Wrestling Thread: the New Generation

[Moribunderast]

More McMahons is a lose-lose-lose, because they either position themselves as heels and that's a retread, or they do a power-struggle angle which is a retread, or they position themselves as faces and then I have to suspend my disbelief that Stephanie is a decent person, which is unfathomable. How about something novel: NO AUTHORITY FIGURE! I know that means the writing staff can't fall on tired tropes to set up impromptu matches but after 20 fucking years it would be the freshest thing they could do.

[Delete Delete Delete]

Or just use the Regal mold from NXT. Someone who only comes in for special occassinally to help sell the big pay off matches for feuds.

[Deanjam]

They are so obsessed with the authority figure because it worked so amazingly well with Austin. However that worked because Austin & Vince had such great chemistry and it suited Stone Cold's character as the beer drinking blue collar hero. They other thing I've noticed through watching the retro Raws with Bryan & Vinny is that they've forgotten that the babyface came out on top almost every week. Over the past god-knows how many years, the Authority wins almost every week. Just look at how Stephanie treats the women's roster like schoolchildren. They've forgotten how to create true heroes. All the big fan favourites of the past decade (Becky, Bryan, Punk etc) happened by accident in spite of the booking. They're a bunch of out-of-touch millionaires who don't understand basic human behaviour anymore.

[Deanjam]

Or just use the Regal mold from NXT. Someone who only comes in for special occassinally to help sell the big pay off matches for feuds.

Someone on Observer radio suggested that very model using Sting.

[gmoney]

Sting would be excellent in that role. I seem to remember people mooting that around the time of his last appearance. If they did go the hands off face GM route, knowing WWE, it'll end up being Hulk Hogan, so he can big boot foreigners once a year. 

[Delete Delete Delete]

Would it be better if the McMahons were used more as Managers or Faction leaders rather than Authroty figures. Steph could but together a group of Heels and HHH could bring up some NXT guys as a faction.

[sevendaughters]

I prefer authority to be remote and as a last resort that gets a babyface that match he or she earned after a few times getting cheated or evaded by the heels. I also do not want to see cool fighters having to kow-tow to their paymasters as it tends to make them look like weiners. But WWE's problems are so much deeper than who is playing person-in-charge.

[rjd2]

I wish they would stop having the PPVS so long, TLC was 4 hours ffs.

Anyhow interested to see who Bryan faces at Mania, no obvious choice. Maybe send over Finn or push one of the New Day guys?

The match won't be close to main eventing so they can think outside the box a little.

[Delete Delete Delete]

Bryan Vs Shawn Michaels? Now that trips is injured.

Perhaps Almas?

[Ja'moke]

I could see Bryan v Rey happening at Mania.

[rjd2]

Possibly to the last 2 posts!

I did think Almas v Rey at Mania was a banker a few months ago, but not as sure now.

[Deanjam]

It's AJ vs. Orton at Mania apparently so rule them out. Misterio and Hardy are the other top faces but I'd find them underwhelming. Bring Alisteir Black up at the Rumble and give him the match. Would be a good foe for Bryan.

[Delete Delete Delete]

Oh shit I think it might end up being Bryan Vs Shane! There stupid enough to do it.

[rjd2]

Oh man Shane is a definite possibility, ugh that would be horrid.

[Deanjam]

Surely they're setting up Shane vs. Miz at Mania.

[Deanjam]

Great sign.

[up_the_hampipe]

I was hoping we'd have a wicker WWE Championship belt by now.

[Spode]

I was hoping we'd have a wicker WWE Championship belt by now.

The world's first belt to fuse wood and fire.

And thus ends my decades long dream to make a wrestling and Alton Towers reference

[Dannyhood91]

https://www.facebook.com/wrestlingtravel/videos/946925582361633/

Did anyone else know about this?

[sevendaughters]

WONHOF CLASS OF 2019: LA Park, Bill Apter, Gary Hart, Howard Finkel, Jimmy Hart, Yuji Nagata, and Jerry Jarrett.

Kiyoshi Tamura off the ballot in travesty of the century.

[Deanjam]

Can't disagree with any of them.

[Deanjam]

https://www.facebook.com/wrestlingtravel/videos/946925582361633/

Did anyone else know about this?

Hateful show.

[sevendaughters]

I did know about that Take Me Out appearance by Scurll, yes, it caused a minor stir in the Britindies at the time as it was not a time filled with overground exposure for its guys. And while I concur with the statement by the Rt. Hon. Deanjam, Take Me Out was the show on which someone I detested in real life got humiliated to the point of it wrecking their political aspirations (Conservative). So, take the rough with the smooth.

[hummingofevil]

WONHOF CLASS OF 2019: LA Park, Bill Apter, Gary Hart, Howard Finkel, Jimmy Hart, Yuji Nagata, and Jerry Jarrett.

Kiyoshi Tamura off the ballot in travesty of the century.

I was sat above the merch stand at the Altrincham NJPW show and enjoyed watching Yuji Nagata happily smiling to himself as he sold very little whilst deep queues formed for Walter shirts and punters paying to get chopped by Osprey.

[sevendaughters]

I was sat above the merch stand at the Altrincham NJPW show and enjoyed watching Yuji Nagata happily smiling to himself as he sold very little whilst deep queues formed for Walter shirts and punters paying to get chopped by Osprey.

I adore Yuji Nagata. A borderline HOF case but just a tremendous wrestler and good vibe. Seems like a good one for real. Bryan calls him the best worker he's been in with.

[Utter Shit]

Good to see Jimmy Havoc looking very pop-punk in that Take Me Out video.

[Deanjam]

Here's how the Observer HOF voting went.

WRESTLING OBSERVER

HALL OF FAME BALLOTING RESULTS

Votes needed for induction into the Hall of Fame: U.S. and Canada modern 173; U.S. and Canada Historical 155; Japan 101; Mexico 107; Rest of the World 117

PERFORMER VOTES PCT 2017
     
L.A. PARK                 131    74%    47%
JERRY JARRETT         209    73%    50%
JIMMY HART                 205    71%    54%
BILL APTER                 195    68%    52%
HOWARD FINKEL         191    66%    54%
GARY HART                 176    61%    55%
YUJI NAGATA                 101    60%    50%
Los Misioneros de la
Muerte                         101    57%    57%
Jun Akiyama         92    55%    47%
Ultimo Guerrero         98    55%    50%
Villano III         98    55%    50%
Akira Taue         87    52%    34%
Sgt. Slaughter         145    50%    41%
Edge         143    50%    49%
Jim Crockett Sr.         128    50%    50%
Kenny Omega         83    49%    ----
Cien Caras         86    49%    49%
Dr. Wagner Jr.         86    49%    45%
Bearcat Wright         125    48%    41%
Junkyard Dog         137    48%    31%
Sputnik Monroe         120    47%    41%
Karloff Lagarde         83    47%    46%
Johnny "Wrestling II" Walker         118    46%    31%
Johnny Saint         83    44%    50%
Blanchard/Anderson w/Dillon         124    43%    45%
Yoshiaki Fujiwara         64    38%    35%
Blue Panther         68    38%    41%
Enrique Torres         95    37%    36%
Don Owen         105    37%    50%
Red Bastien         89    35%    25%
Randy Orton         102    35%    23%
Big Daddy         66    35%    35%
Larry Matysik         101    35%    30%
Johnny Rougeau         84    33%    ----
Hayabusa         53    32%    37%
Stanley Weston         83    32%    45%
Bill Goldberg         89    31%    30%
Kiyoshi Tamura         50    30%    24%
George Scott         77    30%    34%
Jim Crockett Jr.         83    29%    30%
Rollerball Mark Rocco         50    27%    38%
June Byers         68    26%    24%
Los Brazos         44    25%    32%
Jackie Pallo         48    25%    10%
Cima         41    24%    33%
Archie "Mongolian Stomper" Gouldie         59    23%    25%
Killer Karl Kox         41    22%    43%
Dave Brown         64    22%    28%
Tetsuya Naito         35    21%    16%
Von Brauners w/Saul Weingeroff         53    21%    18%
Trish Stratus         57    20%    13%
Kerry Von Erich         55    19%    16%
Chavo Guerrero Sr.         48    19%    11%
Cowboy Bob Ellis         47    18%    11%
John Tolos         47    18%    18%
Caristico         32    18%    25%
Rocky Johnson         44    17%    13%
Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan         28    17%    13%
Wild Bull Curry         42    16%    18%
Kota Ibushi         26    16%    13%
Huracan Ramirez         29    16%    24%
Otto Wanz         31    16%    23%
Rick Martel         44    15%    ----
Dominic DeNucci         29    15%    33%
Billy Joyce         29    15%    20%
George Steele         37    14%    20%
Ultimate Warrior         40    14%    18%
Kendo Nagasaki         24    13%    28%
Blackjack Mulligan         34    13%    17%
C.M. Punk         35    12%    24%
Mario Milano         23    12%    20%
Lord James Blears         23    12%    40%
Ricki Starr         23    12%    26%
Don Fargo         28    11%    10%
Spyros Arion         20    11%    38%

Less than 10% of votes from region and dropped from next year's ballot: Samoa Joe, Paul Jones, Horst Hoffman, Ed Francis, Johnny Barend, Ruben Juarez, Universo 2000, Vampiro, Steve Rickard



Dropped from next year's ballot due to the 15 year/50% rule: Kiyoshi Tamura, Blue Panther, Red Bastien, Johnny "Wrestling II" Walker, John Tolos, Cien Caras



Added to the ballot next year: Jose Lothario, Dick Slater, Morris Sigel, Bob Caudle, Matt & Jeff Hardy, Valiant Brothers, George Kidd, Tomohiro Ishii, James Melby, Stephanie McMahon, Volador Jr., Grand Wizard



Will be dropped next year if not inducted or 50%: Don Owen, Jun Akiyama, Villano III

Who the fuck has put Stephanie McMahon on next year's ballot?

[sevendaughters]

Like her or not, she's been a major star in a company for 20 years.

[Deanjam]

A major star through nepotism. But what is she actually good at? Even Shane I would baulk at and he at least has a talent for falling off things.

[up_the_hampipe]

A major star through nepotism. But what is she actually good at? Even Shane I would baulk at and he at least has a talent for falling off things.

For all the disdain I have for her as a "businesswoman", you can't deny she has been a great performer (excluding wrestling) over the years. She's Vince Jr. She overstayed her welcome at certain points, but she knows what she's doing out there for the most part.