Wrestling Discussion Thread II

It is sad that he will no longer be able to wrestle but 1. I'm not entirely shocked by this news & 2. I can see where drunka is coming from as folk loved him a little too much to the point it hurt what other wrestlers (Reigns mostly) were trying to do. (the fault of the fans not DB himself)

I hope those fans were actually listening to what DB had to say and they can put that same energy they used to cheer him into someone else they love rather than continue to boo Reigns because he isn't Daniel Bryan.

I'm fucking gutted. I started watching wrestling again back at the start of 2013 because I heard The Rock was having a title match and I felt like watching it. Daniel Bryan was who kept me watching. That whole Summer 2013 storyline - his feud with Orton, rising to title contention, his match with Cena at Summerslam... magic. Wrestlemania 30 has been the highlight of my time as a wrestling fan since I've started watching again.

Watching that retirement speech was tough. There's always been that "what if", but now it's over. I'm genuinely gutted over it, to the point where Drunka's post there had me feeling pretty damn mad because Bryan's speech drew an actual emotional response from me and I'm going to miss the man immensely. I'm genuinely fucking gutted.

Still, plenty to look forward - Rollins is due back, I'm really digging AJ Styles, Kevin Owens is on fire and Sami Zayn's main roster debut has to be coming soon. As for the Reigns chat, my apathy towards him has absolutely nothing to do with D-Bry. It's just his character doesn't click with me for the same reasons I've never really dug Goldberg, Hogan, Cena during his most Superman periods - the unstoppable monster characters aren't for me.

Back at Mania 30 I was really into Bryan, but since he's been away I'm afraid his fans have really put me off him.

The problem with them is that they act like they're such rebels and they're so anti-mainstream, but when it comes to him everyone is chanting the same thing and they're basically acting the same as kids who love Cena. You're not cool and alternative, you're just a dickhead who is ruining the show for people who are here to enjoy the slams.

Jay wrote:

As for the Reigns chat, my apathy towards him has absolutely nothing to do with D-Bry. It's just his character doesn't click with me for the same reasons I've never really dug Goldberg, Hogan, Cena during his most Superman periods - the unstoppable monster characters aren't for me.

His character is lame which I've never disputed & is much better when he's just punching folk in the face, but it's honestly like he can do nothing right in the eyes of some people just because he's the mainstream pick.

The coach said something I totally agree with which was: "You can enjoy things just to enjoy them" and for me, too many fans these days think they know it all and critique every little thing in a show (been guilty of it myself) but when I sweep that stuff aside I find I can enjoy wrestling a lot more.

As someone who only watches the PPV's and the odd comedy skit from raw/smackdown on youtube (Goldust and R-Truth recently, and New Day antics), I've found it easy enough to warm to Reigns because he puts on really good matches. Regardless of him being the guy the WWE want to push for whatever reason, he's thoroughly earned a shot at being the champ. It's just a shame with how Seth's injury played out that he never got the chance to take the belt off of Seth.

The character is dull, which is a shame, but when I watch him I see a guy just as passionate about wrestling as any of the indy darlings, so I do find it a bit disconcerting that he gets booed so often just because he has the chairman's blessing.

I do get the feeling, as Drunka and Jas have alluded to, that much of that has to do with internet wrestling fans being so adamant that the WWE product must be booked a certain way, completely forgetting that the WWE is, to a large extent, still going because of the kiddies and the kiddies think characters like Cena and Reigns are awesome - in part because of their "pantomime " booking.

Back to Bryan though, I think it's a real shame he's had to retire because I liked his ringwork and the way he ignited crowds was truly special. On the plus side I'm really glad the WWE are taking concussions seriously, and hopefully Bryan will be able to pass on his skills as a trainer down the line.

Now that he's gone, I will probably find myself warming to him more and more as the fans slowly let him go, and I can see myself in a year or two watching whatever playlist or commemorative special they put on the network and really enjoying it. At least I got to see him live one time.

The_Jaster wrote:

The coach said something I totally agree with which was: "You can enjoy things just to enjoy them" and for me, too many fans these days think they know it all and critique every little thing in a show (been guilty of it myself) but when I sweep that stuff aside I find I can enjoy wrestling a lot more.

This is good advice for life, and I have to remind myself sometimes to be that way not just with Wrestling, but with films and games and everything else; because I'm interested in the creative process, I find it hard to look at the finished product. This is why I can really enjoy quite dumb stuff; Transformers, Star Wars, romcoms... I switch my brain off and let the music and the spectacle take me on a journey of emotion.
This is also why I recommend to anyone who is struggling to get into wrestling, or who is turning into a snarky internet dweeb, to go to a house show and feel the atmosphere for real.

I agree with what of you are saying but one bit Drunka about how people are runing the show for others for doing the Yes! chant for Bryan or Booing Reigns but these people pay there money to go see the wrestling.

We paid was it £45 for a NXT and we were shouting Dana Broke, Dana Broke to the tune to give it up, but what your saying is we shouldn't of done that.

As someone may not like it.

That is blatantly not what I'm saying and you know it. I'm saying the same thing I always say: don't be a dick.

Which the guy started doing those Dana chats was as he was standing in front of some people which was a bit dickish.

But still if people pay there money to go see WWE and want to chant Yes! then to me that's fine but with now with Bryan retired, it's going to happen yes unless they make GM or something.

I've no problem with Yes! chants, but organised efforts to be mean to wrestlers is just rubbish. Standing up in front of people is rubbish. Booing guys before they've even performed is rubbish. Paying money to go to something and derail it is dickhead behaviour.

If there to do that then yeah Dickish but if I paid and I was hoping to see Dean and got Roman, I may Boo!

That's still pretty childish. I'm the biggest Dean fan in the world but when he wasn't at Butlins, I ran up to Reigns and tried to get the fist bump, and I cheered along with all the kids who were enjoying the best night of their year.

Yeah that's fine, I'm saying times and place for things.

Drunkalilly wrote:

Now that he's gone, I will probably find myself warming to him more and more as the fans slowly let him go, and I can see myself in a year or two watching whatever playlist or commemorative special they put on the network and really enjoying it. At least I got to see him live one time.

The_Jaster wrote:

The coach said something I totally agree with which was: "You can enjoy things just to enjoy them" and for me, too many fans these days think they know it all and critique every little thing in a show (been guilty of it myself) but when I sweep that stuff aside I find I can enjoy wrestling a lot more.

This is good advice for life, and I have to remind myself sometimes to be that way not just with Wrestling, but with films and games and everything else; because I'm interested in the creative process, I find it hard to look at the finished product. This is why I can really enjoy quite dumb stuff; Transformers, Star Wars, romcoms... I switch my brain off and let the music and the spectacle take me on a journey of emotion.
This is also why I recommend to anyone who is struggling to get into wrestling, or who is turning into a snarky internet dweeb, to go to a house show and feel the atmosphere for real.

A live wrestling show really is something else, I've said this in the past that I mainly watch wrestling these days to marvel at the technical skill it takes to do it BUT of the NXT UK tour one of my favourite moments was the comedy match with Tye Dillinger vs Bull Dempsey.  

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Booing wrestlers is fine, most people do this in jest like you would at a panto & it's a way to be involved in the show but said show has to give you a legit reason to be booing that wrestler in the first place & there simply isn't one when it comes to Reigns.

For example, I'm not a fan of Ryback but there's no reason boo him (because he's a face) so if I seen him at a live event I'd have no reaction to him whatsoever.

Yeah, whenever I've been to live shows I've never booed the face. The farthest I go is to cheer the heel instead of the face, like when Stardust fought Neville in Minehead, and really that was just me having a bit of fun, but not at the expense of Neville's character.

I'm not a Cena fan, but I don't think I'd boo him because I know he's there for the kiddies. I'm alright with that, even if it means he wins almost all of the time. As long as the matches are good I'm happy.

Can you guess which one I would be chanting

Even that chant is very pantomime now though & I reckon even some on the "cena sucks" end are doing it for a bit of fun and to be part of the moment.

The Cena thing is different now, because he's learned to work with it. Obviously that came about because people see Cena as the end of the Attitude Era. Today though, the PG Era is nothing new.

To get back on topic, im loving Golden Truth. Goldust is one of my favourites (I dressed as him for a fun run) and R Trizzle has also been hilarious lately so I'm all for this team.

Thoughts on Shane O Mac's return?

Loved it myself, and was pleasantly surprised at the crowd reaction.

It's very cool but I don't get vs The Undertaker, is he now heel and part of the authority? why does he care who runs RAW?

There was a sign for a local event in Baltimore for RAW after Mania and the poser or whatever said RAW vs WWE which WWE said was a typo and went back up as WWE Monday Night Raw, how is RAW vs WWE a typo of WWE Monday Night Raw.

Which would mean Shane wins in someway but long way to go to Mania that it may not be Shane vs Taker, maybe Shane has Goldberg coming back to interfere in the match at Mania.

masofdas wrote:

Which would mean Shane wins in someway but long way to go to Mania that it may not be Shane vs Taker, maybe Shane has Goldberg coming back to interfere in the match at Mania.  

This is the most "WWE Facebook comments" post I've read in this thread yet.

masofdas wrote:

It's very cool but I don't get vs The Undertaker, is he now heel and part of the authority? why does he care who runs RAW?

There was a sign for a local event in Baltimore for RAW after Mania and the poser or whatever said RAW vs WWE which WWE said was a typo and went back up as WWE Monday Night Raw, how is RAW vs WWE a typo of WWE Monday Night Raw.

Which would mean Shane wins in someway but long way to go to Mania that it may not be Shane vs Taker, maybe Shane has Goldberg coming back to interfere in the match at Mania.  

You could be on to something, when you consider that Shane bought WCW in 2001. I can't recall what happened after that (currently watching 2002 on the WWE Network), but it would be cool if there was some clause in that contract that stipulates Shane can call on protection from WCW superstars. This could bring Sting in (in a non-wrestling capacity).

I think Sting is a genuine shout. He doesn't really need to take any bumps - just have him come out with his bat, clock Taker a few times and throw Shane on top of him. Ties back to his debut at Survivor Series and ties into his crusade against The Authority.

Shane coming back

Shane fighting the Undertaker at Mania

I'm also disappointed in the Brock v Dean match, largely because I don't want to see Brock annihilate Dean.

Time will tell if I change my mind on these things, or if the WWE does something cool and unexpected with them en route to Mania.

Edit - Also to be fair to the WWE, who the hell does a healthy undertaker fight right now? Unless he's bowing out with a loss he would only kill the momentum of an up and comer or established star. So maybe a match with Shane is the best thing for him.

Shane O Mac sure as hell put on an entertaining show, back in the day.
I listened to the Videogamer Wrestling podcast from before Fastlane last night and it blew my mind when they, jokingly, predicted Shane coming back for a match with Taker!

The Dean/ Lesnar match can only hurt whoever loses.