WWE: Summerslam, 2023

[ShelbyZ]

I stopped watching WWE a while back, but went to the show because a friend had an extra ticket.

I did my best Raiden from Mortal Kombat impression at the finish of Jey/Roman and then kind of loudly and sarcastically explained to my confused friend that they have to keep doing these silly swerves to keep the storyline alive for so many years. Some guy with Jeffrey Dahmer glasses in front of us overheard me and just stared at me for like 2 minutes with a look that I could tell was either from him not liking what I said, or because he wanted to drill holes in my skull and pour acid in them or both. Seems like some people take the Bloodline very seriously.

But then I wonder - is this product marketed towards me? Am I, a middle aged man, a target demographic?

I was 8-9-10 years old or whatever during Hulkamania. I was like 20 years lol or during the attitude era. Very clearly I was the target audience in those times, and the product made sense. I may not be buying what they’re selling because they may not be selling to me in the first place.

FWIW, there was a 9-11YO girl sitting 2 seats over from me that threw a temper tantrum after Bianca won, was still upset after IO cashed in but then collected herself enough to put her "1" up and mark out for Roman. She and other children seemed to be the most "engaged" demo in the section where I sat.

 

[Sheppy]

One thing that's irritating me a bit, and I think has truly jumped the shark is the fact that Roman has been clearly beat in seemingly all of his matches as the Tribal Chief.

I'm sure there's a few exceptions (before Jussi comes swooping in with a "well, actually!"

How often can they keep doing the whole opponent has the title clearly won and an interference happens? Every main event there's always some sort of overbooked mess. Like at what point (logically) does an authority figure see this and step in with "Everyone is banned from ringside"?

The recipe is going stale for me.

 

[dahrougem2]

One thing that's irritating me a bit, and I think has truly jumped the shark is the fact that Roman has been clearly beat in seemingly all of his matches as the Tribal Chief.

I'm sure there's a few exceptions (before Jussi comes swooping in with a "well, actually!"

How often can they keep doing the whole opponent has the title clearly won and an interference happens? Every main event there's always some sort of overbooked mess. Like at what point (logically) does an authority figure see this and step in with "Everyone is banned from ringside"?

The recipe is going stale for me.

It would be nice if whoever challenged Roman posed a stipulation of "any outside interference and Roman loses the title" but I doubt that would ever happen.

They IMO did this to bide time until WM. Roman will go away for a few months without a challenger while Jimmy/Jey/Solo battle it out and the U.S. title gets some sort of spotlight.

Then when Roman does return he either faces Jimmy alone, both Usos in a triple threat, all three of the brothers in a fatal four way or Solo on his own before facing Cody and losing at WM.

 

[Unholy Diver]

Yeah I know he is a heel but Roman could use a few more clean wins

 

[Sheppy]

Like if Roman wrestled the Brooklyn Brawler next week there would be an overbooked mess of interferences.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Like if Roman wrestled the Brooklyn Brawler next week there would be an overbooked mess of interferences.

What is Iron Mike Sharpe doing here?!

 

[Megahab]

How the HELL is this still a thing? I'm sure it has had its great moments. But this is what like 3 years? At this point this has become their NWO because there is nothing else to do with the this guy once it ends. It took about 2 weeks for me to realize why everyone hated him as far back as 2017. He has no talent. Like at all. We're all just gonna live in Vince's fantasy world of how he sees wrestling til he dies. And in this world the biggest hack of a champion there's ever been is king

God bless you guys for hanging in there. I gave up long ago

What in the last 20 years has been better than the Bloodline story?

 

[GKJ]

I take particular notice to 2 things

First off, nobody believed Jey was winning the belt. And that just is always going to hurt. You do a dirty finish so that it becomes a main program. Roman is only ever dropping the title at Wrestlemania, and if he doesn’t next year, then he’s holding it for another year.

Also, big difference here between who watches and who doesn’t. And we know there’s an audience for only big shows. But the people who don’t watch often and haven’t been in on this story the whole way are the ones who were surprised at Jimmy turning. The rest of us had a pretty good beat on it, maybe we didn’t know for sure, but weren’t shocked.

This isn’t a ‘Russo Swerve’ where they dreamed it up an hour before the show. The Uso’s turning on each other is a piece they had on the table 2 years ago when they were talking about doing Dwayne vs. Roman in a tag at Wrestlemania 37 with an Uso on each side.

 

[These Are The Days]

What in the last 20 years has been better than the Bloodline story?

I'm sure it's been very good. But Roman is an atrocious wrestler and no amount of riveting plotline is going to make me forgive it

 

[Emperoreddy]

I'm sure it's been very good. But Roman is an atrocious wrestler and no amount of riveting plotline is going to make me forgive it

He is also the biggest draw in wrestling right now

 

[These Are The Days]

He is also the biggest draw in wrestling right now

Oh I bet. Probably on par with peak HHH. And I assure you it has nothing to do with how good he is. What is left of WWE fandom is solely focused on the death of the Roman Empire because that's how bad they want it. I've spent the last few years watching the Attitude Era and am now at Survivor Series 2002. Roman at any point in the last 10 years is good enough to job to Edge but turned into God because Vince wants it. He's not special

Vince and HHH basically turned him into the Dallas Cowboys and gave him all the titles in order to rub it in

 

[These Are The Days]

I haven't watched the bloodline but I am certain people love it because it unconsciously reminds us of how Vince has been abusing the fanbase for years. WWE fans are the most loyal, loving, passionate and devoted of any kind of sport in the world. Vince has fed us garbage and we've basically said "please may I have some more" because the best of his product 20-40 years ago is our happiest childhood memories.

I'm not surprised a hated abusive patriarch we don't want is the most popular thing we've had in 20 years. It's the only thing we have to bond with in hate. All they've done is pull the curtain back and turn Vince into an avatar

 

[Emperoreddy]

People would not like prime flair when he was champ. All he did was cheat or win by roll ups.

I definitely understand though how it can be tiring for some people though, but me personally I don't have issues with heels constantly cheating. That's just what wrestling is to me.

 

[I Eat Crow]

People would not like prime flair when he was champ. All he did was cheat or win by roll ups.

I definitely understand though how it can be tiring for some people though, but me personally I don't have issues with heels constantly cheating. That's just what wrestling is to me.

I have no problem with Roman or other heels getting over via cheating/interference, but for the past year, if you watched one Roman match, you watched them all. The formula is the exact same.

Challenger gets ahead, looks like they're going to hit their finisher, but wait! There's Heyman, Usos, Solo to f*** their shit up! Roman spears and wins.

I just want a little variety is all. Let Roman low blow someone. Let him get over clean once in a while. He just looks like a chicken shit lately.

 

[Sheppy]

I have no problems with a heel, heeling it up but the fact that there’s been like 100 instances of overbooked nonsense interference and not one “authority” figure puts a stop to it.

It’s just a logic gap for me.

 

[Apex Predator]

Is the long term plan for a rematch of Cody vs roman at wrestlemania with Cody winning this time?

 

[GKJ]

Is the long term plan for a rematch of Cody vs roman at wrestlemania with Cody winning this time?

Yeah, probably