The Road to TNA Victory Road VIII Wrestling Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
FCW is dead.

WWE officials notified Bright House Network Monday that they have opted to cease their affiliation with the Florida based sports network as they are shutting down Florida Championship Wrestling effective immediately. Florida Championship Wrestling programming, which was taped last Thursday in Tampa, Florida, will cease to air on the network in three weeks.

Everyone involved with Florida Championship Wrestling will relocate to WWE's homebase in Stamford, Connecticut until a further decision regarding the developmental program is made.

WWE employees were given the impression that a developmental promotion will ultimately open in Connecticut with the possibility of a second at an undetermined location.

The promotion was started by former wrestler Steve Keirn in 2007 to be WWE's second developmental promotion when they ended their relationship with the Georgia-based Deep South Wrestling in early 2007. It became their sole developmental promotion in early 2008 when they ceased affiliation with Ohio Valley Wrestling.
Click to expand...
 
Interesting. I read yesterday that H fired the head of development and is planning to redo the entire system. Gotta wonder if that means they'll be groomed as all-around entertainers instead of pro-wrestlers. I know that's been the M.O. for a while, but perhaps this is the next step in that direction. Maybe instead of running the ropes, they'll put more focus on tapdancing and the shuckyducky. (Quack quack.)
 
How can they shut down a dev territory that produced so many memorable talents like whutizname and that other guy?

So they could potentially just do developmental in Stamford? Oh, that hotbed of creativity will just stoke the flames of entertainmuntz growth. It doesn't seem like much of a coincidence that there was a noticeable drop in the quality of new wrestlers after they ended their association with OVW.
 
What I don't understand is - where does it matter where they're trained (under the current WWE system)? From my understanding, Steve Keirn owns FCW but WWE employs and assigns just about everyone else down there in terms of trainers and whatnot. And at any rate they shouldn't let Keirn dictate their training program. So if they're unhappy with it, just change the training program and change the trainers.

I have heard other wrestlers say that Florida is a bad environment for developmental because of all the partying and whatnot, but I don't know how true that is. But I'm sure there were just as many DUIs in Ohio from the dev talents.

At any rate they should be sending talents to Storm's school and promotion (SWA/PWA) and Booker's school and promotion (whatever its called now) and make connections with other reputable schools who also run shows. Rotate the talent around ever handful of months. Like a mini-territory system.
 
Any thoughts on the Punk-Jericho opener from Raw? I liked it, Punk's response was real and he didn't act like the smarmy "rebel" of the past 5-6 months.

[quote name='pitfallharry219']
Is this supposed to be Albert?[/QUOTE]
I believe so. I'd like to say I'm interested in seeing him after watching that teaser, but with all the dirt sheets predicting him to be Laurinaitis' bodyguard, I really can't give a shit.

In a related note, this whole GM feud is a terrible waste of time and I can't imagine who thought it would be a good idea. John Laurinaitis is this year's Michael Cole. A person who should have never had a major storyline to begin with, ends up overstaying their welcome by an ungodly amount of time. Even worse, there doesn't seem to be an end in sight for Laurinaitis on screen.
 
Lord Tensai is going to be Johnny Ace's modern day equivalent. They're going to bring in Albert with Johnny saying A-Train's talents weren't respected enough in America and so A-Train went to Japan where he was successful and respected, just like Ace did all those years ago. They'll probably treat Tensai as a monster like Umaga, Khali, Kane, Henry, Show, etc. and we'll get another round of Cena vs. Big Bad Monster like we did a few years back, and more recently with Kane. And since Johnny Ace is the new Mr. McMahon, obviously Cena vs. Tensai will be an extension of a larger Cena vs. Ace feud.

Cena will eventually put down Tensai, win back Teddy Long's GM job, and no one will give a crap about Tensai. They'll give him to CM Punk to recycle the same feud Cena just went through with Ace that was Punk's schtick from last summer to begin with. Punk will pull a better than expected feud out of Tensai, but WWE will figure Albert is too old to get over any longer, job him out to up and coming talents on Superstars, then future endeavor him. One year from now, Giant Bernard will be back in Japan.
 
[quote name='neocisco']How can they shut down a dev territory that produced so many memorable talents like whutizname and that other guy?

So they could potentially just do developmental in Stamford? Oh, that hotbed of creativity will just stoke the flames of entertainmuntz growth. It doesn't seem like much of a coincidence that there was a noticeable drop in the quality of new wrestlers after they ended their association with OVW.[/QUOTE]

OVW was so excellent, though. More Ortons and Cenas than Ricos (and even I liked Rico).

I'm fascinated with this development. Two immediate benefits of this decision:

1) It could be a sign that WWE is going to rely on more indie talent. Hey, as long as they don't have a developmental turf where they can refrigerate guys instead of letting them hone their craft, learn new skills, work matches in front of various crowds - they leave them to get stale so that the small knowledgeable base who actually knows them might pop when they show up. It's like a re-education camp for fans and wrestlers alike. Even I am more prone to saying "Seth Rollins" than I am "Tyler Black." But you can suck a dick if you think I'll pull that shit with Chris Hero. Ohno to that, I say.

2) This renders current developmental talent more or less homeless right now. It means that they'll have to go touring with the main WWE crews or get cut and return to the indie circuit. Either way, kind of a net win for us as fans. Well, they'll sit until after-WM for sure, but there's little incentive to keep them off the main roster much longer than that.

[quote name='pitfallharry219']Is this supposed to be Albert?[/QUOTE]

mattbloom.jpg


Chest tattoo is the dead giveaway.
 
I've always hated that guy. He just looks like this over the top super gay bear stereotype that just irritates me to no end.
 
I agree, and I don't think giving him a weaboo/fat white(r) Hakushi gimmick is gonna do any favors. He's one of those guys who doesn't fit in a major US promotion to me, but I will pay extra attention to in a Japanese ring. Like Dr. Death or Stan Hansen. Big brawlin' dumbfucks who are unconvincing in effete US-style "sportz entertainment™." But put them in the ring in Japan with dudes who are into strong style, and suddenly their clumsy in-ring style looks awesome and dangerous.
 
I've enjoyed his Giant Bernard work, but... well, honestly, I have no idea why WWE would bring him in. There's plenty of big men who aren't 40 and have already gone through 6-7 different failed gimmicks within the company. It's not even like there's a big nostalgia grab opportunity with him.

I mean, is he friends with someone? I literally don't understand it.
 
Dammit got beat to the white Hakushi reference. Funny that Matt Bloom had a great run as a roughhousing big man outside of the E and promptly gets Funkasaurused upon returning.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
A monster tag-team of Albert and a serious Brodus Clay would be interesting if WWE had anything that even closely resembled a tag team division. I suppose they could go with a 2-man stable, but we all know SuperCena would eventually destroy it in about 2 seconds.
 
I was so hoping that last week when Brodus came out to wrestle he was gonna just go apeshit and break away from that Junkasaurus gimmick and be the monster he is capable of being. Sadly, the shitty gimmick continues.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']Can you have a big-man tag team that's effectively dominant and also retain the goofiness of the Funkasaurus? Discuss.[/QUOTE]
The only one I can think of was Boss Man and Akeem, and even that's a stretch. Every gimmick back then was goofy, so it 's hard to pick them out as special. The "big man" role relies on being serious and imposing (but I guess face Rikishi is the exception), and wrestling loves pairing two big guys in that role (Sky Scrapers, Outsiders) or the contrast of a little and big (Owen and Yoko, Kendrick and Zeke).
 
[quote name='mykevermin']Can you have a big-man tag team that's effectively dominant and also retain the goofiness of the Funkasaurus? Discuss.[/QUOTE]

Of course. In the indies...or Japan...
 
[quote name='kodave']But I'm sure there were just as many DUIs in Ohio from the dev talents.[/QUOTE]

I think you meant Kentucky, yeah?

[quote name='JJSP']The only one I can think of was Boss Man and Akeem, and even that's a stretch. Every gimmick back then was goofy, so it 's hard to pick them out as special. The "big man" role relies on being serious and imposing (but I guess face Rikishi is the exception), and wrestling loves pairing two big guys in that role (Sky Scrapers, Outsiders) or the contrast of a little and big (Owen and Yoko, Kendrick and Zeke).[/QUOTE]

Um..

natural_disasters.jpg
 
Brodus should use the Earthquake splash. Nobody uses that anymore while splash has been an overdone big man staple. Hell he could start grooving from the seated position.

To append my statement on A-Train/Funkasaurus, I think the Head Cheese pairing could work: Serious guy and not-so-serious guy working together. Solving mysteries. Fighting crime. Learning life lessons after an awkward misunderstanding. Cheesy one-liner, freeze frame, executive producer credit.
 
The Natural Disasters were pretty great. I think I've mentioned it here before but there's a match between them and the Legion of Doom on a Royal Rumble (I think) that disintegrates into a righteous brawl.

I just finished watching Steen/Corino from Final Battle 2011. Wow.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']Can you have a big-man tag team that's effectively dominant and also retain the goofiness of the Funkasaurus? Discuss.[/QUOTE]


In today's WWE? Nope. Any good, scary big man they feed to John Cena. Umaga, Kane, Mark Henry, the list goes on.

I can't recall The Natural Disasters having a goofy element. The Twin Towers is a good comparison to what Giant Bernard and Brodus Clay would be.

Who ever said they'll push him big for six months, feed him to Cena, then release him is on the money. I can't fault Matt Bloom for wanting a good payday. He deserves it. I bet he still has nightmares of being the "Hip-Hop Hippo." Those were cringe-worthy times to be a wrasslin fan.
 
[quote name='ced']Brodus should use the Earthquake splash. Nobody uses that anymore while splash has been an overdone big man staple. Hell he could start grooving from the seated position.

To append my statement on A-Train/Funkasaurus, I think the Head Cheese pairing could work: Serious guy and not-so-serious guy working together. Solving mysteries. Fighting crime. Learning life lessons after an awkward misunderstanding. Cheesy one-liner, freeze frame, executive producer credit.[/QUOTE]

Let's not froget Booker T and Goldust. They were both kinda goofy at times, but Booker was the obvious straight man to Dustin's Cloudcuckoolander.
 
[quote name='Chase']In today's WWE? I bet he still has nightmares of being the "Hip-Hop Hippo."[/QUOTE]

Either that or the time he got neckdropped from a Lesnar F-5.
 
I completely forgot about The Oddities. Originally heels before going face with ICP, but they were largely jobbers after a quick Kaientai feud.
 
[quote name='JJSP']I completely forgot about The Oddities. Originally heels before going face with ICP, but they were largely jobbers after a quick Kaientai feud.[/QUOTE]

I still remember their feud with the headbangers where they tore their Cartman plushie apart.
 
I remember Headbangers briefly wearing the foam toy tag title belts and proclaiming themselves to be something absurd like Super Intergalactic Tag Team Champions.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']Are you familiar with his indie work (i.e., is this the first time you're seeing him)? Or is it something else?[/QUOTE]

First time. Still, seeing how his match was against "Xavier Woods" (ugh) I expected much more. 'Twas a very blah episode of FCW to begin with, other than the Steamboat/Cesaro match.
 
[quote name='HydroX']First time. Still, seeing how his match was against "Xavier Woods" (ugh) I expected much more. 'Twas a very blah episode of FCW to begin with, other than the Steamboat/Cesaro match.[/QUOTE]

Ohno/Hero puts on interesting matches. They're not good in the traditional WWE sense though. If he is going to make it in the WWE, he is going to overcome the same problems that Colt Cabana failed to.

Basically the ABC's of how Ohno puts together his matches have never worked for me in the same way I don't like how Davey Richards puts together his matches. They try to make their matches "puro" but without any rhyme, rhythm, or reason to the contests they are involved in. I didn't see anything different in his match against Woods.

Ohno is going to need some major retraining in my opinion to make it in the WWE.

They also gave Woods way too much offense.
 
I'll never be able to take Chris Hero seriously. Not after seeing Violent J refer to him as Chris Homo and address his Superman Pajama ring gear on JCW.
 
[quote name='xilly']I'll never be able to take Chris Hero seriously. Not after seeing Violent J refer to him as Chris Homo and address his Superman Pajama ring gear on JCW.[/QUOTE]

Your statement mentions Violent J. I'm baffled you'd listen to anything that guy had to say.
 
[quote name='pimpster4183']Woods is a good worker.[/QUOTE]

No I was right.

Quick does not equal good. His selling was terrible and vanilla. It's the same vanilla FCW style we've seen from almost every other guy on NXT.
 
Some news from around the net.

Latest Hall of Fame inductee was announced at the SmackDown tapings last night..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enQFLod8-0w

Cena vs. Rock may become a trilogy (*sigh*)

- As noted before, WWE officials were discussing a potential John Cena vs. The Rock rematch this past weekend. There has also been talk of doing a third match between the two. If they go with the trilogy, the rematch would take place sometime this year with the third match taking place at WrestleMania 29 in New Jersey.
Click to expand...

and a former WWE tag team champion will possibly make an unexpected return (this is even more random than Bloom coming back and getting a main event push)

- Former WWE Superstar Big Daddy V (Nelson Frazier Jr.) was scheduled for the Wild Out Wrestling promotion's "Betrayed" event on March 31st at the Giant Flea Market in Union City, Tennessee. The former WWE King of the Ring was set to take part in a multi-man match with Kamala Jr. - Team Kamala vs. Team Showtime.

Kamala Jr. announced last night on Facebook that the event has been moved from March 31st to April 14th due to Big Daddy V being booked by WWE.

A source very close to Big Daddy V reports that WWE has him booked and he will indeed be at WrestleMania 28.
 
Some news from around the net.

Latest Hall of Fame inductee was announced at the SmackDown tapings last night..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enQFLod8-0w

Cena vs. Rock may become a trilogy (*sigh*)

- As noted before, WWE officials were discussing a potential John Cena vs. The Rock rematch this past weekend. There has also been talk of doing a third match between the two. If they go with the trilogy, the rematch would take place sometime this year with the third match taking place at WrestleMania 29 in New Jersey.
Click to expand...

and a former WWE tag team champion will possibly make an unexpected return (this is even more random than Bloom coming back and getting a main event push)

- Former WWE Superstar Big Daddy V (Nelson Frazier Jr.) was scheduled for the Wild Out Wrestling promotion's "Betrayed" event on March 31st at the Giant Flea Market in Union City, Tennessee. The former WWE King of the Ring was set to take part in a multi-man match with Kamala Jr. - Team Kamala vs. Team Showtime.
 
Some news from around the net.

Latest Hall of Fame inductee was announced at the SmackDown tapings last night..

Yokozuna! (I keep trying to post the video but it keeps screwing up the post format for some weird reason, so whatever.

Cena vs. Rock may become a trilogy (*sigh*)

- As noted before, WWE officials were discussing a potential John Cena vs. The Rock rematch this past weekend. There has also been talk of doing a third match between the two. If they go with the trilogy, the rematch would take place sometime this year with the third match taking place at WrestleMania 29 in New Jersey.
Click to expand...

and a former WWE tag team champion will possibly make an unexpected return (this is even more random than Bloom coming back and getting a main event push)

- Former WWE Superstar Big Daddy V (Nelson Frazier Jr.) was scheduled for the Wild Out Wrestling promotion's "Betrayed" event on March 31st at the Giant Flea Market in Union City, Tennessee. The former WWE King of the Ring was set to take part in a multi-man match with Kamala Jr. - Team Kamala vs. Team Showtime.

Kamala Jr. announced last night on Facebook that the event has been moved from March 31st to April 14th due to Big Daddy V being booked by WWE.

A source very close to Big Daddy V reports that WWE has him booked and he will indeed be at WrestleMania 28.
 
I know I am gonna catch some shit for this, but I am gonna say it anyways.

I keep seeing Mania being promoted as a "Once in a Lifetime" event due to the Rock vs Cena. I honestly think WWE could be setting themselves up for some sort of lawsuit by people if they end up doing more matches between rock and cena as it is being said that they are planning on doing. It really goes into an area of false advertising by then in order to get more buys for Mania. It really does border on false advertising/ bait and switch type fraud. I could honestly see some people trying to get a lawsuit like this going as well, cause lets face it, thats the world we live in nowdays.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']"Card subject to change" = any lawsuit would be dismissed out of hand. Easy peasy.[/QUOTE]
Card subject to change refers to the possibility that the advertised event you are going to can be changed, ie: John Cena's hustle and flow isn't going so hot so he is replaced with Doink the clown. That does not cover intentional false advertising. WM is being billed as a "once in a lifetime event" as they are saying this is the only opportunity that you would ever get to see rock vs cena. however, they already know that they are going to have more matches and are planning these matches does lay the groundwork for intentional false advertisement.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
bread's done
Back
Top