KrisZ Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 Fandango dumped Summer Rae on Twitter about 30 minutes ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cm funk Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 I'm glad to see a lot of you guys digging the product right now. I've been preaching about how good it's been for a few years now, in terms of young talent being pushed and probably the best level of "workrate" the company has ever had, and free tv matches that blow away what used to be considered high end WWE ppv quality stuff. And I've also been saying how much they understand their audience right now, and troll the "smart marks" at every turn obviously mileage will always vary on booking choices and individual performers. I know a lot of people think Del Rio and Sheamus are stale and hurt by a history of poor booking....and I totally understand that. I like them because I think they're both excellent performers who have really fun matches in spite of spotty booking and character stuff......but I get why people don't dig them. Things @ WM and RAW last night did feel like a changing of the guard, announcing that the future is here, etc....whatever phrases you want to use.....but this has been building on screen for quite a while. It's been gradual, but the last few nights felt like HHH really putting his stamp on the product. They've embraced their audience and self-adjust constantly when things don't quite work the way they want them to. There's been a return to tag wrestling for a while and the best tag division they've had in years. They've brought managers back in a big way. Even all the cool little stuff on the Network and on the website (their website has been great for a while now) is just tailored to smart fans. I've been defending the booking of Bryan constantly, thought it was obvious he was due for a big payoff, thought they were just killing time to get to WM with him....and I thought stuff like Meltzer being convinced that Bryan-Sheamus was the plan, or Alvarez flip flopping constantly on what he thought the plans were was WWE working them hard. I think WWE has been working Meltzer pretty hard in recent years, more often than not he's way off on booking stuff, and Bryan and Dave both try to retcon and cover up the fact that they have no idea what is going to happen next. I might be way off....but I thought from the moment Orton cashed in MITB on Bryan that they were building to Bryan winning at WM......and that's exactly what happened. He was never being buried or minimalized.....he was pushed as hard as anyone.....most tv time of anyone. There were a few mis-steps along the way, but overall there was a very clear direction with him, to me at least So yes, WWE's current product is very good, I'm glad to see people enjoying it, and I hope you guys stick around. It's not going to all be like WMXXX and RAW from last night.....but it's a good time to be a fan. I never thought I'd see people here digging an Evolution reunion in 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisZ Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Shield/Wyatts III was a God Damn Awesome Match Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 One thing bugging me amidst all the positive glow (only saw the last 1 1/2 hrs of Mania, but it was really memorable, and Raw was awesome) is this: Did they actually book Punk vs HHH for Mania at one point before Punk left and plans changed, and if so, what the fuck were they thinking? Bryan vs HHH was the obvious conclusion to the story they started at Summerslam. Otherwise, everything is right in the world in 2014. Also, I posted this on Facebook, but may as well share it here too: This Mania has really struck a chord with people. Two straight days of Mania talk at work for me with people coming out of the closet as wrestling fans left and right. One guy who has worked in the store the whole 2+ years I have worked there revealed himself to be a smart fan and even compared the Taker loss to Bruno losing to Ivan at MSG in 71. Crazy. I told him about the podcast. Another guy told me "Taker wasn't supposed to lose", legit serious. I smartened him up quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steenalized Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Shield/Wyatts III was a God Damn Awesome Match Agreed. Liked the first two more, but these six put on another great match. Rowan taking the fall makes the most sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cm funk Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Another outstanding Shield-Wyatts 6 man on Main Event tonight. Ambrose's selling after the finish was fantastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cm funk Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 I think Ambrose broke a rib Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 I don't buy that this was the plan all along, mainly because of Bryan moving into the feud with the Wyatts after HIAC, but I also don't really fault WWE too much for that. A good wrestling promotion has a plan in mind, but is flexible when it's clearly not working. It took a lot to get them to change plans, but in the end, they did. And they were able to make it work effectively. And that's all that matters -- not why or how we got here, but that we got here. I watched the post-Summerslam Raw and Smackdown earlier. While Bryan was definitely over there, he is far more popular now. This program has been a huge success in creating a bonafide new star. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stiva Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Wyatts vs. Shield III was another great match. I thought Ambrose was the stand-out guy with a performance full of awesome little touches. The way he sells the Wyatt's strikes, the way he fights out of their submissions and how he went into full FIP mode and looked a total natural at it. It looks like he's damaged his ribs badly but I loved how he turned it into this crazy, rambling rant when he was needed on promos. Roman Reigns is going to be such a star, it isn't even funny. It's almost like WWE are cheating having him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisZ Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Roman Reigns totally eyefucked everyone in the building and the entire WWE Network plus he totally made Renee Young wet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steenalized Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 I don't think Ambrose broke a rib, just great selling. Could be wrong. Reigns is turning into a BJ babyface at this point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stiva Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Ziggler is a guy who desperately needs some direction and Swagger desperately needs a new partner since he's pretty shitty by himself. I'd like to see him continue trying to hit the ankle lock out of lots of crazy positions though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chief Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 I wish that they would give Zeb another Real American to counter what Heyman did to him. And while you're at it, bring back Teddy Long as a manager and give him some guys, he was awesome in 2003. Dutch, Heyman and Teddy on WWE TV in 2014. That would warm my early 90's WCW heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steenalized Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 That move looked like what Big E's finisher should be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(BP) Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Teddy putting together a new Doom would rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 I really want a big Heyman/Zeb argument on RAW next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anarchistxx Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 This Mania has really struck a chord with people. Two straight days of Mania talk at work for me with people coming out of the closet as wrestling fans left and right. This is my experience too, posts about it everywhere. Hitting the mainstream media too, BBC have a news article on the Undertaker suffering concussion. Raw did it's biggest rating in two years as well. So much for Daniel Bryan not being a draw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NintendoLogic Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Cesaro has all but officially turned face with the audience, it makes you wonder why they paired him with Heyman when they could capitalise on the crowd love. Still, if anyone can bounce between portraying heel and face and make it work, it's Heyman. IT would be incredible if this was what they were going for. Cesaro was incredibly over as a heel at the house show I went to a little over a week ago. The only thing he did that got a babyface reaction was the giant swing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 He plays to the crowd heelishly more than any guy they've had over the last few years save for Henry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eduardo Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 This profile on Daniel Bryan that's currently airing on the WWE Network is really neat and cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exposer Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Shield-Wyatts III was very good. I liked it a lot until the last few spots which lacked any impact. The Shield were working too fast in my opinion. I was annoyed at Reigns blatantly missing his running dropkick on Harper, but that was mostly Harper's fault. Other than that, this was a really good match with an inspired babyface performance from Ambrose. Harper was awesome again. He worked extra stiff tonight. That post-match promo was totally bizarre. Ambrose selling his ribs enthusiastically was hilarious and awkward. Reigns cutting a pretty boy promo was frightening. Rollins had good intensity and was the least uncomfortable of the three. And yes, that Road to WrestleMania XXX Special was excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Layla debuted on SD as Fandango's new valet. I guess they want to push Summer Rae and all Total Divas are presented as faces oh and this: Triple H @TripleH 2h Don't worry, @WWERomanReigns, @WWERollins & @TheDeanAmbrose. I know all your names. I'll spell them right in your obituaries. #MainEvent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 I don't see how this was the plan all along when they had already been building Punk/HHH on TV and at the Rumble. Plus they had Batista cutting in house babyface promos to try and get the crowd to cheer him. The question is if they would have still added Bryan to the title match or just have him work underneath against Sheamus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dexstar Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Summer Rae desperately tweeting at Fandango after their "break up" is some next level internet character work https://twitter.com/RealSummerWWE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 wow they had Cena/Wyatt rematch on SD. That's like the biggest match to air on SD in forever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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