**World Soxtalk Championship Wrestling IV Thread**

[Rowand44]

He's still got a bunch of indy dates to finish up and through the rumble it looks like. I'm guessing he gets Nak at the Mania takeover. I hope they just let him be him, let him be a fat guy, his athleticism is more impressive this way and his strikes look more vicious this way. Just leave the dude alone.

 

EDIT: And like I've said before, I think they may be more receptive to him like this because he can be billed more as a monster and the flippy s*** he can do at this weight is ridiculously impressive. Where as before he was just kind of a skinny fat dude. Obviously, I have no clue if that's true but I can see it being.

Edited January 7, 2017 by Rowand44

[iWiN4PreP]

Best time of wrestling is ramping up. Last year I was invested in WWE throughout the Rumble to Wrestlemania, but WWE truly failed me with the pathetic offering that was last years Wrestlemania (HHH vs Reigns, Lesnar vs. Ambrose, etc.).

 

This year, we have a lot of interesting things progressing, but it starts with the Rumble. A lot could go wrong...

 

Raw title.. I *hope* that Reigns is NOT near the raw title main event. He should stick in a feud with Strowman over the US title. If he wins at the Rumble over Owens, I will be devasted as it will likely mean a s***ty feud with strowman headlining Raw's mania. Currently, I think the most likely scenario is that Jericho accidently screws over owens at the rumble, costing him the belt, and allowing owens vs. Jericho to happen at the Rumble. Unfortunate.... as it should be over the title, both men deserve it.

 

On Smackdown, we have cena vs styles, currently, people believe cena will take on 'taker at WM, perhaps for the title. It would also be devasting to see Cena go over styles at the rumble only to face Taker at WM for the title. It's silly and doesn't need to be that way. Cena vs. Taker is a marquee match up on it's own and should not be used for the title. Styles deserves a marquee title match against someone.

 

Other notables.. Goldberg vs. Brock is a nice matchup (once again, outside of titles). HHH vs. Rollins should be a nice matchup, but HHH needs to get more involved if that match is going to progress, I hate these matches that you can predict 8 months in advance, but do not progress storyline wise for such a long time.

 

Rumble winner... I would LOVE for it to be Nakumara only for him to face Styles at WM, that'd be incredible... but unlikely. I wonder who Styles opponent at 'Mania will be.... Maybe a Jericho win of the Rumble to set up vs. Owens?

[Soxfest]

Watched Wrestle Kingdom 11 today a very good show. Last 2 matches especially were excellent.

[iWiN4PreP]

We had Undertaker announce that he is looking to win the Rumble match. That is annoying. It seems like he would be the odds on favorite to win and get involved with Cena somehow. Which would mean a) Cena with the title over styles = SUCKS. and b) Taker winning the rumble and going to WM for a title shot = SUCKS.

 

In any event, the actual rumble match is looking HUGE with combatants such as Lesnar, Goldberg, Undertaker, Rollins, Jericho, Strowman, others...

 

On another note: Wtf does WWE do with guys/gals like Nia Jax and B. Strowman? Their booked too dominant to simply be realistic.

[GGajewski18]

We had Undertaker announce that he is looking to win the Rumble match. That is annoying. It seems like he would be the odds on favorite to win and get involved with Cena somehow. Which would mean a) Cena with the title over styles = SUCKS. and b) Taker winning the rumble and going to WM for a title shot = SUCKS.

 

In any event, the actual rumble match is looking HUGE with combatants such as Lesnar, Goldberg, Undertaker, Rollins, Jericho, Strowman, others...

 

On another note: Wtf does WWE do with guys/gals like Nia Jax and B. Strowman? Their booked too dominant to simply be realistic.

 

Completely fine with Braun being dominant because he is that guy that should be. Nia Jax on the other hand, needs to go. She's terrible.

[Brian]

Completely fine with Braun being dominant because he is that guy that should be. Nia Jax on the other hand, needs to go. She's terrible.

 

Co-Sign. I'm enjoying Braun's presence on the show and think he is being handled right.

 

I fear Nia is going to hurt someone. Seems sloppy.

[GGajewski18]

Co-Sign. I'm enjoying Braun's presence on the show and think he is being handled right.

 

I fear Nia is going to hurt someone. Seems sloppy.

 

I literally thought she was gonna break Sasha when she attacked her

[iWiN4PreP]

So, some weird rumors suggesting that:

 

1. 'Taker will not be taking on cena at 'Mania. Instead, he will face someone on Raw. If this is so, I just wonder who the f they have in mind? If owens vs. Jericho is a match, lesnar vs. goldberg is a match, and Strowman isn't supposed to face taker (according to the same rumor), then it leaves someone like Reigns?

 

2. Samoa Joe is supposed to get a big push on the main roster soon (possibly at the rumble) and be involved in one of the two main matches? I have trouble believing this rumor, but if it it so then that's kinda cool... I just wish, instead, it would be Nakumara coming on at the Rumble, winning the match, and facing Styles at 'Mania. A dream!

[iWiN4PreP]

Here's kind of my hopeful card for WM:

 

WWE Universal: Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho

WWE Title: Aj Styles vs. Nakumara

Lesnar vs. Goldberg

HHH vs. Rollins

'Taker vs. Cena

Strowman vs. Roman

Shaq vs. Big Show

Bayley vs. Charlotte vs. Banks vs. Nia (I kind of prefer just Bayley vs. Charlotte, but it'll likely be a 4-way to get more people on the show)

Open ladder match for one of IC or US title (likely IC) with players from both brands competiting

Tag Team title matches

Alexa vs. Becky

 

 

Come to think of it, I'm not sure how they are going to fit everything on the card. Lol, they have so much titles now.

 

Not sure WTF their doing with the 'Taker/Cena match. Rumor has it that it was called off, but I think that is just WWE spreading s***. Taker has no1 else to face (maybe finn balor?).

Roman reigns is guaranteed a BORE-fest match, either with Strowman or vs. Taker if he ends up facing him.

 

I don't think Nakumara is going to be on the WM card... I realllyyyy wish it was Naku vs. Styles, but it's more likely to be Joe vs. Styles. Cena likely winnning championship #16 at WM or royal rumble...

 

 

[fathom]

My dream scenario is Cena beats Styles, causing Styles to enter Rumble and win. Then in early March Kenny Omega joins WWE leading to Cena/Styles/Omega at WM

[Y2HH]

My dream scenario is Cena beats Styles, causing Styles to enter Rumble and win. Then in early March Kenny Omega joins WWE leading to Cena/Styles/Omega at WM

 

I'm just not a fan of Joe. I'd much rather see Naka come up.

 

I also think Omega is a pipe dream, I just don't see him leaving NJ. That said, he would make an amazing addition to Smackdown, so obviously the WWE would stick him on RAW. I'm also sure they'd ruin his character with their overly scripted modern style...if I were Omega I'd take the payday, though.

 

I don't want Cena beating Styles. Cena may not like being called it, but he IS a part timer now, and they need to focus on the full time stars they have remaining, instead of CONSTANTLY undercutting them with part timers that make them look like chumps every time someone from the previous generation returns.

 

Unless Cena plans on returning full time (and soon), AJ should beat him CLEAN...they need to stop pandering to the old guard if they ever want to move forward.

 

Also, team Smackdown. I don't even watch RAW anymore outside of a few highlights...again, that mostly involve ANOTHER previous generation star in Chris Jericho (that and the 3 hour format is just too long for my liking).

Edited January 14, 2017 by Y2HH

[Y2HH]

Also, don't mind me...I've not previously involved myself in this thread...but I will be joining you fine people as of now for some wrestling discussion.

 

I can literally talk about wrestling alllllll day.

Edited January 14, 2017 by Y2HH

[iWiN4PreP]

I agree with your words Y2HH.

 

The Royal rumble should tell a lot about the direction here..

 

A lot of bad could happen..

 

Lesnar/ Goldberg/ Taker winning the rumble = very bad.

Cena over styles = ughh

Roman over Owens = ugh.

 

I'm expecting to be let down big time.

[Rowand44]

Also, don't mind me...I've not previously involved myself in this thread...but I will be joining you fine people as of now for some wrestling discussion.

 

I can literally talk about wrestling alllllll day.

Just make sure to never change your avatar and we're good.

[2nd_city_saint787]

Omega might not be a pipe dream after all. Last week he tweeted that he is leaving Japan to reassess his future.

 

Now I suppose he could just do RoH and other Indy shows but he is a legend out there in Japan, and can still work Japan and US if he wanted to.

 

Just a feeling, but Omega has said he has had a long standing NXT offer, but my guess is he wants to go straight to Raw/Smackdown like AJ did. I think all the trash he talked about the WWE is a work that's gonna make a surprise debut pretty f***ing epic.

 

I would have Gallows and Anderson come out and celebrate with AJ after he beats Cena and then turn on him . Then out comes Kenny as the leader of the club........................Then out comes Balor, like heyyyy did you guys forget about me??? Sets up AJ/Omega/Balor for Mania......OK last part is prob a pipe dream for now anyway.

Edited January 14, 2017 by scs787

[Y2HH]

Just make sure to never change your avatar and we're good.

 

So long as you or anyone else never come in here with a Lynch avatar...there'll be no problems.

[Y2HH]

Omega might not be a pipe dream after all. Last week he tweeted that he is leaving Japan to reassess his future.

 

Now I suppose he could just do RoH and other Indy shows but he is a legend out there in Japan, and can still work Japan and US if he wanted to.

 

Just a feeling, but Omega has said he has had a long standing NXT offer, but my guess is he wants to go straight to Raw/Smackdown like AJ did. I think all the trash he talked about the WWE is a work that's gonna make a surprise debut pretty f***ing epic.

 

I would have Gallows and Anderson come out and celebrate with AJ after he beats Cena and then turn on him . Then out comes Kenny as the leader of the club........................Then out comes Balor, like heyyyy did you guys forget about me??? Sets up AJ/Omega/Balor for Mania......OK last part is prob a pipe dream for now anyway.

 

Kenny has also made it kind of a career talking point that he could become a legend WITHOUT the WWE.

 

I personally hope he joins, but the WWE needs to loosen the reins on over scripted characters. What made wrestling unique was the characters, and more often than not when written in this style, they all become similar. I feel the WWE has as much potential to damage the Omega character as they do to make it even better. His promo style is a bit odd, but it works for him, and I know for a fact the WWE would change it on him to fit their mold. I'm not sure it'll work, either.

[Y2HH]

The Ronda Rousey thing has likely been discussed here before, but since I keep hearing her name bandied about in relation to her joining the WWE, I thought I'd give my thoughts on it.

 

The WWE has NOTHING to gain by bringing in Rousey.

 

The ONLY marketable trait she had was her mystique, and she no longer has it.

 

The WWE would essentially have to rebuild her and the only way to do that would be to feed her established NXT projects or current WWE stars. What are they going to do? Feed Rousey Alexa Bliss? To what end? To blow years of work getting Bliss to where she is simply to "re-establish" a non-wrestlers mystique whose name no longer carries any weight? Rousey's worth was entirely tied into her in-ring success. And no matter which female wrestler(s) you pick to feed her, you're damaging them just to re-build someone the people no longer believe in...who may not even stick around long term.

 

Compare Rousey's appearance at WM, with her mystique intact...there was something special about it. Now? She's just a person that's been exposed, and the one thing she had going for her is gone.

 

I hope the WWE stays far away from Rousey...positively nothing to gain here other than media exposure...which I could easily see backfiring when sports analysts serve up endless jokes about washed up exposed athletes going to the WWE.

[Kyyle23]

Maybe Rousey and Punk can come in on a "UFC washouts" gimmick 😂

[Y2HH]

Maybe Rousey and Punk can come in on a "UFC washouts" gimmick

 

Punk would be easier to re-establish than Rousey because he has proven mic skill and history with the WWE. There wouldn't be much need to feed him established talent to recover...one bad night does not end a fighters life. Even Lesnar has lost. Rousey's issue is her ENTIRE image was based on her in-ring dominance...and when she had the chance to step up after her first loss, she went and hid under a rock like a b****, instead.

 

The ONLY traits Rousey had going for her is she's decent looking and was an "unstoppable killer". She's no longer a killer, so now she's just a decent looking unproven quantity and who knows if she even has live mic skill? And let's be honest...Bliss is so much hotter than Rousey it's not even funny.

 

Also, Rousey has a massive ego, and she'd never accept a deal/storyline that bills her as a washout trying to find herself in the WWE, even though that approach COULD oddly work.

Edited January 16, 2017 by Y2HH

[thxfrthmmrs]

So who do you guys want to win the Rumble, and who do you think actually wins?

 

Personally, I'd like Owens to retain against Reigns and Sami winning the Rumble match. Had they give Sami a better push, it'd set up a great match between him and Owens at WM.

 

But realistically I think we will see either Taker, Jericho, or Finn (making a surprise entry) winning it. I just don't see a whole lot of possibilities here. Lesnar and Goldberg will get each other at WM, so they're out of the picture. Braun isn't ready to main event WM (though his chances increases if Reigns beats Owens), and Rollins will get Triple H at WM, and WWE has passed on him getting the belt way too many times since his comeback so I doubt they let him win this year.

 

Most of the wrestling world is making the Taker prediction, and in this day and age, if your Rumble match results are this predictable (and the person winning isn't deserving - all due respect to Taker, he can't be the champ if he can't wrestle more than 2 matches a year), it does not sit well with the fans, especially the smarks. If Taker wins, I'd expect a lot of boos.

 

Edit: I can see Miz being a dark horse pick from Smackdown. He's had a great year, would be great on the mic doing promos with Cena in weeks leading up to WM. Him losing to Ambrose in their IC match, then winning Rumble to go on to face Cena at WM, and Cena putting him over. That would be much better than Taker winning IMO.

Edited January 16, 2017 by 2005thxfrthmmrs

[Y2HH]

So who do you guys want to win the Rumble, and who do you think actually wins?

 

Personally, I'd like Owens to retain against Reigns and Sami winning the Rumble match. Had they give Sami a better push, it'd set up a great match between him and Owens at WM.

 

But realistically I think we will see either Taker, Jericho, or Finn (making a surprise entry) winning it. I just don't see a whole lot of possibilities here. Lesnar and Goldberg will get each other at WM, so they're out of the picture. Braun isn't ready to main event WM (though his chances increases if Reigns beats Owens), and Rollins will get Triple H at WM, and WWE has passed on him getting the belt way too many times since his comeback so I doubt they let him win this year.

 

Most of the wrestling world is making the Taker prediction, and in this day and age, if your Rumble match results are this predictable (and the person winning isn't deserving - all due respect to Taker, he can't be the champ if he can't wrestle more than 2 matches a year), it does not sit well with the fans, especially the smarks. If Taker wins, I'd expect a lot of boos.

 

Edit: I can see Miz being a dark horse pick from Smackdown. He's had a great year, would be great on the mic doing promos with Cena in weeks leading up to WM. Him losing to Ambrose in their IC match, then winning Rumble to go on to face Cena at WM, and Cena putting him over. That would be much better than Taker winning IMO.

 

If Balor/DK is able to return as a surprise entrant to the RR, I want Balor to win it. It will INSTANTLY re-establish him at the top of the card, and he can go on to unseat Owens for the Universal Title. Owens needs to be rebuilt after his constant string of losing...I like his heel gimmick, but he's lost credibility as a winner.

 

Miz is my second choice to win the RR...as he's clearly primed for a top run now.

 

I do not want any of the old guard winning the Rumble. Goldberg/Lesnar should eliminate each other and cause a huge pull apart outside the ring, rebuilding Lesnar as a beast and adding tremendous heat to the ongoing feud in the process...make it clear Lesnar didn't care about winning the Rumble, ALL he cared about was eliminating Goldberg and reminding the world who he is.

[iWiN4PreP]

I see the Rumble as a big point of direction for me. I want to know whether we are going to get borefest for 'Mania or legit awesomeness.

 

What I want:

1. Nakumara to win it all and face AJ at 'Mania (very unlikely as Naku likely won't be involved, but my ideal scenario).

2. Jericho -- This would set up Owens vs. Jericho, which I think, Needs to happen. It's a perfect story. Also, this would add to Jericho's great achievements (a rumble victory).

3. Zayn - Zayn vs. Owens would be fun, but we've seen it... 100 times. Nonetheless, they never fail to deliver and this would give Zayn the much deserved attention.

4. Samoa Joe - Setting up Joe vs. Styles, meh, I only am OK with this as it isn't one of the other bore fest wrestlers.

5. Finn Balor - Yes (edited this response in, as I forgot about him, he would go to #3 if I could re-do this).

 

Things I don't really want:

1. Taker - by no means does he deserve this or should be anywhere near the title.

2. Lesnar / Berg - Same reason above.

3. Strowman - NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

4. Rollins - Has to face HHH for the big payoff match, so nty.

5. Ambrose - F*cking boring, please, NO.

6. Miz - I guess I'd be Ok with him winning, but he has giving the IC title some prestige and importance that no1 else in the company has done to a title belt. Stay there and do Godly things with the IC title belt.

 

 

It's weird, I was really hyped for the rumble match, but after looking at this roster, I don't really give a damn about any of these guys winning it. Even my #2, Jericho, I kinda am like 'Eh...'. Nakumara is the only one that would make me mark out. Any of the other possibilities would make me pissed (taker / lesnar / berg / strow / rollins / ambrose).

 

Edit: I am cool with Finn Balor winning this as well. Just not sure who I'd want him to face.. I'd prefer it to be Owens vs. Jericho for the title on Raw. I'm OK with Balor vs. AJ Styles, that would be pretty damn intriguing. But the other options don't fit well with me ... Balor vs. Reigns = f*** no, Balor vs. Cena = maybe, but eh.

Edited January 16, 2017 by iWin4Ron

[thxfrthmmrs]

I'm not too big on Finn for now. He's a great worker and has a good gimmick, but he's barely spend any time on the main roster and already won the Universal belt once. He's still got some room to improve on the mic and could use some time to establish himself on the main roster. I'd rather see the new guys come up establish themselves organically first before being pushed, unless you're AJ Styles and are head and shoulders better than everyone else on Smackdown.

[Brian]

It sucks both Owens and STyles will both be losing their belts at Rumble. I don't really care about Owens and that title. The booking of it and him has been trash.

 

AJ should be champion for a long time and the rumors of where he is going into WrestleMania does not interest me in the slightest. It's a waste.