The v2 Wrestling Brainbuster

http://v2wrestling.com/5/post/2015/06/the-v2wrestling-brainbuster.html


Here is the first edition of a soon to become regular feature where we ask our readers their views on the current wrestling landscape. This week we have long time readers from 606v2.com taking part. SO a big thank you to Promotheus, Samo, Fernando and Dr Gregory House for their answers. If you want to take part in a future edition, please get in touch.

What do you think is the best wrestling promotion in the world right now and why?


Fernando - Wrestling wise - No one touches NJPW at the moment when it comes wrestling matches it seems to have a new MOTY candidate ever 3 months.
Production wise - Lucha Underground - It's something new and the storylines have been good it's difficult nowadays to keep people interested. WWE could learn alot from them.

Dr House - It's hard to look last New Japan for me, the arguably the second biggest promotion in the world and not one that can be accused of lacking creative drive or vision, fantastically talented wrestlers from top to bottom on the card and boasting a 5 headed money drawing main event group of Tanahashi, Okada, Nakamura, Styles and Ibushi, all of whom can claim to be the best wrestler in the world on their day. Stylistically they work very differently to US, freed from the shackles of week to week TV show writing they work primarily on a format of house show tours building the fueds that lead to the big show finale, this allows freedom for strong logical booking, presented with a real sports feel, never is this shown better than the G1 climax tournament, last year 22 wrestlers wrestled over 100 matches over 14 shows, nothing felt meaningless or cheap everything tied together logically, spinning of new fueds, ending others tieing together storys that started months earlier and laying the foundations for story's that are still going to this day,its masterful story telling rewards you for investing and paying attention,not ridicuing you for having a memory that lasts over year

Samo - WWE. All day long. It may be a grind on a weekly basis, but when its good nothing else really comes close. NXT is better written, TNA has its moments and I dont see enough of anything else to form a concise opinion, but all of them pale in comparison to the grandeur that is the WWE.

Promotheus - I could define best as biggest and most profitable (WWE), highest rated matches (New Japan), or my personal favourite. I’m going for the latter definition. And it may come as little surprise that my personal pick is Lucha Underground. It has just been such a new take on wrestling for me, with wrestlers I’d mostly never seen, working incredible spots and moves I’ve not seen in a high quality production format. Maybe it will only last one season, but for me that will still be a hell of a season.

Is wrestling in a terminal decline or will there ever be another boom period?

Fernando - I think once the likes of Balor/Zayn/Owens get up the main roster i could see smarks taking more of an interest in wrestling weather casual fans will is a different story. They have the potential for a boom period if they get it right otherwise it will flop harder then a Dolph Ziggler Title Reign.

Samo - Its possible to argue that wrestling is hitting another boom period. Sure, the TV ratings are down, but that could be down to the rise of the internet and the opening up of more ways to watch. I see alot more people discussing wrestling on Social Media, and a lot more people wearing wrestling shirts. Its no longer viewed as 'lame' to be a wrestling fan. There also seems to be a big rise in the number of independent promotions, particularly in the US and UK, its almost like the territory days again.

Dr House - I'd say it's not impossible for their to be another boom period, I certainly don't think it's down to lack of talent on the part of the workers, but I think it will take someone with vision on the promoting/booking side to hit upon a cultural nerve with a particular star or attitude much like Hogan and Austin at their respective peaks, they were transcendental stars pushed as such in an environment created to best showcase their strengths, it'll take someone with the vision to figure out who that star (or stars) will be and what environment they would best thrive in, is that man Vince McMahon? I don't think so, age and a lack of competition seemed to have made him content to get by but wrestling having done so successfully in the past has show the ability to connect on a massive scale both locally and nationally when all the chips fall into place so I don't see why it couldn't happen again

Promotheus - From a UK perspective, I think the death bell of wrestling has been tolled a number of times. When World of Sport stopped showing British wrestling, when Vince cut his promo on how the matches were pre-determined, steroid scandals, too many wrestlers dying young, the death of ECW and WCW. And still it soldiers on.

For the hardcore fan, there is more wrestling, easier to get and more readily available than ever. You can watch matches in Japan, Mexico and USA in real time, live wrestling is blossoming and YouTube has more wrestling than you could manage to watch. I can’t say it will be back to the days of having a wrestling conversation as easily as you might talk about a film, hit TV series or blockbuster film, but there’s oodles of good stuff going on. So my answer is neither, it’ll keep ticking along with small peaks and troughs.

What does the next 12 months hold for TNA?

Fernando – I’m not expecting much from TNA, If they survive the incoming of ROH then i suspect the rise of ECIII as main star will be the predominant point. Jeff Hardy to come back and take the title off him would be my bet somewhere along the line. Hopefully they get rid of the same old booking problems you'd think they would learn but never do.



Dr House - I don't see them as long for this world unfortunately, I can't see them carrying on with Destination America past September for a variety of factors and given how far they had to fall from Spike to DA, I'm not confident they will find another network. In that case I can see them attempting to do something online and possibly fulfilling their UK obligations early next year as something of a swansong but the futures bleak from my perspective I'm afraid

Samo - Its not looking good im afraid. Even if the whole TV deal scenario is a big work, guys not getting paid on time isnt. TNA could survive, but it needs to do it without Dixie.

Promotheus - I don’t think anything good. All the signs point to Destination America not renewing. After that I think we may have to see how much money Panda Energy are willing to spend, but I’d expect them to start losing contracts (or at least exclusivity) with the likes of Aries or The Wolves and that will really hurt.

Who is your favourite wrestler of all time?

Fernando - The Undertaker

Samo - Such a tough question, but it would have to be HBK. I genuinely believe he is the GOAT in pro wrestling - he ticks every box and ticks it well.

Promotheus - "The Showstopper" Shawn Michaels. One of my favourite quotes is from Flair on Scott Hall “His greatest claim to fame was being in the ring when Michaels wrestled a ladder”. And that maybe sums up Michaels, not just that he could put on a great match with anyone. Maybe that also shows the bad side that it was maybe all just a bit about Shawn, but I think he could have worked in the US, Japan, Mexico or Europe and been a top player in each place.

Dr House - Eddie Guerrero, Viva La Raza!!

Is the WWE network something that is good for the industry?

Dr House - Maybe I'm small minded but I don't see how how the network effects the industry as a whole, promotions outside the WWE continue to exist as they always did, though some promotions like New Japan, Progress and ICW have copyed the network on a smaller scale as a way to distribute their shows, and any suggestions that PPV is a dead model was proved well and truly as a tired excuse by Messurs May weather and Pacquaio this year. As for how the move effects WWE, it has in some was changed their renveue streams from a PPV model to a subscribers model but given the success of the 'special events' on the network are considered to be what they will live and die by when it comes to drawing in subscribers, not much has changed when it comes to the fact that WWEs goal should be to make these events as enticing as possible to make people pay go watch them over and above the weekly content, all be it in a slightly different form.

Fernando – I’d say so. I quite enjoy the Network only PPV's they've done so hope to see more of them, A library of PPV's can't be bad really. only time it will be bad is if their not making enough money to make it viable and start cutting production costs.

Samo - This is another tough question. On one hand, it opens up people to a whole range of stuff they wouldnt have otherwise seen which is always a good thing. On the other hand, the WWE arent forced to try and get people to spend $60 a month anymore, but just $10, but on the flip side of that you can get more people to watch as people are more likely to pay 10 than 60 for a show. Its a real double hander this one, but im edging on the side of good for now.

Promotheus - At the onset I thought it would be good for the consumer (cheap access to PPVs), but long term bad for the WWE product (less need for them to deliver PPVs that individually deliver $40 plus of value). I think there might be less clean endings in PPVs right now, but overall the standard of the product is good. So, right now I think it’s a success. But, I feel that we are going to see the loyal customer hit with more ads and maybe even paying a base for the network and some extra to see big PPVs like Mania on that platform.

Outside of WWE, New Japan’s version is a great offering. Real time PPVs from Japan and a library of past PPVs, is the kind of thing that wrestling fans should dream of. I could argue that if you get all the WWE offers for 9.99, then one-offs like a PWG DVD for 15.99 seems expensive, but I could also argue that overall the avid fan would save on WWE events, so that money may be more readily available. For me the time to order and wait for DVD delivery is much more painful when I’m used to logging on and seeing what I want when I want it.

What is your first wrestling memory?


Fernando - No Way Out 2000 - My Taxi Driver to school mentioned wrestling to me and every week he'd tape Raw/Smackdown & PPV's for me and it all started with No Way 2000 with the HIAC between Foley & HHH. After that been watching it on a weekly basis for the last 15 years for the most part

Samo - Al Snow. The first wrestling I ever saw was Sunday Night Heat before the 2000 Royal Rumble. I cant remember anything else about that show, but I definitely remember Al Snow. Whether he was wrestling on the show or it was just a video package remains to be seen, but its definitely him.

Promotheus - I've loads of memories of World of Sport wrestling on at my grans house on a Saturday afternoon, eating beans on toast and watching the action from very young. My dad used to take me to wrestling when I was about 7. We’d stand at the back of the hall, me on top of some stacked tables so I could see the ring. On one of my first trips, Giant Haystacks (who was just under 7 feet tall and about 40 stones walked past within touching distance) and you can imagine how big and bad he seemed to a small kid, so I totally get this idea that size sells in wrestling.

Dr House - Bit off a difficult one for me, as a kid I was aware of the WWF through video games and sticker books but I don't recall ever watching much, I have a clear memory of Stephanie McMahon cutting a promo in the ring (how times have changed) but the first full match I actually recall watching was John Cena vs Booker T from their smackdown best of 5 series over the US title back in 04 which was my gateway into watching full time

Feel free to answer the questions too!:

What do you think is the best wrestling promotion in the world right now and why?

Is wrestling in a terminal decline or will there ever be another boom period?

What does the next 12 months hold for TNA?

Who is your favourite wrestler of all time?

Is the WWE network something that is good for the industry?

What is your first wrestling memory?

What do you think is the best wrestling promotion in the world right now and why?

Sadly I don't have the time to check out the other wresting shows like NJPW and LU so I have to say WWE.

Is wrestling in a terminal decline or will there ever be another boom period?
Nothing lives forever.

What does the next 12 months hold for TNA?
Hopefully a decent channel picks them up and treats them with the respect they deserve.

Who is your favourite wrestler of all time?
Triple H

Is the WWE network something that is good for the industry?
Well it's good for filling Vince McMahon's pockets up with $$$.

What is your first wrestling memory?
Royal Rumble 2000. The Rock winning the rumble.

What do you think is the best wrestling promotion in the world right now and why?
WWE because it is the best, sometimes storylines aren't great or the wrestling in bad, or too much time with backstage/in ring talking. ROH, TNA and so forth all have good points but overall WWE is the best one.

Is wrestling in a terminal decline or will there ever be another boom period?
There will be another boom, just don't know when

What does the next 12 months hold for TNA?
If the stay on TV carrying on as they are

Who is your favourite wrestler of all time?
Tough one, depends really as a kid loved Warrior and Hogan as a teen Stone cold and the Rock

Is the WWE network something that is good for the industry?
yes

What is your first wrestling memory?
I vaguely remember Summerslam 88 because of the warrior but definitely survivor series 88 with the Mega powers splitting so ill go with that

Looking for people to take part next month - any volunteers?

I'll have a go Adam

I wouldn't mind a go.