Wrestling

[The Unknown Poster]

On 2017-11-21 at 9:32 AM, The Unknown Poster said:

Vince Russo was whining about how many women they now have on the main roster.  I would suspect its because they want to do a Women's Royal Rumble. But it is a lot.  Especially since WrestleMania is likely a Four Horsewomen (Charlotte, Sasha, Bayley, Becky) vs Four Horsewomen (Rousey's group). 

 

On 2017-11-22 at 11:49 AM, Goalie said:

Lots of insiders dont think so. I think the reason for the call ups is simple. Instead of using the same 4 women every Raw and Smackdown.. They can use more. Ive heard rumors of the all woman royal rumble but apparently its not true.. Ive also heard rumors of a all womans tv show or ppv tho. 

Must be different insiders than me ?

 

[Brandon]

Just watched the Justin Credible drunk in the ring video.... very sad stuff.    

 

I also read that Hall has relapsed...  that also sucks. 

[The Unknown Poster]

9 hours ago, Brandon said:

Just watched the Justin Credible drunk in the ring video.... very sad stuff.    

 

I also read that Hall has relapsed...  that also sucks. 

Hall openly admits he falls off the wagon from time to time but gets back on. Hopefully he continues to get back on. 

[SpeedFlex27]

3 hours ago, The Unknown Poster said:

Hall openly admits he falls off the wagon from time to time but gets back on. Hopefully he continues to get back on. 

One day he won't though which is the sad part. He has to be the one to finally say enough is enough. He hasn't hit rock bottom yet. He may never. Alcohol may kill him before he does. Alcoholism is such an insidious disease. 

[Brandon]

I thought that DDP Yoga helped turn Hall around,   it's unfortunate. 

[Atomic]

39 minutes ago, Brandon said:

I thought that DDP Yoga helped turn Hall around,   it's unfortunate. 

It did but it's not a magic bullet to cure all his problems.

[Goalie]

3 hours ago, Atomic said:

It did but it's not a magic bullet to cure all his problems.

Its the reason hes alive today but... Scott needs to actually want to not drink also. Honestly Hall is a feel good story.. Not quite Jake Roberts feel good but Hall was a bloody mess for years... Hell maybe even decades... He cant change overnight. But IMO, hes done lots of good the last couple of years. 

[SpeedFlex27]

6 hours ago, Goalie said:

Its the reason hes alive today but... Scott needs to actually want to not drink also. Honestly Hall is a feel good story.. Not quite Jake Roberts feel good but Hall was a bloody mess for years... Hell maybe even decades... He cant change overnight. But IMO, hes done lots of good the last couple of years. 

Killing that guy outside a bar would mess up anyone. 

[iHeart]

in a year that had so many wrestling deaths it's time we had some good news

http://www.sportsnet.ca/more/bret-hitman-hart-100-per-cent-recovered-prostate-cancer/

Edited December 22, 2017 by iHeart

[The Unknown Poster]

WWE might have scrapped the Four Horsewomen vs Four Horsewomen idea for Ronda Rousey's debut.  Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir are no longer training to wrestle.

Ronda is training regularly at the WWE Performance centre.  Speculation is she's a lock to work WrestleMania and I'd have to think she debuts at the Rumble or the next night on RAW.  But since there is a women's Royal Rumble match now, she should debut there and win.

Likely be Ronda vs Charlotte for the title at WM.  Asuka would be good too.  For the mainstream, Charlotte makes more sense though.

[The Unknown Poster]

 

Back from vacation and catching up on things.  Here is some info about Zenk from Metlzer's newsletter this week:

On 12/17/2017 at 8:32 PM, SpeedFlex27 said:

I remember Zenk really well. Wasn't a great wrestler by any means but wasn't he a bodybuilder before he became a wrestler?

He was yes, won Mr Minnesota in 1981 (earning Most Muscular)  And I didnt realise he also went to Robbinsdale High in Minnesota which is notable because it produced several really good wrestlers, among them, Vern Gagne, Larry Hennig, Rick Rude, Mr Perfect., John Nord, Smash, Nikita Koloff.  Rude, Perfect, Zenk and Brady Boone all graduated together.  Zenk played soccer in High School and was small, 135 lbs.  Perfect used to protect him from bullies.  Zenk had amazing genetics and with average training, some steroids, he got big and ripped.

Road Warrior Animal met him and told him to get into wrestling.  Zenk did it for the money and thought it would be easy.

On 12/17/2017 at 10:07 PM, SpeedFlex27 said:

He felt he should have been paid more so he quit WWE. Story said he was always bitter for not being pushed more & being paid what he felt he was worth. 

He thought Rick Martel made more than he did when they were a tag team.  Martel claims that is not true and Vince always paid tag team partners the same.  But if it WAS true, Martel deserved more.  He was a former World Champion, a great worker and a big star.  Zenk got heat for not abiding by the dress code.  Martel got heat over it to and confronted Zenk who quit the next day.

Interestingly, WWE help Zenk buy his first house.  Zenk claims they did this because they wanted the guys to all have mortgages so they couldnt quit.  Don Callis claims Martel is accurate about the pay thing and that when he and Martel were about to go to WWE together (as The Models), they were going to be paid the same.  Zenk made $10,000 for WM III and felt it was too low but they were about to win the tag belts from the Hart Foundation when he quit.  He refused to do an injury angle and WWE threatened to sue him if he jumped to All Japan where he had a good offer waiting.

Another interesting story is, he signed a $156,000 per year deal with WCW and credits Dave Meltzer with helping him get it.  He was openly friendly with Dave which was a big no-no back then and Dave gave him advice on negotiating his deal.  He was promised a push as a top four guy in WCW with Sting, Luger & Pillman.  Was US tag champs with Pillman and TV champ but never got the big push, blaming nepotism (Dustin Rhodes and Eric Watts getting bigger pushes when their dad's were in power positions).

On 12/17/2017 at 11:49 PM, Brandon said:

From the shoot interviews I've listened to it sounded like the Z-man was kind of a headcase and post wrestling he was really bitter.  

He rubbed guys the wrong way, talked about getting a good money deal, talked about how everyone should subscribe to Meltzer's newsletter to know about the business, bragged about women, and kept his physique with limited dieting, training and steroids.  Complained that he deserved a main even push but didnt push himself as hard as other guys like Pillman.

When he stopped getting any sort of push, he stopped taking steroids and training, almost out of spite, saying that if they were going to treat him like a jobber, he wasnt going to look like a main eventer.

He was forced to testify against Vince in the steroid trial.

[The Unknown Poster]

Impact fired David Sahadi who had been there for 13 years.  he previously worked for WWE and had been credited for making some of the great WWE video packages.  He went to TNA on a 3 month contract that turned permanent and had been Director of Impact for several years.  He also took 5 pay cuts over the years to help out the company.

[The Unknown Poster]

WWE confirmed on RAW that the women's Royal Rumble will have 30 entrants and have the same rules as the men ie. Over the top rope to the floor.  Im a bit surprised on both counts, though the "rules" aspect is definitely the right call.  I thought they'd go with 20 entrants.  I didnt do a count but read they have just over half counting both RAW & SD (which seems a bit low).  So add in some NXT and maybe a couple of surprises (Ronda Rousey, maybe Lita etc).  I'd like to see Gail Kim.  Sarah Stock and Sara Del Rey would be great but I doubt it (they are trainers for WWE).

[Atomic]

1. Asuka
2. Bayley
3. Sasha Banks
4. Becky Lynch
5. Tamina
6. Alicia Fox
7. Lana
8. Ruby Riott
9. Sarah Logan
10. Liv Morgan
11. Paige
12. Mandy Rose
13. Sonya Deville
14. Natalya
15. Carmella
16. Naomi
17. Dana Brooke
18. Nia Jax
19. Mickie James

There are your 19 active non-champion women.  I'd bring in Billie Kay, Peyton Royce, Ember Moon, and Nikki Cross from NXT as well.  That's 23.  Still seven spots...

[The Unknown Poster]

16 minutes ago, Atomic said:

1. Asuka
2. Bayley
3. Sasha Banks
4. Becky Lynch
5. Tamina
6. Alicia Fox
7. Lana
8. Ruby Riott
9. Sarah Logan
10. Liv Morgan
11. Paige
12. Mandy Rose
13. Sonya Deville
14. Natalya
15. Carmella
16. Naomi
17. Dana Brooke
18. Nia Jax
19. Mickie James

There are your 19 active non-champion women.  I'd bring in Billie Kay, Peyton Royce, Ember Moon, and Nikki Cross from NXT as well.  That's 23.  Still seven spots...

Good list.

I bet the Bella's return there (or at least Nikki).  Maybe some of the unsigned Mae Young Classic women too.  I like Tessa Blanchard (apparently an attitude problem though).  I saw someone suggest Kharma as a promo for GLOW.

[Atomic]

Lita, Trish Stratus, and Beth Phoenix are three legends that come to mind who may be interested.  There is also buzz around Ronda Rousey not just as a participant but possibly the winner.

They should have tried to keep Emma and Summer Rae around just a little longer.

Eva Marie would be an amazing addition for some serious heat but I don't know if that is a real possibility.

[The Unknown Poster]

5 minutes ago, Atomic said:

Lita, Trish Stratus, and Beth Phoenix are three legends that come to mind who may be interested.  There is also buzz around Ronda Rousey not just as a participant but possibly the winner.

They should have tried to keep Emma and Summer Rae around just a little longer.

Eva Marie would be an amazing addition for some serious heat but I don't know if that is a real possibility.

Ronda has to win if she's going in.  And I suspect she will.  It makes sense for WWE too as they will get some Pub for it.  Emma seems like such a nice girl it would be cool if she got the one night payday.

[Atomic]

Oh also the Bullet Club reunited last night... Balor, Gallows and Anderson.  Not sure if that was just a one-night thing but thought it was worth mentioning...

[Goalie]

4 hours ago, Atomic said:

Oh also the Bullet Club reunited last night... Balor, Gallows and Anderson.  Not sure if that was just a one-night thing but thought it was worth mentioning...

Looks like more than a 1 night thing... Wwe twitter seems to be promoting them a wee bit. 

[The Unknown Poster]

I know there was speculation of turning Finn heel and reuniting with them.  It might be as simple as them doing a Bullet Club reunion just to mess with fans around Wrestle Kingdom and the now-yearly hopes and prayers of WWE fans that Kenny jumps in time for the Rumble (he wont).  But on paper, it makes sense just to mix up three guys that sort of need something new.

I like them together as heels more than faces though.  Finn as the smaller guy with two big buddies is an easy story for WWE fans to follow.

[The Unknown Poster]

Ive been mostly out of touch the past month on wrestling news and rumors.  But the hot rumor was Cena vs AJ for the title at WrestleMania but that apparently is NOT the plan and Cena is being saved for something "much bigger".  Which...I dont know what it could be.    Part of me thinks Cena/Nikki vs Bryan/Brie would be a huge story but aside from teasing Bryan, they've done nothing in that direction at all.

Brock vs Roman looks set (and Cena vs either would not be huge right now).

Hunter vs Angle *was* the original plan.  Cena vs Angle would be pretty big but Cena isnt a great storyline opponent for Angle.  Cena vs Hunter isnt huge.

Cena vs Undertaker is about the only huge match they could make and it certainly wouldnt promise to be good...lol  

Unless its someone from outside.  Rocky unlikely (and been done).  Goldberg would work but isnt a great match-up (face/face). 

[JCon]

4 hours ago, The Unknown Poster said:

Ronda has to win if she's going in.  And I suspect she will.  It makes sense for WWE too as they will get some Pub for it.  Emma seems like such a nice girl it would be cool if she got the one night payday.

Are they brining Rousey in as a face or heel?

I assume the winner gets the title shot at Mania?

 

Another question: How did the Omega-Jericho match go? That was New Year's Eve, correct?

 

 

[The Unknown Poster]

2 minutes ago, JCon said:

Are they brining Rousey in as a face or heel?

I assume the winner gets the title shot at Mania?

 

Another question: How did the Omega-Jericho match go? That was New Year's Eve, correct?

 

 

I can only assume Ronda comes in as a face given how insanely over she was during her WM appearance.  But...you can never be sure with wrestling fans.  She could easily get a monster face reaction at the Rumble and then the fans turn on her during the build for WM as they sometimes do with outsiders.  Winner gets a shot at WM, against presumably Charlotte (which is probably the right match for Ronda).

Ronda called her group the Four Horsewomen because she's a big Ric Flair fan.  And Charlotte has enough mainstream appeal (as a Flair) to add to the selling of the match.

Omega/Jericho is this Wednesday Night/Thursday Morning.  Can be seen live on New Japan World (akin to WWE Network). 

[Jpan85]

Feel like they are wasting this huge Auska push by not having her win the Rumble.

[The Unknown Poster]

Just now, Jpan85 said:

Feel like they are wasting this huge Auska push by not having her win the Rumble.

And that could be the direction.  But if its Rousey, you sort of need her to win the thing.  Not only for the big push but for the pub.  A great example is when Jay Leno wrestled in WCW.  Hogan made sure he had the early sequence with Jay having him in a wrist lock and Hogan on his knees.  Why?  Cause it was a great photo op and everyone with a deadline got the early pic and Hogan's face was everywhere selling for Jay Leno the next day (and that night).

The easy plan would be Rousey wins, beats Charlotte at WM and then they do the slow build to Rousey/Asuka.   Rousey/Asuka would be fine for WM on paper, but Charlotte is the easier story to tell to the media (being a Flair and doing interviews) and then Asuka gives them a second big match.

If Ronda doesnt debut at the Rumble, Asuka winning makes sense.  I'd expect a Rousey/Asuka confrontation in the Rumble if she's in it.