2012 Pro Wrestling Thread

Yeah. I mean, I'm not saying Vader was the second coming of Daniel Bryan Monday night, but I did think he worked a pretty decent match. That and he didn't that much bigger than when was in the WWE before (or was it just me?)

 

I think it was just you. He definitely had a beer gut on him that he didn't have in his heyday in Japan/WCW, or even the WWF. He did seem a bit slimmer than those really embarrassing appearances he had teaming with Goldust, and Jonathan Coachman to wrestle Batista (which was originally Austin vs. Coach with JR's rehiring at stake). What a shitshow THAT was. On the other hand, the man's 57. Excelsior to him being alive, much less able to wrestle a match again someone at least 30 years younger than him on a national show.

Vader in the middle of his WCW run was a sight to behold. Hogan and an ill-advised face turn near the end signaled trouble, and the WWF proceeded to do dick all with him.

That said, he cannot in his present form work better than 85 percent of the roster, and he likely doesn't have anything more than the occasional gimmick match in him.

 

I agree with what you said, both how good he was as a heel in WCW and how much the WWE screwed up when they had him. Wasn't trying to say that I hope he comes back on a regular basis, just that for somebody who's close to 60 and hasn't been seen in a major wrestling promotion in however many years, he looked fairly good out there.

 

JCM: That was more of a commentary about how people get excited about one-shot comebacks and beg for more. It usually doesn't turn out well.

I do find it surprising that Vader got such a great response when it's been damn near 20 years since he's been dominant in America (his WWF time was largely forgettable outside calling himself a "fat piece of shit" after losing a match near the end of his run). Especially considering Road Dogg, one half of the most popular tag team of the Attitude Era, got almost no response when he did a guest spot a few months ago).

 

Yeah. I, too, was surprised at the pop he got. Hopefully, they'll be wise like you said and not use him again anytime soon. However, it's WWE we're talking about, so there's no guarantee that will happen.

 

You got to remember that Vader is in WWE '12. Which is one of the reasons why a lot of people knew who he was, sadly.

 

Ohhhhhhhhh. Didn't know he was in the video game. Thus explaining the appearance and people knowing who he was. Yeah, if that's how most everybody knew him (and you're right that it was), that is sad.

 

Didn't know that either. Can image some of the Little Jimmys in the audience reacting.

MOM! DAD! VADER'S REAL! VADER'S A REAL LIFE WRESTLER! WISHES CAN COME TRUE!

Then they get disengaged next week when various Call of Duty and My Little Pony characters don't come to life.

 

I thought it was Michaels who (in his druggie phase) called him that during a match.

Also read a Vader interview from a few years back in which he said his back was basically shot before he had arrived in WWF, which was why he didn't work very well and also why he rarely did the powerbomb.

And yeah, I didn't know about the video game, although the show was in Hartford, which, which it's proximity to Stamford, has a good amount of smart fans as well.

 

The only thing that could've made Vader's appearance any better than it was would've been if he'd busted out the moonsault (Not that he would've at his age, but just saying). I know the phrase is overused a lot in the pro wrestling world, but if he'd done it, it would've truly been a "Holy S***" moment.

 

From Wikipedia's Vader entry:

Videophonic evidence:

 

So Vader is back. Bring on Paul Orndorff!