2012 Pro Wrestling Thread

I found a TMZ story with a photo. It was captioned "R.I.Ponytail." Shit. You. Not.

http://www.tmz.com/2012/09/05/triple-h-wwe-shaved-head/

 

Wow. I think it furthers the idea he's not going to be wrestling anytime soon.

 

I know I haven't been here a while as my wife and I have been crazy behind on wrestling for a while but we just got done watching last week's Raw and I have to say something.

Ever since the move to three hours, the WWE has been on fire.

In the ring.

Out? Meh.

But between this Raw and the Smackdown before, the in-ring action has been some of the best I've seen in a long, long time.

Just want to acknowledge that as it's been a while since I've found myself enjoying more than one match a month. So, so good.

 

I expected the three hour format of Raw to totally bomb, but I have also been pleasantly surprised with the changes. Three hours is still a bit too long for me to sit through every week, but they do enough of the recaps that I don't mind missing the first 30-60 minutes. Kinda funny, during the two hour format, I hated all of the recaps of previous action, but I like having them around now.

The in-ring action has definitely been MUCH better than I've seen in a long time. They seem to be giving at least a couple matches the time to have PPV caliber quality every week. The Daniel Bryan/Kane skits have been damn hilarious. CM Punk/Heyman has some interesting possibilities. Will they form a stable that also includes Brock Lesnar and one or two other misfits? I'm tired of Sheamus/Del Rio, but I still think they can move on and do interesting things in new feuds.

Things certainly aren't perfect, but I think the WWE is setting itself up for a nice little run over the next six months to a year.

 

Depending on when they want to put the strap on Ziggler, I think Barrett would be a logical next opponent for Sheamus. I'd love to see him main eventing. He was right on the cusp before his injury but I think he quickly becomes the top heel on the "Smackdown" side and I'd actually like to see him on Raw in that role.

 

I think he'll be a top-level guy sooner rather than later. They did those videos, which gives me the impression they're going to give him a push.

 

Finally caught up with SmackDown this morning ...

Pretty boring show. Barrett's squash match wasn't the exiting return I expected. Oh, and look, Sheamus knows a submission hold. Wow.

 

A submission move? Interesting. What was it?

 

If it's like the one he used in the last match I saw him in (Smackdown the week before? Raw?), it's a really shitty looking sharpshooter hybrid without the initial setup.

 

Probably the Texas Cloverleaf (or supposed to be), taught to him by "The Man of 1,000 Holds" Dean Malenko.

 

They had a decidedly Punk-light moment on Raw when he broke it out. It was something like:

Cole: Sheamus with a submission maneuever! What is this?
Miz: It's a Texas Cloverleaf.

 

Ha, Ha. As soon as I read "sharpshooter hybrid", I thought Texas Cloverleaf. Good to know I wasn't too far off.