Wrestling Discussion Thread

Dusty Knackers wrote:

Quick little thing on Wrestlemania, here's what's bugging me about the potential line-up - the amount of focus on wrestlers who won't around for the rest of the year. Triple H and Undertaker are part timers who will only be wrestling at one or two shows each year, and Brock Lesnar and The Rock are both off after Mania. Yet these guys will feature in three of the biggest matches on the show. And full timers who bust their backsides all year round will be left on the undercard, probably in a multi-man match. I've no problem with the above names being on the show, but putting them in matches that add nothing in the long term is so wasteful. Even having John Cena in a huge match-up is a waste, as win, lose or draw, the result will mean nothing to him as his character does not change at all. What I'd do is put the above names in matches against some up and comers, get people who only see WM more interesting in the product by putting more focus on other guys. Why not have The Rock VS Dolph Ziggler? Triple H VS Antonio Cesaro? Brock Lesnar VS Ryback? Undertaker VS Wade Barrett? Just examples of what could be, but at least it will set those full time guys up for the year. Just my thoughts...

I wouldn't bother watching WrestleMania if it had matches like Undertaker Vs. Wade Barrett. I'm not buying WM to see Wade Barrett, Kofi Kingston or any other of that riff-raff - and that's because WWE has done such a piss-poor job of building them up. I could name the number of full-time and part-time wrestlers who matter in the overall scheme of things (pertaining to the product) on two hands.

This is why WWE needs to put a big focus on these guys, so people will pay attention to them and care. That's a big problem with the company at the minute, people don't care about most wrestlers.


Rewatching old Royal Rumble matches is a staple of my build-up to the coming year's PPV. Started last night/this morning with the 1993 match, which I don't remember being up to much, but was actually not bad. Lacked a bit of star power, but was a decent match. No idea how people took Giant Gonzalez seriously (did we ever?), he looked ridiculous.

I'll need to get some old Royal Rumble matches fired on too. I watched 2008 when I came in half-cut on Friday night, apart from the Cena surprise entry I didn't think it was up to all that much.

1992, 2002, 2007 and 2011 are my favourites. Don't like 1993 (lacks star power, as Dusty said) or 2006 (An hour of Eddie Guerrero exploitation!) much though. I don't remember anything of last year's Rumble either, other than who won it.

I seem to remember 2008 being one of the better ones, roster was quite good for it, Shawn Michaels and Undertaker starting was a brilliant. The knobhead with shit facial hair pulling stupid faces to the right of the entry way was not (if anyone recalls seeing him).

What I do remember of last year's were the novelty bits of it that were hated by most, the Santino Marella/Ricardo Rodriguez/Mick Foley parts, and all three announcers getting involved. May need to rewatch it actually, see if it deserved the stick it got.

I rewatched last year's the other night. I can see why it came in for criticism, but I liked it, it was different. Also watched 1995's again, which had a mostly awful line-up, but was an enjoyable match. This was mainly thanks to the fact that new superstars came in every 60 seconds, as opposed to 90, so it was over a lot quicker.

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Time for the annual 'NGamer/GNamer Forum Royal Rumble ; Guess Which Number The Winner Will Draw' game (it doesn't have a proper name)! So we each pick two numbers (between 1 and 30) that we think the eventual Royal Rumble winner will draw in the match. In the interest of fairness, I'll let some of you go first. Off you go!

I would like number 13 & 27, have you guys been watching tna British boot camp it was really good

TNA L.......O......L


My royal rumble numbers are 1 & 2 (Ziggler to win)

at least the all the tna wrestlers can wrestle, its the story lines are so bad but britsih boot camp was really good if you like nehind the hide the scenes things, like al snow telling the girls they wrestle like men with boobs and that they need to be more like girls things likem that and hulk saying things like rockstar can really sell

My problem isn't with the rosters wrestling ability (wwe has some top notch wrestlers too) its just how overly ridiculous the stories are/get & often don't make sense, yes this happens in WWE also but not nearly as often as it happens in TNA.

RoH easily tops them as well.

I wasn't really on about impact, I was on a boot camp which like I said was good if your interested in behind the scenes. TNA have yje sill aces and 8s at the mo but world title doesn't have any silly story's really at the mo

I don't like it & this won't change. I get the feeling some folk (not you) watch it just because its the easily accessible second choice.

Bugger it, I'll have #22 and #23. Based on nothing.

10 and 20.

Here's a numbers round-up so far...

masofdas : 13 and 27.
The_Jaster : 1 and 2.
Phillips : 22 and 23
treesmurf11 : 10 and 20
Dusty Knackers : 19 and 26

Forgot to mention, no numbers can be repeated, for those late comers.

to be honest i would say tna is m 1st choice lol. i just find all wrestling a bit boring now i record raw and smacksown due to work and times. raw a 3hr show it takes me about 1hr to watch i fast forward nearly all off it mainly as i cant stand nearly all the superstars theres only punk, bryan that i like with a few others like ambrose and rollins, sandow that could be good but the top guys like orton, cena bore me to death. i still need to watch ROH if it was on TV i would watch it aswell i feeel to be on honest i watch wwe to justife my £38 a month sky aprt from football and walking dead theres not much else i watch that i couldnt on freeview

Super excited for the rumble now & its always fun to see who people on here draw with their numbers.

I'll take 25 and 11 and hope I won't end up drawing someone like Zack Ryder xD

Of the names rumoured to return, I would be really happy to see Shelton Benjamin again. Granted he was bland on the mic, but his matches were always entertaining if nothing else (I remember really liking his matches with Triple H for example). I doubt Kaval will return, if I remember rightly he didn't like WWE and that's why he left in the first place. MVP I am really unsure about, he's been with NJPW for quite a while now and by all accounts he is happy there, but on the other hand I read recently that his contract with them is on a pay per appearance thing so maybe he would still be allowed to turn up for one night in WWE. Carlito and Shelton are the two people I would probably be happiest to see again of those rumoured though to be honest.

Some sites are saying Carlito and Shelton Benjamin are confirmed to return now, they're in the same city that the Royal Rumble is held in tomorrow, apart from that, I don't know what else the dirtsheets know, guess we'll see. Doesn't look like MVP will be involved tomorrow, seeing as he keeps tweeting to this effect.

royal rumble card betting from sky bet, what u think
CM PUNK 7/4 , The Rock 2/5
ADR 1/8 BIG SHOW 9/2
HELL NO 7/2 RHODES SCHOLARS 1/6

THE RUMBLE

John Cena 8/13 Ryback 3/1 Randy Orton 6/1 Dolph Ziggler 6/1
The Rock 8/1 The Undertaker 10/1 Sheamus 10/1 Brock Lesnar 16/1
The Miz 16/1 Antonio Cessaro 20/1 Daniel Bryan 20/1 Albert Del Rio 25/1
CM Punk 25/1 Damien Sandow 33/1 The Big Show 33/1 Cody Rhodes 33/1
Wade Barrett 40/1 Kane 40/1 Seth Rollins 40/1 Roman Reigns 40/1
Dean Ambrose 40/1 Chris Jericho 40/1 Kofi Kingston 50/1 John Morrison 50/1
MVP 50/1 Shelton Benjamin 66/1 Rey Mysterio 66/1 Heath Slater 175/1
Darren Young 200/1 Jinder Mahal 200/1 The Road Dogg 200/1 Titus O'Neil 200/1
Drew McIntyre 200/1 Billy Gunn 200/1 Brodus Clay 250/1 The Great Khali 250/1
Justin Gabriel 250/1 Michael McGillicutty 300/1 Jay Uso 300/1 Zack Ryder 300/1
Jimmy Uso 300/1

Guess I'll claim numbers 3 and 17.

Rumble is the only PPV (besides Mania) I can be bothered staying up to watch while up North. Being honest though, I'm a little disappointed with the build outside of the Punk vs Rock match. Even the Rumble itself doesn't feel like its being given a fair shout this year (and it wouldn't surprise me for the title match to be the finalé instead of the rumble). Match card is solid though, so it should be a good start to the year.

Updated numbers...

masofdas : 13 and 27.
The_Jaster : 1 and 2.
Phillips : 22 and 23.
treesmurf11 : 10 and 20.
Dusty Knackers : 19 and 26.
Tokyo_Sonata : 11 and 25.
Slazo : 3 and 17.
Solve My Maze : 6 and 16.
Snake14691 : 15 and 28.


NXT's Bo Dallas won an eight man tournament yesterday to earn a place in the Royal Rumble. Rumours of more returns tonight, including Chris Masters and Shane/Gregory/Hurricane Helms.

I'd be really surprised by a Carlito return as he's been joking about it on twitter for the last week or so even with that said I do like a few surprise entrants from folk in the rumble but only if they are looking to stay on afterwards.

Just hope they don't over do it.

I do love a bit of TNA, and not just because of the Hulkster. Anyway, I won't be able to watch the Rumble until tomorrow or Tuesday night (it better not be ruined by anyone at work!).
As for my two picks, I'm going to go for 6 and 16. I've got a prize for the winner though!

Ahhhh new blood...

Interesting that people are picking numbers in the middle ten (11 to 20) given that only once has someone drawn that number in a 30 man Rumble and won it (Shawn Michaels in 1996).