No main roster greatness

You can argue that from a sheer talent perspective, the main roster WWE is as great as its ever been. But that coincides with a distinct lack of main roster MOTYC matches. Most MOTYC under WWE umbrella are NXT or NXTUK. Why is this? Is it the booking sucking drama out of great matches, overexposure of talent?  I mean it’s almost October and I’m thinking Kofi/Bryan is probably the main roster MOTY. Asuka/Becky from the Rumble, Seth/Brock? 

What’s missing?

Overexposure is absolutely a factor, because guys like Rollins are on TV every week doing matches and there's no specialness left for PPV.  I'm not saying everyone needs to be Brock Lesnar, but there's a happy medium.  Also, yes, booking is definitely a factor.  Although I'd probably go with Brock-Seth from Summerslam as the main roster match of the year so far. 

If not Punk who?

 I would think AEW wants to pull all the stops for their first show on TNT. If they pull off a Luger on Nitro moment whos out there anyone would care about not named Punk? (for the record Im putting Punk showing up at 12.754%.

I don't even know if they want to.  Their track record for big surprises thus far hasn't really shown that they want to go in that kind of direction.  We know Punk is acutely aware of expectations because he was trolling people on Twitter before All Out as it is, but he does love money and he does love putting the screws to Vince.  However, a true "Luger moment" would be someone who was just on WWE TV showing up, and Vince is so paranoid about that now that I don't see anyone pulling it off.  Unless they can manage to snag Goldberg or Batista, I guess.  

The SmarK Rant for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling–01.25.86

The SmarK Rant for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling – 01.25.86

Taped from Charlotte, NC

Your hosts are Bob Caudle & Johnny Weaver

Read moreThe SmarK Rant for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling–01.25.86

NXT UK – September 18, 2019

NXT UK
Date: September 18, 2019
Location: Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Cardiff, Wales
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

It’s time to go full British here as Sid Scala faces Kassius Ohno in a British Rounds match. This could make for something interesting while also giving this place a signature match, which it hasn’t had so far. I’m curious to see how WWE runs something like this as it could range from really bad to a pleasant surprise. Let’s get to it.

Read moreNXT UK – September 18, 2019

NXT – September 18, 2019

NXT
Date: September 18, 2019
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Beth Phoenix, Nigel McGuinness

It’s time to make this show live and double the length as well because of course it is. This is the first episode of the anti-AEW defense system and that means we’re in for a stacked show. That would include Velveteen Dream defending the North American Title against Roderick Strong and a street fight between Matt Riddle and Killian Dain. Let’s get to it.

Read moreNXT – September 18, 2019

Kofi

Hey Scott, been reading the posts on Kingston and I do not find his reign to be a failure. I am shocked it's going on six months, I really thought he was going to lose it the next night when he challenged Rollins title for title. I just feel there is a lack of opponents to draw interest. WWE has become all about the chase and the moment of capture. After that, it's as if they shoot blanks. 

Being that Brock beatdown Kofi last night, they should run the same spot for a few weeks, where Kofi keeps telling New Day he has this and sends them away and keeps getting beat down by Brock. Have Kofi drop the title and New Day turn on Kofi as they feel he thought he was better without them. Or run that angle through the Smackdown FOX debut, week after week he keeps sending New Day back and you think they are going to turn, but on the big debut he sends them off and then during the match they return, cause a DQ finish, argue, and then turn on Brock in unison. Brock has essentially 3 challengers, and it makes Kofi interesting. 
The problem with Kofi was that the only way they know how to book babyfaces is by trying to recreate Daniel Bryan, but Bryan was a unique situation where he essentially got over DESPITE their booking.  For me, and of course your mileage may vary, Kofi doesn't have the star power or charisma to carry himself as a top guy World champion, which is why we've had a series of deathly dull midcard title defenses from him that no one particularly remembers or cared about at the time.  He is very much the "B Plus player" that they tagged Bryan as, a good hand in the midcard who is very lucky to have gotten this run, but that's all.  He can happily go back to selling t-shirts and pancake mix or whatever the fuck the New Day is selling this week and continue to have a fruitful career that way.  
Also, I don't see Brock feuding with the New Day on the billion dollar Smackdown show.  Just a hunch.  Now King Corbin, there's the cheddar. 

Wednesday Night Thread

Tonight! NXT debuts on USA! But only in the USA. Canada gets it on tape delay sometime Thursday on the Network. I don’t think it airs live anywhere else in the world either. I’m actually away at my annual work conference on October 2 anyway. SO THERE. Tommy will have all the reviews anyway.

Hockey preseason is underway!

Fox is airing a bunch of Smackdown hype specials leading up to the Oct 4 debut.

Have a great night and enjoy NXT live! Unless you’re not American, in which case you don’t count.

Is Raw the b-show now?



Scott- with Smackdown getting Brock and probably keeping Reigns along with Cole and Graves doing commentary while Raw may even have the 205 live commentary, is Raw now the b-show? Or is it just that smackdown is the new toy?

Smackdown should one hundred percent be the A show now.  No question.  USA is dead without WWE and Fox is worth billions to the bottom line if the show takes off.  Vince should aim all his big guns squarely at Friday because all the creatures of habit watch Raw no matter how shitty it gets anyway. But they’ve got one shot with this Fox deal and can’t blow it.  

What the World Was Watching: Monday Nitro – October 2, 1995

–Eric Bischoff, Bobby Heenan, and Steve McMichael are in the booth and they are live from Denver, Colorado.  According to thehistoryofwwe.com, 9,000 fans attended the show but only 3,000 paid for their tickets.

–Ric Flair grabs Bischoff’s headset and tells fans that he is in Denver to get a piece of Arn Anderson.

Read moreWhat the World Was Watching: Monday Nitro – October 2, 1995

Monday Night Raw – April 18, 2005

Monday Night Raw
Date: April 18, 2005
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
Attendance: 17,258
Commentators: Jonathan Coachman, Jerry Lawler

We’re less than two weeks away from Backlash and that means things are going to start picking up around here, including what should be a big deal with the show taking place in the Garden. Maybe Batista can get some significant time this week, assuming HHH is willing to let the World Champion in on his time. Let’s get to it.

Read moreMonday Night Raw – April 18, 2005

Kofimania Running Mild

Scott,

 

Let’s get down to brass tacks here – they need to get the belt off of Kofi immediately. I know you think Lesnar is squashing him on the FOX debut,
but that might even be too late; they need to get the title off of Kofi before the FOX debut.

 

Right now, they are running ads with Austin, Rock, and Ric Flair promoting the show –  a sad, carny bait & switch tactic which is immediately going
to upset viewers and destroy any good will they might have had when those viewers tune in and see none of those guys; but the only thing that could make it worse is for new/lapsed fans to see the World Champion wearing a unicorn horn on his head and throwing
pancakes into the crowd. You only have one shot to make a first impression on these folks. If I’m a new fan, or someone who hasn’t watched in 10+ years, and the first thing I see on Smackdown is some dude in Sailor Moon cosplay walking around with the World
Title, I’m finding something else to watch and never bothering to give them a chance again.

 

What do you think? Do you believe the World Champion throwing baked goods into the crowd is a good look for the company?


You’re preaching to the choir here.  Although  I think the Fiend would be a better choice than Brock if they want to end the Kofi deal AND make a new main event star in one shot.  

Mike Reviews: ECW Hardcore TV #334 – 18/09/1999

Hello You!

Here we are at the go home show for Anarchy Rulz 99. They’ve announced Taz Vs Masato Tanaka for the ECW Title in decent time ahead of the show at least, but maybe we’ll get some other matches announced as well?

As always, you can read a recap of the previous episode of ECW on TNN from Mr. Scott Keith by clicking right HERE!

So with all that dealt with, lets relax into our blood encrusted slippers and once again take things to The Extreme!!!

Read moreMike Reviews: ECW Hardcore TV #334 – 18/09/1999

WWE contracts/injuries

I know you're not a contract lawyer, but with whatever knowledge you possess please correct me if I'm wrong – when WWE decides to extend someone's contract due to time spent on the injured list, I'm assuming they're still paying the wrestler whatever they'd be making if they were still working. What business sense does this make? Pay the guy while he's not busy making money for you so you can keep him around to hopefully recoup the investment you just made yourselves?

On a similar topic, when they're not using someone who asks for their release and is denied, what's the logic in still paying them? "Stay at home doing nothing while we pay you, that'll learn ya!"

You've basically got it.  It makes no sense but it prevents someone from going to the competition and learning there's a world outside the WWE umbrella.  And that's wrestling in 2019 for ya.  

Biggest Start And Stop Push?


What wrestler would you say received the biggest start and stop push?  Although I was tempted to say Fandango or Curtis Axel in 2013, I'd have to give it to Brian Kendrick for the whole "The Brian Kendrick" gimmick in 2008.  I think he was pushed hard for all of 1-2 months before becoming another jobber to the stars.  If there was someone that was de-pushed faster than that, I'm not remembering them.    

Zack Ryder.  Always Zack Ryder now and forever.  

Kinda ironic


Guess who Mean Mark Callous' last match in WCW was against (on a house show for the NWA World Title in Greensboro)? IT'S STIIIIIIIINNNNGGGGGG

Not really seeing the irony of someone facing Sting on a WCW show, but I'm glad it made you excited.