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April Wrasslin' |OT| 2017 Season Premiere

R

ReiGun

Member
Caspel said:
What dudes on Smackdown are you referring to?

"Low Card"
1. Ellsworth has a good gig playing sidekick to Carmella
2. Mojo is getting some attention due to Gronk
3. Aiden English got screwed over by Simon Gotch and will likely go back to his old gimmick
4. Tye just debuted and will likely be this year's Corbin for development on Smackdown
5. Jinder just debuted and has a good shot over the next few months to shine
6. Ryder is still injured
7. Rowan just got back from injury, doesn't have much upside right now that he is showing. Plays a nice stooge.
8. Fandango and Breeze are packaged together and are an entertaining comedic tag-team. Both could be used better, but they are taking what they are given and making it work like usual.
9. Ascension are jobbers and not much they can do about it. Authors of Pain will likely take the roll that Ascension originally was hoping they'd get.
Click to expand...
Smackdown singles guys, which would now be Tye, Mojo, Sin Cara, Rowan, Ryder, Ziggler, Jinder, and Aiden. Not counting tags like Breezango and The Ascension since their entire division is a mess (even the champions can barely get TV time) and that's a problem that extends beyond them. Also not counting Ellsworth cause he's a valet.

I'm not saying these guys get no attention at all. It's just that much of it feels superfluous because there's no concrete goal for them. They have no title to fight for because the main event guys are using theirs - the US title - while the world title scene gets sorted out. And before that, the IC title was blocked off because Miz, Ambrose, and Corbin were using it. So everything for the lower card story wise just becomes about vague shit like "opportunity."

Yes, it's on the performers to make the most of what they get, but there has to be a story hook to get people invested. That hook doesn't have to be a title all the time, but it gives everyone a constant tangible goal. Right now, these guys don't have that.

So.... not entirely certain what you are speaking about. Raw has the worst ability at developing their talent with their low card mostly being jobbers or veteran talent without much story or character development:

"Enhancement" and "Mid-card" Raw talent
Bo Dallas, Curt Hawkins, Big Show, Goldust, R-Truth, Mark Henry, maybe Kalisto, maybe Elias Samson, Apollo Crews, Titus O'Neill, Darren Young.

Given the Raw group above, they should have Kalisto move to fighting on 205 Live to give that roster more recognized talent. Titus and Darren might as well reunite the Prime Time Players. There may be room for another tag-team in the Raw division since I imagine Sheamus and Cesaro may only have a few more months left before Raw eventually breaks them up. They have been teaming since September '16, so it's been ongoing for 7-8 months now and normally Cesaro tag-teams last 8-12 months. Big Show, Mark Henry, Goldust, and R-Truth don't have much left in the gas tank. Apollo Crews needs a total overhaul. He might as well hang around Goldust and Truth and pray some of their personality rubs off on him. Bo Dallas is hopeless. Hawkins is a jobber. Samson may have some potential for a year of stories.
Click to expand...
On Raw, I actually think it's less of a problem. Raw has the Cruiserweights to round out the low card, and the top of the card is so stacked they're basically forced to spread those guys throughout the show. Plus Raw actually has a functioning tag division, so that's an option for some guys.

But yes, I agree with all you said about the Raw guys. Honestly, I think most of them are hopeless (barring those in the twilight of their careers anyway). Kallisto will be fine with 205 (even though most of the Cruisers seem to have disappeared?), but I don't see where the rest will fit in.
 
broz0rs

broz0rs

Member
Jinder works pretty damn stiff. He nailed Roman a week before and now concussed Balor. Would love to see his stock rise so that he can have a match against Nakamura.
 
H

Hidden One

Member
half a moon said:
Fuck Juicy Jinder. He looks disgusting and he gave finn a concussion.
Click to expand...

image.php


You'll soon come to love the Juicy one.
 
B

Bronx-Man

Banned
The world title scene is only being weird for like 2 more weeks. We'll have plenty of time for Mojo vs Ty for the US title in the months to come.
 
J

jurgen

Member
Bronx-Man said:
The world title scene is only being weird for like 2 more weeks. We'll have plenty of time for Mojo vs Ty for the US title in the months to come.
Click to expand...

As strong as SD's midcard has bizarrely become overnight and as tightly scripted it is, could we justify bringing back the European title?

Honestly, I just miss Al Snow's European Title reign.

17f74ad22e1d678d3f29d951657066aa.jpg
Click to expand...
 
B

Bluekaveli

Member
Saitama said:
2017 and Jinder managed to get over with WrassleGAF.

Go Juicy Jinder!
Click to expand...
I'm happy for him and all of the talent of different races(being a minority myself) because usually someone like him is stuck in jobber hell or given a stereotypical gimmick. I'm glad they're just letting him be a bad ass. Just like Mustafa on 205, that promo he cut on his debut was needed and it set a nice tone.

Do I see Jinder getting a title? Not really but it's nice to dream. Give him that us title and when they go over seas watch how they flock to him.

We live in a time when there's a chance for a Japanese wwe heavyweight champion. That's frigging cool.

Hakushi or Tenryu should've been the first. 😜
 
A

Anth0ny

Member
Kakaroach said:
Jesus Christ that looks so many much worse here. Screw dangerous workers like Jax.
Click to expand...

also screw carny ass promotions for pushing people based on their look rather than their in ring ability



like you don't need to be dean malenko but when you're out there botching moves and putting the other worker's life in danger... nia should be on nxt.
 
B

Brian_FETO

Banned
I say this as someone who does not wrestle and take bumps for a living:

I feel like if you're supposed to catch someone you should try to catch them instead of waiting for them to graze you

That vid looks like Charlotte got upside down and realized Nia wasn't moving forward to meet her
 
J

jurgen

Member
Bluekaveli said:
I'm happy for him and all of the talent of different races(being a minority myself) because usually someone like him is stuck in jobber hell or given a stereotypical gimmick. I'm glad they're just letting him be a bad ass. Just like Mustafa on 205, that promo he cut on his debut was needed and it set a nice tone.

Do I see Jinder getting a title? Not really but it's nice to dream. Give him that us title and when they go over seas watch how they flock to him.

We live in a time when there's a chance for a Japanese wwe heavyweight champion. That's frigging cool.

Hakushi or Tenryu should've been the first. ��
Click to expand...

We'll get a Japanese WWE Heavyweight champion for sure.

But Jinder is just a re-skinned version of 2016 Alberto Del Rio.

Rimfya said:
You all need to forget about Miz.

mizisalreadydead.jpg
Click to expand...

I think Vince is ready to push him as one of the top heels for Raw.

6239tUJ.jpg
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The first promotional banners from WWE for Raw are interesting.
 
C

Caspel

Business & Marketing Manager @ GungHo
ReiGun said:
Smackdown singles guys, which would now be Tye, Mojo, Sin Cara, Rowan, Ryder, Ziggler, Jinder, and Aiden. Not counting tags like Breezango and The Ascension since their entire division is a mess (even the champions can barely get TV time) and that's a problem that extends beyond them. Also not counting Ellsworth cause he's a valet.

I'm not saying these guys get no attention at all. It's just that much of it feels superfluous because there's no concrete goal for them. They have no title to fight for because the main event guys are using theirs - the US title - while the world title scene gets sorted out. And before that, the IC title was blocked off because Miz, Ambrose, and Corbin were using it. So everything for the lower card story wise just becomes about vague shit like "opportunity."

Yes, it's on the performers to make the most of what they get, but there has to be a story hook to get people invested. That hook doesn't have to be a title all the time, but it gives everyone a constant tangible goal. Right now, these guys don't have that.
Click to expand...

I think you bringing up Corbin means that the opportunities do exist and wrestlers can move up the card if they are able to show that they can hang with the top guys and earn fan interest (heel/face/whatever). Before "blocking off the IC title", Corbin was feuding with Apollo Crews, Kalisto, Ziggler, and Swagger. He proves that you just need to give it time besides kneejerk reactions, especially since the entire list (Tye, Mojo, Sin Cara, Rowan, Ryder, Jinder, and Aiden) besides Ziggler are still fresh into their "pushes", "returns", "debuts", etc. Ziggler should have been one dude that went to Raw since he needs a fresh start or a repackage of some sorts (by all means, put him in a tag team if needed. It helped out Sheamus find breathing room for his character).

Mid-card doesn't need another title on either brand for the mens divisions. Smackdown does need to put more time into their tag-team division, so hopefully New Day showing up gives them a small spark. They recently lost Vaudevillains and Heath Slater & Rhyno, but gained New Day & Primo & Epico. Raw also gained Hardy Boyz, but Smackdown is still lacking in their division, so hopefully Breezeango gets some consideration for TV time for hijinks with New Day. Once Rowan is done with whatever happens with the Wyatt story, Rowan should immediately try to find a tag-team partner since I don't know if WWE will have anything for him to do. Rowan + Ellsworth and Carmella. Rowan for a small jobber stable with The Ascension. Dude seems nice enough and somewhat competent, so I would hate for him to get cut without having any chance like Braun has had on Raw away from Wyatt storylines.
 
E

excelsiorlef

Member
Anth0ny said:
design must be based on:
Click to expand...

Couldn't fit Kevin Owens Show on that but replacing Smack with Kevin and Down with Owens and the WWF Logo with a stylized KO in the same font would work

Or actually yeah make a Vertical SHOW that replaces the ! on the logo.

Tough honestly the current logo works too just again replace Smack with Kevin, Down with Owens and Live with Show
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Man, Kevin Owens is really damn good at being a WWE wrestler.
 
N

Nekofrog

Banned
honestly saxton to smackdown to replace otunga is great for 2 reasons

no more otunga
no more saxton with the ibby bibby babby talk when bayley comes out. that was seriously the worst. it hindered bayley's presentation so much
 
A

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
The entire SmackDown roster is just dudes with great workrate who get huge reactions.

SDL looks awesome.

If Vince had a brain he'd have Nakamura/Styles as a WM main event.

And Charlotte/Becky will be awesome again.

Also don't do triple threats on random episodes of SD.
 
H

half a moon

Banned
Angry Grimace said:
The entire SmackDown roster is just dudes with great workrate who get huge reactions.

SDL looks awesome.

If Vince had a brain he'd have Nakamura/Styles as a WM main event.

And Charlotte/Becky will be awesome again.

Also don't do triple threats on random episodes of SD.
Click to expand...
He'll have them curtain jerk
 
B

British Monsoon

Member
The Shibata thing's a great example of Dave being Dave - anyone else would've talked to their sources, heard "we're not sure if it's a work or a shoot" and then determined that (so fresh off the heels of Honma's legit life-threatening injury) no promotion would be foolish enough to work a serious injury angle. Instead, he went "it could be a work lol" and people kept repeating it, even well after Dave had recanted the statement.
 
R

ReiGun

Member
How long is Handsome Rusev supposed to be out for?

Caspel said:
I think you bringing up Corbin means that the opportunities do exist and wrestlers can move up the card if they are able to show that they can hang with the top guys and earn fan interest (heel/face/whatever). Before "blocking off the IC title", Corbin was feuding with Apollo Crews, Kalisto, Ziggler, and Swagger. He proves that you just need to give it time besides kneejerk reactions, especially since the entire list (Tye, Mojo, Sin Cara, Rowan, Ryder, Jinder, and Aiden) besides Ziggler are still fresh into their "pushes", "returns", "debuts", etc. Ziggler should have been one dude that went to Raw since he needs a fresh start or a repackage of some sorts (by all means, put him in a tag team if needed. It helped out Sheamus find breathing room for his character). Mid-card doesn't need another title on either brand for the mens divisions.
Click to expand...
Fair enough. Still, Corbin is one guy out of how many that were on Smackdown's roster. Apollo didn't move anywhere. Kallisto and Swagger didn't either; the former two ended up on Raw, and the latter ended up out of a job. And remember it was Dean Ambrose, former WWE champion and certified main eventer, who took the title off Miz and kept it. Why? Because Smackdown hadn't built any midcard faces who could take the title off Miz at that point.

Of the current group, Tye probably has the best chance of moving higher in the card once he's run through the gauntlet, as it were. That's still 1 out of 7. Not everyone is going to move up the card. Not everyone should. That's fine; lots of guys have made perfectly good careers for themselves working the midcard. I'm just saying as a viewer, I'd like it if they had more going on storywise than just "I'm here to make a statement!" or some other empty platitude. Give them the midcard belt back and let the main eventers fight for the main event title. Or make a new one. Whichever.

And sure, I'm willing to give it time. My comments were on the state of the title scene as it currently stands, and currently, I don't like the midcarders on Smackdown being completely shut out of any title scene. Hopefully it'll sort itself out following Payback, but considering the guy in my avatar is either going to be challenging former Universial Champion Kevin Owens or Chris fucking Jericho for the US title, it might take a little while.
 
E

excelsiorlef

Member
British Monsoon said:
The Shibata thing's a great example of Dave being Dave - anyone else would've talked to their sources, heard "we're not sure if it's a work or a shoot" and then determined that (so fresh off the heels of Honma's legit life-threatening injury) no promotion would be foolish enough to work a serious injury angle. Instead, he went "it could be a work lol" and people kept repeating it, even well after Dave had recanted the statement.
Click to expand...

Yep


Got bored made Logos for Smackdown Kevin Owens




Click to expand...
 
H

HazySaiyan

Banned
Owens, Nakamura, Zayn and Styles all being on the same brand is pretty damn exciting. Could get some great matches out of this. Owens vs Styles should be fun.
 
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