WWE

[ampersand]

watched the end of the first rumble on sky sports yesterday.

god it was pish. its unreal how much its improved over the years.

[Uncle Liam]

It is a quiet week you're right, I read over both Steph's interview and Dixie's and it was interesting reading but nothing really came up

Dixie's was by the book and not giving anything away, Steph's was a little more open, made for good reading, I see they think MVP is a main eventer, you wouldn't think it right now

Basically im just waiting for this weeks TNA, then their Genesis PPV and The Royal Rumble, should be a good month in ring wise

[luckysalt]

watched the end of the first rumble on sky sports yesterday.

god it was pish. its unreal how much its improved over the years.

[luckysalt]

looks like it could be the end of the dudleys, bubba/brother ray is apparently proper mashed up according to dvon and hes talking retirement, dvon says he would become a singles wrestler if that happened

meant to be more WWE releases today, we'll see what happens

And Hogan is pushing for a match v Austin at Mania and says he would do the job for Austin, hmmm that would be awesome, that would = HUGE buys

[Uncle Liam]

looks like it could be the end of the dudleys, bubba/brother ray is apparently proper mashed up according to dvon and hes talking retirement, dvon says he would become a singles wrestler if that happened

meant to be more WWE releases today, we'll see what happens

And Hogan is pushing for a match v Austin at Mania and says he would do the job for Austin, hmmm that would be awesome, that would = HUGE buys

[Sparticus]

never watched the old rumbles but thought 2001 was really good. Austin vs hogan would be hilarious, still though i'd fork out for wm on hd at that price and have a full on piss up just to celebrate hulk taking the stunner lol.

[luckysalt]

WWE accidentally put up on their website earlier that Stone Cold will lead the hall of fame entrants for this year

and, well boy they weren't lying about the releases 10% of the entire WWE sacked, including office staff, wwe.com, refs, production and wrestlers

The wrestlers [so far] D-lo, kevin thorn, bam neely, val venis

[loscfestivals]

WWE must be really feeling the squeeze. The company's value has almost halved in 8 months, they've sacked an absolutely humongous list of talent in 2008 and now they're laying off 10% of staff, doing double tapings to save costs. They're even sacking refs and limo drivers.

[luckysalt]

On the flip side though they're adding an extra hour of tv with the return of superstars, which will be taped with sd, so there goes the double tapings

And they're still hiring bringing in Gail Kim, Christian and Low Ki, and that mexican dude who's name escapes me, is it Dos something?

[Sparticus]

WWE accidentally put up on their website earlier that Stone Cold will lead the hall of fame entrants for this year

and, well boy they weren't lying about the releases 10% of the entire WWE sacked, including office staff, wwe.com, refs, production and wrestlers

The wrestlers [so far] D-lo, kevin thorn, bam neely, val venis

[Halcyon]

there's less midcard titles than there were 10 years ago, yet i can't remember the last time i gave a shit about an ic/ us title defense as they never have a story to them. They used to make feuds about the european title important ffs, just seems as if none of this comes into consideration.

[Halcyon]

As for the cuts, the large majority of them are the company dropping the dead weight. If it means that new, fresher talent is getting the chance then it can only be a good thing.

D-Lo was clearly brought back on a short term basis, to get a final pay day to see him comfortable for the next decade, and to get his name back out there as available for the indies. If anyone, including himself, though he was getting called back to be anything but the jobber he's always been then they need shooting. As if he was ever going to get a push.

You can't deny that wwe has brought more young stars up from development this year than they have for a very long time. Evan Bourne being about the best of them. Miz and Morrison have been out of this world. CM Punk is more over than he's ever been (despite his recent relegation to the mid card). Kofi, DiBiase, Rhodes too. Then you've got the young guys on ECW: Gabriel, Ziggler, Swagger. Not all of them are going to make it, and many that I've mention are pretty terrible workers at the moment... but I'd rather watch them try, than to see D-Lo botch another frog splash or Kevin Thorn attempt yet another awful gimmick.

Everyone criticises wwe creative for not allowing their talent to get over. But if you compare them with TNA, then the guys in wwe are given infinity more screen time. In recent months, the amount of actual wrestling on the show is getting smaller and smaller. eLast weeks show was great bcause it was great wrestling matches. The week before probably included less than half an hour of actual wrestling. How can you get over with the fans when you have a 3 minute every other week - and even then you're sharing it with 3 other guys. I'd put money on the fact that Manu has had more match screen time in his 5 months in the wwe than Consequences Creed has had in 15 months.

At the end of the day... the only person that really matters in WWE is still in there. Sad will be the day when Funaki gets cut. 10 years, 10 months and counting...

....indeed.

Edited January 10, 2009 by Halcyon

[Uncle Liam]

As for the cuts, the large majority of them are the company dropping the dead weight. If it means that new, fresher talent is getting the chance then it can only be a good thing.

D-Lo was clearly brought back on a short term basis, to get a final pay day to see him comfortable for the next decade, and to get his name back out there as available for the indies. If anyone, including himself, though he was getting called back to be anything but the jobber he's always been then they need shooting. As if he was ever going to get a push.

You can't deny that wwe has brought more young stars up from development this year than they have for a very long time. Evan Bourne being about the best of them. Miz and Morrison have been out of this world. CM Punk is more over than he's ever been (despite his recent relegation to the mid card). Kofi, DiBiase, Rhodes too. Then you've got the young guys on ECW: Gabriel, Ziggler, Swagger. Not all of them are going to make it, and many that I've mention are pretty terrible workers at the moment... but I'd rather watch them try, than to see D-Lo botch another frog splash or Kevin Thorn attempt yet another awful gimmick.

Everyone criticises wwe creative for not allowing their talent to get over. But if you compare them with TNA, then the guys in tna are given infinity more screen time. In recent months, the amount of actual wrestling on the show is getting smaller and smaller. Last weeks show was great because it was great wrestling matches. The week before probably included less than half an hour of actual wrestling. How can you get over with the fans when you have a 3 minute every other week - and even then you're sharing it with 3 other guys. I'd put money on the fact that Manu has had more match screen time in his 5 months in the wwe than Consequences Creed has had in 15 months.

At the end of the day... the only person that really matters in WWE is still in there. Sad will be the day when Funaki gets cut. 10 years, 10 months and counting...

....indeed.

[luckysalt]

Dlo was defiantly brought back for his race, steph even admits in that interview that they put certain guys on for the colour of their skin

On Creed, he has had a massive push in the last 6 months, and had a lot of ring time, I agree in part with what you guys are saying, but TNA to me is still the better wrestling show

[Uncle Liam]

Dlo was defiantly brought back for his race, steph even admits in that interview that they put certain guys on for the colour of their skin

On Creed, he has had a massive push in the last 6 months, and had a lot of ring time, I agree in part with what you guys are saying, but TNA to me is still the better wrestling show

[luckysalt]

ha ha, it is limited these days but I watch TNA online now anyway so I don't get the breaks, and its a smooth running show, actually I watch ALL my wrestling online now, I can't be arsed with adverts

[Uncle Liam]

ha ha, it is limited these days but I watch TNA online now anyway so I don't get the breaks, and its a smooth running show, actually I watch ALL my wrestling online now, I can't be arsed with adverts

[luckysalt]

But even so, dont you notice the blatant edit job in the matches?

I think there was an impact the other week which had something like twenty three minutes of wrestling. On a two hour show. If you minus 20 minutes per hour, that leaves you with eighty minutes of airtime. So thats 23 minutes of wrestling and 57 minutes of skits, interviews and wackiness. Thats what? 30%? 70% of the programming of a product that is called TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION is not action!

I think its also the case some week that the wrestling in the main even on Smackdown is longer than the wrestling in the entire episode of the corresponding Impact. That was certainly the case when it was Jeff Hardy v Undertaker in the main event.

[Uncle Liam]

Been reading Lance Storm's column by any chance?

[Sparticus]

there is an argument you could make that there are in fact more midcard titles than there were 10 years ago.... they're called the wwe championship, world heavyweight and the ecw titles. Those titles actually mean about as much as the ic did back in it's hey day with honky, warrior, perfect, razor and brett, and then again with austin, rock and HHH.

[luckysalt]

Not recently. I presume he has the same point?

[ampersand]

Jim Duggan won the first Rumble. I think its a good match for its time. Considering its the first one and was supposed to be a one off. 1989 I dont think was any good. 1992 was and is the best Rumble ever, hard to see it ever being topped.

[luckysalt]

So TNA ppv tonight and going into it Christy Hemme has got injured in training and will have to have surgery so thats her out for a while, shame, they've built her up well and she's really improved

And...

John Cena's FU has been renamed the throwback and the STFU renamed simply the STF, they're just taking away any edge he had at all and making him as kiddy as possible, I really hope this is all builing up to a massive heel turm, seriously when he turns heel it would be huge if done right

[luckysalt]

it was just so poor. people going over the top rope over nothing.

my favourite rumble was the one where austin went away in an ambulance and came back at the end. at a time of no internet and not having a clue what was going on. and being young as well.

[Uncle Liam]

I watched Royal Rumble 1992 last week, and I remember it being fantastic, and trust me, its not, its pretty awful really the WWE have done much better ones since, guys were staying in for ages and then just going out for nothing, absolutely the smallest knock and they were going flying out after they had stayed syurviving allsorts, it was just daft, and Flair's performance is only ok, definatky not as good as his solo work with Savage

The Austin rumble's were the best I agree