Hi folks!
I know at least some people on here - off the top of my head, other than me there's Method and Welu and I think cesium? - who watch wrestling, and it'd be nice to have a thread on here where people talk about the rasslin' too.
Seems like an appropriate time to start given that we just had Wrestlemania XXX, so for those who're into wrestling, what were everyone's thoughts?
I'll put mine in spoilers in case anyone hasn't watched it yet.
Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan - Opening the show with this match was genius because it could've killed the crowd and instead made them pop like crazy. This was a fantastic match and showed that Triple H really is one of the best in the business when he wants to be. The movesets were fantastic, Triple H busted out a fucking tiger suplex! And he put Bryan over, as clean as a sheet. This is how you become a made man.
The Shield vs. the Old Age Outlaws and Kane - I love The Shield's work and they've been having the match of the night almost every night for well over a year, so it was a shame this was so short, but at the same time, given this show's 'changing of the guard' tone, it figured that two guys with a combined age of 100 and a dude who wrestles in goddamn business suit trousers at this point would lose so quickly. I mark out like crazy for babyface Shield.
Battle Royal - Battle royals are jolly good fun most of the time anyway and this was no different. It was a weird kind of who's who of 'who's that?' of WWE, some of the people in there haven't been on TV for years, or on a Mania, ever - David Otunga, Justin Gabriel, Yoshi fucking Tatsu of all people. It was depressing seeing Miz get eliminated by the Cobra given that only three years back he won a main event match against John Cena. Cesaro is going to be fucking HUGE, I think, and him slamming Big Show over the top rope was amazing - I just wish he'd done the giant swing. Or the giant, giant swing I guess it would be.
John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt - this was a serviceable match but its psychology was ass backward, because Cena should've lost it at the end. Bray should probably have won, or at least not been pinned, but the crowd was into it and I think Bray is going to be a superstar pretty soon.
Undertaker vs. Brock - I would have paid way more attention if I'd had even an inkling that Brock might win, but I think it was the right call. Brock now looks unstoppable, and Undertaker looked old, fat and slow out there. When he went up for Old School I feared for his life. If this was really his unofficial retirement match, then Undertaker went out in the right way and to the right guy.
Divas match - Who cares?
Bryan vs. Orton vs. Batista - this match was an overbooked clusterfuck and I loved every second of it. Batista was out of shape but the match was booked well enough to hide his weaknesses and the match ended the way it should've done. Bryan was made to look like a million bucks here - won two matches clean in one night, injury angle, stretcher job, so much classic wrestling booking leading to the culmination of seven months of storylines. This is, once again, how you get a guy over.
Overall, it really seemed like this was a show where the old guys are starting to make way for the hot new talents, and props to WWE for doing it. I am excited as hell for the new wrestling year ahead of us.
I watch, though I watch less now than my sons do. It kind of stopped being as entertaining to me as it used to. Maybe that's just me getting older. Not sure.
As for Wrestlemania XXX the only thing that bothered me was WHO Taker lost to. I would have rather seen just about anyone than Brock. I read an article and the guy got it exactly right. The titles nowadays are a dime a dozen, and don't mean much except, 'THIS IS WHO YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO RIGHT NOW'. Undertaker's Streak, on the other hand had real value in the industry. Whoever broke the streak gets SERIOUS cred, and their (Vince's) choice was Brock Lesnar? Really? The guy that couldn't decide if he wanted to fight for real, play football or be in the WWE? That guy?
I don't necessarily dislike Brock himself, but man - what a push it would have given to someone like a Roman Reigns, or hell, even someone like Cena, or give Orton back his Legend Killer persona. I know Cena doesn't need the notoriety, but it would have been a fitting end, given that Undertaker was Cena's first match in the WWE. I knew Taker wasn't going to retire undefeated - because they have a tradition of passing the torch to the next generation. I just didn't expect it to be Brock Lesnar - or want it to be for that matter. I guess I just wanted it to matter more than it seemed to in the end.
The Wyatts... Not creepy like they're trying to be. Just, stop.
It's kind of telling about the Divas that the championship didn't change hands at the pay per view, but on the following night on Raw.
Anyway, that's all I got.
I love Brock, and I'm not going to go into his career choices because that's a long debate ;) I agree that there are other people who needed it more, but at the same time, they built it up to such a degree that there was virtually no-one with the credibility to take the streak. Although weirdly, Taker beat Triple H, Brock once lost to Triple H, and Brock beat Taker.
And amusingly, WWE is probably so gunshy on putting the streak onto a new wrestler BECAUSE of Brock leaving originally.
I enjoyed the Wyatts at first, now I'm just enjoying their popularity and the decent quality wrestling they're putting on.
So gutted about Finn Balor. Feels a lot like with Daniel Bryan again.
Elimination Chamber spoilers.
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/d9029ff1da996086b1f0708e7e00a3b5/tumblr_olaqx4iP4B1r2zt15o1_250.gif) (https://68.media.tumblr.com/b6c0d18e72e3e97b1f2ec59da4512f47/tumblr_olaqx4iP4B1r2zt15o2_250.gif)
(https://68.media.tumblr.com/d326deb48f89d481b6647a45d01b0a67/tumblr_olaqx4iP4B1r2zt15o3_250.gif) (https://68.media.tumblr.com/19742c95db332197e5839b9821b6b89c/tumblr_olaqx4iP4B1r2zt15o4_250.gif)
I am so happy for Naomi. I love her so much and that belt looks fantastic on her.
Money in The Bank 2017.
Fuck that ending to the first ever women's MITB match. A man climbs the ladder, unhooks it and drops it into the lap of a woman.
Seriously? He couldn't have even just shoved her up the ladder? She couldn't unhook it herself? That would have been acceptable.
Heel helped out by their... Manager? Valet? Whatever. That would have been acceptable but nope, women apparently can't unhook things or climb ladders??
Then the refs arguing after and Ellsworth gets on the mic and yells the finish? Felt like the most unsatisfying shitshow. It felt like it was leading up to a restart or something but nope. It was like something was going to happen but it didn't come. We're told about Bryan and Shane tweeting but were neither in the building? Neither could pick up a damn phone and let the ring announcer relay? I guess fucking not.
And that will always be our first MITB women's match.