The Prime Time Players Return.... and Beat The Ascension. What!?

[Dave]

Now, normally, I would have made two separate threads for both of those headlines but I feel it is better for the good of my sanity if I just contain my rage into one thread...

As you may have noticed, the Prime Time Players in Darren Young and Titus O'Neill returned to tagging last night on WWE Raw, going over The Ascension with hardly a whimper. Now, I'm sure that someone will point out that The Ascension is a good win for a new tag team but is no one else pissed off that the WWE just do not seem able to do the most basic thing anymore? I mean, the Ascension had been undefeated until that point (I think?) and now go down to two of the worst talents on the WWE roster with no more than a mere mention of it when it happened.

The PTP ought to be made a big deal of in the Tag Division now, a slamming indictment of what has happened to a previously very good division in the last few months. Obviously, with Goldust and Stardust now settling their differences and Miz and Mizdow almost certainly going to go the same way, I understand the need for a new tag tea to emerge and be legitimised almost immediately. But why do they have to go ahead and shit all over the work they have been doing with The Ascension over the last few months? Are they really so short-sighted that they have forgotten that they were building the Ascension to be a really good heel tag team that could hold their own coming out of the development territory?

With this loss, the Ascension looks ridiculous and can kiss any thoughts they had of going after tag gold in the near future goodbye. My question is why the WWE couldn't have built PTP up over a period of time like they should be doing? Put them over other tag teams that area bit lower down the pecking order and give them credibility that way. Don't take a steamy dump over a tag team that could do well if packaged correctly. So well done, WWE, you have managed to fuck up two things in one match. A near sterling winning streak for you...

 

[Y 2 Jake]

The Ascension looked ridiculous before the loss because, well, they just look ridiculous. Terrible attire, flabby physiques, not as intimidating as they should be. The Ascension are a bust.

PTP, a nothing team, have more going for them and are more credible. Sad but true.

 

[CyberPunk]

I understand your rage Dave. This is Mania season. WWE usually forgets that tag team division exists during this season. And the way things are going recently, they have forgotten lot of things, like how to build a talent, which talent people are not invested in, what to do if a talent is not over etc.

Personally, I could care less about Ascension or PTP at this time. They haven't done anything to build interest in either Ascension or PTP. It sucks that Ascension lost to PTP in a meaningless match. They never really invested in Ascension, so I am not surprised. Hopefully, Ascension can.....who am I kidding, Ascension won't amount to anything, not unless WWE gets its act together.

 

[stingray11214]

Now, normally, I would have made two separate threads for both of those headlines but I feel it is better for the good of my sanity if I just contain my rage into one thread...

As you may have noticed, the Prime Time Players in Darren Young and Titus O'Neill returned to tagging last night on WWE Raw, going over The Ascension with hardly a whimper. Now, I'm sure that someone will point out that The Ascension is a good win for a new tag team but is no one else pissed off that the WWE just do not seem able to do the most basic thing anymore? I mean, the Ascension had been undefeated until that point (I think?) and now go down to two of the worst talents on the WWE roster with no more than a mere mention of it when it happened.

The PTP ought to be made a big deal of in the Tag Division now, a slamming indictment of what has happened to a previously very good division in the last few months. Obviously, with Goldust and Stardust now settling their differences and Miz and Mizdow almost certainly going to go the same way, I understand the need for a new tag tea to emerge and be legitimised almost immediately. But why do they have to go ahead and shit all over the work they have been doing with The Ascension over the last few months? Are they really so short-sighted that they have forgotten that they were building the Ascension to be a really good heel tag team that could hold their own coming out of the development territory?

With this loss, the Ascension looks ridiculous and can kiss any thoughts they had of going after tag gold in the near future goodbye. My question is why the WWE couldn't have built PTP up over a period of time like they should be doing? Put them over other tag teams that area bit lower down the pecking order and give them credibility that way. Don't take a steamy dump over a tag team that could do well if packaged correctly. So well done, WWE, you have managed to fuck up two things in one match. A near sterling winning streak for you...

I know I am going to get a new asshole ripped for what I am about to say, but I think that they are building up PTP for one reason, and one reason alone: To placate the LGBT community over what was the PERCEIVED smackdown of Darren Young's comments when WWE was in the Near East a couple of weeks ago. DY being the only ACTIVE LGBT member of the WWE roster, WWE can help continue its anti-bullying credentials by showing that they are all embracing.

That said, it also means that backstage is souring on the Ascension. Why choose a team that helps you show to not only the WWE Universe, but also your shareholders, that NXT does a credible job of developing talent? You could have had PTP go over Miz and Mizdow with similar effect. It was just a very bad call to bury the Ascension at so early a stage.

 

[chuckmdubya]

The lack of star power and ability to draw, in my opinion, illustrates the need to bring back the jobbers of the 80's and early 90's. It's hard to use talent to push talent. For example, think about how much more over the Ascension would be if they had been able to come in and thrash 3-4 jobber teams and then start in on legend tag teams. Now, that wouldn't be a miraculous fix for them but it would have established more credibility if than just coming on and calling out LOD long after Hawk's death.

Throwing just 1-2 jobber matches in each week could help push mid carders, decrease the number of no decision matches, make established talents look better and be more content with their characters perception.

 

[Just Zay'n]

We're beginning to see a trend here.

NXT talent is successful. NXT talent is called up. NXT talent is given a ridiculous gimmick. NXT talent goes downhill. Creative/Vince sours on NXT talent for going downhill.

An emphatic, resounding facepalm is all I have to say on that.

 

[laodaron]

We're beginning to see a trend here.

NXT talent is successful. NXT talent is called up. NXT talent is given a ridiculous gimmick. NXT talent goes downhill. Creative/Vince sours on NXT talent for going downhill.

An emphatic, resounding facepalm is all I have to say on that.

The trend is as follows:

NXT talent gets over with NXT and Indy fans. NXT talent gets called up, cannot perform at the level required by WWE. Creative/Vince sours because NXT is NOT a solid gauge of talent.

This was fine. I'd much rather see PTP in matches than the Ascension. I forced myself to watch this match last night, and the Ascension look like you went to your local Gold's Gym, found two dudes who thought WAY higher of themselves than reality, and threw a gimmick on them. They don't even look like guys I'd be scared of at the bar, let alone look like professional wrestlers.

 

[Just Zay'n]

The trend is as follows:

NXT talent gets over with NXT and Indy fans. NXT talent gets called up, cannot perform at the level required by WWE. Creative/Vince sours because NXT is NOT a solid gauge of talent.

This was fine. I'd much rather see PTP in matches than the Ascension. I forced myself to watch this match last night, and the Ascension look like you went to your local Gold's Gym, found two dudes who thought WAY higher of themselves than reality, and threw a gimmick on them. They don't even look like guys I'd be scared of at the bar, let alone look like professional wrestlers.

I don't really think that's fair. I think they are undoubtedly performing at the level required by WWE. Unfortunately, what was required of them by the WWE was to take on this ridiculous gimmick, and they are executing it well. They wear what WWE wants them to wear, they speak how WWE wants them to speak, so in that respect, they're performing at the required level. It's a real damn shame that the gimmick itself is a load of crap.

And to say that NXT is not a solid gauge of talent... mate. That's just blatantly and overwhelmingly untrue. NXT is an amalgamation of the best professional wrestling talent around the world, of guys who made huge names for themselves to a niche audience in the niche endeavor that is pro wrestling.

And also, the majority of the Wrestlemania card this year actually features alumni from NXT. Reigns, Rollins, Ambrose, Wyatt, Rusev, Cesaro, Kidd, Paige. Adrian Neville and Sami Zayn will be the next two mega-stars to come from there. So saying it's not synonymous with talent is just plain wrong.

 

[Dave]

Here's the thing that annoys me the most about last night, now that it has properly struck me. Vance really hates the way NXT seems to be getting compared to his product all the time. And for that reason, he is not giving people a proper chance. Now don't get me wrong, I actually agree with Jake on this. The Ascension are not a great team. In fact, they can't really be called a gold team at this point either. Their look is ridiculous and they ate a bit overweight considering that they are supposed to be professional wrestlers. I don't think they ever had it

But I digress, the main thing about last night was just how little stock Vincent is putting into people coming from NXT. Doesn't he realise that NXT is going to be the future stars of the WWE? Doesn't he realise that if you continually make your future look like a steaming oil of shit then no one is going to watch it? Like I say, I don't think The Ascension are ever going to the answer but all of you are right, there is a worrying trend that is emerging that should frighten the NXT roster into staying where they are. Sadly.

 

[Sexcellence of Sexecution]

The Ascension blows, the Prime Time Players are entertaining. I'm glad The Ascension lost.

 

[FreezeIzGAWD]

God I hate new generation fans......

When will you guys understand that one loss is not burying someone.....

The Ascension sucks but hey that happens. Give them a chance to tweak the gimmick and see where it goes.

By the way PTP had to win last night to make this a credible feud. Ascension will best they overall but had PTP got back together only to immediately get beaten to death then what good would that have done. There are only like 6 tag teams right now so to make this an actually match and feud TPT had to win the first.

Did U miss the fact that they IMMEDIATELY got monkey stomped after winning.....

It's because the Ascension was supposed to have just gotten best on a fluke

 

[ColeMc]

They claimed all the heat back after the match anyway. So the match turned out to be a wash but the PTP came back to stock up the tag team division.

I don't like the Ascensions gimmick, but they certainly have not been buried.

 

[SoulTrain4]

The ascension sucks anyway so who really gives a shit?
This generation's Powers of Pain got beat...nobody cared before and nobody cares now.
They weren't over anyway and PTP should never have even been broken up.

NXT gasses people up, they weren't even good in NXT by the way so this isn't that "WWE vs NXT" rivalry the dirtsheets have concocted. It's a simple matter of The Ascension being exposed, like so many have been, once they hit the main roster and can't get over.

We can argue that they should have been given more time, I'll accept that argument but there's no doubt that they just aren't any good.

 

[Nate DaMac]

God I hate new generation fans......

When will you guys understand that one loss is not burying someone.....

The Ascension sucks but hey that happens. Give them a chance to tweak the gimmick and see where it goes.

By the way PTP had to win last night to make this a credible feud. Ascension will best they overall but had PTP got back together only to immediately get beaten to death then what good would that have done. There are only like 6 tag teams right now so to make this an actually match and feud TPT had to win the first.

Did U miss the fact that they IMMEDIATELY got monkey stomped after winning.....

It's because the Ascension was supposed to have just gotten best on a fluke

Wow. It's sad when I agree with one of our resident ******s.

I knew PTP was going to win as soon as the match started. They just reunited, of course they need to get a win to jumpstart the feud. How stupid would it look if they got back together only to be beaten their first match back?

Furthermore, are you guys telling me that you want yet another performer/team to come up from NXT and be given yet ANOTHER undefeated streak storyline? Those stories always paint the performers as being one dimensional and leaves no room for their characters to grow. Getting this loss out of the way early nips that issue in the bud.

Besides, it isn't like it was a decisive victory. It was a fluke win and The Ascension remained totally protected. They'll come out ahead in the feud.

Most likely anyway. The Ascension aren't better than PTP so maybe they decide to give the push to those guys instead. I'd be fine with that. The Ascension sucks. They sucked on NXT too.

 

[kadroan]

Now, normally, I would have made two separate threads for both of those headlines but I feel it is better for the good of my sanity if I just contain my rage into one thread...

As you may have noticed, the Prime Time Players in Darren Young and Titus O'Neill returned to tagging last night on WWE Raw, going over The Ascension with hardly a whimper. Now, I'm sure that someone will point out that The Ascension is a good win for a new tag team but is no one else pissed off that the WWE just do not seem able to do the most basic thing anymore? I mean, the Ascension had been undefeated until that point (I think?) and now go down to two of the worst talents on the WWE roster with no more than a mere mention of it when it happened.

The PTP ought to be made a big deal of in the Tag Division now, a slamming indictment of what has happened to a previously very good division in the last few months. Obviously, with Goldust and Stardust now settling their differences and Miz and Mizdow almost certainly going to go the same way, I understand the need for a new tag tea to emerge and be legitimised almost immediately. But why do they have to go ahead and shit all over the work they have been doing with The Ascension over the last few months? Are they really so short-sighted that they have forgotten that they were building the Ascension to be a really good heel tag team that could hold their own coming out of the development territory?

With this loss, the Ascension looks ridiculous and can kiss any thoughts they had of going after tag gold in the near future goodbye. My question is why the WWE couldn't have built PTP up over a period of time like they should be doing? Put them over other tag teams that area bit lower down the pecking order and give them credibility that way. Don't take a steamy dump over a tag team that could do well if packaged correctly. So well done, WWE, you have managed to fuck up two things in one match. A near sterling winning streak for you...

It's unfortunate how The Ascension has been booked. I thought they were going to build them up like they did Ryback, beating these local wrestlers then moving on to more credible wrestlers.

However, that RAW this year where The Outsiders, APA, NAO were on and they beat down The Ascension, it just killed them. Yes, they got the win at Royal Rumble over NAO but first impressions are something else.

They should have been like how Brock dealt with the legends - seen as a threat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DaY7_KsIwI

Instead this is what happened.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgYBWPdi5Yc

This would be the perfect time for The Ascension to disappear now. Come back as faces and dominate.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

The Ascension looked ridiculous before the loss because, well, they just look ridiculous. Terrible attire, flabby physiques, not as intimidating as they should be. The Ascension are a bust.

PTP, a nothing team, have more going for them and are more credible. Sad but true.

Yeah, this is pretty much it. The Ascension were pretty cool in NXT, but they've looked like, and been booked like shit on the main roster.

They both look out of shape, Viktor is far to small to wear the shoulder pads and Konnor looks like he needs to lose quite a lot of weight. Plus, this whole facepaint/shoulder pad gimmick looks like a poor rip-off of the Road Warriors, which does The Ascension no favours.

Why they were changed from their NXT gimmick is beyond me. WWE need to get Konnor into a gym, get rid of Viktor and reach out to Bram from TNA (the former Ascension member Kenneth Cameron) and get him back. The Ascension were far better when it was Cameron and O'Brien (Konnor), as Cameron could talk better than Konnor or Viktor. Plus, as he's married to Charlotte Flair I think its likely he'd come back.

As it stands now, The Ascension haven't impressed me on the main roster at all.

 

[SuperTaco]

Konnor has no muscle definition, and it looks like he doesn't even work out certain muscles on his body. His traps are small and his abs are not visible.

Viktor is noticeably smaller than Konnor in size, and has a receding hairline that'll be gone in 5 years. Konnor isn't far behind.

On top of that, they are generating borderline toxic heat by trashing good tag teams every week. They cannot perform to the same level but they still think they're the best. Now that they've lost a match, maybe we won't hear so much bashing of tag teams that people actually care about.

Going forward, I don't see much positive in this team. They need to make a couple of changes to get my interest back.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Didn't dude get right back up after the pinfall and kick the shit out of Darren Young? I wouldn't say the match finish was credible. If anything it helped set up Prime Time Players back up as an actual team while also protecting The Ascension from a clean loss. And it's not like WWE has made them this powerful entity in the division anyways.