The Wrestling Thread

[Luke]

Yeah, saw that last night. Someone is getting a bunch of free merch and tickets.

[Gamerforlife]

On the subject of Punk, it seems someone uploaded his new dvd to youtube a few days ago. I'm surprised it hasn't been taken down. Watch it while you can

[retrosportsgamer]

Yeah, saw that last night. Someone is getting a bunch of free merch and tickets.

The Deadspin slo-mo of the video is...weird. The guy doesn't seem to be doing anything to him and stepped behind him (a plant?). If it wasn't a work, good on Punk for getting his facial expression correct after that.

Watching live, I had made a comment that someone got punched - possibly by a guard. It was pretty noticeable since the crowd got upset.

[retrosportsgamer]

There's an update on the Deadspin piece with some new video - definitely not a work.

[BurningDoom]

Yeah, saw that last night. Someone is getting a bunch of free merch and tickets.

The Deadspin slo-mo of the video is...weird. The guy doesn't seem to be doing anything to him and stepped behind him (a plant?). If it wasn't a work, good on Punk for getting his facial expression correct after that.

Watching live, I had made a comment that someone got punched - possibly by a guard. It was pretty noticeable since the crowd got upset.

People are defending Punk all over the web saying the guy hit Punk and had it coming. In that slow-mo video it's VERY clear that the guy had BOTH of his hands on his sunglasses as he was putting them on. He didn't touch Punk. Might have been a little too close to his personal space bubble, but that's no reason to deck the guy. And Punk should expect getting crowded when he goes into the crowd.

[Gamerforlife]

This is the kind of stuff you expect Jericho to get in trouble for

http://allwrestling.com/news/46153/foot ... iking-fan/

"The incident with WWE Champion CM Punk striking a fan at last night's RAW in Sacramento, California has been picked up by mainstream media outlets this morning. People in WWE expect it to be a major story over the next week or so.

The fan who was seen in the video being hit by Punk spoke with CBS 13 reporter Laura Cole, who was in attendance for RAW last night. Cole approached the man for comments. He told her he never hit Punk. The fan says his face was "a little warm" after the assault and says Punk broke his glasses. Police walked up as Cole was interviewing the fan and asked to speak with him. Cole added that the man was filing a police report against Punk.

Since last night, it has been made clear that Punk struck the wrong fan."

And in other news...

http://allwrestling.com/news/46154/rece ... tar-vince/

"As we have noted, Vince McMahon was upset at last night's RAW and
told the writers that he needs results now or he needs resignations. The
scene was described as frightening in terms of Vince's tone and
demeanor. Besides pressure from NBC Universal to fix the ratings, it's
said that last week's 2.5 rating was a big slap in the face to Vince
after a number of top talents voiced their concern to him.

A
number of top talents have reportedly gone to Vince in recent weeks to
complain about how the writing is bad and change is needed. At last
week's RAW, Vince was in a bad mood after having a back-and-forth with
one of the top talents in front of other people.

We have not been
able to confirm who the top talent was but they basically told Vince in
front of other people that the WWE writing sucks, that Vince is doing
whatever he wants and that WWE is going off a cliff without anything
being done about it. The talent then told Vince that he needs to listen
to everyone else because he doesn't have his finger on WWE's pulse
anymore, basically telling Vince that he's out of touch. The talent told
Vince that when WWE goes to "hell in a handbasket" then it will be all
Vince's fault.

Apparently several other people got through to
Vince during the week and these factors played a big part in the changes
made at RAW last night. As noted, expect to hear about more changes in
the next few weeks."

[BurningDoom]

And in other news...

http://allwrestling.com/news/46154/rece ... tar-vince/

"As we have noted, Vince McMahon was upset at last night's RAW and
told the writers that he needs results now or he needs resignations. The
scene was described as frightening in terms of Vince's tone and
demeanor. Besides pressure from NBC Universal to fix the ratings, it's
said that last week's 2.5 rating was a big slap in the face to Vince
after a number of top talents voiced their concern to him.

A
number of top talents have reportedly gone to Vince in recent weeks to
complain about how the writing is bad and change is needed. At last
week's RAW, Vince was in a bad mood after having a back-and-forth with
one of the top talents in front of other people.

We have not been
able to confirm who the top talent was but they basically told Vince in
front of other people that the WWE writing sucks, that Vince is doing
whatever he wants and that WWE is going off a cliff without anything
being done about it. The talent then told Vince that he needs to listen
to everyone else because he doesn't have his finger on WWE's pulse
anymore, basically telling Vince that he's out of touch. The talent told
Vince that when WWE goes to "hell in a handbasket" then it will be all
Vince's fault.

Apparently several other people got through to
Vince during the week and these factors played a big part in the changes
made at RAW last night. As noted, expect to hear about more changes in
the next few weeks."

Well, somebody needed to tell him. It's absolutely true. Vince is completely out of touch with his fans and the product is suffering because of it.

But I wouldn't have wanted to be the guy to tell him. I'm guessing that talent (whoever it was) will soon be working for TNA.

[Razzmatazz]

I haven't watched WWE since Wrestlemania, can anyone update me on whether The Rock has been back?
Admittedly I have seen bits, and how Punk is now heel, but I hate half of the roster (Del Rio, Cena, Tensai, Ryback, fat Kane, even fatter Big Show). Is R Truth still a schizophrenic? Because that was a brilliant gimmick. I still maintain that WWE will struggle to find a roster as strong as ten years ago, but they could at least give some of the characters an actual character. If Del Rio has all that money, why doesn't he have the title? He clearly never watched Ted DiBiase. Cena doesn't know if he is a rapper or a children's TV presenter. Tensai has a decent gimmick except Yokozuna already did it, and wasn't Albert in make up. Brodus Clay is a decent gimmick, except Rikishi already did it, and wasn't a psychotic monster a few weeks earlier.
If CM Punk wasn't around, WWE would be hitting record low ratings.

[Gamerforlife]

I haven't watched WWE since Wrestlemania, can anyone update me on whether The Rock has been back?
Admittedly I have seen bits, and how Punk is now heel, but I hate half of the roster (Del Rio, Cena, Tensai, Ryback, fat Kane, even fatter Big Show). Is R Truth still a schizophrenic? Because that was a brilliant gimmick. I still maintain that WWE will struggle to find a roster as strong as ten years ago, but they could at least give some of the characters an actual character. If Del Rio has all that money, why doesn't he have the title? He clearly never watched Ted DiBiase. Cena doesn't know if he is a rapper or a children's TV presenter. Tensai has a decent gimmick except Yokozuna already did it, and wasn't Albert in make up. Brodus Clay is a decent gimmick, except Rikishi already did it, and wasn't a psychotic monster a few weeks earlier.
If CM Punk wasn't around, WWE would be hitting record low ratings.

Last time we saw Rock, he got attacked by Punk, kicking off his heel turn. This was after The Rock told Punk and Cena that he'd be challenging the champion at Royal Rumble if I remember correctly.

Tensei is not like Yokozuna at all. Don't even compare the two. That's insulting to Yokozuna. R Truth has been a joke since they turned him face. He's nothing more than a silly joke aimed at little kids now. Another casualty of the PG-13 era. Course, Truth was pretty much done when they jobbed him to Cena in his first pay per view by having a kid in the crowd distract him. All credibility lost, major push squashed. I don't see Brodus Clay's crap gimmick ending any time soon because he gets kids in the ring for his stupid dancing and I'm sure that looks good to Linda McMahon's political supporters

I think WWE's roster is excellent right now. They just don't use them properly most of the time. Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, Cody Rhodes, AJ Lee, Beth Phoenix, Mark Henry, Big Show(I don't care what anyone says, he a valuable part of the roster), Kane(see previous Big Show comments), The Miz, Damien Sandow, Tyson Kid(he had some awesome moves on Raw this week), The Usos(great, under-utilized tag team), The Prime Time Players (These guys should be tag champs because they've got charisma), Eve (I don't like her, but she's a good heel) Sara Del Ray(I know she's a trainer but I'd LOVE to see her on TV kicking ass in the ring as divas champ and feuding with Beth Phoenix), Natalia, Santino (he's a good comedy guy for the kids), Swagger(talk about wasted talent) and good managers like Vickie and Heyman.

They have TONS of good talent. I probably even left out some great people. It's ridiculous how much they waste all that talent. I didn't even mention Brock Lesnar, probably the most wasted talent on their payroll. THAT'S the guy that SHOULD have brought them HUGE ratings, but they dropped the ball like they ALWAYS do. The WWE keeps getting handed opportunities to reach Attitude Era popularity and keep effing it up. The proof that they could be that popular again is evident in the huge, MONSTER rating they got for the 1000th episode of Raw. You generate enough buzz, people will tune in.

[Razzmatazz]

Tensei is not like Yokozuna at all. Don't even compare the two. That's insulting to Yokozuna.

Well they are both non-Japanese guys who are pretending to be Japanese, squashing their opponents. It reminds me of Yokozuna if anything.

I think WWE's roster is excellent right now. They just don't use them properly most of the time. Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, Cody Rhodes, AJ Lee, Beth Phoenix, Mark Henry, Big Show(I don't care what anyone says, he a valuable part of the roster), Kane(see previous Big Show comments), The Miz, Damien Sandow, Tyson Kid(he had some awesome moves on Raw this week), The Usos(great, under-utilized tag team), The Prime Time Players (These guys should be tag champs because they've got charisma), Eve (I don't like her, but she's a good heel) Sara Del Ray(I know she's a trainer but I'd LOVE to see her on TV kicking ass in the ring as divas champ and feuding with Beth Phoenix), Natalia, Santino (he's a good comedy guy for the kids), Swagger(talk about wasted talent) and good managers like Vickie and Heyman.

The one's bolded don't make an excellent roster in my opinion. Maybe Kane from ten years ago, but after seeing him job to guys for sooo many years it is hard to take him seriously. His run last year was better but for me, he is still the plodding bald guy that turns up in Royal Rumbles and Money in the Banks but forgets who he is in episodes of Smackdown. Big Show as well, when a punch is your finishing move then you know your time is up. I can't remember the last time Show put on a great wrestling match. Mark Henry is another who has outstayed his welcome. He would be great if there was still a Hardcore title or even tagging with someone, but on his own he just walks around the ring absorbing attacks. I admire him for his longevity but I wouldn't pay money to go see Mark Henry vs Big Show.

Anyway, my point isn't that the roster is bad, you're right the talent isn't used properly. Maybe that is why when I watch WWE from ten years ago it is better, the talent was used properly. Or it could be like everything I grew up with, it just isn't what it used to be.