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Random Thoughts III.


PowerButchi

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Pre WrestleMania 18 or so, most Manias were like this. They were basically putting on the biggest show of the year with stars of the period and aiming to make these stars bigger by triumphing on that stage (in this case Bret, Owen and Shawn all came out with real momentum). In the 90s, 'legends' were never marketed as such a big deal. Generally they had their age emphasised like Jake Roberts or Bob Backlund and were never placed above current stars.

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I do sometimes wonder if the emphasis these days on returning legends would not be there if another genuinely viable competitor existed.

 

If WWF did decide to bring in an old face and strap the rocket to them for Wrestlemania in 1995, the risk existed then that WCW would swoop in and snatched them up right away. Hell I remember a few instances in the 90s where the dirt sheets and early news sites would report that a wrestler was in negotiations with WWF or WCW, and then magically a month later the other program signs them just based off the rumors they were negotiating with the competitor.

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Also there was a commitment to the New Generation. This was Wrestlemania 10 back in the Garden with barely a mention of the past. Piper was there and probably could have wrestled. The only other Lelani Kai who meant nothing and was clearly an afterthought as she's not even on those pencilled in cards. Mania was a risk with no Hogan for the first time and old wwf stars showing up in WCW already, Vince went with The New generation as has been said the risk paid off and launched Razor and Michaels and cemented Bret as a top guy. Unthinkable they would take a risk like this now. But there is no competition and they can get who they want. And don't have to fully commit to new stars.

 

Edit: "got stars galore!" Was a line in the MOM Wrestlemania rap. Rather than a statement of fact.

Edited by moofasa
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Also there was a commitment to the New Generation. This was Wrestlemania 10 back in the Garden with barely a mention of the past. Piper was there and probably could have wrestled. The only other Lelani Kai who meant nothing and was clearly an afterthought as she's not even on those pencilled in cards. Mania was a risk with no Hogan for the first time and old wwf stars showing up in WCW already, Vince went with The New generation as has been said the risk paid off and launched Razor and Michaels and cemented Bret as a top guy. Unthinkable they would take a risk like this now. But there is no competition and they can get who they want. And don't have to fully commit to new stars.

 

I remember almost praying while watching WM10 that Hogan would show up (it wasn't shown live from what I remember, but the Monday or Tuesday after). I was gutted. This 10 year old was missing the old stars.

Edited by garynysmon
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It's difficult to put myself in the head space being 2 at the time, but after Mania 9 I think I'd have been relieved as shit there was mostly passable matches on it, let alone 2 classics

 

Mania 9 really is one of the most dogshit shows I've seen top to bottom. even if you popped for the Woodster showing up, basically every match was badly booked dreck and nobody seemed to have any chemistry with their opponent. so so dull. I do even rate 11 above it, at least Bigelow v the footballer was vaguely okay

Edited by sj5522
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I can't honestly say that match quality bothered me at all as a kid (I still don't rank it as highly as most people do).

If anything, if WWF Superstars only showed the entrances and skipped right to the finish of matches, I wouldn't have complained too much.

Now of course I could tell you the difference between and IRS and 1-2-3 Kid match, but other than liking his high flying moves, back then that would have been it.

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I don't think I was that bothered either when I first got into it, I could probably pinpoint a really good match but wouldn't know what a bad one was like

Then l discovered the Wrestling Channel/ROH/TNA and it changed a bit. Paul London 4 world champ!!

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I can't honestly say that match quality bothered me at all as a kid (I still don't rank it as highly as most people do).

If anything, if WWF Superstars only showed the entrances and skipped right to the finish of matches, I wouldn't have complained too much.

Interesting stuff. I'm not one for bell to bell these days. I enjoy a good match and I love going back and watching great matches but certainly week to week, I couldn't give a fuck about what happens in most matches, only the outcome.

 

When I was a kid though, I really liked quality matches. Not that I ever thought about it in those terms but when I saw WM3, I loved that Savage/Steamboat match more than anything else on the show. I mean, I was a kid so I loved King Kong Bundy getting beaten up by midgets and the Hogan/Andre staredown but Savage/Steamboat was definitely the thing that I loved the most. I was immediately drawn to guys like Savage, Bret Hart and The Rockers because of the way they wrestled. I don't know if I could explain why now, I just was.

 

It's not purely a workrate thing. Ultimate Warrior and British Bulldog were favourites of mine, didn't ever like someone like Tito Santana.

 

By the time WM10 came around, I was well on board with this "New Generation". I'd been on the Bret bandwagon for years and Shawn to a certain extent. I was always a big fan of Savage. I bought into the Lex Express stuff until SummerSlam so I didn't mind him and I'd dug Kona Crush. Owen was a little shit but I thought he was a good wrestler and Ramon was really growing on me too. I can't say I missed Hogan even the teeniest, tiniest bit.

Edited by tiger_rick
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As enjoyable as watching two wrestling machines putting on a clinic and trading holds can be, there's a lot to be said about a match between two guys who may be a bit more skilled in their storytelling and have the kind of build up to their match and be just as captivating with ten minutes of "punchkick" if the drama's there I'll suspend my disbelief anyway. 

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It was and still is about finding a way to work like your gimmick and tell the story of your character. It's why Mark Henry was their best worker for a period of time, because his in ring character was note perfect. Even with super workers like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, they both made sure to work the gimmick into the match, rather than doing a Seth Rollins. Bret Hart was the ultimate technician, but undersized, so he had to be crafty with his wrestling IQ and flawless execution - he was like wrestling's version of Wayne Gretzky. Shawn Michaels was the "Showstopper" and sleazy stripper, and his matches reflected that.

 

It's why Ultimate Warrior is a million times the wrestler Dolph Ziggler is.

Edited by ColinBollocks
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As enjoyable as watching two wrestling machines putting on a clinic and trading holds can be, there's a lot to be said about a match between two guys who may be a bit more skilled in their storytelling and have the kind of build up to their match and be just as captivating with ten minutes of "punchkick" if the drama's there I'll suspend my disbelief anyway. 

 

Brawls > Technical matches anyway, in my eyes. Give me Lawler or Dundee over Dean Malenko all day.

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