Unpopular Opinions (Wrestling Edition)

[Cleavy]

How do the part timers do it?

probably just back themselves, call it in the ring, and hope for the best.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

probably just back themselves, call it in the ring, and hope for the best.

The answer is they don't need to. Wrestling 3 rote matches a week at house shows doesn't lend anything to your long-form promo skills or
how to play to the camera. It does increase the likelyhood of injuries, sleep deprivation and drug abuse.

 

[Damon_3388]

http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw00-01.htm

Well, "heavily reduced" might be the correct phrase. And the period I was referring to was 1994-1995. By 2000-2001, once the organisation had gone through its boom period and upswing, things could have changed again. A lot of those listings there are either Nitros, PPVs or TV tapings anyway.

so the main roster performers are supposed to perfect their match chemistry only on tv for upcoming ppv matches?

Well, it could be an issue, but is there really anything that special or unique outside the norm going on in big WWE matches these days that'll takes days or weeks to perfect beforehand? Most big match competitors (full-timers, anyway) seem to have some sort of interaction on TV before PPVs anyway (a tag match or something).

Maybe they don't cut house shows completely, but I think they can at least knock off one date a week and not see any detrimental effect to the quality of the product.

The answer is they don't need to. Wrestling 3 rote matches a week at house shows doesn't lend anything to your long-form promo skills or
how to play to the camera. It does increase the likelyhood of injuries, sleep deprivation and drug abuse.

Pretty much.

 

[NitroFan]

I don't even think they need a complete off-season (partly because I don't see the WWE ever doing that).

What I think would work well is having a rotating roster so that everyone gets two months off per year, either in one hit or two separate month. Lets people avoid getting overexposed and lets everyone rest up a bit, see their families and all that other boring stuff.

They could comfortably work it so that no stars miss the big PPVs.

Even if they were just given house shows off for a month or two would probably be a great help.

 

[Damon_3388]

I'm a big fan and listener to the Conrad Thompson podcasts, but lately (as I've been way behind), I've been binge-listening to 'Truth with Consequences' with Vince Russo and Matt Koon. I have to say, when given the time to explain his perspective, he's got a pretty reasonable and understandable viewpoint on wrestling, and the writing that he did. Maybe I'm being worked by his con act, but I've found myself agreeing with him quite a few times while listening.

Worth listening to, if you can get past his accent (it is grating) and can keep an open mind (beyond the persistent bashing he gets from Jim Cornette and Eric Bischoff).

 

[brutus76]

I like the Lucha House party.
I think Apollo Crews and Elias should be IC or US champion in 2019
Bray Wyatt should be a wrestler/manager = a new Wyatt family with Bo on 205, Harper and Rowan and a Sister Abigail

 

[winty]

I like the Lucha House party.
I think Apollo Crews and Elias should be IC or US champion in 2019
Bray Wyatt should be a wrestler/manager = a new Wyatt family with Bo on 205, Harper and Rowan and a Sister Abigail

Nikki Cross?

Either her or poach Rosemary from Impact.

 

[Cleavy]

Nikki Cross?

Either her or poach Rosemary from Impact.

Su Yung?

 

[Blackhawk42]

Ronda is absolutely excellent and the WWE have handled her entire run perfectly.

 

[SugarShane]

Dunno if it's unpopular or not but I'd rather see old guys in the Rumble than NXT guys. I marked out way harder for JJ, and the Hurricane last year, than I ever have for an NXT entrant.

 

[Chops18]

Dunno if it's unpopular or not but I'd rather see old guys in the Rumble than NXT guys. I marked out way harder for JJ, and the Hurricane last year, than I ever have for an NXT entrant.

Same, it doesn't hurt anyone to have them there for their cameo roles. I'm all for new talent but for the rumble i love the nostalgic moments with the older guys.

 

[timtamWB]

Dunno if it's unpopular or not but I'd rather see old guys in the Rumble than NXT guys. I marked out way harder for JJ, and the Hurricane last year, than I ever have for an NXT entrant.

I think you need a mix of both. 2 NXT guys max, 2-4 old guys to pop the crowd.

 

[Deathly]

Still not sure why Dream / EC3 weren't in the rumble before Gargano / Black.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

When did the Rumble become about bloody surprise entrants? There were always a couple each year (Drew Carey and Honky Tonk Man in 2001) but now people talk as if the 7 or 8 dished up every year are exciting or interesting or consequential. Probably because we don't have storylines to talk about.

 

[Baird]

Wwe has pretty much always been trash and the antithesis of what pro wrestling is supposed to be.

 

[WA ROO]

Moustache Mountain bore me

NXT should sign Jack Jester and Mikey Whiplash

 

[SugarShane]

When did the Rumble become about bloody surprise entrants? There were always a couple each year (Drew Carey and Honky Tonk Man in 2001) but now people talk as if the 7 or 8 dished up every year are exciting or interesting or consequential. Probably because we don't have storylines to talk about.

Rumbles are super predictable. You can name 3 or 4 blokes every year who are the only chance of winning. Having some old blokes get a nostalgic pop distract from that inherent pointlessness momentarily. The Rumbles aren't about surprise entrants, but imo they make a good surprise in what is otherwise an extremely predictable hour. They are entirely inconsequential, but hey, so are 25 of the normal entrants. If we're taking inconsequential things out of the Rumble we might as well just start with a 4 person over the top rope battle royal with the top 4 guys and be done with it.

 

[WireHawk]

Becky Lynch is very annoying. 'The Man' ? What the hell is that ?
Asuka is wonderful. Becky not so much.

 

[Blackhawk42]

I cannot stand this Miz/Shane combo and don't give two shits where the storyline goes.
Although this may not be so unpopular.

 

[SugarShane]

Becky Lynch is very annoying. 'The Man' ? What the hell is that ?
Asuka is wonderful. Becky not so much.

I'm with ya. I just don't really get Becky. A lot of what she does just seems very cringe.

The broken nose was super cool. But ever since then they've just really overdone it. Like yeah, we get it, she's supposed to be a badass. The protein shake thing was the most cringeworthy scene in ages.

 

[Gruq]

I'm a big fan and listener to the Conrad Thompson podcasts, but lately (as I've been way behind), I've been binge-listening to 'Truth with Consequences' with Vince Russo and Matt Koon. I have to say, when given the time to explain his perspective, he's got a pretty reasonable and understandable viewpoint on wrestling, and the writing that he did. Maybe I'm being worked by his con act, but I've found myself agreeing with him quite a few times while listening.

Worth listening to, if you can get past his accent (it is grating) and can keep an open mind (beyond the persistent bashing he gets from Jim Cornette and Eric Bischoff).

When listening to Russo’s take on the wrestling business, it really is quite hard to argue everything he’s saying.

He needs to laugh at himself a bit more and stop getting so defensive with some of the awful stuff he did - he should just own it.

Aside from that, he’s very entertaining.

 

[Cleavy]

When listening to Russo’s take on the wrestling business, it really is quite hard to argue everything he’s saying.

He needs to laugh at himself a bit more and stop getting so defensive with some of the awful stuff he did - he should just own it.

Aside from that, he’s very entertaining.

would never happen. Russo never wrote a bad idea in his life.

 

[Damon_3388]

would never happen. Russo never wrote a bad idea in his life.

He's moreso like "I didn't think they were bad ideas at the time, and if I did, I wouldn't have done them". He has admitted that in hindsight, some stuff didn't work.

There's also a lot of stuff he gets blamed for which he had no involvement in, too.

 

[Damon_3388]

I've been watching pro wrestling for over 20 years, and mostly watch indy and deathmatch stuff these days, but top to bottom, Royal Rumble 2019 was one of the best WWE PPVs/big shows I've ever seen.

RR s**t all over Wrestle Kingdom 13 in terms of match quality, story, and entertainment value, too. The latter wasn't a bad show as such, just quite flat and kind of boring IMO.

 

[Blackhawk42]

I've been watching pro wrestling for over 20 years, and mostly watch indy and deathmatch stuff these days, but top to bottom, Royal Rumble 2019 was one of the best WWE PPVs/big shows I've ever seen.

RR s**t all over Wrestle Kingdom 13 in terms of match quality, story, and entertainment value, too. The latter wasn't a bad show as such, just quite flat and kind of boring IMO.

Interesting. I've had the network since October so watched the last few PPV's without the spoilers. Thought Survivor Series was one of the better WWE shows I had ever seen, period. The rumble left me a little flat but that may be because it was my first time watching with both the men's and women's rumble matches and the pre show started at 9am. So it was wrestling 9 until 4 in the arvo and I was completely worn out.