Slasher

You thought a 'TNA guy' could conceivably win the Royal Rumble? I applaud your optimism. Well a "TNA guy" had the longest world championship reign in recent WWE history, so why not, right? But like I said,:I am backing off on that prediction. Too soon if ever.

Even if they turned him babyface and went on a redemption tour? Even though he has been such a little shit, I think the fans would forgive him because he wrestles too much like a babyface that all they need is a reason to cheer him. Like how the Shield turned babyface and the fans ate that shit up despite them being booked as a bunch of bullies who uses the numbers game against everyone they faced.

I actually think there are some people out there that either: A. wants a reason to root for Triple H again because it is confusing to portray him as the man behind their beloved NXT and then a heel authority figure on Raw. B. hopes against hope itself that Rollins would break away from The Authority and stand on his own as a pseudo Stone Cold loner (and hes gotta be, he has been booked to not get along with anyone that aligns with him

Actually now that I think about it, it's not gonna be the guy I was thinking of (for the record, that would be Samoa Joe, since someone asked). Maybe 2017. The reason why I thought it might be him is because there isn't much time left for him to make a real impact. But it is just as possible that he will never get out of NXT as it is that he is the mystery partner.

Good for you. To be fair, I always wrestle as a CAW. I have not played as a real wrestler since like 1997.

Not him. That would be stupid on both counts (he shouldn't be the partner and he shouldn't win the Rumble).

Too bad they seem headed for a Rollins/Triple H feud. If they would have booked it so that Triple H protects Rollins at every turn due to his "investment" in Rollins, and he refuses to allow Brock Lesnar to challenge for the title again, forcing Brock's hand to enter the Rumble and toss everyone out single handedly. The visual of the unstoppable monster face in the ring with Rollins and Triple H looking like they shit their pants on the top of the ramp to close the show would be a classic. And Brock could inherit Taker's Mania reaper role.

I think that a 2005-style ending (actually on purpose this time) could work with Ambrose and Reigns. I think that would make a majority happy, as long as Daniel Bryan is eliminated in a fashion that isn't like last year. I think a good way for DB to be eliminated, if he's in it at all, is that he gets eliminated by someone high-profile (Rock, Lesnar, etc.) and goes on to have a match with them at WM. Wouldn't the 1994 Rumble finish be better? But of course the company may not like the fans' answer.

The mystery partner of Ambrose and Reigns. He will get a rocket strapped on him soon enough, probably as a heel (assuming it is who I think it will be).

Let's not turn this into "Slasher's eccentricities and neuroses" thread. Obviously I am wrong about the demand for women wrestlers. I am glad there are people out there that enjoys playing them. I was simply stating my own personal preference and my experiences with the gamers that I do know in my own bubble...none of whom would play as divas in a wrestling game. They do play Tomb Raider and other games though so yes my personal preference is of the extreme end of the spectrum. Also yes of course, I can relate to people on a basic human level, and I do hold empathy for others who are different from me but I can't relate to experiences that are unique to them. I don't know what it is like to be concerned about coming out of the closet. I don't know what it is like to have a cop pull me over because of the color of my skin. I don't know what it is like to be as capable as a man and yet get paid less for the same work. I can't relate to any of that and I don't pretend to. As for needing to relate to video game characters, people play games for many different reasons. Why do you care if my reason is I like to be lost in the adventure as close to my own being as possible? I create my own personal avatar in sports games (especially the player career modes) and role playing games where there is a great deal of customization. What is wrong with being primarily interested in that? Keeping to a narrow viewpoint, possibly, but that is how I draw the most enjoyment in the games as possible, knowing it was "me" that achieved victory. You don't play like that, that is cool. To each to their own and all that. Ok that is the last I will address that in this thread. If you want to yell at me, do it in a PM please LOL. Lastly, Eva Marie?! Seriously? What makes her more deserving than Sasha? Total Divas?

To be honest? No. I don't. And I would never pretend to understand people of other races, ages (well younger than me, I could because I lived through that age), etc. All I do is learn from them and appreciate the variety of life. But that isn't pro wrestling only so if you want to continue that discussion, feel free to message me privately.

He was treated as a joke though. Yes the other wrestlers sans the tippy top main eventers respected his abilities but he was portrayed as a goof as early as the Royal Rumble in 2000 (IIRC). Even the three I's thing was done in a hammy fashion...like comedy. And getting people to boo his initial portrayal wasn't anything new. They booed Rocky Maivia too when he was a smiling babyface. In the age of Stone Cold, The Rock, Chris Jericho, etc, of course Kurt was going to get dumped on. I don't find it unique to Kurt. But yeah only in WWE...

I will say that if they include the Bellas and Alicia Fox and the other divas while excluding the Revolution players, I am right there in objecting. If they have girls, then absolutrly, people deserve the opportunity to play as them, even if it isn't going to be me.

Perhaps you're right that it is naysaying. I did point out though, the positive effects it might have on the WWE to try the experiment (creating a buzz and potentially creating extra house show sales from people who wanted to see if they had anything in store for that crowd). And I will definitely be the first to admit I approach these discussions with what I expect the WWE mindset to be, rather than stating an opinion that is completely unreliant on that viewpoint. Perhaps it makes me a debbie downer or not a fun person to discuss things and I really am working on shedding that tendency. Here is why I think what I said is relevant is that although obviously the WWE is in a good position in terms of controlling the pro wrestling market, they are also seeing dwindling business in some areas of their model and they have to plug the holes with other revenue streams, and in a sense, I can understand why they would be afraid to try new things. They did it with the Network-and I don't really know how successful it is in the short term, but there is no way that replaced the massive loss of no more PPV revenue, or at least a serious reduction of it. But again, I can also recognize how if this experiment works, they can only be in a better place to replace that loss with potential increase in house show sales. So I guess, sure, why not? Lets try it.

He didn't play it straight. It was obvious he was going for comedy. The milk stuff? Wearing little cowboy hats and having hugging competitions with Austin? That was playing it straight?

This will come across as sexist so I apologize in advance, but I can't imagine guys playing the games wanting to play as a diva. So sure, it is "pretty telling", but I think it is more an indicator of what they expect from the consumers moreso than what they actually prefer. In my case, as much as I like the NXT gals and all, I don't think I'll be playing as Sasha Banks for a match against Nikki Bella...like ever. Not now. Not yesterday. Not ever. It isn't just a wrestling thing for me though. I dislike the idea of being a female protagonist because I personally can't relate to the character at all beyond how badass they might be in combat situations.

One possible issue is what makes one house show more valuable than another that it is where an angle or title change occurs? Part of the whole WWE experience is being given an equal opportunity to see those things go down along with everyone else. I do know the positive is it would increase the buzz theoretically where people tuned in Raw to see what the hell is going on after reading about it online and it could create an uptick in movement where there is a bigger sense of urgency to catch the show in your area but it is a tough call to unite people with the WWE Universe tagline and then only 750 in some backwater town in Iowa got to see Rollins lose the WWE title to Too Cold Scorpio. Saying it worked in 1995 doesn't mean anything now. As the business model and the presentation model adapts to the changes in the world, so should expectations.

Complex isn't a big site but I'd imagine it has enough web traffic that it registers as "mainstream". But it seems like more and more sites are willing to cover wrestling as a niche entertainment within the larger frame of sports. edit- by that I mean its like what is being said in the economy thread, wrestling is an ironic hipster's sport now. So you have more people who writes for those sites and it is something they are more willing to talk about in their articles. But it is always the big picture stuff. You're not going to get articles about why Cesaro is being held back or anything. You'll get stuff about relevant hot button topics within wrestling...like this diva's revolution. They probably would talk about Summer of Punk and the "change" in the storyline with the 4th wall being broken down and stuff but not how it sucks that Triple H had to hoover up all the heat the angle got.

A big part of it I think is that the home theater experience has gotten a lot better in recent years that it no longer makes sense to go to the average game or the average show when you get to eat all you want for cheaper, you have a "front row" seat to the action, and if inclined, you can share the experiences with buddies that are in the same financial situation as you are. You avoid dealing with drunk fans who accidentally spill beer on your back or an unruly dissenter troll fan or whatever. In turn, the big games...the big events...they become something of a deal for people to go. You save money from the ordinary games that you can spend on the playoff game or the championship games or in wrestling's case...Mania or Summerslam. So those events become more attainable and you see more of the hardcore fans who can finally afford to go to those things. It becomes more of a legitimate celebration of that fandom.

Because a heel Triple H authority figure vs a heel cult leader Bray Wyatt makes no sense and would not be an appealing matchup? Plus you know Triple H needed to be shined on with the idea Sting just absolutely had to wrestle HIM in his very first WWE match ever? It is a big ego booster. Plus the idea of having either Sting losing in his first match ever or Taker losing yet another match would have sucked. Of course this is before they went ahead and had Sting lose his first match anyway.

I didn't say anything about their feelings on the matter. I said it would have been a good angle to have someone fall short of a record to build to something. This is an independent thought separate from actual WWE reality.

He definitely has principles but then he goes to the Hall of Fame to make jokes about guys and overruns his segment. Hard to get a read on him that way.

LOL. Oh TNA.

Would have been a good storyline if this was a babyface who got cheated out of the record via shenanigans and the record breaker was someone well respected by the company and not someone they are trying to erase from history quickly. As for Rollins, he has two tough matches coming up on Sunday, each for a championship he holds. Why would he jeopardize his status in a nothing tag match by holding out in a submission hold? A smart man taps ASAP and lives to defend belts another day.

It wouldn't be terrible or anything but IMO it's not the best use of either woman. Charlotte is not really likeable or sympathetic and Sasha already has a huge smark cult following. Funny you use the Reigns example because I could see the crowd completely turning on the Sasha/Charlotte dynamic. They'd see Charlotte as the handpicked beneficiary of nepotism and Sasha as the smark darling getting screwed out of the spot she deserves. People would be booing babyface Charlotte and cheering heel Sasha inside a month. It would backfire on them just like how it did with Reigns/Bryan. Charlotte is and has been their chosen one practically since she signed with the WWE. This is Ric Flair's daughter and if that isn't a good reason to push someone I don't know what is *rolls eyes* So my scenario has the rightful woman with the belt sooner and for a while, holding off the foregone coronation of Charlotte for a bit. Who knows, Sasha could do such a great job as champ that the WWE realizes just what it is they have on their hands and Charlotte fails to impress.