Pro Wrestling Discussion Thread **Spoilers Possible**

[JonInMiddleGA]

Your winner ... and NEW Heavyweight Champion of the WORRRRRLD ...
Samoa Joe

Muscle Buster finish to a submission oriented/MMA influenced match.

[JonInMiddleGA]

And later tonight on Impact ... TNA bookers turn to blue collar comedian Ron White for inspiration as they prove "You can't fix stupid".

[JonInMiddleGA]

And if tonight's appearance by Umaga doesn't turn him face nothing will

[DeToxRox]

I won't lie ... I laughed at Bill running away.

[molson]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

I won't lie ... I laughed at Bill running away.

+1

I don't mind the crap segments as long as they don't drag on too long. Wrestling needs crap to make everything else look better.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Okay, that booking makes NO friggin' sense.

[DeToxRox]

While the booking was questionable, watching Regal and Punk still each other was fun. I wouldn't mind a program there while they (hopefully) elevate Punk. It'd make sense to have him use MITB at SummerSlam or something like that.

[Ryche]

The booking baffled me at first, but in retrospect it makes some sense I guess. Punk has MITB, he didn't need KotR too. And he got a couple much needed clean wins over bigger names. Losing to Regal doesn't hurt much as Regal had a much easier path to the finals in comparison. And I've always liked Regal, so it's good to see he's evidentally going to be getting a decent push.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ryche

The booking baffled me at first, but in retrospect it makes some sense I guess. Punk has MITB, he didn't need KotR too.

I agree that under the circumstances this really doesn't hurt Punk much, if at all.
I'm just bothered by it since I really don't feel like it accomplished anything, turning the whole three hours into some meaningless matches meant as filler so they could do their big skit.

I just don't see how it elevates Regal. He is what he is, a veteran hand with some in-ring ability who also plays a management character on-screen. It's not as though he can really be any more obnoxious (which is his job) than he already was. It's not as though he's going to put butts in seats. It's not as though he's going to be any more over than he was. So where's the gain beyond filling three hours of time.

[DeToxRox]

I would kill to see Punk vs Regal on PPV. Lets hope they run with this.

[Flasch186]

Kennedy & Regal just went at it the hard way, i think. Regal, it seems cut it a bit close and Kennedy went back in to stand up for himself. good stuff.

[JonInMiddleGA]

LOL at the finish of Raw. Well, that was definitely different, to the point of daring even.

Of course, it also devalued the actual action ... but it was something out of the ordinary for sure.

[DeToxRox]

Considering how boring a match that became I say All Hail King Regal!

.. Though the logic is suspect as the crowd in the arena was booing him .. so he punished those watching on TV and not in the arena?

Regardless, I chuckled.

[Deattribution]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

.. Though the logic is suspect as the crowd in the arena was booing him .. so he punished those watching on TV and not in the arena?

Regardless, I chuckled.

Sounds like the live crowd didn't fair much better.

Originally Posted by PWinsider

Monday Night Raw went off the air without a definitive winner as the storyline was William Regal forced the show to go off the air. Live in the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, NJ, WWE champion Triple H and Randy Orton brawled before Orton powdered out and Triple H's music hit. There was no announced winner, so the live crowd didn't get a conclusive result, either.

[JonInMiddleGA]

On Impact, Daizee Haze vs Cheerleader Melissa ... it's Shimmertastic

[SirFozzie]

that was nice...

but that Steiner interview...... ..... brain explody just listening to it

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

but that Steiner interview...... ..... brain explody just listening to it

All that was missing was a tribute to FOFC ... 2/3rds

[molson]

The WWE sure is in a wacky mood this week. After that RAW finish, Taz and and the guy from the old American Gladiators randomly walk off the ECW show. And WWE.com says:

"It has been no secret that our traditional ECW fans have not been satisfied with Adamle’s lackluster commentary"

A bad announcer angle? That's different.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Damn but I enjoy watching Sabin & Shelly work.

[JonInMiddleGA]

And I'd rather watch Christopher Daniels than anybody in the business today.

[DeToxRox]

This PPV is .. bad. That Terrordome match was horrendous. And who was the genius who made the cage red?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

This PPV is .. bad.

And this surprises anybody? The lineup pretty much assured that before it ever started.

On the other hand, I thought Terrordome was actually better than I expected, less than appealing visual notwithstanding. The whole was probably less than the sum of the parts but there were some good isolated moments at least.

edit to add: Is it just me or are the high spots being telegraphed more than usual tonight? I almost wonder if the injury to Angle has everybody either working more carefully or even ordered to work more carefully.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

And this surprises anybody? The lineup pretty much assured that before it ever started.

On the other hand, I thought Terrordome was actually better than I expected, less than appealing visual notwithstanding. The whole was probably less than the sum of the parts but there were some good isolated moments at least.

edit to add: Is it just me or are the high spots being telegraphed more than usual tonight? I almost wonder if the injury to Angle has everybody either working more carefully or even ordered to work more carefully.

Exactly. That one Dutt spot seemed like it took ages to set up. I understand being cautious but wow.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Pointless backstage segment #674,235 ... Joe's "kin".

Even the Billy Corgan celeb-in-the-crowd shot was better.
(And didn't he look as though he could have killed 'em for putting him on camera)

[JonInMiddleGA]

And props to the crowd (or their intentions at least) for the audible "Fire Russo" chant during the Nikki Roxx headshaving.

edit to add: Since Nikki bled hardway during this, maybe we'll see LuFisto & Mickie Knuckles get added to the roster at some point

(I really would like to see LuFisto get a shot at national TV someday)

[JonInMiddleGA]

In an odd way I thought the HBK/Jericho segment was entertaining. It wasn't a particularly complicated angle but the execution (unless I missed some logical error along the way, which is possible) was actually okay.

HBK's exit from the ring was kind of the clincher I think, because it seemed to put to rest any questions about what the swerve was/wasn't, it wrapped it up & sent it to the PPV with a logical conclusion.

I shudder to think how convoluted Russo/Jarrett/et al would have made the exact same thing.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

In an odd way I thought the HBK/Jericho segment was entertaining. It wasn't a particularly complicated angle but the execution (unless I missed some logical error along the way, which is possible) was actually okay.

HBK's exit from the ring was kind of the clincher I think, because it seemed to put to rest any questions about what the swerve was/wasn't, it wrapped it up & sent it to the PPV with a logical conclusion.

I shudder to think how convoluted Russo/Jarrett/et al would have made the exact same thing.

Agreed. And Jeff Hardy is back.

Santino Marella is still the best thing going in WWE. I love him vs Rodney the Piper.

[DeToxRox]

Dola ... Hardy is over as hell still .. this theme is awful though.

[Flasch186]

Lillian Garcia was by far IMO the low point for the past few months. R E S P E C T sounded like S H I T.

Santino is great.

The Women's Champ is an awful actress, awful.

[DeToxRox]

PS - Anyone here interested in the best show of the year, buy ROH's Supercard of Honor III. It has EVERYTHING, including Bushwhacker Luke. But it has an amazing brawl, a dramatic world title match, an unreal tag team match, and the best six man tag you'll see in America.

ROH runs DVD deals all the time. Definetly take the time to take a look.

[DeToxRox]

Fuck Lance Cade. Murdoch's singing owns his soul.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Did anybody else notice that before Cade knocked Murdoch on his ass that Trevor botched the lyrics to the song? ("you better count your money ..." instead of "you never count your money...")

[Neon_Chaos]

[JonInMiddleGA]

As The Angles Turn

Sigh.

It would have almost been a good parody of the misbegotten booking mess if I didn't think they actually want us to take it seriously.

[JonInMiddleGA]

And now the Regal getting fired angle makes complete sense

http://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=31107&p=1
To follow up an earlier story here on the site, WWE announced this morning that William Regal has been suspended for 60 for his second failure of the company's Wellness Policy.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

And now the Regal getting fired angle makes complete sense

To me it was clear as day as soon as he lost the match that he had failed a drug test of some kind. Hopefully for his sake it was steroids, and not recreational drugs.

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by General Mike

To me it was clear as day as soon as he lost the match that he had failed a drug test of some kind. Hopefully for his sake it was steroids, and not recreational drugs.

I think I get what you're saying but that is a bizarre statement to read.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by General Mike

To me it was clear as day as soon as he lost the match that he had failed a drug test of some kind. Hopefully for his sake it was steroids, and not recreational drugs.

I figured given T-Lo's appearance (and the continued ratings struggles for Raw) that it was going to lead to some sort of brand switch for them both.

Truth is (foolish though it may have been) a wellness suspension never even crossed my mind last night.

[Flasch186]

It's just crazy to me that these guys (Hardy, etc.) just seem to buckle under the pressure of any serious push.

More disheartening is the fact that Regal was so rightly positioned during the Benoit stir that I thought certainly he would be the most sensitive to what is going on in regards to drugs and the wrestlers including himself.

---my thoughts on last night:

Maria has got to be getting to be done. Her skills are so bad that Im just not sure what they can do with her now that Playboy is over.

Piper's personality along with Santino's makes for an awesome undercard feud. Seriously, Santino is spectacular. Piper's shot about the designated driver on the heels of Santino's arrest for DUI is the sort of improv only a really comfortable player can pull off. awesome stuff. Santino rubbing his caked up face on Lillian's boob.

speaking of Lillian, may she never sing anything but anthems again.

Jericho is just not looking good in the ring to me. Slow and out of place for a lighter guy.

Bautista looks awfully good out there.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by Flasch186

Jericho is just not looking good in the ring to me. Slow and out of place for a lighter guy.

You're wrong.

[Flasch186]

hence why i said, "to me"

[Mota]

Originally Posted by Flasch186

Jericho is just not looking good in the ring to me. Slow and out of place for a lighter guy.

I'll agree with you there. I watch his matches these days and I feel nothing. That's the worst possible feeling. He's not a high flyer, not a technician, and not a power wrestler. He's just kinda ... there.

I really miss the late 90's Jericho who was total badass. He had so much attitude and you felt like he was a star, even though he was a midcarder. Now they can push him as much as they want but his character is just bland.

[Deattribution]

Originally Posted by Mota

I'll agree with you there. I watch his matches these days and I feel nothing. That's the worst possible feeling. He's not a high flyer, not a technician, and not a power wrestler. He's just kinda ... there.

I really miss the late 90's Jericho who was total badass. He had so much attitude and you felt like he was a star, even though he was a midcarder. Now they can push him as much as they want but his character is just bland.

To be fair, it's possible to say this about 95% of the entire WWE roster.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Mota

I really miss the late 90's Jericho who was total badass. He had so much attitude and you felt like he was a star, even though he was a midcarder. Now they can push him as much as they want but his character is just bland.

If I read between the lines, you're saying that he needs.... Ralphus~!

(Was that his name? Something like that.)

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

If I read between the lines, you're saying that he needs.... Ralphus~!

(Was that his name? Something like that.)

That was his name! The best part about Ralphus is, the way I heard it, he eventually got the feeling that he was the main attraction (which I think could still be arguable) and asked for more money and maybe even creative control over the entire Ralphus 'brand......and Ralphus was never seen again.

I dunno if that story is even 10% true, but I'm so attached to it that I don't ever bother to do any fact checking.

[Mota]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

If I read between the lines, you're saying that he needs.... Ralphus~!

(Was that his name? Something like that.)

I loved Ralphus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DeToxRox]

On WWE 24/7 Slamboree 2000 is playing, featuring Norman Smiley & Ralphus vs Terry Funk in the best hardcore match. Ever.

[JonInMiddleGA]

If only Orton could handle a mic ... there was actually a good bit of potential for that segment but he just couldn't pull it off. There was a moment or two there where I thought he was going to step up but he just can't quite get there.

[DeToxRox]

Ted DiBiase Jr finally works up to the big show. I really need a bald Shelton Benjamin to become Virgil Jr.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

Ted DiBiase Jr finally works up to the big show.

Well he's got the look, a decent catchphrase (corny but it should work okay), the question is whether he can bring the goods (and whether they'll let him).