WWE

[pink_triangle]

8 minutes ago, jump said:

It is lacking an apex of a feud like Rollins vs Trips or Owens vs Jericho from last year (which I sort of see Shane & Bryan vs Owens & Sami as) but it doesn't take away from the solid card this year.

I think mania needs to be more than solid. I look at Gargano v Ciampa on NXT and I can believe in the feud. I don't really believe in any of the mania feuds. I also think the card is seriously lacking in credible heels.

Edited April 4, 2018 by pink_triangle

[When Jokers Attack]

5 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

I think the mania card, NXT card and hall of fame are all weaker than recent years. Then again lower expectations isn't always a bad thing.

Many people on other forums and places are saying it's the strongest mania card ever put together. I don't see it. Strong card but best ever not for me.

If i was WWE i'd be releasing videos of Cena, going to mania as a fan, Him him in crowd at NXT. hanging with fans at axxess. When  mania starts actually have him in crowd for first few hours, drinking with fans. then eventually have him come to ring. I'm not even sure if there will be a match, probably just Taker Tombstone to set it up for next year

[WS_Jack_III]

7 hours ago, jump said:

That'd would have worked a lot better if it was Cena hosting 'mania and then had an improv open challenge with Taker answering imo, Cena not booked doesn't make sense to me and I just don't like this build up.

 

I like that idea too.

[pink_triangle]

2 hours ago, When Jokers Attack said:

Many people on other forums and places are saying it's the strongest mania card ever put together. I don't see it. Strong card but best ever not for me.

I think it depends what your looking for in a card. You look at some of those attitude era cards and they don’t look that strong on paper, However people sometimes forget how over some of those mid/lower card wrestlers were at the time.

This years card looks strong from a workrate perspective, but I would argue that it lacks people who are over. Wrestlemania 17 is top for me.

Edited April 4, 2018 by pink_triangle

[Andre91]

2 hours ago, When Jokers Attack said:

Many people on other forums and places are saying it's the strongest mania card ever put together. I don't see it. Strong card but best ever not for me.

If i was WWE i'd be releasing videos of Cena, going to mania as a fan, Him him in crowd at NXT. hanging with fans at axxess. When  mania starts actually have him in crowd for first few hours, drinking with fans. then eventually have him come to ring. I'm not even sure if there will be a match, probably just Taker Tombstone to set it up for next year

I can see something like this happening too. I don’t think there will be a match. I can see Taker coming out on his bike and hitting Cena with a tombstone and then the next night on RAW Cena calls Taker out and they set up the Main Event of WM35: Cena vs. Taker in Taker’s official, genuine last match. 

Edited April 4, 2018 by Andre91

[pink_triangle]

Hall of fame speaches were all solid, nothing spectacular,but at the same time no duds. I thought Goldberg speech was a bit weak for a headliner,  but still passable. I hope Henry’s words are taken on by Harts widow. Owen, Chyna and demolition are to me the biggest omissions at present.

Thinking about Mania surprise partner in the tag title match got me thinking about how bad these surprises generally are. The best I remember is Yoko being Owens partner in WM 11. The worst being Savio Vega replacing Michaels at the PPV before WM 14.

 

[When Jokers Attack]

17 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

 Owen, Chyna and demolition are to me the biggest omissions at present.

.

 

Dynamite and Bulldog for me.

[pink_triangle]

2 hours ago, When Jokers Attack said:

Dynamite and Bulldog for me.

Bulldogs is a good shout, I just think Demolition edge them as they were the franchise team of that era.

Some other great tag teams still to go in such as Midnight Express, Steiners, Hardys and new age outlaws.

[When Jokers Attack]

Ax and Smash were part of the concussion lawsuit against WWE, it went nowhere but I doubt they get in any time soon.

[When Jokers Attack]

Takeover was an all time great show last night. wow 

[WS_Jack_III]

Happy Wrestlemania everyone!

[pink_triangle]

50 minutes ago, When Jokers Attack said:

Takeover was an all time great show last night. wow 

I enjoyed it, but reading reviews online seemingly not as much as most people.

I personally find the multi person ladder matches a bit samey and felt the least interesting person won.

I felt the world title match was fundamentally sound, but didn't think Almas and Black had great chemistry.

The main event was great, but like most great matches this was as much to do with the build as anything else. The babyface v heel formula is still the most effective, but only if the talent can get over in these roles.

I assume AOP, Moon and Almas are due for promotion, but the roster has decent depth. I assume they will do Black V Strong which at present doesn't excite me, but maybe a heel turn will benefit the vanilla babyface strong. I am also interested to see if Ciampa can get over without Gargano. 

[Andre91]

Happy WrestleMania day, all! Lets get some predictions going: 

Men’s Battle Royal - Big Cass 

Women’s Battle Royal - Becky Lynch 

Cruiserweights - Cedric Alexander 

IC - The Miz 

SD Tag Team - The Usos 

RAW Tag Team - Braun Strowman & HULK HOGAN 

US - Rusev 

RAW Women’s - Nia Jax 

SD Women’s - Asuka 

Daniel Bryan & Shane McMahon 

Ronda Rousey & Kurt Angle 

WWE Title - Shinsuke Nakamura 

Univeral Title - Roman Reigns (Paul Heyman to turn on Brock and join Reigns) 

 

American Bad Ass Undertaker to have a confrontation with Cena setting up the Main Event of WrestleMania 35 (Taker’s genuine retirement match). 

 

[Uncle Liam]

Who is staying up for Rusevmania on this most Rusev of all days?

Just do the main show

Roman- not with the heel turn though because...

Sami and Kevin with Shane turning heel

Nakamura

Asuka

NIa

Bludgeons

Finn

Kurt and Ronda

Braun

RUSEV

[The Nal]

Will surely be taken down but go Ronda!

 

[mjsell]

3 hours ago, The Nal said:

Will surely be taken down but go Ronda!

 

Far more entertaining than a lot of the shit I just sat through. You can shove your technically perfect wrestling up your arse. And your 5 finisher kick outs while you are at it.

 

[Andre91]

I thought it was a great Mania up until the last hour. 

Seth’s entrance was BAD ASS. I loved the contact lenses. 

Jinder winning is your yearly reminder that Vince doesn’t give a damn what you want (how dare they do that to Rusev on Rusev Day!) 

Ronda’s match was hugely entertaining and stole the night to me. She’s going to be just fine, isn’t she? She is a star. 

How totally and utterly pointless Cena vs. Undertaker was.  

Daniel Bryan’s return was incredible, the pop, the chants, it was amazing. That’s your guy. 

Total waste of Asuka’s streak and I didn’t see Nakamura’s heel turn coming but I dug it. He needs a mouth piece for sure, though. 

Nicholas 

THAT MAIN EVENT. That main event was the single worst main event I can remember. The crowd shat all over it. They did not want to see that match and made it totally clear through their apathy. I think that was an audible on the night to have Brock retain. Just a shite match. The same moves over and over and over. The blood with Reigns was not needed (he was bleeding so profusely). Why repeat that Randy spot? It’s so dangerous. I would have rather Reigns won than Brock continuing to hold the title hostage. I am so sick of Brock Lesnar. WTF happens going forward now? 

 

[The Nal]

1 hour ago, Andre91 said:

Ronda’s match was hugely entertaining and stole the night to me. She’s going to be just fine, isn’t she? She is a star. 

More than fine! Very happy to see her steal the show. As unlikeable as she became late on in the UFC, she went through a very tough time after the Holms loss, suicidal stuff.  

I think her entire 14 fights in her in ring MMA career was shorter than her debut pro wrestling match!

Her "come on bitch" at 10 mins 30 though. Badass. Never mind her lifting an 18 stone man up with ease.

And that armbar is the most dangerous move in WWE now.

2 hours ago, mjsell said:

Far more entertaining than a lot of the shit I just sat through. You can shove your technically perfect wrestling up your arse. And your 5 finisher kick outs while you are at it.

 

I can only scan through it these days really. Same old matches, same old characters, wooden scripted promos. The women are the best thing about it. Charlotte, Asuka, Alexa etc and now Ronda. New and exciting. 

Edited April 9, 2018 by The Nal

[Uncle Liam]

3 hours ago, Andre91 said:

I thought it was a great Mania up until the last hour. 

Seth’s entrance was BAD ASS. I loved the contact lenses. 

Jinder winning is your yearly reminder that Vince doesn’t give a damn what you want (how dare they do that to Rusev on Rusev Day!) 

Ronda’s match was hugely entertaining and stole the night to me. She’s going to be just fine, isn’t she? She is a star. 

How totally and utterly pointless Cena vs. Undertaker was.  

Daniel Bryan’s return was incredible, the pop, the chants, it was amazing. That’s your guy. 

Total waste of Asuka’s streak and I didn’t see Nakamura’s heel turn coming but I dug it. He needs a mouth piece for sure, though. 

Nicholas 

THAT MAIN EVENT. That main event was the single worst main event I can remember. The crowd shat all over it. They did not want to see that match and made it totally clear through their apathy. I think that was an audible on the night to have Brock retain. Just a shite match. The same moves over and over and over. The blood with Reigns was not needed (he was bleeding so profusely). Why repeat that Randy spot? It’s so dangerous. I would have rather Reigns won than Brock continuing to hold the title hostage. I am so sick of Brock Lesnar. WTF happens going forward now? 

 

See what happens on Raw tonight. Lashley is back at some point. 

I think Brock is under contract a while longer, although I know what everyone says, that he's done after Mania. But that's too obvious. As far as we're aware he's not in the USADA testing pool, so he can't come back and fight immediately anyway. I think they do Brock v Bobby, it's a semi-intriguing fresh matchup (UFC should've tried to book it. Amazed they didn't, especially after the Zuffa sale). 

When a ten-year old boy shows better facials than your most pushed babyface, you know you're fucked. Reigns has to go away for a while, he's dangerously overexposed and has been for ages and ages, and finally come back and cut a promo on the fans. 

[luckysalt]

Watched most of Mania last night and the last 3 matches today.

For me, the best Mania in YEARS. Booking was right, it was absolutely spot on. Matches were solid, AJ/Naka was as I thought, weaker than hype. Lesnar Reigns was exactly what it was gunna be, I liked the colour, it gave them an out on Reigns losing, weak from blood loss I imagine they'll go for. He needs to get traded to Smackdown. 

I see lots of people calling for Balor to take to the strap from Lesnar now but I think he would be boring as champ. 

I'd like to see Bryan switch to Raw now and take the title from Lesnar. Don't waste Bryan now, he's back, just put him straight back in the world title picture. 

Seth im glad he's the IC champ and a grand slam champion, but he's better than this, he needs moving up to world again, I'd do a slow build, Have Bryan win the universal strap, have Miz feud with Bryan over the summer, and have Rollins win the rumble and win the title at Mania next year against Bryan. Strowman can do the tag titles over next few months, have Elias win the IC from Rollins and have Strowman take the IC from Elias. 

Unless Elias moves to SD, which he might. In that case move Corban to Raw which he no doubt will be doing anyway and use Corban, actually thats better.

[The Nal]

4 hours ago, Andre91 said:

Total waste of Asuka’s streak 

All leading to Ronda vs Charlotte headlining next year.

[Andre91]

53 minutes ago, The Nal said:

All leading to Ronda vs Charlotte headlining next year.

Yeah I see that now. I initially thought of Asuka vs. Ronda streak vs streak before last night but Charlotte is the better choice. She’s the best female wrestler of all time for me. 

Something big needs to happen on RAW tonight involving the Universal Title. They can not just have Brock no-show. That would be absolutely horrendous and insulting. 

 

Edited April 9, 2018 by Andre91

[When Jokers Attack]

It was a decent show. Started really amazing and lost it's way after the Rousey match (can't believe I typed that) She done really good and my only problem with the match was, Stephanie should not be able to defend the armbar, Maybe it's because I watched all of her ufc run and it was so devastating and nobody ever escaped it. That match was so well laid out and booked though.

My MOTN was the IC title match.

Styles/Nakamura was a very good match but one of the biggest let downs, I'm not sure if both guys really are past it, they had 20 minutes and when they the match started to go to the next level, it ended. It's become more and more apparent, Nakamura went to WWE as it's easier on his body and doesn't need to do so much, he gets over with his charisma. Japan is build around work rate and a lot more physical.  I was wanting MOTY quality like the last one they had but wasn't even in top 3 matches on show.

Asuka losing is a stupid move and was a waste of time, she will be doing 50/50 booking from now, and end up on Main Event or whatever it's called now.

Cena/Taker was awesome stuff until the match, total waste of time after that build, when undertaker comes back next time no one will have a reason to care, apparently everyone in the building felt cheated after the weeks of build.

Daniel Bryan was just a match, weirdly booked.

Everything else on the show was pretty much filler. When you have a main event on the biggest show of the year, and your fans aren't watching, but playing with beach balls and chanting "this is awful", then that is a problem IMO. Far too long of a show but had it's moments so I can't call it a  bad show but it wasn't a good show either.

[mjsell]

41 minutes ago, When Jokers Attack said:

It was a decent show. Started really amazing and lost it's way after the Rousey match (can't believe I typed that) She done really good and my only problem with the match was, Stephanie should not be able to defend the armbar, Maybe it's because I watched all of her ufc run and it was so devastating and nobody ever escaped it. That match was so well laid out and booked though.

Everything else on the show was pretty much filler. When you have a main event on the biggest show of the year, and your fans aren't watching, but playing with beach balls and chanting "this is awful", then that is a problem IMO. Far too long of a show but had it's moments so I can't call it a  bad show but it wasn't a good show either.

Rousey was peak crowd. How far was that into the night 3/4 hours? After that people just get tired/bored/hungry/drunk, leaving the matches having to be top notch to make a dent.

And I agree that the Rousey match was so well booked. It was a classic throwback of a booking with all the great tag team spots that dont require wrestling excellence to pull off. I thought Kurt held his own and some, and Steph did better than expected at keeping the match on point. The armbar defence had to happen otherwise they would have had to keep Ronda away from Steph for basically the whole match.

[Andre91]

Lesnar ‘re-signs’ with WWE and Lesnar vs. Reigns happening AGAIN at this stupid Greatest Royal Rumble thing in Saudi Arabia. For FUCK’S sake. This is pathetic. Obviously know that Roman will get cheered over there. How does these even make sense from a kayfabe POV? He lost clean last night. This is so damn stupid. 

Edited April 9, 2018 by Andre91