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

[rd_dbacks01]

Apparently Alberto Del Rio was released, according to the WWE Facebook page

[Big Roguey]

Apparently Alberto Del Rio was released, according to the WWE Facebook page

 

It's on the website too quoting "an altercation with an employee" and unprofessional conduct as the reasoning behind the release.

[Jaysin]

I love how on WWE.com home page it says "WWE announced the release of Alberto Del Rio due to unprofessional conduct." and then there's a button that says "Full Story". Once you click it, all it says is "WWE announced the release of Alberto Del Rio due to unprofessional conduct and an altercation with an employee."

 

They didn't wish him best in his future endeavours, nor did they address him by his real name like they do when they release people. It seems odd.

[Russelrules44]

I love how on WWE.com home page it says "WWE announced the release of Alberto Del Rio due to unprofessional conduct." and then there's a button that says "Full Story". Once you click it, all it says is "WWE announced the release of Alberto Del Rio due to unprofessional conduct and an altercation with an employee."

 

They didn't wish him best in his future endeavours, nor did they address him by his real name like they do when they release people. It seems odd.

 

Hmmm, Storyline maybe?

[milamber]

I love how on WWE.com home page it says "WWE announced the release of Alberto Del Rio due to unprofessional conduct." and then there's a button that says "Full Story". Once you click it, all it says is "WWE announced the release of Alberto Del Rio due to unprofessional conduct and an altercation with an employee."

 

They didn't wish him best in his future endeavours, nor did they address him by his real name like they do when they release people. It seems odd.

 

Del Rio is one the best in-ring performers in WWE but his character is boring and his mic work is below average. A kayfabe firing followed by an "illegal" return where he shows up to beat the crap out of a popular babyface could make him interesting again.

[Mammoth]

Since when do WWE use their real names in a release statement? None of the released thus far have used their real name (unless their real name is their stage name, like Teddy Long) but Curt Hawkins wasn't referred to as Brian Myers, Aksana wasn't referred to as Živilė Raudonienė, Brodus Clay wasn't referred to as George Murdoch etcetera. The only example I can think of, of WWE.com using someone's real name to announce their departure is Sin Cara but that's only because they brought the rights to the Sin Cara name and as they're still using it, they'd make themselves look foolish by announcing that Sin Cara's been released when he turns up the week after. It doesn't smell even remotely like a work to me because what's the pay-off? Alberto Del Rio hasn't been in any storyline of note for months - certainly not against any authority whereby a release would make sense with him continually turning up regardless. From what I've read, the altercation involved some words being exchanged and a slap with a WWE.com employee, not another wrestler. Either way, if the stories about him winding down his contract are true - it'll explain why this has happened and why the 'E haven't pushed him as of late because what's the point if he makes it abundantly clear he isn't going to re-sign? Look at it this way, this sounds like one of those things that happen quite regularly backstage but because Del Rio wasn't inclined to re-sign he didn't hold his temper and WWE decided that rather than smooth things over, it was a good opportunity to save some money.

 

Overall, I think it's best for both parties. The 'E can save some money because they weren't going to make that much on Del Rio in the months he has left on his contract because he's not a high merchandise seller, his character has become stale and like I said before, they aren't going to push a guy who's potentially made it clear he wants to leave. And Del Rio can do whatever the hell he wants, which I imagine will be return to Mexico where he's already a star as he doesn't strike me as the kind that will sell-out for TNA, if they can even afford him right now.

[dpoolez]

ADR and WWE are better off apart anyway. ADR is a great worker but hes not good on the mic IMO and he couldn't keep any heat on him. He took the WWE Title from a red hot CM Punk and still couldnt maintain any heat.

 

WWE were just wasting their time and his IMO. He should've been given a slow push to the top and let the fans organically take to him instead of give him all of these accolades a year into his run to force him down our throats and make us like him if they wanted to make money off of him.

[RKOwnage]

As someone who just started watching NXT at Arrival, have The Ascension even had a feud yet?

[Teh_Showtime]

As someone who just started watching NXT at Arrival, have The Ascension even had a feud yet?

 

As somebody who started watching NXT since it's debut. No

[The Swanton825]

I'd really like to see the Ascension actually be given a chance to do something other than squash matches. Maybe I'm wrong, but they give off a Road Warriors/Demolition vibe to me and I truly believe that they could help reinvigorate tag wrestling.

[Teh_Showtime]

They've been ok when in normal matches, they had a tornado match with Hunico and Camacho and they've had a match with the Wolves on NXT during their WWE tryout

 

They are ok when they aren't squashing everyone but they have one of the weakest looking finishers ever, especially considering how devastating their normal offense is.

[Jaysin]

Konnor has been in development on and off for nine years. I think it's safe to say he's not going to be anything. Viktor needs to shave his head. Being 33 with long, thinning hair makes him look like a total scrub.

[The Swanton825]

Konnor has been in development on and off for nine years. I think it's safe to say he's not going to be anything. Viktor needs to shave his head. Being 33 with long, thinning hair makes him look like a total scrub.

 

Did you seriously just use the word "scrub"?

 

Honestly, they don't need to be great in the ring, they're a monster team. All they need to do is brawl and throw their opponents around. That's all the Road Warriors did, Paul Ellering just gave their actions more weight. And (as far as I know) the Ascension doesn't stiff their people for shits and giggles like them.

 

(Never get tired of watching Dan Spivey legit break a chair over Hawk's head and back:

)

[Jaysin]

I did just use the word scrub

 

This isn't the 80s anymore. They're not going to get over by being sloppy brawlers. They have improved greatly, but I still don't think they're anywhere near ready to be on the main roster or tag champs. Then again, they have no other tag teams so I guess they get it by default.

[The Swanton825]

I did just use the word scrub

 

This isn't the 80s anymore. They're not going to get over by being sloppy brawlers. They have improved greatly, but I still don't think they're anywhere near ready to be on the main roster or tag champs. Then again, they have no other tag teams so I guess they get it by default.

 

I do agree that they still need work, but I wouldn't call them sloppy either. Mojo Rawley is sloppy. I think if they put in the effort, then the Ascension could be a great tag team. A mouthpiece like Ellering wouldn't hurt them either.

[Jaysin]

I do agree that they still need work, but I wouldn't call them sloppy either. Mojo Rawley is sloppy. I think if they put in the effort, then the Ascension could be a great tag team. A mouthpiece like Ellering wouldn't hurt them either.

 

I don't think I've seen them hurt anyone, but every time I watch them they just look like they're sloppy. Unless it's like a controlled chaos kind of thing and they're just giving off that illusion. I don't hate them or anything, I just don't get the hype.

 

A mouth piece and a feud with some better in ring workers would probably do a lot for them though.

[Teh_Showtime]

I've been saying they should hire Jimmy Jacobs strictly as their manager but that's just me

 

/shrug

[The Swanton825]

I've been saying they should hire Jimmy Jacobs strictly as their manager but that's just me

 

/shrug

 

Jacobs would be an awesome manager for a team like them!

[Teh_Showtime]

Jacobs can play the straight heel or the emo/punk dark kind of heel as well which is exactly the kind of gimmicks Ascension teeter on. With their old entrance they were very similar in presentation to the Brood but currently they work more like the Road Warriors.

 

They could be played with hints of realism or cartoony/over the top much like Undertaker and Jacobs has been amazing at cutting promos from both ends of that. If he wasn't so short he'd have a job years ago

[Jaysin]

I love that idea!

[Teh_Showtime]

Jimmy Jacobs is literally the only person to ever make me care about BJ Whitmer, that is how great he is as a talker because BJ is just awful

 

[Stennick]

ADR and WWE are better off apart anyway. ADR is a great worker but hes not good on the mic IMO.

 

I disagree I think he was perfectly fine on the mic and got plenty of heat when he had an actual gimmick. He was pretty despised his first year in the company or so.

[bigtplaystew]

Del Rio is part of a dying breed of heels that's sole focus is to get the crowd to actually hate them. Not be funny, not be "so bad ass they're cool". But to be truly despised. At his peaks he accomplished this well. I think he's fine on the mic. He's not electrifying the audiences and getting them to sing along to his catch phrases but that wasn't his job. What was his job? To be hated. He did it well.

 

I will say he failed as a babyface but I mean that whole thing was a rushed mess. You had a truly hated heel character that became a babyface because he.... beat up the guys who were beating up the guy he frequently beat up?? Dumb writing.

[milamber]

NXT Review:

 

Jordan & Dillinger vs Enzo & Cass - The babyfaces both got mic time. Solid match. The heels impressed as they softened up Cass. Enzo got the hot tag but found himself in trouble. Cass cheated to give Enzo the accidental pin. In tag wrestling I don't mind babyfaces using heel tactics to win if it fits their gimmick.

Parker vs Woods - Solid match won by Parker. Both guys are rising above their questionable booking.

Bayley vs Eva - The inflatable tube men have survived the budget cuts. OK match won by Bayley. Despite the "You can't wrestle!" chants, Eva was passable. Her offense was OK but her moveset has no depth and she can't sell for crap. They must have edited this segment because apparently a few fans at the taping were shouting death threats at Eva, causing her to cry backstage.

Kidd & Gabriel vs Zayn & Rose - Good tag match. Zayn pinned Gabriel after a Helluva Kick. All 4 men impressed. The wrong team won, though.

 

Verdict: Solid show. The #1 Contenders tag tournament has added some excitement in the buildup to Takeover 2. Bayley deserved a better opponent.

 

[dpoolez]

Del Rio is part of a dying breed of heels that's sole focus is to get the crowd to actually hate them. Not be funny, not be "so bad ass they're cool". But to be truly despised. At his peaks he accomplished this well. I think he's fine on the mic. He's not electrifying the audiences and getting them to sing along to his catch phrases but that wasn't his job. What was his job? To be hated. He did it well.

 

I will say he failed as a babyface but I mean that whole thing was a rushed mess. You had a truly hated heel character that became a babyface because he.... beat up the guys who were beating up the guy he frequently beat up?? Dumb writing.

 

But with that being said, what did ADR really do to make people hate him? He beat on the same guys multiple times, maybe leave the Cross Armbreaker on for a little bit too long, but he never did anything that would make people really hate him in the way that people hated Edge or CM Punk in 2009, even Bray Wyatt now to a lesser extent, etc. I think in this era, if you want to truly be hated then you have to really go the distance with it. People wont really boo basic heel tactics unless its done to someone they really like.

 

Part of that is the writing/creative and part of that is that Im not familiar to his non WWE work where he may have had those qualities. But I really never saw where ADR was working enough to be worth keeping in the WWE. I'd rather him thrive in Mexico than be in limbo in the WWE anyway.