Professional Wrestling Thread

[WMD]

A CM Punk/Rock match doesn't need the title to have appeal. I know there have been plans, but whatever. They booked themselves into a corner with the HIAC PPV.

Normally you'd just expect Ryback to win via DQ or have some type of screwy ending but you can't really do that in the HIAC.. I guess Punk could get out of the Cell somehow and run away or something along those lines.. but having that type of finish in the Main Event wouldn't be so good, and Ryback should not be pinned.

I just think they should go all the way with Ryback now. I know it's not Punk's fault, but the ratings are in the pooper right now. They should just take a shot at it. He's already got the John Cena Seal of Approval, and I'm sure Cena will be the first to legitimately beat Ryback (respectfully, of course).

[Brodeur]

But if you build him as a guy who has an unstoppable winning streak, he is going to be ****** by the stigma of it. Goldberg was getting backlash for his before he lost to Nash (just listen to how the crowd went nuts when Nash finally beat him), and he wasn't really the same when he lost it. He needs to lose to affirm that he can be a top guy with having a few losses on him.

[Bert Macklin]

Originally Posted by Brodeur

But if you build him as a guy who has an unstoppable winning streak, he is going to be ****** by the stigma of it. Goldberg was getting backlash for his before he lost to Nash (just listen to how the crowd went nuts when Nash finally beat him), and he wasn't really the same when he lost it. He needs to lose to affirm that he can be a top guy with having a few losses on him.

just not do what they did with Tensai. "He can't be beat!" then loses like 8 in a row.

[OSUGiants17]

Just have Lesnar interfere, destroy Ryback and have Punk get the pin. That perfectly sets up a SS match of either Team Cena/Ryback vs Team Punk/Lesnar as a 5v5 or 2v2 or you get 2 good singles matches out of it. Ryback vs Lesnar could be a very interesting feud. You could also turn it into Heyman vs Vince. Have team Cena/Ryback consist of them, HHH, Vince and maybe The Rock and boom! INSTANT PPV BUYS! Team Heyman could be Punk, Lesnar maybe Big Show and some other heels.

[LTgiants]

How is that a interesting feud when neither man can speak for themselves?

[bearsfan_51]

Originally Posted by LTgiants

How is that a interesting feud when neither man can speak for themselves?

I don't like Rybak, at all. I think he speaks to the lowest common denominator of wrestling fans (which, unfortunately, is probably still the majority of them).

That said, you don't need to have great mic work to tell a good story, as much as it can help.

[PACKmanN]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

I don't like Rybak, at all. I think he speaks to the lowest common denominator of wrestling fans (which, unfortunately, is probably still the majority of them).

That said, you don't need to have great mic work to tell a good story, as much as it can help.

The late 90s were built on punchlines and catchphrases

[Bert Macklin]

Best video ever 1:08 I lose it every time.

[bearsfan_51]

Originally Posted by PACKmanN

The late 90s were built on punchlines and catchphrases

I'm not sure what you were responding to in my post, but in my opinion, that was an incredibly overrated time in wrestling. I've already stated that I find the Rock about as interesting as a sack of hammers. He was funny for about 2 years, tops.

[WMD]

I wasn't really a big fan of The Rock as a face. Pretty much all of his heel stuff was awesome though.

[bearsfan_51]

If you mean original heel Rock in the corporation I agree. His later Hollywood persona was boring and cliche to me.

[Brodeur]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

If you mean original heel Rock in the corporation I agree. His later Hollywood persona was boring and cliche to me.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat. How can you hate Hollywood Rock?

[bearsfan_51]

I already told you in my post, dear Brody. Although I didn't hate the character, I just don't think it was worth getting that excited about.

[jballa838]

With BF51 on this. The Rock is one of the most overrated wrestlers of all time. And also, the "Attitude Era" really wasn't as good as it is spoken of. That's just me though.

On the other hand, the British Bulldog is criminally underrated.

[Brodeur]

I think Bulldog's overrated as ****, really. He's nowhere close to being on Bret or Owen's level, and everybody talks about how he should have had a title run (he shouldn't have).

[BigDawg819]

Originally Posted by Brodeur

I think Bulldog's overrated as ****, really. He's nowhere close to being on Bret or Owen's level, and everybody talks about how he should have had a title run (he shouldn't have).

The British Bulldog was only relevant because of his wife allowing him to pseudo-Hart Family.

There I said it so we can now all breathe easier.

[jballa838]

Originally Posted by Brodeur

I think Bulldog's overrated as ****, really. He's nowhere close to being on Bret or Owen's level, and everybody talks about how he should have had a title run (he shouldn't have).

We must be in different circles. He's not on the same level as Owen or Bret, but most people aren't. If people are saying he should they are nuts. Looking at his career, had he not have been busted for HGH he probably would have got a run in 93 or 94 which wouldn't have been bad.

[comahan]

Put together a list of my 30 favorite matches from 1994-2012 for another board, figured I'd post it here as well. Feel free to **** all over it!

30. Kurt Angle vs. Mr Anderson, 4/18/10, Lockdown
- One of the only bright spots of a miserable year TNA, this is the epitome of what I love about wrestling. Great story being told, blowing off a great feud, and doing so in brutal, crazy fashion.

29. The Dudley Boyz vs. Edge and Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz, 4/1/01, WrestleMania X-Seven
- The best car crash spotfest ever, just one holy **** moment after another, with one of the coolest moments ever when Edge speared Hardy off of the ladder. Really fun match.

28. Kurt Angle vs. Desmond Wolfe, 11/15/09, Turning Point
- Huge fan of the story this match told. Wolfe knows every move Angle does, and out-wrestles him the entire time, but Angle catches him with a new hold at the end. Really made Nigel look amazing.

27. James Storm vs. Bobby Roode, 10/14/12, Bound for Glory
- A crazy blowoff to an awesomely built blood feud, with the added bit of tremendous storytelling with the beer bottle at the end.

26. Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle, 8/19/01, SummerSlam
- Angle hot as a babyface and Austin in awesome heel mode, the only thing bad about this match is the lack of a real finish, but it was part of the story in the feud, so I can't fault that.

25. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon, 8/27/95, SummerSlam
- Great psychology and crazy spots, with two of my favorites going at it for the Intercontinental Title. To me, this is better than the WMX Ladder match, though both are great.

24. Bobby Roode vs. Austin Aries, 7/8/12, Destination X
- Perfect mix of southern style and new age wrestling. Add in Roode being my favorite champion in a long time, and someone I really love dethroning him much to my surprise, and its a favorite of mine.

23. The Rock vs. Steve Austin, 4/1/01, WrestleMania X-Seven
- Two of the biggest stars ever colliding in the main event of what is probably the greatest show ever, capping off the hottest period in wrestling ever, and doing it in front of a massive crowd. Great match.

22. Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA, 9/16/06, Glory by Honor V Night II
- An AWESOME wrestling match, the fact that Bryan did this with a badly injured shoulder blows my mind. My favorite match during my favorite year of ROH, and the best match of a great title reign.

21. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin, 11/17/96, Survivor Series
- A lot of people consider this to actually be a better match than their WrestleMania encounter. I don't agree, but that doesnt take away from it being fantastic. Superb wrestling match.

20. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart, 8/29/94, SummerSlam
- I'm a total sucker for psychology and storytelling, and this match had it in bulk. Not the most exciting match ever, but it didn't need to be, and the two brothers played their parts excellently.

19. America's Most Wanted vs. Triple X, 12/5/04, Turning Point
- Crazy blowoff match to a great feud, with what might be the most insane non-Foley-HIAC spot of all time with the cage walk hurricanrana. Take that spot out though, and its still a great match.

18. Eddy Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio Jr, 10/25/97, Halloween Havoc
- I was a WCW kid growing up. I loved the personalities of the main eventers, and the insane matches of the cruiserweights. This is the crown jewel of the cruiserweight matches. Unbelievable match.

17. Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit vs. Edge and Rey Mysterio, 10/20/02, No Mercy
- My favorite tag team match ever, and a perfect representation of what Smackdown was all about in this time period. Great wrestlers having great matches, and this is the best of the bunch.

16. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit, 3/14/04, WrestleMania XX
- A great wrestling match, crowning a first time champion in Chris Benoit, at WrestleMania, in Madison Square Garden, while making Triple H of all people tap out to do it. Then the celebration afterward. Perfect finish to a great WrestleMania.

15. Petey Williams vs. Chris Sabin vs. AJ Styles, 1/16/05, Final Resolution
- My god did these three set the bar high for Ultimate X. Unreal spot after unreal spot. Nonstop holy s***. Plus, Styles takes one of the craziest bumps ever in this match with the inside out crash to the canvas off of the cable.

14. Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi, 10/1/05, Joe vs. Kobashi
- That crowd. The sustained apes*** reaction that these two got for beating the hell out of each other was so awesome. Easily the best crowd I've ever seen in the indies, and a great match.

13. Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle, 4/3/05, WrestleMania XXI
- Two of my alltime favorites having an unbelievable match at the biggest show of the year. Shawn's quick flash-Superkick is one of my favorite moments, and Angle was Angle, which is awesome.

12. Steve Austin vs. Triple H, 2/25/01, No Way Out
- Two of the best, and they REALLY made me believe that they wanted to murder one another. Exactly the type of match you want from a grudge match blowoff, with a surprising ending as I thought Austin would go over.

11. Kurt Angle vs. The Undertaker, 2/19/06, No Way Out
- Why wasn't this at WrestleMania?! Holy s***, put this at WM in front of the Chicago crowd, on the grand stage, and it would be on the shortlist for greatest match ever. I absolutely LOVE this match.

10. The Undertaker vs. Triple H, 4/1/12, WrestleMania XXVIII
- Storytelling at its absolute finest. Last 10 mins are AMAZING. When Shawn hit Taker with Sweet Chin Music and Trips followed it up with a pedigree, I genuinely believed the streak was over.

9. John Cena vs CM Punk, 7/17/11, Money in the Bank
- Talk about great crowds. An amazing buildup, fantastic crowd, great match, and perfect payoff at the end of the night with Punk's blown kiss, McMahon's face, etc. My favorite storyline in years.

8. Triple H vs. Cactus Jack, 1/23/00, Royal Rumble
- Brutality at its absolute finest. To me, 2000 HHH is one of the best heel runs in history, and this is the match that really solidified that. Add in the fact that it was at MSG and you cant do much better.

7. Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair, 3/30/08, WrestleMania XXIV
- If i'd have done a 83-93 list, there probably would have been ten+ Flair matches on it. The emotion, the story, it all worked. And the ending was PERFECT. IMO the two best in ring performers ever, and while they had a really good match, this wasnt about the wrestling, and they still knocked it out of the park.

6. The Undertaker vs. Mankind, 6/28/98, King of the Ring
- I've seen this match so many times, and I still get chills every time. From JR's commentary when he flies off the top, to Mick getting up and climbing back up, most awe inspiring match ive ever seen.

5. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels, 9/11/05, Unbreakable
- The match that got me back into wrestling, when I saw this my jaw was on the floor. Three incredible wrestlers who mesh perfectly, on a night when everything clicked. Best 3-way ever imo.

4. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin, 3/23/97, WrestleMania XIII
- Really, this is a perfect wrestling match. Everything these two did WORKED, from the flawlessly executed action throughout the entire match, to Austin playing his persona to perfection, to the ending that MADE Stone Cold.

3. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H, 8/25/02, SummerSlam
- It's cliche, but Shawn really is the best big match performer ever. The fact that he had THIS match after four years away is absolutely crazy to me. Great story, great action, great emotion.

2. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels, 10/5/97, Badd Blood
- My favorite gimmick match. A perfect formula match, a great way for them to get out of the cage, apes*** moments like Shawn falling through the table, then the Kane ending. Awesome.

1. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels, 4/5/09, WrestleMania XXV
- THESE two guys, having THIS match, at WRESTLEMANIA. Not only my favorite match ever, but to me it's the best match I've ever seen. Absolutely amazing all around.

[Nalej]

Hey guys, did Stone Cold come back and fight The Best In The World?
What happened with that? I don't really keep up with WWE but I did when Stone Cold was in his prime and I got excited when I saw him talking ****

[jballa838]

No Michaels-Jericho? I really enjoyed that one. You had some ROH, and I think these would have made your cut on a bigger list: Punk-Aries, Joe-Aries, Danielson-Morishima, Danielson-Nigel, Punk-Joe, Ladder War I, or Steen-Generico.

Agree with #1 though. That match is absolutely incredible.

[Splat]

Originally Posted by Nalej

Hey guys, did Stone Cold come back and fight The Best In The World?
What happened with that? I don't really keep up with WWE but I did when Stone Cold was in his prime and I got excited when I saw him talking ****

No that hasn't happened just rumors of it happening at WM.

[comahan]

Originally Posted by jballa838

No Michaels-Jericho? I really enjoyed that one. You had some ROH, and I think these would have made your cut on a bigger list: Punk-Aries, Joe-Aries, Danielson-Morishima, Danielson-Nigel, Punk-Joe, Ladder War I, or Steen-Generico.

Agree with #1 though. That match is absolutely incredible.

Michaels/Jericho @ WM19, Danielson/McGuinness @ Unified, Punk/Joe @ All Star Extravaganza, and Steen/Generico @ Final Battle were all really close. Especially Steen/Generico. Great matches!

[bearsfan_51]

Your list doesn't have the 1992 Royal Rumble, so it sucks.



Hate hate hate

[Brodeur]

I prefer the Michaels/Jericho Unsanction and Ladder matches to their 'Mania one. The story for those two was just stronger for me.

[comahan]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

Your list doesn't have the 1992 Royal Rumble, so it sucks.



Hate hate hate

1992 is before 1994 :)