From the vault - Hart vs Bulldog

[Guest evilhomer]

The "From the Vault" match on Confidential this week featured Bret & Davey Boy's Summerslam '92 match from Wembley Stadium.

 

Watching this match just made me yearn so much for the good old days. It wasn't just a matter of having two good workers in the ring, it was the little things that they did right. The commentators focusing on the match they are watching, a heel commentator who was a heel commentator, meaningful insight from them, a well written, well performed match, a match that put both performers over, and most of all, the hometown boy going over to a tremendous crowd pop.

 

Of course when you've got Bret and The Bulldog in there, you're going to have a good match, but nowadays, they don't seem to put any effort into putting matches together. They can't put that much effort into 6 hours of tv wrestling plus house shows every week, but it seems that all we get now is two guys with a time limit, and knowledge of whose going over. The poorer workers and rookies need some help in the storytelling, they don't need something as perfectly scripted as this match, but some help along the way.

 

The commentating was also something that I really noticed in this match. Heenan was in great form and got a legitimate laugh from me with the line "These guys are pretty evenly matched... Neither one of them is very bright." Even in a face-face match, he was still able to play a heel.

 

One thing he said really reminded me of how meaningful matches used to seem. He made a comment about how winning the belt means a higher paycheque. The simplicity of this adds so much meaning to the matches - I want to beat that guy to move up the ladder to get closer to the championship where I can earn more money. It's something anyone can relate to, doing better to make more money. They did this a while ago with Knoble, but the idea was completely dropped as soon as he lost the belt. With belts being in their devalued state, this is such a simple way to give them more meaing. A cheap way yes, but they've got to take what they can get.

 

I say lock the entire WWE front office into a room with matches like this on continuous play until they can remember how things are supposed to be done.

[Guest Austin3164life]

I felt the same way after watching the Austin v. Hart (WM 13) match last week.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

I agree 100% about the crappy commentary.

[Guest Choken One]

That is why I miss Heyman...

 

The closest thing to Heenan...

 

He made a match seem important in simplistic ways...

[Guest Coffey]

Well, hopefully we'll be getting Jesse Ventura back. I mean, he was on Confidential, and if the past is any indication, that means he has a good chance to show up. There have been talks about it in the past too. Hopefully Ventura is over his "I want to return to the ring" BS.

[Guest Mole]

When was Jesse on Confidential?

[Guest art_vandelay]

They did this a while ago with Knoble, but the idea was completely dropped as soon as he lost the belt. With belts being in their devalued state, this is such a simple way to give them more meaing. A cheap way yes, but they've got to take what they can get.

 

They did a couple vignettes with Noble following his title loss and subsequent losing streak where he kept complaining to Nidia about his career coming to an end, resulting in the arrival of his cousin Nunzio. That relationship of course, was dropped and nothing of note has happened with Noble's character since.

 

In hindsight, his CW title reign wasn't even that great, even for its appealing simplicity. The relationship between the championship belt and a bigger paycheque was never fully established to fans.

 

It's hard for me to believe that winning a title is that big of deal financially when no one has made note of this aspect for the past 10 years. Perhaps the gimmick was that Noble became "rich" in his own eyes, in comparison to what he had before. In this aspect, the gimmick worked well and if adapted to a bigger role where the writers and commentators would actually spend time to put over the desperation and financial importance of being champion, it could draw.

 

Plus, like most Women's and CW wrestlers, the guy wins the title in one month of his debut. There was no chase. So that took away from the title reign.

[Guest Ram]

You can really tell people are getting lazy with their ring work. Seriously, look at any series of matches a few months ago. You'll see bulldogs and body presses all over the place.

 

Then those pretty much stop, and it looks like top rope elbow drops are the newest move you'll see again and again. Oh, that and probably more body presses.