C.S.

His third book is especially bad in this regard. He comes across as such an obnoxious, drunken asshole. I don't blame Punk for distancing himself from Jericho. I'm not about to defend Demott, but hyperbolic posts like this is where it gets ridiculous. 1. Who the hell did Bruce successfully train? And don't say Goldberg, whose rise to stardom had very little to do with what Bruce taught him. The Regal match proves that Goldberg was pretty lost in the ring early on. Good job, DeWayne Bruce! BTW, Bruce was also an abusive tool - according to Batista's book. 2. Demott was actually a decent wrestler. Very agile for a big man, with a certain level of charisma. Main eventer? No. But he could've been used better in WCW for sure. With that said, he could've been the love child of Ric Flair and Rey Mysterio, and that still wouldn't excuse his actions. Look at the season of Tough Enough that Austin hosted. Demott was an absolute cunt. He kept calling that poor kid Ryan Howe "Skidmark," just because Howe was a thin, blond, pretty boy type - exactly the kind of guy you'd figure Demott would instantly hate - but I always found it unfair, because this kid's career was basically snuffed out by an insecure bully. Who knows what potential Howe might've actually had?

I've never listened to Cornette's podcast, so I don't know who this Alice is - but posting her pics rates pretty high on the creep-o-meter for me, and I'm not sure what the point of it was, as she's by no means unattractive. Even if she's the worst co-host ever, I can't imagine her even coming close to some of wrestling's bottom feeders. I'm not too familiar with Colt Cabana either, but boy did he act like a pompous, self-righteous dick to Mick Foley a few months ago. https://twitter.com/coltcabana/status/538571108887564289 Really, Colt?! My pick: Brock Lesnar. I understand the "big star" and "train wreck" appeal he brings to the table, but I just don't care. He's dead weight on the mic, boring to me in the ring ("BROCK WITH HIS 50th GERMAN SUPLEX OF THE MATCH, MAGGLE!"), and his limited dates do more harm than good IMO. I can recognize his good points, but that doesn't mean I have to find him entertaining. I don't. I really hope he does return to UFC after WrestleMania, because I'm sick of him. I was the only one who thought John Cena winning Brock's first match back was the absolute right move to make. It only seems bad in hindsight because Vince later made the ridiculous decision to hand Brock the Streak. I'll also second Randy Orton. He hasn't excited me since he was a cocky pretty boy rookie. It's a shame he went away from that and embraced this horrible, ill-fitting, "bad ass" Viper role that he's not even close to being tough enough or convincing enough to pull off.

This is not insignificant. On most, if not all, nights, this means you're basically watching a different show. Usually better, but completely different. And whose fault is that? Not his. I can't see any reason why WWE isn't airing the full show on Hulu. It's ridiculous.

Amazingly sloppy by WWE's normally very high standards. Usually they've always been top-notch about preserving their footage...even dating back to the '70s and '80s. I wonder what the hell happened here.

I didn't pay for his website, but he did apparently have a lot of unique shoot interviews with people who haven't really done any other podcasts or DVDs. Chyna is the obvious one, but he also snagged guests like King Kong Bundy, Big Vito, etc. Even though someone like Big Vito may not seem as "exciting" as CM Punk or whoever, I'd bet a guy like that has a lot of great stories to tell. But like I said, I didn't pay for Russo's site, so I have no idea if the interviews were any good or not. Either way, as the poster above me pointed out, there are so many free options now that it's hard to imagine too many people paying for Russo's site - even if he did (apparently) get guests no one else had.

The hell? https://www.facebook.com/officialvincerusso

Call me crazy, but I believe Russo over Meltzer on this one. Unless Lucha Underground is fucking stupid, they're not going to be hiring the guy that took a crap all over Mexican wrestlers/wrestling in that infamous interview from 15+ years ago.

LOL. Well, in addition to your post, I was talking about PWO threads in general when it comes to Rusev. After Rusev/Sheamus, people here were calling that a MOTY contender. I was like "really?!" Fun match, yeah, but come on now.

Most of the finishes either came out of nowhere in a bad, clunky way or just flat out sucked - with the worst of the night going to Dean Ambrose and Bad News Barrett. WTF was that? The only thing that didn't come out of nowhere was that RKO. Randy's return felt flat and lifeless, which is a shame, because it should've been good. I'm glad Kidd and Cesaro won the Tag Team Titles. I'm shocked that they'll be the "it" team going into WrestleMania (assuming they don't lose before then). They deserve it. Goldust vs. Stardust sucked, because it was hyped as an ass-kicking and ended up being anything but. I can only assume Goldust took Dusty's advice about not killing his brother. Poor Dusty was so obviously scripted, and it hurt the segment. Just let Dusty loose! How hard is that? Stupid WWE writers. I love Stardust's new look though. Am I the only one? I thought the HHH-Sting segment was absolutely fantastic, and I haven't cared about their feud before now and don't consider their pairing a dream match, but credit where credit is due for a damn good angle. The WCW aspect is weird though and seems 15 years too late. LOL at the usual PWO banter about Rusev having a "match of the year." Those kinds of comments only happen on this board. Rusev is a lot of fun, and I like him, but please... With that said, it was cool seeing him beat Cena. Bray Wyatt is the most overrated guy on the roster and seems like no threat whatsoever to the Undertaker. I am not in the least bit excited or interested. Daniel Bryan made Roman Reigns look like a million bucks - something that sluggish slug Randy Orton was unable to accomplish at SummerSlam - but I'm disappointed with the finish and couldn't give two shits about Brock vs. Roman.

I can't agree with the notion that commentary isn't necessary or important because you don't hear it at live events. Live events and televised shows are completely different experiences. The feeling of being there can't be replicated by watching it on TV, and certain things about watching it on TV can't be replicated at the arena.

Remember when WWE was trying to replace Jim Ross with Mike Goldberg? (Or so the rumor mill spun...) Tony Schiavione was excellent once upon a time, but he became unbearable during the dying days of WCW. Bobby Heenan obviously never gave a shit in WCW, but he said in his books that he felt undervalued and unappreciated. He pitched ideas, only to be told he was "just a commentator" and should stick to that - basically know his place. I'll catch shit for this, but I always thought bad matches on Wrestling Challenge and Prime Time were enhanced by Gorilla Monsoon's commentary or the bantering of Sean Mooney and Lord Alfred Hayes. The latter pair was not exactly good, per se, but they were memorable. One time, they randomly argued about the pronunciation of Kato.

I don't, because he wouldn't have been able to pull that off. It would be like casting someone else in the Undertaker role. It wouldn't have worked. Then again, Joe as an ill-fitting Umaga might've been better than anything that happened to him in TNA after the first good year or two.

I am guessing the WWE doesn't worry too much about inducting older legends who died of natural causes, but any young deaths have to be rationed out.

You're quick to dismiss Bryan vs. Austin, but your suggestions instead are Hogan and Taker - both of whom are competing for the prize of who's more broken down at this point. On what planet are those compelling matches? They may have been 5-10 years ago, but that ship has sailed. Punk would've been ideal, like I said before - but again, sailed ship. Personally, I don't think Austin should come back, because the WWE has not created any real stars outside of Bryan that would make for a compelling "dream match" - and I don't see that changing in the next 12-13 months.

The first Breeze/Itami match, a few weeks before Rival, is actually much better. I don't know if it's because they were given more time then - I can't remember if they even were - but it was a more entertaining match overall. It's a shame they couldn't replicate that for the PPV. I think part of the problem is that Itami takes too much of a beating and barely gets any offense in. For someone who used the exciting signature moves of both CM Punk and Daniel Bryan years before they did, that hardly seems like a good way to get the most out of him. Am I the only one who has been underwhelmed by Itami in NXT so far? I realize part of it is adjusting to the "WWE style" (which screwed Sin Cara up) and another part of it is how he's been used (being dominated in his matches, getting only a small flurry of offense in, then winning). Maybe he's miscast as a face? Until the language barrier is no longer an issue, he's going to have a harder time showing "personality." A silent, intense heel role might've worked better. BTW, I agree about Breeze. As I said earlier in this thread: Tyler Breeze is the sleeper talent of NXT. He has it all - in-ring skills, looks, charisma, personality, flashy costumes, a fully developed character...everything.

I don't agree with Russo, but I think where he's coming from is that NXT lacks the outlandish sports-entertainment type of storytelling, larger-than-life characters, pomp and circumstance, etc. There are a lot of bad examples of that, especially from him, but when it's done right (Savage/Elizabeth or any other effective romance angle, Undertaker, etc.), it's pretty damn effective. I love NXT, and there's certainly a lot the modern-day WWE can learn from it, but I think it would be incredibly naive to think you can just take the NXT formula and apply it to Raw with no changes. For all the great things NXT has, there is no Stone Cold or Rock there, no Savage and Elizabeth, no Undertaker. Of course, it is a developmental territory, with everything that entails. What we're seeing now in NXT are the raw lumps of clay that will eventually became the Raw superstars of tomorrow. Plus, NXT's look and feel as an indy with WWE production values is pretty damn smart in its own way because Triple H does want to position it as an alternative brand of sorts. WWE gets the best of both worlds that way. Is there a better "indy" promotion out there right now than NXT? In that way, Russo is completely missing the point about what NXT is supposed to be.

It's a shame that there's no chance of Austin vs. CM Punk ever happening. Seems like such a perfect feud, character-wise. Austin vs. Daniel Bryan would be great in the ring though...or so we think/hope anyway. I have zero interest in another Austin vs. Rock, or Rock vs. Triple H. Been there, done that, won't be as good now. If they get Austin or HBK to come back, they need fresh "dream match" opponents, not the same old shit. Think of how magical Rock vs. Hogan was for that reason.

I think I agree with this. He was awesome against Owens, for example, but he might not be as good against a lesser opponent (not that I consider Balor "lesser" because I don't). I think maybe my problem with Neville/Balor is that they were both trying to do similar things in some respects. A clash of styles, like Owens and Neville, is usually a lot more fun if the chemistry is there and they know how to work with the other person's differences.

I can only speak for myself... I wrote my comments before I read most of the thread. I actually do like Balor, and Neville has grown on me (I didn't like him at first). Their match was okay to me, but it's not the type of style I tend to enjoy. The main event also underwhelmed me somewhat, and I love both of those guys. My favorite was the women's match.

I have no desire to see Shawn Michaels come back. That's not to say it wouldn't be cool as hell - I like HBK - but for once, it would be nice for a retired wrestler to, ya know, stay retired.

I didn't love the Neville/Balor match, but I will say that Neville has grown on me over the past few months. I didn't like him before at all.

You're right. It's weird, because Arn always seemed "older" than Tully to me, and older than his age in general. The upside of that is that Arn has "aged well" because he hasn't changed much - like Wilford Brimley, who was much younger than you'd think in "Cocoon" and doesn't look too far off from that even now (or as of a few years ago at least).

I'd give Russo the credit for seeing enough in them to push them. That would've been more his call than Ross's. They didn't get real contracts until the Attitude Era or thereabouts, from what I remember reading in the Hardys book.

Arn had more longevity. Yes, part of that was because Tully was his own worst enemy and didn't get rehired by WCW because of drugs after The Brainbusters finished up with the WWF...or at least that's the way I always heard it. Years later, Tully made a comeback in ECW, but didn't he bomb there against Shane Douglas? Arn would have easily won that audience over. Hell, if his less skilled (but still decent) doppleganger CW Anderson could get over, Arn definitely would've. Also, when WWE hired Tully for behind-the-scenes work, JBL apparently dressed him down for being such a prick earlier in their careers, and I think that was the end of Tully in the WWE. Arn, on the other hand, has been a respected agent for years. Still, even if we're only comparing them between the ropes, Arn lasted longer. Doesn't matter or why, just that he did. Those are the facts.

My thoughts: - To whoever asked if they were the only one who liked Bull Dempsey, I like him a lot too. I posted this elsewhere about Bull Dempsey and Baron Corbin: Baron Corbin does nothing for me. He's a "look" and that's it - and not even an intimidating one at that IMO. It also doesn't help that some jokester obviously lifted the name from indy wrestler Darin Corbin, which I doubt is just a coincidence. Very stupid and disrespectful "rib," if that's what it is. Bull Dempsey is so much better and more interesting, if you ask me. Unfortunately, his "look" kind of sucks. Seriously, with his long hair and women's bathing suit tights, he looks like a male version of Rosie O'Donnell. Come on, think about it... You all see it now too. But that's what NXT is for - so these kids can iron out the wrinkles. Corbin can and hopefully will improve, and Bull will hopefully tweak his lousy gear. Cool finish in tonight's match though - came out of nowhere - but I wish the record wasn't Bull: 0, Baron: 3. - The women's match was the best of the night. Yeah, I said it, and I mean it without any irony. Everyone worked their asses off. Even Becky Lynch impressed the hell out of me tonight, and she's never made an impression on me until now. I also dug the aftermath with both Charlotte and Sasha Banks crying and then grudgingly snapping back into character. The tears worked better for them than Kevin Owens after his match. - Hideo Itami and Tyler Breeze had a much better match 2-3 weeks ago, but this was still okay for what it was. IMO, Itami didn't get enough offense and really needs a heel turn. Tyler Breeze is the sleeper talent of NXT. He has it all - in-ring skills, looks, charisma, personality, flashy costumes, a fully developed character...everything. - Finn Balor's entrance seemed too long and overwrought to me this time. It was cool as hell the first time, but it felt like it took forever tonight. The match itself was fun enough, but I don't really love that spotty, indy, high flying for the sake of it style. - The NXT fans are too "smart" for their own good. Lots of irritating indy-type "this is awesome" chants, dueling name chants, etc. It's annoying and takes away from the show for me. But I guess that's inevitable with NXT presenting itself as an indy alternative. - The main event was good, but I have to admit I'm not usually a fan of such one-sided matches. Maybe I just had unreasonably high expectations? It's no exaggeration that I've been looking forward to this match more than anything we'll likely see at WrestleMania. Still, Owens and Zayn are awesome. They told a great story. I don't know whether I think the finish was cool as hell or frustrating to me as a fan. Then again, a knockout ending is something we maybe should've seen coming. Hey, the guy has been wearing a "KO" shirt for the past two months. The crowd reactions to the finish were flat-out amazing though. It felt like those people were watching the Undertaker lose his streak all over again. I can nitpick, yeah - and I did - but NXT is always guaranteed to be a boatload of fun no matter what. That's what's so great about it.