RavishingRickRudo

Cena needs to stop ripping off Rick Steiner.

Seriously, they're doing the same schtick with Cena as they did with Orton. God this Diva crap is bad.

Kenzo fucking rules. He should be rapping about killing motherfuckers. "John Cena, I make you cry Break your skull like Giant Ochai"

"I don't do make up girl, but I'll help you with the white face" Watch for it.

Suzuki is the most charismatic motherfucker they have. They are ruining him by having him talk so much.

They need to give Funaki full-out entrance gear. I'm talking a boxer robe, towels, and entourage. He needs a mickey-esque trainer and spit bucker. Why am I supposed to care about Joy? Is it the titties?

Grisham botches the Canadian Live Event promos too. Jesus Christ.

Gotcha. Wasn't Yokozuna afraid of the casket? And didn't they have Funaki challenge Cena to a battlerap? Smackdown is very derivative

Did he flip over with it and bridge??? I've never seen that before.

Eddies facial expressions are fantastic.

For Canadian viewers, Eddie/Rey is on. It's not bad, but it's really, really, random. Eddie does the move of 05 thus far with his hammerlock spot. Cole is inspired with his misplaced history lessons.

The more I think about a JBL/Cena feud, the more I like it. I don't think theres any other feud possibilities out there right now that gets my imagination going more.

I got it from the way I interpreted your post. You dont have to spell anything out for me. I cant see a Batista reign lasting either, but in the longer run it does open up programme possibilites. But anyone "new" in that position opens up "programme possibilities", but would it work? Would it draw? would it be good? I meant it as that they have been good to each others careers. Benoit has been good for Batista, Batista hasn't been good for Benoit. By putting the crossface over as he did. Even JR did a good job that time. By putting him over maybe? Batista at that time was nothing. He and Flair were Evolutions job guys. Benoit had tapped out Brock Lesnar at the time, he didn't need anything from Batista, and there was nothing Batista could offer. Yes I do. When has there ever been a decent $$$-off recently in the WWE? It certainly wasn't with Jericho-Trish. That storyline peaked at WMXX, and it certainly wasn't drawing the numbers that that show did and didn't really have that good of a resolution (there was a resolution?). Jericho/Christians "pay-off", from their 6 monthish feud, was that cage match was a RAW. Yippee. I mean it as he doesnt get the title till Bad Blood. So there's like 6 more months of this crap? Can't sustain it. The kind of overness Batista has doesn't last long. I was referring to the fact that I prefer Batistas character to Diesels and his ring work. Of course, the ideal is work and drawing, then work and overness. But who has achieved the ideal recently? There were many people at the time who liked Diesels character and ring work, also. I'm seeing very similar things between the two. Why do you keep asking "who has done this recently?"

Benjamin needs something that fans can identify with and rally around, while also being a hero to those same fans; someone who they can look up to and also stand beside. It's a hard dynamic, but they aren't even coming close to acheiving it. Super Athletic? Up from the Streets? Not really indicative of Joe Wrestlingfan. They need more basic, relatable, qualities for him to get over on. Rather than Athletic, say hard working. Who likes someone who is "gifted"? Fuck that.

The real problem with JR is he can really sound like he's "selling" something, like Benjamin, if he has the wrong buzzword. And with JR, the guy is all buzzwords and cliches. Ok, that's not really the "real" problem, but its A problem.

I'll be honest guys. Batista could be the next Austin. *IF* they let him... "Just B"

I have my money in Benjamin's stock. It's just a matter of time before he turns it up.

There were common elements which defined Hogan and Austins popularity. Titanic and Gone With the Wind were two successful movies from two very different eras, but both dealt with an ill-fated relationship. Guess what? So did Romeo and Juliet. You shouldn't look at things on face value only. Cena knows the formula (crowd participation, he named his fans (hulkamaniacs), he uses symbols and hand gestures) but he should know that in order to be successful he has to go beyond the formula. He has to take it to the next level. And that's very hard, and sometimes it takes the right feud to get it out of someone.

You just want to see your Metrosexual Monster wear a suit to match his gold belt, Malibu. Admit it.

Now thats saying something. Whats wrong with Tista being protected though? :S Isnt that the whole point of hoses, that they need to protected? Did I say it was "wrong"? Did I say it was "right"? Where are you getting this from?? I just said he was being protected. Is that a good thing? Of course, that's what all promoters should do with their paid talent. Do I seriously have to spell this out for you? JBL has wrestled different types of matches, with different types of opponents, on-length. Batista hasn't. A champion can only be protected to a point, then you get into Goldberg territory where you're destroying your roster to protect one guy. If they put Batista in the position they put JBL, and as champ they'll have to, his whole appeal would be gone. That's bad. I think that Benoit and Tista have been good to each other. They should be, they've had to wrestle 100 times in the past year. People seem to forget that Tista made Benoit look credible in the run-up to WM and until SummerSlam. You're nuts. The only person who made Benoit look credible was Benoit. What is the answer. The answer is Steve Austin. The answer is Hulk Hogan. (Figuratively) I would wait, let it stew more, seeds of deception. Tease it, but dont prolong it too far. I still think the payoff of Trish-Jericho was good, but was really pissed off at the time because I think they would be good together. There was a pay-off to Jericho/Trish? You realize that "pay-off" has the word "pay" in it, as in $$$, right? He wont last, but wouldnt a good year from be a good for business? I don't think they could get a year out of Batista. 3 months, 2 ppvs, tops as something hot. Maybe 2 more months on the decline to put someone else over. A short stint would be good, of course, never said it wouldn't be. I think comparing him to Diesel is a bit unfair. Hes a better worker and talker for sure. Diesel was just blah. I think it's very fair. Diesel got over by being the tough guy behind a chickenshit. He dominated guys with his size. Diesel, at one time, was very over. Being over with the fans and drawing money are two different things, however. Being over and having good feuds and matches are different things. It's very hard to transition from the appeal that Batista has now, into something worthwhile as champion.

Rudo, I do see what you're saying, but my feeling is this. Right now, business is at a low point. I'm not looking towards Big Dave for the turnaround to bring things into an upswing, but just for my enjoyment as a fan, and to see if it catches fire even more. Fan response is dictating that things go a certain way, and if they do, then it could be something great. Totally Agree. Batista is hot right now. But, they shouldn't invest a lot in him, because it won't work out. However hot he gets in the next few weeks and/or months, in the end it won't work. This was the initial basis for the thread, because Batista is already "old" in wrestling terms (certainly WWE terms), and he hasn't shown the ability to cut the type of promos considered to be main event (even Benoit showed that ability, before anyone decides to take issue with that), and his work isn't something that should be the final match on PPV's. Can he go 20 minutes? 30? There would need to be lots of smoke and mirrors in those matches, and where is the line drawn when it takes _too much_ to protect a guy and hide his weaknesses? He may not be the best worker, but I feel he's improved, and could improve more. His best match was last week. Against Benoit. Throwing aside the point that Benoit is one of their best workers, Batista has been working with the guy for almost a full year now on a consistent basis. During that match I was calling their sequences (Benoit goes through legs, dragon screw, tries for sharpshooter, thrown off). Batista, as champ, won't have that luxury. Edge won't get anything out of him, Orton might depending on his willingness to die, HBK won't, and unless HHH and him have been going at it in private ( ), then I don't see that match being very good either. I mean, how many spinebusters can be done in one match? He doesn't seem to be the kind of guy that wants to coast by. Even still though, while I'm a workrate freak like 99% of the smarks out there, not everyone needs to be a Thesz in the making. I wouldn't want anyone to be Thesz. Batista is limited. He isn't as strong as Lesnar, so the most impressive thing you'll see out of him is that Crossface counter. He has 2 moves that get a reaction. I don't think he can make it past 15 minutes, let alone do 30. Diesel wound up being horrible as champion because (IMO) of the Shawn face turn and the horrible opponents (Sid was over but sucked, Mabel had nothing going for him). Batista has a hot angle to turn him, and could have several that follow. Unless Vince decided on another Viscera push, in which case I'd call you personally to utter the words "You were right". There's a reason why Vis is still on the roster

But Cenas gimmick is a modern day Genius. Champions don't rhyme. And Main Eventers don't turn their belts into flashy spinny things. JBL's gimmick is more accomodating to ME status than Cena's, cause all he does is act rich - which goes along with being champion. And that's comparing Cena to someone who is widely considered the worst champion in the last 5 years, not to people who actually led the New Eras of the WWE. If you want to make a claim that Cena can lead the way for the WWE to the promised land, you raise the bar, not lower it.

Neither is JBL's. I'd rather see Cena with the strap, as a heel though, and see what he can do. You're looking at the wrong perspective. The initial post was saying Cena is the new era, so you compare him to Hogan and Austin, not JBL. I shouldn't be investing this much time in a thread that has "and my BOY Rocky so don't think I'm some mark who does'nt know good workers" as it's lead post.

I don't see good matches from Batista with Angle, Guerrero, or Rey. I think maybe Benoit is doing too good of a job here, cause Batista is a low level worker and the 3 guys above aren't as good as Benoit is when carrying the kind of worker Batista is. Now, I'm not saying that Batista can't be champ, or that it is a particularly bad idea, but it's not the answer and it won't last long-term. I honestly look at him as the 05 version of Diesel, and I can't believe people are being blinded to that.

If Cena keeps this "Chain Gang" (horrible name) thing going where he goes into the stands and whatnot, and then adds some more edge to his character and maybe a better finisher, I could see him taking off. The thing with Austin and Hogan was, they were able to rally the fans behind them and Cena gets that to a point. I think that a lot of what he does is forced and manufactured, and the crowd prefers real, so he won't get the level of reaction and devotion that Hogan and Austin got. He needs the right storyline and the right opponent so that "realness" can be brought out - I don't think that's there for him in the WWE right now. A JBL feud could be interesting if they play it right, but the odds of that happening (them playing it right) are astronomical. They'll try the Austin/McMahon routine and it will be moderately successful but not at the level it needs to be.