Post by X the Anonymous Zeus or Odin on May 11, 2015 1:51:17 GMT -5
So I finally caught some Lucha Underground after discovering that they post matches on youtube. I'm going to have to start regularly watching this because that is some seriously good wrestling.
So I finally caught some Lucha Underground after discovering that they post matches on youtube. I'm going to have to start regularly watching this because that is some seriously good wrestling.
Lucha Underground is so good that even the announcers mark out.
So I finally caught some Lucha Underground after discovering that they post matches on youtube. I'm going to have to start regularly watching this because that is some seriously good wrestling.
Lucha Underground is so good that even the announcers mark out.
Post by X the Anonymous Zeus or Odin on May 12, 2015 5:02:02 GMT -5
After watching a few of the recent shows in full and realizing that there are only currently 26 Lucha Underground broadcasts I have decided to get my hands on all of them and watch from the beginning. That seems pretty manageable right now.
After watching a few of the recent shows in full and realizing that there are only currently 26 Lucha Underground broadcasts I have decided to get my hands on all of them and watch from the beginning. That seems pretty manageable right now.
I am now totally addicted to it now.
At the risk of sounding like a Buzzfeed article, "This." I like that it's kind of set up like a regular TV series as well with a season finale (which hopefully does not end up becoming a series finale). I think it makes the entire thing a lot more new user friendly than even something like NXT which has a relatively small number of episodes as well (provided you don't count its existence as FCW) since NXT still requires some knowledge of WWE lore.
After watching a few of the recent shows in full and realizing that there are only currently 26 Lucha Underground broadcasts I have decided to get my hands on all of them and watch from the beginning. That seems pretty manageable right now.
I am now totally addicted to it now.
At the risk of sounding like a Buzzfeed article, "This." I like that it's kind of set up like a regular TV series as well with a season finale (which hopefully does not end up becoming a series finale). I think it makes the entire thing a lot more new user friendly than even something like NXT which has a relatively small number of episodes as well (provided you don't count its existence as FCW) since NXT still requires some knowledge of WWE lore.
Wait, they're actually planning on doing this as seasons? How many are they planning in a season?
And yes, please have a season 2... and 3... and 4... and well you get the picture.
At the risk of sounding like a Buzzfeed article, "This." I like that it's kind of set up like a regular TV series as well with a season finale (which hopefully does not end up becoming a series finale). I think it makes the entire thing a lot more new user friendly than even something like NXT which has a relatively small number of episodes as well (provided you don't count its existence as FCW) since NXT still requires some knowledge of WWE lore.
Wait, they're actually planning on doing this as seasons? How many are they planning in a season?
And yes, please have a season 2... and 3... and 4... and well you get the picture.
The last I heard was season one is already done filming. The season finale will air in August (on the 5th if I remember correctly) and will apparently wrap up the bulk of the major storylines. There will be a "short break" before they come back for season 2, but I don't know how long the "short break" will be, of if they've even come to an agreement with El Rey. That being said, since it's the highest rated show on the channel I can only assume Lucha Underground will be back.
Wait, they're actually planning on doing this as seasons? How many are they planning in a season?
And yes, please have a season 2... and 3... and 4... and well you get the picture.
The last I heard was season one is already done filming. The season finale will air in August (on the 5th if I remember correctly) and will apparently wrap up the bulk of the major storylines. There will be a "short break" before they come back for season 2, but I don't know how long the "short break" will be, of if they've even come to an agreement with El Rey. That being said, since it's the highest rated show on the channel I can only assume Lucha Underground will be back.
Interesting. I find this a fascinating way to do a wrestling show. Having actual definitive ends to stories and not having to keep up the same ol' same ol' all the time. This also gives me curiosity as to how they would deal with casting between seasons. Which wrestlers will return and what new ones will come?
About the only way I can describe how I feel is this...
The last I heard was season one is already done filming. The season finale will air in August (on the 5th if I remember correctly) and will apparently wrap up the bulk of the major storylines. There will be a "short break" before they come back for season 2, but I don't know how long the "short break" will be, of if they've even come to an agreement with El Rey. That being said, since it's the highest rated show on the channel I can only assume Lucha Underground will be back.
Interesting. I find this a fascinating way to do a wrestling show. Having actual definitive ends to stories and not having to keep up the same ol' same ol' all the time. This also gives me curiosity as to how they would deal with casting between seasons. Which wrestlers will return and what new ones will come?
About the only way I can describe how I feel is this...
I think in a lot of ways it's a very smart way to run a wrestling promotion. Having an off season gives wrestlers a chance to rest and recover that currently doesn't exist in the WWE and leads to stuff like CM Punk bailing because he was tired of wrestling hurt or Daniel Bryan coming back too early only to get injured again. It's also a built in buffer against burn out, since people are less likely to get tired of a wrestler when they can only see them for X number of weeks a year. I'm honestly kind of curious why other promotions haven't done something similar as the only other promotion I recall having something similar was G.L.O.W. (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) in the 1980s, and that could very well be a false memory on my part.
Interesting. I find this a fascinating way to do a wrestling show. Having actual definitive ends to stories and not having to keep up the same ol' same ol' all the time. This also gives me curiosity as to how they would deal with casting between seasons. Which wrestlers will return and what new ones will come?
About the only way I can describe how I feel is this...
I think in a lot of ways it's a very smart way to run a wrestling promotion. Having an off season gives wrestlers a chance to rest and recover that currently doesn't exist in the WWE and leads to stuff like CM Punk bailing because he was tired of wrestling hurt or Daniel Bryan coming back too early only to get injured again. It's also a built in buffer against burn out, since people are less likely to get tired of a wrestler when they can only see them for X number of weeks a year. I'm honestly kind of curious why other promotions haven't done something similar as the only other promotion I recall having something similar was G.L.O.W. (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) in the 1980s, and that could very well be a false memory on my part.
I'm curious as to how far in advance it's written and how well they can adapt to changes. For instance, going back to the beginning Son of Havoc is more of a heel right now but then turned face later. Now granted, I have no idea how it happened (I'm looking forward to finding out) but if it was just a natural change in the fans then how well were they able to change the writing to fit that? On the other hand, if it was planned out then everything seems to be going swell.
I think in a lot of ways it's a very smart way to run a wrestling promotion. Having an off season gives wrestlers a chance to rest and recover that currently doesn't exist in the WWE and leads to stuff like CM Punk bailing because he was tired of wrestling hurt or Daniel Bryan coming back too early only to get injured again. It's also a built in buffer against burn out, since people are less likely to get tired of a wrestler when they can only see them for X number of weeks a year. I'm honestly kind of curious why other promotions haven't done something similar as the only other promotion I recall having something similar was G.L.O.W. (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) in the 1980s, and that could very well be a false memory on my part.
I'm curious as to how far in advance it's written and how well they can adapt to changes. For instance, going back to the beginning Son of Havoc is more of a heel right now but then turned face later. Now granted, I have no idea how it happened (I'm looking forward to finding out) but if it was just a natural change in the fans then how well were they able to change the writing to fit that? On the other hand, if it was planned out then everything seems to be going swell.
I know that like NXT they film episodes in blocks and pretty well in advance (the final episode is already in the can and you can find the results if you so desire...or accidentally decide to read about Lucha Underground on Wikipedia) so it's probably a little harder to make minor adjustments based on audience (both in studio and TV viewers) response, but I think it's a lot easier to plot out longer storylines since your filming a months worth of episodes in one go you can streamline the plot development while filming and then let it play out on TV over the course of the month and if someone gets a minor injury? Well, they'll have a month real time to recover before the next taping, so there's less of a risk of guys having to be pulled out of storylines due to injuries.
That was indeed pretty fantastic, but I'm worried that sooner, rather than later, the NXT Women's Division is going to be lacking in awesomeness. I'm guessing that Banks, Lynch, and Flair will go back and forth between the two for the remainder of the summer (a la Kevin Owens), but after that, they're all probably gone which is going to leave a huge void. Sure there's Bayley, who is maybe injured still or maybe not (I heard she was working house shows again over the weekend) and I guess maybe Emma is still there, but other than that?
There are Carmella and Alexa Bliss, both of whom are adequate wrestlers, but neither of them come anywhere close to the awesomeness of the three who are leaving, and moreover both of them are more tied up in the men's tag team division than the women's division as of late. There are a bunch of new signees, some of whom have some "indie cred" but have thus just appeared as jobbers enhancement talent. And then there are the women that they are currently trying to build up as the next big things: Dana Brooke and Eva Marie.
Dana Brooke is still very, very raw, but given time maybe could be decent enough. I think if she just started aping Lex Luger matches from the early 90s she could be an alright narcissistic heel. She's not terrible on the mic and she's got the right physique for it and could probably toss most of the lady wrestlers in the torture rack (which to this day is my favorite wrestling submission hold) so she really just needs to watch some pre-Lex Express Lex Luger and do that: forearm, forearm, clothesline, gorilla press slam, forearm, torture rack.
Eva Marie on the other hand has been with the company for three or four years and still cannot cut a promo, do a clothesline, sell getting punched, or pretty much anything a wrestler needs to be able to do. I know she's working with The Brian Kendrick now and I want to give her the benefit of the doubt, but three years is a long time to do a job and not improve in any aspect of it.
So, uhm, How about Battleground? I counted 2 good matches.
Haven't seen it yet due to time zone differences and being at work. Which matches should I skip/watch?
Pretty much the only matches I was pumped up for were Owens vs. Cena and Lesnar vs. Rollins...and I'm like 900% certain that shenanigans will happen during Lesnar vs. Rollins. But I hope that they get to work at least a decent length match before The Shield reunites or J&J security drop a ruined car on Lesnar or a time traveling Kurt Angle appears and turns the match into a triple threat match and hits Lesnar and Rollins with the Angle Slam or whatever ludicrous overbooking they do with that match.
Haven't seen it yet due to time zone differences and being at work. Which matches should I skip/watch?
Pretty much the only matches I was pumped up for were Owens vs. Cena and Lesnar vs. Rollins...and I'm like 900% certain that shenanigans will happen during Lesnar vs. Rollins. But I hope that they get to work at least a decent length match before The Shield reunites or J&J security drop a ruined car on Lesnar or a time traveling Kurt Angle appears and turns the match into a triple threat match and hits Lesnar and Rollins with the Angle Slam or whatever ludicrous overbooking they do with that match.
The Women's match and Owens/Cena 3 Third Strike Fight For The Future are essential. The rest . . .depends on your goodwill for certain things.
I ended up watching the bulk of it this evening. I fast forwarded through 90% of Sheamus and Randy Orton (because boring) and a bunch of the Reigns vs. Wyatt (because I have no idea why that was happening) which I think just left the tag match which was a pretty serviceable tag team bout and probably would have been a better way to start the show than 20 someodd minutes of guys trying to hit their finishing moves outta nowhere, ladies (which was awesome except when Brie Bella was involved), Cena vs. Owens (rad, but a perplexing ending) and Seth Rollins gets suplexed a gajillion times and then an old man appears and does some wizard shit.
I ended up watching the bulk of it this evening. I fast forwarded through 90% of Sheamus and Randy Orton (because boring) and a bunch of the Reigns vs. Wyatt (because I have no idea why that was happening) which I think just left the tag match which was a pretty serviceable tag team bout and probably would have been a better way to start the show than 20 someodd minutes of guys trying to hit their finishing moves outta nowhere, ladies (which was awesome except when Brie Bella was involved), Cena vs. Owens (rad, but a perplexing ending) and Seth Rollins gets suplexed a gajillion times and then an old man appears and does some wizard shit.
That is the most perfect synopsis of the main event there could be.
Yeah, there were bits that I quite liked, but I had the inescapable feeling that "Yeah, we're not even going to try and pretend, everything's not in a holding pattern until SummerSlam."
Also, we should never have to see Orton and Sheamus wrestle again. Ever. There is nothing more to say there.
Neither Sheamus nor Orton are, in my opinion, terrible, but I don't think either of them are particularly interesting. They can have decent matches when they are with other wrestlers, but put them together and they are just so boring.
Oh and the one last thing that I thought was decent was the fact that maybe the Wyatt Family is a thing again. I have no idea why they disintegrated to begin with since it was clear that there really weren't plans for any of them once they stopped being a unit.
How did such a "meh..." Pay Per View beget such an awesome Raw? Two lady wrestler matches! A semi-reasonable explanation for why Undertaker waited a year and a half to get revenge on Brooooooooooock Lesnar! A backstage brawl! Zack Ryder looking scared! Randy Borton not being boring! An RKO that actually looked cool!
Hulk Hogan has been entirely scrubbed from WWE.com, and the rumors are that it's because of an audio file where he says racist stuff about his daughter dating a black man.
Hulk Hogan has been entirely scrubbed from WWE.com, and the rumors are that it's because of an audio file where he says racist stuff about his daughter dating a black man.
It was some full-on ugly-ass racism. Mind you, given the things WWE has countenanced coming out of the mouths of people in their employ and the sort they've gleefully associated (who gave Donald Trump a WrestleMania payday?), it's a little bit hypocritical, but on the other hand, you sow the wind, you reap the whirlwind.
In more exciting news, How about Lucha Undergound this week? I'm fascinated with the Gift of the Gods Title (seen in the pics at the link) because one, it's a gorgeous looking belt and has that cool "Aztec Medallions dock into the belt" gimmick (thus paying off that angle) but also because it's a very pointed shot at WWE's money in the back briefcase, but not in a shitty TNA "WWE sux even if we're worse lol" but more "yeah, we thought about this and tried to address the flaws in the design:"
1) It guarantees the winner a shot at the Lucha Underground Championship at any time, but they need a week's notice to cash it in. This is good, because I don't know how you do sudden onset cash-ins in WWE anymore--Rollin's Grand Theft Lesnar at WrestleMania this year is hard to top. Also, it's transferable, which means you're not stuck with someone who has a MITB briefcase who doesn't need it and there's nothing interesting to do with it and they eat loss after loss until you forget that they're supposed to be important.
2) It has a time limit. Wait too long and it gets taken away. None of this hanging on to it until Day 364.
3) After it's been cashed in, the medallions come off the belt, 7 more competitors are chosen and the whole process starts again, guaranteeing you won't just see the same two guys wrestle in non-title matches over and over again until PPV time, wherein it's a title match suddenly. This keeps a large pool engaged in a quest for the belt and you can replenish it after every cash-in.
So you have a way to guarantee a move up the card and a way to draw people to the midcard in large numbers, and everything builds upward. How clever! Now I hope Lucha Underground gets a second season so they can play this concept out more.
Liked for the Lucha Underground belt being awesome (God I hope they get a second season), rather than the Hulkster being a casual racist...that just bums me out. I'm so bummed that I can't even find the strength to link to that one Booker T promo and make a jape, like "Maybe after Booker T yelled this at him he thought it was okay for him to say it too..." Oh who am I kidding! TAKE IT AWAY BOOK!
So Mick Foley made a post on his Facebook page about Chigusa Nagayo and women's wrestling in Japan and linked this match.
What I'm getting at is I'm probably going to have to watch some more old Japanese women's wrestling because those two know how to fucking work.
If you're just looking for Japanese ladies wrestling from the 80s or 90s check out Megumi Kudo. She was awesome, and also probably a little bit insane. She'd have regular technical matches with ladies and then be in insane barb wire matches and stuff, so there's a lot of variety to what she did.
If you want a more contemporary lady grappler to check out, youtube Kana. She is probably my favorite lady wrestler at present.
OH MY GOD! I screamed like a five year old girl child. I'm sure this has been pretty commonplace knowledge for people due to internet spoilers, but I do my damnedest to stay away from such things for NXT and Lucha Underground.
Anyway Jushin Thunder Liger in NXT? Holy Christ on a Crutch. Also this was probably the first and only, "OMG THAT GUY WHO WRESTLED WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL!!!" freakout that Mrs. Viking could get in on. Usually it's like "Why are you yelling about this big smiling guy?" "Umm...because it's Rhyno!" "Why are you yelling about this weird guy with long hair?" "Because it's the Brian Kendrick...duh..." but Jushin Thunder Liger is apparently a bigger deal in Asia than Rhyno or Brian Kendrick so she actually knew who he was...and here in lies her dilemma: "Aw...but I like Tyler [Breeze] and I liked Jushin [Thunder] Liger when I was younger...can't they team up instead?"
