Wrestling Hey Yo: WWE, AEW, Impact and More

[Vodka Drunkenski]

Nevermind, just saw he was in the rumble. Eliminated already, typical WWE to waste a golden opportunity

[-ERIK-]

Bubba Ray back in WWE, appeared at the RR.

 

thats awesome,too bad he most likely will be wasted

so much potential for him to be used with some of the younger guys

[twentyseven]

DDP makes an entrance at 14

[twentyseven]

As bad as the WWE has gotten over the past decade, the Rumble is still pretty epic. My favorite PPV after WM.

[torontonyr]

That was literally the worst Royal Rumble of all time, the rumble itself that is. It was god awful from the midpoint-on. WWE did a poll after the show and an overwhelming majority of fans voted that they did not enjoy the show. Moreover the crowd drowned out the last 10 min of the show in boos.

 

That said, the Cena vs Rollins vs Lesner match was a MOTY candidate.

[twentyseven]

Yeah the last 20 minutes was awful. It was so obvious who was winning once they were down to the last 4. I don't mind Reigns winning it but at least disguise it a bit. The last 4 should have been Reigns, Bryan, Wyatt and Ambrose.

 

The triple threat was flat out amazing.

[torontonyr]

The radio here is blowing up with hate over it.

 

http://www2.tsn.ca/toronto/listen/

[Phil]

This is what amazes me about WWE fans. Overwhelming hatred of the product, but no one stops watching. They just come crawling back for more. It's like Stockholm Syndrome. That same kind of overwhelming hatred of TNA from those same fans, is complete with relentless mockery and by the eventual defection from it.

 

It makes no sense to me. In fact, I hear more shit talked about WWE from wresting fans in general than I hear it about TNA, yet all I hear is people quitting on the latter and continuing to suffer the former. Why?

[torontonyr]

As a fan of wrestling as a whole, I think it has more to do with demographics. TNA harbours the hardcore fans, ones who are far more dedicated than a casual TV viewer. The WWE also has hardcore fans, but also has the ability to reach across multiple audiences and into the realm of casual entertainment.

 

Moreover, TNA and WWE have been operating for far different lengths of time and as such they've established stronger relationships with their long-time viewers than say a TNA - so there's a sort of stockholm syndrome going on.

[Vodka Drunkenski]

They both suck, go back to the attitude era.

[twentyseven]

They both suck, go back to the attitude era.

 

This pretty much. For me wrestling in general has been awful so I watch the company that Ive always watched. That being said, I honestly dont even really watch anymore. I just leave it on in the background and hardly pay attention to it.

 

The triple threat match tho... that caught my attention and was amazing. Watch it on youtube if you havent seen it.

[Phil]

They both suck, go back to the attitude era.

 

Meaning what, exactly? More scantily clad women and cursing? Because TNA did that, and it didn't work. It didn't work for ECW before they went under either.

[Phil]

As a fan of wrestling as a whole, I think it has more to do with demographics. TNA harbours the hardcore fans, ones who are far more dedicated than a casual TV viewer. The WWE also has hardcore fans, but also has the ability to reach across multiple audiences and into the realm of casual entertainment.

 

Moreover, TNA and WWE have been operating for far different lengths of time and as such they've established stronger relationships with their long-time viewers than say a TNA - so there's a sort of stockholm syndrome going on.

 

Right, and that's the part that I just can't really "grip". But I guess it makes sense considering I was probably the same victim of it with WCW, as I am with TNA. I was just never a WWF/WWE guy to begin with, so I don't think I ever developed that unwavering loyalty that never breaks.

[Vodka Drunkenski]

Meaning what' date=' exactly? More scantily clad women and cursing? Because TNA did that, and it didn't work. It didn't work for ECW before they went under either.[/quote']

 

No, I'm talking nWo, DX, Nation of Domination. They had something with aces & eights and fucked it up.

[Phil]

But again, meaning what? More sex? That's basically all DX was. One giant sexual innuendo, FCC-line pusher.

 

Aces & Eights was doomed from the start because of the personnel included in the group. It was essentially a conglomerate of losers. It was basically the Bullet Club you see in NJPW except done with a biker theme here. The difference is, the Bullet Club is comprised of substantial performers. Not Eric Bischoff's kid.

[Vodka Drunkenski]

Doesn't have to be sex, just a rebel group against every single person.

[Phil]

I mean, I guess. Personally, I'm tired of that stuff. We've seen that power struggle thing with the feuding factions thing for the last 25 years. I'm sick of it. I'd actually argue that the best story line that TNA has run in the last number of years was the Rise of Roode, where he, and he alone, held the title to set the record for longest reigning champion. Styles' late '09 run a close second, and Bobby Lashley's run a close third, simply because he has the personality of a door knob. Both very similar in that they didn't revolve entirely around some faction war over the perception of power for two hours a week on television.

 

Frankly, if I could go a year plus without having to hear the term "power" on Friday nights, I'd be happier for it. Get back to classic booking. Good guys, bad guys. Heels beat the shit out of faces, and eventually faces win. I don't know where or when or why this concept that predictability is a bad thing occurred, but it's simply not true, and we'd be better off for it by realizing that fact again so we can operate from classical positions again.

[torontonyr]

Right, and that's the part that I just can't really "grip". But I guess it makes sense considering I was probably the same victim of it with WCW, as I am with TNA. I was just never a WWF/WWE guy to begin with, so I don't think I ever developed that unwavering loyalty that never breaks.

 

You nailed it. I love you and this doesn't come from a place of malice, but your as loyal to a questionable TNA product as any WWE fan is to their promotion.

[torontonyr]

But again, meaning what? More sex? That's basically all DX was. One giant sexual innuendo, FCC-line pusher.

 

Aces & Eights was doomed from the start because of the personnel included in the group. It was essentially a conglomerate of losers. It was basically the Bullet Club you see in NJPW except done with a biker theme here. The difference is, the Bullet Club is comprised of substantial performers. Not Eric Bischoff's kid.

 

The original incarnation was soley potty humour and sexual innuendos, sure - but you're being reductive if you think that's "basically all DX was". DX was an in-prime HBK, a rising HHH, and a female wrestler the likes we've never seen in Chyna. Moreover, when the faction expanded you had X-pac, who was symbolic of the Monday Night Wars, and The New Age Outlwaws - perhaps one of the most charismatic tag teams of the time. It's in this latter stage that the faction moved away from humour - and morphed into a pseudo NWO.

 

Why these things fail in TNA is that, frankly, it's no longer a novel concept and they lack the personnel to give it any credence in this market. I want to like TNA. In theory, I sort of do. That said, I also acknowledge the fact that in the past 4-5 years, they've become a bloated parade of misfit toys, sitting firmly on the shakiest of creative foundations.

[Phil]

You nailed it. I love you and this doesn't come from a place of malice, but your as loyal to a questionable TNA product as any WWE fan is to their promotion.

 

I don't really consider it questionable, but I get what you mean. I wouldn't deny it.

 

The original incarnation was soley potty humour and sexual innuendos, sure - but you're being reductive if you think that's "basically all DX was". DX was an in-prime HBK, a rising HHH, and a female wrestler the likes we've never seen in Chyna. Moreover, when the faction expanded you had X-pac, who was symbolic of the Monday Night Wars, and The New Age Outlwaws - perhaps one of the most charismatic tag teams of the time. It's in this latter stage that the faction moved away from humour - and morphed into a pseudo NWO.

 

Why these things fail in TNA is that, frankly, it's no longer a novel concept and they lack the personnel to give it any credence in this market. I want to like TNA. In theory, I sort of do. That said, I also acknowledge the fact that in the past 4-5 years, they've become a bloated parade of misfit toys, sitting firmly on the shakiest of creative foundations.

 

I'd argue they fail across the spectrum in general. It's not an exclusivity to TNA at all. Nexus, for example, was another incarnation of the same theme, and it too fell flat on its' face because it was victim to the same issue Aces & Eights was — allowing far too many talentless losers to don their colors. I mean, how many guys from that original group have actually gone on to have legitimate success in WWE? Honest question here, because I stopped watching shortly after this. I know Barrett and Danielson went on to do significant things, but did anyone else? I remember there being so much garbage there.

 

This concept of power-hungry factions is just a generally overplayed one. I mean, think about the sheer number of groups that've tried it the last six, seven years now. Immortal, Aces & Eights, The Authority, Heyman's Clients (a Heenan Family redux), The Shield, Main Event Mafia, etc.

 

I mean, TNA alone has been victim to this line of thinking big time. They've run one of these stupid, annoying story lines probably once a year every year for the last eight years. Immortal, A&E, Main Event Mafia (both versions), Beat Down Clan and their previous MVP, Kenny King and Bobby Lashley incarnation, World Elite, The Revolution, etc. etc. etc. They just love stables. And stables aren't always a bad thing, but they certainly are when they overpower what I would argue should be the most important arc of your company — the World Heavyweight title. Whenever that title is marred or buried by the struggle of the group, you've jumped the shark IMO.

 

All I'm saying is, as a fan, I'm just tired of it. I'd so much rather the opposite be done, which is what TNA seems to be doing right now despite having two rather important factions still going (The Revolution, BDC), because neither is hell-bent on "power" or "control" of TNA. They have much more palatable goals.

[torontonyr]

I don't really consider it questionable, but I get what you mean. I wouldn't deny it.

 

 

 

I'd argue they fail across the spectrum in general. It's not an exclusivity to TNA at all. Nexus, for example, was another incarnation of the same theme, and it too fell flat on its' face because it was victim to the same issue Aces & Eights was — allowing far too many talentless losers to don their colors. I mean, how many guys from that original group have actually gone on to have legitimate success in WWE? Honest question here, because I stopped watching shortly after this. I know Barrett and Danielson went on to do significant things, but did anyone else? I remember there being so much garbage there.

 

This concept of power-hungry factions is just a generally overplayed one. I mean, think about the sheer number of groups that've tried it the last six, seven years now. Immortal, Aces & Eights, The Authority, Heyman's Clients (a Heenan Family redux), The Shield, Main Event Mafia, etc.

 

I mean, TNA alone has been victim to this line of thinking big time. They've run one of these stupid, annoying story lines probably once a year every year for the last eight years. Immortal, A&E, Main Event Mafia (both versions), Beat Down Clan and their previous MVP, Kenny King and Bobby Lashley incarnation, World Elite, The Revolution, etc. etc. etc. They just love stables. And stables aren't always a bad thing, but they certainly are when they overpower what I would argue should be the most important arc of your company — the World Heavyweight title. Whenever that title is marred or buried by the struggle of the group, you've jumped the shark IMO.

 

All I'm saying is, as a fan, I'm just tired of it. I'd so much rather the opposite be done, which is what TNA seems to be doing right now despite having two rather important factions still going (The Revolution, BDC), because neither is hell-bent on "power" or "control" of TNA. They have much more palatable goals.

 

I agree with you. Power-factions are all but played-out. Which is why I said it's not longer a novel concept (across the board).

 

The shield were at least an interesting spin on it, but again it largely had to due with the fact that the three members were up & coming stars.

[Phil]

Right, and as I've read and heard, they're all on their way to stardom with the exception being Roman Reigns who the crowd seem to dislike but WWE loves.

[torontonyr]

Right, and as I've read and heard, they're all on their way to stardom with the exception being Roman Reigns who the crowd seem to dislike but WWE loves.

 

I'm not sure anyone hates Reigns, it's just that they hate how WWE is pushing/packaging him.

 

Think The Rock in his early years.

[Phil]

That's hate to me. They chanted "Die Rocky, Die" at him.

[twentyseven]

They are playing the triple threat match in its entirety tonight in place of RAW. I think you guys should watch it if you haven't. MOTY.