OORick
Intellectual Savior of the Masses 
Posts 3403
Registered 12-27-2001 Location - The Birthplace of Aviation Member Is Offline Mood: Flyered Up
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| posted on 1-4-2016 at 03:16 AM |
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OOfficial Discussion: SmackDown 2016
New year, so let's get a fresh thread going for SmackDown....
It's extra appropriate, as WWE is revamping SD starting this very week. The first SD of 2016 will also be the first one in its new slot on USA
Network. Word is WWE intends to ramp up the star power, at least to start... and a new look and feel are supposedly coming, too, including new lead
commentator Mauro Ranallo. A good announcer never has any real impact on a bad product, but the SD product tends to be strong on the in-ring elements,
and the fact that Ranallo is being allowed to keep his name MIGHT suggest he'll also be allowed to keep his more legit-sportscaster/play-by-play
vibe, too, which wouldn't suck.
It's a lock that WWE will announce more definitive details on Monday night, because for now, the hype seems to consist of "John Cena will be
there." Which is nice. But vague....
We'll fill in the holes before Thursday, though....
Rick
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Paddlefoot
Rocco Rock of Jabroni  
Posts 5548
Registered 1-19-2008 Location in my safe space, damn you! Member Is Offline Mood: obsolete aryan
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| posted on 1-7-2016 at 04:14 AM |
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Suggestion: never ever have a TV show in Laredo again because if the crowd isn't going to pop for an opening match between ADR and Kallisto
that's introduced by Juan Cena then they're not going to pop for anyone. And that language barrier isn't an excuse. That was
seriously the deadest WWE audience I've seen in a long time.
You are a bastard. A daughter-fucking wildling bastard.
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Count Zero
Man of a Thousand Holds 
Posts 1125
Registered 1-29-2013 Location Canada East Member Is Offline Mood: splitting brandache
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| posted on 1-7-2016 at 10:36 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Paddlefoot
Suggestion: never ever have a TV show in Laredo again because if the crowd isn't going to pop for an opening match between ADR and Kallisto
that's introduced by Juan Cena then they're not going to pop for anyone. And that language barrier isn't an excuse. That was
seriously the deadest WWE audience I've seen in a long time.
San Antonio shat the bed too, on Monday... And Nashville was pretty meh-lukewarm the last time I remember them being in Music City. Is there some
kinda "problem" with WWE south of the whatever-line? I'm not really trying to imply anything. Just wondering if they've caught on to
something before the "smarky" audiences, or if they really are just sitting on their hands, or what..  
Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three's company?
...waitaminute..
quote:
Originally posted by OORick
Ranallo is being allowed to keep his name MIGHT suggest he'll also be allowed to keep his more legit-sportscaster/play-by-play vibe, too, which
wouldn't suck.
Rick
This is why I =don't= like him, I think. He sounds like Just Another Sportsball Guy at best. Wrestling is better without
"legit-sportscaster" voices: Jim Ross, for example. Yes I know he casted real-sports, but Good Ol' JR was =not= that persona. Gorilla
Monsoon had a "pseudo-realistic" style, with his use of anatomical jargon, but was just as much a character as The Brain was.
If you bring in a "serious sportscaster" to play the face, the Absurd Heel Commentator rants get even more ridiculously awkward than they already
are. About the only good "serious commentary team" I can think of is the one-time magical Cole & Tazz. Cole was a "serious" reporter who
didn't sound like Every Other Sportsball Guy, and Tazz kept his crazy-heelness within the realm of plausibility (for the most part), choosing to
focus on motivations of people and wrestling-theory/anatomy/etc.
[Edited on 1-7-2016 by Count Zero]
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Nobledictator1278
And I am AWESOME
Posts 238
Registered 4-9-2013 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 1-8-2016 at 02:15 AM |
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I don't think wrestlers size is that big of a deal for me.....with that said...I can't buy Kalisto as a singles wrestler.
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Nobledictator1278
And I am AWESOME
Posts 238
Registered 4-9-2013 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 1-8-2016 at 02:21 AM |
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This new announcer, I can't tell if he is the problem...or the color commentaries they have with him doesn't fit. But it feels like Im
listening to two different presentations
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lz4005
Man of a Thousand Holds 
Posts 1331
Registered 11-12-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: Oolitic
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| posted on 1-8-2016 at 02:26 AM |
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I like the new guy. He makes it sound like sports.
They'll find their rhythm in working together soon enough.
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anglefan85
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1015
Registered 12-6-2005 Location Long Island, New York Member Is Offline Mood: Relaxed
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| posted on 1-8-2016 at 03:22 AM |
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Thus far, I am very impressed with Mauro's work. Calls moves properly, talks about the backgrounds of the wrestlers, and just now showed
absolute disgust at Charlotte cheating to win.
The WWE: Where no one wins, unless you like Cena, in which case you are a sad little fanboy who will never get laid, but we are happy to take your
money away-Moosehead Jack
"She is an estrogen molotov cocktail. It'd be in your best interest not to piss her off."- My thoughts on Firewoman
"Kurt Angle is like a living vortex of the surreal. On the off chance he's not doing, saying or thinking crazy things, people connected to him
act crazy by association, caught in the gravitational pull of his insanity."- Ringout from FAN Forums
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merc
Showstopper 
Posts 927
Registered 2-23-2006 Location New England Member Is Offline Mood: Where's MiCasa?
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| posted on 1-8-2016 at 04:06 AM |
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Pre commercial on theDivas match was pretty sloppy. Telegraphing everything....or maybe it was more like slow motion. Either way, Not exactly
revolution inspiring...
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Paddlefoot
Rocco Rock of Jabroni
Posts 5548
Registered 1-19-2008 Location in my safe space, damn you! Member Is Offline Mood: obsolete aryan
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| posted on 1-8-2016 at 04:25 AM |
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I'm starting to believe that the Flair name, and the opportunity for WWE to exploit it, is the primary reason Charlotte is the champ right now.
There's worse out there to be sure but, compared to the other NXT call-ups (Becks/Sasha/Paige) of the last couple of years and to the ones that
were there before (Nikki/Nattie/Naomi), Charlotte's really kind of underwhelming. She's not inept on the basics or overly sloppy but
there's something dull in her performance and a half-tick or so off in her timing. Most of her matches since she have arrived have been just
plain messy. There's no way Becky wasn't by far the better performer in the last two matches they had. Shows something when that the dead
crowd in Laredo only picked up a bit was when Becky had the momentum and was tossing Charlotte around.
You are a bastard. A daughter-fucking wildling bastard.
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lz4005
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1331
Registered 11-12-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: Oolitic
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| posted on 1-8-2016 at 05:00 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by merc
Pre commercial on theDivas match was pretty sloppy. Telegraphing everything....or maybe it was more like slow motion. Either way, Not exactly
revolution inspiring...
That's what I thought about their match on Monday. All of Charlotte's punches were super slow mo.
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punkerhardcore
American Dream 
Posts 7679
Registered 7-16-2005 Member Is Offline Mood: Lickable
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| posted on 1-8-2016 at 09:45 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by anglefan85
Thus far, I am very impressed with Mauro's work. Calls moves properly, talks about the backgrounds of the wrestlers, and just now showed
absolute disgust at Charlotte cheating to win.
The only gripe I had with him-- and maybe this is a minor thing to some, but kept bugging me-- was the way he kept using full titles too much. He
didn't need to keep saying, "this match is for the WWE Divas Championship" when just "Divas Championship" would do. Or even worse, "WWE
Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose goes for the pin!" When just "Ambrose goes for the pin" would do. Again, probably a minor thing for some,
but it was chapping my ass a bit.
Also, I loved how Mauro tried to pepper in some history, and talk about calling Lynch's matches in Vancouver when she was only 18... only for
King to say he didn't care about any of that and only WWE stuff counts. Good fucking job, Lawler.
Is everyone mad here?
Of course they are, and you are too... otherwise, you wouldn't have come here.
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Frank Lloyd Wright
Man of a Thousand Holds 
Posts 1586
Registered 10-2-2007 Location Fallingwater Member Is Offline Mood: Megalomaniac
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| posted on 1-8-2016 at 04:11 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by punkerhardcore
Also, I loved how Mauro tried to pepper in some history, and talk about calling Lynch's matches in Vancouver when she was only 18... only for
King to say he didn't care about any of that and only WWE stuff counts. Good fucking job, Lawler.
I don't think we need to worry too much about Lawler and his idiocy. The writing is on the wall that he is being phased out. Fucker
hasn't been passably good in over a decade.
Anything is better than having to listen to Michael Cole. Mauro is going to be fine. I'm just not a big fan of fake radio voice guy, and
unfortunately I think he falls into that category.
I have two ambitions in life: one is to drink every pub dry, the other is to sleep with every woman on earth -- Oliver Reed
American architect, interior designer, writer, educator, and wrestling fan.
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OORick
Intellectual Savior of the Masses
Posts 3403
Registered 12-27-2001 Location - The Birthplace of Aviation Member Is Offline Mood: Flyered Up
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| posted on 1-9-2016 at 12:04 AM |
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Mostly liked how Ranallo began his transition over to pro wrestling... I didn't get him putting on a "fake radio voice" as much as he's
just a dude with those pipes, and when he gets excited, he gets loud.
The always-using-full-names-of-titles and stuff can probably be toned down for a slightly more natural/conversational style. That said, I get why he
did what he did when Ambrose seemed like he was about to win.... for a "big game feel," you always have a bigger, situation-specific call. All
announcers have a little signature way of declaring a regular season game is over, but when there's something on the line, it's always
"And ladies and gentlemen, the Kansas City Royals are the 2015 World Champions of Major League Baseball!!!!!"
Now, we can debate whether a random IC Title match on a free TV show is the same as the world series, or not, but I think my point is as long as
it's a selective thing, it'll be fine.
And surely I'm not the only one who thought it was pretty clear that Lawler was going out of his way to play more of an old-school heel, am I?
Old school super-straight-laced PBP guy, so a conscious move for Lawler to adapt, too. Than again, I also agree that Lawler's not adding much
value at this point, and whatever you need out of color commentary, Saxton can do just fine with it.
The only bit of sloppiness I got in the women's match (well, only bit bad enough to actually gripe about it) was Charlotte's take down and
mount-and-punch right before the ad break. There were other bits that were slower, but not so much the moves were in slo-mo as Charlotte was slowing
things down to taunt the crowd and so forth. I liked the match fine.
Same with Kalisto/ADR: not a barn burner, but if "styles make matches" (tm, JBL), then Kalisto/ADR will always work pretty well for the same reason
Mysterio/JBL did... they just barely tied Kalisto's win to Cena's presence for it be be plenty believable, and in so doing, they'll
squeeze a mini-feud out of the two until they can figure out what the hell to do now that Cena's gone.
But the show really shined with the 8-man and the Ambrose/Owens match. The MizTV set-up (with everybody positioning themselves for the Rumble match)
was funny-but-compelling, and the match itself was very well done. And the IC Main Event is one of those rare cases where it broke down into a cheap
non-finish, but the combination of how good it was BEFORE the count-out and how excited I am for the inevitable NEXT TIME sort of alleviates any
issues.
It doesn't seem like WWE tried to re-invent the wheel for the "new" SmackDown, but they tweaked the formula to include more time spent on
fewer genuinely competitive matches. That beats time spent on a larger number of crappier matches, or time spent on pointless filler, six days a week
and twice on Sundays.
The result: at least for one week, SmackDown gained over a million viewers over its last week on SyFy. Of course, last week was a down week, due to
the holiday. In terms of averages, the show drew almost 3m viewers, up over 500,000 from its 2015 average, which is good; but it's still not a
whole lot better than where SD was drawing in early 2015 for "WrestleMania Season," before a drop off the rest of the year, which isn't so
great.
Rick
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GodEatGod
Showstopper 
Posts 861
Registered 1-14-2004 Location Monroe, LA Member Is Offline Mood: Weird
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| posted on 1-9-2016 at 09:55 PM |
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I loved Ranallo's calling and thought he was a vast improvement. He's really good for big time matches, too - his calls of big title
matches for NJPW were tremendous. I agree that there are chemistry issues with the other members of the announce team, but that's largely
because the other members of the announce team suck.
Ambrose/Owens worked for me because its Ambrose/Owens - my two favorite WWE guys. Their post-match brawl was excellently chaotic and, while I'm
sure it was planned, they made it seem less staged and more in the moment than some of that stuff often comes off in WWE.
I agree about Charlotte being a step behind some of the other new Divas. She has a lot of raw athleticism and power, but her timing's funky. I
think the heel turn will do her good, though, as she can be more aggressive and toss the smaller girls around. She wasn't really believable as
a wholesome goody-goody. Becky, on the other hand, is my favorite Diva, hands down, and maybe Sasha's injury, while crappy, will lead to
opportunities for Becky to shine.
"It is an impressively arrogant move to conclude that just because you don't like something, it is empirically not good. I don't like
Chinese food, but I don't write articles trying to prove it doesn't exist." - Tina Fey
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scott19buckeye
rOOkie
Posts 36
Registered 12-16-2013 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 1-15-2016 at 03:11 AM |
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I'm not too found of his voice (I'm sure I'll get over it)but I like that he calls the match and knows the names of the moves. Last
week he is the first person in awhile to say "Tree of Woe" and I love he called Sheamus' crimson mask "Irish War Paint. I like that Lawler is
trying to be a heal but he sounds like a grumpy old man. I think once Lawler gets back into the groove, it will be better.
What is everyone's thoughts on the Social Outcasts? I am fine with people trying a new gimmick but I'd rather see other people get more
time. Maybe they can add Sandow down the line and give them a little more clout?
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OORick
Intellectual Savior of the Masses
Posts 3403
Registered 12-27-2001 Location - The Birthplace of Aviation Member Is Offline Mood: Flyered Up
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| posted on 1-16-2016 at 12:06 AM |
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This week's SD was another one a lot like last week's.... and if that's to be the regular trend, I'll be a happy The Me.
Generally well paced, we once again got two really, really good matches (ADR/Kalisto and the main event tag)... as a change up, this week featured one
additional decent match and two abbreviated-but-useful tack-ons (the tables match was OK, but well shy of what you'd expect if it were a PPV;
the two others were glorified-squashes-but-in-a-good-way, as they both did a nice job boosting the Social Outcasts and Becky), whereas last week just
featured two other pretty solid matches of respectable length.
To make up for that difference, the opening promo segment this week was WAAAAYYYY stronger than last week's, with Ambrose/Sheamus/Owens all
killing it to set up both the main event tag AND the PPV Last Man Standing Match between Ambrose and Owens.
I don't know that WWE has turned this into destination viewing, or anything, but the last two weeks, when I fired it up on the DVR, I know for a
fact I used way less FF than I had been over the last few months on SyFy...
Rick
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PB-13
Showstopper
Posts 712
Registered 7-27-2002 Location Belleville, IL(near St. Louis) Member Is Offline Mood: No Mood.
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| posted on 1-16-2016 at 01:05 AM |
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Mauro's been around two weeks and he's already my favorite play-by-play guy. I imagine that means he'll get beat up by Sheamus
within a month or so. By contrast, Lawler has gotten into heel-Cole territory...we get it, Kalisto is short. I have to borrow Heyman's old
line from when Lawler was mocking Taz: Coming from a guy that's 5'10" and was on top of his territory for 76 years, that is the most
ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
Disappointed they switched the U.S. Title back so quickly.
Hey, we found Damien Sandow. All right.
-PB
RIP My Friend Mark, 1991-2016
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GodEatGod
Showstopper
Posts 861
Registered 1-14-2004 Location Monroe, LA Member Is Offline Mood: Weird
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| posted on 1-16-2016 at 08:24 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by PB-13
Mauro's been around two weeks and he's already my favorite play-by-play guy. I imagine that means he'll get beat up by Sheamus
within a month or so. By contrast, Lawler has gotten into heel-Cole territory...we get it, Kalisto is short. I have to borrow Heyman's old
line from when Lawler was mocking Taz: Coming from a guy that's 5'10" and was on top of his territory for 76 years, that is the most
ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
Disappointed they switched the U.S. Title back so quickly.
Hey, we found Damien Sandow. All right.
Yeah, I don't know what happened to King. He's mostly been face-ish to neutral on shows for a long time, but this week he went full heel,
esp. on Kalisto, like trying to bury this guy he's a joke level. I already get enough of that crap from JBL. I will continue to agree with the
Mauro love, he's fantastic, I just wish they'd find better people to pair him with.
"It is an impressively arrogant move to conclude that just because you don't like something, it is empirically not good. I don't like
Chinese food, but I don't write articles trying to prove it doesn't exist." - Tina Fey
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First 9
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1818
Registered 1-22-2013 Member Is Offline Mood: Doing the Emma Dance
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| posted on 2-13-2016 at 10:33 PM |
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On the other hand, King's heel commentary on AJ has been pretty compelling. This could have easily been another Cole/Bryan situation but it
isn't. King admits that AJ is good and his problem that everybody else treats AJ like he is great and he hasn't done anything great yet.
The other commentators try to highlight his accomplishments and King snaps pointing out how he won more Championships than anybody else before coming
to WWE and nobody hyped him up like how they hype up AJ. I really like that little dynamic.
I'm really digging the Styles/Jericho feud, if it can evolve into a longer angle this could be the best thing Jerichoes does since 2009.
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cardscott5
Man of a Thousand Holds 
Posts 1182
Registered 6-28-2007 Location wherever god takes me Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 2-14-2016 at 07:44 PM |
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I'm into Jericho/Styles as well. I thought their match on SD was very good. I hope they continue with a big blowoff match either at Fastlane.
The thing that I like the most is that it's a personal feud of who's the best, while each man is getting insanely vicious, especially
Jericho. 2 out of 3 falls should absolutely happen.
Visit my site: www.BearcatsBlog.com
Follow me on twitter if you want, @Cardscott5. Also @BearcatsBlog. Pretend to care.
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the goon
Sister Act
Posts 5712
Registered 3-13-2004 Location Charlotte, NC Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 2-28-2016 at 07:01 AM |
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This week's episode may have given us some clues as far as unannounced WrestleMania matches are concerned. It looks like Jericho/AJ vs New Day
could become a thing (even though I read on one of the gossip sites that the original plan of Jericho turning on AJ has now switched to AJ turning on
Jericho, so who knows if they make it to WrestleMania as a team or not) and Kevin Owens got a count-out win over the Big Show, so I'm wondering
if that will turn into a WrestleMania match between the two.
I would be okay with both of these matches if they happened (Owens/Show was some nice, slobberknockery fun while it lasted), even though I'd
kind of prefer to see AJ involved in something a little more high-profile than sharing the spotlight with Y2J and wrestling for the tag team titles.
Nash is only a few inches bigger than JBL and depending on how stiff he gets Punk should be able to take it. -JB King, meant in a totally non-sexual
way
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CM Crunk
Man of a Thousand Holds 
Posts 1107
Registered 7-20-2011 Location The Coachella Valley, California Member Is Offline Mood: Tres Comas
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| posted on 2-29-2016 at 01:08 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by the goon
...Kevin Owens got a count-out win over the Big Show, so I'm wondering if that will turn into a WrestleMania match between the two...
Congratulations, you found a way for me to not look forward to whatever Kevin Owens is doing in his Wrestlemania debut.
You are the vulgarian, you fuck!
Follow my shallow rambling witticisms @WatkinsAGoGo on The Twatters
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the goon
Sister Act
Posts 5712
Registered 3-13-2004 Location Charlotte, NC Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 2-29-2016 at 02:17 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by CM Crunk
quote:
Originally posted by the goon
...Kevin Owens got a count-out win over the Big Show, so I'm wondering if that will turn into a WrestleMania match between the two...
Congratulations, you found a way for me to not look forward to whatever Kevin Owens is doing in his Wrestlemania debut.
Eh, I'd be okay with Owens/Show if it happened. It wouldn't be my first choice for Owens, but they seemed to click well both in the ring
and during their backstage segment (it was fun seeing Owens paired up against someone twice his size and not being able to get away with his usual
asshole/arrogance schtick) and it would at least give Owens a main-eventer/former WWE champion to feud with.
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Count Zero
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1125
Registered 1-29-2013 Location Canada East Member Is Offline Mood: splitting brandache
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| posted on 2-29-2016 at 02:53 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by the goon
Eh, I'd be okay with Owens/Show if it happened. It wouldn't be my first choice for Owens, but they seemed to click well both in the ring
and during their backstage segment (it was fun seeing Owens paired up against someone twice his size and not being able to get away with his usual
asshole/arrogance schtick) and it would at least give Owens a main-eventer/former WWE champion to feud with.
In addition to the
forced-humility part of the size difference, it gives us a chance to see KO bump around like a spot-monkey on crack. He'd be the "small guy"
in the ring, and I'd like to see him go to work selling the hell out of Show's Giant Offense.
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CM Crunk
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1107
Registered 7-20-2011 Location The Coachella Valley, California Member Is Offline Mood: Tres Comas
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| posted on 2-29-2016 at 06:30 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Count Zero
quote:
Originally posted by the goon
Eh, I'd be okay with Owens/Show if it happened. It wouldn't be my first choice for Owens, but they seemed to click well both in the ring
and during their backstage segment (it was fun seeing Owens paired up against someone twice his size and not being able to get away with his usual
asshole/arrogance schtick) and it would at least give Owens a main-eventer/former WWE champion to feud with.
In addition to the
forced-humility part of the size difference, it gives us a chance to see KO bump around like a spot-monkey on crack. He'd be the "small guy"
in the ring, and I'd like to see him go to work selling the hell out of Show's Giant Offense.
Eh, you guys are both probably right. I havent really gotten into the habit of making Smackdown a priority yet so I haven't witnessed their
chemistry together. I could see it working out well enough, I just have a nasty habit of immediately poo-pooing anything Big Show-related. Which is
weird because I genuinely like the guy but the character just brings out nothing but apathy in me.
You are the vulgarian, you fuck!
Follow my shallow rambling witticisms @WatkinsAGoGo on The Twatters
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