Going back watching some 2001 "SPECIALS" on WWE network and hot dang is Heyman a GREAT change of pace from Lawler. I think Lawler was great in the late 90s during the attitude era with the puppies and everything but it's just been too long with him on color.
I know he has settled into this Uncle Jerry role but if they are serious about a new generation of stars don't you think they should get a new announce team to go along with it to help signify the change in talent?
If Heyman ever wanted to commentate again, then I'd love to have him just do Raw. Keeps his schedule light enough to not get burnt out.
ReplyDeleteCole and Heyman could work as a team.
I think he just said on Austins Podcast that he's happy doing what he does now. He gets to spend time with his family and only has to work the PPV's, Raw and the occasional Smackdown.
ReplyDeleteVince has stated he thinks Lawler is one of the greatest announcers ever so don't bet on him leaving anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteIf only they'd let him go back to his heel persona.
As long as Vince is still over producing from gorilla, it won't matter who is doing color.
ReplyDeleteGORILLA MONSOON
ReplyDeleteJR and Heyman were GREAT together. Ross has said on his blog that Heyman would legit get under his skin and you could feel the passion from both of them, especially during their heated exchanges. So great...
ReplyDeleteWhat are the 2001 specials?
ReplyDelete"That's the joke"
ReplyDeleteHeyman really added to the product when he took over, especially X7. Lawler was so fucking bad at that point. Everything was "derp derp...PUPPIES...derp derp."
ReplyDeleteHeyman claims that part of the agreement for him coming in was that he wouldn't ever have to broadcast, but with Kat and King walking out, Vince asked him to reconsider
Renee Young and William Regal on all shows please. God I love both so much for so different reasons.
ReplyDeleteAnybody hating the UFC right now? I made a half tongue in cheek post about how much I hate the promotion and MMA right now and I am really not kidding. Current UFC = New Generation WWF. And I legitimately fucking hate Chris Weidman and Cain Velasquez and only wish the worst for them.
I wish that when Lawler was ready to come back they said "Sorry...we have a guy....nope."
ReplyDeleteHeyman would just talk circles around him and humiliate him.
ReplyDeleteWhy did Kat and King walk out?
ReplyDeleteKat got FIRED!, King walked out in protest.
ReplyDeleteAs far as current wrestlers who I could see being announcers down the road, I like Sandow and Miz.
ReplyDeleteYea good call. She got canned. I never heard a defi reason why besides "she was being a bitch"
ReplyDeleteShe looks a lot like Katy Perry...actually I thought in those days she was more attractive than Katy Perry.
ReplyDeleteSandow would be good now. Honestly they are not going to take him seriously as a worker so that direction is fine.
ReplyDeleteHer as mini-Chyna was quite yummy.
ReplyDeleteVince really seems to have a soft spot for Lawler for some reason. I've heard people say in shoots that Lawler is the 1 guy that can proactively make it known he doesn't give a shit about his job...maybe that's why Vince likes him??
ReplyDeleteAnd you wish better on Cole?
ReplyDeleteWHY!?
I definitely don't get excited for the cards like I have in the past. They are stretched way too thin. This Fox card is actually the most I've been excited for a card in a while.
ReplyDeleteI think Vince has a big thing about groveling/indignity. See the Kiss My Ass Club and all that other stuff.
ReplyDeleteI think Lawler has a few million in the bank and all his houses and cars and stuff paid off. Being a drug free teetotaler he probably doesn't burn cash that fast either.
As much as everyone slams The Alliance (and rightfully so) there was damn good announcing and some damn good wrestling going on. Heyman and Ross had fantastic chemistry and were a great change of pace. Lawler is and has been awful for a long long time.
ReplyDeleteOh believe me I don't.
ReplyDeleteCole could suck worse though. Have you ever sat through a UFC broadcasted by Kenny Florian and Jon Anik? I mean....serious, serious pain. I know I am picking on them a lot right now but if they aren't frontrunner for worst promotion of the year in the WON awards in 2014 something is wrong.
Barboza looked like serious shit, I mean my god - dropped and finished by a jab? Second time this alleged big, scary monster has been finished with unimpressive strikes. And Tate/Carmouche never win in the UFC and are co-main. I like the heavyweight fight though.
ReplyDeleteWhy was Nurmagomedov and Thiago Alves on the prelims? i don't understand how Fox promotes UFC.
I just kinda hate the promotion right now, despite thinking the May 10th card is really good and being excited to go to Cincy for it. I think Matt Brown and Erick Silva and Erik Koch and Daron Cruickshank will tear it up. Too bad the people "on top" right now stink.
I don't understand Lawler's role at all when JBL is in the booth.
ReplyDeleteAs good as Heyman was; he had to sell the Alliance angle and even in his silver tongued commentary - we weren't buying it. It was snake oil.
The storyline was shit (You have Paul E and you use STEPH instead, for more As The McMahons Turn? Fuck off.), but I do agree with the on-camera stuff (wrestling/announcing) being damn good.
ReplyDeleteI think Tate/Carmouche'll be a good fight though. I just don't find myself being particularly excited for anything UFC related.
ReplyDeleteMMA-purists hate on Lesnar but UFC was so exciting from that 2008-2011 period and he played a part in that. His fights were EVENTS man.
Agree on Weidman. Not a fan. I'm neutral on Velasquez. He is a great fighter but as a personality, nothing connects me to him.
I don't think they have any strong "babyface" champions so to speak. Their top two draws are Ronda and Jon Jones and both get decidedly mixed reactions.
UFC isn't even the worst MMA promotion.
ReplyDeleteI like Weidman but that's mostly because I'm also a Long Islander.
ReplyDeleteI didn't really start following UFC until Brock got involved and I started tuning it out once he left. Feel like as they kept increasing the amount of PPV's/big TV specials, the cards just got too watered down and I was never a big enough fan to keep watching out of love for MMA.
Yeah I dug that.
ReplyDeleteChris Weidman is just another Matt Serra. An incredibly lucky midcard scrub who was in the right place at the right time. Lyoto or Belfort are going to beat him senseless, wheover gets his hands on him first, especially if Belfort is allowed his vitamins.
ReplyDeleteTate/Carmouche will honestly be a good fight but honestly who gives a shit. Rousey opponents:
1) Carano
2)Cybog...
475) Alexis Davis
476) Cat Zingano
477)Everybody else.
The UFC themselves have that to thank. They worked FOREVER to build heel reactions to Jones and Ronda. Especially to Jones' totally reasonable reaction to an opponent change less than a week before UFC 151. Jon Jones is a babyface to people with common sense.
Good babyface champs in the UFC would be Pettis and Barao but the UFC doesn't promote those guys correctly. I also liked Hendricks but they fucked up promoting him against Lawler who is a bigger babyface with a better story. And Hendricks' camp came off like crybabies after the close GSP fight.
What?
ReplyDeleteIt's just getting ridiculous now. The main event of their big memorial day show (an annual top card) is Renan Barao vs. TJ Dillashaw. Fucking seriously?
ReplyDeleteYeah....Lesnar made it feel more bigtime. Funny how he feels so much more smalltime in wrestling.
They've watered down the water in their watering down lately. I can't fault you for liking a hometown guy but can I please get an "If Weidman wasn't a local I'd think he was an annoying douche" please?
Pettis would be their best babyface champion if he weren't made of glass.
ReplyDeleteWas never a fan of Hendricks. Easily the champion I am the least interested in right now.
I don't hate Jones(his title fights usually deliver) but something about him rubs me the wrong way sometimes.
Heyman on colour at that point was awesome. Such a 180 from Lawler's tired puppies schtick.
ReplyDeleteLawler was good for a while, but that time has long since passed. I think he's got pictures of Vince or something. Vince has always shown a lot of favour to Jerry.
I have no idea who either of the two guys are that you mentioned for their Memorial Day show.
ReplyDeleteAnd about Weidman, I can't say he's an annoying douche because I've only seen his two fights vs. Silva and didn't really watch any of the hype for them, so I don't know much about him aside from the two matches and the fact that he's from Long Island.
WSOF has had honestly better fights, Bellator has had better fights and equally shit commentary. I am talking about 2014. Historically, you are right. 2014...I dunno.
ReplyDeleteYou can say the same thing about Austin as well. The heel turn was awful, the fans weren't buying it but damn he was having the matches of his life. Great pure wrestling, awful stories.
ReplyDeleteAnd the answer is always more Renee.
ReplyDeleteHe just talks like he had this long, hard, incredibly uphill battle to the title when really he was the latest midcarder to move up in the empty rankings and Anderson was old, inactive, and indifferent.
ReplyDeleteHe seems to be actively avoiding any competition that's not Anderson as well.
Bellator has to win it in 2014. Their whole thing is "competition and tournaments! Earn your title shot" and then forgo the tournament so Pat Curran can rematch Straus(great fight)now Straus gets to forgo the tourney and get an immediate rematch despite getting finished, they shorten the tourneys so they can get their preferred match ups. Ditch the tourney if you want, but don't push yourselves as earning title shots and then shit on that theory immediately.
ReplyDeletePettis being injury prone is a problem but the UFC only has themselves to blame for tying them up with their way past its prime reality show until December. Tying up real fighters who are in contention or beltholders with TUF is insane.
ReplyDeleteHendricks' definitely hasn't built great interest or had the kind of interviews or backstory that makes fans get behind him. His camp's annoying entitlement after the GSP fight and the false narrative of him winning that fight when he clearly lost three rounds stung.
Jon Jones is the best 205 pound fighter ever. I understand feeling like he's kind of a douchebag but I think he's *exactly* as much of a cocky ass as he's earned the right to be. I think he defeats Gustaffson in a much less competitive scrap next time too.
Renee is wonderful. Great interviewer, great color, true fan of the sport. Pretty and dignified. She's a queen. My girlfriend better start treating me real, real nice or I'm gonna DDP/Sarataker Renee Young.
ReplyDeleteAs I understand it, they basically HAD to give Melendez the TUF spot in order to match Bellator's offer. Personally, I think they should have had Melendez and another top contender do the TUF thing for the #1 Contender spot, while Pettis defends against someone in the meantime.
ReplyDeleteHis year long "Silva is avoiding me" schtick was downright laughable.
ReplyDeleteI kinda got the Curran thing as he had KO'd Straus before and Straus could have won an Oscar for how hard he sold the foul in their second fight. Also, Alvarez got a title shot without a tournament victory.
ReplyDeleteI agree Bellator is annoying with their tournament inconsistency. Also the two round vs. three round tourneys.
But honestly....none of that is really as annoying as King Mo...which is still not as annoying as half the b.s. the UFC has pushed this year. Based on his recent outings, Michael Bisping is basically the UFC's King Mo.
I would have just let Melendez go to Bellator. Expensive, not a serious draw, not huge with casual fans. Don't let the door hit ya.
ReplyDeleteAnderson was "avoiding" him because his last fight was on Fuel in front of a couple hundred thousand TV viewers and nobody knew who the fuck he was. Great fighters tend to like making money off their fights.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I am ragging on Bellator--the fight I am most excited for is Chandler-Alvarez III(even though I thought Chandler won their 2nd fight) I don't see anyway it can live up to their first two but they've earned the benefit of the doubt.
ReplyDeleteEmmanuel Newton is the worst champion in MMA right now. King Mo is a joke. Michael Bisping is a midcarder who is pushed like a main eventer.
I think Dana just did it to stick it to Bellator. I'm already sick of the Dana/guy who owns Bellator feud.
ReplyDeleteChandler vs. Alvarez III is going to be a great fight. Unfortunately Bellator doesn't know their role so they are going to be selling it on PPV to 20,000 buyers and 200,000 streamers.
ReplyDeleteEmmanuel Newton absolutely sucks but Rampage knocking him senseless might be mildly entertaining (If it weren't that Newton seems like a good dude and him killing King Mo was kind of fun)
Bisping is kind of MMA's Randy Orton.
Wasn't it Scott that uncovered that Vince was actually doing the creepy voice while stalking Sara?
ReplyDeleteRegal needs to be upgraded to Smackdown.
ReplyDeleteLawler can be retired to Legend's House.
Yes.... Well one of his fans.
ReplyDeleteThat second Newton/Mo fight was basically "Hey I knocked him out with spinning shit last time so I'll throw ONLY spinning shit this time!"
ReplyDeleteHey man, I'm a Randy Orton fan. There have been times where he absolutely belonged in the main event. Bisping is known for 2 things: Being the first man to ever be decapitated on a UFC PPV by Hendo, and being annoying.
I can't stand Lawler. Nothing drives me crazier than when they're actually calling the action or getting into a character-driven argument, and Lawler interrupts to set up his own joke. The set up is typically ignored, yet he'll then interrupt again to deliver the punchline.
ReplyDeleteBest way Dana could have stuck it to Bellator was let them get Melendez and promote him like the greatest thing ever. Dana could have said "You mean the guy who went 1-1 in our promotion and lost to our champion and almost got choked out by Diego Sanchez? That guy? Yeah, he wasn't worth it"
ReplyDeleteWWE wins this war by no selling the value of talent. Sometimes Dana don't get it.
"Why isn't Hebner calling for the bell?"
ReplyDelete"Because the Rock isn't tapping!"
"That never stopped him before at Survivor Series!!"
is so much better than anything Lawler's done since then.
Bisping is also known for winning a serious bullshit decision against a deaf guy and cheating hardcore against Jorge Rivera!
ReplyDeleteI just don't get his hype when MMA is choc-a-block with credible heels.
Newton vs. Mo...yeahhh...absolutely terrible fight. And Cung Le texted Mo between rounds and said "Dude...enough spinning shit? Seriously?" - but that much said, Mo fell for it and got dominated so can you blame Newton? He dominated Mo.
Loved the logic of that angle. DDP was married to one of the hottest women ever in wrestling so he is definitely a bigtime candidate to stalk the Undertaker's dried up biker hag wife.
ReplyDeleteTate gets her first UFC victory! Tate-Ronda III! It'd be funny if Ronda didn't lack challengers.
ReplyDeleteYour first line is my fighter in the last UFC game I played.
ReplyDeleteSpinning Backfist, Spinning Backfist, Spinning Backfist, rinse and repeat until opponent stops moving. I went 49-1, with my only loss coming in my final fight (the game capped careers at 50 fights).
Tate looked like ass until the third round.
ReplyDeleteRonda doesn't lack challengers at all. There's Davis Cat, and even Jessica Andrade in the periphery. Plus Gina Carano and Cristiane Justino. If anything she has more credible challengers than anybody in any division in the sport. Tate is just.....ugh...I hate her role in MMA. She is not sexy at all. Ugly, beaky, annoying bitch.
Are you getting the next UFC game for PS4/XBoxOne? Part of me is so excited I want to take June 17th off work. I loved EA MMA so much. Fight Night Round 4 was a masterful game too.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, if he didn't have the love for the business he had, we never see him in WWE. Because he did NOT like that angle... but he wanted in badly enough.
ReplyDeleteNah, fight games never last long with me. I like them in theory, but after a few fights I just get bored with them. That UFC game was about a week-long GameFly rental.
ReplyDeleteI think DDP was just the kind of super positive, ultra geeked guy (so opposite of my own personality) where he was like "Man this is HISTORY! WCW invading the WWF! It's so exciting! I'd give up anything not to be left out!"
ReplyDeleteGod bless DDP. Screw anybody who crows about the Bisch friendship and says he was only motivated by money. Clearly he's not that kind of guy.
She looks like she's a kind of a stuck up bitch but that makes me attracted to her. I don't know why. Challengers that would draw money though? Her top two challengers don't even work in the company. They need to strap a rocket to someone(you can tell they wanted to strap it to Julianna Pena)
ReplyDeleteDDP was one of the most over guys in wrestling in 97' and 98'.
ReplyDeleteYeah never been one for fighting games. Even wrestling games I get burnt out on now. Probably all that No Mercy I played. The last wrestling game I played the hell out of was SVR 2007.
ReplyDeleteFrom his PoV, he considered the Bischoff friendship a handicap, to where yeah, he had a job... but he had to bust extra ass to justify his spot night in and night out.
ReplyDeleteWhichever one had the WWECW tie-in was my last one.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought that he seemed to be a hard working, stand up guy. And he was better than he had any right to be getting started as late in life as he did too.
ReplyDeleteI think with Pena they badly overestimated how interested people were in her and there wasn't even that big of a collective sigh when she got super hurt and shelved for 18 months.
ReplyDeleteI think between Carano and Cyborg they will work out a deal with Carano. Carano is eager to have the kind of deal in the UFC that The Rock has with WWE and it is, like with that deal, mutually beneficial. It will happen. Plus she has at least two challengers lined up in that time frame.
Rousey has proved she is SO MUCH better than Tate I don't see that fight happening again.
Tate vs. McMann IMO, possibly Carmouche vs. Cutsville or a lower tier opponent.
Think that was '08. I played 2011 too but not a lot.
ReplyDeleteAnd while nobody would confuse him for a technical master... he could hold his own with anyone. Savage, with his penchant for planning, was a PERFECT opponent for DDP then.
ReplyDeleteHe was aware of all those things and wanted to prove people wrong. Especially with his post career all around great person run so much <3 for DDP.
ReplyDeleteDDP in the Giant feud in late 98 had so much of the crowd behind him and did such a great job interesting people. He was very charismatic and such a great storyteller.
ReplyDeleteI could see Carano coming in for big fights like a Lesnar or Rock. I don't think she offers much for Rousey but she's a name with a legacy in the sport. It's basically Hughes/Gracie.
ReplyDeleteWhat are your thoughts on Browne/Werdum? Think Browne keeps it standing like Overeem did to Werdum the 2nd time but I think Browne stops him.
WWE '14 was so lame when I tried it. The Wrestlemania mode and streak mode were just so soft when the gameplay was so rubbery and repetitive.
ReplyDeleteCarano is I think eager to be a special attraction fighter. It's not that hard for her to work 10 weeks into her year to train and be in a fight and then do her movies and everything else. It's not like she's a huuuge movie star. She has solid work in action schlock; even less popular than Rocky.
ReplyDeleteI think Browne destroys Werdum really fast. Werdum will just look old and slow compared to him. Unlike the Overeem fight I don't think Werdum will have something early and wear out; I think it will look like Browne's destruction of Barnett.
I have this idea in my head for a wrestling game but I cannot articulate it as it is in my mind. It's like a more tactical style wrestling game. It incorporates elements of RPG and RTS. Focus less on action and more on psychology and strategy. It's clear in my head but the idea comes out jumbled on paper.
ReplyDelete