clintthecrippler Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 I honestly think that Rusev and Tensai are proof positive that going with outdated '80s silent methodical foreign menaces that had elements that would have been cartoonish even for the '80s isn't likely to fly on any level with today's WWE fan. Though I think Rusev may have a better shot of evolving organically simply because they won't shove him down the fans throats with wins over Cena and Daniel Bryan within the next few weeks. The problems with Tensai never had anything to do with him being Albert in the past. The problems with Tensai was that they had him do every movement simultaneously slow and comically over-exaggerated to the point where no one bought it, the Japanese manservant thing was corny as shit, and fans don't want to see nerveholds and clawholds in this era. And he never even had the common decency to spit the mist directly in his opponent's faces, he'd just spit into his hand like he was lubing up and then shove it in his opponent's faces. Add on top of that clean pins over John Cena and CM Punk that came way too early in the run, and of course the modern fanbase is going to rebel. There's an alternate universe where Tensai gets over enough for a PPV main event or two. But in that universe, they let him wrestle like the impressive athletic hoss he was in New Japan, perhaps tweak the gimmick to be more direct with the "American ex-pat embracing Japanese culture" angle, have Sakamoto be a cornerman/manager inspired by something more modern than a 1940s rickshaw driver in a "Abbott and Costello Go To Japan" flick, and let him develop a presence with the crowd more organically over the course of six months or so. I do think Rusev has that potential to develop more organically. But again, I think the silent foreign menace accompanied by female Russian manager from a bootleg Street Fighter II knockoff - which is totally what they lifted her entrance music from, right? - is more of a hindrance than a help right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Agree with everything you just wrote about why Tensai failed. Blaming the crowd for Tensai failing is bullshit, especially if you fall into the camp that thinks there is any legitimate reason to chant "Goldberg" at Ryback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Announced that Stephanie will appear on RAW Monday to "apologize" to Bryan for Kane's attack. I have this feeling in my gut that she is going to mention Bryan's father. And it's going to piss me off. I don't know the older I get the wwe exploiting things like this gets to me more. Hopefully they can resist the temptation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(BP) Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Based on Smackdown spoilers we might see a Heyman/Zeb match at some point, which would make me so happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bierschwale Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Announced that Stephanie will appear on RAW Monday to "apologize" to Bryan for Kane's attack. I have this feeling in my gut that she is going to mention Bryan's father. And it's going to piss me off. I don't know the older I get the wwe exploiting things like this gets to me more. Hopefully they can resist the temptation Stephanie's little "salute to our champion" as he was being wheeled off sort of invoked the death of his father to me. It was just so unnecessary and creepy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chief Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Based on Smackdown spoilers we might see a Heyman/Zeb match at some point, which would make me so happy. Heel managers that hate each other is one of my favorite wrestling stories and we don't get it nearly enough. I have no doubt this would be awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJRogers Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 This is the second time they've tried to recreate Umaga, the first being Lord Tensai. It raises an interesting question of what Umaga had that the others don't. What made Umaga successful? Tensai could only have worked if he would have worn a mask all the time. As soon as he removed his cap and everbody new it was Albert any chances of him getting over were gone. Umaga had far less previous exposure and was not associated with "mediocrity" by large amounts of the fans as Tensai was (deserving or not). How do you explain the second chance succeas under a new gimmick name of Sprit Squad Nicky or Husky Harris? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollinger. Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Both of those were short lived. Bloom worked full time as Albert for 6 years and was never particularly over during any of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Part of the problem with Tensai is that they gave him a bunch of BS wins over top guys all at once. It's a crappy way to get someone over. It was even worse when they did it with Curtis Axel who had probably the worst debut I've ever seen in my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkdoc Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 another problem with the whole tensai character that i rarely see mentioned: making him a heel, when a significant chunk of the live WWE audience these days are japan fanboys themselves! you have to remember that anime & manga now have their own sections in best buy and barnes & noble - japanese pop culture is not nearly as niche a thing now as it was even in the 90s, much less before then. among nerds that stuff is absolutely "mainstream", and wrestling audiences are a hell of a lot nerdier now than they've ever been. add it all up, and i think tensai was a natural *babyface* character if anything. push him as an asskicker with a sense of humor, have him act like he's going super saiyan before he does his finisher, and you might have had something there. so yes, count me in with the folks who think rusev's current gimmick & push have no chance today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exposer Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 I forgot how terrible Axel's debut was. They'd hyped up Heyman's new guy and when we got Axel it was the most anticlamactic thing ever. I remember watching his introduction segment and my Dad and I were baffled. Then he beat HHH in the worst concussion angle of all time, and then beat Cena by count-out which meant nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Batista went on Twitter and criticized some fans for not being able to distinguish story from reality. I guess he has been taking a lot of shit from fans since coming back. I've alluded to this several times over the last few months but I think the company was thrown by all the criticism and vitriol thrown their way since the Rumble. No doubt in my mind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 I forgot how terrible Axel's debut was. They'd hyped up Heyman's new guy and when we got Axel it was the most anticlamactic thing ever. I remember watching his introduction segment and my Dad and I were baffled. Then he beat HHH in the worst concussion angle of all time, and then beat Cena by count-out which meant nothing. There is no better case study for the things WWE does wrong than that debut. He got bitchslapped by HHH in an in ring encounter too. And then he didn't even get a decisive win. I don't think he was announced the winner. The match just stopped due to the concussion. It was so bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exposer Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 I'm pretty sure they closed RAW with that match. That has to be one of the worst segments in years. I will echo the comments on the Smackdown spoilers. I invite all Zeb-Heyman confrontations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert S Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Both of those were short lived. Bloom worked full time as Albert for 6 years and was never particularly over during any of it. Exactly. I mean how many "ordinary" people were even aware that Dolph Ziggler was part of the Spirit Squad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(BP) Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Poor Dolph. I bet 80% of his interactions with people at signings is getting called Nicky or being asked what Amy Schumer's like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Just dropping this here. This is how I'd get to Summerslam if it were up to me. Where I'm puzzled is with Bryan's opponent at Payback. That's the only blank spot in this: http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/26243-wwe-world-title-picture-for-the-next-few-months/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidebottom Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Excellent stuff Loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Meltz is reporting that the company is very upset at Foley for the criticism of Bryan's push back in January. Kind of strange this is being leaked three months after the fact. Maybe it also has to do with him not signing the legend's deal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 That kind of gives credence to Bryan vs Sheamus in the Wrestlemania Midcard. Otherwise they would have either been glad that he was building Bryan and the feeling they tapped into up or they would have just clued him in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(BP) Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 If there's heat it's because it didn't end with the Bryan stuff. Foley has been publicly complaining about his video game payoffs this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Liska Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Foley went on Twitter and asked if WWE hates their fans after the Rumble. That's not going to be appreciated from someone you're paying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 In defense of Mick he wasn't the only former worker that was critical of the booking. Maybe he's the only one on the payroll though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Frankly I don't blame them. Why pay someone to trash your product? There are plenty of people who'll do it for free so keeping that on the payroll is a pretty poor use of company resources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Interesting note from the WON: While Daniel Bryan is now the number two merchandise seller in WWE, Cena still sells FIVE TIMES as much merchandise as Bryan. Something has to give with those numbers before a Cena heel turn is a plausible idea. Also, it's taken this long for Rey's numbers to finally start falling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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