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

[panix04]

I hate to be that guy, but they gave hardcore everything they wanted at Mania, and they were rewarded with continually sliding ratings, that only improved when they hotshot a non-sensical angle that brought more guys over from the other shows. That sent the message to Vince loud and clear. Need more stars, need to keep stars away from AEW. So they signed Taker, they signed Goldberg, they re-signed Kurt, and they gave Brock what he wanted.

 

So 3 more years of Brock, Taker, and Goldberg. And I expect to see them much more... on Smackdown on Fox.

 

I think Vince got the wrong message. They need to create new stars. I hope you are right about Brock I hope we see a lot more of him. He's a fantastic asset to the company, if he's around. But he doesn't need to be in the title picture if he's infrequently around. Nobody wants the belt back off the show. We've been there and done that.

 

It's time to create new stars so they don't have to rely on cheap ratings spikes from previous stars. If they want to create something sustainable they shouldn't be calling up Goldberg they should be creating the new Goldberg. (Not Lars Sullivan though - from what I've read it seems like the guy is a jerk!)

 

I was so annoyed about Brock, typical internet fan I guess! But they aren't really tuned into their fan base, look at how many hits the Bray Wyatt segments are wracking up on YouTube. They are handling that well at the moment - But when they have that buzz they need to use it. Give Bray a few feuds that he dominates and they could have something special. (admittedly I've always been a fan, so I am biased)

[hellshock70]

One of the WWE's dumbest ideas and probably it's funniest sponsorship.

 

Dumb... WWE 24/7 title

 

 

Funny... WWE Stomping Grounds sponsored by Gold Bond foot powder

[Makhai]

I think Vince got the wrong message. They need to create new stars. I hope you are right about Brock I hope we see a lot more of him. He's a fantastic asset to the company, if he's around. But he doesn't need to be in the title picture if he's infrequently around. Nobody wants the belt back off the show. We've been there and done that.

 

It's time to create new stars so they don't have to rely on cheap ratings spikes from previous stars. If they want to create something sustainable they shouldn't be calling up Goldberg they should be creating the new Goldberg. (Not Lars Sullivan though - from what I've read it seems like the guy is a jerk!)

 

I was so annoyed about Brock, typical internet fan I guess! But they aren't really tuned into their fan base, look at how many hits the Bray Wyatt segments are wracking up on YouTube. They are handling that well at the moment - But when they have that buzz they need to use it. Give Bray a few feuds that he dominates and they could have something special. (admittedly I've always been a fan, so I am biased)

 

I agree with everything said here...well besides the Bray thing, I think he's a great hand but he's not a star and I don't see that for him. However, Vince is 73, looks like the crypt keeper, and hasn't made a star since 2006. That was 13 years ago. Since, he's tried to make exactly 1 star, and it's gone absolutely horribly and only cancer could save the poor guy from endless X-Pac heat.

 

I'm not sure Vince has anything left in the tank. And if he does it's going to take AEW posting a 5-rating on night one to bring it out of him. He's got the XFL, and piles of cash coming. At the end of the day, he's much more likely to keep crapping on fans than he is to suddenly find the fountain of youth and create a star out of nothing. He's old, so he's naturally going to gravitate to the comfortable, and the familiar. (See:24/7 Title) rather than take risks on unknowns. The older you get, the worse this philosophical block tends to be.

[Blackman]

Ugh, ladder matches are the worst form of Sports Entertainment. The women's one was incredibly awkward with lots of senseless "move the ladder", "waiting to get hit by ladder", "running to the outside to fight" and "standing on ladder motionless" segments.

[MightyDavidson]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Blackman" data-cite="Blackman" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Ugh, ladder matches are the worst form of Sports Entertainment. The women's one was incredibly awkward with lots of senseless "move the ladder", "waiting to get hit by ladder", "running to the outside to fight" and "standing on ladder motionless" segments.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Like all sports entertainment, it's good when done well. Sadly, that's not happened in quite awhile it seems.</p>

[Makhai]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="MightyDavidson" data-cite="MightyDavidson" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Like all sports entertainment, it's good when done well. Sadly, that's not happened in quite awhile it seems.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I thought the ladder matches were pretty much the highlight of the show. And always tend to be the best booked matches on any card they're on, so I find this baffling. 100 years from now, when Steph's girl is running WWE with 0 viewers but a 1.6T VR brain chip deal, I hope our children's kids wonder what a ladder was for as a cyborg does a triple moonsault through the Esperanto holodeck.</p>

[milamber]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Blackman" data-cite="Blackman" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Ugh, ladder matches are the worst form of Sports Entertainment. The women's one was incredibly awkward with lots of senseless "move the ladder", "waiting to get hit by ladder", "running to the outside to fight" and "standing on ladder motionless" segments.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Way more entertaining than your average cage match, IMO. But I agree that you have suspend your disbelief a bit.</p>

[Makhai]

<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>Way more entertaining than your average cage match, IMO. But I agree that you have suspend your disbelief a bit.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I mean, I hate the muscular dystrophy spots. But, ladder matches are literally the best gift Canada has given America. And I'm including Evangeline Lilly, Ellen Page, and Kristen Kreuk.</p>

[milamber]

Smackdown was fun, at least until the main event. I'm glad Truth still has the 24/7 title and it's not being hot-potatoed every day.

[milamber]

<p>Dunne vs WALTER II was great.</p><p> </p><p>

Breeze vs Dream at Takeover should be fun!</p>

[Blackman]

<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>Way more entertaining than your average cage match, IMO. But I agree that you have suspend your disbelief a bit.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> True, but cage matches often have me wonder why they are holding them in the first place. They mainly seem to be there to limit the view for the spectators. There's maybe two-three spots there they throw or rake their face, and that's it.</p><p> </p><p> And the booking for the ladder matches was horrid. Imo it's not about "suspending your disbelief". It's about creating an environment with its own logic in which the workers act. And right now, it's an environment where your manager can participate (see Ellsworth), you can disable someone and take their place at your leisure (Lesnar now). Come on... Not even a segment where Heyman is seen backstage with a backstage authority figure to negotiate this? Now that it happened, it becomes a thing and it'll be "weird" when it doesn't happen or it's not publicly made "illegal". DeVille looks like an idiot for carrying Mandy up there and not just grabbing it, and everyone looked like a dumbass in general. <img alt=":rolleyes:" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/rolleyes.png.4b097f4fbbe99ce5bcd5efbc1b773ed6.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p>

[Makhai]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Blackman" data-cite="Blackman" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div> everyone looked like a dumbass in general. <img alt=":rolleyes:" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/rolleyes.png.4b097f4fbbe99ce5bcd5efbc1b773ed6.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> This has been WWE for like, 15 years. I mean, this is a company that booked The Great Khali to squash their newly minted, insanely popular, beloved luchador who could have been the Hispanic star to push them into South America, to get Franken-chopped and obliterated in seconds, by a dude with the literal name, "Giant Manure" (female gender) and then get jobbed out to Fit Finley on Smackdown... everybody is a dumbass, that is the post-Austin era in a nutshell. This man is insane, why can't we stop watching this crap?</p>

[eldandythedoubter]

<p>Well, if there is any time to make things feel better for the E, tomorrow's Takeover is happening and I have predictions!</p><p> </p><p>

Tag Team Champs: The Street Prophets.</p><p> </p><p>

Strong vs. Riddle: Strong wins.</p><p> </p><p>

North American Champ: Tyler Breeze</p><p> </p><p>

Women's Champ: Io Shirai</p><p> </p><p>

NXT Champ: ADAM COLE BAYBAY!!!!</p><p> </p><p>

I go a bit more into detail on my blog <a href="https://thephenomenalkmwise.wordpress.com/2019/05/31/nxt-takeover-xxv-preview-and-predictions/" rel="external nofollow">here</a>, but who's gonna be watching the show live?</p>

[milamber]

<p>Strong vs Riddle - **** 1/2</p><p>

Tag Team Ladder Match - **** 3/4</p><p>

Breeze vs Dream © - *** 3/4</p><p>

Io vs Shayna © - *** 3/4 (would have been at least **** if it gone longer and Io hadn't tapped)</p><p>

Cole vs Gargano © - *****</p><p> </p><p>

Good Takeover. I'm happy Cole won. I think Roddy and ReDragon will take the other 2 titles in Toronto. Shayna making Io tap was a bad way to set up a street fight match in Toronto but I'm confident Io will win there. The tag division busted their asses to put on a great ladder match.</p>

[Makhai]

<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>Strong vs Riddle - **** 1/2<p> Tag Team Ladder Match - **** 3/4</p><p> Breeze vs Dream © - *** 3/4</p><p> Io vs Shayna © - *** 3/4 (would have been at least **** if it gone longer and Io hadn't tapped)</p><p> Cole vs Gargano © - *****</p><p> </p><p> Good Takeover. I'm happy Cole won. I think Roddy and ReDragon will take the other 2 titles in Toronto. Shayna making Io tap was a bad way to set up a street fight match in Toronto but I'm confident Io will win there. The tag division busted their asses to put on a great ladder match.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I really turned on Cole vs. Gargano by the middle with the 100th of 15,000 false finishes. And then they gave away the finish with the ref bump and had another 15,000 false finishes after that when I already knew Cole was getting the dub. It was eye-rolling for me. I liked Io vs. Shayna a lot more than that, but I thought the tap was a load of crap, Shayna didn't even have hooks in and she literally tapped to a loose Randy Orton headlock. It was awful.</p><p> </p><p> Everything else was pretty good, that ladder spot in the opener was absurd, looking forward to Matt Riddle's upcoming Brozan WWE run in a loincloth. Overall a good show, but the Brooklyn show I liked a lot more.</p>

[Jaysin]

Gargano vs Cole was too super indy for my liking.

[shawn michaels]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Makhai" data-cite="Makhai" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>This has been WWE for like, 15 years. I mean, this is a company that booked The Great Khali to squash their newly minted, insanely popular, beloved luchador who could have been the Hispanic star to push them into South America, to get Franken-chopped and obliterated in seconds, by a dude with the literal name, "Giant Manure" (female gender) and then get jobbed out to Fit Finley on Smackdown... everybody is a dumbass, that is the post-Austin era in a nutshell. <strong>This man is insane, why can't we stop watching this crap?</strong></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I can't speak for others, but I will speak for myself. I watch cause I'm a sports entertainment fan. But Vince does it terribly. I want to watch a company with pop over perf and sadly there aren't any big alternatives to WWE, so I keep watching in hopes that it gets better because, to me, despite the fact it has become nonsensical, there are still things I like to see and good talent that produces good matches now and then. AEW isn't gonna be that "Sports Entertainment" company. And even though DON was great, we still have to wait and see how they do on TNT with a weekly show.</p><p> </p><p> Obivously, with or without alternative, when the day comes that there is nothing enjoyable in watching a WWE show anymore, alternatives or not, I will stop watching. There is no point in watching a wrestling show, or any other kind of show, if you do not take enjoyment out of it. I'm just not that IWC kind of dude that wants to bash everything. I can still find some enjoyment in the little things and not overthink it. </p><p> </p><p> And I don't think AEW wants to be that Sports Entertainment company, as they already stated, but if they are going to do live TV, as they will on TNT, they will have to make concessions. Someone has to tell them (that someone will eventually be TNT) "Welcome to the world of TV. You are at the whims of the network you are on!"</p><p> </p><p> Regardless, That's why I watch. Like I said, can't speak for others. I haven't got Stockholm Syndrome. I recognize there is a lot of crap in there, but there is still enough to entertain me. When there is not, I'm out. I can always watch quality stuff on the Network anyway.</p>

[Makhai]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="shawn michaels" data-cite="shawn michaels" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I can't speak for others, but I will speak for myself. I watch cause I'm a sports entertainment fan. But Vince does it terribly. I want to watch a company with pop over perf and sadly there aren't any big alternatives to WWE, so I keep watching in hopes that it gets better because, to me, despite the fact it has become nonsensical, there are still things I like to see and good talent that produces good matches now and then. AEW isn't gonna be that "Sports Entertainment" company. And even though DON was great, we still have to wait and see how they do on TNT with a weekly show.<p> </p><p> Obivously, with or without alternative, when the day comes that there is nothing enjoyable in watching a WWE show anymore, alternatives or not, I will stop watching. There is no point in watching a wrestling show, or any other kind of show, if you do not take enjoyment out of it. I'm just not that IWC kind of dude that wants to bash everything. I can still find some enjoyment in the little things and not overthink it. </p><p> </p><p> And I don't think AEW wants to be that Sports Entertainment company, as they already stated, but if they are going to do live TV, as they will on TNT, they will have to make concessions. Someone has to tell them (that someone will eventually be TNT) "Welcome to the world of TV. You are at the whims of the network you are on!"</p><p> </p><p> Regardless, That's why I watch. Like I said, can't speak for others. I haven't got Stockholm Syndrome. I recognize there is a lot of crap in there, but there is still enough to entertain me. When there is not, I'm out. I can always watch quality stuff on the Network anyway.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Have you watched IMPACT lately? It's pretty cornball, but I think it's right up your alley. Also, I don't foresee this TNT scenario, because it would assume a level of oversight that won't be happening here. The worst it'll get(on any network really) is if the FCC gets enough complaints to warrant attention. So maybe they'll ask Joey Janella to stop smoking on TV in December, but they don't care as long as the advertiser's check clears and they get a rating they're happy with.</p>

[sheepy]

<p>It really is insane how much better NXT is to watch than the WWE main roster. Even the more meh matches still had me invested in the outcome. </p><p> </p><p>

It'll be a sad day when Gargano is called up to the main roster as I just can't see him getting the same chance to shine he is at the moment.</p>

[milamber]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Makhai" data-cite="Makhai" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I really turned on Cole vs. Gargano by the middle with the 100th of 15,000 false finishes. And then they gave away the finish with the ref bump and had another 15,000 false finishes after that when I already knew Cole was getting the dub. It was eye-rolling for me. I liked Io vs. Shayna a lot more than that, but I thought the tap was a load of crap, Shayna didn't even have hooks in and she literally tapped to a loose Randy Orton headlock. It was awful.<p> </p><p> Everything else was pretty good, that ladder spot in the opener was absurd, looking forward to Matt Riddle's upcoming Brozan WWE run in a loincloth. Overall a good show, but the Brooklyn show I liked a lot more.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> </p><p> I get that about Gargano and Cole but there's just something about them. Even when I'm not super hyped about their matches (like the neverending Gargano-Ciampa feud) they just suck me in and have me on the edge of my seat. It probably wasn't quite 5 stars but I rate how I feel when I'm watching. Same reason I rated everything high for Double or Nothing. I was just buzzing from start to finish. If I watched both shows a 2nd time I would probably lower some match ratings a bit for technical stuff.</p>

[Greylocke]

<p>Great to see Gentleman Jack on NXT UK, which is the only weekly WWE show I still find watchable. And even better to see him working as babyface again. That pointless heel turn on 205 did nothing besides remove everything that was interesting about him.</p><p> </p><p>

Here's hoping they promote him to that show full-time after that great performance. He needs to get out of that Cruiserweight hell-hole asap.</p>

[milamber]

<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>Great to see Gentleman Jack on NXT UK, which is the only weekly WWE show I still find watchable. And even better to see him working as babyface again. That pointless heel turn on 205 did nothing besides remove everything that was interesting about him.<p> </p><p> Here's hoping they promote him to that show full-time after that great performance. He needs to get out of that Cruiserweight hell-hole asap.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> The Gallagher/Ohno match was fun. Nice technical wrestling until Ohno wised up and started pummelling him. Both are good fit for the UK brand.</p><p> </p><p> NXT UK: Wales is set for August 31st, same day as NJPW Royal Quest and AEW All Out.</p>

[milamber]

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[milamber]

<p>Bliss, Bray, Ricochet and Truth the best parts of Raw.</p><p> </p><p>

<img alt="yomYLV.gif" data-src="https://j.gifs.com/yomYLV.gif" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="YWMg19.gif" data-src="https://j.gifs.com/YWMg19.gif" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="K164Pl.gif" data-src="https://j.gifs.com/K164Pl.gif" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p>

[milamber]

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