The Wrestling Thread: WWE Clash at the Castle: Scotland

[Pedro]

I've got to say I've enjoyed the scripted out of arena stuff. There's certainly a risk that WWE will overdo it in to the ground - but both Boneyard and Firehouse Funhouse were probably two highlights. Honestly everything that wasn't a standard match felt better than the eerie empty arena. I did thin night two was the better product overall.

[Pedro]

And I do love the backstage story stuff - that's the real highlight of wrestling to me - this weird carny spirit stuff. Looking forward to both the Taker documentary and the Edge 24 which I've got lined up.

[gaminglegend]

I've got to say I've enjoyed the scripted out of arena stuff. There's certainly a risk that WWE will overdo it in to the ground - but both Boneyard and Firehouse Funhouse were probably two highlights. Honestly everything that wasn't a standard match felt better than the eerie empty arena. I did thin night two was the better product overall.

Got to say this was the perfect time to do the scripted out of arena stuff. At mania it wouldn’t of worked with a live audience of that size. But this was perfect

[Mafro]

Charlotte winning the NXT title

[Rog]

Orton vs Edge was dire. So boring.

[KK]

The opening 5 or so minutes of WrestleMania was great, immediately went downhill with the arrival of Gronk, and then pretty much stayed there until the wacky as hell Boneyard match...that incredibly wasn’t even the most theatrical stuff they’ve done (who can forget Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt in that haunted house). It was like some straight to VHS release from the mid 90s, but more enjoyable to watch than the proper matches. Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins was technically the best of the night but the lack of a crowd really hurt, just as it did everything else. They turned up the microphones and clearly there was a directive to ham it up in the ring with smack talk which helped the atmosphere a bit. I was clock watching at numerous points though, and I’ve only done night 1.

Goldberg and Strowman was a load of nothing.

Looking forward to seeing what this Firefly Funhouse is like.

[Rog]

The opening 5 or so minutes of WrestleMania was great, immediately went downhill with the arrival of Gronk, and then pretty much stayed there until the wacky as hell Boneyard match...that incredibly wasn’t even the most theatrical stuff they’ve done (who can forget Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt in that haunted house). It was like some straight to VHS release from the mid 90s, but more enjoyable to watch than the proper matches. Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins was technically the best of the night but the lack of a crowd really hurt, just as it did everything else. They turned up the microphones and clearly there was a directive to ham it up in the ring with smack talk which helped the atmosphere a bit. I was clock watching at numerous points though, and I’ve only done night 1.

Goldberg and Strowman was a load of nothing.

Looking forward to seeing what this Firefly Funhouse is like.

Have tissues nearby.

[Slimgrady]

If they don’t make a puppet Vince “This is such good gooseberry fool” T-shirt they’re basically burning money Some smarks will roll their eyes at that but when Brodie Lee inevitably says it on Dynamite it’ll be “genius”. I did prefer the Boneyard match to firefly funhouse because it resembled a match more, but funhouse was entertaining for what it was.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

If edge has indeed signed a multi fight, multi year deal with the WWE then why didn’t they get Rated RKO back together, have them win the tag title at mania and lead to a split later in the year and a match at Summerslam between Orton and Edge?

[CuriousOyster]

Makes me piss myself laughing people that say Edge v Orton was boring, or Boneyard or Firefly match were trash. Ok lets have 15 normal matches in front of no crowd.

Love the bizarre out of ring filmed segments. Their obviously not filmed as being totally serious. Who would think to have fun in wrestling eh?

Superb effort overall and still a lot better than some Manias.

Btw Drew is Scottish.

[NBK]

Makes me piss myself laughing people that say Edge v Orton was boring, or Boneyard or Firefly match were trash. Ok lets have 15 normal matches in front of no crowd.

Love the bizarre out of ring filmed segments. Their obviously not filmed as being totally serious. Who would think to have fun in wrestling eh?

Superb effort overall and still a lot better than some Manias.

Btw Drew is Scottish.

o/

One of the best WrestleManias of the past few years. My memory is shocking, and each one from about 20 onwards has just rolled into one, but this will definitely stand out, I thought it was awesome.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

I really loved some of the matches at mania this year. I was fully engrossed in they which hasn’t happened for some time. I’m loving hearing some of them talk so much in the ring, it’s great to hear some of them, such an undervalued ability.

[Prototype]

Charlotte v Rhea was great as was the Boneyard match. Didn't expect that. Delighted Drew won but yeah, but like everything else just now. it was a dud of a show.

[Corazon de Leon]

Makes me piss myself laughing people that say Edge v Orton was boring, or Boneyard or Firefly match were trash. Ok lets have 15 normal matches in front of no crowd.

Love the bizarre out of ring filmed segments. Their obviously not filmed as being totally serious. Who would think to have fun in wrestling eh?

Superb effort overall and still a lot better than some Manias.

Btw Drew is Scottish.

Agree on most of this - I thought the Edge, Cena and Undertaker segments were great little cutaways that you don't and can't get at other Wrestlemanias or big events. The matches that tried to carry on as normal were the ones that suffered for me because you had wrestlers shouting at nobody in particular. Charlotte did it a couple of times and it brought me right out of the moment.

Clyde 1 did a half an hour interview with McIntyre yesterday.

[SEP]

Watching Wrestlemania now. It's strawberry floating weird without a crowd.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

Best matches for me were, not in order
Women’s 5 way
Charlotte V Ripley
Owens V Rollins
Boneyard match
Firehouse funhouse match

Worst matches
Goldberg v Strowman
Lesnar V McIntyre
Edge v Orton (too long, lost interest)

[tomvek]

Just finished the first night of Wrestlemania. Felt so weird without a crowd and didn’t really work, but did had a few enjoyable bits. Some thoughts:

- Becky's truck entrance to silence was hilarious.
- Lots of good spots during the ladder match, just a shame there was no crowd.
- Owens and Rollins taunting each other throughout the match was fun. Owens off the top of the sign Good match.
- Goldberg and Strowman in a "How many times can we repeat the same move" match. Can't say I was disappointed as I really wasn't expecting much. Just a nothing match.
- AJ vs Taker was the best thing on the show. It was done perfectly considering how boring it would have been if they'd filmed it in the performance centre. AJ was great in this role Finally getting the return of the American Badass style Undertaker (sort of) The awful music that accompanied his entrance though....... The druids coming out of the barn Some of the music sounded like it was from an old Resident Evil game. AJ pleading not to be buried Pure cheese at times but I loved it.

I actually thought this was the best taker match in years.

Maybe get night two watched tomorrow.

[KK]

Night 2 of Mania starting off like a vicious lesbian porno...

Blimey, does this Orton and Edge match ever end? Feels like I’ve been watching these two for almost an hour.

[Dig Dug]

Vince Russo is never going to own his strawberry float ups.

[Corazon de Leon]

Didn't realise Jericho was narrating these. I'll give that a watch in a bit.

EDIT: Bradshaw truly is a banana split. Don't like Russo much either, but he's nailed JBL's personality in the first five minutes there.

EDIT EDIT: Nobody comes out of that looking good except maybe Bart Gunn. The promoters all have their own agenda - especially JR who is very cold and calculating - and Russo is a strawberry floating idiot. I've never actually seen an interview with Droz since his accident, that was quite upsetting to see. Good documentary, I'll need to give the rest of the series a shot after that.