WWE SmackDown Discussion II

[Spens1]

Quality of the show has been up lately. Maybe we should talk about it?

It actually is better (where its watchable but still not exactly great), but i almost feel like its a reaction to AEW coming on the air rather than WWE trying to make a concerted effort to be better. I fully expect them to drop off later. Also the main event scene is still kind of weak right now.

I think the standard they should be looking to attain again is 2016 smackdown, if they get back up to that level for a consistent period of time then i think most will pay attention.

[The_Brecht]

Shane is going to take Elias' spot in the final of KOTR.
He'll not only be the best in the world, but also the King of the Ring.

Just imagine the scenes.

[Dominator83]

Quality of the show has been up lately. Maybe we should talk about it?

It actually is better (where its watchable but still not exactly great), but i almost feel like its a reaction to AEW coming on the air rather than WWE trying to make a concerted effort to be better. I fully expect them to drop off later. Also the main event scene is still kind of weak right now.

I think the standard they should be looking to attain again is 2016 smackdown, if they get back up to that level for a consistent period of time then i think most will pay attention.

Agree. But if AEW is making them start to put more effort into putting on better shows, then AEW is already doing its job, atleast for the fans of the sport.

I'm sure the pressure of having to perform for FOX next month has something to do with it too

[Ruzious]

Shane is going to take Elias' spot in the final of KOTR.
He'll not only be the best in the world, but also the King of the Ring.

Just imagine the scenes.

A disturbingly clever idea.

[daoneandonly]

Shane is going to take Elias' spot in the final of KOTR.
He'll not only be the best in the world, but also the King of the Ring.

Just imagine the scenes.

A disturbingly clever idea.

I thought it would actually happen, until Corbin won yesterday. Imagine, a bright spot to Corbin winning, what a thought.

[The_Brecht]

Corbin has been very good lately.

[iMoreland]

With Corbin winning on the Raw side, it only makes sense for Gable to win on the SmackDown side so it's heel vs face in the finals. Holy cow, are they finally pushing Chad Gable?

[Stanford]

Gable has a seriously unfortunate look. The worst case of generic CAW since Alex Riley/Ted Jr. He doesn't have the personality to overcome it naturally. Tyler Breeze wasn't big on personality either, so he created a persona. I think that's what Gable is going to have to do.

[Ruzious]

Gable has a seriously unfortunate look. The worst case of generic CAW since Alex Riley/Ted Jr. He doesn't have the personality to overcome it naturally. Tyler Breeze wasn't big on personality either, so he created a persona. I think that's what Gable is going to have to do.

I think you're underrating him. Gable's a great in-ring performer - one of the few guys I'm glued to the tv when he wrestles. He's not a top of the card guy, but there's no reason he can't be a quality mid-carder for several more years. And he's got a baby-face kind of look that they're finally trying to milk. Teamed with the right guy, he can be a tag team champ and doesn't have to be a cheap comedy act like Breeze. He's certainly more talented than the other guys you mentioned.

[Stanford]

Gable's a great in-ring performer - one of the few guys I'm glued to the tv when he wrestles.

No question about that. He's special in the ring. I say he has an unfortunate look because he has that.

he can be a tag team champ and doesn't have to be a cheap comedy act like Breeze.

Tyler Breeze is a great character that people like. He's had silly feuds and serious ones. I don't know why you have to denigrate him by calling him a cheap comedy act.

I just think it's difficult when you don't have a character, a personality or a distinct look. Daniel Bryan had to grow out his beard and turn the goofiness up to 10 before he got mega over. It was always in Daniel Bryan, I'm not sure it's in Gable.

[Scott Hall]

Really disappointed in Vince...

Thought both shows were complete utter garbage especially for being in MSG really surprised he would mail it in like that.
You book these types of shows in Idaho or Nebraska or Kentucky not in MSG one week before a PPV.

Smackdown was absolutely painful to get through I must've zoned out and paused it several times because I was bored.
RAW was a little better on paper but the dead crowd didn't help it.

There's no way Bischoff and Heyman are having much influence on the show right now

[The_Brecht]

I was close with the Shane inclusion.
Didn't think it would be in the semis, but it makes sense in both stories (KO vs Shane and face vs heel in the kotr final).

I really liked the Rowan - Reigns segment, but if we follow WWE logic it seems lik Reigns is going to win on sunday.
That would be 'stoopid'. Surely Bryan is going to interfere and be revealed as the mastermind after the attacks?

One thing I'm really dissapointed about is that they dropped the ball twice on The Fiend.
He should've attacked Stone Cold and/or The Undertaker.

[Ruzious]

Gable's a great in-ring performer - one of the few guys I'm glued to the tv when he wrestles.

No question about that. He's special in the ring. I say he has an unfortunate look because he has that.

he can be a tag team champ and doesn't have to be a cheap comedy act like Breeze.

Tyler Breeze is a great character that people like. He's had silly feuds and serious ones. I don't know why you have to denigrate him by calling him a cheap comedy act.

I just think it's difficult when you don't have a character, a personality or a distinct look. Daniel Bryan had to grow out his beard and turn the goofiness up to 10 before he got mega over. It was always in Daniel Bryan, I'm not sure it's in Gable.

Lol, you act like you're offended by me giving my opinion of Breeze. I didn't denigrate him any more than you denigrated Gable.

I said what I said about Breeze because that's what he is at the WWE level, and I think that's the only way he can be effective at the WWE level. They're both small guys, and one is believable as a wrestler, and the other is a skilled performer who really isn't believable as a wrestler, imo. We obviously have very different views on what makes a good pro wrestler. I mean... Bryan's the best in the world. Bryan was the best in the world long before he came to the WWE. Nobody's at his level, so it shouldn't be a knock on Gable that he's not Bryan. I could give a flying f about his beard. Commercially it makes a difference, but that's not a concern I have as a wrestling fan. And comparing Gable to guys like Ted Jr and Alex Riley is absurd, imo.

[Stanford]

I didn't denigrate him any more than you denigrated Gable.

Nonsense. Cheap suggests that Breeze didn't put in the work to develop an interesting persona, but instead chose a shallow character that he knew would immediately appeal to a broad group of people without having to think about his character's motivations or defining traits. Like a cheap pop opts to get crowd reaction with sports team references rather than inspiring real emotion. Cheap is not good, especially in wrestling, unless you're talking about the price of the WWE Network.

I could give a flying f about his beard.

That's irrelevant. You probably watched Bryan in Ring of Honor, which means you were already a supporter when he came to WWE. You weren't the fan he needed to get over with - he already had you.

I brought up Bryan because he's an example of someone with a generic look and supreme in-ring talent that had to develop a unique appearance and character to get over in WWE. The difference is, he has 100x more personality than Gable. Bryan was notable for having the best non-wrestling segment on TV every night for like a year. Gable doesn't have that ability, which is going to make it a lot harder for him to get over.

And comparing Gable to guys like Ted Jr and Alex Riley is absurd, imo.

I compared his look to Ted Jr and Alex Riley in the sense that they're similar to generic CAWs. You know that. Now you're just intentionally misrepresenting what I said.

[Ruzious]

I didn't denigrate him any more than you denigrated Gable.

Nonsense. Cheap suggests that Breeze didn't put in the work to develop an interesting persona, but instead chose a shallow character that he knew would immediately appeal to a broad group of people without having to think about his character's motivations or defining traits. Like a cheap pop opts to get crowd reaction with sports team references rather than inspiring real emotion. Cheap is not good, especially in wrestling, unless you're talking about the price of the WWE Network.

I could give a flying f about his beard.

That's irrelevant. You probably watched Bryan in Ring of Honor, which means you were already a supporter when he came to WWE. You weren't the fan he needed to get over with - he already had you.

I brought up Bryan because he's an example of someone with a generic look and supreme in-ring talent that had to develop a unique appearance and character to get over in WWE. The difference is, he has 100x more personality than Gable. Bryan was notable for having the best non-wrestling segment on TV every night for like a year. Gable doesn't have that ability, which is going to make it a lot harder for him to get over.

And comparing Gable to guys like Ted Jr and Alex Riley is absurd, imo.

I compared his look to Ted Jr and Alex Riley in the sense that they're similar to generic CAWs. You know that. Now you're just intentionally misrepresenting what I said.

Enough already. I never implied in any way that Breeze didn't put in the work - that's a nonsensical comment from you.

And again, you're holding up Gable to the Brian standard - where of course he's not going to stand up. We're not communicating well - to say the least, so I'm done with this conversation.

[Stanford]

You called him a cheap comedy act.

I'm communicating fine. I'm a good communicator.

[Ruzious]

You called him a cheap comedy act.

I'm communicating fine. I'm a good communicator.

Great Communicator, that's my opinion of his talent level. in no way did I say he hasn't put in the work to do anything. I'm sure he put a ton of effort into his character. He's best known for being half of Breezango and... The Fashion Police... - has been for years, and I do consider that to be a cheap comedy act. Got it? I get that you disagree about Breeze's talent level and have no problem with that. Now, can we please put this conversation to an end?

[Stanford]

He's best known for being half of Breezango and... The Fashion Police... - has been for years, and I do consider that to be a cheap comedy act.

You could have stopped at comedy act, but you insist on using cheap as a qualifier. Define the word cheap in this context.

[Stanford]

There are a few other bizarre objections you have with my original post I'd like to tackle as well.

You accuse me of underrating Gable, but I think you're the one underrating him. I think he could be a top of the card guy rather than someone who is always in the mid-card.

I suggested that Gable might need to create a persona to overcome his lack of personality/generic look. I used Breeze as an example, but I didn't suggest that persona needs to be a comedic one. There are plenty of wrestlers who have benefited or needed a persona that goes beyond an exaggerated version of themselves. The Undertaker and Kane, for example. Velveteen Dream is a current example.

If we went back to 2010, we could very well be having the same discussion about Husky Harris. Maybe he could be a mid card guy for a while, but he'll never be a top guy.

I'm suggesting that Chad Gable probably needs to develop his own Bray Wyatt if he wants be a top guy.

[Ruzious]

He's best known for being half of Breezango and... The Fashion Police... - has been for years, and I do consider that to be a cheap comedy act.

You could have stopped at comedy act, but you insist on using cheap as a qualifier. Define the word cheap in this context.

GC, ya know why I said cheap comedy act? This will really shock you. Because I think it is a cheap comedy act. It's an opinion. Ya know what - you have the last word - I'm not responding any more to you. Communicate away.