*Official* Pro-Wrestling Thread II

[Bahseph]

Ibushi is just the ace. The only thing he can't do is speak English fluently.

 

[Athlai]

I think the big failing of the CW division is that they stopped making matches matter. The tournament narrative is something easy for an audience to follow, it got people pretty excited for the matches. (Also definitely acknowledging that they were also appealing to a niche audience, but still think they were getting more interest before they were on the roster).

Since coming to Raw they've had a TJ Perkins/Brian Kendrick story and nothing for anyone else. They gave them a standard "Raw" storyline but left it in an isolated bubble from anyone else, all these new characters only interacting with one another yet playing by exactly the same rules as the rest of the roster. Reckon they should have just copied the G1 tournament structure. Ensured the Cruiserweight title matches lined up with a big PPV (Wrestlemania/Rumble/Summerslam/MITB) and just make it something completely different.

 

[King Pietersen]

Taker's coming back. Smackdown 900!

 

[Mike5181]

I think they realised that with the cruiserweight division. They are getting their own show on the network now. Called 205 I think.

With the benefit of hindsight the cruiserweight tournament would have been a much better introduction for the division than a random TJ Perkins vs. Kendrick feud with the occasional dancing Swann appearance thrown in.

 

[Mike5181]

I must admit, though I really want to see Styles vs. Taker, I only want to see it on the condition that it's a one off Smackdown thing. I know AJ can get a good match out of Taker, even at his age. However, I don't want it to lead to a feud that culminates in a Wrestlemania match. I want AJ to face someone who'd give him a match of the card sort of deal, which I think he deserves after an ok but unspectacular Jericho match this year.

 

[Athlai]

What would you want for the Styles match at this point?

 

[Dan]

6-man ladder match, obvs

 

[Mike5181]

What would you want for the Styles match at this point?

If Taker's off the table, then Cena probably is too. They can have their match together with Taker officially retiring at the end of it. Which is right, that probably should happen. Taker vs. Orton or even vs. Styles wouldn't have the same significance.

To me, that'd leave two (in my view anyway) ideal options. Samoa Joe or Shinsuke Nakamura. Dean Ambrose is all right, but meh. Some people say Brock Lesnar, but I'm not so sure. Maybe that's the wildcard match. Maybe Styles is a good enough performer to pull if off, but maybe Lesnar is just too big and too invincible for someone as small as Styles to believably beat him.

In the near (ish) future, I see one of Joe/Nakamura going to RAW and the other going to Smackdown. Really it's a win-win situation with both feuds writing themselves. Both guys have history with Styles. Nakamura ---> Smackdown makes sense because of the language barrier and being only 2hrs, but maybe they see him being a bigger deal so they want him on the number one show. I selfishly want him on Smackdown.

In order of preference:

1. Shinsuke Nakamura
2. John Cena
3. Samoa Joe
4. Brock Lesnar (the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of it).

 

[Mike5181]

Then again, there's no indication Nakamura's moving up anytime soon. Wrestlemania's, what, April. Plenty of time if they get their **** together.

 

[Athlai]

If Taker's off the table, then Cena probably is too. They can have their match together with Taker officially retiring at the end of it. Which is right, that probably should happen. Taker vs. Orton or even vs. Styles wouldn't have the same significance.

To me, that'd leave two (in my view anyway) ideal options. Samoa Joe or Shinsuke Nakamura. Dean Ambrose is all right, but meh. Some people say Brock Lesnar, but I'm not so sure. Maybe that's the wildcard match. Maybe Styles is a good enough performer to pull if off, but maybe Lesnar is just too big and too invincible for someone as small as Styles to believably beat him.

In the near (ish) future, I see one of Joe/Nakamura going to RAW and the other going to Smackdown. Really it's a win-win situation with both feuds writing themselves. Both guys have history with Styles. Nakamura ---> Smackdown makes sense because of the language barrier and being only 2hrs, but maybe they see him being a bigger deal so they want him on the number one show. I selfishly want him on Smackdown.

In order of preference:

1. Shinsuke Nakamura
2. John Cena
3. Samoa Joe
4. Brock Lesnar (the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of it).

Would prefer Bray Wyatt over Joe personally. If it's over the belt anyway.

 

[Jono]

I think the big failing of the CW division

heheh. I'm imagining a CW wrestling organisation. Sledger's gimmick would be a bitter and angry uni lectuer obvs

 

[honestbharani]

I must admit, though I really want to see Styles vs. Taker, I only want to see it on the condition that it's a one off Smackdown thing. I know AJ can get a good match out of Taker, even at his age. However, I don't want it to lead to a feud that culminates in a Wrestlemania match. I want AJ to face someone who'd give him a match of the card sort of deal, which I think he deserves after an ok but unspectacular Jericho match this year.

What would you want for the Styles match at this point?

Taker's coming back. Smackdown 900!

If Taker's off the table, then Cena probably is too. They can have their match together with Taker officially retiring at the end of it. Which is right, that probably should happen. Taker vs. Orton or even vs. Styles wouldn't have the same significance.



To me, that'd leave two (in my view anyway) ideal options. Samoa Joe or Shinsuke Nakamura. Dean Ambrose is all right, but meh. Some people say Brock Lesnar, but I'm not so sure. Maybe that's the wildcard match. Maybe Styles is a good enough performer to pull if off, but maybe Lesnar is just too big and too invincible for someone as small as Styles to believably beat him.

In the near (ish) future, I see one of Joe/Nakamura going to RAW and the other going to Smackdown. Really it's a win-win situation with both feuds writing themselves. Both guys have history with Styles. Nakamura ---> Smackdown makes sense because of the language barrier and being only 2hrs, but maybe they see him being a bigger deal so they want him on the number one show. I selfishly want him on Smackdown.

In order of preference:

1. Shinsuke Nakamura
2. John Cena
3. Samoa Joe
4. Brock Lesnar (the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of it).

Good chance that they will let Taker win the belt at some point and let him have a run before he bows out at WM. Cena Vs Taker for the title with Taker's non-Lesnar Streak Vs Cena going past Flair would probably be a good story.

 

[Athlai]

heheh. I'm imagining a CW wrestling organisation. Sledger's gimmick would be a bitter and angry uni lectuer obvs

Howe with the belt at the moment, total babyface that got there through hardwork. He's our Ricky Steamboat.

 

[sledger]

heheh. I'm imagining a CW wrestling organisation. Sledger's gimmick would be a bitter and angry uni lectuer obvs

Haha what do you mean gimmick?

 

[sledger]

I think the big failing of the CW division is that they stopped making matches matter. The tournament narrative is something easy for an audience to follow, it got people pretty excited for the matches. (Also definitely acknowledging that they were also appealing to a niche audience, but still think they were getting more interest before they were on the roster).

Since coming to Raw they've had a TJ Perkins/Brian Kendrick story and nothing for anyone else. They gave them a standard "Raw" storyline but left it in an isolated bubble from anyone else, all these new characters only interacting with one another yet playing by exactly the same rules as the rest of the roster. Reckon they should have just copied the G1 tournament structure. Ensured the Cruiserweight title matches lined up with a big PPV (Wrestlemania/Rumble/Summerslam/MITB) and just make it something completely different.

Yeah, agree. The way they had Kendrick saying "this is my absolute last chance" throughout the CWC, only for him then to lose, but show up on RAW anyway, and start saying the same thing doesn't help things either.

 

[sledger]

Not sure who I would like to see Styles face at WM. Not Undertaker, more or less for the same reasons Mike mentioned. Not Cena because that's been done enough.

Styles vs Rollins/Balor would likely be good if they could work out the inter-brand mechanics of it all, and if the latter is fit again by that point in time.

Styles vs Joe would be awesome, if their previous matches are anything to go by. Maybe the E can sign Christopher Daniels and make it a triple threat.

Styles v Lesnar could be great if it's booked similarly to Lesnar vs Punk. It being another Lesnar vs Ambrose job would be terrible though.

 

[Athlai]

Balor expected back Jan-Mar

 

[Bahseph]

Who is AJ going to feud with next anyway? They obviously aren't giving he title to Dean again for now. My bets on someone getting called up after TLC. My money is on Joe. Nakamura is going to be in NXT for a while and Joe is so good at being a jerk or a bad ass that the heel/face dynamic between him and AJ will be amazing.

 

[sledger]

Joe very likely I should think. Should have been on the main roster months ago.

 

[Mike5181]

Jericho must have some grapefruit sized balls taking on Brock Lesnar and now Sin Cara