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Post by Hypnosis on May 24, 2024 18:22:24 GMT -5
Before Punk got hurt, the plan was apparently for Cody to win the Rumble, choose Roman but then get a savage beating that injured him, forcing him to miss Mania. Rock would take the match with Roman, and Cody would win the title from Roman after Mania after his kayfabe injury had healed. Once Punk went down, they tried to figure out a way to do Cody-Rollins and Roman-Rock. If this was truly the plan and say Cody was out until Summerslam. I wonder how bad the "Cody/Bitchalla" thread would've gotten. Probably a lock from the mods after some scorching hot takes.
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nisidhe
Hank Scorpio
O Superman....O judge....O Mom and Dad....
Posts: 5,767
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Post by nisidhe on May 24, 2024 19:02:36 GMT -5
I honestly think that Dwayne was brought into the TKO board to act as Vince's proxy, perhaps not realizing that a) the timing links Dwayne to Vince in a less-reputable way and that b) questions would be asked about the entire shebang.
Dwayne could not serve on the board of TKO as actively as he publicly would be without _somebody_ asking questions about his Hollywood connections. Why would he return to "'rasslin'" when he's making F-U money at the box office? Nobody in this business or the other does what they do for the good of their health. The obvious answer would be that he's somehow managed to run afoul of the top brass in the movie biz and so he's rehabbing his image through his involvement in WWE. Lo, and behold, here come the stories about his behavior on-set and his weight-throwing in trying to take over the DCEU and making himself the Gary Stu. And what's he doing back in WWE? Throwing his weight around and trying to take over the WWE universe while thinking himself the hero.
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Post by darbus alan on May 24, 2024 19:18:16 GMT -5
At least this confirms it was indeed a pivot and not some masterful four dimensional chess of working the marks.
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Post by BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps on May 24, 2024 19:22:18 GMT -5
So now my main question is: has your interest in the product (or faith in WWE having an exciting product) *really* been that lessened because this WM40 plan was put on the table (but not executed) a few months back?
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nisidhe
Hank Scorpio
O Superman....O judge....O Mom and Dad....
Posts: 5,767
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Post by nisidhe on May 24, 2024 19:34:38 GMT -5
So now my main question is: has your interest in the product (or faith in WWE having an exciting product) *really* been that lessened because this WM40 plan was put on the table (but not executed) a few months back? Honestly, it would have been. I'm sure that WMXL would have broke records and all that, but the TV ratings would have been no better for a Rock championship than for a Roman title run. The casuals would go back to whatever they do the other 52 weeks while a good number of the diehards would likely have walked away. The prospect of Rock vs. Roman, after a two-year chase by Cody is usurped, would not have appealed to me. Two heels headlining an event where the mission is to put smiles on fans' faces? That wouldn't be worth the hundreds or thousands Ticketmaster would have peeled from my hands, or even the subscription fee for Peacock. Such information also tells me that this is something that Dwayne and Gewirtz are likely to try again in the future - squirrel fans off a well-established arc in order to insert Dwayne as a hero. It tells me that Dwayne is a little too close to Vince in that respect, a connection he would do well to sever in short order if he values his legacy.
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Post by BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps on May 25, 2024 4:27:19 GMT -5
So now my main question is: has your interest in the product (or faith in WWE having an exciting product) *really* been that lessened because this WM40 plan was put on the table (but not executed) a few months back? Honestly, it would have been. I'm sure that WMXL would have broke records and all that, but the TV ratings would have been no better for a Rock championship than for a Roman title run. The casuals would go back to whatever they do the other 52 weeks while a good number of the diehards would likely have walked away. The prospect of Rock vs. Roman, after a two-year chase by Cody is usurped, would not have appealed to me. Two heels headlining an event where the mission is to put smiles on fans' faces? That wouldn't be worth the hundreds or thousands Ticketmaster would have peeled from my hands, or even the subscription fee for Peacock. Such information also tells me that this is something that Dwayne and Gewirtz are likely to try again in the future - squirrel fans off a well-established arc in order to insert Dwayne as a hero. It tells me that Dwayne is a little too close to Vince in that respect, a connection he would do well to sever in short order if he values his legacy. I meant more “does the knowledge of this rejected plan skunk your interest for tuning into Cody’s run as champion”.
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nisidhe
Hank Scorpio
O Superman....O judge....O Mom and Dad....
Posts: 5,767
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Post by nisidhe on May 25, 2024 8:55:54 GMT -5
I meant more “does the knowledge of this rejected plan skunk your interest for tuning into Cody’s run as champion”. Oh, absolutely not. Cody deserves a decent run with the title and I'm keen to see the matches with his challengers. I'm also more interested in seeing the rest of the card. I first got interested in WWE during Hogan's first title run and found that, with a steady face champion on top, the undercard was given some room to garner interest as well. I doubt, for example, that the Bulldogs/Hart Foundation feud or Savage vs Honky Tonk Man would have gotten more than a blip with the World title getting hot-potatoed or with a heel champion.
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Post by Feargus McReddit on May 25, 2024 10:56:02 GMT -5
I meant more “does the knowledge of this rejected plan skunk your interest for tuning into Cody’s run as champion”. Like, for me, if I were extensively watching, I’d be pleased they actually listened and pivoted rather than tried to force it because as I said before, it was one of the hallmarks of the last couple of decades of Vince. It would have honestly been so easy to go with Rock/Roman because the publicity of such a thing would be stellar but that publicity, likely, would have lead to the most dead WrestleMania main event since Roman/HHH.
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Post by Friday Night SmackOwn on May 25, 2024 11:52:16 GMT -5
I meant more “does the knowledge of this rejected plan skunk your interest for tuning into Cody’s run as champion”. Like, for me, if I were extensively watching, I’d be pleased they actually listened and pivoted rather than tried to force it because as I said before, it was one of the hallmarks of the last couple of decades of Vince. It would have honestly been so easy to go with Rock/Roman because the publicity of such a thing would be stellar but that publicity, likely, would have lead to the most dead WrestleMania main event since Roman/HHH. A main event where people would probably cheer Roman over Rock even if Dewey was gonna be the conquering hero face.
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Post by A Platypus Rave is Correct on May 25, 2024 12:41:05 GMT -5
I meant more “does the knowledge of this rejected plan skunk your interest for tuning into Cody’s run as champion”. Like, for me, if I were extensively watching, I’d be pleased they actually listened and pivoted rather than tried to force it because as I said before, it was one of the hallmarks of the last couple of decades of Vince. It would have honestly been so easy to go with Rock/Roman because the publicity of such a thing would be stellar but that publicity, likely, would have lead to the most dead WrestleMania main event since Roman/HHH. Or that Roman vs. Brock match where people were just flat out leaving during.
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Post by Feargus McReddit on May 25, 2024 12:57:44 GMT -5
Or that Roman vs. Brock match where people were just flat out leaving during. Exactly. And this was the first HHH booked ‘Mania and the first TKO ‘Mania. Anything other than what we got for Cody/Roman would have been a disaster PR wise.
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Post by "Trickster Dogg" James Jesse on May 26, 2024 3:09:00 GMT -5
Honestly, it would have been. I'm sure that WMXL would have broke records and all that, but the TV ratings would have been no better for a Rock championship than for a Roman title run. The casuals would go back to whatever they do the other 52 weeks while a good number of the diehards would likely have walked away. The prospect of Rock vs. Roman, after a two-year chase by Cody is usurped, would not have appealed to me. Two heels headlining an event where the mission is to put smiles on fans' faces? That wouldn't be worth the hundreds or thousands Ticketmaster would have peeled from my hands, or even the subscription fee for Peacock. Such information also tells me that this is something that Dwayne and Gewirtz are likely to try again in the future - squirrel fans off a well-established arc in order to insert Dwayne as a hero. It tells me that Dwayne is a little too close to Vince in that respect, a connection he would do well to sever in short order if he values his legacy. I meant more “does the knowledge of this rejected plan skunk your interest for tuning into Cody’s run as champion”. Not really because: a) If the company didn't pivot, it wouldn't have changed my mind about modern-day WWE. I really don't watch it. b) That the company did pivot leads me to think that just because Vince isn't there that people like the Rock and Triple H aren't going to make forehead-slapping stupid decisions (when they really should know better to do the obvious thing). So my mind still hasn't changed about modern-day WWE. And I haven't watched any WWE since Wrestlemania 40 even though I agreed with and liked Cody winning. (Even though I think he really should have won it at Wrestlemania 39 because nothing in the past year has changed my mind about modern-day WWE.)
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Post by BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps on May 26, 2024 6:01:02 GMT -5
I meant more “does the knowledge of this rejected plan skunk your interest for tuning into Cody’s run as champion”. Like, for me, if I were extensively watching, I’d be pleased they actually listened and pivoted rather than tried to force it because as I said before, it was one of the hallmarks of the last couple of decades of Vince. It would have honestly been so easy to go with Rock/Roman because the publicity of such a thing would be stellar but that publicity, likely, would have lead to the most dead WrestleMania main event since Roman/HHH. I meant more “does the knowledge of this rejected plan skunk your interest for tuning into Cody’s run as champion”. Not really because: a) If the company didn't pivot, it wouldn't have changed my mind about modern-day WWE. I really don't watch it. b) That the company did pivot leads me to think that just because Vince isn't there that people like the Rock and Triple H aren't going to make forehead-slapping stupid decisions (when they really should know better to do the obvious thing). So my mind still hasn't changed about modern-day WWE. And I haven't watched any WWE since Wrestlemania 40 even though I agreed with and liked Cody winning. (Even though I think he really should have won it at Wrestlemania 39 because nothing in the past year has changed my mind about modern-day WWE.) I am a bit curious as to why you two are so deep into discussing recent booking of companies you apparently dislike, or don’t soon plan to watch, but okay, your tastes are your own.
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Nosnorb
El Dandy
Nachos and Fraggle Rock are TIMELESS.
Posts: 8,373
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Post by Nosnorb on May 26, 2024 6:04:18 GMT -5
So now my main question is: has your interest in the product (or faith in WWE having an exciting product) *really* been that lessened because this WM40 plan was put on the table (but not executed) a few months back? Not really. If anything, it's increased because we got Final Boss Rock out of it and an absolute masterpiece of a main event at WM40.
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Post by Feargus McReddit on May 26, 2024 8:12:42 GMT -5
I am a bit curious as to why you two are so deep into discussing recent booking of companies you apparently dislike, or don’t soon plan to watch, but okay, your tastes are your own. Because one of the reasons I stopped watching was because of the stuff I talked about, general disregard of fans, pushing through with things that’ll hurt more than help etc. But even with the problems I still have, they’re at least righting the ship somewhat and there might be a world where I watch WWE weekly again since it was such a massive part of my life from 2001 to about 2017 or so. Isn’t that something you’d want to hear some kind of input from in that regard? Because it’s weird to treat it like it’s not important for that reason.
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Post by Friday Night SmackOwn on May 26, 2024 11:23:13 GMT -5
So now my main question is: has your interest in the product (or faith in WWE having an exciting product) *really* been that lessened because this WM40 plan was put on the table (but not executed) a few months back? Not really. If anything, it's increased because we got Final Boss Rock out of it and an absolute masterpiece of a main event at WM40. and the impending aftermath following WM40 is sure to be great, too.
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Post by darbus alan on May 26, 2024 11:28:50 GMT -5
So now my main question is: has your interest in the product (or faith in WWE having an exciting product) *really* been that lessened because this WM40 plan was put on the table (but not executed) a few months back? I actually respect that they saw what was happening wasn't getting over with the fans, and instead of pretending that the pivot was the plan the entire time or do the Vince thing of stubbornly sticking to the plan out of spite, they more or less said "this isn't working. let's go in a different direction." It's a kind of admission you don't see much in Corporate America too often.
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Post by Feargus McReddit on May 26, 2024 11:36:00 GMT -5
So now my main question is: has your interest in the product (or faith in WWE having an exciting product) *really* been that lessened because this WM40 plan was put on the table (but not executed) a few months back? I actually respect that they saw what was happening wasn't getting over with the fans, and instead of pretending that the pivot was the plan the entire time or do the Vince thing of stubbornly sticking to the plan out of spite, they more or less said "this isn't working. let's go in a different direction." It's a kind of admission you don't see much in Corporate America too often. And they referenced the fact that the fans don’t like it in a way that didn’t feel like they were annoyed by it like the Yes Movement did at times. Even if they had nothing to do with it (and it’d be weird to say they didn’t), they felt like they were the reason Cody was main event over The Rock and ingrained it into the story.
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Post by Friday Night SmackOwn on May 26, 2024 11:53:58 GMT -5
I actually respect that they saw what was happening wasn't getting over with the fans, and instead of pretending that the pivot was the plan the entire time or do the Vince thing of stubbornly sticking to the plan out of spite, they more or less said "this isn't working. let's go in a different direction." It's a kind of admission you don't see much in Corporate America too often. And they referenced the fact that the fans don’t like it in a way that didn’t feel like they were annoyed by it like the Yes Movement did at times. Even if they had nothing to do with it (and it’d be weird to say they didn’t), they felt like they were the reason Cody was main event over The Rock and ingrained it into the story. some respect has to go to the Rock for realizing the whole "conquering hero" shtick wasn't gonna work out and instead opting to go with a drastically different character to give Cody a new foe to overcome.
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Post by Feargus McReddit on May 26, 2024 12:08:35 GMT -5
some respect has to go to the Rock for realizing the whole "conquering hero" shtick wasn't gonna work out and instead opting to go with a drastically different character to give Cody a new foe to overcome. Exactly. Like I said, there was every reason he could have just walked out and put a Dwayne shaped cloud over the entire Reigns/Cody build and match but he rolled with it and turned it into a character people have been begging for since 2003. Rock/Cody, whenever that happens, will probably be the biggest match of that period of time because of all of that.
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