2014 Pro Wrestling Thread

Catching a few old PPVs on The Network. I finally finished up my run of WCW PPVs from 1998 to 2001 (I'll do the ones from before I restarted watching as a teenager later). I completely forgot that at WCW Greed, the Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship was introduced. Two brand new belts, which were never seen again because Vince bought the company barely a week later. I wonder where those belts are. Kid Romeo and Elix Skipper probably kept the damn things because no one else likely wanted them.

I'm starting ECW's first 1997 PPV, first ever PPV, Barely Legal. Wow, was this bargain basement in a lot of ways. The show started with Joey Styles cutting a promo in the ring ... but I can barely hear him. His mic wasn't fed into the recording. I can only hear him because the camera mic is picking up the arena PA system. Of course, since the camera mic is on, you get a lot of loud, clear, "yeah" and "wooo" and all kinds of other screaming. Five minutes in, and Styles is already screeching and Bubba Ray is calling people motherfuckers. Should be fun.

 

Hate that they can't use the original entrance music for the wrestlers in those PPVs.

It loses the feel and nostalgia for me not hearing Tommy Dreamer come out to Man in the Box.

 

Cena wins MITB, setting up Cena-Lesnar for Summerslam.

No idea who wins the MITB briefcase match, but I'd put money on Rollins screwing Reigns in the title match, setting up Rollins-Reigns for Summerslam and then HHH-Reigns later in the year, giving him a slow buildup to his Wrestlemania moment in winning the title for the first time.

 

It seems like they're not going to have Reigns and Rollins interact at all. Even during their one post-Rollins promo as the Shield, Reigns focused his energy on Orton. Plus it sounds like Rollins-Ambrose is happening at Battleground, so having Rollins attack Reigns at MITB muddies the issue.

Reigns-Orton sounds likely for Battleground, setting the stage for Reigns-HHH at Summerslam to go with champ Cena-Brock, possibly a gimmick rematch for Ambrose-Rollins and, I dunno, a Wyatt Family-Dust Family match?

 

This week’s Observer stuff:

- With the Network now operational, it’s estimated that US PPV sales have declined 75 percent after Mania, at least judging from Extreme Rules. The international PPV sales haven’t declined as much, since the Network still isn’t officially available there, but people have found ways around that and bought it anyway.

- AJ Lee was supposed to be back several weeks ago, but isn’t, obviously. Currently there are no plans for her.

- Still no renewal of the TNA TV contract with Spike, with radio silence from Spike on the issue.

- Matt Korklan, a.k.a. Evan Bourne, was originally supposed to appear on the Ring of Honor PPV. However, WWE wouldn’t wave his no-compete clause, which expires Sept. 18. Also, former NFL lineman Quinn Ojinnaka has signed with them; he’s incredibly raw and wrestling under the name Moose.

- The lineup for this year’s G-1 Climax tournament by New Japan is said to be as impressive as last year’s, which had four of the Observer’s Top 12 shows. The shows air on iPPV from July 21 to Aug. 10, and can be bought individually or in a package for $150. It’s essentially 10 PPVs in the span of 20 days. The biggest American names are Styles, Shelton Benjamin and Davey Boy Smith Jr.

- Jarrett’s promotion has signed an agreement with New Japan, which caught ROH by surprise. However, not much info about the promotion (Global Force Wrestling) has come out recently, except that Toby Keith isn’t believed to be an investor now. Hermie Sadler of NASCAR fame is though. There is still no TV deal lined up.

- Bully Ray used to date Brooke Hogan, but he’s now dating Velvet Sky, because there is no god.

- Jonathan Coachman was originally going to be brought in to do some Network stuff, but it’s apparently fallen through.

Booking stuff, like for this weekend’s PPV:

- It’s unknown what exactly the WWE will do with the title. Reigns and Cena are seen as the favorites to win, but it’s also seen internally as too soon for Reigns, and Cena’s popularity has been flat and he’s also had health issues here and there recently. Lesnar is widely expected to be in play for SummerSlam, but that would mean a quick title transition would be needed if a heel wins, since Lesnar isn’t going to be a face.

- Ambrose vs. Rollins is seen as in the works for Battleground on July 20.

- Batista said that he would definitely be returning after Guardians of the Galaxy released, which would mean he’s back in August or September.

- TNA booking is still all over the map for no good reason. MVP is moving from heel authority figure to heel manager. Kurt Angle will be the heel authority figure a la Triple H soon. They are also switching back to the six-sided ring. Eric Young lost the belt last week, and they’re believed to be moving him back to the mid-card. He’s lost clean to Lashley four times, and lost a battle royal for a title shot. (Jeff Hardy won it.)

 

From Chris Sabin to Bully Ray? Huh. Can't help who you fall in love with?

 

Match predictions for tonight's show? Here are mine:

Money In The Bank Ladder Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
John Cena vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Sheamus vs. Cesaro vs. Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Kane
Result: John Cena wins via retrieval of the title

WWE World Tag Team Championships
The Usos (c) vs. The Wyatt Family
Results: The Usos via Pinfall

Money In The Bank Contract Ladder Match
Seth Rollins vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Bad News Barrett vs. Dean Ambrose
Results: Seth Rollins via briefcase retrieval

WWE Divas Championship
Paige (c) vs. Naomi
Results: Paige via submission

Layla vs. Summer Rae
Results: Summer Rae by Pinfall

Rusev vs. Big E
Results: Rusev by Submission

Goldust & Stardust vs. Rybaxel
Results: Goldust & Stardust by Pinfall

 

CenaWinsLOL

 

WWE Money in the Bank predictions

This has got to be one of the hardest cards to predict in quite a while. So many moving parts. I'm going to go with the disappointment of a Cena victory so I'll be happy with any other ending.

WWE World Heavyweight Championship ladder match
John Cena def. Cesaro, Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, Sheamus, Kane, and Alberto Del Rio

Money in the Bank contract ladder match
Seth Rollins def. Dean Ambrose, Bad News Barrett (if medically cleared), Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, Kofi Kingston, and Rob Van Dam

Tag Team Championship match
Erick Rowan & Luke Harper def. The Usos (champions)

Diva's Championship match
Paige (champion) def. Naomi

Goldust & Stardust def. Curtis Axel & Ryback

Summer Rae def. Layla

Rusev def. Big E

 

Jamacian me crazy is worse than Uso crazy because Kofi isn't Jamacian. That is all.

 

If Lesnar is wrestling for the title at Summerslam, Cena wins (lol) and then Lesnar gets the job back at SS. If Lesnar isn't in the title picture, then Cena wins (lol).

A lot will depend on how soon Bryan comes back and if they intend to put him back in the title picture or demote him to another Kane feud. It seems too early for Reigns.

My hope: Bray wins the title, Harper/Rowan win the tag titles and Raw is Creepy for Monday.

 

Listened to the Jericho podcast with Heyman recently. I agreed with Y2J that Lesnar ahould have never jobbed for Cena or Triple H. Lesnar would be this unstoppable beast right now -- undefeated since returning, having conquered the Undertaker's undefeated streak at WrestleMania (© Paul Heyman), and winning the title -- setting up a huge moment for whoever beats him. Well, unless the endgame was CenaWinsLOL. A guy like Reigns could really use a defining victory to start his singles career.