The NEW wrestling thread

[thanoson]

Not sure if I was implied in that Critics of the TNA thing. I loved TNA in the beginning. Used to get the PPVs every week. Had friends over and everything. I miss the SAT's, the Flying Elvis's, Shamrock and The Truth. XXX was the team for me. Jerry Lynn vs AJ vs LOW Ki ladder match was probably the best thing I ever saw next to AJ, Joe and "the Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels threeway. Hated the Dupps though. Could have gone without that. I appreciated everything the new fed could have done. Even when Russo 1st came over. Then the ECW rejects started showing up, then the WCW oldtimers then WWE recent releases. I liked it better before the big names came. It was raw, it was fresh and you didn't have to be a roided up oldtimer to get the belt. You just had to do your thing. This is what I want back. Not Hogan, or Father Time Kevin Nash, or the Nasty Boys who's prime was over 20 years ago.

[GhostMachine]

Mr. Hamrick, do any of your friends in the business work (or have worked at one time) for TNA?

Most fans I know thought the show was horrible, and I'm inclined to agree. I don't know about you, when I see a 3 hour wrestling show being advertised, I expect more actual wrestling than in a 2 hour show, not less. The cage match was so bad even the fans there were crapping all over it (how does a cage match end in a DQ?!) and they spent too much time introducing new talent. Kind of hard to believe Hogan when he talks about the younger guys finally being pushed and a bunch of has-beens (Nasty Boys), never weres (Orlando Jordan) and WWE castoffs (everyone else except Jeff Hardy) show up. Would have been much better off spending that time on more matches and bringing in Orlando Jordan, Sean Morley and all the others in gradually over the next few shows instead of all at once.

IMPACT looked too much like WCW at its pre-Russo worst, and I'm not just talking about because of Bischoff and the nWo being there.

I'm betting the reason Jeff Hardy is in TNA is either because he needs to make money for his legal defense, or TNA's drug testing is a LOT more lax than the WWE's.

[Midnite]

I'll do you one better.  Bret is not only back but

Spoiler

will be working with The Hart Dynasty.  TJ and Harry are prepping for RAW in Ohio right now.

Who are those two you mention? I've been out of the loop since WWE bought WCW.

[GhostMachine]

The people in the spoiler working with Bret is a no brainer, so there's no point in keeping them spoilered:

TJ = TJ Wilson, aka the Stampede Kid, aka Tyson Kidd. Harry = DH Smith, aka the British Bulldog's son. Along with Jim Neidhart's daughter Natalya (aka Nattie), they're a next generation stable called the Hart Dynasty (just glad they didn't name them the New Hart Foundation or Hart Foundation 2.0) and are currently heels, but if they're going to end up working with Bret, I guess they'll be turning face.

[thalaw2]

I hope Bret doesn't wrestle.  He looked like he was in worse shape than Ric Flair.  He was very slow..... Hulk Hogan moves faster.  For the sake of his health I hope he doesn't intend to wrestle again. 

However, the former wrestler I met here in China said he would like to die in the ring. 

[GhostMachine]

I hope Bret doesn't wrestle.  He looked like he was in worse shape than Ric Flair.  He was very slow..... Hulk Hogan moves faster.  For the sake of his health I hope he doesn't intend to wrestle again.  

However, the former wrestler I met here in China said he would like to die in the ring.  

Bret will likely never wrestle again. Multiple concussions and a stroke have seen to that. Its being speculated that if he ever does have a match it will be something low impact or will involve interference. I'm thinking the Hart Dynasty will turn face (at least for the feud) and help Bret, with them attacking McMahon and Bret locking in the Sharpshooter.

[Marmeille]

I think the most "wrestling" Bret would do is a streetfight of sort against Vince McMahon that probably would not last too long or take too much effort for 2 "old guys" that train regularly at the gym and with WWE being PG and all Bret wont even have to bleed, but no matter what they do I fully expect Bret to put Vince in a sharpshooter at some point, that's like inevitable in my opinion.

I'm totally about to order a Bret Hart t-shirt from wweshop.com btw it looks so awesome.

As for the Hart Dynasty, with their current tagline/slogan "Better Than The Best... Period!" I would not be surprised if they side with Vince in all this.

Regarding TNA, the special 3 hours live Impact! was kinda disapointing, too much backstage nonsense that didn't belong on this special night, too many random ex-superstars showing up, way too many and way too looong commercial breaks and TNA seriously need to hire new cameramen and switcher/editor if they want to go live again because the camera work really sucked half the time. I'm glad we got an awesome main event between Styles and Angle, but the problem with giving a PPV quality match like that on Impact! is that you just cant follow that up the following week, it was a special occasion though so I'm happy we got to see it.

[thalaw2]

I know it's bad....but CM Punk is awesome as a heel!  I didn't like him before.  He's so good at what he does now!

[thanoson]

That is an old gimmick that he has perfected over the years.

[Mr. Hamrick]

Mr. Hamrick, do any of your friends in the business work (or have worked at one time) for TNA?

Yes, some people I am well acquainted with do work for TNA.  I say acquaintances because they are people I have met but don't really talk with.  That would be Christopher Daniels and AJ Styles.  AJ Styles and I went to rival high schools and know each other because of mutual friends.  I don't talk to AJ much anymore, though.  I met Christopher through AJ along with several other guys who passed through NWA Wildside (which is now NWA Anarchy).  I know Consequences Creed but we are not that friendly with one another.  This stems from a certain worker talking smack about me at DragonCon because he didn't believe that I work in the film and video business and Creed believing him.  I am also acquainted with Traci Brooks and Christy Hemme because of former TNA Knockout Gail Kim.  I met Gail at DragonCon and she introduced me to them the following year when she returned.  I am acquainted with a few other TNA people as well (there were three guys I know who were working security for them as part of a "tryout thing" a few months back and they might still be) Also acquainted with a few of the current and former Knockouts.  (Speaking of Knockouts, I wonder what Alissa Flash and Awesome Kong's status are going to be now that Hogan and Bischoff are running the show.) Oh and Mickie Knuckles worked for TNA briefly under the name Moose.  She is a good friend who probably could use a few prayers her way as her leg still hasn't healed up 100% from when she injured it.

However, GhostMachine, the friends in question that I was referring to do not and have never worked for TNA.  As for who I was implying on the "critics of TNA" thing, I was not referring to anyone in particular but to internet fans as a whole.  The point that was made to me about (and I agreed with it) is that that three hour broadcast, for all the good, bad and ugly that it had, made it seem like that the Monday Night Wars could be back and the bar could raised for both organizations.  One guy mentioned that what the two put out there that night had him switching back and forth which he didn't expect.

What I will say about the whole thing is that as bad as elements of that broadcast was (Orlando Jones, various people being laid out, and a few others) that RAW was WORSE!  And I am saying that about a RAW broadcast in which one of my all time favorite wrestlers was hosting it.  I was left not caring about the Shawn and Bret showdown nor about the Vince and Bret showdown.  I love that Bret is going to work a program that might help TJ, Nattie and Harry get over but he sucked as a guest host.

I know it's bad....but CM Punk is awesome as a heel!  I didn't like him before.  He's so good at what he does now!

CM Punk has always been a better heel than face.  And he prefers being a heel from what I understand.  A lot of his heel attitude is not too far off from how he really is from what I understand also.

[GhostMachine]

Alissa Flash and Awesome Kong have both quit TNA. Alissa Flash is gone, but Kong's status is up in the air. She's asked to be released but hasn't yet, but is clearly fed up with TNA. The incident with Bubba the Love Sponge was more or less the last straw, and she decided to leave after that.

Hopefully Mickie Knuckles will be back in TNA when her leg does heal. I didn't see the match where she got injured, but I read about it after it happened and from that and some comments I've read online from people who witnessed it, it seemed almost Sid Vicious off the top rope bad.

Also feel sorry for Roxxi. Here TNA brings her back, and she's not even been back long before she ended up with a broken ankle. Yikes!

I honestly think TNA is going to go down the toilet with Hogan and Bischoff running it. Its already seeming like WCW 2010....and I don't mean the good WCW. They've already lost two of their best knockouts and have Orlando Jordan (who sucks bigtime) and the Nasty Boys (who last wrestled as a tag team 13 years ago!) winning matches. Plus Bubba the Love Sponge is a piece of no-talent slime who adds nothing good to the show and apparently has a lot of heat with people backstage already, and the "Orlando Screwjob" was plain dumb. Don't even get me started on how much I hate the fact they turned AJ Styles heel.....

And they couldn't come up with a better name for Hall, Nash and Waltman than "The Band"?! I wonder if they bothered to call up Levon Helm or Robbie Robertson for permission?

[Mr. Hamrick]

Alissa Flash and Awesome Kong have both quit TNA. Alissa Flash is gone, but Kong's status is up in the air. She's asked to be released but hasn't yet, but is clearly fed up with TNA. The incident with Bubba the Love Sponge was more or less the last straw, and she decided to leave after that.

Hopefully Mickie Knuckles will be back in TNA when her leg does heal. I didn't see the match where she got injured, but I read about it after it happened and from that and some comments I've read online from people who witnessed it, it seemed almost Sid Vicious off the top rope bad.

Also feel sorry for Roxxi. Here TNA brings her back, and she's not even been back long before she ended up with a broken ankle. Yikes!

I honestly think TNA is going to go down the toilet with Hogan and Bischoff running it. Its already seeming like WCW 2010....and I don't mean the good WCW. They've already lost two of their best knockouts and have Orlando Jordan (who sucks bigtime) and the Nasty Boys (who last wrestled as a tag team 13 years ago!) winning matches. Plus Bubba the Love Sponge is a piece of no-talent slime who adds nothing good to the show and apparently has a lot of heat with people backstage already, and the "Orlando Screwjob" was plain dumb. Don't even get me started on how much I hate the fact they turned AJ Styles heel.....

And they couldn't come up with a better name for Hall, Nash and Waltman than "The Band"?! I wonder if they bothered to call up Levon Helm or Robbie Robertson for permission?

Honestly, Melissa (Alissa Flash) was getting the short end of the deal long before Bischoff and Hogan got in there.  I doubt Roxxi will be back from her injury either.  And Kong should split as well.  Personally, the biggest issue that I have with Bischoff and Hogan taking over TNA is that I figured they'd kill the Knockout Division.  So far, I am being proven right.  For whatever reason, Bischoff and Hogan are killing the division that has brought TNA some of its best ratings.  Those ratings were not brought because of the "Knockouts" being eye candy but because they were actually wrestling.

As for Mickie's injury, don't get me started.  The whole story is not out there just the initial footage of the match where her leg broke.  A lot as gone down since then.  I am not going into all of it out of respect for her privacy.

And Ghost Machine, I am not optimistic about TNA's future with Bischoff and Hogan running it.  Though, I think our opinion on what was "good WCW" might vary.  I do think in the end that The Nasty Boys will be used to put over Beer Money and Team 3D.  I don't mind them building up either of those matches either.  Remember this, in order to build up "stars" that can cross over into the mainstream or to the casual wrestling fan, they need to get over against guys who are recognized by at least the casual wrestling fan if not recognized to some extent in the mainstream.  I understand what Hogan is trying to do, I just don't know if he really knows the best way to accomplish what he is trying to do.

As for the "Orlando screwjob", I thought it was a great jab at the whole Bret and Vince thing but might have been too soon.

AJ as a heel?  I have probably seen more of AJ's career than most.  I think he will benefit from learning from Flair as a heel and will likely turn out to be quite a good one due to Flair's tutelage of him. 

[GhostMachine]

Regarding Alissa Flash and Awesome Kong, I'm betting Kong ends up going back to Japan. I think she'd be awesome (pardon the pun) in the WWE if they brought her in and used her as an unstoppable monster (I think they could bring her in as part of the current stupid Mickie James `fatty' angle, as a mystery tag partner for Mickie. Kong vs. Beth Phoenix, anyone?), but eventually they'd mess that up and turn her into a freak or something. Alissa Flash I'm not so sure about, though. I honestly think the WWE would waste her talent, and the thought of her being pinned by Michelle McCool or Kelly Kelly makes me ill. (Is Shimmer still around?)

Honestly, I've just about given up on TNA ever being a viable threat to the WWE or anything more than a WCW wannabe, because if they haven't wisened up now, I don't think they're ever going to - at least not as long as Jerry Jarrett and Dixie Carter have anything to do with it. TNA does generally have better wrestling, but they make up with that with stupid angles, match stipulations that sometimes don't make sense and even get ignored, and people who suck being pushed. The fact they let Jim Cornette go instead of pushing Vince Russo out the door should tell you something right there!

The one thing with Hogan and Bischoff I don't buy is the younger and homegrown talent being pushed. They may be for a while, but eventually its going to end up being WCW all over again, where Bischoff and Hogan's friends get pushed over the talent that actually deserves it.

The Knockouts division being killed is something I expected as soon as I heard Bischoff would be involved, because its clear from the lack of it much in WCW and things he said in the WWE that he doesn't care about women's wrestling. Huge mistake, due to the fact the Knockouts segments generally get the highest ratings. And I'd rather watch women who can actually wrestle over eye candy. TNA usually has the good sense to keep the women who can't wrestle out of the ring, unlike the WWE, which does put women who have no business being in the ring in matches every once in a while. I'd much rather watch Hamada headbutt the snot out of people than watch some bimbo pull someone's hair and throw fake punches.

As for the wrestlers that have been brought in:

1. Ken Anderson. Decent wrestler, but he needs to prove he's not injury prone before they give him any sort of decent push.

2. Orlando Jordan. Him beating D'Angelo Dinero is so wrong. He should be a jobber, because he's not that great in the ring OR on the mic and is mainly known for three things: 1. Being one of JBL's flunkies. 2. Being Chris Benoit's personal jobber. 3. Having a hairstyle that made him look like Buckwheat from the Little Rascals at one time.

3. Sean Morley. A waste of talent. Its a crime that the WWE eventually turned him into enhancement talent, and frankly I think the Val Venis gimmick - which he is sadly still using, just without the name - is what held him back from being pushed. Really wish he hadn't gone back to it after he was fired as Bischoff's Chief of Staff.

3. The Nasty Boys. They hadn't had a match on tv as a team in 13 years until they showed up in TNA. So why should anyone but older fans who actually remember them as a team care about them? The Nasty Boys vs. Team 3D would have been a dream feud about 15 years ago, and I have to admit Saggs looks like he's in the best shape I've ever seen him in, but Knobbs looks like a heart attack waiting to happen.

4-5. Scott Hall and Shawn Waltman. I give it three months - at most - before something happens with Hall and he's out of TNA again. Waltman I don't care about, and a Hall-Nash-Waltman stable is a bad idea, even if they had come up with a good name for them. Waltman might make a good addition to the X-division....if Hogan and Bischoff don't decide to kill that off, too....

Pardon me if I forgot anyone, and I'm waiting with dread for Ed Leslie (Brutus Beefcake/nWo Disciple) to eventually come in.

Oh, and as for AJ Styles, I don't like the fact he's gone heel again because TNA has too many top level heels at the moment and I don't think AJ has had any title runs in TNA where he either wasn't a heel when he won the belt or didn't turn while holding it. I was hoping this would be the title run he did completely as a face.

[GhostMachine]

It looks like the WWE is going to be ditching Survivor Series and replacing it with something else. Good news is, they may let fans vote on what type of gimmick replaces it. And one of the choices may be what I thought they should have replaced it with right after the WWE acquired WCW....

WAR GAMES!

[ubergreendragon]

Just read online that Chris Kanyon was found dead in his apartment at the age of 40 of suicide from an overdose of pills  I always liked him in WCW as Mortius he had some innovative moves for the time .

[lugaru]

As superhero fans I figured you dude would enjoy some flying people in colorful costumes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3NqmZ33ttY&feature=related

(very long and it gets repetitive but there is a OMG moment often enough to keep you watching).

[deano_ue]

i find it kinda sad, that your current champs are cena and swagger.  that just doesn't sound right

[Mr. Hamrick]

i find it kinda sad, that your current champs are cena and swagger.  that just doesn't sound right

I don't. 

With Swagger, you have a young guy who has ability and some degree of charisma.  His biggest issues are his gimmick (or character) which they still seem to be working on and his lack of proof that he has any sort of clue about ring psychology.  Despite that, he is exactly what the WWE needs: an investment in the future of the company.  The same thing that Cena was five years ago or so.  He won't have the title for long but he will have future (and better) title reigns. 

With Cena, you have a guy who CAN work, when he is allowed to, and does understand ring psychology.  He is also the "current face" of the company.  The same thing that Bret Hart, HHH, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, and Hulk Hogan have been for the company over the years.  Having Cena in the role of "champ" or "pursuing the title" is exactly where they NEED him at the moment.  And with the only legitimate guys in the main event picture on Raw are Batista, HHH, Orton, and... um, yeah.  You see my point.  (I don't consider Big Show in that group anymore and The Miz isn't there yet.) 

The WWE needs to develop guys like Sheamus, Ziggler, Swagger and McIntyre.  And to their credit, they are trying.

[GhostMachine]

Except for McIntyre, I agree with you. I see nothing from Drew McIntyre that gives me even an inkling of why Vince McMahon is so high on him.

The big problem I have is them trying to push wrestlers by putting titles on them with no real build up. Sheamus went from beating up wrestlers no one cared about to getting a title shot by winning a battle royal that a lot of people were hoping Kofi would win, then winning the title by fluke during a gimmick match. Even worse, he lost the title in a multi-man gimmick match and never had any really good title defenses (his defense vs Orton ended in a DQ due to Rhodes interfering). I like Sheamus, but that and the fact his bicycle kick (let them call it a pump kick if they want; its still just a frickin' bicycle kick) is sold like death I have a problem with.

Swagger had been on a big losing streak until a bit before Wrestlemania, and he's apparently changed his gimmick and is trying to be more serious instead of the cocky jerk since he won the title. I won't miss his stupid `ape dance' taunt, but if he's going to be all serious now, I'd rather he not won the title.

Besides, I have a feeling Swagger won't have a long title reign, anyway. But I don't think it'll be Jericho or Edge who takes it from him. (Any bets on Orton going to Smackdown during the draft, which is on the 26th?)

As for the draft, I'd like to see:

John Morrison to RAW. A Miz vs. Morrison feud for the U.S. title would be AWESOME!!

Hart Dynasty to RAW.

Undertaker to RAW (though there's no way that happens).

Christian to Smackdown. Putting him on RAW was a mistake in the first place, and how he's been used since proves it.

Jillian Hall to Smackdown.

Cody Rhodes to Smackdown. Its about time to split up Legacy for good, and it would be best if one of them switches brands.

I DON'T want to see:

Drew McIntyre or Michelle McCool to RAW. Bad enough they're being pushed on Smackdown.....

Gail Kim or Maryse to Smackdown.

Vickie Guerrero to RAW. That alone would be enough for me to quit watching RAW.

Edge to RAW, unless he's a face. I'm sick to death of Edge as a heel.

[Mr. Hamrick]

Except for McIntyre, I agree with you. I see nothing from Drew McIntyre that gives me even an inkling of why Vince McMahon is so high on him.

The big problem I have is them trying to push wrestlers by putting titles on them with no real build up. Sheamus went from beating up wrestlers no one cared about to getting a title shot by winning a battle royal that a lot of people were hoping Kofi would win, then winning the title by fluke during a gimmick match. Even worse, he lost the title in a multi-man gimmick match and never had any really good title defenses (his defense vs Orton ended in a DQ due to Rhodes interfering). I like Sheamus, but that and the fact his bicycle kick (let them call it a pump kick if they want; its still just a frickin' bicycle kick) is sold like death I have a problem with.

Swagger had been on a big losing streak until a bit before Wrestlemania, and he's apparently changed his gimmick and is trying to be more serious instead of the cocky jerk since he won the title. I won't miss his stupid `ape dance' taunt, but if he's going to be all serious now, I'd rather he not won the title.

Besides, I have a feeling Swagger won't have a long title reign, anyway. But I don't think it'll be Jericho or Edge who takes it from him. (Any bets on Orton going to Smackdown during the draft, which is on the 26th?)

As for the draft, I'd like to see:

John Morrison to RAW. A Miz vs. Morrison feud for the U.S. title would be AWESOME!!

Hart Dynasty to RAW.

Undertaker to RAW (though there's no way that happens).

Christian to Smackdown. Putting him on RAW was a mistake in the first place, and how he's been used since proves it.

Jillian Hall to Smackdown.

Cody Rhodes to Smackdown. Its about time to split up Legacy for good, and it would be best if one of them switches brands.

I DON'T want to see:

Drew McIntyre or Michelle McCool to RAW. Bad enough they're being pushed on Smackdown.....

Gail Kim or Maryse to Smackdown.

Vickie Guerrero to RAW. That alone would be enough for me to quit watching RAW.

Edge to RAW, unless he's a face. I'm sick to death of Edge as a heel.

I'm saying I see anything in McIntyre.  While he is not bad in the ring, and be honest there are worse, there is something lacking about him.  Personality, maybe?  I think it's one of those "European approach" vs. "US approach" to the idea of "characters" and "gimmicks" in pro-wrestling.   And the "gimmick" they have given him is just not suited to his persona.

As for Sheamus, he is a work in progress.  I think the reason he got the title was for the "shock value".  He will continue to get better and his next reign will likely result in better feuds for the title.

Swagger?  I think the whole reason they put the title on him amounts to two reasons.  1) Jericho is legit hurt.  He is not out with an injury but he is hurt.  However, there is the risk of injury and neither the WWE nor Jericho want him on the shelf.  Jack took the title on a contingency plan.  Edge will take the title from Swagger at Extreme Rules and there will be a set-up for the Money in the Bank PPV.   Having said that, Swagger will gain exposure from the short reign and be given a new direction potentially for his character.

The Draft could go a few ways. 

With The Untertaker taking time off (again), Khali taking time off, HBK gone, Jericho nearly on the injured list, and Kane pretty much a joke as a contender, I think you will absolutely some shake-ups with the "main event" and "upper mid-card" levels.  Basically, the WWE is trying to build a certain group of stars and this would help them do it.  Unless McIntyre loses the Intercontinental Title at Extreme Rules then he will stay on Smackdown.  Same with The Miz staying on Raw.  They will focus the draft around the guys they are pushing and the guys who are already at the top and it will say a lot about the direction of the next year worth of programming for the WWE.

The other route would be trading the guys that really are not doing much on their current shows in hopes they will find a way to push them on the other show.  See "Shad Gaspar", "The Hart Dynasty" and my favorite "Matt Hardy".  Basically, you have guys are really being used on their respective shows at the moment or who have just broken out of a team and are ready to be pushed.  Another thing about trading Shad is that you won't have to waste him in a feud with JTG.  I suspect that JTG might not be around the WWE for much longer anyways.

There is a good chance that The Hart Dynasty will be moved to RAW either way for one simple reason: Bret.  Couple that with a feud with The Big Slow and The Miz and it could get interesting. 

[thalaw2]

JTG is a pretty darn good wrestler...I would hate to see him go, but heck....Cryme Tyme was always getting the short end anyway.

[Mr. Hamrick]

JTG is a pretty darn good wrestler...I would hate to see him go, but heck....Cryme Tyme was always getting the short end anyway.

but given Shad's size, he will probably wind up being pushed more.  Sad to that but that's Vince's thing.  I dread the day they break up The Hart Dynasty

[GhostMachine]

The situation with Shad is a bit screwy, because I remember hearing about a year or so ago that he was in the doghouse (due to his ring work) and they were considering firing Cryme Tyme again because of it.

JTG is definitely the better wrestler, but sadly the WWE is all about looks and size, not talent.

[Mr. Hamrick]

The situation with Shad is a bit screwy, because I remember hearing about a year or so ago that he was in the doghouse (due to his ring work) and they were considering firing Cryme Tyme again because of it.

JTG is definitely the better wrestler, but sadly the WWE is all about looks and size, not talent.

The thing with JTG is that he's not a "small guy", he just looks it next to Shad.  JTG is 6'1" to Shad's 6'7".

The problem is that I don't think JTG will be pushed as a singles guy.  I hope I am wrong.  But given WWE creative, they probably don't know what to do with JTG as a singles and thus will release him.  If they can find a way to tweak his "gimmick" or a new direction for his character then he will definitely be around for a while longer.

However, look at "Jesse" aka "Slam Master J" aka Ray Gordy.  He is pretty much saddled with an awful gimmick and jobbed.  Same with Jimmy Yang.  And both of those guys can work. 

[GhostMachine]

You know what they could do? Have JTG, R-Truth and Slam Master J form a stable or loose alliance (ie, more or less a stable, just with no name), with it being a bit comedic, as JTG and R-Truth try to deal with Slam Master J's gimmick and try to change him without insulting or upsetting him.

I honestly haven't seen enough of Slam Master J to judge, as all I've seen are a couple of matches in Deep South Wrestling when it aired on tv and one on Smackdown (he jobbed, but I don't even remember who to!), since I don't watch Smackdown much. Never saw him wrestle at all when he was teaming with Luke Gallows as Jesse and Festus, except for a match when they appeared on RAW, and that was a 6 man tag where he didn't do much.

Jimmy Yang being used as a jobber is a crime. I was a huge fan when he was in WCW, both as a member of the Yung Dragons AND as a solo wrestler. He's got a lot of talent, but I guess they don't like pushing Asians much. I can't wait for Yoshi Tatsu, one of my favorite wrestlers, to end up being Funaki 2010....

Yung Dragons was a stable in WCW made up of Jimmy Yang, Jamie Noble under a mask pretending to be Asian, and Kaz Hayashi, managed by Leia Meow, who was known as Kimona Wanalaya in ECW. And what the WWE did to Jamie Noble was a crime, too. But his gimmick did more or less scream `jobber' or `comedy character', anyway.

[Mr. Hamrick]

Yang and "Slam Master J" aka Ray Gordy (the son of Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy) were both in NWA Wildside briefly.  I got to see Ray (and met him actually) and he was better in the ring than what is getting shown now.

Biggest thing that bothers me about it is that you have a guy who is a second generation star who could've fit well in the mix with Legacy but was overlooked.

[GhostMachine]

I wish they had had enough second generation stars to form a face stable to oppose Legacy. That would have been interesting.

According to F4WOnline, they may be giving Ted DiBiase Jr a new stable, but it may just be conjecture because of the "fortunate son" line he used on RAW. His brother Brett and Joe Hennig (Mr. Perfect's son) have been teaming in Florida as a tag team called "The Fortunate Sons", so its possible they may make those three into a new stable.

Batista may not be around much longer. His contract runs another year or so, and he's hinted in interviews that he doesn't want to stick around too long like some other wrestlers have done.

[Mr. Hamrick]

I wish they had had enough second generation stars to form a face stable to oppose Legacy. That would have been interesting.

According to F4WOnline, they may be giving Ted DiBiase Jr a new stable, but it may just be conjecture because of the "fortunate son" line he used on RAW. His brother Brett and Joe Hennig (Mr. Perfect's son) have been teaming in Florida as a tag team called "The Fortunate Sons", so its possible they may make those three into a new stable.

Batista may not be around much longer. His contract runs another year or so, and he's hinted in interviews that he doesn't want to stick around too long like some other wrestlers have done.

"Fortunate Sons"?  could be interesting.  It could be a tease for the team to debut and "Legacy" continue.  Who knows.  I am not really sure that Dibiase NEEDS another stable though right now.

And I hope Batista leaves.  I really can't stand him.

[Nyte Dragon]

CM Punk = Brutis Beefcake 2010 ?

[Mr. Hamrick]

CM Punk = Brutis Beefcake 2010 ?

No, not hardly.  Punk has talent and charisma on his side.   

The whole "Punk cutting hair thing" is suppose to play in with his current gimmick of being the leader of The Straight Edge Society, which is being portrayed as a cult like thing.  The idea being that the hair cutting is "like a cleansing or shedding of one's past transgressions".