The Official UKFF RAW thread (part 2)...

[BomberPat]

3 hours ago, The Maestro said:

By that logic couldn't you say that the majority of weapons in wrestling are weird though? 

Not really. Most weapons - chairs, tables, ladders, bins, ring bells, and so on - are things that would conceivably be available at wrestling shows for a variety of reasons.

Anything else, and I would like to see at least a cursory explanation as to why it's there - I still remember how JR used to indignantly protest, "oh, I wonder how that got there!" when Triple H would get his sledgehammer from under the ring during the McMahon-Helmsley angle - but instead it's just accepted that a WWE ring inexplicably always has a stockpile of kendo sticks under it.

[The Maestro]

1 minute ago, BomberPat said:

Not really. Most weapons - chairs, tables, ladders, bins, ring bells, and so on - are things that would conceivably be available at wrestling shows for a variety of reasons.

The ring bell seems to be the most logical weapon to be found under or around the ring. The announcer's table has got smashed how many times in wrestling history but they've never dug out from under the ring as a replacement for example.

I don't like to look into these kind of things too closely as they're just "wrestle-isms" and part of the crazy world of wrestling that we all know and love. Logic goes out of the window to a point. Can't deal with the sledgehammer though. You're trying to hurt your opponent and win a match, not murder them. 

[BomberPat]

13 hours ago, The Maestro said:

The announcer's table has got smashed how many times in wrestling history but they've never dug out from under the ring as a replacement for example.

I have definitely seen this done - I have memories of 2000/2001 WWF and the announce table being broken early in the show, and when they cut to the announcers later they have a standard wooden table with their monitors on it. 

Something like that is plausible - there'd be a wooden table under the ring in case something like that happened; older shows would just have those tables at ringside for announcers, timekeepers, the athletic commission reps, and so on, anyway, smaller shows would have tables around for merch and concessions. Even if it's not legitimate, it's two seconds on commentary to explain why there would be a table under the ring.

Ladders, similarly - tell me that they were used when setting up the arena and the lighting rigs or whatever, and are stored under the ring once they're done with. Same with chairs - if I'm going to nitpick, I'd rather see a wrestler go and grab the timekeeper or ring announcer's chair than pull one from under the ring because, again, you're establishing "this is an object that exists within this space" rather than the video game logic of "press a button next to the ring apron and you'll get a weapon"; it establishes that the chair is an object first and a makeshift weapon second. 

Other stuff is logically under there - you can probably make a case for those big metal bins, or a toolbox, a big metal spanner, all sorts of plausible weapons. But what logical purpose does keeping a stockpile of kendo sticks under the ring serve, in kayfabe? 

Once I was at an indie show where there was a kendo stick spot in a match, and during intermission one of the wrestlers made a point of "sneaking" down to the ring and hiding it. It only takes a couple of seconds to add that level of logic to something like this, that elevates it beyond "it's just wrestling", and it's infuriating that no one bothers.

[LaGoosh]

My favourite is that Big Show match where there was a super sized chair under the ring which raised the suggestion that all of the furniture in Big Shows house is twice the normal size.

[Statto]

I wonder if they might stick a mask on Dominik when it comes time to wrestle, and play it off as an "adopting a new persona in order to fight" thing? Like TNA did for a bit with the Suicide/Manik persona after it was revealed TJP was under the hood. Perhaps go as far as to have him enter unmasked then put it on in the ring, Avatar style.

Cos he does look very young, and sometimes a bit gormless. Plus merch.

[Briefcase]

On 8/13/2020 at 11:34 AM, Statto said:

I wonder if they might stick a mask on Dominik when it comes time to wrestle, and play it off as an "adopting a new persona in order to fight" thing? Like TNA did for a bit with the Suicide/Manik persona after it was revealed TJP was under the hood. Perhaps go as far as to have him enter unmasked then put it on in the ring, Avatar style.

Cos he does look very young, and sometimes a bit gormless. Plus merch.

Maybe he will lose without the mask at first and then tries again with the mask in a rematch, Rollins then does the whole 'You think I am scared of a mask' thing then to answer your question in the Smackdown thread, if they wanted to turn Bray face then he could move to Raw and instantly turn face when the lights go out and he's standing behind Rollins in his mask. 

Would work better with a crowd and this is WWE so anything can happen (disclaimer to make this post make sense)

Edited August 17, 2020 by Briefcase

[andrew "the ref" coyne]

On 8/13/2020 at 7:22 PM, BomberPat said:

Once I was at an indie show where there was a kendo stick spot in a match, and during intermission one of the wrestlers made a point of "sneaking" down to the ring and hiding it. It only takes a couple of seconds to add that level of logic to something like this, that elevates it beyond "it's just wrestling", and it's infuriating that no one bothers.

That is LOVELY attention to detail. I'm saluting that one. So simple yet fantastic at the same time.

I've never thought about the logic regarding weapons in this context, so I'll be sure to incorporate this into my commentary in future. 

[I Bent My Wookie]

Thumbtacks are the ones for me that logistically make no sense, a wrestler goes under the ring and pulls out a bag of office stationary and not a single comment is made about how did they get there? Even a simple bit of storytelling of someone seeing someone earlier in the day stashing a bag. 

[Liam O'Rourke]

1 hour ago, andrew "the ref" coyne said:

That is LOVELY attention to detail. I'm saluting that one. So simple yet fantastic at the same time.

I've never thought about the logic regarding weapons in this context, so I'll be sure to incorporate this into my commentary in future. 

I'll bet he legit forgot to put it under the ring before the show started.

[AnotherCrapUsername]

6 hours ago, andrew "the ref" coyne said:

That is LOVELY attention to detail. I'm saluting that one. So simple yet fantastic at the same time.

I've never thought about the logic regarding weapons in this context, so I'll be sure to incorporate this into my commentary in future. 

If only you'd have hidden the Harry Potter book under the ring!

Still up there with the greatest heel moment in the business

[Nick James]

Samoa Joe is outstanding in his current role of commentator that people are afraid of. The way he stands up to people and just tells people how it is without fear is refreshing. It wouldn't surprise me if he is the leader of the Retribution group.

Drew delivering the line 'Drew McIntyre is a weapon', how did he agree to that? I understand that being a 'weapon' probably doesn't mean the same in the states, but Drew being a Scot you would think would have changed the wording. As much as Drew has an aura about him, his acting is terrible. That backstage segment with the other guys about Retribution was cringeworthy. 

Edited August 18, 2020 by Nick James

[CavemanLynn]

21 minutes ago, Nick James said:

Drew delivering the line 'Drew McIntyre is a weapon', how did he agree to that? I understand that being a 'weapon' probably doesn't mean the same in the states, but Drew being a Scot you would think would have changed the wording.

I can't wait to see the t-shirt they'll bring out.

[DavidB6937]

Orton continues to be exceptional, and while I know I shouldn't want him to win the title - I absolutely do on this current form.

Not sure Shawn's selling of the punt was great though. Most people sell it like they've died. He was just sat in the corner like he had a migraine.

[sukhy]

1 hour ago, DavidB6937 said:

Orton continues to be exceptional, and while I know I shouldn't want him to win the title - I absolutely do on this current form.

Not sure Shawn's selling of the punt was great though. Most people sell it like they've died. He was just sat in the corner like he had a migraine.

Saw the clip of Shawn's selling on Twitter, he's still the moody twat he always was by the looks of it. There's no reason to under sell those moves at all, just symptomatic of all the problems that WWE have. 

[Jazzy G]

5 minutes ago, sukhy said:

Saw the clip of Shawn's selling on Twitter, he's still the moody twat he always was by the looks of it. There's no reason to under sell those moves at all, just symptomatic of all the problems that WWE have. 

At least he undersold it rather than his Summerslam 2005 comedy overselling where he would have tried to fling himself over the top rope and the barricade.