- 159,864
- 141,169
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2001
Excellent points by Meltzers
But evaluating it after the act, it’s weird. The guy on the show that fans thought was the least like a star, Baron Corbin, was the one being brought up with a push to the main roster. Corbin has potential and he’s the exact type of guy who should be touring in developmental so that when he comes to the main roster, he’s ready for a top spot. On this show, he was the only guy who couldn’t perform at the top level. Apollo Crews, who can perform at a top level, was also less over than most.
It’s pretty clear that Balor, Joe, Nakamura, Zayn, Asuka, Bayley, Austin Aries, Jordan & Gable should all not only be on the main roster, but most should be top tier stars. Balor should be one of the top guys, and as a high flier who is 34 with a lot of miles on him, he shouldn’t be wasting his remaining bump card for a salary with one less zero at the end. In a company weak on top heels today, the idea of bringing up Corbin instead of Joe, who at 37, also shouldn’t be wasting his remaining best earning years both for himself and for the company when he’s probably the best opponent on the entire roster right now for Brock Lesnar, as well as a strong opponent for Roman Reigns, and even a viable opponent for The Rock, as well as every other top babyface. Joe, just standing there, has a face and carries himself the closest to Lesnar as anyone.
When it was announced that Nakamura was starting in NXT, a lot of people thought it was insulting, since he may be the best wrestler in the world. I didn’t agree, because there are things about WWE that are very different from New Japan and there is a transition period that you need.
The problem is, it was clear in one match that the thing that is difficult for most technically good wrestlers when coming to WWE, which is a natural charisma that plays in big buildings, well, he’s got it more than anyone on the roster. Him being in the secondary brand makes as much sense is sending Stephen Curry to the D-League, have him debut by scoring 50 points in his first game, and then keep him there while the franchise team is playing .500 ball.
WWE just called up two women from developmental, Emma and Eva Marie, while leaving Bayley and Asuka here. Asuka is easily the best woman wrestler in the company, and is as good as any of the men as far as the wrestling aspect goes. The men with more charisma can be counted on one hand. When the entire idea is to rebuild the women’s division to be taken as serious athletics and Eva Marie and even Emma are brought up ahead of her, well, that’s just mind boggling talent judgment, and I’m glad Emma was brought up. But in watching this show from far away, Asuka does have a weakness in that her game doesn’t translate as well in a big arena as a small arena. But in NXT, where except for a few times a year you’re playing small arenas, she’ll never close that weakness. Nakamura has experience in big buildings, but I didn’t know about his style translating without needing some time to figure out the differences between Japan and the U.S. But he’s already figured out how to get over in the ring in the U.S. more than guys who have worked 20 years in the U.S. Jordan & Gable as a team also translate just as well in the big arena, but Dash & Dawson really don’t.
Bayley is a different situation. She and Balor are the faces of the promotion. There’s also a really good chance the talent evaluators who see Eva Marie as a top star even though she’s got nothing but a killer body and very limited talent will totally miss the boat on Bayley. She’s a very good wrestler, but her key is she’s got the perfect face for her role and if they play their cards right she has more value to the company than any woman on the roster. The problem is her appeal is to little girls and to a segment of guys. That appeal isn’t going to work when she’s 30. She may be able to transition into an effective character at 30, but this character works as long as she can pass for big sister or cool young tomboy, and not as mom’s friend or just another 30-year-old girl. She’s already 26, but can pass for 18, but that won’t be forever. Her time clock for her peak as a merchandise seller and in being a superstar to a demo wrestling has never hit big with is limited.
Jordan & Gable are a fantastic team. They are the best team in the company. Enzo & Cass, who were just brought up, have a great act, and can be excellent show openers. Jordan & Gable can be a tag team that main events and carries a show, like a modern Stevens & Patterson or Stevens & Bockwinkel. They won’t grow stale in time like the Road Warriors and Rock & Roll Express acts were naturally going to. It’s just a different level of potential. The Vaudevillains were just brought up, but we’ve already seen in NXT that they have a limited shelf life.
Shown and identified were Kota Ibushi and Bobby Roode. They wouldn’t have shown them if they didn’t believe they were going to be debuting them soon. It’s hard to go wrong with either of them, although Ibushi already has a bad neck and if he’s coming to the U.S., shouldn’t be wasting too many bumps on one less zero in the paycheck. Roode would be a solid benefit to NXT in the sense he’s a veteran who can help teach the best of the young guys. Ibushi should be main roster bound quickly. The English is a problem. He knows it somewhat but isn’t fluent in it. He has charisma, but he doesn’t have Nakamura-level charisma. But for quota reasons, since so many decisions are based on quotas in WWE, they may be reluctant to push more than one super working Japanese male on the main roster at the same time.
One thing very different this year from the similar show last year, which also had a super hot crowd, is the reaction to WrestleMania and WWE. In San Jose, to the NXT crowd, it was cool to hate on WWE, with chants of “Better than Raw,” Better than Mania,” chants ripping on the Divas and stuff that hurt Vince McMahon’s feelings. This year, with all the complaints about the buildup, there was no negative vibe on WWE at this show. Videos regarding WWE were all cheered. The only thing, which was obviously going to happen, is when they showed the video for HHH vs. Reigns, that fans booed the hell out of Reigns and cheered HHH. Also notable is that unlike the Takeover shows and last year’s show, there was no HHH. Apparently Vince made the call that he didn’t want HHH out and playing babyface at any point on this show. Stephanie was shown at ringside before Bayley vs. Asuka with the idea she’s behind women getting their chance to vote 96 years later. Fans did boo Stephanie but she took it well.
For Nakamura, at least so far, he’s keeping his first name. It can change on the main roster, but given part of his value is to help penetrate the Japanese market and beat New Japan for the top spot there, changing a name that famous doesn’t make marketing sense in the big picture.
He’s not keeping his music, but we knew that going in. He’s also keeping his bom a ye finish, although for whatever reason, not the name bom a ye. I have no idea why, although the new name is the Kinshasa.
That has a back story. Bom a ye comes from the Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman “Rumble in the Jungle” fight on October 30, 1974. The fight was in Kinshasa, Zaire, and when Ali came to Zaire to train, everywhere he went, the fans in Kinshasa chanted “Ali Bom Ba Ye.” After Ali fought Antonio Inoki in 1976, Inoki took the fighting spirit from Ali and his entrance music started out, “Inoki Bom Ba Ye,” and people chanted that at Inoki matches for the next 22 years. When Inoki became a promoter, his big cards were called Inoki Bom Ba Ye, whether in pro wrestling or MMA. Nakamura named his finisher after Inoki, so when the name got nixed for whatever silly reason, the name he came up with was the birthplace of the name
But evaluating it after the act, it’s weird. The guy on the show that fans thought was the least like a star, Baron Corbin, was the one being brought up with a push to the main roster. Corbin has potential and he’s the exact type of guy who should be touring in developmental so that when he comes to the main roster, he’s ready for a top spot. On this show, he was the only guy who couldn’t perform at the top level. Apollo Crews, who can perform at a top level, was also less over than most.
It’s pretty clear that Balor, Joe, Nakamura, Zayn, Asuka, Bayley, Austin Aries, Jordan & Gable should all not only be on the main roster, but most should be top tier stars. Balor should be one of the top guys, and as a high flier who is 34 with a lot of miles on him, he shouldn’t be wasting his remaining bump card for a salary with one less zero at the end. In a company weak on top heels today, the idea of bringing up Corbin instead of Joe, who at 37, also shouldn’t be wasting his remaining best earning years both for himself and for the company when he’s probably the best opponent on the entire roster right now for Brock Lesnar, as well as a strong opponent for Roman Reigns, and even a viable opponent for The Rock, as well as every other top babyface. Joe, just standing there, has a face and carries himself the closest to Lesnar as anyone.
When it was announced that Nakamura was starting in NXT, a lot of people thought it was insulting, since he may be the best wrestler in the world. I didn’t agree, because there are things about WWE that are very different from New Japan and there is a transition period that you need.
The problem is, it was clear in one match that the thing that is difficult for most technically good wrestlers when coming to WWE, which is a natural charisma that plays in big buildings, well, he’s got it more than anyone on the roster. Him being in the secondary brand makes as much sense is sending Stephen Curry to the D-League, have him debut by scoring 50 points in his first game, and then keep him there while the franchise team is playing .500 ball.
WWE just called up two women from developmental, Emma and Eva Marie, while leaving Bayley and Asuka here. Asuka is easily the best woman wrestler in the company, and is as good as any of the men as far as the wrestling aspect goes. The men with more charisma can be counted on one hand. When the entire idea is to rebuild the women’s division to be taken as serious athletics and Eva Marie and even Emma are brought up ahead of her, well, that’s just mind boggling talent judgment, and I’m glad Emma was brought up. But in watching this show from far away, Asuka does have a weakness in that her game doesn’t translate as well in a big arena as a small arena. But in NXT, where except for a few times a year you’re playing small arenas, she’ll never close that weakness. Nakamura has experience in big buildings, but I didn’t know about his style translating without needing some time to figure out the differences between Japan and the U.S. But he’s already figured out how to get over in the ring in the U.S. more than guys who have worked 20 years in the U.S. Jordan & Gable as a team also translate just as well in the big arena, but Dash & Dawson really don’t.
Bayley is a different situation. She and Balor are the faces of the promotion. There’s also a really good chance the talent evaluators who see Eva Marie as a top star even though she’s got nothing but a killer body and very limited talent will totally miss the boat on Bayley. She’s a very good wrestler, but her key is she’s got the perfect face for her role and if they play their cards right she has more value to the company than any woman on the roster. The problem is her appeal is to little girls and to a segment of guys. That appeal isn’t going to work when she’s 30. She may be able to transition into an effective character at 30, but this character works as long as she can pass for big sister or cool young tomboy, and not as mom’s friend or just another 30-year-old girl. She’s already 26, but can pass for 18, but that won’t be forever. Her time clock for her peak as a merchandise seller and in being a superstar to a demo wrestling has never hit big with is limited.
Jordan & Gable are a fantastic team. They are the best team in the company. Enzo & Cass, who were just brought up, have a great act, and can be excellent show openers. Jordan & Gable can be a tag team that main events and carries a show, like a modern Stevens & Patterson or Stevens & Bockwinkel. They won’t grow stale in time like the Road Warriors and Rock & Roll Express acts were naturally going to. It’s just a different level of potential. The Vaudevillains were just brought up, but we’ve already seen in NXT that they have a limited shelf life.
Shown and identified were Kota Ibushi and Bobby Roode. They wouldn’t have shown them if they didn’t believe they were going to be debuting them soon. It’s hard to go wrong with either of them, although Ibushi already has a bad neck and if he’s coming to the U.S., shouldn’t be wasting too many bumps on one less zero in the paycheck. Roode would be a solid benefit to NXT in the sense he’s a veteran who can help teach the best of the young guys. Ibushi should be main roster bound quickly. The English is a problem. He knows it somewhat but isn’t fluent in it. He has charisma, but he doesn’t have Nakamura-level charisma. But for quota reasons, since so many decisions are based on quotas in WWE, they may be reluctant to push more than one super working Japanese male on the main roster at the same time.
One thing very different this year from the similar show last year, which also had a super hot crowd, is the reaction to WrestleMania and WWE. In San Jose, to the NXT crowd, it was cool to hate on WWE, with chants of “Better than Raw,” Better than Mania,” chants ripping on the Divas and stuff that hurt Vince McMahon’s feelings. This year, with all the complaints about the buildup, there was no negative vibe on WWE at this show. Videos regarding WWE were all cheered. The only thing, which was obviously going to happen, is when they showed the video for HHH vs. Reigns, that fans booed the hell out of Reigns and cheered HHH. Also notable is that unlike the Takeover shows and last year’s show, there was no HHH. Apparently Vince made the call that he didn’t want HHH out and playing babyface at any point on this show. Stephanie was shown at ringside before Bayley vs. Asuka with the idea she’s behind women getting their chance to vote 96 years later. Fans did boo Stephanie but she took it well.
For Nakamura, at least so far, he’s keeping his first name. It can change on the main roster, but given part of his value is to help penetrate the Japanese market and beat New Japan for the top spot there, changing a name that famous doesn’t make marketing sense in the big picture.
He’s not keeping his music, but we knew that going in. He’s also keeping his bom a ye finish, although for whatever reason, not the name bom a ye. I have no idea why, although the new name is the Kinshasa.
That has a back story. Bom a ye comes from the Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman “Rumble in the Jungle” fight on October 30, 1974. The fight was in Kinshasa, Zaire, and when Ali came to Zaire to train, everywhere he went, the fans in Kinshasa chanted “Ali Bom Ba Ye.” After Ali fought Antonio Inoki in 1976, Inoki took the fighting spirit from Ali and his entrance music started out, “Inoki Bom Ba Ye,” and people chanted that at Inoki matches for the next 22 years. When Inoki became a promoter, his big cards were called Inoki Bom Ba Ye, whether in pro wrestling or MMA. Nakamura named his finisher after Inoki, so when the name got nixed for whatever silly reason, the name he came up with was the birthplace of the name
