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The Wrestling Discussion Thread

RedwoodOriginal said:
I would rate it the same. Really sad movie. Though I can't imagine how a movie about the Von Erichs can't be. I didn't like that Kerry was a background character here. His character wasn't fleshed out at all. Which is disappointing because I love Jeremy Allen White in The Bear, and he is a great actor. I did like how well they captured the look and feel of 80s territory wrestling though. And the performances were brilliant from Zac Eforn and Holt McClaney. But their Ric Flair was really bad.
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I saw a clip of that Flair impersonation.

It just slap in the face of the crowd who say guys like Flair and Taker could have been played by anyone
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Meltzer goes overboard with his fawning over him and the 6 star matches. But his fanboying aside, I do think he is a very good wrestler. He has changed his style significantly over the years. He's no longer the high-flying cruiserweight he started out as. His matches feel physical, are well-paced and take place mostly in the ring---which in itself feels like a miracle these days. The Japanese no-selling honestly I've gotten sensitized to at this point so it doesn't bother me as much eventhough it is stupid as hell and makes wrestling look fake.

Until Ospreay's body doesn't break and completely fall apart like Omega, AEW can get alot out of him as a top babyface. Because he is always going to be very popular with their core fanbase because of Uncle Dave.

With Okada, I will be happy if I just get the dream matches. I have zero hope for him being involved in any compelling storylines or feuds. So just give me Okada v MJF, Okada v Joe, Okada v Christian and all the other ones I can't think of rn.
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I saw Okada wrestle two matches in AEW and in both, there were two very serious injuries - (Adam Cole's concussion and Bryan's forearm fracture). His matches in NJPW were less injuryprone.
 
Ospreay has improved a whole lot in last few years probably after signing full time with NJPW. But he gets injured way too often. Compare him to Richochet who is older and wrestles the similar style. Ospreay is too injury prone to become the face of AEW. And AEW isn't interested in expanding its fanbase, they are content with just appealing to the hardcore indie fanbase and that is enough for Tony to pat himself on the back.
 
shaz619 said:
At the top of the card they can’t be beat, nobody puts on a better big time show.

But the under card is still lacking and no one has managed to come close to putting on the kind of matches Shawn was known for at Wrestlemania, though that’s unfair to compare anyone to the best ever, I think matches just lack soul in general. We got Edge/Orton at Backlash which I always rave about but what has happened similar to it at WM or something similar to Cody/Dustin, maybe this years main event will be the one
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I thought that they did a really great job this week with the Gauntlet Match on RAW which will now lead to Sami challenging Gunther for the IC Championship at WrestleMania. In particular I liked how they showed us pre-taped promos of all the wrestlers in the match and the special focus they gave Sami Zayn and Chad Gable. Though I wonder where Chad goes from here because he was built up, promised alot and then beaten. At any rate, they do deserve credit for making this match mean something.

I dunno what they are planning with a 6 Way Tag Team Ladder Match. I guess you gotta have something on the card for the spotfest marks too.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
I saw Okada wrestle two matches in AEW and in both, there were two very serious injuries - (Adam Cole's concussion and Bryan's forearm fracture). His matches in NJPW were less injuryprone.
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Tbh, I think don't either were his fault. Okada wrestles a very physical style but he is a consummate professional. Bryan at this point in his career is injury-prone. He is much less injury-prone than most guys his age like Punk but there's always that risk when guys like Bryan step into the ring and decide to have hard-hitting 20+ minute matches.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Ospreay has improved a whole lot in last few years probably after signing full time with NJPW. But he gets injured way too often. Compare him to Richochet who is older and wrestles the similar style. Ospreay is too injury prone to become the face of AEW. And AEW isn't interested in expanding its fanbase, they are content with just appealing to the hardcore indie fanbase and that is enough for Tony to pat himself on the back.
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I would compare Ospreay's style more to Kenny Omega than Ricochet. Ricochet is still a high-flyer, whereas Opsreay wrestles a more hybrid style that far is less focused on high-flying than it used to be.
 
shaz619 said:
I have very rarely enjoyed him on the same level of others, I’ve seen his matches with Okada in Japan and they did nothing for me. He isn’t the best British wrestler, let alone the best in this business. I haven’t seen any noticeable changes in his work though am advised by his most die hard hipster followers to watch his last two matches. Within his limitations though I thought Chris Jericho got the most out of him at Wembley, that’s the best match he has had up until that point for me; with a seasoned vet bringing their ring generalship like they should, to structure the match for a 50k people instead of 5k people. One positive I would say though is his steroid use, maybe it has lead to injuries to but he no longer looks like another skinny high flyer; but when you add muscle you need to use your brain because you can’t be pulling out the stunts you did as a vanilla midget because the body centre of gravity changes, AJ stopped using the spiral tap because of this and adapted his work a bit.

Ospreay has potential to be a good worker and get more over beyond that niche neck beard crowd if he focussed on ring psychology or sort the help of those who may get him there.

As for his gimmick and mic ability, he is playing a council estate chav and he is meant to be a main eventer; I don’t know if it’s worse then Seth’s cross dressing.

Before I admit I looked at AEW in the vein of seeing those ‘dream matches’ but since Punk left I feel something is missing
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AJ is one of a kind, Ospreay isn't. But I would say, he is very good when he doesn't go overboard. Ospreay and Takagi had some very good matches (with his newish style). His matches with Ricochet were good as well (even though they were spot fests but they were very well done). Same thing with Omega, when he is grounded and constrained by limitations, he tends to perform much better. Although that Ospreay Omega match at Forbidden Door was nauseating to watch. Big move, near fall, big move, no sell, repeat for 30 minutes or so.
 
shaz619 said:
In his college scrap book or something whatever they call it in North America, he was voted most likely to be WWE Champion. And this video reinforced that, this is how it all starts, in the starry eyes of youth. Destined for greatness.

A shame his legacy is being questioned in AEW
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Edge is still underrated IMO. A lot of fans have been bashing him and his legacy since his move to AEW and the awful booking of his feud with JD. People have been calling him a failure of a draw and stuff. But to me, he was one of the most complete wrestlers in WWE. His promos are extremely underrated. He had this ability to make you feel his promos and in ring work that very smooth and well timed. Think he only went to AEW to work with Christian cause both him and Christian knew they won't be given a chance to feud with each other in WWE and Trips isn't really a big fan of Edge.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
I would compare Ospreay's style more to Kenny Omega than Ricochet. Ricochet is still a high-flyer, whereas Opsreay wrestles a more hybrid style that far is less focused on high-flying than it used to be.
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Yes he has tweaked his style since graduating to heavyweight. Before that, he was very much Ricochet like. But even after changing his style, he is still just as injury prone as he used to be.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Tbh, I think don't either were his fault. Okada wrestles a very physical style but he is a consummate professional. Bryan at this point in his career is injury-prone. He is much less injury-prone than most guys his age like Punk but there's always that risk when guys like Bryan step into the ring and decide to have hard-hitting 20+ minute matches.
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Yes Okada is awesome and I rate him higher than Kenny for his in ring IQ. But I think it will be a big challenge for Okada to get over in NA. He will be over with the AEW fanbase, yes, as most of them treat wrestling "journalists" words like gospel.
But how much he can get over with the casual fanbase is going to be a challenge for him and I think he is better suited than Nakamura to get over with the casuals. AEW isn't really going to be a test for him as AEW is mostly the American version of NJPW.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
@shaz619 WWE feels like pure cinema these days. There is so much great storytelling and so many compelling storylines going into WrestleMania. This really feels like one of the most exciting Manias in years.
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apart from Cody, Drew and Bloodline (Jey included), not many stories that are in place have that spark IMO. Compare Sami right now to where he was last year, he felt like the oxygen last year and he may very well go on to beat Gunther at Mania, they are yet to tell a story that can appeal to the fans in a way his storyline with the Bloodline did last year.
JD have been the unsung heroes IMO and have carried the mid card for the majority of last year. Apart from that, Randy is being wasted. AJ-LA Knight feud is going nowhere and AJ being turned to a Karen has been illogical. Bron Breakker's callup has gone under the radar. Lashley-Kross feud has been laughable and boring. In Dom, they have a massive heat magnet, but don't know if he's going to get a go at Mania this year. Rey's return should have been treated like a bigger deal.
I would have loved to have an AJ vs Balor standard singles match at Mania instead of Knight vs AJ.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
I would compare Ospreay's style more to Kenny Omega than Ricochet. Ricochet is still a high-flyer, whereas Opsreay wrestles a more hybrid style that far is less focused on high-flying than it used to be.
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I never expected this, but honestly, Ricochet regressed from Lucha Underground; if you watched him there he was world class, he still has that elite pedigree but you rarely see him have psychological matches anymore, if anything at least he doesn’t injure himself despite a hectic schedule so he has grasped the fundamentals of bumping
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
I thought that they did a really great job this week with the Gauntlet Match on RAW which will now lead to Sami challenging Gunther for the IC Championship at WrestleMania. In particular I liked how they showed us pre-taped promos of all the wrestlers in the match and the special focus they gave Sami Zayn and Chad Gable. Though I wonder where Chad goes from here because he was built up, promised alot and then beaten. At any rate, they do deserve credit for making this match mean something.

I dunno what they are planning with a 6 Way Tag Team Ladder Match. I guess you gotta have something on the card for the spotfest marks too.
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Hunter’s Booking 101 - ‘Strike when the Iron is Ice Cold’

This time last year Sami was red hot, he had one hell of a match with Reigns in Canada, the story was built around him beating Reigns and there was so much sympathy for him as a baby face. But they didn’t pull the trigger.

Fast foward to the present and the audience are BOOOIng a Sami which hasn’t even turned heel, I don’t think his support for Gaza has really been out there so it’s not that, Gable has more heat then him, don’t you worry bud, Gable will win the next Gaunlet 12 months from now….it’s all written down in the long term planning :yk
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Edge is still underrated IMO. A lot of fans have been bashing him and his legacy since his move to AEW and the awful booking of his feud with JD. People have been calling him a failure of a draw and stuff. But to me, he was one of the most complete wrestlers in WWE. His promos are extremely underrated. He had this ability to make you feel his promos and in ring work that very smooth and well timed. Think he only went to AEW to work with Christian cause both him and Christian knew they won't be given a chance to feud with each other in WWE and Trips isn't really a big fan of Edge.
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Yeah that JD feud was absolute death. Lasted a year and didn't do anything to get Finn Balor over. I had high hopes for his feud with Christian. In many ways it was a dream feud/match for me because I have always been a huge fan of both, especially Christian. But it simply has not lived up to the hype. The storytelling has been drawn out and they've made Christian's faction a part of it too much when it should have been about Christian and Edge. The match they had at World's End was good but nothing special. Above all, Edge feels like just another guy on the roster instead of a big star who was supposed to fill the hole left by CM Punk. The rubber match of this feud is scheduled for next week on Dynamite in Toronto. And its supposed to be an I Quit Match. Let's see if they can salvage this feud and if both guys can finally move on to something else.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Yes Okada is awesome and I rate him higher than Kenny for his in ring IQ. But I think it will be a big challenge for Okada to get over in NA. He will be over with the AEW fanbase, yes, as most of them treat wrestling "journalists" words like gospel.
But how much he can get over with the casual fanbase is going to be a challenge for him and I think he is better suited than Nakamura to get over with the casuals. AEW isn't really going to be a test for him as AEW is mostly the American version of NJPW.
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Yeah but that's the thing. AEW isn't interested in growing their fanbase. They just want to appeal to the same people who know who everyone in CMLL and New Japan and Stardom is. Ice Cube's son explained it best in this video:
https://www.reddit.com/r/JimCornette/comments/1avlyuo/oshea_jackson_jr_ice_cubes_son_explains_to_chris

So Okada will do great here. He will be booked well because Tony is a mark for Japanese wrestling. We'll get most of the dream matches, if not all. And he might even become World Champion. Which is fine. He's a great wrestler and AEW is a better place for him. For one thing. it is less of a challenge for him to get over here since the core audience already knows who he is and it offers a much greater upside money-wise as well as a flexible schedule that will allow him to bounce back between Japan and USA. And there's no telling how he will be booked in WWE either. Not to mention, the amount of top-level stars that WWE already has. That's a pretty competitive field there right now.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Yes he has tweaked his style since graduating to heavyweight. Before that, he was very much Ricochet like. But even after changing his style, he is still just as injury prone as he used to be.
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Guys like Omega and Ospreay aren't in this for the long haul. You can't wrestle the way they wrestle and expect to have a long career. Some of the moves I have seen these guys do and take are downright dangerous. Dropping guys on their heads isn't anything new. All Japan in the 90s was even more physical and as a result those guys likely took years off each other's lives. Heck, Misawa died in the ring after his neck was essentially impaled from the rest of his body. And yet these idiots willingly take Tiger Drivers and drop each other on their necks and heads despite knowing everything we know now.
 
shaz619 said:
I never expected this, but honestly, Ricochet regressed from Lucha Underground; if you watched him there he was world class, he still has that elite pedigree but you rarely see him have psychological matches anymore, if anything at least he doesn’t injure himself despite a hectic schedule so he has grasped the fundamentals of bumping
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Yup he was awesome there as Prince Puma. And that suited him because was working with luchadors most of the time. I think in WWE he is likely deliberately working a safer style so he can have longevity.
 
shaz619 said:
Hunter’s Booking 101 - ‘Strike when the Iron is Ice Cold’

This time last year Sami was red hot, he had one hell of a match with Reigns in Canada, the story was built around him beating Reigns and there was so much sympathy for him as a baby face. But they didn’t pull the trigger.

Fast foward to the present and the audience are BOOOIng a Sami which hasn’t even turned heel, I don’t think his support for Gaza has really been out there so it’s not that, Gable has more heat then him, don’t you worry bud, Gable will win the next Gaunlet 12 months from now….it’s all written down in the long term planning :yk
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Yup I agree with you. What surprises me is that he booked Gable to get over as the ultimate underdog babyface. Even an idiot could have seen from a mile away that based on his last match with Gunther and what Gable said going into this match "I'm doing this for my daughter" that Gable was the top babyface. I feel bad for him and Sami. Both of these guys have been underutilized and when they get over the booking fails them.

In wrestling when the crowd gets behind someone and you don't do anything with them sooner or later, the crowd just moves on too. Because for someone to become a star the booking has to go hand in hand with the fan reaction.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
apart from Cody, Drew and Bloodline (Jey included), not many stories that are in place have that spark IMO. Compare Sami right now to where he was last year, he felt like the oxygen last year and he may very well go on to beat Gunther at Mania, they are yet to tell a story that can appeal to the fans in a way his storyline with the Bloodline did last year.
JD have been the unsung heroes IMO and have carried the mid card for the majority of last year. Apart from that, Randy is being wasted. AJ-LA Knight feud is going nowhere and AJ being turned to a Karen has been illogical. Bron Breakker's callup has gone under the radar. Lashley-Kross feud has been laughable and boring. In Dom, they have a massive heat magnet, but don't know if he's going to get a go at Mania this year. Rey's return should have been treated like a bigger deal.
I would have loved to have an AJ vs Balor standard singles match at Mania instead of Knight vs AJ.
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That's true but they do deserve credit for how well they have done the top storylines. Personally, I don't expect everything to be perfect. Even when WWE was at their peak in the late 90s, the midcard was largely garbage. It was only for a brief period of time in the early 2000s that the roster and match cards would be stacked top to bottom. As long as most of the matches are mostly good I'll be fine. Ultimately the main-event stories are what the fans most look forward to. Hopefully they can stick the landing with this Cody-Bloodline storyline.
 
shaz619 said:
It’s funny because I visited Pakistan a while back and my cousin was seeing re-runs of the AE era as if it was happening now in the present 🤣🤣🤣 I imagine that period is not lost from the minds of these fellas and the biggest names.

Nobody cares about Triple H though - A 4/10 Worker At Best :)
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Where is he watching the AE era. Man i want to watch it too.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Yeah that JD feud was absolute death. Lasted a year and didn't do anything to get Finn Balor over. I had high hopes for his feud with Christian. In many ways it was a dream feud/match for me because I have always been a huge fan of both, especially Christian. But it simply has not lived up to the hype. The storytelling has been drawn out and they've made Christian's faction a part of it too much when it should have been about Christian and Edge. The match they had at World's End was good but nothing special. Above all, Edge feels like just another guy on the roster instead of a big star who was supposed to fill the hole left by CM Punk. The rubber match of this feud is scheduled for next week on Dynamite in Toronto. And its supposed to be an I Quit Match. Let's see if they can salvage this feud and if both guys can finally move on to something else.
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They have simply overbooked that feud. Edge is sort of a guy who shouldn't be on tv every week. He was best utilized during his early return period feud with Randy, Roman and Seth. Plus Edge isn't the sort of a guy who the hardcore indie fans are drawn towards.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Guys like Omega and Ospreay aren't in this for the long haul. You can't wrestle the way they wrestle and expect to have a long career. Some of the moves I have seen these guys do and take are downright dangerous. Dropping guys on their heads isn't anything new. All Japan in the 90s was even more physical and as a result those guys likely took years off each other's lives. Heck, Misawa died in the ring after his neck was essentially impaled from the rest of his body. And yet these idiots willingly take Tiger Drivers and drop each other on their necks and heads despite knowing everything we know now.
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i think its stupid if one deliberately wants to harm himself for the sake of entertainment. They probably don't realize how fragile human life actually is
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
That's true but they do deserve credit for how well they have done the top storylines. Personally, I don't expect everything to be perfect. Even when WWE was at their peak in the late 90s, the midcard was largely garbage. It was only for a brief period of time in the early 2000s that the roster and match cards would be stacked top to bottom. As long as most of the matches are mostly good I'll be fine. Ultimately the main-event stories are what the fans most look forward to. Hopefully they can stick the landing with this Cody-Bloodline storyline.
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Yes and Bloodline has quite a few chefs. Heyman, Roman himself, Trips, now Dwayne and Gerwitz. Eager to see how it pans out.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Yup I agree with you. What surprises me is that he booked Gable to get over as the ultimate underdog babyface. Even an idiot could have seen from a mile away that based on his last match with Gunther and what Gable said going into this match "I'm doing this for my daughter" that Gable was the top babyface. I feel bad for him and Sami. Both of these guys have been underutilized and when they get over the booking fails them.

In wrestling when the crowd gets behind someone and you don't do anything with them sooner or later, the crowd just moves on too. Because for someone to become a star the booking has to go hand in hand with the fan reaction.
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Think the original plan was Sami vs Drew but Trips sorta abruptly put Sami in that Gunther feud without putting much story in it. Think they can still add Gable in the mix. Ideally, I would have liked Sheamus to have been the guy to dethrone Gunther. The two clicked like no other.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Yup he was awesome there as Prince Puma. And that suited him because was working with luchadors most of the time. I think in WWE he is likely deliberately working a safer style so he can have longevity.
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Ricochet had different intensity in Nxt as well. He's simply not just another lucha libre style wrestler. He definitely has something special. Vince booking him as a jobber in 2020 threw all his momentum away and he hasn't been able to connect with the crowd after that. One thing he is found to be lacking is the psychological side of a match. And his promo skills are pretty average. Although Trips likes him, it isn't working for him. He is best utilized in multi men matches like MITB.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Yup I agree with you. What surprises me is that he booked Gable to get over as the ultimate underdog babyface. Even an idiot could have seen from a mile away that based on his last match with Gunther and what Gable said going into this match "I'm doing this for my daughter" that Gable was the top babyface. I feel bad for him and Sami. Both of these guys have been underutilized and when they get over the booking fails them.

In wrestling when the crowd gets behind someone and you don't do anything with them sooner or later, the crowd just moves on too. Because for someone to become a star the booking has to go hand in hand with the fan reaction.
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LA Knight is another victim of the same issue, but I’m hoping AJ can help him between the ropes; although my hopes are not overly high, working a stadium singles match is a challenge especially with time restrictions
 
shaz619 said:
LA Knight is another victim of the same issue, but I’m hoping AJ can help him between the ropes; although my hopes are not overly high, working a stadium singles match is a challenge especially with time restrictions
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AJ vs Andrade could be pretty dope.
 
shaz619 said:
LA Knight is another victim of the same issue, but I’m hoping AJ can help him between the ropes; although my hopes are not overly high, working a stadium singles match is a challenge especially with time restrictions
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LA Knight was more over than Cody, they did absolutely nothing with him and now the crowd is slowly moving on from what it look like.
 
LA knight is pushed more toward the spectators as some sort of hero but he was never really going to win anything, and never had a push by the WWE to be the champ. Cody stole the spotlight.
 
Suleiman said:
LA Knight was more over than Cody, they did absolutely nothing with him and now the crowd is slowly moving on from what it look like.
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It’s like Triple H can’t bare to see these guys get over once they really start to get going, does that ring any bells lol I don’t trust him at all
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Think the original plan was Sami vs Drew but Trips sorta abruptly put Sami in that Gunther feud without putting much story in it. Think they can still add Gable in the mix. Ideally, I would have liked Sheamus to have been the guy to dethrone Gunther. The two clicked like no other.
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I don't like Sheamus and at his age that win will do nothing for him. Because he has more years behind him professionally than ahead of him and he is unlikely to be featured in a top position much going forward. Whereas Sami for me is probably one of the very best in-ring wrestlers in the world and a highly rootable babyface. This will not help make up for the missed opportunity that was Elimination Chamber in Montreal but it will be some consolation hopefully. Especially if they are planning the title change for Backlash in France.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Ricochet had different intensity in Nxt as well. He's simply not just another lucha libre style wrestler. He definitely has something special. Vince booking him as a jobber in 2020 threw all his momentum away and he hasn't been able to connect with the crowd after that. One thing he is found to be lacking is the psychological side of a match. And his promo skills are pretty average. Although Trips likes him, it isn't working for him. He is best utilized in multi men matches like MITB.
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I don't think there's anything necessarily wrong with being just another luchador. I mean Rey Mysterio is one of the most legendary wrestlers of all-time. Ricochet is really good but right now its hard to see him as just another guy on the roster who can do some cool flips and dives.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
They have simply overbooked that feud. Edge is sort of a guy who shouldn't be on tv every week. He was best utilized during his early return period feud with Randy, Roman and Seth. Plus Edge isn't the sort of a guy who the hardcore indie fans are drawn towards.
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There's nothing wrong with being on TV every week long as its compelling and there's a point to it. AEW is barely drawing 800,000 viewers these days. They need all the star power and big names they can get. Punk was on TV every week too when he came back to AEW and it was always great TV whether he was wrestling or talking. Problem here is that the stuff Edge is involved in here just isn't that great.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
I don't like Sheamus and at his age that win will do nothing for him. Because he has more years behind him professionally than ahead of him and he is unlikely to be featured in a top position much going forward. Whereas Sami for me is probably one of the very best in-ring wrestlers in the world and a highly rootable babyface. This will not help make up for the missed opportunity that was Elimination Chamber in Montreal but it will be some consolation hopefully. Especially if they are planning the title change for Backlash in France.
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There is barely a 4-5 year age gap between Sami and Sheamus.
 
BouncerGuy said:
LA knight is pushed more toward the spectators as some sort of hero but he was never really going to win anything, and never had a push by the WWE to be the champ. Cody stole the spotlight.
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LA Knight is a pretty good promo, but I haven't seen him put up a great match in WWE yet. He has the ability to get over with the crowd but I don't know why as soon as a bells ring, it becomes boring. His best match was against Cameron Grimes back in NXT.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
I don't think there's anything necessarily wrong with being just another luchador. I mean Rey Mysterio is one of the most legendary wrestlers of all-time. Ricochet is really good but right now its hard to see him as just another guy on the roster who can do some cool flips and dives.
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I didn't get your last point. Like it's hard to see him as just another guy on the roster or it's hard to see him being presented as just another guy on the roster?
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
There's nothing wrong with being on TV every week long as its compelling and there's a point to it. AEW is barely drawing 800,000 viewers these days. They need all the star power and big names they can get. Punk was on TV every week too when he came back to AEW and it was always great TV whether he was wrestling or talking. Problem here is that the stuff Edge is involved in here just isn't that great.
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Not being on TV keeps the mystique of big names. Edge vs Seth 2 happened on a random SD but it still felt like a pretty big match.
They haven't really told a good story with Edge and Christian especially with Christian's stable feels like a band of misfits.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Not being on TV keeps the mystique of big names. Edge vs Seth 2 happened on a random SD but it still felt like a pretty big match.
They haven't really told a good story with Edge and Christian especially with Christian's stable feels like a band of misfits.
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It can but like I said for a company like AEW that struggles to draw alot of viewers an established big name that people know and recognize can be a big plus to drawing more viewers.

And with Edge I was personally tired of him being involved in a feud, them doing an injury angle and then he returns months later to get his revenge. It was done to death and Edge himself mentioned that he didn't like doing a handful of matches throughout the year. Which makes sense since he towards the end of his career and wants to make the most of it.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
I didn't get your last point. Like it's hard to see him as just another guy on the roster or it's hard to see him being presented as just another guy on the roster?
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My bad. I didn't write that clearly. I meant to say that he is really good but right now he is lost in the shuffle as just another guy on the roster. And its hard to see him progressing forward from that.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
4-5 years is not a small gap. And Sheamus is actually 7 years older than Sami.
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Just looked at their ages. Sheamus is 46 and Sami will be 40 in a few months. So both aren't exactly young. Sheamus has been out of action for a good while now so not seeing him making a return to dethrone Gunther at Mania. But IMO Sami should go for the top title rather than IC. It would have been ideal to get Ilja to get that rub from Gunther but don't know if he'll be able to get over on the main roster that soon.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
My bad. I didn't write that clearly. I meant to say that he is really good but right now he is lost in the shuffle as just another guy on the roster. And its hard to see him progressing forward from that.
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Yes he's been in a very bad place in the card for over a year now and Trips doesn't seem to have a plan for him other than pairing him with Strowman as a tag team. Like Orton said about Ricochet, he definitely has something but also lacks something that is hard to pin point exactly.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
It can but like I said for a company like AEW that struggles to draw alot of viewers an established big name that people know and recognize can be a big plus to drawing more viewers.

And with Edge I was personally tired of him being involved in a feud, them doing an injury angle and then he returns months later to get his revenge. It was done to death and Edge himself mentioned that he didn't like doing a handful of matches throughout the year. Which makes sense since he towards the end of his career and wants to make the most of it.
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Yes think they're either turning Edge heel or he's going to put over Christian.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Just looked at their ages. Sheamus is 46 and Sami will be 40 in a few months. So both aren't exactly young. Sheamus has been out of action for a good while now so not seeing him making a return to dethrone Gunther at Mania. But IMO Sami should go for the top title rather than IC. It would have been ideal to get Ilja to get that rub from Gunther but don't know if he'll be able to get over on the main roster that soon.
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40 is not young but its no that old either. Cody, Roman, Kevin Owens, Rollins are all around that same age. 45+ is significantly older and I can't think of many guys in that age group besides Lashley and Punk.

Sami should be in the mix for a World title. He has all the ability in the ring and on the mic. But clearly Triple H does not see him as a World Champion even though he is much higher on him than Vince ever was. Which is a shame because Sami can be the biggest babyface in the business.

Ilja v Gunther can be done anytime and doesn't necessarily have to be for the belt. Personally. I would like to see it at a WrestleMania. My guess is that they think they can get more from him on NXT before he comes to the main-roster, which is fine I guess. WWE has a stacked roster as it is right now and they've already sent up Bron Breakker.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Yes think they're either turning Edge heel or he's going to put over Christian.
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I dunno I think he'll probably win the TNT Championship in his hometown. Christian has beaten him twice and he has won once but Christian managed to hold on to the belt every time. This feels like the blow-off match of this feud.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Yes he's been in a very bad place in the card for over a year now and Trips doesn't seem to have a plan for him other than pairing him with Strowman as a tag team. Like Orton said about Ricochet, he definitely has something but also lacks something that is hard to pin point exactly.
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Cornette once said that he should put on a mask and wrestle as a luchador. I don't think Cornette was aware of his Lucha Underground background. But that could be something that refreshes him. Personally, I think he lacks personality and charisma.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Cornette once said that he should put on a mask and wrestle as a luchador. I don't think Cornette was aware of his Lucha Underground background. But that could be something that refreshes him. Personally, I think he lacks personality and charisma.
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He just needs to learn to make a character and play it accordingly. Currently he is just doing a superhero type character with no story or build.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
I dunno I think he'll probably win the TNT Championship in his hometown. Christian has beaten him twice and he has won once but Christian managed to hold on to the belt every time. This feels like the blow-off match of this feud.
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I don't know. Haven't watched it since he lost to Christian when Luchasaurus gave him his title shot.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
40 is not young but its no that old either. Cody, Roman, Kevin Owens, Rollins are all around that same age. 45+ is significantly older and I can't think of many guys in that age group besides Lashley and Punk.

Sami should be in the mix for a World title. He has all the ability in the ring and on the mic. But clearly Triple H does not see him as a World Champion even though he is much higher on him than Vince ever was. Which is a shame because Sami can be the biggest babyface in the business.

Ilja v Gunther can be done anytime and doesn't necessarily have to be for the belt. Personally. I would like to see it at a WrestleMania. My guess is that they think they can get more from him on NXT before he comes to the main-roster, which is fine I guess. WWE has a stacked roster as it is right now and they've already sent up Bron Breakker.
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But Roman, Rollins, Cody and even KO all have had a taste of being the top guy regardless of how short that run was(KO). Sami has stayed in the mid card throughout his career. And it was only last year he got everyone behind him. That spark isn't there anymore in his current feud.
 

SmackDown Results: March 15, 2024​

  • Legado del Fantasma def. The LWO – WrestleMania XL Tag Team Championship Qualifying Match
  • Randy Orton def. Grayson Waller
  • Santos Escobar def. Dragon Lee
  • New Catch Republic def. Pretty Deadly – WrestleMania XL Tag Team Championship Qualifying Match
  • Bayley def. Dakota Kai via disqualification
 
I loved the Rock's promo last night. He has been killing it lately with his promos. That is the difference between The Rock and a midcarder like Cody Rhodes. I want Cody to finish his story because otherwise we would hear this nonsense about his story for another year. But after witnessing the Rock's current heel run, there is no doubt in my mind that he should be main eventing against Reigns at Wrestlemania.

I honestly don't get the hype with Cody Rhodes. He was a midcarder during his first run with WWE, and left because he was seeing stars and he didn't like it. He then started some crappy wrestling company, and the crowd hated him there, and instead of embracing the role of a heel, he left because he couldn't get over as a babyface as he is such a big mark of himself. He comes back to WWE and all of a sudden, he is pushed like Super Cena. Why? The guy is a midcarder at best, who have been turned into a superstar by the moronic internet wrestling community.

This whole notion of finishing the story is complete nonsense. What story is he talking about?

It is a shame that WWE crumbled due to fan pressure, just like they did in 2014 when the allowed some vanilla indie midget to walk out of Wrestlemania 30 as the world champion.
 
The_KING said:
I loved the Rock's promo last night. He has been killing it lately with his promos. That is the difference between The Rock and a midcarder like Cody Rhodes. I want Cody to finish his story because otherwise we would hear this nonsense about his story for another year. But after witnessing the Rock's current heel run, there is no doubt in my mind that he should be main eventing against Reigns at Wrestlemania.

I honestly don't get the hype with Cody Rhodes. He was a midcarder during his first run with WWE, and left because he was seeing stars and he didn't like it. He then started some crappy wrestling company, and the crowd hated him there, and instead of embracing the role of a heel, he left because he couldn't get over as a babyface as he is such a big mark of himself. He comes back to WWE and all of a sudden, he is pushed like Super Cena. Why? The guy is a midcarder at best, who have been turned into a superstar by the moronic internet wrestling community.

This whole notion of finishing the story is complete nonsense. What story is he talking about?

It is a shame that WWE crumbled due to fan pressure, just like they did in 2014 when the allowed some vanilla indie midget to walk out of Wrestlemania 30 as the world champion.
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Just one question, do you watch WWE regularly? Or are you a casual viewer who tunes in every now and then?
 
BunnyRabbit said:
But Roman, Rollins, Cody and even KO all have had a taste of being the top guy regardless of how short that run was(KO). Sami has stayed in the mid card throughout his career. And it was only last year he got everyone behind him. That spark isn't there anymore in his current feud.
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My point was that he still has time to become World Champion because he has roughly as much time left as those guys.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Just one question, do you watch WWE regularly? Or are you a casual viewer who tunes in every now and then?
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I don't watch full shows anymore, but I do keep up with WWE content on a weekly basis and certainly the main storylines that are happening.
 
The_KING said:
I don't watch full shows anymore, but I do keep up with WWE content on a weekly basis and certainly the main storylines that are happening.
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Well then it doesn't surprise me that you don't get it. The reason Cody is so popular is because he is a babyface people can root for and get behind. The reason people root for him and get behind him is because they have told a great story for two years that has been complimented by strong booking, great matches and compelling promos. The ‘finish the story’ relates to how Dusty Rhodes, his father came very close to winning the WWE Championship at MSG only to be cheated and for that moment to be taken away from him. It's wrestling but there's an element of truth to it which is why people can relate to it as well as Cody's own struggles and failures in his quest to reach the top.

Most of WWE's fans don't even know any wrestling company outside the WWE exists. So I wouldn’t put Cody getting over on the internet wrestling community.

And what Cody did takes guts. He believed that he was more than a midcarder and went out and proved it by wrestling on the indies until he and The Young Bucks ran the biggest wrestling show in the US in the last 25 years that wasn't run by the WWE or WCW. AEW, which came into being because of that show, gave wrestling fans who were tired of WWE, an alternative and gave wrestlers another viable place to work.

As for The Rock. He's a legend for sure. But if anyone thinks this roided up movie star can step into the ring and not get injured after one match, then they are living in a fool's world. It would be a miracle if he manages to get through the match he does have.

The reason people booed him was because a) had been doing the same lame schtick every time he came back and it was wearing thin. And b) he thought that fans would care more about a match between Roman Reigns and a part-timer like him, instead of a match between Roman Reigns and the guy they have been building up for 2 years and whom the fans have been cheering for just as long. I'm glad he came to his senses though because the storyline is much better off with him going full heel.

Also, if you don't watch or care about wrestling then hey that's good on you. But you don't c*ap on it or ruin it for the rest of us just because you think real wrestling ended when guys stopped doing crotch chops and talking about "pies". Contrary to what you may think Wrestling is still very good and there’s still alot of good stuff if you invest the time. WWE is far from crumbling. They are making record profits and AEW is a very viable alternative brand that is doing much better business than TNA ever did.
 
Suleiman said:
We were all waiting for this!! Now the transformation back into Hollywood Rock is complete 😎 🎸
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And his promo was his best since first run. He wasn't being outright the bad guy. He was acknowledging the fans. The way he talked at the end calmly and seriously about beating up Cody, it was just perfection. That was just perfectly delivered killer promo. One of the best in recent memory. Not many catchphrases used, he was just talking business and it felt so good. Think he's still adjusting to the current WWE universe. And once he shakes off that promo rust, he will be making loads of people cry. And I don't mean it as an overshoot, But he has the ability to kill the career of his opponents just with a promo.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
And his promo was his best since first run. He wasn't being outright the bad guy. He was acknowledging the fans. The way he talked at the end calmly and seriously about beating up Cody, it was just perfection. That was just perfectly delivered killer promo. One of the best in recent memory. Not many catchphrases used, he was just talking business and it felt so good. Think he's still adjusting to the current WWE universe. And once he shakes off that promo rust, he will be making loads of people cry. And I don't mean it as an overshoot, But he has the ability to kill the career of his opponents just with a promo.
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Agreed. I like the serious twist he’s putting on now as well. Hollywood Rock was more of a troll 90% of the time, but this promo he sounded very sinister and twisted at the end. You could say it about this heel run in general. He’s mixing it up with the humor and being the “bad guy” genuinely very well.

Still early days, let’s see how it progresses.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Well then it doesn't surprise me that you don't get it. The reason Cody is so popular is because he is a babyface people can root for and get behind. The reason people root for him and get behind him is because they have told a great story for two years that has been complimented by strong booking, great matches and compelling promos. The ‘finish the story’ relates to how Dusty Rhodes, his father came very close to winning the WWE Championship at MSG only to be cheated and for that moment to be taken away from him. It's wrestling but there's an element of truth to it which is why people can relate to it as well as Cody's own struggles and failures in his quest to reach the top.

Most of WWE's fans don't even know any wrestling company outside the WWE exists. So I wouldn’t put Cody getting over on the internet wrestling community.

And what Cody did takes guts. He believed that he was more than a midcarder and went out and proved it by wrestling on the indies until he and The Young Bucks ran the biggest wrestling show in the US in the last 25 years that wasn't run by the WWE or WCW. AEW, which came into being because of that show, gave wrestling fans who were tired of WWE, an alternative and gave wrestlers another viable place to work.

As for The Rock. He's a legend for sure. But if anyone thinks this roided up movie star can step into the ring and not get injured after one match, then they are living in a fool's world. It would be a miracle if he manages to get through the match he does have.

The reason people booed him was because a) had been doing the same lame schtick every time he came back and it was wearing thin. And b) he thought that fans would care more about a match between Roman Reigns and a part-timer like him, instead of a match between Roman Reigns and the guy they have been building up for 2 years and whom the fans have been cheering for just as long. I'm glad he came to his senses though because the storyline is much better off with him going full heel.

Also, if you don't watch or care about wrestling then hey that's good on you. But you don't c*ap on it or ruin it for the rest of us just because you think real wrestling ended when guys stopped doing crotch chops and talking about "pies". Contrary to what you may think Wrestling is still very good and there’s still alot of good stuff if you invest the time. WWE is far from crumbling. They are making record profits and AEW is a very viable alternative brand that is doing much better business than TNA ever did.
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Cody is the most well rounded and consistent wrestler in the world right now. He is on TV every week. Wrestles on the live shows consistently. Gives his all in every single match and feud regardless of what situation he is put in, he's always doing his best to make his matches and feud as interesting as he can. He is free of controversies and fans gravitate towards him. He ticks majority of the boxes that you'd want from your top guy. The only guy I would put near Cody in that list is Drew.

As for Dwayne, he is one of the GOATs. And as far as I know, he's a big fan of Cody's work. I don't think he is someone who wants to steal others limelight at this stage of his career. And I don't necessarily think he wanted to steal Cody's spotlight. Everything he's done since coming back to WWE in a more regular capacity is what he said he wanted to do. He had said he didn't want to do the program with Roman as the end of a story but rather he wanted to do a storyline that would serve as a launching pad for something even bigger and that's exactly what he's doing. Plus Dwayne has never been the selfish one to steal other's spotlight. I think everyone who watched WWE back in the day knows it. Regarding him gassing up quickly, well he's 52 years old and has been out of wrestling business for over 2 decades (not counting the 3 matches he did a decade ago). So it's not something that should be held against him. @shaz619 what's your take on it?
 
BunnyRabbit said:
Cody is the most well rounded and consistent wrestler in the world right now. He is on TV every week. Wrestles on the live shows consistently. Gives his all in every single match and feud regardless of what situation he is put in, he's always doing his best to make his matches and feud as interesting as he can. He is free of controversies and fans gravitate towards him. He ticks majority of the boxes that you'd want from your top guy. The only guy I would put near Cody in that list is Drew.

As for Dwayne, he is one of the GOATs. And as far as I know, he's a big fan of Cody's work. I don't think he is someone who wants to steal others limelight at this stage of his career. And I don't necessarily think he wanted to steal Cody's spotlight. Everything he's done since coming back to WWE in a more regular capacity is what he said he wanted to do. He had said he didn't want to do the program with Roman as the end of a story but rather he wanted to do a storyline that would serve as a launching pad for something even bigger and that's exactly what he's doing. Plus Dwayne has never been the selfish one to steal other's spotlight. I think everyone who watched WWE back in the day knows it. Regarding him gassing up quickly, well he's 52 years old and has been out of wrestling business for over 2 decades (not counting the 3 matches he did a decade ago). So it's not something that should be held against him. @shaz619 what's your take on it?
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Bro he came back and took over the match against Roman, essentially pushing all their plans aside. I know in his mind he was doing what he thought was best for business. But in reality he was not because he clearly wasn't following the product and wasn't aware of the kind of fan backlash he would get. I also do not believe that this is what he wanted to do. He turned heel the moment he saw the negative reaction of the fans around him. I'm glad he did because right now he is doing some of the best work of his career but this clearly wasn't what he intended to do when he came back.

I'm not talking about him gassing up. I'm talking about the fact that a guy with that much muscle mass, who hasn't wrestled in a decade is going to get a serious injury if he tries to wrestle anything more than a smoke and mirrors match.
 
BunnyRabbit said:
And his promo was his best since first run. He wasn't being outright the bad guy. He was acknowledging the fans. The way he talked at the end calmly and seriously about beating up Cody, it was just perfection. That was just perfectly delivered killer promo. One of the best in recent memory. Not many catchphrases used, he was just talking business and it felt so good. Think he's still adjusting to the current WWE universe. And once he shakes off that promo rust, he will be making loads of people cry. And I don't mean it as an overshoot, But he has the ability to kill the career of his opponents just with a promo.
Click to expand...
I dunno man I thought this was as outright of a bad guy promo as you're gonna get. And the way he made it personal at the end by talking about Cody's family. Damn. This was some evil stuff. The acknowledging the fans part was probably a 'Bret in Canada' moment where he's a heel but a babyface in his hometown.
 
Rock returning with Hollywood 2003 theme was simply amazing to see. That was the best version of Rock and it is great to see a glimse of it again. As I said before, the heel character comes more naturally to him than absolute babyface. However, surprised he turned heel at this age and stage of his life when he has tie up with Walt Disney movies.

BTW, there are some rumours that John Cena will be interfering in the rock - cody tag team match at WM 40. We may get to see Rock vs Cena on Sunday (Day 2). That will be epic.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Bro he came back and took over the match against Roman, essentially pushing all their plans aside. I know in his mind he was doing what he thought was best for business. But in reality he was not because he clearly wasn't following the product and wasn't aware of the kind of fan backlash he would get. I also do not believe that this is what he wanted to do. He turned heel the moment he saw the negative reaction of the fans around him. I'm glad he did because right now he is doing some of the best work of his career but this clearly wasn't what he intended to do when he came back.

I'm not talking about him gassing up. I'm talking about the fact that a guy with that much muscle mass, who hasn't wrestled in a decade is going to get a serious injury if he tries to wrestle anything more than a smoke and mirrors match.
Click to expand...

We got worked. I think him insinuating that he was going to steal Cody’s spot was manufactured, and there was outrage as they anticipated, but no where close to the disgust for how Daniel Bryan was being treated around 2012/2013. Part of it is also the Super Cena booking of Cody Rhodes, whether or not he finished his story, he has been treated like a star and the next big name, it wont be long before fans turn on him.
 
Rajdeep said:
Rock returning with Hollywood 2003 theme was simply amazing to see. That was the best version of Rock and it is great to see a glimse of it again. As I said before, the heel character comes more naturally to him than absolute babyface. However, surprised he turned heel at this age and stage of his life when he has tie up with Walt Disney movies.

BTW, there are some rumours that John Cena will be interfering in the rock - cody tag team match at WM 40. We may get to see Rock vs Cena on Sunday (Day 2). That will be epic.
Click to expand...

I think when Austin was out due to injury, The Rock got mega over as a face. And he has always been hugely over in that role, but part of why there has been mixed feelings is because this guy this star who we loved, decided to quit WWE for Hollywood. So naturally it makes sense to be a heel, but he tends to get mixed response because you’re reminded of what made him a special talent in the first place. I agree with you though I’ve found his heel work so entertaining and 03 Rock will be hard to top, but Final Boss Rock is off to one hell off a start. That theme is my favourite, I hope we get that classic tiatron footage to at mania with the chopper above the city
 
shaz619 said:
We got worked. I think him insinuating that he was going to steal Cody’s spot was manufactured, and there was outrage as they anticipated, but no where close to the disgust for how Daniel Bryan was being treated around 2012/2013. Part of it is also the Super Cena booking of Cody Rhodes, whether or not he finished his story, he has been treated like a star and the next big name, it wont be long before fans turn on him.
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Obviously I know he was saying that in character. I'm talking about when they switched their original plans and booked Rock v Reigns eventhough Cody won the Rumble. Which then generated so much outrage that they changed their plans again and The Rock turned heel.

I know Rock didn't want to come and outright steal Cody's spot, but he should have known that is what he essentially would be doing that if he was going to face Roman at WrestleMania this year.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Obviously I know he was saying that in character. I'm talking about when they switched their original plans and booked Rock v Reigns eventhough Cody won the Rumble. Which then generated so much outrage that they changed their plans again and The Rock turned heel.

I know Rock didn't want to come and outright steal Cody's spot, but he should have known that is what he essentially would be doing that if he was going to face Roman at WrestleMania this year.
Click to expand...

Personally I don’t think Rock/Reigns was planned, I feel they did that to trigger fans and sort of got the intended response but it’s not like we are rioting, they had to do it and it was clever because without it there’s not enough heat on Cody potentially going over. Besides, The Rock is in no shape to work a singles match, I think he was going to be involved but not wrestle, CM Punk injury changed their direction a bit
 
shaz619 said:
Personally I don’t think Rock/Reigns was planned, I feel they did that to trigger fans and sort of got the intended response but it’s not like we are rioting, they had to do it and it was clever because without it there’s not enough heat on Cody potentially going over. Besides, The Rock is in no shape to work a singles match, I think he was going to be involved but not wrestle, CM Punk injury changed their direction a bit
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I dunno if they are smart enough to do that just to trigger fans. Because Cody stepping aside made no sense in kayfabe. But I do buy that they decided to do Roman v Rock after Punk's injury and the Vince news coming out. At any rate, it has all worked out for the best. Doesn't matter how we got here.

When do you think they will do Rock vs Reigns now? SummerSlam or Saudi? Surely they can't stretch that match out till next year's WrestleMania.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
I dunno if they are smart enough to do that just to trigger fans. Because Cody stepping aside made no sense in kayfabe. But I do buy that they decided to do Roman v Rock after Punk's injury and the Vince news coming out. At any rate, it has all worked out for the best. Doesn't matter how we got here.

When do you think they will do Rock vs Reigns now? SummerSlam or Saudi? Surely they can't stretch that match out till next year's WrestleMania.
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Cody didn’t explicitly step aside either it was all just whispers and done in a subtle way. Honestly if they and The Rock wanted to do the Reigns match it would be happening, I don’t even think the negative response was big enough, Rock is capable of such creative though I don’t trust Hunter as much and we’re certainly not reaching the absurdity of Tony Khan with these lot. I also think the whole deal took attention away from the Vince allegations and negative publicity from that. To be honest am not bothered either way as long as it’s something compelling.

I read something about Rock taking time off due to making a movie after Mania? I don’t know if it stretches into August? but I think it’s more probable that it could happen next year providing The Rock doesn’t injure himself, plus WWE will be on Netflix January 2025? Netflix opening their account with The Rock/Reigns feud would be a big deal and good business for their new endeavour I reckon
 
That segment involving The Rock last Friday (outside some of the work Punk has been doing) is the best piece of business and promo I’ve seen in many many years. The charisma, aura, ring presence, authenticity and execution of the intended objective to sell the match were all there and light years ahead of what anybody else is capable of in wrestling today. When you go that place it’s unfortunate because the present lot pale in comparison severely. When you’re a student of the game and humble yourself, you’re in a better position to maximise your attributes.
 
Suleiman said:
Agreed. I like the serious twist he’s putting on now as well. Hollywood Rock was more of a troll 90% of the time, but this promo he sounded very sinister and twisted at the end. You could say it about this heel run in general. He’s mixing it up with the humor and being the “bad guy” genuinely very well.

Still early days, let’s see how it progresses.
Click to expand...
It's great that he's trying to give us something new rather than just providing us nostalgia. And his promo was extremely well done and he definitely came off as a cold blooded final boss (the character he's portraying apparently).
RedwoodOriginal said:
Bro he came back and took over the match against Roman, essentially pushing all their plans aside. I know in his mind he was doing what he thought was best for business. But in reality he was not because he clearly wasn't following the product and wasn't aware of the kind of fan backlash he would get. I also do not believe that this is what he wanted to do. He turned heel the moment he saw the negative reaction of the fans around him. I'm glad he did because right now he is doing some of the best work of his career but this clearly wasn't what he intended to do when he came back.

I'm not talking about him gassing up. I'm talking about the fact that a guy with that much muscle mass, who hasn't wrestled in a decade is going to get a serious injury if he tries to wrestle anything more than a smoke and mirrors match.
Click to expand...
There are two sides to every story. On one hand, it is said that Dwayne was told a few months before Royal Rumble that he would be facing Roman at Mania.
I don't think The Rock turned heel due to negative fan reaction, he isn't fragile enough to get triggered by that. He has always been very flexible about turning heel and stuff because he knows his merch sales will still be up. I can't really say what happened, dirt sheets are going to come up with every single conspiracy theory they can come up with. I would definitely say that the segment where they had Cody giving the match to The Rock was pretty awful and whoever had booked it needs some good ear off. However the following Wrestlemania pre show conference was done spectacularly well.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
I dunno man I thought this was as outright of a bad guy promo as you're gonna get. And the way he made it personal at the end by talking about Cody's family. Damn. This was some evil stuff. The acknowledging the fans part was probably a 'Bret in Canada' moment where he's a heel but a babyface in his hometown.
Click to expand...
That was a fantastic promo. I won't say it was Dwayne's best promo ever or stuff cause he has huge catalogue of brilliant promos throughout his first run. But it was definitely as good a final boss promo you could get which is the character he is playing right now. He is coming across as someone who is at an even higher sitting than Roman.
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
Obviously I know he was saying that in character. I'm talking about when they switched their original plans and booked Rock v Reigns eventhough Cody won the Rumble. Which then generated so much outrage that they changed their plans again and The Rock turned heel.

I know Rock didn't want to come and outright steal Cody's spot, but he should have known that is what he essentially would be doing that if he was going to face Roman at WrestleMania this year.
Click to expand...
Well if they were planning Rock/Reigns, then having Cody winning the Rumble again this year was a stupid booking decision (whoever made the call). I mean what was the point of giving Cody the Rumble win again if Rock/Reigns was already planned.
 
shaz619 said:
Cody didn’t explicitly step aside either it was all just whispers and done in a subtle way. Honestly if they and The Rock wanted to do the Reigns match it would be happening, I don’t even think the negative response was big enough, Rock is capable of such creative though I don’t trust Hunter as much and we’re certainly not reaching the absurdity of Tony Khan with these lot. I also think the whole deal took attention away from the Vince allegations and negative publicity from that. To be honest am not bothered either way as long as it’s something compelling.

I read something about Rock taking time off due to making a movie after Mania? I don’t know if it stretches into August? but I think it’s more probable that it could happen next year providing The Rock doesn’t injure himself, plus WWE will be on Netflix January 2025? Netflix opening their account with The Rock/Reigns feud would be a big deal and good business for their new endeavour I reckon
Click to expand...
I think The Rock vs Roman will be done next Wrestlemania. They are going to stretch it out till next year cause that's just how The Bloodline stories get played out. Roman and Rock both are part timers, and now The Rock holding a post at TKO, it's going to need his full commitment to get the story played out and he can't shy away from that like he's been doing since Mania 32.

And this story, even just the fall out needs to run its full course to get the most tension and excitement built up.
 
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