simonworden

WCW could have been "saved" until close to the end in my opinion. If it had got bought out and secured a TV deal. There were plenty of bright young cruisers on the horizon to come in such as Daniels, AJ etc. ECW would have gone out of business and potentially they could have swooped up RVD and other recognisable talent. 

It's questionable how well it would have performed though. The big guns were somewhat over exposed and after the cracking matches in WWF in 2000, their slower style wouldn't have competed well. Some more work on Booker T and possibly raising a few others up through the card might have done the job but I'm not sure who. Would anyone from the WWF have jumped? Maybe some attitude era midcarders but no way anyone remotely main event with the paydays.

Honestly I don't think Bischoff would have been able to keep it alive much longer. He would have probably moved it back to a soundstage or similar and reduced it down to a TV show only format. As we saw with TNA it wasn't the route to success. 

Finally with what doesn't happen if it survives I'm glad it didn't. We wouldn't have got some of the indy stars and promotions we got like ROH. Moments like Hogan/Rock and it could've affected the use of stars like Cena, Lesnar and Orton. 

I just realized that Bray has been doing his different spooky bollocks for longer than Taker did before switching to the American Badass character which was just under 10 years in late 1990-mid 2000 while Bray runs from later 2012 to today if we ignore his 2021-2022 absence. 

On 2/20/2023 at 3:07 AM, JNLister said:

Details at https://prowrestlingbooks.com/books-by-john-lister/

Slamthology and Turning the tables are very good reads. The latter far more interesting than the WWE published one. 

On 3/11/2023 at 9:59 AM, FUM said:

Oh fine then Trips, just give me Cody and Sami v Usos night one and Cody v Roman night two…

There's still 3 more weeks and 6 more shows for KO to come to his senses and stand by Sami but with recent years having the unannounced Taker/Cena match and Austin/Owens taking place I wonder if they'll have Cody say he will also be Sami's partner and then on the night after Sami enters have Owen's music hit for the pop. 

That was brilliant throughout but at this point definitely enough of the Dusty references. Let's make this about the two blokes going into the match now. 

Roman's facial expressions at the end though need extra applause. Grinning like a smug prick heel when facing Cody only to let slip as he turns away each time and show real concern about the challenge that awaits. That for me on its own is an absolute booking revelation compared to years of opponents shrugging each other off as threats.

11 hours ago, DavidB6937 said:

Drew I'm okay with but the other two? Especially Kross? Let's not try and ruin Cody already.

I'd be up for strowman as a face for a TV title match or if they heat him back up as a heel but still only for something like when they book a ppv/ple with a 3 week window for build. As for Kross, I'd prefer to see Scarlet get the shot than him. He looks like that teacher we all had at school that used to hang around the sixth form girls too much. 

46 minutes ago, Version1.0 said:

Just have him beat all his old tag championship partners.

Hardcore Holly

Ted DiBiase - Legacy

The Dashing Ones - Drew McIntyre

Rhodes Scholers - Damien Sandow

The Brotherhood - Goldust

High Flyers - Shawn Spears (2006-7 OVW)

 

I was up for that list until the last one. Basically the wrestling equivilant of having to stop on the vinegar strokes. 

My son saying Daddy when I get home gets me right now but on the more ridiculous end of the spectrum we have the end of Paddington 2 when his aunt turns up for a surprise run in at his party. Made me stream tears on a flight once to the point I had to go hide in the toilet from shame. 

Was having a think about the post mania season if/when Cody beats Roman at Mania and who I would like to see him face moving forward. Of course we'll probably get Ziggles and Omos but it's nice to imagine. There's a few pairings I'd be happy with, some might need the other guy to heat up a bit but could be interesting. 

Top of the list for me would be a Lesnar match at Summerslam with Cody playing the face in peril to monster farm boy Lesnar. 

Then I reckon an AJ Styles match would be entertaining with some bullet club references if it doesn't drag on.

If Edge is retiring this year I'd be happy with him having a ppv match too as a final farewell.

Cody should be heading to Smackdown for the confrontation. A heel, especially Roman heading to Cody's home territory doesn't build the face challenger as strong and brave. Cody should be presented as a cut above the rest, ready to square up with the heel. Especially as Roman sent his fat old manager to rile Cody up rather than going himself. 

3 hours ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

Whoever came up with that branding is a fucking lunatic and the fact it ever got off the cutting room floor is a travesty. It was obviously mental when it was announced and it’s only got more mental in hindsight.

I always assumed it was following what the interviewer said spontaneously (Caruso?) Which made mad lockdown Vince decide to use it. That said it could have been planned from the start which is even more maddening. 

I think everyone's said the key ones although some others like Rollins are creeping in there for me now. He has reinvented himself and is popular but we've had his face on screen for far too long. 

Once the drugs and alcohol subsided from wrestling along with a decent money elsewhere it's like people decided they would behave and sit in the equivilant of a cubicle in wrestling collecting cash. I wouldn't mind if these people just became jobbers and then backstage for the most part ala Jamie Knoble but Natalya and Ziggler types keep getting reheated like shit ready meals

40 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

Not happy with this gimmick infringement to be honest

I didn't manage to get tickets. Will chance it on Twickets the week leading up.

I'm bloody fuming! Although I already knew this. 

2 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

Considering at the moment it's not even guaranteed I can be arsed with Dynamite and Rampage, another show coming along right now is the worst timing. But I'm sure some people will enjoy it.

Do these reality type shows actually boost the ratings for the wrestling product though. Did Total Divas/Bellas actually create any more interest in Raw or Smackdown?

32 minutes ago, RedRooster said:

If the ratings trend continues, it’ll be fascinating to see whether or not Tony Khan could actually bring himself to hand booking duties over to someone else, or if this is essentially a real life EWR for him; and he’s not yet ready to stop playing the game.

Wonder.of he has a back up save incase he gets fired. We might turn on the telly and be back in 2022 again.

25 minutes ago, MVP RULZ said:

So Roman gets himself Dqd and screws Sami and to make it up to Sami all he gets is a non title Match instead??? 

I don't understand with all the fantasy booking having people work both nights

Surely the idea of 2 nights is so you can spread everything out, why do we need to see Roman and Cody both nights

It just dilutes the whole title Match if they are in a match the night before and what if they get injured in one of those matches and totally ruin the main event for the next night.

If you explain it like that it does seem a bit silly. My point was to have Sami simply want another match with Roman and not care about the title just hurting him, hardly Roman rewarding him if it isn't up to him to grant the match. That said there are plenty of holes in this concept and like you I'm not super keen on anyone working twice if not needed. 

I think a Guerrero, Michaels interaction would've been great had it happened in 06. Both had real life retribution situations where they overcame abuse issues to achieve even bigger heights then before. That said considering some of the stuff they did in 06 it would've been heel Eddie trying to temp HBK back to the dark side or something tasteless

At the moment I can't see how we get to a dramatic, worthwhile tag match between Owens/Zayn Vs The USPS unless they do something to warrant Jey realigning with the Bloodline at EC. 

I'm not on board with the one title each night thing really either though which seems like a teacher trying to "make it fair". 

Fantasy booking ahead.....I'd have Sami win by DQ at EC at this stage (worthwhile to see the Montreal fans have a hissy) then have him get a non title match against Roman on night 1 which Roman wins and Sami can win a blow off later on. To even it up Cody could also take on Solo on night 1 while Owens and the Usos do something with the tag belts or work as interference for where they want to go in the other matches. None of the Bloodline stuff needs to end at Mania for me the only thing that needs to happen is Cody takes the belts.

1 hour ago, Cheapheat said:

Hi guys, I'm looking for a bit of footage I cannot find anywhere. Hoping someone can help. It's from ECW after Benoit broke Sabu's neck,(IIRC) Hey man does a replay of it with those on screen magic markers showing the moment when Sabu's neck broke. It was to explain the injury to fans but I cannot find it, or may have dreamt it. Does anyone know what I'm referencing?

A month ago I had the comp in my hand, now it's been binned but I can tell you it was the first match on ECW extreme warfare which was a compilation of 95 and 96 matches/segments 

Has it been confirmed Roman is taking a break or just assumed? I don't see this ending at Mania now. Infact just because he loses the title at Mania doesn't stop Roman being the maniacal c-word he is becoming. Get the rematch with Cody done, have Sami try get his win and as said I think the culmination should be Hey once again standing up to Roman. I'd then consider Sikoa turning on Roman to send him packing for a bit. There's a decent arc there to Summer slam or later which would be more interesting that the typical thrown together rubbish they usually present post mania. Kane or Bray Wyatt for Cody anyone?

In terms of what Pat said about pivoting from a world title to a tag title, I don't see it as a downgrade for Sammy unless the basically drop the storyline in the run up to Mania. Instead it's a prime time in the storyline for him to repair his relationship with Kevin Owens and focus on taking down Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa (assuming he is on the outside) who has assaulted him and possible an Jey Uso for his attack on Owens. They can even add in that they want to do the best job they can of keeping them away from the title fight so its Cody/Roman 1 on 1. 

Although Night 1 will probably end with one of the Women's matches, I reckon the tag title match should be given 30 bloody minutes and close out the show with Sami/ Owens holding the belts up. All 4 of those gents definitely deserve the rub of being in a show closing main event at Mania.

Sami/ Roman can then be kept on the boil while Roman gets his rematch and then we have the final big Sami/ Roman match down the line at possibly Summerslam. I'm not 12 anymore so Mania to Summerslam flies by and I'm ok with that.

On 1/31/2023 at 1:01 AM, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

Definitely, hence my inclusion of Ha Long Bay in the OP. 

If I was in charge of a ukff tour of Vietnam then we'd be skipping Ha Long Bay and Nha Trang beach in favour of a tour of shocking roadside shitters, bum gun shops and grotty street food stalls to justify the visits to the first two suggestions. I know a great cafe in the Mekong Delta where you literally shit off a small pier into the canal. 

4 hours ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

Asian looking characters on the drawing, must be Vietnam's Main Man, @simonworden

Not going to lie, in the last year while trying not to wake my 1 year old at night I've sat down to pee in the dark and had a similar incident. But as this drawing has no "bum gun" to the side it's Asian authenticity is questionable. 

9 hours ago, Fatty Facesitter said:

Wouldn't take it to heart Simon (not that it looks like you have). All in good fun. I'm just as guilty for similar reasons - I constantly say things like 'my other half is Portuguese' as if I haven't mentioned it lots of times already. In my head it's purely for context, i.e what we got up to when we went over there for Christmas (steady on) but it's just one of those funny things people pick up on. You seem a good sort so I'm sure it's all in jest. 

What's the weather like over there? 

A lot better than it was during my recent return home 30c and sunny but there's not a pound bakery or chippy for miles so you win some/lose some. 

8 hours ago, FelatioLips said:

Yeah definitely don't take it to heart! It's all good natured.

I certainly notice how often I say "my wife" on here, as if I have to mention her enough so people believe I'm actually married!

Never to heart guys, I enjoy it. My response might have come off like I did as I'm jetlagged as he'll right now. I was just surprised as the best retorts were a few years ago! 

8 hours ago, Devon Malcolm said:

Did you happen to live in Vietnam in your late teens because there's a Paul Hardcastle gag I've been wanting to do for years.

Sadly no, I moved here at 27 

6 hours ago, FelatioLips said:

 

This you?

Ah, yeah. I'd like to defend my statement and call that the exception with my heartfelt post about family reunion and brining my son home but my gut tells me it might have slipped out a few more times. 

Honestly love to win an award but feel this hasn't been mentioned for years now.