Wrestling WWE IX: A Solid B+

[Legato]

Having said that, Battleground is such an obvious filler show.

Which is why, at least, it wouldn't hurt the E if it's just Battleground that got cut. Just use the majority of July to build to Summerslam

[Alex L]

oh please

even at 8 PPVs, anyone who has the Network is still getting a damn good value

but alex makes a good point, if you have to make deep cuts, I could see Superstars and Main Event possibly getting tabled for a bit

But those shows basically cost nothing to produce, right? They're taped pre-RAW and pre-SD so everything's already set up and ready to go.

[titanfan]

But those shows basically cost nothing to produce, right? They're taped pre-RAW and pre-SD so everything's already set up and ready to go.

And they have international contracts for those shows.

NXT could see some production cuts though.

[clayholio]

But they don't all have to look like models.
Bray wyatt is more over than 90% of the roster, and none of the women but AJ are over at all.

Foxy is kinda over. At least her antics are. That's a start.

Adam Rose was only under that gimmick for a month and he was going to stop being over just like Adrian English, it was an entrance, he was destined to not get over. They have been trying and homeboy ain't getting over.
Emma was given the gimmick she had in NXT under the assumption it would work, with them ignoring it DIDN'T work in NXT, it was built over a period of time and then got over. They started off with it and gave up on her after 3 weeks when she wasn't over.
Bray obviously has done fine.
Paige you might have a case for, she was booked weak since she came up. All she can do well is wrestle and she doesn't wrestle much.
Bo Dallas is doing better than expected
The shield guys are all developmental guys, they have been fine.

HHH isn't going to let over acts get buried, and you haven't seen that happen. Dunn can just talk to vince, he doesn't write stories or push people, just suggests.
BTW, the last person he wanted pushed was Alicia fox, she stopped being over after 3 weeks. I assume she stopped being over because the after match stuff went too long. Guess who probably suggested that stuff go longer?

I still don't know what was wrong with Leo Kruger. The Adam Rose deal is funny enough, but I think it's more of an excuse to call him up, watch him fail, and then release him. The Kruger character maybe could have worked, but he'd already been in developmental for like four years before they stumbled on the Adam Rose stuff.

Xavier Woods has been a big mess, but I don't even know who to blame that on. And I don't know that he was really that popular in NXT, either. Emma's whole deal still hasn't been explained at all (kinda like Paige). I mean, if you can air like four months of promo videos for Los Matadores, maybe find some time to explain who Paige, Xavier, and Emma are along the way. Especially when you're dealing with faces, who you are theoretically supposed to identify with and root for, it would help to know something about them.

oh please

even at 8 PPVs, anyone who has the Network is still getting a damn good value

but alex makes a good point, if you have to make deep cuts, I could see Superstars and Main Event possibly getting tabled for a bit

I don't think Superstars or Main Event cost much of anything to produce. It's not like they're adding a third night of tapings to get those shows done. And unless they're dropping to one five or six hour taping a week that did both Raw and Smackdown (and killed every audience completely dead every single week), I think ME and Superstars is pretty much free money for WWE right now.

And at this point, I don't think you could exclude any of the PPVs from the Network. You'd have people bailing on both the Network and on ordering PPVs, it would be the worst of both worlds, and would just encourage people to stream stuff illegally.

I think it's more likely they cut back on the WWE films department (unless they hit a string of successes). Even if it's breaking even, big money out, middling profits in.

On a related note, how hard is it for WWE to put together a decent comic book version of their product? I read the first couple of issues of the newest one, and the artist can't nail likenesses to save their life. Even if they just decided not to deal with the direct market at all (and who cares, because I'm sure that the WWE comic isn't selling Batman numbers or anything), and just sold their comics at live events, how are they not printing money with John Cena comics? Honestly, if they can put together and sell programs at the live events, they have the know-how to put together something like an Archie digest that kids could get at the shows.

[HUTHAIFA]

Yeah, I dont see Superstars and Main event costing that much money when they do them at already televised tapings. No extra travel or production equipment, just the hours you have to pay the crew to work that extra time.

Xavier Woods didnt work because they made him the side kick of one luke warm star and the punching bag of another luke warm star.Plus, we too often people are put out there with no story at all. A romantic angle with Naomi or Cameron would have worked, a heel turn by R Truth would have would have been soething. You cant just throw these guys out there with no story to follow.


Adam Rose is a joke character with limited wrestling ability. There is nothing to work with.

As much as I hate people losing their jobs, the WWE has needed to trim the fat for awhile.This is the big time, and when you have trouble coing up with anything for 90% of your roster, then its tie to cut bait and focus on what you perceive is the best of the best and building your bench/future. They could cut about 10-15 more wrestlers/personalities and we would barely notice.

Foxy is kinda over. At least her antics are. That's a start.



I still don't know what was wrong with Leo Kruger. The Adam Rose deal is funny enough, but I think it's more of an excuse to call him up, watch him fail, and then release him. The Kruger character maybe could have worked, but he'd already been in developmental for like four years before they stumbled on the Adam Rose stuff.

Xavier Woods has been a big mess, but I don't even know who to blame that on. And I don't know that he was really that popular in NXT, either. Emma's whole deal still hasn't been explained at all (kinda like Paige). I mean, if you can air like four months of promo videos for Los Matadores, maybe find some time to explain who Paige, Xavier, and Emma are along the way. Especially when you're dealing with faces, who you are theoretically supposed to identify with and root for, it would help to know something about them.



I don't think Superstars or Main Event cost much of anything to produce. It's not like they're adding a third night of tapings to get those shows done. And unless they're dropping to one five or six hour taping a week that did both Raw and Smackdown (and killed every audience completely dead every single week), I think ME and Superstars is pretty much free money for WWE right now.

And at this point, I don't think you could exclude any of the PPVs from the Network. You'd have people bailing on both the Network and on ordering PPVs, it would be the worst of both worlds, and would just encourage people to stream stuff illegally.

I think it's more likely they cut back on the WWE films department (unless they hit a string of successes). Even if it's breaking even, big money out, middling profits in.

On a related note, how hard is it for WWE to put together a decent comic book version of their product? I read the first couple of issues of the newest one, and the artist can't nail likenesses to save their life. Even if they just decided not to deal with the direct market at all (and who cares, because I'm sure that the WWE comic isn't selling Batman numbers or anything), and just sold their comics at live events, how are they not printing money with John Cena comics? Honestly, if they can put together and sell programs at the live events, they have the know-how to put together something like an Archie digest that kids could get at the shows.

[BigLbo]

In other news about people who don't work for wwe, here is a recent picture of chris hero

So, judging from that picture, WWE hasn't called him about coming back.

looks just like before he went to the WWE.

The weirdest thing on the list is that none of these guys have had their best matches with the person they picked except RVD and Rollins.
I imagine Cena would have said Punk if he still worked for the company, those two had amazing chemistry.

i think ziggy had his best match with alberto when they did the double turn.

I agree with Clay in that Emma is a good wrestler. Enough so to be a fairly significant asset to a division provided she brings anything else to the table in terms of speaking or character. (Get her a new gimmick please.) She might have been a needed fresh face in TNA. But otoh it's probably just as well she is staying given how poorly TNA is using their newest Knockout signup Brittany aka Santana Garrett at the moment.

is she not feuding with madi anymore?? i thought she was being used fairly well getting a storyline with madi right off the bat.

So out of patriotism America will even root for losers?

I'm glad for the kayfabe caliber of opponent. However they have plenty of time to mess things up more. Also if Rusev doesn't dominate against Swaggs to the point where Cole can still gloat "Who can stand up to this man?", then booking the feud perhaps will not have been the greatest idea. Even if I like seeing Jack get shine. I just hope Jack gets enough out of it combined with a face turn that it can at least make him a longterm credible midcarder who wins sometimes anyway.

yes.

what ever happens going forward idk, my point was it would be easy to book and would work to make people care. i hope WWE take full advantage and use this to benefit both guys not just the one their hot on at the moment.

NO! I have the Network I get them practically for free now. Hop off with that

that's what i'm saying.

[steve2275]

OR, bring up Enzo Amore and Cass

put those 3 together

realest guys in da room whoo whoo whoo

[BigLbo]

i thought big cass sucked from what i saw in NXT. i barely saw enzo. i should probably start watching again, has sami callihan debuted yet??

[Jadis]

is she not feuding with madi anymore?? i thought she was being used fairly well getting a storyline with madi right off the bat.

But after one newbie special win she is doing nothing but jobbing afaik. Even to ODB. Why job her to someone that goes months without being used?

While I personally doubt it will last for long, it was nice to hear Swagger chants.

[BigLbo]

But after one newbie special win she is doing nothing but jobbing afaik. Even to ODB. Why job her to someone that goes months without being used?

While I personally doubt it will last for long, it was nice to hear Swagger chants.

IDK, i must've missed that, but i think having a storyline is more important than doing a job for ODB. i don't think doing a job for ODB really hurts her anyways as she's a "rookie" and ODB is a vet, was madi not invlved in any way with that match??

[Jadis]

The ODB match was on Xplosion. That is probably why you did not see it.

Also I'm looking ahead via spoilers as they have taped till August already. Unless there is something unreported or I missed, it doesn't look like she will be adding to the win total anytime soon. I thought Santana was one of the better women they could have picked up. I'd fail to see the point of her ending up as another Taeler Hendrix in short order.

[KingEli]

So The whole Emma thing.

Did she find JTG's pics on Vince to get rehired so quickly?

[BigLbo]

The ODB match was on Xplosion. That is probably why you did not see it.

Also I'm looking ahead via spoilers as they have taped till August already. Unless there is something unreported or I missed, it doesn't look like she will be adding to the win total anytime soon. I thought Santana was one of the better women they could have picked up. I'd fail to see the point of her ending up as another Taeler Hendrix in short order.

i can see why she'd job to ODB on xplosion, 1)it doesn't even count and 2)ODB has more fans than her. as far as i can remember hendrix never got any kind of angle going on tv.

[darthjoker]

Picture of the month!!!!

time to repackage Emma

Repo-girl??? LOL

[Vibranium]

do like a hybrid Repo Man/Swiper gimmick