Bad Blood Quality of Match Predictions

[Guest Anglesault]

The way I see it, La Rez will win and drop the straps quickly to Nash and HBK (Maybe a 3-4 week reign - then it's 2DWA's stinkin up the place... probably against Jericho/Christian).

Shawn is REALLY growing on me again, to tell you the truth. He really hasn't done anything offensively bad since coming back, and his matches have been good.

 

I think HBK/Hurricane vs. JeriChristian could be fun.

 

But Nash has to be there.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

HBK burying all the wrestlers in his promo last week (about him being better than the guys in the back) annoyed me. It's subtle, but jesus christ there's no need for him to be a 'top wrestler' and when him and flair are placed as such, it makes the rest of the roster look bad.

[Guest Anglesault]

HBK burying all the wrestlers in his promo last week (about him being better than the guys in the back) annoyed me.

That's just wrestling promo 101.

 

And really, being called worse than Shawn Michaels was never an insult anyway.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Being called worse than a way-past-his-prime-needs-to-be-carried-or-work-a-gimmick-match wrestler, is certainly not a compliment.

 

Why couldn't he have just said "I may not be as good as those young guys back there, but I can still bring it and I know I'll give you a helluva match, Ric Flair".

[Guest Anglesault]

Why couldn't he have just said "I may not be as good as those young guys back there, but I can still bring it and I know I'll give you a helluva match, Ric Flair".

Because once you start throwing around the "I'm not as good as I used to be" business, half the intrigue is thrown out the window.

 

What interests fans more? Two old dudes reminiscing about when they used to be good, or two "living legends" who have both found their second chances and are being promoted as being at the top of their games duking it out?

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Two old dudes reminiscing about when they used to be good...

 

This doesn't bury the guys who actually work house shows.

[Guest Anglesault]

No, it's worse because it's taking TV time away from them and not even putting something worthwile in their place.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

It's still worthwhile since both HBK and Flair are cruising on name value alone, which for some reason still means something to the fans, so it should be presented as a 'special feature' match. Presenting them as "two of the best guys on Raw" duking it out in a high profile match is just burying the current roster.

[Guest snuffbox]

Being called worse than a way-past-his-prime-needs-to-be-carried-or-work-a-gimmick-match wrestler, is certainly not a compliment.

But, hes not viewed like that by the mark majority TripleR.

 

I agree with the smark philosophy of pushing workrate oriented wrestling, but only because it actually IS over with the majority of the fanbase, marks included. Ric Flair, Steamboat, Benoit, Angle, Malenko, Eddy, Jericho etc all were given good exposure and got the workrate style over with the audiences. And that is why it needs to be pushed over the hosses, because it is more over.

 

Shawn Michaels, while past his prime and an Axl Rose behind the scenes, is still seen as a main event level wrestler by the audience. That is why hes pushed and I agree with it. Disagree with his backstage antics all you want but he is still over and can still work good matches.

[Guest BionicRedneck]

Does anybody seriously think that Flair and Michaels will have a 4* match? Really...?

[Guest snuffbox]

Does anybody seriously think that Flair and Michaels will have a 4* match? Really...?

I think it is possible.

 

They could have great chemistry(its a big 'could'), the crowd will be hot, they will both be fresh due to their soft schedules, theres a good storyline, and they can still work though not at the same level as before.

 

All things considered, i I think its possible.

[Guest BionicRedneck]

Flair hasn't has a 4* match since like 1994, and HBK hasn't had one since 98. They are both old, battered and WAY past their primes.

 

Basically, it will be a fun match with a hot crowd.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Why did HBK vs. HHH - HBK's only PPV title defense - get the lowest buyrate in a very long time then? The fans pop for HBK, yes, but I don't think they look at him as a legitimate main eventer just as they don't look at Hogan as a legit main eventer.

 

I don't see the point in investing in a wrestler such as HBK who (a)doesn't work house shows, (b) doesn't draw, ©is day-to-day in terms of his use in the company (which is to say, "no real future"), and (d)Can only perform matches if he is in there with a superior wrestler (Jericho) or with lots of Smoke and Mirrors (HHH), and I especially don't see the point in getting him over at the expense of others who DO work house shows.

[Guest Anglesault]

It's still worthwhile since both HBK and Flair are cruising on name value alone, which for some reason still means something to the fans, so it should be presented as a 'special feature' match. Presenting them as "two of the best guys on Raw" duking it out in a high profile match is just burying the current roster.

Or, on the otherhand, when someone brings Flair or HBK to the limit (not a total squash) or beats them in a match after the PPV, they jut bta "top guy on Raw"

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Or they do what Rico did and "beat up an old man".

[Guest Anglesault]

Or they do what Rico did and "beat up an old man".

Because Flair was booked as a useless old man.

 

If 'Cane FINALLY beats Flair for real in two weeks, (Maybe Summerslam)it can only help him.

[Guest wwF1587]

Dudleys VS Rodney/Chris - WHY!?!? this is something for HeAT.... anyway *1/2 stars at most

Test/Steiner - 1/2*

Christian/Booker - **3/4

Flair/HBK ***1/4

La Resistance/Kane-RVD - **

Jericho/Goldberg - **1/2

HIAC - *1/2

 

pretty sad show overall.. the buildup has been good for what they want to build up.. its too bad they are building up for absolute crap... a show thats top match could only be *** is in big trouble... i cant wait for buyrate reports on this crap

[Guest Dangerous A]

Dudleys vs Mack/Nowinski-* This match is the glaring example of the Dudley's being stale as shit and Mack and Nowinski not being over without cheap heat.

 

Test vs Steiner-1/2* This match has no chance of being above *1/2. It would defy the laws of physics or put the world out of balance.

 

Christian vs Booker-** I am not expecting much out of this match at all. Crowd heat for Booker is the only thing that will probrably get a pulse in this match.

 

La Resistance vs RVD/Kane-negative**'s If this match ends in a DUD, they will have surpassed my expectations. Dupree and Grenier aren't even good OVW guys.

 

Jericho vs Goldberg-** Crowd heat is the only thing that will registier a pulse in this glorified squash. Knowing WWE and their inept ability to do anything right, they'll book this to go 15+minutes to expose just how bad Goldberg really is.

 

HBK vs Flair-*** And that is being very generous. A lot of folks on this board are going to be disappointed when these 2 don't have a memorable match. It will probrably be the best match on the card, but it won't be memorable. Remember, these 2 are OLD.

 

HHH vs Nash HIAC-DUD- I think they booked the undercard shitty because they didn't want all the other matches overshadowing this steaming pile of turd. Foley will do nothing for this match except pop the crowd for his entrance. This will be on Taker vs Bossman HIAC levels, even with Foley.

 

I think all of you SHOULD watch this show as a lesson on how not to promote and put together a wrestling show. Utter crap from top to bottom with only a few Raw-quality bouts peppered in.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

If Hurricane beats Flair nothing will happen. You'd maybe have a case for Michaels since he hasn't totally been jobbed out, but even then, it will just mean next-to-nothing.

[Adam 0]

Hurricane needs a feud with X over the IC title

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

It's still worthwhile since both HBK and Flair are cruising on name value alone, which for some reason still means something to the fans, so it should be presented as a 'special feature' match.  Presenting them as "two of the best guys on Raw" duking it out in a high profile match is just burying the current roster.

Or, on the otherhand, when someone brings Flair or HBK to the limit (not a total squash) or beats them in a match after the PPV, they jut bta "top guy on Raw"

Which won't happen. If Jericho didn't go over Michaels, nobody else on RAW who needs the win is going to either. Jericho is still seen as that guy who can't be a cripple in the biggest match of his career. His lost to HBK killed his cred further than anything with HHH did. The only reason to have these guys around is to put over the future. HBK is certainly not doing that, so he loses any value he has. He his not a draw either. He is the second worst drawing champion in the history of the promotion, and his title reign last year drew worse than even the never-ending HHH reign of terror and Hogan's terrible run.

 

Michaels has never been a draw, despite what his fans may think. And the numbers are there in black and white. It is not as if it is up for debate.

[Guest Space_Cowboy]

The Dudleys Vs Nowinski/Mack- DUD. Who gives a shit.

 

La Resistance vs. RVD/Kane - DUD. The Frenchies suck, and RVD/Kane aren't very good themselves. The Raw Tag Division blows.

 

Christian vs. Booker T - ***. Probably the best match of the PPV, good if not spectacular.

 

Steiner vs. Test - 1/2*. Bleh. Nothing short of Stacy getting naked in the ring can save this one.

 

Chris Jericho vs. Goldberg - **. A Jericho carry-job, and if Goldberg does his part it shouldn't be too terrible. Jericho losing will put a sour note on it.

 

Ric Flair vs. HBK - **1/2. Could be decent if both men have their working boots on, but i'm not expecting much.

 

HHH vs. Nash - *, and that's being generous. It's gonna be bad.

[Guest Redhawk]

The Dudley Boys vs. Rodney Mack/Chris Nowinski -- Decent. The Dudleys have been working tag matches long enough to get a cookie-cutter watchable match out of any team, and Nowinski and Mack aren't as bad as, say, the Road Warriors or even La Resistance. Dudleys should get the win, since I'm guessing this will be the show-opening get-the-crowd-hyped match. Or if they lose, tables will be used. Personally, I want to see D-Von turn on Bubba and join The Nation---er, I mean Mack and Teddy Long. We all know Bubba's been oppressing D-Von for years.

 

Scott Steiner vs. Test -- Boring and Bad. Best case scenario would have been Steiner playing the heel and Test the babyface. That way, Steiner can use his experience to control the tempo, do some decent power moves and his mocking pushups stuff, and Test can do his "Ouch my ribs hurt--POWERBOMB--Ouch my ribs still hurt" selling. The way it is now, Test has to dictate the pace and Steiner has to do the face-in-peril act, which will consist of more "laying around" than "bumping." I think Test will win, leading to the return of the Godfather to show him what "real pimpin" is once Test's pimp experiment fails.

 

RVD/Kane vs. La Resistance -- Decent. Should be watchable as long as Dupree and RVD do most of the work and Kane gets brought in at the right time for the "Hoss Afire" segment. But I fear that they will book Kane and RVD to have "tension" during the whole match, which will slow the whole thing down. They should just do a normal match, than have the Kane-RVD drama go down after the match. La Resistance is winning, I assume.

 

Christian vs. Booker T. Pretty good if you're watching it live, may come across as total formula on TV. Christian will break out the restholds, because that gives the Houston crowd more opportunity to chant "Booker T" to pump him up. If Booker was able to do a pretty good formula match with a broken-down Scott Steiner on the last RAW, he can do one with Christian, who's way more athletic than Scott. Booker T wins.

 

Goldberg vs. Chris Jericho -- Entertaining. This should be short, but since WWE hasn't figured out how to use Goldberg and you all would have a conniption if it was a squash, it'll go about 12-15 minutes. Jericho can carry average workers, so it'll be better than the Nash-Jericho match. Really, though, Goldberg should be allowed to squash the guy, in order to make him a realistic threat to HHH's title. Or at least win in a dominating fashion.

 

Ric Flair vs. HBK -- I have no idea. I hope it'll be good, but it could come across horribly once they actually get in there. The crowd will be hot, though, since HBK is from Texas and Flair is big in the South, and they can at least tell a story even if their bodies don't cooperate. And HBK will win, as one more of those "WWF is better than WCW" things.

 

HHH vs. Nash -- Do a Taker-Foley version (i.e. one big "event" hides the actual poor level of wrestling) and it should be fine. If Brock-Show from last night was watchable, this can be.

 

Honestly, I could see this show being suprisingly good. It won't be as bad as Judgment Day.