wrestling The Big Wrestling Thread!

[Rappy Veteran]

Cena vs Batista will suck but Bret vs Vinny Mac would be awesome and I would pay to see WM for just that!

[LOC Veteran]

I really hope they can get The Rock for one match at WM against Cena. I think it would be really epic, though they'd have to put Cena over since The Rock just can't go over at this point anymore (storyline wise strickly speaking of course).

And I just don't know how much Bret Hart can do bump wise in the ring. I'd hate to see him take a bump and be seriously hurt or paralysied or something :(

[Rappy Veteran]

I would highly doubt they would put him in there knowing one bad hit could do serious damage...the question is really would he want to get in there?

[Rappy Veteran]

James Roday and Dule Hill, stars of the USA Network original hit series, Psych, will guest host the January 25, 2010 edition of Monday Night RAW in Columbus, Ohio. The WWE website made the following announcement yesterday: Jan. 25, 2010: James Roday & Dule Hill Two days before their USA Network original hit series, Psych, returns for its winter season, stars James Roday & Dule Hill will be the special guest hosts of Raw from Columbus, Ohio. Then, on Jan. 27, John Cena will join Roday & Hill on the "You Can't Handle This Episode" season four continuation show on it's new night, Wednesday, at 10/9 CT. For more on Roday, Hill and Pysch, visit USANetwork.com.

[timster]

BEFORE A SINGLE SHOT IS FIRED

Not to be negative (ahem), but TNA?s Monday launch looks dead in the water for reasons that should be fairly obvious.

WWE has Bret Hart. One of the promotion?s legendary figures returns. Hart has been absent for over 12 years. He left under the worst possible terms. What will it be like when Vince McMahon and Hart face off for the first time since the Montreal Screwjob? THIS IS PERSONAL, KING!

OK, I?m sold. As for TNA?

Well, Hulk Hogan will be there. OK, in what context? What scores does he have to settle? Will he wrestle? Will he walk without a limp? Will Brooke be there? Will she sing? Will Hulk rub her ass? Will Brian Knobs be there? Jimmy Hart? Brutus Beefcake? That no-good cradle-robbing wife?

Er, I don?t know. All we know is that Hogan will be there. Questions regarding his return to, uh, mainstream wrestling remain unasked, perhaps because TNA doesn?t know the answers and we don?t want to.

But Hogan will be there. That?s the extent of TNA?s promotion for the re-ignition of the Monday night wars.

I?m watching WWE

TNA might deliver some surprises. But surprises don?t pop numbers unless you can deliver them every week and they?re consistently compelling, an almost impossible scenario even under the best of circumstances.

To out-promote WWE for Monday night, TNA needed to promote, for weeks, the galaxy of stars that would be arriving. Not just Hogan, but Ric Flair, Scott Hall, Sean Waltman, Mr. Kennedy, Rob Van Dam, Jeff Hardy, whoever the heck it is TNA expects to trot out there Monday.

Will the Impact Zone go bonkers when Flair?s music hits? Absolutely. But what if Vince and Bret are nose-to-nose at the time?

The wrestling world is waiting for Hart?s return. It hasn?t been waiting for Hogan?s return. Personally, I?ve been dreading it. TNA needed to push Monday as the company?s rebirth. The return of Hogan isn?t enough. If TNA wasn?t organized enough to get Flair, Hall, Waltman, etc., committed in advance, shame on TNA. The stakes are too high for procrastination. (If TNA is afraid Hall and Waltman won?t show, THAT I understand.)

TNA?s own attitude toward Monday night is also a handicap. There?s no discernible long-term commitment to going head-to-head with Raw. There has to be. Monday?s TNA show won?t beat Raw. It?ll be lucky to do a 1.5.

That?s OK. Rome wasn?t built in a day, and it took a while for Nitro to consistently overtake Raw. If you?re prepared to lose, you?re prepared to build. All TNA appears prepared to do is cut its losses at the first sign of trouble. TNA is raising a white flag before a single shot is fired.

Eric Bischoff is TNA?s ace in the hole. He has experience and confidence when it comes to competing with WWE. But Bischoff doesn?t have Turner Broadcasting?s checkbook. He doesn?t have the circumstances McMahon provided him on a silver platter when he let the contracts of several key WWE figures run out in a fashion akin to dominos falling. He doesn?t have the existing platform of a successful TV show. He has a lot of the key players from the nWo, but they?re 13 years older. His head writer has an antagonistic relationship with the man perceived as his top star.

It?s just not the same. When Nitro debuted in 1995, you could see a window. When the nWo invaded in 1996, you could see a window.

I just don?t see a window for TNA to compete. Never mind talent and resources, which TNA scandalously lacks ? where?s the window?

Ask this when all the ?surprises? debut on TNA?s program: What?s their value? Do Flair and Hogan go beyond nostalgia? Is Van Dam really a big star? What time do Hall and Waltman have to be back at Hazelden? What?s the plan? When will the plan take shape? Is there a plan?

I?m not sure there is. I certainly see no evidence thereof.

Success is wrestling is based on planning, promoting and executing. WWE signs Hart, works out a storyline, promotes his arrival and executes. TNA signed Hogan, and he?s going to be on TV, but what?s he going to do? What issues does he face? Give me a reason to watch.

TNA hasn?t. WWE has.

Mark Madden can be reached at [email protected].

I agree with Mr. Madden.

WWE has Bret Hart, who won't take the whole show for himself and who fans actually want to see. TNA has Hogan for the whole 3 hours ... probably 1 hour of wrestling then another hour of Hogan promos about 20 minutes of Hogan telling everyone of how he came to "save" TNA and he'll introduce all his old nwo/dinosaur buddies leaving the rest of the wrestling to contemplate requesting their release.

TNA will need to drink their milk, take the vitamins and say some prayers cause Hogan and Bischoff will most likely make viewers sick.

Don't get me wrong, TNA does have talented performers, it's just that Dixie Carter pretty much ****ed the roster by signing the power hungry bald limping steroid and the karate kid

Edited January 3, 2010 by timster

[Rappy Veteran]

I agree with Mr. Madden.

WWE has Bret Hart, who can actually speak the English language. TNA has Hogan brotha! they also have just a bunch of old drunks.

TNA will need to drink their milk, take the vitamins and say some prayers cause Hogan and Bischoff will most likely make viewers sick.

Don't get me wrong, TNA does have talented performers, it's just that Dixie Carter pretty much ****ed the roster by signing the power hungry bald limping steroid and the karate kid

haha erics karate phase in WCW was for the lolz

[sava700]

Vince would be highly smart to get Stone Cold back in for a few months even if he's just walking around talking trash..it brings ratings up. Getting The Rock to show up for a match against Cena will have to entail at least a few months of showing up talking smack, knocking a few heads around and so on to retain the ratings and work up a script. The issue I'm having here is DX has gotten soft, I don't mind HS getting involved as a "mini me " member of DX but ya gotta get someone else in the group and they gotta start doing some funny things to people outside the ring like they used to. People won't keep coming around just for free glow sticks and will at some point get bored by it.

[truba11a]

did anyone notice the intro change of wwe? it used to say "hulkamania is running wild" but now it says "everyone has a price" (ted dibase sr)

[iamawesomewicked]

I think TNA has a lot of surprises.. but Bret Hart is probably the most well known name in wrestling.

[Rappy Veteran]

I think TNA has a lot of surprises.. but Bret Hart is probably the most well known name in wrestling.

yeah but are TNA surprises actually good :p, I will be interested to see what occurs monday in the first of the new monday night wars!

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

There is one reason Brett will not fight: insurance. Risk is high and it's a business. Simple as!

[iamawesomewicked]

yeah but are TNA surprises actually good :p, I will be interested to see what occurs monday in the first of the new monday night wars!

NWO apparently is what they have in store.. who knows though.

[Rappy Veteran]

NWO apparently is what they have in store.. who knows though.

yeah but remember when the NWO were cool and hip now its full of washed up wrestlers who have had countless problems with drinks and drugs...imo its not the same but as I said it helps there's competition makes the WWE product better.

[timster]

yeah but are TNA surprises actually good :p, I will be interested to see what occurs monday in the first of the new monday night wars!

TNA has a really long ladder to climb until they can even be considered competition. In other words, the monday night wars are a long ways away

As for any surprises .. a lot of them have included has-beens or guys coming from WWE. In some cases, has-beens from WWE. I guess on Monday, it will be the washups from the WWE/WCW

on another note, legends know when to hang it up and let others have the spotlight. Sting falls into the category of a legend, imo

Edited January 3, 2010 by timster

[Victor Rambo]

Triple H Reportedly Wants Bret Hart's WWE Return To Fail

Regarding Shawn Michaels' outlook on real-life rival Bret Hart returning to World Wrestling Entertainment, he is said to be happy that the "Hitman" is coming back and is more than willing to bury whatever hatchet there is between them.

On the flip side, Triple H has been telling people he doesn't want Hart back in WWE and that he hopes his return to the company fails. Considering that his wife, Stephanie McMahon-Levesque, is head of creative in the company, it would appear that Vince McMahon may have to overrule his daughter and son-in-law if his storyline with Hart is to be a success. Providing things go well, a Hart vs. McMahon blow-off will be taking place at WrestleMania.

Hart's animosity towards Michaels and Hunter can summed up in a few sentences in his 2007 autobiography release as he concluded Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling by saying he'll never forgive either two for "killing the business" that so many people gave their lives for.

"When I got into the business, wrestling was all about trust and respect, and doing the honours meant something. I'll never forgive Shawn, or Hunter, for killing the business that so many of us gave our lives for," Hart wrote. "Although pro wrestling will never truly die, but always morph into something else, the business that I knew and loved and gave all I had to is dead and gone forever."

Hart criticized Michaels further in his book's afterword, notably calling him "a phony, liar and a hairless yellow dog."

"Shawn Michaels found religion and settled down with an ex-Nitro girl. Over time he seemed to have convinced himself that it was me who screwed him over at Survivor Series. To me, Shawn will always be a phony, liar and a hairless yellow dog." Hart continued, "The difference between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels is that I'd have never done to him, or to any of the boys, what he did to me."

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

HHH can suck it!

[timster]

WWE RAW

From: Dayton, Ohio

Guest Host: Bret Hart

Matches:

--Randy Orton vs. Kofi Kingston

--D-Generation X © vs. JeriShow (Unified Tag-Titles)

Spoilers:

--John Cena to miss the show due to Fiesta Bowl.

--Hart Dynasty has been called to appear on RAW this Monday.

--Melina likely to drop Divas title, possibly to Maryse.

finally, a Raw without John Cena

[Rappy Veteran]

:D

[LOC Veteran]

As for Shawn Michaels, if anyone was going to forgive out of that lot it would be Bret forgiving Shawn. Let's not forget Shawn is a Born Again Christian and takes his faith and respect and all that good stuff very seriously and very close to his heart now. I'm sure he'd literally be more than willing to apologise for the screwjob in Montreal at this point.

HHH, no. He's still the same old HHH. Except he has POWER now (more than he did when he was in the cliq at any rate) and can dictate things now. I don't really see why he'd want Bret's return to fail, as if would be good for the company if it didn't. Unless he hates Bret more than Bret hated Shawn?

[Rappy Veteran]

:D

you know looking at that, the title belt used to be bad ass no spinny bs

[Loso]

that belt was great.

ill be anxious to see Scott Hall & X-Pac on tna tonight, if the rumors are true.

[LOC Veteran]

The rumors are true, at least with Scott Hall. But man, it's time for him to get serious. If he's EVER gonna have one more big run in any company he needs to straighten his crap out (and lose some weight to, omg he looks so bloated!).

And Hogan can hardly walk right now, so don't expect him to be wrestling anytime soon. Or at all really lol

[Loso]

i wouldnt want to see hogan wrestle anymore. they were talking about bringing the band back together. they ant use the NWO name but they main players are there. Steiner is there too

[Rappy Veteran]

it just wont be the same when NWO used to kick off Nitro and just stand in the ring and people would throw pepsi cans and food at them...epic times!

[LOC Veteran]

it just wont be the same when NWO used to kick off Nitro and just stand in the ring and people would throw pepsi cans and food at them...epic times!

Heh, what about when Hogan turned and joined Hall and Nash? My lord I thought the people were going to riot and kill them. You gotta figure Hogan and Bischoff and anyone else who came up with Hogan going heel had to know it was going to upset people (and I mean that literally lol) and had to have big balls to do it.

Like that one match in ECW with I think Foley and Terry Funk when the crowd started throwing in the steel chairs, omgz.