1. #1

    [TV] The quality of current WWE wrestlers vs. past WWE wrestlers

    Now, before I start I want to say that I know the WWE is not real and that everything is scripted, and just because you don’t like it doesn’t give you the right or justification to look down on those who do. I find it enjoyable to watch as background sound while playing games. Now that we have that out of the way, I want to talk about something that I was thinking about while watching the last Raw, when Triple H came out, followed by the Undertaker. When the Undertaker came out and started having his stare-off with Triple H, I just remembered how epic Undertaker used to be, and so was Triple H. You would have matches where Triple H would come out in a Game-of-Thrones-esque attire, with matching throne and crown and the name “the King of Kings”. You would have matches where the Undertaker would come out with the Dark Tower theme, and then as the Dead Man theme. These were amazing.

    When you think of the current brand of wrestlers, it just feels… off. You have CM Punk and Daniel Bryan as the current big-title holders. You have the Miz, R Truth, Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes, the two new gangster Mexican wrestlers. Even the bigger wrestlers like Big Show and Mark Henry are just… boring. And I don’t really know why.

    At first I thought it was because they’re not doing themes anymore, but then I realized that is definitely not the case. You used to have the Rock (I don’t count the Rock as a current wrestler, his match at Wrestlemania is most likely just a one-time stint), Steve Austin, Heartbreak Kid, and these guys didn’t have any big themes. They had their own “things”, like Steve Austin with beer and certain catch phrases and the like, but they were still top-notch.

    Maybe the current wrestlers are just bland? They don’t really have their own personalities, and those that do (the Miz) are just too drawled out and misinterpreted that it feels pretentious and ‘try-hard’. They don’t have their own looks, their own moves. Everyone these days is doing the same finisher but with a different name.

    I think that the WWE is currently caught in a bad time. It feels like they just lost a lot of their old wrestlers, and they’re currently transitioning by promoting the old C class to B class, and the old B class to A class. I mean, Zack Ryder used to be one of the clone-Edge’s just a few years ago, and now he’s one of the biggest names. Daniel Bryan didn’t even exist in the WWE more than a few months ago, and now he’s beating unrealistic matches like the Big Show and Mark Henry for the championship.

    On another point, and I know I’m blabbering now, I think it might also be the sizes of the wrestlers. Wrestlers are tiny compared to those 10, 20 years ago. The biggest wrestler these days is Sheamus, and that’s because he trains with Triple H. I don’t wanna count Mark Henry and Big Show; by “big” I mean definition and muscle mass. I know I’ve mentioned him several times, but Daniel Bryan? Seriously? The man looks like a short lumberjack now. It’s hilarious how beefed up he is compared to when he first came in, and how he’s grown the beard to make himself look thicker, but his height is still limiting him. It just doesn’t feel epic to watch short men (and I know they’re not short compared to the average male height, but they are short for WWE wrestlers). Even CM Punk is ridiculous – Triple H said it right a few months ago – “skinny fat”. WWE needs BIG wrestlers again, but perhaps this is because they’re being more strict on steroid use ever since the Chris Benoit incident.

    Not all “current” wrestlers are boring (to me), though. Randy Orton has always been entertaining, with the Legend Killer and the Viper themes. Edge was also great, but he’s gone now so that doesn’t count. John Cena is just… overplayed. I like his character, but he’s incapable of doing anything spectacular in the ringplay. The only thing he has going for him are big arms, other than that he’s a normal body-builder; no athleticism, no gymnastics, not even any unique moves. The AA? The “You-can’t-see-me”? Really now. He wears jean shorts for Christ sake, even limiting his capability even more. Rey Mysterio was always fun to watch, but it seems they’ve decided to replace him with Sin Cara who is just a bore.

    I don’t really know what I’m getting at, but if you’ve read this much, thanks. To summarize, I just don’t feel as enthralled by the line-up as I used to, and I don’t know what it is. It’s not the themes, as there used to be wrestlers with no themes and there are current (boring) wrestlers with themes, like Kane, who just feels like a second-hand Undertaker. It might be the sizes and body masses of the wrestlers, as it really can’t be denied that wrestlers these days are A LOT smaller than they used to be (CM Punk and Daniel Bryan as WWE and World Champion…) It might be the fact that they just don’t stand out as much as their predecessors, but those who do (the Miz) are doing it wrong.

    Perhaps now that I’m older I don’t find it as exciting, but that doesn’t feel like the case. Sheamus is my top-runner these days; my favorite. He has his own look and he has a personality, though he still doesn’t feel “epic”.

    Anyway, opinions?



    Word count: 950~
    TL;DR – Woo Woo Woo
    Why am I back here, I don't even play these games anymore

    The problem with the internet is parallel to its greatest achievement: it has given the little man an outlet where he can be heard. Most of the time however, the little man is a little man because he is not worth hearing.

  2. #2
    I've watched since around 1996 when I was about 4 years old. Back then Undertaker was my hero ( & still is ) and when Kane entered WWF...lord it was the peak time I remember of WWF/WWE

    On topic:

    The Undertaker's return was slightly disappointing, but I got goosebumps when that gong hit. If he goes for HHH (AGAIN) it will be boring & overdone, and to be honest 20th should've been his que to retire, but he hasn't been back long enough to drag up a decent story line (but maybe they could pull somtehing out)

    As for the current wrestlers, I really can't stand any (except the big guys coincidentally, i'll only watch a match with Taker/Kane/Mark Henry/Big Show/Khali) Everyone else is so boring and dated. The Royal Rumble last week was such a boring mess (even the WWE knew that which is why they had to resort throwing in three commentators)

    I think it's got to a point where they just need to add fresh talent and carry on any storyline they haven't conjured up in the past. The WWE is very old and they're doing a good job at it trying to continue it's legacy but it's in-need of some major revamption. Once Kane/Show/Henry/Taker retire they will really be stuck in a new era.

    I don't watch Raw/Smackdown except for the Kane/Taker segments so I could be biased but when I do watch it IF its on when im watching TV & it's not really entertaining. The new wrestlers are recyled and replaced every other month and there's nothing exciting about them. As you said the old fighters all had an agenda and now you can struggle to come up with an agenda for everyone.

    Will the WWE die out? Definitely not, they have a worldwide buzz that will take years to diminish, even then I think Entertaining Wrestling will not fade. But they need to switch some things up and change it around because they cannot carry it on like it were 20-30 years ago

  3. #3
    Yeah, I hope that the Undertaker doesn't fight Triple H again at Wrestlemaina but honestly, who else is up to it? I'd bet my house that Undertaker's streak is going to end this year, because he is just not capable of wrestling anymore. He did a storyline back in fall 2011 (around that time) with Kane, and his matches were just horrible. Undertaker is really nothing more than a shadow of his former self, and the only reason people love him is because of who he used to be. But yea, I think his streak is ending this year, and I can't think of anyone really fit to do it other than Triple H. But it seems that Triple H was shaking his head, I got the impression he was refusing the match, but Idunno. Also I don't think his first match with Triple H at Wrestlemania even had a storyline, lol. It was pretty much just "sup, let's do this".

    I honestly think WWE is lost. They added a plethora of new wrestlers in the last year, with that mini-show they were doing with the "reality contest" of wrestlers. Basically the top 5 of those people all got jobs and are being used in storylines right now. Daniel Bryan, Wade Barrett, the buff lawyer guy, Heath Sledger or whatever his name is, but really... they're all boring.

    I don't know what WWE can do. They need to find the right people again, and soon.


    Edit: I don't know if you guys have seen this new addition to WWE, but this guy has some sort of "theme":


    My reaction: :/ If this is what the WWE thinks is a quality character, I don't think they know what they're doing anymore.
    Last edited by vizzle; 2012-02-03 at 03:03 AM.
    Why am I back here, I don't even play these games anymore

    The problem with the internet is parallel to its greatest achievement: it has given the little man an outlet where he can be heard. Most of the time however, the little man is a little man because he is not worth hearing.

  4. #4
    Deleted
    i agree, theres no charisma anymore, i remember the days of Stone Cold vs. The Rock, those two for years carried WWE, along with Undertaker, Kane and Triple H (and others) When MacMahon was involved regularly and was actually enjoyable to watch his arse get wooped.

    But yeah, havent watched for years, only watching The Rock/Stone Cold episodes now, no-one in the WWE really is, great anymore, Cena's quite pathetic imo :/ He's a nob tbh

  5. #5
    I remember "Hulk hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling," which aired from 1985-1987. And I've been watching WWF/WWE off and on ever since. Honestly it's not the "quality" of the starts that concerns me. It's the story-lines. They've become very predictable and stale.

    My favorite Wrestler was originally Hulk Hogan. That was back in the mid-late 80's, when he was in his prime. In the early 90's I saw a WWF show live. (That was back when they were still doing little college arena's.) The Undertaker performed and I became a fan of his. From the early 00's until 09 I didn't watch WWF. When I started watching again around 09 I became a fan of Edge. With Edge retired I'm now supporting Sheamus.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by vizzle View Post
    Edit: I don't know if you guys have seen this new addition to WWE, but this guy has some sort of "theme":
    In my opinion, that "wrestler" is a ridiculous joke. I don't know what this guy's Past is, but he isn't impressive at all.
    Last edited by ButterToast; 2012-02-03 at 03:33 AM.
    "Next-Gen" is only a marketing label and not an actual advancement in the Graphics side of games, so quit fooling yourself.

  7. #7
    Immortal Clockwork Pinkie's Avatar
    15+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Ft. Worth, Texas
    Posts
    7,640
    I stopped watching it when John Cena took over, out grew it anyways. The video games are still fun, but just no longer fun to watch, even if some of the old starts are coming back. Smackdown was part of my childhood, The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin was one of the greatest things I've witnessed as a child. The Rock is just way more entertaining than John Cena will ever be.

  8. #8
    Immortal Clockwork Pinkie's Avatar
    15+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Ft. Worth, Texas
    Posts
    7,640
    Quote Originally Posted by Howlrunner View Post
    To me, the greatest era was the "Attitude" era. They just seemed to try anything and everything, pushing as many boundaries as they could. It created a genuine feel of "Woah!" and "What next?" (although they missed the mark and were quite bad taste at times...). The characters were over the top, but believable in a strange way, but now? No idea. I agree with you, it just feels "meh".
    :P
    Haha yes, had that "woah" feeling every time some unlucky wrestler took Rekishi's stink face...Poor souls Also love the whole birth of Tables vs Ladders vs Chairs. Dudley Boys vs Hardey Boyz vs Edge and Christan. Also one of the greatest matches ever had. Man I miss it

  9. #9
    Legendary! Pony Soldier's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    In my safe space
    Posts
    6,930
    Yeah wrestling these days in the WWE is just so boring anymore. All the wrestlers are so boring and flat they have no characteristics really. Like look at the WWF back then with the Hardy Boys, Dudley Boyz, Edge and Christian, Undertaker, Kane, Stone Cold, Mankind and all of Mick Folley's characters and all the other wrestlers who had like an original name and look. Now you just have some guy with there own name and then the regular underwear uniform. I dont know its just so boring now just the wrestlers are becoming so uninteresting so i stopped watching it. Haven't watched wrestling since the early 2000's.
    - "If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black" - Jo Bodin, BLM supporter
    - "I got hairy legs that turn blonde in the sun. The kids used to come up and reach in the pool & rub my leg down so it was straight & watch the hair come back up again. So I learned about roaches, I learned about kids jumping on my lap, and I love kids jumping on my lap...” - Pedo Joe

  10. #10
    I haven't watched it in years and I don't plan on going back to it. My brother still watches it. But I just see no point when all my favorite wrestlers retired or went to Jeff Jarrets wrestling thing. Some stuck with WWE and the stupidity of other wrestlers drowned out how awesome they were. It's just not fun anymore, even knowing it's fake. Mankind, he made it fun. He literally ripped out his hair for fan's enjoyment. Stone Cold? Fun guy.

  11. #11
    No offense but people still watch wrestling? I don't understand why people ever watched it in the first place.

    Two big guys wrestling each other doesn't exactly seem appealing.
    Last edited by Burritaco; 2012-02-04 at 11:59 PM.

    Dumbest Thread 2012

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Burritaco View Post
    No offense but people still watch wrestling? I don't understand why people ever watched it in the first place.

    Two big guys wrestling each other doesn't exactly seem appealing.
    IT was never about the fighting really, it was to do with the story line. They themselves call it ENTERTAINMENT, where as a flat out fight is not entertaining. You get drawn in with the storylines, characters, audience & commentating. It's no where as big as it USED to be (I remember EVERYONE watching it as a child) but it's still going strong.

    & for goodness sake, Undertaker will NEVER lose his streak. It just won't happen.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Burritaco View Post
    No offense but people still watch wrestling? I don't understand why people ever watched it in the first place.

    Two big guys wrestling each other doesn't exactly seem appealing.
    As Aryl said, it was never solely about the fighting. It was about the characters and the storyline, as mindless as it may be.

    And if "two guys wrestling each other doesn't seem appealing" is the only thing that puts you off, then I would like to show you the millions of people who love UFC, because that's all it is also.
    Why am I back here, I don't even play these games anymore

    The problem with the internet is parallel to its greatest achievement: it has given the little man an outlet where he can be heard. Most of the time however, the little man is a little man because he is not worth hearing.

  14. #14
    Lost me when you started blathering on about Daniel Bryans height and definition. If thats what you judge a wrestler on you need to reevaluate.

    Benoit and Jericho are/were not giants and at stages in their careers were not necessarily "buff" yet theyre two of my favourite main eventers ever.

    Your criticism of Bryan seems to be "hes too new" but youre completely ignoring how long hes actually been a wrestler, hes one of the best indy wrestlers in the last 20 years and he was actually in the WWE for a few matches way back in the day (when velocity was a tv show). Youtube Brian Danielson vs John Cena and see just how good he was as a 'jobber'.

    WWE does not NEED big wrestlers as you claim, in fact some of the most interesting wrestlers to watch are the smaller guys (once again head to youtube and check out some Indy wrestling, also some puroresu [japanese wrestling]). Would much prefer to watch guys like these than a hulking 6'5 bodybuilder in every match.

    Plain and simple, WWEs biggest problem at the moment is decision making. They have guys like Drew Mcintyre who have the look, the moveset, the charisma and the mic skills to absolutely dominate, and theyre feeding them to fake competition winners (Brodus Clay) as jobber fodder.

    Sheamus winning the rumble is a joke, the only reason they did it according to the dirt sheets is that they disliked how many fans wanted jericho to win, he needs a push but the rumble win was just ridiculous.

    Another bad decision is how theyre changing faces and heels. They just seem to continually make the wrong decisions. Back on Sheamus, hes a terrible face, so bland and boring, yet as a heel he was insanely good. I do like what theyre doing with Daniel Bryan despite what a lot of people think of him, I think its a really good gimmick. Big Show is a terrible face, once again predictable, bland, boring, his finisher is an illegal closed fist punch that never gets called by the ref? WTF?

    They ruined Christian by making him a constant whinger, out of Edge and Christian, Christian had the most talent, he was just unlucky that the WWE were so big on Edge at the time (He was taller basically, Vince didnt think Christian was 'big' enough although hes between 6'1 and 2) which relegated him to leftovers and eventually led to him leaving the company. When he comes back he needs to go back to a face and be given another title run, a decent one this time, not a 5 minute "we're sorry about the past" run he got before.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •