The Balor club

[atgnatpodcast]

Is this an official group now?

I know Balor club has been on his tron video for a while but he really never mentioned it. Granted I haven’t been following raw that much but the one episode I did watch he teamed with gallows and Anderson.

Are they slow playing to become an official group or did I miss something.

[cjb01: Limited Edition Item!]

Yeah they just put them together like three weeks ago, and they're a group now.

All three needed it super badly and it should have happened ages ago but f*** it it's happening now and no one is questioning it because it's so long overdue.

[Deleted]

I'm really hoping this is being done to help spice up a Styles/Balor WWE Title match at WrestleMania.

[Juice]

So far to me it has come off poorly. A desperate attempt to pander to a crowd that doesn't care anymore about WWE. With a watered down group madento reference another companies superior version. Hell that's the most TNA thing E has done in a long time. And if,TNA were doing it everyone would agree with me. But,for some reason probably hope people haven't been.

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

Jan 24, 2018 14:00:03 GMT -5 Juice said:

So far to me it has come off poorly. A desperate attempt to pander to a crowd that doesn't care anymore about WWE. With a watered down group madento reference another companies superior version. Hell that's the most TNA thing E has done in a long time. And if,TNA were doing it everyone would agree with me. But,for some reason probably hope people haven't been.

See, to me that's kinda like saying "Putting Waltman with DX was such an attempt to pander to WCW fans because clearly they're trying to play off his nWo conncection". If they threw 3 random guys with no connection out there, I might agree. But Balor, Gallows and Anderson are 3 legitimate close friends, and the Balor Club name has been around since Finn debuted in NXT. They're 3 guys with a history, who play off each other really well so it comes across pretty natural in my opinion.


And ALOT of people have pretty much been beginning for the 3 of them to align since Finn came to Raw, so for once WWE is actually giving fans what they want.

[Joe Neglia]

Eh, two of the three are the original founding members. They kinda get a pass to do whatever they wish with the concept.

[joey joe joe junior shabadoo]

Yeah and I wish Finn would stop smiling so much. What's with that?

[The Legendary Ring Troll {BLM}]

Jan 24, 2018 14:35:24 GMT -5 joey joe joe junior shabadoo said:

Yeah and I wish Finn would stop smiling so much. What's with that?

Finn “I’m so happy cuz I get to hang out with my friends and do the act that we liked doing and be relevant again” Balor? f*** that guy! Go back to being an irrelevant joke who Vince hates!

[Juice]

Jan 24, 2018 14:13:31 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

Jan 24, 2018 14:00:03 GMT -5 Juice said:

So far to me it has come off poorly. A desperate attempt to pander to a crowd that doesn't care anymore about WWE. With a watered down group madento reference another companies superior version. Hell that's the most TNA thing E has done in a long time. And if,TNA were doing it everyone would agree with me. But,for some reason probably hope people haven't been.

See, to me that's kinda like saying "Putting Waltman with DX was such an attempt to pander to WCW fans because clearly they're trying to play off his nWo conncection". If they threw 3 random guys with no connection out there, I might agree. But Balor, Gallows and Anderson are 3 legitimate close friends, and the Balor Club name has been around since Finn debuted in NXT. They're 3 guys with a history, who play off each other really well so it comes across pretty natural in my opinion.


And ALOT of people have pretty much been beginning for the 3 of them to align since Finn came to Raw, so for once WWE is actually giving fans what they want.

A wateres down stable where gallows and anderson are still second fiddle and do nothing but too sweet while Balor,kinda shows some personality. Id prefer something compelling. And not just the three best friends club

[joey joe joe junior shabadoo]

Jan 24, 2018 14:51:39 GMT -5 The Legendary Ring Troll {BLM} said:

Jan 24, 2018 14:35:24 GMT -5 joey joe joe junior shabadoo said:

Yeah and I wish Finn would stop smiling so much. What's with that?

Finn “I’m so happy cuz I get to hang out with my friends and do the act that we liked doing and be relevant again” Balor? f*** that guy! Go back to being an irrelevant joke who Vince hates!

It seems a forced smile and makes him.nog look like a badass . I can't think of many wrestlers that CONSTANTLY smile

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

I can't imagine being both 1) unfamiliar with Bullet Club and 2) giving a shit about Gallows and Anderson teaming with Balor.

[Joe Neglia]

Jan 24, 2018 14:59:23 GMT -5 joey joe joe junior shabadoo said:

Jan 24, 2018 14:51:39 GMT -5 The Legendary Ring Troll {BLM} said:

Finn “I’m so happy cuz I get to hang out with my friends and do the act that we liked doing and be relevant again” Balor? f*** that guy! Go back to being an irrelevant joke who Vince hates!

It seems a forced smile and makes him.nog look like a badass . I can't think of many wrestlers that CONSTANTLY smile

To me, it makes him looked slightly unhinged and psychotic. The "real" him is out now and he's savoring every moment.

Or something, I dunno.

[Bub (BLM)]

Jan 24, 2018 14:00:03 GMT -5 Juice said:

So far to me it has come off poorly. A desperate attempt to pander to a crowd that doesn't care anymore about WWE. With a watered down group madento reference another companies superior version. Hell that's the most TNA thing E has done in a long time. And if,TNA were doing it everyone would agree with me. But,for some reason probably hope people haven't been.

NJPW's version is basically nWo Hollywood circa Fall of '98 at this point, except without Hogan and Hall. Finn and Anderson are the Hogan and Hall of Bullet Club, so it's basically accusing them of ripping themselves off to call Balor Club an imitation.

[mrbananagrabber]

Finn Balor and Dead Weight didn’t look as good on a t-shirt.

[FinalGwen]

Jan 24, 2018 15:19:00 GMT -5 Bub (BLM) said:

Jan 24, 2018 14:00:03 GMT -5 Juice said:

So far to me it has come off poorly. A desperate attempt to pander to a crowd that doesn't care anymore about WWE. With a watered down group madento reference another companies superior version. Hell that's the most TNA thing E has done in a long time. And if,TNA were doing it everyone would agree with me. But,for some reason probably hope people haven't been.

NJPW's version is basically nWo Hollywood circa Fall of '98 at this point, except without Hogan and Hall. Finn and Anderson are the Hogan and Hall of Bullet Club, so it's basically accusing them of ripping themselves off to call Balor Club an imitation.

At the same time, its like if the Brain Busters had stuck around in the WWF long enough to team with Ric Flair, then called themselves the Flair Horsemen.

[Juice]

Jan 24, 2018 15:19:00 GMT -5 Bub (BLM) said:

Jan 24, 2018 14:00:03 GMT -5 Juice said:

So far to me it has come off poorly. A desperate attempt to pander to a crowd that doesn't care anymore about WWE. With a watered down group madento reference another companies superior version. Hell that's the most TNA thing E has done in a long time. And if,TNA were doing it everyone would agree with me. But,for some reason probably hope people haven't been.

NJPW's version is basically nWo Hollywood circa Fall of '98 at this point, except without Hogan and Hall. Finn and Anderson are the Hogan and Hall of Bullet Club, so it's basically accusing them of ripping themselves off to call Balor Club an imitation.

I just don't understand what people don't get about my argument. IM AWARE they originated the group. But the execution had been poor attempt to reference it instead of created a cool compelling group. They talk avout history and too sweet each other because it's popular now elsewhere, more popular than it ever was before with them.

It's not been written or presented in a,y other way than Balor Club used to be Bullet Club now they too sweet each other here. Thde Styles v Balor one off match was a better done reference. And when The Club debuted with Styles, they made little effort then too, but at least tried for a little while to make the group something.

I want to like them but it is really pandering. It's a few weeks in and all and maybe things get better but it's not at all presented as these are the Hogan Hall and Nash of the Bullet Club. Very little has changed about any of them except now they to sweet Balor.

[111111]

Jan 24, 2018 14:13:31 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

See, to me that's kinda like saying "Putting Waltman with DX was such an attempt to pander to WCW fans because clearly they're trying to play off his nWo conncection".

It's more like if in say 1998 Scott Hall returned to the WWF and started a stable called The Order with X-Pac and whoever else.

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

Jan 24, 2018 17:00:13 GMT -5 Juice said:

Jan 24, 2018 15:19:00 GMT -5 Bub (BLM) said:

NJPW's version is basically nWo Hollywood circa Fall of '98 at this point, except without Hogan and Hall. Finn and Anderson are the Hogan and Hall of Bullet Club, so it's basically accusing them of ripping themselves off to call Balor Club an imitation.

I just don't understand what people don't get about my argument. IM AWARE they originated the group. But the execution had been poor attempt to reference it instead of created a cool compelling group. They talk avout history and too sweet each other because it's popular now elsewhere, more popular than it ever was before with them.

It's not been written or presented in a,y other way than Balor Club used to be Bullet Club now they too sweet each other here. Thde Styles v Balor one off match was a better done reference. And when The Club debuted with Styles, they made little effort then too, but at least tried for a little while to make the group something.

I want to like them but it is really pandering. It's a few weeks in and all and maybe things get better but it's not at all presented as these are the Hogan Hall and Nash of the Bullet Club. Very little has changed about any of them except now they to sweet Balor.

You mean they used to be "a notorious club in Japan"

[nisidhe]

I admit that having Gallows and Anderson right there takes me out of the moment when Finn makes his entrance. I realize that putting them together is probably what he had wanted all along, but the NXT/early WWE Finn that fans had come to know was a lone figure that practically glowed with that rarest combination of mystique, gravitas and playfulness; he might tease us a little bit, but what he did drew us in and made us _believe_ his magic. Example: how many, besides me, saw him appear in the ring with Bray Wyatt and thought, "Holy shit! He's leveled up! He's doing stuff without the paint!" Finn in this persona was growing as close as we might have hoped, in this age, to a new incarnation of the Undertaker.

With Gallows and Anderson, we instead get a teasing glimpse into the Prince Devitt character - a youthful, boisterous type who may be very good in the ring, but seems a little too happy that these two brawlers have his back. In New Japan, he was the jaded, embittered gaijin whose frustrations with Japanese culture was sublimated into the creation of an American-style faction who offended traditional sensibilities. How can he bring a proper, booable, hated heel game to top level when most heel aspects are lost on a market that largely still embraces villains? In a social environment that celebrates haters, rippers, smarks, snarks and trolls, what would Finn Balor have to do to get booed out of the building?

And therein lies the problem. The Prince has his court about him but has nowhere to go; there are no pure babyfaces on either brand whose destruction, degradation or humiliation at Balor Club's hands would result in Finn getting booed. A Jake Roberts-level heel act like slapping a woman would probably work to garner heat (maybe - some trolls would claim the victim had it coming,) but would also not fly at Head Office. Every other type would somehow find a fan looking for the next Austin or the next Foley or the next Rocky Maivia. In many ways, Balor Club paints him into an even tighter corner than the jobber run of late last year. We're either facing a lacklustre heel run, or a setup for a tearing down of the Bullet Club mythos by the very man who conceived the concept.

[Starshine]

Balor Club was a fine reference name for his fans, but it's a pretty awful stable name. It's the equivalent of putting you name in front of 'Bomb' for your powerbomb finisher. Lazy and uninspired... Actually I take it all back, it's perfectly appropriate for WWE in 2018.