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Post by thegame415 on Jan 11, 2019 13:55:35 GMT -5
Something with diverse, compelling characters and interesting storylines.
Something that uses wrestling as a way to develop characters and stories instead of "OMG, this is awesome workrate!"
A feeling that anyone could face anyone at any time.
No specific divisions. Everyone interacts with everyone.
Using a specific end time to leave drama (WCW did this a lot in the late '90's)
Leaving a hook at the end of the show.
Having stars appear multiple times throughout the night in interwoven stories.
World title, Women's title, TV title, Tag titles, Hardcore title (not insane, weapons hardcore.)
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Post by HMARK Center on Jan 11, 2019 18:29:08 GMT -5
I think a big reason I've gravitated so much toward NJPW (and other puro that I'd love to dedicate more time to in the near future) is its in-ring storytelling and character work, and how it so often leads to matches that truly feel enormous in scope and magnitude.
It's hard to say it precisely, but "big fight feel" is something that I think mainline Japanese companies pull off very well, precisely because they give a sports-like presentation and allow what happens in the ring to serve as the heart of the narrative; when Tanahashi/Omega was about to begin last week I could feel my nerves standing on end during the entrances, and you don't get that without the audience knowing not only that two gifted performers are going to match up, but that they'll deliver something that deserves your attention for the next 30+ minutes.
I'm thrilled at how much the US and UK scenes have improved in health and opportunities this decade, but if there's a knock to be had against them it's a bit of the "tongue-in-cheek" style that's taken off so much. Don't get me wrong, I love silly wrestling; I marked out like hell for the Dick Druids at All In, and I'm beyond pissed that I couldn't get tickets for Spring Break 3 this year despite it being right down the block from my apartment. But it kind of feels like too many shows either go for that style or go for "dream match" booking nowadays instead of allowing a confrontation to feel really epic in scope because the characters themselves have something on the line beyond a title belt, and have a true motivation to do what they're doing.
Basically, I feel there's room for all types of wrestling (technical, striking, submission, brawling, high flying, etc.), but if I get to a major card from a promotion and its main event can't hook me on "this is the moment you've been waiting for, that it's all been building to", then I might enjoy the show but not quite feel it get across the finish line to being one of my favorite promotions to watch. It's easier said than done, but again, it's what's made me a big NJPW fan and made me want to rank Ultima Lucha so highly on my year-end personal lists of best cards.
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Post by Jaws the Shark on Jan 12, 2019 18:23:10 GMT -5
Something with diverse, compelling characters and interesting storylines. Something that uses wrestling as a way to develop characters and stories instead of "OMG, this is awesome workrate!" A feeling that anyone could face anyone at any time. Using a specific end time to leave drama (WCW did this a lot in the late '90's) Leaving a hook at the end of the show. These are pretty much my big ones, and I think they all boil down to seeing good storytelling. I think I'd like to see fewer "gimmicks" and more "characters", people who evolve with time, whose motivations you find out about, and where you find out their strengths and weaknesses. Most great stories tap into your inner psyche and tell you something about yourself, I want to see storylines and characters that I can identify with and that make me care about what's happening. The problem with WWE now is that I don't think anything about it is particularly compelling. Characters are often very one-dimensional and never fleshed out, their motivations are never fully explored, and storylines and narratives are sterile as a result and often don't really go anywhere or evolve. Even the acclaimed shows like NXT feel that way; a couple of months ago before War Games I tried watching for the first time in a long time and it just felt like faces and heels existed just because, you never really found out *why* you were supposed to cheer or boo these people. The great angles through wrestling history have always been about a wrestler having a personal reason to engage with their opponent, be it a motivation to achieve something or because they felt wronged or whatever, and I just don't feel that with WWE now, it's just a load of stuff happening.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2019 19:36:01 GMT -5
No onscreen authority figures!
I've always wanted to see a company use a ranking system to determine the top contenders for the belts, so it feels like every match means something in the greater scheme of things.
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Post by Natural Born Farmer on Jan 12, 2019 20:05:20 GMT -5
I miss the ECW style of booking where every match was taken seriously and there were no real “jobbers”, per se. Even when it was a debuting guy against an established one, the established guy had to earn his win. By letting everyone look dangerous, I as a viewer had to be invested in the match because it really was not clear who would win, and even the loser might be a rising star.
They brought in Super Calo and put him over right away as a guy who’d had success in WCW and was a legit threat to Super Crazy, for instance. They also brought in a young Chris Daniels to wrestle Rhino and let him get his shit in and play to the crowd before losing.
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