The Smackers Thread

[Guest]

1 hour ago, DavidB6937 said:

Where did you get your crystal ball from?

Same place he got his main event aura 

[BomberPat]

So what's the alternative? Keep the belt on a guy who's already beaten everybody indefinitely until the stars align and somebody comes along with a "main event aura" and a year's worth of star-making, guaranteed storytelling to see him through to the next Wrestlemania? We'll be here a while.

It would be one thing if the conversation were "Sami Zayn or the sure thing they've got rising up the ranks" but it's not. It's Sami Zayn, or they just keep on doing the same thing for another year.

[Guest]

Making claims he needs a year after he wins isn’t addressing the point, point is Zayn as champ isn’t going to raise any business so why bother? He can be a glorious loser and get a moment. So yeah I’d rather titles and Reigns modern record run are left on a star until the next star appears than give it to someone who is never gonna be. But if everyone who watches is happy with a moment and then short run then hope you enjoy it, to me it’s a massive waste on a mid carder for life character 

[Matthew]

Surely Zayn getting his “moment” will be looked back on, in the same way people look back on Kofi’s moment. 

Yeah it was a nice couple of weeks, but did it really do anything long term, or worthwhile with the title? And where’s Kofi now?

[FUM]

8 minutes ago, Louch said:

Making claims he needs a year after he wins isn’t addressing the point, point is Zayn as champ isn’t going to raise any business so why bother? He can be a glorious loser and get a moment. So yeah I’d rather titles and Reigns modern record run are left on a star until the next star appears than give it to someone who is never gonna be. But if everyone who watches is happy with a moment and then short run then hope you enjoy it, to me it’s a massive waste on a mid carder for life character 

The whole point of the “crowning” so to speak is to see if they raise any business. Hart, HBK, Austin, Rock, Foley, Cena etc. weren’t given the ball because it was a guarantee they could draw. It’s always been a case that the fans put you into the position to be crowned and you’re then judged on whether you draw as the Champion.

Otherwise you just create a toxic fan atmosphere like what happened with Bryan which started to ruin major events.

[SuperBacon]

I love Sami Zayn. Love him, love him, LOVE him.

Have loved every bit of this storyline, and will root for him until the day he retires. He really is the embodiment of someone who has made the best of what he's been given over the years, and is now finally flourishing and getting super over...

...However, in my opinion, there is no way he should be beating Reigns at a Wrestlemania. I'm sorry, I just don't think that should be happening.

The storyline is the chase, the pursuit, the nearly, the near falls, the almost, and then the heartbreak when he doesn't do it, if they ever do it.

The match would be incredible and imagine him getting a 2.9999999 of a pin. The communal heartache would be incredible. 

I don't know what the long term plan is for Reigns, have him hold the belt forever as far as I'm concerned. I don't think there's anything wrong with not having anyone around that could beat him. Look at him. 

Just my casual two cents though.

[DavidB6937]

You're all wrong. It's obvious that Sami will get a title shot and while he's not meant to win, everyone will be too busy laughing at him to notice him sneak the 1-2-3. He's a mastermind.

[The Gaffer]

Aren't we all missing the most obvious solution? 

[RedRooster]

10 hours ago, Matthew said:

Surely Zayn getting his “moment” will be looked back on, in the same way people look back on Kofi’s moment. 

Yeah it was a nice couple of weeks, but did it really do anything long term, or worthwhile with the title? And where’s Kofi now?

Kofi's run didn't have to play out that way, though, and neither does Sami's - what happened to Kofi is entirely on Vince McMahon, in my opinion. 

But let's say it was inevitable, and Kofi was always going to flop - I'd still argue that Kofi winning the title was entirely worthwhile. "Kofimania" was brilliant as it played out, and his title win over Bryan felt really special and meaningful. Sometimes, all you need is a satisfying conclusion to a storyline for a title change to be worthwhile. Kofi winning the belt, to me at least, was a good thing. 

And I'd say the same would be true of Sami. Ultimately, I'm not sure that there is a "right" person to beat Reigns at this time, and if you have an up-and-comer like Bron Breakker do it, it immediately puts a shit-tonne of pressure on him. I don't personally think Roman's title run needs to end with a new top star being crowned, it just needs to have a satisfying conclusion. Sami winning the belt in a massive upset, going on to give the company a new Daniel Bryan, would be a worthy conclusion. As, probably, would Cody Rhodes defeating him. 

Sami could lose the belt the night following for all it matters, but that moment of triumph, the crowd reaction and feeling as he pins Reigns to become champion - that would be goosebumps inducing, as Kofi's win was, as Bryan's win was, as Eddie Guerrero's win was. 

The thrill is in the chase, sure, but the long-lasting memories are only made when the chase has a positive conclusion. 

[Matthew]

1 minute ago, RedRooster said:

But let's say it was inevitable, and Kofi was always going to flop - I'd still argue that Kofi winning the title was entirely worthwhile. "Kofimania" was brilliant as it played out, and his title win over Bryan felt really special and meaningful. Sometimes, all you need is a satisfying conclusion to a storyline for a title change to be worthwhile. Kofi winning the belt, to me at least, was a good thing.

Whilst I’m not sure I agree about most of your reply, this I 100% agree with.

Being in NY for that Mania weekend, Kofimania was indeed something that felt special and natural, and was incredible to bare witness to in person.

I’d love for them to capture similar magic with Zayn, and for it to be something long term. I just don’t see it myself unfortunately, even though I am a fan of his.

[Lorne Malvo]

Eddie Guerrero and Daniel Bryans title wins to me felt like elevating them to main-event status at the time, regardless of how much WWE dropped the ball next. Whereas the Kofi title win just reeked of 'we haven't built any new stars up, lets stick the title on a midcard guy whose been around a decade'. I'm not sure why it was different but it felt very much like they were demoting the title rather than elevating the man.

Edited October 27, 2022 by Lorne Malvo

[Supremo]

First Hangman’s title win, now Kofi’s. Literally two of the highlights of the entire decade. What a thread.

[DavidB6937]

1 hour ago, Lorne Malvo said:

Whereas the Kofi title win just reeked of 'we haven't built any new stars up, lets stick the title on a midcard guy whose been around a decade'.

For all the talk of WWE never giving people what they want, this was one of the purest forms of legitimately delivering on expectations and crowd desire. They couldn't have played it better up until the fallout obviously. Whether he would've been elevated to main event level in the long term or not is something that will always be up for debate but it's not like it came out of nowhere and they randomly shoved it on someone for the sake of it.

[Lorne Malvo]

56 minutes ago, Supremo said:

First Hangman’s title win, now Kofi’s. Literally two of the highlights of the entire decade. What a thread.

There's a world of difference between Hangman's title win which they started building to on the very first AEW show, and WWE shitting themselves in February because they haven't built anybody up and deciding to give Kofi a 'thanks for 10 years of service' title run.

I don't remember any of the build-up to Kofi/Bryan at all.

[RedRooster]

54 minutes ago, Lorne Malvo said:

There's a world of difference between Hangman's title win which they started building to on the very first AEW show, and WWE shitting themselves in February because they haven't built anybody up and deciding to give Kofi a 'thanks for 10 years of service' title run.

I don't remember any of the build-up to Kofi/Bryan at all.

Which makes me think you're misremembering this somewhat. The initial plan, according to reports, had been for Bryan/Owens at Wrestlemania. I can believe that too, given that vignettes were airing portraying Owens as an everyman; which, given how Vince appears to view vegans and environmentalism, was probably the perfect contrast in his eyes to Bryan's character. 

Kofimania happened by accident - on the back of an Elimination Chamber match he wasn't even supposed to be in (he replaced an injured Mustafa Ali) - the crowd went nuts for him, and the rest was history. It's a rare example of Vince McMahon's WWE acting on something that was over, and going with it. The suggestion of it being a situation where WWE panicked and just put the title on anyone, with Kofi being the lucky beneficiary, is simply untrue.