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

[Jaysin]

Watching Hall of Fame.

 

Steiners made me cry. They're my all time number one tag team and seeing them get honored before Scott dies just makes me so happy. I wish their speech could have been longer, but Scott's Macho Man story was phenomenal.

 

Shad's induction made me ugly cry so bad. It ended five minutes ago and I'm still blubbering. His son doing the Cryme Time taunt with JTG killer me.

 

Now Vader's son is killing me.

 

God I love pro wrestling.

[The Swanton825]

Am I the only one who finds it weird that Austin is one of those "back in the good 'ol days" types and he still broke the cardinal rule of not winning your retirement match?

[Jaysin]

Am I the only one who finds it weird that Austin is one of those "back in the good 'ol days" types and he still broke the cardinal rule of not winning your retirement match?

 

It was a feel good moment and that's all it was meant to be. Owens is like teflon though at this point. The loss isn't going to hurt him at all. The show ending with Austin victorious was pure euphoria.

[The Swanton825]

It was a feel good moment and that's all it was meant to be. Owens is like teflon though at this point. The loss isn't going to hurt him at all. The show ending with Austin victorious was pure euphoria.

 

And I'm not saying it wasn't a feel good moment. Just found it weird.

[guyver3]

His retirement match was at Wrestlemania 19 which he lost. Plenty of old wrestling legends came back for a match or 5 and would win those Stu Hart, Bill Watts, The Rock, Shawn Michaels and that’s not even getting into the guys that retired several times like Funk.

[Jaysin]

This weekend was incredible all around. I'm very excited to see what is going to happen on Raw.

[Matt_Black]

... He was off TV for like a year. In that time, THIS is the best they could come up with?

[Jaysin]

... He was off TV for like a year. In that time, THIS is the best they could come up with?

 

The sad thing is I can't tell if you're talking about Ezekiel or Veer

[Blackman]

So after a year or more of not watching WWE, I took up the Network again just for Mania and it was a fun show. A bit of a gripe with saturday's main event. Literaly any other match could've taken the place of that 'segment'. In TEW, that would've cost them pop.

 

However, I'm counting 3 matches with celebs filling the card. They were good, that's not the problem. Just imagining how you'd book this in TEW as it's just impossible atm.

 

I guess you can trust the commentators, but after all this time, has nobody ever kicked out of Deep6? I find that hard to believe, but good build towards this match then that somehow got lost on the crowd a bit, though it did get a pop. Same thing for the Figure8: nobody ever escaped that? I guess that got lost on me too. But they should use these 'superfinishers' more in WWE nowadays.

[Derek B]

To the best of my knowledge, prior to this Wrestlemania no-one had ever kicked out of Baron Corbin's finisher, the End Of Days. I'm kinda sad that Drew did as it really didn't seem to be necessary UNLESS he goes on to beat Roman in the near-ish future. Otherwise, it didn't really serve much of a purpose after being so protected for so long. I love protected finishers, they make me happy.

[Jaysin]

Everyone and their mother has kicked out of the Deep Six.

 

End of Days on the other hand was more protected than the One Winged Angel.

[Matt_Black]

There hasn't been such a destructive spectacle featuring a man named Smothers since The Who blew up the set of The Smothers Brothers Show.

[wrestlingfan1]

Rather than start a new thread I'll ask here. Is WWF ( yes I still refuse to use the vowel) worth watching. I lose interest everytime they "bring back" the brand split. I just think it's immensely insulting when a smackdown guy shows up on raw and the announcers say " he can't do that he doesn't work here" like we're supposed to think his contract doesn't say the company name. But I digress, I started watching awhile ago and was starting to get back into it ( a long while) back when enzo & Cass teamed with Cena at a ppv. Still think there should have been a one night return of the doctor of thuganomics. Anyway is it entertaining or is it still a rotating schedule of the same 3 people constantly feuding?

[Jaysin]

Rather than start a new thread I'll ask here. Is WWF ( yes I still refuse to use the vowel) worth watching. I lose interest everytime they "bring back" the brand split. I just think it's immensely insulting when a smackdown guy shows up on raw and the announcers say " he can't do that he doesn't work here" like we're supposed to think his contract doesn't say the company name. But I digress, I started watching awhile ago and was starting to get back into it ( a long while) back when enzo & Cass teamed with Cena at a ppv. Still think there should have been a one night return of the doctor of thuganomics. Anyway is it entertaining or is it still a rotating schedule of the same 3 people constantly feuding?

 

The shows are incredibly hit or miss. I recommend watching the day after and skipping stuff that doesn't interest you.

 

Some talent are having incredible runs like RKBro, Bobby Lashley, and Roman Reigns.

 

Bron Breakker in NXT 2.0 is amazing though. When I found out Rick Steiner's son was going to debut in pro wrestling, I selfishly hoped AEW would hire him. It's great that the Steiners are in the HoF now though and Bron signing with them probably helped that. I think Bron is going to be a mega star in some capacity though.

[dvdWarrior]

Saw WrestleMania: Backlash tonight, (really late, as I had to work, and then had to watch the show on replay after I got home). Enjoyed it, have absolutely zero complaints about it. I think very highly of The Bloodline, for the record, and Randy Orton is also one of my favorites.

 

Something about the show inspired to begin work on a My Universe game for 2K22, wherein I shall play exclusively as my created wrestler, so now, I'm gonna do that.

[Woodsmeister]

If Roman Reigns leaves WWE, which he may have suggested at a house show, what the hell would they do.

 

As other than him they have built no one anywhere near his level of push.

 

Brock is part-time so bringing him back wouldnt be the best, plus we have seen his formulatic match structure... dominate with power and suplexes, take a nut shot, come back with the finish for him or against him.

 

Bring Cena back, is this an option even, he is seen on the same level in regards to popularity and has been the guy for so long in the past it wouldnt take much to settle back in that role, but they need to build new stars.

 

I would like to think they would turn to a Bron Breakker, Gunther and Theory - but knowing WWE they will pick one and everyone else go through 50/50 booking.

 

What are your thoughts on this, is Reigns just messing with people? if he isnt and is going to leave who would you build around?

 

EDIT - turns out he may be just going on a lighter schedule

[BHK1978]

I have been watching the last hour of SmackDown (I don't have a DVR and I would much rather watch Blacklist) almost every week for the past couple of weeks. The show, from what I have watched, is not bad. But holy hell is Pat McAfee one of the most annoying color commentators I have ever heard. I thought Don West was bad/annoying, that was until I heard Pat.

 

It is just constant yelling and doing stupid stuff like dancing on the announcer's table coming from him. I think I might have to put him up there with Mark "Mama there go dat man" Jackson of the NBA, as possibly the most annoying commentator.

 

Also, why have they rebranded Pete Dunne as Butch? That is such an odd thing to do, taking a heavily featured NXT wrestler and giving him a new name and gimmick on the "main roster". As if we can forget all that he has done in NXT.

[Mootinie]

Also, why have they rebranded Pete Dunne as Butch? That is such an odd thing to do, taking a heavily featured NXT wrestler and giving him a new name and gimmick on the "main roster". As if we can forget all that he has done in NXT.

It's part of a company-wide effort to reinvest in characters over wrestlers that has begun to trickle down even into development now. I don't necessarily blame them with Pete Dunne as he always struggled to gain any significant traction even in NXT despite the obvious that the talent is there. I don't really know what you do with "The Bruiserweight" character once he loses, are there other layers to that you can work with? I feel like the Butch character takes his smaller stature and makes it a part of who he is instead of some kind of fighting disadvantage.

[Matt_Black]

So... What are our thoughts on the Sasha and Naomi situation?

[Jaysin]

I think it started as a shoot and they turned it into a work.

[Matt_Black]

The thing that gets me is the statement WWE released. "We regret we were unable to deliver, as advertised, tonight’s main event." That would mean so much more if they didn't do that all the time on purpose. Heck, they did it Monday for another match. In fact, advertising a match that they never intended on delivering was pretty much their strategy for last year's Summerslam. So, they can save the crocodile tears.

[Blodyxe]

The whole Sasha/Naomi situation is so weird, and yet weirdly relatable.

 

I think a lot of people find themselves in this weird position where they realize how much they owe to their employee, and understand that without that job their life would be way worse... But still hate the work-related BS, stupidity, and frustration that comes from time to time to the point of wanting to quit it all.

 

Difference between swallowing the pride and walking out is the environement, I think. I've been in a situation where I wanted to walk out, but my friends, who were in the same position as me, bit the bullet and worked through it. If there was someone who was as insulted as me, I'd quit. Admittedly, my colleagues are more level headed than me

 

Sasha has pride and a bit of temper, Naomi doesn't look like she takes ¬hit from anyone either, so there you have it. They're set for life already, they don't want to kill their passion for pay, and probably don't have this Healh Slater responsibility to feed kids.

 

WWE schedule is tough too, you have to be a mental monster to keep grinding for so long. So I totally get why they acted that way, while understanding that wasn't the best way to deal with the situation.

[Matt_Black]

The Smackdown crowd looked absolutely ticked off at the end of the show, and not in the "Ooh, those no good heels, I can't wait to see them get theirs!" way. If it had been in Chicago or Philly, I'd be very concerned right now.

[Matt_Black]

You know, all weekend I've been seeing people at various spots online defending Michael Cole. "Oh, he didn't REALLY want to say those things about Sasha & Naomi; Vince told him to say that." That would be a compelling argument if this were the first time it had happened, but Michael Cole has been behind the broadcast booth for nearly a quarter of a century, and this is not the first time. If it REALLY bothered him, he would have done something long ago. At the very least, he is apathetic about the whole situation.

[Jaysin]

Michael Cole has been passionless for over a decade.

 

Pat brings out some of the old Cole and they have chemistry, but it makes me wish we could have the Michael Cole we had when he was paired with Taz. Taz and Cole were so good together.