The Wrestling Thread: WWE WrestleMania 31 [NSFW]

[tomvek]

Finished watching the TNA PPV and while it was very average it did have a few highlights like Joel Gertner ( ), the lightsaber battle in the Dudleys match (it was rather when the crowd started chanting "Use the force") and Al Snow. Raven vs Dreamer was the best match of the night while Sabu vs RVD was also pretty enjoyable. The rest of the matches were either really average or just terrible.

[Jam-Master Jay]

I enjoyed Scorpios match the most to be honest with you. Was also nice to see Sabu being able to perform to a decent standard, especially after people saying he was in really bad condition.

[tomvek]

Yeah, Scorpio did quite a good job in his match and some of his moves were just for someone who's 44.

I was sceptical myself about how Sabu would perform but he actually had a decent match with some good spots. I watched the Raven/Sabu match from 2009 before the PPV and it didn't fill me with much hope.

[tomvek]

Is the 'The Death of WCW' book worth picking up?

[KK]

Is the 'The Death of WCW' book worth picking up?

Absolutely. There's a few minor inaccuracies (usually with how things played out on TV), but it's a really enjoyable read. An extremely funny book.

TNA iMPACT! Tapings for 19th August

iMPACT! opened with Eric Bischoff announcing that Rob Van Dam has been hospitalized with likely head and spinal trauma, 115 stitches and possibly punctured organs. Bischoff said that after meeting with Van Dam's doctors and Dixie Carter, they have decided to vacate the TNA title. A tournament with the top 8 contenders will start tonight with the finals being held at Bound for Glory.

Bischoff said that Van Dam has a home in TNA and they will be happy to welcome him back if and when he is able to recover.

Ric Flair and Fortune came out. They have a new hand signal. Flair said he's hired Matt Morgan as his bodyguard. He said EV2.0 are undisciplined animals and don't deserve to be in his business. He said people can say what they want but they are all in TNA to stay. AJ Styles said EV2 couldn't let things go. They wanted one last shot of glory and now they got what they deserved. He said no one has wrestled more for TNA than him and this is the house that he built. TNA President Dixie Carter came out and said Styles may have built this house, but she owns it and now its "their house." Out come a bruised and battered EV2.0. She said that Flair may be the dirtiest player in the game but not the smartest. Last week, EV2.0 didn't have contracts but this week,...and pulled out contracts for all of the former ECW stars to sign. Flair began going off on EV2.0 and Carter. Tommy Dreamer told Flair he may be the living legend, but if Carter didn't tell him to wait, EV2.0 would hit the ring and kick their asses. Dreamer said Dixie let them acknowledge the past but now its time to let go and move forward. He told Flair he needed to let the past, Hogan and everything go because now it's all about TNA. Foley and Flair began going back and forth on the mic. The idea here was that Foley convinced Flair to come to TNA and now regrets he ever did so. Flair challenged them to fight. Foley and Dreamer said when Dixie tells them they can fight, then they will because they are men of their word and work for Dixie. Dreamer warned Abyss that EV2.0 was looking for him because of what he did to RVD. Dreamer then announced he had all the respect in the world for AJ Styles until last week when he jumped on him so now they are going to fight later for the first time and its going to be extreme.

Match 1: Jeff Hardy pinned Rob Terry with the swanton.

Hardy and Abyss were brawling because Hardy attacked him looking for revenge for what happened to RVD.

Match 2: Ken Anderson pinned Jay Lethal with the Mic Check. They shook hands after the match. Good stuff.

Match 3: TNA Knockouts champ Angelina Love pinned Madison Rayne. Velvet Sky came out and she and Love brawled with Rayne and the Motorcycle woman before the bell. Sky distracted Rayne to set up the finish. Velvet and Love shook hands after the match and raised their arms but were laid out by the heels.

Match 4: Kurt Angle forced X-Division champ Douglas Williams to the anklelock. Short but lots of good wrestling here.

Sting and Kevin Nash came out. Nash said that he's been called a cancer but the reality is that after 20 years and 28 operations he's not here for the money but because he loves pro wrestling. Nash said that he's not going to be told to step aside and if someone wants his spot, they have to take it. Nash said the cancer isn't him but the smoke and mirrors in the back. Nash said the company is close to turning the corner and setting the world on its ear. Nash said he's tired of the garbage and he wants the truth. Jeff Jarrett came out and said the truth is Nash hasn't cared about anyone but himself for 20 years. Jarrett warned Sting that he knows his skeletons and could expose them if he wanted to. Jarrett praised what Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff did for the company. Jeff said he was going to the ring with a chair to kick their asses. Hulk Hogan came out and said if Jeff is going to the ring, Hulk's going with him. Hogan told Nash and Sting they are jealous of the spotlight being on the young guys and not them. Hogan dared Sting to put the bat down and be a real man. Sting tossed it out. Hogan and Jarrett came to ringside. They hit the ring. The lights went out and when they returned, Fortune was beating down all four of them.

Match 5: Pope Dinero pinned Matt Morgan. The finish saw Morgan miss the running kick into the ringpost on the floor and crotch himself. Pope hit the Elijah Express on Morgan into the post then pinned him.

Match 6: AJ Styles vs. Tommy Dreamer for the first time ever. They go back and forth. Styles busts open Dreamer's cut. Dreamer comes back and hits a DDT. Fortune makes their way to the ring but EV2.0 come running in from a side door. There's a big brawl all around ringside. Abyss runs in from the crowd and hits the Black Hole Slam on Dreamer. Styles scores the pin. There's a long Fortune vs. EV2.0 brawl to close the show before they are separated.

WWE SmackDown Tapings 13th August

They changed the ring apron from Superstars to Smackdown and did the show-opening pyro, which was extremely loud live. Vickie Guerrero started the show off in the ring, and she was booed out of the building. She introduced the new Intercontinental champion and her boyfriend, Dolph Ziggler. They talked about going to Tahiti to celebrate his first singles title.

Kofi Kingston hit the ring and started beating down Dolph. The referees came out to break it up, followed by Teddy Long. Teddy said for Vickie and Dolph to cancel their travel plans, because it's going to be Dolph vs. Kofi at Summerslam for the IC Title. Teddy also announced that the Smackdown main event would be Dolph vs. Rey Mysterio. Vickie became upset and said if Dolph had to wrestle tonight, so should Kofi, so she booked Kofi vs Kane. Teddy started saying she was only the consultant, and she had no power, but Kofi cut him off and said he wasn't a coward like Dolph and would face Kane...right now.

(1) World Hvt. champion Kane beat Kofi Kingston in a non-title match. Everyone left the ring as Kane came out. It was a relatively short match. It ended when Kofi went to the top rope, but Kane chokeslammed him off the top, then hit a Tombstone. Kane cut a promo after the match about how Rey was desperate and that's why he (Rey) took out The Undertaker. Rey came out to cut Kane off and said Kane had the most to gain by attacking Taker.

(2) "Dashing" Cody Rhodes beat Christian. Rhodes won with Cross Rhodes in a decent match.

(3) Big Show beat three jobbers in a three-on-one match. C.M. Punk and the Straight Edge Society watched from the stage. Show won after chokeslamming two guys, and hitting the last guy with a KO punch to show Punk he could still use his hand. After the match, Luke Gallows started talking. In a hilarious moment, Punk asked him, "Who gave you a mic?" Punk then cut a promo hyping SES vs. Show for Summerslam. Punk is awesome on the mic.

(4) Drew McIntyre beat Matt Hardy. Yes, McIntyre vs. Hardy for the millionth time was next. McIntyre won after he smashed Hardy's ankle with the steel steps, then hit the Futureshock DDT. Hardy had to be helped to the back afterward.

Jack Swagger came out next and talked about all his problems, but MVP cut him off. MVP said at this time last year, he was beating Swagger convincingly at Summerslam. Swagger attacked MVP and threw him to the outside. Apparently this was going to be a match from the start because Swagger eventually rolled MVP back in the ring and the bell rang to begin the match.

(5) MVP beat Jack Swagger. It was mostly a one-sided beating by Swagger, but MVP surprisingly won with a roll-up out of nowhere.

(6) Rey Mysterio beat Intercontinental champion Dolph Ziggler in a non-title match. About halfway through the match, Rey had Dolph set up for the 619, but Kane's pyro went off and he came out with a casket. Rey eventually won with a roll-up, with Kane watching from ringside. When the match finished, Kane immediately hopped on the apron, but Rey fought him off, and eventually knocked him into the casket. Kane quickly got out and bolted up the ramp to end the show.

[gaminglegend]

Just a little montage from my last match which upon watching was so bad About 2 mins long the video, with the cliched wrestling music in the background but it might be enjoyable for some of you.

[Rog]

Surprised no one has mentioned the utterly retarded Gangstas appearance on the PPV. They just stopped brawling and hugged

And the Impact spoilers for next week:
I can't muster the rage anymore. Why not just have Abyss win the belt from him at the previous Impact (filmed the day before this one too). Would have been so much better than just vacating it. And from what I've read it sounds like he just wants time off, no real injury or anything. What a shitty thing to do. He's the champ in a struggling promotion he should have pushed for him to drop the belt to Abyss or just not gone until he lost the belt. You don't just ask for time off as the champ. RVD has gone up his own arse, he had better be injured.

EV2.0 getting contracts The send off has turned into a revival Lots of integrity on show there Dreamer. He really has damaged the legacy more than McMahon. Who the hell wants to see Dreamer vs AJ Styles, the main event too. More old guys getting contracts. Dreamer has now become the new Hogan. Gotten himself a contract when he's not fit for it and has worked his way into power, putting himself in main events along the way.

Complete joke.

[Baron Zemo]

Which one is you?

[Rog]

I thought Botchamanias were longer than that

Just kidding, but why the six sided ring?

[Pontius Pilate]

I wish people would stop talking about impact spoilers, I'm so tempted to read them. I've managed to keep myself from reading any in a long time though, feels good man.

Oh, and cool video gaminglegend!

[Jam-Master Jay]

What's with the overly camp cowboy?

[KK]

Two other things that wound me up on the YouShoot interview with Carter.

1, that they're just as capable of buying the WWE as the WWE are TNA. Okay, maybe we could go along with that...except earlier on in the interview she stated she had "production envy" in relation to the competition, & that they weren't currently in a position to offer that yet. Well Christ, what hope have you got of purchasing the WWE? WWE could buy TNA outright, TNA would have to get the funds from...somewhere.

2. In another 'old guard' moment, she said they had to have the over-the-hillers because otherwise they wouldn't draw any money, & their ratings would suck. With that mythology you're doomed. That's not to say some older wrestlers can't be bumped off too soon. That was one of Vince McMahon's cardinal mistake in the early 90s. However, we're now in 2010. They really are over the hill now. How sad is it seeing Hulk Hogan...the "immortal" Hulk Hogan at that, constantly being classified as old on their TVs shows, & getting unconvincingly beat up because he needs to the ropes to help him to the canvas. Their underutilisation of "The Pope"is criminal.

[Rog]

I wish people would stop talking about impact spoilers, I'm so tempted to read them. I've managed to keep myself from reading any in a long time though, feels good man.

Oh, and cool video gaminglegend!

It won't feel good when you see this gooseberry fool.

[Adam Pollard]

In another 'old guard' moment, she said they had to have the over-the-hillers because otherwise they wouldn't draw any money, & their ratings would suck.

Even with the old-timers they don't draw any money and their ratings, whilst not totally arse, is still basically EXACTLY THE SAME as it was years ago.

Going HD was supposed to make a difference. It didn't. Hogan was supposed to make a difference. And didn't. Going head to head with WWE was supposed to make a difference; it did - they got RAPED, yet still did the exact same numbers every week for the Thursday replays.

[KK]

I'm really forward to WWE Bash at the Beach Sunday. WHO'S THE 7TH MAN?!!!! Will it be Miz? The return of Daniel Bryan? Will they have a 7th man? Who's going to jump ship to Nexus? How's Bret Hart going to be eliminated? QUESTIONS. BRILLIANCE.

[Adam Pollard]

At least it's logical booking, that going in it's ADVANTAGE HEEL TEAM.

Please take note Vince Russo.

[Chocolate Jim]

I'm really forward to WWE Bash at the Beach Sunday. WHO'S THE 7TH MAN?!!!! Will it be Miz? The return of Daniel Bryan? Will they have a 7th man? Who's going to jump ship to Nexus? How's Bret Hart going to be eliminated? QUESTIONS. BRILLIANCE.

All WRONG. Triple H returns and beats all of them on one leg So tragic it might actually happen

[Baron Zemo]

HHH to be 7th man?

[Cosmo]

Nah, The Rock.

[Chocolate Jim]

Nah, The Rock.

:cry:

That is probably the one thing they could do to make me jump up and down like a little sissy girl screaming my head off.