Paid Members Carbomb Posted October 28, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted October 28, 2020 I've always liked ring ramps, like the ones in NJPW and NOAH - they tended to use them primarily for the big events, and it definitely added to the big-time feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boshealecta Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 7 hours ago, Gay as FOOK said: This is like finding out X-Pac's theme goes "Make some noise!" and not "X-PAC!" all over again. What do you mean? It doesn’t say x pac at the start? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members bbabba Posted October 29, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted October 29, 2020 How are ring canvases washed? Is there some like industrial giant washing machines you can go to, or are they just hung and sprayed with soap and water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Surf Digby Posted October 29, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted October 29, 2020 Hot water extraction, I'd imagine. Basically a heavy duty carpet shampooer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonworden Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 7 hours ago, bbabba said: How are ring canvases washed? Is there some like industrial giant washing machines you can go to, or are they just hung and sprayed with soap and water? I think plenty of independents from the early to mid 2000 should have asked that question a lot more. I'm sure I heard somewhere that getting the ring canvas printed on is quite expensive and the logos get damaged quite quickly so it's a lot more noticeable on TV and they aren't able to change up the canvas mid show like they used to often do during a TV taping. If you watch Wrestlemania 12 you'll notice just how rank the canvas looks by the end of the main event. My favorite WWF set up is the black and gold from Mania 9 and 10. So different to their normal TV which made the shows stand out immediately . WCW always had wonderfully varied rings too. That said I never understood why in 1999 they changed to having an all grey look with black ropes, really matched the blandness of the product at the time although I far preferred the look of the rings with the thicker cable rope in red and blue to the WWF/E's rope based design.  Away from the US I always loved the blue with white trim canvas New Japan used and the old tube like corner pads were ace, so unique.  NOAH's green ring was also great, as is their newer design.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gaffer Posted October 29, 2020 Author Share Posted October 29, 2020 9 hours ago, boshealecta said: What do you mean? It doesn’t say x pac at the start? "Make some noise!" WCW 1999 is a good shout for rubbish ringside setups. Pigeon grey everywhere to go with the bird shit logo up on the ramp. Gone were the comic book logos, the Nitro flames, nothing on the ring aprons, everything all lit the same. All after a deliberate initiative by Turner execs to freshen up the look of the product. The Russo era gets a huge thumbs up for me, though! They went for a big time boxing look with the lights and blue ring canvas. I was stiff when Bischoff and Hogan brought back the four sides as well. Contentious, but it turned it into a proper looking promotion for me.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PowerButchi Posted October 29, 2020 Moderators Share Posted October 29, 2020 (edited) The blue ropes for Nitro in 2001 were awful though. I know they were taping Nitro and Thunder the same night, but the blue ropes annoyed me.  Just noticed that gif is when Johnny the Bull ruined his piss equipment. Good choice! Edited October 29, 2020 by PowerButchi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted October 29, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted October 29, 2020 As others have already mentioned, I loved the switch to a darker aesthetic in late 1997 and early 1998. Going from the colourful ropes to everything at ringside being either black or red made the show feel edgier and cooler. As a 14 year old, it hit the spot perfectly.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members air_raid Posted October 29, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted October 29, 2020 All the WCW canvasses with the huge PPV logos from 96-98 were fantastic. It’s hardly a coincidence that the changes to those as well as Nitro logo and theme coincided with people starting to switch off in droves. On the flip side, I love the way New Japan has sponsors all over the ring mat, turnbuckles, apron etc. Big factor in the convincing “It’s like a proper sport, this” presentation in a way that “Raw, SmackDown and Stridex Super Pads present Backlash” spiels could only aspire to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Statto Posted October 29, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted October 29, 2020 12 hours ago, wordsfromlee said: Was there a special reason for the ramp going right up level to the ring or was it just a looks things? It’s something I’ve always wondered. I don't know about the early 90s WCW version - I'd guess at it being primarily aesthetic, looking different from the competition and also raising the wrestlers above the crowd when they entered to enhance a larger than life feel. When TNA did it in the early 2010s, the rumour was that they'd done so to make it easier for Hogan to get to the ring as he'd recently had a surgery (I want to say back?) which made walking down a traditional ramp/up a set of ring steps potentially challenging at the time. Not sure how true that actually was though, but it looked boss. Both had the added bonus of being able to do fun spots on/off it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Statto Posted October 29, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted October 29, 2020 (edited) 13 hours ago, wordsfromlee said: Was there a special reason for the ramp going right up level to the ring or was it just a looks things? It’s something I’ve always wondered. Double post, sorry. I'll drop in the potentially controversial opinion that I quite liked the bright, clean look WWE had when they had white ropes & white ringposts on Raw about 5 years ago. Edited October 29, 2020 by Statto DP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boshealecta Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 2 hours ago, Gay as FOOK said: "Make some noise!" WCW 1999 is a good shout for rubbish ringside setups. Pigeon grey everywhere to go with the bird shit logo up on the ramp. Gone were the comic book logos, the Nitro flames, nothing on the ring aprons, everything all lit the same. All after a deliberate initiative by Turner execs to freshen up the look of the product. The Russo era gets a huge thumbs up for me, though! They went for a big time boxing look with the lights and blue ring canvas. I was stiff when Bischoff and Hogan brought back the four sides as well. Contentious, but it turned it into a proper looking promotion for me.  Just looked on YouTube. It does day make some noise. 2020 has been a rough year for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonworden Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 An additional one that is almost completely forgotten is about 2 or 3 weeks in 1997 where Raw had the middle rope black with red on top and bottom. Always thought that was pretty cool. I'm quite the sucker for different colored ring ropes. I always liked the FWA rings especially the blue roped version. I know the ring was knackered by 2005 but it seems more than coincidental that when the FWA stopped using their own ring and the entrance sets with barriers in 2005/06 that people lost interest it not only didn't feel like the FWA in ring anymore but had a clear visual representation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Tommy! Posted October 29, 2020 Paid Members Share Posted October 29, 2020 2 hours ago, boshealecta said: Just looked on YouTube. It does day make some noise. 2020 has been a rough year for me 2nd best thing Chris Warren ever did, after being bad enough to get Americans to boo the US national Anthem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsfromlee Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 This is to be a contender for worst looking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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