The WWE Thread

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supersonic
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Re: The WWE Thread

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Observer:
Rusev is expected back in two to four months.
The reason the original women’s storyline for this year, which was to culminate in Bayley beating Charlotte to win the four-way at Mania and take the title was changed to having Bayley win a TV match earlier was the feeling that they needed more ups and downs in the story to get from January to Mania so did the title change earlier.
The U.K. tapings on 5/6 and 5/7 in Norwich will be for a one-hour weekly show on the WWE Network. There had been talks of putting it on broadcast television, which would be far more beneficial as far as exposure and building up touring of the brand, but evidently no deal was put together.
Jeff Hardy is allowed to travel and wrestle in the U.K. He hadn’t been allowed in the country since his drug possession and conspiracy to traffic in drugs convictions in a plea bargain in a 2009 arrest that came to a conclusion in October 2011. Hardy had not been allowed to travel to the U.K. until October 2016, five years, due to the conviction and the time expired as long as there were no further legal issues.
Regarding the “Superstar shake-up,” when we first heard about it, the talk was that the key moves would be Roman Reigns to Smackdown and A.J. Styles to Raw. This was months ago. This past week we were told that Reigns isn’t going anywhere and the key moves were said to be Styles to Raw and The New Day to Smackdown. The latter makes sense since the tag team division in Smackdown has been weak from day one. However, with Cena leaving for a while, moving Styles also, which is taking the two most over guys on that side off the table, makes no sense. Smackdown gave you the impression that Styles will be moving over. He wasn’t booked for any program going forward and settled his issue with Shane McMahon. But that would mean one major Raw star would have to be moved over, although with Nakamura, they did get the biggest call-up. Based on the booking at Mania and on TV, I could easily see Charlotte and Bliss being flip-flopped. There are a ton of other possibilities but the key is Smackdown needs help in the tag division and Raw has several teams that could help.
Lesnar is not booked on Payback. Lesnar’s first major title defense is with Strowman, but it’s not locked in whether it will be on the 6/4 Extreme Rules show in Baltimore or the 7/9 Bad Blood show in Hartford, but it’s a prelude to whatever is scheduled for SummerSlam. What makes that interesting is that if Reigns vs. Strowman with no title at stake headlines Payback, that Strowman pretty much has to go over while still protecting Reigns as the top guy for next year’s WrestleMania.
The reality is that WrestleMania really does at some point, probably soon, need to become a two-day affair. If you look two or three years down the line, the company will have far more talent than it does now. There are choices, marathon shows that get mixed reviews and cause casual fans to tap out so you only serve the hardcore audience, or rush matches, which get the talent and hardcore fans mad or you cut down on the number of matches and bench talented performers or just do larger Battle Royals which marginalized more of the talent and make them come across as not special. Let’s face it, the Smackdown tag champs and top challengers were the perfect example of guys whose star power took a hit by being nobodies in a Battle Royal. And there are more guys of that level on the way to the main roster by 2020.

Or you can do two three-and-a-half hour shows on successive days. The audience is there that would pack stadiums two straight nights. You’d probably have to cut the individual ticket prices down, but the combined ticket prices of the two nights can be higher than the current single night price. Granted that means the Hall of Fame or NXT has to run on Thursday, but it also brings fans in one day earlier so it becomes more valuable to the local market as far tourism dollars and the overall event itself.
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Re: The WWE Thread

Post by supersonic »

Ranallo has removed WWE from his Twitter bio.
King of Indy Style
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Re: The WWE Thread

Post by King of Indy Style »

I hope he leaves, so he can go back to NJPW on AXS. I respect the hell out of JR but he's average at best there. Mauro and Josh was MUCH better.
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Re: The WWE Thread

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Disagree.

JR takes that show to another level.
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Re: The WWE Thread

Post by Mr. Mojo Risin »

Ross didn't know the NJPW product for shit when he started on it. He is really good on it now. Him and Barnett have found their rhythm and work quite well together. I would rather see Mauro on ROH. No offense to Riccaboni, but Mauro would elevate the product in a way no one out there could. And they need it.
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Re: The WWE Thread

Post by SweetDaddy »

JR still can't say Los Ingobernables De Japon.
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Re: The WWE Thread

Post by supersonic »

Meltzer:
Ranallo deleted all references to being a WWE announcer on his Twitter account. As of right now, he is under contract to WWE through 8/12.
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Re: The WWE Thread

Post by Mr. Mojo Risin »

I like TJ Perkins. Pretty good in the ring. He's worked his ass off to get where he's at, but God damn I can't recall a wrestler with a bigger disconnect with the audience than this guy. He wins the Cruiserweight Classic and wins the title. The fans don't care. He's been practically killing himself to get over. The suplex he took to the floor from Drew Gulak comes to mind. The fans don't care. He turns heel tonight. The fans still don't care.

Unlike Roman Reigns, who at least resonates hatred from the fanbase. Perkins gets apathy. I expect him to be released in a year.

And speaking of Reigns, what is Vince gonna do? Fans were practically begging for Roman's death tonight and all this angle did (and I liked it) was get Braun Strowman over, which I don't think was the latest intention to generate sympathy for Reigns. Its never going to work. Not the victory over Taker. Not winning an old fashioned feud with a foreign threat (Rusev). Not spinning the merchandise numbers to indicate he's the top seller (I refuse to believe that shit). Not planting a bunch of fans over the WrestleMania weekend and having to shut down Samoa Joe's line as a result (More corporate PR bullshit I refuse to believe). And if the plan is to have Reigns dethrone Lesnar at next year's WrestleMania...the fans may riot.
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Re: The WWE Thread

Post by Brada »

So no AJ jump to RAW like everyone expected?? Wonder what happened there?
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Re: The WWE Thread

Post by Brada »

Also seemed as if there was a large heel move from the Blue brand to RAW. Will be interested to see who goes blue tonight.....will need to be a few heels for sure...
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Re: The WWE Thread

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Entire planned touring schedule through WM34 weekend now available - http://www.fightful.com/wwe-lawsuit-rev ... g-schedule

The Monday dates don't distinguish between Raw TV and SmackDown house shows. Unless it's clearly obvious, do not assume yet what those dates are.
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Re: The WWE Thread

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Observer:
Stealing a passport goes beyond ribbing and is a criminal offense. Keep in mind that in the book, and in interviews, not once did Roberts accuse Layfield of taking the passport, only that when he got to TV, Vince McMahon was making fun of him about losing his passport.
The issues are far deeper than Layfield. The Fire Layfield movement is clearly asking for a simplistic answer to a complex issue within the company, that comes from well above him. The goal of this publicity should not be to create a scapegoat, or celebrate if the pressure is such that Vince McMahon does a Pat Patterson with Layfield, having him leave while still backing him and bringing him back when the heat is off. (For the record, I believe Pat Patterson should never have left the company even if it was largely a very temporary and largely worked departure). It should be a lesson regarding the change in culture and that the company will realize it’s not worth the risk of this coming up again, and changing internally.
It was noted to us that moving Reigns, which was evidently still under discussion of late, would have also required moving both Braun Strowman and Brock Lesnar, since the company’s key summer storylines revolved around Strowman working on top against Reigns, leading to Lesnar, and keeping alive Reigns vs. Lesnar as the top program with the idea of keeping them apart as long as possible, with the idea being WrestleMania.
Owens vs. A.J. Styles is likely for the U.S. title on the 5/21 Backlash PPV in Chicago. There doesn’t seem like a ready-made opponent for Orton on that show, so unless they keep the Wyatt program, that would seem to leave the challenger as Corbin, because it would seem to early for Nakamura.
Jim Ross’ new deal with WWE is for him to work between 30 and 40 dates for the company for the year. That seems to rule out being on a 52 week a year show, and Ross has publicly said he’s not interested in that role anymore anyway as he doesn’t want to do that level of traveling. That could be appearing at PPVs, doing studio work in Connecticut, or announcing other live events.
An NFL story that could have pro wrestling repercussions is that James Laurinaitis, the son of Road Warrior Animal and nephew of John Laurinaitis, announced his retirement from pro football on 4/10 at the age of 30. Laurinaitis growing up was a standout in both football and ice hockey, and would have been a high-round NHL draft choice had it not been clear his goal was pro football. He was a major star at Ohio State, where he was a three-time All-American and Nagurski Award winner (best defensive player in college football in 2006) and played from 2009 to 2015 with the St. Louis Rams and last season with the New Orleans Saints. He was cut by the Saints last season after a quad injury. There had always been talk of him going to WWE after his pro football career was over. He made a lot of money in football and it’s probably dependent on how banged up his body is from the sport as to whether he’ll want to start pro wrestling.
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Re: The WWE Thread

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If Vince had a set of nuts, he would fire JBL. What Vince isn't realizing, or is in denial about, is that the longer he ignores this the bigger the fire is getting. This goes beyond just JBL bullying Ranallo. Ranallo has been very forthcoming about his bipolar disorder. Its not news to anybody who has followed his career. Cole knew this when he hired him. JBL looks like a bigger piece of shit for picking on a guy with known mental disorders. Wow. What a guy. No wonder a couple of MMA guys who are friends with Ranallo want to beat the shit out of JBL.

Then there is the other side of the story. The gutless turd Jonathan Coachman. What a fucking piece of shit this guy is. His credibility as a sports journalist is a fucking joke. He sucks and is a corporate spineless shill for both ESPN and Vince. He could have had the opportunity to elevate his career by breaking rank and exposing his former employers. Instead he is just a sheep following the herd. He should mention that when he left Vince, part of his severance package was castration. How this guy wakes up in the morning thinking he is any good at his job is delusion at its finest. All this proves is that he is an idiot that can read a teleprompter and ask pad questions. Fuck him. I hope an asteroid falls from the sky and lands on his skull.

I haven't watched ESPN for years because of their partial reporting when it came to stories. Their lack of initiative when it came to this story justifies my belief that all these assholes are in bed with one another. Fuck them too.
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Re: The WWE Thread

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Mr. Mojo Risin wrote:If Vince had a set of nuts, he would fire JBL. What Vince isn't realizing, or is in denial about, is that the longer he ignores this the bigger the fire is getting. This goes beyond just JBL bullying Ranallo. Ranallo has been very forthcoming about his bipolar disorder. Its not news to anybody who has followed his career. Cole knew this when he hired him. JBL looks like a bigger piece of shit for picking on a guy with known mental disorders. Wow. What a guy. No wonder a couple of MMA guys who are friends with Ranallo want to beat the shit out of JBL.

Then there is the other side of the story. The gutless turd Jonathan Coachman. What a fucking piece of shit this guy is. His credibility as a sports journalist is a fucking joke. He sucks and is a corporate spineless shill for both ESPN and Vince. He could have had the opportunity to elevate his career by breaking rank and exposing his former employers. Instead he is just a sheep following the herd. He should mention that when he left Vince, part of his severance package was castration. How this guy wakes up in the morning thinking he is any good at his job is delusion at its finest. All this proves is that he is an idiot that can read a teleprompter and ask pad questions. Fuck him. I hope an asteroid falls from the sky and lands on his skull.

I haven't watched ESPN for years because of their partial reporting when it came to stories. Their lack of initiative when it came to this story justifies my belief that all these assholes are in bed with one another. Fuck them too.
This. A thousand times this. I agree with EVERYTHING that you just said. The only positives out of this thus far is the support Mauro is getting, and the uniting of the Wrestling and MMA Worlds in wanting to see JBL get his skull kicked in.
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Re: The WWE Thread

Post by jordidebaas »

I kinda missed most of this story, what did JBL do exactly?
I was in the front line when we battled page 15
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Re: The WWE Thread

Post by BurningHammer »

Now I'm certainly wouldn't consider myself tough nor would I say I wouldn't be sensitive to criticism but if this really started or became very highlighted by what JBL said in that round table thing, then wow Mauro certainly should not be around the wrestling business and generally people have been rather sensitive to all of this.

Now If there is far more to this whole situation than this one particuler incident and it goes far deeper especially if JBL has been aware of the situation and prayed on him because of such an illness then he is complete prick and should be fired and honestly Mauro should sue.

Coachmen obviously has the mind set that he is "one of the boys" and probably realises that he is far better off being a shill for the company than not.
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Re: The WWE Thread

Post by SweetDaddy »

Mauro comes across as a soft ass bitch in all of this.
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Re: The WWE Thread

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Such overwhelming intellect and compassion on display by the Layfield apologists. In no way does it make them appear to have pseudo-mobster carny mentalities.

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Re: The WWE Thread

Post by Mr. Mojo Risin »

SweetDaddy wrote:Mauro comes across as a soft ass bitch in all of this.
This is fucking ignorant. I suppose if one of your children developed bipolar disorder you would change your tune. Then you would be a hypocrite. Educating yourself before saying such asinine statements might take some work, but at least you wouldn't sound like someone with a basic intellect.
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Re: The WWE Thread

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Confirmed PPV dates

Clash of Champions 2017 - 9/24 @ STAPLES Center in Los Angeles

No Mercy 2017 - 10/8 @ Little Caesar's Arena in Detroit

12/10 @ KFC Yum Arena in Louisville
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