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Post by This Player Hating Mothman on May 24, 2018 10:34:10 GMT -5
Right, but just because someone is already on WWE's radar doesn't mean they wouldn't be making a stronger move for them or acting earlier just to try and lure them away from a competitor. WWE started making business deals with a few select UK indies and surely there were dudes there who were on WWE's radar, but it was when ITV started trying to roll out World of Sport that WWE clamped down, signed a bunch of people as quickly as they could to limited contracts where they would basically get money from WWE to turn down bookings from any promotion with TV or streaming services outside of a select few. Wanting to squash competition before it could start made them act a lot sooner to make a big territory grab, and this story is just to say that they're doing it again with MLW. By the way, on the British indy tip, it will forever tickle me that the "Punk Rock Pro Wrestling" PROGRESS has a deal in place to funnel guys to the wrestling equivalent of Top 40 radio. I really like PROGRESS and I can't totally blame them because money and cushy deals, but it feels like when In Flames changed their direction into a more mainstream alternative metal kind of direction, and as if to take the piss they named the album Reroute to Remain. It's the little touches that really make it.
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kidkamikaze10
Dennis Stamp
Trying to think of a new avatar
Posts: 4,278
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Post by kidkamikaze10 on May 24, 2018 10:35:03 GMT -5
Out of that list, Strickland and MJF are probably the guys getting scouted.
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Post by abjordans on May 24, 2018 10:36:23 GMT -5
I think this is newz. I mean am I surprised WWE is trying to sign someone like Shane Strickland? No. Do I think it is to put MLW out of business? No.
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Post by sportatorium on May 24, 2018 10:38:32 GMT -5
Are the MLW wrestlers exclusive to that promotion? Or is it a situation where they work for multiple indies? If the latter, then I have no problem with WWE trying to sign them. If they really are offering exclusive deals with MLW, then WWE should respect those contracts the exact same way they would expect a competitor to respect theirs’ . It's a tad more complicated than that and depends on the contract. I mean, the example is in the story, really. Matt Riddle's contract allows him to go to promotions and be on their On Demand services but Riddle can't do MLW because his own contract makes WWN his homebase partially because of their own connections to WWE (I presume, because allegedly the reason he has that is because WWE wants to keep an eye on him) so he can't do TV dates. And with Penta and Rey, their contracts are more television-based with MGM so they can't jump to another company without some kind of post-screening clause, hence why Ricochet couldn't leave in the same way until the time limit passes. It's also probably the reason they can do MLW as well in the same way, for example, a TV actor can take on a film role when filming for said show is complete for the season. It's to keep them from leaving to a better production that can do that, it's good for morale and allows said actor to keep working for that company potentially beyond the end of that show. Since Strickland is also Killshot in Lucha Underground, I presume the case is the same for him with how long the gaps have been between filming of seasons for LU. EDIT: Everyone's said it better and shorter than I have. That helps to explain it very well. My only point is if someone is really operating as a free agent of sorts on the indies, then any company can try to secure them to a deal.
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Post by cabbageboy on May 24, 2018 10:38:43 GMT -5
This is honestly worse than Vince's 1980s business practices. I would argue that the vast majority of Vince's signings in the 80s had some kind of purpose and a lot of those guys drew money. But this stuff? Trying to sign dudes from a random group like MLW? I can see going after someone there that is drawing some real attention, but I doubt that's what WWE is doing. They just want to cripple a small league with a nothing TV deal.
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Post by This Player Hating Mothman on May 24, 2018 10:42:16 GMT -5
It's a tad more complicated than that and depends on the contract. I mean, the example is in the story, really. Matt Riddle's contract allows him to go to promotions and be on their On Demand services but Riddle can't do MLW because his own contract makes WWN his homebase partially because of their own connections to WWE (I presume, because allegedly the reason he has that is because WWE wants to keep an eye on him) so he can't do TV dates. And with Penta and Rey, their contracts are more television-based with MGM so they can't jump to another company without some kind of post-screening clause, hence why Ricochet couldn't leave in the same way until the time limit passes. It's also probably the reason they can do MLW as well in the same way, for example, a TV actor can take on a film role when filming for said show is complete for the season. It's to keep them from leaving to a better production that can do that, it's good for morale and allows said actor to keep working for that company potentially beyond the end of that show. Since Strickland is also Killshot in Lucha Underground, I presume the case is the same for him with how long the gaps have been between filming of seasons for LU. EDIT: Everyone's said it better and shorter than I have. That helps to explain it very well. My only point is if someone is really operating as a free agent of sorts on the indies, then any company can try to secure them to a deal. "Free agent" isn't really a good way to put it; it's more of a freelancer. If you sign contracts committing to deals, then pressure to make you break those contracts isn't really even or fair in the way "here's a contract that doesn't restrict you from signing other contracts for other people on other days" is. WWE isn't looking to bring people in for one-off matches or tapings now and again, they want to get people to cut their deals off early and go work exclusively for them instead. The problem isn't WWE wanting to sign people, it's that they want to sign people to exclusive contracts and get them to take a walk on their existing ones. MLW's exclusivity or lack thereof isn't really the most important element to this.
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Post by eJm on May 24, 2018 10:43:37 GMT -5
It's a tad more complicated than that and depends on the contract. I mean, the example is in the story, really. Matt Riddle's contract allows him to go to promotions and be on their On Demand services but Riddle can't do MLW because his own contract makes WWN his homebase partially because of their own connections to WWE (I presume, because allegedly the reason he has that is because WWE wants to keep an eye on him) so he can't do TV dates. And with Penta and Rey, their contracts are more television-based with MGM so they can't jump to another company without some kind of post-screening clause, hence why Ricochet couldn't leave in the same way until the time limit passes. It's also probably the reason they can do MLW as well in the same way, for example, a TV actor can take on a film role when filming for said show is complete for the season. It's to keep them from leaving to a better production that can do that, it's good for morale and allows said actor to keep working for that company potentially beyond the end of that show. Since Strickland is also Killshot in Lucha Underground, I presume the case is the same for him with how long the gaps have been between filming of seasons for LU. EDIT: Everyone's said it better and shorter than I have. That helps to explain it very well. My only point is if someone is really operating as a free agent of sorts on the indies, then any company can try to secure them to a deal. Oh absolutely. If WWE wanted to sign someone like, off the top of my head, Britt Baker, she's not committed to any single promotion in the same way someone like Kobra Moon or Catrina are. EDIT: The problem, as Mothman said, is that WWE aren't really doing that as much as being the devil on their shoulder trying to get them to wiggle from their contracts early or not re-sign instead of waiting for nearer to the expiration period.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2018 10:53:02 GMT -5
WWE be like: Eventually, Vince will go up to Mike Quakenbush and say: Vince: Your wrestling company has been brought to my attention but I can't figure out what, if anything, CHIKARA PRO does. So, rather than risk competing with you, I've decided to simply buy you out. Then he has Jamie Noble and Billy Kidman bust up the Wrestle Factory office and break the Young Lions Cup.
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Post by MrElijah on May 24, 2018 12:15:48 GMT -5
Shit, that Col. Parker would be a top prospect for anyone. He is the Greatest Promoter in The World.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2018 14:17:25 GMT -5
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chrom
Backup Wench
Master of the rare undecuple post
Posts: 84,902
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Post by chrom on May 24, 2018 14:48:44 GMT -5
This is a rather slimy and low move done by WWE if true.
MLW isn't a threat, they aren't even a blip on the wrestling radar. All they got is a TV show. It'd be like McDonalds going after a local diner because they serve Tater Tots
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Post by Cyno on May 24, 2018 15:05:38 GMT -5
I think this is newz. I mean am I surprised WWE is trying to sign someone like Shane Strickland? No. Do I think it is to put MLW out of business? No. Why not? WWE and McMahon have been doing this kinda shit since the 80's and WCW tried to do the same to them in the 90's. Maintaining the monopoly is good for their business even if it's bad for the industry as a whole.
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segaz
Samurai Cop
Posts: 2,381
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Post by segaz on May 24, 2018 15:10:55 GMT -5
WWE be like: Indies: OK. Vince: Buy em out boys! *goons start trashing the place*
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Post by 2 time pro bowler Fred Dryer on May 24, 2018 15:19:07 GMT -5
If this to Schiavone and Medusa doing the commentary for MYC part 2, it'll all be worth it.
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Post by "Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay on May 24, 2018 16:14:34 GMT -5
Literally never heard of MLW. How out of the loop am I, here?
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Post by abjordans on May 24, 2018 16:28:17 GMT -5
I think this is newz. I mean am I surprised WWE is trying to sign someone like Shane Strickland? No. Do I think it is to put MLW out of business? No. Why not? WWE and McMahon have been doing this kinda shit since the 80's and WCW tried to do the same to them in the 90's. Maintaining the monopoly is good for their business even if it's bad for the industry as a whole.
Except that is companies that really are a threat or competition. They also have a history of helping companies that they have seen as breeding grounds for talent- such as SMW, ECW, WWN, Progress, etc. So, do I think evil WWE is all of the sudden decided they need to crush Court Bauer and MLW? No. Are there some guys working for them that they have their eyes on? Yea I am sure. I think it just makes a good headline- look at most of the responses in this thread. Pull the “WWE is evil!” string and get people riled up.
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Post by Cyno on May 24, 2018 16:46:21 GMT -5
Let's not pretend that Vince McMahon bankrolled companies like ECW out of the goodness of his heart, either. There are ulterior motives.
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Post by 2coldMack is even more baffled on May 24, 2018 17:02:13 GMT -5
Let's not pretend that Vince McMahon bankrolled companies like ECW out of the goodness of his heart, either. There are ulterior motives. Right. This is all about stamping out competition before it becomes competition. If you can't bring them on board(ECW), you stomp them out(see the territories of the 80's).
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2018 17:03:16 GMT -5
As long as these talents are getting those paychecks then it's ok in my book. Get ya moolah playas!
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Post by eJm on May 24, 2018 17:04:57 GMT -5
Let's not pretend that Vince McMahon bankrolled companies like ECW out of the goodness of his heart, either. There are ulterior motives. Absolutely. Like, as seemingly beneficial the relationship might be for Progress and ICW, the fact of the matter is the best places in the UK to be showcased are those two and Rev Pro. Rev Pro’s out because of their NJPW connections (and why give that up getting Okada, Tanahashi and Naito twice a year for an NXT talent every so often, no disrespect intended for Kassius Ohno) so those two are the other options. And whilst I’m not fully on the WWE is Evil train, it’s not a coincidence WWE’s in the picture after ICW sold out the SSE Hydro (a 10,000 seat venue) two years in a row.
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