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DECEMBER WRESTLING CHIT CHAT

RIPPA

By RIPPA
in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

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Reed

Reed

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Posted

On the Nigel discussion, isn't part of the story with WWE that they essentially told him to get the surgery, which would have run him about $5K, and then they would talk? This might be something I heard through someone else so it might not be entirely accurate, but if that's the case I always thought that was disappointing. In that scenario Nigel is just as much Steen as he is a victim of circumstance. He didn't take all the steps necessary to realize his dream.

 

I think that's Nigel's version of the story. Possibly in his mind he likes to blame WWE for being the "evil" company that ruined his dreams for no good reason.

 

But, I stand by the theory they realized how fucked up he was from concussions and the biceps thing was just the excuse they used not to sign him. I can't imagine he underwent WWE physical testing and the biceps thing was the only thing they found wrong with him.

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Josh Mann

Josh Mann

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My $0.02 on the claw discussion.

Fritz and BVR were doing a Nazi gimmick in the 60s, so let's grandfather their clawholds in. Simpler time. Plus it was more commonplace to juice to sell it then. Mulligan was a huge BAMF with the hand size to go with it. David had huge hands to make the claw somewhat credible and Kerry had a strongman gimmick, so ditto.

It's when you get to Kevin/Mike Von Erich where the claw lost its credibility.The only thing they had going for them with it was whatever cred Fritz gave it, period.

With Winsham there was a slight unspoken benefit of the doubt that involved BJM's mastery of it plus the storyline possibilty that he wore a gimmicked glove.

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Cristobal

Cristobal

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I figure anyone who plays hockey, football or wrestles probably have similar amount of damage done. At least in the NFL you could have access to better health care potentially than say McGuinness or Benoit had available to him.

In the NFL, you'll have access to the best care available IF that care is for the purposes of getting back onto the field ASAP. Long-term health is not the overriding factor, and it took a lockout and a massive lawsuit for the NFL to offer its retirees better benefits and pensions than the NHL had.

Yes, but wrestling doesn't really seem to have the best care to get you back in the ring. Who knows what Cena had to do to get back from his surgery in two months time. Not that any of the drugs taken by the average NFL player and the procedures they do through are much healthier but I'd imagine they are probably a little better about it than the WWE. I can't see WWE providing much better care to anyone than the NFL. Suppose in the end, they all only care about you in the short term.

My (likely limited) understanding of WWE is that they have an on-site doctor at their shows, but that as "independent contractors", the wrestlers have basically nothing as far as health benefits go, and are pretty much responsible for their own health care/insurance. I'm sure Cena has the very best of care because he can afford either to pay for it out of pocket or pay premiums that most people couldn't dream of.

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Ace

Ace

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I figure anyone who plays hockey, football or wrestles probably have similar amount of damage done. At least in the NFL you could have access to better health care potentially than say McGuinness or Benoit had available to him.

In the NFL, you'll have access to the best care available IF that care is for the purposes of getting back onto the field ASAP. Long-term health is not the overriding factor, and it took a lockout and a massive lawsuit for the NFL to offer its retirees better benefits and pensions than the NHL had.

 

Yes, but wrestling doesn't really seem to have the best care to get you back in the ring. Who knows what Cena had to do to get back from his surgery in two months time. Not that any of the drugs taken by the average NFL player and the procedures they do through are much healthier but I'd imagine they are probably a little better about it than the WWE. I can't see WWE providing much better care to anyone than the NFL. Suppose in the end, they all only care about you in the short term.

 

My (likely limited) understanding of WWE is that they have an on-site doctor at their shows, but that as "independent contractors", the wrestlers have basically nothing as far as health benefits go, and are pretty much responsible for their own health care/insurance. I'm sure Cena has the very best of care because he can afford either to pay for it out of pocket or pay premiums that most people couldn't dream of.

 

 

Cena (and everybody else who does a WWE film) is also a SAG/AFTRA member, so he can get insurance through there.

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BrianS81177

BrianS81177

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Seeing the Baron Von Raschke christmas video Pete posted got me wondering... what the hell was with his run as a manager in the WWF in 88? I know he was winding down as an active competitor by that time, but he just kind of stood in their corner without really doing anything and was released, what, a month later? I don't even remember him doing any promos. It just seemed weird to bring a guy in to be a face manager then give him a hood and facepaint and call him "The Baron". 

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cwoy2j

cwoy2j

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My $0.02 on the claw discussion.

Fritz and BVR were doing a Nazi gimmick in the 60s, so let's grandfather their clawholds in. Simpler time. Plus it was more commonplace to juice to sell it then. Mulligan was a huge BAMF with the hand size to go with it. David had huge hands to make the claw somewhat credible and Kerry had a strongman gimmick, so ditto.

It's when you get to Kevin/Mike Von Erich where the claw lost its credibility.The only thing they had going for them with it was whatever cred Fritz gave it, period.

With Winsham there was a slight unspoken benefit of the doubt that involved BJM's mastery of it plus the storyline possibilty that he wore a gimmicked glove.

 

I always thought The Claw would've been a great finisher for Snitsky. He had great crazy facial expressions and would've made it look like he was trying to grind a guy's skull into mush. Like you said, you're stretching the limits of disbelief when you have dudes like Mike Von erich doing it but I think it's a better finisher for a guy like Rowan than any other generic big guy move they'd give a guy like him nowadays. Something like Kurrgan's claw into a slam/pin combo.

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Matt D

Matt D

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www.wwe.com/videos/wwe-main-event-december-25-2013-26172710

 

I know we have a specific Main Event note but do they usually post the whole show on WWE.com? I thought they just posted highlights. Regardless, Goldust vs Swagger (the first match) is a) well worth watching and b> going to be totally overlooked due to Cesaro/Regal. There are some great paralleled spots at the beginning as well as a nice methodological feel with things spaced to mean something and nice early selling, followed by a really solid, mean, and varied Goldust arm control shine, a super solid transition with a nasty bump by Dustin (though  Swagger still has to work at it),  the usual good heat segment where Goldust keeps the crowd in it, with multiple well layered hope spots/comebacks and Swagger looking as good as I've seen him in ages as sort of a dogged force, a really nice looking abrupt spot to set up the come back (and at exactly the right time too) and a pretty good finish.

 

Ultimately it's 15 minutes and worth a look.

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Buy Me a Burrito

Buy Me a Burrito

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My $0.02 on the claw discussion.

Fritz and BVR were doing a Nazi gimmick in the 60s, so let's grandfather their clawholds in. Simpler time. Plus it was more commonplace to juice to sell it then. Mulligan was a huge BAMF with the hand size to go with it. David had huge hands to make the claw somewhat credible and Kerry had a strongman gimmick, so ditto.

It's when you get to Kevin/Mike Von Erich where the claw lost its credibility.The only thing they had going for them with it was whatever cred Fritz gave it, period.

With Winsham there was a slight unspoken benefit of the doubt that involved BJM's mastery of it plus the storyline possibilty that he wore a gimmicked glove.

 

I always thought The Claw would've been a great finisher for Snitsky. He had great crazy facial expressions and would've made it look like he was trying to grind a guy's skull into mush. Like you said, you're stretching the limits of disbelief when you have dudes like Mike Von erich doing it but I think it's a better finisher for a guy like Rowan than any other generic big guy move they'd give a guy like him nowadays. Something like Kurrgan's claw into a slam/pin combo.

 

 

 

Kevin Von Erich's kid is doing a claw into a slam thing in Japan. It looks pretty good and he's a big kid. 

 

Scott Hall's kid is doing a claw right now also. He's big (6'8" and 270 lbs), so he looks like enough of a monster to make it believable. 

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Spontaneous

Spontaneous

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If I'm a mid carder/second string guy in any major sport/sports entertainment league I don't want to get hurt. Cena, Kobe or Brady can miss months and still come back with a spot waiting for them. I imagine Nigel wouldn't pass a physical by any major league sadly, given his injuries. I too believe Nigel's bicep was probably the excuse WWE was looking for when they saw his history of head injuries.

 

Iron Claw won't work in WWE unless they get behind and even then, no one is going to bleed when it gets applied. Anywhere else I think it could work today if the person doing it is talented enough.

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The Great ML

The Great ML

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Iron Claw won't work in WWE unless they get behind and even then, no one is going to bleed when it gets applied. Anywhere else I think it could work today if the person doing it is talented enough.

 

I know one thing...if someone had slapped an Iron Claw on Ken Shamrock, he'd bite a condom and sustain one of his many 'internal injuries,' no questions asked.

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Cobra Commander

Cobra Commander

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wouldn't a claw work as a pinning hold if you apply the claw, and sweep out the legs so the guy lands on his back with the claw applied?

 

But there's always the Mandible Claw for a kinda credible clawhold finish. Mick's argument for the Mandible kinda applies to the Claw in general, gets both guys on camera during the finish

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Phantom Lord

Phantom Lord

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Didn't Kevin Von Erich use the Stomach Claw as his finisher? I always liked the idea of that hold. Take the claw which could do so much damage to a man's head and try and rip out their stomach. In CM Punk's match with Brock at Summerslam, he should have tried for a stomach claw considering all of Brock's digestive issues.

 

For the claw to really work (aside from someone doing it right and making it believable), you need an announcer to fear for the life of the person in the claw. Michael Cole sometimes comes close to being able to pull that off, but no where near what would be needed. JBL can switch on the seriousness though for it. The Claw would be a great finisher for someone in TNA...but Tenay and Taz are beyond a parody of themselves at this point to put over it.

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