Pro Wrestling Thread

[masterthes]

Dave Hebner passed away aka the good twin. Condolences to Earl and the rest of the Hebner family

[Cool Chris]

Vince McMahon: "As I approach 77 years old, I feel it’s time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE," McMahon said in a release. "Throughout the years, it’s been a privilege to help WWE bring you joy, inspire you, thrill you, surprise you, and always entertain you."

On the surface I am not sure what the difference is between "stepping down" which he did a few weeks ago, and "retiring." But this makes it officially official I guess.

[jingle.boy]

He’s also being forced out of the creative role as well. Steph is Co-CEO with someone else, and Levesque is back as EVP of Talent relations.

Wonder who the talent was from the mid 2000s that he schtupped, then got fleeced by in 2018?

[Cool Chris]

Was HHH out at some point?

I think the Co-CEO is a long-timer, so there will be some continuity.

[jingle.boy]

Was HHH out at some point?

I think the Co-CEO is a long-timer, so there will be some continuity.

Yeah, HHH was out due to health issues.

[jingle.boy]

What a toxic fuckin company and culture.  Whether Steph did this willingly or unwillingly, it's just disgusting afaic... to celebrate this prick given all that's come to light in the past few weeks.  He was already a massive prick to begin with, now he's just proven himself a god-tier prick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-5HEm9DMXU

Who cares if Vinnie "retires", she's already signalled that she'll just continue his legacy.  Shameless for a woman who has 3 daughters herself.  Quite the example she's setting.

[TheCountOfNYC]

What a toxic fuckin company and culture.  Whether Steph did this willingly or unwillingly, it's just disgusting afaic... to celebrate this prick given all that's come to light in the past few weeks.  He was already a massive prick to begin with, now he's just proven himself a god-tier prick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-5HEm9DMXU

Who cares if Vinnie "retires", she's already signalled that she'll just continue his legacy.  Shameless for a woman who has 3 daughters herself.  Quite the example she's setting.

It’s also her father. I’m not saying the company should have shared their appreciation on live television, but this is the man who raised her and who’s wrestling vision gave her everything she has. No matter the good or bad that Vince did, expecting Stephanie to treat him like some random person and not one of most important men in her life is crazy.

[jingle.boy]

What a toxic fuckin company and culture.  Whether Steph did this willingly or unwillingly, it's just disgusting afaic... to celebrate this prick given all that's come to light in the past few weeks.  He was already a massive prick to begin with, now he's just proven himself a god-tier prick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-5HEm9DMXU

Who cares if Vinnie "retires", she's already signalled that she'll just continue his legacy.  Shameless for a woman who has 3 daughters herself.  Quite the example she's setting.

It’s also her father. I’m not saying the company should have shared their appreciation on live television, but this is the man who raised her and who’s wrestling vision gave her everything she has. No matter the good or bad that Vince did, expecting Stephanie to treat him like some random person and not one of most important men in her life is crazy.

Sure, I get that.  We're all shaped by our parents and our childhood.  Some of us grow from that though, and overcome our parents' shortcomings / deficiencies, and the ... not-so-positive results of our upbringing.

I don't expect her to treat him like some random person - just maybe the man he is, rather than the man she thinks he is.  If she can't, then she's herself also a victim of the toxicity.

[KevShmev]

Birds of a feather...Vince, Stephanie, Triple H, Shawn Michaels.  Stephanie doing that seems totally on brand.  Family full of scumbags, and they seem to be proud of it.

[jingle.boy]

Birds of a feather...Vince, Stephanie, Triple H, Shawn Michaels.  Stephanie doing that seems totally on brand.  Family full of scumbags, and they seem to be proud of it.

Bingo.

Vince/WWE buried so much bad behaviour, and ignored / distanced themselves from so many scandals, the irony is so fucking rich at the moment.

[Cool Chris]

I've wondered for a while how they would send off Vince. They couldn't just do nothing, if for no other reason than the headlines would be "Vince retires, WWE ignores longtime CEO's departure." I glanced at their website, and I don't see anything about it (he's still listed as Chairman and CEO on their corporate link). They can't do a full 'Raw is Vince' episode, if for no other reason than the headlines would be "Vince retires, WWE's devotes entire show to dirtbag ex-CEO."

[KevShmev]

I've wondered for a while how they would send off Vince. They couldn't just do nothing, if for no other reason than the headlines would be "Vince retires, WWE ignores longtime CEO's departure." I glanced at their website, and I don't see anything about it (he's still listed as Chairman and CEO on their corporate link). They can't do a full 'Raw is Vince' episode, if for no other reason than the headlines would be "Vince retires, WWE's devotes entire show to dirtbag ex-CEO."

Never underestimate how low the McMahon family will go.  Remember that Vince is the guy who put the belt on Sgt Slaughter and had him acting like an Iraqi sympathizer during the Gulf War in the early 90s, so it is in his blood and his family's to take advantage of any situation to turn it into an angle.

[jjrock88]

What a toxic fuckin company and culture.  Whether Steph did this willingly or unwillingly, it's just disgusting afaic... to celebrate this prick given all that's come to light in the past few weeks.  He was already a massive prick to begin with, now he's just proven himself a god-tier prick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-5HEm9DMXU

Who cares if Vinnie "retires", she's already signalled that she'll just continue his legacy.  Shameless for a woman who has 3 daughters herself.  Quite the example she's setting.

This is a major prick quote statement.

[Anguyen92]

So I'm looking at the secondary ticket sites right now for Wrestlemania at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood in April next year.  The show on 04/02 is pretty steep for the nosebleeds.  At least $100.00.  Part of me actually wants to go.  I would be in Highland, CA to see Alter Bridge on 04/01 and it would be a glorious thing if I was there at Wrestlemania on 04/02 and all of sudden, Alter Bridge are also there to finally play Metalingus, Edge's theme song, live (something that they have never done because the timing wasn't right due to Edge's first retirement and the pandemic).  Definitely intrigued regardless of the card quality, but I'll see how the months will play out.

[KevShmev]

Vince McMahon: "As I approach 77 years old, I feel it’s time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE," McMahon said in a release. "Throughout the years, it’s been a privilege to help WWE bring you joy, inspire you, thrill you, surprise you, and always entertain you."

On the surface I am not sure what the difference is between "stepping down" which he did a few weeks ago, and "retiring." But this makes it officially official I guess.

Showing that he was Logan Roy long before Logan Roy was conceived, I read that Vince is coming back.  What a shock. 

[Cool Chris]

Meet the new boss... same as the old boss...

[Anguyen92]

I believe Vince is coming back to help facilitate a sale of the company which can be concerning depending on which company buys WWE and whether or not whoever gets the company keeps HHH and co. around.

Funny thing about time.  Back in 2001, WWE bought WCW for $4.2 million (back when WCW's value was at a low point).  WWE is valued at $6 billion now from what I am reading.

[KevShmev]

No matter what he says publicly, Vince is the original Logan Roy. I doubt he trusts anyone to run the company as well as he thinks he can himself.  But, like Bobby Heenan said 20 years ago, pro wrestling as he once knew it as dead anyway now they have shown us their magic tricks. It was obviously impossible to keep kayfabe alive 24/7 in the internet/social media age, but it's not just not the same.  Even my dad, who has been watching wrestling since he was a kid, never watches anymore.

[Phoenix87x]

At this point, my favorite thing wrestling related is the Shoot interviews, or recap shows like OSW review or Dark side of the ring.

I honestly can't remember the last time I was interested in the actual product, despite being a lifelong wrestling fan.

[jingle.boy]

At this point, my favorite thing wrestling related is the Shoot interviews, or recap shows like OSW review or Dark side of the ring.

I honestly can't remember the last time I was interested in the actual product, despite being a lifelong wrestling fan.

[Cool Chris]

No matter what he says publicly, Vince is the original Logan Roy. I doubt he trusts anyone to run the company as well as he thinks he can himself.

Had to look up Logan Roy. I doubt Vince trusts anyone often, but I assumed he had been prepping Steph and then HHH to take over when he was ready to step aside, and they would continue on just it would with him at the helm  - or realistically, probably better.

I believe Vince is coming back to help facilitate a sale of the company...

Good point, forgot this was in the works.

At this point, my favorite thing wrestling related is the Shoot interviews, or recap shows like OSW review or Dark side of the ring.

This was me for a long time, but at this point I feel everyone has already covered all the interesting wrestling topics over the past 30+ years to death.

[KevShmev]

Steph is awful. She was the one who years ago brought in writers who were failed soap opera writers, which contributed to how stupid the product became.

People think Triple H is the post-Vince savior, but let's be serious.  He is still one of the children (along with his buddy HBK) who tried turning the WWF into his own personal playground in the later 90s. 

[Anguyen92]

People think Triple H is the post-Vince savior, but let's be serious.  He is still one of the children (along with his buddy HBK) who tried turning the WWF into his own personal playground in the later 90s.

While that is true, it's better than letting Vince doing whatever the f he does nowadays.  Despite the ego-tripping that him and HBK has at times, I still like to think those guys to have a decent mind of the industry and will help new talents find their footing.  Regal is coming back on an backstage role and that's a great hand for them.  I would like to cling onto that hope.  Otherwise, well, there's really no point in watching WWE nowadays.  AEW also has their own issues internally.  NJPW have taken a bit of a pounding lately due to pandemic restrictions that limits foreigners from doing shows, although I hope things are getting better on that front.

[Cool Chris]

True, but for good or ill, wasn't that something Vince would have still signed off on? I don't know much about the inner workings of the WWE but I thought people didn't buy toilet paper without clearing it with Vince.

And I never followed NXT but doesn't HHH get some credit for taking a third rate reality show in to a popular wrestling product?

[Phoenix87x]

Stephanie resigns

https://www.espn.com/wwe/story/_/id/35422004/stephanie-mcmahon-resigns-wwe-nick-khan-now-sole-ceo

[KevShmev]

Too much to recap, but I find the whole thing hilarious.  Vince, Steph and Triple H all going down in flames would be poetic justice.

[T-ski]

Rumors running amok about a WWE sale to Saudi Arabia.

Fans outraged.

By God, is that Austin’s music?

No idea what’s going on.

[Chino]

Wouldn't surprise me. The Saudis see the writing on the wall and are pivoting from oil production to tourism and entertainment.

[jjrock88]

This is crazy, but very interesting

[Cool Chris]

By God, Bah Gawd is that Austin’s music?

Fixed

[ozzy554]

At the end of the day Vince is gonna sell to either the highest bidder or who ever agrees to let him stay in charge. Whether it be Comcast, Amazon, or Saudi Arabia.

[lonestar]

By God, Bah Gawd is that Austin’s music?

Fixed

Glorious 

[jjrock88]

Royal Rumble season and watching Rumble 92 which I still say is the best Rumble of all time and one of the best matches of all time.  Combined with the A+ commentary of Gorilla and Brain, it's a very pandemonium match.

[Anguyen92]

^^ I know you would like that rumble the most.  I, personally, love the 2004 Rumble more and if the guy that won it didn't do the things he did, his performance would be talked in more reverence.  JR and Tazz was solid enough on the booth.  Plus, many matches that was on WM20 was built off of that Royal Rumble.

[Phoenix87x]

92 is one of my favorites for sure.