Is today's product lacking 'Personal' feuds?

[Newman]

I just finished watching a good old Kevin Nash and Triple H brawl and that got me thinking...

'Is the current product lacking 'Personal' feuds'?

What I mean is a feud that you could feel two men hated each other so much that they want to maim each other. I understand that there are restrictions in today's PG programming but there is no need for a man crushing another man's skull with a steel chair or steps, just a straight up fist-fight.

Take the current feuds for example, Lawler vs Cole is the closest that WWE can give us. Orton vs Punk is good but you don't get the feeling that they genuinely hate each other. Title matches are often just about the title itself like Miz vs Cena and Edge vs Alberto Del Rio while two years back you had Orton assaulting HHH's wife and the brawl in Orton's house, you could feel that there is more between the two than just the championship itself.

I don't hope for a Triple H and Cactus Jack like feud, I don't need an Austin-Mcmahon one. However, I am sure the WWE can offer us much more just like the Orton-HHH feud two years back. How does you people see this? Offer your two cents on this one.

 

[Decarow]

Cena and Barrett did not fail. It got Barrett over effectively without destroying Cena's rep.

I think Del Rio and Mysterio had a pretty personal feud. Did they assault each others family? No, but it's not really needed.

Those extremely heated rivalries come around once in a blue moon. If they were extremely prevalent, we'd hate it. It'd turn too gimmicky, like TNA.

Right now, it looks like Cena/Rock is turning personal. I would include the Miz, but that's only really for the title.

PS. The rivalry between HHH and Orton has only been about the title. When have they fought without the title being involved? They started hating each other because Orton won it from Benoit when HHH wanted it. Then HHH had to beat him for it. They were using psychological warfare with each other to try to win their title matches. If the title wasn't involved, it'd be much more personal. But it wasn't. Indeed, they made their WM match a little more personal than just a title match, but they wouldn't have been in that situation without the title.

 

[Zigglerfan227]

Cena and Barrett did not fail. It got Barrett over effectively without destroying Cena's rep.

I think Del Rio and Mysterio had a pretty personal feud. Did they assault each others family? No, but it's not really needed.

Those extremely heated rivalries come around once in a blue moon. If they were extremely prevalent, we'd hate it. It'd turn too gimmicky, like TNA.

Right now, it looks like Cena/Rock is turning personal. I would include the Miz, but that's only really for the title.

PS. The rivalry between HHH and Orton has only been about the title. When have they fought without the title being involved? They started hating each other because Orton won it from Benoit when HHH wanted it. Then HHH had to beat him for it. They were using psychological warfare with each other to try to win their title matches. If the title wasn't involved, it'd be much more personal. But it wasn't. Indeed, they made their WM match a little more personal than just a title match, but they wouldn't have been in that situation without the title.

I agree with you for the most part. I also feel that Christian and Alberto Del Rio's mini feud has been really intense. I get the feeling that Christian and Alberto really hate each other whether or not that is the case in real life or not. I felt a real hatred between Sheamus and Triple H. I also feel hatred between LayCool and just about anyone that they screw with. I do not think that the WWE is giving us the feuds that we really want to see, but there are some that have been alright. I want to see an intense rivalry or feud like what went down between Michaels and Bret, CM Punk and Jeff Hardy, and Jeff and Matt Hardy. I want to see something that feels real and exciting. Right now John Cena and The Rock are doing a good job and i hope that the rivalry is booked well.

 

[Newman]

Cena and Barrett did not fail. It got Barrett over effectively without destroying Cena's rep.

I failed with that example. I will wipe it out.

I think Del Rio and Mysterio had a pretty personal feud. Did they assault each others family? No, but it's not really needed.

I wasn't implying that one must assault another man's family to make it a 'Personal' feud, I was merely giving an example.

Those extremely heated rivalries come around once in a blue moon. If they were extremely prevalent, we'd hate it. It'd turn too gimmicky, like TNA.

Good point. However, WWE constantly did it in the past and we did not hate it did we? But I get your point, Today's product cannot be compared to the Attitude Era and we should not dwell in the past.

PS. The rivalry between HHH and Orton has only been about the title. When have they fought without the title being involved? They started hating each other because Orton won it from Benoit when HHH wanted it. Then HHH had to beat him for it. They were using psychological warfare with each other to try to win their title matches. If the title wasn't involved, it'd be much more personal. But it wasn't. Indeed, they made their WM match a little more personal than just a title match, but they wouldn't have been in that situation without the title.

The title was utilized to set the foundation to the feud. What I meant was it was evident in the feud that titles are unnecessary and more or less just a prop to setup the feud and the two men beating the holy hell out of each other meant more than the title. I think you get what I mean.

 

[Jason Scene]

Yeah, when Christian returned at the Elimination Chamber and started whaling on Del Rio, you could see that Christian was playing the role perfectly, just taking him down and doing nothing but punching him. Then hitting the Unprettier was a pretty nice touch. You can see something there, but there really isn't that many anymore.

The Miz/ Bryan Danielson you could see it. Bryan really sold how he felt disrespected by The Miz, and even though Miz would beat him down on RAW, Danielson came back for more every week. And the mini-feud between Bryan and Michael Cole.

Undertaker/ Kane should have been personal, but I didn't sense it. It was kind of cartoonish. They kept saying how, "I will send you to hell", and all that but there was never any conviction.

I think they do. Christian Vs Jericho Wrestlemania 20 is one of the feuds that really made me happy to see. And, probably one of the most personal in WWE can be Eddie Vs Rey over Dominic. People say that was distasteful, and it might have been, but fuck it made some top notch matches.

They have had a few in the past year, but none that memorable. They do need a real personal one, and if they play it right, Christian Vs Del Rio could be it.

 

[kingk12]

absolutely in a day where we see pay per view matches thrown together on the day before the pay per view, there is no personal fueds anymore the fueds are unrealistic and dull. They need that feeling of a background story, and longevity.

 

[Nev]

In a way, yes. But I'd say the Rock and Cena is very personal. I think some people complain when the WWE do "personal" feuds because they tend to drag too long and become stale. Or at least that's what I remember.

 

[AK2V8]

I agree with the OP. I havnt seen a "personal","hate", feud since HHH/Orton in 09. The best we probly got in 2010 was HHH/Sheamus and that looks shit compared to other "hate" feuds such as Cena/Edge in 06. It looks unlegit when you have people like Jericho and Orton slowly smashing their opponents legs with a chair onto the steps seems a bit unrealistic. Where as when they have fist fights it really looks badass and gives you the feeling they hate eachother.

After Punk/Orton at Mania was pretty much guaranteed by RR, I really hoped to see some real personal BU similar to HHH/Orton's BU to Mania 25. YES you could see Punk hating Orton in that pod at EC, but I wouldve prefered seeing them get into the head of eachother (eg Punk attacking Bob Orton, Orton going to Punks house). Obviously we wont be getting that leading into Mania.

 

[C.K.O.]

The last genuine personal feud I've seen WWE have was Undertaker & Shawn Michaels. Shawn Michaels final and probably greatest feud and buildup to a match.

Since then I haven't been impressed, yes like many have said Rock/Cena got a little personal but I doubt we will see anymore then what it is. It's not the words but the personal attacks that make a feud better & we won't see that with Cena/Rock

 

[Dark Horse]

I don't think that the WWE necessarily lacks "personal feuds". Every feud is personal. Someone wants to kick your ass either for a belt, for fun, they just don't like you, or all of the above. I'd say that now days we've seen every dog and pony act that can really be offered, and maybe it just doesn't seem as personal anymore. They definitely try. Even as recently as Monday Night Raw we've had some "personal feuds" brewing. The Rock and Cena's exchanges haven't been the definition of playing nice and pg(for Gods sake, they should just admit it and call it a "PC" rating). HHH and Taker is a lock, that's bound to be VERY personal. The whole Edge/Dolph/Vickie feud was pretty personal as well. Did you get that feeling from it? Who knows. Situations haven't played out. You never know if something else in store will affect you that way. I don't necessarily buy into every feud either. I definitely get what you mean. I'd also have to say that using Orton and HHH 09 as the measuring stick sets the bar pretty high. I'd say feuds like that come here and there, and regular feuds come from everywhere. We're all only so lucky to get to see some stuff like that unfold. I MTFO when Orton handcuffed Triple H to the ropes, DDT Stephanie, and then persisted to kissing her and taunting Triple H meanwhile. That's about as personal as it gets.

 

[killerd105]

I think that WWE is riding on personal feuds at the moment (aside from title matches). You have John Cena vs the Rock in a war of words type fued, you have Undertaker vs Triple H which you KNOW its going to be personal due to the fact that they never really got along, Jerry Lawler vs Michael Cole... everybody hates Cole 'nuff said, Cody Rhodes vs Rey Mysterio... not a very good example but from what i saw felt pretty real to me on tv. Older examples could be Sheamus vs John Morrison, whch brought out a more aggressive John Morrison. Thats about all I can think of without a title on the line. But my point is the midcard titles are treated horribly right now, so the "personal" feuds you see on tv have to carry the show along side the main events.

 

[GameOver]

I do belive so yes, not totally but there was a lack of meaningfull fueds in the past but the last few years they've changed it around.

Don't think we'll ever get anything like Rock and Austin, Hogan and Savage etc. but they were bigger stars and had more time to work things slowly so thats a given

 

[DeathClutch]

Absolutely not; I love personal feuds as much as the best guy but they're not believable;

Example Edge and John Cena have had a couple of feuds that had elements of personal hatred between them, only once Edge is a face to acknowledge Cena as his friend after he beat The Miz on RAW (didn't help Cole mentioned this one comm).

Or When they've feuded and then tag team up like Kane/Undertaker; Yes I know their keyfabe Brothers but still the amount of times KANE has turned on Taker had to be double digits and yet WWE re-hashes this over and over again.

What WWE needs to do is take a leaf out of the Attitude Era and have 1# Contenders matches on PPV; I know the Hardcore title gets shot down a lot and as much as I hated the 24/7 rule; that title and rule could excell big time in todays market; avoid the chair shots to the head as much as possible it gets a lot of people involved that are sitting ducks and creates storylines in itself.

Another thing WWE NEEDS to stop doing is having their IC Champion getting beat constantly, I like Kofi alot and believe he has what it takes to become a World Champion at some point but having your mid card champion not defend the belt and loose is stupid WWE should of given the belt to Alberto and did the Champion VS Champion @ WrestleMania and regardless if Edge won or Alberto WWE could of kept the belt on them for a week or two and then announced an 8 man touranment with the finals being at Extreme Rules in a Ladder match; Ziggler, Drew, Kofi, Christian, Barrett, Big Show, Rey and Cody they could end feuds in that tourament and create new ones and get a meaningful IC title match on PPV. And the 6 who lost in the tournament could have a 6 pack challenge to determine the NEW 1# Contender for a Smackdown show and have whoever losses in the finals cost the new contender his match building up a 3 way for the following PPV that is/was the Attitude Era forumla you lost your spot you got back in by costing the other guy his.

WWE isn't as bad as most think they're trying to appeal to a certain age range and like I've said before we mightn't like it but how did the wrestling fans of the 70s-80s feel about the cartoon style or attitude style of the 90s-00s? probably the same as we do.