2015 Pro Wrestling Thread

Eh, I don't know. I like the fact that NXT is a place for new signees and developmental talent. It's a great chance for these folks to develop their characters, hone their craft and fix their mistakes. I think the reason it works so well is that the audience knows there are going to be some hiccups here and there and we buy in to the talent growing with each show.
Then, these folks move up to the main roster and they already have an established fan base and can transition nicely (See Paige, the Shield, the Wyatts)
Just my two cents.

 

I sometimes wonder if some in WWE are secretly kind of pissed that WCW failed, and that TNA never really was a legitimate threat to them. Vince seems to be at his best when he has someone to fight against, and he's been unchallenged for almost 14 years now.

NXT as a separate brand could work, but they would have to have discipline and patience with it. They would have to be willing to keep the brands and the product separated for a good long time. They weren't willing to do it with Smackdown and Raw.

 

Yeah, but they would risk having it become more popular than Raw and Smackdown, and they just won't be able to handle that.

 

Maybe Shane McMahon can conduct a hostile takeover of NXT and then rally the troops. Boom! Instant rivalry.

 

NXT in five years could become what Smackdown should be, what it was under Heyman back when Cena JBL and Eddie grew up.....a place where talent can develop into characters capable of main eventing RAW. A guy like Zayn is better off main eventing NXT than ending up like Bo Dallas. The more popular NXT gets, the more the audience will accept those guys as headliners because they already headline a show.

Smackdown now should be used to build guys who aren't getting exposure on RAW....instead its a re-hash. Ambrose/Barrett should be the main event on Smackdown for weeks. Maybe factor in Wyatt too. There's no need for Big Show/Kane opening and closing segments on both shows.

 

Um, I really enjoyed the story told in the tag team turmoil angle on SD. The section with the Usos vs. Bryan/Reigns was great.

 

Observer from Feb. 16:

- WWE talent was given a directive from the office to not talk about the Rollins’ love triangle stuff. Both Rollins and Zahra Schreiber were engaged. No punishment for the incident is expected to happen.

- Right now, they’re planning internally for a Lesnar vs. Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan match at Mania, although as always, it’s all subject to change. It’s unknown who they’re favoring to win the match, or if Reigns will turn at some point in the process. It’s noted that he’s getting a mixed reaction like Cena used to / does, but with nowhere near the same fervor.

- Triple H has pitched the idea of NXT becoming a touring brand by the end of 2015, or early 2016, using NXt’s roster and some unused talent from the main roster. The two roadblocks would be travel / exhaustion (NXT guys train during the week, and would do shows on the weekend), and cost. Triple H is also pushing for the women’s division to get more attention, and there is a noticeable different between how it’s handled on the main roster vs. NXT.

Main roster talent isn’t happy with booking or the current backstage tone, which is described as arm-twisting that everything is OK. Promos are an especially big concern, with management favoring coaches with a “sports entertainment” spiel. Meanwhile, Dusty Rhodes is left to ply his trade in NXT.

- Chyna probably punted any chance she had of being back on WWE TV or in the Hall of Fame soon by getting all batshit crazy on a recent podcast. Highlights included claiming that the WWE wouldn’t return her calls about their Wellness Program rehab offer, claiming Triple H hit her while they were dating, and that she found love letters from Stephanie to Triple H.

- Orton is wrestling on house shows, but he’s limited to five minute matches as he’s working his way back.

- Darren Young, who is gay, tweeted about the bad climate in Abu Dhabi for homosexuals. WWE made him take down the tweets.

- Raw dropped big on Feb. 9, to a 2.72 rating and 3.66M viewers. Excluding football season shows, when the rating drops anyway, it’s the lowest rating since 1997. Smackdown did a 1.76 and 2.44M on Thursday, which is also a drop from the previous week’s show.

- Cena does have a legit eye injury, a scratched cornea. He isn’t expected to miss Fastlane though. Internally, the “old man and veteran Cena” angle isn’t popular, since he’s 37. That’s the age of Bret Hart in 1994, HBK in 2002, Stone Cold in 2002, Hogan in 1990 and Flair in 1986.

- A WWE staffer reported that they saw Undertaker recently, and that his knees were completely shot and he looked like he was 60.

- Chael Sonnen is talking with the WWE, but it’s believed to be for an announcing or attraction gig, not as a wrestler. The company denies being in talks with Wanderlei Silva, but it could be because he’s under contract to UFC.

- New Japan is a bit stagnant right now. The Bullet Club took all of the major titles at the most recent February PPV. It’s believed that the promotion is looking for a talent infusion / shuffling to refresh the title pictures.

- DDP, 58, had to be hospitalized because of vocal cord swelling. He was scheduled for emergency surgery on Feb. 12 or Feb. 13. Apparently, they were so swollen that he couldn’t breathe.

- Vince Russo is visiting Lucha Underground, under the guise of doing interviews for his podcast. However, it’s also believed that he and the company are interviewing each other for interest in a job.

Dairvari debuted with the company at some recent tapings. Also, fences have been mended with Jim Ross, but there is no deal – they’re just back on friendly terms. Torrie Wilson and Lisa Varon (Victoria) were also backstage, with Victoria more likely to get a deal than Torrie, who hasn’t wrestled in years and retired because of injuries. (Torrie and A-Rod also recently broke up, according to the gossip mags.)

- After the ROH PPV show on March 1, the next one isn’t scheduled for June 19. Last year, they did a joint show with New Japan in May, but it’s unknown if they’re willing to spend the money this year.

- Tayrn Terrell (Tiffany) is in the Feb. 2 issue of Sports Illustrated, in an action shot of her getting hit in the face with a basketball for Will Ferrell’s new movie, Daddy’s Home. In the caption, she was identified as a stuntwoman, not a TNA or WWE wrestler.

- Ronda Rousey posed for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and got a big payday for it. For the shoot, she had more of a “normal” look, as compared to the ESPN body issue in the past, which she tried to replicate her fight physique for.

- TNA is negotiating with AAA (Mexican federation) on a talent swap or sharing agreement. WWE is also scouting for a Hispanic star, saying they want someone bi-lingual, 6’ and built. Their two biggest Mexican acts were 5’2” and 5’6”.

 

Stormin' Norman Smiley AND Hugh Morrus on Raw? Be still my heart.

 

Holy shit was RAW dull this week. Man. BBBBBOOOORRRIIINNNGGG. #Snooze

 

I recognized those two and then had to find out who the guy was that was helping Morrus (DeMott) hold back Reigns. Turns out it was Robbie Brookside, a veteran British wrestler who's now one of the trainers at NXT. If you read Chris Jericho's first book and remember his chapter on the Catch tournament in Germany, Brookside was one of the Liverpool Lads tag team, whom Jericho became buddies with during the tourney, and who taught him the Cockney slang that was referred to throughout the rest of the book.

 

Sort of enjoyed some of the stuff. I think what they're doing with Reigns and Daniel Bryan could be really good, and its giving Reigns a good out to be an "I got screwed over so screw you" kind of heel if they do it right

 

But did anyone fall victim to The Big Wiggle?