GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
Quality pic
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*Official* Pro-Wrestling Thread II
- Thread starter GIMH
- Start date
sledger
Spanish_Vicente
Good show on the whole, I thought, but the whole event lacked the "big match feel" of Wrestlemania's past for mine. Which is odd, because there were plenty of huge moments.
Taker losing was actually amazing, but I really wish Lesnar hadn't been the one to end it. Should have been Cena imo. Whilst I agree with Jono that they could, and maybe should, have used it to put someone over, I expect the E was worried about giving the opportunity to someone who'd then later jump ship/bail out meaning the whole thing went to waste. Given what later transpired, imagine if they put Punk over Taker last year; it'd look pretty bad right now. Lesnar is at least a known commodity in the sense that he's permanently over, and has a clear working relationship with the company I guess. What a reaction from the crowd though, so many looks of disbelief, never seen anything like that.
Main Event was great imo. The whole thing was booked perfectly.
I guess we'll now get Orton/Bryan at extreme rules, since he never "lost" his title(s).
Taker losing was actually amazing, but I really wish Lesnar hadn't been the one to end it. Should have been Cena imo. Whilst I agree with Jono that they could, and maybe should, have used it to put someone over, I expect the E was worried about giving the opportunity to someone who'd then later jump ship/bail out meaning the whole thing went to waste. Given what later transpired, imagine if they put Punk over Taker last year; it'd look pretty bad right now. Lesnar is at least a known commodity in the sense that he's permanently over, and has a clear working relationship with the company I guess. What a reaction from the crowd though, so many looks of disbelief, never seen anything like that.
Main Event was great imo. The whole thing was booked perfectly.
I guess we'll now get Orton/Bryan at extreme rules, since he never "lost" his title(s).
OverratedSanity
Request Your Custom Title Now!
The guy in the hat who goes " *gasp* no" did it for me 
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OverratedSanity
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Well I agree on everything except the streak match. The buildup to it was pathetic, the match itself was bland and boring, until the shocker of a finale and it accomplishes nothing. Lesnar is a part timer and giving him the streak win sets up nothing exciting at all. Wouldn't have liked it if it was Cena either. It really should have been an upcoming monster heel.... Imagine the kind of heat he'd have built off the streak win. Woukdve given a young star a massive push and simultaneously given us the "next big thing" and the biggest, easily hateable heel ever. With Lesnar, there are just no exciting possibilities imo... it just seemed as though the WWE did it simply for the sake of shocking everyone. All well and good, but this'll go nowhere. If the streak had to end it had to end as a shock win but not to an already established star who isn't even a full timer anyway. Poor decision and they'll regret it
OverratedSanity
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Favorite match for me was Bryan vs HHH. Even better than the main event.
And how amazing was Rock, Austin, Hogan opening the show? Man oh man
And how amazing was Rock, Austin, Hogan opening the show? Man oh man
Agent TBY
International Captain
I'll type out my thoughts in a separate post, but first, let me offer a simple response to this:
This is why the IWC doesn't get taken seriously.
This is why the IWC doesn't get taken seriously.
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Agent TBY
International Captain
Absolutely incredible Wrestlemania. Probably second only to X7 in my eyes, and only because that one was the pinnacle and culmination of the hottest era in wrestling history. That said, I get the feeling that when all is said and done and the dust settles, this one is also going to leave a hugely significant mark in said history. You need only look at the prevalent theme in all of the matches and results—and heck, even in the very first segment—for evidence: the future was put over the past.
The type of story they gave Bryan, and its ending, almost guarantees him a permanent spot as a top guy. Props to Evolution because they busted their asses to make him. It was amazing just how much they stacked the odds against him and how convincingly he overcame them all. Great stuff.
I can't believe the streak's over, but it makes perfect sense considering the kind of shift they're going for. Streak matches had no place in future WMs, and it was the right time to go. Now that that's taken care of, Taker can either retire in peace or start the build to his final match tonight by coming out to give a retirement speech and getting interrupted by Sting. That is the one match that stands to gain most from the breaking of the streak: there's no longer an inevitable outcome or an anti-WWE agenda. Just two guys who have nothing left to give but one final dance, and that's a dream match-calibre story. Sure, the match itself will suck all kinds of balls, but boy will it ever be a spectacle.
As for Brock, the thing that sets him apart from the other top 'heels' in this era is that he's not a heel due to circumstance (Batista) or storyline (HHH, Punk last year, etc). He's just a right **** and people love to hate him even if they appreciate him as a performer. That is what makes him the perfect choice to end the streak because, let's face it, it had gotten too big for its own good and the feat would've only shackled any up-and-comer who could've been considered big enough to take on Taker and win. And I mean that in terms of both the character and his popularity. Lesnar and Heyman, though, have nothing to lose from it, and it'll only give them absolutely nuclear heat. Most importantly, it'll be the right kind of heat you'd want for a streak breaker.
Where do we go from here? Well, if you think back to Lesnar's return two years ago, we were all hoping for him to be this all-conquering monster heel, but in reality he jobbed to Cena, HHH, and was pushed to the brink by Punk. I assume that was all done to 'punish' him for leaving the E high and dry when they'd pushed him to the moon, or simply because they didn't trust him not to leave again. He had to pay his proverbial dues in a way he could, huge star that he is. But now that they've given him this rub, you can bet your bottom dollar that that monster, monster heel run is coming. He'll win the title at Summerslam and carry it through fall and winter, all while having great programs with the likes of Bryan and Cesaro. Finally, he'll use all the heat that generates to make a new star at WM XXXI—the guy the E see as their next man, Roman Reigns.
Could Reigns have ended the streak himself? Maybe, but he wasn't ready this year. People are currently going crazy for the idea of Reigns, but his singles matches just aren't there yet. And one look at Taker this year should've told you that he was on his last legs and couldn't wait around for someone to be ready. So he passed the torch, and that heat will indirectly make a new star in the near future. I find it hilarious that people are up in arms about Lesnar because he's the perfect middleman for all of this.
Or maybe I'm just being too optimistic. There's a chance that the E could mess it all up again, and they very well may. But the way they handled WM XXX has left me with a sense of optimism I haven't felt in a long time. Heck, I almost feel embarrassed to be posting such a long rant, and yet here I am, about to click post anyway.
The type of story they gave Bryan, and its ending, almost guarantees him a permanent spot as a top guy. Props to Evolution because they busted their asses to make him. It was amazing just how much they stacked the odds against him and how convincingly he overcame them all. Great stuff.
I can't believe the streak's over, but it makes perfect sense considering the kind of shift they're going for. Streak matches had no place in future WMs, and it was the right time to go. Now that that's taken care of, Taker can either retire in peace or start the build to his final match tonight by coming out to give a retirement speech and getting interrupted by Sting. That is the one match that stands to gain most from the breaking of the streak: there's no longer an inevitable outcome or an anti-WWE agenda. Just two guys who have nothing left to give but one final dance, and that's a dream match-calibre story. Sure, the match itself will suck all kinds of balls, but boy will it ever be a spectacle.
As for Brock, the thing that sets him apart from the other top 'heels' in this era is that he's not a heel due to circumstance (Batista) or storyline (HHH, Punk last year, etc). He's just a right **** and people love to hate him even if they appreciate him as a performer. That is what makes him the perfect choice to end the streak because, let's face it, it had gotten too big for its own good and the feat would've only shackled any up-and-comer who could've been considered big enough to take on Taker and win. And I mean that in terms of both the character and his popularity. Lesnar and Heyman, though, have nothing to lose from it, and it'll only give them absolutely nuclear heat. Most importantly, it'll be the right kind of heat you'd want for a streak breaker.
Where do we go from here? Well, if you think back to Lesnar's return two years ago, we were all hoping for him to be this all-conquering monster heel, but in reality he jobbed to Cena, HHH, and was pushed to the brink by Punk. I assume that was all done to 'punish' him for leaving the E high and dry when they'd pushed him to the moon, or simply because they didn't trust him not to leave again. He had to pay his proverbial dues in a way he could, huge star that he is. But now that they've given him this rub, you can bet your bottom dollar that that monster, monster heel run is coming. He'll win the title at Summerslam and carry it through fall and winter, all while having great programs with the likes of Bryan and Cesaro. Finally, he'll use all the heat that generates to make a new star at WM XXXI—the guy the E see as their next man, Roman Reigns.
Could Reigns have ended the streak himself? Maybe, but he wasn't ready this year. People are currently going crazy for the idea of Reigns, but his singles matches just aren't there yet. And one look at Taker this year should've told you that he was on his last legs and couldn't wait around for someone to be ready. So he passed the torch, and that heat will indirectly make a new star in the near future. I find it hilarious that people are up in arms about Lesnar because he's the perfect middleman for all of this.
Or maybe I'm just being too optimistic. There's a chance that the E could mess it all up again, and they very well may. But the way they handled WM XXX has left me with a sense of optimism I haven't felt in a long time. Heck, I almost feel embarrassed to be posting such a long rant, and yet here I am, about to click post anyway.
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GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
Great post TBY.
Got a lot of thoughts but really cbf to type them out. Suffice to say I have never bought the idea that we needed a young guy to end the streak. People said the same when Shawn ended Flair's career but ultimately legends like Taker and Flair should and did get their own say.
Got a lot of thoughts but really cbf to type them out. Suffice to say I have never bought the idea that we needed a young guy to end the streak. People said the same when Shawn ended Flair's career but ultimately legends like Taker and Flair should and did get their own say.
sledger
Spanish_Vicente
Just to pick up on one of your points, you're absolutely right to say that Evolution went all out to make Bryan look like a million dollars. They all bumped like crazy for him. Not seen any of HHH,Orton or Batista have a match as good as the ones they had last night for absolutely ages.
OverratedSanity
Request Your Custom Title Now!
Well I disagree with most of that actually. I just don't think Lesnar has the right kind of heat at all. If Lesnar goes on a monstrous run now, as he should, it might just work, but I just don't think he has enough charisma to pull as much heat as possible. He'll obviously be hated but if it had been a brash, established heel who actually had a personality it would've worked far far far better for me. That kind of personality couldve squeezed every ounce of hatred from the crowd. The key is Heyman... If he's handled well he'll be the one who draws all the heat that's necessary because he's brilliant at working the crowd, but I just think they'll screw it up and itll fizzle out without taking advantage of the full monumental nature of the streak being ended
I'm not as optimistic as you even though I agree it was a fantastic mania overall.
I'm not as optimistic as you even though I agree it was a fantastic mania overall.
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GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
Just to sum up the IWC, I read whinges last night that Bryan was being booked too much like Cena and that it devalues his wins
sledger
Spanish_Vicente
Haha really? I'd not seen that, but that's ****ing terrible. Wtf do they want ffs? This feud has been the best bit of wrestling storytelling we've seen for the last few years (at least), and it's not only culminated in a fantastic match, but their darling, Brian Danielson, King of the ****ing Indies, winning the WWE title at a landmark Wrestlemania.
This is pretty much the most significant title change I since Eddie beating Brock back in 2004 imo.
Jono
Virat Kohli (c)
Is Lesnar still as awesome in the ring, or close to it, as he was back in 2002-2004.
Man I used to love watching him.
Wish I could get into this again, but I'm too much of a stubborn **** and I'd have to give up some other **** I like watching to make the time.
Always cool to see what happen around Wrestlemania time though. I remember beaming for days after WM 20 when *ahem* you know who won the title.
Man I used to love watching him.
Wish I could get into this again, but I'm too much of a stubborn **** and I'd have to give up some other **** I like watching to make the time.
Always cool to see what happen around Wrestlemania time though. I remember beaming for days after WM 20 when *ahem* you know who won the title.
sledger
Spanish_Vicente
He's not as good as he was back then imo, but he's still more than decent. When you consider this in light of his general image and how awesome Heyman is his credibility is as high as it ever was for mine. Just a shame he's only on a part-time schedule really.
On the subject of WM20 though, I was thinking earlier how eerie it would have been if HHH had tapped out to the Crossface/Yes Lock when Bryan got him in it.
sledger
Spanish_Vicente
wat
This actually surprises me, I should have thought that as a wrasslin' fan you'd have heard of Brian Danielson? He was already fairly well known in ROH back when you last watched.
I thought HHH had faded in a big way in terms of ring work, and I couldn't recall a memorable match he's had for several years now, but his match last night was really decent imo. Showed that he's still got it. Though it's probs best for him and everyone else that he only wrestles sporadically imo.