Official WWE/ECW/WCW/TNA talk, or whatever v2

[CaptainCrunch]

We also have a draft coming up.

[SuperMatt18]

Didn’t watch it but sounds like the first Vince run NXT 2.0 was a bit of a disaster. Which is not surprising at all, the guy is poison at this point.

I do think more of a focus on the younger talent and a return to more of true developmental is the right thing long term.

Needs to be a mix of guys from the indies that can help keep the show strong, while also helping to give the young guys strong wrestlers to learn from, and guys signed really green and directly into developmental.

But the names and characters that Vince came up with for these guys tonight sounds like it’s pretty terrible.

[Ozy_Flame]

Dexter Lumis carrying around a hatchet and threatening to chop people at his own wedding in the main event if they objected to his marriage to Indi Hartwell was money.

[MacFlame]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Didn’t watch it but sounds like the first Vince run NXT 2.0 was a bit of a disaster. Which is not surprising at all, the guy is poison at this point.

I do think more of a focus on the younger talent and a return to more of true developmental is the right thing long term.

Needs to be a mix of guys from the indies that can help keep the show strong, while also helping to give the young guys strong wrestlers to learn from, and guys signed really green and directly into developmental.

But the names and characters that Vince came up with for these guys tonight sounds like it’s pretty terrible.

A disaster? I’m not sure how anyone could watch that and call it a disaster. Not a great show, but certainly not a disaster. There have been RAW’s far worse than that…

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by MacFlame

A disaster? I’m not sure how anyone could watch that and call it a disaster. Not a great show, but certainly not a disaster. There have been RAW’s far worse than that…

Yeah, it wasn’t anything special but I wouldn’t call it a disaster. The wedding was entertaining as long as you’re not one of those people who think everything needs to be super serious.

[MacFlame]

Originally Posted by Inferno

Yeah, it wasn’t anything pbut I wouldn’t call it a disaster. The wedding was entertaining as long as you’re not one of those people who think everything needs to be super serious.

I will say this, the show made me realize how much I miss seeing the crowd. I hate the dark lighting that is on the crowd during Smackdown and RAW. The 80's and 90's had bright lights on the crowd, similarly to how the lighting was during this NXT broadcast. I like it much better.

[CaptainCrunch]

They upped the lighting to what almost felt like a night club or bar feel, which to me is a bit cool because I remember going to watch wrestling events in bars and clubs.



I didn't think it was a disaster of a show, the woman's 6 man tag was really good. The Title match was really good. The wedding was kind of entertaining in a weirdo way. They introduced new characters, some with stupid names.



I wouldn't call it a 5 star great show, it was ok.


But it just feels like over the last couple of years that NXT has lost its identity, they don't know what they are. Are they a minor league training ground, or a legitimate third brand?



I would expect that there will be some serious cuts, as some of the older workers there that haven't made an impact and seem happy to be there are let go.

[Ozy_Flame]

I love the open arena / studio feel, with the circular seating. Makes it feel like an Omnidome. I did not like color splashing everywhere, it's going to get hard on the eyes and I find it takes away from the serious characters who are there to wrestle (Ciampa, Dunne, Strong, etc.)

It's not the worst, but it's definitely set up for the quirky members of the roster.

My gut is telling me the new concept is designed to push the pure wrestling types out eventually.

Also Bron Breaker?? Why didn't they just leave his name as Rex Steiner?? Cripes almighty.

[SuperMatt18]

Yeah to be clear I hadn't watched but the feedback on Twitter and Online was not good from what I have read.

I do wonder if we see more weird gimmicks and almost 80s throwback gimmicks in NXT.

Bron Breaker! Von Wagoner!

If the plan is to give these guys these more cheesy gimmicks in NXT as a way to help them build characters, and then re-introduce them on the main roster in a more serious way then I think that could work.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I love the open arena / studio feel, with the circular seating. Makes it feel like an Omnidome. I did not like color splashing everywhere, it's going to get hard on the eyes and I find it takes away from the serious characters who are there to wrestle (Ciampa, Dunne, Strong, etc.)

It's not the worst, but it's definitely set up for the quirky members of the roster.

I already miss the ring lighted up, the crowd and arena darkened, and the small amount of smoke that glazes the atmosphere. That was a setting that you know, was about wrestling, and something highly skillful was about to happen.

[CaptainCrunch]

I still think they need to do a annual stand alone Southpaw regional wrestling card. I'd fly anywhere to see that.


Though almost all of the performers from those awesome videos are gone.

[MacFlame]

I’m hoping the wwe does start booking more “enhancement talent” matches (ie.jobbers). I’ve come to realize that there’s simply no intrigue anymore when you see these guys wrestle weekly. Raw and smack down are different and should be booked differently, I get that. But, to really see a wrestlers move set and to increase the drama, sometimes I don’t want to see a wrestler go on the defensive until he/she has to wrestle a quality opponent that is also being pushed the same way.

Meh…maybe I’m just old.

[Ozy_Flame]

AEW Dark and Elevation helps get the main roster wrestlers some wins and also gives indie talent a chance to cut their chops. More than a few have earned a contract through these channels.

AEW does it right.

[Superflyer]

The thing that I did not understand is how do you have a person who is challenging for the heavyweight title later that night lose against someone in their first match? Who did Knight piss off to lose twice in the same night?

[SuperMatt18]

I think the thought it it's meant to make Bron look like an immediate threat...not that Knight is suddenly not a good wrestler.

Reminds me a bit of Owen beating Bret, and then Bret winning the title later the same night.

Or when KO debuted on the main roster by beating Cena.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I think the thought it it's meant to make Bron look like an immediate threat...not that Knight is suddenly not a good wrestler.

Reminds me a bit of Owen beating Bret, and then Bret winning the title later the same night.

Or when KO debuted on the main roster by beating Cena.

Ehhh, now I haven't seen the match so I can't really comment on that but, comparing this to a match that not only had a built in life long build-up between two brothers as well as a pretty long build up on camera is.... not it?


They made it quite clear in the build up to that match that Owen could win, despite the difference in position on the card. It wasn't much of an upset and in no way detracted from Bret with how Owen was booked into that lead up.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by MacFlame

I’m hoping the wwe does start booking more “enhancement talent” matches (ie.jobbers). I’ve come to realize that there’s simply no intrigue anymore when you see these guys wrestle weekly. Raw and smack down are different and should be booked differently, I get that. But, to really see a wrestlers move set and to increase the drama, sometimes I don’t want to see a wrestler go on the defensive until he/she has to wrestle a quality opponent that is also being pushed the same way.

Meh…maybe I’m just old.

It's why they need to end the roster split, and book it how aew is

Every dynamite has basically the top 10% of the roster, and then rotates the rest, sometimes for a.few weeks, sometimes for one

The elite, inner circle, mod, pinnacle, Jurassic express, Britt, and now Bryan danielson and punk.

They are the every show people in some form, then the rest rotate through, so it's not the same every show, keeps it fresh

The mini promos they do in the back, a lot of which are taped, are so much better as well. Let's storylines move forward.

I said it a few months ago but the smartest thing aew does is how much time they give people on the mic. Mjf comes out and can get nuclear heat in a few minutes, punk is great, the elite are great, Jericho is etc. They get the time, the people who struggle with it are kept in the backstage stuff and only get like a minute but it gets their point across and makes them seem stronger for it

WWE should split the roster, have the bloodline, new day, Becky, drew, Charlotte, mvp and Lashley as the people who are on almost every show. The rest of the roster can rotate through. We don't need to see Sheamus and Damien priest wrestle each other like 10 times in 2 months

[SuperMatt18]

AEW is doing 90s WWE / WCW booking better than WWE.

Sometimes they lean a little to far to late 90s WCW booking, but overall the booking and show structure is much better.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

AEW is doing 90s WWE / WCW booking better than WWE.

Sometimes they lean a little to far to late 90s WCW booking, but overall the booking and show structure is much better.

WWE could keep the brand split if they went back to the Ruthless Aggression era. People forget about how good that Era really was when Heyman was writing smackdown and said screw it, we're going to beat Raw.

[CaptainCrunch]

The latest Darkside of the Ring episode features the Plane Ride from hell. I pretty much think after that one no one is going to have Flair on their show again, any talk of him going to AEW is over. As well Tommy Dreamer was told to leave the impact tapings immediately after his interview on the show tried to brush off Flairs antics on the plane.