***Official Pro Wrestling Thread*** (5 Viewers)

[Gary Coal Man]

It's fascinating to see the disconnect between those who watch the indies (and watch the NXT guys come up) and those who are just WWE guys.

The Neville to Dynamite Kid comparison really sat with me because they are very dissimilar. I remember Dynamite Kid as a suplex monster who was hard hitting and crisp in execution. I also know Neville from when he wrestled as PAC and was known as The Man That Gravity Forgot. Saying an aerial artist like Neville is comparable to Dynamite Kid is like saying Kevin Owens is comparable to Andre the Giant because of the French language.

You're way off on this one. Neville may not be a suplex monster but he's all those other things you described. He's also an innovator and his intensity is up there just like Dynamite. Everything Neville does pretty much is hard hitting and precise. Body type almost identical. Short and squatty, pretty jacked. I mean they're not clones but you're missing alot of similarities.

Let's hope, for the sake of Neville, that he's absolutely nothing like Dynamite Kid behind the curtain. It's easy to find wrestlers to speaking glowingly about Dyanmite Kid the wrestler. It's nearly impossible to find a wrestler to say a good word about Dynamite Kid the man. Apparently, a bully, d-bag, and cheap artist outside the ring.

 

[Tom Servo]

In honor of Friday the 13th.

THAT WAS AWESOME!

*CLAPCLAPCLAPCLAPCLAP*

 

[RBM]

It's fascinating to see the disconnect between those who watch the indies (and watch the NXT guys come up) and those who are just WWE guys.

The Neville to Dynamite Kid comparison really sat with me because they are very dissimilar. I remember Dynamite Kid as a suplex monster who was hard hitting and crisp in execution. I also know Neville from when he wrestled as PAC and was known as The Man That Gravity Forgot. Saying an aerial artist like Neville is comparable to Dynamite Kid is like saying Kevin Owens is comparable to Andre the Giant because of the French language.

Also don't think you're giving Neville enough credit for being more than a high flyer, and I think you're forgetting that Dynamite was pretty adept at the aerial stuff.

 

[Tom Servo]

Throwback match for the hell of it....

Randy Savage & Jerry Lawler vs. Rick Rude & King Kong Bundy (Memphis, '84)

I love that the referee had to have gotten his threads at Chess King.

 

[JB Breakfast Club]

In ring, Sasha Banks is the best female wrestler in WWE in at least the last 20 years.

If I were drinking milk, I'd be cleaning off my monitor now because I will have done a major spit-take to that. You realize that you're saying that an NXT developmental diva is better than EVERY SINGLE DIVA SINCE 1995?!

Yep. Can't think of one better all around in the ring. Between quality offense, seamless execution, excellent selling, and being in character at all times during a match I really can't, nobody else fits that criteria. For what it is worth, I'd put Paige and AJ in the top-5 of the last 20 years. While popular, the women of the attitude era were mostly awful in the ring, Victoria and Molly Holly had their moments, but the rest were meh at best.

I don't think the NXT thing means anything at all. I'd make the case that 10 of the top 20 or so people on the entire roster are on NXT right now. Probably 15 of 20 if you count people who came up in the last 2.5 years.

Now we need to figure out the top 20 assets on the WWE roster.

Locks: Brock Lesnar, John Cena, HHH/Stephanie, Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan*, Roman Reigns*, Seth Rollins*, Dean Ambrose*, Bray Wyatt*, the Usos, the Bellas

Next up: Rusev/Lana, Ziggler, Big Show, Paul Heyman, the Miz, Sting

Under consideration: Finn Balor*, Kevin Owens*, Ryback, Shemus, Kane

That's 22 if you count the pairings as one unit. If I count it right, seven of them have ties to NXT.

I wouldn't count non regular wrestlers on my list, so no HHH, Sting, Heyman.

I was talking about in-ring, so Big Show, Ryback and Kane are out.

I'd argue the Usos are fringe. They are mayo on white bread, and are tag champs mostly by default. Really Cesaro/Kidd and the Vaudevillians are the only interesting tag teams on the roster, and even then, the Vaudevillians are pretty mediocre in the ring..

The Bellas are in a somewhat similar boat as the Usos to me, though Nikki has greatly improved and is probably worthy.

My top-20 would be:

Main: Lesnar(assuming he's around past Wrestlemania), Bryan, Cena, Rollins, Ambrose, Reigns(needs to really improve), Ziggler, Wyatt, Cesaro(should be a way bigger deal), Orton, Rusev, AJ, Paige,

NXT: Zayn(perfect role model for young boys), Neville, Balor, Owens, Breeze, Banks, Charlotte

Fringe: Nikki, Kidd, Itami, Bayley(perfect role model for young girls), Sheamus, Miz(is on fire right now though) Stardust/Cody, Barrett, Fandango(is a really good wrestler )Harper

Lesnar, Cena, Ziggler and Orton are the only non-NXT guys of the bunch.

We're talking about different things, then. The Bellas are absolutely one of the top 10 WWE assets. Total Divas is a really big deal. They have 1.5 million Twitter followers (3x as many as a guy like Cesaro).

HHH and Stephanie are on multiple segments of RAW every week. They are full-time wrestlers, even if they don't participate in matches.

The Usos are a big deal among kids. WWE is essentially a kid's show with some elements mixed in for adults to enjoy.

 

[travdogg]

In ring, Sasha Banks is the best female wrestler in WWE in at least the last 20 years.

If I were drinking milk, I'd be cleaning off my monitor now because I will have done a major spit-take to that. You realize that you're saying that an NXT developmental diva is better than EVERY SINGLE DIVA SINCE 1995?!

Yep. Can't think of one better all around in the ring. Between quality offense, seamless execution, excellent selling, and being in character at all times during a match I really can't, nobody else fits that criteria. For what it is worth, I'd put Paige and AJ in the top-5 of the last 20 years. While popular, the women of the attitude era were mostly awful in the ring, Victoria and Molly Holly had their moments, but the rest were meh at best.

I don't think the NXT thing means anything at all. I'd make the case that 10 of the top 20 or so people on the entire roster are on NXT right now. Probably 15 of 20 if you count people who came up in the last 2.5 years.

Now we need to figure out the top 20 assets on the WWE roster.

Locks: Brock Lesnar, John Cena, HHH/Stephanie, Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan*, Roman Reigns*, Seth Rollins*, Dean Ambrose*, Bray Wyatt*, the Usos, the Bellas

Next up: Rusev/Lana, Ziggler, Big Show, Paul Heyman, the Miz, Sting

Under consideration: Finn Balor*, Kevin Owens*, Ryback, Shemus, Kane

That's 22 if you count the pairings as one unit. If I count it right, seven of them have ties to NXT.

I wouldn't count non regular wrestlers on my list, so no HHH, Sting, Heyman.

I was talking about in-ring, so Big Show, Ryback and Kane are out.

I'd argue the Usos are fringe. They are mayo on white bread, and are tag champs mostly by default. Really Cesaro/Kidd and the Vaudevillians are the only interesting tag teams on the roster, and even then, the Vaudevillians are pretty mediocre in the ring..

The Bellas are in a somewhat similar boat as the Usos to me, though Nikki has greatly improved and is probably worthy.

My top-20 would be:

Main: Lesnar(assuming he's around past Wrestlemania), Bryan, Cena, Rollins, Ambrose, Reigns(needs to really improve), Ziggler, Wyatt, Cesaro(should be a way bigger deal), Orton, Rusev, AJ, Paige,

NXT: Zayn(perfect role model for young boys), Neville, Balor, Owens, Breeze, Banks, Charlotte

Fringe: Nikki, Kidd, Itami, Bayley(perfect role model for young girls), Sheamus, Miz(is on fire right now though) Stardust/Cody, Barrett, Fandango(is a really good wrestler )Harper

Lesnar, Cena, Ziggler and Orton are the only non-NXT guys of the bunch.

We're talking about different things, then. The Bellas are absolutely one of the top 10 WWE assets. Total Divas is a really big deal. They have 1.5 million Twitter followers (3x as many as a guy like Cesaro).

HHH and Stephanie are on multiple segments of RAW every week. They are full-time wrestlers, even if they don't participate in matches.

The Usos are a big deal among kids. WWE is essentially a kid's show with some elements mixed in for adults to enjoy.

I agree, we are talking about different things. I am strictly talking about in-ring quality. Though I do feel like with different booking,assets can be managed and made. Like they are trying to with Reigns right now.

Since you brought up value to kids, I do find it odd that most of the faces that are targeted towards kids, are kind of jerks. Cena, Usos, Reigns. Their characters aren't people you'd want your kids to emulate. Especially when compared to guys like Bryan, Zayn and even Ziggler.

 

[SlaX]

Throwback match for the hell of it....

Randy Savage & Jerry Lawler vs. Rick Rude & King Kong Bundy (Memphis, '84)

Reminds me of an old match Randy Savage (along with brother Lanny) had against the Rock n' Roll Express in Memphis. Fast forward to around the 9:00 mark and see one of the first times I can recall someone using an announce table as a weapon.

Randy Savage & Lanny Poffo vs The Rock n' Roll Express

 

[SlaX]

Throwback match for the hell of it....

Randy Savage & Jerry Lawler vs. Rick Rude & King Kong Bundy (Memphis, '84)

Savage is beloved in these parts because of his Memphis stint.

Savage piledriving Ricky Morton through a table in 1984 was huge.

Ah, I see 1234 beat me to mentioning it. Classic days.

 

[Tom Servo]

Throwback match for the hell of it....

DQ for throwing someone over the top is stupid.

 

[SlaX]

Throwback match for the hell of it....

It was a common rule in pro wrestling, especially the NWA territories. I think Vince McMahon Jr is the only promoter that never used it.

 

[Tom Servo]

Throwback match for the hell of it....

Mid-South's no piledriver rule at least made sense.

 

[Smack Tripper]

This is amazing

http://youtu.be/dsIkd_apfGU

 

[Tom Servo]

This is amazing

http://youtu.be/dsIkd_apfGU

Green as turtle ####!

 

[GoFishTN]

Throwback match for the hell of it....

Not being allowed to send your opponent flying outside onto the concrete floor doesn't make sense?

 

[Tom Servo]

Throwback match for the hell of it....

I guess I've seen it so much over 30 years of watching wrestling that I'm inured to it by now.

 

[Bogart]

Gave the Taz podcast a chance.

Meh. Not every wrestler needs to talk about it. Too pro Taz and too pro TNA. Too scattered.

 

[RBM]

So they're ready to rocket Roman to the top and beat Brock and DB, but they can't give him the pinfall over fn Kane in a Raw mid card match.

 

[HellToupee]

Big Show "May 13th " :whoosh:

 

[HellToupee]

Dusty looks horrible

 

[RBM]

Big Prime Time Playas reunion

 

[Ted Lange as your Bartender]

Show with the impressive arsenal of....chest slaps

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

Dusty looks horrible

I thought he looked okay for 70 years old (October)

He's lost a significant amount of weight it looks like.

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

Gave the Taz podcast a chance.

Meh. Not every wrestler needs to talk about it. Too pro Taz and too pro TNA. Too scattered.

There's not too many guys in the wrestling business I'd rather listen to less than Taz.

I quit watching TNA in large part because of him (and lesser extent, Mike Tenay). Can't believe he's still announcing there after 5+ years.

 

[Tom Servo]

Gave the Taz podcast a chance.

Meh. Not every wrestler needs to talk about it. Too pro Taz and too pro TNA. Too scattered.

There's not too many guys in the wrestling business I'd rather listen to less than Taz.

I quit watching TNA in large part because of him (and lesser extent, Mike Tenay). Can't believe he's still announcing there after 5+ years.

I've never understood how Tenay keeps getting gigs. WCW and then TNA. Dude is horrible at what he does.

 

[Tony Jabroni]

Samoa Joe tweeted he is done with TNA.

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

Gave the Taz podcast a chance.

Meh. Not every wrestler needs to talk about it. Too pro Taz and too pro TNA. Too scattered.

There's not too many guys in the wrestling business I'd rather listen to less than Taz.

I quit watching TNA in large part because of him (and lesser extent, Mike Tenay). Can't believe he's still announcing there after 5+ years.

I've never understood how Tenay keeps getting gigs. WCW and then TNA. Dude is horrible at what he does.

Yeah he's a horrible lead announcer. I didn't mind him as much as the 3rd guy in WCW. JMO He's a much better backstage/interviewer type.

I think TNA replaced him as lead announcer in the last couple months.

 

[Tom Servo]

Samoa Joe tweeted he is done with TNA.

Velvet Sky asked him if this was the time to open a pierogi shop.

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

Samoa Joe tweeted he is done with TNA.

I'm surprised he stayed this long.He was buried long ago. Whether he was completely unmotivated before that I don't know. Somewhere along the way it just seemed like he stopped giving a ####. He could still cut a decent promo from time to time. Been several years, but he cut a good impromptu one on Scott Hall in TNA when he no showed.

. I'm fairly certain his feud with Angle was the high point of TNA as a company. (drew most money/ratings/etc..). Back when he was undefeated and Angle just joined the company. Can't believe that was almost 10 years ago.

 

[mlbnfl]

Big Show "May 13th " :whoosh:

I vaguely remembered something about this but had to look it up. Big show botched it and the date was actually may 19th and it was some period where whenever someone would say may 19th (no idea why they would don't remember) Kane would become infuriated. He also heard "voices" saying may 19th etc. long story short they ended up saying that's when Kane's parents were killed and his face was burned but it was really an advertising tactic as his movie See No Evil was releasing that day.

 

[Smack Tripper]

Daniel Bryan is a idiot with no sack for letting them do what they're doing to his character. It's killing his heat with this conniving tweener nonsense

 

[Jeremy]

Daniel Bryan is a idiot with no sack for letting them do what they're doing to his character. It's killing his heat with this conniving tweener nonsense

I think they're trying to make him edgier as a way to make his character appear more formidable. For me it's making me hate him. If they're building for a heel turn it's working well on me, but I don't think that's what they're after. .

 

[OC Zed]

Daniel Bryan is a idiot with no sack for letting them do what they're doing to his character. It's killing his heat with this conniving tweener nonsense

I think they're trying to make him edgier as a way to make his character appear more formidable. For me it's making me hate him. If they're building for a heel turn it's working well on me, but I don't think that's what they're after. .

Or they are doing it to intentionally kill his heat so Reigns can still be the face in the WM main event. But I agree - it doesn't work all that well for him and it's an example of WWE ruining a good thing.

 

[Gary Coal Man]

Daniel Bryan is a idiot with no sack for letting them do what they're doing to his character. It's killing his heat with this conniving tweener nonsense

Maybe Daniel Bryan suggested the changes because he thought his character was getting stale?

Triple H recently noted on the Stone Cold podcast that fans were killing Triple H and the WWE for burying Bryan during the height of his popularity, but Triple H assured Stone Cold that it was Daniel Bryan behind the scenes who was calling for the super slow burn build-up with peaks and valleys.

 

[Tom Servo]

Daniel Bryan is a idiot with no sack for letting them do what they're doing to his character. It's killing his heat with this conniving tweener nonsense

Maybe Daniel Bryan suggested the changes because he thought his character was getting stale?

Triple H recently noted on the Stone Cold podcast that fans were killing Triple H and the WWE for burying Bryan during the height of his popularity, but Triple H assured Stone Cold that it was Daniel Bryan behind the scenes who was calling for the super slow burn build-up with peaks and valleys.

Which is ironic given all the crying by fans that storylines are rushed. A wrestler appears to have a good idea to go slow and people still crap on it.

 

[OC Zed]

Daniel Bryan is a idiot with no sack for letting them do what they're doing to his character. It's killing his heat with this conniving tweener nonsense

Maybe Daniel Bryan suggested the changes because he thought his character was getting stale?

Triple H recently noted on the Stone Cold podcast that fans were killing Triple H and the WWE for burying Bryan during the height of his popularity, but Triple H assured Stone Cold that it was Daniel Bryan behind the scenes who was calling for the super slow burn build-up with peaks and valleys.

I'd have to go back and watch that portion of the interview again, but it was my impression that Triple H was referring to Bryan's climb from 2013-2014. There isn't a whole lot of time between Bryan's return at RR to WM for peaks and valleys.

 

[Smack Tripper]

Daniel Bryan is a idiot with no sack for letting them do what they're doing to his character. It's killing his heat with this conniving tweener nonsense

Maybe Daniel Bryan suggested the changes because he thought his character was getting stale?

Triple H recently noted on the Stone Cold podcast that fans were killing Triple H and the WWE for burying Bryan during the height of his popularity, but Triple H assured Stone Cold that it was Daniel Bryan behind the scenes who was calling for the super slow burn build-up with peaks and valleys.

Then he's an idiot for his structure.

I don't think he has anywhere near that level of Input myself.

All I know is, 20,000 people used to do the yes, now it looks like 10,000.

Him being over is getting in the way if their plans. He seems like a go along get along guy and the stone cold -foley podcast made the point that you can't always do that.

It IS getting reigns more over but in the end, Brock is gonna get the pop at mania

 

[OC Zed]

Daniel Bryan is a idiot with no sack for letting them do what they're doing to his character. It's killing his heat with this conniving tweener nonsense

Maybe Daniel Bryan suggested the changes because he thought his character was getting stale?

Triple H recently noted on the Stone Cold podcast that fans were killing Triple H and the WWE for burying Bryan during the height of his popularity, but Triple H assured Stone Cold that it was Daniel Bryan behind the scenes who was calling for the super slow burn build-up with peaks and valleys.

Then he's an idiot for his structure.

I don't think he has anywhere near that level of Input myself.

All I know is, 20,000 people used to do the yes, now it looks like 10,000.

Him being over is getting in the way if their plans. He seems like a go along get along guy and the stone cold -foley podcast made the point that you can't always do that.

It IS getting reigns more over but in the end, Brock is gonna get the pop at mania

Good god they screwed this up so badly. FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW!!!

 

[Gary Coal Man]

Daniel Bryan is a idiot with no sack for letting them do what they're doing to his character. It's killing his heat with this conniving tweener nonsense

Maybe Daniel Bryan suggested the changes because he thought his character was getting stale?

Triple H recently noted on the Stone Cold podcast that fans were killing Triple H and the WWE for burying Bryan during the height of his popularity, but Triple H assured Stone Cold that it was Daniel Bryan behind the scenes who was calling for the super slow burn build-up with peaks and valleys.

I'd have to go back and watch that portion of the interview again, but it was my impression that Triple H was referring to Bryan's climb from 2013-2014. There isn't a whole lot of time between Bryan's return at RR to WM for peaks and valleys.

Yeah, both Triple H and I were talking about the 2013-14 period. All the internet smart marks were killing the WWE for taking so long to put the strap on Bryan. I wouldn't put it beyond Triple H to lie, but if he's to be believed then the slow build-up was Bryan's idea, and Bryan had input over the direction of his character. If Bryan had some input over his character then, I don't see why he wouldn't now.

 

[RBM]

But what were they building to? Bryan was supposed to oppose Sheamus at WM until Punk quit.

 

[Smack Tripper]

But what were they building to? Bryan was supposed to oppose Sheamus at WM until Punk quit.

Exactly. A wholesale rewrite of history. Ironically if they pushed Batista this year he would be over Guardians

 

[RBM]

But what were they building to? Bryan was supposed to oppose Sheamus at WM until Punk quit.

Exactly. A wholesale rewrite of history. Ironically if they pushed Batista this year he would be over Guardians

Ironically, they should've taken things a bit slower with Batista.

 

[soothsayer]

This is amazing

http://youtu.be/dsIkd_apfGU

Green as turtle ####!

I'd hate for this video to get overlooked. OMG that's awesome.

 

[D in the D]

This is amazing

http://youtu.be/dsIkd_apfGU

Green as turtle ####!

I'd hate for this video to get overlooked. OMG that's awesome.

Awesome.

 

[Jeremy]

I actually think the Bryan/Reigns feud is pretty compelling. Both have a chip on their shoulder and they're going to fight like hell to prove they belong in the main event at WrestleMania. It's certainly the one match I want to see at Fastlane.

According to some of the "insiders", Vince McMahon has cooled on Reigns vs Lesnar at WM after the reaction in Philly and it's now expected to be another triple threat for the title. I'm guessing at fastlane both Bryan and Reigns will battle each other until they're so exhausted that neither can answer the 10 count and it'll be a draw sending them both into the title match. This would set up some premium #####ing potential for Heyman too as his client has to defend against 2 opponents for the 2nd time in a row. Because no one man can defeat BROOOOCK LESSSSSNER.

 

[RBM]

This is amazing

http://youtu.be/dsIkd_apfGU

Holy #### so awesome

"Lol, send out ####in Goldust"

 

[RBM]

I actually think the Bryan/Reigns feud is pretty compelling. Both have a chip on their shoulder and they're going to fight like hell to prove they belong in the main event at WrestleMania. It's certainly the one match I want to see at Fastlane.

According to some of the "insiders", Vince McMahon has cooled on Reigns vs Lesnar at WM after the reaction in Philly and it's now expected to be another triple threat for the title. I'm guessing at fastlane both Bryan and Reigns will battle each other until they're so exhausted that neither can answer the 10 count and it'll be a draw sending them both into the title match. This would set up some premium #####ing potential for Heyman too as his client has to defend against 2 opponents for the 2nd time in a row. Because no one man can defeat BROOOOCK LESSSSSNER.

Please not another 3 way forced on us because of annoying smarks.

 

[Bogart]

"Get Off My Lawn" Wrestling Recommendation:

Listened to HBK on Jericho's podcast and they talked in detail about their match at WrestleMania XIX. So I went back and watched the PPV as I didn't see it when it first aired.

Incredible show from top to bottom. "The Streak" was a thing, but only had enough clout to be the third match. Hogan and Vince bleeding, HBK/Jericho classic. Rock/Austin III, Stacy Keibler getting her bare bottom spanked. Angle/Lesnar classic with Brock botching a Shooting Star Press which should have killed him and still pulling out another F5 to win the match.

Fast forward through the Limp Biscuit performance and you will be fine.

 

[Smack Tripper]

I actually think the Bryan/Reigns feud is pretty compelling. Both have a chip on their shoulder and they're going to fight like hell to prove they belong in the main event at WrestleMania. It's certainly the one match I want to see at Fastlane.

According to some of the "insiders", Vince McMahon has cooled on Reigns vs Lesnar at WM after the reaction in Philly and it's now expected to be another triple threat for the title. I'm guessing at fastlane both Bryan and Reigns will battle each other until they're so exhausted that neither can answer the 10 count and it'll be a draw sending them both into the title match. This would set up some premium #####ing potential for Heyman too as his client has to defend against 2 opponents for the 2nd time in a row. Because no one man can defeat BROOOOCK LESSSSSNER.

Please not another 3 way forced on us because of annoying smarks.

The issue last year was that orton and Batista sucked. Lesnar is hugely over so I agree a three way is a mistake

 

[D in the D]

"Get Off My Lawn" Wrestling Recommendation:

Fast forward through the Limp Biscuit performance and you will be fine.

I recorded it all for the Nookie, yeah the Nookie.

 

[Gottabesweet]

Was hoping for Goldust and Cody at Mania in a retirement type match I suppose it can still happen as goldust reportedly retiring after mania