The WWE Thread

[Northwoods_Nightmare]

Yeah I hate how they've booked women as much as anybody, but sadly the supply largely matched the demand over the years. 10 years ago bra & panties/mudfights WERE what was over, of course that sort of demand hasn't wholly died but at least there has been an evolution in the fanbase. As I said, you just can't expect that transition to be smooth; I expect for a while they'll still have the Lana crap, and some of the models will keep their jobs as bitchy undercard heels, but there will also be the platform for the top women to be taken seriously and have great matches. It's a changing world.

I don't think they need to go completely one way or the other. WWE is all about pleasing everybody. Just like the male roster has comedy wrestlers, serious wrestlers, and wrestlers who do both, there's no reason the Divas division shouldn't do just the same.
What's important is compelling stories and strong characters. Not the sidekick, secondary role and uninteresting rivalries that they usually get. They also need time. With a three hour show mostly filled with crap there shouldn't be an issue getting a 10-15 minute divas match/segment every week with some hype videos and all that.

[IchaelMelgin]

Think about it this way: in 2005 would a storyline about a group of real women who wanted to takeover and regain dignity in the womens div. get over? Nah, they'd probably be heels! "Ugly" girls booked as prudes and snobs with skirts so long they scrape the ground. Until one day they take off their hairtie, glasses and braces and Hubba Hubba! It's Was A Hawt Chik All Along!

[IchaelMelgin]

Yeah I hate how they've booked women as much as anybody, but sadly the supply largely matched the demand over the years. 10 years ago bra & panties/mudfights WERE what was over, of course that sort of demand hasn't wholly died but at least there has been an evolution in the fanbase. As I said, you just can't expect that transition to be smooth; I expect for a while they'll still have the Lana crap, and some of the models will keep their jobs as bitchy undercard heels, but there will also be the platform for the top women to be taken seriously and have great matches. It's a changing world.

I don't think they need to go completely one way or the other. WWE is all about pleasing everybody. Just like the male roster has comedy wrestlers, serious wrestlers, and wrestlers who do both, there's no reason the Divas division shouldn't do just the same.
What's important is compelling stories and strong characters. Not the sidekick, secondary role and uninteresting rivalries that they usually get. They also need time. With a three hour show mostly filled with crap there shouldn't be an issue getting a 10-15 minute divas match/segment every week with some hype videos and all that.

I agree. You'd do well to find a purely 'eye candy' male wrestler unless you count like err.. Val Venis, but that's a different conversation.
The Lana stuff is pretty genuinely insulting, but if they wanna run with their some of their Total Divas stuff etc, or some modelling deal or whatever, I could live with that, as long as they finally give us this platform, which it seems like they will

[donkitrk99]

I'd like to see Naomi and Tamina turn on Sasha (double points because all of this off-tv, social media Team BAD stuff would then be a legit and awesome swerve). Then the Summerslam match would be the 4 greatest divas in the history of NXT (Charlotte, Becky, Sasha, & Paige) vs. Nikki, Brie, Alicia, and Naomi with Tamina on the outside as the muscle for the heels.

[Thelone]

@IchaelMelgin

I'm not too high on Paige myself and thinks she's wildly overrated. Also, she's getting quite cocky it seems like after reading some TE reviews. I don't know, maybe I'm imagining things.

I'm not sold on Charlotte either though. I know I've said that they badly needed to move her up at this point, but they better be careful with her. Her best matches so far were complete carry jobs (Nattie and Sasha) and she has a tendency to break character after big matches (openly crying and smiling because she was so happy for Banks after their title match).

[supersonic]

Meltzer:

Spoiler: show

Undertaker and Sting will both be part of WWE advertising for SummerSlam on 8/23 in Brooklyn.

Details of their postions and matches on the card is not clear other than both are part of advertising that has already been cut. The only thing we've heard is that Sting was scheduled to wrestle in a match but that the original plan for the match has had to be changed.

[IchaelMelgin]

this episode of SmackDown officially has the worst canned heat ever.
BUT Cesaro v Rusev is a must-watch.

[supersonic]

Regarding a proposed Shield reunion at Battleground on the Observer forum:

Spoiler: show

I'm not saying it's not happening.

But I got some SummerSlam notes that had them as faces still on that show.

There have been a few injuries including regarding their match so it could have changed. But def.not the plan about ten days ago.

[supersonic]

https://twitter.com/WWEDanielBryan/stat ... 4856881152

I appreciate all the thank yous, but the entire interview claiming that I said my time is over is a fake. I will be back wrestling.

[187_Joeism]

William Regal ‏@RealKingRegal
People are looking for a story where there isn't one.Sometimes just being around enough you can call a friend. It really is as simple as me making a call to a friend I've known since 1986 to come and compete for @WWENXT.Really.Now please stop asking. A lesson-be polite,helpful,understand that a still tongue keeps a wise head and you'll earn a lot of trust and people will help when needed.

[Leo C]

https://twitter.com/WWEDanielBryan/stat ... 4856881152

I appreciate all the thank yous, but the entire interview claiming that I said my time is over is a fake. I will be back wrestling.

Great news, just hope doesn't return around the Rumble so we don't have the same damn "angle" for the third straight year.

[supersonic]

William Regal ‏@RealKingRegal
People are looking for a story where there isn't one.Sometimes just being around enough you can call a friend. It really is as simple as me making a call to a friend I've known since 1986 to come and compete for @WWENXT.Really.Now please stop asking. A lesson-be polite,helpful,understand that a still tongue keeps a wise head and you'll earn a lot of trust and people will help when needed.

This is the same Darren Matthews that told a great narrative about being clean in his autobiography, only to get exposed as a PED pusher.

https://twitter.com/WWEDanielBryan/stat ... 4856881152

I appreciate all the thank yous, but the entire interview claiming that I said my time is over is a fake. I will be back wrestling.

Great news, just hope doesn't return around the Rumble so we don't have the same damn "angle" for the third straight year.

As much as I believe Lesnar vs. D-Bry would be critical for the long-term legacy of WM32 (having one of the greatest, most influential David vs. Goliath matches of all-time at the biggest show ever that's stacked with legends, farewells, crossovers, etc.), WWE wouldn't be wrong to ease D-Bry back in should he be available.

D-Bry already has an easy angle available. Ideally, if he cannot return until early next year, I have him returning at Fast Lane for a "major career announcement." Put out all kinds of vague teases on TV and social media.

At Fast Lane, D-Bry says nobody has beaten him for the IC Title or even taken him out of contention for it. His return match will be at WM32 to reclaim the belt and make it really mean something as he planned on doing a year earlier when he won it.

[TYFDK]

There's a big difference between lying about being illegally addicted to drugs and lying about friends helping each other out.

[Leo C]

As much as I believe Lesnar vs. D-Bry would be critical for the long-term legacy of WM32 (having one of the greatest, most influential David vs. Goliath matches of all-time at the biggest show ever that's stacked with legends, farewells, crossovers, etc.), WWE wouldn't be wrong to ease D-Bry back in should he be available.

D-Bry already has an easy angle available. Ideally, if he cannot return until early next year, I have him returning at Fast Lane for a "major career announcement." Put out all kinds of vague teases on TV and social media.

At Fast Lane, D-Bry says nobody has beaten him for the IC Title or even taken him out of contention for it. His return match will be at WM32 to reclaim the belt and make it really mean something as he planned on doing a year earlier when he won it.

You know, I actually wouldn't be against DB returning and going for the Rumble IF he was in to win. I'm not one of those guys who think he should get every accolade under the sun ever created, but it sure was annoying to see the butthurt level achieved this year.

[supersonic]

The WWE put no effort into pacifying the audience. If D-Bry is a marquee match against a fresh opponent, then no backlash.

[boourns]

@IchaelMelgin
I'm not sold on Charlotte either though. I know I've said that they badly needed to move her up at this point, but they better be careful with her. Her best matches so far were complete carry jobs (Nattie and Sasha) and she has a tendency to break character after big matches (openly crying and smiling because she was so happy for Banks after their title match).

I think we need to cut her some slack on this weeks match as it was the first big women's match after Dusty's passing. I can understand them both being emotional.

[Thelone]

I wasn't talking about this week's match, but the 4-way they had at Takeover (Rival I think) where Banks pinned her for the title. She did the same thing when she beat Nattie for the belt at the first TO.

[supersonic]

Spoiler: show

Meltzer on tonight's Observer Radio said Sting and Wyatt will be opposing each other at SummerSlam. Didn't specify it as a singles match but it'd make sense to give Sting a win going into WM32.

[Leo C]

Spoiler: show

I would prefer Wyatt went over Sting if they were to book this. Not really looking forward to a possible Sting/Taker deal.

[supersonic]

A year ago, if anyone stated that Lesnar vs. Reigns would completely blow Lesnar vs. Rollins out of the water, I'd have laughed.

Most disappointing match of the year and that's through neither fault of Lesnar and Rollins.