The NXT Thread Is Like Ring of Honor's Bay-Bay!

[A11oftheLights]

What do you mean? Itami was over huge in NXT, all you need to connect to the fans these days is just work hard and have good charisma in the ring, and he has both. Shame the injury derailed him, but I expect he'll be put back in a top spot to succeed when he's back.

I don't think learning English necessarily is going to hurt anyone. I don't remember Tajiri speaking a lick of English but he got over. Half the cruiserweights in WCW didn't speak English and got over. The language barrier isn't that big of a deal. It's helpful obviously to speak English, but not necessary. Especially for a luchador.

I disagree. The language barrier wont stop you getting over with the smarks who will eat up anything you do because you were a big name elsewhere but the general fan will give zero fucks because mic skills are so important these days

 

[FlexAmerican Dynamite]

Itami's booking for the first three months was awful and he was somehow still over, he's only allowed to barely do half of what made WWE interested in him and the Full Sail crowd still eats that shit up.

He'll never speak perfect English but if he can get a few key phrases down that would give him a bit more personality he might be able to connect more with the audience than he already has.

 

[X]

I disagree. The language barrier wont stop you getting over with the smarks who will eat up anything you do because you were a big name elsewhere but the general fan will give zero fucks because mic skills are so important these days

Oh yeah Daniel Bryan had such legendary mic skills, that's totally why he got over, not because of his in-ring work and charisma.

I thought we'd already established the myth of the "general fan" in this day and age is just that, a myth? An overwhelming majority of wrestling fans these days (particularly the one shelling out money for WWE tickets) are "smarks" educated to the business and appreciative of good workrate, there has never been another point in wrestling history where in ring work mattered more. Mic skills are not nearly as important as you think.

 

[A11oftheLights]

Oh yeah Daniel Bryan had such legendary mic skills, that's totally why he got over, not because of his in-ring work and charisma.

I thought we'd already established the myth of the "general fan" in this day and age is just that, a myth? An overwhelming majority of wrestling fans these days (particularly the one shelling out money for WWE tickets) are "smarks" educated to the business and appreciative of good workrate, there has never been another point in wrestling history where in ring work mattered more. Mic skills are not nearly as important as you think.

Because Cesaro is not seen as a generic wrestler that cant connect with the fans. It will be exactly the same for Hideo, and it will likely be the same for Finn as well, sure the demon will help but plain Finn is pretty bland, and he speaks english as a first language

 

[Uncle Sam]

Asuka's connected more than Hideo did and her English is even worse.

I'm not sure what language it was that Adrian Neville used to speak.

 

[nightmare]

Neville doesnt need to talk much now that he has become some sort of space wizard.

Asuka is over for being a straight forward ass kicker. That sly little smile speaks volumes more than Hideo being a watered down version & cutting a bland promo.

 

[FlexAmerican Dynamite]

Asuka's connected more than Hideo did and her English is even worse.

Her Dana/Emma feud is the exact same thing they did with Itami except they're not idiots and having Asuka be destroyed week in and week out by scrubs (The Ascension).

 

[A11oftheLights]

Just wait til they get to the main roster though

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Asuka's connected more than Hideo did and her English is even worse.

I'm not sure what language it was that Adrian Neville used to speak.

To be fair Asuka's just kicked ass since she came over, not really needed to cut a promo aside from saying the word 'Yes' and the initial sympathy gaining promo she cut when she first appeared. Everything else has been her murderising and creeping folks out.

For some reason it was determined that giving Itami a mic to try and get over was the way to go forward, really he should just have done what Asuka's done.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

What do you mean? Itami was over huge in NXT,

I guess we have different definitions of "over huge"

I don't think learning English necessarily is going to hurt anyone. I don't remember Tajiri speaking a lick of English but he got over.

He says as he presents one example out of thousands of wrestlers.....one who was a low level comedy act at that.


Don't think that's what they are looking for in La Sombra

 

[Mighty NorCal]

I thought we'd already established the myth of the "general fan" in this day and age is just that, a myth? An overwhelming majority of wrestling fans these days (particularly the one shelling out money for WWE tickets) are "smarks" educated to the business and appreciative of good workrate, there has never been another point in wrestling history where in ring work mattered more. Mic skills are not nearly as important as you think.

Yea man, that's why those work rate-based matches and guys from NXT are really raising the decibel level on a weekly basis up there on the main roster.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Asuka's connected more than Hideo did and her English is even worse.

I'm not sure what language it was that Adrian Neville used to speak.

Surely it has nothing to do with her character, style, and persona being presented as wholly unique in the current women's landscape?



Really, Neville is what we are going with here? Someone whose moveset has literally never been seen by mainstream American audiences before in history (and who still isn't particularly over anyways)

 

[Uncle Sam]

I'm not sure what point it is you guys think I'm making beyond it being unnecessary for wrestlers to speak fluent English to find popularity. Obviously Itami and Asuka aren't the same - that's my point. If they were, I probably wouldn't think one was mediocre and one was great.

WWE's insistence on giving people who are no good at talking prolonged, back and forth promo time has never been more ludicrous than when it's done to people who have been speaking English for a fortnight.

For the record, Neville is underappreciated in this area. Geordie as fuck, sure, but a decent talker. My comment was more a way to take a long overdue jab at Newcastle than a sincere effort to bring him into the conversation.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Asuka's doomed on the "main" roster in as much as any woman is doomed on those shows.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

I'm not sure what point it is you guys think I'm making beyond it being unnecessary for wrestlers to speak fluent English to find popularity.

Which I disagree steadfastly with. The two examples you used are extremely unique circumstances, and one of them isn't really over anyways, despite a never-before-seen moveset and a very snazzy entrance.


Perhaps "popularity" is a bit subjective, but not to the point we were lead to belive they anticipate La Sombra to reach.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Asuka's doomed on the "main" roster in as much as any woman is doomed on those shows.

The Becky Lynch - Charolette match last night was proof positive of that.


I have no fucking idea what in the world the main roster crowds want.

 

[Uncle Sam]

WWE's perhaps never made a concerted effort to get behind someone who straight-up doesn't speak English (beyond maybe the original Sin Cara) but they've certainly made it work for people who speak the language but totally lack verbal skills.

The proof will be in the pudding - as it is with literally everything - with this one. I didn't know who La Sombra was prior to this conversation and certainly can't say whether he'll fail or succeed.

If you had someone with the presence and charisma of, say, Shinsuke Nakamura, microphone skills would likely become a moot point.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

If you had someone with the presence and charisma of, say, Shinsuke Nakamura, microphone skills would likely become a moot point.

Once again, people are conveniently cherry-picking absolutely extreme scenarios, when the vast majority of return on these things is clear.


Yea, no shit Nakamura would be over in WWE. Hulk Hogan and Steve Austin were also over in Japan without speaking Japanese.


By and large, the main stream American market requires someone who can connect, both in words and in actions. Moreso with the first.

 

[justinsayne]

I thought we'd already established the myth of the "general fan" in this day and age is just that, a myth? An overwhelming majority of wrestling fans these days (particularly the one shelling out money for WWE tickets) are "smarks".

I wouldn't say an overwhelming majority, unless they're doing a show in Chicago, NY, Philly, or one of the other real smark heavy cities, I think the vast majority of tickets are being sold to parents taking their kids to the shows.

Because Cesaro is not seen as a generic wrestler that cant connect with the fans.

Do you not see those Cesaro section signs all over the place when he comes out? Dude is pretty damn over with the crowd, just not with Vince. That said, I can't ever envision Cesaro as anything more than upper mid-carder for life sadly.

It will be exactly the same for Hideo, and it will likely be the same for Finn as well, sure the demon will help but plain Finn is pretty bland, and he speaks english as a first language

They'll probably have the same problem everyone from NXT has when they come up, they'll go from working with a creative team with a clue to working for the "drunken squirrels", or whatever KB likes to call them, writing the main shows, as well as Kevin Dunn who seems hellbent of burying every NXT guy that comes up.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

It feels to me, utterly unthinkable than Finn Balor isn't the main face of this company by this time next year.


They will find a way to prove me wrong im sure.

 

[Uncle Sam]

By and large, the main stream American market requires someone who can connect, both in words and in actions. Moreso with the first.

I'm not really sure what we've been disagreeing on. Someone who didn't speak English could become popular, they'd just have to remarkable in other areas. It's not an advantage but it doesn't make success an impossibility.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

I'm not really sure what we've been disagreeing on. Someone who didn't speak English could become popular, they'd just have to remarkable in other areas. It's not an advantage but it doesn't make success an impossibility.

It does, however, make it distinctly less likely. I guess my question was, why does WWE continually go to this well, and furthermore, expect gold from it....Especially when there are tons of other guys out there that deserve a spot, or whom could be better utilized on the roster already.

Spoiler

Kalisto Kalisto Kalisto Kalisto Kalisto Kalisto Kalisto Kalisto Kalisto

 

[Blade]

It feels to me, utterly unthinkable than Finn Balor isn't the main face of this company by this time next year.


They will find a way to prove me wrong im sure.

Can anyone really just be the face of the company in this day and age?

Unless you're as insanely talented as Daniel Bryan, you either 1) get rejected by the older crowd, or 2) don't get fully supported by Vince and co.

Now, if there's anyone in NXT who can break that streak, it's Finn. We know the older fans love him, and he's marketable as fuck thanks to his looks and cool vibe. But I wouldn't be surprised if WWE simply doesn't push him all the way.

I'm sorry if this post didn't make very much sense, I've had a few drinks...

 

[Mighty NorCal]

No, it makes perfect sense.



Everything about him screams franchise, but the WWE is so wildly incompetent when It comes to making new stars they could be bound to fuck it up

 

[Uncle Sam]

You had your chance to get on the Kalisto bandwagon; I was enjoying the legroom.

Balor doesn't seem an unlikely fit for the top spot but it's well documented that I'm not exactly partial to him.