Donald J Trump

I like the premise of the question in asking would it be what it is today, and it's worth thinking about exactly what it is today. 

To start with, Wrestling has survived and I don't think that's something that can ever be taken for granted. Some form of Wrestling will always exist somewhere, but there's no reason why it can't become an exceptionally niche type of entertainment or art form with significantly less appeal than it has now. Thinking back to the early 80s, there's definitely a sense that people were aware there was a wave coming that was going to change the business one way or another. I don't think Vince McMahon was that wave, he was just the only one that was really able to successfully ride it, and it would have happened with him or without him. Clearly, one person having success nationally made it inevitable that others would fail, but I'll always believe there was room for at least two big promotions. 

We'll never know if someone else would have filled that void had Vince not been there. I think Wrestling would have endured, and that one promotion would have ultimately emerged as the top dog, but would it be what it is? Youve essentially got a monopoly that's become an institution, and is to Wrestling what MLB is to baseball. I think it's hard to get from a point where everybody except Vince got left behind, to a place where one of those that got left behind would have been successful to the degree that WWE is. The same qualities and instincts that have ensured WWEs survival throughout decades of change and upheaval are the instincts and qualities that have pushed it to where it is now. If individuals were unable to survive, I don't think there's much evidence to suggest they'd have been able to thrive in the landscape of the past 40 years. 

Very few people will be sad to less Augmented Reality but I'm not sure it would be wise to go too full throttle with downgrading everything else. They're clearly trying to talk more positively about the product, which is sensible as long as what they're telling is isn't demonstrably at odds with reality. If all the "business is booming/new era" rhetoric is accompanied by a significant reduction in production values, there's only so much milage they'll get out of justifying it by telling us they just want to squeeze more punters in. 

Nobody would be happier than me to see a return to some neon lights around a fire escape as they had in the New Generation Era, but I'm not sure they really want to find themselves in a place where they aren't number one in terms of production values, even if they can save a few quid on pyro. It's amusing as a one off, but the champion squinting at a TV on a stand like it's a primary school assembly looks a bit cheap if it's the new normal. 

The most common reaction I get is people asking if The Undertakers still in it. Occasionally you'll get someone who thinks its 1920 and how I respond typically depends on how much time I've got for them. I've seen myself giving people a very brief, potted history of why Wrestling went down the road of fakery and why boxing didn't etc. That's only if I feel theyre likely to find it interesting and whenever ive told that story people have enjoyed it and understood it, or appeared to. It would be easier to go for the comparison to any other kind of fiction but it's quite cool when somebody has gone away with at least some degree of respect for the fact that Wrestling has not only survived, but thrived. 

We were broke growing up so I had to make do with repeatedly reading an old WWF European Rampage annual. It was always a dream to go to a live event and thankfully my mum managed to save enough money for this one. 

WWF Attitude Adjustment Tour - Sheffield April 2nd 1999N. Not a bad card for this one - 

XPac Def Brooklyn Brawler

HHH Def Kane

Dlo Brown and Ivory Def Val Venis and Jackie

Goldust Def Road Dogg

Hardcore Holly Def Al Snow

Billy Gunn Def Gangrel

Jeff Jarrett and Owen Hart Def Edge and Christian

Undertaker Def Ken Shamrock

The Big Show Def Big Boss Man

Stone Cold Steve Austin Def The Rock

This one stands out as it happened just days after WM15. One of the all time great periods in Wrestling history. 

After the event the other night I wouldn't be surprised if Reigns and The Rock had a match for Seth's title while Rollins is made to stand like a gimp at ringside and watch. 

If it's not Rhodes at Wrestlemania then you have to ask who, and when? You wouldn't end a title run of this significance on a bum note and they'd be doing reigns a disservice if the home straight doesn't match the occasion. Unless they're playing the really long game, the only two options I can see short to medium term are Rhodes at Wrestlemania or The Rock. Reigns schedule works really well with the part time champion routine. Reigns showing up on an irregular basis would be more difficult without a title, but some involvement with The Rock after Wrestlemania would actually work. These are good problems to have, it's better to have a multitude of exciting possibilities rather than head into Wrestlemania season with no clear options on the horizon. 

Red Pudding Supper, the absolute apex of cuisine in the East of Scotland. 

I can't help feel some fans are running along with the hobby horse with certain aspects of this. If they have meticulously planned every last detail of a grand master plan over the past 12 months then it's likely they haven't successfully executed it. That's OK, but it's a thing a lot of people have a problem with. Circumstances are going to change (and haven't they just), things aren't going to work, occasionally a daft idea isn't going to stick to the wall. There has to be some accommodation for how batshit different this business is and it's important that they're able to react to events or how something's being received. 

I find it as egregious as the next person when they make an arse of a promising career or fail to get a winning horse over the line, but given this event essentially kick started proceedings we're a long way from that post mortem. Granted, it looks like they're in the wind a bit here but I got the impression that press conference was meant to look slightly chaotic and end with more questions than answers. 

They've got one of the most famous men in the world and one of the biggest stars in the history of the business available for the biggest show in years, and the direction that makes the most sense, and probably the most money, is being involved with Roman Reigns. That's as much of a conundrum as how Codys story resolves itself. It would be preposterous if they stuck The Rock in a match with the likes of Rollins (but watch this space), and I can't see involvement with the Usos alone being tremendously compelling. If they find a way for everything to dovetail nicely, and if they give us something a bit less predictable and formulaic as "last year but with a different result" then I'd say that's a win. By Wrestling standards that was decent viewing tonight. A few weeks of that will do for me. 

The one song I've always thought would make  good entrance music would be "Into the Valley" by The Skids. I could see an American audience struggling with the vocals though. 

More recently, I heard a song and it immediately put me in mind of some extravagant guy coming down the aisle at Wrestlemania on a big float surrounded by dancers. It's "Past Lives" by BORNS but without the "I'm buying 100 cheeseburgers to help the homeless" intro. Hell, on special occasions you could use the intro and spoof the "Random Acts of Kindness" videos with a montage of a good heel pretending to help people before delivering  vicious chairshots to the back in slow motion. Homeless people, veterans (pretend, obviously). Thatd be good that. 

1 hour ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

'Talking about it forever' is a pretty big claim. That's not regular promotion, it's a unique claim that you can only use sparingly.

I actually don't know the last time I heard someone make that claim.

Given the backdrop of people wondering how they unpick their pickle, I think there's an underlying tone to everything they're saying (and in Gerwitz's case, overlying tone) which is 'you're all thick, we're going to blow your mind'.

I've been following the build up and for me personally I've not been getting "you're all thick" vibes. For me it's more a case of "wait and see, we're going to blow your mind". You're absolutely right in that what's happening feels a few levels above the norm, but I don't see any reason to expect disappointment at this stage (other than decades of actual experience). It's Wrestlemania 40, it's the first Mania under TKO (and without the creep), and crucially, we've got the potential for an abundance of intriguing possibilities rather than just one relatively predictable possibility. It'd be a nice thing in terms of Codys legacy and career if he had his big moment all to himself at Wrestlemania, and it's what everyone wants, but after being on these tracks for so long, is anyone's adrenaline really going to be pumping if that train arrives at the station exactly on schedule? 

There's a clear route to a perfectly satisfactory story here, and giving us something slightly different is a risk. They could easily find themselves fucking up an open goal with this, but if they get it right the payoff could be something that's actually genuinely exciting.

I would have this entire situation resolved in 24 hours, believe me. 

I'm not sure if it's the eternal optimist in me, but for some reason I have a feeling that they're going to give us something brilliant with this, and it's been a long time since I've felt like that. The Rocks been playing the same tune for a while now, and thats fair enough. If you're working towards becoming one of the biggest stars in the world, a good rule of thumb is to refrain from calling an arena full of people cunts in between making movies. The issue here is that trying to navigate the next few months as the guy he's been for the past x number of years could potentially be more problematic. Leaning into what's almost certainly coming his way seems to be the most sensible route, and would provide the most entertainment value. I wouldn't be surprised if he hasn't managed to turn most of the pre emptive hostility and boos into enthusiastic support by Wrestlemania if he delivers what I hope he's going to. 

I agree that there isn't a "cool" constituency -yet. I'll never overestimate a pro wrestling audiences ability to resist some form manipulation, and the people at the helm of this thing wouldn't be doing their jobs if they weren't looking to grow the audience. I can see already that The Rocks little performance today has managed to catch the attention of people who'd be completely oblivious to the most cleverly constructed and engaging angle on Raw or Smackdown. 

Like many I've endured my share of Wrestling disappointments over the past few decades, but I think this is going to be good. If we do get a decent version of Corporate Hollywood Rock, any concerns about it being a bit untidy will fade into the background.