Brawl for All 2011?

[rge2010]

Ok, majority of us remember 'Brawl For All' back in 1998. This happened way before the UFC exploded into what it is today, so I very much doubt WWE would even attempt to do something involving shoot fighting. BUT would you like to see WWE do something like this for your own self gratification, even if bad for business?!

From what I remember, Brawl For All didnt work. For starters the rules were confusing and stupid, Steve Williams who they had high hopes for got knocked out by Bart Gunn, talent was picking up too many injuries and finally Bart Gunn got his ass handed to him at Wrestlemania 15 by Butterbean. A bit of a disaster?!

Now IF this was to happen (yes, it's a stupid idea) with UFC rules, then who do you realistically think would take part? No, John Cena, Randy Orton and Undertaker would NEVER do this. For them to get legit knocked out by a jobber would kill their careers. I suppose the ones you have to look at have to be a) tough and b) nothing to lose.

My 8 Superstars would be:

David Hart Smith - Doing nothing whatsoever but has MMA training. A big unit aswell, would be interested to see him shoot fight.

R-Truth - Ok on a push at the moment, but I have read he is a 'legit tough guy' and a beating in an event like this wouldnt harm his career. He will never be an icon or poster boy.

Chris Masters - Doing absolutely nothing. Good presence, quite agile for his size, interesting to see him shoot fight.

Husky Harris - - Looks pretty menacing, he looks like he could 'fight'. Interesting size aswell, think he would do pretty well.

Wade Barrett - Doing ok in WWE, but like R-Truth no defeat in this would harm his career. Used to bare knuckle fight so must have something about him.

Vladimir Kozlov - Very menacing and has an arsenal with many MMA discliplines. Would definately be up for the challenge and a win here could really kick start his career.

Shelton Benjamin - I would bring him back for this, he has nothing to lose. Good amatuer wrestling background aswell so nice contrast in styles we have going against each other.

Sean O'Haire - I really liked him as a Wrestler, he was unlucky in WWE with his career. He has been fighting MMA for a few years now, ok he isn't great but he has a legit background and could easily hold his own here.

***I think The Big Show would do this. He seems like a fighter but he is just way to big and would be unfair on the rest of the field (or at least some of them).

 

[dcarson108]

I like the idea. but doing it MMA style would hurt kayfabe too much. With that said, if were to be an MMA type competition, the 8 guys I'd chose (active WWE roster only):

1) Dolph Ziggler (amateur backround)
2) Jack Swagger (amateur backround)
3) DH Smith (I believe he has an amateur backround as well, but as the OP stated, has been training in MMA)
4) Daniel Bryan (his size could limit him against the others, but I'd like to see if he can really get those submissions on someone)
5) Alberto Del Rios (actually had a few MMA contest before, he didn't do too well)
6) Wade Barrett (I'm not sure how true the bare knuckle boxer stories are, but if they are, it'd be interesting to see how it would work against a wrestler)
7) Vladimir Kozlov (way back when they talked about his fighting backround, here's a chance to show it)
8) CM Punk (again, not sure how legit his martial arts training is, but if it's all true, he has a decent backround).

If it were just boxing, I'd want to see something like:

1) DH Smith (maybe winning something like this could finally give him a gimmick)
2) Wade Barrett (reasons mentioned above)
3) William Regal (he just looks so badass)
4) Big Show (if anyone could beat him, they'd have a gimmick to work with)
5) Tyler Reks (I just want to this guy do something)
6) The Great Khali (that could be hilarious, albeit dangerous)
7) Drew McIntyre (eh why not, he's not doing anything)
8) Vladimir Kozlov (reasons above)

 

[Wainy]

WWE guys with legitimate MMA training- Undertaker, Daniel Bryan, Vladimir Kozlov, Alberto del Rio, CM Punk. Some havn't trained in the actual "discipline" of MMA, but if you look at the best fighters in history, they excelled in other Martial Arts before entering the blanket of MMA (Yes, MMA is a martial art, or more precisely, "unarmed combat", in itself now, not someone who has trained in a variety of combat sports). I'm sure there's a few other with a bit of legit Martial Arts training, Yoshi Tatsu & Santino etc, but yeah, I'd like to see it just to see who really is the hardest man in WWE. My money would be on Del Rio. Big enough to compete with the heavyweights, quick enough to go with the smaller guys, actually fought in Pride, & generally, just a double hard bastard! If not, then Kozlov, a killing machine!

 

[Wolf Pac]

Hmm would be interesting but they will never bring it cause of the PG rating.

MMA
Jack Swagger - Amateur background

Alberto Del Rio - Former MMA fighter

Vladmir Kozlov - Sambo background

Santino Marella - According to wikipedia he's a judoka and tried pursuiting a career in MMA

DH Smith - Never heard he had MMA training but if true, bring him in plus would give him a chance to be a TV

Dolph Ziggler - Amateur background

Batista - Since his punk ass tried out for a career in MMA but his deal with Strikeforce went down the shitters and the UFC won't bring him in, he could start his MMA career in the place he was made famous

CM Punk or Daniel Bryan - Dunno if they had legit MMA training before but some of their movesets seem to be a hint at it.

Boxing
William Regal - Legit tough guy

Jack Swagger - I know his amateur background wouldn't help in a boxing match but still as long as he can fight legit, he can fight.

Wade Barrett - Bare knuckle fighter. Dunno whether legit or not but it would be stupid not to put him in after claiming he was one.

Big Show - Don't matter if he's big or not, he should be in since he tried out for a boxing career before he returned.

Vladmir Kozlov - Same as Swagger.

DH Smith - Same as Swagger

R-Truth - The OP mentioned that he read he was a "legit tough guy", dunno if true or not but he actually looks like a "legit tough guy"

Yoshi Tatsu - A boxer according to wikipedia

Tyler Reks would be interesting in the Boxing Brawl For All but I already picked my 8 for both.

 

[Tequila Dave]

The problem with hosting a shoot style wrestling competition is that it would unintentionally hurt the legitimacy of WWE and professional wrestling. Everyone is aware that wrestling is a scripted sport, but how would commentators announce a ‘real’ UFC-esque bout on Raw or a WWE PPV in a way that does it justice without admitting the scripted nature of WWE?

At the end of the day wrestling companies and MMA companies are rivals; so featuring a shoot fight on WWE TV would look like a pathetic attempt to feed of UFC’s success. WWE shouldn’t be looking to copy others, but instead should be portraying themselves as the best sports entertainment company in the world, which in my opinion it is.

Plus, as you said, the original Brawl for All was a complete disaster. No one wants to see a repeat. That being said, I would like to see a number of the WWE stars in a legit fight: Hornswoggle, Rey Mysterio, The Great Khali, John Cena, Jerry Lawler, Daniel Bryan. Would be interesting, however, not worth it and overall detrimental to WWE.