WWE PPV Thread

[forameus]

1 hour ago, FairWeatherFan said:

The videos though are just a modern day issue. Peacock has an ad-supported tier where you get PPVs. My understanding is that non-US viewers get the seemingly random video packages, while US viewers get proper ads.

I had no idea why they'd started running them in pretty much every show, but that makes perfect sense.  They're still weird though.  They're always well-produced, as WWE videos like that often are, but they don't seem to vary them up very much.  Seeing how Bobby Lashley came to be where he is today was interesting.  I didn't know he was in the Army (and how they brought him in to wrestle for them, which is another level of weird) and it was quite interesting.  The first time.  Not the subsequent hundred other times they've run the same clip.  If they had a whole library of these, it wouldn't be so bad, and I'm sure some they haven't covered have some stories to tell.  f**k it, do a package of them on their brightest talents in NXT, then maybe once they come up they'll feel bigger.  

11 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

They might need to Wrestlemania 30 this shit, as Cody vs Reigns is not the main event folk want.

It wouldn't be bad (indeed it would probably be really good), but it simply wouldn't have the connection to the audience that a match featuring Zayn would. They can't blow off the Sami stuff and have him in a tag match at Mania; he needs to be going up against Reigns. 

Can't help but feel they've left themselves with too much of a story to tell.  The Zayn story has seemed pretty organic in the way it has built, with the direction slightly pivoting as the reception grew and grew and grew.  That's always going to mess with their long term plans, but at some point in the next month or so they're going to need to make a decision, and I'm not sure they've left themselves a "good" option.  

The best I've heard - even though it's still not one I'd be fully supportive of - would be having Reigns spend the time up to Mania basically dismantling.  Rhodes main events night 1 against him and takes the last piece he has in both titles.  He then goes into night 2 solely concerned with making sure Sami Zayn can't feel things afterward.  So it doesn't end up being about the titles, it just ends up being about whether Zayn can get past this previously unstoppable and now completely unhinged monster.

Now I don't fully get on board with that, as I think it lessens Zayn's story to have him be the second man to beat Reigns, but unless they're going to mug one of them off, then someone's likely going to have to come off slightly worse.  I'd have given Rhodes more time off to be honest and had him come back after Wrestlemania.  

[djchapsticks]

I actually am at the stage where I believe this actually isn't Sami's angle at all. It's Jey's. His awakening of all the shit he's gone through since the start of the Bloodline and how he was more or less browbeaten into being Roman's puppet. Sami, loved as he is, is the catalyst for Jey to finally resolve the utter tankings he took back at the start.

The guy has been an absolute star for the last near 3 years. Not even with Sami but going back before this when he was feuding with Roman and then falling into line.

I've been a fan of Wrestling all my days and I think when the dust is settled and everyone goes onto other things in their careers, this entire three-year angle (not just the involvement of Sami part) will be looked at as one of the best that has ever played out in Wrestling. You may think that's a bit of a statement but compare it to other classic Wrestling stories, the nWo which is revered but became bloated and nonsensical, the Summer of Punk that started as a blockbuster but drifted off into a wet fart, Bret and Shawn which still holds up as a story threaded through a narrative but is overshadowed by the events at the end. The only story I can honestly say holds up over the piece is the entire McMahon-Austin storyline which was ridiculous but always amazing fun.

It's instantly an all time classic - a story that's so simple, so easy to get but with loads of moving parts and believable whilst pulling on historical factors when needed for things happening. Every single thing that's happened so far has made absolute sense and I would not be surprised to see Jey pulling out references to when him and Roman were feuding at the start and how he got Jimmy on board once he accepted Roman.

I've loved that there's always been that distinction between Jimmy and Jey throughout the Bloodline as well. Especially when Jey used to lament the fact he'd constantly get asked 'which one are you'. Jimmy from the moment he returned, fell in line and always has been the loyal family member. What Roman says, goes. Jey on the other hand has spent years in conflict, pushing back and questioning the wisdom of his boss and when he finally reaches a spot where he realises they've got it pretty good all in all, Roman goes and wrecks it.

It's absolutely world-class storytelling.

Edited January 30, 2023 by djchapsticks

[DA Baracus]

There's not much story for Cody vs Reigns. There's a story on Cody's side, that being his return and his dream etc, but Roman doesn't have any issue with Cody just now. He's got other things to be concerned about.

There's still time yet to develop it, but as we're all saying, fans just won't be as invested in it as they are with his story with Sami.

[TheGoon]

2 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

There's not much story for Cody vs Reigns. There's a story on Cody's side, that being his return and his dream etc, but Roman doesn't have any issue with Cody just now. He's got other things to be concerned about.

There's still time yet to develop it, but as we're all saying, fans just won't be as invested in it as they are with his story with Sami.

I think they break it off at the Chamber, Owens & Zayn vs The Usos & Cody/Roman at Mania. You’re right though in that the latter won’t have the heat.

[forameus]

At this rate though, having them vs the Usos doesn't really make much sense anymore.  Jey lining up against Owens and Zayn doesn't really work, so I wonder if it'll be something like Jey/Owens/Zayn vs Jimmy/Solo/Reigns.  Have the Elimination Chamber be for the IC title or something, continue to give Gunther the shine.

The show is also being held in Montreal, so Zayn (and Owens) are likely to figure big in whatever happens.

[DA Baracus]

The Chamber has been used to give Mania title shots before...

The timing just isn't on Cody's side. It would have been better to keep his shot at the title until the summer. You could even have had Sami win the Universal Title at Mania and then Cody beats Reigsn for the WWE one at Summerslam.

[djchapsticks]

18 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

The Chamber has been used to give Mania title shots before...

The timing just isn't on Cody's side. It would have been better to keep his shot at the title until the summer. You could even have had Sami win the Universal Title at Mania and then Cody beats Reigsn for the WWE one at Summerslam.

Telling you. This is Sami's story but if they go the way I hope they do, it is definitely Jey's redemption arc. Blood isn't always thicker etc.

The way he was stood in the corner at the Rumble, he was remembering all the shoeings Roman gave him at the start and not fondly either.

Either way, they have created two massive faces here and I didn't really expect to see Jey not siding with his family. At least not yet.

Edited January 30, 2023 by djchapsticks

[DA Baracus]

1 minute ago, djchapsticks said:

Telling you. This is Sami's story but if they go the way I hope they do, it is definitely Jey's redemption arc. Blood isn't always thicker etc.

The way he was stood in the corner at the Rumble, he was remembering all the shoeings Roman gave him at the start and not fondly either.

Even more reason why Cody just doesn't fit in with things just now.

Think by the time we get to Mania we could see Jey vs Jimmy though. 

[djchapsticks]

10 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

Even more reason why Cody just doesn't fit in with things just now.

Think by the time we get to Mania we could see Jey vs Jimmy though. 

I saw arguments about how a Sami vs Roman match just like a Roman vs Rock match doesn't need the title at stake.

While I agree fully with the Rock sentiment, nothing could be further from the truth with Sami and Roman. 

He has spent the last 2 and a half years, clinging to the power and continually abusing his family and friends. He claims its all for the most important thing, 'family' but the most important thing is his own self-preservation. They have spent a very, very long time building this amazing narrative and for a proper pay off, he should be facing and losing his power and championship to someone who would absolutely break him, that would hurt him and give him his overdue comeuppance and the story a proper, fitting end.

I think no matter who he finally drops it to, Roman will piss off for a long sabbatical at the end of his run. How could he not, really? How do you build him back up after you utterly break him other than creating distance.

Cody being the guy to send him away doesn't make sense at this point in time and I'm afraid it doesn't matter how you build the next 2 months, it's not going to work much as Cody is great and is well overdue his shot at the top of the ladder.

Sami is the only realistic option. Jey being the guy who rips the Bloodline apart for Sami to finally get his revenge and break Reigns would tear the house down. At this point it would make Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston's runs to the title look like nothing in comparison.

[Mark Connolly]

Both my ideas are fairly shite, but they have booked themselves into a bit of a corner here. Having 2 main events to fill almost makes it harder, since you effectively give away night 1's finish unless none of Sami, Cody and the Bloodline are involved.

Option 1: Roman batters Sami tonight (or at EC), putting him out of action "indefinitely". Roman faces Cody on night 1 of WM, Sami returns, costing Roman the match. Sami v Roman night 2.

Option 2: Roman v Cody at WM on night 2, Sami in a gauntlet/handicap match v Bloodline for a chance to make it a triple threat on night 1. Jey completes his face turn by helping Sami win.

[TheGoon]

They’ll want Sami as far away from Cody as possible. Though I could maybe see him helping Rhodes win if they do shenanigans. 

[juansebastianvernon]

How about Cody losses to Roman on night 1. Sami wins night 2, then a heel Cody is his first challenger.

That or kane comes back and challenges sami at backlash 

[GNU_Linux]

El Generico vs Kevin Steen main event

[Mark Connolly]

4 minutes ago, GNU_Linux said:

El Generico vs Kevin Steen main event

That sounds excellent, and he could use the money to help fund the orphanage.

[forameus]

They could just re-run the Daniel Bryan story, it would absolutely work, but it would also completely throw Rhodes under several buses.  The reason that story worked so well was because of just how badly they had booked the original main event, and Batista not getting the face reactions they had hoped.  A triple threat would have Reigns as the heel, Sami as the overwhelming face, and then Rhodes just...there.  Unless you're going to have some kind of turn from Rhodes, which I wouldn't be against, but probably comes too early.    

[DA Baracus]

Rhodes confirmed on Raw last night that he's facing Reigns in the main event of Mania.

Also the main event of Elimination Chamber will seemingly be Reigns vs Zayn. There will be two Chamber matches, one for the US Title and one for one of the Women's Titles.

Seemingly the plan for Mania is still Zayn and Owens vs the Usos.

 

They're going to f**k this, aren't they? Having Zayn cost Roman the title in his match with Cody won't make up for it.

[Mark Connolly]

Rhodes to cost Roman at EC. Roman gets his rematch in a triple threat at WM, obliterates Rhodes and Sami, and we're back where we started.

[Thereisalight..]

Havent watched WWE in about a year but I caught up with Royal Rumble earlier. It was all a bit meh,  and I dont remember there ever being so many ads/videos as this had. Also Pat McAfee, surely I cant be the only one that cant stand that c**t?

[TheGoon]

12 hours ago, Thereisalight.. said:

Havent watched WWE in about a year but I caught up with Royal Rumble earlier. It was all a bit meh,  and I dont remember there ever being so many ads/videos as this had. Also Pat McAfee, surely I cant be the only one that cant stand that c**t?

He was especially loud the other night, and you could tell he hadn’t watched a minute of the product since leaving.

[mrpaddyx]

Still feels a bit weird having a PPV on a Saturday but Elimination Chamber is on tonight.