Wrestling Thread

[BeardFaceMan]

I bet this is because they want to make inroads into India, a big untapped market, kinda why they had Rey Mysterio champ cos of the huge latino viewership he brought in. Great Kali was probably their last attempt at pandering to a foreign market, which is odd for WWE because most the gimmicks used by non- Americans are stereotypical and patronizing as fuck, their attempts at sucking up or trying to be mainstream and generally terrible. They had John Cena learn Mandarin, who's the top WWE star that's going to learn Punjabi?

[Monsieur Verdoux]

I bet this is because they want to make inroads into India, a big untapped market, kinda why they had Rey Mysterio champ cos of the huge latino viewership he brought in. Great Kali was probably their last attempt at pandering to a foreign market, which is odd for WWE because most the gimmicks used by non- Americans are stereotypical and patronizing as fuck, their attempts at sucking up or trying to be mainstream and generally terrible. They had John Cena learn Mandarin, who's the top WWE star that's going to learn Punjabi?

Absolutely what I was thinking. I hate to be this cynical, but we'll have to wait and see how Jinder as champ/main eventer improves their outreach into the Asian market before they decide whether to drop him or not. Stephanie was in Dubai in April to establish an Arabic language WWE show there. Jinder being hotshotted to the main event may have been an attempt to consolidate that outreach. Jinder is bilingual, so lots of opportunities for Punjabi language exclusive content there. They've thought this through very carefully, I'd imagine. I'd be inclined to be less cynical if Jinder Mahal had even a fraction of credibility before they boosted him up. I don't think this is just a swerve, this is corporate thinking in action here.

[BeardFaceMan]

Oh yeah, it's absolutely a corporate decision and not a creative one. We all thought things would get better when Vince finally leaves but with HHH and Steph taking over it's just going to be more of the same mindset. This was the first WWE PPV I haven't watched for 20 years, I stopped watching Raw and Smackdown about 2 years ago and have just been watching the PPVs since then but there's no indication anything in that company is going to get any better, for the performers or for the fans. I hate to say it but I think I'm finally done with WWE. Vince, fuck you for making me hate wrestling.

[hewantstolurkatad]

Jinder's largely a bit of a fluke champion though, isn't he? Orton as champ clearly wasn't cutting it, Rusev is being flagged for a more drawn out run when he's back and Corbin (who's the big project on Smackdown this year) is a good way off from believably having the belt. Seems like a better idea to chuck it on Jinder and at least see how that goes down in India than give a half hearted run to some newish face and absolute kill them.

Is it unfortunate/convenient that he's the most roidy looking guy they've had since... Scott Steiner? Absolutely!
Was keeping Orton with the belt after that Bray feud a better option? I really can't say it would have been.




Of much greater concern is how they seem to be already ballsing up Nakamura bigly.

[up_the_hampipe]

I thought it was reported by Big Meltz or someone similar that Jinder's run is just for the Indian market WWE are looking to lock down at the moment. Not surprised with the result, more surprised that others are surprised.

[Deanjam]

It's a combination of having no one ready to face Orton, Orton's run being boring shit and exploiting the Indian market. Clearly this wasn't long term planned as Jinder was still largely a joke on Raw a few weeks ago. Just a perfect storm of circumstances for Jinder similar to JBL's rise to champion in 2004.

I'm not convinced he's going to get Indians to spend more money on WWE though. Apparently he speaks Punjabi not like a local - unsurprisingly as he's Canadian - and they've already tried and failed with Great Kahli who's a much bigger name in India.

Either way, Corbin's probably winning Money in the Bank, so he'll likely be champion going into next year's Mania. Wouldn't be surprised if they have Sami Zayn win the title from Jinder only for Corbin to immediately cash in and steal the title - same story as Bryan/Orton from 2013.

[hewantstolurkatad]

I don't think it being for the Indian market alone, or in combination with all his big lovely exploding veins, would be enough. It's a convenient experiment to justify what surely will be a terrible move for house show but, like just about everything they do these days, I feel a lot of the focus is on finding ways to pad out the excessive TV time over everything else.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Duc1d4ZRxkU Jinder apparently led to a dramatic halt in ticket sales for the PPV

[Mr Brightside]

Who is the best wrestler nowadays?

[up_the_hampipe]

Who is the best wrestler nowadays?

Jinder Mahal.

[Mr Brightside]

Jinder Mahal.

Not a wrestling fan myself, but didn't they used to have better names than that? I remember in childhood hearing about Stone Cold and The Undertaker etc. Jinder Mahal sounds like a wicketkeeper.

[hewantstolurkatad]

Not a wrestling fan myself, but didn't they used to have better names than that? I remember in childhood hearing about Stone Cold and The Undertaker etc. Jinder Mahal sounds like a wicketkeeper.

They also call him the Maharaja or something?



I booked some beds in a NOLA hostel for wrestlemania weekend just there. Probably won't go but that's my cheap accommodation sorted for if I do.

[Ja'moke]

The positive of this, it means we could get babyface Rusev? He said he was coming for the champ at MITB, and he previously started a feud with Jinder back on Raw (which is why I thought Jinder was winning this).

[up_the_hampipe]

Just watched KO on Talking Smack. He's gold every time. Really made things uncomfortable for Peter Rosenberg.

[mikeyg27]

The positive of this, it means we could get babyface Rusev? He said he was coming for the champ at MITB, and he previously started a feud with Jinder back on Raw (which is why I thought Jinder was winning this).

That would be awesome, but I don't see it. I like the idea of Rusev with the MITB case, and he's probably the only alternative option to Corbin right now.

I've seen a lot of people suggest the idea of Sami beating Jinder before immediately getting cashed in on, a la that Summerslam with Daniel Bryan and Orton. It does have to be said that Sami IS probably the next logical challenger (beat Corbin, has beef with Jinder after the Singh brothers interfered on him, AJ seems busy with KO right now).

[Mobius]

It'll be Cena returning to take the belt off Jinder to uproarious chants of USA USA USA !!!! I expect.

Orton was a really boring champ, Bray should be holding the belt after all the Orton/Wyatt shit.

I liked Orton's face after he ragdolled those 2 Singh brothers into the table. Don't smile Lynne Randy you've broken their necks!

Have they ever done that AJ finish before with the table/wires?

[Deanjam]

This is the closest I can think of.

[up_the_hampipe]

New Day on Talking Smack was joyous. So glad to have them back. Here's the full segment if ya don't have the Network https://streamable.com/b0t25

I think Xavier says "get naked" while Renee is dancing.

[weekender]

Can't wait for WWE to tackle ISIS.

[up_the_hampipe]

That "this is your life" segment on Raw last night. Fucking Christ. These writers make Corrie look like The Godfather.

Anyway, here's some drag queens reviewing Backlash. Quite funny https://youtu.be/zsA4Pd816Rc

[mikeyg27]

That segment was so bad that the official WWE Youtube video skips over the talking completely and gets straight to Bayley's attempted beatdown. I think that's unprecedented. They even uploaded the fucking Old Day segment last year.

It's a shame, because I enjoyed a lot of that episode. The two main events were great.

[Deanjam]

Bryan Alvarez reckons WWE are going down the path of revealing Bayley is still a virgin. Which would be horrible.

[hewantstolurkatad]

I mean, they're basically doing that whole angle as it is. They won't actually do the virgin thing though, they might do a "she's never been kissed" type deal if they haven't already spoiled that.

[Deanjam]

This has reared its head recently. The cast of a season of NXT that never happened.



Rollins, Big E, Sandow, Hunico, Bo Dallas, Adam Rose.

Rose must've been juicing then.

[mikeyg27]

Somebody put the old FCW roster up on reddit a few weeks ago. Weird to think how this lot turned out.

[Deanjam]

Weren't Ambrose & Wyatt also knocking around FCW at this time?

Also, Roman Leakee. It really was the era of shit names.

[Mr Brightside]

Which is the best wrestling move to defeat my enemies?

[Deanjam]

The Stinkface.

[mikeyg27]

Weren't Ambrose & Wyatt also knocking around FCW at this time?

Also, Roman Leakee. It really was the era of shit names.

I thought so too but looking it up Ambrose didn't get to FCW until 2011 (this roster is from 2010). I think Wyatt would've been Husky Harris in the new Nexus at this stage.

Related: here's a video of a load of this lot in John Cena's gym some time before Wrestlemania 28, including Big E doing a 575lb bench press whilst being spotted by the never-seen-again Leakee.

BTW Mason Ryan is now in Cirque du Soleil.

[weekender]

In promo news, The New Day vs The Bad Usos on Smackdown was great.

[weekender]

Which is the best wrestling move to defeat my enemies?

Throwing someone sixteen feet from the top of a steel cell onto an announcer's table seems to have gone down well in the past, have you tried that?