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


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19 hours ago, unfitfinlay said:

Same with stuff like "Johnny Hungee". Aiden English said he nearly got sacked from WWE for a spot where a Referee superkicked him. It was a dark match, the crowd were calling for it and loved it but he got screamed at backstage for going off-script and given a hefty fine (which Cena paid). Again, if I'm watching that I'm just going to do exactly what they tell me, no matter how shit it is.

How could that situation even happen? It sounds absolutely ridiculous unless the referee is Shawn Michaels. Although he is a contracted self-employed performer, he is being paid to do what the person that is paying for his services asks him to do.

If people don't like it there are other choices of where to work. If you want to work for the WWE behemoth, you have to accept that the reason they are such a successful company is because what Vince says, goes. A fine might be harsh, but there is no context as to whether he pulled anything like this before.

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1 minute ago, stewdogg said:

How could that situation even happen? It sounds absolutely ridiculous unless the referee is Shawn Michaels. Although he is a contracted self-employed performer, he is being paid to do what the person that is paying for his services asks him to do.

If people don't like it there are other choices of where to work. If you want to work for the WWE behemoth, you have to accept that the reason they are such a successful company is because what Vince says, goes. A fine might be harsh, but there is no context as to whether he pulled anything like this before.

It was a six man match and the spot was that he was getting superkicked every time he got in the ring. The crowd started cheering for the Ref to do it so the rest of the guys in the ring called an audible. Keep in mind he was teaming with Rusev and Corbin against Styles and The Usos. It's not like Aiden English was calling the spots. He just did what they told him. 

Was it a great spot? No. but threatening to sack him was bollocks and it's a good indication of why WWE is where it is creatively. Wrestlers are constantly told that they need to get themselves over but then get punished when they try. Some of the best things in wrestling history - The Four Horsemen, Austin 3:16, "If You Smell What The Rock Is Cooking", etc - have come from wrestlers ad-libbing. With very few exceptions that couldn't happen these days and that's why so much feels forced and unnatural. Because it is.

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16 hours ago, unfitfinlay said:

 Some of the best things in wrestling history - The Four Horsemen, Austin 3:16, "If You Smell What The Rock Is Cooking", etc - have come from wrestlers ad-libbing. With very few exceptions that couldn't happen these days and that's why so much feels forced and unnatural. Because it is.

Aye, but to be fair there's a long jump from those to a wrestler stooging and getting kicked in the chops by a fucking ref. Refs, MCs, timekeepers, should remember the golden rule - a wrestler can twat you.

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On 3/10/2021 at 11:17 AM, WeeAl said:

I'm always surprised that WWE is able to convince TV executives that they are DVR proof. I'd be even more shocked if they actually are DVR proof, and aren't just pulling the wool. 

That anybody still watches live wrestling programs, in this day and age? I can't get my head around it. 

Social media has a lot to play in this, not solely, but definitely a contribution to live viewership. I think a lot of people want instant gratification, and as long as there’s a live option, people want to be the ‘first’ to watch it and then tell others their thoughts. Whether it’s podcasts, twitter updates, live watch alongs etc, there’s a lot of people who watch live to either directly provide their thoughts & analysis, or be part of that conversation. Twitter/YouTube presenters such as Daze & CWrestling gain a lot of views and interaction due to covering live watch alongs. If they don’t cover it, will they lose out on interaction, views and possible advertising revenue? yeah, they arguably would.

So you’ve got those and the MANY like them, then you’ve got their followers who want to be noticed and be part of that conversation. Then you’ve got the copycat versions who have little to no platform, but who see the allure of it (followers/pay days).

People watch footy live and constantly update twitter about every throw in, it’s exactly the same with wrestling. So when you consider that, and the fact how many podcasts/similar there are, and how many people want to upload first, then add the people who want to be part of that discussion, then the numbers start adding up, not including people who just watch live for the sake of it.

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I agree @Kaz Hayashi, that's a big part of it. You don't want to miss being part of that initial buzz and conversation if Something Happens - if you're not there tweeting or posting about it almost straight away, you're too late and everybody has moved on. Slightly different because it was a PPV, and not a RAW one at that, but somebody just getting round to watching AEW Revolution this morning isn't going to be able to get involved in any discussion, memes or otherwise because everything moves on super-fast these days, especially on social media. Your only chance to be part of that (or to be the person who does the tweet everybody quotes) is to watch it live. Sure, 90% of the time Nothing Happens, but you are there and ready in case Something does.

Edited by HarmonicGenerator
big parts and bit parts are different
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13 minutes ago, HarmonicGenerator said:

I agree @Kaz Hayashi, that's a big part of it. You don't want to miss being part of that initial buzz and conversation if Something Happens - if you're not there tweeting or posting about it almost straight away, you're too late and everybody has moved on. Slightly different because it was a PPV, and not a RAW one at that, but somebody just getting round to watching AEW Revolution this morning isn't going to be able to get involved in any discussion, memes or otherwise because everything moves on super-fast these days, especially on social media. Your only chance to be part of that (or to be the person who does the tweet everybody quotes) is to watch it live. Sure, 90% of the time Nothing Happens, but you are there and ready in case Something does.

Social media is huge these days. You wouldn't have had whatsherface from Wandavision getting a number 1 on the iTunes soundtrack chart (and I think even top 5 in the actual singles chart) without all the Twitter stuff and the memes and everything like that. Same with something like Line of Duty - it's always been a solid show but the discussion and the fanbase is what drives it into something truly special and exciting.

The opportunity to interact with other fans, as well as people that actually work for the companies etc is huge. It's a massive part of it now, but as you say it's very much a situation where you have to be there. Everyone will make the same comment or joke over time and then when you're popping up with your LOL AEW BOMB comment three weeks later no one is going to give a fuck.

It's also why they drone on and on about trending on Twitter on their shows. Thank fuck that's actually relevant though and we're not just hearing about Tout these days or whatever it was. Personally I'd love to stay up for PPVs and get involved but I can't afford to fall asleep on the job on the next day. And there's about a 0.0001% chance I'd ever stay up for a RAW.

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On 3/12/2021 at 2:57 AM, PowerButchi said:

Aye, but to be fair there's a long jump from those to a wrestler stooging and getting kicked in the chops by a fucking ref. Refs, MCs, timekeepers, should remember the golden rule - a wrestler can twat you.

Aye fair point. I'm not defending the spot itself. My point is that anybody seeing the fall out from that is going to think twice throwing something out there and seeing if it hits. Same with the Dan Madigan incident. You can't really be creative when one bad idea can cost you your job.

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The Miz waffles the biggest pop star in the world with a guitar and the camera misses it. Fucking hell.

Drew McIntyre/Sheamus/Lashley are all really great. Just big meaty men slapping meat. But... it’s not quite Mania is it?

I have absolutely no idea why Shane is obsessed with humiliating Braun, or why Braun is being buried like this. Is this all because Braun said the idea to have former WWE Champions in the Elimination Chamber was stupid? Or, have they not even thought it through to that level, and are just trying desperately to get to the point where Shane gets thrown off the pirate ship at Mania?

Edited by d-d-d-dAz
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1 hour ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

The Miz waffles the biggest pop star in the world with a guitar and the camera misses it. Fucking hell.

Drew McIntyre/Sheamus/Lashley are all really great. Just big meaty men slapping meat. But... it’s not quite Mania is it?

I have absolutely no idea why Shane is obsessed with humiliating Braun, or why Braun is being buried like this. Is this all because Braun said the idea to have former WWE Champions in the Elimination Chamber was stupid? Or, have they not even thought it through to that level, and are just trying desperately to get to the point where Shane gets thrown off the pirate ship at Mania?

I’m hoping that because they’ve put the match on Sunday’s PPV, it leads to Shane getting battered to the point he brings someone in to take out Braun at Mania, just who I don’t know

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28 minutes ago, RIDDUM_N_STYLE said:

I’m hoping that because they’ve put the match on Sunday’s PPV, it leads to Shane getting battered to the point he brings someone in to take out Braun at Mania, just who I don’t know

I reckon it will be a similar one to the match last night where its Braun chasing Shane ending in a DQ or count out, then we'll get the falls count anywhere match at Mania with Shane being thrown off the ship.

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I was on call with work last night so gave  Thunderdome another go to stay awake. I lasted about forty minutes before the novelty completely wore off. I abandoned the show and caught up on spoilers and Twitter clips this morning.

There’s just nothing going on worth watching or caring about. It’s not even the empty arena either because things are way worse now than even four to six months ago. It’s got to be the dullest, most uninspiring Wrestlemania season of all time. And that’s coming from someone who’s in the top one per cent of weirdos who watches and loves this stuff no matter what. If I can’t be bothered watching, who the fuck can?

I wonder if they held off on releasing those Wrestlemania tickets because they had a sudden panic that they’ve got literally nothing on either show that anyone could possibly want to see. Brock and Goldberg are probably naming their price this very second.

One thing of note from the Thunderdome was that they were recording generic crowd shots before Raw, with the intent of using them at the Hall of Fame. We were all directed to react in different ways - whether it be polite clapping during a speech or big cheers for an entrance - which they planned to then use on the night. I’d take the piss out of how it’s peak WWE to go full Black Mirror and use pre-recorded digital fans but frankly, given the behaviour of fans at previous Hall of Fame events? I not only approve of this approach but I’d recommend they continue to use it even once the pandemic is over!

Hopefully Peyton not appearing on Raw will be a lesson to anyone else planning to shoot~! on Raw Talk. Grow up. By all means, use the supplemental shows to make yourself a star and break out of the pack, but fuck right off with the moaning and shitty CM Punk delivery.

Drew has been an unexpected casualty of the ban on thigh slapping. The Claymore looks and sounds like shit without the thigh slap. Thanks a lot, Cole and Gargano!

Finally, big shout out to Randy Orton’s “this is a load of shit, isn’t it?” face for his Fastlane match graphic. Never been one to hide his real feelings, our Randal.

DB07FE4F-A075-441B-B4A1-11C67FA26E0C.thumb.jpeg.2addfe258fc7b8572ac7b34e1b6ae05a.jpeg

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25 minutes ago, Supremo said:

Drew has been an unexpected casualty of the ban on thigh slapping. The Claymore looks and sounds like shit without the thigh slap. Thanks a lot, Cole and Gargano!

Drew not only slapped his thigh on the Claymore to Bobby last night, but also missed by a country mile. 

 

Screenshot_20210316-125906_Chrome.jpg

Edited by Nick James
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Just now, Nick James said:

Drew not only slapped his thigh on the Claymore to Bobby last night, but also missed by a country mile. 

The clip I saw was of him hitting The Miz. Maybe I wasn’t paying attention but it didn’t look or sound like he slapped the thigh. Almost more interesting if he’s still allowed though. Perhaps it’s just an NXT thing.

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