Minor PPVs that don't deserve a thread *Spoilers*

[Jazzy G]

7 hours ago, Carbomb said:

Given WWE's faith in him to be able to promote anything, I'd venture a guess they might run an angle where he tries to get onto the Mania card via NXT or something.

Stick him in the Andre Battle Royal on the pre-show, have him host it or dare I suggest an in ring wedding?

[d-d-d-dAz]

Jesus Christ, an in-ring wedding would be amazing.

Have Elias gate crash it because he wants to be the wedding singer.

Oh, fuck me, that could be incredible...

*edit* Braun could be the minister. Fuck. Someone get WWE on the phone. We’ve got this shit down.

Edited February 26, 2018 by d-d-d-dAz

[WeeAl]

That show was just like ticking the T&C's box on a form. For what WWE have planned for 'Mania, last night's show set everything up for the Raw side, and they certainly can't be criticised this year for changing their minds that's for sure. They've been building this, rightly or wrongly, for months upon months now. 

The women's chamber wasn't good. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was bad, but it certainly wasn't interesting, exciting or anything more than passable. 

The Bar Vs Titus Clan was what it was, a time filler. Ditto Matt Vs Bray. 

I skipped Asuka Vs Nia. I have mixed feelings about the Rousey segment. She was bad on the mic here, but then I expected her to be and in her first speaking segment, I wouldn't hold that against her. Parts of what Kurt was doing were spot on and others he completely lost what was going on. HHH held it all together, whilst Stephanie was her usual self. 

The main event was ok. I think it delivered under the expectations most would have had for it. I like Roman, but it's clear here that they should be going with what's hot, and that's Strowman, not Roman. I too, feel Braun was given the pinfalls over everyone as a make good for him taking the important fall, and to try and keep him strong for Roman after Mania. However the bit after the match with Strowman wrecking Roman made no sense if you actually want people to believe in Reigns. They've fucked him up with this stop-start nonsense. WWE are going with their man for the 'Mania win, but they aren't treating him like they would any other number one guy in the company's past. If they wanted to pick Roman, then pick Roman. Instead they are trying to half ass pick both him and Braun and instead both are being hurt by it. 

I imagine WrestleMania will be:

Universal Title 

Brock Vs Roman

WWE Title

AJ Vs Nakamura

Rousey/Angle Vs HHH/Stephanie

IC Title 

Braun Vs Miz

Cena Vs Undertaker

Sd! women's title

Charlotte Vs Asuka

Raw women's title

Bliss Vs Nia Jax

As for the rest of the card I guess it could go a number of ways, but I'm sure whatever way it goes down there will have to be a load of multi person matches.

[Egg Shen]

The Matt Hardy thing has been a bust hasn't it. They stripped away all the ludicrous antics and left a bloke that laughs a lot.

[Egg Shen]

The Matt Hardy thing has been a bust hasn't it. They stripped away all the ludicrous antics and left a bloke that laughs a lot.

[d-d-d-dAz]

He was never going to flourish on a show where you act needs to be able to withstand being boiled down to one note.

That, and the prevailing belief in the WWE has always been that any Matt act only works as part of a package deal with Jeff. He’s very much the Christian of that team. And if they ain’t got faith in you, you’re fucked no matter what your gig is.

[kidzero]

Are we really getting Roman Vs Brock at wrestlemaina again what a bore 

[Snitsky's back acne]

They had a really good match last time out to be fair so am looking forward to it for that reason at least.

Is Brock's contract up after Mania?

[Jazzy G]

My lovely other half watched the men's Chamber match with me. She enjoyed it and has offered to watch Mania with me now, which could be interesting as I don't think my usual Mania viewing buddies will be available. I wasn't too fussed about watching it live, but may subject her to the full 7 hour "experience" just to demonstrate what a chore it can be. Women's chamber match was alright. Some of the booking of the eliminations was pretty wildly inconsistent, though, or felt like it to me.

I can't help but think if this had happened during the Monday Night Wars with the crowd rounding on Reigns and getting behind Strowman Vince would have taken a roll of the dice with Strowman as the guy. I wonder what he has to do at Mania. Maybe he'll be alongside Rousey against Tripper & Steph? Rollins was still doing my head in trying to do Rainmakers and V-Trigger knees and the like. The High Fly Flow from atop the pod was decent, though.

Anyway, I'm going to watch MiSu Vs Tanahashi before bed as I've not seen it yet and I hear it's alright.

[tiger_rick]

1 hour ago, Egg Shen said:

The Matt Hardy thing has been a bust hasn't it. They stripped away all the ludicrous antics and left a bloke that laughs a lot.

You can say that again.

[ColinBollocks]

That main event hurt my head. Fine match, like, but the hell?

If Braun isn't getting added to the Universal title match, then that match may have been one of the most backward things ever - like Vince just doesn't know anymore. Braun protecting his monster gimmick is cool, but Roman, the bloke you've made us suffer through a shite 2 year build with, was hardly shined up during the match, then when he finally gets his win (surprise) Braun twats him a few seconds later. Surely the logic with the match is to make people want to see Braun in the title match? Because that's all that match did. Watching it, Braun is the guy, everyone else is below him, despite the pin. Mind, this comes right after Roman lost on Monday. He's Serg Salinas.
There will be something oddly wonderful if Braun to comes out tonight and they have him move on to a feud with Elias, because it means they just took a grizzly on their big 2 year build main event.

Anyway, I was pretty shocked at how much the crowd just didn't care about the main event. Maybe they were burnt out, or maybe the result was just too predictable so why give a care.

I thought the best thing on the show was Asuka v Nia Jax. The pre-match video package was excellent and they told such a simple but good story. Asuka is brilliant, it's just a shame they had her sell for shite like Emma when she first arrived, Asuka would be much bigger now without that.

Matt Hardy v Bray Wyatt. Don't care. Won't care. Fuck off.

The women's Elimination Chamber match was good. Again it illuminated my very real love of Alexa Bliss and her world class arse, but also the work was good. It's pretty incredible how good the standard is for women's wrestling in WWE, these days. That's two big PPV's in a row the women's 'main event' has been better than the men's. But also that arse.

Rousey's segment was this odd mix of cringe, bad acting and awesomeness. Definitely started out ropey, as Rousey continues to show she has the acting range of flaking dog turd, then it sounded like the crowd were about to get a bit arsey with her. However, despite Kurt Angle coming across as a seasoned CTE sufferer, it quickly turned into a solid angle. We all know Stephanie can be a hindrance, but she was gold during this. The fans are desperate for someone to twat her and it's about the safest way to get fans onside with Rousey, this.
Engrossing for all the right and wrong reasons.

Braun would've kicked out 66 millions years ago.

[King Pitcos]

6 hours ago, textonly said:

I'm sure a million people have said this before, but the frustrating part of the men's EC result and the Wrestlemania plan is that, in Strowman, they've finally achieved everything they've been trying for years to achieve with Reigns. You've got a charismatic, prototypical big man who screams 'main event attraction' to casuals and who current fans are completely behind. Him winning the title at Wrestlemania is the biggest feel-good moment available to them and it'd leave them in a great position going forward. It seems a great shame they're not willing to capitalise on that.

The problem with that is that a lot of the "ugh why won't you push this guy, Vince, he's the real star" thing goes away if Vince does it, then the narrative changes to Braun is being shoved down our throats and Vince should be pushing some other guy. If Strowman comes out of WrestleMania with the belt and goes on to beat the likes of Samoa Joe, Finn Balor and Seth Rollins in title matches, he's getting the Roman Reigns reactions in six months. In terms of crowd reactions, they're never gonna win.

But with that said, Strowman should absolutely be beating Lesnar at WrestleMania. Fucking No Mercy.

[thevestofdeanambrose]

1 hour ago, tiger_rick said:

You can say that again.

Do you think they have brought in Borash so he can write some material for Matt? I hope that's the case.

[air_raid]

2 hours ago, jazzygeofferz said:

I don't think my usual Mania viewing buddies will be available.

At least three of them definitely won't be, Mania is Amsterdam weekend. If you make herself watch all of Mania with you, live, you should get dumped. Poor girl puts up with enough as it is without THAT.

 

Re : Chambers.... the only thought I really had that won't repeat anyone else, probably, is that for the second PPV in a row I was left feeling like Sonya could be a major star if booked well and patiently, and I'll be gutted when they either don't notice or fuck it up.

[Jazzy G]

She offered to.It'd kill her. She'd need at least two days in bed to recover from it.

I know what you mean about Sonya, but can't help thinking she's going to end up being Dan Severn now to Ronda Rousey's Ken Shamrock?

 

Edit: Are the post match beatdowns of Nia and Roman designed to try and establish a first challenger to the newly minted champions following Mania? It's pretty lazy booking if it is, especially with six weeks to find other ways to do it between now and then.

Edited February 27, 2018 by jazzygeofferz