World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)

[HappyGilmore]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzFLlBTk-sQ&feature=related

[JaseSF]

So it looks like Undertaker-Triple H III at Wrestlemania this year....sure it'll be a good match but honestly it feels a bit too much "We've seen this before to me". Jericho targets Punk - figured that and the announcers don't pick up on Jericho thinks he the best wrestler in the world? Loved the Bryan-Punk match for as long as it lasted. Was surprised Sheamus didn't appear on Raw after his initial early appearance. So how long before Kharma targets Beth Phoenix? That should be good when it happens and will they remember the stuff with the Bella Twins?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ncpip1e0J60&feature=g-all-u

Warning, this is funny but pretty offensive (a lot of overuse . most of it inappropriate of the "N" word). But a certain level of truth here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEDGLh02IlY

This version of The Nation might just be the best faction of them all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-fMGSe97VQ

Imagine if the Nation could have went up against these guys. What a faction war that would have been.

[HappyGilmore]

Wonder if this will be Undertaker's last go-round. He's pushing like, 47. Not entirely old but, well, not much left for him except the streak.

[HappyGilmore]

I hope they announce Macho Man Randy Savage for the Hall of Fame.

I know Edge is popular, and deserves in, but to be there before Savage is a disgrace.

Considering how insanely famous and popular he was.

[JaseSF]

Bruno Sammartino should have been the first entry but you know, he'll never agree to inclusion. Backlund belongs in there too. And yeah definitely Savage too. Wrestlemania's in Florida, probably some more Florida names will go in - maybe even Kevin Sullivan? Man was he ever strange back in his Florida heel days...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaNZ4XUq8Ic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3sTGAKFOeg

[HappyGilmore]

I just bought the new 4-Disc Stone Cold dvd. 
"Sheriff" Steve Austin returns to Raw.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axLNp-p5IcI

Stone Cold Beer Truck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_FWK_jm3ms

What?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7_LreuSY3Y

[HappyGilmore]

Booker T and Goldust were entertaining.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7fcpPR4bFA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvgm_0IT-lE&feature=related

[bob]

Wonder if this will be Undertaker's last go-round. He's pushing like, 47. Not entirely old but, well, not much left for him except the streak.

I would love to see him vs Cena next year at WM

[HappyGilmore]

Wonder if this will be Undertaker's last go-round. He's pushing like, 47. Not entirely old but, well, not much left for him except the streak.

I would love to see him vs Cena next year at WM

Well, same here.  I look at it like this: if Undertaker maintains his schedule of promos and such from roughly the Rumble til 'Mania, with just 'Mania being his one match all year, he could substantially go 25-0.  Say what you will about WWE...but it's video production pieces and promo pieces highlighting a Superstar is pretty damned good.  They could make this match with Cena...probably without Undertaker even being in an ARENA until Mania.

[HappyGilmore]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRNo1P9QZcw&feature=related

[JaseSF]

I miss when wrestling was full of wild, crazy characters and was totally upredictable week after week , guys like Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, The Iron Sheik, the Ultimate Warrior and of course Hulk Hogan, the 90s had it pretty good too with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, The Undertaker, Mankind to name a few, even the early 2000s wasn't too bad with Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar, Rob Van Dam added to some of the 90s guys...now too many of the guys seem all the same (aside from a few veterans like Jericho, Taker, HHH, Big Show and some good young talent in CM Punk and Daniel Bryan), look all the same, seem interchangeable and sadly forgettable and the nuttier guys, I kinda like R-Truth, are now played more for laughs and comedy. Now they market it as WWE product, years ago the Superstars made the product themselves and were obviously alotted more freedom to let loose their own characters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WUA8IDvPX8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qckABmCCuy0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1tNY5tVG3A

[HappyGilmore]

I was a young kid in the '80s, but recall seeing the old shows with Hogan, George Steele, Savage, Ted DiBiase, etc.  While I liked it, I fell in love with wrestling in the late '90s with that great run it had from '96 til around '01 or '02.  With performers like Steve Austin, The Rock, Undertaker, Mick Foley, HBK, DX, The New Age Outlaws, and seeing the rise of people like Edge, Christian, The Dudley Boyz, Matt and Jeff Hardy, the rise of the cruiserweights like Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OQCc3L9BwI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAzapBhPQlI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDSu4rBvRQk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kDLzP_VxfU

[HappyGilmore]

WWF History...from Bruno Sammartino to Jericho...this video is about ten years old but still worth it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84yacsM03H4

[HappyGilmore]

...now too many of the guys seem all the same (aside from a few veterans like Jericho, Taker, HHH, Big Show and some good young talent in CM Punk and Daniel Bryan), look all the same, seem interchangeable and sadly forgettable and the nuttier guys, I kinda like R-Truth, are now played more for laughs and comedy. Now they market it as WWE product, years ago the Superstars made the product themselves and were obviously alotted more freedom to let loose their own characters.

I agree with the highlighted statement, but I don't entirely blame the current group of wrestlers here either.  Personally I started seeing a big big shift around 2005 or so.  The last truly great group of talent came to the WWE around 2001 or 2002 or so.  And those were leftover WCW and ECW guys. 

A bunch of the wrestlers in the late '90s were the last 'bastion' of guys who not only worked independant promotions, but got a chance in WCW, ECW or WWE.  Some even got the tail end of the old 'territory' system that existed at one point.  Not only that, but a lot of those guys also got international travel.  Perfect examples would include Mick Foley.  Mick Foley came in the business around '86 or so...the very end of the territory days.  He worked a bunch of them, then got to go to Japan.  Then got WCW, then ECW, and made it in WWE.  Jericho is a perfect example: worked in Calgary, Mexico, Japan, Smokey Mountain Wrestling, Germany, ECW, WCW, and WWE.  Getting to 'learn' your craft all over the place helps you infinitely. 

Newer guys (Cena, Orton, Heath Slater, Barrett, Ezekiel Jackson, Santino, etc.), never really had that opportunity to work on a gimmick or character, and are used to the training grounds of the WWE farm league of OVW, HWA or FCW.  Some guys (Cena and Orton notably) have, fortunately, worked with some of the 'legends' out there like Foley, Undertaker or Eddie Guerrero who helped them improve somewhat.  But the newer guys like the Barretts or Ryders or whomever didn't get that chance.  Sadly, it shows in some cases, as the matches these guys have look the same.  They'll work the same match night after night, and even if they botch a spot in a match, they'll retry it immediately.  In a company like ECW, if a person messed up, they'd be greeted with a very loud chant of "You Fu**ed Up!".  Sadly, the only guys today who may have lasted in ECW are likely Daniel Bryan and CM Punk.

You can see it in their work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6jwi7ulGyM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUyCWi6q0ZI

[bob]

...now too many of the guys seem all the same

that's why I like Zack Ryder and The Funkasaurus: they look different and I actaully like them and their gimmick