NXT 2017 Thread *SPOILERS*

gerrybbadd

I'm joking with the pic Rovert!

You're often on the cutting edge regarding breaking news, and NXT, and it is much appreciated (by me at least!)

Stereomaniac

Very informative read always in this thread and it just shows me how far things have come, that we have access to these people via the internet where that was unheard of before.

MitchKoobski

rovert wrote: »

I've dropped all news worth posting on here.

So is Boards.ie becoming a dirtsheet? :pac:

*hides*

Omackeral

rovert wrote: »

Not to toot my own horn or anything.

Some breaking news...

billion dollar baby

rovert wrote: »

IN FAIRNESS

I've dropped all news worth posting on here

You do always seem to have the news so we defo owe you a big thumbs up for keeping us updated.
I have a question for you. You mentioned either here, or possibly on Twitter, that Sara Del Ray is not liked by the trainees. Do you have any more info because I have to say I'm surprised. I always thought that she was very much respected due to her years on the independents and also with Paige, Becky and Bayley previously working with her on Shimmer?

Bounty Hunter

*decides to post all Roverts musings from boards on twitter and claim to be in the know*


... now where is that Twitter account I used once for draft purposes and then again randomly to talk to Billy Gunns ex and Luther Ward before abandoning it completely

A Primal Nut

rovert wrote: »

IN FAIRNESS

I've dropped all news worth posting on here.

For months I had been forecasting Bill Demott's days were drawing to a close.

For months I've been saying NXT is becoming a touring brand only in the last week others elsewhere have copped on to that properly.

The whole "is NXT even a developmental" talking point that people elsewhere have been taking about the last 6 days was posted here first before it gained ground online. It only gained ground as I talked to some influencial people in terms of sources of Dave Meltzer and Mike Johnson.

I genuinely broke the news that Briscoes and Samoa Joe were NXT bound on this forum.

Not to toot my own horn or anything.

Haha I agree, was just having fun.

Sirsok

rovert wrote: »

IN FAIRNESS

I've dropped all news worth posting on here.

For months I had been forecasting Bill Demott's days were drawing to a close.

For months I've been saying NXT is becoming a touring brand only in the last week others elsewhere have copped on to that properly.

The whole "is NXT even a developmental" talking point that people elsewhere have been taking about the last 6 days was posted here first before it gained ground online. It only gained ground as I talked to some influencial people in terms of sources of Dave Meltzer and Mike Johnson.

I genuinely broke the news that Briscoes and Samoa Joe were NXT bound on this forum.

Not to toot my own horn or anything.

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057358552/25/#post94543278

Gave you props last week, I genuinely come to this thread before other sites due to your involvement! Which also helps me interact on boards more generally, so thanks for that, may follow you on twitter if your willing to post your twitter name?

grames_bond

Rovert also had his own sign in front row of NXT!

Stereomaniac

rovert knew about this sign 2 weeks ago!

gerrybbadd

Rov after all the complements:

rovert

CastorTroy wrote: »

Has Joe been confirmed for NXT then?

Tryout stuff is never really ever confirmed. WWE.com doesn't a story in advance or anything. But the likes of PWInsider and Wrestling Observer have reported Joe is coming in for a tryout late April. With those sites sometimes you don't know if they don't know things or if they are protecting sources or doing a Samoa Joe a solid by not entirely spilling the beans.

April 23rd is the date of the next NXT taping by the way. NXT tends to run tryouts the same week as TV tapings.

Personally don't know if Joe is going to a coach, wrestler, player coach, someone viewed as someone who will be on the WWE roster eventually just there's a contract awaiting him if he even vaguely impresses. But if NXT is going to become a touring brand he's some who is a draw that you can put on the posters so to speak and he can have dream matches with the likes of Kevin Owens and Finn Balor.

billion dollar baby wrote: »

You do always seem to have the news so we defo owe you a big thumbs up for keeping us updated.
I have a question for you. You mentioned either here, or possibly on Twitter, that Sara Del Ray is not liked by the trainees. Do you have any more info because I have to say I'm surprised. I always thought that she was very much respected due to her years on the independents and also with Paige, Becky and Bayley previously working with her on Shimmer?

She was an excellent wrestler. Really enjoy her last year on the indies her matches for CHIKARA's 12 Large Summit title tournament especially. Because she's a great worker any criticism of her is protected speech. Also Wrestling fans tend to equate being a great wrestler to being a great person too. On the other hand Billy Gunn can't catch a break online no matter how effusively NXT trainees praise him publicly due him not being a great worker in the ring and him doing shoot interviews years ago under the influence of drugs were he acted like a prick.

Anyways mechanically and knowledge wise she has a lot to offer but there's a lot of things I can't say publicly for a host of reasons. I may not reply to follow up questions as what I am going to post is pretty much all can say on the matter. Sara a very sour person with poor interpersonal skills who is also extremely political too. For reasons I can't get a read on she keeps **** talking indie talent both male and female including internet favourites, people thought she liked and/or worked with her in the past an extensive basis when names at batted around on who to hire next. If someone has reported or said Sara got someone signed link me!

Sara's teaching plays a valuable role and she deserves credit but not to the exclusive/near exclusive degree that people online "baselessly" give her. Seems like everything positive the women do is attributed to her which is a shame as the women themselves and other coaches work really hard. I know WWE PR has set it up to be that way but Norman Smiley and Robbie Brookside play a big role in particular in training the women but they are never credited. Likewise with laying out matches Sara doesn't do that she has never been an agent/producer of a women's NXT Network special match that I am aware of. More senior coaches or wrestlers get assigned to do that like a Terry Taylor. The Women work with all the trainers in the Performance Center not just Sara. Some barely ever train with Sara due to issues with her. A lot of the women especially those from indie backgrounds just learn off each other and give Del Rey a wide birth. If a new model-y type woman joins NXT and is liked early on they are told by the other women to stay away from Sara and join them. As I said from the outset as a fan of her work so I was as disappointed as anyone to hear all this stuff but I've really asked around about it.

DM_7

Enjoy reading roverts updates on boards as twitter doesn't allow enough space to expand on points like he can here.

I would like to see the Briscoes as individuals in WWE but just sure there would be much point in going there as as a team beyond the short term. Tag team wrestling is not important there and if Jay was just stupid, genuinely trying to act in character rather than an actual idiot with the whole twittter mess he could do really well. I have no idea how Mark could go but he is genuinely interesting in his own right so i don't think a limit is that clear on him.

rovert

Something myself and others here have hit on before. From the Observer Triple H working the smarks:

rovert

Some money mark is running the Arena:

PWInsider.com has confirmed with multiple sources that NXT has a hold with the 2300 (formerly ECW) Arena in Philadelphia, PA for two dates, Friday 5/15 and Saturday 5/16.

It would only be the second time WWE has run the legendary independent wrestling venue as the inaugural house show from WWE's 2006 revival of ECW was held there, headlined by Rob Van Dam vs. Kurt Angle with Dean Malenko as the guest referee and Tommy Dreamer vs. The Big Show on top.

The timing of the NXT shows would make the Arena the capital for professional wrestling that week as New Japan Pro Wrestling and Ring of Honor are running the venue on Tuesday 5/12 and Wednesday 5/13. The Wednesday event is already sold out and the Tuesday event is well on it's way.

Triple H announced during a media conference call prior to the WWE NXT Takeover Rival special on the WWE Network that he intended to take NXT and make it a regular touring brand following it's incredible success with live events in Ohio that sold out almost immediately with no promotion beyond social media.

rovert

Another date and for Wrestlemania week:

rovert

JTG throwing Cena under the bus
https://twitter.com/Jtg1284/status/575895509329559552

DM_7

Was his finisher too close to an AA/FU

rovert

DM_7 wrote: »

Was his finisher too close to an AA/FU

Alex Riley accidentally eliminated himself in the 2011 Royal Rumble:

Riley’s Varsity Blues (2011)
Man, Alex Riley sure has faded from the scene, hasn’t he? Two years ago, he was the sidekick to The Miz, then-WWE Champion, and then he found himself on the fast track to a big push after he and Miz had a falling out.

He has a good look, a natural energy, and was gifted with an infectious screamo-metal theme song (SAY IT TO MAH FAAAAAYCEEEE) as he moved up WWE’s ladder.

But Riley’s been detoured, thanks to injuries, as well as an alleged confrontation with John Cena after a rib-gone-awry.

Speaking of Cena, he and Riley, along with Kofi Kingston, were involved in a botch that nearly threw a wrench into the Rumble’s plans.

Toward the end of the grueling 40-man contest, Cena and Kofi were dangling Riley over the top rope for what was supposed to be merely a tease. Instead, Riley ended up falling to the floor for the elimination.

Now, this shouldn’t be TOO big of a deal, since Riley wasn’t going to win. But A-Ry was supposed to be the catalyst for Cena getting eliminated later on. With Miz at ringside (scouting a possible WrestleMania opponent), Cena was supposed to dump Riley, who would somehow leave Cena vulnerable for Miz to run in and dump him out.

In fact, nobody in the booth called his elimination, and were later asking where Riley was, since Miz was waiting on his cue.

With Riley gone, an improvisation was required. Fortunately, they made up for the blunder by having Riley run back to the ring and distract Cena, so that Miz could cost him the match.

http://www.wrestlecrap.com/eventcenter/the-15-crappiest-moments-in-royal-rumble-match-history/

Apparently Cena was threatened by Riley as he had a similar look to him.

Also maybe related to the Royal Rumble botch but what apparently sealed his fate was an over reaction to Cena ribbing (bullying) him in front of the rest of the locker room.

Lots of people on the roster have said that Cena nixed Riley's push.

Pentecost

Good thing JTG is unsackable.

Hashtag_HEEL

Always been a big A-Ry fan. Thought he had the full package. Also loved his finisher

ShagNastii

Followed NXT a good bit but for whatever reason hadn't seen Enzo in-ring. Mother of gawd he is uninspiring.

I absolutely love the character and the chemistry he has with Big Cass but I'd fear him lead ballooning when they he gets the call up.

Mic skills touching five star but his performance bell to bell bearly hits two stars.

rovert

Dave Prazak is the booker/owner of Women's promotion SHIMMER.

Might be just KC Cassidy and Jasmine:


Please no Blue Pants

Pentecost

Fairly meh episode this week but they have to give the "lesser lights" some screen time. Few random thoughts on it..Tyler Breeze is impressing me lately. Carmella seems to flip flop between heel and face from week to week. Not convinced about her really though [sexism]she is pretty hot [/sexism]. She and Alexa's match came off pretty sloppy but that was a nice finisher from Alexa.

rovert

Pentecost wrote: »

Fairly meh episode this week but they have to give the "lesser lights" some screen time. Few random thoughts on it..Tyler Breeze is impressing me lately. Carmella seems to flip flop between heel and face from week to week. Not convinced about her really though [sexism]she is pretty hot [/sexism]. She and Alexa's match came off pretty sloppy but that was a nice finisher from Alexa.

For all the talk about NXT losing it's way quality wise this show was a reminder that NXT is still a developmental promotion. It was even more odd as that was the fourth episode or a four episode TV taping. The Tyler Breeze vs. Hideo Itami match main evented the entire night. Usually they have something whopper to end the night. For example the previous taping they had Finn Balor vs Hideo Itami. This was a step down. Alexa's improvement in the ring would be more noticeable if she was in the ring with someone better than Carmella. As Pentecost said she flip flops alignment a lot but the crowd reaction to her is not as simply explained. She's good looking and sassy enough to get a reaction but she doesn't. Riley totally reminded me of a lad who was good at sports in his teens/early twenties then took an office job for a few years and decide to have a full game of soccer with the lads one evening. Ended up bollox'd after so he did:

Pentecost

Re Carmella I think her heel schtick comes off as very..I don't know forced maybe or just saying the same things for the sake of it, "I'm the princess of Staten Island".. yeah you told us that two or three months ago. It's hard to explain but Sasha Banks for example just makes you believe she's a total b***h without actually saying much.

rovert

Devin Taylor who like JoJo is a secretly good wrestler returned to the ring tonight in Largo, Florida with her and Alexa Bliss vs Dana Brooke and Becky Lynch. Devin killed Becky dead in the post match Twitter war:
https://twitter.com/DevinTaylorWWE/status/576200465827889152

Omackeral

Was looking forward to Riley vs CJ Parker and enjoyed the locker room promo A-Ry cut, had a lot of fiery passion ('rage' :P) and reminded me off a style from yesteryear. However, he gave Parker far too much offence to be even slightly believable as a threat to Owens bar the fluke win. I know it's a mini feud but I'd rather he snapped and milled CJ after a flurry from Parker, or else just killed him at the opening bell. Also, their own Arnold promo spoiled the result of the match when it said he gets his hands on Owens next week. Stupid placement.

Enzo and Cass are still likeable but it's time to propel them if that's what they're gonna do. The act could get stale if they don't. Lucha Dragons were default heels. They're grand but what's their hook?

gerrybbadd

Have to say, i'm looking forward to NXT each week now.

And i've been hoping to see Alex Riley back in the ring at some stage. Always thought he had every tool needed to get ahead, great look, can talk, and is somewhat decent in the ring. He never really got a fair shake at things but he could be big if handled correctly.

Enzo & Big Cass are funny alright, but i can't see them being very big acts on the main stage.

ShagNastii

I'd actually love to see Enzo "demoted" to going management exclusively for Big Cas. Would be better than seeing them just get lost in the mix in a mediocre tag division.

Big Cass could be a credible upper mid carder and with Enzo doing his talking could get over pretty decent. Yeah get him involved but keep him as a complete bigmouth chickensh*t.

I don't think I ever enjoyed Enzo as much as when he was in the cast booting around in the electric wheelchair.