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

[sledger]

Seems like the Sting to WWE rumours are a bit of a no go, sadly. In that case I really hope that we get Barrett v Taker at WM, would be the logical choice. Failing that would love to see Taker v Cena. As Taker's condition is apparently getting worse and worse at a fairly rapid rate the chances for this happening seem to be getting slimmer and slimmer, which is a shame. If it never happens I really think the E will have missed a trick.

In another news, the WM28 is going to be in Miami....surely will have to get the Rock involved somehow if that is the case.

 

[Majin]

Got a hunch that The Rock might be this guest host Vinny Mac brought up on RAW for some reason. Probably won't happen, but it would be awesome.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Seems like the Sting to WWE rumours are a bit of a no go, sadly. In that case I really hope that we get Barrett v Taker at WM, would be the logical choice. Failing that would love to see Taker v Cena. As Taker's condition is apparently getting worse and worse at a fairly rapid rate the chances for this happening seem to be getting slimmer and slimmer, which is a shame. If it never happens I really think the E will have missed a trick.

In another news, the WM28 is going to be in Miami....surely will have to get the Rock involved somehow if that is the case.

I honestly think that would be awful. I really don't get the Wade Barrett hype. He's OK, but headlining Wrestlemania? That's a whole different ballpark.

The problem with Taker at Wrestlemania is they've built the streak up to such a level that it is so easy to disappoint. Which basically means you have to give him someone who the fans realistically believe can beat him. Edge was one of those and we got a great match; HBK, while everyone and his dog knew in the run up to both WMs that he was never going over, pulled off two great matches because he made me believe that "hold on, they're ****ing going to put HBK over!"

But Barrett? A guy who is still inexperienced as hell? You run into the problem there that you aren't going to get a great spectacle, Barrett is hardly over as rover, and if they tried to swerve everyone by having Wade Barrett of all people break the streak you'd kill the crowd dead and piss people off (and not in a good way).

The Undertaker only has so many 'Manias left, so unless it is a dream match (i.e. vs. Sting or Austin or whatever) make it as high profile is you can. I get the feeling he's got two more left in him - probably Triple H and Cena. I'd be happy with that.

 

[sledger]

I honestly think that would be awful. I really don't get the Wade Barrett hype. He's OK, but headlining Wrestlemania? That's a whole different ballpark.

The problem with Taker at Wrestlemania is they've built the streak up to such a level that it is so easy to disappoint. Which basically means you have to give him someone who the fans realistically believe can beat him. Edge was one of those and we got a great match; HBK, while everyone and his dog knew in the run up to both WMs that he was never going over, pulled off two great matches because he made me believe that "hold on, they're ****ing going to put HBK over!"

But Barrett? A guy who is still inexperienced as hell? You run into the problem there that you aren't going to get a great spectacle, Barrett is hardly over as rover, and if they tried to swerve everyone by having Wade Barrett of all people break the streak you'd kill the crowd dead and piss people off (and not in a good way).

The Undertaker only has so many 'Manias left, so unless it is a dream match (i.e. vs. Sting or Austin or whatever) make it as high profile is you can. I get the feeling he's got two more left in him - probably Triple H and Cena. I'd be happy with that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge Wade Barrett fan by any means, but I think he's not a bad choice here by any means. If he's to be a big main event player (which those in power clearly want him to be) then he needs a big opponent. I'm not suggesting that he should or will go over the Undertaker if he gets put in a match with him, but if they put on a good show together (which I see no reason why they can't) then he'll get over big, and that's in everyone's interests really. I think it's very easy to say "This challenger has no chance of breaking the streak etc... etc...", but it's only been on a few occasions where I haven't thought at least for a moment "hang on....there could be a chance here"..(see Henry, Mark). There's also no real need for the match to headline WM (neither should it IMO), but if it goes anywhere on the uppercard it'd be something that would interest me a lot. Would I really want to see HHH vs Taker again?.....hmmm yeah wouldn't be opposed, but I don't think it would give me the same sort of satisfaction as the matches against HBK, nor would it make me sit up and think "wow this is something fresh and exciting", I'm sure it would be a good match, but I would rather see something else. However, having said that, if the big matches at WM this year are going to be Miz vs Cena and Edge v Del Rio, much as I like the sound of both of them, I would concede they are perhaps dwindling in star power somewhat, so something else would be needed to draw for the show...so I guess we will see...

 

[sledger]

Got a hunch that The Rock might be this guest host Vinny Mac brought up on RAW for some reason. Probably won't happen, but it would be awesome.

Internet rumours seem to agree with you tbh, so fingers crossed. Though I doubt it's the Rock (though I would love it if it was), I expect it is someone who will be expected to work a match or angle at and going into WM. So I daresay, rather than it being some celebrity, the chances of it being an actual wrestler are pretty good...and a big name one at that.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge Wade Barrett fan by any means, but I think he's not a bad choice here by any means. If he's to be a big main event player (which those in power clearly want him to be) then he needs a big opponent. I'm not suggesting that he should or will go over the Undertaker if he gets put in a match with him, but if they put on a good show together (which I see no reason why they can't) then he'll get over big, and that's in everyone's interests really. I think it's very easy to say "This challenger has no chance of breaking the streak etc... etc...", but it's only been on a few occasions where I haven't thought at least for a moment "hang on....there could be a chance here"..(see Henry, Mark). There's also no real need for the match to headline WM (neither should it IMO), but if it goes anywhere on the uppercard it'd be something that would interest me a lot. Would I really want to see HHH vs Taker again?.....hmmm yeah wouldn't be opposed, but I don't think it would give me the same sort of satisfaction as the matches against HBK, nor would it make me sit up and think "wow this is something fresh and exciting", I'm sure it would be a good match, but I would rather see something else. However, having said that, if the big matches at WM this year are going to be Miz vs Cena and Edge v Del Rio, much as I like the sound of both of them, I would concede they are perhaps dwindling in star power somewhat, so something else would be needed to draw for the show...so I guess we will see...

Yeah for the most part I don't disagree with you. Problem is, as much as I like 'Taker, he's severely limited in what he can do. There's only so many guys you can throw him against that have the ability to do most of the leg work in a match, otherwise he could very well stink up the joint like against Kane (though, they always stink up the joint against each other). From what I gather they won't go down the Undertaker/Barrett path, but if they did it would be a huge responsibility on an inexperienced guy to get a match that lives up the expectations of Undertaker at Wrestlemania which have basically trippled over the last two years.

Out of interest, since the Deadman gimmick came back has Triple H fought him much? I know there was a brief period when they were both on Smackdown, but I've got little recollection of it.

 

[sledger]

I think for the majority of the time they were both on Smackdown recently Taker was inactive for most of it, iirc anyway. I believe they did have a match though, was whilst HHH was WWE champion, don't actually recall the result.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

With the way the WWE operates these days, there are so few of these sort matches left aren't there? There's basically Taker/HHH and Taker/Cena left of the dream matches that haven't been done to death in recent years.

Case in point: the absolute silence for the Cena/Orton staredown at the Rumble.

 

[sledger]

With the way the WWE operates these days, there are so few of these sort matches left aren't there? There's basically Taker/HHH and Taker/Cena left of the dream matches that haven't been done to death in recent years.

Case in point: the absolute silence for the Cena/Orton staredown at the Rumble.

Edge/HHH would be one other one I could think of that hasn't really been done over the top. But it is worth remembering that the WWE has lost several of its top names over the last year or so, with HBK, Jericho and Batista all leaving the organisation it's got to be expected that these types of matches are going to become less commonplace. The fact that there is an absence of these matches but yet the entire product has been kept strong is testament to how well the company has coped in the absence of these bigger names. Great to see Dolph Ziggler continues to get big exposure even after his fodder challenge at WM, must surely be a favourite for the MITB if they have it this year.

Edit: HHH/Cena is another one I would like to see go again. They had a match last year sometime iirc, but a full blown feud would be great to see. The last one they had around WM22 was a bit of a damp squib for me, not bad by any case, but as HHH was a tweener more than an out and out heel at that stage it wasn't as epic as it perhaps could/should have been.

 

[GIMH]

Triple H and Taker were the last two in a Chamber match in 09 (the one where Edge got pinned in like a minute and entered the Raw one later that night) and they tore the house down. Wouldn't mind more of that?

Sledger, what's the latest on Sting then?

 

[Majin]

I think the thing you have to remember WRT Wade Barrett vs Taker is that currently there is absolutely nothing on the WWE roster that they could put together that would be remotely close to the last two Mania matches Taker has had. Not that that's a slight on the roster in any way, but we all know just how bloody good the HBK vs Taker matches were, absolutely incredible. How exactly is anyone supposed to follow that? Taker vs whoever from the current roster in a straight 1v1 would seem like Nasty Boy Knobbs vs Kurgan whichever way they tried to play it following on from those two matches.

With Barrett, you also have the Corre to consider, who would undoubtedly find themselves involved in the match one way or another, possibly on more than one occasion. Seeing as they aren't going to be putting on a masterclass wrestling match, they're going to have to go with a spectacle, and I personally can't think of a better route they can go than having Taker's streak being severely threatened by The Corre and him coming back against all odds to keep it alive. That sort of scenario makes a lot more sense for cementing the legacy of the streak, and gives enough variables and possible angles to make for an exciting storyline to the match that will gloss over the fact that it's never going to be HBK/Taker 2 all over again.

 

[GIMH]

It also makes sense given Nexus's involvement last time we saw Taker

 

[sledger]

Triple H and Taker were the last two in a Chamber match in 09 (the one where Edge got pinned in like a minute and entered the Raw one later that night) and they tore the house down. Wouldn't mind more of that?

Sledger, what's the latest on Sting then?

Most news sites are vehemently stating that Sting has NOT signed any deal with WWE and that there has been no contact between the two parties. The promos that are being aired are supposedly for the Undertaker. Obviously these sites are mainly run by fans who supposedly have "inside sources" and so on, so whatever they say is probably best taken with a pinch of salt, but it's rare for them all to be so adamant about something and then end up being proved wrong. I guess we'll have to wait and see. One thing worth bearing in mind I suppose is that the promos are ambiguous enough for them to be for a variety of people, so there is still time for negotiations to take place by the 21st.

 

[sledger]

* Samoa Joe vs. The Pope
* Street Fight: Bully Ray vs. Brother Devon
* 3 Way #1 Contenders Match For The X Title: Max Buck vs. Jeremy Buck vs. Robbie E
* Last Knockout Standing Knockouts Title Match: Madison Rayne © vs. Mickie James
* Matt Hardy vs. RVD
* Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle (If Kurt Angle wins, he gets custody of his kids, if Jeff Jarrett wins, Kurt Angle has to walk Karen Jarrett down the aisle on March 3rd.)
* TNA World Title Ladder Match: Mr. Anderson © vs. Jeff Hardy

Card is up for the next TNA PPV, can't honestly say I'm enthused by much of that. Pope and Joe are both good, but not a lot to get excited about here. Dudley Boyz in singles competition? No thanks. No idea who the three in the X division match even are, which probably means a lot of flipping about and interesting spots and not a lot of psycology on display. Knockouts match will probably be well worked, not interested though. Matt Hardy vs RVD, lol. Angle vs Jarrett will probably be fine, hate matches with these sorts of stips though. Main event should be prettty decent though, but as Hardy is tied up in his court case I'd have thought it'll be a win for Anderson in what ought to be an entertaining affair.

I gather TNA's ratings are up amongst their highest ever, so they must have somehow improved.

 

[GIMH]

If you pause the videos from last week when the date turns to smoke, it spells Sting

Well,kinda

 

[sledger]

If you pause the videos from last week when the date turns to smoke, it spells Sting

Well,kinda

Itstl, it does? Was not aware of that.

Tbh, despite the reports I'm by no means convinced that it definitely is not Sting. Somehow it just doesn't fit the Undertaker to have promos like this. I don't think his absence has been long enough to justify a big build up for a mystery return like this either, seeing as everyone knows it's bound to happen. The E has done rather well at keeping things under wraps in instances such as this for a while now, and things have not been at all predictable over the last year or so...so I'm still very much hoping that it will be Sting...

 

[sledger]

Haha oh yeah, having just watched it again I see what you mean....

What I'd infer from all this is that negotiations are afoot but the deal is not yet done, hence why the promo could yet be for the Undertaker. Not that they would come out and explicitly reveal it was Sting if he had signed mind you, but still..

 

[masterblaster]

It's Sting. It has to be. Why would Undertaker have a special promo like that? He's disappared and appeared a bunch of times so it really wouldn't need a special promo like that.

Plus the promo that WWE has produced is very similar to the Sting promo that WCW ran in the buildup to Starrcade 97. Youtube that promo and notice the background music, the style of the promo and you'll see that it is a pretty close match with the WWE's promo video.

It it ends up being a promo for the return of the Undertaker, expect a pretty flat response. I almost thought for a second that it might be Chris Jericho as well, because when the 2-21-11 clears up into smoke, I almost thought for a second that the smoke takes the shape of the old Jericho with arms out image but then again that could just be another co-incidence.

Although count me in the group of people who do think it's Sting and that this is a brilliant tactic by WWE to create interest in Wrestlemania. I also think it has to be The Rock who's going to be announced as the Guest Host of Wrestlemania so hopefully we could get a Wrestlemania with involvement from both Sting and The Rock this year.

 

[sledger]

Ok, you've sold it to me MB, so it better be like you say, or I'll be sad

On a side note, just been watching the RAW from when Eddie Guerrero died, and there are some awesome matches on that show. Just finished watching Shelton Benjamin vs Kurt Angle, what a match that was.

Edit: HBK v Rey was pretty great as well, and as far as I can remember it was the only ever time they had a one on one match.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Edge/HHH would be one other one I could think of that hasn't really been done over the top. But it is worth remembering that the WWE has lost several of its top names over the last year or so, with HBK, Jericho and Batista all leaving the organisation it's got to be expected that these types of matches are going to become less commonplace. The fact that there is an absence of these matches but yet the entire product has been kept strong is testament to how well the company has coped in the absence of these bigger names. Great to see Dolph Ziggler continues to get big exposure even after his fodder challenge at WM, must surely be a favourite for the MITB if they have it this year.

ftr, I meant that in this day and age with four shows a week and twelve pay-per-views it is very rare to see high profile matches they haven't done to death yet.

It's Sting. It has to be. Why would Undertaker have a special promo like that? He's disappared and appeared a bunch of times so it really wouldn't need a special promo like that.

Plus the promo that WWE has produced is very similar to the Sting promo that WCW ran in the buildup to Starrcade 97. Youtube that promo and notice the background music, the style of the promo and you'll see that it is a pretty close match with the WWE's promo video.

It it ends up being a promo for the return of the Undertaker, expect a pretty flat response. I almost thought for a second that it might be Chris Jericho as well, because when the 2-21-11 clears up into smoke, I almost thought for a second that the smoke takes the shape of the old Jericho with arms out image but then again that could just be another co-incidence.

Although count me in the group of people who do think it's Sting and that this is a brilliant tactic by WWE to create interest in Wrestlemania. I also think it has to be The Rock who's going to be announced as the Guest Host of Wrestlemania so hopefully we could get a Wrestlemania with involvement from both Sting and The Rock this year.

I honestly think these are for The Undertajer. If Sting does end up showing up, I'd imagine it would be as a result of them changing plans very late. From what Meltzer says, there was no contact before the videos aired between the WWE and Sting but the speculation has at least interested both parties.

Don't think it'll happen but, and he'll return to TNA.