Brock is back

[Chess Knight]

Trip is an 80s fan, but it doesn't exactly mean he has to be good at running storys like that. In 2003 he was just a lousy verison of Flair, holding the Title for a long period of time and having people unsuccessfully challenge him for it. Even though it was a shitty verison of an homage, it was still an homage. Pretty obvious that was also just his way of being a 'Horseman' what with Evolution.

 

He might not have run that shit very well, but it doesn't mean the whole "Hunter is an 80s mark" is a work. Matt Striker brings up older wrestling whenever he can but he's not exactly doing anything resembling someone who isn't a 2000s wrestler with minimal experience.

 

Sort-of-related note; Steph bought photos of a ton of 80s wrestler for Hunter's birthday one year, and apparently frames of all the WWF Champions there'd been. They make sure to put the photo of Vince McMahon with the belt up in a noticceable position whenever Vince comes over.

[Eduardo]

Sort-of-related note; Steph bought photos of a ton of 80s wrestler for Hunter's birthday one year, and apparently frames of all the WWF Champions there'd been. They make sure to put the photo of Vince McMahon with the belt up in a noticceable position whenever Vince comes over.

Wait, wasn't the story that she bought Triple H large photos of all the Mr. Olympia winners for his birthday? Or maybe that's another birthday story and she also bought him those wrestling photos.

 

I'm sure Triple H likes old school wrestling and all (even though his storyline work is closer to Russo and Attitude era stuff), but it seems like he's more a mark for old school bodybuilding than for Harley Race and Ricky Steamboat.

 

EDIT: Googled that info and found this from a Flex Magazine interview:

 

http://www.triplehunleashed.com/info/archives/flex.html

 

FLEX: You're really into this sport, aren't you?

TRIPLE H: Oh, yeah. In my home gym, I have full-size framed photos of all the Mr. Olympias. Stephanie [McMahon] - through Wayne DeMilia [iFBB pro division chairman] and Lisa Clark at the Wieder photo library - arranged them as a Christmas present.

 

Looks like it was Christmas instead of his birthday.

Edited May 18, 2012 by Raging Noodles

[NintendoLogic]

Think of all the indy guys who do shitty tributes to 90s All Japan. That doesn't mean they aren't marks for the stuff.

[cm funk]

Supposedly they're thinking about speeding up the Brock-HHH program to the June or July PPV rather than SummerSlam. Guess they realized they're not capable of creating 3 months worth of TV for this without having Brock around

[NintendoLogic]

Considering the bang-up job they did building up Rock/Cena, that's probably for the best.

[Chess Knight]

Sort-of-related note; Steph bought photos of a ton of 80s wrestler for Hunter's birthday one year, and apparently frames of all the WWF Champions there'd been. They make sure to put the photo of Vince McMahon with the belt up in a noticceable position whenever Vince comes over.

Wait, wasn't the story that she bought Triple H large photos of all the Mr. Olympia winners for his birthday? Or maybe that's another birthday story and she also bought him those wrestling photos.

 

Not sure if I got the birthday part right, but Steph definitely bought Hunter a bunch of wrestler frames. It was an extra on the McMahon DVD, I think (because of the 'we hang the Vince photo up when he comes over').

 

--------------

 

Regarding Brock, WWE are amazing at taking a guy who has potential, or is in a potentially great storyline, and dragging him to the ground to where I don't give a shit anymore.

[Eduardo]

Sort-of-related note; Steph bought photos of a ton of 80s wrestler for Hunter's birthday one year, and apparently frames of all the WWF Champions there'd been. They make sure to put the photo of Vince McMahon with the belt up in a noticceable position whenever Vince comes over.

Wait, wasn't the story that she bought Triple H large photos of all the Mr. Olympia winners for his birthday? Or maybe that's another birthday story and she also bought him those wrestling photos.

 

Not sure if I got the birthday part right, but Steph definitely bought Hunter a bunch of wrestler frames. It was an extra on the McMahon DVD, I think (because of the 'we hang the Vince photo up when he comes over').

 

--------------

 

Regarding Brock, WWE are amazing at taking a guy who has potential, or is in a potentially great storyline, and dragging him to the ground to where I don't give a shit anymore.

 

Ah okay, yes, you're right. Sorry about that.

[Tim Evans]

Brock was at UFC tonight and seems like he might want back in. Vince has gotta be pissed now.

[Boondocks Kernoodle]

Dana White said he would be talking with Brock Lesnar later tonight. He said that people know the difference between pro wrestling and UFC and he would not be adverse to using Lesnar while he is also with the WWE.

That's a pretty radical shift in Dana's opinion. He was always opposed to anyone doing UFC and wrestling at the same time because he didn't want people to look at his product as the equal of wrestling.

 

I don't know what this means for the Brock/WWE relationship, but I imagine Brock is trying to send a message. I'm eagerly awaiting this morning's Observer Radio where Dave tells us that "it's one of those deals where...y'know Brock is...it's just one of those deals."

[Cox]

Brock was at UFC tonight and seems like he might want back in. Vince has gotta be pissed now.

After the buyrate came back so poorly for Cena vs Lesnar, I don't think so. In fact, I think Vince has to be doing a jig. He got his one job out of Lesnar early, and now he won't have to pay him $5 million if he goes back to UFC when he won't be worth anywhere near that for him.

 

If it turns out Lesnar does go back to UFC, I think that absolutely justifies Cena going over, especially since as it turns out, Cena vs Lesnar was not the huge money match people thought it would be. They knew this was a possibility and made sure to plan for it.

[Timbo Slice]

Or, you know, Lesnar is making Vince think about it considering they had Cena go over Lesnar in his first match back, which probably is making Brock rethink the whole WWE thing in the first place. Lesnar's not dumb: He sees the writing on the wall with what a HHH feud would mean and now he's thinking that coming back at least as a special UFC attraction could be worth just as much money. Vince might be doing a jig, but he's not nearly making as much money doing that jig as he could have.

[FLIK]

Heh, i'm kinda shocked ppl think this is a, for the lack of a better term, shoot.

 

To me I think there's absolutely 0% chance Brock went thear without Vince knowing and approving it. He's got a WWE contract so to even talk to UFC about any deal without their consent is a breach of it and I half doubt that's what he went thear to do.

 

I mean maybe he did but this whole thing just reaks of publicity stunt to me. Something to get ppl buzzing and further the "hey, maybe he really did quit" angle.

[Boondocks Kernoodle]

WWE wrestlers go to UFC shows all the time. Has it ever been reported whether or not Brock still is under a UFC contract? I'm sure any obligation to fight is gone but he must still have some marketing ties with the organization.

 

And Flik, I really don't want to be a jerk, and I don't demand perfect spelling from anyone, but please, stop with the "whear" and "thear." It's "where" and "there." I'm just trying to help you.

[Coffey]

Watching this whole mess unfold has been so surreal. Even from the start, with Brock's WWE re-debut, where the crowd was chanting his name before he came out and then him taking forever to actually come out.

 

Now we're wondering if Brock is going back to UFC and it's only been like two months.

 

Again, John Cena winning was fucking retarded. "But he can't lose again!" *loses to Johnny Ace*

[Victator]

Again, John Cena winning was fucking retarded.

Yeah better to lose to a part timer who is leaving soon.

[Coffey]

Again, John Cena winning was fucking retarded.

Yeah better to lose to a part timer who is leaving soon.

 

You can argue all you want, but you're still wrong. This whole thing was done wrong. It should have built to a bigger match, not hotshot into a main event three weeks after Wrestlemania so John Cena can beat Lesnar like Lesnar is just any other guy. Instead, they hotshot to it, get very few extra buys because of it, kill Lesnar in the process, piss away millions of dollars and now Lesnar might just leave.

 

But, sure, Cena sure does look better because he beat Lesnar! Good thing they started that "feud" with Triple H right after!!

 

An even more stupid decision than the infamous WCW fingerpoke of doom or giving away Goldberg/Hogan on free TV. And I stand by that. Worst WWE decision in the last decade, easily.

[Coffey]

I think what bothers me the most is that WWE just come off as being so petty instead of doing what is best for business. They always sort of have, as they bend to the will and ego of Vince McMahon, but WWE is a publicly traded company now. WWE can do whatever they want, however they want, and people will keep watching and trying to defend their awful decisions. Were WWE that terrified that Brock would leave if he went over Cena and that it would some how invalidate everything else that Cena has done for the past several years?

 

Is there a big, secret clamoring for another John Cena Vs. The Big Show feud that I'm unaware of? That's their summer plans!?

[tigerpride]

And Flik, I really don't want to be a jerk, and I don't demand perfect spelling from anyone, but please, stop with the "whear" and "thear." It's "where" and "there." I'm just trying to help you.

Thank you! Been bugging me forever

[Dylan Waco]

An even more stupid decision than the infamous WCW fingerpoke of doom or giving away Goldberg/Hogan on free TV. And I stand by that. Worst WWE decision in the last decade, easily.

You're insane

[Timbo Slice]

Yeah, it was obviously a bad business decision and the booking was horrible, but let's not pretend that it's a company killing decision. It's just that now Brock is nothing more than another face in the crowd when before the Cena match, he at least had something going for him. It's just a waste of time and money to an extent.

[Matt D]

It wasn't a good long term business decision. I Think that's the best way I can put it.

[kjh]

Dana White said he would be talking with Brock Lesnar later tonight. He said that people know the difference between pro wrestling and UFC and he would not be adverse to using Lesnar while he is also with the WWE.

That's a pretty radical shift in Dana's opinion. He was always opposed to anyone doing UFC and wrestling at the same time because he didn't want people to look at his product as the equal of wrestling.

Opinions change when a company is declining in popularity and interest. You can't attribute that all to Brock leaving, but another fight from him will give UFC a shot in the arm on one PPV.

[KrisZ]

--Brock Lesnar and Dana White met last night. We don't have any details other than the meeting did not go well. If Lesnar being at UFC is mentioned on Raw, then I'd guess it's WWE angle. If it's not, then it's anyone's guess what the game being played is, other than there is a game being played.

This has Heyman written all over it as I knew as soon as I read that Brock was there that Heyman wanted him there to push this storyline of him being a free agent. I can't believe they were stupid enough to believe that Dana would want to be part of this angle.

[Victator]

so John Cena can beat Lesnar like Lesnar is just any other guy.

It has been a month and you have still not watched the match.

[Coffey]

Yeah, it was obviously a bad business decision and the booking was horrible, but let's not pretend that it's a company killing decision. It's just that now Brock is nothing more than another face in the crowd when before the Cena match, he at least had something going for him. It's just a waste of time and money to an extent.

Well, I don't think any one thing killed WCW either but to me, this is the worst thing since the InVasion angle being so badly mutilated that WWE have done. And had that not involved so many more people, I would say this was worse. I would argue that Brock would have been a bigger deal than The Rock even. The Rock, as successful as he and his movies are, wasn't getting 1-million buy Pay-Per-Views. Which is still the model that WWE uses. Granted not all MMA fans are wrestling fans but not all Hollywood movie fans are wrestling fans either. This could have, and should have, easily gotten them through the summer, even with a limited schedule on Brock. (To be fair, The Rock did get a 1-million buy PPV against Cena at Wrestlemania)

 

It wasn't a good long term business decision. I Think that's the best way I can put it.

I think that is putting it mildly. We're not even in June yet and it is seemingly completely over. Why did Triple H have to be involved? Why did John Cena cut that post-match promo saying he was OK? If WWE is really so worried that a contractually obligated employee would potentially screw them over so badly, why bring him back in the first place? If you're so terrified that he might leave down the road, what's to say he couldn't have left right before the PPV main event with Cena?

 

Instead we get John Cena Vs. John Laurinaitis in a comedy match, which was actually better, in my opinion, than if we would have had to sit through a John Cena Vs. Lord Tensai feud. And now we're moving onto John Cena Vs. The Big Show. Laurinaitis, Tensai & Big Show or Brock Lesnar? It's a no brainer.

 

And let's not even get started on the Triple H promo where he just hammered home the fact that Brock was just another guy. "We could use you. Who doesn't wanna see you against X superstar? You're not bigger than WWE!" ...great. Yeah, let's kill off any intrigue or mystique in two days.

 

I don't think I have ever felt so passionately about anything WWE related...ever. This isn't hyperbole or over-exaggeration, this was the worst decision WWE could have possibly made. Like, if you had the events lined out for you on paper and had to come up with the absolute worst way to go about things, you could not have even brainstormed a scenario that played out as bad as what happened in reality.