|
Post by Dan on Oct 11, 2023 14:53:24 GMT -5
Gotta go with The Rock. I grew up walking around cutting his promos into a toy microphone for my brothers and cousins. From natural charisma and star power to his ring psychology, he's one of the goats. Speaking of Brock, I've also always loved how Rock lays out the Undisputed title at the top of the ramp before running to the ring before their match starts. It's a small detail but it's a really nice touch to set the tone/importance of the match. Rock laying the Title on the floor and quick-starting the match was a detail I was always against in that Match. I always felt like it was Rock avoiding doing the full big-fight feel in-ring intro's you'd normally get before a Title Match as he knew he was losing clean, something he rarely ever did. Seeing those two facing one another for locking up would have been such a big moment. Anyhow, I always loved Rock growing up as most did. He was the ultimate babyface. But even now I still find something so mythical about Lesnar, particularly early-run Brock. Maybe because it all happened so fast, but he was such a fresh Main Eventer at the time, and the first real change of Champion outside of the typical Attitude era big names we'd had switching hands the previous 4-5 years or so. Post-Streak to Wrestlemania 31 Lesnar was also probably one of my favourite runs of all time, I don't think we'll ever see anything that legitimate ever again.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Sept 30, 2023 4:13:11 GMT -5
I think his stock in WWE during his return run seemed to level out pretty quick. Despite him being in that returning legend role, where you expect him to just feature 3-4 times a year for some nice, quick dream match feuds, he just still seems to feel like an everyday TV kind of guy. His last 1-2 years were pretty forgetful, the Judgment Day stuff dragged for an eternity. It did seem like they were priming him to be the inaugural World Heavyweight Champion, which IMO would have elevated the Belt from the start, and would have added huge interest and stock in every one of his Title Matches knowing that as soon as he loses, he'd retire. But, it all just fizzled out, he went away for a little while, and that ended up being that, so I do wonder if that's when the seeds for his exit were planted.
He's got nothing at all left to do in WWE, and for someone that prides himself a lot more on his in-ring work, he may as well at this point head to AEW. At least despite his age, there are still a few fresh, high-profile matches for him to have with Bryan Danielson, Kenny Omega, Jay White, John Moxley etc, and plenty of Tag Matches as E&C. It really would do him well, it's just how much longer he can really go.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Sept 21, 2023 16:20:23 GMT -5
Team Bischoff vs Team Austin, 2002 Elimination Chamber, and the '99 WWF Championship Triple Threat Match are my picks. 2003 was still my favourite to date.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Sept 21, 2023 16:16:17 GMT -5
There is no way whatsoever that they are going to pass on Roman Reigns vs The Rock in favour of having Cody win the Title. I think that's the end goal regardless (since there's nobody else realistically ready for it), so it's only delaying it. I'm not the biggest Cody fan, and I do think it will be the most predictable Wrestlemania Main Event there could be when the Rematch does happen, but they've shown they can hold off and find temporary filler feuds to put him in whilst ensuring his stock doesn't fall.
The real question is what they do with Cody at Wrestlemania if he doesn't get it this time around. John Cena, potentially? He'd need a Brock Lesnar esque consolation prize as a grudge match feud that's for sure, to avoid the fans souring on Rock. Whatever happens, I hope they don't insert him as the third piece in a Triple Threat. Reigns vs Rock, despite that it should've gone down at '39, is still the biggest money match possible.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Aug 10, 2023 9:38:07 GMT -5
Personally I'd like to see Gunther be the one to defeat Cody Rhodes, Summerslam 2024. If he holds the Intercontinental Championship at the same time that would be cool, but not essential. Dragunov would be a good bet though. I also don't think this will be the typical case of 'making someone' with someone being the one to bear him. I think this ultimately will still all be about protecting and building Gunther, so he'll probably be screwed out of his Title when it comes to it. They will essentially just need to find a way to get the Belt off him to enable him to go for the World Title without. If he loses clean to 'put somebody over', you're essentially transitioning the focus from him to that person.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Aug 6, 2023 5:15:28 GMT -5
Very predictable as predicted before hand, the only one that got me was Rollins winning. Three straight defences over Balor, no cash in. Pretty damning for Balor to come back from this. Jimmy costing Jey was always the way it was going to go. I imagine we get Jimmy vs Jey next, and eventually a Bloodline Fatal Four Way for the Title, though I do feel now that it really is getting repetitive now.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Aug 5, 2023 20:04:56 GMT -5
Hard to tell if the went to the finish slightly sooner due to Lesnar's shorts, but a good Match even if Cody is getting Super Cena vibes. Nice way to ensure Lesnar is back to being face again by shaking hands after. Don't see that often at all from Brock.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Aug 5, 2023 15:50:10 GMT -5
Brock Lesnar is in the Top 5 of all time for WWE, in my opinion.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Aug 5, 2023 15:49:16 GMT -5
I think this time round Cody goes in at number 1, and falls short at the last hurdle, eliminated by Dom potentially for huge heat. Cody finds another way to get to Roman by winning the Elimination Chamber, and we get Finn Balor vs Damien Priest vs Dominic Mysterio, and Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes II at Wrestlemania 40.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Aug 5, 2023 15:46:24 GMT -5
Personally I'd like to see Gunther be the one to defeat Cody Rhodes, Summerslam 2024. If he holds the Intercontinental Championship at the same time that would be cool, but not essential. Dragunov would be a good bet though.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Aug 5, 2023 15:44:23 GMT -5
Only really grew fond of him during the Rated R era if I'm honest. His return has been pretty average in my opinion, especially since he has that tragic haircut, but it was good to see him back nethertheless. I hope he gets a good retirement Match at Wrestlemania 40.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Aug 5, 2023 15:42:03 GMT -5
It's definitely the plan they've gone for, no doubt. It's as much about Roman as it is about Cody, and how his universe gradually crumbles away piece by piece, until he has nothing left. It'll be a fresh beginning for WWE once this reign is over. The only downside is that we never got the Roman Reigns vs The Rock megamatch during this run, and if it does happen at a future Wrestlemania, it won't be the peak it could've been if it was sandwiched within the Tribal story. I'm still not overly bothered about Cody being the man to be the one to finish it, but it does seem as though Roman's not going to have any real challengers for his Title between Wrestlemania 39 and 40.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Aug 5, 2023 15:34:34 GMT -5
Seeing some very deflating rumoured Match Card's as of late. I'm pretty sure 75% of the people going that bought tickets would have done so assuming that this would be the biggest AEW/NJPW hybrid Supershow of all time. If they're doing 80k+ at Wembley Stadium, I was expecting an Omega vs Okada V / Omega vs Ospreay III level Main Event. It'll have the most eyes on their product they've ever had, yet from what it sounds like, we won't even be getting Omega vs CM Punk as a consolation. Will Ospreay vs Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega vs Takesh*ta is a huge, monumental waste.
I appreciate the Ticket's have already been sold so they no longer have to put on a stacked card to draw, but still. We're 3 weeks out and not a single Match bar MJF vs Adam Cole has had any form of build to it, despite the PPV being announced months ago.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Aug 5, 2023 15:26:17 GMT -5
I feel like this years Summerslam is a very underwhelming card heading into it, and also one of the most predictable at that too. I'm sure there's still a lot of potential for some solid matches, but I think it just doesn't have that same aura Summerslam's normally have due to the fact most of the big matches are all recent rematches. Has a Wrestlemania 29 feel to it. Naturally I'll be clamouring for a Rock appearance and standoff with Roman to close the Show, purely since it's pointing towards Roman finally finishing the Tribal story tonight, only for his biggest Tribal foe to finally step forward. Won't happen though.
Roman will beat Jey, potentially even down to Jimmy interference. I'm going for Balor over Rollins, Cody over Lesnar, Shayna over Ronda, Gunther over Drew and Logan over Ricochet. As poetic as it would be to have Balor finally win the World Title only for Priest to cut his reign even shorter than last time, I think the money is there on the slow build of Priest keeping Balor on his toes.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Aug 5, 2023 15:16:36 GMT -5
Stone Cold vs Kurt Angle from Summerslam 2001 is one of the most underrated matches in history IMO. Period. Not too many in recent history for me though I have to say. Memorable moments with Lesnar vs Orton and Lesnar vs Cena, sure, but not a lot of true great matches. John Cena vs Daniel Bryan is probably up there, along with The Rock vs Brock Lesnar, Bret vs Owen, Triple H vs Shawn Michaels.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Jul 1, 2023 17:38:50 GMT -5
I think Roman Reigns beats Jay Uso at Summerslam, and then The Rock shows up to close the show.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Jul 1, 2023 17:36:24 GMT -5
I do wonder if Roman being pinned clean is going to take something away from when someone finally dethrones him. This year is his downfall and piece by piece it’s unravelling.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Jul 1, 2023 17:15:33 GMT -5
You get hot crowds, but it’s very rare to get one this hot from the very start to finish. How they’re not burnt out by now is mad, especially when there’s been a lot of high moments in the show.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Jul 1, 2023 15:47:56 GMT -5
That was incredible. Surely they wouldn’t have done that had Wrestlemania in London not been on the cards? Legit thought he was about to announce that before Grayson came out.
|
|
|
Post by Dan on Jul 1, 2023 15:12:39 GMT -5
Thought we’d get Drew McIntyre involved in the World Heavyweight Championship picture. Wonder if Finn Balor beats Seth Rollins only for Priest to cash in?
|
|