2014 Pro Wrestling Thread

Rumor is Brock isn't being scheduled -- yet -- for HIAC. It's still a month away, so those plans could change, but that's just stupid to not have him on the show when it seems as if they planted the seeds for another match with him and Cena.

 

They could be veering toward a three-way HIAC match with Cena, Rollins and Ambrose (maybe with a No. 1 contender's spot on the line), which would be a great match and make some sense given recent events. That still leaves the blow-off matches for Cena-Lesnar and Rollins-Ambrose as the main events for the bigger Survivor Series PPV.

 

Yeah, but I still hate the idea of another PPV without the champ on it.

 

Late to the party, but I finally got around to NXT Takeover Fatal 4Way. Loved most of it. The main event and women's match were fantastic. The four guys in the main event were great, but the pretty boy didn't seem to do a lot. He's got a well-executed gimmick though. Great update on the pretty boy gimmick. Zayn is defitely like a taller Bryan in that he's such an underdog, yet people love his ass. The goblin-looking MFer has some crazy spots. If only the Hardys and Edge and Christian were young men ...

I liked the story of Punky Brewster for the women's match. But I'm not sure if I should be attracted to Flair's daughter. I mean, yeah, she's hot, but it's also like looking at Ric with boobs. It confuses me. But I like her move set. Using the Figure 4 on someone's neck is a great variation of her daddy's hold, plus I marked out when she turned the hold into a trio of slams.

I'm not sure how I get that Enzo and the other guy are faces. They annoy me greatly, but they've got a great singalong schtick going. Some other stuff I don't get, but it's just because I only check out NXT on these big shows:

Guys I saw pushed a while ago got absolutely buried on the latest show: Mojo and Parker. Also, seems to me the Death Metal Guys might go to the main roster soon. Otherwise, why have them lose the belts after a year? Because there's not much left for them to do on NXT.

 

I assume you mean the Ascension? Yeah, the rumor is they're getting the call-up sooner rather than later.
I went to a house show a couple of weeks ago and they were on the card, FWIW.
Zayn and Tyson Kidd also had a match on the same card. I can see Zayn getting a shot, but it seems like Kidd is the wrestling equivalent of a Quadruple-A baseball player -- too good for the minors, not quite good enough to stick in the majors. Maybe he settles into a nice job with NXT as a capable and credible veteran who can help other guys look good.

 

I don't watch too much NXT, but count me as a fan of Bayley. She does great with the gimmick, even though it's totally not what the E does with Divas. She would be good with a comedy wrestler, or with someone like AJ, who she had some fun interaction with when Mrs. Punk paid a visit to NXT.

 

f it's a matter of money with regards to Brock working Hell in a Cell, just pay the man so that we can get a proper and definitive conclusion to the Cena-Lesnar arc and we get the Ambrose-Rollins Cell match we've all been clamoring for.

Don't over complicate this any more than you have to.

 

So.

I was watching the Monday Night War: ECW show and I got quite a surprise.

During the Taz segment, I noticed they showed a clip from when he beat The Franchise at Guilty as Charged 1999. In the background of the shot: Yours truly holding up a FTW sign I made, since everyone knew Douglas was hurt and needed to drop the strap.

Not on for very long but my face is underneath the sign.

 

The E? Over complicating things? Say it ain't so!

 

I don't think it's a matter of paying Brock. I think it's a matter of WWE not wanting Brock to definitively beat Cena in the Cell.

 

Yes. At least according to the dirt sheets, Lesnar is under contract for all PPVs between now and Mania, as well as the Raw before and after each PPV, although they don't always use him at the Raw after a PPV.

 

This week’s Observer stuff:

- Roman Reigns is out 4 to 12 weeks because of his surgery, with the company internally hoping for six weeks. It’s not clear if this will effect his push at all yet, since he should return in time for the Royal Rumble, and he could get momentum working an injury angle. Also expected to be returning around the same time – Daniel Bryan and Batista.

- Distributors have been told to go into heavy production of Stone Cold merchandise, so it’s expected that he will be returning to TV in some form. WWE has also been pushing his podcast, which it hasn’t done for Jericho, and they aren’t allowing talent to be booked on Jim Ross’ show.

- Internally, there is said to be a power struggle between Triple H and Stephanie, and George Barrios and Michelle Wilson, who were in charge of the Network’s launch.

- Flair had surgery for two sports hernias, the second of which was discovered when they were doing the first operation. As a result, he was in the hospital from Sept. 8 to Sept. 18, and lost a bunch of weight. He won’t be able to train for another five weeks, and as a result, don’t expect him on TV soon.

- No new info on TNA’s TV contract, but they have no dates scheduled until Jan. 7. Wrestlers have been told they can take any indie dates they want without approval, as long as the shows are on iPPV, PPV or TV. Currently, shows scheduled on Spike from Nov. 26 to Dec. 31 are “best ofs” and compilation shows with little new footage. Networks believed to be interested in TNA are Velocity, WGN America and CMT, with a fourth non-TV suitor.

TNA has also had issues with the Japanese promotions, because they’re taping their show out so far in advance. As a result, the promotions can’t properly use TNA’s “title” holders, because Japanese fans are too smart and realize someone will lose the belt on a month in TV.

Contract-wise, Samoa Joe’s expires after Bound For Glory, and Austin Aries is also probably done. Angle’s is up Sept. 27, but he’s gotten no interest from the WWE, and Jarrett’s promotion isn’t close to starting. (No TV deal.) Devon’s contract also expired after Bound for Glory. Bully Ray and a few others are already on “per date” contracts. They signed Brodus Clay to a per-date contract.

- ROH’s Adam Cole has been contacted by WWE, but he is under contract t that company, so it’s unsure if he’d be able to leave without some concessions.

- Lucha Underground had its premiere date moved to Oct. 29.

- Mick Foley has been offered a podcast, which he’s said to be considering.

- Santino’s neck surgery went well, and now he might be back in six months.

- The 1980s Hulk Hogan’s Rock and Wrestling will be added to the Network soon.

- Two developmental wrestlers, Kendra Smith / Kendall Skye and Alexander Jones / Troy McClain, were released. Smith was an actress and stunt artist who gave wrestling a try for about 18 months, and who was said to have great promo skills, but she had two wrist injuries and decided it wasn’t for her. Jones was the best performer in a 2012 camp, but he didn’t develop as the company wanted and got cut.