rock in terms of mainstream appeal. they know that they are never getting John or Dwayne to jump.

Speaking of mainstream, I wonder which mainstream media publication will break the news of the Rock going into the WWE Hall of Fame when that time comes? Will it be Variety? The Hollywood Reporter? Deadline? USA Today? All of them? or neither?

I agree.

AEW isn't going to be going for mainstream mark audiences but the usual smark wrestling crowd. If they do well then they could potentially overtake Lucha Underground, Ring of Honor and Impact Wrestling as North Americas number 2 wrestling company but I have a hard time seeing them overtake the WWE.

Jim Ross and Jericho has been rumored to potentially be involved in AEW and I've heard CM Punk would be open to coming back to wrestle for something like AEW (although I'm not sure Cody and co would want to work with him given some of the things they have said about him).

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Wk 13 was... interesting. I think it was telling that the two most over people were Okada (the reaction to the return of his trunks was a bigger reaction to anything involving Tanahashi) and Naito. Who along with Ibushi would have clearly been better main event opponents for Omega. This entire thing with Tanahashi felt so tired. Omega had to hold back in the ring, and the story just wasn't there. They don't have history and it was telling.

On the plus side, it feels clear what they are building to with Okada, After such a dominate reign (1000 days split up by a small run from Naito), they are looking for a compelling road for him back to the title. In a lot of ways, this feels like what they have tried to do with Tanahashi multiple times, but this feels a lot more genuine. The crowd wants it, and it is apparent. Honestly, I don't know if they want more between Naito finally having his run or Okada getting the belt back. Jay White also seems to be the perfect foil here. I would not be surprise f the main event for next year's WK is Okada taking the title off of Jay White.

 

[JabarR]

20 years ago on this day, the downfall of WCW began when Eric Bischoff (backstage wise) who knew about WWE Monday Night RAW being taped that night decided to give away the spoilers of the Mankind (Mick Foley) vs The Rock WWF Championship match, hoping people would not change the channel over to the USA Network, while trying to set up thei own huge match where 'Hollywood' Hulk Hogan would face off against newly crowned WCW World Champion, Kevin Nash. But unfortunately, that strategy would end up working against WCW and ya'll know what happened after that.

 

[Pink Ranger]

If CM Punk and Jericho are interested in AEW, they'd be fools not to use them. Forget guys like Hogan, he's not relevant anymore, casual racism was the only thing that made him interesting, quite frankly. You don't have to be the biggest company in your industry to be successful, or to be gimmicky to attract a mainstream audience. There is a growing market of urban hipsters, who don't know a wristlock from a wristwatch, who apparently love going to see live lucha libre now. There is a growing vocal gay market for wrestling now, and apparently they're just as tired of watching the lumbering dinosaur known as WWE for its only occasional flashes of brilliance. These are the kind of markets that a promotion with an indy-ish culture can attract.

 

[_Superman_]

20 years ago on this day, the downfall of WCW began when Eric Bischoff (backstage wise) who knew about WWE Monday Night RAW being taped that night decided to give away the spoilers of the Mankind (Mick Foley) vs The Rock WWF Championship match, hoping people would not change the channel over to the USA Network, while trying to set up thei own huge match where 'Hollywood' Hulk Hogan would face off against newly crowned WCW World Champion, Kevin Nash. But unfortunately, that strategy would end up working against WCW and ya'll know what happened after that.

I'm in the minority but I loved the Finger Poke of Doom and the interview that followed it the following Nitro.

 

[Dr. Evil]

If CM Punk and Jericho are interested in AEW, they'd be fools not to use them. Forget guys like Hogan, he's not relevant anymore, casual racism was the only thing that made him interesting, quite frankly. You don't have to be the biggest company in your industry to be successful, or to be gimmicky to attract a mainstream audience. There is a growing market of urban hipsters, who don't know a wristlock from a wristwatch, who apparently love going to see live lucha libre now. There is a growing vocal gay market for wrestling now, and apparently they're just as tired of watching the lumbering dinosaur known as WWE for its only occasional flashes of brilliance. These are the kind of markets that a promotion with an indy-ish culture can attract.

I don't think AEW should focus on the mainstream audience, because they don't have a Dwayne Johnson or John Cena they can go to if need be for that.

 

[JabarR]

 

[Dr. Evil]

The weirdest part of WrestleMania 35 is that this will be the first WrestleMania without Roman. I am holding out hope that he comes back at the 2020 Royal Rumble.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I don't think AEW should focus on the mainstream audience, because they don't have a Dwayne Johnson or John Cena they can go to if need be for that.

The point I'm making is you don't need starpower to get a mainstream audience. A well-crafted "underground" product can attract non-wrestling fans, if they avoid the BS that WWE tries to pull.

 

[Dr. Evil]

The point I'm making is you don't need starpower to get a mainstream audience. A well-crafted "underground" product can attract non-wrestling fans, if they avoid the BS that WWE tries to pull.

They still don't need to attract the mainstream audience. If you put one of the AEW stars on Jimmy Fallon, what will happen is that Fallon will get overly excited about AEW and over-talk like he always does.

 

[Pink Ranger]

They still don't need to attract the mainstream audience. If you put one of the AEW stars on Jimmy Fallon, what will happen is that Fallon will get overly excited about AEW and over-talk like he always does.

And then Kota Ibushi kicks him in the face. Ratings spike, win win.

 

[Dr. Evil]

And then Kota Ibushi kicks him in the face. Ratings spike, win win.

I'd watch to see Kota kick Fallon (and James Corden too) in the face. James Corden.....ugh. His show is awful and I don't get the whole Carpool Karaoke thing.

 

[WereCoyote]

I'd watch to see Kota kick Fallon (and James Corden too) in the face. James Corden.....ugh. His show is awful and I don't get the whole Carpool Karaoke thing.

Carpool Kickeoke?

 

[Dr. Evil]

Carpool Kickeoke?

Of course, the rule is simple: Kick James Corden in the face when he picks you up in a Carpool.

 

[TheVileOne]

The weirdest part of WrestleMania 35 is that this will be the first WrestleMania without Roman. I am holding out hope that he comes back at the 2020 Royal Rumble.

I don't think that's the right thing to do for right now. I am holding out hope he will get through his treatment OK and beat leukemia.

Also, WrestleMania 35 isn't the first WrestleMania without him. It will be the first one without him main eventing for the last several years sure, but even Cena didn't main event his first WrestleMania where he won the WWE title.

 

[JabarR]

 

[Dr. Evil]

Wednesdays is the only day I watch WWE and if I do, it's usually NXT. I don't usually watch 205 Live, but if there's a match on 205 Live that has people buzzing that is must watch, I'll watch that match. Because NXT this week is a best of, I opted to watch all of 205 Live for the first time in months and both matches were pretty good. I feel the same about NXT UK as I do with 205 Live.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

The weirdest part of WrestleMania 35 is that this will be the first WrestleMania without Roman. I am holding out hope that he comes back at the 2020 Royal Rumble.

If we ignore the first 28, yes.

 

[chamber-music]

The point I'm making is you don't need starpower to get a mainstream audience. A well-crafted "underground" product can attract non-wrestling fans, if they avoid the BS that WWE tries to pull.

I agree. It is 2019. If you get some buzz on the internet then you can attract mainstream attention now. If AEW gets buzz and is something people can easily access then it can draw mainstream audiences.

 

[NDX]

I really want to see a match between Mustache Mountain v The Revival. I'd think they'd mesh so well.

NXT UK has been a lot of fun to watch these past few months. I was hoping Gallus would become the first UK Tag champs, but I'll take the Grizzled Young Veterans now.

 

[chamber-music]

I like Gallus despite the fact I think the Coffey brothers are average in the ring (and yes I have seen them wrestle outside the WWE in ICW).

I think Gallus would make a good Scottish heel stable of henchmen for a heel champion Drew McIntyre run

 

[Dr. Evil]

NXT UK is fine. My issue with it is that outside of Moustache Mountain and maybe Gallus, there's nobody that stands out. They have done an awful job of building up anyone who can be a serious threat to dethrone Pete Dunne, who will probably reign as UK Champion for another year unless they sign Walter, which from the sounds of it, they have. Dunne is not losing that title at Takeover Blackpool. Regular NXT has characters that stand out such as the Velveteen Dream and Aleister Black.