2011 Pro Wrestling Thread

Most of what others say about Shawn Michaels is true. The guy was a real asshole and locker room cancer. He visibly cussed out other wrestlers who were getting over, to the point of some having to change their finishers because HBK and his buddy Trips were using the moves.

There were a ton of titles that Shawn refused to drop in the ring, and gave them back claiming injury.

He often got legit pissed off at fans who were heckling him to the point of losing focus in a match or otherwise throwing pouting fits. He nearly caused several riots by walking out of a main-event match because of taunting.

You could ask 100 wrestlers who at one time worked for WWF/E in the 1990-2000 era and I would bet at least 90 of them would say Shawn was one of the greatest workers of all time, but also was one of the most self-centered, petty, egotistical asshole that ever lived.

 

The significant thing, to me, about the Helms rant is that he's complaining about Michaels in the post-2000 era, when Michaels, at least publicly, turned over a new leaf.

Michaels himself admitted that he was an asshole in the 1990s.

 

Arn and Tully Blanchard were the Brainbusters in the late 1980s-early 1990s. I think they're still the only tag team to win both the WWF/NWA titles.

If they are setting Sheamus for Trips, they're doing a shitty job in making Sheamus a viable threat to him. Failing that matchup, would Trips/Undertaker be a plan if the likely Barrett/Undertaker match falls through?

As for Helms, word is he'll arrive in TNA in a couple of months. Anything to make Jeff Hardy happy.....the biggest barrier to his debut is making sure he and ex Velvet Sky can make nice. Seems like the words "restraining order" was a factor in their breakup.

 

It's kinda complex (like a lot of things in wrestling are).

According to Wikipedia, there was never any officially recognized NWA tag team titles until 1992, when Steve Williams and Terry Gordy won a tournament.

But there were various NWA territories that had their own champions, claiming to be the NWA tag title. Jim Crockett Promotions claimed that their title was the NWA tag title, and referred to it as such, until they became World Championship Wrestling at the end of 1988.

Anderson/Blanchard were NWA (Crockett) and WWF tag champs. The Road Warriors also were named NWA (Crockett) tag champs, as well as WWF and AWA tag champs.

The Steiners also held the WCW and WWF titles, although they may have been called NWA tag champs when they held the WCW titles (I'm not sure).

 

Actually, the Road Warriors/Legion of Doom not only also accomplished the feat, but are the only tag team in history to have held the NWA, AWA and WWF/E tag titles.

 

So, WWE announced today that the Royal Rumble will have 40 men in it this year. I'm all for it. Granted, you're still going to have the same small pool of about five wrestlers that could actually win it. But it gives more opportunities for more wrestlers. I'm a sucker for the Rumble match anyway though.

http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/matches/16630520/preview/

 

Agreed - I love the Rumble and watch live every year. It's the only PPV I do this for. Hopefully, they use the opportunity to throw in some "surprise" entrants; I always hated when they announced all of the competitors ahead of time.

 

I just wish that one year, they'd have some unknown guy win the Rumble. Otherwise, it drives me nuts to hear them refer to Trent Barretta or Zach Ryder as guys who have a chance to win.

 

Especially when their chances are now 1-in-40 instead of 1-in-30.

 

Looking back at the winners, I think there's only been four guys who weren't already bonafide main eventers when they won -- Hacksaw Duggan and Big John Studd, who won it before it became a signature event; Chris Benoit and Rey Mysterio. Maybe you could throw Batista in there, too. Can't remember if he was on that level yet or not.
Who would fall into that category this year that has a legitimate chance? I think the list is as long as it's been in a while. Morrison, Ziggler (if he's in it), Kofi Kingston, Del Rio, Barrett, Sheamus (hasn't had a non-fluky title reign yet) ... all of them could create decent storylines if they win.

 

The "unknown guy comes out of nowhere to win it" angle won't work often now that the RR winner is pegged to a WM main event. Hard to buy Zach Ryder or Yoshi Tatsu in that spot, especially since you'd only have two months to build them into that kind of act.

But there's also the Big Daddy Cool guy, the one who doesn't win but puts out 8-10 guys in quick succession and makes everyone pay attention. Big Zeke?

 

Actually, Yokozuna did come out of nowhere, relatively speaking, to win the Royal Rumble in 1993. He had only been in the WWF for a few months when he won. I think that is the only kind of act that would be a surprise winner—a giant who had the physical credibility to appear as a championship threat.