Lack of WWE Surprises

[jsanders78]

The Rock being announced as the guest host for Wrestlemania was the last time - and only time in the last several years- I can remember being surprised/excited about something in the WWE. It seems they've gone the way of announcing major returns before they happen in hopes it will increase viewers, which comes at the expense of surprising the audience. I point to the return of Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, and Shawn Michaels as a few right off the top of my head. It's been mentioned over and over that one of the major reasons wrestling became so popular in the late 90's was due to unpredictability in the shows, we all tuned in to see what would happen next, who would turn on who next, and who would return next. Does announcing the return of the Rock for the first time since Survivor Series really increase the viewers, or would we be more apt to tune in on our owns to see when it happens? I know the internet has played a role in not being able to keep secrets, but surely if you can keep something like the Rock returning to guest host Wrestlemania quiet, you could do it for others as well.

 

[dudedudedude]

Everyone knew the rock was guest host, weeks out before it was announced. The crowd was chanting Rocky when vince announced there would be a guest host.

The only genuine surprises that happens, tends to happen with vince has an 11th hour change of mind.

 

[IHW]

So you are saying that when the Undertaker returned this time around, you saw it coming?
He returned the night after Royal Rumble and challenged HHH. Did you expect it?
I sure didn't. I read reports, but i was still surprised.

Jericho return- Did this not get you excited?

Announcement of Hell In A Cell at WM- Excited or suprised at all?

CM Punk Shoot- Really? No shock?

These are just a few of recent things that got me excited and some were even a suprise.

 

[Shotaro]

Wow,

There are no surprises?

Really?

Really?

As theIHwrestling said, there have been three or four major surprises since last Wrestlemania. If you don't want spoilers or discussion of what might happen then here's an idea for you. Don't visit a dirt sheet site.

 

[The Suplexer Perfecter]

Hey a thread made by Vince Russo.

"Surprises" are overrated, as evidence by Mr. Russo.

If you ask for something for your birthday, and you pretty much know you're going to get it. But then you get something completely different and out of the ordinary that you didn't want, is it better because it was a "surprise"?

Get off the dirtsheets for a while, then you might be "surprised".

was due to unpredictability in the shows

No. It had to do with Austin and Rock being awesome.

 

[midgensa]

I think there are still plenty of surprises.

Contrary to what some idiot posted up higher here ... The Rock was a surprise announcement as guest host. Sure, we had all heard he was in the mix, but we also knew that there were a ton of reports it would be Justin fucking Bieber. I think by the end of the show and the way it was built up, we all had an idea that it was The Rock. But, seriously, didn't get you fired up?

Seriously? You knew that CM Punk was going to sit on the stage and say that the WWE would be better off if Vince McMahon was dead, except for HHH being a dufus? You really weren't surprised by that?

You knew they were going to put the strap on Mark Henry over Randy Orton? That was at least a little surprising.

You knew that Edge was retiring the night after WrestleMania? You knew that Hell in a Cell was going to be at WM? You knew that Rey Mysterio was going to win the WWE Championship?

C'mon man.

 

[PunkIsGod]

There´s a lot of surprises, but if you want to get surprised, stop coming into this kind of pages looking for spoilers and insider´s reports.
I´ve been without internet almost 2 months, and thta was the 2 months that i´ve enjoyed the wwe the most since i was a kid, because i didn´t know what was going to happen or what could happen. Just sit, relax and enjoy the show.
And even with internet and spoilers theré plenty of surprises, like the poster above me says.

 

[Tyler44]

I would agree with you, but honestly, I've been literally surprised by a few things recently.

-Masked Kane Return (yes there were promos leading up to it, but when it happened, I was shocked...and then the mask. Every time he returns we want the mask, and it happened finally)

-CM Punk Promo (This was out of nowhere, very well-done, shocking. My favorite moment of WWE in years)

-Hell in A Cell Announcement (not a paperview, it's a literal one with a purpose and meaningful)

-Sheamus Winning Rumble (May not be the best thing to happen, but I bet it shocked the hell out of you)

Just a few things that shocked me. I liked them.

 

[Singularity_A*]

I agree, the surprises have lacked over the years in the WWE. This is definitely due to the internet's power to leak information out. However, I have been surprised (like others) in some recent events.

The Undertaker returning at the time he did completely threw me off. You knew he was coming back, but I couldn't pinpoint a particular date, even if it seemed obvious without any reports.

The masked Kane character (though has sucked with the storylines) surprised me.

CM Punk's infamous pipe bomb definitely surprised me.

I think when you refer to superstars returning (i.e. Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Chris Jericho) some of those were announced and Chris Jericho was just plain obvious. Regarding when WWE announces the return of a big star, it's no secret that ratings for RAW are no where near the rate they were years ago. Announcing certain superstars' return in advanced may be because they are trying to get a ratings spike any way they can.

 

[Cats Pajamas]

Sometimes it's hard to understand the effect WrestleZone will have on your viewing experience. I've been visiting this website for years and to be honest, it can get pretty addicting. The fact that you come here shows your passionate about your wrasslin.

Even though I seem to be here all the time because one of my favorite things is getting other fans opinions, I've still had "good God AL-MIGHTY!!" (Jim Ross) moments recently. I know I poo'd slightly when Santino one the over-the-top battle royal. Seriously, it ruined a good pair of pants.

That's one example of many for this particular viewer. It does suck to hear that you seem to be missing out on these moments, but if you feel like taking a couple days off from the wrestling news and watching Raw (just as an experiment) then the last month before Mania is about the most perfect time to do it.

Sometimes you don't know what you have until you stop typing it into your web address bar. If Raw knocks your socks off, I'll meet you on a transcendental plain somewhere in the heavens to spiritually high five you. Thanks brother!

 

[jrichardson25]

I blame the Interwebs. There. I blame the IWC. Enough said =]

Now for my actually serious schtick.... there haven't been a lot of surprises because of the era we are currently in. A lot of it does have to do with the fact that we can be connected to the shows basically 24 hours a day. We know a lot more than we used to. That's just how it is. There have been a lot less reasons for surprises (aka announcing a return for the sake of a ratings boost and no real competition).

I like to be in the know but some things are pleasant surprises as the case may be. Just how it seems to be anymore. Not saying that surprises will never happen again... its just a period where they're not needed as much.

 

[¡Roján!]

I agree with you partially, as there are a lack of surprises when it comes to returns and celebrities in the WWE, but it's because they can't afford to let surprises go un-advertised until they happen. Back in the Attitude Era, with surprises galore, people used to watch wrestling religiously. It was the craze and the WWEs main focus was to keep the viewer interested in the product for as long as possible. Fastforward to now, and it's a whole different game. The WWE isn't just looking to keep its viewers, it's looking to re-capture some of the older ones and potentially new fans. Hence, the constant advertisement of the Rock, Bret Hart, HBK, etc... If someone of their ilk just turned up unnoticed to the general public, then what does the WWE achieve as a company? Diddly-squat. It's a whole different ballpark now, and the WWE have adapted as they should of done.

With regards to all other types of surprises, well yeah, there really is no excuse except from the fact that the WWE has no competition to keep them on their toes.

 

[illmat]

To me, the WWE need more surprises other than returns. For example, CM Punk's shoot promo and the Nexus attack on Cena. Returns are nice but don't announce the exact date or have the return during a match or segment.

 

[Mr.Wrestlemania]

The only reason why there isn't any surprises is because of the internet, which has spoiled many Smackdown tapings and returns...then again, you actually have the choice to view them or not.

So don't blame the WWE, You should be blaming yourself.

 

[Pedigree1]

The Rock being announced as the guest host for Wrestlemania was the last time - and only time in the last several years- I can remember being surprised/excited about something in the WWE. It seems they've gone the way of announcing major returns before they happen in hopes it will increase viewers, which comes at the expense of surprising the audience. I point to the return of Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, and Shawn Michaels as a few right off the top of my head. It's been mentioned over and over that one of the major reasons wrestling became so popular in the late 90's was due to unpredictability in the shows, we all tuned in to see what would happen next, who would turn on who next, and who would return next. Does announcing the return of the Rock for the first time since Survivor Series really increase the viewers, or would we be more apt to tune in on our owns to see when it happens? I know the internet has played a role in not being able to keep secrets, but surely if you can keep something like the Rock returning to guest host Wrestlemania quiet, you could do it for others as well.

So you say no suprises huh?

Shemaus winning the rumble didnt surprise you at all huh? I was surprised didnt see that coming at all? Jericho was supposed to win that one and sheamus wins thats a swerve.

Taker returning night after Royal Rumble didnt surprise you at all? I marked out totally when he returned and challenged trips to a match at WM.

Masked Kane returning. Sure we all knew he was coming back but the original mask kane! Didnt see that one coming at all and i guarantee you didnt either.

CM Punks Worked/shoot interview on raw. That one surprised me you and everyone else!! I say in conclusion and IMO that the WWE is full of surprises.If you wanna be surprised dont read spoilers and stay off dirt sheets!

 

[Headman]

When you surprise internet fans they get angry. Remember what happened when Sheamus won the Rumble? They were expecting Jericho so they shamed the WWE for tricking them. "How dare they swerve us!" they said with a degree of righteous indignation that could only be found on wrestling message boards.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Lord...not another one of these threads. They're not as common as they used to be, but I'd say that there's probably at least one, maybe two threads complaining about lack of surprises in the WWE section on a monthly basis.

A lot of other posters have pretty much said all there is to be said at this point, especially when it comes to net fans & dirtsheets. All in all, how do you expect to be legitimately surprised when you spend time surfing the internet & wrestling websites looking for spoilers for upcoming tv shows, potential feuds, potential match results or where a storyline is going? Stay away from the dirtsheets and wrestling forums for a couple of months and I'm pretty certain that you'll have more of that "I wonder what's gonna happen next" since you'll actually be out of the loop.

As far as surprises go, they're overrated most of the time. That's especially true if you're a fan that mostly just likes a "I didn't see that one coming" moment just for the sake of being caught off guard, regardless of whether or not the surprise is good and/or makes any sense. On top of that, wheneve WWE does manage to pull the wool over the collective eyes of the IWC, if anything, they get as much criticism as ever from internet fanboys, who usually complain with or without a reason, if the surprose & the situation generated from it deviates from their own personal view of what should be happening. A couple of recent examples of this include Brodus Clay's Funkasaurus character & Sheamus winning the 2012 Royal Rumble. Instead of Clay showing up as your standard, one dimensional monster heel, he shows up with a different gimmick that not only allows him to display FAR more personality & charisma, but also is over with fans. But, of course, numerous net fans hated it because it wasn't what they expected or wanted, which was for Clay to come out and do the same thing we've seen every other 350+ pound heel do. It's a double edged sword as many of these are the same fans who bitch about lack of unpredictability or surprises. The WWE is damned if they don't and damned if they do. This is just one of the very good reasons why pro wrestling companies don't try to cater to the IWC. Aside from the net fanboys, you've also got dirtsheet writers that generally behave the same way as the fanboys, are too full of their own shit to acknowledge anything positive and nitpick so much that you wonder why they even watch wrestling in the first place.

 

[iwinulose]

Lol your silly dude, they have surprises still, like Jericho return, punks rant, undertaker returning during triple hhh's promo (hell i was expecting undertaker to return during that angle, when the gong hit i was still surprised), when brodus clay debuted i was shocked at his character, the list continues, the wwe is lacking the "WOW" factor thats what they are lacking.

 

[jsanders78]

It's funny that many of you assume that because I am on this site posting, you assume I spend my life on here. While I do visit the site regularly, I avoid any and all spoilers. So your argument that my lack of surprise is due to this site is weak at best.

Having said that, I think my point was missed. Many people brought up the return if Kane, who yes, was ruined due to the vignettes ran in the preceding weeks. The fact that he returned with a mask was no where near enough reason for me "mark out".

In regards to the Undertaker, I was no surprised in the least he returned. The RR has always marked the beginning of the RTW, and to think the Undertaker wasn't coming back shows you haven't paid attention the last few years he's done the same thing. Not to mention the vignettes for Kane and Jericho instantly reminded me of Taker as well.

If you actually read my post, you'd see that every instance I named with the exception of Jericho was advertised on Raw - and that is my point. I don't think WWE needs to be advertising Shawn Michaels return next week or a few weeks ago. I was really disappointed that WWE advertised Bret Harts return, instead there should have been a mysterious build up to it.

 

[jsanders78]

And I don't count lame gimmicks like Brodus Clay as a surprise - nor do I count CM Punks promos as a surprise either. I'm referring to things that could be kept a secret, yet are advertised on Raw instead in hopes that we'll watch, which ruins the surprise.

 

[Cats Pajamas]

That's a horse of a different color. Thank you for clarifying. I'll admit that I've never done the research to see whether surprise returns or promoted returns command more attention from the casual viewers. I watch it either way if I'm so inclined. Basically, this is just my opinion, which you can take with $1.50 and get a cup of coffee with it.

I admit that I love a good surprise return. If I get totally caught off guard by WWE hell yeah I enjoy the show. When Bryan hit the stage and walked by Miz to join team Cena, I thought it was great despite not ever being super interested in him. Same with Rocky.

About Shawn Michaels; would I have liked his return last Monday to be a surprise? Actually, yeah... after Hunter told Undertaker he didn't want to fight him and they told us Michaels would "address HHH", I kinda figured where that was going to go. I guess I agree with you there.

I'm on the fence then. I like surprise returns too and I didn't watch much of WCW where it apparently happened all the time (from what I hear) so I don't know if I'd start to get sick of them. But then again I've been enjoying the show anyway with them hyping returns. Sorry for the mixup, but there are quite a few complaints from people who read wrestling news which is where the misinterpretations came from. Interesting question. I look forward to hearing how others weigh in.

I like the Funkasaurus thing, for the record... but who gives a damn? Thanks for your time.

 

[XXJJ]

Their has been some unpredictability from the WWE lately. Nexus attack, Punk worked shoot, Taker return during the HHH/Laurinites promo, Triple H/Taker announcing a HIAC match at WM, Henry beating Orton, Daniel Bryan winning MITB. I dont think a lot of people would of predicted those things to happen.

As far as returns being surprises that is tough to do. They didn't announce Jericho return but people pretty much expected it was him. Their are only a handful of guys that will get that kind of hype, its easy to narrow it down.

 

[WWEIsLife2]

I think most here will agree the WWE still pulls out the surprises but its some people who choose to believe everything on the IWC that say there are no more surprises/shockers/etc. All the Internet Wrestling Sites say tonight there's going to be a "Suprise" on a PPV. Then when nothing happens that person gets upset and blames the WWE because of it. So now who's fault is that?