?WM hype killed by Japan tour?

[Guest Dangerous A]

I think that if the wwf plunges into the depths it was in around the mid 90's, a factor has to be the Japan tour that killed all the hype going into this year's WM. I know there are a lot of other factor's (nWo coming in, failure to give fans hope of elevating new stars, writing, the invasion, etc) that go into the potential wwf demise. However from this smark's point of view, this Japan tour that kept half the roster off of tv for the week may have done some harm. Who's brilliant idea was it for them to book an overseas tour in the middle of the hype process for one of the company's biggest money shows? I believe tommorrow night's smackdown better be a homerun/hype driven show or else it will be too late. The Japan tour kept (a, Jericho, the company's champion away from tv and now his match seems like third up on the card. (b Kane off of tv to hype his program with the company's top worker, Kurt Angle.(and trust me, that program needs all the hype it can get) (c kept Ric Flair off of tv to hype his program with Taker. (d Even kept the Hardyz and Dudleys off tv to hype the rumored 4 way match for the tag titles. (and yes as stale as the Hardyz and Duds are now, they need to be thrown a bone as far as tv programs) Just a bit of advice for the writers, now would be the perfect time to have the Hardyz turn heel. Have them cheat like hell to win at WM and then let them have a heel run with the titles. Similar to what went down with E and C in 2000. I'm not saying it would work, but anything right now for those guys would be better than what they are doing now.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

Wrestlemania was dying long before the trip to Japan, and actually this weeks RAW did far more to hype Wrestlemania than the previous weeks.

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

(d Even kept the Hardyz and Dudleys off tv to hype the rumored 4 way match for the tag titles

Chuck & Billy are on the tour, as well, so that's 3/4 of the teams in the Wrestlemania match.

 

I don't think the tour is the one thing you can point to as the "hype-killer", but it certainly had an effect.

[Guest buffybeast]

This is an interesting topic.

 

I do not think it was a good idea to have the tour right in the middle of WM hype.  However, WWF probably thinks that WM will draw big numbers regardless of how much they promote it.

 

I think another thing that has hurt the WM hype is not having the Rock on tv.  Here we are less than two weeks away from WM and your number 1 star in a big main event is not on tv.  I know he has Scorpion King commitments, but his absence does not help matters.

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

A few reasons why I'm happy about this:

 

We get a live SmackDown tomorrow.  No spoilers telling me what's going to happen.  Everyone gets to see it at the same time and watch without knowing what will happen.

 

The Rock returns tomorrow.  Buffybeast, would you rather have had The Rock no-sell like HHH no-sold death a few years ago? He comes back tomorrow and you know he's going to cut an awesome promo.

 

We got to see some people we wouldn't normally see.  David Flair, got beat down.  Now I personally don't wish to see him wrestle, but seeing him get punked out like that was pretty cool.  RVD vs. Lance Storm.  I enjoyed it and can only imagine if these guys were allowed to shine more often.

 

The ladies match, while we've seen these two a bit too often in the last month or so, put on a decent woman's match.  And Trish popping out is always a bonus.

 

Still too much Steph but I have to admit I'm glad Vince isn't out doing 20 minute promos at this point and time.

[Guest Van-Daminated]

i dont think the hype was entirely killed by the fact that most of the big name's were in japan i think it was killed by no way out. i dont think that the wwf should have a ppv the month before wrestlemania, hell i think that they should go back to doing just 'mania,king of the ring,summmerslam,survivor series,and royal rumble i dont know about you but before they started doing monthly ppv's i was almost salivating in anticipation for the ppvs now a days they seem like a commercial less raw

[Guest Tony149]

The WWF is trying to sell this WM on the Rock/Hogan match.

[Guest Van-Daminated]

yeah hogan vs rock and thats it i dont know about you but im not expecting a ***** barn burner there.

 

then we have scot hall vs steve austin, ric flair vs undertaker

and a fatal fourway for the tag titles that hasnt been announced yet, triple h vs. jericho, although you couldnt tell because there booking the angle more like triple h versus that screeching whore stephanie, and lets see what else oh yeah rvd vs. regal i dont know about you but i hope they have regal drop the title to storm on smackdown and have storm vs rvd on mania with at least 20 minutes to work with, all and all this is pretty lame two weeks to mania and the card isnt even finalized yet what the f*** we should have the card finalized as of raw this week!

[Guest buffybeast]

"Buffybeast, would you rather have had The Rock no-sell like HHH no-sold death a few years ago? He comes back tomorrow and you know he's going to cut an awesome promo."

 

Yes, you are right.  However, the only reason the Rock was beaten so badly was to give him a reason on screen to be gone, ie complete his SK committments.  My whole point is that the Rock should not be gone from tv less than two weeks before the biggest ppv of the year.

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

"Buffybeast, would you rather have had The Rock no-sell like HHH no-sold death a few years ago? He comes back tomorrow and you know he's going to cut an awesome promo."

 

Yes, you are right.  However, the only reason the Rock was beaten so badly was to give him a reason on screen to be gone, ie complete his SK committments.  My whole point is that the Rock should not be gone from tv less than two weeks before the biggest ppv of the year.

Maybe its not such a bad thing.  Currently this are the main cast of Raw or Smackdown:

 

The Rock

SCSA

Angle

Undertaker

Stephanie

More Stephanie

NWO

Dudleys

HHH

 

Whenever any of them take a vacation, as DDP would say, Its a Good Thing.  And once again, having him gone before WM18 shouldn't be so bad.  Yeah, he can cut 2 promos a week on Raw and SDown and for those who watch either Heat or Metal or Jakked or Excess could see the promos yet again.  But think of the freshness of Rock being off tv for a few weeks and coming back the week before.  It gives the marks a chance to actually miss him and welcome him back.  Heck, I think it will be damn cool if he has on a neck brace or some cuts or bruises or something.  The marks will eat it up and the WM18 buyrate will go up.  Of course we can't expect a great match, but that's another story.....

[Guest RetroRob215]

I don't think the Japan tour had any effect.  The ratings were down .2 overall and .2 for the main event/overrun, so it wasn't a big dip from last week.  Plus I thought this weeks Raw was the best one in weeks.  

 

The WWF has been in trouble since the Invasion failed, so blame Vince for that.  He chose the wrong people to lead the Invasion, he booked it wrong, etc.

[Guest The Voices In Your Head]

I think doing an international tour so close to the biggest show of the year, WrestleMania, has its pros and cons: As for positives, as Old School mentioned, SmackDown! is live this week, and that might be the only reason I'm actually going to go out of my way to see it this week, plus there's no spoilers. I think it would be a good idea for the WWF to do live SmackDowns for the last 2-3 weeks until WrestleMania, and perhaps lessen the amount of house shows for the weeks before.As for negatives, I think that it's a big risk doing shows on another continent when you have an important show so close before. I think waiting until a week or two after WM would've been a better idea.[i think the WWF did a tour of Europe in April of '98 after WM, if I remember right] Plus, doing Raw with a smaller roster could give an opportunity to have more wrestling on the show, and take a break from storylines until the tour is over.

[Guest Anglesault]

(b Kane off of tv to hype his program with the company's top worker, Kurt Angle.

So?

[Guest BaronVonStevie]

(b Kane off of tv to hype his program with the company's top worker, Kurt Angle.

So?

so your olympic hero will have less build up to the greatest spectacle in wrestling. He will have a filler match with Kane that is shaping to be the bathroom break of the show. It needs buildup.

 

and Angle is not the WWF's top worker. He is impressive for a rookie but a rookie still is he.

[Guest Anglesault]

(b Kane off of tv to hype his program with the company's top worker, Kurt Angle.

So?

so your olympic hero will have less build up to the greatest spectacle in wrestling. He will have a filler match with Kane that is shaping to be the bathroom break of the show. It needs buildup.

You mean it WASN'T a filler match a bathroom break?

[Guest BaronVonStevie]

no I'm saying if it is Angle and Kane for Mania, then it will be a filler match if no build up is provided. You should complain about your Olympic hero's direction.

[Guest Anglesault]

no I'm saying if it is Angle and Kane for Mania, then it will be a filler match if no build up is provided. You should complain about your Olympic hero's direction.

It IS a filler match any way. It's Kurt Angle vs. Kane! Not that it upsets me.

[Guest BaronVonStevie]

Not that it upsets me.

well it could be more of a match if they promoted it better. Kane sucks... okay. So does Scott Hall right now but it's a draw. I'm sure Hall/Austin fans are happy. I figured you'd be upset over Kurt getting a shit job this year. Never mind.

[Guest Anglesault]

I've come to terms with it. Kurt is being punished. I'll live.

[Guest CB2M]

and Angle is not the WWF's top worker. He is impressive for a rookie but a rookie still is he.

You're right, Benoit is.  Followed by Austin.  But that doesn't mean Angle isn't third.......

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

At this moment (which is what matters when discussing Mania) Benoit is out and Austin is unmotivated and phoning in his work.

 

Given what I've seen out of Angle and Austin since No Way Out...Angle is the best wrestler in the WWF right now.

 

And deserves better at Mania than wrestling a guy who hasn't been pushed since 1999.

[Guest Human Fly]

Usually Wrestlemania is later in the month, or even in April. I think the fact that there was only 4 weeks of hype this year probably hurt. The Asia tour was poor timing, but I don't think that it will have too negative of an effect.

[Guest CB2M]

"At this moment (which is what matters when discussing Mania) Benoit is out and Austin is unmotivated and phoning in his work."

 

Not talking about this moment, I'm talking about as a whole, of every worker under contract to the WWF, Benoit is the best, followed by Austin.

 

"Given what I've seen out of Angle and Austin since No Way Out...Angle is the best wrestler in the WWF right now."

 

Right now, yes.

 

"And deserves better at Mania than wrestling a guy who hasn't been pushed since 1999."

 

I'd be happy if he can get out of his contract and go to Japan where he would really shine.  But that's not happening.....