WON: Notes on Edge/Bryan/Roman Situation

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

From the Observer:

"That was a late change stemming from a decision made by Vince McMahon that he wanted a number of things changed, including Reigns vs. Edge. Numerous suggestions were made by a lot of people, most of which were said to be bad. The one eventually greenlit was adding Bryan to the match, which everyone agreed to. At that point the feeling was Bryan would be the face. There was a lot of conjecture that Reigns would have been cheered over Edge, and that may have happened and may have led to Edge going heel, but we’re told that was not the reason the match was changed. One person close to the situation said that the age issue, not as much the number as the look of age (“he was looking older each week”) with Edge was a concerning point. But really, it was said it was just McMahon wanting to shake up the plans."

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

“He was looking older every week”

In other words, “my booty itches, switch things up!”

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

The one constant of Roman Reigns’s run: WWE being worried about him getting the opposite reaction to his current alignment from live crowds.

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

Edge does look old. I’m all for him getting that “grizzled vet” one last run title reign, but something about his return at the Rumble until now just was not clicking. He absolutely shouldn’t have been the guy to beat Roman, I wasn’t feeling that idea at all.

And I’m saying this as a HUGE Edge mark

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

It's both a testament to how good Roman's Tribal Chief gimmick is, and hilarious as hell that whatever WWE tries to make Roman, the crowd won't agree. He's a horrible overpushed face? They boo and won't cheer. He's allowed his own creative freedom to be a mafia boss like heel? They cheer and won't boo, but that's also an indictment on how bad they've booked Edge since returning.

Nothing like ripping your Mania Main Event apart like three weeks before the damn show, would WWE do it any other way these days? Lol

[häšhtå.gdālėÿ]

Spot on about the Edge age thing. From his OG Royal Rumble return to now he’s aged 10 years.

[Wieners=$$$]

Yet they used 'Oldberg a couple months ago haha.

At this point, I'm amazed that "too old looking" is a deterrent.

[XIII]

Hire an older guy, change plans because he looks old is so Vince.

Anyone seen Vince lately dude out there looking like he’s 93.

[Deleted]

Heh, they want the Big Dog to heel but all he does is roll over.

[Soultastic]

I love how every decision just comes down to "Vince felt like it".

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

Mar 26, 2021 10:55:36 GMT -5 XIII said:

Hire an older guy, change plans because he looks old is so Vince.

Anyone seen Vince lately dude out there looking like he’s 93.

That’s my whole thing!! Edge has been back for like...less than six months total? It wasn’t no surprise dude was somewhat long in the teeth, I thought that was part of the appeal of this title match? The old veteran runs the impossible gauntlet and gets one last chance to reclaim a spot he never actually was beaten for? Now, Edge is “old” so he’s a heel. 🤣 Nonsensical. The wind changes directions with less frequency than Vince.

[eJm]

It’s honestly sort of crazy to me that this sort of thing keeps happening and there’s no real commitment to the stories they themselves set up because Vince woke up one day and realized something that he wouldn’t have the previous day.

It makes it really hard to get invested in storylines and angles when you know the next day, Vince’s view on someone might completely change for reasons nobody knows except him.

[msc]

I mean, if they have changed it this late on, they are lucky that they keep pushing Bryan in such a way that these last minute changes make sense!

[msc]

Mar 26, 2021 11:11:22 GMT -5 eJm said:

It’s honestly sort of crazy to me that this sort of thing keeps happening and there’s no real commitment to the stories they themselves set up because Vince woke up one day and realized something that he wouldn’t have the previous day.

It makes it really hard to get invested in storylines and angles when you know the next day, Vince’s view on someone might completely change for reasons nobody knows except him.

Actually, there are 2014 similarities. In that, in November-December, the Reigns story was clearly Reigns/Bryan on Smackdown.

Then at the Rumble, WWE is all "No, part timer it is" and promoted the new guy instead in the position.

Then about a month or so later, panic about how its going down, and try and fit Bryan back in again.

[MrElijah]

Mar 26, 2021 11:11:22 GMT -5 eJm said:

It’s honestly sort of crazy to me that this sort of thing keeps happening and there’s no real commitment to the stories they themselves set up because Vince woke up one day and realized something that he wouldn’t have the previous day.

It makes it really hard to get invested in storylines and angles when you know the next day, Vince’s view on someone might completely change for reasons nobody knows except him.

It's f***ing incredible that Vince is just screwing with simple shit. All you have to do is just let Edge be Edge, just now the savy veteran of many a battle and let Roman be The Paranoid Dickhead he's been doing as arguably the top heel in the business and that's it!

Nah we got to change it up because "reasons only beholden to Vincent Kennedy McMahon Jr." Vince has to go. Someone else has to take the book.

[Nickybojelais]

Conspiracy theory time-

Do you think Vince has soured on Edge because of Christian going to AEW? Probably not, but it wouldn't surprise me given the childish, irrational pettiness that Vince is capable of.

[Fade]

Mar 26, 2021 13:00:46 GMT -5 Nickybojelais said:

Conspiracy theory time-

Do you think Vince has soured on Edge because of Christian going to AEW? Probably not, but it wouldn't surprise me given the childish, irrational pettiness that Vince is capable of.

Mm. That’s not the craziest theory in the world.

I figured it was because Edge has just been a lil iffy since his return. Wavering ratings, dodgy character stuff, Edge simply always being better as a heel etc..

Didn’t expect “he look old tho” to be one of ‘em. I..guess?? Haha. I guess Bryan could get removed a week from now after Vince realizes “..he looks kind of Caucasian”.

[jivesoulbrah]

Vince added Bryan because Charlotte Flair has Covid.

[Push R Truth]

I bet Edge sneezed during the last booking session

[Cyno]

Mar 26, 2021 13:00:46 GMT -5 Nickybojelais said:

Conspiracy theory time-

Do you think Vince has soured on Edge because of Christian going to AEW? Probably not, but it wouldn't surprise me given the childish, irrational pettiness that Vince is capable of.

It does seem like the kind of childish pettiness Vince has shown in the past, but Edge was in his prime career-wise when Christian was a perennial main eventer in TNA. Granted, Vince seemingly never saw TNA as an actual threat.