All-Purpose News Thread Part II

[Jussi]

Dude, you have a defense ready to go at all times when WWE is rumored to do something silly. There's always something, it's like it's impossible for you to say "Yeah, agreed, this is kind of dumb"

Okada should not start in NXT. There, that was easy.

I'm saying there'd be historical precedence if that speculation were to happen. You seem to have a weird obsession about me posting about WWE related stuff.

 

[Sheppy]

I'm saying there'd be historical precedence if that speculation were to happen. You seem to have a weird obsession about me posting about WWE related stuff.

Do you believe Okada should start in NXT?

I don't care what you post about, I'm just saying you always have a defense ready. Okada is a megastar, and should not step foot in NXT Vanilla. The guy is an entire galaxy bigger than anyone in that company, better, too.

 

[Jussi]

I’ll mark for that.

Only reason Okada should be in NXT is if he feels he needs the time to acclimate and adjust to new surroundings in America, not because it does anything for him.

Yup, acclimatization is the only reason he should spend a short time there.

 

[Sheppy]

Absolutely disagree. You have Okada show up on the main roster, either PPV or the night after Wrestlemania. Guy shouldn't step foot in NXT. You have him show up and you have him interrupt Aj Styles right off the get go.

The guy is too big of a star to have him show up in front of a crowd the size of a 5th graders birthday party.

 

[Jussi]

Absolutely disagree. You have Okada show up on the main roster, either PPV or the night after Wrestlemania. Guy shouldn't step foot in NXT. You have him show up and you have him interrupt Aj Styles right off the get go.

The guy is too big of a star to have him show up in front of a crowd the size of a 5th graders birthday party.

In Baltimore or Vancouver. To crickets.

 

[Sheppy]

In Baltimore or Vancouver. To crickets.

No. You pick your spots for these type of things.

It's so much more impactful to have him show up and be at the top of the WWE card than have him in NXT wrestling Baron Corbin for a few months. April 8th sounds like a good debut date.

 

[sabremike]

The "Nobody outside of WWE means anything, especially if they aren't American" arrogance is really off the goddamned charts here.

 

[Jussi]

The "Nobody outside of WWE means anything, especially if they aren't American" arrogance is really off the goddamned charts here.

Not sure where you're getting that?

 

[Sheppy]

I’m still laughing at the thought of putting one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling, and one of the best ever in NXT

 

[Emperoreddy]

I would like to see him wrestle dragunov, but yeah he doesn't need to start in NXT.

The regular main roster crowds would probably take a bit of time to get to know him, I'm not sure casual WWE fans really watch New Japan, but Rumble and Mania crowds would 100% pop huge for the money sound.

 

[Unholy Diver]

So Raw moves to Netflix in January 2025, but the USA deal expires in September, and USA does not plan to extend it, where will Raw go in-between USA and Netflix?

USA Network Not Extending WWE RAW Deal Until 2025

There was a lot of speculation about where RAW would go after its deal with USA Network ended and fans got their answer, as RAW will move to Netflix

www.ringsidenews.com

 

[GKJ]

 

[I Eat Crow]

That's escalated quickly from "his commentary place may be in danger" just a week ago.

I didn't like or dislike him but I feel bad for the guy.

 

[Jussi]

MAMMA MIA!

 

[sansabri]

they're not gonna find another Michael Cole; no one is that subservient. should be in-house

 

[BruinDust]

The "Nobody outside of WWE means anything, especially if they aren't American" arrogance is really off the goddamned charts here.

From everything I've read here and elsewhere, Okada is a massively huge name in Japan and among the hardcore fan internet wrestling community. One of the greatest of all time in Japanese pro wrestling.

But that community is such a small fraction of the overall WWE fanbase it's not even funny. It's like comparing all the hockey fans around the world to the diehards here on HF Boards. The HF Boards diehard crowd compose a very, very small part of the overall hockey fanbase.

I've been watching pro wrestling now for over 30 years. I've never seen a Okada match. I can't name a single wrestler he's faced. I couldn't tell you what his theme music sounds like. There are WAY more fans out there like me than there are fans who know and love Okada here in NA. That's just reality.

I completely agree that he should absolutely not go to NXT on that platform. Debuting him in front of that small in-studio audience is ridiculous. But I'd say that about any performer coming in with any sort of name value to him/her.

But debuting him at the RR as a surprise entrant, or the night after WM as a surprise is equally ridiculous.

If the WWE bring in Okada, they should announce his arrival well in advance. Drop his theme music onto Youtube. Air vignettes for a number of weeks leading up to the arrival/debut. Tell fans WHY he's a big deal, WHY they should care about this Japanese superstar most likely have never heard of before. Make his debut a big deal by promoting it in advance. The potential is there but it has to be done right.

Dropping him out there in front of a WWE audience out-of-the-blue with no advance notice will fall completely flat, and Okada will start off already behind the 8-ball with a tepid response to a surprise debut. Taking the shine off a little bit right away. What's the point? Just to appease some small section of your overall audience? Not every debuting wrestler has to be some surprise from out-of-the-blue. In some cases, advance promoting is a far better way to go.

 

[Sheppy]

From everything I've read here and elsewhere, Okada is a massively huge name in Japan and among the hardcore fan internet wrestling community. One of the greatest of all time in Japanese pro wrestling.

But that community is such a small fraction of the overall WWE fanbase it's not even funny. It's like comparing all the hockey fans around the world to the diehards here on HF Boards. The HF Boards diehard crowd compose a very, very small part of the overall hockey fanbase.

I've been watching pro wrestling now for over 30 years. I've never seen a Okada match. I can't name a single wrestler he's faced. I couldn't tell you what his theme music sounds like. There are WAY more fans out there like me than there are fans who know and love Okada here in NA. That's just reality.

I completely agree that he should absolutely not go to NXT on that platform. Debuting him in front of that small in-studio audience is ridiculous. But I'd say that about any performer coming in with any sort of name value to him/her.

But debuting him at the RR as a surprise entrant, or the night after WM as a surprise is equally ridiculous.

If the WWE bring in Okada, they should announce his arrival well in advance. Drop his theme music onto Youtube. Air vignettes for a number of weeks leading up to the arrival/debut. Tell fans WHY he's a big deal, WHY they should care about this Japanese superstar most likely have never heard of before. Make his debut a big deal by promoting it in advance. The potential is there but it has to be done right.

Dropping him out there in front of a WWE audience out-of-the-blue with no advance notice will fall completely flat, and Okada will start off already behind the 8-ball with a tepid response to a surprise debut. Taking the shine off a little bit right away. What's the point? Just to appease some small section of your overall audience? Not every debuting wrestler has to be some surprise from out-of-the-blue. In some cases, advance promoting is a far better way to go.

I'm completely OK with them airing vignettes for Okada, I welcome it, actually. I would like to see the payoff and official arrival not in Corpus Christi, Texas, though.

 

[sansabri]

i'm not sure what to be appalled by more: Vince being into scat or naming dildos after wrestlers. this is a rib, right?

 

[ponder719]

From everything I've read here and elsewhere, Okada is a massively huge name in Japan and among the hardcore fan internet wrestling community. One of the greatest of all time in Japanese pro wrestling.

But that community is such a small fraction of the overall WWE fanbase it's not even funny. It's like comparing all the hockey fans around the world to the diehards here on HF Boards. The HF Boards diehard crowd compose a very, very small part of the overall hockey fanbase.

I've been watching pro wrestling now for over 30 years. I've never seen a Okada match. I can't name a single wrestler he's faced. I couldn't tell you what his theme music sounds like. There are WAY more fans out there like me than there are fans who know and love Okada here in NA. That's just reality.

I completely agree that he should absolutely not go to NXT on that platform. Debuting him in front of that small in-studio audience is ridiculous. But I'd say that about any performer coming in with any sort of name value to him/her.

But debuting him at the RR as a surprise entrant, or the night after WM as a surprise is equally ridiculous.

If the WWE bring in Okada, they should announce his arrival well in advance. Drop his theme music onto Youtube. Air vignettes for a number of weeks leading up to the arrival/debut. Tell fans WHY he's a big deal, WHY they should care about this Japanese superstar most likely have never heard of before. Make his debut a big deal by promoting it in advance. The potential is there but it has to be done right.

Dropping him out there in front of a WWE audience out-of-the-blue with no advance notice will fall completely flat, and Okada will start off already behind the 8-ball with a tepid response to a surprise debut. Taking the shine off a little bit right away. What's the point? Just to appease some small section of your overall audience? Not every debuting wrestler has to be some surprise from out-of-the-blue. In some cases, advance promoting is a far better way to go.

As much as I would personally love to see Okada show up and wreck face in the Rumble, and let Michael Cole do the work of selling him to the audience, I know that's not the best strategy. Okada's first feud should probably be with someone like (I know, he's baby's first feud these days, but it's because he's so good on the mic he could sell water to a fish) The Miz, who just doesn't take Okada seriously. Have him treat Okada basically the way he treated Daniel Bryan back in the day, while anyone with Japanese wrestling experience (Styles, Nakamura, Finn Balor, anyone like that, and I'd honestly have both faces and heels try this, to get over that this is serious advice) keep trying to pull Miz to the side like "dude, you have no idea what you're about to have done to yourself, back down or it ends VERY poorly for you."

Then have it end very poorly for Miz. A couple relative squash matches to present him as an absolute killer, and you can transition Okada into a feud with someone who has the technical wrestling chops to keep up with him, to show the crowd everything he can do in the ring. Maybe if Finn is free, Okada/Balor would be a good way to go. At that point, you can elevate him to a place on the card befitting his stature as one of the world's best performers.

 

[BruinDust]

I'm completely OK with them airing vignettes for Okada, I welcome it, actually. I would like to see the payoff and official arrival not in Corpus Christi, Texas, though.

Absolutely his debut should be on a big stage, on a PPV at minimum. Even a random Raw or SD seems too small. Make him appear larger than life right off the bat.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Those SI spoilers have been redacted. Author claiming this his sources were purposefully trying to work him.

 

[Jussi]

Those SI spoilers have been redacted. Author claiming this his sources were purposefully trying to work him.

What were those incorrrect spoilers? First time I even heard of this.

Obviously some speculation here, but some things start to make more sense in light of things.

Khan, Steph, and HHH all voting for Vince to be removed from the WWE board in 2022. Brock walking out that same night. Then when Vince weasled his way back, Steph resigns.

I feel like Steph will be back in the company once Vince is out, maybe as a result of this.

 

[GKJ]

I watched RAW as well Justin.

Don't buy any of it.

 

[Unholy Diver]

Either that or higher ups in the WWE are working his sources to snuff them out. We'll know if there's a random firing lol.

I don't get it... I appreciate that they're trying to make the Rumble interesting, but it's pretty obvious Cody or Punk is winning.

Though the Gunther rumors would make sense in light of the Lesnar stuff that popped up today, hard to imagine we see Brock back any time soon if ever

 

[Emperoreddy]

Though the Gunther rumors would make sense in light of the Lesnar stuff that popped up today, hard to imagine we see Brock back any time soon if ever

Call up the Rainmaker, Gunther needs a high profile Mania opponent.