Unpopular Wrestling Opinions

[Sugi21]

I get the purpose of rest holds but I don't think they provide anything tangible to matches.

It just built up the baby face for a comeback or draw a bit of heat for the heel! rest hold is a lost art in today’s wrasslin just like tests of strength don’t see those anymore too old school

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Sami is legitimately a great wrestler though. The Fiend is Bray Wyatt in a Halloween mask and clown pants.

Thats like saying Mankind is Cactus Jack in a mask and tattered clothing?

 

[M.C.G. 31]

This is why @Emperoreddy was the HFWF jobber.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Thats like saying Mankind is Cactus Jack in a mask and tattered clothing?

That is what Mankind was. It was just unique for the time when everything was New Gen corny.

Bray is just doing the Kane gimmick but with less fire.

 

[Sheppy]

Amazing match. I would say Gargano and some others have had matches as good or better at Take Overs.
(
But yes great match and it is among the best.)

I mean pre-Taker/HBK. There have been several matches after that one that would be better than anything the WWF(E) has ever seen.

 

[Sheppy]

That is what Mankind was. It was just unique for the time when everything was New Gen corny.

Bray is just doing the Kane gimmick but with less fire.

I don’t see this at all.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

That is what Mankind was. It was just unique for the time when everything was New Gen corny.

Bray is just doing the Kane gimmick but with less fire.

But Mankind and Kane were awesome so....

 

[M.C.G. 31]

I don’t recall Kane using a different character to lull others into a false sense of security.

 

[Sheppy]

I don’t recall Kane using a different character to lull others into a false sense of security.

Kane also didn't speak for an extended period of time. Bray/Fiend relies heavily on promo ability.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I don’t recall Kane using a different character to lull others into a false sense of security.

He isn’t lulling anyone into anything. The funhouse stuff is a whole other universe that has not at all connected with anything that happens in the ring.

No other wrestler is selling sweater Bray as some other anything. It’s just Bray being entertaining, while fans read way way way WAY too deep into it.

The only thing of actual consequence is The Fiend, and The Fiend is dull. It’s Kane. We don’t need another Kane. He doesn’t talk. He wears a mask. He squashes people.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

He isn’t lulling anyone into anything. The funhouse stuff is a whole other universe that has not at all connected with anything that happens in the ring.

No other wrestler is selling sweater Bray as some other anything. It’s just Bray being entertaining, while fans read way way way WAY too deep into it.

The only thing of actual consequence is The Fiend, and The Fiend is dull. It’s Kane. We don’t need another Kane. He doesn’t talk. He wears a mask. He squashes people.

Go back and watch the build with Finn.

FFH Bray clearly told Finn that everyone at the funhouse is a big fan of his, but the fiend is no man and isn’t. It’s not for the fans, there’s clearly an element there for his opponents to digest.

Finn has no idea what to expect at Summerslam after the FFH despite encountering the fiend.

The FFH is being used to flat out WARN Seth and Braun of the impending hell coming their way.

To call Bray a “Kane gimmick with less fire” is an oversimplification of a clearly multi-layered character that Bray himself has come up with (with the help of Taker, Heyman, etc), Vince has very little part of, and a character that has had one match and been live in the ring or ringside area about a handful of times thus far.

 

[JackSlater]

Bray Wyatt's Mr. Rogers stuff is entertaining and interesting at least. I agree that his in ring work in his goofy pants and weird mask is not noteworthy to this point. Maybe it will change but the fiend gimmick is just a mask at this point.

 

[Sheppy]

...He's been in one squash match.

 

[Emperoreddy]

...He's been in one squash match.

He can only do squash matches. The gimmick dies the moment he needs to legit sell.

It’s why they rightly keep him off tv 90% of the time. It’s the one thing they are actually doing right. They are booking Bray correctly.

Or they were until they decided to randomly give him a title shot.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Go back and watch the build with Finn.

FFH Bray clearly told Finn that everyone at the funhouse is a big fan of his, but the fiend is no man and isn’t. It’s not for the fans, there’s clearly an element there for his opponents to digest.

Finn has no idea what to expect at Summerslam after the FFH despite encountering the fiend.

The FFH is being used to flat out WARN Seth and Braun of the impending hell coming their way.

To call Bray a “Kane gimmick with less fire” is an oversimplification of a clearly multi-layered character that Bray himself has come up with (with the help of Taker, Heyman, etc), Vince has very little part of, and a character that has had one match and been live in the ring or ringside area about a handful of times thus far.

It’s paint by the numbers monster heel booking. They have booked monsters like this since the Stone Age. It isn’t a bad thing as it works, but it’s as deep as a puddle.

There is no deeper meaning to Finn selling surprise outside of Finn being the one who deserves the credit for doing all the work in that feud and match. He did all the selling. Bray just had to show up.

You guys are putting things into this that aren’t there. Which is whatever it’s fantasy booking and fantasy booking is fun and this gimmick is easy to go wild with fantasy booking as he is insanely cryptic in his promos and is kept off tv so much.

I get people enjoy it. That’s why it’s an unpopular opinion. To me it’s bland fluff leading to an inevitable dead end.

Give me heel Daniel Bryan every day and twice on tuesdays.

 

[Sheppy]

It’s paint by the numbers monster heel booking. They have booked monsters like this since the Stone Age. It isn’t a bad thing as it works, but it’s as deep as a puddle.

There is no deeper meaning to Finn selling surprise outside of Finn being the one who deserves the credit for doing all the work in that feud and match. He did all the selling. Bray just had to show up.

You guys are putting things into this that aren’t there. Which is whatever it’s fantasy booking and fantasy booking is fun and this gimmick is easy to go wild with fantasy booking as he is insanely cryptic in his promos and is kept off tv so much.

I get people enjoy it. That’s why it’s an unpopular opinion. To me it’s bland fluff leading to an inevitable dead end.

Give me heel Daniel Bryan every day and twice on tuesdays.

I don't really get what you mean by this? Fiend showed up, attacked Finn. Fiend beat Finn at the PPV... how exactly did Finn do all the work? All the work up until that point was legitimately done by Bray for getting everyone invested in his character with the fun house, and the gimmick. I'd say it was 98% Bray, honestly.

You want to talk about someone doing all the work, look at Bray in the Taker feud going into Wrestlemania.

 

[Disclose]

Cain Velasques is a much better wrestler than Brock Lesnar (2019)

 

[Pilky01]

Wrestling is effectively dead and it will never have another "boom" period.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Wrestling is effectively dead and it will never have another "boom" period.

IMO It depends to me what you consider a "boom" period to be. Wrestlers right now are getting more exposure and making more money than ever. So for them I think its a pretty good boom period as we speak. The WWE is making more money than ever thanks in part to TV stations hungry for content and Saudi money so its quite the boom for them too.

If a boom period is pop culture popularity and the heights that the Attitude Era reached with that popularity, I could see your statement as being true.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

All you need to have for a new "boom" period to emerge is a transcendant star.

Easier said than done, but that's what you need.

 

[koyvoo]

Wrestling is effectively dead and it will never have another "boom" period.

Well I’m not even sure this qualifies as an unpopular opinion. If it isn’t consensus, it’s at least a somewhat popular opinion.

And I don’t necessarily disagree. At the same time, the same was said after the 80’s/Hulkamania boom. The attitude era boom was something unforeseen even a few years before it started. This currently has been one of the biggest periods of crappy content though.

 

[Pilky01]

If a boom period is pop culture popularity and the heights that the Attitude Era reached with that popularity, I could see your statement as being true.

That is how I interpret "boom period".

Selling out huge venues. Celebrities want to be seen there. The t-shirts and merchandise are ubiquitous, etc...

I'm not sure its entirely wrestling/WWE's fault....I think social media and the avalanche of content available to people hurts wrestling and that can never be ameliorated. I don't think the business does itself many favours though.

 

[Disclose]

well i mean there were certain wrestlers so popular that Hot Topic called them to sell their t-shirts.
it was such a success that they decided to do their own brand instead of sharing it with the owners..........
its now a new wrestling company.

whos pushing the biggest company to make moves. (nxt to USA, bigger contracts, hiring guys to make RAW better)

wrestling its in such a beautiful spot right now.
except the bitching between fans.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

I mean as far as pop culture goes I think the most popular items nowadays are Bullet Club stuff, and that is miniscule compared to the nWo/DX/Attitude merch.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Wrestling will never have that relevancy again imo. The business itself is in a good spot within its niche though.