Finally watched the AJ Styles interview, he really doesn’t rip into TNA and Dixie all that much. 95 percent of it is him talking about how much he enjoyed everyone.
Newer one with styles in red shirt is the good one
Yeah that is the one I am watching, it seriously isn’t all that inflammatory like people said it was. He says something bad about TNA for like 8 minutes out of a total 4 hours. He really doesn’t rip into that many people and even the one time he does, he is ultra polite about it.
After watching this, I went through some shoots on youtube about how wrestlers (yes, I said wrestlers) have to memorize scripts and can’t really innovate unless you’re like Bray Wyatt or Undertaker.
The only thing negative he’s really said about Tna is he didn’t know how the hierarchy worked when it came to booking so it was impossible to pitch things and that he was disappointed how the handled contract negotiations.
Other than that he said he enjoyed his time with Tna, wants them to be successful but doesn’t see himself going back out of respect of new japan and how well they treat him.
New Japan is as good as it gets
So I am going to the WWE Live heatwave tour this saturday. Do you guys want pictures?
Sure, why not?
Was it Dunn’s idea to slash the NXT budget? I wouldn’t put it past him to do what he can to keep Kidman and/or some hotshot college kid from taking his job (or at least delay the inevitable).
How big of a check would Vince/HHH have to write to make him go away?
[quote=“blackartsviper, post:61, topic:171046”]
That is a good question. Although, out of all the belts in a slump the tag team division is the easiest to fix. You have good established tag teams: The Usos, The Wyatts, Rybaxel and Goldust and Stardust. That is a significant step in the right direction. I’m not sure how to fix the IC and US title picture though.
I think a lot of you are missing a few of VKM’s fundamental booking 101.
The midcard and everything else up to the main event doesn’t matter, and is basically filler.
It’s been this way since hogan first strapped on that belt. He hit it out of the park with Hogan, and has been chasing in one form or another the same formula ever since.
The only time he deviated from this formula is when he had too, and barring another company able to apply real pressure to him to change. It is unlikely he will ever change that stance.
The same reason there has not been another War Games, or much of a dominate heel etc.
The Hogan push makes Vince see dollar signs, and while it makes for a shitty product regarding the M/E 9 times of 10, there used to be such a wealth of experienced hands given free reign over the rest of the card that there really was something for everyone.
This journeyman class of worker doesn’t exist like that anymore, but even the few they have who have worked their way into and up in the business, are giants among their “WWE Farm system” peers.
In essence, you want a better product? Support other orgs with your $$$ and actively encourage your friends/family whom may have nelson box’s to not tune into wwe shows.
Uh, I disagree with that in it’s entirety. WWF/WWE has tended to have a very strong midcard in different periods of it’s existence, and in WWF/WWE the midcard is generally where you look if you want to watch the most quality wrestling on the show.
The era you mentioned, Rock and Wrestling, at different points, had in it’s midcard Perfect, Taker, Jake the Snake, MDM, the Harts, the Rockers, Big Boss Man, Rick Rude, Honky Tonk, Demolition, Steamboat and a ton of other people who were all involved in their own individual feuds. There were tons of losers too, but the core midcard was really strong.
The new generation had a terrible roster from top to bottom.
The attitude era had an amazing roster all around, with a stacked midcard. Each with their own little feuds and storylines. The strength of the tag division speaks volumes to this.
Post attitude Brand Extension era had a fantastic, stacked middle card that was bursting with talent.
Cena era post the slew of retirements had a pretty thinned roster that lacked presence. We are living in the aftermath of this at the moment but things are really looking up to be honest.
We now have an excellent midcard that is currently working through the mire. We are in the post WM season slump and the meant-to-be top babyface Daniel Bryan got hurt so we got stuck with Cena at the top of the card again.
With how good NXT is, and how quality of a purchase the network is, I have no problem supporting WWE at all.
I like Japanese wrestling, and I don’t mind the occasional indy stuff, but what I love about wrestling is big, stupid all-out American style over the top promotions. If any other company in America would step up I’d support them, but for the moment, WWE is where it’s at.
There’s really nothing to disagree with, what i stated isn’t opinion, it’s fact.
Previous generations of talent had a hand much less fettered with PC/scripted nonsense that allowed them to branch out as long as it did not interfere with the ME.
That “Solid” midcard from your post, examine who they were and where they came from.
There were rarely any build other then the talent getting themselves and their angle over, which is how it should be. Unfortunately the home grown talent lacks exposure to really grow and are stuck in a role and told to make it work.
No, a fact is something that is proved to be true.
‘The midcard and everything else up to the main event doesn’t matter, and is basically filler’ is an opinion, and a pretty obviously biased one as well, considering you follow it up with then encouraging people not to watch so that the Nielsen rating go down.
Are you like, applying Steiner logic here?
Only thing I disagree with here is that the current mid card is excellent. It’s not.
The eras you mentioned that had great midcards not only had main event level talent, but fans who were happy to have them there. Fast forward to now and suddenly Cesaro being the IC champ isn’t enough. We have our share of blame to accept. Yes, WWE has significantly hurt the prestige of the IC and Tag titles over the years, however we haven’t been patient enough to allow the good talent that is there to change things. Not to mention the apparent Vince/Haitch back and forth.
WWE has as much talent as it’s ever had, it just needs to spread the wealth.
Main Event: Cena, Orton, DBD, Bray, Brock
Main Event/Midcard Floaters: Jericho, The Wyatts, Cesaro, Shemus, Ziggler, Ambrose, Rollins, Reigns, Barret
Midcard: Big E, Kofi, Bo Dallas, Axel, Ryback, Slater, Fandango, Swagger, Rusev, Miz, RVD, Titus
Tag: Dust Bros, SlaterGator, Usos, Rybackxel, Show & Henry, The Wyatts
And that’s not everyone.
I’m starting to convince myself the brand extension needs to return or they take main event and make it 2 hours, focusing on the midcard and tag matches.
Brand extension needs to happen. There is no reason for it not to.
Wwe title and ic title on RAW
Whc and US title on SD!
Tag titles on both.
Then just combine the ppvs. Each title gets it own time. The booking is self contained and the talent get used more frequently.
It might be harder to book but long term I don’t think it would be a bad idea.
Also, let the NXT title be defended on the big 4 to give exposure to the brand and get the title holder use to the wwe atmosphere.
Actually it is fact, and Vince is quoted something to the effect that the rest of the show is only there as a vehicle to drive the ME and the majority of his focus is solely the ME.
It’s not a word for word quote of course, so you could opine that my more aggressive statement that it doesn’t matter to him as being opinion which i can accept.
It’s also one shared by Cornette,Heyman,Bischoff,Sullivan and several others who have gone on record stating their booking approach was the direct opposite and they tried to make sure everyone had something to do, up and down the card.
I told you guys what would happen once they killed the brand extension and that is exactly what has happened. Still do not understand why everyone was clamoring for it to end.
To have a unified world champ, but really they could make the champ not be signed to a specific show.
Or better yet, rebrand Smackdown to WcW, and mothball the entity and give it a different feel entirely.
Tone back the lights and effects, the crowd lighting etc, scale the outside of the ring production by a great deal and have the work and workers, do everything in the ring. work, promos, signings etc.