2014 Pro Wrestling Thread

She needs a nice lengthy feud with either Summer Rae or Emma, since she has plenty of chemistry with both. Problem is, Summer Rae is locked up in this interminable Fandango-Layla-Adam Rose-Dolph Ziggler-whatever warm body they can dredge up angle, and Emma is in limbo.

Part of the problem is that they booked her like a pale girl version of Santino in the Milan Miracle days, where she's made to look completely impotent against more experienced wrestlers only to somehow sneak away with a win. And that'd be great in normal times, given that she's 21 and would be a complete unknown to WWE viewers. Except that NXT is available on the network, and even if it weren't, enough people can access glowing reports about how talented she is and the house-tearing-down matches she's had down there that they don't buy her as this dumb kid who stumbled ass-backwards into a title.

 

This week’s Observer stuff:

- Kenta is getting a big push from the company, although he is starting at NXT as opposed to on the main roster. However, it’s been noted that his attitude is better already than their last big international free agent signing, Sin Cara, who refused to learn English. There is still a high chance that he won’t get over that much though; he’s smaller than CM Punk, and Punk (Go To Sleep) and Daniel Bryan (the Yes Lock) took his finishers from Japan and used them in the U.S. So, he’s most likely going to have to use something else.

- The July 12 house show at the Garden was treated as a big effin’ deal by the WWE. It had the main roster debuts of Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks, the return of Ric Flair, and Cena and Wyatt flew in from Toyko to work a match.

- Matt Hardy has ended his ROH appearances on good terms with the company; they don’t want to use him while he’s on TNA, since they’re kind of a competitor, plus he was cutting them a deal lower than his usual rate in the first place. Both sides are open to more appearances if TNA doesn’t offer Hardy something full-time.

- ROH also won’t be running the Manhattan Center or Hammerstein Ballroom anytime soon, since both venues upped their rates. Even with a sellout, ROH wouldn’t make money. As a result, it’s expected that TNA did really badly, since their expenses are way higher and they didn’t sellout the other week.

- Russo is still working for TNA, although he only claims it’s as a consultant to the announcing team. It leaked out because he accidentally (or not) CC’ed a guy from PWInsider – Mike Johnson – on an e-mail to Mike Tenay.

- Angle has an offer to re-up with TNA, but hasn’t re-signed yet. It’s believed he really wants to go back to the WWE, but they have no interest in him as an in-ring performer. So, TNA might be his only option, unless Jarrett comes in with lots of money. WWE is convinced he won’t be able to pass a physical, and given all of his past issues, they don’t want something bad happening to a former Olympic gold medalist while he’s under contract to them.

- Gina Carano vs. Ronda Rousey is expected to become a reality, with a fight date of Jan. 3.

- The next WWE Network number is scheduled to be released on July 31. As a result, there could be some stock movement on that day, if you feel like gambling.

- The Sting video game promo cost $200,000 to shoot. It got a huge response initially when they played it for the live audience at Raw, but then people began booing when they realized it was a commercial, and that he wasn’t there. Triple H has started mentioning him as well, so while the contract still isn’t finalized, he’ll be do something for the WWE at some point.

- WWE will be running Raw on Dec. 29… and a house show the same night. Apparently, it’s one of the strongest live attendance weeks of the year, hence the double booking. The shows are in DC and Richmond, VA, so talent could be flown from one to the other to make both.

- Tensai is now working as a trainer in addition to as an announcer.

- There is now a tag team for WWE known as The Mechanics – not literally, like 1980s and 1990s style tag teams, but the idea that they are vanilla midgets, really sound workers with absolutely no gimmick.

Not much spoiler stuff this week:

- Big Show finished filming his movie on July 13, so he’ll be back on TV soon.

- Lesnar is scheduled to return July 21 on Raw. And, uh, so will Flo Rida.

 

Re: The PPV, I think Paige is better than she seems, but the WWE hasn't really done her many favors, in hindsight. While from all accounts she's a really good worker, she's probably working with all of the main roster women for the first time, and it's probably tough to build up chemistry that way. You can probably parallel the women's title situation to the men's - By all accounts, AJ left kind of suddenly to get married, so they had to decide what to do with the belt. Hot-shotting Paige seemed like a decent idea at the time, since anyone else, AJ had already beaten multiple times in her long title reign. I still think Paige has a good future with the company, but since they're bringing up Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair, it sounds like she might be in the women's mid-card / backburner for a while.

I think I was more positive on this PPV than most everyone else. The opening tag title match was really well done, and I thought the only shit finish was The Miz winning the IC belt. Even though I think he's a good performer, I also think he's getting X-Pac / "go away" heat at this point. Giving him the belt pretty much confirms that the WWE thinks it's not good for elevating talent at this point. I would have seen any of the last 5 guys eliminated get it besides him.

Re: Cena, if Lesnar is coming back for SummerSlam, then it really limits who they can even put the belt on. You don't want to give it to Reigns right now, only to have him square off against Lesnar at SummerSlam - I think that's going to be their Mania match. Daniel Bryan being injured and CM Punk leaving takes out two other A-level faces. If they signed Jericho a bit earlier, then he could have made for a good transitional champ, plus, have we ever seen Jericho vs. Lesnar? But they didn't, so it's kind of moot. So, it was basically Cena, or putting the belt on someone kind of early who clearly would have been an underdog to keep it for long (Cesaro, Ambrose).

 

Sheamus and someone (I think it was Ziggler) near the end of the battle royal looked so awkward that they replayed it. Ziggler climbed over Sheamus' back and Sheamus' knee just buckled. Thought he might have blown it out, and Ziggler damn near broke his neck in the process.

 

If they were smart about this, they would have Brie get Stephanie arrested for hitting a customer.

 

That better not be how they get Cesaro away from Heyman. If it is, it's terrible.

 

By sticking him with The Authority you mean?

 

Just seems like a lame way to break them up.

On the other hand, they've finally given Paige a personality.

 

I agree 100%. Would almost feel like a slap in the face to the IWC, too. Two of the biggest indie guys in the company (Cesaro and Rollins) kissing Triple H's ring to get to the top.

 

Where's the West Texas Rednecks when you need them?
And has Flo Rida not released a song since 2012?

 

I think I've been watching this a little too much.

Anyways, you're welcome.

 

You win.