Random Thoughts III.

[WyattSheepMask]

Sadly not, Kanes buggered his foot and is going back to the new series of Spin City

[Supremo]

11 hours ago, King Pitcos said:

Michaels didn't come back and wrestle every week. After his first match back at SummerSlam, he next wrestled at Survivor Series when he won the title, I think. And he didn't wrestle on TV often after that until he went back full-time the following year. We were sixteen years less jaded as well.

There was never any way that Bryan coming back as a wrestler was going to stay a big deal in and of itself. The whole story was about him being allowed to come back. It's like when Chris Benoit won the belt - for years there are cries of "PUT THE BELT ON BENOIT" or "LET BRYAN WRESTLE" but then once it happens, the story's over and the fallout from the moment is never gonna match up. Same when Bryan won the belt at WrestleMania, really. Vince has given in and let the thing happen that we've been screaming at him to let happen, and because of that, the rage is gone. As soon as Bryan was allowed to wrestle, attention turned to why Roman Reigns is getting title shots instead of giving them to the real workers like Seth Rollins and Finn Balor.

Basically, we don't give a shit until we've got something to get upset about. Bryan will seem special again if he doesn't win the Royal Rumble.

I'm not sure I subscribe to this idea. I think it sells Bryan's character and his ability to connect with the crowd really short.

When the news broke that Bryan was cleared, I wasn't grinning ear to ear because they'd allowed him to come back. And I wasn't genuinely tearing up during that return promo because of some weird hatred for WWE or their doctors or whatever. And when he started throwing dropkicks at Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens it wasn't being upset about him not wrestling for a few years that made me feel like a kid again. It all boils down to how utterly likable he is and how he's unlike anyone else in the company for how authentic, genuine and real he comes across. He's ridiculously engaging. He's the purest babyface in recent history. You can't help but root for him. Even six months since he returned, seeing that clip of him crying that his daughter got to watch him wrestle gave me that same sense of endearment. You've no doubt that he's the loveliest guy in the world. You buy everything he says as true. There's something special there, it's always been there and for whatever reason, they've completely lost sight of how to tap into it since Wrestlemania. Of course, it was always going to be tough to create a story bigger than his return, but it's like they haven't even bothered.

It's hard to talk about it without sounding like one of those, "my favourites should always win, push the cruiserweights!" goons, but in retrospect, they probably should have given him that Greatest Royal Rumble win. It didn't really benefit Strowman much, who's completely jumped the shark this year, and it could've done wonders to keep Bryan's momentum going. Same with that Big Cass feud. I was one of the few who defended it at the time, but looking back it was a complete misfire. Even the Team Hell No stuff, which I spoke about looking forward to when his return was announced, ended up being super awkward in terms of character. It's cute, of course, but Bryan suddenly playing the Team No character, all stubborn and childish, felt really out of place and silly considering how much he'd changed since they were originally paired together. Even the Miz thing, which isn't dead in the water yet, could've been handled far better. If the plan was always to save it until Summerslam then they shouldn't have moved The Miz over to Smackdown so early. It's been killing the potential of this feud for months that they've been on the same show but have barely interacted. Or, if you must, why not have The Miz get a restraining order or something?

I dunno. I just think Bryan had all the momentum in the world when he came back, he's got the chops to be the top babyface in the company, yet they seem to have fumbled everything so far. I was one of the few who agreed that he shouldn't have been fast-tracked to the Title, but if the other option was to randomly stumble around the midcard like he has been doing, maybe it would've been better if he got the belt first after all. I mean, honestly, can anyone even remember anything AJ Styles has done as champion these past few months? It genuinely took me a few minutes to even remember the (awful) Nakamura feud. At first, the last thing I could remember him doing was having that match with Brock at Survivor Series.

Edited July 30, 2018 by Supremo

[Briefcase]

I don't know about anyone else, but the whole Bella's Show where like every other reality show is hard to tell what is real and what isn't comes across like they are working us, I'm still not convinced about the Cena/Nikki breakup as its all over the show including the lead up, the break up and the aftermath and you got Bryan's contract ending soon which if it hasn't already you feel will also play a part on the Bellas show as a side story.

I find it odd how all this makes the shows when its quite a private thing. Anyone who has seen the shows will hopefully get what I mean, I always thought these reality shows were dramatised to a script but to me if they were true would they want it all over TV?  

[Weezenal]

Bryan should win the rumble and set up him and Brock.

[mim731]

2 minutes ago, Weezenal said:

Bryan should win the rumble and set up him and Brock.

With Brock/Cormier aimed for the UFC show Superbowl weekend, I can't see him at Mania unless he loses and he's one and done in UFC.

[Supremo]

Forgive me if this has been discussed before, but is there a reason why Melina and Victoria are never brought back? Seemingly every other woman they've ever employed has been brought back recently, yet those two don't even get mentioned. Was Melina a nightmare to work with, or something? Mick Foley said she was lovely.

Edited July 30, 2018 by Supremo

[Daaaaaad!]

I'm pretty confident Melina was an absolute nightmare to work with and everyone hated her. Foley didn't, but Foley is one of those awfully suspicious Joss Whedon-type "I just love women so much" blokes, so I take everything he says with a huge pile of salt.

Victoria, on the other hand, I think they just aren't arsed about. I remember she was saying during the time that they had an annual Playboy cover that she wanted to do that but they never even entertained the idea. Ultimately I don't think Vince is bothered about her one way or the other.

[Accident Prone]

I'm sure it's been discussed in that massive 'Foley Is Crud' thread, but his fawning over Melina in 'Hardcore Diaries' was really...something, huh? Creepy, maybe? Really put me off the bloke for a period of time when reading that book. Then I was put off him again when I picked up 'Lethat Lockdown' for a quid at The Works. What a pile of tripe that was.

Edited July 30, 2018 by Accident Prone

[Supremo]

Yeah, that’s the joke. Foley saying she was lovely holds no weight whatsoever because he’s the biggest creep going. I wonder if he looks back at that time period and realises how bad it looks.

[Hannibal Scorch]

7 minutes ago, Supremo said:

Yeah, that’s the joke. Foley saying she was lovely holds no weight whatsoever because he’s the biggest creep going. I wonder if he looks back at that time period and realises how bad it looks.

Probably not. Foley is the king of believing his own hype. He was my wrestling hero, and when I met him the most miserable fucker. and it was at a book signing where you had to buy his book to meet him!

[elisarcabrera]

Quote

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/brexit-musicians-refuse-perform-uk-visa-process-womad-festival-chris-smith-a8464431.html

If big music festivals are finding it hard to book foreign talent for dates post Brexit, won't small indie promotions also likely to find it difficult to get visas or permits for foreign indie wrestling talent who are probably lower on the pecking order for home office workloads?

 

[PJ Power]

On 7/29/2018 at 12:14 PM, Keith Houchen said:

 

Edited July 30, 2018 by PJ Power
Duplicate post

[PJ Power]

On 7/29/2018 at 12:14 PM, Keith Houchen said:

Ed Balls delivers a slam.

I think they missed a great opportunity to have called the show "Balls Deep In Trumpland".

[garynysmon]

When you think about it, Dick Ebersol and NBC had a massive impact on the WWF's presentation and production values didn't they?

Wrestlemania 1 looks like something out of the 1970's with a dark arena and a single spotlight. Yet just a few months later, in May to be exact during the first Saturday Night's Main Event, the lighting and overall presentation and graphics looks like something we'd grow much more accustomed to.

 

[tiger_rick]

That final match of survival at Survivor Series 1990 has always been weird for the fact it has 3 on one team and 5 on the other and no kayfabe reason for the heel vs. face dynamic. When I watch it now, I can't believe they didn't put Martel on the face team under the pretence of a random draw (as in the Wildcard match in 95) as he walked out anyway. If they'd had Tito out first and then had Martel walk out on Hogan and Warrior, it would have garnered tremendous heat.

Edited August 1, 2018 by tiger_rick