Professional Wrestling

Huh.

Wasn't expecting something like that. Usually I'm by far the most progressive one in sports convos I take part in.

So now I take you back to the days of Arsion, because I doubt anyone minds a blend of Mexican rules with Japanese stiffness.

I was wondering where WrestleMania 34 would be held; here's a list of venues that could host it...

• EverBank Field — Jacksonville, Florida
• Raymond James Stadium — Tampa, Florida
• Tropicana Field — St. Petersberg, Florida
• Marlins Park — Miami, Florida
• Alamodome — San Antonio, Texas
• Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum — Los Angeles, California
• Oakland Coliseum — Oakland, California
• U.S. Bank Stadium — Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Mercedes-Benz Stadium — Atlanta, Georgia
• Lucas Oil Stadium — Indianapolis, Indiana
• Miller Park — Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Chase Field — Phoenix, Arizona
• Qualcomm Stadium — San Diego, California
• Aloha Stadium — Honolulu, Hawaii
• Olympic Stadium — Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Where is that list coming from?

If you guys want to watch any of the #BROKENBrilliance, you may want to do it before Impact Wrestling takes the Broken Hardys off youtube.

On a side note of Broken Brilliance, the Hardy's will be appearing in IWC's Night of the Superstars event on April 8th◊ alongside Ryback, Mr Anderson, and Ricky Steamboat.

Th Broken Hardy's have retained against The Bucks Of Youth and Roppongi Vice but the Bucks still have one more shot at Supercard Of Honor, which will be another ladder match.

Also, the More than Mania tour will see the crowning of a WWN Champion, one to stand above all others...normally I'd probably skip that one and get, say, the Cartel show. But since this is the age of subscription services I am going to watch it since I will be getting at least a month for the SHIMMER show.

Now I know people in pro wrestling can be petty, but I really don't get the Broken Hardy Impact Wrestling feud. You all put up with the drug charges and misconduct but you're sour over a gimmick? I know it would be too much to expect them to work out a mutually beneficial agreement but really, this should be the time when TNA...Impact...goes into anti-McMahon mode and says "See, we're not like the guy who doesn't want Cody to be Rhodes!"

And while I get the desire to take on a different brand identity, the letters TNA have become toxic but even if they hadn't, it still sends the wrong message since it hasn't been about woman flesh since 2004, I think they could have been more creative in choosing a new brand name. Besides Full Impact Pro, which is part of the WWN "family" and not that far away from the former TNA in Florida, there is also Impact Pro Wrestling in Illinois, Elite Impact Wrestling in Tennessee and Impact Zone Wrestling in Oklahoma. That's just the ones I know of in the United States. Maybe Total Nonstop Impact wasn't different enough , I suppose Impact Wrestling Championships is too much like International Wrestling Cartel but I don't know, Impact Wrestling 02(IW02, referencing their original founding) or IWTTS(two thousand seventeen when it was renamed/rebooted)? Global Impact Wrestling Force(GIWF is Global Force still a thing or what), try and stand out a little.

edited 19th Mar '17 3:10:45 PM by IndirectActiveTransport

I will preface this post by saying that I'm not extraordinarily knowledgeable about professional wrestling, and only really started following it last year.

2017 in WWE has been...weird so far.

Another Rumble where the fans booed the finish (booing the Viper, from outta nowhere!)

Fastlane 2017 got booed

Goldberg got booed

I'm not sure if this is because:

A: The fans want WWE to embrace more of promotions beloved by neo-smarks (I don't say that as an insult, using the new definition from the Smart Mark page) like indie circuits and NJPW: technical rasslin, tight storylines, anti-heroes, etc.

B: The fans are being unreasonably elitist and entitled, considering that PPV prices have dropped from $54.99 to $9.99/month (on the award-winning WWE Network!)—since many fans are paying far less than before, it may be fair for them to lower their expectations a bit

C: Both.

But now I'm worried about the WM 34 main event. Undertaker has the old-school mentality whereby he uses his sunset years to get new talent over with fans. But the only way I can see fans accepting Reigns is if he stops being made to look strong and turn heel.

Bless his Samoan-ass heart, but he's still something of a bland babyface despite, ever since coming back from his roids suspension, becoming a much better worker and improving on the mic. At least John Cena was divisive (and last year he put on spectacular matches with AJ Styles on Smackdown), but compared to Cena, Reigns seems to be getting overwhelming and universal hate.

Keeping in mind that Taker lost to a bout of "make Lesnar look strong"-itis at Mania 30, I'm worried of a repeat at 34. Roman will look strong—again—not turn heel, Taker will get booed (if the fans booed the Rock at the 2015 Rumble, I don't see why they couldn't boo the Dead Man either), but the worst thing will be that absolutely nothing will be able to change Vince's plan of pushing him as a babyface despite the fans wanting him to turn heel. And with Dixie Carter continuing to meticulously run TNA into the ground, ROH being ROH, NXT's decline compared to its 2014-15 heyday, and WCPW not being quite there just yet, there's a real question of a lack of competition to the WWE's main roster. There's the WWE Cruiserweight divison, NJPW (which is great), and the indie circuit...and what else?

Furthermore, when Shane and Steph take over the business after Vince decides to throw in the towel, are they going to push Lesnar and Reigns just as hard as Vinnie Mac did? Because I will be very sad if that happens.

edited 23rd Mar '17 7:10:44 PM by 773202luna

Those results you mentioned got booed because it seems like WWE is being transparent in how it's unwilling to share opportunities among male solo talent (add to that tag divisions being terrible ever since New Day lost the belts). Not all of that is fair, though. But mainly, people don't like being told who to like.

It's a positive sign that you even listed WCPW. It didn't even exist like 2 years ago.

I don't get what's wrong with ROH, but really, the independent circuit would be enough pro wrestling for me if that's what it really comes to. I admit, I do consider ROH part of the independent circuit, even though it is owned by a major television company because it's only had a budget for about two years going on three. It's been making growing strides since then but it's got a long ways to go compared to it's two most visible partners, NJPW and now CMLL.

But there's another one, CMLL often has good shows, just get used to two out of three falls, a lot of overhand chops and the other quirks that come with Mexican lucha libre, but that's the thing too, there isn't really one independent circuit. Mexico has indies too, Liga Elite is going through similar growing pains to ROH right now but still, they've got good shows. There's NGX, XMW, DTU and stuff if you want bloody death match garbage wrestling, there's a little more family friendly stuff like Chilanga Mask, but Mexico is one of the few places that still has two major companies, there's AAA too.

If ROH really, really isn't your thing, maybe All Pro Wrestling is? WXW, PWR, PWG, Empire Wrestling Federation, All American Wrestling, Chikara, the various NWA affiliates, the WWN Network(FIP, EVOLVE, SHINE), SHIMMER, CZW, Championship Wrestling From Hollywood, Anarchy, there's bound to be something out there for you.

Most obvious next to New Japan is NOAH, which has been getting better. There's also All Japan, Dragon Gate, Zero 1, and numerous smaller indies like Kainentai, Sakura Project. They've got their own garbage feds in Big Japan and FMW, several Joshi shows, Ice Ribbon, STARDOM, JWP, LLPW, REINA, etc

What A Culture is far from the only thing on the UK. Frontier Wrestling Alliance, Progress, Preston City, then there's Bellatrix and Eve...

There's a whole world of pro wrestling, it's in Puerto Rico, in Chile, Korea, Germany, Bolivia, Nigeria, India, Brazil, Australia, there's always an alternative for every alternative. Now, if you mean something you can flip to on national television, something that will go directly against WWE, well I doubt it. Maybe if Lucha Underground finds a bigger network, maybe Sinclair's scorched Earth massacre will consume enough stations for ROH to end up with comparable distribution(the current political climate is against regulation), maybe New Japan will find a spot? There are possibilities, but I'm not holding my breath.

I don't need a station to turn to, I haven't watched pro wrestling on television since Spike dropped TNA. I've got my computer and my car, I'll find pro wrestling as log as I want to. There are, like, a thousand shows going on around the world that aren't WWE and as long as someone supports them they will remain. I'd rather them grow as much as the next fan, but you know, if more fans supported them maybe they would. There are cheaper subscription services. How many people retweeting #cancel WWE network actually jumped on New Japan World? There are also more expensive services but they might be more bang for your buck, like FLO Sports. How many people actually put that ten dollars a month towards watching their local indie fed, which probably runs a show at least once a month for that much, or bought that five to nine dollar video on demand? Fuzzy Boots here was getting his fix from The International Wrestling Cartel for a long while in that manner. If you're really cheap, there's always Youtube. Is internet connection or geographic location holding you back?

Correct me if I'm mistaken, but does ICW not have a presence on the wiki yet? I figured it'd be notable since it's probably in the Top 3 of UK's most widely-known promotions next to Progress and WCPW.

Probably not. And you know, the page really shouldn't be "ICW" if it is to get one. You said UK, but still, ICW could mean Italian Championship Wrestling(sixteen years and counting, never known if someone might want to make a trope page for it considering Universal and HUSTLE were dead for years by the time they got pages), International Championship Wrestling(which might just it's tropes on the NWA page but Zero 1 has it's own separate page so again, you never know), Impact Championship Wrestling(the first thing I thought of) or Insane Championship Wrestling(Ireland).

It's what I was trying to elaborate earlier, why Anthem going with just Impact Wrestling wasn't the smartest move, as far as brand recognition goes. Same concept, only with URL and hyperlinks.

so, how's the buildup to wrestlemania everyone? I hear goldberg is champion, that's kinda dumb.

It's real dumb.

The Road to Wrestlemania is spotty.

Smackdown (the better show)

• The Miz, who has spent the better part of the last year almost single-handledly carrying Smackdown (AJ Styles has also put in work), and successfully rejuvenated the Intercontinental Title, is now, with Maryse, singlehandedly carrying a feud with John Cena and Nikki Bella that's going to end with Cena proposing (and possibly with Maryse returning to in-ring competition). Seriously, the Miz is turning crap into GOLD.
  • Cena's going on hiatus again right after Mania to do more movie filming. Honestly, I'm hoping Maryse gets the pin on Nikki before the proposal. Cena's been cutting some very protected, and outright WRONG, promos against them, like saying Maryse never did anything. She was champion twice before Nikki was.
• Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton are competing for the World Title, in a feud that has taken a couple of unnecessarily complicated turns, and would benefit from more Luke Harper, who (like Wyatt, the current title holder in his first ever solo title run) has really come into his own
• Dean Ambrose (champion) wasted all of Miz's work making the IC title relevant. He's in a feud with Baron Corbin, who has stepped up his mic work.
• The Smackdown Tag and Women's championships are continuing to be booked poorly. At least the Usos (who have had a heel turn and are great at it) are champions at the moment, and Naomi will be competing in a 6 (or more) woman match for the belt in her home town.
• Styles is fighting Shane Mc Mahon in a standard match, because reasons. It's not gonna suck, Styles can carry people and Shane isn't awful, but some people are down on it regardless.

RAW

• Roman reigns has continued to show that he's a natural as being a midcard heel. Unfortunately, they're pushing him to face 'the Undertaker at what could be Taker's last match. Note that Taker said "Wrestlemania doesn't define me", and then proceeded to only be in the Royal Rumble ever since the last Mania. He also said "Smackdown is my home" and then EXCLUSIVELY appeared on RAW since. But... Vince Mc Mahon, lol.
• The RAW Tag and Women's championships are continuing to be booked poorly. Triple threat match for the tag titles, with the late addition of "we have ladders now guise!" to make people care. Enzo, another natural heel, is still not being booked as such. The RAW women's division continues to center on only 4 of its 8 or so members, ALL of whom are in the fatal four way title picture. Sasha's expected to heel turn, but I hope she doesn't.
• Jericho vs Owens had a very well received slow build for their match. It's for the US title (now held by Jericho, who has now held every men's singles title), but it should've been for the Universal. Owens is expected to win, as Jericho's band is touring later this year.
• New Day are hosting Mania. They should've been supporting each other for singles titles pushes instead.
• Rollins vs Triple H. Rollins is expected to debut his new music, and also fight "injured".
• Goldberg vs Lesnar, because fuck the rising talent. Again, Vince Mc Mahon, lol.

Cruiserweights

• The match will be good, but it's on the pre-show. Who cares?

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale is also on the preshow.

Christopher Daniels still in his first reign as ROH champion and Mercedes Martinez in her second as SHIMMER champion should make up for whatever else goes wrong in pro wrestling this weekend. Not even that owl can ruin it...unless you have Dish Network.

So, I don't know if you guys know, but the FUCKING HARDY BOYS just showed up out of nowhere for the Raw tag team championship ladder match...and they won.

Wow.

II'L FADE AWAY AND CLASSIFY MYSELF AS OBSOLETE

On behalf of all my fellow sheep in the Wyatt Family...

FUCK YOU.

Also, not the main event despite Royal Rumble win.

The Good

• The Hardy's returning as the Broken Hardy boyz, (I think. Might actually watch tomorrow's Raw).
• The fact that AJ won against Shane.
• The Woman's 4-Way Title match told a good story and was pretty good.
• I guess the mix-tag match had a good finish.
• The New Day hosting, when they got screen-time.
• Triple H lost to Seth Rollins in a good match.
• Kevin Owen's and Jericho!

The Bad

• Many of the matches felt similar.
• Not enough New Day in my day.
• 6-Way Woman's title felt like, (and was probably intended) as cooloff match).
• The content of the mix-tag match. Not enough action from female partners and was just an average Smackdown or Raw match besides that.
• Goldberg vs. Lesnar.
• The Main Event was so repetitive, I understand wanting to get Roman over, but just having him beat him in a slow main event at Wrestlemania isn't the way to go, also Taker probably retires tomorrow.
• Randy Orton and the Universal Title didn't get the main event, and Orton won. Orton was never interesting enough in the ring or on the mike to be that level, but he is.

edited 3rd Apr '17 5:20:32 AM by Wildcard

The Six-Woman match was where it was to make sure that the hometown crowd wasn't completely saddened at the end of the show.

The mixed tag match was good when Miz was in the ring, even though Cena continues to show he has no idea how to sell a Yes Kick. The problem was it should've had Maryse getting the pin on Nikki, then Cena surprising her with a bigger prize.

Does someone backstage just think: How much can we build Bray up before he loses EVERY feud? Couldn't have just had him win one big match?

Undertaker's got my friends and I sad.

Yeah, the Broken Hardyz and the volume of the responses are probably the only reason I'll watch Raw tomorrow. Even if Angle returns, I'm just not feeling it. So for now, when I say "Wrestlemania doesn't define me, Smackdown is my home", unlike some people, I mean it.

edited 2nd Apr '17 9:47:44 PM by wanderlustwarrior

Roman Reigns beats Undertaker at the main event for Wrestlemania?

. . . Something tells me I should stay away from all wrestling boards for the next three months.

Other than that, yeah totally watching Raw just for the chance to see the Broken Universe on WWE. It's a shame that Bray Wyatt lost though, cause an awesome feud would of happened if Matt gets drafted to Smackdown and challenge Wyatt for the belt.

edited 2nd Apr '17 10:00:24 PM by BigK1337

Mixed bag. Good matches for the most part, but some wins shouldn't have happened (Bray vs Randy, the Mixed Tag, and even as someone who doesn't hate Roman, I'd have preferred the taker to win).

Kurt Angle as the new Commissioner of Raw. Unfortunately, I was called away right as he was coming down though.

That being said....TOP GUYS!!! IN!

The thing that I thought would happen, but was hoping wouldn't happen, happened. Taker lost to the second of two WWE talent that Vince really wants to make look strong (plus he didn't turn heel). Lesnar got to look strong against Gooooldbeeeerg.

My cynicism meter for WWE is off the scale. I don't think they'll do what the fans want until Vince dies, and even then when Shane and Steph inherit the company they'll continue to push shit out of babyface Reigns and babyface Lesnar. It's a real pity. Also this is Reigns' like 9,060th WM victory in the post-WM30 era. I expect him to win the 2018 Royal Rumble, get booed, then get booed even louder when the Rock comes out, for a repeat of the 2015 Rumble's ending.

Oh, and Randy Orton is starting to look like a quasi-Reigns. Beating Reigns at the 2017 Rumble, pinning Bray Wyatt like it was nothing. Make the Viper Look Strong™. Vince basically Starrcade 97'd the biggest feud in recent Smackdown history. Looks like I'm going to be switching to New Japan, CMLL, probably APW too. If WCPW brings consistency and puts on future shows that were as good as True Destiny 17, I'll give them a shot as well.

Positives: Great to see Jeff Hardy again, maybe he can shake off the "party sexy drugs lolz" persona which was only reinforced by his disgraceful performance vs. Sting at TNA Victory Road 2011 (which personally I think is unfair considering he's been clean for many years now). The Rollins-Trips match was superb. Bayley retains her Raw Women's Championship. JR returns after 2K14 Panel-gate (aka Ric Flair Was Still Mourning-gate).

Ride on, Deadman.

One more note: Despite #CancelWWENetwork trending, there weren't actually a lot of unsubscriptions after the 2015 Rumble. Watching Raw tonight, seeing how the crowd has more hate for Reigns than fuckin' X-Pac, does anyone think that if Reigns isn't turned heel, there will be substantial unsubscriptions and drops in PPV gate numbers? My gut instinct is no, because WWE has no competition. Plus a crowd like that is to be expected during a post-Mania Raw.

...^spoiler These are my Tropes now. (mic drop)

...^spoiler And Angle as Raw GM! At least it's no longer one of the Chairman's demon spawn. And I'll take any reason to hear endearing "you suck" chants.

edited 3rd Apr '17 8:21:01 PM by 773202luna

Regarding Jeff Hardy: dude, did you miss all of 2016? That is long behind them. They've moved to a significantly different gimmick, one that focuses their crazy.

And no, Orton isn't the new Reigns, Reigns is the new Orton. Orton's got his 13th championship off of coasting from something from years ago. He's a perpetual face, even though he wants to turn heel, because they pushed him so hard years ago. The same way they did with Reigns. "Sure, for this stretch of time, he has no charisma, but LOOK WHO HE'S RELATED TO!" They both got better, but they both can get away with almost anything behind the scenes and in storylines because WWE wants them to be the edgy face of their generation, even though most of the biggest successes with that persona did it organically.

It bugs me that they have that whole "Look who they're related to." Off the top of my head, wrestlers with legacies, besides "Legacy": Bray Wyatt, the Usos, Bo Dallas, for a couple of examples of how they can be good or bad. And, recent WWE guys who have done well despite not being legacies: Kofi Kingston (one of the greatest tag resumes ever), Kane, the Miz Jericho. Hell, watch Jericho bury the entire concept of legacy with a single line.

"I've held more titles than both of you and your fathers combined." And it was true. And he could've had more than Orton if Orton didn't get such ridiculous pushes.

Reigns has been getting booed for 2 straight years with no significant drop in his merch, or WWE pushing him. At this point, it's pretty obvious neither Reigns` character or WWE give much of a shit about how loud the Vocal Minority is and are more than willing to exploit it in every way possible short of just turning him straight up into a heel.

In short, No Such Thing as Bad Publicity is very much in effect here. The fact that Reigns is so utterly despised ironically continuously gives him more attention from everyone. The IWC are defeating their own purpose by continuously booing him, because they're giving him the publicity that they don't want him to have lol.

The irony of it all is amusing as hell.