House of ZAN Forum

[Grand Master Sef]

Raw was meh. DX was funny.

Y'all watch ECW this week? I know its still WWECW, but this week was the best I've seen since ONS2. Its sad that the WWE can only have decent ECW shows in the Hammerstien Ballroom. I actually liked the whole show, except the main event. Show vs Batista was SO WWE with their punch, punch kick, kick. I enjoyed the ECW crowd being rowdy & giving them hell when they deserved it. The "Change the Channel" chant was priceless.

I feel its about time they heavily push Sabu vs Show. I don't understand why they arn't. The best ECW has to offer can't have an ECW title shot but every main eventer from RAW & SMACKDOWN can? Yeah, thats realistic.
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[Dana]

Yeah I loved it too, and I hope more of those kinds of fans/chants start popping up in Smackdown arenas.

Batista was visibly upset at the crowd -- I was laughing my butt off! You can tell he was just fuming, probably thinking "why aren't you idiots cheering for me?"

The match itself was awful except for the table bump at the end, which got a decent pop from the crowd. If Show keeps doing stuff like that & starts having more matches like the Dreamer/Sandman tag match, the ECW crowd will start warming up to him ... you can kinda get the feeling they WANT to cheer for him already but he hasn't earned much in their eyes yet... plus they know RVD should be champ right now if it weren't for his screwup...
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[Grand Master Sef]

yeah I agree with ya Dana about show.

Batista surprised me, he must REALLY be out of touch when it comes to real wrestling fans, this was obvious by his reaction the ECW fans giving him hell. I laughed as well. He needs to realize that when he mentions his "friend Paul" on Smackdown, we KNOW who he is talking about. lol, nub.
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[Ravage]

I really liked ECW this week. I'm starting to come around on Heyman as a heel. I'm finding it's helping to develop the ECW storyline faster.
Right up until the main event, this was the best show they've had yet.

As for the main event...man, it's strange that Big Show/Kane was so much better, because this big-man matchup sucked. The tag match was fantastic, given that Dreamer and Sandman really can't perform like they used to (of course Test is already boring, and Knox will have to do something to give himself character - good rassler' though).

The CM Punk debut was disappointing. It wasn't a bad match, but a little slower than I expected from a lightweight with so much hype behind him. Justin Credible may not have been the best first match choice, as I feel he's left his prime far behind him. Maybe Steven Richards instead?

I agree with Dana...I think the ECW crowd will accept Big Show, but he has to wrestle ECW guys! They've already embraced Kurt (though it's not hard since he truly is the best there is or ever will be - sorry Brett).

Here's my idea (not that Vince ever follows MY great ideas...):
Next week -
Big Show vs. Sabu - Sabu wins via DQ. Show Retains.
Second week -
Big Show vs. Sabu Extreme rules - Sabu wins the title, RAWR!
Third Week -
RVD comes back, Big Show has a rematch, RVD interferes, causing Show to lose.
Fourth Week -
Sabu vs. Whoever...Sabu wins, RVD runs out, smacks Sabu, turning heel and joining Heyman.
Fifth Week -
Heyman, Show, RVD stable starts to run rampant in ECW, Champ. Sabu rallies ECW to fight them...thus setting up great storylines for the next month or so.

I should totally be a booker.

[Grand Master Sef]

not bad booking. however, DQ's in ECW is a NO NO! There were NO RULES. That means, the guys don't HAVE to use weapons (Benoit vs Malenko type of matches) BUT you still could if you wanted (New Jack matches). With that said, I still like the booking.

Also, its just Bret & I would be hard pressed to say Kurt > Bret OR Bret > Kurt. However, I would say Kurt = Bret. I (seeing almost all of each guys matches) couldn't pick one over the other. They are by far the best techincal wrestlers ever.
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[Ravage]

Fair enough (although I think Benoit is right in there with them on a technical level), but the one thing that I never really cared for with Bret was his persona. I never cared for his acting, though I definitely haven't seen as much of him as you have, so I can't judge fully.

From the matches I've seen, Kurt is much more intense, although perhaps a little more reckless as a result.

[Grand Master Sef]

Bret - Bret is probably the best technical wrestler ever. Kurt is SO close that they are basically equal (this is in their primes of course that we are speaking). Bret could out WRESTLE anyone in his day & anyone today but Kurt would be his equal I believe. Now, with that said, Bret was never much of an actor. He was taught to give a good promo & in the prime of his career he could give a good promo that people would rally behind however he was never the versitile actor that Kurt is. Bret could convey emotion and get his point across. I would say he was 70% wrestler & 30% character.

Kurt - Kurt is the best of the current generation. Kurt can out wrestle anyone now. However, Kurt is quickly going downhill as the wear & tear (& injuries) are catching up with him. I don't think we'll see too many more 5 star classics from him but we will see a couple I'm sure. Kurt would be a 60% wrestler & 40% actor. He is a much more versitile actor than Bret. He can be funny & aggressive in the same sentence, its crazy. However I still think back in 96-98 Bret was the better technitian but not by much.

Benoit - Benoit is a terrible actor. He always has been. He is a veteran now & knows his strengths & weaknesses. He can deliver a decent promo now but still isn't great on the mic. Jericho & he had a feud in the WWF when Benoit first came over that exploited the fact that Benoit was terrible on the mic which lead to some pricessless promos by Jericho, just by the way. Anyway, Benoit is a great technitian but is on the level below Bret & Kurt. For starters the man can't do a proper Sharpshooter to save his life! He knows his moves & can improvise once & awhile, yes but Bret & Kurt have him beat on their technical matery. Now, Benoit is deffinetly tougher than both Kurt & Bret. I've seen Benoit take sick bumps & get right back up like nothing happened. Most recently was that insane bump he took by jumping through the ropes and he hit his lower back on teh announce table. thats the kind of thing I'm talking about.

Thats my stance on things.
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[Grand Master Sef]

so ECdub was...well kinda meh. Does anyone else find it hillarious that when they tape after SD they turn out the lights to create that "bad lighting" effect that the old ECW had & THEN when they go to the ballroom (where the REAL ECW fans show up) they light the place up?! Inconsistancies abound! PICK ONE!!! If they would just have every show be in a smaller building with REAL ECW fans they wouldn't have to use parlor tricks with the lighting. I swear Vince is a MORON!

The show, first match was meh & ended predictably. I was waiting for Sandman & then they had a commercial break...suspension of disbelief & suspension of my show for a few minutes....lame. Then the handicaped match which ended predictably. For the love of everything EXTREME...stop with the retarded RULES in ECW. Let them do whatever they want. We viewers get RULES twice a week already, we don't need them on ECW. This doesn't mean every match needs to be a blood bath, it just allows a weapon to be used here & there if need be! INCOMPITANCE ABOUNDS!!!!!

I picked Mike Knox for my fantasy so that made me happy, lol.

Anyway, no CM Punk = BAD

Renee Dupree with long hair = WTF?

Sabu talking....meh, I'm not a fan. He's never had to before, why start now? I don't mind a few lines here & there, but less is more with Sabu.

Kevin Thorn be praised! I look forward to his segment each week. Why? Ariel! No, not just her, although she is creepy enough that she is awesome & kinda scares me too. That whole hanging like a bat on the ropes was sweet. I still wish the Brood music was used but his entrance song sounds like something off of Blade. Kinda neat. Poor Al Snow. These two should have been given more time, they could have had a really good match. Razor's edge FTW FTW FTW! I love that someone is using that. More vampires plz! KTHX!!! ECW TV title anyone? Ya, make Thorn champ.

Weeeeeelll.....Show gave a pretty boring promo. Next.

Main Event wasn't bad. I didn't mind it being a straight wrestling match either but RVD causing a DQ finish was predictable & boring & pointless. I read he was at a house show & hurt his neck some. Which meant, he'll be on the show. Its just dumb, you want to turn Rob heel & have him against Sabu, let Sabu beat Show & then have RVD show up during SummerSlam to turn on him. lame Vince crap as always. Now they have to have ANOTHER match to pick an opponent for Show or it'll be Sabu, Kurt & RVD which will be a meh match cuz they will give them 9 minutes to have a match.

Not pleased with this show at all. Needs less matches & better ones. Kevin Thorn is great & I even like Knox but Test is gay. ECW matches having RULES with former WCW refs are just STUPID. bah! I can't speak anymore!
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[Ravage]

This was an okay show, I thought. I couldn't comment the other day when you posted this, because I hadn't watched it yet, so I didn't even read yer post. (I gots to be careful of reading your rasslin' updates, since I see things long after you guys do)

I agree on the vampires. I wish there was more time to develop them.

Sandman/Dreamer vs. Knox/Test isn't bad. I don't like Test much, but the other three are fine. It was way too predictable this week, though.
I wish I had hired Sandman...multiple cane shots in a non-extreme match.

RVD is just boring to me. Honestly, ever since WM it's been downhill. I'm tired of him already, so I'm looking forward more to Kurt or Sabu winning and going against Show. I really think Show should retain for a while, and build up a nice feud with Paul, Show and RVD against Sabu, Dreamer, and perhaps Sandman or Balls Mahoney. That feud would be money. Kurt could be a tweener, and take all comers during it.

Unfortunately, here is what I think will happen:

RVD wins the ladder match to be #1 Contender
RVD wins the title back at Summerslam.
RVD vs. Paul continued ad infinitum...with Paulie throwing Show, Angle and others at him constantly.
We'll get to see Rolling Thunder and the Van-Daminator at least a million times.
Sabu won't get a real title shot until RVD loses the title again, which barring more dope charges probably won't be until Survivor Series...possibly even the Rumble.
Sabu will win the title, and hold it for less than a month.
Randy Orton will move to ECW after losing to Hulk at Summerslam.

Why do I think this? It just feels so Vince...

[Grand Master Sef]

...so Vince indeed. RVD (since returning from his leg injury) has been very, very careful. You don't see him taking a lot of risks anymore. I can understand this too, but it does make his matches a little dul as we know the exact same moves that we'll see (just like Cena). RVD in ECW was a constant open book. Yeah, he had signature moves, everyone does, but he threw them in here & there along with many other moves that you never knew were coming. Think, Carlito. Carlito is playing to this formula. He has signiture moves that he throws in almost every match but also gives us a new one here & there, now times that buy a ton of fantastic moves every match & you've got the old RVD. Of course, RVD didn't wrestle as often in ECW either so thats why he could go balls out. Oh well, as always everything could be writen better. Just like the NEW WoW lore, it could have been writen better to serve the purposes it needs to. You want the title back on RVD? Write up a better story other than "RVD is suspended & off TV for 30 so everyone forgets everything they know of RVD. When he comes back, its a clean slate so we can turn him heel. WTF mate? Treat the RAW & SD fans like 9 year old children who have been droped on their heads too much (which I was dropped on my head as child, so...shut up) treat the ECW crowd like geniuses & they will, in turn, make ECW successful. Of course, Vince wouldn't get the credit so he has to sabotage ECW enough to keep it lower than his own creations....pure horse crap.
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[Ravage]

I think the RVD heel turn is the way to go, myself. They do need to explain that RVD "saw the light" after being suspended and realized that Paul was right. He NEEDS to lose the #1 contenders match, and help Paul build Show up. THAT would be a solid story for his comeback.

It's if they push him as top face that I'll be unhappy.