Pro Wrestling! (For Everything WWE, Impact, Indies, AEW, & Japan !) 2021

[godisawesome]

How is it that people like Steve Austin, The Rock and Trish Stratus were never accused of burying anyone, yet John Cena, Roman Reigns and Charlotte Flair always are.

I dunno...I've mostly heard wrestlers saying Cena buried them. Never heard about any others. Heck I've seen the Rock make Hurricane Helms look like a monster. But mostly in recent years I'm talking about Vince. He even fired Bray Wyatt didn't he? Like wtf was that about.

The way I see it, Vince’s preferred booking method naturally and ruthlessly drives the burial of any talent aside from whoever he views as either his golden goose or who he wants to be the golden goose, and part of the reason why the politicking of the Attitude Era avoided that was out of necessity screwing up Vince’s usual method to his products benefit.

Hulk was far more of an overt terror during his reign than Cena ever was, but Vince ALWAYS wants one top Star fed by everyone else.

WE know that Austin was definitely willing to play politics as well, and that the Klique was still doing its stuff… but Vince couldn’t afford to just rinse and repeat during the Attitude Era, he himself was the main villain for Austin anyways, and was willing to allow anyone who was a genuine star at the time to rise because he wanted to crush WCW.

Once the Monday Night Wars were over, Vince gradually but inevitably slipped back into his preferred method.

[Immortal Weapon]

The first hour of Raw 30 is fantastic. I've never been so invested in a wrestling angle in years.

[chachi]

The first hour of Raw 30 is fantastic. I've never been so invested in a wrestling angle in years.

Yes good stuff, we get the Sami Zayn holding the tag titles tease. Wonder what his final test is? Owens won't win the titles off Reigns. One good thing Royal Rumble will start the downfall of the bloodline, which should end with Owens / Zayn with the SD tag titles, and reigns losing at least one of his titles at Mania. We should see some type of break-up of the bloodline as well?

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I did love that LA Knight moment. "I'm going to let you go enjoy retirement , YEEEAHH !!"

To the Undertaker. Shame he's retired. Having Knight face Undertaker would be fun after this.

"I finished with one freak show , now I got another one !" He can say.

[Immortal Weapon]

I did love that LA Knight moment. "I'm going to let you go enjoy retirement , YEEEAHH !!"

To the Undertaker. Shame he's retired. Having Knight face Undertaker would be fun after this.

"I finished with one freak show , now I got another one !" He can say.

I appreciate that the Undertaker didn't steal any thunder away from LA or Bray. He was just there.

[Noodle]

That Imperium/DX/Angle segment is exactly the right way to do the Legends/Current Roster thing. Gunther got right up in their face and, while they made their jokes, they all backed down. It made Gunther look like a legitimate threat that even legends didn't want any of him. That's how you use legends to build talent and give the rub.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Kevin Nash on his podcast detailed that police came by to do a Wellness Check on him due to comments he made in a way about his feelings about suicide. Nash was surprised but detailed he wasn't going to do that.

"So for the people that don't know, the easiest way for me to explain this is, so I did the thing last week, and I mean, I'm not saying that I’m not in a great place, but I promise you, everybody out there, this whole fu**ing week, people have been saying, 'Man, we need you. We love you. You were one of the best big men.' If you’re trying to save my life, you better say I’m the best big man, ok.’” (He laughs).
Nash wanted to clarify that he would not do anything to harm himself:
"For anybody out there, I would never do anything to harm myself. I guess people don't realize I have a wife that's been with me for 35 fu**ing years. It's never been about me. I drive a fu**ing '05 Mustang. I know it sounds like that skit from fu**ing Saturday Night Live where, 'I drive a Dodge Stratus', but I drive a 2005 Mustang. I don't give a fu**. It's never been about me. It's about the people that I take care of and that's your job. Your job is to provide and protect. That's your job."

Its good to see Big Daddy Cool is ok. But it speaks volumes people alerted authorities in fear he would take his life so quick.

[Matt Rat]

American Bad Ass...with Kid Rock theme, loved it, brought me right back to my final days of secondary school

[BeastieRunner]

The Rock was asked who would join him on wrestling Mount Rushmore and he said, in order:

- Ric Flair

- Steve Austin

- Hulk Hogan

Who's your Mount Rushmore?

[SUPERECWFAN1]

So in a funny deal that happened in a week. Road Dogg decided to trash CM Punk calling him an ahole and he's not God's gift to wrestling. So pretty hard words right ?

Days later Road Dogg is now open to seeing Punk return to the WWE. Claiming he's a needle mover etc.

So what changed in a week? Well this my theory...

- Road Dogg works for WWE. My thinking is HHH told him he best knock off his hard stance against Punk because he wants him back. Having an executive trashing the guy isn't gonna make him return.

Bit yeah...from a hole etc to now he's a needle mover , never say never. In a week.

[JBatmanFan05]

Who's your Mount Rushmore?

By common metrics, by considering the whole super exclusive excellence Rushmore thing of maybe summing up (70s/80s and forward) wrestling history...Hogan, Flair, Austin, Rock makes sense. They probably electrified audiences in such a strong way that stands above so many. It probably couldn't be as simple as only considering who electrified audiences or I'd perhaps have to consider WCW Goldberg more than I'd want to.

But for me, I'd say I have different Rushmores, particularly ones that consider in-ring some more where like Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Angle, Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Rey, Japanese wrestlers, etc might come in. Even Undertaker, or maybe Undertaker belongs in some gimmick Rushmore.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

There should be really 2 Mt. Rushmore's of older wrestlers and newer ones. Because so many have passed through the eras and its hard to do just 4 men over 70-80+ years. So my picks.


1ST GENERATION MT. RUSHMORE

- Lou Thesz : Considered one of the greatest World Champions in history , Thesz wrestled for over 50+ years. He was NWA World Champion 3 times from 1949 to 1955. In Japan he's considered "Tetsujin" and a God of Wrestling for all his abilities. Thesz himself is considered the last real "shooter" where he could legit shoot in ring if need be.


- Bruno Sammartino : Bruno its joked out sold the Garden so many times it became natural. Sammartino was really the 1st great WWWF World Champion and held the belt a combined in 2 reigns at 11 years. With over 4,040 Days ! A fact that Bruno only dropped the title due to work schedule and wanting to do that. He came back for more money at gates and decreased work schedule to get the belt another run.


- Ernie Ladd : The BIG CAT , Ernie Ladd was a 1st in pro wrestling for a lot of ways. One of the 1st successful NFL players to cross over to Pro Wrestling , Ladd was one of the very 1st black wrestlers to play heel onscreen. Where he became very successful at this in 1970's. Ladd is in WWF and WCW Halls of Fame as well as others. He won a number of titles and one of the toughest men to step into ring. His time sadly isn't as known but he left a big impact.


- Andre the Giant : This was a tough one , I was gonna give the nod to Superstar Billy Graham. But Andre won out because he was a Worldwide star. He left his French village and toured the world in his hey day of 1970's. It was said Andre was so valuable as a box office attraction that he just didn't work 1 territory or promotion. He worked for everyone due to his drawing ability. Its a shame his gigantism would cost him his life and end his career so early. But he packed in quite a life by 46.



My top 4 1st Generation .

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Now for the last #4 on Mt. Rushmore.


Mt. RUSHMORE : Current Generation


#1: Hulk Hogan : In our current generation era from 1980's...he took pro wrestling to a bigger audience. Its said Vince McMahon could have made Snuka or JYD that World Champion. But in reality....Hogan was just IT. He was a super hero and his look and actions made it all click then. Hogan was next to Bruno one of the longest running WWF World Champions. He then became one of wrestlings best villains as Hollywood Hogan and again was responsible for another boom period like the 1980s.

#2: Ric Flair : Love or Hate Flair ...the Nature Boy was always running neck and neck with Hogan in 1980's for that biggest star. While the WWF machine put Hulk on another level , Flair was right behind him with less machine in Crockett. Flair in 1980's was just a better wrestler and Hogan has said that Flair was better than him in ring. Flair's promos are legendary , he made Sting. People now say he's held on too long and wrestled way past his prime before his Last Match. But with Flair you saw a man who once told a reporter ..."I love this business. If only I could be half that age again to work now."


#3 : Undertaker : I have to give it to the DEAD MAN. Constantly re-inventing his look and character. Undertaker was once told by Ole Anderson he'd never be a draw a dime in the business. A fact that we all can laugh at that dumb statement. Undertaker became more than just a pro wrestler out there. He become a being sent from somewhere to avenge. By the last decade it became too hard to make Undertaker a villain anymore and the company realized fans love him.

There was people who legit cried in the arena when he retired because he wasn't a man anymore. He was Undertaker.


#4: THE ROCK : The biggest crossover star is the BRAHMA BULL , the Great One. Rock can literally do whatever he wants and wrestle whoever he wants. Bigger than the WWE ...the Rock is that big a star.

[BeastieRunner]

Naito officially did not renew his NWJP contract.

He will be working both New Japan and NOAH on PPA deals.

He also got a working visa update for the USA.

Naito was seen in Kentucky yesterday, and Texas today ...

LET THE RUMORS COMMENCE!!

[JBatmanFan05]

People now say [Flair]'s held on too long and wrestled way past his prime before his Last Match. But with Flair you saw a man who once told a reporter ..."I love this business. If only I could be half that age again to work now."

Anyone who says that is ridiculous in the sense that many top wrestlers (and sports performers) keep going way past their primes. So many wrestlers probably wish they could wrestle way past their primes, but their doctors (or families, etc) told them they cannot do that and so they didn't.