Re: The Official WWE Thread - Part 15

[Onyx]

Batista has been added to next Monday's post-Payback RAW from Indianapolis. That is the only event he's been added to so it looks like that will be his last appearance for now.

[Onyx]

"You either die a hero or you live long enough to become John Cena."

[Onyx]

It was noted before that WWE didn’t plan on stripping Daniel Bryan of the WWE World Heavyweight Title unless he was going to be out for a while. With Bryan already being advertised for June live events, that’s an indication that WWE expects him back sooner and him dropping the title at Payback is unlikely.

Regarding the angle with Brie Bella potentially being fired, Renee Young asked Bryan what he would do on the RAW post-show this week and Bryan just said it was a tough decision but he’s going to have to do what’s right.

[Onyx]

[Onyx]

The new issue of WWE Magazine has a fan Q&A section where Dean Ambrose refers to Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns as his former partners. One of the questions asked Ambrose if there was a WWE Superstar that could make him laugh. He replied:

"My former partners, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. I was probably the class clown of the group so I'd usually start the joking and ribbing. But those two are hilarious. Daniel Bryan is funny too but more because he's funny looking."

[Onyx]

Bo Dallas' theme.

Spoiler:

[Onyx]

Would it best to strip Bryan off the title? I mean the main title has to be in a main storyline.

[Onyx]

Would it best to strip Bryan off the title? I mean the main title has to be in a main storyline.

Nah, he's only out until MITB. They can have Shield/Evolution main event until then and Bryan can just appear for promos.

[Casciavit]

stop stat padding

[Pedram]

 

[Onyx]

Me and Yohan keeping this thread alive.

[Onyx]

Triple H did a conference call with the wrestling media today to promote Thursday's NXT Takeover event, an event he sounds very proud and excited about. Here are some highlights:

* They aren't sure if NXT will have monthly live specials on the WWE Network yet but never say never and they will likely end up being quarterly. He talked about not wanting to get sidetracked and away from what NXT really is, where they get talents ready for the future.

* He admitted that just because something works well in NXT doesn't mean it will work on the main roster and the transition from NXT to the main roster is a tough one. Still, he is very happy with NXT, the talents there and the talents who have came up.

* He talked about using main roster Superstars to help the younger talent in NXT, like Tyson Kidd. Triple H said he believes in Kidd. He also said Cesaro has been great in working with the NXT talents.

* We will see NXT become a bigger part of the Network as it grows.

* Triple H confirmed that they have thought about doing the NXT TV tapings more often but said the more you film, the higher costs are. He would love for NXT to be live every week but there are many factors involved. He said everything is on the table.

* WWE has held tryouts in the Middle East, Europe and Brazil recently. Triple H is focused on working with creative to recruit international talents.

* Triple H didn't know 100% if Tough Enough would be filmed at the Performance Center in Orlando but said it's being planned out.

* He couldn't give medical updates on Christian or Rey Mysterio due to HIPPA laws but said they are recovering.

* He had no comment on Prince Devitt and KENTA but knows who they are.

* He said they are still in talks with former NFL player Shawne Merriman and they would love to have him onboard.

* He believes there is big opportunity for NXT to succeed as its own brand and said even Vince McMahon acknowledged that they have created a brand in NXT. He said Vince was expecting just a TV show but got a brand instead. Vince was surprised by the buzz NXT has received since the Network launched.

[Onyx]

Spoiler:

[Tomwin Lannister]

OMG

[Onyx]

Spoiler:

[M99]

WWE has completely changed from ignoring indie stars to pushing them.

CM Punk became a mega star.

Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan) has become a mega star.

Tyler Black (Seth Rollins), Jon Moxley (Dean Ambrose) and Claudio (Cesaro) are rising stars in the main roster.

Everyone says El Generico (Sami Zayn) and PAC (Adrian Neville) are NXT's biggest stars.

Now they signed Kenta and Prince Devitt.

Triple H He knows what's best for business.

[zizzle]

Alicia Fox is more entertaining than AJ and Paige combined

[M99]

Pls.











I can't find the pic now but she is the most Googled diva ever and her merchandise sales are usually on the top 10, unprecedented for a diva.

[Onyx]

As noted yesterday, CM Punk is one of several celebrities that will be painting a ball park chair as part of a public art project commemorating Wrigley Field's 100-year anniversary.

50 custom-made pairs of decorated ball park seats that depict a historic moment in the Chicago ballpark's history will line Michigan Ave starting tomorrow.

Red Eye Chicago interviewed Punk in today's newspaper about being a part of the project. Punk will be commemorating Kerry Wood's 20 strikeout games in 1998, and was asked if that was more impressive than holding the WWE Championship for 434 days. Punk fielded that question, replying that Wood's would have to answer that and noting that he felt that it was the most impressively pitched game in major league history.

The only other wrestling related question was Punk being asked about being retired at 35 and if he would be doing more charity work now. Punk admitted that "it feels good," before talking about supporting charities for organizations like the Chicago Cubs.

"I get to do fun stuff like bowl and paint chairs and play whiffle ball with Bull Murray," Punk said. "It was super fun and for a great cause. You've got athletes and actresses and musicians and all kinds of people painting chairs. I'm super happy to be a part of it."

[Onyx]

The Undertaker is still pretty banged up from his match with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX. There is still no indication that Taker won't be back for next year's WrestleMania 31 event.

There are higher-ups in WWE who believe that Vince McMahon didn't make the decision for The Undertaker to lose at the last minute, but simply waited until the last minute to let anyone know.

There is still a lot of internal belief that Taker losing was the wrong call.

[Onyx]

There are people in WWE who want to hire Christian as a producer/agent when his contract as a wrestler retires.

The Wrestling Observer noted that talk within WWE, even before the most recent concussion, is that Christian's in-ring career is expected to be phased down this year.

[Onyx]

WWE is planning on turning Tyson Kidd into a masked wrestler.

He's reportedly already had a mask designed by a man who makes Lucha Libre masks. The feeling is that Kidd is a talented wrestler but they've marginalized the Tyson Kidd character for so long that there's nothing they can do with him past the preliminary level.

[Onyx]

As noted, Batista is likely finishing up with WWE for the time being at next week's RAW. At one point, WWE wanted Batista to put over Roman Reigns in a singles match before leaving on TV.

[Onyx]

There has been at least some talk within WWE of using The Four Horsewomen in some kind of angle at this year's SummerSlam pay-per-view.

The Four Horsewomen is made up of women's MMA stars Rousey, Shayna Baszler, Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke. Natalya was recently working out with the group.

[Onyx]

[Onyx]

Vince Russo has a new blog on his official website titled, "Stop The Bull: The 'REAL' Reason Behind The RAW Ratings." Here's part of what Russo wrote:

But HERE is where the problem with the WWE and its current ratings lie.
Moments after the baby bull was decapitated from behind, John Cena was in the middle of the ring telling Bray Wyatt, "Payback is a *****!". Whoa—now wait a minute. If I brought little Johnny, and he came to see the baby bull—what do I do now? Do I cover his ears? Do I up and leave? Do I never come back to see another WWE event live? Do I stop watching the show all together? What do I do with this BLATANT MIXED MESSAGE THAT WAS JUST THROWN MY WAY?!!!

"You can't be half pregnant".

Vince McMahon said that to me many, many years ago, and it has become my #1 rule when scripting wrestling. What Vince meant was that when you make the decision to do something—YOU GO ALL THE WAY WITH IT! So, the WWE made the decision to go family friendly—they told us all–however, the problem is that they're not going all the way with it—-they are BEING HALF PREGNANT. Is this because in reality they, themselves as a company, haven't bought 100% into it, and are just trying to "appease" the board, or, are there other reasons simply steaming from greediness?

Could the reason they haven't committed one way, or the other, be this simple—from a philosophic point of view—the WWE is trying to capture EVERYONE!? Whereas networks these days are going for the demo P (people) 18-49, the WWE is going for P 5-65. In other words—in typical Vince fashion—they want it ALL!!! And, in theory, there is nothing wrong with that—it's how Vince made all that money. Go for it all—and leave nothing behind. But that's only in "theory".

Back in 2002, I almost went back to the WWE because I took it personally that, within the matter of a little over a two-year span, their ratings had split in half from the time that I had left–they had fallen below a 3.0. Today–a DOZEN years later—the ratings are still where they were then. When it comes to eyeballs on TVs every Monday night—half of the people are watching now, compared to when the "Attitude Era" was in full stride. Yeah—they'll fling every excuse at you. Primarily—the television landscape has changed with the internet, iphones, ipads, whatever–OK, good argument. HOWEVER–if that were the case, then why hasn't the NFL lost half its audience in the last 12 years? They're on TV, right? Other ways to watch their product are out there—just like in the WWE's case.

No–that's a BS excuse. We saw within a five-minute span on "Raw" last night why the ratings are HALF of what they used to be. In attempting to obtain ALL—the WWE has literally alienated, or "turned off" half their audience in the process. Don't believe me—see what the IWS community has to say about last night's "Raw" today. Yeah—they loved the Shield brawling with Evolution at the end—but, the baby bull—not so much. And what about the "families"? Oh, yeah, that bull thing was "cute", but John Cena swearing—not so much. Now, if you keep doing this week in, and week out, the things you "don't like" will eventually start to build, or add up—until all of a sudden—it's OK if we miss "Raw" this week. Well, this week turns into next week, and the next week—until they're not watching anymore.

By trying to be "all things to all people"–which they can't be—nobody can–the WWE has shot themselves in the boot. For every kid they are gaining, they are losing an adult, and for every adult they are gaining—they are losing a kid. It a switch-off, an exchange, a vicious cycle."

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