The Smackers Thread

[d-d-d-dAz]

3 minutes ago, FUM said:

You said yourself that you could have lived with the story carrying on without Roman and are now saying they can’t stay where they are without him.

In a world where there is two Championships to compete for then I can absolutely see a world where Jey Uso is a main event level superstar on his own and he’s been leading SmackDown for a number of weeks when Roman wasn’t there and doing a fine job. I can also see the same in Solo’s future. Jimmy, not so much.

Of course they’ll be back together, they told us in their interview with Ariel they don’t really have an interest in being singles other than a feud with each other. It doesn’t mean Jey isn’t capable of being a singles though if they are back together.

Yes, I’d have been happy for it to carry on with Jimmy/Jey. That’s not the same as thinking that’s a main event match or indicative of them having been elevated. They’d just do their thing between AJ/Karrion Kross and Roman and whoever he’s facing.

I will give you a million pounds if Jey wins a world title in his own right. They’re just there because of Roman. They’ll go back to being a tag team, facing The New Day and The Club and whoever else is knocking about.

Solo has a chance, I guess, but moving Jimmy/Jey off to feud against themselves was his best shot at starting to flourish.

Still, Rikishi is telling people he’s working Payback so that’ll be good….

[RedRooster]

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

Yes, I’d have been happy for it to carry on with Jimmy/Jey. That’s not the same as thinking that’s a main event match or indicative of them having been elevated. 

I mean, they’ve main-evented Wrestlemania, and people at the time felt that they should. I don’t think there’s much doubt that The Usosbeen elevated - this level of success simply wasn’t inevitable. They could easily have been cast as Roman’s job guys, taking the pin for him to help progress feuds; but their own performances has helped keep them in prominent positions on Smackdown and on PPV. 

[d-d-d-dAz]

3 minutes ago, RedRooster said:

I mean, they’ve main-evented Wrestlemania, and people at the time felt that they should. I don’t think there’s much doubt that The Usosbeen elevated - this level of success simply wasn’t inevitable. They could easily have been cast as Roman’s job guys, taking the pin for him to help progress feuds; but their own performances has helped keep them in prominent positions on Smackdown and on PPV. 

Maybe I’m wrong, maybe they’re main event guys off the back of this in their own right - and completely removed from the context of the Bloodline - and within a couple of months I’ll be eating humble pie as Jey Uso headlines against Seth Rollins and Jimmy embarks upon a feud with Sheamus.

I look forward to seeing it.

[Fatty Facesitter]

I'm torn on the current Bloodline business. Summerslam disappointed and it does feel like it's bordering on running too long now - but then out of nowhere they can produce a segment that lures you right back in, and before you know it we'll be heralding it as the greatest thing since sliced bread again. Looking at the overall body of work, I think there's still good times to be had be keeping it going - albeit the warning light is on and the sat nav is alerting them to divert to the nearest petrol station. 

Seeing lots of comments online about Roman's 'GSCE drama' acting - I think that's harsh and it feels like an easy stick to beat them with. I think that criticism comes built in with moans about how long he's been on top, but also any time someone in WWE tries to 'act' or convey emotion, it immediately gets dismissed as pish acting. Purely in isolation, I think he's been brilliant with his promos, his gestures and his storytelling in general. 

PS - Thumbs will return post holiday/work calming down 👍👎

 

Edited August 12, 2023 by Fatty Facesitter

[DavidB6937]

I'd say all of them have been great with their acting. I've seen far far worse over the years and I'd argue this storyline wouldn't have been nearly as successful or able to run for so long unless the performances were up to a standard where they pulled the crowds in and made them invested. And certainly not if it was just Sami Zayn.

[RedRooster]

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

Maybe I’m wrong, maybe they’re main event guys off the back of this in their own right - and completely removed from the context of the Bloodline - and within a couple of months I’ll be eating humble pie as Jey Uso headlines against Seth Rollins and Jimmy embarks upon a feud with Sheamus.

I look forward to seeing it.

There is a difference, to be fair, between ‘being elevated’ and ‘permanently elevated’ by this storyline. I don’t think there’s any doubt that they’re more valuable now than before all of this happened, but whether that is sustained certainly remains to be seen. If they do drop down the card, I reckon it’ll be down to WWE making a choice, and not the Usos being exposed as being less than what they are currently perceived by some (myself included) to be. 

[DavidB6937]

That was all a pretty perfect send off for Edge. Good for him. His return has been up and down but to be able to come back at all and then leave on his own terms just makes me really happy for the guy. Whatever it next for him I'm glad he got that moment. What a contrast to how he left before.

[d-d-d-dAz]

Edge is an interesting case, as he’s really either a main event heel or a member of Edge and Christian. They’re his only uses, and since he returned WWE hasn’t needed a main event heel and hasn’t had a Christian.

I don’t mean to be a party pooper, especially as I like LA Knight’s schtick, but the more in-ring time he gets the less convinced I am. There’s a lot of scruffiness and blown, or nearly blown, spots.

Edited August 19, 2023 by d-d-d-dAz

[RedRooster]

9 minutes ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

I don’t mean to be a party pooper, especially as I like LA Knight’s schtick, but the more in-ring time he gets the less convinced I am. There’s a lot of scruffiness and blown, or nearly blown, spots.

I’m totally with you on this. I mean, I absolutely think they should get something out of him while they can, but I would be surprised if the enormous reactions sustain themselves in the long term. 

If that’s the end for Edge, it was a brilliant send-off. I became a wrestling fan in late 2002, and the period where Edge was top heel on Smackdown alongside Vickie Guerrero is packed with nostalgia for me. He’s certainly one of my all time favourites. I’m glad he had this final run, to go out on his own terms.

[Merzbow]

Is there a story with these two, it definitely felt like Edge picked Sheamus to be his last opponent.

[d-d-d-dAz]

3 minutes ago, Merzbow said:

Is there a story with these two, it definitely felt like Edge picked Sheamus to be his last opponent.

Just mates.

It appears the story from last week is true, that doing the Celtic Warrior Workouts made him realise he should push to wrestle again (if you weren’t watching, they did mountain biking and Edge sacked it hard and was fine, and he was like ‘that’s worst than a bump, if I can do that I can wrestle again!’).

I know he was a bit of a shagger and fucker over of mates in his youth, but Edge does seem to have ended up amongst that rare group of wrestlers you can safely call ‘thoroughly good eggs’. Sheamus in there with him. Probably Daniel Bryan Danielson. Sure there are others.

 

Edited August 19, 2023 by d-d-d-dAz

[Supremo]

The video package they put together is great. Almost makes you forget what a wash out most of his return has been.

 

[d-d-d-dAz]

16 minutes ago, Supremo said:

The video package they put together is great. Almost makes you forget what a wash out most of his return has been.

 

What’s interesting about the whole thing is, it sort of does read like he might turn up in AEW at some point.

He hasn’t committed to retirement once, but has equally been very emotional and in goodbye mode. Also, WWE have been so glowing… you wonder if they’re trying to convince him not to cross the street.

If he turns up in AEW in the next few months, it’d be utterly insane. He’s as WWE as Big Show, but in a position to still have matches of note. 
 

Edge/Christian v Bucks is obviously the money, but Edge/Omega is fascinating.

On your point about his return, I sort of feel bad for him. Covid wasn’t ideal, but the issue is.. they just didn’t really need him. As I said he’s either a main event heel or a member of Edge and Christian. They didn’t need a main event heel, so once he’d done his bit with Orton and had a lie down for Roman, it was just sort of over. Shame.

 

Edited August 19, 2023 by d-d-d-dAz

[Nick James]

Edge has always been, quite possibly, my favourite of all time. Not saying he's the best of all time, but definitely my favourite of all time. If that's it, then I'll be gutted to be honest as his return run has been a bit lacklustre to say the least, BUT, at least he got a return run and his final match wasn't Alberto Del Rio. 

All this talk of Edge to AEW is bollocks as well, surely? Imagine taking Christian away from the tremendous heel stuff he's been doing to have a 10 minute nostalgia run where they can't even be called Edge and Christian. Plus no doubt within a month, a TLC would be booked with Jeff and Matt that would likely kill Jeff off for good. 

[simonworden]

38 minutes ago, Nick James said:

Edge has always been, quite possibly, my favourite of all time. Not saying he's the best of all time, but definitely my favourite of all time. If that's it, then I'll be gutted to be honest as his return run has been a bit lacklustre to say the least, BUT, at least he got a return run and his final match wasn't Alberto Del Rio. 

All this talk of Edge to AEW is bollocks as well, surely? Imagine taking Christian away from the tremendous heel stuff he's been doing to have a 10 minute nostalgia run where they can't even be called Edge and Christian. Plus no doubt within a month, a TLC would be booked with Jeff and Matt that would likely kill Jeff off for good. 

That's exactly why I hope he doesn't go anywhere near AEW. They don't need him and he doesn't need to become an edge parody feuding with the very broken Hardy's. 

Only thing wrestling wise I'd like to see is some form of q and a show with him, Christian and some form of Dudley's/Hardy's perhaps.