2016 Pro Wrestling Thread

I think it's only normal for us to speculate about NXT since it will be directly affected by the brand split. RAW & Smackdown will need bodies to fill both shows as they can't just spread the workers currently on the main roster. They'll need to use NXT workers to fill some slots. I'm thinking that we're more than likely will see some NXT people working double duty for a while until NXT fills their slots as well. It's why I believe that the Cruiserweight Classic will most definitely be ending up some public tryout to find new talents to sign while WWE can go after top indy talents like Adam Cole & Ricochet, for instance.

 

Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka -- Ruled Mentally Incompetent ... Won't Stand Trial for '83 Murder

No surprises here..

 

I'm no legal expert, but it sounded like a difficult case for the prosecution to win. Unless some sort of DNA evidence that would have found him guilty was available. Memories fade after 36 years. Plus, the motel where she died was razed in the 1990s, so that crime scene is long gone. Maybe the prosecutors were hoping Snuka would agree to some plea deal.

I'm still surprised he was charged after all this time.

 

Didn't Cesaro start in NXT?

 

I can't quite remember and I don't feel like looking it up, but I think he did. He did come back to NXT for a few matches against Zayn.

 

Kinda sorta. According to Wikipedia (because it must be believed), he came up through FCW before it switched to NXT and made his big league debut in 2012.

 

Cody Rhodes already has a couple of dates lined up once his no-compete clause ends and we have some interesting matches confirmed:

August 19th: EVOLVE - Match unknown yet
August 26th: Northeast Wrestling - vs Michael Bennett (w/Maria Kanellis)
August 27th: Northeast Wrestling - vs Kurt Angle

 

Observer from June 6:

- Most talent hasn’t been informed of where they’ll go with the brand split. Right now, the plan is for Reigns to anchor Raw, feuding with Rollins, with Cena on Smackdown, feuding with Styles.

Interesting backstage dynamic – Will WWE split up couples? That would be: Jimmy Uso and Naomi, Cena and Nikki Bella, Rusev and Lana, Del Rio and Paige, Zack Ryder and Emma.

- The main push for the brand split, and Smackdown to Tuesdays and live, is USA. There are indications they are not pleased with the ratings for Smackdown, and WWE is paying the costs to move the show.

The cable industry as a whole is in trouble because of cord cutting. ESPN, in particular, is down $60M per month, and $720M per year.

- Goldberg is the cover guy for the new WWE wrestling game this year. It was a deal reached mostly between the video game company and Goldberg three weeks ago, with WWE giving its blessing for him as the guy well before that. The video game people had tried to get him for years.

While Goldberg has said in the past he’d be open to doing one more match, because his son has never seen him wrestle live, he hasn’t been signed by the WWE yet or anything. He’s still in great shape, although smaller then when he wrestled. He’s probably the last major Attitude Era guy who hasn’t returned in some way.

- The ladder match at Money in the Bank was downgraded to six guys, although a seventh could be added.

- The Wyatt Family is ready to come back.

- The Miz, Maryse, Naomi, Slater, Bo Dallas and Axel all have roles in The Marine 5, and will be gone for various amounts of time.

- Cena has signed a multi-million dollar deal to be a spokesman for Hefty trash bags.

- Jimmy Snuka was ruled mentally incompetent, and his trial is delayed as a result. The prosecution can apply for reconsideration in six months.

- Notable WWE house show and main show records for 2015: Adam Rose went 8-140. Brad Maddox was 0-33. Cameron was 7-49. Roman Reigns had the most wins (192) and only lost 20 times, for a winning percentage of .906. For all his griping, Ryback was 137-31.

Reader Chris Harrington also noticed that there was a correlation between most matches and injuries. Here are the Iron Men from the past few years: Orton (2011), Sheamus (2012), Bryan (2013), Cesaro (2014) and Reigns (2015).

- Cody Rhodes has been given permission by WWE to use the name on the indies and in ROH. It would probably be different if he went to TNA. WWE trademarked the name, but if Rhodes was willing to challenge it in court, he’d probably win because it’s a “family” name that his father built up.

- ROH, the contracts of Moose and Roderick Strong expire soon. Moose is expected to get WWE interest.

- It’s expected that New Japan, ROH and CMLL will look to pair up more often, for business reasons.

 

Well they're not going to split up John and Nikki Bella unless its a work E!

The rest of the couples they'll probably split draft out if pure cruelty knowing them.

 

During the first years of the draft, they did stuff like that. Matt Hardy and Lita, as I recall, either were put on different shows, or they were very nervous about it and weren't (I don't recall which). Of course, they later infamously broke up anyways.

 

Brock Lesnar close to finalizing deal to fight at UFC 200

Seems impossible given his WWE contract but Helwani's usually fairly reputable

 

It was announced last night. And he will also be wrestling at Summerslam. Thoughts?