[WWE NETWORK] What Are You Watching?

[Vincey Greene]

I'm watching the Undertaker/Warrior interaction after the Warrior/Slaughter match on the 4/91 SNME that just went up, and Taker taking the shoulder block, doing the flip over the ropes and then landing stoically on his feet is a truly badass spot. Warrior should have been jobbing convincingly to Taker at every house show for eight months, he was way better as a no selling monster than Warrior ever was.

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

Rewatched the Orton/Taker HIAC 2005 last night.

 

Some absolutely brutal chair shots in there, unprotected to the head that are just dumb in context/hindsight. Well laid out match too.

[Petey]

I'm watching the Undertaker/Warrior interaction after the Warrior/Slaughter match on the 4/91 SNME that just went up, and Taker taking the shoulder block, doing the flip over the ropes and then landing stoically on his feet is a truly badass spot. Warrior should have been jobbing convincingly to Taker at every house show for eight months, he was way better as a no selling monster than Warrior ever was.

To be fair, Undertaker and Warrior did work tons of house shows from like April 1991 until Warrior was fired after SummerSlam. I imagine they would have kept working (apparently they were outdrawing Hogan/Slaughter on a lot of nights) until Hogan/Undertaker heated up in the fall.

[TerjeRUN]

Watching the Heyman DVD tonight. So, any idea why it's not on the network instead? 

[Go2Sleep]

Taking a break from WCW, I decided re-watch Cena/Lesnar 1, as promoted on Raw.

 

Still easily the match of the decade and an all-time great WWE match. Brock looks like a monster in every way, from all the super stiff strikes to the innovative ways he tries to hurt Cena to picking up an unconscious Charles Robinson with one hand like a duffel bag, everything he does looks fantastic. The match layout is refreshingly different from most big WWE matches, including all of Lesnar's since. The opening sequence with the intentional hardway blood really set the pace and even the parts with the cut doctor that should've been annoying fit right in as the only way to keep believably keep Cena from being killed in the first minute. Cena's never-say-die attitude was in top form here, as he really came across as someone desperate to stay alive, let alone win when he couldn't string more than two moves together. WWE probably regrets Cena going over here, but in the context of the match it was a perfectly sensible finish. They built up the chain as Cena's only hope, and Lesnar went out of his way to lean into the shot busting himself open as well. Brock already had a visual pin off the F5 when the ref was down, and an AA on the steps is pretty credible following a blood-drawing chain shot, so no one came away looking bad. Lesnar spent most of the match toying with Cena, who was just desperate to get out of there in one piece. The hype around Lesnar coming back, the brutality of this match in 2012 WWE, and the perfect character work by both guys make this one a classic.

[Spritenaut 32]

Because they still need to sell some DVDs?

 

I have no idea how much the company makes from DVD sales or PPV buys, but I imagine it's a fair bit in terms of actual revenue.  It seems a dicey proposition to expect the Network to subscribe enough people to offset network costs (startup and normal cost of operation) + the loss of revenue in the PPV and DVD sales.  I realize there's TV money and live event sales to offset the loss, so they're not really as dependent on DVD sales as, say, Ring of Honor, but still.... 

 

If the hardcore fan (who buys, say, at least half of your events) stops buying DVDs and PPVs and subscribes to the network instead, you're likely going to make less money off that fan over a year.  Probably a lot less.  To make up for it, they're going to have to sell the Network to an awful lot of casual fans who probably weren't spending much money on the product to begin with. 

 

I'm not convinced the Network won't be a cash cow for the company at some point, but there are an awful lot of risks to changing your business model this substantially during a period where ratings for your free TV are half or less what they were a decade + ago.

[Petey]

Watching the Heyman DVD tonight. So, any idea why it's not on the network instead? 

It seems like they don't put the DVD documentaries up on The Network right away, probably as a way to not fully cannibalize their DVD sales.

 

edit: wizard^

[TerjeRUN]

Surely they would be better going balls to the wall with the network? And then putting out DVD's with the extras etc afterwards. Basically, treat the network like Hollywood studios do cinema, in that respect. You can then advertise the DVD on the network... with a trailer after the programme perhaps? 

[cwoy2j]

I wouldn't be surprised if they had deals in place with distribution companies that forbid them from 100% scrapping dvds right away. Maybe down the line they'll stop producing them (or scale way back) but I can imagine there are still lots of legal obligations preventing them from doing so.

[notoriusvig]

I watched some of the SNME Demolition matches, post-Crush, and this team had the soul sucked right out of them.  So, I went back and watched Mania 6, Demos against Andre and Haku and this match was great.  The Demos do pretty much nothing but strikes that makes Cena's moveset look amazing, yet they get everything done right, and that's why I love this team.  This was probably the last great Demolition match they had before they were moved down and phased out.  They got a great pop when they won, probably a mixture of their popularity and the great match.  Of course, the next logical thing is to turn them heel to fight the Harts.

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

Watching the SNMEs as well.

 

I've always seen Greg Valentine as that credible lower card technician guy. Never really thought about how he had a fairly decent run against Hogan prior to the big Piper angle, and that he was a top card guy for so long both in New York and the NWA.

 

Don't get it. At all. No charisma. His matches weren't *that* good, wasn't a big guy by any stretch. Don't see what his appeal was to be that high up the card.

[Tim Evans]

I"m watching ECW tv and just about up to the last episode posted. The Mikey/Sabu match from episode 101 is the first match that felt like the ECW I know and love. Just a crazy Sabu spotfest. Seeing a guy like Ron Simmons and Hector Guerrero in ECW is just weird. I really wish they could have gotten the rights to Thunderkiss 65 as the intro just doesn't feel the same without it.

[PetrolCB]

I really wish they could have gotten the rights to Thunderkiss 65 as the intro just doesn't feel the same without it.

I've thought that since CoD. They've worked with Zombie before, I'd imagine he wouldn't charge a ton for it since he was a big ECW fan to begin with.

[Go2Sleep]

The journey of WCW's downfall took me to Starrcade 1999. It's a fairly bad show, as you would expect, but check out the end of the Sting/Luger match to see the most sickening baseball bat shot in wrestling history (from Liz of all people). If you watched the show live and knew that one person had a career ending head injury, you sure as hell wouldn't have guessed Bret after seeing this segment.

[cwoy2j]

 

I really wish they could have gotten the rights to Thunderkiss 65 as the intro just doesn't feel the same without it.

I've thought that since CoD. They've worked with Zombie before, I'd imagine he wouldn't charge a ton for it since he was a big ECW fan to begin with.

 

 

I can't remember which ECW ppv I was watching (I think Guilty as Charged 00) but they definitely forgot to edit out Lance Storm's theme music. The audio was turned down lower than usual during his entrance but you could definitely tell it was El Phantasmo and the Chicken-Run Blast-O-Rama.

[cwoy2j]

The journey of WCW's downfall took me to Starrcade 1999. It's a fairly bad show, as you would expect, but check out the end of the Sting/Luger match to see the most sickening baseball bat shot in wrestling history (from Liz of all people). If you watched the show live and knew that one person had a career ending head injury, you sure as hell wouldn't have guessed Bret after seeing this segment.

 

I have to imagine that was a gimmicked bat, probably even a wiffle ball bat they spraypainted black. Not to say it would tickle or anything but I doubt it was a bad as it sounded.

[Niners Fan in CT]

I would say the last great Demolition match would be vs. The Hart Foundation @ SummerSlam '90. 2/3 Falls. Great little match with logical booking and a hot crowd.

[Matt D]

The Rockers MSG match happens after that as does I think, the six man with Warrior and LOD. Either are better than that Summerslam match, which is middling at best.

[notoriusvig]

I didn't like that six-man much.  I guess it could be that I just find it hard to like post-Crush stuff.  They were great as heels before he came along, and they were great as faces but they lost something when he popped up.

[TheVileOne]

Watched the Punk documentary for the first time.  I assume its the same one from his DVD release.  Anyway its really good.  I like that they gave an overview from his ROH run and even his feud with Samoa Joe and the first Summer of Punk.

 

Watching it, you get a good sense why he quit earlier this year.  With the Cena/Miz thing he makes a really good point.  As a WrestleMania main event it was a complete and utter waste.  Miz pretty much got demoted not long after and spent about 2-3 years in perpetual jobber-ville territory.  Plus it didn't go anywhere.  It was used to set up Cena/Rock.  So they wasted a main event to set up another main event a year later.  

[Domino_Not_Deuce]

I'm watching the 95 Rumble for the first time and Jarrett is absolutely great in the opener. He and The Roadie are excellent at stalling and then the transition to ripping apart the knee after the restart is so natural and really puts Jarrett over as someone to fear. Razor comes out of it looking great too. 

[cwoy2j]

Watched the Punk documentary for the first time.  I assume its the same one from his DVD release.  Anyway its really good.  I like that they gave an overview from his ROH run and even his feud with Samoa Joe and the first Summer of Punk.

 

Watching it, you get a good sense why he quit earlier this year.  With the Cena/Miz thing he makes a really good point.  As a WrestleMania main event it was a complete and utter waste.  Miz pretty much got demoted not long after and spent about 2-3 years in perpetual jobber-ville territory.  Plus it didn't go anywhere.  It was used to set up Cena/Rock.  So they wasted a main event to set up another main event a year later.  

 

Plus that Orton feud was a waste of time. The only time I remember Punk ever getting the better of Orton during the feud was when he faked like he was going after whatever actress was playing Orton's wife that week to lure Orton backstage and then bashing Orton with a pipe or something. The match turned out well but ended like every other big match Orton wins, with his opponent stupidly springboarding into an RKO.

[MGFanJay]

Slamboree '96 -

 

Not the best Slamboree, as the first 2 were way better and '95 was decent-ish, but this flew by fairly quickly due to the mid-card stuff that clearly meant nothing being fairly short and it having a pair of good matches in Konnan-Liger and Sting-Giant. Liger-Konnan was better than I expected, but Sting-Giant was far better than I remember.

http://jayreviewsthings.blogspot.com/2014/08/wcw-slamboree-1996.html

[Go2Sleep]

As I prepare to move on to 2000, here are some quick references for the 1999 WCW ppv section of the network.

 

Best matches:

 

1. Raven/Saturn vs. Benoit/Malenko (Spring Stampede)

2. Hollywood Hogan vs. Ric Flair (Superbrawl)

3. DDP vs. Ric Flair (Strap match - Halloween Havoc)

4. Kidman vs. Mikey Whipreck (Uncensored)

5. Goldberg vs. Sid Vicious (Halloween Havoc)

6. DDP vs. Chris Benoit (Road Wild)

7. Raven/Saturn vs. Benoit/Malenko vs. Kidman/Rey (Slamboree)

8. Juventud Guerrera vs. Blitzkrieg (Spring Stampede)

 

If you're a glutton for punishment, Worst Matches:

 

1. Hardcore Invitational Junkyard Brawl (Bash at the Beach)

2. Stevie Ray vs. Vincent (Uncensored)

3. Berlyn vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan (Fall Brawl)

4. Roddy Piper vs. Buff Bagwell ("Boxing" match - Bash at the Beach)

5. Jerry Flynn vs. The Cat and Sonny Oono (Uncensored)

6. The Cat vs. Buff Bagwell (Road Wild)

7. Kevin Nash vs. Sid Vicious (Powerbomb match - Starrcade)

8. Kevin Nash vs. Hulk Hogan (Road Wild)

[cwoy2j]

You could probably add the Nash/Sting vs. Sid/Macho (BATB), Piper vs. Scott Hall (Superbrawl) and Vampiro vs. Oklahoma (Starrcade) matches to your worst of WCW 99 lists. As far as the best of, I actually kind of liked the Sting/Hogan/DDP/Flair match at Spring Stampede.