Official Pro-Wrestling Thread (WWE, TNA, ROH etc.)

[Jono]

Would love if there is only one world title again.

 

[GIMH]

Anyone see Hell in a Cell? Great show. Main event was a bit meh but everything else was good. Triple threat, WWE title match and Cena-Barrett were particularly awesome.

Spoiler

Danced around my living room when Wade won. Looks like Nexus will only be getting bigger from here.

Who was the guy in blue? Some are saying McGillicutty but I thought he looked too big to be him? Obviously the guy in red was Husky.

 

[Manee]

Spoiler

Kane Vs Taker ending was very meh. Rest of the show was good and it would seem that we have Mcgillicutty, Harris and now Cena joining the Nexus which could be interesting. The main question is who do the Nexus have to feud with other than perhaps R Truth and John Morrison.

 

[masterblaster]

Great show tonight. Loved the Triple Threat and the Cena vs Barrett match was off the charts with a really hot crowd. Raw should be very interesting tomorrow.

 

[sledger]

Not seen the PPV, but great results all round. Looks like it was well booked and the right man won every match. Had a feeling that a Bearer heel turn was in the works, well done WWE for keeping the strap on Kane.

With Cena now a part of Nexus, it's surely only a matter of time before we see the return of HHH. Within the next 2 months I'll say. Looking forward to RAW tonight.

 

[GIMH]

Spoiler

Kane Vs Taker ending was very meh. Rest of the show was good and it would seem that we have Mcgillicutty, Harris and now Cena joining the Nexus which could be interesting. The main question is who do the Nexus have to feud with other than perhaps R Truth and John Morrison.

Are you sure it was McGillicutty? Looked too big to me.

Nexus have the whole roster to feud with, I wouldn't worry...Mr Orton is without a feud, for example.

 

[Manee]

Whoever it was, I hope that:
a) They are revealed on the last Raw that I have at home before Uni (where I may miss a few).
b) McGillicutty does not cut another promo, lest we see a repeat of the likes of my sig.

 

[GIMH]

Haha. Well McGillicutty is a good fit for Nexus if it was him (lots of people seem to think he was so I am probably wrong, just didn't strike me as like him at all whereas Husky was instantly obvious and tbh I thought it a bit silly that Cole didn't recognise him) as they are all serviceable on the mic currently but could do with MM's in-ring abilities - I don't think any of them are terrible but he would be able to go with a lot of the people they are coming up against. Otunga and Tarver are good characters but need a lot of development in the ring, Heath is safe and will bump like a bitch but couldn't carry off PPV-matches just yet, which leaves just Barrett and Gabriel. Adding MM to the mix improves things there, and of course then you have John 'Awesome Matches on Every PPV Without Fail' Cena & Husky Harris.

Nexus could be stronger than ever here, I'm really excited about watching Raw after work tomorrow.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Would love if there is only one world title again.

Totally agree. Having too many titles is confusing, loses its meaning and you end up with a boxing sort of thing where the casuals are saying "yeah but who is the champion".

You don't need a title to elevate someone to the main event. I loved the old Undisputed title days where the champ was on both shows.

 

[sledger]

Those days didn't really last all that long though itbt. Was only a matter of months iirc.

 

[Jono]

Still, I still prefer the days of there being one guy who was "the man" in the company, and when he got it, it was his time to shine.

Thinking Austin 98, Trips back in 2000, Angle late 2000 and early 2001.

I know wrestling is different now with the multiple rosters and stuff, but that doesn't mean you need two championship belts. Being the champion of "Smackdown" just doesn't have the same ring, no matter what you call the belt.

 

[Manee]

Agree with Jono. Pretty meh toward uniting the US and the IC titles, but I would like to see one World Champion.

 

[GIMH]

Bottom line is that the brand split doesn't work with one title and there are too many guys on the roster for one brand.

You get rid of a world title, then say goodbye to the chance of a guy like The Miz, CM Punk, Wade Barrett, Jack Swagger getting a title shot, nevermind a title run. And say hello to stagnation - it's fine that you always have a Cena/HHH/Orton/Edge/Taker as champ because it's generally offset by a younger guy like Sheamus, or someone like Jericho, Rey Rey, getting a run with the other belt which keeps things fresh.

If they do it, I could be proved wrong of course, but that's how I see it.

 

[Jono]

I put a massive disclaimer on my viewpoint, as quite frankly I haven't followed properly since 2005/06, and tbh, if Bret Hart's return didn't get me to watch it again properly, then nothing will I think.

So I could be a guy who isn't familiar enough with the current state of the WWE to properly comment. What I can say is that I wholeheartedly think that the split titles played a part in holding the title meaning slightly less than it does a few years ago.

Anyway, it seems like in terms of "big names/flagship wrestlers", Raw always has more of them. Which makes the SD title scene less "reputable", even if it does have the midcarders who are awesome in the ring and people want to see get a push. Putting gold on them doesn't automatically mean they've got the cred or it has the meaning that it did when Foley won the title for the first time.

One of, if not my favourite wrestling moment ever is still Chris Benoit (gasp, I know) winning the title at Mania 20, and that was when the titles were split, so I don't think it's the worst thing ever or anything. But still, being WWE World Champion was just so much better than what is realistically a Raw Champion and Smackdown Champion, no matter the random differences they give the names of the titles.

 

[sledger]

I put a massive disclaimer on my viewpoint, as quite frankly I haven't followed properly since 2005/06, and tbh, if Bret Hart's return didn't get me to watch it again properly, then nothing will I think.

So I could be a guy who isn't familiar enough with the current state of the WWE to properly comment. What I can say is that I wholeheartedly think that the split titles played a part in holding the title meaning slightly less than it does a few years ago.

Anyway, it seems like in terms of "big names/flagship wrestlers", Raw always has more of them. Which makes the SD title scene less "reputable", even if it does have the midcarders who are awesome in the ring and people want to see get a push. Putting gold on them doesn't automatically mean they've got the cred or it has the meaning that it did when Foley won the title for the first time.

One of, if not my favourite wrestling moment ever is still Chris Benoit (gasp, I know) winning the title at Mania 20, and that was when the titles were split, so I don't think it's the worst thing ever or anything. But still, being WWE World Champion was just so much better than what is realistically a Raw Champion and Smackdown Champion, no matter the random differences they give the names of the titles.

I do agree with more or less everything you say here, I do think having two titles devalues the prestige of the achievement somewhat, and I really do miss the days where it was possible to identify one guy who was the absolute top of the company. However, I think it has got to the stage where that aspect of the WWE is just a thing of the past. As GIMH has mentioned, to have one world title at this stage would just not work given the way the Rosters are broken down and how the company generally operates these days. Having one world title just wouldn't really be feasible with the brand split still intact, and getting rid of the brand split would massively limit the chances of the developing talent. It's worth bearing in mind that the general strength of the roster is tenfold what it was back in 2002, or even when the split was introduced. Back in those days the undercard of a PPV would often include dross that nobody much cared about, like the Holly's or the APA vs Test and Albert or something equally mundane. That sort of undercard just does not exist anymore, in comparison to the smaller PPVs of the early 2000s most of the PPVs these days look like super cards. Though I've never been a huge fan of teh brand split for most of its lifespan, I would say that it really is crucial in the development of younger talent, and for it to work properly imo it needs a prestigious title. Having a world champion appearing on both shows would complicate things uneccesarily imo, having the World Champion enter into a feud with someone on Smackdown but then show up on RAW every week would not only be pointless, but would take attention away from whatever else RAW was pushing as it's big storyline. Similarly, ending the brand split would result in Cena, Orton, Edge, HHH, Taker, Rey, Big Show, Nexus, Miz, Kane, Punk, Truth, McIntyre, Morrison, Kofi, Christian, Swagger etc... all in one place, and although making up a strong line up, would just clutter everything. None of the younger guys would get the airtime that they deserved, and those that I haven't mentioned would have their chances restricted massively. WWE has done well to shake off the image of not pushing younger guys over the last 2-3 years, and it would be an awful move to go back on all of the good work done so far.

 

[GIMH]

Jono, I think your disclaimer is a fair one, as I think the roster is stronger now than when you last watched where guys who perhaps weren't top-line were getting shots at the gold, and that doesn't happen as often now.

Everything else I think, sledger has basically said above this post. can't actually believe he's made a post that good, I almost fell off my chair.

 

[sledger]

Jono, I think your disclaimer is a fair one, as I think the roster is stronger now than when you last watched where guys who perhaps weren't top-line were getting shots at the gold, and that doesn't happen as often now.

Everything else I think, sledger has basically said above this post. can't actually believe he's made a post that good, I almost fell off my chair.

Only said it because I thought you wouldn't be reading it tbh.

 

[Jono]

Yep, all sounds fair. The title split wasn't something I despised or anything, but a single world title is just one of those things that I'll always prefer I guess, or look back on fondly.

I'm very wary of being the guy who doesn't watch something for ages and comes in and bag the current state of it, not understanding the natural evolution of the sport/scene. Particularly with wrestling.

 

[GIMH]

Something I've wondered, on a semi-related note, Jono, is do you follow this thread a lot? Seem to post whenever an old favourite of yours is mentioned or whatever.

Not bagging you or anything, just being a nosey ****

 

[Jono]

Yeah read most if not all posts. Often don't understand a lot of it when newcomers are mentioned, but if I read something I can comment about, or seek clarification on something (e.g. Jericho having a go at IWC) then I'll ask you fellas