2012 Pro Wrestling Thread

... And the build for Wrestlemania begins, where Trips gets his win back revenge.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and call HBK as special referee.

Trips is pissed at HBK because he didn't think Trips could beat Brock. Thus, the two bicker back and forth, making us believe HBK might not call the match down the middle.

 

Thoughts on Raw:

- Jericho vs. Ziggler should have been the closer if it really was the end of Jericho's career. However, I imagine that he'll be back at some point, maybe even within the month, since the stipulation was just Jericho's contract.

- That was one of Cena's best promos, but I do kind of hope that Punk sticks to his guns and doesn't give Cena a title shot. It would be fun to see him give someone a title shot who had never had one and then beating him, as opposed to do Punk vs. Cena part whatever.

- Lawler was good at the end too. I get the feeling he'd be a lot better as a commentator if he just dropped The King schtick and called it more straight more often, but it might be a lost cause at this point.

- The show opened pretty well too, as Heyman is so awesome as Brock's mouthpiece. I kind of thought he wasn't going to attack the ref, but the way it was played out was really smart and helped to build some tension. He then "retired" again via tout (oh joy), but I imagine he has to be back in play at some point for Triple H, given the promo that HBK cut. (For the record, I don't feel like we need Brock vs. Triple H again either. I'd like to see Brock vs. some newer guys and styles, as opposed to wrestling just the older hands.)

 

I enjoyed the Brock/Heyman promo at the beginning, I thought for sure Scott Armstrong was going to have his arm "broken."

Then I was bored to tears until the HBK interview, which made me laugh at how awful it was. It's time for Triple H to hang it up. I don't mind him as an on-screen executive character now, but barring a true retirement match (which you know we'll have at WM29) he needs to move on. If his role is now to strengthen the product, not in the ring but behind the scenes, then I wish him well.

For me, the whole drawn-out melodrama of "is his career over" kinda cheapens how people feel about the guys who really do have to hang it up, like Edge.

Then I got bored again until Jericho/Ziggler. The awful commentary was ruining a solid match.

CM Punk's entrance ... uh, the crowd shot makes it look like people are sitting there comatose. Fresno seemed kinda dead last night, at least until Cena went for the cheap pops. As an aside, do any Fresno State fans feel they ever have a shot at a national title? Give me a break.

Anyway, once again Cena proves that he actually is the championship, as Punk will be in the main event only because he's working a program with Cena. Punk is right. He's got to be the most undervalued champion in quite a while.

And I'm glad someone finally kicked Jerry in the head to shut him up.

Oh, and I love the Nexersys commercial, where the guy punches the hell out of the electronic punching bag then threatens me. What a douche.

 

I had a debate a little earlier with an old wrestling friend about whether or not Cena and Punk are the modern day Hogan and Savage. Personally, I say they are. The comparisons between them are so strong.

Cena: Clean, good guy image. Preaches good moral values (Never give up, stand up for what you believe in, never back down, don't let people push you around, etc...). His big matches usually involve him getting beat down only to come back and win. How many Hogan matches went that way? The kids absolutely love Cena as they used to love Hogan. Both guys are good wrestlers but keep their movesets limited.

Punk: Punk is an edgier character and a bit more unpredictable. He's not always the good guy because he marches to the beat of his own drum. He's more of a high flyer who is a better wrestler. He appeals more to the older fans while still attracting a fair amount of the kids.

What do you guys think?

 

Really? ... Really?

 

Well played, sir. I do think Punk doesn't get enough credit and it does seem like he's always being overshadowed by somebody else. I'll be interested to see who they make the new No. 1 contender for him to feud with.

 

I was rooting for a Brooklyn Brawler reference last night from Punk, but, oh well.

Why do I have the feeling that next week, A.J. will come out and tell Punk that since he didn't name a No. 1 contender, then she will. And then she names Lawler, and Punk goes nuts that his title reign will become even more cheapened because he has to face a 62-year-old announcer.

 

I agree it would cheapen it a bit for Punk to face Lawler, but as someone who grew up watching Memphis wrestling in the 80's and early-90's, it would warm my heart if they were to resurrect the "Heath Slater challenges a legend" gimmick for one more week. Have Lawler respond to it, if for no other reason than to let the fans get to see the strap coming down, fistdrop and piledriver one more time.

 

Lawler's done the strap and fist drop thing numerous times on Raw. Piledrivers are banned, unless it's Undertaker or Kane doing the Tombstone, because of fear of neck injuries.

Lawler did do a helluva job when he had that title ladder match with Miz two years ago, but unless he actually ends up winning the belt, it's going to be pretty predictable that he's going to lose to Punk.

And the only way to further things along would be if Lawler beat Punk with Cena's help. Then Punk could claim that he's still not getting respect because an announcer beat him with the top star's help.

 

Digesting it, I'm probably going to be really unhappy with Punk being booked to take out Lawler. Damnit, we don't need announcers involved in feuds! Has The E learned nothing? No one is paying to see Lawler and Cole get in the ring. I didn't like it when Lawler got involved with Miz, I didn't like the Cole/Lawler feud, and this is just going to piss me off, isn't it?

 

Also, who did Rhodes piss off? How'd he go from IC champ to feuding with Rey Lite? And in yet another mask-obsesssed storyline? Please.

 

Good point. I really like Cody, thought he was about to get moved up a notch and he's actually regressed.

We also still have the return of Wade Barrett forthcoming.