Fantastic Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 RE: The merch thing. It's John Cena, he's in a class of his own. I don't think it's fair to really expect that anybody will outsell him or outdraw an appearance by him for at least the near future, given how much of a household name he is. It's like Austin all over again, even when Austin was on the backburner in 2001, compared to his heyday, he was still drawing the most at house shows and his merch was selling more, despite the popularity of The Rock. As for TV ratings, that's just lame. Given the total content of Raw should be looked at, rather than a single prominent feature of somebody as the "star of the show". Ratings had dwindled for the last few years, mainly because 3 hours is overkill and quality greatly suffers with some of the shitty writing they've got going on to fill that third hour - no to mention the writing staff in general. Also, Russellmania is right, DB's merch sucked and was limited compared to Cena's. People like variety. - Put the title on Bryan at Mania. - Have him feud with a heel Rollins and The Authority until the Summer with the title in play. - He'll draw for sure. Meanwhile... - Have Cena play the early 90's WWF Hogan, albeit putting over more stars. - Cena gets the big time exhibition PPV matches, Bryan headlines of course, but Cena works on the card like Taker does at Mania. - Cena doesn't need another title reign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaymeFuture Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 I really see an issue post-Mania this year, in that they only have one top heel that seems like a priority, which is Rollins. And I don't know how hot they can get a defending Bryan or Reigns Vs. Rollins feud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffey Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 Cena doesn't need another title reign. Most of the recent wrestlers & titles reigns weren't needed. Edge is like a 12-time world champion or something silly. John Cena is 16 now I think. Kayfabe tied with Flair for the most of all-time. It's ridiculous. I really see an issue post-Mania this year, in that they only have one top heel that seems like a priority, which is Rollins. And I don't know how hot they can get a defending Bryan or Reigns Vs. Rollins feud. I don't think a MITB cash-in with Rollins leaving with the belt is out of the question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.L.L. Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 I just saw that as a total disrespect from the fans just because the guy they wanted wasent in the Rumble. How dare wrestling fans want wrestling that they're a fan of? Why can't they just mindlessly accept whatever drivel the company shits at them, like TNA fans? RESPECT! RESPECT! RESPECT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 It always struck me as a bit disingenuous, but Vince's tweet about MLK being a hero of his was especially funny considering the hottest free agent in wrestling got that way because of racists in WWE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I really see an issue post-Mania this year, in that they only have one top heel that seems like a priority, which is Rollins. And I don't know how hot they can get a defending Bryan or Reigns Vs. Rollins feud. I really feel like they are saving Rusev to be the big challenger for after WrestleMania (most likely for Reigns) but I could be completely wrong because I'm trying to think logically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 It's worth noting that John Cena was only in the title mix as much as he was this year because they needed him to bail them out when their other plans fell apart. I do think they will always fall back on him when other top babyfaces are injured, and I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with that. It just turned out that they needed him in that role this year far more than they expected. Of course, that's also self-fulfilling prophecy. I wish they were constantly building up guys because then no single injury would wreak too much havoc on their plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 A 23 minute long opening promo with the same talking points since the Authority came back. Hope they have something big planned for the main event Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 It's insane the margin by which Daniel Bryan is the most over guy in the company. The crowd are SO into every single thing he's doing in this match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 And Bryan jobs to Bray in a match in January. Umm.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Yes .Bryan jobs in his second show back in the ring. This company Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerva Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Well if they are going to book Bryan like it is 2013- WM 2014 all over again then prepared to pissed off at Rumble Philly and prepare to be pumped at WM Santa Clara. Very original booking so far <_> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerpride Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Is strummer going to be obsessed with everything D-Bry on the Road to Wrestlemania for the second year in a row? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 No Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Ok that Kliq segment was great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 With jobbing DB. If they are planning on putting the belt on him it won't hurt to have an opponent getting groomed for him fof afterwards so we don't have a repeat of Kane as his 1st challenger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Based on the opponent I don't think it's a bad choice, depending on where they go. If Bryan wins the title and Bray challenges him as the guy Bryan has never beat, then it's pretty smart booking. I have seen nothing to indicate that they think that far in advance any more though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Based on the opponent I don't think it's a bad choice, depending on where they go. If Bryan wins the title and Bray challenges him as the guy Bryan has never beat, then it's pretty smart booking. I have seen nothing to indicate that they think that far in advance any more though. I have no faith in their booking either. The other thing they might be trying is beating DB so it's not obvious he's winning the Rumble. Which sounds more like the WWE style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NintendoLogic Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Bryan was drawing less than John Cena at house shows, selling less merchandise than John Cena and his television segments were lower rated than John Cena's, so they wrote it off as a vocal minority that didn't really represent the WWE fanbase as a whole. What's missed there is that such outcomes were almost entirely the result of self-fulling prophecy. Not to say Bryan would have been a bigger draw than Cena with the right push, but he had enough fan support that they needed to try to do something more with him. Somewhere along the way, their perception changed, probably more because Batista ending WM as the champ wasn't going to work than anything else. That's my theory. Just imagine Batista going over at the end of the same show where John Cena defeated Bray Wyatt and the Undertaker's streak ended. WWE's hand was forced by outside circumstances. Punk leaving blew up their Mania plans, and the Yes chant at the Michigan State game embarrassed them. Plus, the plan was always for Brock to win the belt at Summerslam, so there was no harm in giving him a Benoit-esque placeholder run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmare007 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I think they made him job to sell the idea he might lose on Thursday against Kane and lose his Rumble spot. It's WWE short term booking 101. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmare007 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 With Kane and Big Show already having segments and Rollins in the title match on Sunday. I wonder if they are stupid enough to put Cena against Rusev for free without any promotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisZ Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Wyatt is getting Taker at Mania obviously so either a non-finish or a pin was coming for Bryan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerva Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Well I would say that pretty much buries the Ascension but they were buried a long time ago and we were stuck with the fall back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I thought tonight was the best job they've done making Reigns feel like a big since perhaps the breakup of the Shield. Problem is there's just nothing about him that feels like a Mania main eventer. This isn't Batista in '04/'05 where you had the slow tease of his turn and people were dying to see him against HHH. It feels like he's being forced into a position people have zero appetite or demand for yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Bryan, Reigns, whatever. Taker back to the face Wyatt? Who cares. Are we getting Miz vs. Mizdow at Mania?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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