KB Answers Wrestling Questions

[klunderbunker]

Savage isn't a gimmick. He's a character.

 

[Cereal Killer]

Fixed.

 

[klunderbunker]

Are you asking why they went away from larger than life characters to more realistic ones? It's because in theory that makes wrestling more believable, because Heaven forbid wrestling is over the top and insane.

 

[Cereal Killer]

Some context, it's a coincidence this was posted today, given that this is what I'm slightly referring to.

"Certainly there are people who can do promos. There are people who can do promos who don't even have a character that's anywhere near in nature to The Ultimate Warrior.

"But the reason why I think there's such a nostalgia for those characters back then - not just The Ultimate Warrior - was that the guys themselves were charged with developing their world, their wrestling comic book world.

"In comic books, every character exists in this comic book world, and the wrestlers were the same thing. They were responsible for creating that world and putting it out there - having the confidence to go forward and do that and behave in a certain way.

"That doesn't happen today. My understanding is that it's totally different. There are creative writing staff and guys that get in the business are in it for the practical pursuit of a career. It's not something that they really want to do and they're not all the way caught up in the characters.

 

[klunderbunker]

Today it's more that writers write the promos and most guys read off scripts. That makes for really dull, monotonous promos which don't show off any creativity.

Back in the day here's what you would get. I remember a story about Dusty being a booker and telling the Rock N Roll Express about a promo to cut (back when promos were taped 4 months in advance):

"The Midnights cheated you out of a match in Atlanta. Now they want you in Charlotte inside a steel cage, and it's for the world tag team titles. Go sell me some tickets."

That's ALL the information a guy or team would be given and they had to cut a two minute promo off of it. Today it's a script with almost everything written out for them. You'll even see them reading off something at times. Watch Rock from 1999 and you'll see the difference. He's clearly making half of his stuff up as he goes and it's hilarious every time. Today it feels like a bad open mic night at a comedy club.

 

[Cereal Killer]

Why have they decided to go down that lane?

However, script or not, you can tell that there's a difference in promos. Most of the times stars had more catchphrases and had a certain voice. Again, even their look was unique. Why don't we get THAT anymore?

 

[klunderbunker]

It's because Vince hired a head of creative writing and they think that wrestlers have no business writing wrestling shows so they hired a bunch of entertainment writers who want to go write in Hollywood and use WWE as a resume builder. Vince of course refuses to realize how stupid this is and get a new boss of creative.

 

[Cereal Killer]

This doesn't answer my second question.

 

[klunderbunker]

Actually it does. The writers have far more power than they used to as they make up the characters and have a lot of limits over how far those guys go. Look at Ryback recently: he used Goldberg style moves and had to job as a result. Everyone is kept on a leash anymore.

 

[Cereal Killer]

What are the main things you would change about the WWE product?

 

[klunderbunker]

Let the guys write their own promos. Or at least the bullet point idea. You'll get more stars and the fans will respond to them better.

 

[Cereal Killer]

Is there anything else that you think needs changing desperately?

 

[klunderbunker]

Let wrestlers (not current ones) book the show. The show needs to be more episodic rather than parts of one long story if that makes sense.

 

[Cereal Killer]

Is this how it was in the Attitude Era?

 

[klunderbunker]

To a degree, but the Attitude Era was so insane and over the top that people were going to watch no matter what nonsense they threw out there.

 

[#MrScissorsKick]

Dumb question of the day:

Why do the heels call the match?

 

[The_Reptile_]

I have to ask this question about the NuCorporation since it still boggles my mind: Of all faces to use as their biggest threat, why Big Show.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

I remember when Torrie Wilson was redhot on Smackdown in 2003.

Any clue why she didn't get a Women's Championship run? I know that title was Raw exclusive at the time, but in two years she was drafted over there and still nothing.

 

[Awesome_Miz]

Who would be more of a tragic lost when finally gone, Hogan or Vince?

 

[klunderbunker]

Dumb question of the day:

Why do the heels call the match?

They're usually in control longer.

Also it's usually the veteran that calls it.

I have to ask this question about the NuCorporation since it still boggles my mind: Of all faces to use as their biggest threat, why Big Show.

Because WWE thinks people care about him for reasons that escape me.

I remember when Torrie Wilson was redhot on Smackdown in 2003.

Any clue why she didn't get a Women's Championship run? I know that title was Raw exclusive at the time, but in two years she was drafted over there and still nothing.

They knew there was a difference between eye candy and wrestlers back then. Now, not so much.

Who would be more of a tragic lost when finally gone, Hogan or Vince?

Vince.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

On the My Life DVD, John Cena's discussing the One Night Stand match with RVD, and he believes anyone else on the roster would've received the same venomous reaction as champion, because they were representing WWE in ECW's house. Any thoughts on that?

Have you seen the Joe/Punk ROH matches? If so, any thoughts on them?

 

[klunderbunker]

They would have been booed, but not that badly.

I've seen the second. Good, nowhere near what it's made out to tbe.

 

[TLC]

Who do you think would be AJ Styles' best opponent if he was in WWE?

 

[klunderbunker]

Someone with some size. Kane maybe.

 

[#MrScissorsKick]

Thoughts on Lesnar's promo on SmackDown on how CM Punk isn't the best in the world or what not? I think it was the one before SummerSlam.