Professional Wrestling (WWE, TNA, ROH, etc)

[Loenatic]

Taker's gonna win he has the 14-0 streak.

[Andrew]

Yeah, but don't you think that it's fake? If WWE release Cena, they can easily find another actor and that new actor will act another role, similiar than Cena's. Cena is just boring for me, cause he always always always uses the same movies: The FU, STFU, Shoulder Block, etc. He has too big push. Really to big. Cena is nice on the mic, but he's bad wrestler He reached the top because McMahon wanted to make second The Rock or Stone Cold Steve Austin. He writed a sce But theese 2 guys are WWF (WWE) legends and boring wrestler Cena, who's just can show us nothing new can't replace real legends.

I'm not sure what you're getting at by saying it's fake since no professional wrestling moves are real (though most present a very real danger). I think you're selling Cena short by saying the WWE should release him and that someone else could easily take his place. If it was that easy, the WWE would be overloaded with legitimate main event talent at the moment and that's simply not the case.

There have been much, much worse wrestlers than John Cena. The Great Khali comes to mind. When your pay-per-view matches are pulled because the company isn't confident you can put on even an average performance on live television it's fair to say you're a bad worker.

You note Cena's limited moveset and the big push and it's hard to disagree with that but the very same criticisms could be made of Hulk Hogan. He's far from Khali standards but there have certainly been more talented workers than Hogan (Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels come to mind) and the pushes he has received throughout his career have been astronomical. Even as recently as last year active wrestlers around the main event level were jobbing to him in sparse appearances here and there.

I agree that Cena's push hasn't been handled perfectly since he broke into the main event scene and he has his own shortcomings but at the same time I think it's become fashionable to hate him and not give him his due.

[KIG1]

And, Cena is one of the hardest workers in the WWE. He always has a good attitude about his work.

[Andrew]

Agreed, which is something that can't always be said for more gifted wrestlers.

[cobber]

I personally like to think of wrestling moves as scripted since they do take quite a bit of strength, skill and practice in order to execute properly (aka prevent each wrestler from injury)

I like Cena as well. Although it would be nice to see him up increase his in-ring moves, no one (other than the Undertaker), gets the crowd going more than he does. Like Andrew said, Hogan really wasn't that talented, but a great persona made him a must see.

I will be interested to see what happens with the Umaga-Lashley battle. Not just because is should be a decent match, but to see who will be joining Britney Spears in the shaved-head club. My guess is Lashley will end up winning, just becasue I don't think Trump would actually be willing to get his head shaved. Vince, on the other hand, would do nearly anything to keep people interested.

[3P]

Isn't Trump bald either way

[Lean]

I thought Trump would "choose" Mysterio as his Superstar to battler Umaga at Wrestlemania.

[Andrew]

I personally like to think of wrestling moves as scripted since they do take quite a bit of strength, skill and practice in order to execute properly (aka prevent each wrestler from injury)

I agree, it's probably the most respectful term to use.

I will be interested to see what happens with the Umaga-Lashley battle. Not just because is should be a decent match, but to see who will be joining Britney Spears in the shaved-head club. My guess is Lashley will end up winning, just becasue I don't think Trump would actually be willing to get his head shaved. Vince, on the other hand, would do nearly anything to keep people interested.

I can't see Trump losing his hair. I reckon the way the angle will play out up until Wrestlemania will be Vince putting Lashley through all sorts of hell on ECW and the occasional RAW, culminating with a Lashley victory at Wrestlemania and Trump shaving Vince's head.

Of course, if the match does go the other way then Conan will have to update his Trump impression on Late Night.

[Lean]

I can't see Trump losing his hair...

Same here.

[BZ]

Dunno if it really deserves a new thread, but since this WWE thread is wrestling anyways...

Does anyone watch Puroresu wrestling? Basically, Japanese wrestling. Whether its AJPW, NJPW or NOAH, it's all cool. It's a good relief from the horrendous repetitive talent-less wrestling that's been going on in the WWE right now. Puro wrestling is treated as a sport (almost boxing like) event over at Japan, and they take the wrestling seriously. It's still pre-determined and everything, but when the wrestler's get in the ring, all hell breaks loose. Stiff shots everywhere, and hardcore wrestling moves (like dropping another wrestler right on their head... watch Misawa's Tiger Driver 91' and you'll cringe). For people who have never ventured into the Pacific's style of wrestling, I strongy recommend it. Japanese wrestlers are THE most innovative wrestlers around, since many western wrestlers copy their moves and bring them to the West. (CM Punk is a blatant rip-off of KENTA <--(That's how his name really is ))

[Andrew]

I haven't seen any of it myself but I have read some interesting observations and comparisons to the North American product in some recent columns in The Oratory over at Rajah's.

In other news, Bam Bam Bigelow's autopsy has revealed he passed away due to an overdose.

[Andrew]

WWE Dumping Brand-Only Pay-Per-Views

I guess it's a step in the right direction, even though they'll still be labelled as brand specific shows they'll feature talent from all three brands. Perhaps they'll eventually see how this doesn't leave the roster for any one show very thin or unbalanced and end the split altogether. I know, I know, I should probably give up on that dream by now.

One possible solution (and I'm sure I'm hardly the first to suggest this) would be to unify the championship belts of RAW and Smackdown and have a certain amount of talent work both shows, with a few exclusives to each brand (say, the Women's Division on RAW and Cruiserweights on Smackdown and a few other specific wrestlers divided between the two shows). With the way talent appears on both brands these days the split and supposed rivalry between brands seems meaningless at times.

[BZ]

WWE Dumping Brand-Only Pay-Per-Views

I guess it's a step in the right direction, even though they'll still be labelled as brand specific shows they'll feature talent from all three brands. Perhaps they'll eventually see how this doesn't leave the roster for any one show very thin or unbalanced and end the split altogether. I know, I know, I should probably give up on that dream by now.

One possible solution (and I'm sure I'm hardly the first to suggest this) would be to unify the championship belts of RAW and Smackdown and have a certain amount of talent work both shows, with a few exclusives to each brand (say, the Women's Division on RAW and Cruiserweights on Smackdown and a few other specific wrestlers divided between the two shows). With the way talent appears on both brands these days the split and supposed rivalry between brands seems meaningless at times.

Good lord, I hope the World Heavyweight Title stays if they merge the titles... Cena's spinner belt absolutely MUST go... I'm hating the title more and more by the day. As for the brand merger, I think it'll happen in a couple of years, right now... so many wrestlers are just appearing on all all shows without warning or reason (e.g Ken Kennedy on ECW for example)

[Andrew]

I know we've had this discussion before but I'd still rather see the pre-spinner WWE Championship belt return, the same design that made its debut when that belt was the undisputed championship just after the Invasion angle concluded. It also has the longest lineage within the company since the World Title's history doesn't carry on from the NWA/WCW lineage even though it has the same design. Bottom line though, the spinner belt needs to go. It was alright when Cena was in the midcard and held the US title but it's far too cartoonish for one of the major belts in the company.

[Lean]

Yeah, bring back the old eagle-belt days. Though I like the World Heavyweight belt's design much.

[BigKaboom2]

Yeah, I love the look of the World Heavyweight Title compared to the WWE Title, but the WWE Title would have to stay for obvious reasons - maybe they could redesign to look more excessively gold.

EDIT: http://www.dailymotion.com/visited/sear ... -vs-misawa

Awesome stuff.

[BZ]

Yeah, I love the look of the World Heavyweight Title compared to the WWE Title, but the WWE Title would have to stay for obvious reasons - maybe they could redesign to look more excessively gold.

EDIT: http://www.dailymotion.com/visited/sear ... -vs-misawa

Awesome stuff.

That's the only reason why I like the World Heavyweight Title, it's excessively gold It shows everyone that sets their eyes on it that it's obvious it's the top prize.

And Japanese wrestling is totally Misawa, Kobashi, KENTA, Jun Akiyama, Keiji Mutoh, and Akira Taeu are my favorites.

It was alright when Cena was in the midcard and held the US title but it's far too cartoonish for one of the major belts in the company.

I've never really taken the WWE seriously after that title debuted, and I don't think any mainstream media did when they saw that. Although it was for gimmick purposes, the title signified a change in the WWE that, they're gonna go with what's popular, no matter how silly it is. And that's the sad part about wrestling these days.

And also, a very interesting (sometimes graphic) site for wrestling fans, but also for anyone who's interested in "when stunts go wrong" subjects

http://www.wrestlinggonewrong.com

EDIT: My bad, I mixed up the link. Correct link this time.

[Andrew]

I've never really taken the WWE seriously after that title debuted, and I don't think any mainstream media did when they saw that. Although it was for gimmick purposes, the title signified a change in the WWE that, they're gonna go with what's popular, no matter how silly it is. And that's the sad part about wrestling these days.

Do you mean the WWE title or the US title? Just to qualify my position in my previous post, I certainly don't prefer any spinner belts over the traditional designs but given the US title is a midcard belt and it's not unheard of for wrestlers have their own custom belts as part of their gimmick or an angle so it kind of worked. It wasn't too bad for that particular belt. It was, to an extent, tolerable.

But when that custom WWE title lowered from the ceiling during Cena's celebration on the second Smackdown after Wrestlemania 21...it was just too much. I remember thinking when I got a good look at it that it was pretty awful but could be worse, then Cena spun the WWE logo in the middle and it immediately took a turn for the worse.

If it had a limited run to sell merchandise and put over the Cena/JBL feud which was banking heavily on JBL criticising Cena for his image then I could have tolerated that. I wouldn't have liked it but I could have tolerated it, it could have worked. But it's been the belt (save for some customisation during Edge's reign) going on two years now. I'm hoping HBK will be put over at Wrestlemania, leading to the return of the classic belt, or a design that resembles it. Anything without a spinner would be a step in the right direction.

[Lean]

Agreed.

Anyway, speaking of Japanese wrestling, anyone here knows the Hard Gay wrestler?

[BZ]

Agreed.

Anyway, speaking of Japanese wrestling, anyone here knows the Hard Gay wrestler?

a.k.a Razor Ramon? That dude's a comedian he's done some hilarious stunts, but as a wrestler, he's still a joke nonetheless.

[[Q]]

is that what he's doing nowadays? Razor was sick back in the day... Even in the NWO "takeover" of the WWE he was pretty decent. Him & Kevin Nash & Xpac... ah those were the days...

[BZ]

is that what he's doing nowadays? Razor was sick back in the day... Even in the NWO "takeover" of the WWE he was pretty decent. Him & Kevin Nash & Xpac... ah those were the days...

No no, the Razor Ramon you had in mind is retired and drunk as of right now. The Razor Ramon that Lean and I had in mind was Razor Ramon Hard Gay, a Japanese wrestler who goes by that moniker, or sometimes, just Hard Gay. It's surprising the WWE hasn't sued him yet since they trademarked the name Razor Ramon... but Hard Gay is just a comedian who does gay antics to mock homosexuals, and wrestles sometimes. Hilarious guy, read up on him on wikipedia.

[Lean]

Darn these local networks. I believe they stopped showing both Raw and Smackdown, now I don't know if Wrestlemania 23 will be shown. And I don't have cable. Dammit.

[Andrew]

Speaking of the original Razor Ramon, a return to the ring would seem unlikely given his current weight.

[Lean]

Yeah, old school. I remember that ladder match of his against HBK for the WWF title.