sphanlon Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 He's ok, but I like Samoa Joe a lot better. Not sure how fair I can judge him since the WWE limits and constrains their talent so much. I instantly compared them in my mind because of the whole Samoan connection. Something deeper has occurred to me. You know how Joe gets to be, like..well, a human being? Now I know Sports Entertainment is about people playing chracters, although the WWE makes up some stupid cartoonish and far-fetched caricatures a lot. However, you ever notice how Polynesians are used in the WWE? At best, they are moderately intelligible islander natives, and at worst(and mostly) sub-human, animal-like savages. Suprised no one ever found it offensive.( Idon't, but suprised no one has) I think I'm getting tired of cheerleaders, the walking dead, island savages, etc. To their credit, however, WWE wrestlers are getting less gimmicky(not including ECW's rediculous sci-fi based characters, but all of WWECW is rediculous). But Mcmahon can't resist every once in a while using a really gimmicky character like back in the day when he had the Berzerker, Waylon Mercy, Repo Man, Papa Shango, the Goon, Knucleball Charlie(or whoever that baseball guy was). But what do I know? Boogeyman worked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panix04 Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Umaga is growing on me, for a big guy he gets around the ring with ease and his stuff looks like it hurts, although the spike thing is a tad farfetched. I think Estrada is the peferct foil for him as well. Im glad the are pushing him it will interesting to see a new player in the main event scene. The ME at raw has been a bit too small for a while now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtm2k6 Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 I think he's solid in the ring, but his finisher and gimmick are a little crap . . but I think he's quick for a big man, and that helps, so I don't mind him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remianen Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 I liked him as Jamal but don't like him in this guise. As far as how he moves, from what I've seen (I have several friends from American Samoa as well as the French Polynesian islands), Polynesians are the very epitome of 'big boned'. They're not fat necessarily. At least not in the way Billy Bob Anglo from Tennessee might be. They move VERY well with their weight. One of my tackles in high school was an immense Samoan. 6'3, 320 at 17 years old and he could kick out on counter plays and beat the guard across the formation (Coach had to tell him to slow down. "You'll still get to hit somebody!" :p). Could put you in the poor house trying to feed him too. :p But maybe I'm resisting because I think they're pushing him too hard (ala Randy Orton). His moveset seems extremely limited, though I know as Jamal, he has some high flying skills. I'd just like to see them bring someone NEW to the scene, not these recycled, rehashed characters. Don't they have folks in OVW and DSW (like The Highlanders) that they can call up or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDE71 Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 I get to watch OVW on Saturday nights when I remember to. What you get to see on TV isn't very promising. I didn't even care for CM Punk from what he did on the OVW TV show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sebsy Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 I have to say Umaga is growing on me. Unfortunately it is just too hard to buy his finishing move. Hopefully they will phase it out and start using that move he used on HBK where he threw him up in the air and caught him straight into a samoan drop. He pulled that off absolutely brilliantly tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderndaywarrior Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Umaga reminds me of an updated version of Kamala....more character than anything,you can't really expact great ring work of a guy whose finisher is the Thumb Spike,usually that indicates you aren't good or safe enough to do something more complicated. Oh,and it was Abe"Knuckleball" Schwartz,who we saw this week on ECW in his previous gimmick of The Brooklyn Brawler. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Luck Brett Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 I've been a fan since his first Raw appearance as Umaga. Funny thing is I never cared for the old 3 Minute Warning routine, but then again I've always been a mark of the Kamalas and the Missing Links of professional wrestling. As Moderndaywarrior stated, he probably won't win anyone over with his ring work but I'm sure he'll get some good mileage out of this character. He is a pretty impresive worker for his size though. Personally, I think they should have used him and Kamala in a much more meaningful feud/angle to establish Umaga as an unstoppable monster before throwing him into an inevitable short-term run main eventing RAW. [QUOTE]Unfortunately it is just too hard to buy his finishing move. Hopefully they will phase it out and start using that move he used on HBK where he threw him up in the air and caught him straight into a samoan drop.[/QUOTE] I agree, unfortuantely I think that move had more to do with Michaels than it did with Umaga, not sure how many workers would be able or be willing to make that move happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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