WWE wrestling thread

[nickham10]

Any Rumble predictions in here?

I'll go with Cena, Reigns to both win the titles. Charlotte to retain. Cesaro and Sheamus to retain. Neville to beat Swann. Undertaker to win the Rumble (Zero confidence in that pick, really seems very open). Also could see Bray, Strowman winning it.

[MtlJeff]

I thought Goldberg would win, but he seems to have zero stamina. He looks gassed just walking to the ring. Can he come in at the 31st spot?

[shakey]

[nickham10]

Watch a match between Cena and Styles. Absolutely incredible.

[dan360]

Conflicted on Cena grabbing the belt again. They should've kept it on a 'bad guy' longer.

 

Although the day he decides to turn heel will be pretty awesome.

[nickham10]

Cena deserved that win. He hasn't held the title since sometime in 2015.

[MtlJeff]

They need to repackage Reigns ASAP like they did with the usos. He has such nuclear heat on him. But he still always has to turn them a bit in the Ring. Some fans really do dislike him rather than just enjoy booing

 

For God's sake just make him a cocky villain which he basically already is.

 

He can even share the tan pants with the usos

[MtlJeff]

The masked man podcast was good afterwards. Essentially they pointed out the truth which was the undercard was great and the royal rumble itself was actually fairly poor. With all of the big names there didnt seem to be much resolved or any direct feuds started. Left with more questions than answers....we almost certainly won't see Orton/Cena so stuff will change there.Who is Undertaker fighting, who is Strowman fighting etc....we don't know much

 

It was really nice to see Ty Dillinger come in at #10. That is the obvious thing that all the fans wanted and the WWE actually did it rather than jerk people around. Dillinger is a lot like Tyler Breeze, a guy who worked his way to prominence in NXT when he was never considered a high potential guy. In fact Dillinger has been used mostly to put guys over for his entire NXT run, but fans started to like his "10" gimmick so much he actually New Day'd his way from being a heel to a face without even changing his gimmick. He's a very well liked guy, and while he won't be a big name on the main roster it was nice to see the reaction he got

[MtlJeff]

Also, it's possible i'm the only guy who really liked Sheamus/Cesaro but i don't know, the fans seemed to dig them.

 

I hope they don't just break them up and have them wander listlessly around. They put on some really good matches together and it's only been like a couple of months. I thought for a team that ended the longest tag title reign ever they'd get more of a run

 

But i also understand that it was time to do something with Anderson/Gallows (FWIW, Gallows yelling "Nerd" at people always makes me LOL). Hopefully they trade the title a few times

[devinh821]

I've really enjoyed wrestling over the past year or so. I really enjoy cesaro he puts on great matches every night. Charlotte is a beast. Enzo and Cass are so hott but I feel like they are wasting their talent they are the most popular tag team out there. KO show is getting too old, it's the same thing every single Monday. Totally didn't expect big joe to come out last night on Rollins. Just wish Joe would have been in the rumble. Like someone said earlier the styles and cena match was the best of the year. Either of those guys could wrestle me and it would be watched. Rumble was decent. Just don't see the direction of another cena orton fued

[nickham10]

I highly doubt we get Cena/Orton at WrestleMania. Thinking Cena will drop the title at elimination chamber to Wyatt. Which will set up Bray vs Orton at WM. Seems like Reigns vs Undertaker is a go for WM as well as HHH vs Rollins. And Owens vs Jericho for the US Title. And of course Lesnar vs Goldberg. Seems like Strowman is the odd man out right now, I would like to see a cross brand match between him and Corbin Baron since Baron was the one who eliminated him.

[devinh821]

They gotta have a big role for styles at WM. Maybe him and the miz. They have both put on huge matches all year long

[MtlJeff]

Seth Rollins being evaluated right now after the knee injury. There's a chance he may only be out 2 months, if it's just MCL....WWE flew him to go see the famous Dr Andrews in Alabama after the show.

[devinh821]

He can't stay healthy and it stinks. I've been beginning to like him lately and now he's hurt again. Dang it

[MtlJeff]

If Rollins can make it back for Wrestlemania they'll weave this into the storyline pretty easily, since it was HHHs henchman that injured him. If he can't make it back i wonder if HHH just takes the year off. It's late in the game for him to start something. I know he loves wrestling at wrestlemania but it should already be a pretty stacked card and that may allow them to do another singles match.

 

One guy to watch is Sami Zayn. There were rumors floated by Dave Meltzer that he was in the doghouse but it doesn't seem apparent at all in the way he has been booked lately, and i have heard from others that it doesn't seem there is any truth to that rumor, or if there is no one seems to know about it. But Sami did a great job in the Strowman feud making Braun look great, while also inheriting the Dolph Ziggler memorial underdog title with his selling. I have heard that some of the booking in that feud were his suggestions and i thought it went over well. He is also been given a bit more character in his backstage segments lately (If anyone remembers the segment with Rollins and Reigns where he spoke very quickly, called Strowman a "cottage" and was excessively anal in his planning for their 6 man tag match....that was pretty much real life Sami, who talks like that and is known for being very detailed)....so it shows they are giving a bit more leeway to him

 

I wonder if Rollins absence leads to a bit of a push for him. I hope so. If HHH is adamant about wrestling at Mania he could even be a potential opponent since in the storyline Stephanie hates him

[MKappas]

Here's your WM card ...

1. Orton vs. Wyatt for the title

2. Jericho vs. Owens - winner gets

both titles

3. Lesnar vs. Goldberg

4. Cena vs. Undertaker

5. Styles vs. Ambrose - Steel Cage

6. Rollins vs. HHH - Hell in a Cell

7. Gallows/Anderson vs. New Day for

the TT titles

 

HOT TAKE - Hardy Boyz return

[devinh821]

Where you fitting balor in?! He's gotta comeback for wrestlemania. Can't wait till he stops Owens run. Think all the house shows is finally catching up with these guys? I never realized until the last couple years that they wrestle somewhere almost every night it seems.

[shakey]

Here's your WM card ...

1. Orton vs. Wyatt for the title

2. Jericho vs. Owens - winner gets

both titles

3. Lesnar vs. Goldberg

4. Cena vs. Undertaker

5. Styles vs. Ambrose - Steel Cage

6. Rollins vs. HHH - Hell in a Cell

7. Gallows/Anderson vs. New Day for

the TT titles

 

HOT TAKE - Hardy Boyz return

 

If...IF the Undertaker can go...I think he faces Reigns. No other reason to have Reigns enter the Rumble and eliminate Taker than to set up a match. All depends on Takers hip.

 

 

[MtlJeff]

Where you fitting balor in?! He's gotta comeback for wrestlemania. Can't wait till he stops Owens run. Think all the house shows is finally catching up with these guys? I never realized until the last couple years that they wrestle somewhere almost every night it seems.

 

I think it's the style more than the house shows, though certainly the more you do it the better chance of injury.

 

The way these guys wrestle is non stop spots. If you watch a Bret Hart match from 1995 it was very very low risk

[devinh821]

Yeah I didn't think about all the action in the ring part of it. I'll admit nxt is probably better than wwe. Not as many gimmics.. Guys wanting to make it to the majors so they are giving it every match. Can't believe it took so long for Samoa Joe to get called up. Just shows Vince still holds a grudge against anyone who goes against him. He ruined so many wcw stars after the merger. The late 00s in wrestling got a little out of hand and watered down. I know i quit watching but over the past two-three years I have gotten back into it and enjoyed it

[blaird]

Give Jericho the Universal Title!!! He has been putting in work and has been gold on the mic. Im ok with the Club hanging onto the belts and love the "Nerds" comments. AJ Styles is the best wrestler on the planet right now. He could prob give a 5 star match with Bayley's dancing inflatable things. Orton/Wyatt could be good if they go that direction. Road to WM should be interesting. Hopefully Rollins is ready to go, Im ready for the payoff match with Triple H.

[nickham10]

Jericho doesn't need the Universal Title, he's leaving soon to go on tour with his band Fozzy. He put in great work during this stint and he was rewarded with the US Title. Really wish Rollins could stay healthy to have that big match with Triple H. Maybe he'll be back in time for it to still happen. If not I've heard some rumors of maybe HHH vs Shane at Mania. That could be good if they play it right.

[MtlJeff]

I was wondering too if Rollins obsession with CrossFit could also be causing his injury prone-ness.

 

Anyway, so much in the air for Wrestlemania. Is it too much to ask for the following things:

 

1) AJ Styles in a match with a valid opponent who can put on a classic with him (or a triple threat where one of them is and the other one is the Miz)

2) An epic heel turn for Roman Reigns , i mean we're talking EPIC , kicking a baby type heel turn

3) Can we get Baron Corbin some kind of title already???

 

That's pretty much it. I don't really care what else happens as long as it's watchable

[devinh821]

I think it's gotta be AJ and the MIZ. Cena and styles again would be a great much but can't just keep using it over and over. Reigns is getting more cheers, the WWE just wants him to get booed. And Corbin will bounce around the mid card for another couple years until a few older guys get out of the way. Hes hott now and the WWE will let his fire burn out then try to push him. So many young stars don't get the credit or the fame because of people like Orton, Kane, Undertaker, Cena is still at least good in the ring. The big show might be able to make a couple matches interesting but I just hate how the guys drag their feet wasting time and then by the time they are 50 blame the WWE for all their medical problems

[MtlJeff]

I figured they'd put Samoa Joe on Smackdown and Nakamura on Raw.

 

Joe's debut tonight.....There's no way Nakamura is going to Smackdown as he is their biggest NXT star. Maybe that means they aren't calling him up for a while.

 

Smackdown's midcard is still a little bare. They could've used Joe to spice things up a bit there, as i'm not sure Ty Dillinger is enough

[nickham10]

I want to see the Revival on Smackdown to battle with American Alpha.

[devinh821]

I'm really not looking forward to goldberg and ko. As much as I hate KO he's a good wrestler. And goldberg has never been a good wrestler. Ever. I figured there would be a kick back for him coming back. And it's gonna be to have the title it looks like

[MtlJeff]

Elimination chamber feels kinda meh this weekend. It's too bad because i feel Smackdown really did a better job after the brand split, and even beat Raw in the ratings a few times. It was clearly a better written show....yet they are getting at most one 1 on 1 match at Wrestlemania (the championship match between whoever wins this weekend and Orton, which could end up being a triple threat which is fine). Their women's division will be at best a pre-show match even though Alexa Bliss has been great , the IC title will almost certainly be a ladder match or pre-show. The Tag Titles maybe won't even be defended or it will be a 4 corners thing

 

Raw will probably get a Strowman singles match, the Lesnar singles match, a Reigns singles match, and maybe even KO/Jericho and HHH/Rollins if Seth can go.

 

All the marquee singles stuff will likely go to Raw. Which is too bad considering the jobs Miz, Ambrose, Ziggler and Styles did for Smackdown

 

This weekend's card is pretty bland. Other than the main event which will determine the champ for Mania

[devinh821]

Never really looked at mania like that until you put it that way. Balor will probably be back and healthy so you know they will throw him in the mix somewhere. Smackdown has totally been a better show and I think it's mostly because of Styles. The guy is gold. So much talent in the ring and so much out. Wish they could have gotten him to come over years ago. The miz and dolph have put on so many good matches this year and like you said they will probably be left off the main card. I hope Ambrose is left off. I swear he's the worst wrestler ever. His best move is a ddt. I mean come on man!

[MtlJeff]

It's funny you mention that about Ambrose and i definitely agree he is overrated in the ring. I think his character in the past year has been an A+, he used to be kind of a caricature of the "crazy guy" that's been done before, but in the past year he's gotten a lot edgier and his dialog more direct and thoughtful. Since the brand split i have loved his promos, especially the ones with Ziggler.

 

That being said, when's the last time people have really been excited for an actual match of his? In the past 2 years he's had one great one that i remember (the HHH match before Mania) and one great gimmick match (the hardcore match with Jericho, but really that was memorable because at 45yrs old Jericho took a back full of tacks)

 

The irony is people still assume Miz can't wrestle and is just a talker....but why is that any different than Ambrose, who uses many of the same moves in every match (compared to the Styles and Owens of the world, who break out new stuff all the time). Even the hated Roman Reigns has quite a few memorable matches in the past 2 years.

 

But yeah i don't get psyched for his matches. I find he and Bayley are probably the most overrated actual wrestlers. Even though i have nothing against the guy or anything.