2014 Pro Wrestling Thread

So apparently this is the most feel-inducing heel turn since at least Hogan in 96, if not ever. Here's how some nerds are dealing with the pain:

http://uproxx.com/sports/2014/06/bravo-oscar-oscar-the-internets-best-reactions-to-seth-rollins-betraying-the-shield/#page/1

 

I'm surprised I haven't seen a "Hitler reacts to Seth Rollins' turn" yet.

 

Abdullah the Butcher has been ordered to pay a Canadian wrestler $2.1 million for giving him Hepatitis C during a match. Abdullah bladed, then used the same blade to cut open the other guy.

http://deadspin.com/wrestler-wins-hepatitis-c-lawsuit-against-abdullah-the-1585891157/all

 

Superstar Graham, who was good friends with Abdullah, went off on a huge rant against him after it came out that he had Hep. C, and, as much as Graham tends to go off the deep end, I kinda agreed with him. Very irresponsible of him to expose others to it. He's lucky he wasn't charged with anything.

 

With incidents like Abby's and Bob Orton's, I can't say that I miss bleeding too terribly much.

Though I'll be the hypocrite and note that it would have enhanced Monday's show-ending beatdown quite a bit.

 

I'm fine with it as long as the wrestlers are healthy, and it's done rarely for a good effect, like a Hell in the Cell or a major beatdown. When it's done gratuitiously, it's not really cool.

 

This week’s Observer stuff:

- Payback got a 91.2 percent approval rating from readers. NXT Takeover got 100 percent approval. Speaking of Takeover, it got rave reviews internally as well, with Charlotte vs. Natalya seen as a show stealer. Tyler Breeze also was said to impress the company brass with his showing vs. Sami Zayn.

- Raw’s ratings went back to normal this week, about a 2.92, with no major sports competition. Luckily, they drew no competition with NBA finals games, but TNA will be up against game one and game four. Total Divas did a 1.19, even though it was up against Payback. Impact did a 0.93 this week, which was a good rating considering it was against Takeover, game five of Spurs vs. Thunder and Canadians vs. Rangers.

- Re: TNA’s contract on Spike, it’s now believed a renewal will take place, but Spike isn’t in a hurry to do it. They are mildly concerned that TNA’s main source of revenue is the TV contract. If their expenses spiked for some reason, there is a risk that Spike will have paid for content that TNA can’t deliver. However, this is seen as a minor concern. Also, as part of Jarrett being let out of his TNA contract, he agreed to a non-compete on Spike.

- Ring of Honor is hoping for 7,000 buys for their PPV. If it’s successful, a second one would be in December.

- All Japan is in serious trouble, as most of the talent has contracts that expire June 30, and they have no interest in re-signing with the current owner, Nobuo Shiraishi. They’re trying to force him to sell, with Jun Akiyama (currently their most famous in-ring performer) trying to find a new owner for the company. If Shiraishi won’t sell or give up the name, options include forming a new company, or joining up with Pro Wrestling NOAH or Wrestle-1 or some other company.

- Although Devon Nicholson won his court case against Abdullah the Butcher, it’s unclear if he’ll see any of the $2.3M judgment. Butcher is between 73 and 77, depending on what source you take for his age, and isn’t believed to be rich from wrestling. Nicholson was actually a good pro prospect at one point and was offered a contract by the WWE in 2009, but they pulled it when his blood tests came back positive for Hep-C. He sued them for this and got some sort of settlement. He’s training again as a wrestler, claiming that some experimental procedures cured him.

- Where Are They Now Category: John Morrison has been cast in the lead role for Hercules Reborn. It’s scheduled for release on July 8, looks to be a VOD title / schlock to capitalize on that other Hercules movie releasing at a similar time. IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3499424/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

- Gym Rescue, which is a spinoff of Bar Rescue, will star Randy Couture and Frank Shamrock. It’ll have a three-week trial period on Spike starting on Aug. 10.

- A Randy Savage DVD is in the production stages. A Batista DVD is scheduled for release on June 10.

- WWE is offering financial planning, debt consolidation services and $5,000 college scholarships to all past wrestlers. They’ve also contributed monetarily to DDP’s efforts with Jake Roberts and Scott Hall.


The booking and spoiler stuff:

- The Shield was originally going to break-up around Mania, but their face turn was so well-received it was stretched out. The decision was made to turn Rollins on Sunday afternoon, with a very slight tease of it in the Payback aftershow. It’s unknown where they’re going to go from here; someone like Sami Zayn could join the group, or they could continue as a duo for a while.

- Daniel Bryan’s rehab is going slower than anticipated, but Vince is seen as the one behind this angle, and backstage sources are portraying it as similar to him meddling in the 2012 Hell in a Cell main event. For that one, Vince assumed Cena would be able to make a historic return, and when he couldn’t, that led to a hasty Punk vs. Ryback match, with Punk ending Ryback’s streak.

However, DB is being pressured to come back ASAP, and people believe he will risk it and be in the stretcher match for the title at Money in the Bank. He’s going in for a check-up this week to see why his rehab is going slow, but he’s making an appearance at the June 9 Raw. If he can’t go, the MitB match will be for the title instead of a title shot, with possibly a second ladder match, or both the title and the briefcase hanging up for one match.

Assuming DB is healthy enough for it, the WWE is working toward him vs. Lesnar for SummerSlam. Cesaro vs. Lesnar would happen at some point after that, with or without the title being involved.

- Speaking of injuries, MVP tore something in his knee at an independent show on May 30. MRI results weren’t reported yet, but TNA has already taped a bunch of shows up to a MVP vs. Eric Young main event at the live PPV on June 15. MVP couldn’t put any weight on his leg, and as a result, it’s believed they’re going to have to pivot to Lashley vs. Young for the title, and to re-do or edit around a bunch of the TV stuff.

- Sting and WWE are now back to negotiating, after he (finally) declined his initial contract offering. The only guarantee was believed to be $10,000, like most Legends contracts, with additional amounts based on the dates he appeared and wrestled.

- Ric Flair went in for a physical on June 2. If he gets a relatively clean bill of health, he’s expected to be hired as a non-wrestler.

- Ross and Marshall von Erich are scheduled to debut on TNA’s June 15 PPV, with Kevin (their father) making an appearance as well. They used to be prelim / jobbers for Pro Wrestling NOAH, but got cut because they weren’t seen as promising wrestlers. It’s believed the TNA thing will be a one-shot deal.

- Brooke Tessmacher and Robbie E will be off TNA TV for a while because they’re a couple in CBS’ Amazing Race this season.

- Low Ki will be rejoining TNA and AAA (Mexican promotion) for some U.S. dates. Taryn Terrell (Tiffany in the WWE) will be back for TNA as well.

- WWE has tried multiple times to hire Cody Hall, Scott’s son, but he’s told them he wants to make a name for himself on the indy circuit first.

 

The original green Power Ranger challenged CM Punk to a fight months ago after Punk walked out on The E. Punk has never dignified the Green Ranger with a response, so the Green Ranger puts out a mock shirt. Shit you not.

http://www.ringsidenews.com/photo/92040/jdf-best-in-the-world-t-shirt/userid_1/

 

I met Jason David Frank about a year and a half ago. Super nice guy but he would get demolished in a fight with Punk. Demolished.

 

I watched the HHH special on Netflix. Two hours is too damn long but it was really revealing how special HHH is to his father-in-law. As in the son he didn't have.

 

The great thing about that special is, if you didn't like it you can just shout, "IT DIDN'T HAPPEN! DO YOU HEAR ME!? IT DIDN'T HAPPEN!" and it'll be erased from history.
At least until the person you watched it with writes a book about it later, of course.

 

So that's why Shane bailed ... ouch.