Wrestling Thread 7: FTR Baldhausen • Page 72

Just caught up on like 16 pages of the thread having been neglecting the site during the holidays. As for the sentimentality regarding NXT and ROH. Only wrestling show I've attended was Takeover Toronto 2016, and the 2/3 falls match between DIY and The Revival might be the best tag team wrestling I've watched (though I'll admit to plenty of more eventful/memorable tag matches out there). The card definitely isn't as deep as other eras of NXT, but damn if there wasn't a lot of great pageantry (Roode and Nakamura entrances), and the Joe win over Nakamura was a great match too.

Really regret never going to any of the ROH/NJPW War of the Worlds shows here when I had the chance and they were peaking in public interest.

 

I was lucky enough to attend the last big Takeover. The show drew a bigger crowd than most WWE PPV’S and almost doubled the attendance of the last PPV in the NW which was Stomping Grounds that was one of the least attended WWE PPV’s of the last 20+ years.

It’s crazy to think most of those people are no longer with the company or ruined. Keith Lee, Tegan Knox, Undisputed Era, And Gargano are all gone and they’ve ruined Dijak and Ripley. Chiampa wil probably be gone soon. The only people on the card that are doing alright are Bianca, Pete Dunne, Riddle, Balor and Dakota Kai. That’s insane to me.

 

It was entertaining but I don’t know, something lacked for me.

 

I'll go there: If he wasn't married into the McMahon family, is Triple H is discussed way more widely in the Mount Rushmore convos? DX, Evolution, Cerebral Assassin PLUS what he created with NXT. Great on the mic, a throughline of his character and motivations, pretty great in the ring, some major feuds and moments and payoffs. Feels like his name never comes up and no, he doesn't have the cultural relevancy of a Austin, Rock, Flair, Hogan (ugh), Taker—and I know that is the primary driving force between the whole Mount Rushmore convo—but I've seen people make cases for Guerrero, Jericho, Bret, HBK, from a purist POV, but never for Trips.

 

I think you have to consider him one of the best ever, he's definitely top 5 imo especially as a heel

 

Rightly or wrongly, I imagine some people question whether he'd have had the opportunity of those high profile roles/stories or to create what he did with NXT if it weren't for his family ties. I'm not one of those people, as he showed each step of the way he delivered when receiving the opportunities, but likely what keeps him out of those conversations.

 

For sure one of the best heels ever

 

Steph marriage definitely hurts him big time. I don't know a single wrestling fan that doesn't bring that up when speaking about Trips legacy.

 

I have not kept up with Ospreay much the past couple of years, he has done a great job of evolving himself to have that important big star feel.

 

Forgive the comparison but he’s like WWE’s Barry Bonds where I think everyone understands unquestionably he’s one of the GOATS but he has this Stigma that will always prevent him from getting His due credit

 

Yeah that’s a pretty good comparison

 

Okada/Ospreay had some incredible sequences but they felt few and far between. Page/Danielson felt like there wasn't nearly as much spaced out down time so the latter definitely was better for me, but I also didn't have any emotional investment in Okada/Ospreay, that's an important factor.


Man, Ospreay has done a good job of playing it safe but maintaining his crazy athleticism. He was on such a self-destructive path that was entertaining but was so cringe-inducing to watch as it felt like he could break his neck at any moment, nice to see he's learned to tone it down.

Him and Okada were running full freaking speed at each other after bouncing off the opposite ropes and when they collided in mid-air Ospreay somehow hit a power bomb, that was so fucking cool haha.

 

I dunno, feels like DX is as cultural relevant as Ric Flair...in terms of having a catchphrase everyone uses, getting used in raps, etc. Austin/Hogan/Rock/Taker are at that next level of having like a half dozen things that everyone would instantly recognize.

Real question is, is there anyone like HHH who could conceivably be inducted into the HOF 3 times? DX, his singles run, and then as NXT head? Im trying to think of anyone with the longevity and variety that matches that.

Regal has his solo run + NXT GM. There's obviously a bunch of guys like a Matt Bloom who are more legendary as trainers/producers than in-ring performers. But cant think of anyone who has the faction/champion/authority combo.

 

Okada working in AEW is at the absolute top of my fantasy booking list in 2022. He is just so damn incredible.

 

Trips will be a 3x HoFer for DX, Evolution, and his solo run. Doubt they'd induct him as head of NXT, though. Not enough of an on-screen presence as an Authority-type figure for them to really do that, I don't think.

Also, definitely true about DX writ large/"Suck it" being a cultural thing, though I'm curious how many people actually know that the phrase originates with DX. And if they are aware, that Triple H himself was a member of DX.

 

It would kind of be a hilarious gag if they made Triple H like, a 7x HoFer though by inducting the entire Corporation, the Corporate Ministry, the Authority, Two-Man Power Trip.

 

I feel like the main event of each night lacked two things for me. One is the crowd response. It's just not the same in current New Japan with just a little clapping here and there. The second one may be more of a me problem, but I just wasn't heavily invested in these matches. I haven't been watching New Japan as closely the past year or so, and I still had a pretty good idea as to who was going to win these matches. The matches were still fine, but no where near the level of WK main events from previous years.

 

Lack of crowd noise is so crucial. It was pretty fascinating to hear the Japanese audience not able to contain themselves at the climax of at least the first night when Okada pinned Takagi, they roared pretty loud at that.

 

I agree the outcome is toning it down and being safer, but I'm not sure that was his motivation. I presume it has more to do with him changing his body (and style) to work the heavyweight division - plus working as a heel too. I'm sure he can still do everything he did before, but it makes a lot less sense as the wrestler and character he's evolved into.

 

There was a period of time where there was a lot of discussion of Ospreay burning out early like Dynamite Kid because of the reckless style a few years ago, Meltzer was very outspoken about it.

I remember him getting big praise for his work in the 2019 BOSJ for being safer so it was before his heavyweight heel run although it was perfect timing for him to make the transition to where he is now that would legitimize his style these days.

 

Alvarez just booked perfect Mania this year. Night 1 Brock/Roman to unify titles. Night 2 Winner faces BREKKER. or whatever his name is

 

Fair enough, I'll admit I don't watch quite enough NJPW to maintain a timeline for those character evolutions. Regardless, it's definitely better for his career, nobody wants to see a talent like his get wasted because of unnecessary injury, or of course see a fellow human get hurt like he could have.

 

We are all talking about HHH like he died.

They should change the name of Raw and Smackdown. Especially if they aren’t going to change anything else

 

It'll be interesting to see what his influence is within WWE going forward. Given the type of talent he seemed to like working with in NXT, it'd suggest this new direction goes against his interests. But it'll be interesting to see if he gets the opportunity to influence the NXT product.

 

That power bomb spot was awesome.