Matt D Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Vince is just screwing with us with these Reigns promos now, right? I can't remember the last time I heard a crowd deflate for someone they wanted to cheer for like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerva Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Vince is just screwing with us with these Reigns promos now, right? I can't remember the last time I heard a crowd deflate for someone they wanted to cheer for like that. Are we sure this promo wasn't written by Stephanie's daughter Aurora (I think that was the name). I mean this guy shouldn't be winning the US title at WM much less than world title Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cm funk Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Goldberg is better than Reigns is now but for me at least, that has more to do with Goldberg being good & underrated than Reigns being terrible. Goldberg was very good as a squash match wrestler in early 1998. It isn't easy to have strong variety to your matches when none are much more than two minutes but he was doing that with regularity in early 1998. Add in the fact that he had been wrestling for a very short period at the time and there is no question that Goldberg was far more naturally gifted as a wrestler than Reigns. His top matches blow Reigns away but to be fair, Reigns hasn't been given all that many chances. Goldberg had a lot of competent individuals to work with as he moved up the card that could make him look good and help pace matches out coupled with his natural ability. Reigns has the ability but given the strict soft style WWE works as compared to Goldberg in WCW, I don't know how far Reigns can ever progress. I'd even wager he regresses a lot given these limitations. Also outside of someone like Bryan, Rollins or Cesaro there aren't a lot of guys on the main roster that can really cover for Reigns if necessary. Sure you got Itami, Zayne, Owens, and Balor down in NXT but there is no guarantee once they move up to the main roster they get to do what they've done in NXT and in the past. So, honestly, you've just made a clear cut solid argument why Reigns is NOT the guy you want as your champion right now given how very limited he is in skillset. Also, shit promo material like the one you gave him Friday isn't doing him any favors... The Goldberg v. Reigns comparison isn't fair for a lot of reasons One thing I'll say strongly on Goldberg's side of the ledger is he was a much more impressive power wrestler and more impressive physically. He held big dudes up in the Jackhammer, did big press slams.....he was an impressive athlete and that's what got him over. Reigns is a good athlete....but he doesn't match the brute power at all. He's pushed as a power wrestler but his big moves are strong leaping strikes. He's added the big Samoan Drop, doing it on Big Show who is great at going up for that stuff, so that should get over as a signature spot......but he doesn't do any real impressive power stuff, and he doesn't have if you ripped his face off he might be a terminator physique That's the stuff that really got Goldberg over, so it's hard to compare the two just on raw basic skillsets. I think Reigns can connect much more as a character and has a cool charisma that WWE is just doing a terrible time tapping into. I think that's why they want to make him the next Cena. He's got more potential to be the next Cena than the next Batista. He could also become a much better wrestler than Goldberg was. It took Cena a while for it all to click too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mini Bennett Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Someone on Reddit just linked a pre-Shield Roman Reigns promo from NXT that was far, far more natural, relaxed and convincing than his recent stuff on RAW. Here for anyone who is interested. If WWE are intent on sending Reigns to the moon immediately, the money is in him as a heel, imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 No one's going to sound natural and relaxed reading a script written by an old man who everyone's afraid to tell is out of touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mini Bennett Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 No one's going to sound natural and relaxed reading a script written by an old man who everyone's afraid to tell is out of touch. I would agree with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamthedoctor Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 So Savage is finally getting inducted into the WWE HOF. They'll announce it tonight. That's some odd wording in the announcement. Expected to? Not confirmed? I wonder why they aren't confirming it, can't recall them ever using their website like that. Finally the man will get in. I feel kinda cheated in a way thats its not actually Randy accepting the award and doing a speech. It just makes me appreciate even more that Warrior came to terms with WWE before he passed away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sporadic Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 The Goldberg v. Reigns comparison isn't fair for a lot of reasons One thing I'll say strongly on Goldberg's side of the ledger is he was a much more impressive power wrestler and more impressive physically. He held big dudes up in the Jackhammer, did big press slams.....he was an impressive athlete and that's what got him over. Reigns is a good athlete....but he doesn't match the brute power at all. He's pushed as a power wrestler but his big moves are strong leaping strikes. He's added the big Samoan Drop, doing it on Big Show who is great at going up for that stuff, so that should get over as a signature spot......but he doesn't do any real impressive power stuff, and he doesn't have if you ripped his face off he might be a terminator physique That's the stuff that really got Goldberg over, so it's hard to compare the two just on raw basic skillsets. I think Reigns can connect much more as a character and has a cool charisma that WWE is just doing a terrible time tapping into. I think that's why they want to make him the next Cena. He's got more potential to be the next Cena than the next Batista. He could also become a much better wrestler than Goldberg was. It took Cena a while for it all to click too. I'd certainly be the last person to argue that Reigns is as physically built and as strong as Goldberg was during his WCW run. I do see Reigns potential being more akin to The Rock. The main commonality that both Goldberg and Reigns share is their moveset is very basic, very limited. The big difference between the two is Goldberg had guys around him that could help carry him as necessary, that could help him with his selling, help pace his matches, etc. Reigns has Rollins, Bryan, Cesaro and maybe Cena. That's it really. Even The Rock had a stacked roster to do the same things for him like Goldberg did that Reigns just doesn't. Both guys also didn't have someone scripting every single word out for him and trying to make him into someone he's not (aka John Cena 2.0). There is a lot of upside to Reigns as a whole and a lot to work with. That said WWE and Vince in particular are burying this guy in the worst possible way via horrible promos and matches with Show that I'm truly at a loss at how fucking stupid they have to be... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 A couple questions: 1) Ignoring the obvious answer suggested by crowd reactions, does any segment of the audience like the Reigns' mic work thus far? Kids? Women? Is it getting over anywhere that isn't represented here? 2) The focus in Heyman's promo on the Taker match (ignoring for the moment they were in New Orleans) -- any chance they're going with Taker getting his win back this year and switching to Cena/Reigns for the title? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathers Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Not that it's massively important but is anyone else confused by the commentary during the Ascension stuff over the past few weeks? It's like JBL is shooting on them. Here's a funny stretch of dialogue from this week: JBL: (Rags on them because of who they're facing.) Booker T: "We got to give these guys the benefit of the doubt" JBL: "No we don't" Booker T: "I got to put these guys over here" Weird stuff, isn't JBL supposed to be the heel commentator? I'm not a fan of them by the way, just commentary shitting on them is strange. There's probably something to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sporadic Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 A couple questions: 1) Ignoring the obvious answer suggested by crowd reactions, does any segment of the audience like the Reigns' mic work thus far? Kids? Women? Is it getting over anywhere that isn't represented here? 2) The focus in Heyman's promo on the Taker match (ignoring for the moment they were in New Orleans) -- any chance they're going with Taker getting his win back this year and switching to Cena/Reigns for the title? 1) From any indication of the boos last night towards the end of it, the answer is a resounding no. Women are always going to cheer for Reigns because of his look even that is only going to get him so far. 2) Doubtful. I figure they either do Rollins vs. Reigns for the title or Rollins vs. Bryan with Cena vs Rusev and Taker vs Wyatt (depending on Taker's health) at WM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pol Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 I don't think all of WWE's women fans are that simple-minded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anarchistxx Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 No way can they run Reigns/Rollins for the belt at Wrestlemania, or at least it can't go on last. Would be dangerously underwhelming and the fans would turn on it. Of course, it would be a convenient excuse to have HHH vs Sting end the show so from their point of view it might work. Imagine if they made it an Authority vs Career match and HHH retired Sting, it would be worth it for the hilarity of the internet reaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Bryan beating the hell out of Kane was about a thousand times better than he was booked in mid April 2014, that's for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sporadic Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 I don't think all of WWE's women fans are that simple-minded. Of course they're not. That said, he's got that look that appeals to women. A good bit will cheer him just based on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sporadic Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 No way can they run Reigns/Rollins for the belt at Wrestlemania, or at least it can't go on last. Would be dangerously underwhelming and the fans would turn on it. Of course, it would be a convenient excuse to have HHH vs Sting end the show so from their point of view it might work. Imagine if they made it an Authority vs Career match and HHH retired Sting, it would be worth it for the hilarity of the internet reaction. This is the same company that ran Bigelow vs. Taylor last at a prior WM so don't put it past them to do it. I don't think they would but stranger has happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anarchistxx Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Taylor was a [formerly] major celebrity and had novelty value. That show was moreorless built around him. It is different from running a match you have already done as a throwaway on Raw/Smackdown, a match where the crowd don't passionately care about either of the participants and where one of the workers in untested in a long main event match in the biggest slot of the year. Especially when you have Brock Lesnar, Sting, Daniel Bryan, John Cena and potentially The Undertaker working the undercard on a long show. Still, The Miz has headlined Wrestlemania so anything is possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffey Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Cena Vs. Rusev would be fun. I imagine we'll get Rusev Vs. Ryback though. Triple H Vs. Sting is gonna happen. I still figure it'll be Rollins Vs. Orton. Reigns or Bryan is winning the Rumble, I imagine. Dunno which still. I dunno if Brock will still be Champ come 'Mania. They could easily just put it back on Cena. I don't think 'Taker will wrestle. Even if WWE want to "get their moneys worth." Don't think anyone would care about a hobbled 'Taker beating Bray Wyatt. Daniel Bryan Vs. Brock Lesnar for the WWE Worldheavyweight Title as the Wrestlemania main event? Maybe. Maybe Roman Reigns instead of Daniel. Maybe John Cena instead of Brock. Reigns Vs. Cena main event? Eh... I don't think even WWE know what they want to do yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantastic Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 A babyface vs. babyface Mania event is always a gamble, outside of Mania VII, the crowd has seemingly favored one participant over the other, to the point where one guy is getting heel heat. Reigns vs Cena would be a massive gamble, people shit on Cena generally even when he's up against heels. And we just know that people aren't going to cheer for Reigns instead, it's quite likely the crowd will boo both participants and the point of the match will be lost. This is not like WMVII in other ways too, Cena, yes, is definitely at that Hulk Hogan level, but Reigns as popular as Warrior? Not a fucking chance. This could only conceivably work with Cena turning heel and joining The Authority, but that's not going to happen. There's a good chance they'll boo the hell out of Reigns no matter who he is against if he's given the main event over Bryan. This is why, best case scenario, if they are so intent on having Reigns in the main event, they need to make a multi person match involving Bryan. But then, if anybody other than Bryan goes over, they'll be booed out of the building too. So Cena ain't winning the title at RR unless he's losing it before Wrestlemania. What will it take for Vince and company to accept that Daniel Bryan is the most popular wrestler in their company, whether they like it or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russellmania Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 If they try and do mental gymnastics to come up with some viable scenario for the main event that doesn't include Daniel Bryan then this company deserves to go out of business Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantastic Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 If they try and do mental gymnastics to come up with some viable scenario for the main event that doesn't include Daniel Bryan then this company deserves to go out of business Here's a few options off the top of my head, and I'm but a mere fan: Daniel Bryan (Royal Rumble winner) vs. Seth Rollins (Wins title/Cashes in at RR) Daniel Bryan (Royal Rumble winner) vs. Brock Lesnar Daniel Bryan (co-Royal Rumble winner) vs. Seth Rollins (Wins title/Cashes in at RR) vs. Roman Reigns (co-Royal Rumble winner) Daniel Bryan (co-Royal Rumble winner) vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins (cashes in to insert himself into the match) vs. Roman Reigns (co-Royal Rumble winner) The last one is a bit of a clusterfuck, but it's workable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blehschmidt Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 I was just thinking that......94 Rumble finish with Reigns and Bryan going over at the same time. It will at the very least give them another two months to make up their minds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parties Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 I think people overcomplicate why someone like Reigns isn’t over. Bad promos written by a woozy, seventy-year old gargoyle. Unwillingness to book winning streaks. The company seems adamantly opposed to them now, to the extent that when a top babyface like Ziggler gets a pin on back-to-back weeks, Cole will remark that he’s on a “streak” of two consecutive wins. I really think there’s internal paranoia that if they book anyone strong, they’ll have a new CM Punk or Del Rio on their hands. Everyone's on the same low flame as a means of keeping the roster compliant, and to get over this ridiculous meme that “It’s no longer about stars, it’s about the brand” idea that gets parrotted online as if it makes any sense. Everything about the current WWE climate is opposed to a Goldberg-type beating mid-carders every week for a year straight. Which is amazing when you consider how buried the midcarders all are and how Reigns is their #1 priority.And I actually would not be at all surprised if we get Reigns and Bryan doing a Luger-Bret ’94 rehash. It would suck, but it’s very in step with the current booking: indecisive, resentful of Bryan, wanting Reigns to get over while rendering him impotent, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.S. Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Everything about the current WWE climate is opposed to a Goldberg-type beating mid-carders every week for a year straight. Did you forget about Rusev? It honestly wouldn't surprise me if Jern won the WWE World Heavyweight Title back (which has already supposedly been "leaked") and Rusev wins the Rumble. It's vintage 1993 booking, which is where Vince's head seems to be stuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 I think we should talk more about how the Seth Rollins push is not working at all. Does anyone else agree with that sentiment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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