WWE.com NXT Preview
http://www.wwe.com/videos/check-out-wwe-nxt-this-thursday-at-9-pm-et-only-on-wwe-network-26691446
WWE Talent Unhappy With Recent PPV Payoffs
According to a source that told Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the talent received their bonuses for Extreme Rules and Payback and described them as "really bad." There are a few wrestlers in the company who are "taken care of" and a few others who have deals in place that protect them from this but for a majority of the talent this is not the case.
Credit Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Rusev Update
There is still some talk that once Rusev finishes his feud with Big Show that he will feud with Sheamus then get a run with the U.S. Title.
Credit Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer Newsletter
RF Video Releases Shoot Interview with Teddy Long
Click below for the preview, which is 13 minutes long
http://www.wwe.com/videos/check-out-wwe-nxt-this-thursday-at-9-pm-et-only-on-wwe-network-26691446
WWE Talent Unhappy With Recent PPV Payoffs
According to a source that told Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the talent received their bonuses for Extreme Rules and Payback and described them as "really bad." There are a few wrestlers in the company who are "taken care of" and a few others who have deals in place that protect them from this but for a majority of the talent this is not the case.
Credit Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Rusev Update
There is still some talk that once Rusev finishes his feud with Big Show that he will feud with Sheamus then get a run with the U.S. Title.
Credit Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer Newsletter
RF Video Releases Shoot Interview with Teddy Long
Click below for the preview, which is 13 minutes long
Rusev and the US title, well it's about time.
ReplyDeleteYep, I think we're all fine with that, not just for the obvious storyline, but it will also be a good hard hitting match.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why they haven't put the US title on Rusev already anyway. It's not like Sheamus is doing anything with it, plus the story writes itself: Rusev wins the title, christens it the Russian title, slaps a sticker over the front of it like Lance Storm, and midcarders line up to restore honor to the title. Rusev has a cool program and the US title will mean something once it's finally liberated.
ReplyDeleteThey wanted to build him up as a serious threat first. Patience is a virtue.
ReplyDeleteYeah, build him up as a powerhouse going through Swagger, Henry, then show before becoming a champ will actually elevate that belt when he gets it
ReplyDeleteThe Teddy Long shoot interview seems pretty damn good based off of the trailer.
ReplyDeleteI want to get the Curt Hawkins shoot as that is supposed to be great and Ricardo Rodriguez just filmed on and they are doing one with Alberto Del Rio shortly.
Del Rio is the one I want to see!!
ReplyDeleteNot to spoil the Teddy Long shoot interview, but it ends up being a tag team match. Holla holla.
ReplyDeleteDRINK!
ReplyDeleteDel Rio doesn't seem like he gives many fucks. I hated him as a character but would love to see that shoot.
ReplyDeleteEveryone raves about the Hawkins shoot as he actually speaks about what is going on in the WWE and is not bitter either. He speaks a lot about Cena and the Rock as he helped them train for their matches at WM
ReplyDeleteDid anybody ever find out how badly the talent are getting screwed on PPV payouts? I know Punk supposedly used that as one of the excuses for staying home.
ReplyDeleteI liked how he didn't even wait to find out if the payoffs would be worse. He just assumed they would be. From what I read, the WM ones were good though, so I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteWe should vote on a "Future Endeavors" theme for next week's shoot recap.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they are just getting paid off of the actual PPV buyrate numbers for now instead of the subscription numbers?
ReplyDeleteOnce I get these shoots, I will do that for sure.
ReplyDeleteI have Michael Tarver and the Brodus Clay RF Shoots but no one else who was recently released unless you count guys like Jimmy Yang or Shane Helms
PLAYA!
ReplyDeleteYeah maybe you should wait until you get enough shoots for us to vote on.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy your shoot reviews. What's going up today?
ReplyDeleteHe seemed dead set on staying home, so unless WWE really addresses everything with him, it probably didn't make a difference.
ReplyDeleteWell, if you give him the US Title, he presumably needs to lose it at some point before the feud with Cena, since it's not like Cena is going to have a US title feud (even if it would make sense and help elevate the title). But they're presumably saving that first loss for Cena, so how else do you get the title off of him without ending his undefeated streak?
ReplyDeleteI mean, I guess you could do a ladder match, or have him lose it in a battle royal the same way Ambrose did. Although the presence of heel authority figures makes this implausible, since they wouldn't just book a heel in such a one-sided match. Maybe have Rusev snap and beat up Cena in a segment, and then have him destroy all the officials that come down to stop him, forcing the Authority's hand. He gets stripped of the title and suspended, and then you have Cena pleading with the Authority to reinstate him? Either way, I do agree that Rusev should get a US title run, however brief it may be.
I impatiently wait for your review for it, dude. Can't wait.
ReplyDeleteSid Vicious Volume 1
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Punk would have been one of those guys who would be "taken care of". I can't imagine they'd let him stew over the lousy payoffs, but I don't know if he's someone they'd really break the bank over. Sure, it's probably nicer to have him than not to, and they did shell out for a tour bus (IIRC), but how valuable was he seen as, to them?
ReplyDeleteAnd I mean that as an honest question, because I have no idea.
I hear Rob Feinstein has to go one-on-one with The Undertaker. Belie' DAT, playa.
ReplyDeleteThat seems like the most likely scenario. Either that or Vince is just paying him whatever he wants and is making the numbers up.
ReplyDeleteHis match with Cena doesn't have to be a title match.
ReplyDeletePunk looks smarter and smarter every day.
ReplyDeletehe does?
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't look like he's losing all that much money.
ReplyDeleteThey really should have stood together and demanded Vince agree to maintain the payout levels once the network started. But it seems like Vince has done a good job of crushing the spine of the locker room. Always makes me sad to see these guys treated circus animals, but I just try to not think about it too much.
ReplyDeleteWell I doubt the PPV payoffs were $8.99 or anything. (heck, that wouldn't even be enough to order the WWE Network for 1 month!)
ReplyDeleteBut anyway. I see him as a petulant child regardless of it being about money or not. (that seems to change a lot)
I have a feeling he honestly did not know at the time. It wasn't some sort of plan/ruse to screw people over.
ReplyDeleteHe was a baby and dogged it badly his last few months in the company but if he feels that was the right choice, then good for him.
ReplyDeleteSheamus isn't even American though. I don't want to send WWE's scriptwriters into panic, but they might have to write a SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PROMO for Lana to deliver.
ReplyDeleteHis Royal Rumble run was hysterically bad. I remember sitting in the arena and Punk if he was really hurt because of his lack of movement
ReplyDeleteSee: Lance Storm getting all the belts in one go as a way to devalue the belts and not elevate him.
ReplyDeleteThe reports were that talent was pissed because they were asking and not getting the answers.
ReplyDeleteYeah. They were gonna fuck with his money and book him to do shit he wasn't all that passionate about. Good for punk. Bad for 95% of the roster.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I can't really fault a guy for wanting to leave with his health and his sanity intact, even if he kind of came across badly in how he left (that said, I can't blame him for seeing what they had planned for WM and noping right the fuck out of there).
ReplyDeleteThe locker room kept asking for an explanation on the post elimination chamber ppv pay outs and Vince refused to give it to them, and now he's stiffing them on two ppv checks. Its awful that wwe talent has to take huge pay cut like that. Its not like they make that much anyways and they have to fork out there own meals, travel, accommodations, and health insurance. Now they are getting cut to the bare bones on a major source of income. That sucks.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else think Cena/Rusev, when it happens, actually has the potential to be a great program?
ReplyDeleteNope
ReplyDeleteYeah, he does.
ReplyDeleteI think it said in the Observer today that a lot of TNA guys
ReplyDeleteare getting like $1000 a month. What a terrible time for wrestling.
Cena might get some great matches out of him but in the end #CENAWINSLOL
ReplyDeleteI can think of one thing wrong with it.
ReplyDeleteAnd again, as I said, maybe Vince simply didn't know, and it would depend on the eventual Network numbers. Maybe he didn't wanna give out an exact unsure number.
ReplyDeleteI like when certain contrarians talk about Punk's business decision to leave, he's a "petulant child" (RIP Farva), but when they defend WWE business decisions, everything is perfectly acceptable. I'm not the biggest Punk fan, but he fulfilled his dates, and decided to leave. If Vince felt slighted, he would be dogging him all over the place like he does to everyone that crosses him (especially initially). I don't see the problem with what he did, and from what we can tell just by past experiences, neither does Vince.
ReplyDeleteWhy does WWE even do an incentive-based pay at this point anymore? I could understand it back when wrestlers were put in positions to affect teh bottom line or when it was a way to entice stars to stay with the most profitable company, but what's the point now? Why pay Dolph Ziggler more for certain house shows or PPVs based on how well it does? It seems like it'd just be cleaner for everyone to just set yearly salaries based on someone's spot on the card and be done with it. The locker room has been beaten down so much and is so optionless that it's not like they'd have anything to say about it, and that way there's just no confusion about all this "pay off" bullshit. Bonuses for talent-specific merch makes sense, since there's a direct way of counting it per person, but otherwise why are they worrying about getting Great Khali and Wrestlemania bonus? Just pay him a base every year and that's that.
ReplyDeleteI wish the crowds that still hijack shows with CM Punk chants would agree with that.
ReplyDeleteThat's not an excuse though. People should know how much they're gonna be paid. Even if you work on commission in a sales job, you know how much you're gonna make per sale. Your company can't just say "Well starting in April, we're not sure how much commission you'll get per sale anymore, but we'll figure it out eventually, but also don't ask about it." That's fucked up. WWE handling it that way is fucked up.
ReplyDeleteI like the "Russian Title" idea, but I think it needs a catchier name. Like "Saskatchewan Hardcore Invitational Title", only better.
ReplyDeleteWell, all I can say is, if they don't like it, they can all quit!! TNA's business is booming right now!
ReplyDeleteHe was hurt by Ryback during their feud and by all accounts was just beat up in general before leaving.
ReplyDeleteBut maybe it also has something to do with them being paying customers who aren't enjoying what's being put in front of them? If WWE wants to put ona 20 minute Bellas segment or ANOTHER Cena/Orton match and the fans wanna get restless and chant CM Punk or Mike Chioda or whatever, then it is what it is. Fans hijacking shows isn't on the fans, its on WWE for putting out a product that doesn't appease their customers.
ReplyDeleteSochi Hotels Incomplete Title? (ok, that one is a reach)
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I miss is looking forward how the set changes for each PPV. 1999 had some of my favorites, the elaborate ladder setup of King of the Ring 99, the military setup at Armageddon, the long aisle at the Rumble.
ReplyDeleteScott has mentioned this before. It's assumed to be the result of them hiring more "TV" type people rather than "wrestling" type people.
ReplyDeleteThats because they are easily repairable.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/22uygv/why_is_the_wwe_seriously_still_using_the/
ReplyDeleteNah, Wargames mofo. . .
ReplyDeleteBecause then Flair and Company would have been kept strong, and Hogan couldn't handle that. . .
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say fuck Susan G. Komen (sounds like she does some decent work) but yeah those pink ropes are gay as fuck (gay as in terrible, but also kinda gay). Actually might be cool if the pink ropes were Darren Young's gimmick but I guess that would take too much time to set up between matches
ReplyDeleteOh, something happened alright - lots and lots of cocaine happened.
ReplyDeleteBring back the 1991-93 rainbow-light entrance with the new WWE logo over the top. Add a 16-square video wall. Boom, ratings.
ReplyDeleteBut the ring aprons are different!
ReplyDeleteIt's like Malibu Stacey.
It's accepted that Komen's a scumbag charity that uses its pinkwashing to bully, but what about Stand Up to Cancer? WWE and NFL nestle in Komen's lap, but I know MLB goes in with SUTC, and I've yet to hear anything about their ideologies or 'agenda'. Anyone know if they're a reputable charity?
ReplyDeleteStill fuck her
ReplyDeleteThat's an odd reaction to someone bashing the organization. If that were the case, why is Phil Mushnick not the head of talent relations?
ReplyDeleteI used to love watching Heat just to get an early peek at the set
ReplyDeleteNothing says hell in a cell match like a pink ring rope with no blood in the first match of a three month long fued.
ReplyDeleteUnderstandable, but to me, it's just another symptom of how boring things are today. Maybe call it nostalgia, but watching old shows at MSG, and having the wrestlers come out of that short tunnel straight to the ring was pretty cool...or watching wrestlers come down the LONG ELEVATED RAMP OF DEATH from WCW PPVs in the late 80s/early 90s, was cool as well. This by itself isn't the most infuriating thing to me, but it's just another thing on the list that makes it tougher to get into these days.
ReplyDeletecouple months ago, same show that Finlay and Knoble were first seen as stooges
ReplyDeleteAnd if you want a payoff to an angle, how about Benoit making Raven pass out in the crossface? Benoit spent months going through the Flock and trying to get to Raven, and then he finally got his sweet revenge.
ReplyDeleteYeah I think the ladders are my all-time favorite. This all goes back to the main point that less can be more. All Wrestlemania 15 had at its entrance was a big logo and some lights (only remember that because of Austin's leg hitting them). Did that decrease your enjoyment of the show at all? If anything, Russo's shitty booking did.
ReplyDeleteIn WCW's defense, Hogan did have creative control and I can see him insisting on the Megapowers going over Luger and Sting (with Hogan getting all the glory and Savage none, undoubtedly). Back in the thick of the "Monday Night Wars" having two guys associated with the WWF even after all this time go over the WCW flag bearer Sting and longtime WCW star Luger (again, ignoring his WWF days) may have made the promotion look bad.
ReplyDeleteThat, and face vs. face matches still had the stigma of "not drawing" back in 1995, IIRC.