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

[critical-23]

Hated the main event but loved Sheamus vs Big Show!

[Jaysin]

Gabe Sapolksy gave me a Llol on facebook...

 

Is WWE really ripping off two TNA deals now with the Cena/AJ thing and the Jimmy Rave knockoff group? At least the Rave thing was when Guitar Hero was huge.

[djthefunkchris]

Is it wrong for me to want Ryback to put on a cowboy hat and yell out "Yip Yip!"?

[Teh_Showtime]

they literally chose the worse story of the past decade to try to replicate

[milamber]

I agree, Ryback while over is painful to watch in the ring and isn't always going to have someone as good in the ring as Punk to feud with.

 

To be fair on Ryback, he is being told to wrestle in a very specific way with a specific moveset. We don't really know what he's capable of yet. Time will tell. He's doing what he needs to to get over, nothing more. I wouldn't be suprised if we see a Cena/Punk/Ryback title match soon. After that they can use Ryback to put over main event/midcard heels.

 

Hated the main event but loved Sheamus vs Big Show!

 

I'm glad they dropped the Kick out on a 1-count Super Sheamus and let him sell Show's offense because he did a damn good job of it. And I wasn't sure he could hit White Noise on Show he did!

[milamber]

Some people who have worked closely with Triple H believe that when he takes over more of Vince McMahon's duties and gets more power, we will see more focus on the tag team division, putting the Divas division on the back-burner even more.

 

That doesn't look to be the case as word is they have some significant things planned for the Divas division over the next few months.

 

It should be noted that Triple H has never been high on women’s wrestling. While WWE has been adding new women to developmental as of late, most of the new recruits are men and not women. Since Laurinaitis has been out of power, the days of recruiting models from agencies seem to be over.

 

Sources: wrestlenewz.com & wrestlinginc.com

 

Just watching Raw now and the emphasis on the tag wrestling is obvious. Can't remember when the tag division was last packed with so many good teams.

[Arrows]

Just watching Raw now and the emphasis on the tag wrestling is obvious. Can't remember when the tag division was last packed with so many good teams.

 

Kind of a shame WWE's sticking to the usual "bury all actual tag teams for the sake of main guys we aren't smart enough to do anything in singles action with" tactic.

 

The only 3 teams getting any actual rub aren't tag teams. You don't see the Usos feuding over the titles. PTP fail at every turn. Primo and Epico may as well not even exist.

[infinitywpi]

I really hope they go 'The Full Spinal' and get 3MB a new drummer every week. Doubtful, tho.

 

And is it bad that, as soon as they announced Team Punk vs Team Foley, I said "Lesse... Foley will take Kofi, Ryback, Orton, and either Hell No or Cara and Rey. Punk will take Del Rio, Miz, and either Rhodes Scholars or Prime Time Players."

 

When you can make ten people almost completely predictable... you need to try a bit harder.

 

... which makes Team Sheamus vs Team Big Show... Sheamus, Rey, Cara, Gabriel, and Swagger vs Big Show, Cesaro, Prime Time Players, and Barrett, right?

[crownsy]

Kind of a shame WWE's sticking to the usual "bury all actual tag teams for the sake of main guys we aren't smart enough to do anything in singles action with" tactic.

 

The only 3 teams getting any actual rub aren't tag teams. You don't see the Usos feuding over the titles. PTP fail at every turn. Primo and Epico may as well not even exist.

 

I was not aware Damion Sandow was a main guy (yet), and Cody, as much as i like him, has been a mid carder for about a year and a half now.

 

I like team hell no, even though i hate that name, and I think right now it's going great.

 

The luchadors team has been great for sin cara, he's actually showing improvement, which is a minor miracle. also their a good change of pace team.

 

I think the main problem with Primo and epico is they suck. yes, Primo is a good wrestler, but what is their gimmick, aside from rosa? There like a worse version of the colons. "were Not from here! we have our own crrraaazzzyyy culture!!!"

 

Prime Time Players i like, and i think there going to be fine long term, but there the young team that has to pay their dues.

 

Usos have the same problem as primo and epico, but i do like them more as a team. but they need to add some depth besides "look at our crazy war dance! now prepare for sweet, sweet rest hold action culminating with a snuka splash attempt!"

 

Overall I like the focus on tag team action that's being shown. As for raw as a whole, which i actually got to watch live thanks to sandy canceling classes;

 

Mick-Punk promo was good, I like the Idea of a traditional match, but are these guys gonna be pulling double duty? cause if not then we won't have a IC, Tag Title, or WWE Title match at the PPV.

 

I liked the follow up on Show-Shemus, that was a surprisingly good match at HIAC which put shemus over and good rub tonight by show saying that match was one of the toughest of his career, but now Shemus has lit a fire under him.

 

Rhodes Scholars vs. Luchadors was a really good tag match, those two teams click well together.

 

I have to go with others in this thread, I LOVE lawler, but when i saw his return to commentary announced I thought "Thats to bad, im actual enjoying this non-asshat cole and JR pairing alot." Cole as less of an over the top heel commentator and actually working with JR in the booth has been pretty good. It's even better when they toss in JBL for PPV

 

JR just has a way of selling the importance of matches, and when Cole isn't in his over the top mode and actually calling the match WITH JR, he's much better. I'm afraid when Lawler gets back we'll see a return to "Over the top" heel cole and JR vanish from TV again.

 

I HATE the AJ/Cena storyline. This sucked in TNA, why grab it and take it to WWE television? Surely we can think of something else for John Cena to do while he's injured WWE.

 

Thought the breast cancer tribute was a classy move by WWE.

[milamber]

I HATE the AJ/Cena storyline. This sucked in TNA, why grab it and take it to WWE television? Surely we can think of something else for John Cena to do while he's injured WWE.

 

It's just an angle to get Ziggler and Cena feuding and give AJ something to do backstage now she's a wrestler again.

 

infinitywpi, I agree. Team Punk vs Team Foley was totally predictable. Bring in Lesnar and debut Rollins (or anyone good and fresh from FCW/NXT) and I might actually get excited about the match. I'm looking forward to Cena vs Ziggler, Cesaro vs whoever (R-Truth maybe), and AJ or Kaitlyn if they're on the PPV but overall SS is looking as weak on paper as HIAC.

[crownsy]

It's just an angle to get Ziggler and Cena feuding and give AJ something to do backstage now she's a wrestler again.

 

 

Just because the angle has a purpose doesn't mean it isn't god awful.

 

There's no other way they could think of to get ziggler/cena into a feud without this awfulness? How bout just because Ziggler is tired of Cena getting shot after shot and wants to prove he's better? that seems like a much better and believable angle than a high school study hall "I saw them smooching maybe!!!" wreslecrap storyline.

 

Another angle i can't stand, and I know it's nitpicky because heck, it's the divas, but the eve storyline makes booker look like the biggest idiot of all time.

 

This guy watched eve's antics for a year on commentary, made her fight for a job as coffee fetcher in his "administration", and now actually believes she might NOT be lying? he thinks Teddy is "out to get him" because eve, of all people, said so?

 

Again, take it for what it is, its just me kevetching about a diva's storyline, which by default is going to be awful, but some of this stuff is like "does anyone in creative even try?" level of bad.

[Nathers7]

To be fair on Ryback...

 

I am being fair on Ryback , there's alot worse things I could say about a guy who has been in training for 8 years and still has yet to put on a passable match longer than a couple of minutes.

[crownsy]

I am being fair on Ryback , there's alot worse things I could say about a guy who has been in training for 8 years and still has yet to put on a passable match longer than a couple of minutes.

 

I thought the HIAC match was actually pretty decent, given the time involved. He sold punk's offense well and they actually gave punk WAY more offense than I thought they would.

 

He's a power guy, he's not going to suddenly bust out technical wrestling skills and amazing counters. All he needs to do is sell for the other guys once in awhile and chain power moves together.

 

He already sells better than plenty of power acts who got involved in long matches as their careers developed.

[Nathers7]

I thought the HIAC match was actually pretty decent, given the time involved. He sold punk's offense well and they actually gave punk WAY more offense than I thought they would.

 

He's a power guy, he's not going to suddenly bust out technical wrestling skills and amazing counters. All he needs to do is sell for the other guys once in awhile and chain power moves together.

 

He already sells better than plenty of power acts who got involved in long matches as their careers developed.

 

I'll give him some time , I'm not expecting him to start busting out technical wrestling just put on an entertaining match and I'll be sweet.

 

His promos amuse me, at least that's something.

 

I'M NOT HURT I'M HUNGRY

 

FEED ME PUNK FEED ME PUNK

[Teh_Showtime]

Kind of a shame WWE's sticking to the usual "bury all actual tag teams for the sake of main guys we aren't smart enough to do anything in singles action with" tactic.

 

the easiest way to get people to care about the tag titles is to get people who the fans care about feuding over them. It's not going to happen overnight but eventually fans will care about actual teams due to their involvement with top guys like Kane and Bryan

[Fantabulous]

I am being fair on Ryback , there's alot worse things I could say about a guy who has been in training for 8 years and still has yet to put on a passable match longer than a couple of minutes.

 

Don't you know? We still don't know how good Ryback is. After weeks of looking just about passable, we don't know how good Ryback is. After a world class carry job by a top-level work with tons of shortcuts resulting in a just about bearable match, we don't know how good Ryback is. We'll still be here next year with people insisting we just don't know how good Ryback is or can be.

[crownsy]

Don't you know? We still don't know how good Ryback is. After weeks of looking just about passable, we don't know how good Ryback is. After a world class carry job by a top-level work with tons of shortcuts resulting in a just about bearable match, we don't know how good Ryback is. We'll still be here next year with people insisting we just don't know how good Ryback is or can be.

 

Right, because every top act needs to be a technical superstar, no one has ever made it as a monster who is average at selling.

 

No one knows how this will go, we'll see how it plays out. He could stay over with the crowd, he could be a mid card act in half a year.

[Fantabulous]

It was clear long before Sunday just how limited and poor Ryback is, even though you had some people who insisted that you somehow couldn't tell and you also had the beyond idiotic notion being put forward that Ryback might actually be good and WWE were just hiding it. But if Sunday didn't open eyes on just how not good Ryback is, I don't know what else can be said.

[Arrows]

I really hope they go 'The Full Spinal' and get 3MB a new drummer every week. Doubtful, tho.

 

And is it bad that, as soon as they announced Team Punk vs Team Foley, I said "Lesse... Foley will take Kofi, Ryback, Orton, and either Hell No or Cara and Rey. Punk will take Del Rio, Miz, and either Rhodes Scholars or Prime Time Players."

 

When you can make ten people almost completely predictable... you need to try a bit harder.

 

... which makes Team Sheamus vs Team Big Show... Sheamus, Rey, Cara, Gabriel, and Swagger vs Big Show, Cesaro, Prime Time Players, and Barrett, right?

 

Two things made me just completely not care about the Survivor Series set up. While brilliant on Punk's part to not have to defend the belt and ensure himself another month, two things have just, ruined it.

 

1. How is it, Mick Foley magically managed to know EVERY single person who was going to be on Punk's team, and just happened to have already convinced their counter part into being on his team?

 

2. Paul Heyman put together the team, and there's no BROCK? REALLY? Why the hell would Heyman NOT get Brock here?

[infinitywpi]

2. Paul Heyman put together the team, and there's no BROCK? REALLY? Why the hell would Heyman NOT get Brock here?

 

Shhhhh! Don't say anything, or Vince'll make some sort of anti-Semetic money-saving penny-pincher joke about it...

[crownsy]

It was clear long before Sunday just how limited and poor Ryback is, even though you had some people who insisted that you somehow couldn't tell and you also had the beyond idiotic notion being put forward that Ryback might actually be good and WWE were just hiding it. But if Sunday didn't open eyes on just how not good Ryback is, I don't know what else can be said.

 

 

It boils down to what "good" is to WWE. If good is over with the crowd and getting a reaction, then Ryback is currently a potential asset to them, because the crowd (especially the Kids, I.E merch movers through parents buying them merch) is into him. They go nuts when his music hits and love to see him punish people, because he's a freak. The freakshow is as much of a tradition in wrestling as the technical showman.

 

If "good" is being a technically proficient wrestler, than you are of course correct, he is not going to be a guy who carries on 25 minute epic matches ala Punk, Angle, Bryan, Hart, ect.

 

However, there have been plenty of guys, such as Goldberg, Batista, Brock, Show, and plenty of others who held down UMC or M/E slots for long periods of time by being a monster and let the better ring general carry their matches.

 

And heck, he showed me more ability to sell for an opponent Sunday than Goldberg or Brock ever showed.

 

We'll see if the novelty wears off and he plummets down the card like other freaks they've tried to push or hangs around like some of the others. He certainly has the potential to go either way.

 

Alot depends on how he evolves over the next few PPV's on the mic. He doesn't need to be great, he just needs to be about average.

 

He was ok as skip Sheffield mic wise, but he can't really be that guy on the mic. Skip was to laid back to be "ryback"

[Nathers7]

And heck, he showed me more ability to sell for an opponent Sunday than Brock ever showed.

 

http://i46.tinypic.com/243l26q.jpg

[crownsy]

I would give Brock a D- for selling in TEW terms. all he does is fall down and stay still.

 

Brock is a FAR superior technical "monster" and can actually put on a good match when pressed, but selling is not a strong point of his.

 

And again, Not saying Ryback will even be relevant in 6 months, Just saying not every act needs to be the complete package. The freakshows sell tickets too.

[Teh_Showtime]

Kane and Bryan on radio

 

HILARIOUS

[Rone Rivendale]

I think people are just predisposed to see a guy who is stacked like Ryback and think that he must be awful in ring.

 

I saw HiaC live and I was impressed with Ryback. It wasn't a 2 minute squash. It wasn't just Ryback beating on Punk the whole time and then SuperPunk comeback. It was a back and forth match. Ryback did moves. Ryback sold moves. Most importantly, when Ryback got screwed and he took it to Maddox and then took it to Punk on top of the cage, Ryback had the crowd in the palm of his hands.

 

That's all WWE cares about, the crowd was HOT for Ryback. And this was the same crowd who was dead silent for every other match on the card.