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

[Tha Black Phenom]

Anyone else find it a little sad that Shelton has been in WWE for like 8-9 years, and all people are talking about is "WGTT Reunion!" which was his very first WWE gimmick? He hasn't done anything better in all that time?

 

They did a number of things with the guy after that but none of them paid off. I think up to now he's still the longest reigning Intercontinental champion in the last 15 years. Upon his heel turn, they had the momma's boy stint.. had potential but didn't go far. Then they gave him the "EVERYONE'S RACIST" gimmick which flopped as well(his first promo about it seemed more than promising), he even had a small angle with Coach I think. Then, Gold Standard and what it comes to now.

 

It sucks for Shelts, but the fella's been given so many chances and never ran with the ball. Mickie's gonna miss me too.

[The Celt]

I think Shelton in either TNA or RoH would be great. If he goes to TNA, he's got X Division Champ written all over him. If he's goes to RoH there's a ton of fun match up he could have; and he occasionally tag with Hass since I'm posistive Hass is just itching to get into RoH and tear it up once his 90 days are up.

[Guest Instant Classic]

It saddens me that WWE is slowly burying themselves like they did 15 years ago. With the move to PG, the guest hosts and the releasing of talent like they did today, it'll take one major TNA angle and WWE will be fighting again.

[crownsy]

It saddens me that WWE is slowly burying themselves like they did 15 years ago. With the move to PG, the guest hosts and the releasing of talent like they did today, it'll take one major TNA angle and WWE will be fighting again.

 

There was no talent released today outside of shelton and james.

 

And even with those two, you can see thier point.

 

Shelton is a great athletic wrestler, but he has never, ever, connected with the crowd. Something about every character he tries just never "clicks" with the WWE's audience.

 

Some of it is that shelton doesn't have much charisma. In TEW terms, i'd give him like a C- for star quality. HE's just missing something to go from UMC at best to champ. He hasen't found it in 9 years, i think the E is probley of the opinion that they can pay younger kids alot less money to be in the midcard, and they might strike gold with one.

 

They know what they have with shelton, and it's a guy who doesn't have what thier audience connects with. I think a move to TNA's X division or ROH would serve shelton very well.

 

That said, I can see why the WWE is ready to part with him. He's hit that point where he makes to much to keep around as a UMC. WWE's loss should be TNA's gain though, assuming they can get him for realitivly cheap.

 

As for james, she has made no secret that she's pretty focused on her singing career at this point and getting ready to wind it down as an active wrestler. As such, this may have been somewhat mutual. She's been talking about leaving the E or stepping her role down to focus on her music career, and the E and her may have decided it's time to move on.

 

TNA seems like a good fit for her as well. TNA can't be as choosey as the WWE with regards to requiring workers to focus on nothing BUT the buisness. they've already shown a willingness to work with workers looking to branch out (lashly) and they have a reduced filming schedule, which she can take advantage of.

 

I'd say TNA should jump on both of these talents. Understandable cuts by WWE, good potential pickups for TNA imo.

[TracyBrooksFan]

Mickie has said her music is a side project that her passion was still WRESTLING.

 

Also another TALENT was Katie Lea she was never able t showcase her talent in WWE

[crownsy]

I bet Carlito and Primo will be added to the list shortly

I really hope they dont boot R-Truth

 

Doubt it, those two work for cheap according to the rumors anyway.

 

Todays cuts were for money (shelton makes far to much to be a midcarder.) or for a combo of money/ worker interest elsewhere (james, singing career and a stated desire to work less)

 

both primo and carlito don't make shelton money (they aint 10 yearish vets afterall) no need to cut them. every roster needs jobbers who work cheap and don't hurt anyone

[crownsy]

Mickie has said her music is a side project that her passion was still WRESTLING.

 

Also another TALENT was Katie Lea she was never able t showcase her talent in WWE

 

Then you should be even happier she got out of her deal, she can go to TNA and do both.

 

And i'll take your word on katie, she never did anything for me in ECW.

[PeterHilton]

It saddens me that WWE is slowly burying themselves like they did 15 years ago. With the move to PG, the guest hosts and the releasing of talent like they did today, it'll take one major TNA angle and WWE will be fighting again.

 

[Comradebot]

Surprised, though relieved, that Kozlov is still on board for now.

 

But Funaki?! You have to be kidding me, I thought he had a job for life! I'll never forget how awesome KAIENTAI was back in the day. Even if they were just lowercard nobodies, they were fun to watch on Shotgun!

[Stennick]

It saddens me that WWE is slowly burying themselves like they did 15 years ago. With the move to PG, the guest hosts and the releasing of talent like they did today, it'll take one major TNA angle and WWE will be fighting again.

 

If the WWE fighting again depends on TNA striking hot with a long term successful angle then Vince can put the gloves down it'll be a while before he's going to need them.

[Comradebot]

If the WWE fighting again depends on TNA striking hot with a long term successful angle then Vince can put the gloves down it'll be a while before he's going to need them.

 

It's true. Every time TNA takes a step forward, they take another back. WWE has absolutely no reason to dial it up a notch until TNA shows they can get even to where WWE is right now.

 

That said...

 

Random "Kozlov is awesome!" I tell ya, if I'd booked him he'd still be in the main event... or at least not absent from TV for the last several months.

[Stennick]

I've been a fan of Kozlov from the very start. Again it just comes down to him not being booked correctly.

[lazorbeak]

Yeah seriously WWE is going to go down the crapper because they released a guy who couldn't get over despite working with nearly every future main event talent on the roster and a diva who is on-screen maybe 5 minutes a week?

 

Honestly I hope TNA doesn't take Shelton because I don't think he is anything special and the WWE machine actually hid some of his weaknesses. He's a decent worker and an excellent athlete, but at his age and with his charisma he really shouldn't be main eventing anywhere. He's never been able to get the fans really behind him face or heel, so even with all his athletic ability I don't think he'd do much for TNA, a company that is already paying too many cast-aways who struggle to come up with their own material. All the ideas I've heard about him are nostalgia based, and come on, is there that much nostalgia for WGTT or Team Angle?

[Remianen]

Then you should be even happier she got out of her deal, she can go to TNA and do both.

 

And i'll take your word on katie, she never did anything for me in ECW.

 

Katie Lea hasn't been able to showcase her talent since SHIMMER, honestly. You'd have to go back to QoC, Shimmer (vol. 5ish?), and her FWA work to really see what she can do. Oh, and back then, she was known as Nikita.

 

I'd like to see her do a tour with NEO, personally. But she's probably too expensive for them.

[ampulator]

It's true. Every time TNA takes a step forward, they take another back. WWE has absolutely no reason to dial it up a notch until TNA shows they can get even to where WWE is right now.

 

That said...

 

Random "Kozlov is awesome!" I tell ya, if I'd booked him he'd still be in the main event... or at least not absent from TV for the last several months.

 

Actually, I would say WWE recently is trying to do a slightly better job. Not that much better, just slightly, maybe in response to TNA moving to Monday Nights. TNA's own current booking, and the WWE being slightly better-than-usual booking has devastated TNA's Monday Night Ratings.

[Guest Instant Classic]

 

What? It can happen, it has happened in the past. WWF turned into a Looney Tunes show and WCW swooped right in and almost put McMahon out of business because Vince "knows what the fans want". Vince even did an interview within the last few months claiming Dixie and TNA were "smut and trash" and that the current WWE product is "what the people want to see". Dixie fired back thanking the king of smut for the compliment and laughing at how hypocritical Vince is.

 

Only a matter of time before it happens again. WWE has survived because of its name several times before but its been proven that the name won't keep them going when something better comes along. Remember when WCW Nitro started and everyone claimed the company would be dead in 6 months? Kind of like how everyone said TNA would be dead in 6 months, then in another, then another, then another. TNA continues to move up while WWE has remained on a steady decline/incline for about 7 years. But hey what do I know?

[Guest Instant Classic]

If the WWE fighting again depends on TNA striking hot with a long term successful angle then Vince can put the gloves down it'll be a while before he's going to need them.

 

I'm unaware of when Vince ever used the gloves? I recall him striking gold because of Rock and Austin to a lesser extent Mick Foley, but aside from using ECW's mentality and Vince also being very lucky that his evil boss gimmick worked against Stone Cold, WWF would have barely had its head above water during the highlight of the monday night wars. Those 3 carried the bulk of WWF's turn around and I cannot imagine WWF being as successful as it was without those 3. So no, I do not see how Vince ever really "put the gloves on" in the first place.

[PeterHilton]

What? It can happen, it has happened in the past. WWF turned into a Looney Tunes show and WCW swooped right in and almost put McMahon out of business because Vince "knows what the fans want". Vince even did an interview within the last few months claiming Dixie and TNA were "smut and trash" and that the current WWE product is "what the people want to see". Dixie fired back thanking the king of smut for the compliment and laughing at how hypocritical Vince is.

 

Only a matter of time before it happens again. WWE has survived because of its name several times before but its been proven that the name won't keep them going when something better comes along. Remember when WCW Nitro started and everyone claimed the company would be dead in 6 months? Kind of like how everyone said TNA would be dead in 6 months, then in another, then another, then another. TNA continues to move up while WWE has remained on a steady decline/incline for about 7 years. But hey what do I know?

 

From a purely business standpoint, the E is stronger than they ever have been. They've diversified their revenue sources (movies, web and phone content, that insane library of footage they own, etc), created more markets internationally, and have become hyper predictable storyline wise because predictable revenue is better longterm for a publicly traded company.

 

Their position now is in no way remotely close to what it was when they almost closed their doors. Vince & Co learned from that and created a new business model where -even with ratings and live gates relatively flat - the profits continue to grow.

 

TNA is in no way a threat to put the E in any danger.

 

EDIT: I mean..seriously? You think the move to PG and having mainstream publicity on a regular basis hurts them? Releasing people shows how weak they are? You do know wrestling is a business right? Internet wrestling nerds don't drive revenue...mainstream fans do. And as long as most people think that the WWE = pro wrestling, Vince is basically printing money.

[PeterHilton]

Also, Knox is gone:

 

That makes seven…

 

- WWE.com just posted the following…

 

WWE has come to terms on the release of Mike Knox as of today, April 22, 2010. We wish him the best in all future endeavors.

[Guest Instant Classic]

From a purely business standpoint, the E is stronger than they ever have been. They've diversified their revenue sources, created more markets internationally, and have become hyper predictable storyline wise because predictable revenue is better longterm for a publicly traded company.

 

Their position now is in no way remotely close to what it was when they alost closed their doors. Vince & Co learned from that and created a new business model where -even with ratings and live gates relatively flat - the profits continue to grow.

 

TNA is in no way a threat to put the E in any danger.

 

EDIT: I mean..seriously? You think the move to PG and having mainstream publicity on a regular basis hurts them? Releasing people shows how weak they are? You do know wrestling is a business right? Internet wrestling nerds don't drive revenue...mainstream fans do. And as long as most people think that the WWE = pro wrestling, Vince is basically printing money.

 

What ever you say, sport. I know how to run businesses very well and what Vince is doing is not going to work long-term. What Vince is doing is like reality television, feeding to the lowest common denominator of fan who are pleased with anything. People like that do not have attention spans and if they are not force fed everything on a silver platter exactly when they expect it, they go find something else. If you noticed the ratings this week, when word spread that the Raw crew was stuck overseas the ratings took a huge nose dive. This would not happen so noticably with TNA because they don't treat fans like brain-damaged people. Raw lost about 1/6 of its audience this week because the usual plate wasn't there. What the simpletons were expecting, what they see all the time, was not there, and they changed the channel. A small group turned to TNA and the others tuned to something else. Why? Because as I said, the people who enjoy seeing the same exact thing every week saw it was different and decided to change the channel. You pile that on top of PPV pricings and the magic carpet ride won't last forever. $45 for Extreme Rules? $60 in H.D.? That was what Wrestlemania 25 cost! At the speed WWE is going Wrestlemania 30 is going to cost over $100 in hi-def.

[The Final Countdown]

I said to a friend just a few hours ago that I couldn't believe Knox survived this round of house cleaning. Guess I jinxed him.

[Stennick]

I'm unaware of when Vince ever used the gloves? I recall him striking gold because of Rock and Austin to a lesser extent Mick Foley, but aside from using ECW's mentality and Vince also being very lucky that his evil boss gimmick worked against Stone Cold, WWF would have barely had its head above water during the highlight of the monday night wars. Those 3 carried the bulk of WWF's turn around and I cannot imagine WWF being as successful as it was without those 3. So no, I do not see how Vince ever really "put the gloves on" in the first place.

 

Yeah sure Vince was very lucky yup had nothing to do with him fighting back at all and actually transforming his show. How do you think The Rock, Steve Austin, and others came about? By him completely redoing the way he did business thus fighting back. I won't get into the whole situation with you but if you think that Vince "got lucky" and that TNA is one good angle away from puttin them back on the ropes then there is no amount of text that can save you from your own delusions.

[Guest Instant Classic]

Yeah sure Vince was very lucky yup had nothing to do with him fighting back at all and actually transforming his show. How do you think The Rock, Steve Austin, and others came about? By him completely redoing the way he did business thus fighting back. I won't get into the whole situation with you but if you think that Vince "got lucky" and that TNA is one good angle away from puttin them back on the ropes then there is no amount of text that can save you from your own delusions.

 

What ever works for you. I have worked in business most of my life and I call it like I see it. Austin made his own success, his ad-lib at King of the Ring made his own career, Vince only decided to really push him when the dollars rolled in on "Austin 3:16".

 

I never said Vince McMahon was a lucky idiot, he is a smart businessman; steal the things that worked for everyone else and cram the guy who is making the most money for you down everyone's throats. That's how the wrestling business works. While Vince is very smart at making money, he is certainly ignorant and quite stupid at what fans want to see. People have wanted Cena heel for years, nobody really likes Batista at all, people have wanted Orton face for years, I can go on and on and on. Vince "knows" what people want to see and until another company gives him a sharp kick in the butt, he will never, ever listen to what the people care for.

[Ctrl-Alt-Del]

I'll miss Knox's ruthless beard.

 

As much as I liked Benjamin's ring work, he was so bland as a character.

[PeterHilton]

What ever you say, sport. I know how to run businesses very well and what Vince is doing is not going to work long-term. What Vince is doing is like reality television, feeding to the lowest common denominator of fan who are pleased with anything. People like that do not have attention spans and if they are not force fed everything on a silver platter exactly when they expect it, they go find something else. If you noticed the ratings this week, when word spread that the Raw crew was stuck overseas the ratings took a huge nose dive. This would not happen so noticably with TNA because they don't treat fans like brain-damaged people. Raw lost about 1/6 of its audience this week because the usual plate wasn't there. What the simpletons were expecting, what they see all the time, was not there, and they changed the channel. A small group turned to TNA and the others tuned to something else. Why? Because as I said, the people who enjoy seeing the same exact thing every week saw it was different and decided to change the channel. You pile that on top of PPV pricings and the magic carpet ride won't last forever. $45 for Extreme Rules? $60 in H.D.? That was what Wrestlemania 25 cost! At the speed WWE is going Wrestlemania 30 is going to cost over $100 in hi-def.

 

You didn't really acknowledge the point I made about what the WWE does with its business model.

 

You just insulted their fanbase.

 

Also...if the fanbase is so programmed to watch that they tune in no matter what..I'd say the E is achieving it's goal.