2011 Pro Wrestling Thread

Other than the Rumble, Elimination Chamber and MITB I would have no problem with that. And I like the idea of the fatal 4-way match so we're keeping that one, too
As long as they position Fatal 4-Way in a good spot on the schedule, it can work. You don't need the screwiness aspect. Just have your qualifying matches and make it like the Chamber concept -- a match where anyone can win and you have your top stars in it. It can give guys a rub for being one of the top contenders, be entertaining and allow for a surprise title switch without having someone like Cena or Orton look bad by eating the clean one-on-one pin.

 

God, that was embarrassing. Worst part of that was having the legendary Gordon Solie trying to act like an excited reporter, only to have some 'security guard' shove the camera out of the way.

On the bright side, it linked me to this excellent six-man tag match of Flair/Arn/Sting (during the two weeks that Sting was ... gasp ... a Horseman!) vs. Buzz Sawyer, the Great Muta and someone called the Dragonmaster. And to think, this was on live TV, especially at a time when WWF had all those jobber matches.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7tey5_horsemen-vs-muta-sawyer-dragonmaste_sport

As far as the specialty PPVs go, yeah, I'm in favor of getting rid of them. to me, it's better to have a card with a mixture of matches rather than have them all, or a good amount of them, be one type of match.

 

The problem with Fatal 4-Way as a PPV concept is that it is, by far, the least intriguing and exotic of the concepts used for PPV themes. The buyrate last year was particularly awful.

I would eliminate Fatal 4-Way, HIAC, MITB, TLC, and Bragging Rights as annual PPVs.

I like having the MITB match on the biggest show of the year in order to showcase some of the younger guys.

HIAC is usually used to settle the most bitter of feuds. It just doesn't translate when you shoehorn two guys into a HIAC match because the PPV, rather than feud, calls for it.

Bragging Rights is just an awful concept all the way around. With brand separation continually being diminished, it makes no sense.

The rest are just boring.

 

Dragon Master was better known as Kendo Nagasaki.

 

Story on The Rock and Wrestlemania moving on the AP wire today. Some interesting stuff toward the second half of the story about how long Rock will be involved in the WWE. Says he's leaving again in June to film another movie, but implies he'll at least be a semi-regular for a while.

 

I've heard of Nagasaki, although I don't remember if I've every seen any of his clips until last night. Thanks.

 

Kendo often wrestled with a full mask, but the front looked more like a fencing mask, a shield of sorts, with horizontal rows.

As for the AP story on Rock, that's some damn fine writing from someone who actually follows the genre, as opposed to the tired, worn-out pro wrestling story written as if it were beneath the writer. I loved how this writer instilled humorous elements of the Rock's persona into the story.

He had me at, "He shed his geological nickname..."

 

That one had me rolling.

 

Saw on wrestlingobserver.com that Kurt Angle was arrested, then released. But I don't have a subscription, so I couldn't read the details.

Anyone have info?

 

From TMZ:

Wrestling superstar Kurt Angle was arrested early this morning in North Dakota ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... highway patrol in Grand Forks found Angle sitting in his car in the median separating lanes. We're told Angle told cops he had hit an icy patch in the road. During the conversation, cops say they smelled alcohol on Angle's breath. He failed a field sobriety test and was arrested.

Since cops didn't see Angle driving, he was arrested and later charged with being in control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated -- which basically means he was allegedly drunk behind the wheel but not actually driving.

 

Finally, The Rock has come back ... to live TV.

 

I'm trying to decide where they're gonna take this Edge & Christian mini-reunion, and whether it indicates Edge retaining or Del Rio going over...