Monthly News Thread (April 2019)

[M.C.G. 31]

I think the issue is, how do you show any personality when you're pretty much forced to stick to a script written by nerds who have never wrestled.

Same way the aforementioned Ambrose did. There were mannerisms, quirks, etc., to at least convey something - show personality, emotion, etc. which Rollins doesn’t do.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

These kids are better writers than the WWE guys. I don’t watch Fallon but kinda funny.

 

[tony d]

I think if the WWE let these performers be more themselves the product would be more compelling. Don't have them to off the handle but nothing wrong with showing something more than a generic personality.

 

[JackSlater]

I think the issue is, how do you show any personality when you're pretty much forced to stick to a script written by nerds who have never wrestled.

The scripts are definitely a limiting factor and the way that WWE presents its wrestlers is horrible. Some wrestlers do demonstrate clear personality though. Bryan, Lesnar, Miz, Cena, Nakamura (even with very limited English), Owens, Ambrose, Lynch, Asuka, Flair, Big E, Joe and so on. There are ways to get a personality across even in the overly-produced WWE environment, though not to the extent of some past eras. There are also guys (think Anderson and Gallows) who can't show personality on WWE TV, but have elsewhere. I don't see it with Rollins. He didn't show much personality before he was in WWE, he doesn't show much (personality that is) on any social media stuff I've seen or in interviews outside of WWE. His body language, psychology, the way he delivers his scripted promos, nothing indicates that he's much more than a really fit, athletic guy. If I'm wrong about that and he eventually shows something then all the better, as Rollins with a personality would be great.

 

[UnrealMachine]

The scripts are definitely a limiting factor and the way that WWE presents its wrestlers is horrible. Some wrestlers do demonstrate clear personality though. Bryan, Lesnar, Miz, Cena, Nakamura (even with very limited English), Owens, Ambrose, Lynch, Asuka, Flair, Big E, Joe and so on. There are ways to get a personality across even in the overly-produced WWE environment, though not to the extent of some past eras. There are also guys (think Anderson and Gallows) who can't show personality on WWE TV, but have elsewhere. I don't see it with Rollins. He didn't show much personality before he was in WWE, he doesn't show much (personality that is) on any social media stuff I've seen or in interviews outside of WWE. His body language, psychology, the way he delivers his scripted promos, nothing indicates that he's much more than a really fit, athletic guy. If I'm wrong about that and he eventually shows something then all the better, as Rollins with a personality would be great.

You're not wrong. Rollins has always had limited acting skills. Look no further than his fake laugh during his extended heel run when he was on 3-8 segments on every RAW episode. Rollins "not being allowed" to show personality or acting skills couldn't be further from the truth. It's difficult to think of any wrestlers in recent memory given more screen/mic time playing both a heel and face? As far as not playing a more interesting or dynamic character, he simply doesn't have the acting ability to pull it off. I wouldn't go as far as to say he is Charlotte-level limited, but certainly analogous. He's at least a lot more attractive than her?

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Rollins doesn't have the look to really be a top baby, imo. Nor the charisma. He has charisma but not that next-level charisma you'd want from a top baby to consistently get and stay over when things evolve. Rollins is a perfectly capable heel. Not really the best because he's never conveyed any belief in much of anything let alone something relatable. The way he is as a person when he's on something like UUDD is something that is much more likely to get and stay over but I don't know how one would expand on that side of him in a wrestling context and evolve it when necessary.

He's a babyface in-ring performer but a heel in pretty much every other aspect. He's pretty much Dolph with less passion in his promos.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

I’m glad the board is starting to see what he really is. He’s the best in-ring of The Shield, but he lacks literally everything else compared to Dean and Roman.

 

[UnrealMachine]

I’m glad the board is starting to see what he really is. He’s the best in-ring of The Shield, but he lacks literally everything else compared to Dean and Roman.

Buddy, I was way ahead of the curve on this one. I believe I was also the first on here to point out how terrible Charlotte is. Took a lot of heat at the time, but now that she has managed to be even worse it's like shooting dead fish lips in a barrel.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Buddy, I was way ahead of the curve on this one. I believe I was also the first on here to point out how terrible Charlotte is. Took a lot of heat at the time, but now that she has managed to be even worse it's like shooting dead fish lips in a barrel.

I was the biggest Dean mark on this board and the only one championed Roman for a long time despite his booking.

Dean’s personality, range, charisma and mic skills and Roman with the personality when allowed, range, charisma, presence and he’s actually good in the ring too.

Rollins only has his in-ring ability over those two. Ambrose should have always been THE guy to me and it still breaks my heart he’s leaving and was routinely pushed as a third wheel and not the way he should have been.

Charlotte is super athletic. That’s all there is to her. Super one dimensional in personality but she’s the best in-ring.

 

[Disclose]

no seriously. everyone was behind Rollins since day 1....

 

[M.C.G. 31]

no seriously. everyone was behind Rollins since day 1....

He was the one every recognized needed the most work on the mic and personality wise but was the best in ring.

Ambrose was the one who was portrayed as the leader at the start for a reason. He was the total package. He still is too.

 

[UnrealMachine]

I was the biggest Dean mark on this board and the only one championed Roman for a long time despite his booking.

Dean’s personality, range, charisma and mic skills and Roman with the personality when allowed, range, charisma, presence and he’s actually good in the ring too.

Rollins only has his in-ring ability over those two. Ambrose should have always been THE guy to me and it still breaks my heart he’s leaving and was routinely pushed as a third wheel and not the way he should have been.

I'll take a other victory lap here in that I was on the DA train when I first saw his FCW promos and a couple matches he wrestled there. I popped super hard when he wrestled in a dark match at a Raw taping in Pittsburgh the summer or 2012. He was still in limbo at the time in terms of him being on the main roster.

Charlotte is super athletic. That’s all there is to her. Super one dimensional in personality but she’s the best in-ring.

Could easily name at least 5 WWE/NXT women who are better in-ring than Charlotte. Spoiler, 3 are Japanese.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

I'll take a other victory lap here in that I was on the DA train when I first saw his FCW promos and a couple matches he wrestled there. I popped super hard when he wrestled in a dark match at a Raw taping in Pittsburgh the summer or 2012. He was still in limbo at the time in terms of him being on the main roster.

Could easily name at least 5 WWE/NXT women who are better in-ring than Charlotte. Spoiler, 3 are Japanese.

I was on the Dean train from before he signed. I was a huge Moxley mark. To me, he’s going to be a bigger “what if” than Bray Wyatt.

And yeah, best is probably loosely used there but on the main roster I’d only put Asuka ahead of her. I used to dislike Charlotte’s work too because her selling was god awful lol.

You can make a case for Sasha being better too on the main roster imo, but I wouldn’t say that at this point in time.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I was on the Dean train from before he signed. I was a huge Moxley mark. To me, he’s going to be a bigger “what if” than Bray Wyatt.

And yeah, best is probably loosely used there but on the main roster I’d only put Asuka ahead of her. I used to dislike Charlotte’s work too because her selling was god awful lol.

You can make a case for Sasha being better too on the main roster imo, but I wouldn’t say that at this point in time.

Charlotte's selling is still pretty God awful. It's just not as God awful as it was when she started. She's also let up on the whole almost dropping Sasha on her head and killing her thing.

 

[Disclose]

A&E is gonna partner with WWE studios and produce 5 documentaries "of 2 hours each": on Macho Man, Rowdy Piper, Stone Cold, Booker T and Shawn Michaels

 

[Dr Pepper]

A two hour documentary on Booker T?

Alright then.

 

[HandsomeHollywood]

I'm surprised at the Ambrose love. He could be the anti-Rollins in that he has personality and charisma, but from what I've seen is near dreadful in-ring, especially lately. It boggles my mind how a guy coming from a background like his can be so soft in the ring.
And while Dean has personality and charisma, it's been steadily going down, especially since his WWE championship win. The guy has always seemed aloof and "too cool for school". I think it was an act when he was in The Shield, but since then it seems more like it's how he really feels. At least that's how it comes through the screen at me.

 

[Jussi]

A two hour documentary on Booker T?

Alright then.

Tell me you didn't just say that...

 

[Mitchy]

come on now, Rollins' cackle is GOAT

 

[dahrougem2]

I've long thought Dean Ambrose is god awful in the ring. Literally nothing he does is believable or even suspends belief for a brief moment.

 

[PBandJ]

A quick side note,

I apologize for the other day. I have a horrible tendency to let my emotions get the better of me when debating and yesterday was another prime example of that. I dont have any excuses, I simply can't act like that and I hope ya'll can forgive me for it while i try to improve.

On topic, I like dean, but I've never liked his ring work.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Show and Miz did interviews this week to try and defend WWE from Oliver

 

[Disclose]

i like Dean the character, never the wrestler.

 

[GarbageGoal]

Charlotte's selling is still pretty God awful. It's just not as God awful as it was when she started. She's also let up on the whole almost dropping Sasha on her head and killing her thing.

The knock on Charlotte was she was going to be elevated fast for someone who only started wrestling in her mid 20's. I'd say what she's done is pretty admirable. There were definitely aspects to her game that are still green that people really overlook, but they are worlds better than the typical Johnny Ace Diva hire of the 2000's. Of course she's being asked to do more and expected to do than those gals ever did. Her promos still suck and sound read off a cue card especially when she's a face. Heel Flair is also cookie cutter. Honestly shutting up and being smug is her best trait.

As far as Seth, I guess (speaking as a hetero male) he's a good looking guy with a great body. Great in ring worker so obviously Vince sees that and sees he's gonna be popular with women. More so than Balor who as good in ring if not better and has a great body but is short and has a goofy baby face. At the end of the day, Seth only checks so many boxes. I feel no connection to him whatsoever, one way or another. He embodies the idea to me that the male roster is not cutting the mustard and I don't know why, and I don't even know if it's anything he can fix. I liked Ambrose all around but he lost his fire and that was it.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Ambrose’s fire died the moment people blamed him for the Austin podcast going off the rails, didn’t respond to Austin claiming Ambrose was resting on his laurels (knowing and acknowledging full well that the roster today doesn’t have the freedom that he did back in the day) and then having the title immediately taken off him.

His in-ring work saw a steep and dramatic decline after his WWE Title reign, and he was always only as good as long as he was invested in what he was doing.