Random Wrasslin' thoughts.....

briany

TLC/ladder matches are great, but the psychology of them is played poorly. If they were playing it to suspend disbelief, almost zero ladder spots would happen which didn't involve scrambling up it to get the belt. Why would you be jumping off the thing half trying to kill a guy when all you need to do is incapacitate them long enough to climb up and grab the belt?

rovert

Yelpers

https://twitter.com/adecorativedrop/status/578215401198321665

A Primal Nut

briany wrote: »

TLC/ladder matches are great, but the psychology of them is played poorly. If they were playing it to suspend disbelief, almost zero ladder spots would happen which didn't involve scrambling up it to get the belt. Why would you be jumping off the thing half trying to kill a guy when all you need to do is incapacitate them long enough to climb up and grab the belt?

I haven't seen the TLC matches in years so I don't remember. But I did watch the Dudley's, e&c, Hardy's ladder match from wrestlemania 2000 and as you mentioned the psychology was ridiculous. Very few attempts to get the belt. It was more like stuntsmen in a circus setting up their next big stunt. At point everyone except the Dudley's was down for five minutes while the Dudley's spent the time setting up their next big spot instead of just getting the belts.

The risks they took were amazing but mostly unnecessary.

mrkiscool2

A Primal Nut wrote: »

I haven't seen the TLC matches in years so I don't remember. But I did watch the Dudley's, e&c, Hardy's match from wrestlemania 2000 and as you mentioned the psychology was ridiculous. Very few attempts to get the belt. It was more like stuntsmen in a circus setting up their next big stunt. At point everyone except the Dudley's was down for five minutes while the Dudley's spent the time setting their next big spot instead of just getting the belts.

The risks they took were amazing but mostly unnecessary.

Agreed. A good ladder match with good psychology would be Jeff Hardy vs The Undertaker. Hardy is going out there to win the belt so every chance he gets to climb the ladder he takes it where as Taker just wants to beat the holy hell out of Hardy so he rarely tries to climb the ladder. That's why it was a pretty enjoyable match (plus JR's commentary, iconic stuff).

I've found recent MITB are the same. Because there are so many competitors it makes it easy to go for the briefcase while still telling a really good in-ring story.

Stereomaniac

Yeah I have found the Money In The Bank matches to be pretty good down through the years, with guys desperately making runs to grab the briefcase early on in the match. Don't ask me to name examples though as there's so many. The two famous ones that took place in Madison Square Garden are great examples of what ladder matches should be I think. There was just the right amount of ladder involvement in both of those contests really.

gerrybbadd

Judging by Raw this week, Sting looks to be in fairly good shape.

I hope he loses the T-Shirt for the match at Mania though. It looks awful.

Riddle101

gerrybbadd wrote: »

Judging by Raw this week, Sting looks to be in fairly good shape.

I hope he loses the T-Shirt for the match at Mania though. It looks awful.

Not like Sting to be hiding a beer gut or anything. Why does he always wear a t-shirt though? He looks to be in great shape for a guy his age. Or is it possible that he doesn't want to look too much like Undertaker? who always wears a one-piece and a trench coat.

DM_7

I am not sure why Sting never added sleeves to his gear as he got older.



The above with sleeves

rovert

EVERYONE watch this this weekend. The best casket match you will ever see:

Nothing but rave reviews online

gerrybbadd

That was awesome. That's the first I've seen of Lucas Underground, but I've heard a lot about it.

Love the presentation

rovert

IF Charlotte debuts in 8 days many times will she do a rollup pin or be rolled up herself within the next month on the main roster?

Itssoeasy

Ric flair really hates jim herd.

Angron

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Ric flair really hates jim herd.

Well that Spartacus idea was really stupid.

veganrun

Rock v Hogan at WM18. Never heard a crowd like it.

Vision of Disorder

rovert wrote: »

IF Charlotte debuts in 8 days many times will she do a rollup pin or be rolled up herself within the next month on the main roster?

She'll beat The Ascension in short order.

Angron

The Undertaker is 50 today.

Riddle101

Does anyone know what Raven thinks of Bray Wyatt? I know he did a shoot interview on Wrestletalk I think, where he discusses a few things. But he said he would talk about Bray Wyatt too.

Either way it would be interesting to know what he thinks of him.

briany

Riddle101 wrote: »

Does anyone know what Raven thinks of Bray Wyatt? I know he did a shoot interview on Wrestletalk I think, where he discusses a few things. But he said he would talk about Bray Wyatt too.

Either way it would be interesting to know what he thinks of him.

I'd like to think his opinion is positive. Although I find Wyatt's approach a slight bit overwrought at times, he's one of the few keeping improv alive in his promos in the WWE.

A lot has been made of Bray Wyatt being the 'new Undertaker' but I find parallels between Wyatt and Mankind more fitting. Two rambling madmen of a similar type of physical build, both giving their own portrayals of sociopathy or schizophrenia. Oh, and both have an obsession with 'taker.

mrkiscool2

briany wrote: »

I'd like to think his opinion is positive. Although I find Wyatt's approach a slight bit overwrought at times, he's one of the few keeping improv alive in his promos in the WWE.

A lot has been made of Bray Wyatt being the 'new Undertaker' but I find parallels between Wyatt and Mankind more fitting. Two rambling madmen of a similar type of physical build, both giving their own portrayals of sociopathy or schizophrenia. Oh, and both have an obsession with 'taker.

I don't think Wyatt is the new Undertaker. I think he is a mix of Taker, Raven and Mankind. Delusional, charismatic, wants to have a cult following etc. Before the Rumble I was losing faith that WWE had a direction for Wyatt (I'm a huge Wyatt fan even if it is an unpopular stance to have)

However, over the last two months he has done a great job in not only keeping the feud between him and Taker going single-handedly (loved the vagueness yet subtle nods of who he was talking about in the run-up to Fast Lane and the little things, like the coffin he was building one week, being in promos as well as doing some great promo work) but he has made people interested in it (as in it's not just Taker they are looking forward to).

Omackeral

John Morrison would be a fine addition to the multi man Intercontinental Title ladder match.

Vision of Disorder

mrkiscool2 wrote: »

(as in it's not just Taker they are looking forward to).

Personally I'm only looking forward to Wyatt and simply hope Undertaker still has enough left to give Wyatt a memorable match (I'm sceptical though).

gerrybbadd

Omackeral wrote: »

John Morrison would be a fine addition to the multi man Intercontinental Title ladder match.

Johnny would be great to have back in the WWE. Surprised that Kofi SpotFest hasn't been included in the match too though.

Is Cesaro in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal? He should be allowed to defend his title!

Moneymaker

As much as I like Sheamus i'd be fuming if he somehow wins the ladder match.

briany

I'll be supporting Sheamo if he comes back on Sunday. He gets some stick, but lets keep it Irish.

beakerjoe

So, its Wrestlemania weekend and I’m looking at the Intercontinental Championship Ladder match. On paper it could well steal the show in terms of a high quality match, no doubt, as it has some great workers and talent taking part. I realize a lot of fans are just happy to see the match but in my eyes the belt has suffered so much over recent years that I just don’t care about it . All of the feuds going into Mania are all victim of lazy booking and the IC title match is no different. 7 great wrestlers just lumped into a match to have them on the show. The booking of this match and nearly all previous IC matches over the last 2/3 years has been awful. I simply don’t care about the match and wonder am I alone in thinking this?

This year the title is currently on Bad News Barrett and he has lost a good few matches in the build up as is tradition with IC champs these days. He’s not looked strong since winning the gold at all and loses most non title match ups. He is coming off a nothing feud with Ambrose and both men plus R-Truth, Luke Harper, Dolph Ziggler, Stardust, Daniel Bryan have been lumped into this match together. With a real lazy build up in the last 5 weeks, these men will battle it out on Sunday. Apart from the talent in the match, who are capable of pulling off a memorable match, I have no reason to care. I’m simply not emotionally invested in a match and its a shame considering the talent thats in it.

The title is at a low in terms of value and prestige, perhaps not an all time low, but its not viewed as important in my eyes at the current time. The days when this was a title that solidified a talent into an upper mid card guy are a distant memory. The days when Savage and Steamboat battled over the gold or Rock/HHH or Shawn/ Razor are long gone. The title always has rough patches through out history (take WM15 for example), but these days the championship is just an after thought for me as it seems its at its lowest point for a while. Wrestlers that have won the gold have had very little terms of a push. Miz v Ziggler was the last real feud I enjoyed over the gold and it was a decent feud to be fair. Around that particular feud we’ve had no decent feuds at all , just the title being lumped on guys like Luke Harper, Big E, Curtis Axel and Bad News Barrett.

Champions in recent history, like the guys I just mentioned, have simply won the title and done nothing of note. If anything winning the gold didn’t elevate them, rather it hampered them. They will ‘feud’ (I use the term very loosely) with a challenger or challengers, have them lose to challengers on Raw and Smackdown before winning on PPV with no real build up or storyline. Before then I think maybe Cody Rhodes v Big Show was the last decent feud the IC gold has seen and that was in 2012. Creative have no idea what there doing with this title.


Another part of the problem is the booking. The titles current value as its represented on TV is below that of some of its challengers. In the match we have Daniel Bryan who I fail to see his motivation for putting his body on the line for a title I would say is beneath him. After the last year and a half at main event level (granted he was injured for a good chunk of it) its a serious drop down for him. Same goes for Ambrose and a lesser extent Ziggler. Both men should be above this title and competing in bigger matches but they are lumped into this mid card feud. Ambrose and Ziggler have been both at the bad end of WWE booking after both should be in the upper mid card perhaps fighting for a title shot, not fighting over a title that has lost a lot of its prestige over the last decade.

Sure the match can be very entertaining and a win for Ambrose or Bryan could elevate the title. However I fear a win for either of these will just devalue their stock. For example if Ambrose was to win, I fear he will suffer as a result. Hes already beaten Cena and Rollins and Bray, he should be aiming higher. . A win for any of the others can also be good, but I fear the title will revert to normal practice and be in lazy nothing feuds used to beef up a PPV.

I used to love the IC title. When Cody Rhodes introduced the White Belt, I had high hopes but poor booking since then has done nothing for it. I had a little hope again when Miz and Dolph feuded over it at Summerslam. It wasn’t the best feud but it was entertaining but it hasn’t been built on since. I had more interest when Val Venis and Rikishi battled over the title. Nether men were steamboat or Savage but they were booked in a decent feud, something which is lacking for an IC champion as of late. The lack of a decent feud around the once prestigious IC title is making said title a joke and an after thought.

WWE creative have to take the blame. The title has been on some great talent over the years, from Dashing Cody Rhodes, to a younger pre upper card Dolph Ziggler even to a guy like current Champion Bad News Barrett. All have suffered from bad storylines and terrible booking. Its not easy I’m sure but I’m sure any sort of decent attention towards this title could elevate it from its current mediocre state. Hell, look at the PW Boards Draft, myself and others have written better storylines in this fun fantasy booking game this year and in previous years than what’s been seen on WWE television.

Ideally Id love who ever wins, what could be a show stealing match on Sunday, is given a real feud when he wins the gold. A feud with some story to it, with anyone of the winners above (Maybe not Luke Harper yet as hes a characterless zombie) can help drag this once glorious title out of the WWE creative sh!thole.

Thank you!

briany

mrkiscool2 wrote: »

I don't think Wyatt is the new Undertaker. I think he is a mix of Taker, Raven and Mankind. Delusional, charismatic, wants to have a cult following etc. Before the Rumble I was losing faith that WWE had a direction for Wyatt (I'm a huge Wyatt fan even if it is an unpopular stance to have)

However, over the last two months he has done a great job in not only keeping the feud between him and Taker going single-handedly (loved the vagueness yet subtle nods of who he was talking about in the run-up to Fast Lane and the little things, like the coffin he was building one week, being in promos as well as doing some great promo work) but he has made people interested in it (as in it's not just Taker they are looking forward to).

I like Wyatt, too, but it feels like the guy doesn't get involved in too many meaningful matches.

Wyatt can back it up when he has to, but he does some amount of talking in between those occasions.

Whosthis

A UFC Embedded style web series would have been great for Wrestlemania week.

Loughc

Whosthis wrote: »

A UFC Embedded style web series would have been great for Wrestlemania week.

This is where I think they should be using the network for shows like that.

mrkiscool2

briany wrote: »

I like Wyatt, too, but it feels like the guy doesn't get involved in too many meaningful matches.

Wyatt can back it up when he has to, but he does some amount of talking in between those occasions.

If we look at his two WM matches so far though-last year vs Cena and this year vs Taker-he is in very high profile matches at the show that matter most. That gives me hope. After Cena last year he had nothing and his feud with Ambrose was good but I hated how weak they made Ambrose look during it.

That being said, a victory against Taker would be absolutely massive. I'm not sure who wins here. My heart is saying Wyatt but my head is saying Taker. I can easily see Wyatt being a title contender come the end of the year though, he has been pushed strongly since HIAC. And I like his talking when he is actually talking about someone rather than what has become his incessant rambling about nothing when he doesn't have a real feud.

rovert

Somewhat amusing:
http://catmalojin.com/2015/03/26/my-failed-attempt-to-redesign-fine-gaels-election-posters/