The Official WWE / NXT Discussion Thread *May Contain Spoilers*

[codey_v2]

<p>Fandango as Chet was one of my favorite parts. Just slowly losing his hair throughout the whole thing. </p><p> </p><p>

And don't forget that WWE actually did unobtrusive, entertaining advertising with the KFC/Ric Flair impersonator spots.</p>

[Rayelek]

I didn't recognize all the guys in the videos which would have made it better, and I thought some of the SRW stuff was overdone. I would've liked a bigger variety of guys, especially given it was supposed to be a 12 man battle royal at Lethal Leap Year. Cena was worse than I thought he'd be, which is one of the first times I've ever said that. Jericho, Slater, Rusev and Karl Anderson were great though.

[Blackman]

Caught up to recent SD! programming, which was decent. I wonder whether they'll have Cena propose to Nikki after they win their match at Mania. Would be a nice "moment". All in all I'm content with the matchups. It has potential.

[milamber]

<img alt="C7aJDFjVsAAqXhV.jpg" data-src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C7aJDFjVsAAqXhV.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

[sabataged]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Rayelek" data-cite="Rayelek" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I didn't recognize all the guys in the videos which would have made it better, and I thought some of the SRW stuff was overdone. I would've liked a bigger variety of guys, especially given it was supposed to be a 12 man battle royal at Lethal Leap Year. Cena was worse than I thought he'd be, which is one of the first times I've ever said that. Jericho, Slater, Rusev and Karl Anderson were great though.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I think I thought the exact opposite. It was overdone on purpose and Cena was maybe the best part of the whole thing</p>

[Tha Black Phenom]

<p>Second best cap</p><p> </p><p>

<a href="http://i.imgur.com/BcLAG9D.jpg" rel="external nofollow">howdy here</a></p>

[milamber]

<p>I enjoyed Raw but Smackdown wins this week. It also gave Southpaw a run for its money in the comedy stakes.</p><p> </p><p>

<img alt="VmVvLO.gif" data-src="https://j.gifs.com/VmVvLO.gif" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="tumblr_on6z6sg2Pj1u1ljrzo1_500.gif" data-src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/496c72e2ff81e59bfab0f39fecd24ab1/tumblr_on6z6sg2Pj1u1ljrzo1_500.gif" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p>

[Warhawk8492]

<p><a href="http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2017/3/22/15031236/report-wwe-discussions-buy-ring-of-honor-from-sinclair-broadcasting" rel="external nofollow">http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2017/3/22/15031236/report-wwe-discussions-buy-ring-of-honor-from-sinclair-broadcasting</a></p><p> </p><p>

I really hope this does not happen, it does happen the feds should hit WWE with an anti trust lawsuit.</p>

[milamber]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Warhawk8492" data-cite="Warhawk8492" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><a href="http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2017/3/22/15031236/report-wwe-discussions-buy-ring-of-honor-from-sinclair-broadcasting" rel="external nofollow">http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2017/3/22/15031236/report-wwe-discussions-buy-ring-of-honor-from-sinclair-broadcasting</a><p> </p><p> I really hope this does not happen, it does happen the feds should hit WWE with an anti trust lawsuit.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> It might not be a bad thing, though. Look at WWE's partnership with Evolve (handled by HHH). That company and others are going strong with exposure on the WWE and WWN networks.</p><p> </p><p> Obviously Vince would want to buy ROH for the library but he could let HHH oversee it as an independent promotion. HHH at least knows the long-term value of keeping the Indies alive as a pool of experienced wrestlers to recruit from. They could add ROH's PPVs to the WWE network or cut a deal with WWN and it would actually benefit ROH.</p>

[Warhawk8492]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="milamber" data-cite="milamber" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>It might not be a bad thing, though. Look at WWE's partnership with Evolve (handled by HHH). That company and others are going strong with exposure on the WWE and WWN networks.<p> </p><p> Obviously Vince would want to buy ROH for the library but he could let HHH oversee it as an independent promotion. HHH at least knows the long-term value of keeping the Indies alive as a pool of experienced wrestlers to recruit from. They could add ROH's PPVs to the WWE network or cut a deal with WWN and it would actually benefit ROH.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I doubt it WWE would probably make ROH go PG which would ruin it.</p>

[Greylocke]

While I admittedly have not been following ROH for some time, has ROH really done anything so explicitly "non-PG" that it would not be allowed on WWE TV in recent years?

[Warhawk8492]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Greylocke" data-cite="Greylocke" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>While I admittedly have not been following ROH for some time, has ROH really done anything so explicitly "non-PG" that it would not be allowed on WWE TV in recent years?</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> The Steve Corino Vs BJ Whitmere match for one, Adam Cole Vs Kyle O'Reilly at Final Battle also qualifies. Both of those matches where very bloody and more violent then the ones WWE airs. I doubt WWE would even allow that on PPV.</p>

[K-Nection]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Warhawk8492" data-cite="Warhawk8492" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>The Steve Corino Vs BJ Whitmere match for one, Adam Cole Vs Kyle O'Reilly at Final Battle also qualifies. Both of those matches where very bloody and more violent then the ones WWE airs. I doubt WWE would even allow that on PPV.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> The network has some of the most goriest ECW moments so I would assume that they would also have these on there as well. They do have a rating system on their content for parental locks.</p>

[The Final Countdown]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="milamber" data-cite="milamber" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>It might not be a bad thing, though. Look at WWE's partnership with Evolve (handled by HHH). That company and others are going strong with exposure on the WWE and WWN networks.<p> </p><p> Obviously Vince would want to buy ROH for the library but he could let HHH oversee it as an independent promotion. HHH at least knows the long-term value of keeping the Indies alive as a pool of experienced wrestlers to recruit from. They could add ROH's PPVs to the WWE network or cut a deal with WWN and it would actually benefit ROH.</p></div></blockquote><p> Dude...it would be a TERRIBLE thing. The business needs MORE viable places for wrestlers to make a semi-decent living that aren't affiliated with WWE, not less of them.</p>

[Teh_Showtime]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Warhawk8492" data-cite="Warhawk8492" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I doubt it WWE would probably make ROH go PG which would ruin it.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> You will be extremely disappointed to know that ROH Television has been rated PG since 2011, including their PPVs</p><p> </p><p> Much like how WWE was PG in 1997 and 1998...it's not the rating</p>

[The Dynamite Sid]

<p>Just read about this. I'm real skeptical. Just as I was with WhatCulture chucking their money about and the WWE signing up UK talents to those mysterious "restrictive" deals</p><p> </p><p>

The reason the wrestling business is booming right now and there are so many different cool products around is because of the sheer amount of opportunities out there for people to see and the guys to work. WWE slowly monopolising things again feels, at least to me, as though we're heading back to the mid-2000's dark ages of WWE being the only game in town</p>

[Blackman]

Their expansion has a lot of positives, but like others mention the monopolization is never good, as they will impose their concept of 'pro wrestling' to the world. But I guess they are willing to adjust it a little, so it's not all bad.

[The Dynamite Sid]

Of course if you wanna be optimistic about this you could just think of it like Disney buying out Marvel and Star Wars and that. Those things have only gone from strength to strength

 

Maybe the E will take a cue from Disney. Buy up the ROH's of the world and say "hey y'know what? What you were doing that made you successful? Do that"

[Warhawk8492]

Of course if you wanna be optimistic about this you could just think of it like Disney buying out Marvel and Star Wars and that. Those things have only gone from strength to strength

 

Maybe the E will take a cue from Disney. Buy up the ROH's of the world and say "hey y'know what? What you were doing that made you successful? Do that"

 

WWE will just ruin ROH like they ruined ECW.

[The Final Countdown]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="The Dynamite Sid" data-cite="The Dynamite Sid" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Of course if you wanna be optimistic about this you could just think of it like Disney buying out Marvel and Star Wars and that. Those things have only gone from strength to strength<p> </p><p> Maybe the E will take a cue from Disney. Buy up the ROH's of the world and say "hey y'know what? What you were doing that made you successful? Do that"</p></div></blockquote><p> Not the same thing at all. Disney bought Marvel and Star Wars because they were hugely popular franchises that would make them a lot of money. WWE would buy ROH, gut them, shut them down and put their old shows on the Network. They want a smaller "territory" in all of the big wrestling regions, but NXT already serves that purpose in the US.</p>

[Warhawk8492]

If WWE does go through with what they want to it could lead to some dark times to be a wrestling fan.

[Blackman]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="The Dynamite Sid" data-cite="The Dynamite Sid" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Of course if you wanna be optimistic about this you could just think of it like Disney buying out Marvel and Star Wars and that. Those things have only gone from strength to strength<p> </p><p> Maybe the E will take a cue from Disney. Buy up the ROH's of the world and say "hey y'know what? What you were doing that made you successful? Do that"</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> The Star Wars case is different. Nothing happened after the 6th movie. Disney breathed life into it. Marvel was quite alive before they purchased it.</p>

[Derek B]

I like what WWE (particularly under the guidance of Triple H) are doing with the wrestling world these days. The WWE's heydays were the 80s (when they brought in lots of talent from the territories) and the Attitude Era (when people were allowed a lot of creative freedom) and they seem to be working towards creating an environment where both of those things are heavily promoted again.

 

That isn't to say that everyone is going to be free to say and do everything that they want... a PG product is good for a wide appeal that can create a product that works for everyone, but using the WWE network as a platform to uplift indy wrestling in several different promotions and to help build the stars of the future while giving them a way to get a new indy-raised generation ready for the main roster can only be a good thing. Not only are WWE more invested in the wrestling world beyond their borders, they are helping to use the experience of their talented veterans to develop those other wrestlers and pass on the tricks that helped to make them great in the first place.

 

By adding more diverse product types to the mix it should be good for them and good for us as fans. Whether it works is another matter entirely, but they have increasingly been getting better at using international talents and guys from outside the WWE and for the first time in years they seem better placed to make a new generation of stars. Hopefully while cutting down on some of the terrible writing that still plague some aspects of shows and seems to have ruined a few people, possibly forever. (Poor Tyler Breeze)

[The Final Countdown]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Warhawk8492" data-cite="Warhawk8492" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>If WWE does go through with what they want to it could lead to some dark times to be a wrestling fan.</div></blockquote><p> If they succeed in driving NJPW out, I'm done. You'll never see me here again.</p><p> </p><p> Sad thing is I have a feeling it's going to happen, probably within the next 5 years or so. But hey, <strong>The WWE Universe</strong> will be able to watch Japanese AJ Styles matches on the Network, so it's all good, right?</p><p> </p><p> Sorry. I'm just feeling a little bitter and fatalistic about all of this, probably because without ROH I'd have stopped watching wrestling a decade or more ago.</p>

[milamber]

WWE aren't taking over AAA, Lucha Underground, New Japan or any of the British promotions any time soon if ever and there are plenty of indie promotions in the US that aren't even on WWE's radar except for scouting. No need to panic.