HHH really made his name in the golden era of the mid to late 90's and early 00's, I'd imagine a lot of his ideas on presentation of wrestling will be based on, and influenced by, that time in wrestling, but with a modern approach. Simple fueds, with good wrestling and easy entertainment. The one big thing they're missing from that era, are the stars. There's no The Rock, HHH, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, Stone Cold etc etc. Hell, imagine some of the mid-card talent you had back then, in today's WWE they'd be the biggest draws.
One of HHHs biggest tasks will be creating new mega stars, or building people back up into stars
HHH really made his name in the golden era of the mid to late 90's and early 00's, I'd imagine a lot of his ideas on presentation of wrestling will be based on, and influenced by, that time in wrestling, but with a modern approach. Simple fueds, with good wrestling and easy entertainment. The one big thing they're missing from that era, are the stars. There's no The Rock, HHH, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, Stone Cold etc etc. Hell, imagine some of the mid-card talent you had back then, in today's WWE they'd be the biggest draws.
One of HHHs biggest tasks will be creating new mega stars, or building people back up into stars
Look how good Billy and Dustin look now. In everything they do..........
HHH is a student of the game, as JR would say. If he hadn't married Stephanie he would have been booking/producing something somewhere anyway.
I will be really interested in the development of his on screen persona, assuming he has one.
The problem with the WWE midcard is the 50/50 booking and poor creative, which weren't issues they had at NXT at it's peak so fingers cross.
The talent they have is incredible, but most if them are being wasted.
Exactly midcard guys don't have 50/50 booking. They have 70/30 or 80/20 booking until they face a made man and do the job. You can't have a midcard unless you have jobbers.
Squash matches don't draw. 50/50 booking doesn't make stars. No stars doesn't draw. The paid TV model is 100% of the reason you don't have stars.
Roman Reigns is by far and away the biggest regular wrestling star they have, but even then I just don’t think he connects that much beyond the industry.
The likes of The Rock and John Cena had something about them that people from all walks of life could find entertaining (relatively speaking), whereas Reigns just looks and feels like a wrestler. In this day of social media - can you think of a 20-30 second clip of anything Reigns does that would make non-wrestling fans sit up and take notice?
Look at the UFC for example. Conor McGregor had something about him that brought in millions of viewers, even those who knew very little about MMA. That star power is just undeniable and you can’t take your eyes off someone like that.
Roman Reigns is a big deal to those people who watch the show already, but the ratings for many years have shown that he isn’t enough to change the industry.
Anyone else old enough to remember the cluster when Watts got the book in WCW? About turns often take longer than you think. Even when the Hart foundation, HBK and Austin were on top the under card in 96 to early 97 was still very "new generation" feel.
It was only Austin and DX at the end of 97 that were attitude era during 96/97 to the annoyance of Bret. WCW was a mess until Eric (who spent far less than Tony Khan) became Vice President. Jim Herd was hardly popular.
Do you remember the first PPV Watts did for WCW? He didn't like the card and it ended up having nearly 20 matches on it.
Not off the top of my head. I remember the first Russo & Bischoff PPV Spring Stampede 2000 having 14 which was shambolic! All WCW head honchos were bad apart from Bischoff which is why i correct people who have been drinking too much WWE coolaid and are unaware how great the late 90s were and Eric played a large part in the reason why.
I was a WCW fan, in two phases really. From watching WCW Worldwide on ITV on Saturdays in the early 90s, then falling off with wrestling only to notice WCW Monday Nitro on TNT on Sky TV in the mid-90s right when the NWO hit and I became a fan again.
I remember seeing Nitro for the first time and being very confused seeing Hulk Hogan and Macho Man on WCW, having missed the intervening years. WCW was difficult to follow in the UK, although we did get the magazine and (some?) VHS releases of the PPVs here.
Who's NeXT to come back? Gargano? Maybe Wyatt suddenly turns up again (one of the only people who can beat Reigns right now with it being believable and within the current stories)
I'm hoping they build Seth back up again, his match against Reigns a few months ago show how well they mesh together, and there's so much of a story there
Anyone else old enough to remember the cluster when Watts got the book in WCW? About turns often take longer than you think. Even when the Hart foundation, HBK and Austin were on top the under card in 96 to early 97 was still very "new generation" feel.
It was only Austin and DX at the end of 97 that were attitude era during 96/97 to the annoyance of Bret. WCW was a mess until Eric (who spent far less than Tony Khan) became Vice President. Jim Herd was hardly popular.
Do you remember the first PPV Watts did for WCW? He didn't like the card and it ended up having nearly 20 matches on it.
Not off the top of my head. I remember the first Russo & Bischoff PPV Spring Stampede 2000 having 14 which was shambolic! All WCW head honchos were bad apart from Bischoff which is why i correct people who have been drinking too much WWE coolaid and are unaware how great the late 90s were and Eric played a large part in the reason why.
I was a WCW fan, in two phases really. From watching WCW Worldwide on ITV on Saturdays in the early 90s, then falling off with wrestling only to notice WCW Monday Nitro on TNT on Sky TV in the mid-90s right when the NWO hit and I became a fan again.
I remember seeing Nitro for the first time and being very confused seeing Hulk Hogan and Macho Man on WCW, having missed the intervening years. WCW was difficult to follow in the UK, although we did get the magazine and (some?) VHS releases of the PPVs here.
You must be a similar age to me, very similar experience. First Nitro i saw was Spring Break '98 which caused an even bigger brain explosion! Some random ppvs and best ofs were available in Woolsworth. They would recap the ppvs with still photos on Nitros where as WWF PPVs were on sky sports. I used to read the ppvs reports online.
On Raw this week, Ciampa entered the ring with a Harley Race robe and Owens, who acted like his NXT gimmick to wipe out a stupid angle, wore a Dusty Rhodes T-shirt.
On Raw this week, Ciampa entered the ring with a Harley Race robe and Owens, who acted like his NXT gimmick to wipe out a stupid angle, wore a Dusty Rhodes T-shirt.
3 hours will always be too long though.
I have always liked the Nash idea, make Monday night RAW 2 hours and use the third hour to have a 1 hour show late night on Friday or Saturday night that's more "mature".
I saw an online comment the other day about WWE doing a "throwback" week, where all the girls are sex objects, all the heels are foreign and have stupid accents, drinking and gambling are actively encouraged in the locker room, and everyone takes unprotected chair shots to the head.
Something tells me the poster was a redneck American, but I'm not sure what...
Anyone else old enough to remember the cluster when Watts got the book in WCW? About turns often take longer than you think. Even when the Hart foundation, HBK and Austin were on top the under card in 96 to early 97 was still very "new generation" feel.
It was only Austin and DX at the end of 97 that were attitude era during 96/97 to the annoyance of Bret. WCW was a mess until Eric (who spent far less than Tony Khan) became Vice President. Jim Herd was hardly popular.
Do you remember the first PPV Watts did for WCW? He didn't like the card and it ended up having nearly 20 matches on it.
Not off the top of my head. I remember the first Russo & Bischoff PPV Spring Stampede 2000 having 14 which was shambolic! All WCW head honchos were bad apart from Bischoff which is why i correct people who have been drinking too much WWE coolaid and are unaware how great the late 90s were and Eric played a large part in the reason why.
I was a WCW fan, in two phases really. From watching WCW Worldwide on ITV on Saturdays in the early 90s, then falling off with wrestling only to notice WCW Monday Nitro on TNT on Sky TV in the mid-90s right when the NWO hit and I became a fan again.
I remember seeing Nitro for the first time and being very confused seeing Hulk Hogan and Macho Man on WCW, having missed the intervening years. WCW was difficult to follow in the UK, although we did get the magazine and (some?) VHS releases of the PPVs here.
You must be a similar age to me, very similar experience. First Nitro i saw was Spring Break '98 which caused an even bigger brain explosion! Some random ppvs and best ofs were available in Woolsworth. They would recap the ppvs with still photos on Nitros where as WWF PPVs were on sky sports. I used to read the ppvs reports online.
Apparently Wyatt is coming back soon!
Yeah we probably are, Im 38. It was easier to watch WCW on Sky because the TNT was part of the basic cheap Sky (analogue ) package, I think WWF Raw was only Sky Sports in the mid-late 90s? Although it might have been on Sky One too? We only had Sky Sports every now and then in our house, so WWF was hard to get into.
Anyone else old enough to remember the cluster when Watts got the book in WCW? About turns often take longer than you think. Even when the Hart foundation, HBK and Austin were on top the under card in 96 to early 97 was still very "new generation" feel.
It was only Austin and DX at the end of 97 that were attitude era during 96/97 to the annoyance of Bret. WCW was a mess until Eric (who spent far less than Tony Khan) became Vice President. Jim Herd was hardly popular.
Do you remember the first PPV Watts did for WCW? He didn't like the card and it ended up having nearly 20 matches on it.
Not off the top of my head. I remember the first Russo & Bischoff PPV Spring Stampede 2000 having 14 which was shambolic! All WCW head honchos were bad apart from Bischoff which is why i correct people who have been drinking too much WWE coolaid and are unaware how great the late 90s were and Eric played a large part in the reason why.
I was a WCW fan, in two phases really. From watching WCW Worldwide on ITV on Saturdays in the early 90s, then falling off with wrestling only to notice WCW Monday Nitro on TNT on Sky TV in the mid-90s right when the NWO hit and I became a fan again.
I remember seeing Nitro for the first time and being very confused seeing Hulk Hogan and Macho Man on WCW, having missed the intervening years. WCW was difficult to follow in the UK, although we did get the magazine and (some?) VHS releases of the PPVs here.
You must be a similar age to me, very similar experience. First Nitro i saw was Spring Break '98 which caused an even bigger brain explosion! Some random ppvs and best ofs were available in Woolsworth. They would recap the ppvs with still photos on Nitros where as WWF PPVs were on sky sports. I used to read the ppvs reports online.
Apparently Wyatt is coming back soon!
Yeah we probably are, Im 38. It was easier to watch WCW on Sky because the TNT was part of the basic cheap Sky (analogue ) package, I think WWF Raw was only Sky Sports in the mid-late 90s? Although it might have been on Sky One too? We only had Sky Sports every now and then in our house, so WWF was hard to get into.
I'm also 38! I think WWF has been on Sky as long as Sky has been on.
Sam's post above shows why the 18-30 razzlin' demographic doesn't attract advertising, where as golf with a fraction of the viewing figures does.
Anyone else old enough to remember the cluster when Watts got the book in WCW? About turns often take longer than you think. Even when the Hart foundation, HBK and Austin were on top the under card in 96 to early 97 was still very "new generation" feel.
It was only Austin and DX at the end of 97 that were attitude era during 96/97 to the annoyance of Bret. WCW was a mess until Eric (who spent far less than Tony Khan) became Vice President. Jim Herd was hardly popular.
Do you remember the first PPV Watts did for WCW? He didn't like the card and it ended up having nearly 20 matches on it.
Not off the top of my head. I remember the first Russo & Bischoff PPV Spring Stampede 2000 having 14 which was shambolic! All WCW head honchos were bad apart from Bischoff which is why i correct people who have been drinking too much WWE coolaid and are unaware how great the late 90s were and Eric played a large part in the reason why.
I was a WCW fan, in two phases really. From watching WCW Worldwide on ITV on Saturdays in the early 90s, then falling off with wrestling only to notice WCW Monday Nitro on TNT on Sky TV in the mid-90s right when the NWO hit and I became a fan again.
I remember seeing Nitro for the first time and being very confused seeing Hulk Hogan and Macho Man on WCW, having missed the intervening years. WCW was difficult to follow in the UK, although we did get the magazine and (some?) VHS releases of the PPVs here.
You must be a similar age to me, very similar experience. First Nitro i saw was Spring Break '98 which caused an even bigger brain explosion! Some random ppvs and best ofs were available in Woolsworth. They would recap the ppvs with still photos on Nitros where as WWF PPVs were on sky sports. I used to read the ppvs reports online.
Apparently Wyatt is coming back soon!
Yeah we probably are, Im 38. It was easier to watch WCW on Sky because the TNT was part of the basic cheap Sky (analogue ) package, I think WWF Raw was only Sky Sports in the mid-late 90s? Although it might have been on Sky One too? We only had Sky Sports every now and then in our house, so WWF was hard to get into.
Those were the days. Remember WWF Raw on a Friday night on sky sports (before the Internet was big so easier to avoid the spoilers back then) then shotgun Saturday morning on sky one with all the chair shots cut out. Then you'd have smackdown on a Saturday night.
Friday and Saturday nights were bliss with RAW and Smackdown on Sky Sports. Would occasionally watch Nitro on Bravo too, I think that was on a Thursday night.
Friday and Saturday nights were bliss with RAW and Smackdown on Sky Sports. Would occasionally watch Nitro on Bravo too, I think that was on a Thursday night.
Comments
Rumour has it there maybe even title belts and fans as well!
One of HHHs biggest tasks will be creating new mega stars, or building people back up into stars
HHH is a student of the game, as JR would say. If he hadn't married Stephanie he would have been booking/producing something somewhere anyway.
I will be really interested in the development of his on screen persona, assuming he has one.
I think Reigns has the chance to be a mega star.
There hasn't been a midcard since Russo decided that everyone has to be involved in some sort of nonsense or another.
The talent they have is incredible, but most if them are being wasted.
Squash matches don't draw. 50/50 booking doesn't make stars. No stars doesn't draw. The paid TV model is 100% of the reason you don't have stars.
The likes of The Rock and John Cena had something about them that people from all walks of life could find entertaining (relatively speaking), whereas Reigns just looks and feels like a wrestler. In this day of social media - can you think of a 20-30 second clip of anything Reigns does that would make non-wrestling fans sit up and take notice?
Roman Reigns is a big deal to those people who watch the show already, but the ratings for many years have shown that he isn’t enough to change the industry.
Joking aside though, the WWE product is already more watchable and enjoyable
I remember seeing Nitro for the first time and being very confused seeing Hulk Hogan and Macho Man on WCW, having missed the intervening years. WCW was difficult to follow in the UK, although we did get the magazine and (some?) VHS releases of the PPVs here.
I'm hoping they build Seth back up again, his match against Reigns a few months ago show how well they mesh together, and there's so much of a story there
Apparently Wyatt is coming back soon!
A hard night for that talented youngster, as Monsoon might say
3 hours will always be too long though.
Something tells me the poster was a redneck American, but I'm not sure what...
I think there would be an appetite for a 1 hour "wrestling" show. I think dynamite and the old nxt showed that.
Sam's post above shows why the 18-30 razzlin' demographic doesn't attract advertising, where as golf with a fraction of the viewing figures does.
Was my religion 1998-2002
I'm also 38 as it happens!