The Wrestling Thread: WWE WrestleMania 31 [NSFW]

[Jam-Master Jay]

I haven't even listened to Friday's B&V because I haven't watched this weeks IMPACT yet. I like to watch the show first before they go through it.

Didn't agree with Dave & Bryan's criticism of 'Big Time' for WrestleMania 22 last Thursday though. I thought the song was great.

o/

[Codename 47]

I haven't even listened to Friday's B&V because I haven't watched this weeks IMPACT yet. I like to watch the show first before they go through it.

Didn't agree with Dave & Bryan's criticism of 'Big Time' for WrestleMania 22 last Thursday though. I thought the song was great.

o/

I actually loved that tune. Even my hip-hop loving brothers thought it made for a good Wrestlemania theme

I wonder if the fans may slowly start to boo the Rock in the build up to the Wrestlemania match? I know Cena keeps reverting to his same old dig at the Rock but i wonder how long before fans start to think "hmm Cena's right Rock is never here, he didn't even have a satellite message for the awards show". It may have been the venue they've been at the 'Rocky' and 'Boots to asses' chants have been a little on the muted side (the crowd were quite pissed when they thought Rock was at the Slammys but actually wasn't). Though it could be a case of one appearence by the Rock and they all go wild again.

[Dark Ritual]

If he was against anybody but Cena, I'd probably expect more boos.

[Dark Ritual]

SD Spoilers:

Booker T was interviewed in-ring by Josh Matthews. Says he's ready for the match at TLC and teases returning to active competition if he wins the IC Title. Booker says he won't be Cody's legitimizer and Rhodes comes out and says he won't be Booker's opportunity at one last run. He also says Booker is not allowed to interfere in his match tonight, or else their match is off and he will petition that Booker be suspended.

Cody Rhodes beat Daniel Bryan after he reversed a rollup into a rolling CrossRhodes. He stared down Booker, who was back at the announce desk.

Alicia Fox def. Natalya in a 2-3 minute match with the deadly Hiroshima rollup. She pulled out some of Nattie's extension and taunted her to cry about it, saying she got out-foxed.

Epico & Primo def. The Usos after Rosa Mendes distracted an Uso when he went to the top rope.

Mark Henry tells Jack Swagger backstage that he'll get first crack at the WHC if he hurts Show like Show hurt him. Swagger says he'll do it, but for himself, since he's actually done what Henry couldn't - beat Big Show in the past. He says the World Championship is in his future no matter what and Henry walks off in disgust.

Big Show def. Jack Swagger. Henry sat at ringside to watch the match and afterwards hit Swagger with the chair, and then out of nowhere hit a cameraman in the back and walked off while Show and trainers tended to them.

Backstage, Ryder asks if Orton will do the woo woo woo with him. Orton says no, and Ryder asks if he can at least call him "bro." Orton says maybe.

Ted DiBiase def. Heath Slater. Jinder Mahal attacked DiBiase post-match. Teddy Long came out and said if Mahal wanted to fight, he can fight the guy he has unfinished business with from Monday night - Sheamus.

Sheamus def. Jinder Mahal. Mahal actually got offense in but eventually fell to the Brough Kick.

Randy Orton & Zack Ryder def. Dolph Ziggler & Wade Barrett. Good, solid main. Orton and Ryder tagged more than you'd think and traded the distress role, but finally Ryder dumped Barrett on the outside and Orton hit the RKO on Ziggler to win. Barrett went to break it but Orton stared him down during the pin. Post-match, Barrett stood on the table set up on the outside and he and Orton stared daggers at each other to end the show.

Regarding John Cena's role at Sunday's WWE TLC pay-per-view, there was talk over the weekend of making him the special referee for the United States Title Match between Dolph Ziggler and Zack Ryder. A stipulation may be in place for that match to where Cena gets added to the WWE Title main event against CM Punk, The Miz and Alberto Del Rio, making it a four-way.

[Banjo]

God no.

They really do need to give Laurinaitis some theme music, and The Touch would be brilliant. I've been enjoying the back-and-forth between him and Punk, him being so dry that he doesn't realise Punk is mocking him, it would be great if he legitimately adopts the song and thanks Punk for the tribute to his career.

[Cosmo]

SD Spoilers:

Booker T was interviewed in-ring by Josh Matthews. Says he's ready for the match at TLC and teases returning to active competition if he wins the IC Title. Booker says he won't be Cody's legitimizer and Rhodes comes out and says he won't be Booker's opportunity at one last run. He also says Booker is not allowed to interfere in his match tonight, or else their match is off and he will petition that Booker be suspended.

Cody Rhodes beat Daniel Bryan after he reversed a rollup into a rolling CrossRhodes. He stared down Booker, who was back at the announce desk.

Alicia Fox def. Natalya in a 2-3 minute match with the deadly Hiroshima rollup. She pulled out some of Nattie's extension and taunted her to cry about it, saying she got out-foxed.

Epico & Primo def. The Usos after Rosa Mendes distracted an Uso when he went to the top rope.

Mark Henry tells Jack Swagger backstage that he'll get first crack at the WHC if he hurts Show like Show hurt him. Swagger says he'll do it, but for himself, since he's actually done what Henry couldn't - beat Big Show in the past. He says the World Championship is in his future no matter what and Henry walks off in disgust.

Big Show def. Jack Swagger. Henry sat at ringside to watch the match and afterwards hit Swagger with the chair, and then out of nowhere hit a cameraman in the back and walked off while Show and trainers tended to them.

Backstage, Ryder asks if Orton will do the woo woo woo with him. Orton says no, and Ryder asks if he can at least call him "bro." Orton says maybe.

Ted DiBiase def. Heath Slater. Jinder Mahal attacked DiBiase post-match. Teddy Long came out and said if Mahal wanted to fight, he can fight the guy he has unfinished business with from Monday night - Sheamus.

Sheamus def. Jinder Mahal. Mahal actually got offense in but eventually fell to the Brough Kick.

Randy Orton & Zack Ryder def. Dolph Ziggler & Wade Barrett. Good, solid main. Orton and Ryder tagged more than you'd think and traded the distress role, but finally Ryder dumped Barrett on the outside and Orton hit the RKO on Ziggler to win. Barrett went to break it but Orton stared him down during the pin. Post-match, Barrett stood on the table set up on the outside and he and Orton stared daggers at each other to end the show.

No Kane? Strange.

[Skippy]

+1 Big Time love. Great theme

[Pontius Pilate]

Probably not. Don't they stream PPVs to the armed forces for free, aswell as give troops back home free tickets to all live shows?

[KK]

I don't get why the WWE aligns itself with the US army, it's not like all the wrestlers are from the USA.

Then again, Vince Mcmahon has a lot in common with the US army - invading the territories of other people, so maybe that's why.

America is very pro-military in general. WWE isn't doing anything particularly out of the ordinary in that regard.

[A J Styles]

Hope you all enjoy Turning Point tonight, I enjoyed it.

TNA

[KK]

Why in the name of sweet Jesus are the sides of the ring draped in the TNA logo? I thought the name was Impact now? Is it? My TV guide can't even seem to decide.

It's a bit of a clusterfuck to be honest. The weekly show is IMPACT WRESTLING, but the PPVs are TNA presents. The belts are also still labelled as TNA.

The TNA ring curtain is basically the equivalent of the old 'World Wrestling Federation' job, which was always brought out when they couldn't be bothered to make a PPV specific version. Seeing as TNA can never be bothered to take down the IMPACT WRESTLING wallpapers in the IMPACT Zone this shouldn't come as much surprise.

[KK]

Jesse Neal, who refused to relocate to developmental in Louisville, has been released by TNA.

TNA: Turning Point is estimated at 9,000 buys, roughly the same range as most of their low-end shows.

Vince McMahon has been shooting down almost every idea related to Mick Foley pitched by the writing team. Brian Gewirtz was able to get the Santa Claus stuff through though.

Velvet Sky has also commented on Dave Meltzer's report in last week's Observer that the stuff Karen Jarrett's been saying on IMPACT recently is what the company actually thinks of her. Sky posted on Twitter:

LOL that RUMOR is so far from the truth. Don't believe everything you read people...

A grown man + rumors = Wrong, Epic Fail, Try again and THANKS FOR PLAYING! Try reporting something with truth to it. Must be a slow week.

Dave has since responded that his source(s) were from the very top of the company.

UK Ratings for the week ending 4th December...

222,000 tuned in for IMPACT WRESTLING on Sunday night, making it the most watched programme on Challenge by 63,000; WWE RAW Live pulled in 102,000 Live, with a further 43,000 watching the replay on Tuesday; WWE SmackDown Live garnered 82,000, with 58,000 for the Friday repeat; Bottom Live (RAW) directly following did 30,000.

[Cosmo]

Showing the same promo twice.

[KK]

They actually kept that in? A quick edit job would have sorted that right out for our airing.

You can guarantee WWE wouldn't have left it in. Whenever something goes wrong on RAW, it's off the Thursday replay.

[Cosmo]

They actually kept that in? A quick edit job would have sorted that right out for our airing.

They did. It makes you wonder why they couldn't just pull the plug at the live show.

Also, I think this advert for WWE 12 has been shown during every commercial break.

[KK]

I like how nobody has noticed the thread title has been wrong for the past two days.

(For what its worth, it wasn't intentional on my part)

[gaminglegend]

We're getting the WWE Tribute To The Troops show they're recapping on Christmas Eve at 7pm.

Do they get paid to do that tribute?

I'd imagine it's classed as one of their dates, or they get an extra pay packet. Then again I know that they can opt to not do the shows if they are against the Army..etc.. I'm sure there's a few people who didn't go to Iraq, not because of the flight but due to their protest at the invasion.

[Cosmo]

Christy Hemme in that dress.

EDIT: Did Jeff not learn from Survivor Series ten years ago that diving off the cage doesn't work?

[Balloon Sod]

We're getting the WWE Tribute To The Troops show they're recapping on Christmas Eve at 7pm.

Do they get paid to do that tribute?

I'd imagine it's classed as one of their dates, or they get an extra pay packet. Then again I know that they can opt to not do the shows if they are against the Army..etc.. I'm sure there's a few people who didn't go to Iraq, not because of the flight but due to their protest at the invasion.

RVD refused to go, and got loads of heat in the locker room. I doubt he cared or noticed.

[KK]

WWE RAW: Slammy Awards Ratings Breakdown

Quarter 2: Lost 179,000 viewers ('Holy gooseberry fool' Award)
Q3: Gained 237,000 viewers (Big Show vs. Wade Barrett; Road Dogg introducing 'Pipe Bomb of the Year')
Q4: Gained 244,000 viewers (Lita straight from jail announcing 'Divalicious Moment of the Year')
Q5: Gained 604,000 viewers ('OMG Moment of the Year'; Return of Triple H)
Q6: Lost 349,000 viewers (David Otunga and Tony Atlas for Trending Award)
Q7: Lost 188,000 viewers (Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Zack Ryder)
Q8: Gained 464,000 viewers ('Game Change of the Year'; Cena burying The Rock)
Q9: Lost 146,000 viewers (Randy Orton & C.M. Punk vs. The Miz & Alberto Del Rio) for a slot that rarely loses viewers - 10pm.
Q10: Gained 55,000 viewers ('A-Lister of the Year')
Q11: Lost 288,000 viewers (Mark Henry interview; Sheamus vs. Jinder Mahal which never took place)
Q12: Lost 115,000 viewers ('Superstar of the Year' with the returning Rey Mysterio). Show was now at a 2.7.
Q13/Over-run: Gained 745,000 viewers (Mark Henry vs. Cena; return of Kane)

IMPACT WRESTLING Ratings Breakdown 8 December 2011

Quarter 2: Gained 54,000 viewers (Samoa Joe vs. Abyss)
Q3: Lost 13,000 (Pope & Devon with Matt Morgan & Crimson, which escalated into a brawl)
Q4: Lost 108,000 viewers (Mickie James vs. Madison Rayne)
Q5: Gained 81,000 viewers (Gunner vs. Garett Bischoff)
Q6: Lost 27,000 viewers (James Storm/Kurt Angle in-ring segment; Devon and Pope backstage)
Q7: Lost 25,000 viewers (Gail Kim vs. Tessmacher)
Q8: Lost 26,000 viewers (Jeff Hardy & A.J. Styles vs. Bobby Roode & Jeff Jarrett)

No doubt they'll look at that & think Bischoff's son is now a ratings powerhouse.