The WWE Thread

[Northern Dominus]

I know technically this is a "WWE only" thread, but TNA has been making some intersting moves with their X-Division, including bringing back old talent that can still go.

Case in point is last night's broadcast of impact when none other than Petey "Maple Leaf Muscle/The Definition of Definition/Canadian Destroyer" Williams made his return and settled right back in without missing a beat. The result; winning the match with perhaps the most exciting finisher in pro wrestling today, the Canadian Destroyer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmkskUuPHIc
(skip forward to 2:00 in to see the move in question.)

You know, I had my doubts about what TNA was doing with their 3-way match format for the X Division, wondering how it wouldn't look overdone. But after watching that match in its entirety, I only have one thing to say...

Fuck you Jonesboro, Arkansas. Those three men put on a pay-per-view worthy match which concludes with a front-flip piledriver, and all you do in return is a semi-roused cheer? Clearly they want their "rasslin", you know two oiled up sweaty big men in tights grabbing each other...
(Um, yeah...the actual match was fantastic).

Seriously, what is with deep south wrestling fans? Aside from Kentucky and Florida the crowds down there are lackluster at best.

[EnragedMaldivians]

I seriously hope TNA starts doing better. WWE needs a serious competitor like WCW to compel it to up their game.

[Death Metal]

Canadian Destroyer is the lamest move, really.

And I don't care much for Williams in general.

[Samuraikoku]

How about renaming it to a general wrestling thread?

[Northern Dominus]

I seriously hope TNA starts doing better. WWE needs a serious competitor like WCW to compel it to up their game.

Eh, to become a serious competitor to WWE, TNA is going to have to make some drastic moves. And one of them is unfortunately removing Hulk from the airwaves. He casts a large shadow which initially brings people in. But there are more and more wrestling fans more familiar with the Angles and RVDs and would more quickly identify with them rather than Hulk, who takes up way too much airtime right now.

Canadian Destroyer is the lamest move, really.

And I don't care much for Williams in general.

Oooohkay, how about naming another non high risk move that's been seen on TV recently that's more spectacular? Granted, Sonjay's Moonstop is awesome but most top rope stuff is dramatic to begin with. With a front flip piledriver there are a hundred things to get wrong, so executing is a must.

[Kvatchdom]

Fuck wrestling, MMA all the way

[EnragedMaldivians]

Fuck wrestling, MMA all the way

I see what Northern Dominus means now.

[Kvatchdom]

Fuck wrestling, MMA all the way

I see what Northern Dominus means now.

Eh?

[EnragedMaldivians]

I seriously hope TNA starts doing better. WWE needs a serious competitor like WCW to compel it to up their game.

Eh, to become a serious competitor to WWE, TNA is going to have to make some drastic moves. And one of them is unfortunately removing Hulk from the airwaves. He casts a large shadow which initially brings people in. But there are more and more wrestling fans more familiar with the Angles and RVDs and would more quickly identify with them rather than Hulk, who takes up way too much airtime right now.

I didn't say it was likely, just that I hope it happens.

As for Hulk fro, what I hear it's less even that Hulk wants to wrestle and more that he's apparently in a bad financial situation.

[Northern Dominus]

Fuck wrestling, MMA all the way paying too much to see something that happens every saturday night outside of bars and nighclubs for free

Fixed that for ya.

Easy to be a hater, isn't it? Especially since cage-fighting and pro wrestling are really not as comparable as many people would think. For one, pro wrestling takes a helluva lot more psychology and intelligence to pull off convincingly.

Eh, to become a serious competitor to WWE, TNA is going to have to make some drastic moves. And one of them is unfortunately removing Hulk from the airwaves. He casts a large shadow which initially brings people in. But there are more and more wrestling fans more familiar with the Angles and RVDs and would more quickly identify with them rather than Hulk, who takes up way too much airtime right now.

I didn't say it was likely, just that I hope it happens.

As for Hulk fro, what I hear it's less even that Hulk wants to wrestle and more that he's apparently in a bad financial situation.

Divorce is expensive from what I hear. So is paying to keep your son from getting convicted of manslaughter... and the resulting civil suit. So is paying producer after promoter after sleezebag to try and launch a singing career for a daughter that would be better served by "leaking" a sex tape anyway.

[EnragedMaldivians]

I see what Northern Dominus means now.

Eh?

Look, I like MMA (no Dom, I don't guzzle jagerbombs and jump around on a pogo stick with my 'bros' near a frat house 'chasing tail' or whatever).

But WWE is about athleticism and theatre, rather than actual, sincere competitive fighting. It's about telling a story in the ring. MMA and WWE are two different things and can't be judged by the same metrics. It's just silly to tie your like for any one of the two in terms of your disdain for the other. *shrugs*

[Kvatchdom]

Eh?

Look, I like MMA (no Dom, I don't guzzle jagerbombs and jump around on a pogo stick with my 'bros' near a frat house 'chasing tail' or whatever).

But WWE is about athleticism and theatre, rather than actual, sincere competitive fighting. It's about telling a story in the ring. MMA and WWE are two different things and can't be judged by the same metrics. It's just silly to tie your like for any one of the two in terms of your disdain for the other. *shrugs*

Well, I never like theatre. Well, alrighty then.

[EnragedMaldivians]

Fuck wrestling, MMA all the way paying too much to see something that happens every saturday night outside of bars and nighclubs for free

Fixed that for ya.

Easy to be a hater, isn't it? Especially since cage-fighting and pro wrestling are really not as comparable as many people would think. For one, pro wrestling takes a helluva lot more psychology and intelligence to pull off convincingly.

Incidentally, would you believe Bill Goldberg of all people actually has a degree in psychology?Delicious, delicious irony right there.

Divorce is expensive from what I hear. So is paying to keep your son from getting convicted of manslaughter... and the resulting civil suit. So is paying producer after promoter after sleezebag to try and launch a singing career for a daughter that would be better served by "leaking" a sex tape anyway

Heh. I actually forgot about the manslaughter charge for his son (or that he had a son).

[Northern Dominus]

Look, I like MMA (no Dom, I don't guzzle jagerbombs and jump around on a pogo stick with my 'bros' near a frat house 'chasing tail' or whatever).

But WWE is about athleticism and theatre, rather than actual, sincere competitive fighting. It's about telling a story in the ring. MMA and WWE are two different things and can't be judged by the same metrics. It's just silly to tie your like for any one of the two in terms of your disdain for the other. *shrugs*

Well, I never like theatre. Well, alrighty then.

And I've never liked cage fighting after Dana White took over the UFC and watered it down, but then again I don't drop into an MMA thread and spew my distaste for the current state of things all over the place, now do I?

And before you get on my case, I've tried both. They're similar only in terms of physicality needed, and even that's for different purposes.

Fixed that for ya.

Easy to be a hater, isn't it? Especially since cage-fighting and pro wrestling are really not as comparable as many people would think. For one, pro wrestling takes a helluva lot more psychology and intelligence to pull off convincingly.

Incidentally, would you believe Bill Goldberg of all people actually has a degree in psychology?Delicious, delicious irony right there.

Divorce is expensive from what I hear. So is paying to keep your son from getting convicted of manslaughter... and the resulting civil suit. So is paying producer after promoter after sleezebag to try and launch a singing career for a daughter that would be better served by "leaking" a sex tape anyway

Heh. I actually forgot about the manslaughter charge for his son (or that he had a son).

Actually I would believe that Goldberg has that degree. He did do the whole unstoppable monster thing, but the way he did it and the way he worked in the ring always seemed slightly more polished than your average "juggernaut" as it were. Not by much, but enough.

And I understand why it's easy to forget that there is another spawn of Hogan. Especially since most of us are too busy trying to figure out if it's daddy or somebody in the back putting his daughter in those stripper-tastic outfits...not that I'm complaining mind you.

[EnragedMaldivians]

Well, I never like theatre. Well, alrighty then.

And I've never liked cage fighting after Dana White took over the UFC and watered it down, but then again I don't drop into an MMA thread and spew my distaste for the current state of things all over the place, now do I?

And before you get on my case, I've tried both. They're similar only in terms of physicality needed, and even that's for different purposes.

Wait? You tried being a professional wrestler?

[Northern Dominus]

And I've never liked cage fighting after Dana White took over the UFC and watered it down, but then again I don't drop into an MMA thread and spew my distaste for the current state of things all over the place, now do I?

And before you get on my case, I've tried both. They're similar only in terms of physicality needed, and even that's for different purposes.

Wait? You tried being a professional wrestler?

Yup. Many many moons ago when I was a dumb teenager. Did a bit of work with this bunch of backyard idiots called the Lunatic Wrestling Federation. I had the size but teenage coordination meant I wasn't cut out to wrestle, so I became a ref instead for a bit. Which is funny because that's how I got my only in-ring injury, a concussion.

[EnragedMaldivians]

Wait? You tried being a professional wrestler?

Yup. Many many moons ago when I was a dumb teenager. Did a bit of work with this bunch of backyard idiots called the Lunatic Wrestling Federation. I had the size but teenage coordination meant I wasn't cut out to wrestle, so I became a ref instead for a bit. Which is funny because that's how I got my only in-ring injury, a concussion.

Heh. At least you've lived an interesting life. Though those backyard promotions are never a good idea. Especially not when you're a teenager and might think that doing shooting star presses on some schmuck laid out on a table is a good idea.

[Northern Dominus]

Yup. Many many moons ago when I was a dumb teenager. Did a bit of work with this bunch of backyard idiots called the Lunatic Wrestling Federation. I had the size but teenage coordination meant I wasn't cut out to wrestle, so I became a ref instead for a bit. Which is funny because that's how I got my only in-ring injury, a concussion.

Heh. At least you've lived an interesting life. Though those backyard promotions are never a good idea. Especially not when you're a teenager and might think that doing shooting star presses on some schmuck laid out on a table is a good idea.

Actually that sort of thing was kept to a minimum, believe it or not. All of us were very aware that our wrestling was going to be crap, so we made the difference up by going completely balls to the wall with the characters. Of course that didn't help when I got the old ringpost/ref/wrestler sandwich and the other guy caught me in the temple with an elbow from trying to sell a hard irish whip.

[Death Metal]

I seriously hope TNA starts doing better. WWE needs a serious competitor like WCW to compel it to up their game.

Eh, to become a serious competitor to WWE, TNA is going to have to make some drastic moves. And one of them is unfortunately removing Hulk from the airwaves. He casts a large shadow which initially brings people in. But there are more and more wrestling fans more familiar with the Angles and RVDs and would more quickly identify with them rather than Hulk, who takes up way too much airtime right now.

Canadian Destroyer is the lamest move, really.

And I don't care much for Williams in general.

Oooohkay, how about naming another non high risk move that's been seen on TV recently that's more spectacular?

It's not being spectacular, it's about not looking completely silly. There's some suspension of disbelief in wrestling of course, but the Destroyer just makes no goddamn sense.

Give me Barrett's elbow, or Cesaro's Neutralizer (or the flapjack uppercut) any day.

Also, the Gut Check match was much more fun for me than the X-Div three-way. Adam Pearce deserves a contract.

[EnragedMaldivians]

Eh, to become a serious competitor to WWE, TNA is going to have to make some drastic moves. And one of them is unfortunately removing Hulk from the airwaves. He casts a large shadow which initially brings people in. But there are more and more wrestling fans more familiar with the Angles and RVDs and would more quickly identify with them rather than Hulk, who takes up way too much airtime right now.

Oooohkay, how about naming another non high risk move that's been seen on TV recently that's more spectacular?

It's not being spectacular, it's about not looking completely silly. There's some suspension of disbelief in wrestling of course, but the Destroyer just makes no goddamn sense.

Give me Barrett's elbow, or Cesaro's Neutralizer (or the flapjack uppercut) any day.

Also, the Gut Check match was much more fun for me than the X-Div three-way. Adam Pearce deserves a contract.

*Ahem*

People's Elbow.

[Death Metal]

Wait? You tried being a professional wrestler?

Yup. Many many moons ago when I was a dumb teenager. Did a bit of work with this bunch of backyard idiots called the Lunatic Wrestling Federation. I had the size but teenage coordination meant I wasn't cut out to wrestle, so I became a ref instead for a bit. Which is funny because that's how I got my only in-ring injury, a concussion.

I actually briefly had a Heenan role in a backyard promotion, I didn't wrestle but I did commentary and ran interference (using the thumb spike to incapacitate faces back when Umaga was still Jamal, I got the move from Brian Adias of NWA Texas fame).

I had wanted to be a pro wrestler but my astigmatism, athsma and back problems kept me from doing much sports-wise (I tried amateur wrestling in high school but an ankle injury in an unrelated mishap ended that).

[Death Metal]

It's not being spectacular, it's about not looking completely silly. There's some suspension of disbelief in wrestling of course, but the Destroyer just makes no goddamn sense.

Give me Barrett's elbow, or Cesaro's Neutralizer (or the flapjack uppercut) any day.

Also, the Gut Check match was much more fun for me than the X-Div three-way. Adam Pearce deserves a contract.

*Ahem*

People's Elbow.

Actually, when you consider that Rock's gimmick is basically being a completely arrogant, obnoxious docuhebag (and that's when he's a good guy), a premature victory lap and flourishing just for an ELBOW DROP makes perfect sense for him.

Whereas the Destroyer defies the logic of basic momentum physics. Especially when done from a dead stop as Williams usually does. And there's that one time he did a "second rope Canadian Destroyer" by jumping off the second rope, landing in piledriver position, then doing the Destroyer.

[Northern Dominus]

Eh, to become a serious competitor to WWE, TNA is going to have to make some drastic moves. And one of them is unfortunately removing Hulk from the airwaves. He casts a large shadow which initially brings people in. But there are more and more wrestling fans more familiar with the Angles and RVDs and would more quickly identify with them rather than Hulk, who takes up way too much airtime right now.

Oooohkay, how about naming another non high risk move that's been seen on TV recently that's more spectacular?

It's not being spectacular, it's about not looking completely silly. There's some suspension of disbelief in wrestling of course, but the Destroyer just makes no goddamn sense.

Give me Barrett's elbow, or Cesaro's Neutralizer (or the flapjack uppercut) any day.

Also, the Gut Check match was much more fun for me than the X-Div three-way. Adam Pearce deserves a contract.

Well that's because Pearce is a former NWA Heavyweight Champion. They don't slap that belt on just anybody. Pearce shouldn't have to go through Gut Check, they should have worked him in some other way.

As far as silly moves...really? You're complaining about the Canadian Destroyer being a "silly" move? In a world where the fireman's carry takedown (F-U/Attitude Adjustment), Von Erich Claw, head chops, samoan spikes, hulked-up leg drops and other moves fly you're calling a front-flip piledriver silly? With that at least you have the rotational force excuse.

[Death Metal]

It's not being spectacular, it's about not looking completely silly. There's some suspension of disbelief in wrestling of course, but the Destroyer just makes no goddamn sense.

Give me Barrett's elbow, or Cesaro's Neutralizer (or the flapjack uppercut) any day.

Also, the Gut Check match was much more fun for me than the X-Div three-way. Adam Pearce deserves a contract.

Well that's because Pearce is a former NWA Heavyweight Champion. They don't slap that belt on just anybody.

Well, the current "Sheik" of wrestling (who is unrelated to Ed Ferhat or Iron Sheik) basically bought his title run by giving the NWA lots of money....


Also, the Attitude Adjustment is just a safer Death Valley Driver. Not to mention could actually happen in a fight... and never diss the Claw Hold. I mean, come on, making people tap out by SQUEEZING THEIR SKULL REALLY HARD? Badass.

[Northern Dominus]

Well that's because Pearce is a former NWA Heavyweight Champion. They don't slap that belt on just anybody.

Well, the current "Sheik" of wrestling (who is unrelated to Ed Ferhat or Iron Sheik) basically bought his title run by giving the NWA lots of money....


Also, the Attitude Adjustment is just a safer Death Valley Driver. Not to mention could actually happen in a fight... and never diss the Claw Hold. I mean, come on, making people tap out by SQUEEZING THEIR SKULL REALLY HARD? Badass.

It's squeezing somebody with the pinky and thumb, the strongest and weakest didgits on a person's head! The Masterlock is more convincing as a submission hold. The spinning toe hold is more convincing as a submission.

And the F-Adjustment removes all of the impact from the death valley driver, basically making it a fireman's carry version of a backdrop. There's no cradle, no downward drive, nothing.