Yeah, with the pre-show, 7 or 8 freaking hours. Vince loves him those packed, long shows. I’m amazed the audience held out that long.
I had to take a number of breaks myself, even being at home. Missed a couple of matches making dinner and doing other things.
Asuka - YES, I thought the same thing. I thought she screamed “SHUT IT!” and I think the crowd did too. She’s been with NXT/WWE for two years now and doesn’t seem to be making a lot of progress learning English.
But Asuka’s streak was always meant to end at Wrestlemania, so I’m not upset about it. I did call them not pulling the trigger on Nakamura and yes, I do think that some of this is Vince’s known bias against Japanese people.
I think WWE needs to break up that long 7-8 hour Let’s Exhaust Our Viewers Fest into more smaller windows over the course of the weekend. But OTOH, they’re already exhausting everyone with 5 days of events in a row.
Hell, they should even take the following week off every year and just show highlights from all the shows and Axxess stuff. Not like, today and tomorrow, immediately after Wrestlemania, but like next week. Give everyone but the production staff a week off to rest up and heal.
Thursday Evening: Hall of Fame Ceremony
Friday Evening: Takeover
Saturday Evening: Wrestlemania Part I
Sunday Evening: Wrestlemania Part II
My initial thoughts would be to do 2 Smackdown and 2 Raw titles each show, though a case could be made a Smackdown and Raw show, with the group matches split up. Could WWE sell out Superdome-sized venues two nights in a row? I don’t know, but I’d like to think yes.
Asuka’s English is atrocious. For all I can tell, she may just be learning what to say phonetically, not understanding much. Nakamura’s isn’t much better, but I think he understands more English. They both need managers. I don’t get Vinnie Mac/Dunn hatred of managers (besides having to cut another paycheck), but managers help. Just look at how Heyman has boosted Lesnar, and how Ellering helps AoP. They don’t need to return to every rising heel star having a manager, but having some managers would be a boost for those who aren’t naturals on the mic (or who can’t speak English).
Brock has re-signed with WWE. No word on the length of contract but his next title defense will be in Saudi Arabia against Reigns.
There was some sort of confrontation between Brock and Vince in gorilla after last night’s match. Details are scarce at the moment, but apparently Vince was pissed at Brock for going off script at the end of the match. Brock either threw the Universal Title at Vince, or against the wall/on the floor. No word on if the belt was damaged.
Dang, all these fans getting bent out about a kid being Braun’s partner need to get a drip. WWE does comedy and child friendly spots all the time. At multiple points in your career, you are going to be called on to play a cartoonish villain or fool.
And no shit he was a plant. You don’t think they have all the insurance, legal papers and releases signed and notarized before they put a kid next to the ring?
Nicholas didn’t trigger my piss meter. It’s part of Braun’s meta personality to destroy shit and do what he’s not supposed to do. He’s like Stove Cold Steve Austin crossed with Paul Bunyan. I’m waiting for the day when he finally flips the ring over.
I was still laughing over the Mardi Gras heads running from him in fear. I don’t expect a technical wrestling fest when Braun comes out.
Oooh! Ember Moon is on RAM! I expect AoP to show up as well.
For all intents and purposes, Takeover already is “WrestleMania Part I.” You might as well have a Raw WrestleMania and a Smackdown WrestleMania if you’re going to split it into two nights. On top of everything else, you try convincing the wrestlers who have to wrestle on the WWE equivalent of the Creative Arts Emmys that it’s not a depush.
It still diminishes the title. Maybe - maybe - not to David Arquette level, but it still leaves a mark on its history.
Assuming…and it’s a big assumption…that they could fill the Superdome on consecutive nights, it shouldn’t be an issue. Gate receipts should matter more than which night. What would be an issue if it was always Raw on Sunday, or the Raw Men’s and Women’s championship on Sunday, if they went that with split shows. It certainly isn’t a perfect solution, but it’s perhaps a better solution than a 7-hour show.
While I totally expected a heel turn during Owens/Zayn vs. McMahon/Bryan, it is good they didn’t go that way because of the Nakamura turn, which was more surprising, at least to me. I liked it, as I was getting tired of all the hugging at the end of matches.
No links, but today is a great day for kayfabe and self-awareness.
WWE put out an official release statement on Nicolaus and wishes him well on his future endeavors and Impact tweeted that they received a box of donuts at their offices with some resumes because “apparently we’re the company everyone wants to work for.”
That’s just fantastic.
Also, a shout-out to Kurt Angle for that wicked burn and actually referencing TNA on air by name. That has to be the first time right? Outside of random things like documentaries and AJ on Talking Smack?
TNA? The outfit that pays $3.50 and a ham sandwich if you work a taping? And the check is made out in Argentinian pesos from a closed account connected to someone who hasn’t worked there in five years?
Speaking of TNA/Impact, Alberto El Patron no-showed the Impact vs Lucha Underground event (to the collective shock of just about nobody) and has since been fired by Impact. So they are indeed hiring, given that they had him planned for a world title bout with Austin Aries at their next PPV.
Have seen some reports that it’s likely to end up being Aries vs Fenix vs Penta, which would be a huge upgrade.
I like heel Nakamura. He’s a departure from the usual heel persona that’s always belligerent and complaining. Nak had that “fuck with your head” outlook in NXT, acting like he’s lost and doesn’t understand what’s going on, but then coming up with an unexpected zinger. In response to Renee asking him why he attacked AJS, he looks thoughtful, then says “No speak Engrish.”
Carmella’s similar to Alexa in that she may not be as technically gifted as Charlotte (who is really?) but she makes up for it with pure bitchiness. After winning the belt and acting like she was going backstage, she kept running back to the ring and taunting Charlotte. She’s going to be the sissy heel champion who always begs for mercy and squeals like she’s being murdered.
So, now its a near clean sweep. All new champions over the space of four days except for the NXT tag titles, which still resulted in a different team holding the belts.
Would you rather Asuka’s first world title reign be for one day?
And I don’t see Charlotte going to Raw any time soon if Rousey is there, if the rumors of having them wrestle at next year’s WM are true. There are already too many opportunities before then for them to meet (SummerSlam; Survivor Series; Royal Rumble); they don’t need to add every Raw whatever-it-is-PPVs-are-called-now to the list.