odessasteps Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 You also could not see people's Wikipedia pages to see their real athletic careers in 1978 or 1985. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirSmUgly Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 I liked when dudes like Heenan would say, in effect, this is where the money is at in reference to a comment about some pro wrestler's former sports career. I also don't think it's that bad if some dude is bad at some other sport professionally, but good at pro wrestling. Michael Jordan was a middling baseball player, but that doesn't make basketball look bad. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 51 minutes ago, odessasteps said: You also could not see people's Wikipedia pages to see their real athletic careers in 1978 or 1985. You're telling me Hacksaw Jim DOO-gan (thanks Cowboy and Boyd Pierce) wasn't this assassin for the Atlanta Falcons? Did he even play a snap for them? But yeah, it's fine for wrestling to be like that. For example, Syuri Kondo was a much better MMA fighter in a much tougher division than Shayna Baszler. Syuri actually won at least one UFC fight as opposed to Shayna. However, Stardom doesn't over emphasize her being this bad ass MMA fighter even though they rightly could do that. She has more than enough personality to compensate that she doesn't have to do that (see my avatar and her current twitter profile pic where she is dressed like a Wes Anderson character for no reason at all). I am not a big fan of embellishing accomplishments, but at the end of the day, it's still pro wrestling and the primary goal is to get the characters over by any means necessary. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 To be fair Syuri started off in the wacky world of wrestling before shoot boxing/kickboxing and MMA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 4 minutes ago, Eivion said: To be fair Syuri started off in the wacky world of wrestling before shoot boxing/kickboxing and MMA. Oh yeah, I am well aware. And since losing the red belt, she has kinda reverted back to goofy as hell Syuri. She is intentionally trying to get others to break character, and it's hilarious. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 Is that the same Syuri who was in CMLL years ago? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 5 minutes ago, odessasteps said: Is that the same Syuri who was in CMLL years ago? One and the same. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 (edited) 17 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said: Oh yeah, I am well aware. And since losing the red belt, she has kinda reverted back to goofy as hell Syuri. She is intentionally trying to get others to break character, and it's hilarious. Have to think she loved the mini feud Saki pulled her into last year just because it gave her an excuse to get a bit goofy again at times. Edited February 16, 2023 by Eivion 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E. Dynamite Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 I guess I like Goofy Syuri more than #1 On The PWI Women's 150 Syuri (good for her though) but I think I prefer anybody more when they aren't working the STARDOM main event style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 26 minutes ago, John E. Dynamite said: I guess I like Goofy Syuri more than #1 On The PWI Women's 150 Syuri (good for her though) but I think I prefer anybody more when they aren't working the STARDOM main event style. I don't have an issue with it as probably most others do, but I must admit there are some limitations. When Maika went back to JTO for that match with MIRAI against Inaba and Aoi, they did in 20 minutes what would be a 40+ minute match in Stardom and it was fun as hell and as brutal/stiff. It didn't feel like they were hunting for a 5 star match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zendragon Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 On 2/15/2023 at 2:06 PM, SirSmellingtonofCascadia said: "Coming down the aisle, from THE Ohio State University--" *massive boos rain down as a new era of pro wrestling in the mainstream begins* Dick "The Destroyer" Beyer used to use his legit Syracuse education to get heat. "I went to a real university unlike you rubes and hayseeds" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirSmUgly Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 5 minutes ago, zendragon said: Dick "The Destroyer" Beyer used to use his legit Syracuse education to get heat. "I went to a real university unlike you rubes and hayseeds" I think Mike Rotundo/a did this with his own Syracuse education as part of the Varsity Club as well. It's such an easy heat go-to that I'm surprised more people don't do it now. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 When Promos aired before Kurt Angles debut before Survivor Series proclaiming him to be the first Real Athlete , I looked at him as portraying a heel but apparently he was intended to be a Babyface coming in an Vince decided he be heel during the course of the match. I just now came to that realization days ago or am I wrong and he was always intended to come in as a heel. I think he would've have progressed as fast as a Babyface but I'm sure they would have been forced to anyway in that first year anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 1 hour ago, SirSmellingtonofCascadia said: I think Mike Rotundo/a did this with his own Syracuse education as part of the Varsity Club as well. It's such an easy heat go-to that I'm surprised more people don't do it now. I wonder if Vince or any of his acolytes like Bruce or Cornette ever thought about ending the IRS gimmick and going for something less dated. It was fine in 1991 and 1992. 1993...not as fresh but we're transitioning from Hogan to a younger generation so it's halfway acceptable. This fucker is still walking around in a white dress shirt, slacks, and suspenders when 1995(!) rolls around looking like a cosplay office manager. I know they're working with minimum charisma to begin with, but part of creative is to make due with what you have. So at that point, Varsity Club Mike would be a slight step up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphman 3000 Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 5 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said: I wonder if Vince or any of his acolytes like Bruce or Cornette ever thought about ending the IRS gimmick and going for something less dated. It was fine in 1991 and 1992. 1993...not as fresh but we're transitioning from Hogan to a younger generation so it's halfway acceptable. This fucker is still walking around in a white dress shirt, slacks, and suspenders when 1995(!) rolls around looking like a cosplay office manager. I know they're working with minimum charisma to begin with, but part of creative is to make due with what you have. So at that point, Varsity Club Mike would be a slight step up. The "Irwin" chant and IRS selling his irritation was over I was at a WCW show in 1996 where the whole crowd was chanting "Irwin" at VK Wallstreet and he no-sold it completely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 1 minute ago, Dolphman 3000 said: The "Irwin" chant and IRS selling his irritation was over I was at a WCW show in 1996 where the whole crowd was chanting "Irwin" at VK Wallstreet and he no-sold it completely It was at one point for sure, but at some point it stopped being over or at least coming across on TV. You watch a lot of those syndicated shows and plenty of the Raws from 1994 on to his last WWF TV appearance against Shawn in July 1995, it's a lot of obviously canned chants no matter how hard he did the cheap heat "all you tax cheats" stuff. I think it kinda plagued some of his in ring work cause it was lacking in a lot of his matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zendragon Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 14 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said: I wonder if Vince or any of his acolytes like Bruce or Cornette ever thought about ending the IRS gimmick and going for something less dated. It was fine in 1991 and 1992. 1993...not as fresh but we're transitioning from Hogan to a younger generation so it's halfway acceptable. This fucker is still walking around in a white dress shirt, slacks, and suspenders when 1995(!) rolls around looking like a cosplay office manager. I know they're working with minimum charisma to begin with, but part of creative is to make due with what you have. So at that point, Varsity Club Mike would be a slight step up. Could have transitioned it into something more akin to Michael Douglas in falling down which came out in 93, man out of time who doesn't realize he's become the bad guy, but that is kinda what the did with Backlund 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirSmUgly Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 (edited) Would I.R.S. as a quant who helped cause Black Monday and was unrepentant about using his day job as a trader on Wall Street to transfer wealth from a bunch of dumb yokels like THE PEOPLE IN THIS CROWD (booooooooooooo!) to Syracuse-educated elites like himself who deserve the finer things in life have worked? Or would any of the promise of such a gimmick have evaporated the second he locked on an excessively sweaty, five-minute-long abdominal stretch on face Doink? I think that second question is entirely rhetorical because we all know the answer. Edited February 17, 2023 by SirSmellingtonofCascadia 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsalvajeloco Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 11 minutes ago, zendragon said: Could have transitioned it into something more akin to Michael Douglas in falling down which came out in 93, man out of time who doesn't realize he's become the bad guy, but that is kinda what the did with Backlund Bingo. "Going postal" was a heavily used phrase and term in the 90s that it made sense and given that IRS had that look more than Backlund, I am surprised he didn't get that duty. I mean I saw Backlund's turn on Bret in July 1994 (IIRC on a Superstars episode from Ocean City, MD) sometime last year and it was so well done that it makes you wonder if they should have done that with someone younger they had plans for. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zendragon Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 5 hours ago, SirSmellingtonofCascadia said: Or would any of the promise of such a gimmick have evaporated the second he locked on an excessively sweaty, five-minute-long abdominal stretch on face Doink? This needs to come back. Heels grabbing the ropes (or a tag team partner or seconds hand) during the move. We need more rope assisted offence from heels period. I bet it would draw huge heat in an era where everyone does flips ad nauseum 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norwegian Rudo Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 12 hours ago, Ziggy said: When Promos aired before Kurt Angles debut before Survivor Series proclaiming him to be the first Real Athlete , I looked at him as portraying a heel but apparently he was intended to be a Babyface coming in an Vince decided he be heel during the course of the match. I just now came to that realization days ago or am I wrong and he was always intended to come in as a heel. I think he would've have progressed as fast as a Babyface but I'm sure they would have been forced to anyway in that first year anyway Are you sure people aren't confusing this with his TV debut in Memphis developmental? He made basically the same promo as he did on his main roster debut, and got the same reaction, except he was supposed to be a true blue babyface and had to come out again and apologize later in the show. I believe he was always supposed to be a heel on the main roster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiztor Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 13 hours ago, Ziggy said: When Promos aired before Kurt Angles debut before Survivor Series proclaiming him to be the first Real Athlete , I looked at him as portraying a heel but apparently he was intended to be a Babyface coming in an Vince decided he be heel during the course of the match. I just now came to that realization days ago or am I wrong and he was always intended to come in as a heel. I think he would've have progressed as fast as a Babyface but I'm sure they would have been forced to anyway in that first year anyway my recollection is that Kurt thought he was cutting babyface promos and was surprised by the crowd reactions (whether that be WWE debut or Memphis debut i do not know), but that Vince/WWF always understood what the reception would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 Sounds a lot like Honky's wwf debut 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 14 minutes ago, odessasteps said: Sounds a lot like Honky's wwf debut Oh man. I always forget that he was originally going to be a face. I'd love to see the alternate timeline where they don't adjust and they keep trying to get him cheered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 It’s not on YouTube anymore but someone made a compilation of IRS promos and they’re so bad and repetitive. Bray gets his charisma from his mother doesn’t he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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