Jump to content
DVDVR Message Board

SummerSlam XXXIV - 8/21/2021


Dolfan in NYC

Recommended Posts

I don’t even think the main issue is how it hurts Bianca (although I’m not disputing that it does), it’s that the storytelling is dogshit. It’s an illogical moment, which pays off nothing and undermines stories that preceded it. If the goal is Becky as heel, I’d suggest the blueprint would actually be the Austin turn. You could probably build to that over a couple of months at least, and hit multiple story beats along the way.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Kev said:

I don’t even think the main issue is how it hurts Bianca (although I’m not disputing that it does), it’s that the storytelling is dogshit. It’s an illogical moment, which pays off nothing and undermines stories that preceded it. If the goal is Becky as heel, I’d suggest the blueprint would actually be the Austin turn. You could probably build to that over a couple of months at least, and hit multiple story beats along the way.

The fact that the Austin turn was one of the biggest mistakes in wrestling history suggests repeating it is a really bad idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This whole "heel turn" thing again comes down to execution. Becky winning was presented as hugely celebratory. Her going nuts for someone wearing a Man shirt on the way to the ring really did feel like this great emotional moment, like Punk jumping into the crowd. The announcers were overjoyed to see her. She got to clown Carmella who had been thrown out there as literally the worst option in the world. When she won cheaply against Bianca there was a sense of "Oh, that naughty scamp and her amazing, overshadowing star-power! We missed her so!" from the presentation. There was no sense that she did anything wrong, only that Bianca was a moron for getting lured in. The fans were over the moon about seeing a special surprise. None of that screamed heel. You got the sense watching it that Bianca should have been thankful to just be able to share a segment with her and lay down for her to put smiles on the faces of the fans. That was the presentation. We were supposed to celebrate that moment as something just as special as that darn Phil Brooks fellow. 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, sabremike said:

The fact that the Austin turn was one of the biggest mistakes in wrestling history suggests repeating it is a really bad idea.

I’m not necessarily advocating for a Becky turn in itself, but in story terms there’s better ways to achieve it. Regardless of it’s overall success, the build to Austin’s turn is generally seen as pretty good storytelling. You can still get a couple of months of Becky as face fighting back to the top after her long lay-off. Plant some seeds of doubt along the way (has she been overtaken while she’s been away?), which also potentially allows you to put over someone else (á la Triple H). Then when the turn comes, it’s actually paying off a story and you’re elevating Bianca in defeat because you’ve established she is on Becky’s level (or above) and Becky had to cheat to win. Playing it out over time also let’s them have a bit of a lay of the land, and try to get a feel for whether the turn is a good idea (e.g. would the fans be likely cheer Bianca over Becky).

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If Becky wanted to turn heel then cool but there's tons of ways to get there without making the past couple months mean absolutely nothing.  They need an A+ way to recover this on Friday.  It also makes me wonder who came up with what we got.  If Becky had a hand in it then it is cause for concern.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finally watching the main event and as mentioned by many, the story of the match is wonderful. Cena going for pinning combinations because Roman is immune to Attitude Adjustment (while still testing if that's still the case...a lot) was good! Reigns beat Cena just as emphatically as he did last time. Reigns facing ever increasing final bosses over the past several months is something else. Is there anyone else left he can go through after Brock and before The Rock, though?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Shartnado said:

Finally watching the main event and as mentioned by many, the story of the match is wonderful. Cena going for pinning combinations because Roman is immune to Attitude Adjustment (while still testing if that's still the case...a lot) was good! Reigns beat Cena just as emphatically as he did last time. Reigns facing ever increasing final bosses over the past several months is something else. Is there anyone else left he can go through after Brock and before The Rock, though?

Finn Balor can still claim his rightful title shot.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is true but since then Roman has gone into Tribal Chief status and in a storyline sense will mop the floor with Finn now.  I can see Finn rising up to almost beat him but even if he won it would feel abrupt considering the other stories that have gone on.  Which is why I kind of wish Finn challenged before Summerslam as to some going from Cena to Finn would be a "step back".

If you're gonna use Viking Goro Brock then I'd use him just for the Saudi show with Finn challenging at Extreme Rules.  That's assuming of course that Brock loses which quite frankly he should.

Edited by NikoBaltimore
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, NikoBaltimore said:

That is true but since then Roman has gone into Tribal Chief status and in a storyline sense will mop the floor with Finn now.  I can see Finn rising up to almost beat him but even if he won it would feel abrupt considering the other stories that have gone on.  Which is why I kind of wish Finn challenged before Summerslam as to some going from Cena to Finn would be a "step back".

Yeah, that's more like a special main event of a SmackDown. We have theoretically: Goldberg, Hogan, Undertaker, HHH, but those all seem like a special event in that Middle Eastern country we don't like to talk about.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Shartnado said:

Finally watching the main event and as mentioned by many, the story of the match is wonderful. Cena going for pinning combinations because Roman is immune to Attitude Adjustment (while still testing if that's still the case...a lot) was good! Reigns beat Cena just as emphatically as he did last time. Reigns facing ever increasing final bosses over the past several months is something else. Is there anyone else left he can go through after Brock and before The Rock, though?

Finn Balor and I've wanted AJ Styles vs. Roman Reigns to go at it again since their short 2016 feud. The Payback 2016 match is great and the Extreme Rules match at said PPV is even better. @Eivion's wanted it running back. Wlll watch both this week. Draft Styles back to Smackdown and you have the longest WWE Champion in Smackdown history vs. The longest WWE Universal Champion in Smackdown history. 

Edited by The Natural
Link to comment
Share on other sites

From WWE

"STAMFORD, Conn., August 24, 2021 – Following a weekend of record-setting metrics, WWE (NYSE: WWE) delivered the most-viewed and highest-grossing SummerSlam in the company’s history.

Highlights include:

More people watched Saturday’s event live across Peacock and WWE Network than any other SummerSlam in the company’s history. The seven-figure global audience marked a 55% increase over 2020 and a 29% increase over 2019;

The sell-out crowd of 51,326 broke SummerSlam records for indoor attendance and gate receipts. With tickets purchased by fans from all 50 U.S. states, Saturday’s live gate was more than four times greater than the last SummerSlam held with fans in attendance in 2019;

Merchandise sales posted an increase of 155% over 2019;

SummerSlam set a new sponsorship record, growing by 25% vs. 2019 and 18% vs. 2020;

With more than four million views, Brock Lesnar’s return became WWE’s most-watched Instagram video of all-time – surpassing the video of John Cena’s return at Money In The Bank. In total, SummerSlam videos generated more than one billion views across all WWE social platforms during the week."

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Shartnado said:

Finally watching the main event and as mentioned by many, the story of the match is wonderful. Cena going for pinning combinations because Roman is immune to Attitude Adjustment (while still testing if that's still the case...a lot) was good! Reigns beat Cena just as emphatically as he did last time. Reigns facing ever increasing final bosses over the past several months is something else. Is there anyone else left he can go through after Brock and before The Rock, though?

Finn vs. Roman could work well, especially if they do something to build up Finn a little. That said, Finn feels like the type of match you want to happen before Brock. They could also easily put a couple of months into rehabbing Nakamura as a challenge. It would be a first time match if they did it. In general though I think they will rely on the draft for challengers for new victims.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My ultimate Roman idea: A reunited New Day reignites their rivalry with The Usos, and in a six-man match Big E pins Roman (or cashes in the contract at some point) and sets off a hot feud with Big E holding the contract over Roman’s head.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

44 minutes ago, Greggulator said:

My ultimate Roman idea: A reunited New Day reignites their rivalry with The Usos, and in a six-man match Big E pins Roman (or cashes in the contract at some point) and sets off a hot feud with Big E holding the contract over Roman’s head.

That is too good and too easy to do that I don't see them doing that. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Greggulator said:

My ultimate Roman idea: A reunited New Day reignites their rivalry with The Usos, and in a six-man match Big E pins Roman (or cashes in the contract at some point) and sets off a hot feud with Big E holding the contract over Roman’s head.

The draft should be coming up soon and they have had E teasing Heyman with the briefcase. They are halfway there already. Hopefully they go with it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think how it turns out is how much Brock Lesnar gives a shit. 2012-2015 Brock definitely did vs. John Cena (Extreme Rules 2012, SummerSlam 2014), Roman Reigns (WrestleMania XXXI) and the Undertaker (SummerSlam 2015 and Hell in a Cell 2015). Brock from 2016-2020, a lot less with the exceptions vs. Goldberg (WrestleMania XXXIII) AJ Styles (Survivor Series 2017), Daniel Bryan (Survivor Series 2018) and Finn Balor (Royal Rumble 2019). The Suplex City match format is so overdone with diminishing returns as @Matt D also points out. I'd like to see Lesnar vs. WALTER, Bobby Lashley and Cesaro but it depends on those conditions I mentioned.

Edited by The Natural
Link to comment
Share on other sites

if he's still in "Suplex City" mode then I'd rather see if they can have those 8 matches on the Saudi show.  It can be a gauntlet match or something for all I care but I just don't care to see him wrestle anymore.  And at his age with the money he's getting there's no reason for him to stray from that formula either.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, NikoBaltimore said:

if he's still in "Suplex City" mode then I'd rather see if they can have those 8 matches on the Saudi show.  It can be a gauntlet match or something for all I care but I just don't care to see him wrestle anymore.  And at his age with the money he's getting there's no reason for him to stray from that formula either.

Agreed.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...